that does it for a busy hour. i'll see you back here at 6:00 p.m. eastern tomorrow and that is it. you could always find us on facebook at "the beat" with arri -- yeah, the beat with ari.com. "hardball" with chris matthews is up next. let's play "hardball." good evening, i'm chris imagine use back in washington. the gop civil war between the nationalists and the establishment is getting nasty. steve bannon defended roy moore and trashed mitt romney in very personal terms. mitch mcconnell defended romney today. and democratic senators are calling on al franken to step down after another woman has come forward accusing him of trying to forcibly kisser. he denied it but in the wake of a new call for him to step

aside, his office said he will make an announcement tomorrow. it is been a rough day and a rally for roy moore, steve bannon responded to a tweet, saying roy moore in the u.s. senate will be a stain on the gop and on the nation. he said no vote is worth losing our on -- our honor and integrity. bannon questions his honor. >> you hid behind your religion. you went to france to be a missionary while guys were dying in rice paddies in vietnam. do not talk to me about honor and integrity. you ran for commander-in-chief and had five sons. not one day of service in afghanistan and iraq. we have 7,000 dead and 52,000 casualties and where were the romneys during those wars? you want to talk about honor and integrity, bring it down here to alabama. judge roy moore has more honor and integrity in the pinky finger than your entire family

has in his whole dna. >> the nasty voice of super nationalist if you like the guy. any way, stephen bannon has been loyal to tropicdonald trump and avoided vietnam for bone spurs in his feet. trump once joked with howard stern of avoiding sexually transmitted diseases was his personal vietnam. and none of his sons served in the vietnam either. and bannon's attack was rebuked by republicans including mitch mcconnell. also also mocked bannon's record of political success. let's listen. >> what he is a special in is nominating people who lose. >> last night steve bannon launched into an attack on mit mit. >> i could tell you what -- i i can tell you what i think of mitt romney. i think he's a great american and has a an outstanding career

and is a truly remarkable republican. i'm glad he's a member of our party. >> senator orrin hatch of utah said in a statement, steve bannon's attacks on governor romney and his service are disappointing and unjustifying and attacking any person's religious trues but our own christian lds famg and selfless service of missionary work. and whether you disagree you can't call into question his patriotism or moral character, on the basis of the his religious believes or outstanding service as a missionary. i'm joined by national press sect for mitt romney, presidential campaign. ruth marcus with "the washington post" and mark archie bald from the birmingham news. how does that race look down there right now, roy moore, how does that look? >> it is really tight. too close to call.

both sides are really angry and really energized and you have a taste of that with the steve bannon rhetoric last night. >> what do you make of the national echo down there? what influence does the fact that steve bannon is the nationalist self-described going to war with the establishment, m mitt romney. and a member of the lds church and throwing that in his face. how does that ricochet down there politically in terms of next tuesday's voting. >> based on last night i would say he is speaking directly to the roy moore voter. that is the same sort of belief system, the same sort of rhetoric that you hear from them and i think -- i think he was really rallying that base and it seemed to be pretty successful last night. >> ruth, tell us about this. what is your sense from up here. because i've been hearing indirectly, a lot of us pick up news that people down there, whatever their educational level or whatever, they think this northern influence is not what they like. they are blaming people up here like us, saying that's why i'm

going to vote for roy moore because you are trying to interfere with our election. >> and mcconnell said steve bannon picks people who lose and tbd because let's soo what happens on tuesday. i'm not sticking up for steve bannon. i thought everything he said was wrong, reprehensible and hypocritical. the trifecta of offensiveness. but nonetheless, he is -- he is in the ascendency in that race -- >> moore is. >> moore is and bannon is. he picked the right -- the winning candidate in the primary there and he may be riding that horse to the senate. >> ryan, i'm sorry to be cynical here but it looks like they are all track touts -- or at the race track or it looks like moore will win and i'm going to endorse him now and that includes mcconnell and the president and that includes bannon. all of them. they are jumping on a winning

horse. >> it looks like he's going to win. it puts senator mcconnell in a difficult position. he called for him to get out. if he gets to the senate there is an ethic investigation right away. but look, the team isn't on the same page. the republicans wanted to get moore out tv and trump came around and said i'm going to endorse humanitari endorse him and the rnc is not thrilled about this but it is the reality of things and he will probably win and if he gets to the senate he will cause issue. he's a loose cannon. he will cause problem after problem the entirety of his tenure. >> steve bannon went after mitch mcconnell last night. let's watch that. >> the republican establishment campaigned for a democrat for four solid weeks. and we're going to hold you accountable. you are not going to be able to walk away now mitch. they think you are a bunch of rubs, right. they hold you in total contempt.

