have a great night. the president says he's a victim of a witch hunt. >> do you believe you're under investigation now. >> robert mueller and president trump are building legal teams. how serious is the threat to mr. trump's presidency? we'll get points of view from all sides this morning. jay from president trump's legal team, republican senator marco rubio, and senator angus cane. plus that shooting at a republican baseball practice reminds us that toxic rhetoric can turn to real violence.

both parties say it's time to tone things down. >> let us always remember that our job is to serve and represent the whole american people. >> but how long will that sentiment last? and georgia on our minds, why tuesday's special congressional election is the biggest political test yet for the trump presidency? joining me for insight and analysis are david brooks of the new york times, the cook political report amy walter, eugene robinson of the washington post and daniel pletka of the american enterprise institute. welcome to sunday, it's meet the press. >> from nbc news in washington, the longest running show in television history, celebrating its 70th year, this is meet the press with chuck todd. good sunday morning and happy father's day at the dads out there. before we get to the main story, we want to update you on the progress of one father in particular. congressman steve scalise shot at the republican baseball practice wednesday, his

condition improved from critical to serious after undergoing another surgery. the hospital says he's more responsive and now is speaking with his loved ones. all of us here offer our best wish for the a speedy recovery and those injured in that tragedy. now back to the main focus this morning. president trump has been in office for less than five months and his presidency is in parol. organizations reported this week mr. trump is under investigation for possible obstruction of justice. president struck back on twitter seeming it was true. another bizarre twitter turn as the white house and special counsel robert mueller's team is lawyering up preparing for a long battle with potentially his to -- historic implications. he is looking into the

son-in-law's business dealings and interactions with russians and you have a presidency in crisis and all this on a week punk waited on an attack by lawmakers how thin the line can be between talk and violence. >> let us always remember that our job is to serve and represent the whole american peop people. >> on a week when political turned to tragedy, the horrific shooting was a vivid reminder that our angry toxic politics can lead to violence. >> we do well in times like these to remember that everyone who serves in our nation's capital is here because above all, they love our country. >> but mr. trump under cut calls for unity lashing out and at special counsel robert mueller who is now investigating the president for obstruction of justice. on thursday mr. trump called it

the sing l greatest witch hunt in american poll hit kill history led by bad and conflicted people. on friday he doubled down i'm being investigated for firing the fbi director by the man who told me to fire the fbi director. witch hunt. it's an apparent reference to rod rosenstein who is is not laeting the investigation and contradicts what mr. trump himself told nbc's lester holt about why he fired james comey. >> regardless of recommendation, i was going to fire comey knowing there was no good time to do it and in fact, when i decided to do it, i said to myself. i said you know, this russia thing with trump and russia is a made up story. >> on friday the president added a power house lawyer to the legal defense team after muller is investigating trump's son-in-law jared kushner and his business dealings.

an attorney for kushner tells nbc news, we do not know what this report refers to. it would be standard practice for the special counsel to examine financial records to look for anything related to russia. as a candidate trump warned it would produce endless investigations. the biggest scandal since watergate and an inability to govern. >> hillary is likely to be under investigation for many years probably concluding in a criminal trial. >> but now it's mr. trump led by a special counsel who most members of the party support. >> i have a lot of confidence in bob muller. i think it was a good choice. >> joining me nows a member of the team for the american center for law and justice. welcome to "meet the press" and happy father's day. >> happy father's day, chuck.

