backed down on his threat to close it. bowing to an out cry from republicans. >> it will be a lot of unintended consequences. it will cause as much damage to the u.s. economy as it would to the mexican economy. 999. donald trump bringing back one of the most memorable candidates of the campaign. he wants to name herman cain to the board despite his controversial history. >> 9-9-9 means jobs, jobs jobs. that's what i'm talking about. >> becky, becky, becky. >> i believe these words came from the pokemon movie. >> all shucky ducky. we have breaking news.

we have a battle between president trump and joe biden that is escalating by the minute. the president going after biden this morning after he was leaving the white house and the former vice president appearing in public for the first time since the controversy over his behavior erupted a week ago. >> i want you to know i had permission to hug lonny. i don't know. [ applause ] any way. >> joining me now nbc white house correspondent kristen welker.

you were out on the south lawn when you were asking the president today about this twitter war that erupted yesterday between him and joe biden. the president launching this by taking a parody that had been done by a prolific alt-right youtuber mocking biden by taking his own video he put out and twisting it. we'll show is that in a moment. the president tweeting it out. biden tweeting back i'm glad you're on the job and acting presidential as usual what did the president have to say? >> reporter: he was defiant. he was asked if he's the right messenger to mock the vice president given that access hollywood tape came out. given he faced dozens of accusations. he insisted he's the right me centu -- messenger.

i asked if it's a sign he sees him as a threat. he says he doesn't. the reality is, he did feel the need to go after him in that video, mocking him, and the vice president answering. it's an indication that the former vice president, if he does sgeget into this race is prepared to go toe to toe on the issues and not let these types of jabs slide. president trump defiant and insisting he doesn't see any of the democratic candidates threat yet. he does feel the need to take aim on a daily basis. >> mike, aside for a few jokes, she's n- -- he's not addressed . >> that's right. the plan was to not address this

at all. joe biden being joe biden, he did not stick to the script as his aides envisioned. making a joke off the top and making a joke in reference to the children sitting near the stage. i've already heard from some of the potential opposing campaigns saying this was entirely out of step. i think it reflects the vice president's assessment of how quickly the story has evolved. it was a week ago when lucy flores came toward with a campaign encounter. people were saying he may not be able to run at this point. they believe as the allegation was seen as potentially more politically motivated, we did hear from some biden advisers, this idea it was being floated by rival campaigns. a former bernie sanders endorser, he had the opportunity

to rally this large network of his former staff and allies. some of this happened organically coming toward to testify to his character. that video he posted on twitter in which he said he would learn from his experience, he understood that social norms were changing. he would adjust to it. now just a few short days later, making a joke about it. obviously, this is a work in progress in terms of biden coming to terms with this. it played well in the room. this is a room for of labor unions. maybe their campaigns or surrogates will seize on the glibness of joe biden in addressing this today. >> let eets listen 's listen to

biden speaking to his base. this are the union leaders where he was videoing a new campaign roll out video. they are not backing down. this is biden speaking to the laborers. >> the sacrifices you made, all the dues you paid, the picket lines you walked, the negotiations you sweated through, all those sacrifices, they didn't just benefit you. they benefitted every american worker. >> he was passionate in his defense of the union base talking about the middle class. these are the medipeople you kno well from pennsylvania. can he make this the theme of his campaign and get past the controversy of the past week? >> first, i want to say joe

biden has hugged me and grabbed my shoulders on my occasions. i thought it was just fine. the pollsretty clearly that democrats don't take this seriously. they understand it may have been inappropriate but it wasn't sexual. he's not a predator. he's a good guy. he's one of the warmest human beings you've ever met. when he said in that video he hugs people and grabs them to give them reassurance or confidence especially when going through a tough time, that is 100% true. the rank and file folks don't care about this. they care more about what joe biden will do about infrastructure. what he will do about the economy. how he will shorten the income disparity that exists in this country. if joe wants to run, i think he should consider this issue not a significant issue. in the general election, if he gets the nomination, he's running -- he's not running against a monk so i think he's in good shape.

