that thing changed my life. it was my family that invested to make sure that i got that and to invest in my musical future, and i hope it paid off. [ laughs ] this year i plan to spend time with my family even more -- you know, just my family around the tree, nieces and nephews and laughter and love, and that's what the holiday's all about for me -- you know, remembering the real reason for the season is jesus christ, and to spend all the time you can with the people that you love. so i hope you guys are around your tree right now, watching this amazing show and telling the people that you love that you love them. so for myself and group therapy, merry christmas, happy holidays from "the stellar awards." >> find out when the "stellar tribute to the holidays" returns. thanks for loading, sweetie. ...oh, burnt-on gravy? ...gotta rinse that. nope. no way.

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>> the new year's eve ball is made of waterford crystal covered with 696 light bulbs, 96 strobe lights, and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors. >> what is the important lesson that i've learned maybe as a child or maybe an adult? the one thing that i've really, really learned is that moments quickly become memories. so many times during christmastime as a child, i can just remember wanting things and just so many different things, but as i've gotten older, i realize now that i have kids that they don't play with them toys long. at the end of the day, it's important as parents

and as family members is that we enjoy each other and that we make memories during the holiday season. ♪ >> how many of you all know it's gonna get better? everybody, get up on your feet and clap your hands if you know it's gonna get better. whoo! come on. come on. look at somebody and tell them it's gonna get better. whoo! here we go, y'all. ♪ people come >> ♪ people come >> ♪ people go >> ♪ people go >> hey. >> ♪ your life has been >> ♪ out of control >> ♪ out of control >> ♪ you're confused >> ♪ you're confused >> ♪ but don't worry your soul >> ♪ don't worry your soul ♪ it will get better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ oh >> ♪ it will get better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ hey >> ♪ it will get better >> ♪ 'cause god is in control >> ♪ god is in contro-o-l >> ♪ yes, he is hey. come on.

clap your hands, y'all. hey. here we go, y'all. ♪ people come >> ♪ people come >> ♪ people go >> ♪ people go >> ♪ your life has been >> ♪ your life has been >> ♪ out of control >> ♪ out of control >> ♪ but you're confused >> ♪ you're confused >> ♪ don't worry >> ♪ don't worry your soul ♪ it will get better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ it will get >> ♪ better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ hey >> ♪ it will get better >> ♪ 'cause god is in control ♪ yes, he is >> ♪ ...contro-o-l >> i don't care what you're going through right now. whatever the problem is, you know what this song is saying. ♪ whatever state >> ♪ whatever state >> ♪ i find >> ♪ i find myself in >> ♪ i'm learning how to be secure ♪ ♪ hey ♪ knowing god >> ♪ knowing that god >> ♪ he'll supply all my needs ♪ ♪ and he'll work it out ♪ hey

>> ♪ for my good >> yes, sir. ♪ it will get >> ♪ better >> ♪ say better >> ♪ better >> ♪ it will get >> ♪ better >> ♪ everybody say >> ♪ better >> ♪ oh ♪ it will get >> ♪ better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ it will get better ♪ say better >> ♪ better >> ♪ oh >> ♪ it will get better ♪ say better >> ♪ better >> ♪ hey >> ♪ it will get >> ♪ better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ people all over the world >> ♪ it will get better >> ♪ god's gonna make it better ♪ ♪ god's gonna make it better ♪ even in your home >> ♪ better >> ♪ even on your job >> ♪ it will get better >> ♪ what about l.a.? >> ♪ better >> ♪ what about new york? >> ♪ better >> ♪ god's gonna make it better ♪ ♪ god's gonna make it better ♪ gonna get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ don't you worry about it >> ♪ better

>> ♪ god's gonna make it >> ♪ better >> ♪ god's gonna make it >> ♪ better >> ♪ god's gonna make it >> ♪ better >> ♪ it's got to get better >> ♪ better ♪ it will get better >> ♪ what about baltimore? >> ♪ better >> ♪ what about ferguson? >> ♪ better >> ♪ even in chicago >> ♪ better >> ♪ god's gonna make it better ♪ ♪ god's gonna make it better >> ♪ better >> ♪ god's gonna make it better ♪ everybody say it, y'all. >> ♪ better >> ♪ got to get better >> ♪ better >> ♪ 'cause god >> ♪ god >> ♪ he's in >> ♪ contro-o-l >> yes, sir. how many of y'all know he's in control? it's got to get better. [ cheers and applause ] >> livré brings us an old-school christmas carol with an edgy twist in this next performance. >> ♪ god rest ye merry gentlemen ♪ ♪ let nothing you dismay