>> let me begin getting clarification. i'm being investigated for firing the fbi director for firing the fbi director. when was he aware he was officially under investigation. >> 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 jail jamey said and we know today, the president has not been and is not under investigation. >> i'll go back to the tweet, why did he say he was? i mean, was he mistweeted? are we not to take him at his word? >> the president's tweet was in response to the washington post story, so "the washington post" issued a story that had five

ano anonymous stories. let me be clear, the president is not and has not been under investigation for obstruction. >> why is the president confused? is this just that he thinks the media is correct here? i'm confused by this. why is he not taking your legal advice or other legal advice saying mr. president, you're not under investigation so why tweet this? this is why there is confusion. >> chuck, you're reading more to the tweet than what is there. the president sent out the tweet in response to "the washington post" starry with the five unnamed sources from unnamed agencies and put that in the tweet so look, the president has been very effective in utilizing social media but i want to be clear here and direct, the president has not been and is not under investigation and that

is, the tweet was in response to "the washington post" story with no named sources whatsoever. as you know, no named agencies. >> he said by the man who told me to fire the fbi director. i assume that's in reference to rod rosenstein. he said he would fire the fbi director regardless of whatever the deputy attorney general said so i'm confused there. who made the recommendation to fire james comey, was it the president's decision or was it the recommendation of the deputy attorney general? >> first of all, the president ultimately makes the decision. that's wh that's whahe is, president of the united states. there is discussing a very thorough process. i'm holding in my hand the letter that was sent from the attorney general of the united

states with the men randmo and t recommendation is a recommendation for removal. now as you know, presidents have the ability to think about these situations not in a vacuum. there is a process when he met with his attorney general, when he met with his deputy attorney general and reviewed their recommendation what they thought the appropriaropropriate coursen should be both were convinced with long document that james comey should be removed. if the leks were correct about the investigation and we have no knowledge of an investigation, but if the leaks were correct, here is what the legal theory would have to be. this would raise a serious issue out of the beginning. you would have the president of the united states reviewing a letter and recommendations from his department head. that would be the attorney general of the united states, as well as others.

consultation with others. and he made a determination based on that consultation and based on adele l deliberate pro >> that is not what the president said to lester holt. the president said to lester holt that he had already made the decision to fire james comey. so i'm confused here. you just said, you just said he that he asked for this consultation, which by the way, let me also say here, mr. rosenstein in his prepared statement in his testimony to congress last month said my men ran is not statement to justify a four-cause termination so i'm confused by your rational here. >> the letter to the president of the united states is therefore i must recommend you remove director james comey and identify and experience and qualified individual to lead the great men and women of the fbi. that's pretty unqualified.

attached to that is a memorandum from the deputy attorney general's office where he lays out the reason of his concern and recommendation of removal was because of the handling of the hillary clinton matter. let's take a look at what you just said. the president made the decision before. let's assume there was all kinds of decisions being discussed but this crystallized that decision. the fact of the matter is the president under the constitution has the authority to make the decision and has two men randmos so here is the theory of this purported case from "the washington post." i mean, just think about this for a minute. so the president of the united states takes action to remove the fbi director and he has a recommendation from his attorney general and deputy attorney general to take that action. he's now according to the washington post being investigated by the same department who told him to take that action. that's not constitutional. that's not the way the

constitution works. >> the question is going to be, though, what was the reason behind the firing? so let me ask you this, was the reason having to do with his handling of the russia investigation or was it having to do with his handling of the clinton eail investigation? the reason i ask yous because the memo that was written, the deputy attorney general did not discuss russia. the president in his interview with my colleague lester holt said it was about russia. which is it? >> you raise an interesting point in the lester holt interview. when the president gave that full interview to lester holt he said that in light of all of this, the removal of james comey -- in fact, he knew it -- would lengthen the time this investigation would take but he thought it was in the best interest of the american people.

