deals offered to stormy mdaniels. >> i know the best deal makers. >> thank you for spending our sunday with us. fareed zakaria starts right now. this is "gps." welcome to all of you in the united states and around the world. i'm fareed zakaria. today on the show, the brexit hangover. 2 1/2 years ago the people of britain voted to leave the european union. this week, the house of commons voted down prime minister may's plan to do just that. so, what happens now? i have a very special guest to talk about it all, tony blair, the former prime minister of the united kingdom. and a look at race in the

america as the country prepares to celebrate martin luther king jr.'s birthday. aaron sorkin has turned the last three years changing ""to kill a mockingbird" into broadway. but first here's my take. as we watch britain go through brexit, it's easy to view the decision to depart the european union as an act of foolishness, a self-inflicted wound that will impoverish britons for years to come. taking in half of the country's exports, losing special access to it is a high price to pay for some bill symbolic gains in sovereignty. the brexit debacle sheds a light on europe itself and one that sees it as stop working, for

many of the people at its western european core. i say this as an ar dant supporter of the european -- these values will likely be eroded if the strength and purpose of either of these centers wanes. for the last three decade, the european project has wandered offcourse. what began as a community of nations cooperating to create larger markets, greater efficiency, more political stability became obsessed with two massive issues that have undermined its central achievements. the first was, perhaps, inevitable in the wake of the soviet union as collapse. the rapid integration of a vast number of new countries that were at a very different stage of economic and social development as the eu's core countries. since 1993 the european union has expanded from 12 countries

to 28. while prior to this period, europe was mostly concerned with opening up markets, streamlining regulations, creating new growth opportunities. it now became a transfer union, a vast scheme to redistribute funds from prosperous countries to emerging markets. even in today's strong economy, eu funds account for more than 3% of hungary's economy and almost 4% of lithuanians. this gap between a rich and poor europe with open borders inevitably produced a migration crisis. for example, as in "foreign affairs" about 2 million poles migrat migrated. these movements put massive strains on the safety nets of destination countries and provoked rising nationalism and nativism. the influx of from the middle

east must be placed in the context of these already sky high migrant flbz. and as can be seen almost everywhere from the u.s. to austria, fears of immigration are the rocket fuel for right-wing nationalists who then discredited the political establishment they deem responsible for these unchecked flows. the second challenge consuming the eu has been its currency, launched more with politics in body, it has endured a deep structural flaw. 19 countries continue to have vastly different fiscal systems. that means when a recession hits, countries have few tools at their disposal. brexit should force britons to think hard about their place in the world and make the adjustments that will allow them to prosper, but it should also cause all europeans to take stock of their project, a great

idea that has gone awry. the european union needs more than tinkering. it needs to return to first principles, find its central purpose and ask what questions of its current system are not working, are not affordable or not manageable. europe is floundering. while some americans seem to delight in this prospect it is, in fact, bad for america, bad for its interests, bad for its values. for more go to cnn.com/fareed and read my washington post column this week. let's get started. let's now focus in on brexit and its implications. we have a special guest, tony blair. mr. blair served for more than years as prime minister of the united kingdom. he's been an outspoken critic. he joins me from london.

tony, pleasure to have you on. >> thanks. >> refrom the start you've been opposed to it. let am ask you just at the fundamental level, your case for it because it does seem to subvert the democratic process, doesn't it? the electorate had a chance to vote on brexit and there wasn't meant to be a do-over. >> that's correct. we've had 30 months of negotiation. the deal the government has been presented has been voted down heavily. parliament is gridlocked. there are many different versions of brexit. frankly, our knowledge of what brexit really means has been vastly enlarged in the last 30 months. i don't think it's unreasonable in those circumstances to take this back for final resolution to the british people. i mean, we're not -- we're not asking anyone else what their