♪ remember christ our savior ♪ was born on christmas day ♪ to save us all from satan's power ♪ ♪ when we we've gone astray ♪ oh, oh ♪ tidings of comfort and joy ♪ oh, joy ♪ oh, oh ♪ tidings of comfort and joy ♪ from god our heavenly father ♪ a blessed angel came ♪ and unto certain shepherds ♪ brought tidings of the same ♪ how that in bethlehem was born the son of god by name ♪ ♪ oh, oh ♪ tidings of comfort and joy ♪ comfort and joy

♪ oh, oh ♪ tidings of comfort and joy ♪ the shepherds at those tidings rejoiced much in mind ♪ ♪ and left their flocks a-feeding ♪ ♪ in tempest, storm, and wind ♪ and went to bethlehem straightway ♪ ♪ the son of god to find ♪ oh, oh ♪ tidings of comfort and joy ♪ oh, joy ♪ oh, tidings of comfort >> ♪ comfort >> ♪ comfort >> ♪ and joy ♪ god rest ye merry gentlemen >> "the 12 days of christmas" is

a popular christmas carol, but do you know total gifts you'd receive from your true love? we'll be right back with chevrolet's presentation of the 2017 "stellar tribute to the holidays." moderator: hi, guys. so this is the all-new chevy equinox. it's gorgeous. it offers heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a panoramic sunroof, built-in 4g lte wifi, apple car play compatibility, surround vision, safety alert seat... wow. and teen driver technology. all of that, is in this one car? yeah, and to get all of these features, you would have to buy all five of those crossovers. (gasp) man: whoa! moderator: oh, and the lexus nx. that's insane. moderator: yep, all six of these, and you still wouldn't get everything that's in this equinox. man 2: chevy's raising the bar. woman: six cars in one. man 3: yeah, i like that. man 2: chevy's raising the bar.

♪ fredget in, fred!thing for his daughter. even if it means being the back half of a unicorn. fear not fred, the front half washed his shirt with gain. and that smell puts the giddy in "giddy-up"! ah... the irresistible scent of gain flings laundry detergent. you can't help but smell happy.

>> welcome back. the "stellar tribute to the holidays." all the gifts in "the 12 days of christmas" would equal 364 gifts. this holiday, may you find love, peace, and joy. israel houghton, jonathan mcreynolds,

travis greene, and jonathan butler will bring you a bit of each. >> ♪ 1, 2, 3, 4 ♪ hmm, no, no [ singing indistinctly ] ♪ let every guitar with strings praise the lord ♪ ♪ mm, see, you make me as happy as i can be ♪ ♪ your love is guarantee ♪ in a world of changes ♪ you and i ♪ together stay on my mind ♪ you are the truth and the life ♪ ♪ there's no other way ♪ i gotta have you ♪ i gotta have you, yeah ♪ gotta have you ♪ i gotta have you ♪ see, oh, lord, mm-mm-mm ♪ i gotta have you [ scatting ] ♪ i gotta have you ♪ gotta have you ♪ i gotta have you ♪ i gotta have you ♪ see, oh, lord ♪ oh, mm ♪ i gotta have you

♪ you made a way song of the year, y'all. >> ♪ when our backs were against the wall ♪ ♪ and it looked as if it was over ♪ ♪ you ♪ you made a way ♪ and now we're standing here ♪ only because you made an intentional way ♪ come on! stand up! let's brag on our god! ♪ you moved mountains >> ♪ you moved mountains >> ♪ you cause walls >> ♪ you cause walls to fall >> with your power. >> ♪ with your power >> ♪ you perform miracles >> ♪ perform miracles >> ♪ and there is nothing >> ♪ there is nothing >> ♪ no, no, no, no, no >> ♪ that's impossible >> ♪ and now we're standing here ♪ >> ♪ standing here >> only because. ♪ only because you made ♪ we are standing here >> ♪ standing here >> ♪ only because you made

♪ my son is living ♪ my son is breathing ♪ my son is living ♪ and mountains are moving now >> ♪ yeah, yeah ♪ and we're standing here ♪ only because you made >> ♪ falling in love [ cheers and applause ] ♪ with jesus, oh ♪ falling in love ♪ with jesus ♪ falling in love ♪ with jesus >> yes, sir. >> ♪ was the best thing that i ♪ ooh ooh ooh ♪ i ever done

