welcome to "inside politics." i'm dana bash. john king is off today. thank you for sharing your day with us. president trump lashes out on twitter as the waiting game continues for any progress on the senate impeachment trial. and on the 2020 campaign trail, former vice president joe biden supporters think he can appeal to moderates. does that include, quote, reasonable republican dads? plus, campaigning in the 21st century means perfecting a new art. we take a closer look at the selfie campaign. >> i love that you have a

tattoo. let's do a selfie. i'm coming in on 100,000 selfies. >> i thought i would first tell you a little bit about who i am, secondly, tell you why i'm in this race. third, we'll have some questions and then the most important part of democracy, selfies! >> we begin this hour with the president spending yet another day of his holiday break obse obsessing on twitter about impeachment. it's been eight days since the house voted to impeach him, largely along party lines, and it seems a few days in the florida sun have not done much to distract him. here's just one of his many tweets just this morning. he said, despite all of the great success that our country has had over the last three years, it makes it much more difficult to deal with foreign leaders and others when i'm having to constantly defend myself against the do nothing democrats and their bogus

impeachment scam. bad for usa, with a classic exclamation point at the end there. cnn's sarah westwood joins me now live from west palm beach. sarah, what are you learning about the president's mindset despite what he's saying on twitter? >> reporter: we're learning that the president is growing more and more anxious to have his day in court. he's been railing against speaker pelosi from olding the articles of impeachment from the senate nearly every day during his time here on west palm beach. and while the president is growing increasingly patient that the senate trial doesn't even look close to starting, leader mitch mcconnell is saying he's not at all anxious to get on with the trial. he also said speaker pelosi isn't really exercising leverage by holding something from the senate that those lawmakers would rather not deal with in the first place. president trump really caught in a standoff between congressional

democrats and republicans right now over how this trial will unfold. sources tell cnn that president trump is agitated increasingly about the uncertainty surrounding his trial as he spends his time mostly behind closed doors heefr at his mar-a-lago resort, keeping in mind he had totally given up what he wanted for the senate trial. at one time he wanted something theatrical with live witnesses, but now he says he's okay with anything mcconnell agrees with. president trump really hoping to see that agreement come together sooner rather than later, dana. >> which is understandable. thank you so much, sarah. here to share their reporting and insights, cnn's phil mattingly and mae westin, erin

haynes with the associated press. happy post christmas, everybody. we're still digesting. phil mattingly, and all of you, really, but i want to show on the screen just the visual of what we're talking about, a president tweeting like gang bustbu gangbusters even on and around christmas, even on holiday. to say that trump tweets a lot, it's like saying it's a day that ends in y, right? but it is a gift for us in one key way in that we always get a sense of what he's thinking and where he is emotionally and strategically. >> sure. and i think it's exacerbated when he's in mar-a-lago. i think it's always been the case that he has more free time for himself and that ends up showing itself in 280 characters to some degree or another. i think the interesting thing is we know where his head is on this issue. he said it publicly, he's very anxious for the trial, he's frustrated that pelosi decided not to send the articles of impeachment over until she has a

sense of what the senate trial will actually look like. i think we've seen that over twitter as well. what's more interesting, and catherine, you would have a better sense of this, where the white house is. just 20 hours ago, he tweeted about a bump in retail sales, where consumers are right now. that, more than anything else, is what mcconnell and other leaders would like him to be spending his time right now. a few people thought a recession was coming or we were on the verge of one, and they seem to be in a better place that we ever thought they would be right now. that being said, we've been saying this since 2017, and he's going to do what he does. i don't think there's any question about it. >> you mentioned, i i wawant tol up a poll on that very question, about the economy. 76% of voters say the economy is good, but if you look more specifically into it, 97% of