he was fully aware if, in fact, he took this action he could see a lengthening of the process. so you cannot view this in my mind, chuck or any reasonable person mind these thing in a vacuum. let me tell you the factor into exist here. the president made the determination to remove the director of the fbi after consultation with others and that determination is protected by the constitution. >> let me ask you this, why is the president seen as many he is so concerned about this investigation if he did nothing wrong? if it is going to -- if this investigation is going to find that and he knows he did nothing wrong he shouldn't be afraid of this investigation. it's being led by professionals, a guy li robermueller, not a political guy and partisan guy. why doesn't the president embrace this investigation if he's innocent? >> because every day, "the

washington post" and "the new york times" are utilizing supposed leaked information about supposed investigations of the president of the united states so his legal team and president responds. when you see a tweet, okay or utilization of social media and the president has -- i mean, his social media reach is over 100 million. a little more than watching us today. i know you have good ratings but reaches a lot of people. that tweet takes 15 seconds this is is not taking up the president of the united states day. he's using it to talk to the people not in office. >> if the president is innocent, why is he afraid of this investigation? >> he's not afraid of the investigation. there is no investigation. i want to be clear here -- >> there is an investigation into what russia did in the 2016 election. >> he told james kcomey when james comey was the fbi director and testified to this, to continue that probe, find out what happened there. he's not worried about this but there is not an investigation of

the president of the united states, period. >> jay seculow, thank you for coming on. appreciate it. joining me now marco rubio of florida who of course is a member of the senate intelligence committee and many folks questioning these heari s hearings. welcome back to "meet the press". >> thank you. >> the president tweeted i'm being investigated for firing the fbi director by the man who told me to fire the fbi director. witch hunt. senator diane feinstein put out this press release on friday. the message the president is sending through his tweets is that he believes the rule of law doesn't apply to him and anyone who thinks otherwise will be fired. that's undemocratic on its face and a plblatant violation. pretty rough words from her. she doesn't normally use language like that. do you concur with her sentiment? >> i think everybody just needs

to keep watching this but take a deep breath, too. the fbi is going to do its job. the fbi doesn't sit around all day and read tweets. the fbi is going to do its job. mueller will do its job and the best thing that can happen to everybody, the president, the country, our institutions of government is for a full and thorough and credible investigation that reveals everything. that's the best thing that can happen for the president and that's what is going to happen, i believe. >> he refers to it this week alone, he referred to the russia investigation as a witch hunt, i want to say six or seven times, that's not embracing the investigation and that's not adding to the credibility of the investigation, that seems to be an attempt to undermine the credibility of the investigation. does that concern you? >> for one thing we've learned from the testimony of multiple people is the president is fired up about this, okay? from every pronouncement we have seen feels very strongly that he did nothing wrong and he wants people to say that because he feels very strongly about it.

i don't think that's a mystery and he's expressing himself in that way. that said that is not going to impede work from continuing. you've never seen a single member of law enforcement come forward and say anything different. this is going to move forward. we'll get the full truth out there and i repeat, that's the best thing that can happen is for everything to come out and i believe it will. >> so you don't believe these tweets are intended to send a warning to special counsel mueller or rod rosenstein? >> i have no basis to make a decision on intent. i can tell you the impact and also tell you that what the president -- i don't think it's a mystery, he feels pretty strongly about the fact he did nothing wrong and he has tried to get multiple people to say that publicly because they told him that in private. he wants them to say it publicly. that is not going to impede the work. the work is movering fsin movin.

if that changes, we'll have a different conversation on the ai air. >> do you think that's a point considering the confusion, do you think it would be appropriate if he were investigating the president on this? he's not -- an investigation doesn't mean guilt. an investigation simply means investigating. do you think it's an appropriate investigation? >> you said does it mean guilt. a lot of times that's how it is portrayed. nobody wants to be under investigation even if you did nothing wrong because it has negative connotations. that said, i think they should look at everything look at itll it will be good for the president, gd r the country to have a full and credible investigation so no one can ever say you didn't look at this or you didn't look at that. that's what needs to happen. i believe that's what will happen and the result of that will be good for america so we can move on to take on important

issues that are confronting us. >> there is concern, i think, in by some colleagues that the administration doesn't take this very seriously what russia did. i want to play for you a response from the attorney general earlier this week that was quite stunning. here it is. >> i know nothing but what i've read in the paper. i never received any detail briefing on how a hacking occurred or how information was alleged to have influenced -- >> between -- >> did you find it startling that a member of the national security counsel hasn't had a briefing on what russia did to in the election, what the intelligence committee said? it seemed to be stunning to me that a member of the president's national security counsel because that would imply that the president's national security counsel is not even discussing this issue. >> well, let me say to you this, yes, the initial reaction people would have is wow, somebody, attorney general is not even breached on russia's

