AND I -- YOU CAN BOO ALL YOU WANT. JOE:
THAT'S QUITE A MOMENT. I GUESS THAT SHOULD HAVE
EXPECTED BUT IT REFLECTS THE FEELINGS IN THE ELECTORATE
ABOUT THESE DIFFERENT CANDIDATES.
THAT IS A CROWD THAT WILL LIKELY GIVE DONALD TRUMP A
STANDING OVATION.
>> DONALD TRUMP IS THE FRONT RUNNER AND THE CROWD TODAY
REALLY SHOWED THAT. I THINK THE LOUDEST, MOST
ENERGETIC RESPONSE FROM THE AUDIENCE CAME FROM NORTH
CAROLINA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MARK ROBINSON.
EVERYONE STOOD TO THEIR FEET THEY WERE EXCITED TO HEAR THAT
SO CHRIS CHRISTIE'S COMMENTS WEREN'T WELL BUT IT'S VERY
CLEAR THAT THAT WAS A TRUMP AUDIENCE. JOE: INDEED.
IF THERE'S A QUESTION OF HOW EXACTLY THIS IS GOING TO SHAPE
UP IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS BECAUSE EVERYONE ELSE ON THAT
STAGE IS GUNNING FOR DONALD TRUMP BUT ONLY A COUPLE OF
THESE CANDIDATES WILL NAME HIM. WE ARE GETTING THE FULL
SPECTRUM OF STRATEGIES HERE. RON DESANTIS REFERRED TO HIM
WITHOUT NAMING HIS NAME. MAYBE ASA HUTCHINSON WHO'S
GOING TO JOIN US HERE A LITTLE BIT LATER WHO HAS A COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT APPROACH TO ALL OF THIS, WHICH ONE IS WORKING?
>> NONE, RIGHT NOW. TRUMP IS AHEAD OF DESANTIS EVEN
BY SOME ALREADY POINTS. THIS IS AFTER BEING INDICTED ON
37 FEDERAL CHARGES. IT'S REALLY HARD FOR ANY OF
THESE CANDIDATES TO BREAK OUT AT THIS MOMENT.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AT THIS CONFERENCE.
THESE CANDIDATES ARE TRYING TO SORT OF CARVE A LINK FOR
THEMSELVES BUT THEY ARE SPEAKING TO A VERY NARROW
AUDIENCE HERE. THIS IS THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT
THAT THEY ARE SPEAKING TO. THEY'RE HAVING TO TALK ABOUT
ISSUES MANY OF THEM HAVE TRIED TO SHY AWAY FROM.
FOR INSTANCE, THE TOPIC OF ABORTION AND WHETHER OR NOT
THEY WOULD SUPPORT SAY A 15 WEEK BAN ON ABORTION AS HAS
BEEN PUSHED BY SEVERAL. BECAUSE OF THE CROWD AND
BECAUSE OF THE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF DOBBS THEY'RE HAVING TO
WEIGH-IN ON THIS. JOE: WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT
ONE YEAR MARK IN JUST A MOMENT. CHRISTIAN, WILL WE TALK ABOUT
THE EVANGELICAL COMMUNITY ARE WE TALKING ABOUT MAGA?
>> I THINK IT'S FASCINATING THAT DONALD TRUMP BROUGHT MIKE
PENCE ON TO GET THE EVANGELICAL BASE BUT NOW TRUMP IS TAKEN
THAT BASE AND PENCE IS TRYING TO GET THEM BACK.
I SPOKE TO A LOT OF VOTERS AND THEY WANT SOMEONE WHO IS
CONFIDENT BUT ALSO WHO'S A FIGHTER AND THAT'S WHY THIS
BASE IS REALLY STICKING TO DONALD TRUMP. JOE:
IT'S A QUESTION OF THE PLEDGE AS WELL RELATIVELY NEW
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WILL HEARD WILL BE AT
THAT CONFERENCE TOMORROW. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF
THE CRITERIA TO GET ON THE DEBATE STAGE HERE IS WHAT HE
SAID.
>> I WON'T BE SIGNING ANY KIND OF PLEDGES AND I DON'T THINK
THAT PARTIES SHOULD BE TRYING TO RIG WHO SHOULD BE ON IT
DEBATE STAGE. I'M NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF
FLYING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO GET A MICROPHONE. JOE:
HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS SAID THIS.
ASA HUTCHINSON WHO WILL JOIN US LATER THIS HOUR HAS INDICATED
THE SAME. CHRIS CHRISTIE THE SAME.
IS THE RNC GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE ITS RULES?
>> EVEN DONALD TRUMP HASN'T AGREED TO THIS ROLE WHICH IS
THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE EVER REALLY ENCOUNTERED THIS.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE IN THE FIELD, PARTICULARLY LIKES IT.
BUT TODAY THE CHAIRWOMAN OF THE RNC SAID THEY ARE STICKING WITH
IT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE DEBATE STAGE COME
AUGUST WHEN THEY ALL CONVENE. JOE:
THE ISSUE OF ABORTION CAME UP AND I'D LIKE TO ASK YOU BOTH
ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR TOPIC.
A FORMER VICE TALKED ABOUT IT AT THE FAITH AND FREEDOM SUMMIT.
LET'S LISTEN.