republicans -- that's unheard of -- and most importantly, 62% of democrats, 75% of independents. this has been a longstanding frustration of the president's political team and allies, that he doesn't just focus like a laser on this issue. >> he has long tried to do both. we saw this back and forth heading to the midterms in 2019. there were a lot of people who wanted to focus on the economy, vulnerable lawmakers wanted to talk about this. he wanted to talk about immigration, he wanted to talk about the other things, and he wouldn't talk about this. you see it more and more, the china deal, the nafta reboot, but he also sees that impeachment galvanizes and energizes his voters. and they know that as well. at the campaign debriefing a

couple weeks ago leading up to the end of the year, they talk about how this has juiced up donations, excitement at rallies, so they do see both being advantageous. >> that's true, but what's even more exacerbated if you're donald trump is are there more members of your base to get out, or are there people you can bring back in or bring in at all to vote for you who would just vote for you because they're happy about the economy and hold their nose on the other issues? >> for sure we have met voters in swing states like that all the time who say that they have, you know -- particularly in michigan is a place that comes to mind -- they have such investigation fatigue with all of this that they have gotten to the point where they have completely tuned it out. i think that is the real question about the trial that's

upcoming, is in some way, does the senate trial make people pay attention in a way they weren't before? particularly those voters who say my 401(k) is great, my mom is doing okay in her job, and, you know, i have more disposable income than i have had in a long time. those folks right now are feeling more drawn toward supporting trump, especially when they're thinking about, you know, potentially a warren or a sanders up against him. but i will also say that what i think is so fascinating just about the tweeting right now is that night when you were covering pelosi, both of you at capitol hill, and she pulled her power move saying she was going to withhold the articles, everybody was discussing what kind of leverage she had, and really it was leverage of trump driving her crazy over christmas break because he's not getting the acquittal he wanted right away, and there was this level of uncertainty there.

>> erin, go ahead. >> to may's point, we know tweeting is heavily on his mind because of twitter raging up particularly on this topic. he certainly realizes that's something that's going to galvanize his base, but you have this impeachment trial underway at the same time voters are starting to tune in to the election. and while impeachment is not something voters have necessarily said they cared about up to this point, as i've heard from them on the campaign trail, this is probably -- because these two things are about to coincide, probably something that they are going to start weighing in on in terms of whether it is going to be a factor in how they vote in these early primary states. >> you know, i want to go back to what you said about nancy pelosi in a second, but as we think about and talk about the whole question about the economy, why doesn't he talk about it more, there is a flip side to this argument which is

the president won the midwestern states in particular by appealing to the forgotten man and woman who either didn't vote anymore or tended to vote democrat. there is no guarantee that they are feeling this good economy. and so by talking up the economy, are you reminding these people that the president didn't help you as much as he said he would? >> i think it's the big question. you mentioned michigan, when you go into michigan and see what has or hasn't happened based on what was or wasn't promised on the campaign trail, and i think it differs where you are in the state. but particularly on the industrial side of the state, he probably hasn't let it out to the degree he promised to in the campaign. to be fair, he made some big and bold promises in the campaign. my greatest question now, and admittedly i've been locked in the house to get answers rather

than out and about as some of you have been, has it lagged a little further behind that they're feeling kind of the broader sentiment and how consumers are spending right now is taking hold more so than the people on the ground who are saying, i'm not really seeing it myself, but it looks good overall and therefore i'm going to stick with it. >> the other thing i think you hear, too, when you talk to people in wisconsin and michigan, you see them fighting over these things, but they do appreciate or they say they appreciate that they see him trying to go to bat for these things, trying to fight the fights. >> i was just going to say that what i hear a lot from a lot of his voters is that they're frustrated by things like impeachment which they say is distracting him from being able to do some of the things that he has promised he's going to do on things like the economy. >> all right. thanks. we have a lot more to talk about. up next, the impeachment is

heading to the senate eventually and every member is getting a very close look ahead at the impeachment trial. we're going to look at some of the key senators after a quick brea

. if you have moderate to severe psoriasis, little things can be a big deal. that's why there's otezla. otezla is not a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. with otezla, 75% clearer skin is achievable. don't use if you're allergic to otezla. it may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. otezla is associated with... ...an increased risk of depression. tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts or if these feelings develop. some people taking otezla reported weight loss. your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur.

