september, you don't have to be a stock market genius to realize, as soon as he is able to sell, there will be a power don't. >> i ain't so. should he dump all the stocks at once, i think the stock would sort of trouble in value. he may not do that, he may hold onto it for a while and sell it slowly. it is unclear. trump is doing well in the presidential race, more people are buying the stock more money is going to donald trump's pocket. 's pocket. when he is not doing so well in the stock starts to creator a little bit. >> the interesting new pieces titled, how to buy a present that you can read it now watcher latest vendor. thinks for watching morningh joe weekend. msnbc's the weekend is next. good morning, it is saturday, august third.

i am in with michael steele, alecia is off and is always, today, breaking details in the b new harris plan to dominate the electoral map. we will speak with the campaign's director in battleground states in just one moment. plus, the republican mayor of asa, arizona will join us. and our take on donald trump questioning the vice president's racial identity as hede drilled down on racist rhetoric. welcome to the weekend. we begin with breaking news, from the harris campaign moments ago, the campaign released a first look at its battleground state operation, and it has kicked into high gear, since the vice president joint race. in the last 12 days alone,

volunteers have placed 2.3 million phone calls, knocked on 172,000 stores, and said nearly 2.79 million text messages to voters in battleground. this grassroots support comes as vice president harris secured enough delegates to win her party's nomination. we should note, the results aren't official until virtual voting closes on monday. joining us now is dan cannon, the director called for biden- harris campaign. >> hey, look, hey, those numbers are crazy, dan, you guys, just the sheer level of organization incredibly strong. you are looking at, for example, in blue states alone, 1000 voters have signed up to attend events, and it's a belt states, like georgia, north carolina, you got thousand-- tens of thousands of supporters signing up in the last 12 days.

63 million -- 63,000 sign-ups in georgia, nearly 40,000 in north carolina. give us a peek behind the curtain. because i think a lot of people- - you know, obviously the headlines were the big noise, the shift tectonic shifts, as we were talking a little bit before in the campaign, watching the debate, flatlining , the president steps down, the vice president steps up, yet, still we need that, the organization was building and continuing, despite what was going on top side. >> that is very true, michael, and i will tell you this incredible enthusiasm we are seeing is organic, there are hundreds of thousand folks coming to this campaign, 170,000 signed up to campaign in the first week since the president endorsed the vice president and it was 360,000 by the end of that weekend but in that weekend, last weekend, we had already planned a weekend of action, with 2300 events in battleground states, 1400 staff, more than 260 offices.

we have been planning and expecting a close race across those seven states this entire time, there is just political savvy that requires building relationships come building a volunteer army and the infrastructure to do something with it, so when the enthusiasm has come, and it is real and it is here, there's a place for it to go and there's hundreds of thousands, and millions of contacts. is how you win this election and we feel really good about what has happened the past couple of weeks. >> dan, talk to us a little bit more about the infrastructure here, because i think campaigns are-- the candidate is important, the message is important, but you can have the right candidate, the right message, but if you do not have the infrastructure to support getting that message out, and organizing people and eventually turn them out to the polls, it doesn't matter. and i do want to juxtapose this, with the trump campaign has been closing offices and not much has been made about their infrastructure, they have doubled down, they are running

a campaign in many ways and these offices and just the people, it is-- it is insane. >> you guys know better than i do that the media environment in this country is incredibly fragmented, it is sideload, it is really hard to cut through big moments, and in that environment, in states where there are close elections and frankly, folks, across the spring and summer didn't want to talk about donald trump and politics and barbecues and have summer vacations. if you don't have the infrastructure that is on the ground that finds authentic ways to reach people where they really are in community with us online or in person, than that stuff is like -- it is satellites in the middle of space. something real in the community. we feel very strongly we have done that and to your point, simone, the trump campaign made a huge deal in 2020 of having these community centers in places like las vegas, and they have shut all of those community centers, they have

