i'm chris cuomo, welcome to "prime time". it's good to have you with us, this has been an important day. someone tried to terrorize us today. to target the people that the president doesn't like, and it was a moment that meant a lot on different levels and certainly gave us pause. it's a moment that should make us think about where we are, and realize the ugliness in politics, in our politics is now toxic and dangerous. does the president agree? that was a big question. does he see his influence and the need to be better? that was another big question. and tonight we would get the

answer at one of his signature rallies. some called for him to cancel the rally, saying this isn't the right moment, it's not the right position to be in going rah-rah when the country needs calm. his supporters said, no, let him show he can lead. let the rally go on. so it did. here's what the president did with that chance to own what he has said, and ask others to believe and to do. >> those engaged in the political arena must stop treating political opponents as being morally defective. you have to do that. the language of moral condemnation and destructive routine, these are arguments and disagreements that have to stop. no one should carelessly compare political opponents to historical villains. which is done often, it's done all the time. you got to stop.

we should not mob people in public spaces or destroy public property. >> not a word about himself. only others. he didn't even name a single person targeted. two former presidents had packages sent to them. not a mention. the only time he used the word we is when he was talking about protesters from the left harassing lawmakers this then came a signature statement. >> the media also has a responsibility to set a civil tone, and to stop the endless hostility and constant negative and often times false attacks and stories. you have to do it. >> and these were prepared remarks. they just sent a bomb to cnn, and the president doesn't say a word about that. and then tells us, we are to

blame. did you learn nothing from today? not a word for anybody. not a word about himself. even though the president as we all know, spent the last week celebrating violence toward journalists. lying, arguably on key issues, for political advantage right before an election, on a day like today, he had a moment to be bigger than all of us, to be better than that, to lead, and that was the best he had in a moment like this. the roar of thousands at the rally, seems to be making our president deaf to the needs of millions. so much for the hope of leadership on a day like this. what is this going to mean to the people in his party, to the country at large? let's find out. we are very lucky to have a great guest for you tonight, louisiana republican senator john kennedy. always a pleasure. thank you for being with us. it's not easy to get people in the party to come forward on a day like today. what do you make of what the

president said at the rally? >> first, i'm just sorry this happened. i'm sorry for the clintons, the obamas and i'm sorry for mr. soros and mr. brennen, i'm sorry for cnn. i'm sorry for america. you know, why did it happen? we don't know yet. i think part of it is that this is just a big wide open country. we do have people that are mentally ill, we also have people who -- they're not mentally ill, they're just angry. they're just angry. i'm reading a book now by tanna frerj, a novelist. she talks about bunny boilers, cranks, angry people. we also have a lot of people that are disillusioned with our politics, i think i know why that is. i think the genesis of the political anger in our country is that we have too many americans who aren't participating in the great wealth of this country, not

economically, not socially, not culturally. >> nobody should argue there's no good reason for disaffection and anger and outrage. i've often said on this show, the president didn't create something, he tapped into something that is very real. but where you started tonight, the president never went. he never said he was sorry for what happened. he never named the people who were targeted. forget about the media, but two former presidents, he doesn't mention them in prepared remarks. it's not like he forgot off the cuff, how is that leadership in a moment like this? >> well, i'm sorry, i can't speak for the president. >> how can he not be sorry? >> the president's rhetoric has been hot, there's been a lot of hot political rhetoric, frankly, on both sides. thankfully nobody was hurt today. i remember when steve scalise was almost killed and you do too, chris. i think all politicians bear some responsibility, but not just -- so much -- not exclusively, because of their rhetoric.

because we're not solving the problem, and to me, the genesis of the anger in america -- there are too many americans that -- they're angry at the same thing, they're mad at different gripes. groups. they're not participating in the great wealth of this country. >> understood. >> i have people tell me all the time. there's too many undeserving people at the top getting bailouts, or they feel there's too many undeserving people at the bottom getting handouts. and most middle class americans feel like the american dream is a game and it's firmed. -- fixed. >> i understand all of that. i think it's all real, and it's palpable in our society. i think what we weren't hearing from the president is just as real and functional. >> i'm glad he said what he did. i haven't heard his entire talk. >> that was it. those were the only mentions of anyone -- >> i'll take your word for it. >> he didn't mention who was targeted.