tell your doctor about your medicines and if you're pregnant or planning to be. otezla. show more of you.

the impeachment drama is headed to the senate next, and there are some key members to keep an eye on there. key senators you see there from both sides of the aisle includes lisa murkowski from alaska. murkowski is a moderate republican who said she's undecided on how she'll vote on impeachment, and she did voice concerns about her own senate majority leader mitch mcconnell saying he's coordinating with the white house on how to approach impeachment. >> in fairness, when i heard that, i was disturbed. to me it means that we have to take that step back from being hand in glove with the defense.

and so i heard what leader mcconnell had said. i happen to think that that has further confused the process. >> and we're back with our panel. you walk those halls every day, you talk to these senators. what are you hearing from them about the cross-current of pressures they're feeling back home? >> i think it's important to state at the top, nobody is expecting the votes to remove the president from office. this fight is about the structure of the trial. the fight you're seeing democratic leader chuck schumer push for right now is to try to lock in witnesses, try to lock in subpoenas for documents. that's where they are right now, not that they're going to get 20 more votes against the president. if you put up the list, it's

instructive to actually go through it. you can have people moving up in election in tough states in 2020. you have people leaving the senate, people you don't see up there right now. you have mitt romney who is sort of a category himself and you have the democratic side as well. joe mansion who is joe mansion. one thing to keep in mind is this is about the structure, and democrats are trying to get people to support their effort for witnesses and documents. and two, this idea that just because you are in a tough battle doesn't mean you're going to vote against the president. if you're someone like cory gardner, tom tillis or susan collins, voting to have the president removed is a clear shot. so the status is more important

on this than they were on health care, and that's when we need to listen to people like lisa murkowski. is she tipping her hand or is she talking about the democratic process? >> what you said is so important, and i'm glad you said it, that we're talking about these votes when it comes to how a trial is structured. just to go a step further on that explanation, how a trial is structured means which witnesses will come forward, which witnesses will be allowed to testify or asked to testify, compelled to testify, potentially, will potentially go a step further in shaking public opinion. public opinion is very, you know, partisan right now, and you're sort of stuck about 50-50. any of those witnesses that the democrats want, the top trump officials who could say yea or nay to these allegations could change public opinion. >> they could, and i think that for some of those senators,

certainly mitt romney, definitely lisa murkowski who we just heard from, and collins to some point, it is important for them to have some semblance of what seems like a real trial. they know this is a different historic moment, this is not some legislative vote, and i think the one risk for them is being perceived as, you know, republican senators who just went along with exactly what the president wanted and didn't take this process seriously and didn't demand what is laid out, you know, by our founders about what this should look like. and particularly mitt romney because we know he's been reading a lot of books about impeachment, he definitely feels a sense of this being a moral iss issue, and i'm sure is hearing the voice of his dad who was

such a figure, and republican figure, saying take this seriously and show you're taking it seriously. >> errin, i want you to look at a very interesting poll that sort of helps guide us on those senators who are up for reelection in 2020. if you're a member of congress imposed impeachment, how would it affect your vet? more likely to vote for them, 23%, less like toll vote for them, 37%, no difference either way, 38%. what does that tell you? >> that 38% saying no difference, i don't know how that number changes once you actually have voters tuned in to an impeachment trial, and to your point, those witnesses that could sway public opinion, you know, could have them thinking differently, you know, by the time we get to the end of that. that is certainly something you would think has to be on the

minds of senator murkowski, who you saw speaking directly to voters on local television back in anchorage, senator doug jones who is in alabama and certainly has to take this into consideration. you know, seeing how this is playing out for voters is something that these senators are definitely going to be paying attention to as impeachment comes into focus just as these early primary states get to actual voting. >> yeah, and we should say, as i come to you, catherine, senator murkowski is sort of in a league of her own in that she lost a republican primary, she did not get the support of the majority leader mitch mcconnell, so there is no love loss there, and yet she did go on to use her name i.d. to win in a write-in campaign. >> that's right, she occupies a unique space, but what we have seen throughout the presidency is loyal republican loyalty

across the board. he has no problem targeting people on twitter, making things very difficult. now i think there is an impasse on how the process proceeds. all the members are back home, there is time for this issue to breathe. they're hearing it trickle from folks who are hardened to it. a lot of them aren't saying much at all. >> that's a good point. up next, joe biden supporters hope he has wide appeal wide enough to bring back d disaffected democrats and moderate republicans. we'll be right back. it's time to sell or trade in your car.