abandoned those voters, there's a lack of respect that the trump campaign has for actually waging real people on the ground and having a relationship. by contrast, folks on the ground, places like nevada that connect folks to social services, they have entertainment, they are physically present and connected to people, and then, when the ads come, when the debates come, when dimensions come, is a lot more real, organization undergrad. >> a lot of what you're saying goes to the heart of what james carville and i reinforce in conversation that i was having subsequent to that reaction from people, you are trying to dampen us by telling us not to be enthusiastic, no, i think carville was very clear in saying was, the enthusiasm is great, everything is-- what you are saying is what it has to be and that enthusiasm has to go into something, in order for you to have an outcome at the ballot box in november. >> yeah. i think the thing people should understand about this race is

throughout the events of spring and summer and to now, the big moments we talked about, the race didn't move a ton, you have directional points here and there being in national polls, and i don't think so those head-to-head pulls me much in the summer, but we have seen, no matter what the polls were in 2022, what they were in 2020, gravity snacks back into a tight race and the seven states, as i mentioned, are going to be close, they are just going to be razor close, and if you have an organization that can cut through on the margins, talked to voters, organize them, persuade them, do things like ballots, register people, information and misinformation and have a president that is respect all of their boats and choices, that is how you win a close election. the theory has been the case the all along. there are seven individual states, not just national election, but seven places you have got to go to compete. we have been competing and we think that will be the difference. but it will be a tight race, this is great momentum, but it has added to our path of victory, but not predictive of it. >> it is august.

>> it is all august. like i said, we have yet to see our october surprise, and the russians have not even directly weight and yet. that they have hired pr firms. i am not even joking, folks. i will have that in our next hour. i want to play dan, for folks, this ad from the harris campaign. fearless. and i want to talk about what you have to say. >> this campaign is about who we fight for. we believe in a future, where every person has the opportunity, not just to get by, but to get ahead. where every senior can retire with dignity. butts donald trump wants to take our country backward. to give tax breaks to billionaires and big corporations and into the affordable care act. but we are not going back. i am kamala harris, and i

approve this message. >> so, this is an ad that is also going to see all across the country, dan, but my question is, when folks are on the doors and they are on the phones, because this is old- school organizing, okay? this is how you get votes, what are they saying? what is the message to campaign has? because i think that campaigns, winning campaigns are about hope and they are about a vision for the future and about what candidates will do for votes, if, in fact, they give them-- the voters give them the opportunity to be elected. >> i'm glad you asked that question, simone, we want to get stuck from the field all the time, and the things we here at the doors, millions of voter contact this summer are pretty consistent, you know, we hear folks that want to work on lowering the costs, and you heard the vice president talk about that directly in atlanta at her big rally, day one we are going to take on farmer, we will take on big corporations, corporate's, price gouging, and she recognized that people are feeling the complete relief

they need to feel she said even i know the costs are still too high. we are on that, day one, contrasting what you are running in that, that donald trump again, what's to do tight tax cuts for millionaires, cut social security, these are issues that come up on the doors all the time and what voters are fearful of. project 2025, we hear that consistently, especially black communities, they understand what a threat this is and they do not want to go back to a darker day. >> thank you so much. folks, if the harris campaign wins out, because they are getting trips together the battleground states. >> perhaps today and his team absolutely. >> thank you, guys. >> appreciate your time, dan. next, folks, we are on running mate watch all weekend as vice president harris meets the final contenders. i don't know. and programming note on saturday, septimus seventh, you can join the three of us and a host of other msnbc anchors in person for democracy life in

person 2024. you can get an inside perspective about this historic election. again, who knows what would happen by september, scan the qr code on your screen right now, scan them, get your tickets today, book your hotel room and we will be right back. s are coming. august 5th to the 11th. meet with our experts. get a free tech check. and special offers. don't miss out. get started today. ♪♪ imagine a future where plastic is not wasted... but instead remade over and over... into the things that keep our food fresher, our families safer, and our planet cleaner. to help us get there, america's plastic makers are investing billions of dollars to create innovative products and new recycling technologies for sustainable change. because when you push for smarter solutions,

big things can happen.

