sort of rooting for the cubs. we have new from our bloomberg national politics poll also on the website, bloombergpolitics.com. until tomorrow, for me and mark, we say to you, we're glad we're out of vegas and we say sayonara. >> coming up, "hardball" with chris matthews. no honeymoon in vegas. let's play "hardball." good evening. i'm chris matthews up in new york city. after the dust settled, it was clear the most stunning moment of last night's debate was donald trump's refusal to say whether he'd respect the outcome of this year's american presidential election. >> do you make the same commitment that you absolutely -- sir, that you will absolutely accept the result of this election? >> i will look at it, at the time. i'm not looking at anything now. i will look at it, at the time. >> are you saying you're not

prepared now to follow that principle? >> what i'm saying is i will tell you at the time. i will keep you in suspense. >> it comes as trump ventures into unchartered territory as n american presidential candidate, taking the step that this election is rigged. despite pressure to defend the integrity of the election, trump doubled down on his remarks, saying he'll only accept the outcome if he is the winner. >> i would like to promise and pledge to all of my voters and supporters and to all of the people of the united states that i will totally accept the results of this great and historic presidential election, if i win. >> well, later in that same speech, trump also said he'd only challenge the outcome if

there is, in his words, a questionable result. >> of course, i would accept a clear election result, but i would also reserve my right to contest or file a legal challenge in the case of a questionable result. >> at a rally in florida late today, president obama slammed trump for questioning the legitimacy of the vote. here's the president. >> when you suggest rigging or fraud, without a shred of evidence, when last night at the debate, trump becomes the first major party nominee in american history to suggest that he will not concede, despite losing the vote. and then says today that he will accept the results if he wins. that is -- that is not a joking matter. no, no, no, i want everybody to pay attention here.

that is dangerous. because when you try to sew the seeds of doubt in people's minds, about the legitimacy of our elections, that undermines our democracy. then you're doing the work of our adversaries for them. >> as robert costa writes in "the washington post" today, trump's dire pronouncent already serious ramifications for the future of the republican party and for this country. quote, trump's insistence that the election will be rigged, which he again suggested at the debate, has some stoked the specter of a grievance movement that will haunt republicans for months and years to come, threatening to leave the longtime norms of american politics shattered and washington paralyzed by his follower's agitation and suspicion. i'm joined now by ed rendell, an msnbc political analyst. steve cortez is surrogate for the trump campaign. and ruth marcus, is a columnist and editorial page editor at "the washington post."

i'm so glad to have governor rendell upon you've been through tough campaigns and lost at least one. you know what it's about. what'd you make of trump's remarks last night and today? >> absolutely disgraceful. absolutely disgraceful. and michael steele, my colleague, who is chairman of the republican national committee, as i was of the dnc, he said, it's disqualifying. and he's right. donald trump has forfeited any right to serve as the american president, because he has violated one of the basic tenants of our democracy. and chris, something that makes us different than any place else, when republican ronald reagan defeated democratic president jimmy carter, jimmy carter acknowledged the results of the election and sat on the platform as ronald reagan was inaugurated. the same thing happened when bill clinton, democrat, defeated george h.w. bush, a republican president. president bush gracefully conceded and sat on the plamp with al gore, with bill clinton,

when he was inaugurated. that's the way america works. that's what makes us different. that's what makes us a beacon to the world. and to be the first major party candidate not to acknowledge that is disgraceful and disqualifying. >> steve cortez? >> chris, listen, i will tell you this. i'm very honored to be a surrogate of donald trump. it's not always the easiest jobs, because at times he speaks very inartfully. and i think he did last night. however, he clarified that today. and i think this is much a do about nothing. i would echo the comments of your colleague, joe scarborough, says this means a lot to media elites but nothing to voters in scranton, pennsylvania -- >> oh, yeah, who's speaking for scranton? >> obamacare sitting there -- >> thank you for being an elite, because that's an elitist comment, to say it will play in peoria, that's the old john ehrlich line in the nixon

