breaking news the republicans seem to have found the counter to the russia investigation. and it puts the fbi and the democrats in the cross hairs. the memo they plan to release is just set up for what they hope will be a mass conspiracy of wrong doing at the highest level of law enforcement. all in alleged plot by the enemies of president trump. that's what they're selling. tonight i go one on one with minority leader nancy pelosi. and one of the republicans sounding the alarm.

it's time to get after it. i'm chris cuomo. welcome to "prime time." all right. here's what we know. in the last few hours house republicans voted to release a memo by chairman devin nunes. alleges fbi abuse and obtaining surveillance warrants. based on classified information that the panel is not releasing. in fact classified information nunes reportedly hasn't even reviewed. so, in effect, their asking you to accept the conclusion without revealing the basis. odd? just wait. the panel deeply divided along partyines. republicans control. so they're able to block a counter memo by democrats. just last week the justice department warned releasing the gop memo without review would be extraordinarily reckless. why? the obvious. it might expose sources and mefts that could compromise u.s.

intelligence work. reportedly the republicans have since shown the memo to fbi director christopher wray. and now it goes to the white house. where the president has five days to approve or deny the release. the top democrat on the intelligence committee says nunes didn't read the information this memo is based on. the memo that bears his name. to the democrats this is proof this is all about politics. of the worst kind. >> we have votes today to politicize the intelligence process. to prohibit the fbi and the department of justice from expressing their concern to the committee and house. and selectively are e lease to the public only the majority distorted memo without the full facts. a very sad day i think in the history of this committee. when you have a deeply flawed person in the oval office, that flaw can infect the whole of

government. and today tragically it infected our committee. >> then there was another significant move. in a related development. the sudden departure of fbi deputy director andrew mccabe. a frequentriticism by trump. the fbi director hinted to staff in an e-mail that an inspector general report about the fbi conduct during the 2016 election played a role in mccabe's abrupt departure. all of this on the eve of president trumps first state of the union speech that is billed as a call to unity. so, let's take the breaking news one on one with the house minority leader. of california. i heard you laughing there. minority leader, why. >> unity is of course our goal. that's what we strive for. for the american people. bipartisan ship. transparency in the activities. and to do something that is

unifying. rather than not. and what the president is striving for unity that's a sad statement. let's get back to the point. i'm proud of adam schiff and the house democrats. for protecting the integrity of the intelligence community. this is a very big honor that the leader gives to the ranking member that the speaker gives to the chairman. to be deputized to protect the intelligence. the intelligence to force protection of the troops. for fighting terrorism and the rest of that. instead, chairman nunes act like a stooj with the speaker. >> a stooj? >> of the white house. at the maybe the guidance of the speaker of the house. this is not about one thing or another. this is about the integrity and the safety and national security. >> that's what he says too, though. >> they have crossed from danlsly and recklessly dealing with intelligence to a cover up

of an investigation that they don't want the american people to see come to fruition. that is most unfortunate. i have longer standing than anybody in the history of the congress on intelligence. i have served as a member. i was in rarnging member and my time there. and then as in the leadership as the member of the gang of eight. i have had access to all of the intelligence. which mr. nunes could have access to. but has not. >> you have seen it? >> i have seen it. not only the memo. and the basis for the memo. but the under lying document. >> and? >> bha they're putting forth is a total misrepresentation. it's false. and putting it out there as if it is factual. and saying they'll show this to the american people. we're not going to show the rebutle to it. wi shouldn't put anything out unless it has been reviewed and redakted by the appropriate --

>> they don't want the doj to look at it because they are part of the concern about how thicks were done during the campaign. >> the doj is one part of the intelligence community. the intelligence community is vast. the cia the dni. the national defense. everybody has their element of it. and sources in methods must be protected. i can't even reference words that are in it because that would be a violation of the confidentiality the classified nature. this again putting this aside in terms terms of tit for tat. our president of the united states is the commander in chief. and he should stop this immediately. he should tomorrow. >> you think he won't release the memo? >> he said he's going to. he probably hasn't seen it. in fact he should be saying no release should ever happen without the agencies of the

intelligence community reviewing and redakking. what will share intelligence with us if it's up to nunes not even reading the stuff and releasing it. >> you put it on nunes but ryan. because he picked him. >> he has a major responsibility in a cover up of what they are doing. it's very sad. again it's a cover up and a distraction. what we're trying to do is keep government open. they have a problem with that. the because they're ineffective. >> you think they don't want the government to be open? >> whatever they do is a distraction. you never know. >> that's what they say. help me understand. you can't reveal classified information. ooichl not going to push you. it is hard i have to believe it's hard for the american people to have faith that anybody in this city where we are now is out for the truth.