>> I WANT TO SAY FROM MY HEART, EVERY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR
PRESIDENT SHOULD SUPPORT A BAN ON ABORTION BEFORE 15 WEEKS AS
A MINIMUM NATIONWIDE STANDARD. JOE:
AN AMOUNT OF 15 WEEKS THAT'S NOT UNLIKE WHAT SENATOR LINDSEY
GRAHAM WAS PROPOSING. IS THAT THE BASELINE?
DID MIKE PENCE JUST SORT OF DESCRIBE THE BASELINE FOR
REPUBLICANS IN THIS CAMPAIGN?
>> I THINK REPUBLICAN PRO-ABORTION GROUPS ARE THINK
CANDIDATES SHOULD BE SUPPORTING AT LEAST A 15 WEEK ABORTION BAN
BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT ABORTION IS REALLY GOING TO BE A BIG ISSUE
FOR REPUBLICANS HEADING INTO 224. TALKING TO A LOT OF THE
ATTENDEES AT THE EVENT TODAY THEY WERE SAYING THAT LOOK THEY
WANT THE CANDIDATE WHO CAN SIT STRONGLY AND DEFEND A 15 WEEK
MINIMUM BAN. JOE: ARE ALL THE CANDIDATES ON BOARD
WITH THAT?
>> I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP IN IS UNIQUE IN THAT HE HASN'T
TALKED ABOUT ABORTION TOO MUCH. ONE OF THE THINGS HE'LL SAY ALL
THE TIME IS THERE WILL BE NO DOBBS DECISION IF IT WASN'T FOR
ME. SO ABORTION IS GOING TO PLAY A
HUGE ROLE IN 2024. JOE: IT'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENS NEXT YEAR. DEMOCRATS BEGINNING WITH THE
PRESIDENT BUT DEMOCRAT LEADERS ON CAPITOL HILL WANT TO HAVE A
LEGISLATIVE ANSWER TO THIS. WE HEARD EARLIER TODAY FROM
HAKEEM JEFFRIES, DEMOCRATIC LEADER IN THE HOUSE.
IT'S ONE YEAR SINCE THE DOBBS DECISION. HERE HE IS.
>> ON THE OTHER ENLIGHTENED DECISIONS THAT THE SUPREME
COURT HAS REACHED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, WHICH ENHANCED
FREEDOM DOBBS DECISION RESTRICTED AND LIMITED AND
UNDERMINED READ HIM FOR WOMEN ALL ACROSS AMERICA. JOE:
HE SAYS DEMOCRATS HAVE 210 VOTES FOR LEGISLATION THAT
WOULD LEGALIZE ABORTION 210 VOTES THEY ARE PROMISING A
MOTION TO DISCHARGE BUT HE NEEDS EIGHT MORE VOTES.
>> I THINK YOU CAN FIND EIGHT REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE WHO
SUPPORT ABORTION RIGHTS. IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND EIGHT
REPUBLICANS WHO ARE WILLING TO VOTE THAT THE SUPPORT ABORTION
RIGHTS. YOU'RE SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR
A STRONG PRIMARY CHALLENGE FROM THE RIGHT IF YOU DO THAT.
NOT TO MENTION BEING TARGETED BY WHOEVER THE NEXT PRESUMPTIVE
PRESIDENTIAL REPUBLICAN NOMINEE MAY BE.
WHILE YOU HAVE LAWMAKERS LIKE NEED SEE MACE FROM SOUTH
CAROLINA, REPUBLICAN WHO'S BEEN VOCAL ABOUT SUPPORTING ABORTION
RIGHTS. I CAN SEE SOME OF THESE
REPUBLICANS COMING OUT AND SAYING, WELL, WE WANT TO SEE
THIS GO THROUGH COMMITTEE OR THIS ISN'T THE WAY IT SHOULD BE
HANDLED AND TAKE AWAY THE PROCEDURAL OPPOSITION.
AND YOU RISK ALIENATING PART OF YOUR BASE EVEN IN THE GENERAL.
JOE: WE DID GET A DECISION TODAY BY
THE SUPREME COURT. WE WILL POTENTIALLY HEAR MORE
OPINIONS. TODAY WAS AN IMPORTANT ONE
REGARDING POLICY AT THE BORDER ALLOWING THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION POLICY FOR DEPORTATION TO BE A LOT AND
REPLACE THE PRE-EXISTING POLICY FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
THIS IS A RULING IN FAVOR OF JOE BIDEN'S APPROACH TO DIRECT
LIMITED RESOURCES WE HAVE TO EITHER GET PEOPLE CONSIDERED
MORE DANGEROUS OR THOSE HAVE RECENTLY CROSSED THE BORDER
DOES THIS GIVE HIM COVER ON A VERY DELICATE ISSUE?
>> PRESIDENT BIDEN IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE'S
GOING TO HANDLE THE SITUATION. IT'S VERY TENSE.
REPUBLICANS ARE WATCHING VERY CLOSELY.
THIS IS SOMETHING THEY FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT. JOE:
BESIDES INFLATION THIS IS ISSUE NUMBER ONE.
>> EXACTLY. THIS IS AN ISSUE THEY CAN TALK
ABOUT VERY COMFORTABLY. THEY WOULD RATHER HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION OVER A PORTION SO IT'S GOING TO BE VERY BIG FOR
JOE BIDEN TO FIGURE OUT HOW HE'S GOING TO HANDLE THIS ON
THE CAMPAIGN TRIAL.