>> welcome to inside politics. i'm dana barb. john king is off. the state of alabama is officially ready to declare doug jones their next senator. but roy moore is not. secretary of state rex tillerson has tough words for russia. will that help or hurt a chance of a vote of confidence from the president. president trump is back on the golf course. today we caught it on tape. yesterday we were not so successful because of the

mysterious white truck. >> the president and the white house tried to obscure the fact that president trump golfs on a regular basis. he criticized the former president so much and now he is playing way more golf than the former president and -- >> roy moore is attempting to write a new ending to his story. the plot twist is if at first you don't succeed, blame the other guy. moore is an accused child molester and somebody alabama voters rejected earlier this month. he argues that he won the election and it's actually not so according to election officials who we are hearing for today. moore despite that filed a lawsuit late last night to stop the state of alabama from making doug jones senator doug jones and in just under two hours from now, alabama's secretary of state who already said he did

not see irregularities outside the norm told moore again, no dice. >> the governor and our attorney general steve marshall and i talked to the secretary of state and we will identify him as the senator for the state of alabama. he will be sworn in by vice president pence on the third of january when the senate returns. >> and in a statement this morning, jones called the lawsuit a desperate attempt to subvert the will of the people. moore's effort to derail the election will likely go down as a fitting final chapter in a book his party would like to close and forget about. it revives uncomfortable questions for republicans heading into 2018 about what kind of candidates they need on the ballot and what kind of

candidates they do not. here to share the reporting and the insights, real clear politics and mary bacon and the new yo"new york times's" michaer and cnn's own bill matingly. this is an unexpected bit of overnight news on an otherwise relatively quiet week. i will start with you. is this just classic roy moore? do you think there are any ramifications? obviously we will see what the legal implications are. if it goes the way the secretary of state, they won't won't get it. in terms of the politics. >> it's a kamehamecampaign that just dead, but buried. allegations of voter fraud coming from experts that have no expertise. a lengthy document and a good read. >> 80 pages, yeah. >> with a lot of interesting theories. there is no there there. it's not the officials that they

will be ark lining with or supported and all of them are republicans. so there is no experience here. there is no there there. he made a key point in the opening. republicans have been very happy to no longer have to deal with roy moore. whether they liked the fact that their majority in the senate is 51-49 or not. they will have to answer against roy moore or whatever roy moore decides to say on any given day every day over the next year heading into november. >> and yet here we are talking about roy moore. republicans who found themselves booked on television had to do just that and had to sit and be asked about what this means. listen to what leonard said on cnn this morning. >> i think it's ridiculous and i'm sure the authorities will certify the election. i agree with senator shelby. i would have written a name in if i had been an alabama resident. i'm a strong republican, but i

did not support roy moore and he should concede the election. >> the economy's tax reform. >> this is an easy for republicans now. the guy lost the race. there is no upside to defending it now. it's also a good moment to remember that elections in this country, there are sometimes irregularities and times when you can find a vote here or there or a handful of votes with a problem. but election says in this country, those issues only really surface when it's incredibly close. we were reminded in virginia with the state delegate race that is now tied and at one time decided by one vote. when you have 22,000 votes separating the candidates, the cries of election fraud in the same way that the issues on the national stage only becomes important and critical when it's

separated by a handful of votes. that's just not the case here. it's not an issue that anybody on either side is concerned about changing the out come. >> the fact that he took so much time and space to file this court document which argues about voter irregularity that said way more democrats exist for the democratic candidate won and others. the other thing he did was he said he took a polygraph test to prove that multiple allegations against him for sexual misconduct at least one minor 14-year-old girl. here's what this part of the lawsuit filed last night says. as i had expected, the results of the examination reflected that i did not know nor had i ever had any sexual contact with

any of these individuals. >> during the campaign, roy moore sought to discredit these women the entire time and he cited in the document holes that showed he was supposed to win. that was not exactly the case. the polls were all over the place and some showing doug jones having a good shot here. this speaks to the fact about how important the candidate recruitment was. before all of these allegations, roy moore was someone kicked off the supreme court twice for not upholding the law. it's not surprising that he is challenging this. this is someone that republicans had wanted to distance themselves from for these allegations came about and actively worked against him in the alabama primaries and were unsuccessful. someone like leonard lance in a tough reelection tight in new jersey, somewhere the tax bill will affect him among other things happening in this trump administration, exactly the