and not out for politics. i can understand why they want it released. congresswoman, i can understand why they want it out. we can't trust you. let us read it. you can make it safe enough to look at. they say the russia investigation there's no collusion. you are pushing the ball to political advantage to stymy. president. and they talk about this memo like this should have been in the raiders of the last ark. this is the holy grail of the truth about what was happening during the campaign and points the finger at the democrats and the fbi. >> let me say this, we're not going to become them. the republicans. they are totally irresponsible. in this regard. we're talking about the intelligence community. we're not talking about some issue that we're having a fight about. we're talking about our national security. as i said i have been on the committee a long time. and served as leader and involved in the issues. this is not to be politicized. this is about fact.

it's about evidence, about data. it's not about making up a false memo. based on a false premise that the chairman hasn't even read. and then to put it out. >> i give you if he hasn't read it it's a problem. >> how can you decide ifou haven't read it that it should be revealed to the american people? >> fair point. are you saying without revealing anything that's confidential. obviously. i get it. you're saying if the american people see this memo, and they read it and think about it that they couldn't reasonably conclude any problem with what happened during the election? >> of course not. >> why are they so anxious to release it? >> it's not even true. they have made up a memo that isn't even true. they're lying to the american people. >> what are you fwoing to do about it? >> we have put forth a memo. don't put it out unless it's reviewed. >> it won't be out when theirs

is out. >> doesn't that tell you something. we want the american people to see our memo but voting against showing the american people democrat memo. let's enlarge the issue. let me not engaged in the republican democrat thing. this is about security or not. it's about people in our country who work so hard to protect the american people. in the intelligence community. and to be frivolous with their identity or roads that can lead to them. >> you're saying you think it puts lives at stake. >> intelligence that is necessary for countries to share with us. why put it at the mercy of devin nunes. the american people with they have their own jobs to do. they're not there saying now i'll redakt a memo. because i know what's true and false. >> you redakt what you need to. and let the american people decide. >> that's not the way intelligence works. that's not the way it works. it's not -- this isn't a subject of what's in the tax bill or

not. this is a question of what is important to our national security. to be secure. so again let me take it to another subject. they do these things as a distraction. it's totally irresponsible. it isn't one person in the intelligence community. recognizing the sacrifice that our men and women in the intelligence community make for our country security that would say this is not reckless. >> christopher wray the director of fbi recently select d by president trump. he got the memo. he could have come out and said this is reckless. don't release it. >> let me say this with all due respect. you don't know what you're talking about right now. >> did christopher wray look at it? >> in order to redakt you have to have the people who know -- >> i'm not saying redakt. if the concerns are sharp and obvious. >> they said not to release it. the justice department said it would be reckless.

you said that earlier. >> the doj said it. we have been reporting it. now there's a word that's somewhat of a compromise. >> i want to tell you something, let me say this. the republican party has crossed over to cover up. they're deadly afraid of the russia investigation. we don't want the investigation to be anything but based on the law and the facts. and let the information proceed. that's the right thing to do for our country. we have to be respectful of law. we have to respect intelligence. >> absolutely. >> and what they're doing is reckless in regard to both. the fact is also that it's a distraction from the fact they passed a tax bill that gives 83% of the benefits to the top 1%. they'd like to distract that. 86 million middle class americans will pay more. 2 trillion including interest will be added to the national debt. they did give this gift to the

corporate america at the expense of our childrens future. they don't want to talk about that. they don't want to talk about the fact they have what they have done in terms of the president put forth a ridiculous memo on -- i don't know if they leaked it. on an infrastructure which doesn't even go near where the country needs. they're doing bad things in terms of immigration. and the rest. they give you a nugget. here's what we're doing on immigration. isn't that wonderful? it looks so pretty. they do unpretty things behind the scene. same thing with the tax bill. isn't this a nice thing we're giving you? while we -- >> all right. hold on. >> same thing again with intelligence. we'll show you a memo. this is ridiculous. >> all right. i hear you. i want to look at the other issues from the perspective of what democrats could have done and didn't do. and should do now.

