>>> THE PRESIDENT BEARS
RESPONSIBILITY FOR WEDNESDAY’S
ATTACK ON CONGRESS BY MOB
RIOTERS.
>> HE SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY
DENOUNCED THE MOB WHEN HE SAW
WHAT WAS UNFOLDING.
THESE FACTS REQUIRE IMMEDIATE
ACTION FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.
>> HI AGAIN, EVERYONE.
IT IS 5:00 IN THE EAST.
ONE WEEK AFTER THE CAPITOL
INSURRECTION, HEARING THAT
COMMENT THERE, ONE OF TRUMP’S
STRONGEST ALLIES, MINORITY
LEADER KEVIN McCARTHY GAVE SOME
A SLIVER OF HOPE THAT THE TRUMP
TAKEOVER OF HOUSE REPUBLICANS
MIGHT BE EPIC.
KEVIN McCARTHY COULD PROVE US
WRONG, FOR THE HANG MIKE PENCE
AND NOOSE ERECTED FOR THAT, NINE
DAYS AFTER JOE BIDEN TOOK
OFFICE, McCARTHY WAS DOWN AT
MAR-A-LAGO KISSING TRUMP’S RING.
EVEN MORE DANGEROUS, McCARTHY’S
ATTEMPT TO REWRITE WHAT HAPPENED
THE DAY OF THE INSURRECTION.
HERE HE IS YESTERDAY RESPONDING
TO CHRIS WALLACE ABOUT HIS PHONE
CALL WITH TRUMP ON 1-6, SHOWING
AN ABOUT FACE FROM COMMENTS ON
THE HOUSE FLOOR.
>> WHEN I TALKED TO PRESIDENT
TRUMP, I WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO
CONTACT HIM WHEN THE RIOT WAS
GOING ON AND HE DIDN’T SEE IT.
HE ENDED THE CALL SAYING HE
WOULD PUT SOMETHING OUT TO BE
SURE IT STOPPED.
THAT’S WHAT HE DID.
>> QUITE A LOT LATER.
I AM ASKING DID HE SAY TO YOU,
SOME PEOPLE ARE MORE CONCERNED
ABOUT THE ELECTION THAN YOU ARE?
>> LISTEN, MY CONVERSATIONS WITH
THE PRESIDENT ARE MY
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
PRESIDENT.
I ENGAGED IN THE IDEA OF MAKING
SURE WE STOP WHAT’S GOING ON
INSIDE THE CAPITOL AT THAT
MOMENT IN TIME.
THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WOULD
HELP.
>> IN THE VIDEO, THE PRESIDENT
SAID WE LOVE YOU TO THE
INSURRECTIONISTS.
McCARTHY’S WEAKNESS AND PENCHANT
PUTTING LOYALTY TO TRUMP OVER
EVERYTHING ELSE, ACCOUNTABILITY
AND THE TRUTH ARE ON FULL
DISPLAY, DETAILED IN A PIECE IN
"NEW YORK TIMES" ABOUT HIM.
THE TIMES REPORTS, QUOTE, AS THE
END OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY
DEVOLVED INTO TURMOIL AND
VIOLENCE, McCARTHY FACED A
DILEMMA, ONE THAT BEDEVILLED HIS
PARTY NEARLY FIVE YEARS.
SHOULD HE CUT TRUMP LOOSE AS
MANY REPUBLICANS WERE URGING OR
KEEP TRYING TO MAKE IT WORK WITH
ANNOUSED PRESIDENT THAT IS THE
MOTIVATING FORCE INSIDE THE GOP.
HE CHOSE THE LATTER, NOT FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
HIS EXTRAVAGANT EFFORTS TO
INGRATIATE HIMSELF WITH TRUMP
EARN HIM REPUTATION FOR BEING A
LAP DOG.
HIS DEFENSE OF HIS ROLE AND
PERPETUATING THE BIG LIE, A
FALSEHOOD WE ALREADY KNOW HAS
SERIOUS, SOMETIMES DEADLY
CONSEQUENCES, MORE FROM THE
GREAT TIMES REPORTING.
PRESSED WHETHER HE REGRETTED
WORKING TO OVERTURN PRESIDENT
BIDEN’S 2020 VICTORY, McCARTHY
TOOK THE POSITION THAT HE DID NO
SUCH THING.