opposite of what he wants to be talking about. >> i want to read something your colleague wrote about that point, about the impact on others. he said of course republicans won't have roy moore running in other races, but they have other candidates with characteristics similar to moore ignoring for now the sexual misconduct. they will have candidates nominated by the wishes who prove to be disastrous with swing voters women are yet to see if the challengers will topple establishment republicans. for these purposes, what he is arguing is that win or lose, roy moore is an albatross around the republican neck. >> and candidates like roy moore, the anti-establish 789mement and they are doing well in prime easier. 2012, 2014, they had three or four more senate seats if they

nominated more traditional people. this will continue to be a problem. one thing trump did more than a few years, moore, if you read his comments they were saying too many black people vote and i'm surprised by that and that's a and if you look at the counties, they are heavily black. it's worrisome that they lose the election and suggested that there was voter fraud. i think there was a broader issue about respecting the integrity of the process and not questioning and filing a lawsuit the way he did. >> this is a case file that the senate majority leader will put out to donors and pretty much anybody in the party saying this is what happens when you don't nominate good candidates and what happens when you use insurgencies to people to the forefront that have not been vetted or have, but will not run a great race. he will regularly in the press

conference and probably 15 times in the last three weeks talk about delaware or indiana or any number. 2010 or 2012 pour 2013 where three or four seats probably should have been there. there is a lot of concern that could end up happening and what roy moore means to the majority leader is this is my prime a 1 example of why we can't do this this year. we need to clear the field and pick our candidates and vet our candidates. i will note that there are good candidates that didn't have mainstream support. rand paul would become senators that the establishment likes. there is a little bit of a give-and-take. mitch mcconnell said see, i told you. >> the one voice you are not hearing through his twitter feed is president trump. who you would think there would be an interest in saying enough.

you lost. time to move on. the time to move on idea is coming from everywhere except the president of the united states's twitter feed. >> he did say after he lost that moore should concede. this is a new day. >> moore filed this lawsuit you would say and the president has been on other things. there would be an interest in the leader of the party to push that message as well. maybe it will come. >> especially since the fallout will be felt by republicans on the legislative front. now they are down a senator and they need to work with democrats to get anything done. tax reform could be the last big piece of legislation. to move on is really critical for this president especially if he has hope of passing anything any time soon. >> stand by. we have a spokes woman for roy moore who is joining us now. janet porter, thank you very much for joining us. again, you are the spokes woman for the moore campaign. let's get right to the question.

why do you believe that the alabama secretary of state at the 11th hour is going to take the evidence that you put in this court document, much of which alleges voter irregul irregularities that he dismiss and he will change his mind now. >> there are two reasons. it's not just judge moore, but voters of alabama who are plaintiffs on the case. it's his job to make sure that every vote is cast that we know it's counted accurately. when we have evidence of fraud and yes, they are experts. one degree has three degrees in mathematics and written four books. he confirms there is enough fraud that took place in one county to change the out come of this election. it is the job of john merrill to make sure the elections are free and proper and that they are fair. this is something that people who care about fair and free elections should call the secretary of state.

and let him know we don't want to you certify a fraudulent vote. investigate it. if you think doug jones won, let's make sure we get to the bottom of what these experts say is clear evidence of fraud. this gentleman i talked about with all the degrees, he said there is a one in 15 billion chance that this vote happened in jefferson county occurred naturally. in other words, this election was fraudulent. what we need to do is ask the secretary of state to do his job and to investigate this. >> what's the name of the expert? >> richard sharden. three degrees in mathematics and written four books and a national expert. he concurs with the other independent expert. i talked to one of the researcher who is said this is a democrat. he said it's not about the candidates or whether it's republican or democrat, it's about fair and free elections. i got involved because i felt bernie sanders was being cheated.