interference but you realize the reverse. if he had been briefed, what we would be talking about today is whether that's appropriate because he's reducused from anything having to do with the election in russia. it's a catch 22, you're dammed if you do and don't. the general theme of russia's interference the president said he doesn't believe it. i believe it. not only do i believe it, i know it. almost everybody else does. >> think about what you said. think whababout what you just s. you believe it. you've seen the evidence. how stunning is that to you that the president of the united states disputes the evidence of 17 intelligence agencies in this country? >> well, again, ultimately, it's -- at the end of the day he has a right to his opinion on these issues. bottom line is we'll continue to do our work. you saw it this week that the senate voted on sanctions and the president will have to make a decision whether he'll sign that or not. i hope he does. i believe there is sufficient votes in place to encourage him to do so but in the end, we're

going to do what we believe is right. that's what we'll do. we'll have disagreements from time to time and hopefully, by the way, his conclusion will change. >> the more administration tries to soften the sanctions in the house, at any point do you understand if some people see that as circumstantial evidence in this probe? >> i could understand how some people will make that argument and tell you that i personally believe that at the core of the resistance is not the president. i don't think the president himself has a problem with additional sanctions on russia. i think the concern actually comes from the state deputy and for the following reason, they argue they are trying to get the russians to be more cooperative on a number of fronts and this could set us back. it's a legitimate argument. i thought about it. i don't agree. you saw the majority of my colleagues didn't agree. >> senator marco rubio, as always, thanks for coming on and sharing views and by the way, happy father's day. >> thank you. when we come back, we're going to hear from the other side, or third side if you well

angus king of maine and as we go to break, a reminder of by pa bipartisan calls to tone down the rhetoric with the shooting of steve scalise and three others. >> we're united in shock and anguish, an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us. [ applause ] >> you hear me say something you've never heard me say before, i identify myself with the remarks of the speaker. ight. hold on dad... liberty did what? yeah, liberty mutual 24-hour roadside assistance helped him to fix his flat so he could get home safely. my dad says our insurance doesn't have that. don't worry - i know what a lug wrench is, dad. is this a lug wrench? maybe? you can leave worry behind when liberty stands with you™. liberty stands with you™. liberty mutual insurance.

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>> thank you, your colleague, i asked him, i asked him to react to that answer that the attorney general gave to you, and while he acknowledged that might be stunning or surprising to some that the attorney general did not get briefed, that it was a catch 22, and that if he were, he would have been rescuesed and -- >> i . >> i don't think so, and we're talking about a period where he was a senior foreign policy in the election through the transition through january into february. i can't imagine coming into office with this fact of this russian engagement in our election and not digging into it. i lie it's one of the most serious attacks we've had on our country in recent years and the president doesn't seem interested in it, either that

mr. comey testify in interactions with him before he was fired in none of those did the president say what did the russians do? how did they do it? can we do about it? this is is serious stuff and all of this trump comey and obstruction of justice is sort of obscuring the underlying what i think is really the big story. >> do you believe circumstantial evidence itself? >> i just think the president has got it in his mind this isn't real and i just wish he would sit down quietly with some of the professionals with mike rogers at nsa or people at the fbi who did the investigation or talked to jim clapper, one of the most credible people to serve and get the facts and quit denying it. i think he thinks it undermines his election and, you know, we got to put that aside. the real problem here, chuck, is the russians aren't going away. this isn't a one off deal. they are going to come after us