>> well, to that point, he does seem awkward today in watching him getting on stage at one point. let's play this. calling those kids up to the stage and then making a joke that as mike was pointing out some people are saying not exactly the right tone. >> he gave me permission to touch him. >> ruth marcus. >> we live in a bit of humor impaired time. i think that's unfortunate. beto o'rourke got into some trouble the other day and i thought unfairly when making a joke about the degree to which his wife was taken on child care responsibilities. i feel that as with the acts themselves, we know that -- i accept that the vice president was not making these jokes in order to reoffend or revive people's unhappiness but i do

worry that rivals will have an interest in taking it that way and others who were in a hair trigger taken offense world here and it's a very -- it's a risky thing for him to do. i winced when i realized he did it twice. once was enough. >> let's play a bit of the president answering kristen welker's questions. >> what is offensive about joe biden's behavior and are you the right messenger for that? >> i'm a good messenger. people got out a kick out of it. he's going through a situation. let's see what happens. we got to sort of splimile a lie bit. i don't see him as a threat. he's been there a long time. his record is not good. i don't think he's a threat. i'd love him to be. >> what is your take? >> the best thing that happened for joe biden is the fact the president retweeted that doctored video.

i think that garnered a lot of sympathy of this is just politics. i wonder if biden squandered that with the comments. it was clear he was playing to the room which was very supportive and not recognizing how it would play elsewhere and some democrats were already grumbling. it also goes to show you the president's comments this morning that biden is on the radar. he does view as a viable threat particularly in the rust belt. it was so key to his victory in 2016 and he's banking on again in 2020. polls are up on the pa in place pennsylvania, michigan and wisconsin. donald trump will be spending a lot of money in the months ahead. i think it's telling.

biden is definitely in his krcrs hairs. people are concerned about it in the early stages of the campaign. it remains to be seen if biden, once he does jump in, if he continues to sort of guard the enthusiasm from a party that has moven on a lot of issues to his left. >> that mocking video, let's play a bit of it. i want to ask kristen welker. when you see this video, that was the original video and it was doctored by a youtuber. initially tweeted out from the white house social media director. he did it just shy of midnight. the president yesterday tweets the same video out. biden tweets back that i'm glad

to see you're on the job. >> reporter: that's right. you've seen this in terms of other tweets when he's taken personal jabs at people. that could be a challenge for this president. i think it also underscores the fact that he's going to essentially not hold punches if he's going up against joe biden. that is something that team biden is aware of. they are bracing for as they have these final discussions about if and when he's going to get into the race. they know that he's not going to be pulling any punches when it comes to a range of issues.

>> the president is accused by dozen or more women during the 2016 campaign of sexual misconduct. there's disparity there and hypocrisy to a lot of the reporting taking place so far. then you have peggy saying don't run. you're sweet, you're weak. you're half daffy. she says you're not out of step, you're out of place. >> i think there's a legitimate question not about whether the hugging or shoulder rubbing is disqualifying but whether it's

s symptommatic there's a young millennial base that has much less tolerance than us older folks. i want to go back to the president. he looks so hypocrite cal would be a problem. we have not seen evidence of that problem for this president. his folks willing to excuse his behavior and allow him to go after people for the same kinds of behavior without any consequenc consequences. that's where we are. >> jonathan, your thoughts. >> it's exactly right. we all need to give up wondering when donald trump will act presidential. it's not going to happen. this is who he is. this is who his supporters want. they don't want him to be a conventional politician. they want him to be this.

