to keep our community safe. before you do any project big or small, pg&e will come out and mark your gas and electric lines so you don't hit them when you dig. call 811 before you dig, and make sure that you and your neighbors are safe. hey there. very good morning to all of you. i'm alex witt in new york at the half hour. here's what's happening. we begin with two big stories out of the white house this morning. new today, "the wall street journal" reporting president trump's lawyers are seeking a deal with special counsel robert mueller to speed the end of the russia probe. meanwhile, new details on what exactly happened inside the oval on office the night the president accepted kim jong-un's invitation to meet

"the wall street journal" reports that president trump interrupted a conversation between south korea is an officials and said, okay, okay, tell them i'll do it. the south korean officials looked at each other as if in disbelief. tell him yes, the president said. new today the south korean foreign minister will visit the united states next week to meet with secretary of state rex tillerson. among the topics for discussion, the meeting with kim jong-un. in seoul with the latest, nbc news kelly cobiella. how are citizens reacting to this news? >> reporter: it is happening so quickly. a lot still digesting it. they did elect president moon jae-in on the basis he wanted to forge closer ties with north korea. his approval rating has gone up to over 70%, according to one gallup poll since the olympics. but there were rallies today.

hundreds on the streets who support the opposition party. they are doubtful that anything will come of this upcoming meeting. they don't support closer ties with north korea. but both they and people who weren't part of this rally essentially told me the same thing. they wonder what will happen with talks. take a listen. do you think it's good that trump and kim will meet? >> we do not expect trump. we don't like it. >> what do you think about president trump meeting with kim jong-un? >> try to have some consensus with them. but he ignored all of our help. so i think this conversation will not be different. >> reporter: mother and daughter out shopping today told me they

don't trust kim jong-un or donald trump. they said, alex, talks really are the only way forward that they can see. >> okay. we will certainly keep a close eye on that. thank you so much, kelly cobiella. joining me is ted deutch of florida, member of the foreign affairs committee. with a big welcome to you, sir. i'm concerned about the reaction of citizens there. they downplayed their expectations. they aren't thinking this is such a good thing. what is your reaction? >> well, listen, i think having conversations rather than the exchange, the name-calling and calling each other lunatic, madman, rocket man, negotiations is certainly the right approach. the concern is this, though, alex. meeting with the president of the united states is a very big deal. and it has been longstanding policy that in order for a

meeting like that to take place for the north koreans to meet with the president that there are a whole series of concessions. we need to see something first. what's concerning is the way the president seemed to have just latched onto this idea that south koreans told him that there was some interest. he grabbed onto it. and what i think we need to be concerned about is at the state department, whether there is going to be the work ahead of time to make sure that there is successful. and, again, the fact that this meeting should only take place if it's very clear what kinds of concessions, what the north koreans will do in order to have the opportunity to meet with the president of the united states. >> well, there's that. and to your point, the preparations needed. i mean, there is -- there are a lot of positions open relative to both south korea and north korea. when you're looking at topics of economy, trying to denukize the

area, human rights, there are a plethora of things that need to be severely delved into. and we're talking two months? is there time to prepare properly? >> the president has not nominated an ambassador to south korea yet. there are other elements of news that we are reporting that the north koreans shared chemical weapons technology with the syrians. there's just a lot that we have to worry about. and if the administration, if the white house and the president are prepared to listen to serious is diplomats, they're prepared to listen to the state department, engage in the hard work that goes into something like this, then, yes, i think that that could be encouraging. but what we've seen from this white house and from this president throughout the administration is an unwillingness to listen to anyone. and going into a meeting like

this and essentially taking this as if it's just some sort of real estate negotiation that the president can negotiate, that's not the way to achieve the results that are necessary if we're going to be -- if we're going to take serious action with respect to this major threat that north korea poses. >> but the fact that kim jong-un reaches out and says i want to have a meeting with this president, do you give president trump credit for that? because was it his tough talk? was it the sanctions? does he get credit for at least getting this thing going? >> well, listen. i think that the -- i don't know that. i have been pretty clear throughout, alex. i don't think name-calling on twitter and the kinds of bluster we have seen is the way to resolve this. i think negotiations make more sense. i don't know why this meeting is taking place. again, i go back to what i said