he didn't take any responsibility for anything he's said or done many everyone targeted today is a target of his. that can't be a coincidence. i'm not blaming him for it, but he's got to be responsible for speaking to it. >> a lot of president's rhetoric has been hot, but there's been hot political rhetoric on both sides of the aisle. i've been in the middle of it. there was hot rhetoric in the kavanaugh nomination. civility doesn't mean you have to agree with each other. >> true. >> you have to respect each other. >> true. >> when we have incivility in this country it undermines our institutions, and i -- certainly the president. the president is a disrupter. that is it, he ran on that, that's his political style, and i may agree or disagree with it, and he has been the genesis of a lot of hot rhetoric, he hasn't been the only one. it's been on both sides, chris. >> 100%. anybody who says otherwise isn't telling the truth.

he is the president, and he does benefit also from your party. people do not call him out. it doesn't matter what he says, he's talking about guillen forte the other day, right after jamal khashoggi is murdered. a murder that was a cover-up, he was playing along with, until it became too obvious. he then said, gianforte is my guy. you see what he did. body slam. the same time you're trying to tell people the murder of the journalist is wrong, you're slamming the body slamming of a journalist. >> i know, but -- >> you guys don't stand up and say, mr. president, don't say that again. >> i have before. >> there's a lot of quiet on that side of the aisle. >> i've also heard our political leadership in the past few months talk about the importance of not being civil to another political party. i've seen politicians encourage folks to get in the face of senators. try to disrupt their meals, harass them every way you can. my point is, there's plenty of blame to go around, i'm not

saying the president has not used political rhetoric, and i don't think he'll stop. he's an unconventional president. >> political rhetoric is not the standard. you're very folksy, you have a great turn of phrase. you're a plain speaker. the president does something else, senator, and you know it. i'm not telling you anything you don't know. whether it's mcconnell -- i know you're not in the leadership yet. mcconnell, ryan, quiet. ryan is leaving. he was at a rally today in wisconsin. nothing about the president. he said nothing about the president today. >> what i would say, to both sides, bring it down a notch. just bring it down a notch. you don't have to -- everybody in a leadership position ought to be willing to test his assumptions against his greatest arguments. that means you have to listen. >> yes. >> and words do matter. >> they do. >> and it has gotten out of hand in washington. i'm not saying that the president is not the genesis of

a lot of it, but i am saying, very clearly, and emphatically, i've heard it, he's not the only one. >> i understand that, but even though the way you phrase it, and you are one of the most candid people, you're here tonight on a night when many members of your party wouldn't do it, why? they're afraid. they're afraid that if they stand up and say what they have to, which is not that -- i'm not saying he's not the genesis. he is the genesis of a lot of this stuff. especially toward the media. nobody's ever gone after the media -- the obama administration, yes, eric holder, they had policies, they went after journalists, we're never friends with any of you guys, and that's okay. >> that's because you do your job. >> the job is not to be friends, it's to be fair many this is different. and i don't see it called out. on a day like today they sent a bomb to the building behind us. he doesn't mention it. how is that presidential? how is it okay? he's the one that talks about journalists, not you, john. >> here's how i'm going to call

folks out, both sides, bring it down a notch. be leaders. understand the genesis of a lot of this, i don't know, maybe the person who did this is some whack job, we don't know yet. it also could just be somebody angry at his or her place in america. >> true. >> bring it down a notch, you can ride the anger or you can solve the problem. >> who sets the tone? >> let's solve the problem. >> you control john kennedy, and frankly, objectively i think you do a good job. >> thank you. >> you don't always like what i ask you, you come on, you defend yourself, you take the testing and you give it back, amen. but there's only one president. he sets the tone. and this is a day where the only people targeted were targets of his. and his most common target, they sent a bomb to our building, he doesn't mention us, he doesn't mention any of the targets. you know what his supporters will say?