in 2018, 2020 and as marco rubio keeps saying in the committee, this could work in the opposite way. >> given the various tweets this week that the president put up a few times, the idea he's upset with the deputy attorney general he is managing i guess the special counsel, do you numr one think th deputy attorney general needs to recuse himself because he was at least consulted on the comey firing? >> well, i don't know about recuse himself. that will be his decision but i think definitely, he's going to be interviewed by the special counsel because of his involvement with the president. >> can you oversee? >> prior discussion. >> can you oversee an investigation witness? >> bob mueller has special more

or less independence and he's going to pursue it. your long discussion with the president's lawyer will be a matter of time. we don't need to decide or argue today whether or not the president is under investigation. mueller will investigate what he thinks is important and we'll find out in a matter of time whether he's following up on the question of obstruction of justice. >> there was a tweet the collusion of the investigation over and coming after him on obstruction of justice. let me ask you where is the senate intel committee on the investigation time-table wise. are you in the beginning, middle of it? i know you don't know the exact end date of when you will draw a conclusion but give me some sense of where you are. >> first i can say that the collusion or cooperation aspect of the investigation is not over and as far as that goes, i'd say we're 20% into it just to throw a number at it.

this is a complex matter involving thousands of pages of intelligence documents and lots of witnesses. there is a lot of information yet to go. >> what's the difference in your mind by between collusion and coordination? >> well, i think that's a crucial question. i think the question -- well, both of those are disturbing if either exists. let's take coordination, which i think is a lighter word than collusion but the real question is were there people in the trump campaign not necessarily the president or the candidate who were in contact with the russians and sort of sharing information and cooperating in terms of how the russians were acting in the latter stages of the campaign and that's the question that we're looking at but don't forget, chuck, the underlying question is that the russians tried to screw around with our elections and also with the state election system which i find really scary. we'll have a hearing on that this week and that may

ultimately be the most dangerous part of this. >> we keep hearing more and more on that, as well. unfortunately, i'm running late on time. senator king as always, thank you for coming in and sharing your views and happy father's day, sir. >> same to you, chuck. >> you got it. later in the broadcast, much more on the russia investigation and on tuesday's special investigation in atlanta. how the results there could spread far beyond georgia and as we go to break, here is congressman jim himes of connecticut. >> we have town hall meetings and people shouting. this morning was a real reminder we're actually as leaders, we are responsible for setting as civil and constructive a tone as we can. we moved into the new h. ♪ a lot of people have veic blinds. well, if a lot of people jumped f a bridge, would you? you hungry? i'm okay right -- i'm... i'm becoming my, uh, mother. it's been hard,

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welcome back david brooks is here ask daniel pletka askand eugene for the washington post. david brooks, do you have a better sense on where the president is is for this investigation? >> i'm getting more uncomfortable with the deal thinking maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves ask bothered about the underlying crime there is actually collusion or coordination between the trump white house. what hapned is we surrounded the esident th the legal

mind field and donald trump being donald trump steps over the legal mine field and blows them up but it's becoming an investigation by itself and i lived through white water and there is shady behavior that don't rise to the watergate level and i'm afraid we're being swallowed up by politics of scandal when there is less and less evidence. it bothers me. >> i'm absolutely with you. i thought the most striking part is when jay said that the president's very effective inniin i his use of social media and it's gotten him into the predicament he's in. you live by twitter and die by twitter and the reason we're having this discussion in the first place is the fact that he tweeted out the possibility that there are tapes of jim comey, right? the fact he went on television and said what he said to lester holt, the fact he tweeted the tweet you talked about today on the show. so that at the end of the day, it's what evidence is there, is not quite as going to be as relevant as what he's doing

during the investigation, not what happened -- not what the investigation is about. >> in someway -- >> a lot of fog, but i don't -- i don't see why we should be that concerned that we don't have a -- the smoking gun yet. i mean, we're still clearing away the smoke. it seems to me the investigation will go on and either they will find evidence of collusion or they will not, but on obstruction of justice is not a small matter and there are ways to go through an investigation without obstructing justice. the president's tweets are statements by the president of the united states. they can't be ignored or dismissed as well that's just social media. in fact, i can argue they are more important than the sort of chopped and processed statements that come out of the white house press office or out of his attorneys. these come from the mind -- >> so you though -- >> the president of the united states. >> danny? >> i have to say something first. happy birthday, sophie. >> you're getting that out there