♪ oh, ooh ooh ooh, oh ♪ in his arms i feel protected, oh oh ♪ ♪ in his arms, i never disconnect ♪ ♪ no no no no no no no no no ♪ in his arms, i feel protected ♪ ♪ oh, oh oh oh oh ♪ there's no place i'd rather >> ♪ rather be ♪ ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ooh ooh, ooh ooh ♪ i'm not going back ♪ i'm moving ahead ♪ here to declare to you my past is over in you ♪

♪ all things are made new ♪ surrendered my life to christ ♪ ♪ i'm moving, moving forward ♪ oh ♪ movin' forward ♪ who's goin' with me? ♪ moving forward >> ♪ yeah >> ♪ oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh hey! ♪ singing you make all things new ♪ ♪ yes, you make all things new, and i will follow you forward ♪ ♪ that's you tonight ♪ look to heaven ♪ sing it again ♪ you make all things new ♪ yes, you make all things new >> ♪ and i will

>> ♪ i will ♪ falling in love >> ♪ lord >> ♪ oh, lord, i gotta have you ♪ >> ♪ you >> ♪ you made a way >> ♪ so i will follow you ♪ forward [ cheers and applause ] >> chevrolet's presentation of the 2017 "stellar tribute to the holidays" has been brought to you by... chevrolet. chevy has earned j.d. power dependability awards for cars, trucks, and s.u.v.s. and in part by... mcdonalds, the one place that'll always be your place. mickey d's. follow @365black on twitter. walmart -- save money, live

better. and cascade, the tougher, tough-food cleaner. >> ♪ yeah

this sunday, democrats, republicans, and president trump. what republicans said this year on "meet the press."

>> sean spicer, our press secretary, gave alternative facts. >> but then we started thinking about whether or not michael flynn was being straight with us. >> here's what i think assad's telling trump by flying from this base, f you. >> and what democrats had to say. >> i don't see this president-elect as a legitimate president. >> we have a president who is delusional in many respects. a pathological liar. >> what we're beginning to see is the putting together of a case of obstruction of justice. >> we'll look at a fractured republican party. whether democrats embrace or avoid the push for impeachment. both parties, uneasy relationship with president trump. plus war on media. president trump calls the media the enemy of the american people. this morning, a panel of top media critics on the president and the press. >> my biggest fear is that there'd be a chilling effect and that news rooms will be cowed.

and the new politics of shopping. where do you shop online more than ever, this holiday season where you shop reveals how you vote. welcome to christmas eve sunday, it's "meet the press." >> from nbc news in washington, the longest running show in television history, this is "meet the press" with chuck todd. >> well, good sunday morning and a merry christmas and happy holidays to everyone this christmas eve. this morning we're going to take a look back at one of the most extraordinary political years in our lifetimes. year one of the trump presidency. and we're going to do that with for the people whom you've come to know right here at this table at "meet the press" hugh hewitt, host of hugh hewitt on msnbc. amy walter, national editor of the political report. kara lee, and gene robinson, columnist for the washington post. welcome to all of you. before i make you guys take over

the conversation, we're going to start with what elected republicans and trump administration officials who've joined us on sunday mornings in 2017, what they've said, the story they tell, the policies they sold. the year ended with a victory for president trump, his biggest and perhaps only real legislative achievement for 2017. it's a $1.5 trillion tax cut, passed with only republican votes. but the year was dominated by a lot of things, including the russia investigation and the effort, the failed effort to repeal and replace obamacare and the growing divide inside the republican party. culturally driven by the president. and it all started with a debate over inauguration crowd size, right here. >> you did not answer the question of why the president asked the white house press secretary to come out in front of the podium, for the first time, and utter a falsehood. why did he do that? it undermines the credibility of

the entire white house press office -- >> no it doesn't, don't be so overly dramatic about it, chuck. what -- you're saying it's a falsehood, and they're giving, sean spicer, our press secretary gave alternative facts to that, but the point -- >> wait a minute. alternative facts? alternative facts four of the five facts he uttered. the one thing he got right, zeke miller said they were not true. alternative facts are not facts. they're falsehoods. can you say definitively that there was no promises, no winks, no anything that somehow there was an acknowledgment that these sanctions will be -- will go away as quickly as possible once the inauguration takes place? >> so, chuck, almost every single day general flynn talks to counterparts and ambassadors from all over the world. almost every single day. that's his job, but i have talked to general flynn, none of that came up, the subject matter