could anything show more contempt than moore. mitch, the tax cut won't save you. it is okay but it won't save you. >> and let's tart with the personal fight. romney you respect before the show, you talked about how much you respect mitt romney. why does he have contempt for moore and let's be honest, trump. >> with roy moore it is beyond politics. >> what is beyond politics. >> the fact that a accused child molester is a nominee for senate in alabama. that is beyond politics. it is not about his policies. he lacks for moral character. >> okay. >> and the governor sees politics moving toward this dark area that bannon puts forward. >> do you think he'll be in the republican caucus by this next next year? >> i don't know. >> isn't romney running for the senate. >> i think he has a desire to

contribute and that desire and opportunity -- >> wait -- it is up to the voters of utah. isn't that what we say. >> i think it is up to senator hatch. >> of course it is up to him. but you are getting the pressure any way. trump has to stick around. clearly bannon would rather have -- well the whole thing is -- so let me get down there to alabama. let me ask you about this thing, john, down there. this fight nationally, again back to the question, how does this national fight and ben sasse of nebraska, flake of arizona, all joining sides with mitt romney and mitch mcconnell against the president and roy moore and steve bannon. who is the side of people of alabama on? i think i know. >> they are on bannon's side. no question about it. flake and all of guys you talked about, they were punch lines in the bannon routine and be got bigger cheers than roy moore did. so i think that tells you where they are lining up.

>> yesterday republican senator jeff flake, i mentioned him, of arizona said he was writing a check to roy moore's democratic opponent doug jones for $100. bannon mocked him last night. let's watch. >> let's talk about jeff flake. did he sign a check today, $100? to jones. come on, brother, if you are going to write a check. whi write a check. don't give the man a $100. flake, this is why your approval rating in your home state is 11%. jeff flake has done nothing but run the president of the united states down since the president won. >> meanwhile as i said another republican senator ben sasse of nebraska knocked the republican national committee for the decision to begin spending money again for moore. let's watch that. >> they explicitly admitted in the past they believed these women in alabama. and somehow now the rnc is giving money. it doesn't make any sense. >> ruth, you know i think i said

this the other night but i'll say it again, a lot of catholic priests, good ones, felt ashamed because they are part of an organization, the priesthood that had bad apples. a lot of bad apples. too many. and i wonder if the republican senate caucus will be happy to have a guy like roy moore among them with the pages and interns and the kids watching, but you could be there will be scuttlebutt among the interns. what is up with that guy. are you keeping away from him. >> and you could tell even from senator mcconnell who opposed roy moore, tried to get him to pull out, is now kind of reluctantly acknowledging se semi -- reluctant support said we have to seat him and there is an ethics investigation. we'll see what happens. but they do not want him to be a part of this. >> they don't want him to be the caucus but he will be in their caucus. >> i was struck listening to steve bannon. i thought he was going to say

deplorables. he was trying to convince the people in alabama, those roy moore supporters in alabama, that mitch mcconnell and his ilk, the ben sasse and jeff flake and efb else who he was attacked, think of them in the exact same way that hillary clinton thought of them. they are part of the basket of deplorables and they have disdain for you. >> what does that tell you, i think you are right. >> it tells you it is a powerful message. it also tells you that he has no shame. and this is a white house that original position was no senate seat is worth having a child molester there. that is what mark short said. that is what kellyanne conway said. the original version was if true then he would have to pull out and the new version which is now the official trump version and the rnc version and the bannon version is any seat is making sure there is not a democrat in there. and we don't care what he did. >> remember megan's law. >> yeah. >> you have to notify the neighborhood when you are moving