no matter what. >> i'm getting that out there no matter what. that's my middle daughter. she's turning 18 today. i think david is exactly right. all along what you hear behind the scenes in washington is there isn't any there there about the russia collusion, about the russia investigation. all we're talking about all the time is donald trump stepping on those mines, donald trump tweeting, donald trump's lawyers and his staff trying to keep up with all of the different things that he's saying. we're not actually talking about what the russians are up to or even whether the president has the right to pyre the f-- fire the fbi director. >> that's the president's problem, isn't it? we should be talking about iran or the "u.s.s. fitzgerald" or steve scalise today. >> one investigation mueller is conducting is russian state sponsored businesses or whatever but principles in the trump

campaign, including the president and jared kushner. a lot being investigated here and i just think it's premature to say there is no there there. >> i don't think any of us want to suggest that there is -- that there was no misbehavior, we know it will become about the investigation. they get charged for lying to prosecutors. >> i think the president used it. here is a headline in the washington post from july 22nd, 1973 that says nixon sees witch hunt insiders say by a couple guys. [ laughter ] >> it sounds as if you believe, david, the president is -- it does seem the more focused there

is on the obstruction of justice is it or isn't it, does it actually benefit him because there is not a focus on what the russians there is actually evidence of collusion. the problem with trump is that he is a person who values personality and surrounded by a modern government which is a government of laws so he walks over every single legal structure and surround with legal structure he's walking all over. that's a genuine problem. i have 976 problems with trump as president but the russia collusion happens to be number 457. and it -- we surrounded him with this, i think -- >> it's not just watergate if you go back and look during the man c monica lewinsky -- >> witch hun >> you fp the script and upset about the leaks that came from the office going after kent star personally. none of that is new. the president is is making it

that much harder for his defenders and marco rubio comes on there and makes a very good point, let's let this investigation play out but he is preventing it. the president himself -- >> that gets to the problem this president can't compartmentalize. >> i don't think he understands what being president is about. presidenting is difficult. what you really need to do -- >> you invented a word there, presidenting. >> it felt good. look, what this is about is actually governance and he doesn't want to govern. he wants to campaign. you got to fight all the time. >> fight -- >> other 12 you have is boring. >> interesting. we'll pause it and come back why tuesday's vote in georgia will be the most important special election ever or maybe not. we'll be right back. that everyby ignores me when i drive. it's fine. because i get a safe driving bonus check every six months i'm accident free. because i don't use my cellphone when i'm driving. even though my family does, and leaves me all alone. here's something else... i don't share it with mom. i don't. right, mom?

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welcome back. data download time. georgia's sixth congressional district is here. it turns to john and karen. depending on how you look at it, this race could be a key bellwether for the next year's mid terms or it could be a way over hyped out lie with little meaning for 2018. a few reasons why the election matters. this is a test for the kind of district democrats must win if they are going to take back the house in 2018. places where republicans won and tom price won and donald trump struggled. there are 23 districts

republican won the house seat but hillary clinton won the presidential vote. if he wins, it suggests republicans have a lot to worry about. second, education. republicans are losing educated voters. of the ten top districts, democrats won nine of them in 2016, georgia six was the only one they lost. if they can't win swing districts like this, their chances of taking back the house are extraordinary slim. a few reasons why this race may be an out liar and hold off on hype. first money, so far nearly $40 million is spent on tv ads alone in one house race. that's 10 million more than the total spent on the most expensive house race in american history. it's unique. next, there is no popular incumbent running. that does matter. tom price won 62% of the vote in november but 118 republicans and congress did better in the district. so the georgia six is more the exception than the rule. and don't forget, with all of