of sanctions or the actions taken by the obama administration did not come up in the conversation. >> when did you know you had been misled? >> some time after january 27th. it was our legal counsel got a head's up from sally yates that something wasn't adding up with his story. and eventually, we determined that he did, in fact, talk about the sanctions even though we didn't believe that it was illegal, the fact was it turned more or less into a conversation about whether or not he was being honest with us and the vice president and the president asked for his resignation and we got it. >> the president of the united states has every right to criticize the other two branches of government. we have a long tradition of it in this country. >> it is a constructive way to do it? >> i think people find it very

refreshing, they understand how he feels about things. he expresses himself in a unique way. >> can americans be confident that a republican-controlled congress can investigate this president thoroughly if necessary? >> i hope so, and i have to believe so. >> and then before i let you go -- >> more hope than belief. >> more hope than belief. before i let you go, i'm curious of your reaction to a tweet that the president sent friday night. the fake news media, nbc, abc, cbs, cnn, is not my enemy, it's the enemy of the american people. do you believe the press is the enemy? do you believe any group of americans are the enemy of any group of americans? >> i was talking about the period as you know the new world order. a fundamental part of that new world order was a free press. i hate the press. i hate you, especially, but the fact is, we need you. we need a free press.

we must have it, it's vital. if you want to preserve -- i'm very serious now. if you want to preserve democracy as we know it, you have to have a free and many times adversarial press. and without it, i'm afraid that we would lose so much of our individual liberties over time. that's how dictators get started. >> the president is blaming the freedom caucus, club for growth, and heritage for quote, protecting planned parenthood and obamacare, is that a fair read of what happened this week, sir? >> that is not at all how i see it. this bill didn't pass because it didn't deal with the most fundmental flaw in obamacare. the part of obamacare that's made it unacceptable and unaffordable. >> the president is blaming the freedom caucus, what say you? >> well, i tend to agree with the president on that point. let's be honest about this.

a lot of concussions that the white house is making at the end of this process where to try to appease the hard right on essential health benefits and other issues all to placate people who are not going to vote for the bill anyway. >> here's what i think assad's telling trump by flying from this base, "f" you. and i think he's making a serious mistake because if you're an adversary of the united states, and you don't worry about what trump may do on any given day, then you're crazy. >> i have to say, you used the initials, but i think that's a first for "meet the press" senator graham. >> well. >> the president tweeted earlier this week, i'm being investigated for firing the fbi director by the man who told me to fire the fbi director, witchhunt. let me start with this, when did the president become aware that he was officially under investigation by the special counsel? >> the president is not under investigation by the special counsel. the tweet from the president was in response to the five anonymous sources that were purportedly leaking information

to the washington post about a potential investigation of the president. but the president as james comey said in his testimony and as we know as of today, the president has not been and is not under investigation. >> if the president is innocent, why is he afraid of this investigation? >> he's not afraid of the investigation. there is no investigation. >> do you know for sure everyone who was at that meeting with donald trump jr.? >> no, i don't represent donald trump jr. and i do not know everyone for sure that was at that meeting and the president was not at the meeting. the president wasn't aware of the meeting and did not attend it. >> can you tell me about the reports that the president was involved in the initial response that donald trump jr. gave the "new york times"? >> so, i read those reports as well, and the president was not, did not draft the response. the response was -- came from donald trump jr., and i'm sure in consultation with his lawyer. >> i wish that we as a party would have stood up, for example, when the birtherism thing was going on. a lot of people did stand up,

but not enough. >> did you do enough? do you think -- i'm just curious -- >> on that, i think i did. but, but on other things as well. i mean, when our party, you know, during rallies when the chants, "lock her up," you know, we should bn't be the party for jailing your political opponents. and anybody at that rally -- anybody at those rallies ought to stand up and say that's inappropriate. we shouldn't be doing that. >> can you and steve bannon still work together in this white house or not? >> i get to work with a broad range of talented people. it is a privilege every day to enable the national security team. >> you didn't answer, can you and steve bannon work in the same white house? >> i am ready to work with anybody who will help advance president's agenda and advance the security prosperity of the american people. >> do you believe steve bannon does that? >> i believe that everyone who works in the white house, who has the privilege, the great privilege every day of serving their nation should be motivated