oh, you snowflake, you're so weak and soft, poor you. and then they'll mention something that happened to somebody else. why does that get us. i don't understand. he had a beautiful choice. he could have gone out to his rally. he would have gotten cheers no matter what he said. >> you're not a snowflake if you're sorry for this happening to cnn, and to george soros. mr. soros and i don't agree on much of anything. but i'm sorry he had to go through this. >> you don't want a bomb sent to his house? >> no. and the clintons and mr. brennan, this is not the america we want to live in. i don't know if it's exclusively the fault of the politics, but i'll tell you the hot political rhetoric is contributing to it. we all need to bring it down a notch. >> why would he change if nobody in his party gives him a hard time. >> i don't know if the president would change. >> why would he? if p nobody tells him. >> i've been the only republican to vote against some of his judges. i'll continue if i think he's wrong.

but i can't be responsible for the president. i can't be responsible for my colleagues on the democratic side. i have said things i wish i could take back. i try to say what i mean, but sometimes i don't mean to say it out loud. we're all human, but we do bear a responsibility to the extent that the hot political rhetoric has contributed to this, to what happened here today, to all the innocent people in cnn just trying to do their job, trying to call it like they see it, that's not the america i want to live in. if the politicians have contributed to that, we all ought to bring it down a notch. i don't hate anybody in washington. i know every one of my colleagues. i get angry sometimes, because i disagree with their positions. but i don't -- life's too short, you can't hate. >> i see that. i just see it -- i see that as so true, that why would you not

on a night like tonight, want to come out and say -- thank god, today was a good day, nobody got hurt. and we got a moment to see a situation for what it is. whether oar not it's related -- i don't know why these people sent the packages, let's say it's just a coincidence that they picked the targets that are the same as the president. it's still a moment of clarity. if the people in your party that the president respects don't say to him, you need to be different than this? which people have said about presidents in their party many times. if that doesn't happen, why would he ever change? >> and that's fair, chris. what i'm saying is, to both sides. bring it down a notch. test your own assumptions against the arguments of your critics. you may not end up agreeing with your critics, you ought to at least listen. we can ride the anger, we can continue to be drival or we can solve the problem. let me tell you what i think the genesis of all of this is -- there are too many people in

america who are not enjoying the great wealth of this country, not economically, not culturally, not socially. and they're on both sides. and for them, the american dream, they see it as the american game, and they think it's fixed. and that's not the america that i want to live in. that's not the america you and i were raised in. that's not the america your father worked for. i can tell you, or that your brother works for. and that's the america i want to live in, and we have to face that fact. and the people on the left and the right, they share that anger. they just are angry at different people. they're angry at the political and the economic establishment. we have let them down. we can do better. but we're not going to do it by using hot political rhetoric, that encourages people to hate each other. and all i'm saying is, that it's -- there are plenty of folks on both sides that have done it, and they're all guilty. we're all responsible for it.

>> i hear you senator kennedy, you did something again, it's a rare commodity. you came on, and you talked to a situation that's not easy to talk about. i appreciate that about you, more than once. >> thank you. >> the pleasure is mine. and it's cold out here on top of it. thank you. we're dealing with the political culture, but why we're looking at everything right now, with new eyes. and that is, what happened today. we have a massive law enforcement effort going on right now, working in overdrive to make sure there isn't more of this about to happen, identify, locate, apprehend whoever is responsible. one or many. because who knows if there are more to come, who knows if we just got lucky today. i have new information and new reporting for you, that you probably have not seen yet, in fact, i know you haven't. i'm going to take you through all of that, and break it down with two insiders who know these investigations inside and out, next.

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that means. it's a step toward sophistication. many were filled with substances, none exploded even when being handled. investigators are looking at whether any had a functional switch, a way to detonate them remotely. ob or directly. you have similar construction. no word yet on one or more being involved. and whether they were sourced at home or from abroad. there were some misspellings on the package, that's not necessarily a direction to tell you who was involved. let's discuss. former fbi counter terrorism and counter intelligence operative. i think i screwed up your introduction. you have too many titles. while we're talking, please put back up the images of what we got today, the new images of the bombs on the inside fp if on the inside of the bomb you see things.

one of the things i'm hearing from guys now, yes, they look like bombs. yes, there is a mode of sophistication, but it doesn't mean they are functional bombs or just meant to look like functional bombs, help me understand that. >> there's four component parts of a bomb. power supply, which is generally a battery. an initiator, which is a blasting cap, explosives. could be c 4. and a switch. a switch that was used in austin was a trip wire. it can be a key or cell phone. >> why is this the most important to you guys? >> from the bomb techs i've been talking, to it needs a level of sophistication by the anarchist cookbook. beyond slapping something together. to your point, we're all four those component parts there, if you're missing any of those four parts it's inert. it's not going to explode.