view is. we're asking the british people. and i think given everything that's happened, given the circumstances we're in, that's not unreasonable. so, that's the case if you like for a second referendum. right now, probably the reason the support there in parliament for that either. on the other hand, there's no support for a proper brexit proposition. and there's no support for exiting without a deal. so, i think as this goes on, it's more likely, timely, people come around to the fact that in the end of this gridlock in parliament, you have to put it back to the people. >> you've argued that there really isn't a kind of soft brexit or you can't fudge the issue. either you're in europe or out. >> yes. here's the essential problem. in one sense this negotiation can't be a negotiation of the conventional sentence. it's really a choice. and the choice is between a brexit that keeps you tied to

europe's treatading system beca we've been part of the single market, part of the customs union, a whole series of trading relationships have grown up on the basis, we're part of that unique european system, you either stay close to that in which case you're going to keep to europe's rules, in which case people say, why are you then doing this brexit? that's what i call the pointless brexit. or alternativelalternatively, yy we're going to break free of europe and which could cause short term or long term damage. the negotiate, by the way, over these last 30 months has been the attempt by the prime minister and the government to find a way of having our cake and eating it, of being part of the european trading system without being to its rules. that was never going to be possible. that's finally become apparent. so, you've got this situation where you either choose a brexit

that's pointless or one that's painful. that's the problem. because parliament doesn't find either of those two alternatives palatable. >> what do you say to people who feel like they're enmeshed in a system over which they don't have much control in the european union and particularly involving migration, which it seems to me has been the core issue for the popular brexit and the western world in general. i think 2 or 3 million people from poorer countries in europe moved into places like britain and germany. this was before 2015 when you then had a million middle eastern refugees come in. they look at all this and say, look, this is too much, it's too uncontrolled. if that's what it means to be part of this european union, we need to reach sovereignty. >> you're absolutely right. the thing driving brexit and

driving political convulsions all over europe is this thing to do with migration, identity. niece are big issues everywhere in the world today. my ideal situation is a situation where britain thinks again but also europe thinks again. over these last 30 months we have britain have seen what the difficulties and complexities of brexit are. frankly, the rest of europe have seen the rest of its politics turned upside down all over europe. the italian elections, what's happened in hungary, what's happening in france, germany. the sensible thing is for europe to take the strong measures necessary to control the migration problem properly, including within europe. we have a freedom of movement principle, which is a very sensible principle. it's a principle, by the way, most people welcome because you can move around europe very easily, work in different country. people get that. the problem is when you get large flows of migration or you get the undercutting of wages by

people importing cheaper labor from other parts of europe. these are problems you with deal with within the freedom of movement principle. so, my ideal situation is where britain remains in europe but britain also reforms. i don't know whether that's possible but i certainly think it should be one of the options on the table. in the end there are problems with europe. i say to people there will be enormous problems whenever you try and get a whole group of independent nations working together in a formal, political structure. but none of these problems are reasons for breaking up europe. what influences me when i look at the world today is i see every month further evidence that power can shift east. you've got the rise in china. china's going to become an even more powerful country in time to come. its population is double the size of the european union put together. when you look at -- actually three times the size. when you look at it, in the world that's developing, you

know, medium sized nations like britain, like germany, like france, are going to have to band together in order to keep their influence and interests alive in the world. and their values, by the way. so, there are big geopolitical reasons, not just economic reasons for keeping europe today. but europe would be sensible if it also takes measures of reform. so, this is where i think the politics can go. i hope it can go in that direction. >> don't go away. more with tony blair when we come back. we'll also ask him to look across the channel at what is going on in europe. do the protests in france, the weakness of angela merkel signal real trouble there as well? we'll come back in a moment.

one hour pickup order? got it. ran out of ink and i have a big meeting today and 2 boxes of twizzlers... yeah, uh...for the team... the team? gooo team.... order online pickup in an hour. hurry in and save on tax software. at office depot officemax for rough, dry skin discovered by hard working farmers who shared it with family who recommended it to friends. udderly smooth, the moisturizer for rough, dry skin with no greasy after feel. hard working moisture-rich udderly smooth. -morning. -morning. -what do we got? -keep an eye on that branch. might get windy. have a good shift. fire pit. last use -- 0600. i'd stay close. morning. ♪ get ready to switch. protected by flo.