>> what would that be? >> i'll get to it. this is urgent. it's got us on edge. if this memo if the president says i say let the people decide. my guys have teen it it's fine and it comes out. what can you do to counter a narrative which they must they clearly believe is going to be very persuasive to people. what do you do? >> if you lie. have no allegiance to the truth and disrespectful to the responsibility to the security of the country, you can persuade people of anything. it's happened before. >> how do you counter? >> hopefully with a validation of outside sources. the american people working hard. they're taking care of families and they're not prepared to redakt a memo. >> when they get this memo they'll read it and say that was happening? >> it's not true. >> where are the facts, how do you make the case?

they'll see this and believe it. >> if i were to tell you why it wasn't true i would be taken up by the ethics committee for telling the truth. they shouldn't go down the path. they're foiling the mueller investigation. they should let the facts and the law take it where it goes. no other place further than that. that's what should be it. they're so afraid of the truth. they're afraid of the truth, and the democratic memo that's why they're not releasing it. >> why don't you put that on the floor? i to not mean to tell you procedure. you know better than i ever will. however, this is a relatively arcane mechanism to release this a information. >> it's highly -- it's not highly unusual. it's never been done before. this violation of classified nature of intelligence. >> fine. that's your description. >> that is a fact. >> i get it. that's your description of the process. what i'm saying is you could go to the floor of the house as you know, and you can read things.

there's an immunity for speech and debate. you can read your memo. you don't revealed classified intelligence. read the substance of the memo that protects sources and counters what's in the memo. >> only thing that our members are allowed to see is what they go down to the intelligence committee and. >> that can't happen you're saying. >> it can't happen. besides, in order to refute it you have to tell the facts. and the facts are classified. we won't engage in what they're doing. i want to tell dwrou something. you're missing it. this is very big. this is very big. in terms of what line they have crossed tonight. it's shocking really. but not surprising. they're desperate. and they're desperate because they can't keep government open. they go to the fifth and trying to get the fifth continuing resolution. they're incompetent and ineffective. all they have to do is sit down and say let's come to terms on

how we'll fund the government. let's come to terms on how we'll protect the dreamers. >> democrats are willing partners in the process. >> we have been. >> they say you're not. >> here's their problem. this dark cloud hangs over the capitol. it's a tax cut. that makes them afraid of incuring further debt. so they don't want to spend money on the domestic agenda. what we're fighting for is money for opioids. money for the needs of the veterans. money for the power to cure the national health. money for pension. in addition to that appropriately dealing with the disaster assistance. for puerto rico. and the other areas affected by the disasters. and hurricanes. and the fires. >> why did you back off the shut down? if this is so important, why did the democrats relent? >> the fact is they changed the subject.

the fact is this is about money. and all they're doing is trying to increase the defense budget which we believe in. >> why didn't you hold your ground and say we'll fight. it's so important. >> we are fighting. >> you relented on the shut down. >> we have a better case to fight with government open. than government shut. and we don't believe in shutting down government. they have. they shut is down five times including last weekend. when they shut down. >> why was that not on you? you control the votes. >> they don't have 50 in their own caucus. let alone 50. >> they needed the democrat votes. >> they didn't have 50 in their own caucus. they could not margin. they wouldn't have had the votes. opioids, it's a crisis throughout america. and they're saying well, we want to spend more money on defense. do you understand that the domestic budget which they don't want to invest in contains a third of that cop tans security.

homeland security. veterans affairs. the state department. antiterrorism activity of the justice department. are all contained in the domestic budget. 34% of the domestic budget is defense. they don't want to invest. that's because their members don't want to increase the deficit the debt further -- >> they're asking for a lot of money in the daca immigration negotiation. >> $5 billion for a wall. right?ns are going to pay for it who believes that. we should have security at our border. >> whatever the context requires. on the border. >> north and south. we have in our recommendation what the. >> why did schumer said he would give him wall? why was that on the table? >> he would give him part of the security on the border. some physical structure. our proposal has what the border

patrol said it needs. what they need. it doesn't include a wall. >> did it help the chance of getting a deal done by describing their offer as making america white again? >> that's what they're doing. i said that a year ago. the president said it. he said it when he talked about certain countries and how he kark characterized them. you see what their proposal. cut in half legal immigration into the country. they want to send people back. that's their real goal. that's what we fear most is the domestic surveillance. and internal surveillance. and also to look what they have done with the lottery. with the opportunity of visa that come from all. >> they say it's a security risk. >> and look what they're doing with family unification. making up a fake name chain. they like the word chain. that sends tremors through

