robert: one president fights on. and the next one looks ahead. >> it's all gone too far. robert: the president's baseless cims spark outrage as he refuses to concede. and considers pardons >> help is on the way. robert: put the pre mostly ignores him and announces nominees to address on the hill, momentum gathers behind a stimulus compromise. >> the time to borrow money is when there's a crisis. and this is a crisis. le>> we are not going to ave until we get something accomplished. .robert: ne announcer: this is "washington week." funding is provided by --

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once again from washington moderator robert costa. robert: welcome to "washington week." another friday and another week with president trump refusing to accept joe biden as the president-elect. but this moment is about more than defiance. the president's refusal to political implications, g especially for the republican party. g inrgia, two g.o.p. senators are facing many republican voters now nodding along to the president's baseless claims and they could decide to sit theanuary senate runoff elections where the senate majority is on the line. here is trump ally lin wood in geor.a this we >> i want you to go to the governor's mansion. i want you to circle it and a brian horns u special session of the georgia legislature! and then he can resign. and as far as i'm concerned,

lock him up. robert: other republicans such as georgia electio official gabriel sterling are urge, the presidento stop. -- are urging the president to stop. >> itas to stop. ou have not t, la senators, you have not condemned this language or these actions. ness elections. this ishe backyeon of democracy and all of you who have not said a damnord are complicity in this. stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. someone is going to get hurt. someone is going to get shot. someone is going to get killed. and it's not right.ro rt: let's not forget this comes as the nation is in crisis. more than 275,000 america have died from the coronavirus and we all know a tough winterh is. joining us tonight with more are three plugged inli jours.

joe scarborough, host of "morning joe" on msnbc and author of "saving freedom, truman, the cold war and thet fior western civilization." reporter for national public radio and annie linskey, national political reporr for "the washington post." joe, you've been writing about thnc presi you've been studying president trump for years as a journal i and commentator. what isresident trump up to th this refusal to concede and his continued grievances about the election? joe: well, i don't think any of are surprised that the president of the united states has not conceded this raced if you sked most reporters beforehand if he would claim that the race were rigged, if he lost, then say he was. because let's face it. he's made this claim over the past six months. has been setting us all up for

thisomt. and so he's going to leave the white house without ever conceding to joe biden. and he's raised over $200 million scammingis followers into believing that the election has been rigged when one local republican official after another local republican a official who's ay counted the votes say there no there there. and yet he continues on. maybe it's fo the 2024 race and maybe more just to raise money. ro what else is going on, ayesha? inside this white house beyond he fight over the election result, the president is upending personnel at the department of defense. he's installoyalists like corey lewandowski to a defense adsory board. is this what we should expect in the coming weeks, upheaval inside tedal government? ayesha: well, it's pretty much what we've had at the white house from the so i don't think he's going to stop now. i think it's going to continue on.

and so much what - what president trump has done has en about score settling. it's been about, you know, getting back at people. t t also trying to figure ou u know, t comes to defense. you know, he's always talked about how he wanted to pu all the troops out, of the middle east. he wants to be the president to do that. and he's faced pushback within the defense department and has been behind nerd that and it seems like at the end, he's trying to make moves in that direction over the objections th of people in the defense department. but i think that this has just been par for the course. i also think that at this point, a lot of this is about naging president trump's feelings, his emotions. video that they on 46-minute ut facebook, i thought that it was very interesting that they put it on facebook. they could have done, you know, a quick scramble, look, the president is going to speak. they would have probably been

caied live by most of e cable networks if he had spoken live. but they didn't do that. like it seeme almost that they were putting it out there. but they didn't want everyone to carry it. it's almost like they were letting him speak. but they didn't really want to give that message a lot of air. and i think that is something about where this white house is right now. robert: so annie, joe talke about how the president in his view is scamming s supporters, raiserring allhis money. ayesha is talking about people inside ts white house perha trying to manage the president's feelings. and annie, finish this sentence for me. the g.o.p. is silent because what? h what is keepinge republicans silent? annie: look, i mean, ciftainly 'm the biden folks' perspective and joe bidenaid this tay, they have this belief that when trump leaves office, when the electors in mid december meet, and vote,

that that silence is going to be -- is going to change. and that they are sort of paying respects to trump and hiprocess, tha he's goi through as he tries to process this loss.and that -- that that to be the turning point. and joe biden is certainly counting on that. because he is loong at a -- you know, a -- at best, 50-50 nate if he's, you know, going to get his agenda through. so he's counting on the republicans to have a real change of artretty quickly. robert: quiet until december. it sounds like a holiday song. joe, let'salk about attorney general william barr. quiet.epublicans are being t n an interview with the a.p. this week, barr said the d.o.j., quote, not seen fraud on a scale that could have if if he could arent outcome in the election. my sources tell me that barr is now on thin ice for simply is he gone before january? joe: i can't tel you what donald trump is going to do

