that wraps up this hour of "msnbc live." "andrea mitchell reports" starts now. and right now on "andrea mitchell reports," the gun lobby. donald trump is warned by the nra not to support background checks. even as ohio congressman tim ryan takes the gun control fight right to mitch mcconnell's home turf on a road trip to kentucky with moms demand action. >> i'm here this morning with six kids at 7:00 a.m. to support tim ryan because we really, really, really need gun legislation passed in ohio. war of words. on the day he was supposed to be the nation's consoler in chief,

president trump attacks local officials in the grieving communities and goes after joe biden for biden's scorching attack on mr. trump. >> both clear language and in code this president has fanned the flames of white supremacy in this nation. our president has more in common with george wallace than he does with george washington. and wake up call. scientists say climate change is threatening the world's food supply with a warning that could affect your backyard barbecue. >> it starts with changing the way you eat instead of eating a meat based diet, they suggest that if we go to a more plant based diet we will actually reduce carbon emissions. good day, everyone, i'm andrea mitchell with washington.

the nra is reportedly pressuring president trump to once again back down on supporting background checks. despite overwhelming national support for this first step to change gun laws. this as mayors in communities torn by gun violence, including el paso and dayton, are organizing to push for change. even though republican majority leader mitch mcconnell remains firmly opposed. there's a renewed push for action on the ground in those communities impacted by gun violence, including ohio where tim ryan is leading a caravan across the state and into mitch mcconnell's home state of kentucky demanding action. he now joins me from the road. thank you very much. what are you trying to achieve with your caravan into kentucky? >> there's two pieces of legislation that sits at the doorstep of mitch mcconnell. both take care of the vetting process and really taking care of background checks, making sure that people can't get their

hands on these weapons. every country has issues with mental illness. they have video games, they have other issues. they don't have these mass shootings. we want these background checks. these bills passed the house of representatives. they have 70% or 80% of the american pooeeople supporting i. we want mitch mcconnell to take it up and sign it. this is over. these people back here who were killed, it's got to stop, and a andrea. got to stop. >> you know, could anyone get mitch mcconnell to change his mind? isn't it an issue for donald trump? >> donald trump is the only person who can give him the switch unless members of the senate put enough pressure on him. we have the republican governor come out with ideas, republican congressman mike turner, who is a long time staunch nra spo

supporter is now supporting some of these initiatives. the tide is starting to turn within the republican party. thursday not a democrat or republican thing. this is an american thing. it's about security. the number one responsibility we have as legislators and as elected officials, when you're a councilman or a congressman is to keep your people safe. and this is an issue that we need to address to keep our people safe. >> how did you feel about the way the president went after senator brown and mayor whaley after they had a press conference? >> beneath the dignity of the office. we all thought he was going to be able to at least pretend for a day and he couldn't. he couldn't even pretend for a few hours. and he's just so vicious. i mean, it's just -- you know, i watched nan whaley for two days here hold this city together. amazing leadership. and a heartbroken town and state and country. and she was phenomenal.

to just be so crude, it's so beneath the office. to be expected from him. but it's time for a change. we need that change to happen in the united states and it starts with mitch mcconnell passing this. we saw the video of the motorcycle in times square. a couple backfires out of a motorcycle and people go running for their lives. that's the anxiety level in the united states today. i took my kid to chuck e. cheese yesterday. he's five years old. i'm looking around the place wondering how we would get out of this place or who was in the joint with us in chuck e. cheese. that's not how we want to live anymore as parents and citizens. we deserve better than we're getting right now. trump should make us feel better, not worse. >> you referenced the way sherrod brown and nan whaley spoke after the president left. let's play a little bit of that joint news conference yesterday.

>> i think he heard me. i don't know if he'll take action. i'm hoping for the people of dayton that he does. but, you know, both the senator and i spoke very directly. what we've been saying the whole time about the need for commonsense gun legislation. >> what he say -- >> he was comforting and he did the right things and melania did the right things. it's his job to comfort people. i'm glad he did it in those hospital rooms. >> then the president got on the plane and started tweeting against sherrod brown and mayor whaley. one wonders how do you get past the twitter storms and get into policy and if he's now saying yes to background checks, but talking to the nra, who is going to win that battle?

