>>> HELLO, EVERYBODY. IT IS 4:00 HERE IN WASHINGTON.
I’M PETER ALEXANDER IN FOR MY
FRIEND NICOLLE WALLACE.
TODAY WITH THE HUMANITARIAN
CRISIS UNFOLDING AT THE SOUTHERN
BORDER, IMAGES OF OVERCROWDED
AND SQUALID CONDITIONS AT THE
MIGRATION AUTHORITIES.
MIGRATION AUTHORITIES. AND THE FOURTH OF JULY
CELEBRATION, TANKS ON THE STREET
IN ADVANCE OF A MILITARY-STYLE
EVENT TOMORROW AND SPEECH DURING
THE EVENING’S FESTIVITIES AT THE
LINCOLN MEMORIAL THAT’S
BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT MORE
LIKE A MAGA RALLY, ESPECIALLY
GIVING THE NEWS TODAY THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY IS HANDING OUT
VIP TICKETS TO BIG DONORS AND
POLITICAL APPOINTEE THAT’S WILL
PUT THEM FRONT AND CENTER WHEN
THE PRESIDENT TAKES THE STAGE
AND CONSIDERING THE PRESIDENT’S
PATTERN THAT ARE APOLITICAL.
WHEN HE BRAGGED ABOUT THE SIZE
OF HIS INAUGURATION CROWD IN
FRONT OF THAT MERM MORAL WALLMOR
STARS.
STARS. RECENTLY CRITICIZED NANCY PELOSI
234 FRONT OF THE CEMETERY IN
NORMANDY AND TURNED THE BOY
SCOUT JAMBOREE INTO A POLITICAL
EVENT.
EVENT. SO THERE’S NO SURPRISE THERE’S
GROWING CONCERN PRESIDENT TRUMP
MIGHT CRITICIZE THIS FOURTH OF
JULY EVENT AS WELL AND TODAY
OPEN QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO IS
FOOTING THE BILL FOR WHAT COULD
TURN OUT TO BE LITTLE MORE THAN
A CAMPAIGN-LIKE STOP.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" IS
REPORTING FOR STARTERS THE PARK
SERVICE IS DIVERTING $2.5
MILLION INTENDED TO IMPROVE
NATIONAL PARKS TO COVER SOME OF
THE COSTS BUT "THE POST" ADDS,
THESE REPRESENT JUST A FRACTION
SKRAFT COSTS THE GOVERNMENT
FACES AS A RESULT OF THE EVENT.
AND TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS, THEY WRITE,
CONSISTENTLY REFUSED TO SAY HOW
MUCH TAXPAYERS WILL HAVE TO PAY.
THAT REPORTING APPEARS TO HAVE
THE PRESIDENT ON THE DEFENSIVE
TODAY.
TODAY. HE TWEETED, QUOTE, THE COST OF
OUR GREAT SALUTE TO AMERICA
TOMORROW WILL BE VERY LITTLE
COMPARED TO WHAT IT IS WORTH.
WE OWN THE PLANES, WE HAVE THE
PILOTS, THE AIRPORT IS RIGHT
NEXT DOOR, ALL WE NEED IS FUEL.
WE OWN THE TANKS AND ALL FIRES
ARE DONATED BY TWO OF THE
GREATS.
GREATS. NICE!
NICE! HERE TO HELP ME BREAK IT DOWN WE
HAVE NATIONAL REPORTER ROBERT
COSTA AND MSNBC CORRESPONDENT
HEIDI PRZYBYLA, AND A FORMER DNC
ADVISER AND CHIEF NATIONAL
CORRESPONDENT FOR "THE NEW YORK
TIMES" MARK LEBOWITZ.
HEIDI, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.
TALK ABOUT WHAT PARTICULARLY
MAKES THIS SO ABNORMAL FOR A
PRESIDENT TO PUT HIMSELF IN THE
MIDDLE OF A FOURTH OF JULY
CELEBRATION WITH AIR FORCE ONE,
F-35s, MARINE ONE FLYING
OVERHEAD?