with truecar, just enter your license plate and see your car's value in real time. sports package and low mileage? nice. within minutes, you'll have a true cash offer, and you can head to a dealership and get paid, today, right now. robinwithout the commission fees. so, you can start investing today wherever you are - even hanging with your dog. so, what are you waiting for? download now and get your first stock on us.

robinhood.

as the 2020 candidates are on the way back to the campaign trail after christmas, an encouraging headline for joe biden in the "new york times." the "but i would vote for joe biden republicans." carlos korbello says biden is one of the few candidates who could be attractive to

disaffected centrist republicans. and john kasich said, biden is a guy who can do it probably better than any other democrat. >> i always said if i didn't have any republican friends, i wouldn't have had any friends growing up. so i like to think about what my candidate who will appeal to independents, and i want my candidate to be able to appeal to my republican friends as well. i think the person who is best able to lead but also to unite all of us is joe biden. >> and we are back around the table. maeve, you spent a lot of time talking to voters in both parties. do you hear this from republicans? >> i do. i do a lot of voter voices stories in different swing states, and these people do exist. you do meet them. they are the republicans who have really severe trump

fatigue, not just about, you know, not so much related to everything going on with impeachment but all the other stuff, the tweeting, what they see as kind of a vulgarity that sometimes comes out of the white house and him targeting people. what's interesting is those people were all hoping for another choice. i have met people who say they had wished that mike pence somehow would have swept in and done it, but they say that, you know, if it gets down to trump and biden that they would seriously consider biden because they see him as someone who is not going to swing the country so far to the left. on the other hand, you bring up any of the other candidates, particularly elizabeth warren, and they say, over my dead body. i would vote for trump in that situation. so it is a huge part of his appeal, even though i think his support is so soft that calculation of maybe he would be able to scoop up some of these

midwest -- >> i want to bring errin in on this because you're in the real world right now while we're in washington. this is a friend of mine from high school who is a moderate republican in new jersey who likes to vote republican is disgusted with donald trump but doesn't see anybody besides joe biden and maybe michael bloomberg who he could potentially vote for on the democratic side. and, you know, again, this is exactly what this "time" story is referring to. before you go, errin, let me read you a very sort of telling quote from this "new york times" article. mr. biden's appeal to what some might call the reasonable republican dad vote goes like this. he shuns far-reaching proposals like medicare for all. he has a history of working with republicans. his warm, personal style is disarming and he represents a return to what some moderates view as a more stable era.

particularly that last part, a more stable era. >> i think that's right. we do know that 2020 is going to be an election that's won on the margins so every vote counts. with that in mind, i think the former vice president does have the potential to get some republican-leaning voters who do have, you know, fatigue from president trump for various reasons and are looking for the message that the vice president pushes about this being -- this election really building about a battle for the soul of america. i think it's going to be particularly interesting not just for those republican dads but really for suburban white women to look at what they might do this election. i hear from those voters quite a bit about how they may be open not only to not voting for president trump, so does that mean necessarily that they vote for somebody like a former vice president biden, or does that mean that they stay home in 2020 because they don't want to cast another ballot for the president? >> that's a great point.