at the beginning. of course the north korean leader would like to be seen in public with the president of the united states. of course that's something that he wants before doing it, though, we need to be clear that there's actually going to be -- that the meeting will be productive but that we are going to see the kinds of concessions necessary ahead of time that warrants this type of important meeting. >> all right, sir. i want to turn to the big step your governor has taken in the wake of last month's mass shootings. you were one of the lawmakers that met with the president to try to end gun violence. your reaction now to the nra suing florida over raising the minimum age to purchase guns to 21? >> yeah. so thanks for asking about that, alex. the governor signed the bill, which has really important steps forward. really defied the nra on raising

the purchase of gun to three-day waiting periods and restraining orders. remember what they're suing to address. this provision that requires someone to be 21 to buy a gun would have prevented the 19-year-old shooter, who bought an ar-15 and used it to kill 17 people at marjory stoneman douglas, that's what the provision would have prevented. the nra has gone to court to overturn that provision. that i think says as much as you need to say about their approach to this issue and the fact that their focus today and always is on the profits of the gun industry ahead of the public safety of our kids, our teachers, and our communities. this legislation in florida that the governor just signed is a good first step. but the nra shouldn't think the gun lobby shouldn't think this is then of the response to what happened in parkland.

this is merely the beginning. >> okay. let's talk about the president's plans later today as he travels to pennsylvania ahead of that special election there tuesday. are you encouraged by the race being so close there? >> of course. i'm encouraged by the race being close in western pennsylvania. like i don't know if the democrats are going to pick up the seat. but the fact that this is so close in a bright red district shows the kind of momentum that the democrats have picked up over the past number of months. if you look at the race in alabama. if you look at the success in virginia. if you look at the state house race in my own state of florida where the republican candidate who is the son of a sitting congressman lost in that district, it's clear that people around the country are tired of the administration and congress that works first and foremost to

protect predatory lenders, polluters, to prevent background checks and refuses to take steps -- provides these massive tax cuts and refuses to take steps to actually help working americans make sure people have access to college, make sure that the workforce is being trained at a time when the challenges from artificial from technology and challenges from automation are so great. their focus is still on the special interests, the billionaires, and this is not surprising since the white house is full of lobbyists who are there to protect their client's special interests rather than the interest of the american people. that's why there has been so much success for the democrats and frankly why i am so bullish heading into the midterm elections. >> all right. we will look forward to speaking with you again. congressman ted deutch of florida. thank you so much for your time. coming up next, the stormy daniels scandal. why it is far more than a sordid story. how much of a distraction is it for the president? insiders on the proposed

trump/kim talks. the concern over who is guiding the president and the fear of "washington post" jennifer rubin that just might play trump like a fiddle. in the modern world, it pays to switch things up.

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all these liberals who are hating on this, no president has never done this. yeah, they all failed. so is i'm going to file this over so crazy it just might work. >> talking about president trump's stunning announcement that he will meet with kim jong-un. joe watkins, republican strategist and aide to george h.w. bush. and rick tyler, msnbc political analyst. very good morning to all three of you. >> bill maher does have a point. i was appalled when the

president started tweeting about little rock et man. but at the end of the day we have a shot to have negotiations with north korea. now, i caution shouldn't just take place without strong agreement that north korea will stop its testing. i would think the president might want to hearken back to what bill clinton did. he september over madeline albright to talk to kim jong eupl, kim jong-un's father, and decided not to go have conversations after that visit. who knows? maybe this is a step in the right direction. but it is still much too early to tell. >> for sure. rick, are people justifiably skeptical because it is trump who is doing this. you may have heard ted deutch of florida say it is better than

ratcheting up the fire and fury on twitter. >> i do think bill has a point. that is it is so crazy it just might work. he could have announced he was going to meet with kim jong-un and then we had a lot of preparations. the problem that bill brings up is the preparations with the state department and diplomacy is so cautious that you can't really actually get to a meeting. and trump is bypassing all of that and wants to meet directly with him. it remains to be seen whether the preconditions will lead to the stop. we heard from sarah huckabee sanders they would have to denuclearize them. that doesn't make sense? it remains to be seen what is going to happen. i'm fairly optimistic. i do think there is some progress here. >> but it is a pretty high risk move for the president. however, isn't that what his

supporters elected him to do? they want him to be this way? >> well, yeah. certainly after some of this news dropped that he was going to do it and, you know, also that maybe north korea would consider demille tearizing they're like, yeah, president trump is out there doing things. but really it is much more complicated than that. we don't know what north korea has said. we know what south korea is saying, who has a very vested interest in making sure these conversations go well because they are right next door to said nuclear weapons. this could be a situation of, hi, you know, let's try to get all the friends together, mutual friends together in the same room and have them come to an agreement. we really don't know what is going to be the case. that is how this should be looked at. >> certainly a lot more to come on this topic. i want to switch gears here. this came during the week when stormy daniels was a big story line.

