guy to explain what's happening, what are the facts, and how should policymakers deal with the facts. can't wait to have bill nye on tomorrow. that does it for "the beat" tonight, though. "hardball" with chris matthews is up next. trump goes to war. let's play "hardball." >> good evening. i'm chris matthews in washington. in a wild escalation of his political wars, the president of the united states urged a foreign country to bar its doors from members of the united states congress. at the president's urging, that country agreed to do it. the astounding chain of events began with a tweet, of course. president trump wrote, "it would show great weakness if israel allowed representative omar and representative tlaib to visit. they hate israel and all jewish people." well, shortly after that, prime minister benjamin netanyahu

officially barred the two lawmakers. he argued it was due to their support for a pro-palestinian boycott movement in israel which under israeli law is bounds for banning. but israel's actions urged on by trump was a reversal from israel israel's position a few days before. israel's ambassador to the u.s. said last month israel will not block omar and tlaib from coming into the country. he said at the time out of respect for the u.s. congress and the great alliance between israel and america, we would not deny entry to any member of congress into israel. so what changed? the answer appears to be donald trump. according to reporting from axios this weekend, trump was lobbying prime minister netanyahu to bar the two congresswomen from going into israel. both omar and tlaib are outspoken critics of israel's government. they planned to visit the west bank and jerusalem to meet with human rights organizations and ngos. the unprecedented move to bar

them from the country received strong rebukes from democrats as well as republicans, some republicans. and the top pro-israeli lobbying group in the use, apac tweeted we disagree with representatives omar and tlaib's support for the anti-israel and anti-peace bds movement" -- that's the sanctions moment -- along with tlaib's calls for a one-state solution. we also believe ever member of congress should be able to visit and experience our democratic ally israel firsthand. in a statement this afternoon omar says it is an affront that israeli prime minister netanyahu under pressure from president trump would deny entry to representatives of the u.s. government. trump's muslim ban is what's israel is implementing, this time against two duly elected members of congress. >> i'm only involved from the standpoint of they're very anti-jewish and very anti-israel. i think it's disgraceful the

things they've said. i can't imagine why israel would let them in. but if they want to let them, in they can. but i can't imagine why they would do it. >> for more i'm joined by former congressman joe walsh, a republican from illinois who is a nationally syndicated radio hose. former senator barbara boxer from california, host of the boxer podcast, and jason johnson, politics editor of the root. i want to get everybody's view on this up front. your first reaction when you heard that the president basically pressured netanyahu into barring entry to u.s. congress people, two of them. senator, what do you think of this? >> well, weak leaders squash dissent. trump looks so weak. what is he afraid of? and so does benjamin netanyahu look weak. now, i have been to israel many times, been to the middle east many times, and the wonderful thing about those visits is how open, how open everyone was to dissent, even the taxi cabdrivers, let alone the members of parliament and all the leaders.

whether it was likud or labor, this is what a democracy is. but i just think this is one giant diversion. trump doesn't want to talk about the coming recession which might be upon us. he doesn't want to talk about a volatile stock market, jeffrey epstein's death that happened on the trump administration's watch over the bureau of prisons, and the trade war that's a disaster and terrible poll numbers. so what does he do? he goes back to bashing people of color. it's outrageous, completely outrageous, and i am so happy that aipac stepped in. i think it's going to make a big difference in the way people look at this. >> well, there is something -- joe walsh, there is something tyrannical about this that is almost biblical. here is a leader of a country, our leader who thinks i can decide who comes into the country. now he is going to decide who can leave the country. i mean, it's autocratic, and it's escalation where we used to say politics ends at the water edge.