in if you are a child molester. this is not seen as something you could solve. let me get back to john archie bald. sending a message, that has residence in laalabama, what we remember back from the 60s which was send them a message. elect me and sent them a message. is there a message about alabama to the rest of the country? >> oh, absolutely. roy moore's primary surrogates have made that a real talking point as the world is watching us. the world is watching us. of course doug jones' people are saying the same thing. they just mean it differently. the world is watching us there too. but in the 60s we had all of the talk about outside agitators coming down and stirring things up and steve bannon -- but the problem is he's a bit of an outsidage traitor -- outside agitator himself. so everything seems to echo in

more than one way. >> and by the way, the whole world is watching. i've been hear being the world news organization. they are looking at america and alabama and they do remember vaguely the idea of george wa wall -- wallace. thank you. coming up, senator al franken is denying the allegations of sexual misconduct but he will make an announcement tomorrow after the senate colleagues including as of today chuck schumer calling on him to resign. and that is ahead. plus big very manies in the russia investigation. we'll bring you. a whistleblower said mike plfly said u.s. sanctions would be ripped up and 11 minutes into the presidency of donald trump. this is donald trump jr. testifying before the house intelligence committee. and trump announces a move that has enraged the muslim world including our allies. he's officially recognized jerusalem as the capital of israel. this is as if he's daring muslims to lash out. is that going to help him cut a peace deal in the middle east?

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you need to draw a line in the sand and say none of it is okay and none is acceptable and we as elected leaders should be held to a higher standard. not a lower standard and we should fundamentally be valuing

women. i do not feel he should continue to serve. everyone will make their own judgment. i hope they do make their own judgment. >> that was new york senator democratic kirsten gillibrand hurjing al franken to resign following allegations. much of the republican party is falling in line behind roy moore senate candidacy in alabama. many women are calling for franken to step down and leave the united states senate after being elected twice. the senator gillibrand led the charge. here she is. >> well obviously there were new allegations today. and enough is enough. i mean, this is a conversation we've been having for a very long time. it is a conversation that this country needs to have and i think when we start having to talk about the differences between sexual assault and sexual harassment and unwanted groping, you are having the wrong conversation. >> half of all senate democrats called on franken to leave the senate and late today the democratic leader chuck schumer

joined his colleagues in a statement writing senator frank ebb should resign. i consider him a dear friend and greatly respect his accomplishments but he has a higher obligation to his con stitt yenconstituents and shoul step down. and pottico broke a newal gigss, reporting a former democratic congressional aid said i tried to convince her after a taping of his radio show back in 2006. that incident happened three years before franken became a senator. according to the report, the former staffer ducked to avoid his lips. as she haste illy left the room she said franken told her, it is my right as an entertainer. well nbc news is not independently confirmed that allegation. in a statement franken wrote, this allegation is categorically not true and the idea i would claim this as my right as an entertainer is proposter owous. i look forward to the

investigation. franken said he will make an announcement in washington tomorrow. i'm joined by sher a bust os of illinois and kasie hunt capitol hill correspondent. let me go to bustos first. he hasn't made up his mind and will think about it tonight. your thoughts about that development. >> well, i think that if you are in washington, d.c. serving as a senator, a house member, if you are a democrat or a republican, if you've been out here for 40 years or one year, if you have a problem with sexual harassment, it is time to go. >> well what about the timing. do you think it is important that he do it right now. just get out of the door? >> well he'll have his announcement tomorrow. it looks like the pressure to resign is mounting. when you've got the leadership now of the senate calling for his resignation. when you have -- kirsten gillibrand who started this and many others joining that today. i think the pressure is mounting and -- and chris, i think part of what we need to look at too is as members of congress, i know we don't have the utmost

respect from the american public, this institution. but we need to start chipping away at that distrust and what the american public thinks of those who serve. i think public service is -- it is a great honor and i hope we can start winning back the public trust and this is a move in that direction. >> well how would you like to serve in the u.s. congress that has no al franken but a roy moore. because roy moore looks like he will win and be a member of the senate, the upper body so-called. you don't think that spoils the system a bit? >> well, yeah. it does. i guess at least as -- we're bipartisan in the sense that there is sexual harassment happening on both sides of the aisle. it is a terrible place to have bipartisan approach. but here is the thing. the leadership among the democrats, we have called for the resignation of those who