the bomb thrower. the one who will fight for them. that means getting down and dirty going after joe biden like this. the rules of hypocrisy, you're right, they should be applied here. for the president supporters, they don't. i keep going back to the idea when trump won and he survived scandal after scandal, we all looked and go do the rules plof politics not apply or do they not apply to donald trump. the republican party seems okay with the rules not applying to donald trump. i'm not so sure the democratic party will be okay with the rules not applying to their candidate. biden will be an interesting test case going forward if he's able to shake this particular story off. >> the speech is all about infrastructure. it's all about the labor and rust belt voters. it's really targeting a big part

of donald trump's base. what used to be reagan democrats. that's of note. dr. jill biden will be speaking in texas and we'll have coverage of that as well. it's the first time she'll be speaking at a luncheon coming up in the next hour or so. we still believe that they are ver mu very much on track for the roll out of a real campaign. they have been pampered by not having a campaign infrastructure but a real campaign toward the end of the month. thanks to all. coming up, hitting the wall. president trump returning to the board border to show off a section of rebuilt wall that was commissioned under president obama but who's counting. do people in the area even want it? a even want it you.

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i never changed my mind at all. i may shut it down at some point but i'd rather do tariffs. mexico, has been very, very good. if they continue that, everything will be fine. >> president trump after taking a u turn no longer threatening to close down the boarder immediately. he backed down yesterday just 24 hours after republicans and democrats warned that farmers and manufacturing take a big hit if he carried out that threat.

hey. tell us how people there are reacting to it. >> reporter: right now they are waiting to see what happens when president trump comes. this is the fence, wall they have been used to. it's 30 feet tall. if we can zoom out, it's hard to see past this barbed wire. those are hand prints and that's

when somebody holds the bars from the other side in following the accident k-- mexico. there's a part where the wire has been cut and it looks like it's been repaired. it does look like somebody was trying to breach this wall. it's unclear if they made it. there's some indentations in this wire. when you ask people about what they think of the fence here, they say it's unnecessary. a lot of them say it's a manufactured crisis. there are trump supporters here that say they do need this wall. when you ask border patrol about this fence, they say it's a deterrent. we're talking about a 60% decrease in apprehensions. the reason why it doesn't look like a crisis here is because the real crisis is happening in the ports of entry in places where there is no fence. they are seeing an increase from hundreds no sthousands of famil coming across and they say those are the ones draining their

resources. andrea. >> thank you. let's talk about the crisis at the border. what about the homeland threat from the southern border compared to the north and other ports of entry. >> it's not a terrorist threat as has been portrayed by some. there are a number of issues that we need to address. there's need for comprehensive immigration reform to try to figure out how we will deal with a number of people coming across the boardrder. part of the resolution will be strengthening of the border

measures. whether it's fences or some border personnel. it's not a simple solution to this very multi-dimensional and complex problem. i think donald trump is focusing on build a wall, build wall and doesn't take into account all the other aspects that need to be addressed. >> one of the things is at what cost? in a really unusual show of opposition to what the president is doing, he has leaked some internal memos casing the marine readiness where they were really hit by the hurricane and there hasn't been enough rebuilding as well, is being sacrificed by the transfer of those unspent pentagon funds to the deployment and the construction of the wall. >> that's right.

it's an aerogags of the power of the purse. moneys have gone to certain issues that need to be addressed. what will be the costs incured from redirecting the funds away from the necessary improvement whether marine barracks or other military requirements. these are things that donald trump doesn't take into account. it shows the impulsivity that governs his policies and actions. >> i wanted to ask you about the mueller, the controversy over the way william barr is characterized mueller's report. we see this growing confrontation with congress on the house side.

there's new reporting that mueller did not clear him on the collusion issue, yes, criminally, but said there was a lot of russian influence and russian manipulation on the campaign and on obstruction. there are issues that should be addressed by congress. >> he couldn't establish the standards to charge someone with criminal conspiracy. people and congress have a right to tell people what fell short and how short of that criminal conspiracy thresholds. on the obstruction of justice issue, bob mueller is careful in terms of what he says and what