>> something else i kept being heard said was connected. was corrected. we heard that the authorities exploded or detonated a couple of the devices, and that was taken in the media oh, the thing did explode. no, they exploded it, and it's something very different. explain that distinction. >> it is completely different than shaking it and setting it off or using a switch of that -- that could activate it. the authorities blew it up, it to make sure it's not a threat. didn't have the capability to detonate on its own. >> she used a charge, they they used a shake charge. they exploded it. sometimes to separate components. and render it safe. plastic pipes. sealed caps. a similar wiring in the early stages of the analysis.

even to the untrained mind that means there's similar constructions, similar points of origin. what do you see in the details? >> in some of the pipe bombs and ieds i saw in afghanistan, the pvc pipe, there are going to be shards that come off that, that's not like nails or if they used a cast iron pipe, with threaded end pieces they screwed together, where the packaging backs a fragmentation. three things from the bomb that can kill you, overpressure, soft tissue damage. fragmentation. if it's a pvc pipe, they're packed with nails and nuts and bolts, and third, what happens when the bomb explodes, it causes a fire that burns a person that's handling it or causes a fire and people die from asphyxiation. >> we have the kbom, and then we have the man or the men and women who did it? where are we in terms of the man hunt? >> that's the first question, the fbi, the secret service,

postal service and others are going to form a task force and they're going to start hunting down the individual or individuals or group that caused this that sent these bombs. part of that is going to be looking at the forensics of the different devices. the envelopes. the stamps, whether they licked the stamps, whether there are forensics. like dna or hair. they can pull off the the envelopes. my point is, there's a huge digital and physical forensic trail that is left any time you do something like this. and the authorities, the fbi especially is good at huntsing that all down. >> and the reason it matters is, they don't know yet whether these devices were functional or made to just look really good, and if it's the former, you mele need to get this guy. the assessment of how real the bombs were it's so important to how they move forward. thank you. i appreciate the input.

we'll be leaning on you heavy as we get more clues to this caper. we'll bring you back as we get more information. we have a problem finding out who made these bombs. this heated political environment, that's the hard part. who's going to make the change and how? we're going to take that up in our great debate next. checkout is at four. enjoy your ride. (bicycle bell sound) ♪ ♪ explore more with a guaranteed 4pm checkout

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first we have news to report, there's a second package that's been identified at maxine waters residence. the u.s. congresswoman. so that is -- in was one this morning, now there's a second one. the authorities are saying they're similar in appearance and they're both being investigated. add one more to the tally of devices today, and one more reason there's an urgency to find whose behind it. why were these sent to the targets of the president? it has to have something to do -- reason would lead you to believe with what's going on in our political society right now. there's always been division. this has never been a happy kumbaya type of dynamic we have, but this is different. a bomb sent to cnn, the same people targeted that the president targets at all his rallies, recent history is not good, it needs to change.

but who and how? that is a matter of debate. you saw me with john kennedy, he's an honest broker, maybe as honest asny have. very hard for him to call out the president. and call out what should be so obvious. who will make the changes? how are these changes going to happen. let's bring in bakari sellers and david. was your take similar to the one i had at the top of the show, the president had an opportunity to say look, this is on me, this is on everybody else, i can be better, you can be better. and he did not take that opportunity. >> well, i disagree with you on two points, chris. the first is that i don't have that same level of expectation of the president of the united states, he's been the same man who we thought he was from the beginning. to expect him to display that level of courage is fool hearted, that's first. the second thing is, we've seen this before, there's been a generation before us, who have seen our leaders taken away from us. whether you're talking about

king or malcolm x, rfk our jfk. we've seen what happens when the level of rhetoric reaches a boiling point. my father is 74 years old now, i'm 34 year-old now. he lived through the orangewood massacre. i lived through the charleston massacre. i've seen what happens. when we get the rhetoric to where it is. for senator kennedy or anyone else to say that this is a both sides issue, even before my good friend mr. irving gets talking, this is not a both sides issue. this is an issue of violence, this is an issue where we need a leader, and many of us don't have faith that a leader exists 37 this is very hyperpartisan. this is one side of the democratic party, displaying their first amendment right and another side displaying violence. someone needs to stand up and say something. i don't have any faith in anyone to do it. >> i hear you on some of that, you do have a right to protest, not in a private restaurant.