is this a wag the dog situation? this is a white house that likes to control the narrative? >> yeah. this narrative is getting out of control. i don't think the president wants to talk about this at all. presidents don't go down for high creams and misdemeanors. they go down for low crimes and sleaziness. that's where we are headed. the president's lawyer on one hand who said he acted without his client's knowledge, which could put him in ethicaling knowledge. or he did and that would put him in line for campaign violations. it's bad. it's a story they certainly is don't want to be talking about. >> you know, joe, we have to say that the trump team denies the affair. but in this new interview, trump lawyer cohen said he used his home equity line of credit to get that $130,000 payment to stormy daniels. does this make the development

of a payment a bit harder to explain? >> no, not really. common cause this week filed a complaint with the department of justice and also with the federal election commission saying that that $130,000 contribution was in-kind contribution to the campaign, a federal election violation. stormy daniels will profit from this. the more it's in the news the more money she will make. it is not going to go away quickly because of the legal ramifications. so this is tricky business. >> so your two colleagues are basically saying this thing has maybe got some legs. it will be something we will be talking about. but we have talked before how this president seems to be teflon don. the stormiy daniels story as well. but this appears to be gaining traction. what is your prediction? is this become a bigger issue or

does it go away? >> not only will crimes and sleaziness but low crimes and like how do you send out an e-mail discussing negotiations that are is a trump business account. but we do know trump actually banks there. this is pretty easy for mueller to request e-mail records he probably already has those and he has them from first republic bank and probably making a larger case here that could be tied to other things or a whole separate issue for him. this is not going anywhere beyond a tawdry affair. >> two words for you. food fight. and now hope hicks. we'll talk about the article that ties all this together, next. by the things we share. and the ones we love. who never stop wondering what we'll do

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>> i think anyone who works for the president is certain ly

should expect to be scrutinized for whatever decisions he or she is making but what decisions the white house is given on any day. >> weighing in on the comments from ivanka trump. back with me now, so, rick, your response to all this. >> look, again, this is a turf battle. kelly is trying, the chief of staff is trying to maintain some control and he definitely wants to say in this pick. mercedes is an ally to him. she is qualified to do the job and on the other side you have ivanka and jared and they want control. i think it's time to realize that ivanka and jared are causing them more problems and not serving the president well and should ask them to go home. >> i'll get to the hope hicks replacement and back in 2008 chelsea clinton was asked about

the monica lewinsky scandal during her mother's campaign. chelsea told the reporter, none of your business. is there a double standard here or an emphasis on people who work within the white house as chelsea clinton said there? >> yeah, i think it's an emphasis on people who work in the white house. i think it's always been a standard across all admin stragdz adminstrations with the first families that the children are off limits. chelsea has clearly helped her mother on her campaigns, but has never worked in the white house as actual staff. ivanka made that choice. when she made that choice, she opened herself up to questions that she would have not have been asked if she stayed in new york and worked on her business and been the first daughter by extension. she can't really have it both sway ways and she's trying to do that. which one are you? are you working for your father or regardless of whether or not you're in the white house or are you first daughter and doing

your own business separate from the white house. >> there's a new poll out, joe, which show few americans think highly of the president's daughter ivanka and jared kushner when they first started serving as senior advisors. are jared and ivanka liability or given all the instability should they fight to stay on as long as possible? >> i agree, i think they should leave. if i had been president i would not want them to come in in the first place. working in the white house is serious business and you have to understand what you're doing and there are lots of ways you can get in trouble and clearly jared kushner has found that out and ivanak has found out she is not just the daughter of the president but a senior white house staffer. so, yes, all questions are okay when you ask the senior white house staff about the president. >> okay, rick, quickly, this political article. turns the west wing into a food fight. after hope leaves in a few weeks, does the situation get

worse or better. if mercedes takes over, does that guarantee smooth sailing going forward? >> no. it's difficult. take the whole north korea. the team had no idea that he was going to announce that he would meet personally with kim jong-un and they were out saying that wasn't going to happen. his own secretary of state saying we are a long, long way from face-to-face negotiations and within 24 hours we have face-to-face negotiations. the comps team is supposed to get a hold of that. mercedes is a professional and she can clearly do that if the president would allow her and the big problem is the president doesn't seem to talk to the korx coms team. they don't have a vision on how they're going to execute on policy. >> good to see you all.

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