♪♪ this sunday, pole vault. >> jobs are up. people are back to work. our new poll shows a jump in president biden's approval rating. >> we're making progress. we're getting prices down as well. and signs that democrats' standing may be improving ahead of november. one explanation, the overturning of roe versus wade. >> we're moving backwards. another -- the high-profile presence of former president trump. >> we may have to do it again. stay tuned, everybody.

stay tuned. my guests this morning, number two democrat in the senate, dick durbin of illinois, and joe o'dea, running to flip a colorado seat. plus the senate will look into charges be a former u.s. attorney that mr. trump tried to use the justice department to punish his enemies and protect his friend. >> pissing off the president is not a federal crime. borders wars. >> some of them have been through really horrific things. florida governor desantis ships four descend unsuspects venezuelans to martha's vineyard. >> every community in america should should be sharing in the burdens. >> it is so cruel, so depraved that someone would do that. joining me for inside analysis, "new york times" chief white house correspondent peter

baker. stephanie cutter, republican strategist al kardenas, and leigh ann caldwell of "the washington post." welcome to sum, it's "meet the press." >> announcer: this is "meet the press" with chuck todd. good sunday morning. a spate of news from anger over the overturning of roe vkz wade to gas prices has pushed his policy numbers to the highest point in almost a year. it's thanks -- all registered voters, the new poll is silting at 65%, the big jump wasup younger democrats, perhaps student locals as well, but those are hardly robust numbers and they're a jump from the

42/55 split last month. 46% for democrats, 46% for republicans in the race for the congress. the on issue after issue, his approve ratings are actually consistent below 45. on, the economy even lower, border, lower than that, 36. the cost of living even lower, at a paltry 30%. so what is happening? one is, of course the decision, only 37% approve of the supreme court's decision. 61% disapprove. just as important to president biden is getting a lift from simply donald trump's presence. the high-profile investigations, afterle it is preventing republicans from turning the mid terms into a referendum on mr. biden. judging by the alternative, not

the almighty, and he may be benefiting. voters feeling toward mr. trump are 54% negative, 20 points under water. compare that to president biden's personal ratings, 42% positive, 47% negative. not great, only five points under water. where are we? each political party is running the campaigns them. the republicans are winning on crime and inflation. democrats are running on mr. trump and abortion rights. so what's going to happen? joining me is the number two democrat in the senate. women back to "meet the press." >> good to be with you, chuck. >> i'm going to start with the stunt, the best way to call it, that governor desantis did, which trying to fund the flight

of migrants from texas, he had no -- and sent them to massachusetts. here was his rationale for it, and then i want to ask you more on the other side. >> we are not a sanctuary starrett, and yes we will help facilitate that transport for you. >> all right. do you think the bus, whether it's the bus tickets to the naval observatory, new york, d.c., or martha's vineyard, do you think the federal government should stop them and prevent them from happening? >> well, i can tell you this. i've been so the salvation arm center in chicago, i met with people, and one of the families told me the story. it is pathetic that the governors are taking advantage of these helpless people, making promises to them, and off they go to places far removed from where they're supposed to be appearing under the requirements of our law in a matter of weeks

and months. he's's jeopardizing their stay here. why is it when the republicans want to enforce their immigration theories, it's always the kids that end up being the victims. we saw it with kids in cages, we saw it with the forcible removal of children with their parents, some of who have never been reunited. one against it's the kids and families transported for political purposes. >> do you believe laws were broken here? >> i don't know if laws were specifically brown, but they have broken every basic standard of decency when is it comes to dealing with children and family. these people are, at the moment, legally in the united states. some of them, one family i met, it's been five months from venezuela, literally walking to our border. they went through every possible outrage from theft, stealing

their cell phones, pushing them into a jungle for a period of time with in man didn't think he could survive. they finally made it to the united states, only to be exploited by the governor of texas, in their case. i don't think when you get down to the basic rules of politics, this passes the smell test. >> let's talk about the actual issue. it's upwards of 8,000 folks a day. we're already over 2 million for the year. right now, i do not believe the federal government has the authority, that i.c.e. or dhs has the funding this morning to help move these folks to other parts of the country. do you think they should have that authority? >> we put a dramatic investment into our border operations, and president biden has called for that, and we have supported it on a bipartisan basis, but i want to tell you the bottom line and it's a cliche, but it's the

truth. unless we come together in a bipar san fashion, in the senate particularly, and once again entertain a comprehensive bill, we are inviting problem. there's a desperate need for workers, our birthrate is not keeping up with the demands for workers. in every walk of life that you can imagine, we need more people. there are those who want to serve this country, but we need an orderly process at the border to do that. to do that we need congress to do its part on a bipartisan basis. the republicans complain about the situation, and it needs to be changed dramatically, but they won't engage in helping us reach any kind of solution. >> i want to play to you what the vice president told me about her take on the border, and i'll get your comments. >> the border is secure, but we also have a broken immigration system. in particular the last four years before we came in, and it needs to be fixed. >> two million people will cross