he is escalating to a global fight against his democratic enemies. >> chris, i agree. and i agree with senator boxer. it's un-american. it's trump acting like a king again. it's not surprising. it's trump. it's a weak, small, heavy, childish move, but we expect that every day from this president. i'm disappointed in israel. israel should have told this president to go jump and stay out of it. and i got to be honest, chris. i'm disappointed every one of my former republican colleagues should have stood up for their members of congress, if we disagree on their politics and i do disagree with omar and tlaib's politics with regard to israel, but that's not the point at all. >> why don't -- i've got you here. i'm so glad to get you, former congressman. why are they afraid to lift their voices and say this is un-american to have a president just by dictate with his relationship with a fellow right wing leader just saying don't

let them in. i know they're our elected officials. don't let them. in. >> they're scared, chris. they're scared of him. they're scared of mipissing him off. they're afraid of a tweet. all they want to do is get reelected. everything you and i are saying right now, chris, they believe, my former republican colleagues believe privately, but they don't want the wrath of trump. >> you know, jason, let's talk hard politics. it's not -- it's partially racial. these are women of color. these are women who come from different backgrounds than most americans. they come from, to paraphrase, the middle east, south asia -- no, horn of africa in one case. this is the stupidest thing in the world. he has made these people one of the biggest people in the world. they'll be able to do lectures all around the country. not for money, but everybody wants to hear from the people the president is scorning. >> chris, what worries me about this is this is blocking -- this is sort of promoting white nationalism abroad, in getting

another country to buy into it. what happens when he decides not to let people come? that's the next step. you literally will have members of congress who can't come back. the groundwork of this was set by the overreaction of many democrats to the behavior of these two members of congress. and i always point this out. these are people from the heartland. we're talking michigan. we're talking minnesota. the united states gives billions of dollars in aid to israel every year. everyone from our congress should be allowed to go there and conduct a fact finding mission. so it's disappointing that israel allowed this to happen, because they have every right to be here. it's disappointing that this president has engaged in a typical white nationalist garbage he engages in, and our country as a whole needs to see this as a warning sign that if the president starts blocking people from doing their federal jobs, he will not stop at our border. >> it's only the latest attacks against the four congresswomen. they're part of the group of four freshmen members the president has repeatedly attacked in the past four weeks in an attempt to elevate their

stature of representatives of the party. barbara boxer, senator, how much of this is strategic by trump? is this impulsive stupidity or does he think i can make the face of the democratic party its most progressive left, people of color, and i can get the middle back politically next time by doing that? >> well, as i said, i think it's a grand diversion. number 792. >> yeah. >> because things are not going well. just look at the gun violence in this country. he promised he was going to do something about it. he is not doing anything about it. oh, the trade war would be great. we're going to win, win. you're going to get so tired of winning. this is a grand diversion. look, my party, the democratic party is a big, big tent. it is so in california. i saw what happened to the republicans in my state because they went the same way, to the right, right, right. and they were scared and they were cowardly. and what has happened? 24% of voters are registered

republican. 42% of voters are registered independent and 31% democratic. and the decline to state leans liberal, leans that direction. so this is what's going to happen. and i go back a long time, as many people keep reminding me. >> how many times did you beat those republicans? how many times did you win? six times? >> four times for the senate. four times for the senate. but guess what? it was all honorable. it wasn't like donald trump. and he is, and i agree with mr. walsh, congressman walsh so much when he says they are cowards. they are puppets. and it's going to destroy the party nationally. i don't take great flee at that at all, because the democrats, we're the big umbrella, yes, we can criticize one another. what's wrong with that? we should be able to do that. but the bottom line is we're for freedom and democracy and

opportunity, and we don't want to see a tyrannical government either here or anywhere else. we want people to freely travel all over the world so they can find out for themselves what the facts are. and if we don't agree, we can have a good spirited debate. that's a good thing, not a bad thing. >> well, president trump seems to be at odds with some members of his own party when it comes to urging israel to bar omar and tlaib. that includes the house republican leader, kevin mccarthy. according to politico, last week the two top leaders in congress, steny hoyer and kevin mccarthy went to jerusalem and said yes, of course, israel should let the pair of congresswomen. in senator marco rubio expressed concern as well saying it was a mistake by israel to bar those two members of congress because it gives them what they want. of course, he is giving the political spin there. and senator susan collins tweeted the trump administration made a mistake in urging israel to prevent them from entering the country. what i'm most impressed by, joe, is aipac which is a very strong