>> here's the deal. we've got to stay focused. he's the distracter in chief. there's no doubt about it. he's going to want to change the subject a million times. we've got to stay focused on the issues here and let all the noise around us continue to happen. we as activists and leaders need to stay focused, stay organized, care about each other, love each other but keep pressuring the system until we get the results we want. that's why we're inviting anybody who wants to come to the muhammad ali center -- there's a plaza in louisville kentucky tonight at 7:30. we have a caravan coming down from ohio. we've got a lot of people in kentucky. we're getting word people are coming from indiana and west virginia and possibly pennsylvania. maybe even tennessee. so if you can make it down there, if you're in that region, come by. let's show the support. stay focused, let's be a fearless country. we're all tired of walking

around afraid, let's be fearless. let's go to muhammad ali center and let's let the world know that we're not going to be stopped here. we're going to make this happen. it's for these people in dayton and el paso and everybody else that's died from gun violence over the past couple of decades in the united states. >> tim ryan, congressman, thanks very much. safe travels. >> thanks, andrea. pennsylvania republican senator pat toomey is leading the push for background check legislation in the senate, reviving the toomey manchin bill. i want to ask you where you stand on this. i think you spoke with the president after el paso e perhaps also after dayton, perhaps monday. correct me if i'm wrong about that. what did he have to say about you trying to revive the toomey manchin bill? >> i've spoken with the

president several times this week. and our conversations they're about what we can do and should do. i think the president is open to considering broadening background checks. wr we discussed various pe permutations. i won't get into the specifics of a private conversation, but i'll say the president is very much interested, he's listening. i think he wants to work with congress and accomplish something. >> well, that begs the question of what about wayne lapierre? there are reports he has spoken to the head of the nra. last time that happened the president backed off his prior support for background checks and for other action. he seems to not be solidly behind any one thing right now. do you have a better fix on that? >> i think the president is thinking through various options.

there a lot of proposals, there's a lot of ideas out there. most of the discussions i've had with the president have focused on background checks and the manchin toomey legislation they would require background checks on all commercial sales. that's the conversation i've had. as i said, i think the president has a real interest in this and that's why we've spoken several times about it. >> i know there's a great deal of support for background checks. 90% in most polling. is there a big loophole here there for gun sales and other transfers of guns for background checks just to be over commercial sales? should you broaden that? >> look, i'm interested in an outcome here. finding a place where we can get a broad enough concensus to pass legislation. you have to balance background checks, which i support, you have to balance that and ier if

you impose that on personal transactions, in some cases that can be a significant burden. in a rural area where people live far away from the nearest licensed firearm dealer and a father wants to give or sell his gun to a child, or a sibling or somebody, you know, you've got to think about where to draw that line. so for me and for senator manchin -- and i think hopefully a broader coalition, focusing on commercial sales makes a lot of sense. >> what about an assault weapon ban? what about reviving that bill? >> i think the focus should be on keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have guns. you know? i have multiple firearms. if you confiscated mine you wouldn't be making anybody

safer. taking guns away from law abiding citizens is not going to accomplish anything. keeping them out of the hands of mentally ill and criminals that could. that's my focus, not on banning a commonly owned firearm. >> i don't think a background check would have prevented the guns that were used and legally obtained in both el paso and dayton. >> you know what? the fact is there is no law that can be passed that can guarantee there won't be anymore massacres. that's the unfortunate reality. you know, broadening background checks i think could help. it will make it more difficult for people who shouldn't have farmsss -- firearms in the firs place. we should make progress where we can. broadening background checks. that definitely makes sense to