no matter what kind of teeth you gotta brush, oral-b electric cleans better with one simple touch. oral-b's dentist inspired round brush head hugs em, cleans em, and gets in between em, for 100% cleaner teeth. your perfect clean starts with oral-b.

vice president harris is expected to announce her running mate anytime now. potential ready bids on nbc news and six contenders have already met with harris's vetting team. the plan is to hit the campaign trail with her running mate just on the streets making a mad dash across seven battleground states next week. team harasses stepping up in the final stretch as well. adding a campaign better than into the full pulmonary into the fold now, joining us now

found her principles first and msn be political contributor dr. jason johnson, he is a professor of politics and journalism at the morgan state university and baltimore. welcome to you both. so, simone, i mean, vp? >> i mean, it is-- i mean i joked that it was a rose ceremony because that is what people are saying online, or you could also go with tyra banks, top model, she says i have x amount of people in front of me, but only one photo in my hand, but to be serious this is the first presidential decision that a nominee makes whether they are a democrat or republican, jason, is in fact, a decision on who they would like to be their running. they are picking someone that they would like to campaign within the final stretch, but they are also, more

importantly, picking up their running partner and someone who they believe is ready to be president on day one, the nominee who eventually becomes the president is not able to execute. so, consequential decision, it is a truncated timeline. >> it is, simone. and look, this is very important, because of the short timeline. kamala harris and the vp's campaign has been excellent right? we will be studying this in 50 years, we will be studying this in 50 years as like this is one of the best run campaigns we've seen, this is almost like they have 90 days to put this together, she cannot afford a stumbling what i mean by stumble is, i don't actually think that any of the people that are in this top six would harm her, but it could change momentum, there are some people that will keep the momentum going and there are some people she could select where, monday the headline in washington post

and "new york times" is going to be, harris's first stop dimms in disarray, there are some people she could pick that could mess up the momentum they have right now and i hope they make a wise decision this week. >> heath is all about the momentum and when i look and compare and contrast the approach to the vice presidential selection, between donald trump and the vice president it is like today, and that is someone you can cover the country with it is not just the campaign, the campaign is the fun part, but the-- the work is the governing. when you look at jd vance, and way his rollout fell flat, and has continued to not only flatline, but below the baseline, in terms of what you want your vice presidential candidate to do. how do you assess the two campaigns with respect to their process? to jason's point about creating

momentum and avoiding the headline? >> yeah. i mean, look, the process is night and day here, you look at someone like jd vance, trump's pick, untested, freshen to the senate, never been in elected office before. i'm not even sure, i mean, yes, he has military service, but governing services very different and i think that that is going to be who the harris campaign is to focus on these governors with governing experience, because at the end of the day, the pickup vice president of someone who is competent tell us that he, and can deliver their message to the american people and the american people can trust is ready to step into that office on day one, so you look at a governor, like josh shapiro pennsylvania well, he has already handled a couple of challenges there and has done a pretty good job, no matter whether you are a democrat or republican, saying things like r kelly in arizona, an

astronaut has stood by who suffered a traumatic brain injury after the shooting. i mean, these are quality folks that could signal to the country, look, this is not a base election, bringing us together the next four years so we can talk the threat for donald trump. >> i mean, it is remarkable how quickly this is going to come together, going to be able to raise the infrastructure of the influx of volunteers and just were not that they have been able to do in a short amount of time. it should be studied. usa today writes about this prophetic process and before they can be selected as a running mate, vice presidential contenders have a vetting process that seeks to unearth their process, they can avoid any last-minute surprises and any potential liabilities early on. you know, it makes me wonder, i

mean i have to imagine that eric holder and the vetting team because they are running the vetting process here, when they turn those packets over to the running mate selection to midi i understand that that is how the harris campaign works and how she was selected in 2020 group of people that candidate by the designated and said they are going to be my election committee, i want your thoughts. but i want some people that i will trust also i have to imagine when they handed the packet over they were thinking about jd vance and everything in the news, jason about all of these things and all of the audio and the fact that he wrote the forward for care kevin roberts of the heritage foundation 2025, it just seems like all of these unforced errors and i could just imagine the packet is sick, we think we have got it all, we don't know.