he recommends. i think he recognized the prevailing department of justice policy is not to indict a sitting president. the words about his not exonerated were very clear that there is a case to be made that what donald trump engaged in could be considered obstruction of justice. for william barr, to go through a 300, 400 page report and shape the narrative so early, i was disappointed. i had hopes that william barr would pursue his responsibilities in a non-partisan, apolitical way. yes he's republican but he has tremendous reputation for respecting the institution of the department of justice. that narrative that came out early on was seen as giving donald trump sort of pass on some of this. that's why it is important for mueller report to come out. >> just one quick question on julian assange. there's a lot of reporting he may be kicked out of the

ecuadorian embassy where he's been for years and be arrested within hours or days. >> i think he should be. he has to account for his misdeeds over the years. i think he will see that justice will be served. >> thank you very much for being here. coming up on the trail as joe biden tries to fix his problems, top 2020 declared contenders stop at al sharp top's network. l sharp top's network.

breaking news, joe biden outside the hilton. >> i think it's incumbent upon me and i think everybody else to make sure that if you embrace someone, if you touch someone,

it's with their consent regardless of your intentions. if you're trying bring solace, welcome them. it's my responsibility to do that. >> what's your reaction to president trump taunting you on twitter? what do you have to say to him? >> doesn't surprise me. he doesn't have time to do his job. everybody knows who donald trump is. i don't have to say anything more. >> come forward and say they felt uncomfortable in your presence? >> say again. >> do you expect a lot more people to come forward? >> i wouldn't be surprised. i've had hundreds of people contact me, who i don't know, say the exact opposite. it is important that i and every one else is aware that any woman or man who feels uncomfortable,

should have the right to say, i'm uncomfortable with that or hopefully get to the point before and say i'm uncomfortable with that, no matter what. i really do understand it. it's one of the things that, like for example, what made me say it, i wasn't joking. the president of the union put his arms around me. that's how it's always been. that's how people react. >> do you think you owe them an apology? >> the fact of the matter is i made it clear if i made anyone feel uncomfortable, i feel badly about that. that was never my intention ever. >> there's someone who want to hear directly i am sorry.

are you sorry? >> i'm sorry i didn't understand. i'm not sorry for any of my intentions. i'm not sorry for anything i've done. i've never been disrespectful intentionally to man or woman. that's not the reputation i've had since i was in high school. >> you always said you're not changing your brand. you're not wearing any funny hats. is this going to change how you campaign? >> i think it's going to have to change how i campaign. it's like the new thing is selfies. everybody wonder why i take a selfie, so they don't put it on instagram. if i had the camera, at least i make sure it's a photo and i'm not doing something else. you have to wonder what are these being used for. it's all changed. it's changing with you guys. come on. each of you are aware of it in your personal relationships it

changes. it's not a bad thing. it's a new thing. it's important. i'm sure it's going to take a while for it to settle out. it's settled out for me. >> when are you run ning in the 2020 race? >> i'm told by the lawyers that i have to be careful what i say so i don't start a clock ticking and change my status. it is -- i'm very close to making a decision to stand before you all relatively soon. >> weeks? days? >> what's the hold up? >> the hold up, putting everything together, man. putting everything together. even if i knew for certain that i was going to run for president back at thanksgiving, my intention from the beginning if i were to run was to be the last person to announce.

give everybody else their day and i get a shot and off to to races. >> herman cain is qualified to been o t be on the federal reserve? >> i would pick someone else. >> you said you were the most impressive person in the democratic party -- >> i said liberal. i didn't say progressive. here's the point. that's changing too. for my whole career, i wish had been labeled in delaware for the seven times i ran as a moderate. i was never labeled a moderate. you look at my record with the aclu and the traditional liberal organization, i've never walked away from. i'm not sure when everybody else came out and said they are for gay marriage. i'm not sure when every else

came out and talked about a lot of things i talked about. my point is the definition of progressive now seems to be changing. it's are you a socialist. that's a real progressive. i was talking about up until this last time around the traditional judgments of whether or not you were quote a liberal was whether or not what your positions on race were, on women. what your position on lgbt community. what's your position on civil liberties. i'll stack my position against anybody who has ever run or is running now. >> are you suggesting the party is moving too far in the left? >> we'll find out if i can win in a primary. i think you guys if you look at all the polling data and look at the actual results, the party

has not moved to however you -- i don't want to characterize it. the fact of the matter is, the vast majority of members of the democratic party are still basically liberal moderate democrats in the traditional sense. the idea the democratic party has stood on its head i don't get it. we should welcome. the party should welcome this -- what i don't know how you want to characterize it, the progressive left. it should be welcome. we should have a debate about these things. that's not a bad thing.