administration. to say he'll go along with this. >> it's not about rigged -- >> who says this election is rigged? who says it? do you say it? >> this is not important -- >> did you say it was rigged? >> -- to their lives. >> okay. >> what's important is economy and security. >> do you believe this election is rigged -- >> he clarified today -- >> no, it's not -- >> he has not taken back the rigged charge. >> he clarified today, he said, of course -- he went even further -- >> this isn't going to work. i've got to talk to ruth. they said president obama was illegitimate. now he's saying hillary clinton should be in prison, because she can't be legitimately elected president. she should be in prison. he has said the word "rigged" over and over again, he's not talking about close calls, he's talking about a rigged system, like professional wrestling, which everybody knows to be crooked, basically. not crooked, but basically rigged. and that's the point. he's making a charge that isn't about close elections or anything like that, he's saying

it's rigged and he's been saying it for a while now. your thoughts? >> that's exactly right. he's been saying it for months and it's been exceedingly dangerous for months. and the closer we get to the election, with all of the intense feelings that are appropriate for an election, for him to enflame voters in scranton or anywhere, he's the one who's raising this. there's only one candidate in this race who's suggesting that the outcome would be illegitimate. there's only one candidate in this race, as you say, who's suggesting that he would jail his opponent if he were to win. that's donald trump. and it really is, i'm going to go with governor rendell's word, disgraceful. >> anyway, senator john mccain released a statement today. quote, i don't like the outcome of the 2008 election, but i had a duty to concede it, and i did so without luxe. a concessionn't just an exercise in graciousness, it's an act of respect for the will of the american people. respect that in every american leader's is his first responsibility. and senator kelly ayotte of new hampshire, who's facing a tough re-election fight in new hampshire said trump should

respect the outcome in november. here she is. >> i believe that, first of all, as a former attorney general, that he should accept the outcome and that this is important. you know, i don't believe in -- that there's a rigged election system. if there are allegations that need to be investigated,thal be investigated. i used to do that as attorney general. but that really the voters are going to decide this. andtime going to be out meeting as many voters as i can in the senate race. >> last night, rnc chair arenas paribas tried to calm nerves saying that trump likely will accept the outcome. >> he is going to accept the results of election. let me kind of clarify this. i know where he's coming from. he's obsessed, in some ways, rightfully so, about voter fraud and he believes he's been totally mistreated by the media. look, barring some sort of massive fraud situation, of course he's going to accept the outcome of the election. >> you know, the question,

governor, is about the process of the election itself, our election process, that somehow when asked about it, he and the vice presidential nominee, mike pence, when asked about what they mean by "rigged," they resort to this reference to the media that somehow the media has poisoned the electorate and therefore it's rigged. they don't talk necessarily about booth voting or counts that go on election commissions. they're not actually -- they're talking about something much broader in terms of rigging. that's what concerns me. they can say, you know, the media's been pushing this candidate for hillary clinton, has been pushing her, and really, it didn't come out honestly, so i don't think it was a square election. therefore, it was rigged. he's talking like that now. that's how -- why do we think he's going to change election night? >> no, i don't. i think he's setting up an excuse for when he loses, because he can't tolerate the fact that he lost fair and square. anlook, there is no evidence of election fraud, at any level,

significant level in this country. you saw the report by that professor, out of 2 billion votes cast in the last 45 years, 31 instances of fraud. when the voter i.d. law was challenged in pennsylvania, the republican attorney general, who was trying to sustain the law, was asked by the court to name an example of voter i.d. fraud? and he said, i'm sorry, your honor, i can't name one. >> steve, what's the point here? why are we talked about a rigged election at this point, three weeks out? why talk about a rigged election, and that language comes from him? >> yeah, i don't want to be talking about it. i want to be -- >> why does he keep doing it? >> he doesn't keep doing it. he clarified it today, chris. you're being unfair. >> i'm being fair. >> his exact words -- >> in the speech, he said, i will accept the result if i win, is what he said. >> but he went on. that was a joke. that's unfair. he went on and said, i will follow and a abide by baall the

rules and traditions of candidates who have come before me. >> this is going to hound you and everybody who supports him, because it's about our process. you don't talk about a rigged election out of nowhere. i'm just asking for the hundrhundre hundredth time or at least the fifth time, why does he keep talking about a rigged election, he's been doing it for months. >> i don't think the election rigged. >> why does he keep talking about it? >> what is rigged is -- >> here it comes. >> -- is the washington system of cronyism. that is rigged. and the american electorate knows that. they know there's a system in place that benefits politicians on k street, but at the expense of the american people, our prosperity and security, that's what's rigged. when he talks about rigged, that's what i hear. not polling place irregularities. >> chris, steve and other chris surrogates can reinterpret what their candidate says. they keep, you know, giving an explanation that's much more