>> here's the thing, it is a completely different process right? jd vance-- jd vance was selected, because donald trump- - it was a lex, he thought he was going to win. jd vance was just going to run up the score in the state that he thought he would already win. and let's be honest, you have a lot of qualified people, but you have people in some parts of the democratic base are more excited about, pete buttigieg is probably best they have, that works for you. kelly, he literally he can talk about the border, he can talk about security, he can talk about gun issues and all of those things. if not, josh shapiro, who is great on the stump, he is charming, but let's also be clear, it has not been evident for the last 25 years or so that your vice president is going to necessarily guarantee you a swing state, there are criticisms from labor about kelly, even though he has able

to pivot. there are concerns whether or not mayor pete would be ready for this position and there's a lot of complaints within the left about josh shapiro, and i think the harris campaign has to be very aware of these states, she has got to be sure that the young people, young people are going to volunteer, the young people are going to go to michigan because they are so excited about her, they can't have any of those young people get disappointed or think that she is playing in their faces, when she picked someone who represents or has positions that they are not happy about on any issue, domestic or international. >> can i just say, can i just ask you, this is just like you think the young people were excited about joe biden when barack obama picked him in 20-- in 2008? i think they were voting for barack obama. >> it is not the same kind of race. >> i think to jason's pointed is a different race today, and those are the considerations,

particularly when you stack them up, but when you stack them up against what we see on the other side i don't think-- to be honest i just don't think they will have a problem with jd -- jd vance, i will just go there. >> you had the couch perfectly. >> i had couched it perfectly. i figured i would just leave this couch. dr. jason johnson, thank you both so much for me. simone, you are so bad. arizona is endorsing vice president harris and condemning donald trump. we will talk with mayor john biles after the break. you are watching the weekend. sometimes your work shirt needs to be for more than just work. like when it needs to be a big, soft shoulder to cry on. which is why downy does more to make clothes softer, fresher, and better.

downy. breathe life into your laundry.

our biggest challenge? uncertainty. hidden fees, surcharges... who knows what to expect! turn shipping to your advantage. keep it simple...with clear, upfront pricing. with usps ground advantage®. ♪♪

♪ i am, i cried ♪ with usp[ laughing ]antage®. ♪ i am, said i ♪ ♪ and i am lost and i can't ♪ punch buggy red. ♪ even say why ♪ ♪ i am, i said ♪ ♪ ♪ whatever our differences,

fellow americans, and please believe me, when i say no association has ever meant more to me than that. >> that was arizona's former senator, john mccain, conceding to barack obama in 2008.'s dedication to country over party inspired, in part, the republican mayor in mesa, arizona, to endorse vice president, kamala harris's see. now, mayor, john giles, says quote, i believe my party has a moral and ethical responsibility to restore faith in our democratic institutions in the spirit of the late senator, john mccain's model, country first. i called one other arizona republicans to join me in choosing country over party. this election, and to vote against donald trump. the mayor of mesa, arizona, who argued those words, john giles joins us now. mayor, it is good to see. >> giles, it is a real pleasure to meet you, sir, and i just --

at the top as a point of personal privilege and as a republican, thank you for your words. i really appreciate it. you go on to note in your op-ed where you come out in support of the vice president, you know, republicans need to return to court foundations of the grand old party, our party used to stand for the belief that every arizonan, no matter their background or circumstances should have the freedom, opportunity and security to live out their american dream. the republican party with trump at its helm continues the path of political extremism, away from focusing on our fundamental freedoms that for me and a lot of republicans like me is the core of where we stand where we stand, putting the country first. talk a little bit about-- because i know what that process was for me to get to that point in 2020. share with us, if you can, what that process was for you.