me. i think we should seriously look at red flag laws. i think the details are very important. but that's an avenue we should pursue and we should do a better job enforcing some of the laws on the books right now. chr we have legislation that would increase the prosecution for people who knowingly lie when they attempt to by a firearm. these are the things we should do. that's what i'd like to focus on. >> do you have any indication from mitch mcconnell he might support any of these proposals? >> so i know mitch mcconnell pretty well. one of the things i know about mitch mcconnell, he's not big on political theatrics, he's big on trying to get an outcome. if we have legislation that has broad bipartisan support that the president is willing to sign, i think mitch mcconnell would be very open. having a failed vote on party lines, that's probably much less interesting to senator mcconnell. >> you don't have that broad

support yet, but you are hoping you might with the president's backing? >> i am hopeful. i think there's a different atmosphere now. i think there are republicans who are taking a second look at this idea of broadening background checks. the president is clearly engaged and interested in. he's not made a commitment to me to support a particular piece of legislation, but he certainly is interested. so these are new dynamics. i want to run with this and see if we can get to the consensus we need. >> senator pat toomey from the great state of pennsylvania, always good to have you sir, thank you very much. >> thanks for having me, andrea. >> you bet. coming up, shape of the race. did joe biden have a breakout moment over the race and gun issue? stay with us, you're watching "andrea mitchell reports" only on msnbc. atching "arenda mitchell reports" only on msnbc kids need good nutriti. and practice... lots of practice. get them started right with

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this president has fanned the flames of white supremacy in this nation. his low energy, vacant eyed mouthing of the words written for him condemning white supremacists this week, i don't believe fooled anyone at home or abroad. >> former vice president joe biden yesterday in iowa unleashing a scathing attack

against president trump's response to the mass shootings in dayton and el paso. this as president trump was visiting both cities wednesday acting more of a confronter in chief than a comforter in chief. biden speaks again in a couple hours. robert costa, national political reporter for "the washington post," and former democratic congresswoman donna edwards and robert steele. very familiar with ohio and the areas that have been so tragically affected here. let's talk about joe biden first. a new poll yesterday showing that 49% of democrats believe the former vice president has the best chance to defeat president trump and 50% of democrats were saying electability is more important

to them than nominating a candidate who shares their views. let's talk about what biden was trying to accomplish yesterday in that speech. going after the president on white supremacy. using a teleprompter, staying very much on message, and not bowing down to the pressure from the president. >> reporter: yeah, well, it turns out that the most effective strategy for the biden campaign is really the reason joe biden got into the race in the first place. his campaign has always felt that the clearer the stakes of the election are, the clearer it is to democrats what a threat donald trump poses to the country in their view. the better that joe biden will do. this was clearly a moment that the campaign sought to take advantage of, they wanted to capitalize as soon as the tragic shootings happened, they were already looking forward to this campaign swing through iowa. it did change the dynamic of this whole swing. the vice president himself involved in the discussions about how to take -- make this a

moment that he could really focus in democrats on that message that has been so core to his strategy. he was personally involved in writing that speech, of course. we saw him very clearly make this return to the core message for him. we're going to see him talk in the coming days more and more about the issue of guns specifically. he did touch on that in his address yesterday. there's an opportunity for the campaign to take that 1994 crime bill that democrats have been using against him and to talk about what was a part of that, the assault weapons ban he and senator feinstein worked on as part of the legislation. that's something we'll see in the coming days as well as he attends a forum on gun violence in des moines here that will attract 12 of the other candidates as well. >> and of course, the president went after joe biden based on the excerpts they had released in advance of the speech. this was the president yesterday talking about biden. >> you know, joe is a pretty incompetent guy. i've watched his interviews,

i've watched what he said and how he said it. and i wouldn't have rated him very high in the first place. but joe biden has truly lost his fastball, that i can tell you. >> you got to ask joe biden about that. let's play that as well. >> do you want to respond to the president responding to you? >> he should get a life. thank you. >> he should get a life. mike, clearly biden is very comfortable in this space right now going up against trump. >> reporter: i mean, it was a surreal moment i have to say as we're watching the vice president deliver that address yesterday to see the twitter notifications come up on our phone. the idea that the president is watching the speech, commenting on it in real time. this is what the biden campaign wants. trying to focus democratic voters on the threat posed by