OVERHEAD? >> IT’S BECAUSE A CELEBRATION OF
OUR NATION’S HISTORY, NOT A
CELEBRATION OF ANY PARTICULAR
INDIVIDUAL, INCLUDING HIM.
WE JUST HAVE NOT HAD THIS IN
MODERN TIMES.
MODERN TIMES. YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO PREVIOUS
CENTURIES TO FIND A PARALLEL
EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING LIKE THIS
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. IF HE WANTED TO JUST GIVE A VERY
SPECIAL EL PROBATION TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, HE COULD STILL
DO THE PYROTECHNICS, HE CAN DO
THE JET FLY-OVERS AND MAYBE EVEN
TANKS BUT HE’S PUTTING HIMSELF
AT THE CENTER OF THIS.
HE IS BY ALL ACCOUNTS THE MOST
POLARIZING PRESIDENT IN MODERN
HISTORY AND SIMPLY BY HIS
PRESENCE STANDING IN FRONT OF
ONE OF OUR MORE CHERISHED
MONUMENTS MAKES THIS A VERY
CONTROVERSIAL DECISION.
CONTROVERSIAL DECISION. >> MARK, YOUR GUT WHEN YOU HEAR
ABOUT THIS?
ABOUT THIS? >> IT IS UNPRECEDENTED.
IT’S VERY TRUMP.
IT’S VERY ON BRAND.
THE IDEA THIS COULD BE A
NONPOLITICAL EVENT AND WE COULD
CELEBRATE THE FOURTH OF JULY I
THINK IS FAR FETCHED.
ANYONE WHO GOES IS ESSENTIALLY
SEEN NOW AS MAKING A POLITICAL
DECISION AND POLITICAL CHOICE.
IT’S PRETTY OBVIOUS IT IS A
PRETTY POLITICAL EVENT AND THE
POLARIZATION OF DONALD TRUMP
COLLIDED VERY MUCH WITH, AS YOU
MENTIONED, A LOT OF PREVIOUSLY
NONPOLITICAL EVENTS.
NONPOLITICAL EVENTS. >> YOU TALK TO WHITE HOUSE
OFFICIALS AND THEY SAY THIS WILL
BE ABOUT THE GREATNESS OF
AMERICA AND KELLYANNE CONWAY
TOLD US ALL OF THE SUCCESSES WE
HAD AS AN ADMINISTRATION ON
HELPING VETERANS.
HELPING VETERANS. AND HETHIS IS WHAT "THE WASHINGT
POST" WRITES --
POST" WRITES -
1 KEN, DOES IT MATTER WHAT HE SAYS TOMORROW WHEN HE’S UP ON
THE PODIUM?
THE PODIUM? WHAT IF HE SURPRISES US AND SAID
I’M HERE DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS, WE STAND TOGETHER
AND CELEBRATE THIS DAY.
>> THAT WOULD BE TRULY SHOCKING.
I THINK WE’VE SEEN A NUMBER OF
EVENTS WHERE THE SPOTLIGHT HAS
BEEN ON TRUMP AND THERE’S BEEN A
LOT OF ATTENTION ON THE SPECIFIC
WORDS HE’S USING WHETHER HE’S
GOING TO LIVE UP TO THE MOMENT
OR LAPSE INTO HIS SORT OF AD LIB
CAMPAIGN-STYLE RHETORIC.
CAMPAIGN-STYLE RHETORIC. AND THEY COULD PUT HIM ON THE
TELEPROMPTER AND HE COULD COME
OUT AND GIVE A SOARING SPEECH
ABOUT AMERICAN IDEALS AND
INDEPENDENCE AND THE LIKE, BUT I
THINK DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS,
EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE WAITING
FOR HIM TO LAUNCH INTO HIS
KELLYANNE CONWAY PUT IT,
RESUSCITATION OF THEIR GREATEST
HITS, WHICH ULTIMATELY TENDS TO
LEAD, NO MATTER HOW SCRIPTED
THEY TRY TO HAPPEN, INTO
CAMPAIGN-STYLE RALLY SPEAK.