this is not about republican or democrat. it's about fair and free elections. >> there is another expert you rely on in this court filing named james condit jr. he has spoke know about zionist control of world politics and an alleged israeli role in 9/11 terrorist attacks -- let me finish. i can ask the questions and then you can answer. he also claims that he has mathematically proven a experience between the assassination of john f. kennedy. this does not sound like somebody who has credible information, credible enoughability to be an expert to say that roy moore should be elected to the senate. >> my i respond? it's interesting you are not talking about john sharden. john condit had to do with the

voting machines. we need transparent and open elections. to follow with the supreme court that we need to know that our vote was properly counted. you have this private company out of only omaha, nebraska that has all the votes and the voter images and no one is allowed to see them. >> but you are trying to show that there are irregularities. what use experience theorists to prove that point. >> i can probably find anchors on cnn who have radical ideas, but that's not what this is about. >> they are not trying to endorse in a court of law the idea that roy moore should have been elected. >> it's not about who is elected. it's about making sure the people of alabama have the right to make that decision and john merrill's job -- they are on the wrong side of federal law. we are arguing before the supreme court that we should destroy the ballot image. we should destroy the evidence

and make sure that nobody has a chance to look at this. that's very suspect and why people should be calling john merrill if you want fair and free elections. don't certify what three independent experts and i'm not listing john condit as one of them. i think what he says is valid, but what experts say that there is fraught enough in just one county to turn this thing around. if i was secretary of state, i would like to get to the bottom of it. i support it. here's the thing that governor ivy needs to know. there are 650,000 people who are watching this very closely what they do right now. if they certify what has been proven by three experts that said this is fraudulent enough to overturn this election, they will be accountable at the voting booth. by the way f they can steal the election from governor moore, they can steal it from you or secretary of state merrill. it can happen to you.

that's why voter integrity matters no matter where you stand. >> i mentioned one expert, john condit. >> you brought this up -- >> i want to say it was richard sharden who said that there is mathematical proof that he found that the a sass nation of jfk is -- >> that's irrelevant to the case. >> it's not irrelevant. >> the case is voter fraud. if you want to question whether he is a zionist or not. i'm pro israel and i'm glad the embassy is in jerusalem. >> i don't think that's what he was suggesting. he was saying something else. let's be honest. >> upon i'm saying i'm pro israel and i care what he is on voting machines. one of the experts was a democrat. he got involved because he felt that bernie sanders was being cheated. it doesn't matter. if you are republican or

democrat, if you like doug jones or roy moore. you ought to care that the people of alabama ought to be thes making the choice. this should not be done by a private company in omaha, nebraska that destroyed ballot measures. which by the way is in violation of federal law. federal law said destroying or altering ballots or official roars, you should be facing $5,000. >> the secretary of state has not found evidence that the things are happening. >> we presented the evidence. don't think that the evidence of experts that said just one county we found 20 precincts. the analysts have done the algo rhythms and they know what districts they targeted and the chances that this is not fraud is 1 in 15 billion said the guy by the name is richard sharden.

>> you seem to be out on aiment well a little bit. >> i'm not out on a at all. i'm standing for voter integrity. >> let me finish my question please. you understand that there are voters and i see this on this complaint and challenge, but in terms of the raw politics, the biggest supporter you said, steve bannon has been silent on this and breitbart is saying nothing about this and that silence is deafening and sends a message. >> let me tell you what matters. the people of alabama. this is not about steve bannon or doug jones. this is about what the people of alabama, the votes they cast. they have a right to cast the vote and make sure their vote is counted and know it is properly counted. that's why john merrill is not doing his job. he is saying destroy the evidence and if he certifies this election before we investigate this fraud fully, he

is going to be accountable to the voters in alabama and there might be not enough fraud toic ma sure 650,000 people plus, all of those who voted for roy moore whose votes have been altered. he will be accountable. if you care about this, you can call him. him not to certify until the investigation is done and not to destroy the evidence which he argued to do. >> i need to ask you about this polygraph test that roy moore said he has taken that proves he is not lying when he denies all of the allegations that have been made against him. sexual abuse. >> not surprising at all. >> can you give me the circumstances of that polygraph test. who administered it and were there witnesses and so on and so forth? >> that has all been submitted to the court. >> most people are not reading all 84 payments. >> it's a renowned independent