and many cases right wing hawkish support of israel, that's the point of view, very legitimate, but very much on the right, they say this is the stupidest thing in the world, that trump was totally wrong to do this. he shouldn't be stopping the two women of the democratic left from going in israel. they shouldn't be doing that because they look like they're working for trump. they working for trump. >> they are. it was a strong statement by aipac. but you rattle off the names of a few republicans. man, every single republican should have stood up, even though our politics differs, they should have stood up for these two congresswomen. the president of the united states can't tell members of congress what countries they can visit and not. that's crazy. >> you know there is a kind of -- remembering frank sinatra is big. i can remember. even when he is the biggest guy in the world, if you met him at a bar and said the wrong thing, woe want to fight with you in

the men's room. he was street corner guy. this trump loves this. whatever else you say about him, he is loving it. >> this is a big flex for him. he gets to show how tough he is. i don't think this is a distraction. this is just what he does. i don't think that donald trump has some -- there is no chessboard here. he doesn't like brown people. >> but he does pick his enemies very strategically. >> he picks his enemies because they're women and they're brown and he doesn't like them. >> you don't think that's strategy? >> i don't think that's strategy. he is not that strategic. >> yeah, he san francisco. >> i disagree. i disagree. >> joe, what do you think? you're in that party. >> and i love jason. chris, you're right. this is all strategic. he is trying to rile up his base. he wants to make these two the picture of the opposition. it's terrible, but it's political. >> you know -- >> can i add to the argument? i've grown up watching the democratic party, rooting for it most of the time. and i got to tell you, i've watched over the years. first of all it was bella abzug.

they beat the hell out of her. she's the democratic party. years ago it was somebody else. they did wit ted kennedy. they did wit tip o'neill. they already found somebody from the coast. for a while there it was nancy pelosi. she is not a good person anymore. they always get an ethnic person from one of the coasts and turn him into their target. what do you think? is that strategy or impulse? >> chris, chris, this is so -- i remember when they did to it tip o'neill? do you remember? >> of course it never worked with him, but they were vile to him. they were vile to jim wright. but i do believe if you had as much bad news as this president has, you know, and you had no moral compass like that israel

have shown them the true democracy. instead, they missed an opportunity for israel. >> oh, barbara. >> i feel bad about it as an american-jewish person. i really feel terrible about it. >> not being jewish, i went to israel. i was afraid the hawks over there would give me a hard time that is the most open country in the world. >> yes. >> you can debate. >> yes. >> i was debating somebody from "the jerusalem post," a real right winger. it was no problem. you come back to america and you get the neo cons jumping down your throat. anyway, we know the world, barbara. barbara, thank you so much.

it's an honor to have you on. >> all right. >> joe walsh, welcome to the flight. you're all going to stay on the show for another segment. thank you. we're not going to let this great panel go away so fast. our guests are sticking with us. coming up, conservatives are going through a bit of a rough patch with steven king's comments about rape and incest, tucker carlson saying the danger of white nationalism is a hoax. ben shapiro claiming people have to take a second job. and the latest of the 2020 candidates, including one of them throwing in the towel and considering, maybe, maybe, a senate run in colorado. plus, the politics of distraction. we've been talking about it with president trump focusing on all the wrong things and hoping nobody really notices. much more ahead. stick with us. hi, do you have a? we do! the discover it® miles card. earn unlimited 1.5 miles on every purchase, plus we'll match your miles at the end of your first year. you'll match my miles? yeah! mile for mile! and no blackout dates or annual fee. nice! i was thinking about taking a scuba diving trip!

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how you watch it does too. tv just keeps getting better. this is xfinity x1. featuring the emmy award-winning voice remote. streaming services without changing passwords and input. live sports - with real-time stats and scores. access to the most 4k content. and your movies and shows to go. the best tv experience is the best tv value. xfinity x1. simple. easy. awesome. xfinity. the future of awesome. this isn't the first time i've had concerns with what steve king has said. earlier in this congress, there are things that steve king said

that i do not believe the party of lincoln would stand for. and as a united conference, we actually removed steve king from his committees inside congress, and i think this just continues to show why that action was taken. >> welcome back to "hardball." that was the top republican in the house of representatives, kevin mccarthy of california responding to the latest from u.s. congressman steve king. at an event yesterday, king explained his opposition to abortion, even in cases of rape and incest. he asked if not for rape and incest, would there be any population of the world left. king has already been rebuked by his own party for his divisive rhetoric. the congressman was removed from his house committee assignments earlier this year after he questioned when terms like white supremacist became offensive. an interview with "the new york times." that's just one example of a long history of racist comments from the iowa republican. here goes. >> for everyone who is a valedictorian, there is another hundred out there that they weigh 130 pounds and they've got

calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. >> we can also electrify this wire with the kind of current that wouldn't kill somebody, but it would simply be a discouragement for them to be fooling around with it. we do that to livestock all the time. >> this does get a little tired, charlie. i'd ask you to go back through history and figure out where are these contributions that have been made by these other categories of people that you're talking about. where did any other subgroup of people contribute more to civilization? >> but while king faces the ire of some of his fellow elected republicans yet again, most have remained largely silent on the rhetoric from president trump himself, of course. former arizona republican senator jeff flake, one of only a handful of republicans to speak out against the president before he retired told utah's deseret news, quote, there is no place for him right now in the gop, which is going through spasms of a dying party, and could be doomed long-term if president donald trump is

reelected. we're back with joe walsh, senator barbara boxer and jason johnson. joe, i want to ask you about this, this fellow republican of yours, steve king. is he crazy? >> chris, i'm not going to even try to explain what he said yesterday. i just can't. and every republican up on capitol hill should condemn him. but come on, the voters in that district of his, chris that. >> got to step up. i'm a republican. i believe he's got a republican primary challenge. there's no way on god's green earth steve king should get re-elected. >> we know from following history, those of us who have all been made to read it, world history that in the old days when you conquered another country, you raped all the women. there were a lot of babies created. but why bring that up as an argument over current abortion debating women's rights? why would you bring that up? >> because he is an offensive, vulgar person. at the end of the day, look, i have to agree. former congressman walsh.

i don't believe in overthrowing the will of the people. if the people in his district want this kind of representation, that's what they should get. i may find him disgusting. i may think he is offensive. >> the voting rights of the people of his district. >> but the idea that his party should kick him out or anything else like that, i don't think that should happen. it's the voters' job. >> you're saying they shouldn't take away his assignments? >> i don't think so either. that's up to the people. >> joe, what do you think? joe, you're in the house. what do you think about this? >> i agree with jason. this is on the voters. i have no problem with them reprimanding him in congress and calling him out, but the voters got to step up. >> yeah. >> this goes back to adam clayton powell. >> exactly. >> meanwhile, several conservative commentators have also recently come under fire for remarks of their own. just three days after the deadly shooting in el paso where the gunman later admitted he targeted latinos, fox news host tucker carlson argued that white supremacy wasn't really a big problem. >> if you were to assemble a

list, a hierarchy of concerns of problems this country face, where would white supremacy be on the list? right up there with russia, probably. it's actually not a real problem in america. white supremacy, that's the problem. this is a hoax, just like the russia hoax. it's a conspiracy theory used to divide the country and keep ahold on power. that's exactly what's going on. >> well, yesterday right wing commentator ben shapiro shamed people working more than one job to make ends meet. here he goes. >> if you had to work more than one job to have a roof over your head or food on the table, you probably shouldn't have taken the job that's not paying you enough that would be a you problem. >> just wondering if this guy ever had a job. i'm guessing he is a trust funder. i don't know who this guy is. you get the feeling sometime that republicans are just trying to troll the democrats and most of the american people by saying things that have r so off the wall that their own people giggle at the absurdity.

they love it. it's a big fu to the rest of the country. >> i think they're flirting with disaster. and frankly, i served in the house for ten years. i have a slight difference of opinion. i do agree those voters in iowa should have gotten rid of steve king, but he is back and he's trying to normalize, normalize rape and incest. oh, it's just part of our life. no, it isn't. it's the most vicious, violent crime. and so i would -- if i were in the house and i was a republican, i would make a complaint to the ethics committee. because these people, all of us who are in office, we're supposed to be sending out signals to the people as to what our values are. and if we start saying that rape and incest, oh, that's just part of life. and tucker carlson, he must be asleep in a deep coma. he does not understand what is

going on. wake up, tucker. i remember when you were alive. is he some kind of robot? it's just crazy. >> i can't answer for that person. anyway, meanwhile, joe, you wrote, joe walsh, an op-ed column in "the new york times" calling for the conservative to primary president trump. quote, someone who could stand up, look the president in the eye and say enough, sir. we've had enough of your indecency. we've had enough of your lies, your bullying, your cruelty, enough of your insult, your daily drama, your incitement, enough of the danger you place this country in every single day. we don't want any of this any more, and the country certainly can't stand four more years. you sound like joe walsh from the army mccarthy hearing. have you no decency, senator. i know you're echoing that. who has the competence politically. you know, kasich, very successful governor for two terms. he's not going to do it. i keep looking at mitt romney.