donald trump. so you saw the vice president with a brief but very direct response to the president. i think we'll continue to hear more from him. he's going to be speaking at the soapbox in a couple hours, doing what he loves to do which is that retail campaigning. i predict there will be a lot of ice cream and selfies. this is a biden campaign a week after that feisty democratic debate. >> and perhaps a few butter cow sculptures and pork on a stick. we inveyenvy you out there. we all know that mike is doing more eating perhaps than reporting. because he's mike, he's doing more reporting. but robert, what about the president's take on all this? yesterday he had an opportunity to change the narrative, follow up on his teleprompered speech from monday and change the way he is viewed in these

communities, texas and ohio, two critical states in the electoral map, obviously. and look at the response. >> two critical states that are changing. look at the recent wave of republican retirements from the house in texas, you see in ohio a state president trump won in 2016 with someone like sherrod brown was able to win in 2018. democrats feel better about their chances in 2020 because of the suburbs. concern about gun control and areas outside of columbus and cincinnati, houston and dallas. for the biden campaign, an opportunity. august is without another debate until september in houston. you have a chance for the biden campaign to try to consolidate its perch atop the polls to protect itself as the leader of the democratic party, at least in the presidential race. you see an appreciation for these opportunities to present themselves as the leading

challenger to president trump. >> as "the washington post" was writing today, a traditional role for presidents has been to offer comfort and solace to all americans at times of national tragedy. but the day provided a fresh testament to trump's limitations and striking notes of unity and empathy. michael steele, i was going to say weigh in on that as someone who has watched the president for all these years. >> he has no interest in fulfilling that role. he'll go in front of the cameras and say the right thing reading off the teleprompter. the minute he gets back to twitter, the minute he gets back to his comfort zone, it's just like where he is. he stokes division, that's where he's most comfortable. just as contrary, you see joe biden the most comfortable when he's going head to head with the president on a moral issue. >> is this an opportunity for the vice president to stake his claim to this issue and get past the 1994 crime bill criticism?

is that too much for him to hope for? >> no, i've long thought that there are elements of that 1994 crime bill that the former vice president should embrace, the violence against women act was part of that. the assault weapons ban was part of that. as a way to move forward. i think what we saw yesterday was a contrast between somebody who was, in fact, behaving presidential, former vice president biden, versus the president of the united states. i think this was an important contrast, especially for democratic voters who are looking for somebody who is going to defeat the president. >> and robert costa, finally, what is the state of the race now on the democratic side? >> you have an emerging pack near the top of the polls with vice president biden, senator warren becoming a favorite on the liberal side of the party. harris of california, mayor buttigieg. you have emerging breakout

contenders such as congressman o'rourke, julian castro. but august is a tough month for those who are in the single digits in the polls. they have to roam around places like iowa and try to build up their ground game. even as others like vice president biden are granted because of their popularity, their presence in national politics more of a platform to generate notice. >> robert costa, thanks so much. my, enjoy iowa. thanks to all. coming up, food for thought. a new u.n. report linking climate change to the food we had. tom snyder joins me next. you're watching "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. watching "anl reports" on msnbc. you need for your home at a great price, the way it works best for you, i'll take that. wait honey, no. when you want it. you get a delivery experience you can always count on. you get your perfect find at a price to match,

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a startling new u.n. report is raising alarms about the impact of climate change and the way we eat, the connection there. global scientists warning that climate change is threatening the world's food supply with land and water resources being exploited at unprecedented rates. and that the window to address the threat is rapidly closing. the report is urging people to decrease food waste and shift their diets to a more plant

based diet that can reduce carbon emissions. joining me now is tom stire, who has made his public career initially on climate issues. let me ask you about qualifying for the debates. you've got three out of the four polls that are required for the september 12th debate stage. and you're going to need 130,000 unique contributors. are you going to be there on september 12th in houston? >> yes. >> on the stage? >> yes. >> okay. there's confidence. presumably you have great resources, great mailing list, for two years. >> for the last ten years i've been running coalitions of ordinary citizens to take on unchecked corporate power. that means going out at the