expert that he went before and took the polygraph test and not surprising to anyone who knows judge moore, he completely passed it. he didn't know any of these women and never conducted or engaged in sexual misconduct. what a surprise to those who know him. >> why didn't he take the test in almost a month between the time these allegations came out and election day. >> you and i agree on that. i will say if i was the one running the campaign, i would have seen that that was done. where we are right now, he took the test and he passed the test and he also said that all these people who made the baseless allegations, you do the same. if there is variation e he is willing to go before someone who is chosen between the two and let everybody take a polygraph test. how about that? that is something i would like to see, no doubt about it, but it's before the court and we are hoping that this judge will look

at this and most importantly john merrill, the secretary of stit will do his job and make sure that the votes are properly counted and make sure that the investigation of fraud -- >> one more question about the polygraph. do you know or any of your colleagues there with him? >> i was not there and i don't know. i know he passed the test and i'm not surprised in the least. >> the person who administered this was credible? >> completely credible and he is willing to go -- >> you put out as -- >> i'm not calling him an expert on the election fraud. he knows about the voting machines and the fact that they are done in secret in omaha instead of having open and fair and free elections, he's the guy that knows about that and i don't care if he got a parking ticket. >> it's not about a parking ticket. it goes to the credibility of the experts and the fact that they have wild claims.

how do you put them up with people who try to prove you are right about the election fraught. >> you like to pick about somebody's personal opinions that are irrelevant to the case. >> it's not rir el vandt. >> the experts if republicans and democrats alike have said there is fraud in just one county enough to turn this whole thing around. if john merrill turns his back on these experts who agree without an investigation, let's say we are wrong. it's incumbent upon the secretary of state to make sure -- if i was doug jones, i wouldn't want a cloud hanging over my head. i want to make sure this was conducted properly and the fraud was investigated. we have poll workers who submitted affidavits and talked about people voting twice. 84 pages. >> one last question for you. >> the people of alabama and all the facts represented. >> one last question.

president trump at the end of the campaign was all in and supported roy moore and told voters to vote for him and once the election was over said he thought roy moore should concede and he is another person silent on your efforts now. does that tell you something that even the president is not with you on this? >> i think the president is also concerned about voter fraud. he brought it up in his own election. if he were to read through the 84 pages of evidence from independent experts and the best in the country, by the way who say one county, just 20 precincts in one county is never to overturn this election. if i was john merrill and i wanted to run for reelection, they are properly cast and properly counted no matter who makes them are fully investigated before fraud lebt certification occurs. if people care, call secretary of state john merrill and him do your job.

investigate the fraud. do not certify until the investigation is fully complete. >> thank you for coming on and making your case and we are going to know in an hour and a half or more whether or not the secretary of state is going to delay. it doesn't seem that way. >> whether or not he has a political future including governor kay ivy and attorney general as well. as i mentioned, there are at least 650,000 votes. forget all the fraud that came out and voted for judge moore and they are watching closely as well as -- it looks like a country on whether or not he will do his job. >> you are making very clear on whether or not this republican wins in alabama, there is a republican civil war in alabama that will continue. we will have to leave it there. thank you so much for your time. >> let me catch the numbers? i got most of the numbers.

>> i know that she was pushing back on my questioning on the credibility of the experts, but if you say this is why the irregularities are as we claim that they are and they have background making the claims that are not provable. >> the experts have a short book out and in his blog he talks about his kennedy theory and in reality president trump won the popular vote in 2016 which he lost by three million. >> i couldn't get into the specifics with her. >> he doesn't have unassailable credentials. to put a very fine point on this, voter fraud is something