benign than what their candidate is actually -- >> there's nothing benign about that. >> no, every time that -- >> that's not benign. >> referee: time that trump is asked, he says it's rigged. and he talks about voting voting fraud, he talks about people who aren't eligible to vote at polling places. he talks about philadelphia and he talks about chicago and he talks about dead voters, and he talks about how hillary shouldn't be even permitted on the ballot because of all the crimes she's committed and crooked hillary. this is just very dangerously revving up voters to do something that we've never had really in america before, which is to not accept the results of an election, and it's past the point of accepting anything more from donald trump, but we shouldn't be past the point of accepting more from the leaders of his party, from reince priebus, from paul ryan, from mitch mcconnell. where are they to talk about how in america we have fundamentally fair elections and respect the results? >> in all fairness, i want to give steve cortez a simple

question. when hillary clinton spoke to that brillen group for $250,000 and said the phrase, "open border," what did she mean by "open borders"? >> i don't know for sure, because it's a leaked transcript and -- >> do you think she meant open borders? >> yes. >> you heard it very clearly from hillary there. why don't you hear trump when he talks about a rigged election, talking about a rigged election, because that's what he's talking about. thank you, ed rendell, thank you, steve cortez, thank you, ruth marcus. last night it started to go wrong for donald trump when hillary clinton stuck him on russia. she called him putin's trump and said she would sooner trust moscow than his own intelligence agencies who says russia is trying to hack this election. that's coming up. and another moment that will likely haunt trump through the rest of the elections when he called clinton "a nasty woman." i've heard from a lot of women who don't like the sound of

that, the very women clinton got to last night very effectively, suburban women. tonight, the candidates will be at the great al smith dinner in new york, a friendly affair, usually, if what's been an ugly campaign. i'll be there. one hell of a night tonight in new york. we'll have the roundtable as well tonight here on "hardball." finally, my election diary tonight on october 20th as this campaign its final three weeks. this is "hardball," the place for politics. an opening night on broadway is kind of magic. i'm beowulf boritt and i'm a broadway set designer. when i started designing a bronx tale: the musical, i came up... ...with this idea of four towers that were fire escapes... ...essentially. i'll build a little model in photoshop and add these... ...details in with a pen. i could never do that with a mac. i feel like my job is... ...to put out there just enough detail to spur the audiences... ...imagination to fill in all the blanks. this windows pc is amazing, having all of my tools... ...right at my finger tips is incredible.

our early voting has already begun in the key battleground state of north carolina. voters lined up at polling places, there they are, around the state today. the latest real clear politics average in the tar heel state has hillary clinton leading by about 2.5 points. that's a close one. and it's very hard to see how donald trump gets to 270, if he doesn't get north carolina. well be right back. there's a denture adhesive that holds strong until evening.

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one of the more fiery exchanges last night in the debate took place over the issue of russian vladimir putin. let's watch. >> i actually think the most important question of this evening, chris, is finally, will donald trump admit and condemn that the russians are doing this? and make it clear that he will not have the help of putin in this election, that he rejects russian espionage against americans, which he actually encouraged in the past. >> i don't know putin. he's said nice things about me. if we got along well, that would be good. if russia and the united states got along well and went after isis, that would be good. he has no respect for her. he has no respect for our president. >> well, that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president -- >> no puppet. no puppet. >> and it's pretty clear -- >> you're the puppet. >> it's pretty clear that you won't admit -- >> no, you're the puppet. >> i think she got him there when all he could do was --

like, so's your old man. so's your old man! you too! trump went even further with the cyberattacks on the u.s. here he goes. >> she has no idea whether it's russia, china, or anybody else. >> i am not quoting myself -- >> hillary, you have no idea. >> do you doubt, 17 -- >> our country has no idea -- >> -- a billion agencies. well, he'd rather -- >> i doubt it. i doubt it. >> he'd rather believe vladimir putin than the military and civilian intelligence professionals who are sworn to protect us. i find that just absolutely -- >> she doesn't like putin, because putin has outsmarted her at every step of the way. >> well, today the director of national intelligence, james clapper said the intelligence community is very confident that the russians are responsible for recent attempts to interfere with the election process here in the u.s. here he goes. >> if you read the statement that we issued, which is, i think you'd agree, is pretty