grass roots, registering people, talking to people, engaging people. so when you talk about getting 130,000 unique donors, that sounds an awful a lot like doing grass roots organizing which is what we've been doing for the last ten years with great success, and beating corporations. that's the meat and potatoes. >> no pun intended, do you eat red meat? >> i do. i don't know if you know this, but for the last 15 years, we've been running a cattle ranch to show that there is a way to raise cattle that sequestered net carbon into the soil. if you actually mimic nature, you go from an extractive -- >> is it expensive? >> it's much more productive. what we're seeing across america is people understanding that we're going to have to move in both raising plants and animals to a much more regenerative nature based system. we've been trying to do it for the last 15 years to show it's not a theory, but that we can

show on a scientific basis it's very productive and regenerative. >> governor jay inslee has made climate -- warnings about climate change the central piece of his presidential campaign. he's not yet taken off. he's done things in washington state that have made important changes there within the state. you've made this a big issue. what is it going to take to get america mobilized on climate issu issues? >> i've been doing this for the last ten years. it's a question of making it clear that it's not just that we have to do this and we absolutely do. but at this point as a business person, i can tell you we can generate energy more cheaply. we can grow more quickly, we can create millions of net jobs that pay a living wage. and we can take care of the workers, the displaced workers in the fossil fuel industries that are going to decline. there's no reason on god's earth

why we should not do this. we have to do it. we'll be healthier as a result. we'll have cleaner air and water. it's imperative and it's all good. >> i have to ask you when you were in the hedge fund world, you were investing heavily in coal. does that undermine -- >> when i was running an investment firm, we invested in every part of the economy, including fossil fuels. and when i realized over ten years ago that this was going to be a problem, that it was going to have an impact on society, i divested, i quit my job and i took the giving pledge. i started organizing coalitions of ordinary citizens to beat the oil companies. we've been beating them for over a decade. i'm asking people, andrea -- i'll ask you to make the same change. to understand that we were in an economy that was fueled by fossil fuels for over 100 years. we're going to have to make a change.

that change is going to make our country better and healthier and richer. >> and one quick question about impeachment. because it does seem from all of the polling that people just don't care about impeachment and that, in fact, politically, it hurts democrats more than helps them. it hasn't taken off. time is running out. you made it a signature issue. >> look, we started talking about impeachment -- i started a petition drive to get the american people's voice to be heard. we have over 8 million people who have signed that petition. half of the democratic congresspeople have come out for impeachment. what we've been asking for is a series of public televised hearings of which we've had two which was michael cohen and mr. mueller. the american people have not been presented the evidence. every time we show the evidence in our research to americans they say three things. i didn't know that. he's a liar and a crook, and if

i did that i'd be in jail. what we've been asking for is to let the american people into the system. i've been saying all along, we have a broken government. the answer is more democracy and more participation by the american people who i trust. that's what we've been asking for. bring in the american people. they'll insist on what's right and i'll trust them if we have those hearings. >> thanks so much. to be continued. how to see you again soon. coming up, $6 million man. nra chief wayne lapierre under fire after asking his organization to buy him a $5 million luxury mansion following the parkland high school massacre. you're watching "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. # u're watching "andrea mitchell reports" on msnbc. or could it turn out differently? i wanted to help protect myself. my doctor recommended eliquis. eliquis is proven to treat and help prevent another dvt or pe blood clot... almost 98 percent of patients on eliquis