that hasn't been proven and does not exist in elections. the number of people whether it was the bush justice department or any number of outside groups that have dug into this issue and tried to prove this as a huge issue, tried to use this as rational to pass legislation related to voting, nobody has come up with large do you meaned evidence that this actually exists. i think that at this point nobody has come up including the republican secretary of state and governor and any number of republican officials whether their erkts-elect ral features matter or depend on this have not come up with this evidence. the individual that one individual, i respect his degrees immensely and if you want to look at the popular vote or this alabama vote as well. it doesn't back up the idea that he has unassailable credentials. >> she showed her hand and this is about keeping the base going against the establishment in the alabama. >> it sounds like it's a

political vendetta against the forces that they perceive to have been a raid against them in the republican party. the political leadership in the state that they don't think helped them win this race and are now willing to certify the race. in reading that phone number off, it was a bald faced threat to all the political leadership in alabama. you testify this race and we are coming after you politically. i'm not sure you need to get to the credentials. the credentials are interesting and important. frankly it sounds like their allegations are mathematically based that not specific instances of voter fraud, but rather this idea that we wouldn't have expected mathematically this number of people to have voted in these great of numbers.

everything was unique about the race and nothing was normal. yes, in alabama you may not get as many african-americans coming 0u79 in this area. this was a race that was internationalized and had an alleged pedophile at the center of the race. there was nothing normal about this. the whole thing seems to me to be that they are trying to create it. i'm not sure it's going to work. >> i find it terrifying the idea that this is not do what i want. we will primary him. think about every state. the democrats follow the model and it is worrisome that we need to primary the secretary of state unless you say this. this is not what we do in the u.s. traditionally and something i found to be distressing. >> and the secretary of state who said he voted for roy moore has looked to some allegations of fraud and found that they didn't exist. and he came under fire for that

and i agree with you. i think you get into very dangerous territory when you are questioning people who have proven to have integrity on this issue. that sets a dangerous precedent. >> 53 woor going to take a quick break and we should note that john merrill who just got attacked on cnn is going to join my colleague, bryanna keilar in the next hour. sending a tough message to rush why and also his boss, the president.

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>> secretary of state rex tillerson issing russia no more business as usual as they publicly criticized the u.s. with syria and ukraine and after tillerson spoke on the phone to his russian counterpart. he wrote this in an oped. the united states has a poor relationship with a resurgent russia that innovated georgia and ukraine and undermined the sovereignty of western nations by meddling in our election and others. absent a peaceful solution that must begin with russia's

adherence, there cannot be business as usual with russia. the russian foreign ministry said they were surprised by the article calling it confrontational and all this was like striving to drive a wedge into relations with other states. first of all with china and russia. cnn global affairs correspondent joining me now. elise, take me behind the scenes on the shifting tone and the approach by tiller to do what he did in the "new york times" today. >> secretary tillerson has got a lot of criticism over the last year because he kept such a low profile and people don't know what it is he is doing. he has got a lot of criticism for management at the state department and also on some of the other diplomatic objectives he has seen out of line with the white house and maybe a little too soft on some countries. this is an effort to try and get on the record what he is doing

at the state department. i also think it's an effort to increase morale at the state department and for the secretary to say to his rank and file to the troops at the state department i appreciate the work that you are doing and it is making a difference. i think on russia, look, there is a total disconnect between what the president is tweeting and what he is saying about russia and what the actual policy is. one of the reasons that the r s russians are criticizing the u.s. on ukraine is last time president trump approved the sale of lethal arms to ukraine which is really a step up from president obama. the rhetoric from president trump might be very soft and he refuses to acknowledge election meddling and the rest of his cabinet is certainly doing so and the policies and even president trump's national security strategy suggests that they feel russia is aggressive and needs to be countered. >> that's a really good point.