WE VOTED NOT TO CERTIFY TWO
STATES, REFERRING TO ARIZONA AND
PENNSYLVANIA, WHO’S SLATSES OF
VOTES REPUBLICANS CHALLENGED,
DESPITE NO PROOF OF FRAUD THAT
WOULD ALTER THE FINAL TALLIES.
EVEN IF THE REPUBLICANS’
CHALLENGE WAS SUCCESSFUL,
MR. McCARTHY ARGUES THAT THE
ELECTORAL VOTES WOULD NOT BE
ENOUGH TO TIP THE NATIONWIDE
VOTE AWAY FROM MR. BIDEN, AND
JOE BIDEN WOULD BE IN THE WHITE
HOUSE NOW, HE SAYS.
THAT NARRATIVE UNDERMINED BY
TRUMP HIMSELF WHO VIEWS THE
ELECTION AS STOLEN FROM HIM, IT
WAS NOT, OF COURSE, AND FELT
STOPPING THE CONGRESSIONAL
COUNTING OF ELECTORAL VOTES
JANUARY 6th WAS HIS CHANCE TO
GET IT BACK.
HERE WE ARE, FOUR MONTHS AFTER
THE INSURRECTION, AND HIS LAP
DOGS ARE DEFENDING TRUMP’S
ACTIONS, STILL CHOOSING HIM TO
BE THEIR FUTURE, THE FUTURE OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, AND STILL,
STILL TO THIS DAY REPEATING THE
BIG LIE.
LIKE WE’RE SEEING NOW IN
ARIZONA, STATE SENATE
REPUBLICANS ARE RUNNING A FAUX
AUDIT OF BALLOTS IN MARICOPA
COUNTY THAT HAVE BEEN COUNTED
THREE TIMES.
THE GOP DOUBLING AND TRIPLING
DOWN ON DANGEROUS AND DEADLY BIG
LIE.
WE START THIS HOUR WITH SOME OF
OUR FAVORITE REPORTERS.
CHARLIE SYKES IS HE, AND SAM
STEIN, AND FORMER RNC CHAIRMAN,
YOU KNOW I AM COMING TO YOU
FIRST, MICHAEL STEELE.
ALL THREE MSNBC POLITICAL
CONTRIBUTORS.
MICHAEL STEELE, GREAT PIECE OF
REPORTING ON McCARTHY.
I AM COMING TO YOU FIRST.
THIS REFUSAL THAT WE KNOW TWO
NEW FACTS.
WE KNOW THAT THE DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE EXTREMISM THREAT INTEL
CHIEFS AND FBI DIRECTOR
TESTIFIED TO IN THE LAST FEW
WEEKS, THE PEOPLE THAT THREATEN
US BELIEVE IN THE BIG LIE.
NOT EVERYONE THAT BELIEVES THE
BIG LIE THREATENS US, BUT A BIG
CHUNK OF PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXTREMIST
THREATS BELIEVE THE BIG LIE.
THEY’RE CHOOSING DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP DIDN’T CHOOSE ANY
OF THEM.
YOU COULD TAKE OR LEAVE ANY OF
THEM.
THIS AFFIRMATIVE SELECTION OF
HIM TO BE THEIR LEADER, THEY
HAVE TO BOOST HIM UP.
HE DOESN’T HAVE A PLATFORM ON
WHICH TO COMMUNICATE.
THEY’RE PROPPING HIM UP TO
CONTINUE TO LEAD THEM.
WHY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO
PERPETUATE THAT DYSFUNCTIONAL
RELATIONSHIP THAT NOW
DISTRIBUTES TO A DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE EXTREMISM THREAT IN THE
COUNTRY?
>> BECAUSE WHERE DO YOU GO?
WHERE ELSE DURING AT THIS POINT?
FOR NORMAL PEOPLE, YEAH, YOU
WOULD GO SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU
WOULD BACK AWAY FROM IT.
KEVIN McCARTHY HAS BEEN GIVEN
OPPORTUNITY AFTER OPPORTUNITY TO
SET A DIFFERENT COURSE, TO RAISE
A DIFFERENT NARRATIVE.