people. >> you read something into everything in terms of what they're doing. >> of course i do. i see them every day. this is -- i laugh. mitch mcconnell said i shouldn't have said that. i didn't hear him say anything about the trump the foul language he used describing countries from which we receive many wonderful entrepreneurial people. immigration is the constant reinvig ration of america. to make the future better. that's what the founders intended. every generation would take responsibility for the next generation. to do better. and that's called the american dream. and these dreamers have inspired america. this should be so easy. if you want to talk about -- >> it's not easy. do you think a deal had get done? >> it has to. so we'll stick with it until we can get a deal.

if they want to do immigration, let do it. that takes time. the senate already did it in a bipartisan way a few years ago. the speaker of the house wouldn't bring it up on the floor. >> it didn't get done. >> for the dreamers, there's a commencer of border security. that's with the number of people who are protected. there's bipartisan support. in the house and the senate. to get it done. let's do what is unifying what is bipartisan. which is transparent. and instead of trying to sell a bill of goods on these things. and in the meantime, to be so afraid of truth that they would do degrade the whole process of intelligence by taking it to a different place. i call it a cover up. >> thank you for spend k time with us. i appreciate it. up next, we'll test the flip side of the argument. republican congressman jim jordan says the memo is the truth. and it is a must see for the american public.

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breaking news tonight. a series of major developments that take russia out of the cross hairs and replace it with the fbi. the first is the gop memo alleging fbi abuse of surveillance laws during the 2016 campaign. also, fbi deputy director andrew mccabe a frequent target of the president trump suddenly stepping down months before his planned retirement. which could have several different explanations. except the fbi director recently appointed by trump suggested to staff that the departure has to do with inspector general report on fbi practices during the campaign. let's take all of the serious developments up with republican congressman jim jordan of ohio. member of the house judiciary committee. couldn't have a better night to have you on. thank you for making the time. the memo. all right. it's been voted onto come out. you believe it should come out. there are all the concerns about

intelligence sensitivity. you know the doj said it could be reckless to put this out. you think it should happen. >> i know chris wray looked at this yesterday. he didn't say it shouldn't come out. he has been silent. i read it. we have had lingering questions about this dossier for months. if they are asking was the dossier used that's a legitimate question. that's something that needs answered. so this memo should come out. let it speak for itself. i did say i wish we had the appropriate references, citations and footnoting to the under lying source. but the fact is i think it will speak for itself and answer questions. >> let's do this one step at a time. you have seen the memo. you have not seen the intelligence that it's based on. >> we're not permitted to that that. >> doesn't that concern you. with something that's so provocative. and you don't get to see

where -- >> it should be footnoted and cited. that's not the choice the committee made. @will speak for itself. i know all the other context. the text messages between strozk and page. we knew before the texts come out we suspected the fix was in on the clinton investigation. now the strozk page texts have come out we know the fix was in. >> how do you know that? >> he said trump is awful. clinton should win. >> he didn't like trump. >> it went more than they didn't like trump. it was the most extreme bias i have seen. >> people have opinions. >> here's how you know the fix was in. when lynch appropriate the decision to james comey to bring charges or not. what does page say in this is before the investigation is over. that's not really a profile and courage. she already knows charges won't be brought. we know the fix was in. and these same people lisa page

and peter strozk. mccabe. they rigged it in favor of clinton. strozk is interviewing mike flynn. it's appropriate common sense wise to americans step back and say maybe there's something there. you lock at what they said about trump. the fact they said we need an insurance policy. we can't let the american people decide who's going ob the next people. we need an insurance policy. >> nobody said that. >> peter strozk said that. >> no he didn't. >> i'm afraid we can't take the risk. >> you're reading that in. >> he said. >> i have seen -- >> he says i can smell the trump supporters. that's a problem. so all we're saying this memo gives more context to this whole situation. >> jim, there's a difference between how people do their job. what you don't know it affected