i find myself so desperate some days, i'm rooting for mitt romney to speak up. even the kind of dull characters in politics look like they would be better off than what we got now. who is going to challenge trump? you're saying everybody is afraid of him. chris, i don't know, because you need somebody who can stand in front of the world and say this guy's unfit. he is a bully and a coward. it's got to be somebody who can make the moral case against trump. and hey, chris, it's a bar fight. some republican has to punch him in the face every single day. because i'll tell you right now, if somebody doesn't, chris, the republicans are going to get wiped out in 2020. if a republican doesn't present a strong challenge to him and punch this coward in the face every day, the republican party is going to have a hard time coming back. >> you know, it's hard for me to suggest today, because my whole part of the country, the northeast has two republicans left, pat toomey and susan collins.

and one of them is probably going to be gone by next time. there are no republican logical suspects. >> and most of them don't have the spine to do it. you can stack up mitt romney, jeff raken and corker. >> suddenly in a sort of way, and the truth of the matter is republicans still love the guy. the base still loves him. the punching is going to have to come from somebody on the democratic side because the republicans aren't going to do it. >> i think a lot of it is a big fu to the world they live in, and they keep voting for guy because he keeps yelg it more loud. these things are absurd. i don't think people believe in all this stuff. i don't know. maybe they do. congressman joe walsh. >> you're better than ever, thank you for coming on. barbara, it's an honor as always. and you did win four straight statewide elections as a liberal, without questioning yourself. you were never -- never gas lighted by these people. you just said what you thought and you won. thank you. and jason johnson of the root, thank you, sir. up next, the 2020 field narrows with one candidate actually dropping out. and maybe, just maybe running

for senate in colorado. more hardball coming up. ardball. humira patients, you inspire us.

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i ran for president because this country is being ripped apart by politics and partisan games while our biggest problems go unsolved. now today i'm ending my campaign for president, but i will never stop believing that america can only move forward when we work together. people want to know what comes

next for me. i've heard from so many colorado apps who want me to run for the united states senate. they remind me how much is at stake for our country and our state. i intend to give that some serious thought. >> wow. welcome back to "hardball" that was former colorado governor, former denver mayor john hickenlooper, officially dropping out just announcement of the 2020 presidential primaries and teasing a run clearly to run against colorado republican senator cory gardner. hickenlooper never made it above 1% in the presidential polls. but when it comes to the senate races, prospects are very big, very big. he is currently polling over 50 points ahead of any of the candidates in the democratic fight there according to a poll conducted by a democratic firm. and according to a robo poll by public policy polling, hickenlooper would lead cory gardner by 13 points in a hypothetical general election. democrats need to pick up four seats to win back the senate to get to 51. they only need 50 and they get

the presidency if trump wins. anyway, the cook political report currently has two republican seats up in 2020 labeled toss-ups. that's gardner's seat in colorado which look versus winnable and martha mcsally's seat in arizona and susan collins seat which is only leaning republican. i think she's got some problems. alabama is able to toss-up. i wonder about that. doug jones of course is a moderate liberal progressive in a very conservative state of alabama. i'm joined by ginger gibson for reuters and eugene robinson at "the washington post." everybody has been talking. i want to just throw some sort of accolade to hickenlooper, because everybody i talked to, one of these key people run for senate, they can win. they can take back the senate instead of being candidate number 19, candidate number 23 running for president. he's doing it. >> it takes a little bit of humility to be the guy who steps up first and says this isn't going to work. i'm going to go do something else in the interests of my