those very voters, the suburban voters, but in particular suburban white women who gave the democrats the majority in the house of representatives. so here's the yeah, but side of this discussion. the president has a lot of support in his party, a lot. almost unprecedented. if you look at these numbers, the latest approval among republicans, 81%, 87 before that, 82, and it goes on and on and on. other past republicans would dream of having this kind of support. >> no, he enjoys huge support within his party. our most recent poll shows 75% say they're certain to vote for him. as we discussed earlier in the show, the economy is strong and that's a powerful argument to some of the more moderate members of his party. i think a real question here is, again, errin is absolutely right. in these states like michigan, like pennsylvania, like wisconsin, the margins aren't going to matter, so are there enough people in these groups,

for the women, frustrated moderates, that they could vote for trump. possibly, but he always has and brings to this public enthusiasm, excitement, and he's looking to galvanize more voters from areas he won big last time. >> on the flip side of that, just quickly, if you end up with biden as the nominee, do a lot of those warren and sanders voters stay home? we know exactly that that was the problem with hillary clinton. >> the only thing i would add is, this is the question, right? this is the question of the, is that the way to win? or do you get your base to come out in a major way because they're excited about big structural change. >> we're in a very complicated primary. >> all i would say is, to your point, i'm not sure that this is

a big pool of voters. the state that matters will tip on 10 to 20% of votes. whoever comes out of this will have to be targeting people like that and that is the appeal to the electorate now that we're four or five weeks away from the caucus. we talked about the economy in the first block. we have some breaking news as we go to commercial break from wall street. the nasdaq crossed the 9,000 line for the first time ever. amazon led the gains, rising 3% after holiday shopping numbers gave them that boost. and again, the tech-heavy nasdaq topping 9,000 for the first time ever. we'll be right back. when you shop with wayfair, you spend less and get way more. so you can bring your vision to life and save in more ways than one.

for small prices, you can build big dreams, spend less, get way more. shop everything home at wayfair.com and let me tell you something, rodeo... i wouldn't be here if i thought reverse mortgages took advantage

of any american senior, or worse, that it was some way to take your home. it's just a loan designed for older homeowners, and, it's helped over a million americans. a reverse mortgage loan isn't some kind of trick to take your home. it's a loan, like any other. big difference is how you pay it back. find out how reverse mortgages really work with aag's free, no-obligation reverse mortgage guide. eliminate monthly mortgage payments, pay bills, medical costs, and more. call now and get your free info kit. other mortgages are paid each month, but with a reverse mortgage, you can pay whatever you can, when it works for you, or, you can wait, and pay it off in one lump sum when you leave your home. discover the option that's best for you. call today and find out more in aag's free, no-obligation reverse mortgage loan guide.

access tax-free cash and stay in the home you love. you've probably been investing in your home for years... making monthly mortgage payments... doing the right thing... and it's become your family's heart and soul... well, that investment can give you tax-free cash just when you need it. learn how homeowners are strategically using a reverse mortgage loan to cover expenses, pay for healthcare, preserve your portfolio, and so much more. look, reverse mortgages aren't for everyone but i think i've been 'round long enough to know what's what. i'm proud to be a part of aag, i trust 'em, i think you can too. trust aag for the best reverse mortgage solutions. so you can... retire better.

what are you doing back there, junior? since we're obviously lost, i'm rescheduling my xfinity customer service appointment. ah, relax. i got this. which gps are you using anyway? a little something called instinct. been using it for years. yeah, that's what i'm afraid of. he knows exactly where we're going. my whole body is a compass. oh boy...

the my account app makes today's xfinity customer service simple, easy, awesome. not my thing. topping our political radar today, president trump is warning countries involved in fighting in syria to stop killing civilians. this tweet this morning from the president said, russia, syria and iran are killing or on their way to killing thousands of innocent civilians in ad lib province. don't do it. turkey is working hard to stop this carnage. they tell cnn that syria, with russia's help, are targeting

power within that province. the "washington post" reports that the u.s. military is putting together information warfare tactics to use against senior russian officials if there is a hack of the american election system. one idea, according to the post, is to let top russian officials know that their personal information could be exposed if they're connected to any election meddling. in response to the story, the pentagon said, no comment on anything related to cyberspace operations. and a brand new ad with no mention of impeachment or the president from republican senator susan collins. instead she tries to sell herself in her blue state of maine as an independent. the ad even flashes a dirty word in today's times, bipartisan. >> the future of maine depends on educating our kids today. susan collins has personally visited more than 200 maine schools. she worked to strengthen and expand pell grants with bipartisan support.