and going and menacing politicians is not a good guarantee of getting what you want. i know the idea that sometimes even a riot according to dr. king is the voice of those who believe they have no other vice. i get that. we know it's hot all over the place. >> no, no, dr. king -- dr. king said a riot is the voice of the unheard. that's first and foremost. if you're an elected official in a restaurant and someone is protesting a vote, that's different than sending a bomb to their house or murdering them in a church. i want to say something before we get too far down the line. >> i want to bring in dave, bakari, hold on a second. going into a restaurant is not right, it's a private establishment, it's all relative, and i get that. there's only one president, and he had a unique opportunity to say something that would have been magnanimous, that would have reached out to the two former presidents who were targeted, anyone who was targeted and say, i can be

better, i know i'm hot, he could have owned it, he owned nothing. >> chris, well, first of all, let me start by saying, violence like this is despicable and should be condemned across the board. bakari and i disagree on almost everything. yet this past saturday, bakari and i sat next to each other, we disagreed completely civilly, and we -- we get up and shake hands and walk away, why? because we're rational human beings. >> who paid? >> because we're rational human beings. you have people undertaking these acts aren't rational. that's what's missing from this. the fact that someone is responsible for someone else's irrational insane behavior. i agree we should condemn all this, right? i think when people -- listen, when maxine waters says we should harass people or eric holder says we should kick them when they're down, there wasn't an outcry from the democratic party, and so -- >> yeah, there was. >> it's a pox on everyone's house. >> not from the party, but there was from us.

we try to keep it fair. >> chris, just -- let me -- let me say one thing leer, what i think is a systemic problem here, and if you want to unwind this thing completely, this may seem a little crazy, but redirecting and the gerrymandering of these congressional seats every ten years, congressional seats get drawn safer and safer, and the rhetoric gets hotter and hotter, over time, people can say the craziest things. >> that's a factor. >> you know what, they're not being held accountable by the constituents. >> but i agree with -- >> let's go back to bakari, and hear what you agree with and what you don't. >> i agree with david, i think the redirecting is the reason we have hyperpartisanship. redrilkt -- redistricting. >> it's a factor. >> and surprisingly enough, people will be shocked when i say this, i think that the

congressional black caucus and the republican party have made an unholy alliance to make sure that we have these districts which are gerrymandered to all hell. that's one thing. and two, very to take a moment and step back, and we have to thank law enforcement, the nypd, capitol police, people who get poo-pooed on all the time for doing great work. i say all of that to lead into this next statement. there is no what aboutism. asking or chanting shame at ted cruz in a washington, d.c., high end restaurant, regardless of whether or not it's a private restaurant and he's with heidi cruz, heidi cruz got heckled more at the rnc than at that restaurant. it's vastly different than sending a pipe bomb to someone's office. so -- and my only point in all of this. >> no one's disputing that. >> my only point in all of this is that it wasn't david nunez, it was maxine waters. it wasn't sheldon adelson, it was george soros.

it wasn't mitt romney, it was hillary clinton. >> bakari, listen. there are crazy people on the right and left, you know that. >> nobody disagrees with that, but there's only one president. >> they are the same list of targets the president goes after all the time. he sets the tone at the top. he had the opportunity today, and he did something that i challenge you to find me any other president in a moment like this, who's ever handled it this way. not a word to the people who were targeted. not a word about himself even though he's clearly at the head of the hate parade on a regular basis. >> listen, chris, to say he's at the head of the hate parade, talk about hyperbole. how about the facts? >> his guy is a guy who body slams a journalist, he talks about cnn as the enemy. he doesn't like us. he talks about whether or not -- and that might be a good thing. and then a bomb gets sent to the building and he says nothing.