as a sitting elected official. i have the luxury of being out of office. making this a very conscientious decision that you know has political ramifications. >> well, yeah, i care a lot about the city of mesa i have no interest in pursuing politics so my job is doing a good job of mesa, arizona. nowadays, the mayor of mesa, arizona asks for the white house quite a bit, i am the mayor of arizona, i have been the mayor for 10 years now, under president obama, president trump and president biden that i have seen the impact that a presidential administration can have on cities and during the trump administration, cities were largely ignored. during the biden administration, we have enjoyed a good relationship and we have seen record investment in our communities and we are seeing

economic prosperity as a result of that. and so i thought it was-- i am a republican, but i have elect did to be a nonpartisan mayor. my city council is made up of democrats and independents and republicans and we all get along very well and we do a great job when we focus on the problems that are in front of us, rather than getting into the weeds and trying to be partisan. so, that was really-- the context that compelled me to speak up in this situation. my city would not be well served, by a second trump presidency. again, we would go back to being largely a nord and really , even more than that, the subject of hostile attacks from the federal government. and so i thought-- in the best interest of my city it was important that i speak up, silence in this situation was not an option. silence would be acquiescent that it would just allow, possibly for a very bad outcome.

>> mayor giles, you know i am a fan of yours. just for all of the working you do with u.s. comments and i just want to underscore what michael said to you, i am not a republican, i am a former republican, i was a democrat my entire life, but i believe that in this moment people have to speak up and-- about what they believe, regardless of who they voted for-- who they may have voted for in this last election and what party they may have been a part of their entire life. what has the response been from other people in your state who know you. what have been some of the comments and quiet conversations you have? >> sure. i have some -- i expected to get a lot of negative response largely from people across the nation that don't know me,

don't know arizona, don't know the situation, and i have been really-- very encouraged and very buoyed up, frankly, by the real people in my life and just a lot of people in my community and around our state and our state that say hey, i am a republican. thank you for speaking up. i get that far more than the negative comments. >> clearly you are in a very important state and there will be a lot of attention to your point, during the rest of the campaign. how do you see arizona's role playing out in this campaign, you'll have a deluge of them come in, you will have folks from both presidential campaigns focusing on the state. is this a platform for you as a mayor? because i did not lose sight of

the fact that you said about the impact on cities, the impact a president can have on cities. is this an opportunity for you to level that part of the conversation up as well, a former statewide elected official, he spent a lot of time in the cities of maryland. i understand exactly what you are saying and all that, you know, you play, in terms of the federal government and the federal government plays in working with the cities. >> that is exactly part of my motivation for speaking up. i think it is very much in play. we play a critical role in the election four years ago, and i think we are poised to do that again. i think if i was in this position and a city that was dark, dark red or blue, and i don't know that i would feel compelled, you know, to interject myself into this contentious campaign. but i think that people, like me, can play a role in arizona and i think it has been very encouraging to see the

excitement that the harris campaign is generating in the short amount of time that the vice president has spent at the top of the ticket. i think there's a lot of momentum, nationwide, but especially in arizona, and so, no question it is going to be very close. but i would not be at all surprised to see more to come four years go. >> all right, mayor john giles, thank you so much for your service and for coming out of the program today, really appreciate it. >> thank you. next, republican voters against trump rolls out its biggest ad campaign today. and be sure to follow our show on social media, our handle everywhere is @theweekendmsnbc. endmsnbc. what? i don't do that. this reminds me of my bike. the wolf was about the size of my new motorcycle. have you seen it, by the way? happy birthday, grandma!

really? look how the brushstrokes follow the line of the gas tank. -hey! -hey! brought my plus-one. jamie? it's hard to run a business on your own. make it easier on yourself. with shopify, you have everything you need to sell online and in person. you can have your inventory, payments, and customers in sync across all the places you sell. it doesn't have to be lonely at the top. join the millions to finding success on their own terms. start your journey with a free trial today. what the biggest companies deliver is exceptional customer experience. what makes it possible is unmatched connectivity

and 5g solutions from t-mobile for business. t-mobile connects 100,000 delta airlines employees. powers tractor supply stores nationwide with reliable 5g business internet. and helps red bull revolutionize coverage of live events. this is how business goes further with t-mobile for business. head & shoulders is launching something huge.