i want to turn to something that is just breaking now. that is what the president tweeted this morning in the last hour about china. he said the following. he said caught red handed. very disa pointed that china is allowing oil to go into north korea. there will never be a friendly slugds to the north korea problem if this continues to happen. really, really interesting because the president did a 180 from the campaign where he was promising to get really tough on china and always when he became president in large part he said he thought because the chinese would be helpful in putting north korea in its place. now he is going after china for doing just the opposite. >> every other week the rhetoric is very tough on china and when he meets with president xi he praises china. a little over a week ago, the united states along with china passed the toughest sanctions on north korea which includes a cut

in 90% of oil experts to north korea and china is responsible for most of those exports. i think president trump is trying to balance getting tough on china with this rhetoric and also getting china to try to do something. this tweet comes from reports that over the last several months in violation of un resolutions, china has been sending oil shipments through ship to ship to north korea. that was before this resolution was passed so it's a little bit in the past. we have to see now if china is going to implement these very tough sanctions. i think the u.s. knows they have been skirting the sanctions in the past, passing the resolutions and on the side not implementing them and supporting north korea whether it's oil or expor exports. i think the key now and i think that's what president trump is at least trying to say in his tweet maybe not so artfully that

we are expecting you to implement these sanctions. the pressure campaign that the u.s. is trying to get on north korea is they are hoping it's going to squeeze the regime to the table. >> important explanation in context as always. thank you so much for that. bring it around the table. let's return to the tillerson op ed. i'm struck by many thing. let's start with the fact that he acknowledges in print and in public and the president's favorite publication, your publication of the "new york times" that the russians meddled in america's election which he still calls a hoax. >> right. i think the president's view on this has been kind of on an island for a long time. there has been no doubt that most members of the cabinet and obviously the intelligence services all have concluded that the meddling did occur. the president is the one out

there. the question has always been to what extent can the president's people acknowledge that publicly? this is a pretty written in black and white the secretary of state saying it. what struck me about the oped overall we wanted and a bunch of other places reported that the secretary of state is on his way out. it hasn't happened yet and sure seems like the president is preparing to let him go. it struck me as an effort by rex till tillerson to lay out or prepare his exit in a sense and sort of lay out what he thinks his accomplishments are. once you are gone you don't get to set that agenda and you don't get to write your story. >> prepare his exit or make an argument for your job. to keep your job. what toung? >> i think there has been quite the narrative and it has been urged on by the president

himself. there has been poor morale and something the former state department employees and foreign service officers criticized the way he has gone about the job and this was an opportunity with no questions asked. to lay out in detail what he thinks he accomplish and what the department has accomplished. what happened with russia or china or what the relationship is focused on and about the restructuring of the department that garnered a lot of criticism in his ability or his effort to defend what he has actually done and give his rational in a explain spoken manner why he decided to do that and why he thinks that will be beneficial in the future. the criticism has been unanswered because he has not traveled with the press all the time and his an opportunity to address it in his own way. >> putting their take on it. he can't stay in this situation. the hope if you travel abroad,

people think you are speaking for the president and this man is definitely not speaking for the president in which the president often reinforces that view. the president has to reinforce and say tiller is my guy. he is on the way out and he wants to say here is my record. since everyone in the world thinks that russia interfered with the election, he wants to be on the right side of history for the next phase of his career. >> on the russia component, we are a couple of days away from 2018. every bit of testimony you heard from experts say that the russians are planning to interfere in the 2018 elections here and elsewhere, that remains an issue. that laid out how much the administration will have to juggle next year and a reminder of how many uncertainties there ared heading into this new year. >> i want to play one thing. the question of tillerson and

whether he is going to stay or go. he has spent a lot of his tenure as secretary of state fighting off rumors about that. i want to play some of that. >> there is their has never been a consideration in my mind to leave. i serve at the appointment of the president and i am here for as long as the president feels i can be useful to achieve his objectives. it's laughable. >> [inaudible]. >> that's ridiculous. >> it's kind of understandable that he doesn't like to go out before the press. rightly so. reporters ask him that question whenever they do. it's because of reporting like your papers. it would behoove him if he came out more often. it wouldn't have to be asked every single time. he talks to reporters so infrequently. maybe this is a lesson learned putting this oped out there. he is not getting his own

message out. >> the only thing that gives you the credibility is that the president acts of what you say and do in that instant. >> everybody stand by. we are going to take a quick break. president trump tells a crowd he signed more legislation than anybody. there is a little problem with that statement. the facts. let's look at how he compares himself to past presidents and what the facts are, next.