should say, "protected by alan and jamie." -right? -should it? when you bundle home and auto... run, alan! ...you get more than just savings. you get 'round-the-clock protection.

can really get you going. but mania, such as unusual changes in your mood, activity or energy levels, can leave you on... shaky ground. help take control by asking your healthcare provider about vraylar. vraylar treats acute mania of bipolar i disorder. vraylar significantly reduces overall manic symptoms, and was proven in adults with mixed episodes who have both mania and depression. vraylar should not be used in elderly patients with dementia, due to increased risk of death or stroke. call your doctor about fever, stiff muscles, or confusion, which may mean a life-threatening reaction or uncontrollable muscle movements, which may be permanent. side effects may not appear for several weeks. high cholesterol and weight gain; high blood sugar, which can lead to coma or death; decreased white blood cells, which can be fatal; dizziness upon standing;

falls; seizures; impaired judgement; heat sensitivity; and trouble swallowing may occur. you're more than just your bipolar i. ask about vraylar. a book that you're ready to share with the world? get published now, call for your free publisher kit today!

i'm back now with tony blair who joins us from the offices of the tony blair institute for global change in london. you've said, tony, you think the europeans should almost help britain not brexit. they should speak out. what do you think about the americans? it has been historically american policy to support a unified europe because there was a feeling this was the other great center of, you know, the rule of law and values like human rights and open trade and open politics. but the trump administration, certainly donald trump has op openly cheered brexit. >> the debate i often have with people in the united states, if you think the big challenges we're going to face are how we deal with the fact that by the middle of the century you'll li in a multipolar world where the

influence of china is very large, alongside the power of america, as well as india. you could have three super powers. in those circumstances the west should remain united and europe should stand alongside america because in the end, whatever our differences, there are interests we have in common. most important, there are values we have in common. we're countries that believe in democracy and freedom and the rule of law. niece are important freedoms in a world where one of the other centers of power, china, is going to be challenging not just for power but also offering a different system of government. in those circumstances, britain, that's traditionally been the country that if you like, bridges atlantic most easily, it's damaging for america and not just for europe but britain, too. all of these issues to do with independent nations wanting to assert their identity. we've got to resolve those

without breaking up that essential structure of the european union that allows europe to be a key ally of the united states. this is my way of looking at the world. because otherwise we'll find as this century progresses and my children and grandchildren work out where they stand in the world, the west is going to be weaker. and that's bad for them, bad for all of us. >> when you look at what is going on in france, does it -- how much does it dishearten you? here's macron who was able to in this age of populism get elected, thrive, institute reforms, pro identi-european an his presidency seems crippled. what happened? >> i wouldn't write off president macron yet. he's making reforms that are difficult. anyone that's ever been in office and tried to make reform

knows it's the hardest thing to do because what you find is that everyone is in favor of reform in general but when it comes to particular reforms you get a lot of opposition. he's got opposition now. but i personally think what he's trying to do for france is right. you know, all over the western world today, people are struggling with the fact the world's changing fast. we're going to have a digital and technology revolution that in my view is the single biggest challenge policymakers will face over the next 10, 15 years and we're going to struggle with this and political leaders are going to struggle but the art of leadership is to come through opposition and come out the other side with your reform intact. i hope he does that. wherever you look in the western world, you see tension and difficulty. >> what about angela merkel, do you think in retrospect her biggest mistake was to let in those large number of refugees in 2015 that without that she would still be secure, stable,

popular? >> look, i think, you know, she's been chancellor for a long period of time. i think the refugee issue was a real problem and probably impacted her politics, indeed, our politics, but she did it for extremely good motives and good intentions. you know, we've got -- we've got a deeper problem, which is that as the world changes and as you get these big my graer ermigra people worry about their communities changing, they worry whether they can maintain their own sense of identity, and you need to be sensitive to that so you have to manage that. the thing about immigration that i learned in office is that immigration produces energy, vitalitity. it's actually a good thing for a country like britain. but people need to know there are rules around it, there are controls. if you don't have rules, you end up with prejudices.