unusual, we would haven't made it unless we were very confident. that's one of the reasons we waited. for as long as we did to make a statement, was to ensure that we had sufficient evidence, both forensic and otherwise, to lead us to the conclusions we reached as articulated in the statement. >> well, nicholas confessore is a political reporter rural rofow york times. kurt, let me ask you about the style of debate we saw last night. i thought trump had some pay dirt down there. talked about how she said to a brazilian group, open borders, that's exponential amnesty, everybody come in. >> she just made energy. >> that wasn't much of a retort, but she was able to change it to, how'd you find this out? you got it from the russians? >> and when he said, of course,

he doesn't respect you, that's because he wants a puppet. you could just see him blow the gaskets. it was extraordinary to me. and this whole -- the fact that he never digs himself out of this weird russian thing is the strangest thing to me. because it's the one thing he's said, again and again, that doesn't -- there's no constituency for that. there's no gut feeling about that. and if i were donald trump, i would say, hey, something's going on. i mean, you really have to start believing -- >> i wonder if i can get to the bottom of that. clearly he has an argument about the middle east. the russians have always had an interest in the warm water ports and everything going south and we've tried to keep them out ever since anwar sadat booted him out. the way she gets to him with the word "puppet." he wants to be a political strong man, he's donald trump! and you're calling him a puppet. it worked! >> it's amazing, it's playground politics, right? he's out there saying, well, i

know you are, but -- or, "your mom's," it's just -- >> your mother wears -- >> and not even -- >> it's so high school. it's even grade school. your mother wears combat boots. stuff like that. >> and she outdid him on this. it's amazing, because if his thing is playground politics and she gets out there and does this to him and nails him, that's pretty -- >> he couldn't think of a new word. he had to use her word. >> and didn't even use a verb. it was, "no puppet." >> "i condemn." he was asked. he was given a chance to say, of course i don't support the russians hacking our election system. and he said, "i condemn." but who, right? >> whoever did it. >> but who? >> the whole thing about her and her calmness, how do you attribute her ability to stay calm and carry on? he gets more puffy all the time. alec baldwin has his number,

because there's that same essence of frustration and anger. >> her calmness is the good side of what people regard as her bad side, her inauthenticity and robotic quality. that may all be true, but when it comes down to this extraordinary stylized debate performance, just staying cool is the winning game. >> acting. acting like -- you go back and get mad later, but on the stage, you look the guy in the eye. look at her, she's calm, no sweat. and he's been out there saying she's dying of pneumonia and she's on drugs and she's as calm as can be. she doesn't look like a person who's influenced by drugs or anything like that. >> i think in any debate, knowledge and depth are the basis of confidence, right? and she knows this stuff cold. she knows the middle east, she knows the policy, she knows her own position. she has attack lines planned. she has factoids ready. the whole package. and he goes out there and wings it. >> a lot of this is the manhood thing, too.

he is vulnerable on. the little hands. talk about playground stuff. my hands are bigger than you think, you know? and the funny thing is, she'll go after him, you didn't make that money, your dad ydy gave y $14 million pl. and it drives him up a tree. >> and he can't control it. he's been in the public eye as long as she has. >> but that's business press. there's a big difference in business press. you don't get in the door unless the head of public relations at your fillrm lets the person -- >> i think the criticism of the politics press is a lot more def deferential. >> he's been in the tabloid press, but he can't not rise to the bait. >> because he's not in control. >> if you call ate story, it's going to run on page six. one time i saw him on david letterman and they needed somebody to coach a football, so there was a little guy standing on the other building with a trench coat, it was donald trump, just to get that ink.

what was that about? >> because he more than -- you know, we all like attention. i've never seen anybody who needed and needs attention like you and i need air and water. >> i think he had it right when he said, people don't say no to either. anyway, trump, who knows? nick confessore, the political press is first rate. business press is somewhat useful. up next, if trump is looking to bridge the widening gender gap, calling clinton nasty. women do not like this phrase, "nasty woman." one thing to call somebody nasty. "nasty woman" puts it together in a way that really, really offends people. that's not going to help either. this is "hardball," the plaux. hold on to your tiara kind of day. get 24/7 digestive support, with align. the #1 doctor recommended probiotic brand.