>> TO BE CLEAR ALREADY THIS IS
HAVING AN IMPACT NOW.
PEOPLE, TOURISTS WANT TO SEE THE
LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
LINCOLN MEMORIAL. THEY CAN NO LONGER DO IT.
IT’S SHUT DOWN FOR A PERIOD OF
TIME.
TIME. AIR SPACE WILL BE SHUT DOWN.
REAGAN, NOT BECAUSE THE
PRESIDENT IS SPEAKING PER SE BUT
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS
SPEAKING THERE, THEY MOVED THE
FIREWORKS, WHICH MEANS FOR MORE
THAN AN HOUR PEOPLE AREN’T GOING
TO BE ABLE TO FLY IN AND OUT OF
TOWN.
TOWN. THE RNC, WE HEARD FROM THE RNC,
THE CAMPAIGN SPOKE OUT ABOUT
THIS.
THIS. HERE’S WHAT THE CAMPAIGN SAID,
AS A COURTESY, THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN ALSO GOT TICKETS, WAS
PROVIDED TICKETS FOR STAFF AND
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, MUCH LIKE
FOR THE EASTER EGG ROLL OR WHITE
HOUSE GARDEN TOURS, PROBABLY
SIMILAR HOW CONGRESS PROVIDES
TICKETS TO THEIR EVENTS ON THE
WEST FRONT OF THE CAPITAL.
I REACHED OUT TO THE DNC, THEY
HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY TICKETS.
>> I GET WHY YOU WOULD GIVE
TICKETS TO A WHITE HOUSE EVENTS
TO FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS.
I GREW UP IN D.C.
I REMEMBER FOURTH OF JULY
CELEBRATIONS.
CELEBRATIONS. THERE’S NO NEED FOR THIS.
WE CELEBRATED AMERICA ON THE
FOURTH OF JULY PRETTY WELL.
I THINK IN PART THIS IS ABOUT A
PRESIDENT WHO’S DEEPLY INSECURE
AND THIS IS A BIT OF SORT OF
PHONY TOUGHNESS THAT WE’VE SEEN
OUT OF HIM, PARADING THE TANKS,
THE FIGHTER JETS.
I THINK ALL OF THIS IS ABOUT HIM
TRYING TO SORT OF PUSH OUT THIS
MA CHEESE KNOW ABOUT HIS
PRESIDENCY THAT REALLY IS A BIG
PROBLEM FOR HIM IN TERMS OF HIS
INSECURITY ABOUT HIS TOUGHNESS.
WE SEE WHEN HE’S ACTUALLY FACE
TO FACE WITH PEOPLE LIKE KIM
JONG-UN AND PUTIN, HE BACKS
DOWN.
DOWN. THIS IS REALLY I THINK ABOUT HIM
PROPPING HIMSELF UP AND PROPPING
UP HIS TOUGHNESS.
>> ROBERT, LET ME BRING YOU IN
HERE IF I CAN.
IT’S YOUR PAPER THAT’S REPORTING
SOMETHING THAT’S RELATES TO THE
COST OF ALL OF THIS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WONDERING WHAT
IT WILL COST.
"THE WASHINGTON POST" REPORTING
NEARLY $2.5 MILLION OF MONEY
THAT WOULD BASICALLY BE SPENT TO
HELP IMPROVE THE NATION’S PARKS
INSTEAD IS BEING DIVERTED FOR
THIS EXTRAVAGANZA.
THIS EXTRAVAGANZA. IN THE BIG SEA, $2 MILLION IS
NOT A TON OF MONEY.
IT’S ONLY A FRACTION OF HOW MUCH
THIS IS GOING TO COST RIGHT NOW.
WHAT IS THE THINKING BEHIND THE
SCENES AT THE WHITE HOUSE THE
WAY THIS IS ALL GOING TO GO
OVER?
OVER? >> THE PRESIDENT HAS EXPLAINED
THIS AWAY ON TWITTER AS JUST A
MINOR COST, AND IT’S ONLY PART
OF THE COST THAT "THE POST"
REPORTS, $2.5 MILLION IN PASSION
PARK SERVICE FEES BEING DIVERTED
FOR THIS JULY 4th CELEBRATION
AND PRESIDENTIAL EVENT ON THE
MALL.