by that goal. >> roy moore is somebody who graduated from west point, he served in vietnam, he's been elected multiple times statewide in alabama. the people in alabama know roy moore better than we do here in d.c., i think we have to be very cautious. if more evidence comes out that can prove that he did this, then sure, by all means he should be disqualified, but that's a huge if. i think we have to allow more facts come out. >> what are the more facts? >> roy moore plans to support his innocence. >> and if that evidence doesn't work, what does that mean? you guys are going to step in? is this senate seat that important? >> there is no senate seat more important than the nation of child pedestrian feel ya, chuck, that's the reality. but, having said that, he has not been proven guilty. we have to afford him the chance to defend himself. >> well, there you go. i'm going to ask you guys, hugh,

i'll let you start, the first word that comes to mind when i think about the first year of trump is disruption. at the end of the day love him or hate him, he was a disruptive force to washington, whether it's the republican party, the democratic party, the press, you name it. >> vertically, horizontally, everything. >> everything. >> every institution. i want to assure my conservative friends, they have to stick around for christmas eve because you put kryptonite under everyone's christmas tree. i was there when nancy pelosi used the word icon. when i was here and kellyanne conway used the word alternative fact, it set the tone for the year. a year of constant struggle that has obscured incredible legislative and regulatory achievements, but maybe that was by design, but it has not stopped, not from the first day of the inauguration. >> i want to put up something earlier this week, a reporter of bloomberg noted that with the passage of the big tax cut bill, check this out, because it includes the obamacare individual mandate repeal, suddenly the gop accomplishment

list looks pretty hefty gene robinson. you've got the repeal of the mandate, cutting taxes by 1.5 trillion. oh, oil drilling and anwar, remember that one? neil gorsuch, not just him, a whole bunch of appellate court judges, most in a presidency ever. and regulations gone. if you're an activist conservative or a major republican donor, that's a nice list. >> right. and i actually think the biggest change is on the regulatory front. on what's been happening in the agencies. not just in terms of actually repealing regulations, but in -- not enforcing others. and you know, it forced an epa for example has been -- if not gutted then certainly attenuated. it's not what it used to be. and so if that's your bag, if deregulation is what you wanted, you have gotten it from the first year of trump. a lot of things you haven't gotten, you did get the repeal of mandate, you now have the tax

cut that we'll see how that works out next year. and also, you got the sort of fuzzing of the very concept of truth and fact. which, i think, is good for nobody. and i think -- i think people who supported this during the year will rue that decision. >> peggy noonen takes these two points and tries to at least explain why we're in this moment carol and amy. he, referring to president trump, could have broadened his position in stability and moderation. and with policies that were soft populistings. he has failed to do so. primarily due to self-indulgences. tendency to heat things up. his tendency always to make the situation a little worse, not a little better. his tweets, his immaturity, his screwball resentment and self-pity alienate and offend. >> that is -- >> sort of puts this like why does that list of accomplishments. >> not come with a better job approval rating for this president? why does a goodeconomy not

come with a better job approval rating and he did have a chance at the very beginning of this administration to put together a brand new coalition. not just of the people that voted for him, but of course the people that didn't vote for him. remember there were a bunch of democrats on inauguration day who were worried that this populist president was going to pick off a lot of these midwestern red state democrat for a more populist message, right? and what we've seen as we look over in your own poll, in the wall street nbc poll, to me what's fascinating is his job approval rating with the people that voted for him has stayed pretty consistent and pretty well. the job approval rating of people who voted for him because they didn't like hillary clinton started off in the 40s and has stayed there. those were the people that he needed to move, not just the people that voted for hillary clinton, but the people that voted for him despite the reservations about him. he has never gotten their approval because of the behavior, not because of the policy. >> yeah, this is a president who

cannot get out of his own way. you know, he is obscuring his own accomplishments, there's no fight too small. he picks on everything, things that have nothing to do with what his message is supposed to be and if there's one big take away we can all learn from 2018 is there is never going to be a pivot. this is who the president is. this is how he's going to lead. he's in there for at least another three years. and this is what we're going to see. >> that point. >> one word, charlottesville. the reaction to charlottesville for a lot of people was it. and for a lot of trump opponents, he will never get those people. >> can i have one counterpoint, the word, syria. isis has been defeated in syria and libya. the defense budget has gone up significantly, general mcmaster who he had on defeated the wing and turned the national security conservatives into fairly reliable trump supporters after a good year of american aggressiveness abroad.