this is why it's important when you're fashioning your immigration policy, people have got to know that at the same time as your accessing the benefits of immigration, you're also putting some structure around it that means they can keep control of it. particularly, frankly, when you're getting larger numbers of refugees or my granigrants from muslim countries -- that's not to say you're anti-immigrant but if you don't deal with these pressures, that then fuels the sentiment on the far right. >> always a pleasure to have you on, tony blair. >> thank you. next on "gps," if you haven't heard the term 5g, you will soon. it's the new cellular technology that promises lightning fast technology for your cell phone. but depending on which company becomes hostile in it, might a hostile foreign government have the potential to see and hear

everything you do? we'll tell you when we come back. one. i earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything i buy. and last year, i earned $36,000 in cash back. which i used to offer health insurance to my employees. what's in your wallet? you might or joints.hing for your heart... but do you take something for your brain. with an ingredient originally discovered in jellyfish, prevagen has been shown in clinical trials to improve short-term memory. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. just as important as what you get out of it? our broccoli cheddar is made with aged melted cheddar, simmered broccoli, and no artificial flavors. enjoy 100% clean soup today. panera. food as it should be. ensure max protein... to give you the protein you need with less of the sugar you don't. (straining) i'll take that. (cheers) 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. ensure max protein. in two great flavors.

and the golden retriever er are very different. they eat, digest, and process energy differently. at royal canin, we developed over 200 precise formulas to transform every cat and dog into a magnificent animal. royal canin itin 30,000 precision parts. or it isn't. it's inspected by mercedes-benz factory-trained technicians. or it isn't. it's backed by an unlimited mileage warranty, or it isn't. for those who never settle, it's either mercedes-benz certified pre-owned, or it isn't. the mercedes-benz certified pre-owned sales event. now through february 28th. only at your authorized mercedes-benz dealer. unpredictable crohn's symptoms following you? for adults with moderately to severely active crohn's disease, stelara® works differently. studies showed relief and remission, with dosing every 8 weeks. stelara® may lower your ability to fight infections and may increase your risk of infections and cancer.

some serious infections require hospitalization. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection or flu-like symptoms or sores, have had cancer, or develop new skin growths, or if anyone in your house needs or recently had a vaccine. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems, including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems. these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. some serious allergic reactions and lung inflammation can occur. talk to your doctor today, and learn how janssen can help you explore cost support options. remission can start with stelara®.

explore cost support options. i am a techie dad.n. i believe the best technology should feel effortless. like magic. at comcast, it's my job to develop, apps and tools that simplify your experience. my name is mike, i'm in product development at comcast. we're working to make things simple, easy and awesome. now for our "what in the

world" segment. you might have noticed a new battle front between western countries and china. this month polish authorities arrested an executive of the chinech chinese tech company huawei for spying. china has sense detained several canadians on so-called national security offenses, accused canada of white supremacy and sentenced a canadian prisoner in china to death. what in the world is going on? behind the headlines, this is a battle behind who controls 5g. it's difficult to overstate 5g's transformative potential. its networks will be up to 100 times faster than today's. that means we'll use our phones as the primary platforms to do everything, including watch video. but the real transformation could come from industry. 5g will transfer so much data so

fast, machines will be able to talk to each other on a grand scale. this could spur the growth of automated factors, driverless cars. 5g will make machine learning and artificial intelligence a daily reality for everyone. the u.s. government is well aware of this. according to a. xios a national security council member compared 5g to the invention of the guttenberg press. you can understand why the two largest economies in the world want to dominate this world. "the wall street journal" reports the u.s. is trying to convince its allies, including canada and poland, to block huawei for providing the tools to make 5g. if they provide the components to america and other alice, the government is worried it would