when it comes to the attorney general. but this is just more of the same. i think of all theeople that you and i have known since we began covering donaldnrump i june of 2015, that pledged their loyalty toonald trump, that sacrificed their values, that bent over backward to be as obsequious to him as possible and it was never enough, with william barr, you actually did have the man wh answered the call when donald rump asked several years ago that's exactly what william barr wanted to be. and he's followed that through a certain point. obviously he framed the mueller investigation report in the most favorable way possible to the president. he bought him, you know, several months moving -- toward the impeachment. but at the end, william barr is to break the l for donald lling

trump as local officials, republican officials in michigan or o wisconsinr arizona or georgia. at the end of the day, they understand the consequences, e barr aboveryone else understands the consequences of awnot bending theut breaking the law for the president of the unit states. and undermining american democracy in a way that could have --ould make him criminally liable but most certainly will darkenis name for good in the history books. robert: ayesha, i want you to ust d on that what joe he listed all these states where local officials are speaking out. and wsaw those powerful -- powerful videos from georgia in the opening of this program tonight, gabriel sterling outraged, republican, about the president's handling. are we seeing a divide out there in the states, local and state officials, are willing to speak up, but national republicanso annie's point just see -- they're calculating that it's best to just sit on

their hands until december?: ayesou do see a divide there where, you know, as joe said, that ey have -- the local republican officials have been unwilling to break the law. and they've been unwillinger to rn the rightful election results. that is a bridg too far. i think -- but you do see so many national republicans, and you see the base calling for and so it almost seems as if they're out of step with trtir own of the people that are holding this line and saying no, we're going to spect the electionests e out of step with the rest of the republican party and outw of steph the leader of the republican party, president trump. bert: ayesha, what does tha mean, though, in georgia? where they have a runoff election for two senate seats on january 5. ayesha: and thais t big question right now. and i think if i was a republican, iou be very concerned. because you have people like

lin wood and sidney powellou need to hol these republican accountable and say that don't vote unless they meet these o kind orageous clails. and president trump himself saying well, if u want to ensure that voters come out, you need to make sure that i win the state of georgia when that's -- that's a done deal. and so it's -- and i thought it was very interesting when you heard governor kim speaking i believe on fox news saying that he's trying to support the presidentwithin the law. i'm trying to do everything i bu can. he's kind of saying but i have to follow the law. and what youe hearing fromoo linand others is that's not enough. and so i don't know if it will gohat far. if these elections are close, and you have dampened turnout from repubcans, you know, that is a serious concern. robert: well, annie, what about the view ild biden w you cover that so closely. is he gog to head down there to atlanta to try to g that stacy abrams coalition back together again? u annie: yeah. ow, biden was asked that

question today in wilmingto at his press conference as sort of the very last question, somebody -- sort of yelled as he was walking off the stage. and you could hear him through his mask saying yes,go he is g to go to georgia. but he didn't answer the followup about whether thiswi be before or after christmas. of course, the president is going down this weekend. but, you know, i think how biden plays georgia is going to be super interesting. s because he't two different crosscurrents here. i mean, he's trying so hard in this moment to be theealer in chief and to be sort of -- you kn, a post-partisan almost. he's been talking to republica governors, republican mayors. he talked today to republican county executives. and so for him to be pushing that image hfself as this guy who reaches across the aie andakes deals with the republican party, and then the in a very partisan fight in e

georgia is going to be a tricky politica maneuver for him. it's certainly something that he is -- has said today that he's willing to do. but i think watching how he's le to do that will be really robert: and joe, one of the moments that really stuck out to me from that press coerence today from biden was when he was coy and he's a talker but coy when asked about whether he is engaged with leader mcconnell. that's the relationship to watch. mcconnell and biden. and on that point, joe, let's turn to the politics of the ec uomy. 12 millimployed americans will lose federal benefits at the end of the year if congress can't come together on aul st deal. but things are now fluid this week on capitol hill. let's listen to the latest from the speaker and the majority leader.>> o come to this place to say there is momentum. i'm pleased that the tone of our conversations is one that is indative of the decision to get the job done. >> compromise is whin reach.

we know where we agree. we can do this. let me say it again. we can do this. and we need to do this. robert:arlier this week, biden so introduced a diverse team of economic advisors and then friday when he was talking with reporte, he saidhe new underwhelming jobs report means a quote dark winter is ahead and he called for, quote, urgent action inongress. joe, are we seeing a revival of the moderates? bnie is talking aout biden reaching out to republicans. we also see senats manchin andli romney and c really leading us on capitol hill. joe: yeah. elections have consequences. and you look at the senate. it's a far different sene than it was in 2010 after the tea party members ca a far different than 2004 or 2006 when a lot of progressive democrats came in. k and, yw, over the past 15 years, you've seen more division. you've seen a more diverse senate. buthis is really the revenge of the moderates.