have been accused by very credible sources of committing this kind of -- >> i know that. nancy pelosi and the leader has done that too. >> but look at what is happening. and i hope alabama, i hope the voters in alabama say we are betting as a ta-- state than to elect somebody who has molested 14-year-olds. i don't want roy moore to enter that building behind us. that country is better than that and i hope the alabama voters realize that when they go to the polls. >> let me go to kasie hunt about this. i try to keep the time line. everything changes around here in politics every 15 minutes it seems. you are covering it every 15 minutes. and i'm thinking there was a time after the initial accusation against senator franken where people said he's going to the ethics committee and let's see what they decide there. he seems it be handling this difficult situation the best way you can given the accusation. and then these accusations continue and then again like a

watertown watertowner water torture and when do you believe the democrats starred rushing him to the door, i think there is private conversations especially among women members of the senate that have been going on kind of behind the scenes since this first happened but i do actually think that this morning was a real breaking point. i have one source who told me that chuck schumer had called al franken as soon as that story came out and said you have to step down. and the hour is unfolded this morning, you saw women taking the lead and all of those women senators putting out a joint statement -- or excuse me not a joint statement or a coordinated all at the same time saying that franken needed to step down. and i do really think it is what you point to. it is this sort of collective sense that this was a pattern of behavior. and that is -- and we've talked about this on your show quite a few times. >> yeah, i know. >> that distinguishes things

here. and there are political conditions. democrats don't want to look like hippo crates because of the president where he is and roy moore should be untenable and they are relying on women voters in 2018 and going forward and women have been energized in opposition to president trump. so all of those factors are true and senator al franken is well liked by his colleagues. >> that is what i'm curious about. >> yeah. >> let me ask you about this. maybe since you tell the story and you are one of the best up there. maybe the best. is there something more that people know about but don't say. in other orders there is a pattern that extends beyond the reported complaints and people know about and that adds to to their fervor to get him to quit. >> not that anybody has talked to be about. but at the same time i think what is out there in the record is enough. and i think that -- this is the thing and senator gillibrand i think articulated it this morning in saying i'm tired of

being asked what is the nuance or the difference between sexual harassment or sexual assault and all of these -- what the differences between the man who have acted badly. the reality is if you are a public service you should be held to a higher standard and none of this is okay. and i think the pressure on senator franken is insurmountable and they were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and not any more. >> let as talk about l-- his political self interest. i respected the book he wrote and the harrowing transition from public entertainer, wise guy, to being a -- a conscientious senator from minnesota. he went through a difficult -- going back to minnesota and living there and serving his time with the people. studying the people. going out and litzeni -- listen to people and now he has to give it on a set of events that came from the past. now here is the question. what does he have to gain in quitting? why doesn't his answer say, i'm going home this holiday season

and i'll think about it my family and i'll let you know january 6th. wouldn't that be -- and the reason i say this, won't he regret any impulsive decision now years -- kronkite in a different situation regretted quitting. what does he have to lose by stretching this out two or three more weeks? >> i think the reality is what does he gain. >> the chance this will stop. >> maybe. but i think the reality is democrats in the senate have made it clear that if he stays, he's not going to be welcome. and the senate is a small club and quite frankly if people -- if they decide to snub him, there is not a lot he can do. >> the judgment has been made. >> in the culture for roy moore. >> and let me ask you congressman because your sense from your reporting is the judgment is made and it is final. do you agree with that congresswoman, there is no gain in giving himself after all of the work to getting where he got to give himself a couple of weeks to think this there.

you don't think that is -- not in his interest, or is it. >> at some point you have to say what good for the american public. if you are in the line of work of being a public servant, of being a united states senator, or a congresswoman, it's really -- you hope service over self and you hope you are doing things in the best interest of the country. at this point, it is not in the best interest of this institution or for our country to stay in the u.s. senate. >> fair enough. i guess i'm too much in the world right now of people like trump and roy moore who don't give a damn about that question you just asked. they just don't. and this is a guy we're asking to think of the country over himself where people don't think about that. how could they get more power and they stick around longer than they've lost any idea and they are still around and people that only think about themselves would are say, al franken, be better than the other characters and it is tough but it is holding him to a standard. a lot of clowns are not meeting

themselves any day of the week. thank you congresswoman, i have a great respect and kasie hunt, the best. and up next, donald trump jr. was questioned under oath today. don't forget that baby, under oath. and amid shocking news about michael flynn on stage at very inauguration ceremony. up on the platform he was tempting about a business deal involving russia. well that is moving fast. this is "hardball" where the action is.