>> chris, listen, i go to that building quite frequently as you know, that bomb was addressed to -- not to cnn, it was addressed to a specific individual. >> the one in atlanta was addressed to cnn. >> if i drop off a bomb at your house, and it's addressed to santa claus, do you feel better about it? >> no, it's a horrible thing. >> that's the problem with you guys, everything's qualified, everything's a little bit me but a lot of them. >> dave, i'm not just calling you out. i like having you on the show. you're a smart guy, and a good guy. >> bakari, go ahead. >> listen, you heard -- >> the problem is this, the bar is so low for the 45th president of the united states. and the bar is so h so low because we muddied the waters, nobody has a sense of check expectation for him. there's no way he was going to go out today and unify the country. and, you know, being the leader of the hate parade is one way to

say it, david may say that's hyperbole, but i can say something that's an actual fact. the president of the united states tonight or today displayed cowardice. the reason he displayed cowardice, there was a moment before him -- we can talk about democrat or republican, i can be bitter about the election all i want. but the rightful president, because he won the electoral college of the united states of america is donald trump. there's only one president of the united states, and he was a coward today. the reason he was a coward is because he didn't mention the victims today. he didn't even stand up and mention the victims. so if you don't have the testicular fortitude to mention the victims and talk about how we rectify this problem, there's no way i can believe you actually stand for unity. that's my only. >> all right, bakari, i got you on that. dave, give me the last word. >> he called for unity, he didn't call people out individual loy and say i'm sorry for each individual. he called for unity. by all accounts, everybody in the media, i was watching this network earlier, they were stunned at how civil he was.

there was widespread praise from folks who don't praise this president regularly. to say he didn't recognize the situation is not quite fair. >> i'm saying he didn't own it personally, but gentlemen, i believe this is a moment. and it's a moment to make sure that each of us is doing the right thing, even if the leadership doesn't come top down. we get side ways, but i would nerve think for a moment about making personal. you're a good man, and i like having you on the show. >> we break bread. i believe you disagree with me, and i believe you disagree with me more than anybody, but i love having you on the show, you bring a fresh perspective. thank you for being with me tonight. god bless. >> thanks, chris. no matter how you want to blame it, and that's going to be frustrating, so much of it is b.s., the toxicity has to stop. everybody knows that. something has to change. what would cause that kind of solution? let's get from that back into the investigation. we're going to put them both together.

i'm going to do something that i've almost never done. i'm bringing my brother on to the show, he knows things about how this evolved that others do not. and i want you to hear how he learned about this and what it means to him, next. ♪ ♪ daddy, mommy's on the phone! hi! how are you guys? ♪

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proposition 11 "proposition 11 is a vote to protect patient safety." it ensures the closest ambulance remains on-call during paid breaks "so that they can respond immediately when needed." vote yes on 11. we're broadcasting from outside the studio tonight, why? it appeared that someone sent a bomb here today, and people were really really scared. and it is a moment that has to give us some pause. now, while we were all learning about it, there was already a lot that had been learned. authorities had found other explosive devices all around the country, sent to the obamas, the clintons, a congresswoman, and more. and this was after one had been sent to george soros, the big

democratic fund-raiser and the private capital may have beenen. -- maichb. all right, how do i know this? my brother is the governor of the state, andrew cuomo, he was alerted about what was happening, but people haven't heard just how far in advance and how inning depth all of that was, and i want him to tell us that tonight. and he's on the show. gov, can you hear me? >> how are you, little brother? >> i thought i didn't have you there for a second. it's good to have you, thank god you were safe and everything was okay with you and the office this morning. tell us what you learned and when? >> you too. well, the first bombing was the soros bomb, right? receiving the bomb on monday. and basically, everybody held their breath, to use a frightening analogy, for me it reminded me of when the first plane hit the world trade center, 9/11, you said, maybe it's just an aviation accident. and then the second plane hit.