build a back door inside its gear, allowing huawei to send it back to beijing. think of "the new york times" reporting on the breach to name a recent example. now, imagine that with far more data at play and with the chinese company actually providing the gear. huawei, which is headed by the former people's liberation army engineer is accused of using bribery and technology theft in its assent. u.s. prosecutors are reportedly conducting a criminal investigation against the company for stealing robot technology from t-mobile, according to "the wall street journal." the company did not comment on the reports but denies previous allegations of wrongdoing, noting that a 2017 civil suit found no, quote, willful and malicious conduct." huawei's would never spy. "the new york times" says so far

there is no hard proof that it has. yet the u.s., australia, new zealand have effectively banned huawei from 5g supply chains. there are solutions other than bans. take the uk, a november report says the government set up an inspection center run jointly by british counterintelligence and huawei that laboriously tests hardware and software for threats and vulnerabilities. this kind of inspection process may slow down the adoption of 5g, but perhaps that is for the best. the reams of data that 5g unleashes on the global networks will be vulnerable. we need better controls around the mountains of data we're piling up every minute. if data is the heart of the digital economy, it will need better protection from any source. next on "gps," aaron sorkin on turning one of america's most beloved novels into a play and what like "to kill a

mockingbird" sheds on race in america today. the sleep number 360 smart bed is on sale now during the january savings event. it senses your movement, and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. it even helps with this. so you wake up ready to put your pedal to the metal. save up to $500 on select sleep number 360 smart beds, now ranked #1 in customer satisfaction with mattresses by j.d. power. plus, free premium delivery and 36-month financing. ends monday. sleep number... proven quality sleep. [kno♪king] ♪ memories. what we deliver by delivering.

to be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing it's best to make you everybody else... ♪ ♪ means to fight the hardest battle, which any human being can fight and never stop. does this sound dismal? it isn't. ♪ ♪ it's the most wonderful life on earth. ♪ ♪ ouget a 4-course mealal starting at $15.99. it's the most wonderful life on earth. treat yourself to the perfect gift today, because the aussie 4-course won't last long! outback steakhouse. aussie rules. hey, who are you? oh, hey jeff, i'm a car thief... what?! i'm here to steal your car because, well, that's my job. what? what?? what?! (laughing) what?? what?! what?!

[crash] what?! haha, it happens. and if you've got cut-rate car insurance, paying for this could feel like getting robbed twice. so get allstate... and be better protected from mayhem... like me. ♪ for rough, dry skin discovered by hard working farmers who shared it with family who recommended it to friends. udderly smooth, the moisturizer for rough, dry skin with no greasy after feel. hard working moisture-rich udderly smooth.

hit's a long-distance journey, e psoriasis is not always easy. and you have the determination to keep going. humira has a proven track record of being prescribed for over 10 years. humira works inside the body to target and help block a specific source of inflammation that contributes to symptoms. most adults taking humira were clear or almost clear and many saw 75% and even 90% clearance in just 4 months. and the kind of clearance that can last. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal, infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms, or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. join over 250,000 patients who have chosen humira. ask about the #1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists. humira... and go.

on february 1 shg, 1960, fo college students made history. the young men, all african-americans sat down at a whites only lunch counter and refused when asked to leave. that was the beginning of the sit-in movement. that same summer a few states away in monroeville, alabama, a then-unknown writer named harper lee was getting ready for the publication of her debut novel. a book that delved deeply into the american south, race and justice. on july 11, 1960, "to kill a mockingbird" was released to the public. the following year lee won the pulitzer prize for the book. the book has now been translated into 40 languages and sold more