>> here's a look at some of the stories on our political radar. "vanity fair" apologizing for a video that mocked hillary clinton by suggesting possible new year's resolutions for the former presidential candidate to keep her mind off politics. >> take more photos. how else are you going to meet unsuspecting hikers. take up a new hobby.

knitting, improv comedy. anything that will keep you from running again. >> to put away your james comey boots. he might have cost the election, but so did a number of other things. it's a year later and time to move on. >> the video was an attempt at humor and missed the mark. it certainly caused plenty of outrage online although president trump had a different view. he tweeted in part "vanity fair" that looks like it's on its last legs is bending over backwards and apologizing for the minor hit they took at crooked h. americans in states with high state and property taxes are scrambling to pay taxes early this week because the new tax law limits the deduction they can take for paying state and local taxes. since it's not in effect, they may be able to take the full deduction if they pay next

year's taxes now. only in certain conditions and tax experts say be careful. paying early my ultimately mean you are going to pay more. president trump uses a surprise visit to a florida firehouse to tout his legislative record as the most successful of any u.s. president. >> we have more legislation passed including the record is harry truman a long time ago. we broke that record. we have a lot done. >> here's the problem with that statement. it's not true. in fact president trump signed fewer bills an any administration in decades. harry truman signed about 250 according to the truman presidential library. nothing to see here, folks.

a day after cnn cameras catches the president hitting the lynx, a mysterious truck shows up to block their shot. what's going on? we will try to show you, next.

>> obama ought to get off the golf course. >> i'm going to be working. i won't have time to play golf. >> he played more golf than tiger woods last year. >> remember that go to attack line from the president? then candidate trump during the campaign. we do. for all that criticism he directed to president obama for playing golf, there are some facts about this president, president trump's own time on the lynx since taking office. 88 days in all. cnn cameras were able to capture him golfing at trump international again today after something really mysterious happened on wednesday. a large white truck appeared out

of nowhere and blocked the view of journalist who is had gathered on public property from getting another shot at the president. when cnn attempted to move the camera, the truck moved again, obscuring the shot again. this is so great. we are trying to figure out where the white truck comes from. i should say for the record, we have been on the case. the secret service has said that the u.s. secret service is in the business of protection and investigations not commissioning vehicles to block the media's view of the president's golf swing and the palm beach sheriff's office also denies that. i also want to put up on the screen as we start to talk. the comparison between president obama and his golfing which was 29 in his first year. and by the way, that was thank you mark noeler who keeps the stats. donald trump 88. here's my thing, perry.

i think everybody wants a president to let off some steam and golf is a great way to do it. so it's not like this is necessarily a bad thing he is golfing, it's just hypocritical. >> whoever is trying to obscure what he is doing is bad, it seems like i'm not surprised he plays golf. he played golf before. the number of days is surprising. i feel like obama played golf a lot when i covered him, but this is three times as much. >> the white house worked overtime to say the president is not doing what he's doing in terms of playing golf. in the beginning they wouldn't answer questions about what the president was doing even though he was dressed in golf clothes. >> here golfs with people he does business with. >> lawmakers. he does a lot of phone calls on the golf course. he does work on the golf course. i don't think anybody has a problem with him taking time to shake things off.

i think the question is why the white house tries to hide it. for his next e-mail trying to break the case of where this came from. >> we will have to leave it there. thank you guys for the rock 'n' roll hour. bryanna keilar is up and she will talk to the alabama secretary of state about roy moore's challenge. ♪ ♪ give a little bit ♪ ♪ give a little bit... -hello. ♪ give a little bit... ♪ ... of your love to me oh, haha. ♪ there's so much that we need to share ♪ ♪ so send a smile and show that you care ♪ ♪ i'll give a little bit of my love to you ♪

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i'm brianyanna keilar for w blitzer. it is 9:00 p.m. in moscow and from wherever you are watching, thank you so much for joining us. last minute legal ploy. roy moore issues a new challenge to the out come of the alabama senate race he lost. state officials are set to certify the results. defending u.s. diplomacy, rex tillerson writes an oped on north korea, china and russia. moscow calls it