susan collins, making a difference from maine's future. you next, we are going to explain the details of impeachment managers, that selection process. who is up for the job and who isn't? stay with us. ure. blurs pores. stops shine. 97% of women found their fit. fit me! matte + poreless only from maybelline new york

$$9.95? no way.? $9.95? that's impossible. hi, i'm jonathan, a manager here at colonial penn life insurance company, to tell you it is possible. if you're age 50 to 85, you can get life insurance with options starting at just $9.95 a month. okay, jonathan, i'm listening. tell me more. just $9.95 a month for colonial penn's number one most popular whole life insurance plan. there are no health questions to answer and there are no medical exams to take. your acceptance is guaranteed. guaranteed acceptance? i like guarantees. keep going. and with this plan, your rate is locked in for your lifetime, so it will never go up.

sounds good to me, but at my age, i need the security of knowing it won't get cancelled as i get older. this is lifetime coverage as long as you pay your premiums. it can never be cancelled, call now for free information. you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. use this valuable guide to record your important information and give helpful direction about your final wishes to your loved ones. and it's yours free. it's our way of saying thank you just for calling. so call now. itreat them all as if, they are hot and energized.

stay away from any downed wire, call 911 and call pg&e right after so we can both respond out and keep the public safe.

the impeachment process might appear stalled, but plenty of action is happening behind closed doors. house speaker nancy pelosi says she'll send over the articles and name the impeachment managers just as soon as senate majority leader mitch mcconnell lays out his ground rules for the trial. now, the managers are those who will play a crucial role in the trial. they're in charge of presenting the democrats' case for impeachment and responding to the defense, the president's defense. now, one house democrat, steve cohen, offered some insight into how pelosi will choose those key

players. >> there's a lot of people to choose from, there is a lot of talented folks, and i think speaker pelosi is looking at a democratic mix. she has a good team, and if i'm on it, i'm on it, if i'm not on it, i'll support the team. >> have you told her you'd speckly like to spec specifically like to be on the team? >> i think speaker pelosi likes to make decisions on her own and i don't think she wants to be burdened by people lobbying for the position or necessarily seeking it out. >> yeah, that won't work, ryan. i won't be asking the speaker. that was so classic. but look, this is a really interesting decision, an important decision that the speaker is going to make, because there are two things going on here. one is you want to have the best -- the people who can argue the case the best, who are as well steeped in the case as possible, but you also want to

represent the diversity geographically and every other way of the democratic caucus. >> there is a lot that goes into this. obviously, adam schiff, the house committee chairman jerry nadler will be on the team. that hasn't been said yet but they will be leading the team. to your point there are a lot of people who consider themselves very talented who are on the committees that nancy pelosi has to choose from. but i think what's interesting, and danny, you hit on a key point here. you need to make sure who presents the case to the senators presents the best possible case they can to pull republicans over to your side. but you also have to make sure the 230 members of your caucus are happy with the representation. that means not just stall words, not just freshmen, all of these things have to be considered. i would say someone i would keep an eye on is joanie ernst from

iowa and others who have big roles. >> here's how eric swalwell tried to walk that line. watch this. >> i do think we should send over our best. i'm going to continue to do what helps my constituents and helps the congress hold the president accountable, and poppy, that's truly the speaker's call, and i'll do whatever i'm asked because i really do believe that no one is above the law. i made that case 36 times in a courtroom and i got 36, you know, verdicts that held people accountable. when i was a prosecutor, and i feel like i've been part of a time that makes that case in the congress. >> that's subtle, so subtle. >> perfect. >> obviously the senators are the most important audience.