the soros receipt of the bomb, people investigated, et cetera, but we really didn't know what it meant. last night about 1:00 in the morning, the secrets service notified the state police that the residence of the clintons had intercepted a bomb. and that's when we knew it wasn't just one situation. this was probably going to be a pattern. we worked on it last night, with %-p and jttf. i went past the clinton's residence at 4:30 to speak to the secret service this morning. and everything was in order. but at that point you knew -- i felt there was going to be more to come. and then as we know you had the

obamas, you had the cnn bomb, et cetera. the first hope was, it was a one off, it was just george soros, and that was terrible. but obviously, the pattern is even much, much worse. >> thank god nobody was hurt, and now they're trying to assess whether these bombs were functional. and that means you have to get the guy or the people who were involved with it, because there could be more. or if it was just meant to look like something that could have been functional, and that's bad enough, and then they go find them. then you have the larger context, which maybe it had nothing to do with our political environment, even if it did have nothing to do with it, that would be one hell of a coincidence because everyone targeted. is somebody the president targets. it's a moment for us out of fear, to look around at what's going on. everyone i talk to is all about both sides, both sides, both sides, when it comes to republicans, they will not call out the president, and he had his opportunity tonight.

he is who he is, let's leave him to the side. why do you tell my audience tonight that they should have hope that anything better can come from their political dialogue? >> well, look, first, the first part of your question first, the five step is the investigation, the manhunt, jttf, fingerprints, videotapes, find out who did it. the next step is, secure the public. we brought out more national guard, more state police, crossings, et cetera, so people feel secure. the third step is what you're now talking about, let's look at what really happened. people call this domestic terrorism. i think we need a new word. terrorism we normally equate with attention between this nation and another nation. even domestic terrorism is normally referred to as a lone wolf operating within this country. but in the interest of a foreign country.

that's not what this is, this is political terrorism. this is american terrorism. this is red versus blue terrorism. and that we have never seen before. i think this president certainly missed an opportunity tonight. an opportunity for himself, and a responsibility for the country. he could have really stepped up and been the leader that the people want him to be. he could have been the president of the united states. michael yuseme wrote a book, the leader moment. sometimes leadership comes when the moment presents itself. he had that moment today. he missed that moment. and as a matter of fact i believe he reinforced the negative. if you listen to his words, they're sharp divides, and important election, days away, the media's to blame, it's

almost as if he can't bring himself to admit his error, and he can't take his foot off the gas. he wants to fire up his base for the election. that's what this is, let's be honest. he needs a big turnout, he doesn't want to lose the congress. he wants to fire up his base. and he's firing up his base. the lesson here is, when you spread that much hate, that much venom, mob chaos, bad people, there are people who are affected by that. we're emotional beings. and in this society, you can download from the internet, how to build the bomb. and when you are spreading that hate, it's almost inevitable that someone or some group is going to feed off it.

now, i just listened to your great debate. step one is bring down the tone. don't argue about it, bring down the tone. if he won't bring down the tone, then the other leaders have to bring down the tone. i don't believe he will. you can have a disagreement, you can have a forceful disagreement, it's not mean, it's not do or die. it's not, you have to be punished. otherwise, chris, this does not stop. this does not stop. and this is a terrorism -- >> that's the fear. >> -- that is more frightening than any other terrorism we've seen. >> big brother, thank you very much. >> -- not just the president. are you cutting me off, little brother? >> i am. i am. i've got to get to break, governor, but thank you very much. i'll make it up to you.

thank you for being on the show. i appreciate it, and thank god you and yours were okay today. >> i'm glad you're safe. tell jeff zucker he did a great job the way cnn handled this today. >> will do. take care. now, obviously my brother's the governor in new york. it's also fair to point out we all remember what happened with steve scalise and what that man's stated political motives were. and we understand that there is no party that has any type of hate cornered. there's always potential all over the place. but one thing is where is this change going to come from? the president had an opportunity tonight. he didn't take it. but he thinks what he's doing is working for him. what will the left do in response? will they become what they say they disrespect, or will they come up with something better? something has to change. closing argument next.