>> let me ask you this, actually, who won the trump presidency, congressional republicans or donald trump, carol? >> well, right now it's a bit of a mix, i think. you know, the president has gotten some things he wants. 2018 is going to tell where these two factions go, how this plays out between the two of them. now that they have the tax legislation, the next thing that's up is maybe infrastructure, that's a far more divisive issue for the party. the president has a very kind of tenuous white house relationship with establishment republicans, he loves them and hates them, he needs them, but he doesn't want them, and that's going to really just intensify in the next year. >> if you look at the result from the election in virginia, and the election in alabama, a lot of congressional republicans are worried that they're losing the trump presidency. >> do you know what i mean? i feel like congressional republicans, they cut a deal. we're going to accept this guy because he's going to pass stuff we've been trying to do. >> and they got it. >> yes. >> and they got it. >> now what do they do?

>> and the people who are benefitting the most from the trump presidency or from even the economy, the tax plan, are your sort of traditional suburban republicans. those people who said, okay, i don't know if he's my kind of guy, but, what they worried about was, by this time, this year, the economy would be falling apart. he would be a true populist. we'd be in trade war with china. we'd be in a trade war -- or we'd be out of nafta, the stock market would crash. none of that has happened. it is exactly the kind of agenda they'd like, and yet, they are giving him the lowest marks of any of their -- >> and they voted against republicans in virginia and alabama. >> i'm going pause it here. it's value versus pocketbook. and right now, middle of the road voters are picking values. anyway, when we come back, we're going to look at the democrats who appeared on "meet the press" and discuss if they could become more than the party of not trump. >> the trump administration

doing horrible danger to our country, values, our people, and our reputation. david. what's going on? oh hey! ♪ that's it? yeah. ♪ everybody two seconds! ♪ "dear sebastian, after careful consideration of your application, it is with great pleasure that we offer our congratulations on your acceptance..." through the tuition assistance program, every day mcdonald's helps more people go to college. it's part of our commitment to being america's best first job. ♪ pain from a headache whcan make this...ld, ...feel like this. all-in-one cold symptom relief from tylenol®, the #1 doctor recommended pain relief brand. tylenol®. ♪when sundown pales the sky i want to hide a while behind your smile ah, but i may as well try and catch the wind♪

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lactaid. the milk that doesn't mess with you. welcome back, democrats spent much of 2017 like a champion boxer who had just recovered consciousness to learn that he'd been knocked out of a fight he was certain to win and he no longer had the championship belt. the republican victory stunned democrats. they managed to regain their footing late in the year with big election victories starting in november in new jersey. in virginia, then of course the big upset in alabama. and it gave them hope that 2018 could be the year that that party takes back congress. but they face their own issues including a growing divide between the clinton and sanders wings of the party. whether they should pursue impeachment and if they stand for something more than being the party of not trump. because it was president trump who dominated the discussion

when democrats appeared on "meet the press" in 2017, we have a lot of trump. you have forged relationships with many presidents. do you plan on trying to forge a relationship with donald trump? >> i believe in forgiveness. i believe in trying to work with people. it's going to be hard. it's going to be very difficult. i don't see it as president-elect as a legitimate president. >> you do not consider him a legitimate president? why is that? >> i think the russians participated in helping this man get elected. and they have destroyed the candidacy of hillary clinton. i don't plan to attend inauguration. it would be the first one that i miss. since i've been in the congress. you cannot be at home with something that you feel that is wrong.

>> the essence of the bill was what the president committed, and that's what we trust him to honor. >> he committed to a pathway to citizenship for these daca recipients. >> he committed to -- mind you the pathway is an earned pathway that is way down the road. >> right, but some people think there should be no path at all, you believe the president agreed to a pathway to citizenship with this dream act. >> that is what is contained. >> you think he will keep his word on this? >> that's what he said. >> what makes you trust him? >> well, we'll see. >> move to health care, it seems as if the democrats are a lot more enthusiastic about the bipartisan deal between senators alexander and murray than the republicans are. are democrats done negotiating? >> we have a very good deal, mcconnell should put it on the floor, it'll pass overwhelmingly, if ryan puts it on the floor, it'll pass, the house overwhelmingly --

>> you didn't answer if you're done. are you still willing to talk? >> we are. we have an agreement, we to want stick by it. >> i understand that, are you willing to talk or no? >> we are sticking to the agreement we have. put it on the floor. see if it fails. >> all right -- >> don't just -- i mean, you're asking me to negotiate against myself. i've been around long enough, i don't do that. >> if president trump in the fall of '18 can say you didn't support his tax bill, and your opponent is somebody that will work with him, how problematic is that for your reelection? >> well, i think missourians are going to take a look and see who is actually getting stuff done. so there are specific policy things we agree on, and i am anxious to work with him on those things. >> you don't believe there should be a litmus test on abortion? is there an issue there should