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the mother of the 21-year-old man accused of murdering 22 people in el paso called police weeks before the shooting, concerned her son owned an ak type gun. family attorneys confirmed that to nbc news. she called police in allen, texas, because she was concerned about his age, lack of experience with a gun. the allen police tell nbc that they only have records of three minor incidents involving the shooter, and no reports documenting that call from the mother. joining me now is chris brown, the president of the brady campaign to prevent gun violence. so first of all, red flag bills

and, you know, the assault weapon ban not even being picked up even though there's a lot of support for it . background checks. the president has said he'd support it. then we hear wayne lapierre, as he did after parkland, has called the president. do we know that the president is going to get behind this? >> we'll only know the president is behind this if he actually comes out and calls mitch mcconnell and says why don't you call the senate back into session because i know the background check bill that i've told the american people i think congress should pass, it's sitting on your desk, mitch. why don't you pass that and send it to me. tha >> what about wayne lapierre? the nra has been riddled with accusations of corruption. our colleague at the washington post uncovering this dramatic demand after parkland for a secure $6 million facility on a

golf course? >> i think -- >> we're talking about something, you know -- i think there is a graphic of the area that they supposedly were going to develop and give this enormous house. >> you know, i run a non-profit, the brady campaign. and i can tell you that wayne lapierre we know has spent about $100,000 at a beverly hills boutique for his attire. he's spent millions of dollars now. he wanted to on a house. this is not appropriate expenditures for a non-profit. he has a 501 c 3 status. that's why the new york attorney general is investigating the nra and has just announced she's looking into various members of the nra board. >> what is your bottom line? what action do you want to see congress take to be effective? >> look, we have an epidemic of gun violence. as other people have said who you've talked to today, there is

no one particular solution. take up the background check bill that the house of representatives has already passed. pass extreme risk laws. what i mean there is there are bills right now to give states funding to implement extreme risk laws. that's critically important. number three, we need an assault weapons ban and high capacity magazine restriction in this country. we had one in place for a decade. we need it again. >> thank you so much. good to see you. >> thank you. round up. hundreds of immigrants arrested wednesday across mississippi. sheila jackson lee is joining me next. you're watching "andrea mitchell reports," stay with us. you're watching "andrea mitchell reports," stay with us great riches will find you when liberty mutual customizes your car insurance, so you only pay for what you need. wow. thanks, zoltar. how can i ever repay you? maybe you could free zoltar?

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investigation into illegal employment of immigrants. more than 300 people have been released but still have to appear in court. joining me now is sheila jackson lee. welcome, it's always good to see you. what do you know about these raids? they are alarming reports from usa today that schoolteachers in mississippi are concerned that parents won't be home, that schoolchildren are going to be sent home from school to empty houses. what do you know about the coordination at all for human services there? >> just from the emotional standpoint before i arrived at the studio speaking to one of my hispanic friends, happens to be a business person. i can't capture for you the emotion of this individual with el paso and all that is going on, what poor timing the president of the united states decides to take his very

untoward and dastardly policies that are made to scare and intimidate, not just those who are engaged in this roundup, but all across the nation. now let me be very clear. we understand land of immigrants and a land of laws. however, this process of raids have been used in the past and they are wrong headed and ineffective. every one of those persons has an address, were living in the community openly. their children were going to school. every one of them could have been appropriately rounded up in some other location. they were not escapees or felons as president obama focused on, people who would do harm to the united states. these are people who are working. not only that, the wrongness, if you will, is on the business that didn't process these people in the right manner. but i would say for the agricultural business, they've

been begging for us to find ways for them to have workers in meat plants and other plants around the country, so i am on homeland security. i think it's unfortunate when i.c.e. has to be made into this kind of agency and to be an intimidator rather than an agency that has in the past made sure that we are safe in this nation. that is what americans want, to be safe. but when their neighbors are rounded up in a vile way, when children are left unprotected, i'm disappointed. and the president and steve miller need to stop these gestapo tactics and we need to work together to pass comprehensive immigration reform. >> there is another major departure now from the state department. i know it doesn't come under your purview at homeland, but we've had the resignation of the assistant secretary of state for latin america. according to multiple reports, she clashed with steven miller on guatemala, on the recent decision to force people seeking