than 40 million copies worldwide. in 1962 the book was turned into a major motion picture starring gregory peck who won an oscar. >> is this the man who raped you? >> certainly is. >> so, after all that acclaim, how do you write a new version of the story for the broadway stage? well, that was the tough assignment that fell in the lap of the highly acclaimed writer aaron sorkin. his three-year labor of love is open now on broadway. the play is a huge success, playing nightly to sold out crowds and standing ovations. i asked sorkin to join me to talk about the play and what it says about race in america today, as the nation prepares to celebrate martin luther king jr.'s birthday. aaron sorkin, pleasure to have you on. >> great to be here. >> so, why do you think "to kill

a mockingbird" has become this book that every american high school reads? is there something about the quality of the prose, the subject matter? >> for most american high schoolers we read it in seventh, eighth, ninth. i should say first white americans. it's our first time the hero wears glasses. it's the -- it's the first time that things don't work out the way they're supposed to. the way harper lee wrote the novel through the eyes of a child, it's a nice way in for us. and we all read it together. >> let me ask you about the challenge of taking this cherished, iconic novel, turning it into a play. there are two parts. first of all, at the skill of a writer in terms of what you did

moving the trial to the start of the play is really extraordinary because the first part of the book is the life in the south. you cut to the chase right away. >> yeah. my first draft of the play wasn't very good. my first draft of the play was kind of an attempt to swaddle the book in bubble wrap and gently transfer it to the stage. it was a greatest hits album done by a cover band. after getting a very few smart notes from our producer, scott rudin, i threw that draft out and threw the attitude out as well that this should be an exercise in nostalgia or a museum piece or an homage to a book we all loved. i was going to write a new play. you did need to get to the trial faster. so, i thread the trial throughout the story.

>> there doing all this, you ran afoul of the literary estate of harper lee. there's now a court case going on. which hinges on whether you've been true to the spirit of the book. in fact, harper lee approved of you, personally, as the author of the play. the issue is, you had to stay true to the spirit of the book. so, is the idea that a judge is going to watch the play and determine whether or not this is true? >> well, first of all, fortunately, that's all been settled. there's no court case anymore. you're right, not harper lee but the harper lee estate. harper lee passed away about three years ago. the harper lee estate got ahold of an early draft of the play. they were not -- there's no they. a woman who runs the harper lee estate was not a fan of what i had done and sued claiming, as you said, that i had departed from the spirit of "to kill a mockingbird."

the curious part of me wanted to see the case go to court so that a federal judge could define what the spirit of "to kill a mockingbird" is. i don't think there's a legal definition and no literary definition of that either and -- >> you remember the famous line about pornography. i can't define it -- >> but i know it when i see it. perhaps this judge would have resorted to that. but i think what audiences are finding now, and we've had a month and a half of previews and we've been running for about a month. while it is something new, while this play is new, it very much embodies the spirit of "to kill a mockingbird." what the federal judge was going to need to do in the southern district was -- you know, there was a complaint letter with, i think, about 80 examples of moments from the play where the estate was saying, atticus would

never say this or do this. the federal judge was going to have to decide what a fictional character would and wouldn't do. we had offered to perform the play for the judge in his courtroom. and we had it -- there was an opportunity to get into the record books as the first play to close on opening night in the new york southern district. >> talk about the issues of race. you're dealing with a situation in which -- i talked about the play to my son, who's in college. i was saying how i thought it was trick and that my guess is this will be performed all over the country now. he said, well, colleges will find it difficult because using the "n" word in college is so taboo that even in the historical context it will be impossible. >> there's liberal use of the word in the play as there is in tom sawyer. >> and in the book.