this is how business the bare minimum. anti-dandruff shampoo made with only nine ingredients - no sulfates, silicones or dyes and packaged with 45% less plastic - giving you outstanding dandruff protection and leaving hair beautiful and moisturized. major dandruff protection, minimal ingredients. job done. new head & shoulders bare. subway is offering 20% off any sub, any size whooo! 20% off subs is fun to say 20% off subs are fun to eat you'll love 20% off subs the point is, any sub any size. 20% off at subway republican voters against trump is rolling out a $3.5 million campaign in swing states, featuring testimonials

from people, who voted for trump and now plan to support vice president harris. let's take a look. >> i am a two time trump loader, but in 2024 i will be voting for, lane harris. trump is not running for the country or democracy he is running to keep himself out of jail he is a criminal, and he should be prosecuted for his crimes, what is a prosecutor. she is going to uphold the rule of law. trump tries to avoid the rule of law. >> i couldn't have said it better myself. >> they say the voters aren't paying attention, but they seem to know what's going on. >> they are. i think that is a good point, simon. >> i just -- i think about that ad, which i think that ad is very effective, because you know what, people will see that in there are people that know

that in her community and there are other best out there across the country there are more john giles, the mayor of mesa, arizona, that we just talked to, but there's also folks that voted not for the current mayor of corner out there, stephen richard, who is the maricopa county recorder in arizona, he pushed back against false claims that donald trump won the 2020 election, so he lost his job in the primary that happened earlier this week and the quarter is very important, when it comes to the administration of the election in maricopa county's. so i would just say this, to me, ensures why organizing and what we heard from the harris campaign is so important, in terms of their infrastructure, because the races going to be close, because there are some people out there that are still going for election denial, there are people that want to put donald trump and jd vance's cell, >> but i think the other side of this race that you just highlighted, i think it illustrates and is a concern

that a number of us have and have tried to organize for, yes, you have the organization, the infrastructure, the energy, you do all of that and then you have got election officials, who are compromised. there hasn't been, in my view, sufficient attention paid to where trump aligns margo, mad you know, election officials who got elected. or those who are in office who kind of turned. and i think that is going to be an important aspect to this campaign as well. so, you can see these two pressure points, which is why, when someone, like giles coming forward sort of shakes the system a little bit, and creates the lanes and the space for us to have an additional conversation around exactly what you are saying is making sure you have those-- that infrastructure, the energy is built in, but you also have to look at the system itself,

because you do have races, where good people, who were there to protect the process and to uphold the rule of law, if you will, lost their seat and primaries. >> oh yeah, look, they're going to try to steal the selection too. it is just different than the last time, let's be very clear here, they are now putting the pieces in place, the little outfront coup, it didn't work last time okay? taking over the capitol, we are going to install these people, that was a-- it was a literal failed attempt to topple the peaceful transition of power. so the little outfront upright didn't work too well, so now, they have got a little bit more crafty. and they said the same thing you said this week that it is-- these are election officials that could potentially not certify the election, that is what they are watching. so i am just like pay attention. >> pay attention, yell. absolutely. she got her eyes open.

>> our eyes are peeled. >> she's got them peeled. up next, folks, there is a historic reunion that happened this week. with a landmark prisoner swap with diplomacy and president biden's legacy. we are watching the weekend. and jen z. each planning their future through the chase mobile app. jen x is planning a summer in portugal with some help from j.p. morgan wealth plan. let's go whiskers. jen y is working with a banker to budget for her birthday. you only turn 30 once. and jen z? her credit's golden. hello new apartment. three jens getting ahead with chase. solutions that grow with you. one bank for now. for later. for life. chase. make more of what's yours. known as a loving parent. known for lessons that matter. known for being a free spirit. no one wants to be known for cancer, but a treatment can be.