MALL. IT IS NOT CLEAR YET ABOUT HOW
MUCH THE PENTAGON, THE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS
SPENDING ON ALL OF ITS MILITARY
AIRCRAFT AND THE TROOPS THAT ARE
COMING AND TRANSPORTATION OF
THESE TWO TANKS ONTO THE
NATIONAL MALL.
NATIONAL MALL. THOSE COSTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN
REVEALED.
REVEALED. CONGRESS, OF COURSE, WILL BE
PRESSING FOR THOSE -- ON THOSE
QUESTIONS IN THE COMING WEEKS.
>> KEN, WE SAW THE PRESIDENT’S
TWEET, THE PRESIDENT DEFENSIVE
ON TWITTER BASICALLY SAYING,
HEY, THIS IS ACTUALLY COSTING
FAR LESS THAN WHAT IT IS WORTH
TO AMERICA.
TO AMERICA. WE’VE GOT THE GAS, THE PILOTS,
THE PLANES.
THE PLANES. AND IGNORES A TON OF OTHER COSTS
LIKE SECURITY.
LIKE SECURITY. WE HEARD FROM MAYOR MURAL BOWSER
EARLIER TODAY SAY THIS IS GOING
TO COST WASHINGTON, D.C. A TON
OF MONEY TO HELP SECURE THIS
ENTIRE EVENT.
ENTIRE EVENT. YOU’RE MOVING THE PRESIDENT OVER
THE MALL.
THE MALL. >> THAT’S WHERE YOU WILL SEE THE
ATTENTION AFTER THE FACT, IF
THIS IS BLASTS INTO A
CAMPAIGN-STYLE EVENT, YOU’RE
GOING TO SEE CALL FOR THE
PRESIDENT’S CAMPAIGN TO
REIMBURSE SOME OF THESE COSTS.
WE SEE THAT WITH RALLIES.
THE PRESIDENT’S CAMPAIGN HAS
NOTABLY NOT REIMBURSED LOCAL
POLICE DEPARTMENTS FOR OVERTIME
COSTS THEY ACCRUED AND D.C.
STILL CLAIMS HE OWES COSTS FOR
OTHER EVENT THAT’S HAVE BEEN
THERE.
THERE. SO I THINK THAT’S GOING TO BE
ANOTHER LINGERING EFFECT OF
THIS.
THIS. NOT TO MENTION THE POTENTIAL
DAMAGE TO THE STREET THAT’S WE
HEAR FOLKS IN DNG.C. COMPLAINING
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >> THERE’S SOMETHING TO DOUG’S
POINT ABOUT TRUMP HAVING THIS
LONG DESIRE TO CHOREOGRAPH
SOMETHING AROUND THE EVENT OF
HIM BEING A DEAR LEADER.
AND WHAT’S SO UNUSUAL ABOUT THIS
AND DIFFERENCE THAN PREVIOUS
INSTANCES OF THIS, THIS IS WHY
THE WORD HIJACKED IS BEING USED.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE BEING
COOPTED INTO THIS.
THIS IS THEIR DAY, THE DAY FOR
AMERICA AND EVERY AMERICAN AND
YET THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
BEING SOMEWHAT AGAINST THEIR
WILL, SOME OF THEM JUST COMING
THERE FOR THE FIREWORKS, COOPTED
TO BE A PART OF THIS.
THE SECOND THING IS THE TANKS.
THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING WE
SEE IN MOST WESTERN COUNTRIES.
THIS IS MORE EVOKE IMAGES OF
IRAN AND SOVIETS.
>> SOVIET UNION.
>> HE APPARENTLY BECAME ENAMORED
WITH THIS IDEA AFTER GOING TO
FRANCE.
FRANCE. >> THE INCEPTION.