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i'm page hopkins with breaking news. a new wildfire tore through several homes in brentwood, bel air and other exclusive neighborhoods in los angeles. triggering mandatory evacuations. ucla canceled classes and residents in santa monica and malibu and west l.a. were told to stay home. more fires burning in other parts of southern california. the thomas fire in ventura is the largest torching some 65,000 acres. so far none of the fires are contained. they've destroyed at least 184 homes and forced the evacuations of nearly 200,000 people. now we're going to take you back to "hardball." welcome back to "hardball." where the president's oldest son donald trump jr. was privately questioned under oath today. under oath by the house intelligence committee. as part of the on going russia investigation. he was likely asked about the

three known overtures he received from russian cut yoults with links to the kremlin during the 2016 campaign. they include, a conversation with a former russian senator alexander tor shin at a privaten ra dinner. a june 9th campaign meeting with russians at trump tower and the messages he exchanged with wikileaks in september. after nbc news reported yesterday that the according to the russian lawyer in the june meeting. >> active lit solicited dirt on the clinton foundation. he wasn't just hearing her out as he said in the past. this is now the second time trump junior has been grilled about russia on capitol hill. and after he spoke before the senate judiciary committee this past september, chris coons said material false statements are criminal and suggested that junior wasn't telling the whole duluth. i'm joining by deny heck of

washington state who sits on the house intel committee and betry woodruff covering russia. congressman. >> there is a big shift. you hear the russians might have something to give him and do you have anything on hillary and what she's getting from the russians. and a slant if not change of subject. and he was the one trying to get the dirt on hillary. >> chris, you know better than most people i'm duty bound not to reveal the particulars of our in terrogation. but i will say this and characterize it. it was a very worthwhile use of our time. in fact, i would say this is progressing nicely across the investigations. senate and house and for the state and most importantly robert mueller. if this were a football game, we're in the third quarter or may be the beginning of the end. >> betsy, what do you think about all of this. this kid, i don't know how smart he is, he isn't informed about how to deal with reality in washington.

the fact is he had said one thing one month and the next thing it isn't him, it is over there probing them for dirt. because he needed something to help his father. >> don jr. has a same habit that the folks in trump's inner circle to forget things that should be memorable like asking a russian kremlin linked operative to share information with you to damage your father's political opponent. but this isn't just don jr. but others in the administration that engage in the amnesia, not to mention jeff sessions who had trouble remembering conversations with russian officials and jared curb mkushn list his foreign contact tods get a security clearance. don jr. is not alone when it comes to this complicated -- relationship. using our powers of the discernment. would there be a different order

of magnitude for a person in a political campaign in the united states talking to a foreigner with other foreign interests to ask them anything you want to talk about. as opposed to saying do you have anything of useful value for my candidate to win such as dirt on his opponent. is there a difference in those two operations. >> well sure there is. listen -- >> so there is a difference between having your ears open and having your mouth open and saying give me all of the dirt. >> i'm not describing that what happened today or -- >> in principal. >> but i will say this as well. not ascribing it to today. if had a nickel for every time i heard a witness saying i do not recall, i could retire on the interest earnings. >> is it credible that they have such weak memories? jeff sessions does it all of the time. >> it is completely without credibility. if you look at the body of evidence. there is a reason they are now two convicted felons in the inner circle and two more who are under indictment.

there is a reason why it was revealed this week more indictments are coming and there is a reason why the mueller investigation is now in the white house, interviewing people immediately surrounding the president. they're one step away from the president. >> again a speculation. why would a presidential campaign that was intent on trying to bring in some reproach of coming together with the russian government to avoid a second cold war, why would they be hiding that. if that was their grand ambition? >> isn't that the question of the week. why did any of these people lie? why do they keep lying. >> the question of the year in the last two years. and also today members of the house oversight committee have raised new concerns about michael flynn's involvement in a private u.s.-russia business proposal to build nuclear power plants in the middle east. and a russia deal. according to elijah cummings, an unnamed whistleblower told his committee in june that flynn alegislatured a former business partner, quote, that u.s.