i'm an obama-biden democratic. thank you. >> see joe biden answering a lot of questions outside the washington hilton. let's talk about biden and now he's waving to some of the labor union members inside in the ballroom where he just spoke. mike, your take. i think mike can wear us. still probably chasing that car. >> reporter: i can hear you. >> whhe made clear as we have bn reporting, you and i, that because of the legal restrictions that involve

federal election commission rules, he's not going to say he's running until he's ready to do it because the two week clock starts ticking and he would have to file as a candidate and a lot of other things would kick in. he said he wanted to be the last person in. that's apparently what's going to happen with him determined to make this race and probably jump in at the end of april. >> reporter: that's right. i specifically asked is this going to change the way you campaign. there was no denial there's a campaign in waiting. he turned to his aides and talked about the legal ramifications of saying something a bit more unequivocal at the moment. i should say that whole gaggle you just saw was unexpected. we were deciding how this would play out today. his aides had not said he was not going to address the accusations of the past week. he did that joking at the top. i think it was that joke that prompted him to come out. they were recognizing that perhaps some people were receiving his joke at the top of

those remarks about getting permission to hug somebody as him making light of that. he said he was not making light of that. that's why he came out. very clear signals from the former vice president. we talk about this all the time on and off camera about the possibilities of him stepping back from the line at this point. >> he does have to change the way he's campaigning. he will be more aware. he's not apologizing. he said i'm not sorry for my intentions. i've never had those kinds of intentions. he's drawing a line between the way he interacts with people and all of the reporting and the acknowledge on that.

kristen welker, your impressions. >> reporter: i think just underscore the point that mike makes it's very notable he wanted to make it clear he was not joking about some of the things that have been said. he wanted to make it clear he takes it very seriously and that it may change the way he interacts with folks out on the campaign trail. you did see that very sharp distinction with president trump. when he was asked about that mocking video, we all know who the president is. sort of highlighting what he said in his tweet. the fact it's not very presidential of the president to be mocking a former vice president in that way.

i asked if he saw him as a threat. he said no. i did ask ied if it was hypocri cal. not sure if he heard that but i did ask that naurm of times. when he was a candidate, mr. trump had to deal with the access hollywood tape and dozens of accusations and allegations by women who accused him of sexual misconduct. he denied that but there was an avalanche of accusations of women who came forward. this is tricky territory of president trump in terms of trying to take him on on this issue. you saw the vice president drawing a firm line in the sand. he said if i made anyone feel uncomfortable, i'll change my behavior but as you point out, not apologizing for his intentions because he said i had no intention of making anyone feel uncomfortable. man or woman.

>> first to you. other candidates have been jumping on joe biden saying he does have to apologize and acknowledge his behavior or change his behavior. he said i know things have changed. it's changed for you guys. >> that's how the candidate are saying the democratic party needs to move into a new direction. i think it's a jab at the idea, at the fact that biden is from a time that's long before. not long before. the obama administration was not that long ago but a political career that started in the '70s and they are saying they want someone with new ideas, attitudes and even behaviors. >> what about the candidate today? biden come up at all or was this their moment to try to contact with this important audience

that al sharpton has in his network. >> reporter: truthfully, joe biden did come up but over the course of the past few days i've been talking to the people attending and there's still a lot of love for joe biden in a room like this. i heard from several voters who made references to the idea of democrats shooting their wounded or not defending their own. those have all been references to joe biden. they said they feel it's not fair for him to be the center of attention for this negative issues. it's interesting h ining when o vote voters contrast joe biden with the people they will go up against, there's a level of hypocriscy because donald trump finished the 2016 election with