>> I HAVE A FEELING HE’S GOING
TO BE PRETTY DISAPPOINTED WITH
THE TWO LONE TANKS COMPARED TO
THE SPECTACLE WE SAW IN FRANCE
ON BASTILLE DAY WHEN HE WAS
TREATED BY EMANUEL MACK CRONE TO
VIEWING STAND.
VIEWING STAND. >> THIS IS THE FORMER AMBASSADOR
TO RUSSIA SAYING THIS REMINDS
ME, REFERRING TO THE PICTURE OF
THE TANKS, THIS REMINDS ME OF
PARADES I USED TO ATTEND IN THE
SOVIET UNION.
SOVIET UNION. NOT THE RIGHT LOOK FOR THE
FOURTH.
FOURTH. AGAIN, THIS IS COMING AFTER THE
PRESIDENT MET WITH KIM JONG-UN,
MBS, MOHAMMAD BIN SALMAN, OF
COURSE, WHO HE HASN’T CALLED
OUT, THE LEADER OF SAUDI ARABIA
EVEN AFTER THE DEATH OF "THE
WASHINGTON POST" COLUMNIST JAMAL
KHASHOGGI.
KHASHOGGI. AND VLADIMIR PUTIN, WHERE THEY
LAUGHED ABOUT FAKE NEWS, EVEN
THOUGH VLADIMIR PUTIN HAS
OVERSEEN THE DEATH OF AT LEAST
25 JOURNALISTS.
25 JOURNALISTS. >> YES, AND THERE ARE
JUXTAPOSITION PHOTOS WHAT IT’S
LIKE IN NORTH KOREA, WHAT IT’S
LIKE IN RUSSIA, WHAT IT COULD
LOOK LIKE HERE.
I THINK THE KEY WORD YOU
MENTIONED EARLIER OPINION GREG
SERGEANT MENTIONED TROLLING.
THE PRESIDENT LOVES TO BE IN
PEOPLE’S HEADS, NO MORE SO THAN
HIS THE MEDIA’S HEADS, HIS
CRITICS’ HEADS.
CRITICS’ HEADS. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THIS.
HE PROBABLY WOULD LOVE THAT.
IT IS I THINK AT THIS POINT NO
MATTER WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
IT IS A SPECTACLE AND I THINK
EVERYONE WILL HAVE SOME
CURIOSITY ABOUT HOW THE THING
WILL GO.
WILL GO. WILL IT BE A FIASCO?
>> THE CROWD SIZE TWEETS WILL BE
GOING.
GOING. >> GO AHEAD, DOUG.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY KEN
BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT.
I THINK THAT IF THIS GOES OFF
THE RAILS AND DOES BECOME A MAGA
EVENT, A POLITICAL SPEECH WHERE
HE SPENDS MOST OF THE TIME GOING
AFTER DEMOCRATS FOR BEING
SOCIALISTS, I THINK THAT REALLY
DOES BACKFIRE.
DOES BACKFIRE. I THINK THE EVENT IN GENERAL
WILL BACKFIRE.
WILL BACKFIRE. IF THAT’S WHERE HE GOES, I THINK
IT’S ACTUALLY A MISSED
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PRESIDENT.
HE COULD SURPRISE US.
I DON’T THINK HE WILL.
BUT I THINK HE WILL GO AFTER
DEMS COMPLICITLY OR EXPLICITLY
ON HIS CAMPAIGN ATTACK AGAINST
SOCIALISM.
SOCIALISM. >> ROBERT, LET ME BRING YOU BACK
IN IF I CAN QUICKLY.
ONE OF THE CONCERNS WE SAW
REPORTING ON ARE THE PRESIDENT
MAY NOT HAVE THE GIANT CROWDS.
YOU REMEMBER THE OTHER TIME WHEN
THE PRESIDENT SPOKE OUT ON THE
MALL, HIS INAUGURATION DAY, THE
PRESIDENT SAID HE HAD THE
BIGGEST CROWDS, FAR BIGGER THAN
BARACK OBAMA.
BARACK OBAMA. THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY FACT-CHECKED
AS EVIDENCED BY THE PICTURES ON
YOUR SCREEN.