be one on for democrats? >> the litmus test should be intelligence, caring about -- as harry truman or roosevelt used to call it the common man. we're not going to get everybody on board. and i'm sorry, but running in san francisco is not like running in the county or modock, california, much less mobile, alabama. if we want to be governing party of a very diverse, and i sadie verse ideologically as well as country, then you have to have a broader, a party that rises above the more particular issues to the generic. the general issue of making america great. if i might take that word. >> when i hear the word rigged, let's be clear, hillary clinton won the democratic primary by four million votes. the democratic national committee does not run elections for primaries. the republican national committee does not run

elections. states run elections and those elections were run bay the states. we run caucuses and bernie sanders did very well in the caucuses. where i think both senators, warren and keith ellisson and myself, where we agree is we have to earn the trust of the voters. and during the process of the democratic primary, we fell short in that. undeniably. and i accepted that responsibility. >> so define zero tolerance. you say there's now a zero tolerance. >> yes. >> john conyers, what does that mean for him right now, in or out? >> we are strengthened by due process. just because someone is accused, and one accusation, is it two? i think there has to be -- john conniers is an icon in the country. he's done a great deal to protect violence against women, which the right wing is praising him for his work on that and he did great work on that. the fact is as john reviews his case, which he knows, which i don't, i believe he do -- >> why don't you? >> may i finish my sentence? >> sure.

sure. >> he will do the right thing. >> and is the right thing what? i'm sorry. >> he did do the right thing in terms what have he knows about u his situation that he's entitled to due process but but women are entitled to due process as well. >> i'm ron k -- ranking on judiciary. and the judiciary committee has an investigation going as well. and it involves obstruction of justice. and i think what we're beginning to see is the putting together of a case of obstruction of justice. i think we see this in the indictments. the four indictments and pleas. that have just taken place in some of the comments that are being made, i see it in the hyperphonetic attitude of the white house, the comments every day, the continual tweets. and i see it most importantly in what happened with the firing of

director comey and it is my belief that that is directly because he did not agree to lift the cloud of the russia investigation. that's obstruction of justice. >> let me go to this impeachment question here, is tom story right that it's time to look at that option? there was already a house vote this week. many democrats weren't ready to get on that band wagon yet, where are you on this issue? >> i think there is a process that has to be followed. i think mr. mueller is doing a very good job on his investigation. and if mueller brings forth the clear evidence that there was collusion between the trump campaign and the russians, i think you have grounds for impeachment. i think jumping the gun does nobody any good. you have to bring the american people on to this issue. you don't to want make it into a partisan issue. if we're going to go forward with impeachment, i want the american people clearly to

understand why that is the case, why is makes sense, why it's the right thing to do. i don't think we're there right now. that's what the mueller investigation is all about. >> all right. back now with the panel. democrats in a word, gene, i think it's fair to say they were woozy when this year began and now, we call them ebb ewe lant, huh? >> they are feeling better at the end of the year than they felt at the beginning of the year. they see a very unpopular president. they see from the evidence of recent elections they're not that unpopularity, can spill over into local races, state races, and they, for the first time see a chance to pick off one or both chambers of congress. now it's a long shot, longer shot for the senate than for the house, perhaps, but, you could argue there are signs that potentially there's a waiver watching, who knows, it could happen. it could happen. and so they feel better.

what they don't have is sort of fresh new leadership. >> are we sort of in -- is this -- i feel like are we really wash, rinse, repeat, here amy, carol, meaning that we're just reliving eight years ago, except this time, exchanges all the democrats? you don't need a message right now because you just run against the machine. >> that's the risk. for the democrats, and that's what it feels like, you know, they have -- they're not necessarily united around any sort of policy, it's all -- is there something beyond we're the party that's anti-trump. and if if you don't like trump, then you vote for us. that's not clear because what these divisions -- all of this is obscuring what are still divisions within the democratic party. on economic issues and other issues, and now, you know, i think the tax bill will be something they'll cling on to and say, and try to make it more about policies in 2018 because they have that to run against which is a little separate from president trump, but they still have serious issues. not, the least of which is the fact that they have not gotten

any fresh leadership. >> when 2009 began, there were people in the obama white house that thought oh, there's going to be eight or nine republicans to work with. 2017 began, there were people at the white house that said there are eight or nine democrats they thought they could work with. the most remarkable thing about mcconnell in '09 was keeping that republican conference together. the most remarkable thing is schumer keeping the senate democrats. >> and that trump hasn't been able to -- again a lot goes to why we are where we are now. is both parties, both white houses, whether it's 2009 or 2017 said we have a mandate. and our mandate is to do something that's way off of where the middle of the country is. so they go way too far, the country punishes them, then the other side comes in. they go way too far and the country punishes them. there was an opportunity for the president, i think, to recreate these coalitions in a way that we haven't seen before because he's not part of one of the factions of the republican party.