sanctions on russia could block that nuclear project and it would be ripped up once trump was inside of the white house. according to the whistleblower, just 11 minutes into the inauguration, where trump was yelling about the size of the crowd, as flynn texted his former partner during the inaugural ceremony itself saying that the deal was, quote, good to go. as he summarized in a letter to the committee chair. our committee has credible allegations that the national security adviser sought to manipulate nuclear policy for the financial gain of his former business partners. he delayed releasing this information until now at the request of the special counsel. congressman, this is like -- this is like -- a smoking gun or whatever. but here you have a guy after he can't wait to netext, we have money coming our way, we have ow guy sworn in so now we'll make some money on it. do you understand -- you mentioned mueller, robert mueller, is he looking at the possibility of a criminal

enterprise by the trump people. >> of course he is. >> a criminal enterprise at making money. >> and there is a fire wall separating their work from our work, but listen, anybody who wears an orange jump suit, the currency of the realm cigarettes and it is interesting to check his cell. remember we're talking about a convicted felon. punishable by up to five years in prison. >> but he'll get less than that if he talks. >> if he flips bigger fish. and isn't that the reason why -- >> let me get back to -- let me get back here to betsy. >> don't have any presumption, but i do have confidence that if trump has something to hide he'll believe that. i don't know what it is. there is something he's been hiding and my other question is was there money involved. were the people including the president's sons out there for the buck? not just to win the presidency, but to turn it into a money making enterprise. was flynn up to that?

was paul manafort or gates up to that and all of these people involved. were all -- they had their hands sort of out the whoem time. >> we could see that mule ser interested in the financial dealings in the trump world. we could say that, i broke the news this year that mueller worked with special agents from the irs in the criminal investigation division. that is what they do. they investigate financial crimes. and mueller's team if you look at it, it is a host of attorneys who specialize in going after criminal enterprises and in going -- >> and do they have the tax returns already in hand? >> i can't speak to that. >> do you believe they do? >> i don't know. >> many people believe tht tax returns already and they are going for -- >> tick tock, tick tock then. >> deny heck of washington state and betry woodruff. up next president trump recognized jerusalem as isreal capital despite widespread condemnation from world leaders. so why is trump doing it. and why now? you're watching th"hardball."

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welcome back to "hardball." president trump recognized jerusalem as the capital of israel today. >> today we finally acknowledge the obvious. that jerusalem is israel's capital. this is nothing more or less than a recognition of reality. it is also the right thing to do. it is something that has to be done. >> well the recognition upends 70 years of american foreign policy and jeopardizes the peace process spearheaded by jared kushner and said he would move the embassy from tel aviv to jerusalem but set no timetable. shortly after the announcement in a address, palestinian president rejected the move and said it was tant amount to the

united states being a peace mediator. and secretary mattis and tillerson voiced concerns to the president about the threat moving the embassy would create for american personnel abroad. it delivers on a promise made during the 2016 campaign. >> we will move the american embassy to the eternal capital of the jewish people, jerusalem. >> for more i'm joined by the round table, andrea mitchell, nbc news, and host of and re a mitchell reports here on msnbc, michael crowley, senior foreign affaired for politico and youeue scott. and the intricacies of middle east jenegotiations and the president is saying to the people of israel, here it is, we're giving you the and result. >> and what does he get for it. it is not as though israel has

made an attempt to not expanding to palestinian area. this is the prize at the pot of gold for people delivering on their willingness to compromise and come up with a peace deal. and yet he's giving it to israel for nothing. and one has to assume it has a lot to do with domestic politics. namely alabama. this is enormously powerful incentive. it is what the evangelicals and down in alabama and other parts of the country, the religious right wanted to hear. >> and in terms of voting power, even if you say right wing jewish people, a jewish community, but if you look at evangelical and christians there is ahuge voting block. and they're pro-israel. they don't know what the city looks like it and they are not familiar with it. so is this a political move with an -- maybe a thousand or couple more votes for roy moore, a man

very religious. >> it appears that way. based on people i've spoke to today are that are evangelical christians that something that trump promised to them and it is important for them to see him deliver on. the details of why this is really important to them isn't quite clear. i asked some people why do you have issues with palestine but it is a win for trump who hasn't experienced many wins recent lirly. >> i have a sense that what trump is up to right now is he knows he won't be a popular president, he doesn't need to be. he has proven he could get a election. he is low 40% and could squeak it. he is like a politician mending and goes out to the utah and say i'll giva huge amount of development to rip open and rip the top off of the land and strip mine and make a ton of