the investigation. they're are human beings at the fbi. they have personal positions. >> we know that. >> if we're dealing with general common sense. i have worked with the fbi for a long time. you have as well. the idea it's a would shock the conscious of most people. >> the rank and file. >> the page strozk. they were pro-clinton. >> when hillary clinton and doing the e-mail investigation, and comey came out with the letter and made it public. and reintroduced it into the campaign. they were saying the same things you're saying now. the people don't like us. who would inject this into the campaign. what's the lesson? you need proof. you're going by a memo by your own reckoning. and nunes didn't even look at the confidential information his memo is based on. you're not worried you're throwing this out that could be

provocative and might not be accurate. >> strozk, deputy head of counter intelligence at the fbi saying the things he said about president trump. >> mueller removed him. >> he first picked him and put him on the team. we wouldn't have known this stuff. >> inspector general in house accountability by the same organization you're saying maybe corrupt. >> exactly right. >> that fights your premise. you got the information from the inspector general. it's knot like nunes who doesn't read the information dug it up himself. >> this memo is still important. >> what if it's wrong? >> i want the american people to see it. >> what if -- i can't judge it i don't know what it's based on. >> i called for having the under lying sources referenced and cited. the fbi can release it. the justice department can say

the sources did can reloose it. the white house can release it. maybe we'll have to entertain the question about this time. the this memo is something the american people should read. >> even though they won't know whether or not they can believe it. they won't have the sub tans. >> i wish we had it there. >> it didn't happen. doesn't that make you feel it shouldn't come out? until you can release it the right way, don't release it. to not release the democrat one at the same time. how's that not partisan ship. >> it's not where we're at. it's coming out tomorrow. >> let the democrat one come out. >> when the president gives it the thumbs out. >> at least there's balance. >> my understanding is they're following the same process for the democrat. >> why is yours coming out first? >> you made it available to all members to read. when enough members read it it was made public chl that's my

understanding with the democrat amendment. they're making it available for all members of the house. i'll read it. >> there will be a lag. yours gets out there and gets exposure. >> there wasn't a democratic memo until today. the republican one has been in the committee for a couple weeks. and everyone read it. and said release it to the public. >> if you were home at ohio. >> i would be coaching wrestling ob something. >> you would be sitting with the kids saying never be like these people. look at the democrats and republicans. they're fighting with each other and dump it on the fbi. how's it transparent in you're not releasing the source. >> they can if they want to. >> it can be dangerous because of the source material. >> fundamental liberties aren't upheld and you have people rigging the game. making clinton charges aren't brought gens her and the same people run the russia investigation. it's not supposed to work like

that in this doesn't. it's equal treatment under the law. >> you don't have any reservation -- you look at texts between lovers within the fbi. >> she's general she's fbi counsel. he's deputy head of -- >> you have to factor that in the nature of the banter. contest matters. you have mccabe stepping away. maybe because of the inspector general report says christopher wray. a man voted in republican primary. you have the special counsel. >> he's a guy who sat down with clintons biggest support ere when his wife was running for state senator. >> a year and a half before he was in the position. >> here's the other thing we forget. it wasn't just about terry mcawe lif. and running for the offense and getting $500,000 financial help as a democrat. he sat down and terry was under

investigation by the fbi. what is andrew mccabe sitting down with terry while he's under investigation by the fbi helping get financing for his wife's campaign? of course this guy needed to go. >> a year and a half before he's in the position. you see a direct connection. >> the deputy director will sit down with him and get money for the wife's campaign? this weekend when the eagles pull up to the big stage to play game. if the reves get off the eagles that will be a problem. you have to be impartial. you do the investigation. >> you believe democrats are people who favor democrats were in charge of the clinton investigation and allowed what happened to her? to have that letter come out from comey to have the release come out. that submarined her campaign? that was them doing her a favor? >> one republican said what comey did in october was wrong. i criticized what jim comey did

in july was wrong. during the investigation was wrong. they screwed this up from start to finish. ten days before the election i was the one republican who said he shouldn't have released the letter and we opened an investigation. he felt like everyone else in the country. he thought clinton was going to win. guess what trump kicked her tail. he thought he was covered. i can release this and she'll win. i criticize that at the time and took heat from republicans. >> you got a lot of speculation. >> that's not speculation. that's what i said. >> you're speculating. you don't kno why comey did what he did. >> he thought there was no risk. this is one way to keep his boy scout image. >> i hear you u i hear the speculation. it's your right to have it. we know what you show. you better have the facts to back it up or people will go on the basis of suspicion. i appreciate you making the case.