BUT THE "REWRITE"REALITY, HE WAN
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, THIS IS
THE PATH TO TAKE TO GET THERE,
IF THE MOMENT SHOULD COME,
DONALD TRUMP IS NOT GOING TO BE
THERE FOR KEVIN McCARTHY BECAUSE
DONALD TRUMP WILL FIND SOMEBODY
ELSE MORE LEGITIMATELY TRUMPIAN
THAN THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.
THESE FOLKS PUT THEMSELVES OUT
THERE FOR SOMEONE THAT DOESN’T
CARE ABOUT THEM, WOULD NOT PUT
HIMSELF OUT THERE FOR THEM, SO
THEY FIND THEMSELVES IN THIS
WEIRD SPACE WHERE THEY
PERPETUATE LIES, THEY TRY TO
CHANGE THE NARRATIVES, TELL US
WE DON’T SEE WHAT WE SEE OR HEAR
WHAT WE HEAR ALL BECAUSE THEY
THINK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS
THEIR OBJECTIVES, PERSONAL AND
POLITICAL OBJECTIVES WILL BE
REALIZED.
FACT OF THE MATTER, IT IS NOT.
AMERICAN PEOPLE, THIS IS THE GUY
WANTS TO BE SPEAKER OF THE
HOUSE.
NOW THE CENSUS NUMBERS ARE
COMING OUT, WE ARE SEEING WHERE
DEMOGRAPHICS ARE SHIFTING, WE
RECOGNIZE THE FUTURE COULD VERY
WELL REVEAL A KEVIN McCARTHY
TYPE OR TRUMP TYPE OF SPEAKER OF
THE HOUSE.
WHAT IT TELLS ME IS WE AS
CITIZENS HAVE TO REENGAGE, WE
HAVE TO GET INTO THIS
DIFFERENTLY THAN WE HAVE BECAUSE
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW CALLING
THE SHOTS AT LEAST IN ONE PARTY
DO NOT HAVE OUR BEST INTEREST AT
HEART IN THE LONG TERM AND THOSE
OF US INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THAT
PARTY HAVE TO TRY TO CHANGE THAT
COURSE AND THAT’S THE REALITY.
IT GOES BACK TO WHAT YOU AND
CLAIRE TALKED ABOUT LAST HOUR.
CALL THE THING WHAT IT IS, BE
PREPARED TO FIGHT THAT THING.
YOU CAN’T PRETEND OTHERWISE.
>> CHARLIE, I GUESS IT MATTERS
BECAUSE KEVIN McCARTHY CAN’T BE
TRUSTED TO BELIEVE IN WHAT KEVIN
McCARTHY SAID ON THE FLOOR OF
THE HOUSE CHAMBER.
IT IS NOT MY VIEW OF WHAT A
LEADER IN THE PARTY SHOULD SAY
AFTER A SITTING PRESIDENT IN
CITES A DEADLY INSURRECTION AS
LIZ CHENEY CLEARLY IN TODAY’S
CONTEXT BRAVELY SAID HE DID.
IT IS KEVIN McCARTHY SITTING
THERE YESTERDAY WITHOUT THE
SPINE OR THE WHATEVER TO OWN UP
TO HIS OWN PAST DIAGNOSIS OF
WHAT HAPPENED ON 1-6, AND THE
AUDACITY TO WALK AWAY FROM HIS
OWN PUBLIC STATEMENTS IS MIND
BENDING.
WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN KEVIN
McCARTHY IS NOW SORT OF
CONTRADICTING KEVIN McCARTHY ON
1-6.
>> WELL, KEVIN McCARTHY IS GAS
LIGHTING AS HE IS TRYING TO
ENGAGE IN HISTORICAL
REVISIONISM.
YOU SEE THE COWARDESS.
HE IS NOT A LEADER, WE DON’T SEE
LEADERS, THEY ARE FOLLOWERS, AND
THEY’RE FOLLOWING THE BASE AND
FOLLOWING DONALD TRUMP’S LEAD.
AND I DON’T WANT TO BE
MISUNDERSTOOD HERE, BUT I HAVE A
SENSE WE MOVED BEYOND THIS ALL
BEING ABOUT TRUMP.