money. why else would he do it. and then did this to the evangelicals and like the real hawks but going around mending fences and saying 40% is good enough for me but i'm going to hold that 40. >> it is a base play. and -- >> a base play. i love that lingo. >> and that might be something you would do in addition if you were worried about holding the line among congressional republicans if you were potentially bound for an impeachment proceeding. you have to hold the line with congressional republicans and make sure they are shored up on the right, and are going to stand with you. if the mueller investigation leads to an impeachment. so that is another rational. but i don't see a strategic rational so agree. i don't see a strategic rational. it only creates more headaches. no one can articulate a bank shot game plan. >> that is what i was thinking. i think billiards you want to play the ball after the shot. where are we going to be now for the next couple of months with

the arab islamic world which is a billion people, 350 millionaire abs and we are much more vulnerable than israel and we don't have a wall. we have guys in posts as we no tanzania in kenya, places where they could bomb the hell out of us and people getting in their cars and business people and missionaries and tourists all over the world. there are american targets and we've said to those people -- we've said that to the world. >> and they have sent out -- the state department sent out alerts, more alerts to embassies and consulates around the world. >> so why did he d we do it. >> and they are that nervous about the security of it. tillerson and mattis -- >> are we spending more money on -- on embassy security despite all of this benghazi, benghazi. are we spending more? are we doing any more to protect our troops. >> they did not propose more but the sub commitys are putting in more because they were appalled that the initial proposal for the state department did not

include more. >> and you mentioned benghazi, to help people visualize what the stakes are here. benghazi was part a wave of protests around compounds around the world. a dozen plus. in some cases people went over the fence and so you're really playing with fire here, that's what we're talking about as potential benghazi. last quick point, mike pence, don't forget him, key player. kind of the spokesman for evangelicals. he's headed to the region soon. that's going to be interesting. >> he was a big advocate for it, so was nikki haley. >> jared too. a mixed bag here. dangerous coalition. >> jared has not produced -- they were supposedly producing a peace plan. if they had a peace plan and this was part of it, there's no rational yet. >> it destroys any chance. we'll be right back. round table is sticking with us. you're watching "hardball." ♪

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places in there. two next month in mid-january. weather to recertify that iran nuclear deal. he said that if congress doesn't take strong action, he'll blow the thing up. might be another case where we're going along in the middle east and allies are flipping out. >> give me good news. >> i don't have good news. i have a conversation that's continuing about how we talk about sexual harassment, there's been an increased emphasis on revisiting how america responders of the clarence thomas hearings and there is a piece in the washington post today asking for his resignation. >> oh, but it is a permanent appointment as we know that too. >> lifetime. >> thank you, michael crowley and eugene scott. let me finish with trump watch. you're watching hardball. i'm ginny and i quit smoking with chantix.

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trump watch. wednesday, december 6, 2017. the republican party has broken into a civil war. it started, but may well not end in alabama. right wing activist steve bannon is out there raising his pitch fork for roy moore. mitt romney's urging the forces of the republican establishment to let moore get beaten by the democrat next tuesday. what we're watching is a battle between the new, loud, nationalist wing of the gop that's rallied around trump and roy moore against the forces of the old republican establishment. look who's rallying around bannon it includes donald trump and those who accept his leadership. those rallying around mitt romney begin with his fellow utahans who resent steve bannon's assault on the patriotism. perhaps not intending or perhaps intending just that, president donald trump's endorsement of

the roy moore started a civil war between the well established grand ole party and the newly named grand ole pedophile. and that's hardball for now. thanks for being with us. all in with chris hayes starts right now. tonight on "all in." >> the pretext was hey, i have information about your opponent. >> the president's son heads back to congress. >> for me, this was opposition research. >> as a whistle blower revealed michael flynn's plan to rip up russian sanctions. >> if we could get along with russia, that's positive. >> then democrats break the glass on impeachment. >> donald trump by causing such harm to society warrants impeachment, trial, and removal from office. plus -- >> today, i am delivering. >> the middle east backlash to the president's decision on jerusalem. and as democrats call for al franken to step down, the growing divide on what each party will