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what a night. we are following breaking news of partisan fault line rupturing the house intelligence panel. republicans voting to release a memo that's based on classified information. that a lot of them haven't seen. the allegations are huge. antitrump bias within the fbi. that's what the memo is about. republicans also block the release of the democrat counter memo. so that brings us to round one of the great debate. former obama special advisor van jones. is with us. along with former trump campaign strategist mr. david urban. what a mess. let's talk about what is going on here. david, i start with you. the first guest was nancy pelosi. she says this is nothing more

than a cover up that crosses all the lines of decent si and responsibility. for intelligence. that you gois don't want to talk about what matters. you're afraid of the russia investigation. and concocted this as a cover. your take? >> i would expect nothing less from the minority loerd. it's unfortunate that she would take such a position. look, i think the white house is made their position cloer on this. they're for full transparency and believe they want to see everything put on the table. all card on the table. >> this isn't even close to everything sfwl. >> i know. i take exception. not the entire fbi is under scrutiny here. there are a few individuals. >> what do you think people will think when they read the memo? >> i don't know. i'm not privy to what's in it. take note let's not throw the baby out in the bath water.

the men and women of the fbi are patriot. they do a great job for america. there's problems with folks in the fbi and this investigation. there will be an ig report that may not be favorable. >> we don't know any of this. this is the speculation. when this memo comes out and says there are problems at the top echelon of the fbi. with respect to surveillance of anything to do with the campaign. what is it going to do to the poem in the country? >> there may well be. we don't know. there's a process we have gone through. if these things are serious you don't take serious allegations and treat them in silly theater ways. there's a mismatch between what they're saying is going on. let's give thep the benefit of the doubt. maybe there was malfeasance.

if that is true, if there was a conspiracy at the top of the fbi, to negatively impact the election, that is the most serious thing you can say about the top law enforcement agency. if that is true, you have to proceed with the utmost caution. the utmost care. to make sure you handle it and handle it well. don't call press conferences and throw stuff out. it's wrong. >> i'm not quite certain. there's been some a great deal of deliberation done in the house by the committee. i would like to see both minority and majority reports leased. that's probably if you have to do it that's probably the fair way to do it. and that's what i would urge in this case. >> can i say something? when we saw donald trump winning this election, those of us who are progressive democrats were very worried. we said oh my god you may have a weaponized politicized fbi going

after progressive targets. you might have -- that was a big concern. or. >> like the irs did against republicans? >> you get a chance to talk. >> that didn't happen. by the way. you get your turn. chris, we had really concern that the you might have a weaponized politicized fbi being unleashed. you had concern they were going to back off the white supremist groups and they have. we never thought we would have the gop take a wrecking ball to the fbi. and try to destroy it. and have people like myself trying to defend the fbi. this is so crazy. it's so nuts that people don't know what to do. when the leader of the democratic party nancy pelosi is looking at this and she's saying herself i cannot get out here and tell you how big the lies are. because if i did that i would jeopardize national security. that's where we are. it's a frightening memo for

americans or should be. >> let's take a break. let's do a second block. >> i would be for having both memos. majority and minority. let's take a quick break. you should call devin nunes and find out if he didn't look at the confidential information. if he didn't. >> jim jordan told you. >> make a phone call. stick around everybody. the president trades bars with jay z over black unploiemployme. you can't make up the headlines these days. round two, next. 'sup, world? it's the box with 30% savings for safe drivers.

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the african american unemployment rate is at a historic low. that's a fact. but it is the result of a trend that has been going on for a long time. so who gets the credit? president trump says i do. but here's what jay-z told our own van jones. >> it's not about money at the end of the day. money doesn't equate to happiness, it doesn't. you're missing the whole point. you treat people like human beings. it goes back to the whole thing, you're going to treat me bad and pay me well.