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. i'm milissa rehberger. here's what's happening. the first u.s. service member has died in the fight against isis. the military says the american was killed by an explosive device north of mosul. secretary of state john kerry and his russian counterpart spoke by phone today about the pause in air strikes in aleppo, syria. the truce is aimed at helping civilians and the wounded escape that war-torn city. president obama is encouraging more young people to sign up for the affordable care act at miami-dade college. enrollment for the 2017 health program starts november 1st. back to "hardball."

welcome back to "hardball." on last night's third and final presidential debate, hillary clinton was relentingly on message when it came to guns, abortion, and donald trump's treatment of women in the democratic candidate never lost track of her most important audience. you know what it was, i watched it all night in realtime with suburban women. she was totally targeting a group of mem who were moderate in their politics, probably usually republican, upper middle class or regular middle class, but well off, pretty much, compared to most people, who are really looking for a better candidate for them than donald trump. anyway, "the new york times" writes that as clinton continually hammered home her message, donald trump repeatedly gave up chances to respond to pointed taunts from mrs. clinton, who dominated the confrontation, until she finally mowed him down. let's watch. >> i am on record as saying that we need to put more money into the social security trust fund. that's part of my commitment to

raise taxes on the wealthy. my social security payroll contribution will go up, as will donald's, assuming he can't figure out how to get out of it. but what we want to do is to replenish the -- >> such a nasty woman. >> for more, i'm joined by beth fouhy, senior politics editor with msnbc, and jonathan capehart, opinion writer for "the washington post." jonathan, i've been asking around in my limited ability since i got back from las vegas, about an hour and a half ago, it's been a long ride on the plane, but i have been listening to people i respect. women reporters and women producers, tell me that combination of words "nasty woman," has a nasty firepower to it that is very offensive. it's not just saying, you're being nasty today. it's more about -- something to do with tender, something to do with that kind of b-word that's often used. you know what i mean. >> reporter: right. it's a euphemism, if you want to be polite about your insult. and it's condescending and it's belittling and othering of someone who has, in this case,

gotten under junior skin. and that's the only way you can get out of the criticism or the taunt, is to belittle the person in that way. and you know, you described it as hillary clinton mowing him down, getting him to say that out loud. and i would argue that over the course of that debate, up until that moment, hillary clinton, throughout the debate and throughout her answers, no matter the question, she was baiting donald trump. sort of sprinkling the seeds in the field, hoping that he would bloom before the end of the debate. and by bloom, i mean get him to explode in some way, to do something that would show the american people, just how unfit for the presidency he is. that is her argument. rather than for her to just say, flat-out, he is unfit. she got him to show he is unfit. >> the nice version of that in the old movies was katharine hepburn and spencer tracy, they used to say she was a mosquito. that was a loving relationship.

this is not. >> and she found all sorts of ways to ding him, ping him, probe into that very fragile ego that he has, without looking mean or nasty or frankly -- there's that word. and what i want to say about that, chris, the reason a lot of women are reacting to that word and sort of embracing it today, it's reclaiming the term "nasty woman." yeah, nancy pelosi said, one nasty woman to another. a lot of us remember the song from the '80s, janet jackson, "nasty," the most requested thing on spotify, ♪ nasty boys don't mean a thi " thinthing thing" ♪ . >> she was doing it, too, last night. anything to tweaking the guy or ticking him off, actually, she was also talking constantly to a particular group of voters. jonathan, you'd pick up on this. i watched her when she talked about the heller bill, which is the gun -- everybody can have a gun, basically, law in d.c., to some extent, pretty strong,

clear acceptance of the second amendment without anything to do with militias. she said, that's dangerous to toddlers -- i'm sorry, jonathan, i'm a little cynical, when she said toddlers, and i said, i know you're talking to grandmas who live in the suburbs and they hear that, they may not have heard a word all night, but they that terrified word toddler. she talked about her life committed to children and families. it was talking to people who may not be paying much attention to politics, but last night with 80-some million people watching, seven-eighths are not political junkies, they're regular people and listening for someone to connect with them and she was doing it, i thought. >> right, she's talking to the suburban moms, excuse me, those white women in the suburbs, who she's going to need to come out in force on november 8th, if she wants to really not just beat him, but beat him big. but the beauty of the toddlers and talking about her career, not just the softer side, but her entire career, from the