>> and in harper lee's book. so, i would just say to these college students what i say to my own kid is there are words that are okay on a movie screen or on a stage that absolutely aren't okay in life. and it's historically accurate because that's how people spoke at that time. >> it's historically accurate but more important, it's crucial we see the casual cruelty that was going on. that people are using the word. they're using the word in front of african-americans and using it very -- and using it very casually. and it's important that they see that. i hope those college students you're describing do the play and discuss what we're discussing. up next, for seven years, president joe sibartlett sat in oval office.

he was beloved, mostly because aaron sorkin wrote him that way. so what is sorkin's state on our current nonfictional president and the words that come out of his mouth? sorkin on trump when we come back. how do you gauge the greatness of an suv? is it to carry cargo... s at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. got it.r pickup order? ran out of ink and i have a big meeting today and 2 boxes of twizzlers... yeah, uh...for the team... the team? gooo team.... order online pickup in an hour. hurry in and save on tax software. at office depot officemax i can do more to lower my a1c.

because my body can still make its own insulin. i take trulicity once a week to activate my body to release its own insulin, like it's supposed to. trulicity is not insulin. it works 24/7. it comes in an easy-to-use pen. and i may even lose a little weight. trulicity is an injection to improve blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes when used with diet and exercise. don't use it as the first medicine to treat diabetes, or if you have type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. don't take trulicity if you or your family have medullary thyroid cancer, you're allergic to trulicity, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. stop trulicity and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck or severe stomach pain. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. taking trulicity with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases your low blood sugar risk. common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and decreased appetite.

these can lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. to help lower my a1c i choose trulicity to activate my within. ask your doctor about once-weekly trulicity. ultimate feast time it'sat red lobster.r own pick four of ten favorites to create the ultimate feast you've been dreaming of. like lobster mac & cheese. or tender snow crab. so hurry in before new create your own ultimate feast ends. and the golden retriever er are very different. they eat, digest, and process energy differently. at royal canin, we developed over 200 precise formulas to transform every cat and dog into a magnificent animal. royal canin

. we're back with my interview with aaron sorkin. the creator of "a few good men," "west wing." let me ask you about the nature of political rhetoric. you are famously known from "the west wing," "a few good men," you have this dramatic, eloquent style of writing, a give a

certain reverence. what do you think about tth trump and what does it say about where we are today? >> i'm not sure i can add anything to the conversation that hasn't already been said about the rhetoric of donald trump. without question, it doesn't come close to rising to the level of what someone in had the oval office should be saying and how they should be saying it. the president also -- we don't have a monarch. the president is as close as we get. they are the voice and face of this country and it's what has so many of us depressed that that is the voice of this country. >> how do you respond to people, to him who says, i'm the modern president. i'm speaking in this way because that's how people out there speak?

he seems to have gotten through because of a certain amount of that. i'm not going to have the facade. i'm going to speak like a normal person. >> first of all, that's not how people out there people. there are crudy people out there and i guess that's how they speak. but that's a real putdown of the people he claims to represent, that they speak at and think that way. second, it is not the role of the president to stoop to the lowest common denominator and try to represent that. it's the role of the mt to try to elevate us all. we have had presidents, both republican and democrat, who have been fantastic at doing that. who can put a lump in our throat, who can give us goose bumps and appeal to the better angels in our nature. donald trump appeals to the very worst in the worst of us.

and it's not a strategy or a philosophy. it's just the best he can do. that is who he is. >> let me ask you about what he does do. the way i think about it, he appeals to people's cultural anxieties and points them to an enemy he can talk about, chinese people, mexicans, muslims. one things -- lots of social science research has shown is that emotional rhetoric works better than analytical rhetoric. how should democrats -- what is the emotional -- what is the way democrats -- i mean, i think democrats answer often by having a 20-point program that was approved by -- >> i know. >> -- brookings institute, which is sensible but it's not going to move people. >> no, it's not, but barack obama was able to move people and john f. kennedy was and bill clinton was. you can do it. you can make people understand

that, you know, that there's more that unites us than divides us. we have nothing to fear but fear itself. you can swat away the ridiculousness of some of the things we've been told to be scared of and paint a picture of a tomorrow that's better than yesterday. honestly, it's good speechwriters is what you need. >> when you listen to democrats, do you feel they're speaking the way they should? do you want to go in and write speeches for some of them? >> well, they're better speechwriters than me, but when you say democrat, it depends. >> tell us who you like. >> i'm not sure i want to do that. i like harris, joe biden. i really like the new crop of young people who were just elected to congress.