the other thing is about timing. you know, rahm emanuel was famous about this, never let an opportunity pass you up or a crisis pass you up. and in this case, democrats knew their one issue was health care. he was their one chance to pass it, we may never have the majority agin, let's do it. for republicans, the economy says don't do a tax cut, but this is our one chance, we're never going to be able to get this again and let's do it. and i don't know of any policy or any party that does well when they just shove through policy on a purely partisan basis. there is always a backlash. >> and this is the issue that i think, i think our viewers are probably throwing this at the tv, essentially republicans believe they're borrowing a democratic tactic, democrats believe they're borrowing a republican tactic, either way the tactic is the same, stay unified in opposition or stay unify in going forward. you can get some stuff done, but politically it never holds. it never sticks. democrats are going to use the same playbook on the republicans. >> if you used a google search for most used in 2017 that

wasn't used in 2016, i think it would be tribal. i believe it's jumped up. something carol and jean both said, fresh, new leadership, if, most would still be in the protocol. the first was tim ryan. he scares me a lot as a conservative republican. harris, she's a different kind of democrat. there are democrats out there who can take that message of getting out of the tribes, and bridging some gaps that could actually move the country. >> and that's the question here, right? the leaders of the democratic party. >> right. >> who are they and do they need any right now? >> well, you know, right now meaning today -- >> right now meaning a team. 2020's a different question, right? >> exactly, 2020 is a different question, but you know, a party doesn't have that leadership, doesn't have that candidate until does, right? it didn't in 2007, it didn't until barack obama, then all the sudden everything changed.

and so, and, you know, who would have known a few years earlier that that would happen? so we don't know what's going to happen in 2020 and we don't know who's going to emerge. it could be harris, it could be tim ryan. >> mcconnell, schumer, pelosi, ryan, of the four, how many of them are in their positions come january of '19 in some form, whether just heads of their conferences, how many of those four come back, quick? >> mcconnell, schumer, pelosi. >> interesting, three of the four. what do you say, gene? >> boy. >> forcing predictions. be fast, five seconds. >> two of the four. >> i agree with carol mcconnell is the most successful majority leader of my life. >> what are you saying? >> i think they all come back, i don't know that they stay through january. >> i say one. i say only one comes back. >> which one? >> mr. schumer. just throwing it out there. we'll see. we'll see. mcconnell and ryan can spite the football. all right guys, thank you very much. happy holidays to all of you, merry christmas, everything you're celebrating. later in the broadcast, we're going to talk to a panel of media journalists about the

uncomfortable and sometimes hostile relationship between the president and the press. but when we come back, more evidence now that where you shop reveals how you vote. ♪ traders -- they're always looking for advantages. the smart ones look to fidelity to find them. we give you research and data-visualization tools to help identify potential opportunities. so, you can do it this way... or get everything you need to help capture investment ideas and make smarter trading decisions with fidelity

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to any of its ingredients. we're fed up with your unpredictability. remission can start with stelara®. talk to your doctor today. janssen wants to help you explore cost support options for stelara®. welcome back. data download time, americans are spending more time than ever surfing the web for the best deal and the best holiday gifts. but where you browse, can actually tell us something about your politics. at least according to our friends at hit wise. here now with the top ten online retailers where you're most likely to find shoppers who identify as conservative republicans. overall, check it out. it's a mix of power tool and home improvement sites like granger and northern tool.

as well as more upscale home good stores like william sonoma, pottery barn, and crate and barrel. only two apparel companies make this list, by the way, l.l. bean and lands end. i'll explain why i pointed that out. compare that to the top retail sites you're most likely to find among those who call themselves liberal democrats. nearly all are clothing stores. that mainly dater to a younger female clientele. forever 21, urban outfitters, express, h & m, bloomingdales. no home improvement sites on this list. and the one store that appears for both liberals and conservatives, crate and barrel. love a good glass of wine apparently and it look likes people on both ends of the spectrum need coffee tables and wine glasses as well. there were actually one other online store that liberals and conservatives were more likely to visit than moderates, and that is the official trump store. we're not making this up. here, both men and women can buy official trump golf polos.