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weird but it was just last night that i was pointing out all the ugliness around us masquerading as political discourse and asking if you've had enough. tonight i hope the answer is yes. this is scary stuff. whether the person or people behind the packages are from here or abroad, whether they're political or just sick, whether the devices were functional or not, it is all just scary. at worst, it was someone trying to kill former presidents and lawmakers and some of us at cnn. at best, it was someone who wanted that threat to be heard loudly and clearly. now, we can catch who did it. we're really good at that. but can we do something about what might have inspired it? i want to say the answer is yes. we all know this atmosphere is too mean. we're consumed by negativity. insults are now a proxy for insights on all sides. but i'm not one who sees equal blame spread all around. our president cannot escape special scrutiny. he is at the head of the hate parade and way too often.

clearly reading prepared remarks at a rally, he seemed not to give a damn. he showed tonight that he will not be the one to make the change. he never spoke about his own words or deeds, not once. and on a day that his opponents were targeted, he didn't even name them, let alone extend a branch. two former presidents and their wives, their families, one of them his former election rival. and then he put it on us, the media, and us alone to be better and less negative. unbelievable. and the crowd roared. he is one that calls opponents the enemy, calls a free press the enemy, celebrates violence toward the media, celebrates force as strength, targets the same folks who received the packages, and he knows it. and he likes it. when he's counseled that the presidency demands different behavior from within, he refuses. when he's told that he is factually wrong from without, he

doubles down. more and more he just flat-out lies. even when he's told that he's calling himself something that is ugly and divisive, he doubles down. i am a nationalist. jingoism, really? come on. we are better than this. and he's not the only part of the problem, maybe not even the biggest. look at the cottage industry on the right that has glommed onto him to forward their pernicious agenda of extreme ideas. they profit off division literally. they twist the truth. they deceive you. they are not journalists. they are jingoists and frauds. just hours after the discoveries today, before we knew a damn thing without a shred of proof, they started blaming democrats. but there's good news here as well. there is irony in tragedy, even in potential tragedy. the worst often brings out the best in people, and a lot of you today from all over the country reached out to me, and many of you told me, i love trump, and i don't like how you test him sometimes. but you reached out the same way, saying that you wished me and my brother and all of our colleagues and family well. that meant a lot to me personally, truly.

thank you. today i call it a good day, and here's why. no one was hurt. and we had a moment to do something we haven't done. we got to recognize our law enforcement, see that they're at the top of their game. and we got a moment of clarity about the real problem. and we now know our president is not the solution to it. and that's okay too because we don't have to wait for change to come from the top down. most major movements of change in this country have been bottom-up. suffrage, civil rights. look it up. maybe we can't count on potus or those in power around him, but you can change what you tolerate, what you vote for, what you watch, what you read, and what you tweet. the power is truly in the people in this country. you control what rates, what resonates, and what is rewarded in politics. nelson mandela wished for people that your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. we now have a chance in the face of the worst of us to show what we can be at our best, and i hope we take that chance. i want to bring in my man, d. lemon, to continue the coverage. it's good to see you. a little chilly. sorry about the cold hand.

>> i'm pissed. you're more diplomatic than i am. i'm pissed. you know why i'm pissed? and i hate that word, but that's how i feel today. i could have been mourning you. you could have been mourning me. >> god forbid. >> god forbid, we could have lost our colleagues. and this person who calls himself the president of the united states does not have the testicular fortitude to own his part in all of this. and i'm so sick and tired of people coming on television and equating a first amendment right of protest to a potential act of terrorism. they are not equivalent, and we shouldn't let them get away with it because it's not the same thing. fine, someone walks by. we're doing a live shot and they want to yell at us, that's their business. they do it. you keep moving. no harm, no foul. i'm in a restaurant, someone doesn't like me, fake news, you can call me whatever you want. no harm, no foul. but someone delivering a bomb to

your place of business that can potentially kill you and your co-workers, that's a horse of another color. and the two should not be equated. and i'm glad that you said that about they're not journalists because what they're doing is they're doing the bidding for this president who cannot own his own terrible, awful, damaging rhetoric. >> he had the opportunity today. >> he blamed the victim tonight. >> yep. >> for him to sit there and blame us, we're the victims here. >> and only us. >> is disgusting. >> and only us. i guess he thought the victim in all of this, somehow him. look, there are a couple of tweaks. one, i'm not so sure they're doing his bidding. i'm not so sure he's not doing their bidding because he's adopted a lot of things and brought a lot of things out that i had never really heard him talk about before. and it makes me think he sees opportunity in it, but maybe he's getting played. the second thing is he is the president of the united states. he is our president. we only have one, and he had an opportunity tonight to take the high