YOUR SCREEN. THAT’S HIS CROWD ON THE BOTTOM,
PRESIDENT OBAMA ON THE TOP.
ARE THERE CONCERNS WITHIN THE
WHITE HOUSE?
WHITE HOUSE? BY THE WAY, 50% CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS TOMORROW AT ABOUT
THIS TIME.
THIS TIME. >> TRUMP ALLIES TELL ME TODAY
THEY ARE CONCERNED INSIDE OF THE
WHITE HOUSE AND AROUND THE
PRESIDENT’S INNER CIRCLE THAT
BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC CONCERNS AND
CROWD CONCERNS, MANY LOCALS WHO
MAY SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT IN THE
WASHINGTON AREA, VIRGINIA,
MARYLAND, ARE GOING TO STAY AWAY
FROM DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON ON JULY
4th.
4th. AND THE CROWD ITSELF WILL BE
MOSTLY THERE FOR THE FIREWORKS.
SO THEY’RE GOING TO HAVE A
BUILT-IN CROWD FOR THAT EVENT,
THAT IS REGULAR ON JULY 4th AND
FOR THE CAPITAL 4th CELEBRATION
DOWN BY THE CAPITAL WITH MUSICAL
EVENTS.
EVENTS. BUT THE PRESIDENT IF YOU LOOK AT
THE STAGE SETTING, IT COULD BE A
PRETTY CONTAINED EVENT THE WAY
THEY’RE SETTING IT UP AROUND THE
LINCOLN MEMORIAL.
LINCOLN MEMORIAL. MY SOURCES TELL ME THAT COULD BE
A RESPONSE TO THE TWHAR NOT
REALLY SURE HOW THE CROWD WILL
CONGREGATE DUE TO WEATHER AND
OTHER CONCERNS.
OTHER CONCERNS. >> COULDN’T THERE HAVE BEEN AN
EASIER WAY TO HAVE DONE THIS, WE
WILL FLY PLANES, EVERYONE WILL
GET A GOOD SHOW, EVEN AIR FORCE
ONE WILL GO BY.
I WILL STAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
YOU ENJOY THE PARTY.
YOU ALL GET A GOOD SHOW AND I
GET CREDIT.
GET CREDIT. >> AND HE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE
NORMAL SUBURBAN D.C. CROWD DOWN
THERE.
THERE. BUT THAT’S NOT THE WAY HE’S
DOING IT.
DOING IT. I TALKED TO SENATOR ERMZ THE
OTHER DAY AND I SAID WHO ARE YOU
EXPECTING?
EXPECTING? SHE SAID I THINK MOST OF THE
PEOPLE WILL POP U LATE ON THE
CAPITOL SIDE OF THE MALL.
FOR THE BAND, AND HE WILL HAVE
HIS CROWD THERE WITH THE VIP
TICKETS.
TICKETS. SHE THOUGHT HE HAD TO DO THAT
EVEN BECAUSE OF THE
UNPREDICTABLE WHO WILL BE THERE.
THIS IS A VERY D.C., PROPER IS A
VERY DEMOCRATIC AREA.
>> IS THAT WHAT’S GOING TO
HAPPEN?
HAPPEN? >> LOOK, I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S
GOING TO HAPPEN.
I THINK IT MAKES IT INTERESTING
ON SOME LEVELS.
THE NOTION THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER
DAY WE COULDN’T MAYBE THINK WE
COULD PUT POLITICS ASIDE,
WHETHER IT’S A SPORTS TEAM GOING
TO THE WHITE HOUSE AFTER THEY
WON A CHAMPIONSHIP OR HOLIDAY
PARTY.
PARTY. >> THIS WAS SORT OF THE LAST ONE
ON THAT LIST.
>> I DON’T KNOW IF IT’S THE LAST
ONE.
ONE. >> WHAT ELSE IS THERE?
WE WILL FIND THEM.
>> I GUESS THE EASTER EGG THING,
I WASN’T THERE THIS YEAR.
ANYWAY, IT’S A SPECTACLE.
DONALD TRUMP EXPECTLOVES SPECTAC
WE WILL SEE.