this border for the first time ever. are you confident this border is secure? >> we have a secure border, in that that is a priority for any nation, including ours and our administration, but there are still a lot of problems that we are trying to fix, given the deterioration that happened over the last four years. >> you know, senator, i understand your comment about the republicans here. i think there's a lot of evidence that many would prefer the issue for the ballot box than a solution, but democrats don't look like they're anxious to do something. you're an exception. you're one of the few people that wants to talk about this issue and try to solve it, but there's a lot of democrats that would preferred to ignore it, and maybe we'll deal with it at another time. how do you fix that mindset? >> there's political danger, don't get me wrong, but we faced that eight years ago when we sought done with our gang of

eight -- john mccain, myself, schumer, even senator graham, and came up with a comprehensive plan embraced by business, labor and groups across the board. we passed it in the senate. 14 republicans voted for it. five of them are still around, and sent it over to the house where it died, unfortunately the republican leadership refused to pick it up. it can be done. we have have a cement for legal entry, put them on the books, have them make taxes, make sure we do a background check. are they controversial? you bet. some of them are very controversial, but we need to do it. the understandings is a nation of immigrants. i'm proud to be the son of an immigrant, but if we're going to do it, we can't wait another 30 years to get around to a solution. >> i want to pivot to a couple other things that are under your umbrella.

if democrats hold the senate, but republicans take the house, are you prepared as chairman of judiciary committee to essentially take over the january 6th investigation? >> i can tell you this is a remarkable investigation. i know they'd have at least one more hearing before the end of the year. i don't know if they have concluded their investigation or more has to be done. that is a seminal event in american history. i was there. many members of both chambers were there when this insurrectionist mob stormed the capitol. five people died. law enforcement we are injured, and most of the republicans in congress want to ignore it. it has to be asked and part of our history. i want january 6th committee to do its work of if there's more work to be done, and i'm in a position to call for it, you bet i will. >> during the lame duck, if they

don't want to continue the jaap wear 6th, but your committee is prepared to take over the investigation if that's what's necessary. it's my understanding they're not going to finish bit the end of the year. >> but there's one key difference. in the senate judiciary committee, in order to issue a subpoena, you need bipartisan agreement to do it. that's not the case, i understand, in the house. >> right. >> if the republicans want to resist, it will be difficult to continue the investigation. i hope the house gets it done. >> finally, quickly on same-sex marriage, are you all concerned if the republicans win the senate, in the lame duck you won't get the votes to codify same-sex marriage. >> i am worried, but minority start is tammy baldwin. she believes this is the right way to deal with it. i defer to her.

this is a serious issue. clarence thomas made it clear he's going to move oberfeld. we need to take him seriously. >> senator durbin, thanks for your perspective. thanks for joining us. >> thank you, chuck. there's too many candidates who may be too controversial. democrats had hoped for the same result in colorado. they even funded a trump-like candidate, but joe o'dea won. he's trying to make the case that he's no extremist. >> he's a different kind of republican, too. my dad supports a woman's right to choose. >> for the first five months, that should be a decision between a woman and her doctor.

>> thank you for having me on. i appreciate it. my wife loves your show. let me ask about the other four months, who decides? >> look, i believe after the five-month period there should be some exceptions -- rape, incest, medical necessity. that decision should also be a woman's decision with her doctor, but i don't believe in late-term abortion on demand. >> can you write a law that deals with that? it seems that a lot of people are realizing -- i think a lot of people are uncomfortable with late-term abortion. people don't seem to do it by choice. the only time you really see it is when there's a medical emergency. >> i think senator collins is on the right track. i think that bill could pass. there's a couple things i'd like to see it in. parental notification is something we have in colorado. i think that would be a good add to that bill. >> there was one bill you didn't like, the one bill that joe

manchin voted against. given where you are on this sure, are you more likely to vote for something that protects abortion rights, even if it doesn't have everything that you want? >> i think the first five months are critical. that should be a woman's decision with her doctor. after that, exceptions, again, should be between a woman and her doctor. >> i voted for a ballot initiative that didn't have those exceptions. >> this is the center of attention in a lot of indications, and i'm exactly where i was when i started this campaign. i didn't write that bill, but i believe, you know, it should be a woman's right the first five months. >> let me play an ad that's very positive for you. let my play an ad that senator bennett is running against you. >> joe o'dea is the perfect

candidate, according to mitch mcconnell. m. connell's all in for his