children's defense fund, right through to this campaign, is that she was able to weave her professional career. everything that she has done since before graduating college has everything to do with why she says she wants to be president and in that if she can talk directly to and appeal to suburban women, who she needs to come out to vote, it's a win-win for her. >> agreed. beth? >> and i would say melania gave more force to the argument saying, sometimes i feel i have to boys at home. my 10-year-old and my husband. and the women you're describing, thessuburban women, these suburban moms, the last thing they need is to have an adult partner who acts like a child. there's so many women who already have that, it's just a reminder that this guy is immature, he's, you know, hair trigger and nervous and very vulnerable around his ego. and you know, trump's own wife actually sort of supported that.

>> beth fouhy, thank you. jonathan capehart, always great. up next, if you thought last night was the last time you'd see trump and clinton at the same event, you're wrong. they'll both be speaking tonight at the great al smith dinner, they're unbelievable. they sit very close to each other and try to be friendly. but how's that going to be here? it's supposed to be a friendly affair, but after last night? how are they going to adjust it? they have to now come back and be sort of sweet to each other. this is going to be fascinating tonight. you're watching "hardball," the place for politics. [accountant] my job is to manage and grow businesses. and i've never seen a rocket ship take off like this. [owner] i'm lindsey. i'm the founder of ezpz. my accountant... ...he's almost like my dad in this weird way. yeah, i'm proud of you. you actually did some of the things i asked you to do

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she's been proven to be a liar on so many different ways. this is just another lie. >> and on the day when i was in the situation room, monitoring the raid that brought osama bin laden to justice, he was hosting the "celebrity apprentice". >> john podesta said some horrible things about you.

and boy, was he right. >> donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger. >> such a nasty woman. look -- for everything i see has no respect for this person. >> well, that's because he'd rather have a puppet as president. >> no puppet. no puppet. >> and it's pretty clear -- >> you're the puppet. >> maybe they should do "who's afraid of virginia wolffe" together. 24 hours after one of the harshest presidential debates ever, hillary clinton and donald trump will face off again at stage at the historic al smith dinner here in new york. in the past, it's been a opportunity for friendliness and there's been great fun and charming in politics and humor. let's watch. >> i'm pleased to be here with the vice president this evening. he's been promising to work harder on getting some of the details right and i hope he follows through. the other night after our third

debate, just as i was leaving, he says, i look forward to seeing you for the dinner in new york. i'll meet you at the carlisle and dress as casual. >> a campaign can require a lot of wardrobe changes. blue jeans in the morning, perhaps. a suit for a lunch fund-raiser, sport coat for dinner. but it's nice to finally relax and wear what ann and i wear around the house. >> i can't shake that feeling that some people here are pulling for me. i'm delighted to see you here tonight, hillary. where's bill, by the way? can't he take one night off from his tireless quest to make the man who defeated his wife the next president, my old friend and green room pal, chris matthews. he used to like he, but he found somebody new. somebody who opened his eyes,

somebody who gave him a thrill up his leg. and we've talked about it. i told him, maverick, i can do, but messiah is above my pay grade. >> so what do they do tonight and what does yesterday's debate signal that this campaign is headed in the last 19 days. joining me for the roundtable is basal smikle and also, we have a journalist, nancy. nancy, you first. because this dinner is an attempt to prove no matter how much they fight with each other, you've got to come out and smile and actually cordial. that's going to be a hell of a test tonight. >> it's hatfield and mccoy. this is a famous dinner. it started in 1945. it started because of al smith, who was the first catholic presidential candidate. and it's -- >> a lot of good that did him. >> a lot of good -- >> we, by the way, grew up reminding ourselves they did it to us.

>> that they did it to us, exactly. and it's the third thursday in october, always. and the men wear white ties. basically men there, frankly. the last place that the two candidates are in the same room before the election, right? >> yeah. and i'm sure you've been to 150 of them, haven't you? >> they're all great. when he took a shot at me, mccain. >> you were there? >> he was very funny. >> the one that was kind of famous was when mondale didn't go, because he was prepping and then, of course, reagan went and won. so, you know, what a -- >> reagan v. carter. i hate to say, i was a speechwriter for carter. i've got to tell you, basel, i like jokes if they're told by people i can't agree with. w. came in there, that same speech and said, i want to thank, the bases are here tonight, the haves and have-mores. >> and i remember the mccain speech. it was a great speech.