more than a dozen on the record allegations of sexual harassment or police conduct. voters i've been talking to see it as hypocritical for democrats to be going of their own when they will be going up against donald trump. >> one of the things joe biden said is we'll find out if i can win in a primary. he's in. he has to avoid the language. how does this shape up? he's not the oldest in this race when he gets in. bernie sanders is older than he is. elizabeth warren is of the same generation. it seems to be a generational divide. >> he has the ability, the experience and the vision to take america into the next direction that's what many in the democratic party will look

for. the idea that you have to be young and new and fresh to pivot correctly is one that biden is pushing back on. he know he hasn't officially declared but he's communicated in that situation. he said thai been working on it. he's doing a lot of work for someone who would not enter into a presidential campaign. >> thanks to you. we'll be back. coming up next, demanding answers two weeks after robert mueller turned over his russia report. americans are calling for its release. stay with us. itr s release. stay with us y muddlers... achoo! ...do your sneezes turn heads? try zyrtec... ...it starts working hard at hour one... and works twice as hard when you take it again the next day. zyrtec muddle no more.

tto harrison, the wine tcollection.. to craig, this rock. the redwoods to the redheads. the rainbows to the proud. i leave these things to my heirs, all 39 million of you,

on one condition. that you do everything in your power to preserve and protect them. with love, california. ♪ imagine there's no pizza ♪ i couldn't if i tried >> that was former republican presidential candidate herman cain who is back in the spotlight because president trump says he plans to nominate cain to the ceo board. if he's nominated and confirmed and he did have an appointed job at the fed in kansas city for one year back in the '90s. he will be joining a controversial friend of the president and former fox analyst

stephen moore as another potential member of the seven member federal board of governors here in washington. these would be the two most political choices ever made for what is supposed to be and always to be and always been an independent agency. and joe biden was just asked about what would happen if herman cain would be nominated to the fed, and he said, i wouldn't nominate him. our friends at the 11th hour put together this montage to remind us of herman cain's most memorial plans. >> nine, nine, nine plan. >> do you agree with president obama on libya or not? >> okay, libya. >> and when asked me who's the president of ubeci, i'm going to

see, i don't know. >> america's never seen a candidate like herman cain. we need you to get involved because together, we can do this. we can take this country back. ♪ ♪ one voice united we stand i am america ♪ >> herman cain, a potential fed nominee. stay tuned. meanwhile across the country, prosecutest were demanding the release of special counsel robert mueller's full report. as nbc and other news organizations have been reporting the special counsel has been raising a lot of questions about the way russia interfered in the campaign and they have manipulated top trump campaign officials which was not reflected in the attorney's four-page memo. joining me now, a former u.s. attorney and a former senior fbi

official, msnbc contributor and legal analyst, and professor at georgetown university. her new book is "putin's world,". welcome all of you. first of all, check rosenberg, let's talk about the mueller report and what we're hearing now after two years of silent, no leaks from team mueller. these prosecutes are talking to some of their colleagues and we're beginning to hear credible reports here at nbc, at "the washington post" of real dissatisfaction with the way their work has been characterized by the attorney general. >> i imagine there's a degree of frustration, no doubt. they spend 22 months on this important investigation. they issued 2,800 subpoenas and

even the public facing obstruction that we've seen from the president is obviously concerning, so it doesn't terribly surprise me that the members of the team would express some frustration to associates. i think it's important to remember that the reporting of their frustration hasn't been directly from them, but rather from their colleagues back at their offices where they returned after their time on the mueller team. we need to see what the report says. i'm as curious as anyone else. there are very good reasons for portions of it to be made public and very good for portions of it not to be made public if it involves classified information or information related to ongoing investigations. >> it could be transferred to the relevant congressional committee that is have intelligence clearance with the permission of the federal judge in charge of those grand juries. >> you're referring to grand