the national attention on the house race, turnout is likely to be higher than an average midterm race so folks, we're living in unpredictable political time. so no matter who wins tuesday, there will be a lot of spin from both sides but the way conventional political wisdom is up ended, don't be surprised big news tuesday night is out of a fifth congressional district. don't forget, there is a special election there, too. when we come back, what are the chances that that awful shooting at the republican baseball practice this week will actually lead to a change in tone in washington and across the country? [ snoring ] [ deep sleep snoring ] the all-new volkswagen atlas. seats seven, sleeps six. life's as big as you make it.

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we we're back with the panel, amy, you do house races more than anybody. why does it matter and what is over hype snd. >> you laid it out perfectly. this is what democrats need to win and the democrats are competing in in 2018 and have candidates. if they don't win in the special election, it will be a big depressing moment for them. but you're right, i think we over hype a lot of this. a lot of it is going to be about the impact that this race has. is it going to make them cdemoc more excited, more candidates running and raise more money or if they lose, is it a way to tamp down that enthusiasm. >> david brooks, a lot of people are looking at it in washington

through the prism of his russian problems and stuff with the president number one issue being health care. it feels like health care is the future for republicans might be on the ballot tuesday. >> that's my theme of the morning we're focussed and get excited about the russia story but voters there from every reporting i've seen is they want to investigate and get anything done all this other stuff, you're not helping us and more moderate college educated is the key to actually have. >> the health care issue is interesting do -- will they pay a price for senate republicans for doing this underway they criticize democrats for? is a monotaj for the criticism. >> democratic leadership worked behind closed doors out of public view. >> is being written behind closed doors without input from anyone in an effort to jam it

past not only the senate but the american people. >> there is no conversation and no one knows what is in this bill but one senator. >> that was all in2009. now democrats are throwing -- look, i know you're shocked that hypocrisy is taking place in washington among the two major parties. will voters punish republicans for that or not? >> i don't know. i don't know if they'll punish republicans for that, i don't know if they'll punish republicans for the house bill, which is wildly unpopular throughout the country. and i don't know if some republicans will be punished for not getting anything done, if, in fact this doesn't go through. in other words, i think republicans are much more vulnerable on health care issue than democrats are right now. and it is hard to see how anything they do really helps them a lot politically. >> bigger problem for the republicans is not simply the health care vote, but effectiveness. at the end of the day, they haven't done anything we need to

see them do. and that's going to be what they need to bring to the people, here is what we accomplished. i think even if it is controversial if they accomplished something, they will have a good argument. >> i don't know -- this health care bill is not just unpopular, it is epically unpopular. 17% among independents. that's horrific. >> we said the same thing about -- >> the house bill in 2010. >> as a political issue, i think it is going to be very difficult to defend. we know what happens when you take major legislation and shove it thrgh on a purely partisan vote. you se politically. it is bad. >> the healt care, the providers need coverage. obamacare is built into their business models. if that gets ripped away, i'm not talking about democrats in a panic, you take away a benefit, we know health care is how people vote. i think this is a ruinous bill. like they're keeping it secret because i'm about to hit you, but i'm not going to tell you, but i'm going to hit you and you're going to realize you just got hit and you'll vote on it

anyway, so you might as well have it out in the open from the beginning. >> reporting came out that when the president met with senate republicans, he called the house bill mean. it was, like, is that how you win over the freedom caucus? >> it is staggering to watch the president. back to talking about what the president tweets and says about things behind closed doors and leaks, again. >> leaks again. we're going to pause here. i want to talk about whether washington will change or not based on what happened. we'll be back in 45 seconds with endgame. coming up, "meet the press" endgame, brought to you by boeing. always working to build something better. mmmm. mmmm. mmmm... ugh. nothing spoils a moment like heartburn. try new alka-seltzer ultra strength heartburn relief chews. it's fast, powerful relief with no chalky taste. [ sings high note ] ultra strength, new from alka-seltzer. enjoy the relief. when this guy got a flat tire in the middle of the night, so he got home safe. yeah, my dad says our insurance doesn't have that. what?! you can leave worry behind