it's not going to lead to happiness. >> now, before you say jay-z, why do i want to hear from him, the president responded when jay-z spoke about this and said, somebody please inform jay-z that because of my policies, black unemployment has just been reported to be at the lowest rate ever recorded. now facts first, right? unemployment among african americans is at an all-time low, like i said. that's true. 6.8%. does that number sound high? that's because it is. while it's been falling for years well before trump was in office, it is still so much higher than the rate for white workers. and that's something that has to be addressed. let's have round 2 of the great debate with van jones and mike david urban. the facts aren't in dispute, van. the rate is still too high, you had jay-z speaking about it. how do you see this conflict

between jay-z and the president on this issue? >> i got to say, we did the debut of my show on saturday, and oprah and trump both texted -- tweeted about it. it's good for my ratings but it's actually bad for the country because the president -- love oprah -- but the president missed the point. what jay-z was saying was it's good we're having these numbers continuing to improve -- obviously it started under obama. but it still doesn't get t president off the hook from some of his rhetoric and the way he says demeaning things about people. and we were talking about parents how hard it is to raise black kids when the president is saying things like s-hole country, et cetera. so the good things don't make up for the bad. the president entirely missed the point. let me say one more quick thing. i would love to hear what david says about this. just one more quick thing here. under obama, you had the unemployment rate for black people falling 1.8%, 1.6% a year. under trump it fell 1%. so yes, the trend is continuing down, but it's actually slowing under trump.

so if you want to talk about numbers, those are numbers. >> so van, first of all, congratulations. great show. >> thank you, sir. >> you made a loft news. congrats on that. second of all, jay-z saying that money doesn't buy you happiness is a little laughable. the guy is a billionaire. >> almost. >> pretty close to being a billionaire. pretty successful guy. him calling the president a superbuck is not a very good argument. jay-z wrote a very simple book, right? "empire state of mind: from the street corner to the corner office." i'll hand it to the president myself. love to see that. you know yourself, van, that president obama was widely criticized by the african american community for not doing enough for the african american community. >> sure. >> he was widely criticized. the atlantic. why is president barack obama failing the black community? npr, "the l.a. times," on and on and on.

>> chris, you know what's interesting about the point that you raised? isn't that true. african-americans wanted president obama to do more. do you know why he didn't do more? because he had to walk on eggshells because whenever he did anything to help the african-american community, republicans attacked him. >> somebody said this. the president -- this president just passed an incredible tax reform in congress, right? there are 5 million individuals got nice bonus checks. from their employers. i'm guessing a good deal of those were african americans. so he did some good there. there are americans that are getting a gigantic bump in the standard deduction to $24,000. their taxes are going to go significantly down. apple and many other companies announced they will invest in new plants, new infrastructure in america which will help african-americans. to say the president isn't helping african-americans, he's helping all americans, which is what we want to see here. >> i gave him credit and i give him credit. i get beat up all the time.

>> what? >> you have to watch my show. i will say i gave him credit. >> i watched it. a good show. >> but here's what i don't do. i don't think -- if he had said in that tweet, he said because of my policies this is happening. that's the problem. you have a bipartisan -- both political parties should be proud of the fact that for the past seven years we've had that unemployment rate coming down. obama had his share and so did trump. it's a bipartisan success. and we've got a long way to go. >> van, i love hearing you say president trump did a good job. >> if the president got out of his own way, dave, and said less inflammatory things, he would hear that a lot more often. let's see what he does tomorrow night. gentlemen, thank you for being here. >> it's going to be great. tune in, everybody. great show, van! >> stick around. "the final fact" is next. with best in-class towing best in-class payload and best in-class torque the f-150 lineup has the capability to get

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all right, as a treat tonight i'm going to give you two final facts. first, the reason that the president relies on wall street so much is because that's an indicator that is really high without qualification. when he talks about jobs, 2 million, the growth rate 3%, these numbers are either wrong or they are not historically great, okay? if you do the google research and you look at the tax policy, you look at the economic numbers, you'll see the numbers are good but they're continuing a trend and often they're not even improving on it. so do the homework. the other fact is, i'm sorry, but all this stuff about the memo, it just reeks of politics. and it is the politics of the worst kind, left and right engaged in a dynamic where you are going to be held hostage. and the fbi may be made victim by their own struggles. if this isn't about facts and

they don't prove things, it is going to be dangerous for everyone. that's all for us tonight. "cnn tonight" with don lemon the man starts right now. so i want you to, as we go over the next couple of hours here on cnn and throughout your day, any time i want you to ask yourself these questions. what is donald trump trying to hide? why doesn't he want the mueller investigation to continue? why did he decline to impose new sanctions on russia today as he had been ordered to do by congress? what is going on here? this is "cnn tonight." i'm don lemon. i'm live for you in washington. thank you so much for joining us. can we kill the music? i want people to pay close attention to this. i don't want them to hear the music. so there's lots of big breaking news tonight on the russia investigation there is a lot to get to, and we're going to go through all of it.