>> landon parvo wrote that. >> it was a great speech and he clearly at that point realized he was going to lose to barack obama. but he actually turned it around. it was self-deprecating, but a point where he could say, look, our country's about to make history here. i doubt donald trump's going to do the same thing. >> i want to see charm tonight. last year president obama and mitt romney engaged in some light-hearted ribbing. the president even mentioned my reaction to his performancen the first debate. remember how nuts i went when he lost that fist debate, shouldn't be about me, but it is tonight. >> this campaign is going to be grueling, exhaust. president obama and i are each very luckily to have someone in our corner, someone who we can lean on. i have my beautiful wife, anne. he has bill clinton. >> i particularly want to apologize to chris matthews. four years ago, i gave him a thrill up his leg.

this time around, i gave him a stroke. >> well, that last debate -- the first debate, we couldn't figure out. he was like a zombie out there. just getting pounded. a superior person, mitt romney, what else? >> and it's amazing to think about obama being outdone verbally by mitt romney, of all people. but you get the sense at the al smith dinner, you have a moment to sort of be smart, self-deprecating, and people sort of like that. especially after a season like this, people need a little bit to laugh. and if you're able to show that insight, it shows a bit of humanity that i think has been missing in this campaign. >> let's talk about the visuals tonight. the visuals are important last night. have you noticed when hillary was so ready last night, she went right for chris wallace, with the first hand shake to show she's won. that's how you show you win? you jump over the net -- i'm sorry, if you lose, you jump over the net. >> john mcenroe. >> and they never shook hands. didn't go near each other. tonight, will they do this? touch?

look at each other? >> i can't imagine trump being self-deprecating, can you? >> it's impossible. >> last night was so wonderful, because she got off that stage and she got stronger. so her health issues are taken care of. >> you don't think she's on drugs? >> no? >> she's got pneumonia, she's dying, she falls apart, she has to sleep all day. comes out there without a drop of sweat on her. >> mars off, starts doing hands, and he stands on stage like he's been hit by a female truck. >> yeah. george shivalo used to look pretty bad at the end of a fight. >> the split screen, it was like trump didn't even know he was on television. like he didn't realize the camera was on him -- >> like the alec baldwin tape. >> trump impersonating alec baldwin impersonating trump was amazing last night. >> that's what preparedness does. you can tell she was prepared to a tee. i wonder tonight, he going to read anything tonight or riff off of -- >> as i recall, he's never had

progress there. you have to either do the old thing of looking down -- >> that doesn't seem to be him. >> that's a tricky bit. you know, old can do it. they look down once in a while and give a the great speech. good eye contact and all of that. >> he does it off the top of his head tonight. >> he's got to sit up and declare he won the debate. >> using the prompter, you know he's using the prompter. >> that's exactly right. >> anyway, the roundtable is staying with us. and up next, they're going to tell me what i don't know. something big. this is "hardball," the place for politics. safety doesn't come in a box. it's not a banner that goes on a wall. it's not something you do now and then. or when it's convenient. it's using state-of-the-art simulators to better prepare for any situation. it's giving offshore teams onshore support. and it's empowering anyone to stop a job if something doesn't seem right. at bp, safety is never being satisfied. and always working to be better.

you heard what president obama said today about donald trump's claims of a rigged election. late today, first lady michelle obama campaigned for hillary clinton in arizona. listen to what she said about trump. >> we are fortunate to live in a country where the voters decide our elections. the voters decide who wins and loses, period, end of story. you do not keep american democracy in suspense. >> well said. we'll be right back after this.