keytruda is known to treat cancer, fda-approved for 17 types of cancer. one of those cancers is advanced nonsquamous, non-small cell lung cancer, where keytruda is approved to be used with certain chemotherapies as your first treatment if you do not have an abnormal “egfr” or “alk” gene. keytruda can cause your immune system to attack healthy parts of your body during or after treatment. this may be severe and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you have cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, diarrhea, severe stomach pain, severe nausea or vomiting, headache, light sensitivity, eye problems, irregular heartbeat, extreme tiredness, constipation, dizziness or fainting, changes in appetite, thirst, or urine, confusion, memory problems, muscle pain or weakness, fever, rash, itching, or flushing. there may be other side effects. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including immune system problems, if you've had or plan to have an organ, tissue, or stem cell transplant, received chest radiation or have a nervous system problem. depending on the type of cancer, keytruda may be used alone

or in combination with other treatments, and is also being studied in hundreds of clinical trials exploring ways to treat even more types of cancer. it's tru. keytruda from merck. see all the types of cancer keytruda is known for at keytruda.com and ask your doctor if keytruda could be right for you. (music playing)

the deal is over and they are three.

>> that was president biden, following the prisoner swap that freed wall street journal reporter, evan gershom mitch, and u.s. marine, paul whelan from custody. this is been called the biggest prisoner exchange, since it was negotiated by moscow and washington since the cold war. joining us now to discuss his nbc senior executive editor for national security, david rowe and former state department principal deputy spokesperson, angelina porter. can i just read what the wall street journal is reporting here inside the negotiations? to free evan gershkovich, paul whelan and the others ? it notes the effort to bring on the wall street journal reporter and others unfolded on three continents, involving spy agencies, billionaires, political power players and his fierce this advocate, his mother. the wall street journal, accounting david is so-- it is just so revealing, from camino,

the president himself on the phone just -- the same day that he dropped out of the presidential race. he is on the phone with the president of sylvania to talk about what was needed to make this deal go down, the vice president meeting directly with olaf scholz after a bilateral meeting to talk about what they need germany to do. just the work of the folks in the state department. this is a monumental feet. >> it is, and this shows i think the amount of effort that goes into getting people out of government jails. it shows, i think the threat that this practice is. but the sad thing is that russia is clearly doing this, they are still americans held there, they use it as leverage against the united dates, iran has done this in the past, venezuela as well. so, it is a hats off, it is a joy that these states are home. secretary of state blinken is

trying to launch a new alliance for countries in the u.s. and japan had their citizens taken, by autocratic regimes and used as ponds as these three americans were. so that is a key new initiative to watch out for, because there needs to be a cost for this to vladimir putin, otherwise he will keep detaining americans, some sort of financial penalty, something that makes it a cost for russia iran as well. to do this i would also at hamas, which is still over 100 hostages. >> talk to us about the -- from the perspective of state department officials and others in the administration who, for a long time have been trying to secure the release and freedom of these americans, who have been held hostage what is that moment like for someone like yourself, who worked the state,

been involved in this process over the years, to see you know, mr. paul whelan and the others walk off that plane and touch american soil? >> i just want to start off by saying this is such a watershed moment, not only for someone like me again, who played the role as the state department advocating for our wrongful detainees to be freed but someone who is just a fan of the biden administration, what they have done is absolutely monumental. obviously this is one of the largest and most complex negotiation deals that we have ever witnessed. i can tell you from a personal level on friday i was extremely emotional to sit there and see our detainees turn from detainees to returnees it brought me back actually, from when i was a little girl. there was this book that i loved, called let me forever and when i saw evan gershom mitch with his mom and the way he raised her when he picked

her up and it brought me back to that moment and that is what president biden said it is all about is bringing families together and it just really underscores why our alliances matter and i think we just need to go ahead and address the elephant in the room. this would never have happened under trump, who was woefully anti-nato, pro-america foreign policy and you have the antithesis, you have president biden, you have vp harris, who have long advocated for alliances in nato, and making sure that we are underscoring democracy of diplomacy in that way. so, it is just overwhelming in a very positive way. >> and that point, simon, is important, that you just made about having our allies play the role that they did, to secure this released. >> this would not have happened without our allies. the-- and i mean, correct me if i'm wrong here, david, but some of the key visuals that russia wanted in exchange for the americans and some of the russians, who were wrongfully detained our people, who were