but i also don't think that we can lose sight of the fact that public opinion on -- pelosi's choice in this is really important in who can craft the case that actually does get people to start paying attention again to impeachment and potentially persuade some of those voters in the middle that this really is a stain on his presidency, that might make them think twice before they vote for him. on the other side, just as important in, you know, making this into a sham trial, as president trump would like it to be. >> we just heard from a couple of members of the committees. let's listen to what a pair of female democrats said about potentially being managers. >> i'm not on either of the investigating committees, and that is not a job that i as a freshman congresswoman would

want. there are so many qualified people who i think would do an excellent job. >> i have no idea to be one of the managers. i think there are people far more qualified that were on the intelligence, the judiciary committees. >> but this is r the first female speaker's democratic caulk you see r us, and you can bet she has a lot of put their names up on the screen right now. . . we were just looking at managers from the clinton trial, the republican managers. all men, of course. >> we're at a different moment in the diverse democratic protsz. pelosi is absolutely aware she needs to reflect recall. she's also going to be balancing

into an election year and she needs to figure out who is going to be taking these jobs and how these arguments stand up in the districts. >> i think that's an -- you've got, obviously, african-americans being the base of the democrats. this will probably be a big part of the speaker's decision. >> we definitely have something to weigh in on after the break. rule number one, if you're running for president these days, make sure your selfie days are on point. stay with us. zicam is completely different. unlike most other cold medicines, zicam is clinically proven to shorten colds. i am a zifan for zicam! oral or nasal.

male anchor: ...an update on the cat who captured our hearts.

female anchor: how often should you clean your fridge? stay tuned to find out. male anchor: beats the odds at the box office to become a rare non-franchise hit. you can give help and hope to those in need. this is the selfie generation, and the men and women running for president have definitely become selfie experts, and why not? they're the perfect things to connect with voters, and they're all over social media and they're free. >> i love that you have a tattoo. let's do a selfie. >> it's a critical stop on senator elizabeth warren's campaign trail, her selfie line. hundreds of thousands of informal for photos with her supporters. >> then we get to the most important part of dmemocracy, ad that is selfies! >> i'm moving in on 100,000 selfies. >> her show on the debate stage

was enough to get the top opponent. >> you're not the only one who has done selfies. i've done thousands of them. >> more memorable than an autograph and a key way for candidates to connect with voters who then build buzz on social media. and it's not just democrats. >> mr. trump, i've been in the rain for four hours and can i have a selfie? my people said, no, no, and i said, absolutely you can. absolutely. >> a former twitter account of senator orrin hatch pointed out that a selfie is holding the camera as well as posing in the picture. there are lots of fact checkers letting elizabeth warren get away with calling these selfies and i won't stand for it. these facts are here to stay. >> we have fact checkers right here watching this saying, it is so true.

>> it's not a selfie. >> it's a photo line. >> a photo line that is so serious, as you saw, dana, where i was interviewing voters in iowa as they were waiting in a selfie line and someone comes and takes their coat, then the next person comes and takes the phone, then they're escorted up on the stage. i was admonished as a reporter to clear the area, to go to the other side of the selfie stage so i wouldn't interfere with this process. i think warren's campaign is sometimes a little more formal about it, because that line moves fast. i mean, she just blows through hundreds in a short period of time. >> let's be medicare. let's take a selfie. ready? >> in all seriousness, it's an important thing to do and it does help connect with voters. >> i'm old enough to remember a candidate from philadelphia who had a polaroid posse and he

would travel around doing polaroids. >> it makes them feel part of the process, and a selfie does that, whether it's a real or fake one. >> brianna is going to take my phone away from me. thank you so much for joining me on "inside politics." brianna keilar starts right now. i'm brianna keilar live from cnn's washington headquarters. underway right now, one day after asking for holiday cheer and respect on christmas, the president is tearing into house speaker nancy pelosi on twitter. and frontier airlines facing a federal lawsuit after two women say they were ignored by flight attendants after reporting mid-flight sexual assaults. and as russia intends to meddle in the