TRUMP STILL IS AN IMMINENT
THREAT TO AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, NO
QUESTION ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK
WHAT’S HAPPENED IS THAT TRUMPIAN
MENTALITY, CONSPIRACY THEORIES
METASTASIZED IN THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY, SO THEY MAY LOOK LIKE
THEY’RE STILL CALLING THE SHOTS
BUT THEY’RE FOLLOWING SOMETHING
THAT THEY CAN’T CONTROL AND THEY
DON’T FULLY UNDERSTAND.
I THINK YOU’VE DONE A GREAT JOB
CONNECTING THE DOTS.
LOOK WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ARIZONA
WHERE YOU HAVE THIS ABSOLUTELY
BIZARRE ARTIFICIAL AUDIT WHICH
APPEARS TO BE DESIGNED TO
ADVANCE THE BIG LIE.
THAT SEEMS TO BE A GRASS ROOTS
THING, BEING EGGED ON BY DONALD
TRUMP WHO AS USUAL WOULD LIKE TO
SEND IN THE NATIONAL GUARD, HE
HAS A FETISH HAVING GUNS AROUND,
PEOPLE TRYING TO STEAL
ELECTIONS, BUT YOU ARE ACTUALLY
NOW SEEING A LARGER AND LARGER
PORTION OF THE REPUBLICAN BASE
WHO THINK IN TERMS OF THESE
CONSPIRACY THEORIES, WHO ARE
OPEN TO THESE KINDS OF IDEAS AND
WHO EXPECT THIS.
SO YOU HAVE, AGAIN, IT IS
LARGELY ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, BUT
IT IS ALSO ALMOST MOVING PAST
DONALD TRUMP BECAUSE DONALD
TRUMP LEFT IN HIS WAKE THIS
WEIRD STEW OF FALSE INFORMATION,
IN KRED
INCREDULOUSNESS, AND PEOPLE LIKE
KEVIN McCARTHY THAT DON’T HAVE
MORAL INTEGRITY OR BACKBONE TO
SPEAK AGAINST IT.
>> I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU.
THIS IS THE CONVERSATION THAT
NEEDS TO BE HAD.
WE COVERED THIS INCORRECTLY.
FEAR OF TRUMP WAS THE EXCUSE FOR
ALL OF MITCH McCONNELL AND ROB
PORTMAN AND KEVIN McCARTHY,
WEENIES THAT LOOKED THE OTHER
WAY WHEN THEY SAID DO YOU
BELIEVE THIS OUTRAGEOUS THING
THAT DONALD TRUMP TWEETED TODAY
AND OUR FRAME WAS THEY MUST BE
AFRAID OF OUR CAMERAS BECAUSE
THEY’RE SCARED OF TRUMP.
WE WERE WRONG.
THEY ARE TRUMP.
AND YOU ARE RIGHT.
THIS STORY IS NO LONGER ABOUT
TRUMP.
IT IS WHAT TRUMP REVEALED THE
REPUBLICANS TO BE.
I DARE SAY MY OLD BOSS WAS
PUTTING IT NICELY WHEN HE SAID
THE REPUBLICANS STAND FOR
ISOLATIONISM, PROTECTIONISM,
NATIVISM, AND I WILL ADD ONE
MORE, FLAG RANT RACISM.
AND EXTREMISM IF YOU LOOK AT THE
INTERSECTION BETWEEN THE
IDEOLOGY THAT REPRESENTS THE
GREATEST DOMESTIC VIOLENT
EXTREMISM THREAT ANALYZE HE
REFUSED TO KNOCK DOWN WHEN CHRIS
WALLACE GAVE HIM MULTIPLE
CHANCES TO DO YESTERDAY.
>> THEY HAVE BEEN PLAYING WITH
MATCHES FOR FOUR YEARS, DOUSING
KEROSENE ON DEMOCRACY.
NOW THERE’S CON-- THEY’RE NOT
LEADING THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST IT.
THERE WAS A BRIEF SPASM OF
INDEPENDENCE BY KEVIN McCARTHY
WHERE IT LOOKED LIKE HE SAW
WHERE THINGS WERE GOING, WAS
GOING TO SPEAK AGAINST IT, BUT
IT DIDN’T LAST LONG BECAUSE
AGAIN THEY CREATED SOMETHING