jury material. it could go to congress, it could even go to the public. with respect to classified information, members of congress are cleared to receive that right now. and so there are different rules regarding different parts of the reports. i imagine in the end much of it will be public and we'll get to see for ourselves what the mueller team found and make our own assessments of whether the president obstructed justice. >> one of the main reasons why a congressional leaders are arguing for it to be turned over to them at the minimum and made public is vladimir putin, his role in the election. and the very clear implication from a lot of these leaks that there was a grave concern about russian manipulation of the election in the mueller report. angela, you as an expert, now the author of the new book on putin, let's talk about the challenge that putin is -- has created for our country, our democracy. >> he certainly has.

i think we were asleep at the wheel 2016. they saw a candidate in donald trump who said he wanted to improve ties with russia and they wanted to do everything they could to help him and they're sill interfering. they were interfering up till and on the day of the midterm elections and they may well do so next year. we really have to be very concerned about this. >> and in talking to people -- nato leaders who have been here this week,encen jens stoltenber they're interfering in europe as well. >> yes. they support all the parties who don't like the european union. putin and the people around him sense where there's polarization and they move right in and they know how to exploit that from 5,000 miles away. >> your take, as we've seen these conversations emerge from the formal mueller prosecutors and the frustration about what

william barr did. >> so, andrea, as unususual, i e with chuck that we have to remember that we're not hearing directly from former mueller team members yet. there seems to be enough rumpling there that we know they are frustrated. and so is the american public. there are very legitimate things that should be carefully handled in terms of classified information and information about ongoing investigations, barr's position overall has -- really looks like someone who's trying to protect the president and not ering on the side of trying to take information out. he takes a very broad view of what constitutes grand jury information. every page had a stamp that said

macon taken grand jury information. yeah, of course it may. it doesn't mean that it does. that's a precautionary stamp and it just seemed very kind of like a frivolous statement. between that and his insertion of himself, making the conclusion, the legal conclusion that he didn't need to make. he was entitled to make it but didn't need to, all of those things look like he's playing defense for the president and not errors on the side of getting the truth out. and that is to me one of the most disappointing aspects of this because we need people to have faith in our attorney general and our department of justice as independent from the president and doing what's right and the rule of law. >> putin as a former kbg operative, you're not a former, your take on how cleaver he hve

been. >> i think he's been very good and very manipulative. he sensed that donald trump has alwa always praised him. and i think he's played him very well. on the other hand, i think putin and the people around him may be having buyer's remorse. the knowledge of what they did in 2016 and everything that's happening in our own country has made it impossible for trump to do what he said he wanted to, which was to make a deal with russia and have a better relationship with them. >> thank you. and finally we've got a bittersweet day at nbc, the legendary, the incredible kathie lee gifford signing off this morning as cohost of the fourth hour of the "today" show.

>> i know the plans i have you declares the lord. plans to prosper you and not to harm you. plans to give you a future and a hope. that's not just true for me, you guys. that's true for everybody watching. trust him. let him love you like he wants to love you. like i am loved by all of you. thank you. >> thank you. [ applause ] >> today show correspondent jenna bush hager will be taking over as cohost on the fourth hour. we will miss you dearly. that does it for this edition of "andrea mitchell reports" for this week. remember, follow us online on facebook and twitter. next up 2020 contenders john dl dl and howard schultz joining ali velshi and stephanie ruhle

live onset. >> i think you got more fun stuff in our glass than we have. >> no. >> she knows what we have. >> hoda looked at kat lee lhie d said, how many glasses of wine do you think we've had on this show. >> have a great afternoon. off to a good start. i'm ali velshi. >> i'm stephanie ruhle. it is friday, april 5th. we got a packed day. let's get smarter. >> i'm heading to the border. we're building a lot of wall. i'm going to show you a section. >> i may shut it down at some point. i'd rather do tariffs. mexico has been very, very good. we know that. if they continue that, everything will be fine. if they don't, we're going to tariff their cars at 25% coming into the unitedta