they now need to stop acting like young people. it's time to do that. i think there's a great opportunity here, now more than ever, for democrats to be the nonstupid party, to point out the difference. that we are -- that it's want just about transgender bathrooms. that's a republican talking point they're trying to distract you with. that -- that we haven't forgotten the economic anxiety of the middle class but we're going to be smart about this. we're not going to be mean about it and that we can go back to being the america -- my father who passed away a few years ago fought in world war ii. and he, like most people from

his generation, from the greatest generation, he doesn't tell a lot of war stories. you kind of have to pull it out of him. but he would talk about his unit going into a village and europe and you could hear villagers say, thank god the americans are here. people don't say that right now. and it's because of donald trump. we can go back to being the thank god the americans are here people. we can go back to being the people who when exhausted, impov er -- impoverished, terrified refugees with just the shirt on their back have made it to our border. we can go back to being the people who can reach across and give them a hand and a hot meal and say, welcome to the new world. that's who we are. that's who we should be. >> aaron sorkin, pleasure to have you on. >> thank you so much

your brain changes as you get older. but prevagen helps your brain with an ingredient originally discovered... in jellyfish. in clinical trials, prevagen has been shown to improve short-term memory. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. itin 30,000 precision parts. or it isn't. it's inspected by mercedes-benz factory-trained technicians. or it isn't. it's backed by an unlimited mileage warranty, or it isn't. for those who never settle, it's either mercedes-benz certified pre-owned, or it isn't. the mercedes-benz certified pre-owned sales event. now through february 28th. only at your authorized mercedes-benz dealer. for rough, dry skin discovered by hard working farmers

who shared it with family who recommended it to friends. udderly smooth, the moisturizer for rough, dry skin with no greasy after feel. hard working moisture-rich udderly smooth. from capital one.nd i switched to the spark cash card i earn unlimited 2% cash back on everything i buy. and last year, i earned $36,000 in cash back. which i used to offer health insurance to my employees. what's in your wallet? the riskiest job. the consequences underwater can escalate quickly. the next thing i know, she swam off with the camera. it's like, hey, thats mine! i want to keep doing what i love. that's the retirement plan. with my annuity i know there's a guarantee. annuities can provide protected income for life. learn more at retireyourrisk.org

. it was a rough week for prosecutors at for international prosecutors in the hague as judges ruled on one of the highest profile cases. the former president of which of these countries was acquitted of crimes of humanity of the icc? stay tuned and we'll tell you the correct answer. i don't have a book for you this week but i want to tell you about one more way you can catch "gps," on youtube. you'll have to subscribe to youtube tv to access episodes of

the show but you can sign up for a free trial and watch "gps" anywhere you can watch youtube. we're also on cnn go. the answer is b, on tuesday former ivory coast president who was cleared of all charges by the international criminal court. he was the first former head of state to be tried at the icc. the charges stemmed from his alleged role in post-election violence which began when he was defeated at the poles in 2010. he refused to concede to his election rival and 3,000 people were killed in the violence that ensued. the evidence, including 82 witnesses and the files of thousands of documents, the court said the prosecutor failed to submit sufficient evidence to demonstrate the responsibility of him.

with the acquittal, there are reports he's hope of making a comeback, but for now he's still locked up in the hague pending appeal. thank you for being part of my program this week. i will see you next week. bombshell or buzz kill? i'm brian stelter and this is how the media works, how the news is made and how we can all get better. anthony cormier and buzzfeed's ben smith are here. how the white house's favorite media mega phones are stoking fear. and what nancy pelosi and ann coulter have in common. that's interesting. we also have carl bernstein standing by, jeffrey goldberg and much more. first, the question on everyone's