joe manchin is right in th o midd things. and he's in the middle of kelly from arizona, kristin rk sinema who hasm voted with 90% of the time over the past few years, governor hicken looper who is going to be another moderate to conservative democratic senator. then you got mitt romney andsu n collins who won a state in maine by nine points that joe biden also won in -- by nine points. so you got six, seven, eight moderates on bo and people like lindsey graham and joni ernst saying they want to get involved i this covid deal. and i really would think of everything that'ss happened t week, the manchin coalition expanding out, manchin and romney, expanding out to six, seven, eight, nine, 10 moderates in the senate, really is a most important development if you're trying to figure out not what happened the last four oyears, but what's going

happen over the next two years? of course, bernie sanders has said he cat support this bill. people like tom cotton also concerned on the other side they can't support the deal.ng you're go have a lot of progressives and a lot of tea party conservatives, if there ill are such a thing in washington, d.c., who are going to be frustrated the next two years. because they're going to be a lot ofea made byhis -- on.s mchin-romney coali what are you hearing from biden's peoe? annie: yeah. that's exactly right. that this -- you know, it was g fascinatat you picked up on that moment at the press conference today. den being asked twice if he's talked to mcconnell. both times he wouldn't answer. wdt's so interesting is that biden has been asked that exact same questio in earlier press conferences. and all the previous times he said no, i hen't. this time, he was actually, you know, gave this sort of human -- very human response about -- you know, the sausa making,

that he was in the middle of. to answer efused he said look, if i were to tell ou what i was doing, and the now, i wouldn't be able to do it again. ld and so that wt be very smart of me, would it? and so almost a little bit playful today when he was at the podium which is kind of ant sting side of him to see. but i think he's really trying to project that he has a lot of tcomfort with t coalition that joe just described. i mean, this is very much his people and this is type of washington. and this is what he's really hoping, this is the hope of h presidency. now, is it something that will actual robert: right. annie: really work? that's kind of the big robert: ayesha, how important is a deal before biden takes americans everyday we all saw the jobless numbers what does this mean? and especially if this is tied to a covid relie package, spending bill tied to covid

relief, that's how it's being proposed by speaker pelosi and others, it may not ictlude diayments to americans. senator bernie sanders is telling reporters today he can't support this it doesn't have direct payments. so if it's all about state alo l aid and liability insurance, what does that mean for people in this country? ayesha: well, you know, there are a lot of americans who are really struggling. you menoned the jobless. you mentioned all of those -- lines at seen the banks saying tvit they're all of this massive outpouring of people who need help. and i that's one of the king disconnects at this moment. at the white house and with congress. is that you have anri a where you have all of record numbers of people hospitalized with vheus. you have all of these -- you have people dying. and you have people really struggling to get by. and there has not seemed to be an urgency until kind of this week to get something done.

people are going to be going into their christmas holidays not kwing how they're going to, you know, feed their family. a you know i know people that -- people who are not -- omes. put out of their live. and so these are very real concerns. american people are looking for is leadership from the white hous and from coness to get something done. robert: annie, any qck impressions about the biden economic team rollout and the health team rollout annie: yeah. absolutely. i mean, i think when you look at that economic team, one of the real standout things to me and my sources has been the number of people there who are d really foc on the labor markets. thing.s a little bit of a wonkyt hese are folks who spent -- spent their career looking at issues of inequality, what can the government do to increasemployment in different sectors? what are the -- what are a specific policie how

exactly can they be -- y know, implemented in various -- sectors of the economy and various parts of the country? sort of both geographic diversity and outcomes. and ro these arelly labor economists. and that's going to be very different from te ump. they wery focused on the capital side of the equation. robert: joe, in less than a minute, what are your thoughts n this cabinet and the team? you would expect joeen b to select. again, it's not a cabinet that's going to make progressives happy in the united states senate. but the election was a split decision. you had americans give joe biden obviously a fairly sizable victoryn the presidential race. but in th house, a in the senate, republicans did much better than anyone expected. that's going to have snsequences and joe biden going to have to select moderates. robert: well, we're going to

have to leave it there. many thanks to j scarborough, ayesha rascoe, and annie linskey. really appreciate you all tang t time o this busy friday night. and thank you all for joining us here at "waington week." we will keep taking you as close to the news as we can. be sure toheck out o bookshelf series on our social media and website. i'll chat more with joe, onen one, about his new book on harry s. truman. i'm robert costa. good night from washi [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsiblecoor its captioent and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] announcer: crate funding for "washington week" is provided by -- >>

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contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. [tog: the brain is what makes humans human. it's central to everything about us. the ability to learn things new, to experience new things. it's all between my ears. eld]: e brain is our command center and it's imbued with an incredible gift. it can change its structure and function through a process called neuroplasticity. [moffett]: we used to think that the brain was set up the way it was set up. but it turns out, the brain can adapt also. and if it's given a different set of circumstances, it'll change. so, if we accepted that we've been able to learn, we probably