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skin smoothing venus razors. "meet the press" endgame brought to you by boeing, always working to build something better. back now with endgame. david, after this shooting, eight members of congress have been shot, i think, in the history of congress. two in the last six years. after both gabby giffords and steve scalise, one democrat, one republican, immediate reaction by nonpartisans was is our politics gotten too vitriolic. i think we all believe that's a yes. will it change? >> i don't think so. you know, the poll result that bugged me the most is 1970, they asked people would you mind if your son or daughter married somebody of the opposing party. 5%, now it is 35%, 40%. politics has become a religion, like an indicator of your soul, how you are as a friend, a person. politics is an argument about tax rates and how we structure

health care. it is not about your soul f y. if you turn to religion, you get lunatics like this guy. >> we don't disagree anymore on issues. that's not the issue over the last 30 years we pulled apart ideologically or on the policy, where we pulled apart is feelings about each other, that we dislike each other more. the president said what brings people to washington is tir of country. i think tt's fa we may love our country, but don't love each other. that's the bigger problem. >> you brought up the president. i wonder if he's done enough. here is ted nugent pledging to change his tone. take a listen to this. >> i cannot and i will not and i encourage even my friends slash enemy on left in the democrat and liberal world that we have got to be civil to each other. >> the reason i point thissous. ted nugent said it, we can say this guy is in the hall of fame.

>> i guess it would have helped. i think the -- i think what the underlying forces are more important here. we have self-sorted by political views, geographically, we tend to live around people who think the way we do, and can't imagine living with people don't think the way we do. as that continues, i just think we become more tribal. and that's where we are. >> donald trump gave a good speech and good comment this week. he deserves credit for that. the bigger problem is that there are larger fissures growing in our society, not just left and right republicans and democrats. it is racial, it is class. it is very much common education level and that amply fide by social media and the feeling that people have is what makes this so toxic.

>> think about the ads run by the people denouncing all the incivility in washington, only 20% of all ads run are positive ads. the grand majority are attack ads. >> paul ryan's super pac is the kathy griffin thing. it was disgusting. don't put it in a paid ad. >> when talking about violence, violence doesn't come from bad ads. violence comes from isolated angry guys who feel insignificant and invisible and sort of psychopathic, don't understand other people's emotions and want to shoot somebody to prove they exist and willing to kill themselves over -- >> how many presidents did we lose in the 20th century. that kind of violence is -- the one thing that i think is worth reminding people is that even though this is the public face, this anger, this disagreement, the truth is, there is still a lot of civility in washington. paul ryan and nancy pelosi talk all the time. >> not only that, i think this is real in congress. i think this hit them in a way

that how could it not? this hit them in a different way. regardless of whether we change, publicly, i feel like this is going to change. >> when you spoke to members, you know, wednesday, thursday, friday, there was a very different tone, and very, you know, and i don't think that was artificial. >> i get the sense that as i said, if you see something, say something. if you see somebody on your side saying something vitriolic, say, tell them no. i think the members will do that. >> okay. >> they may. you can be polly annaish, i think we will go back to our old ways very soon. >> that's all we have for today. thank you for watching. david, gene, happy father's day to both of you. to all the dads out there, we'll be back next week. if it is sunday, it's "meet the press".

due to mature subject matter viewer discretion is advised. msnbc takes you behind the walls of america's most notorious prisons into a world of chaos and danger. now the scenes you've never seen, "lockup: raw." >> on the ground. >> we're going to run military style. strict. >> before any inmate sees the inside of a prison, he's most likely first seen the inside a jail. >> i'm just sitting in a room. i don't know if it's night or daylight. >> and nothing about jail is for the faint of heart. for some, jail is the ultimate