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we're back with the "hardball" roundtable. basal, tell me something i don't know. >> i think you heard it last

night. she burn isished her progressiv credentials. tonight you'll hear about american exceptionalism and the thing going for the last 19 days. >> the crowd will love it. >> yeah. >> nancy? >> the trump brand has kit the ski skids. the resorts, golf courses, mar-a-lago aren't getting the businesses it used to. experts are saying it may to down by a third -- >> you mean people who want to be winners don't go to losers? anyway. >> there once was a republican from manhattan whose campaign rhetoric was so irresponsible a radio station said we're not going to hair your speeches until you have -- the person was robert moses who used to work for al smith. >> the great builder of this city who created the great world fair here in the 6 6 '60s. >> so if you thought another republican from manhattan's campaign rhetoric was beyond the pa lerks, there's a point in history where one broadcast

station said we need insurance before you carry you live. >> okay. there's a disfo foopute on "mor joe," this election is going to be rigged basically, that's what i heard him say, is going to affect regular voters. i think they're not going to like it. >> not going to like. >> i think joe said, he think this would not be an issue to them, they care more about jobs and trade. >> i think that's right. my brothers who ran campaign used to say the voters open the refrigerator on the day of the thing, whoever keeps the refrigerator full is who they're going to vote for. >> i think it matters. we'll see. thank you so much. nancy, my pal. anyway, when we return, let me finish with my election diary tonight. it's about the debates last night that's in the books right now. you're watching "hardball," by the way, it's going to be hard coming up here in a minute. please stay tuned. ♪

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g new cars. you're smart. you already knew that. but it's also great for finding the perfect used car. you'll see what a fair price is, and you can connect with a truecar certified dealer. now you're even smarter. this is truecar. keeping the power lines clear,my job to protect public safety, while also protecting the environment. the natural world is a beautiful thing, the work that we do helps us protect it. public education is definitely a big part of our job, to teach our customers about the best type of trees

to plant around the power lines. we want to keep the power on for our customers. we want to keep our community safe. this is our community, this is where we live. we need to make sure that we have a beautiful place for our children to live. together, we're building a better california. election diary, october 20th, 2016. sacrrolig, it suspect the word we find ourselves using in politics but a precise word for our insult to our sacred commitment to democracy, assault on the founding principle of our country, belief that true governmental short should go not to those in power or wish from power but from the votes of the people. i believe we heard it last night when a candidate for president refused the chance before an extraordinary national audience to affirm his commitment to democratic rule. when he said that he would decide when he wished to say the 2016 presidential election is valid.

that it's not as he's been saying, rigged. this is not the first time donald trump denied the legitimacy of our democracy. he did in 2008 and 2012 with the unfounded declaration that neither election was valid because barack obama is not a natural born citizen. he's been saying in recent weeks the 2016 election results cannot possibly be legitimate should hillary clinton get the most votes because she should rightly be in prison. again and again, he has said she is an illegitimate candidate which would make her victory illegitimate. it's become a standard trump argument. any president, present or future, i don't like, suspeisn' really president. what he says when asked to clarify his charge of a rigged election, he doesn't like the media coverage suggesting this will be his charge come election night that the results should be dismissed because people have been, to use his word last night, poisoned. is that it? if he doesn't like the media coverage, doesn't like the results because he said today he'll accept it, if he comes in on top, he will refuse to accept them. i've loved american democracy

all my life. not just because it's our way to rule ourselves, and we are the first and the best at it, but because it honors in the end the character and patriotism of those who walk out there and accept the country's judgment, who risk their pride in the arena of public opinion and when it's decided, accept the people's verdict. there's nothing as honest or as compelling as a vital concession speech. al gore's may have been the best but i can think of others. adlai stevenson said -- with the pain and humiliation, there's with the tears a salute to the democracy, ourself, the one we honor with the snap of our stars and stripes, every flag and every weather. 50 states united by a institution all public officials must public officials must wear to uphold, every soldier and sailor to defend. i'll stick with that word. describes what was said last night by a fickle claim, i'll

keep you in suspense. every election we like to see some character and some patriotism. what was said last night in las vegas and chuckled about today in ohio, evidence none of either. and that's "hardball" for now. thanks for being with us. "all in with chris hayes" starts right now. tonight on "all in." >> what i'm saying is i will tell you at the time. i'll keep you in suspense. >> fired up and ready to go. donald trump now offering terms for a conditional concession. >> if i win. >> tonight, the fallout from the final debate, and the latest republican party chaos. then -- >> such a nasty woman. >> as another accuser comes forward, how donald trump's nasty attack played out with voters. >> nobody has more respect for women than i do. nobody. plus, the obama family fans out across america again for hillary. >> this year, weno