part of this prisoner swap with russia, who were allies of alexi of all me, and andrew mitchell has reported that alexi only was supposed to be a part of this prisoner swap. notably, he died in russian-- in prison, while a prisoner in russia. the people that the russians wanted, they were not in custody. so, this took the united states talking to their allies, germany especially, getting them on board for this, to say, hey, this is what we need to be, there's lots of pieces on the board here. >> yes, germany was the key player, germany, as you mentioned an assassin who had killed a chechen leader, he shot him in the head in a park in germany, and publicly, putin has talked about wanting to bring him home. other people that were released from other countries other than

the u.s. were cyber criminals working with the russian government, so you do have assassins and cyber criminals and then there was the family that were posing as argentines, but they were actually russian spies in slovenia. so, that is who came home in exchange for these people. so, that is correct, allies do matter and the nbc news guys here. so i won't get into that. but trump did trade prisoners as well, and again, i just want to thank jillian and all of the diplomats worked on this case, but it is a real problem, when countries do this, you have to make these deals that involve releasing unsavory people, again, biden and trump have done it. it is a big problem. it used to be that extremist groups were kidnapping must americans abroad, now it is a mixed. it is foreign governments and extremists. . >> david, i don't want the moment to go by, without our audience knowing, and remembering that you, yourself, were a victim of a hostage,

kidnapped by the taliban, but you escaped and major way to freedom after seven months of captivity. traversing the mountains of pakistan and afghanistan. your story, sir, is also a heroic one and an important one and how this-- how, as you just talked about, americans are targets and particularly, american journalist, who are on that front line, talk a little bit if you will, about that experience for you, and how that relates to what we have seen playing out today. >> i -- honestly i was lucky. i only spent seven months in captivity, paul whelan has been there for 5 years, what has changed is that these cases are getting longer and longer , in part, because states are holding people and you know, and so i want to thank you for

this, because i am biased about this topic, i escaped, because an actor and journalist to his kidnapped with me protected me for 7 months from captivity and then he helped me escape. i had no idea we found a rope and while our guards were sleep went up on the roof and tied rope and then lowered ourselves off of this roof and he guided me to a military base and they pack assigned officer that we have taken from the office into pakistan saved our lives and took us in that base, so, i will say that that afghan journalist and that pakistani officer was fighting the taliban and the afghan journalist who was-- the taliban hated him more than they hated me, so we have allies, germany, you know, afghanistan, pakistan and these individuals. so i'm alive today because of them and i am so happy for them. this is just a magical moment

for their country, but again, we have got to impress this-- those allies, worldwide that this is not acceptable for states to take americans hostage and use them as pawns. >> well, sir, thank you so much. for sharing that part of your story. and selena, you are going to stick around, we will catch you in our next hour, we have more conversation with. we have another packed hour of the weekend coming up, folks, so you know what that means. we will also be joined by eddie law, emily's president, jeffrey seinfeld and aaron david miller. that is all coming up, right here on the weekend. meet with our experts. get a free tech check. and special offers. don't miss out. get started today. ok limu! you set it, and as i spike it, i'll tell them how liberty mutual customizes car insurance, so they only pay for what they need. got it?

[squawks] did you get that? only pay for what you need. ♪liberty, liberty,♪ ♪liberty, liberty.♪

have you ever considered getting a walk-in tub? well, look no further! safe step's best offer, just got better! now, when you purchase your brand new safe step walk-in tub, you'll receive a free shower package. yes, a free shower package! and if you call today, you'll also receive 15% off your entire order. now you can enjoy the best of both worlds! the therapeutic benefits of a warm, soothing bath that can help increase mobility, relieve pain, boost energy, and even improve sleep! or, if you prefer, you can take a refreshing shower. all-in-one product! call now to receive a free shower package plus 15% off your brand new safe step walk-in tub.