asylum to go to guatemala first, which is completely unprepared to handle these influxes, before seeking asylum, instead of seeking asylum here in the united states, which has been guaranteed under international law, under our laws, and under treaties. do you know anything more about this? this is a major departure. this is a woman who had been in the george w. bush nsc, had been a cia analyst or official in the past, and kimberly briar was extremely qualified and now another huge vacancy in a top state department position for all of latin and south america. >> andrea, a great public servant. let me first of all give her my expressions of appreciation for the work that she has done. this, again, is an example, a poor example of poor leadership and it is what we find as members of congress in every agency. the experts, the professionals,

are thrown out because they give countering advice. he has a dangerous team in the white house, led by mr. miller, who doesn't see immigrants in any other way -- apparently he has lost his way and has never been to the statue of liberty. he has never known those of us who had our relatives if you will come from other places and we've had now the privilege of being public servants. she was right. guatemala is not prepared to handle those, to take the asylum process, and allow individuals to have to stay in guatemala, which is a poor country, which is suffering from violence in and of itself, and doesn't have the infrastructure to deal with something as crucial as asking for asylum. this is nothing more than the president pushing off the responsibilities of this nation, being in essence insulting to the immigrant process or the

idea of america's foundation being built on those who have come from far away places and contributed to the excitement of this nation, from silicon valley to the railroads to medicine to education. immigrants have come to those who have been now inventors and made a big difference in this nation. i'm saddened that we have turned this country upside down. this is wrong. i'd like to find a way to bring her back. but most of all, to thank her. and to stop steve miller, stop him from characterizing this country as a gestapo and a hater of immigrants. and that is the cause, if you will, of the heinous acts in el paso that i am still mourning for those in el paso and in dayton and elsewhere, but in el paso in particular, because of the manifesto and the attribution to the actions and words of this administration

that might have propelled this individual along with 8chan and other devastating sites to do this horrible and irrepairable action. >> congresswoman sheila jackson lee, thank you so much. we hope we'll talk to you soon on a number of the other subjects you've been working on. thank you very much, congresswoman. >> thank you. i look forward to talking to you on reparations, hr-40. thank you. >> thank you. coming up, political spin. why customers are boycotting high end fitness brands equinox and soul cycle. stay with us. ycle stay with us customer service, every time. our 18 year old was in an accident. usaa took care of her car rental, and getting her car towed. all i had to take care of was making sure that my daughter was ok. if i met another veteran, and they were with another insurance company, i would tell them, you need to join usaa because they have better rates, and better service. we're the gomez family... we're the rivera family... we're the kirby family, and we are usaa members for life. get your auto insurance quote today.

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miami dolphins owner stephen ross, chairman of the company that owns both soul cycle and equinox is facing outrage from customers over the fundraiser he is planning in the hamptons this weekend for president trump. nbc's stephanie gosk has the latest on the story. soul cycle and equinox have made it clear they are not part of this event but a lot of their customers are not in support. >> reporter: they're not happy, andrea. it is difficult to quantify. we saw a lot of anger on social media, and trying to get a sense today whether it actually led to people not showing up for their soul cycle classes. it is important to point out stephen ross is holding this fundraiser not in his capacity as chairman of this corporation but as a private citizen who is fundraising for the president's re-election campaign. he came out with a statement yesterday saying, i've known president trump for 40 years and while i agree with you on some

issues i do not agree with him on all of them. it draws a new sand in the line here when we're talking about these boycotts. >> thanks for doing that. that's all for us. here is ali velshi and stephanie ruhle from "velshi and ruhle." >> i'm not really protesting it. >> okay. you're going? >> it is a good excuse to say i'm done with equinox, not going for the rest of the week at least. >> my favorite twitter was michael moore saying he is not going to soul cycle and donald trump jr. saying i think you haven't been there for a couple decades. >> that's kind of the situation with me. >> well, the equinox hotel is opening up soon. that could impact people. yesterday soul cycle was launching their equivalent to pelaton. >> the home bike. real stuff to it. it's a good story. andrea, thank you. have a great afternoon. >> or a really bad story depending on your perspective but it is a story. >> i happen to have equin