party. >> to help the party. >> in the interests of my party. look, if you're beto o'rourke, you already lost a senate seat in texas. you're a long way from maybe being able to win there. if you're bullock, it might not be something you're looking to do. montana, governor going from the senate might not be the path that he is a looking for. but there is a lot of pressure on particularly those two to follow in hickenlooper's footsteps. >> well, the only reason governors run for senate is they can't run for governor anymore. because there is not one of them that doesn't love that job. >> they love being governor. and they look at the senate now and they don't want to do it. but sometimes you have to make a sacrifice. >> enough of the thoughtfulness here. let's talk gamesmanship. what are the chances the democrats pick up three to four seats in the senate fight this next year and take control from mitch mcconnell? >> it's tough. it's towel. it's not impossible. >> what are the best bets? >> well, the best bets are -- i think they got a shot in colorado. i think if hickenlooper runs, i

think he wins. i think they got a really good shot in arizona. >> with mcsally losing to the astronaut. >> i think they would have a great shot in montana if bullock wanted to do it, but bullock is pretty firmly ruled it out. i think they would have a chance, but maybe, you know, not a great chance in texas. >> the parties are about evenly divided. why is it so damn hard to find chances for the democrats to net three? why is it so hard? >> the nature of how we can pose our senate. we do it by state, and there are just more red states than there are blue states. it's going to be very hard for democrats to take the senate. i think that some of the states that eugene pointed to are great examples. but i really think it's going to take a landslide by a democrat at the top of the ticket. that's the only way they pull across the senate. look at the midterm elections. trump still won in red states.

republicans still won in red states. these states aren't abandoning trump. they're not going flip. and you look at montana. voters know that there is a difference between sending a democrat to run their state in the governor's office and sending a democrat to the united states senate. and they vote differently when given the option. >> how about you? >> you need a blue wave. you need a huge blue wave. but i think you're more likely to get a huge blue wave if you have your best, most popular candidate running for senate, right? in other words, if beto is running in texas, for example, he probably brings texas democrats out to the polls which helps the presidential candidate and helps put -- >> the other party running a dunce. >> no. you can't count on that. beto, look at the midterm. it doubled the number of democrats. >> let's talk about -- >> let's be clear. democrats aren't betting on dunces. you look at new hampshire, we just moved a story about cory

lewandowski. they're attacking him today. the possibility that he runs. >> he is running for the house? >> for the senate. >> for the senate? >> he could run for the senate. >> against shaheen? >> against shaheen. i think there is a lot of fear in the democratic party after they watched trump and felt like they sat back and let him get the nomination, that if they do that again, they're in trouble. >> the cory lewandowski is not going to be a united states senator. this guy's got too much stuff on him. let me ask you about joe biden. it's a conversation of all my friends. they're all worried. they wonder. can he get it together? >> yeah. well, they'll probably continue worrying and wondering, you know. we'll see how biden goes, how he does. >> you sound like my friends. >> no. >> it's unknown. >> well, it is unknown. there is a whole lot that's unknown, chris, in this cycle, right? >> he is the front-runner, and people just don't know. that's what's strange about it. >> but he maintains his lead in

the polls. and people, you know, are sticking with him. >> when i talk to democrats, there is this nervousness. nervousness that is overtaking him. they're afraid about not nominating the wrong candidate. they're afraid of making a misstep. i think when you look at how biden has fared in this part of the cycle, he had a not so great first debate and not so good second debate and the numbers didn't even go down. the voters are not as nervous as the washington cocktail circuit. >> a guy i am very wary. i've known joe forever. i'm a lot like him in background. there is always the tendency. i got to tell you, anybody in the democratic party with this president can win, and anybody can lose. >> yeah. >> this is wildly open. >> i think that's true. >> making predictions are impossible. >> and when are democrats not nervous? >> or divisive or neurotic. anyway, the cocktail circuit. they don't need booze to worry.

thank you, eugene robinson. still ahead, the politics of distraction. can trump talk up the economy as he talks down the democrats? can he trash people like elizabeth warren all day long and still make us feel good about the economy? can he do both? you're watching "hardball." -and...that's your basic three-point turn. -[ scoffs ] if you say so. ♪ -i'm sorry? -what teach here isn't telling you is that snapshot rewards safe drivers with discounts on car insurance. -what? ♪ -or maybe he didn't know. ♪ [ chuckles ] i'm done with this class. -you're not even enrolled in this class. -i know. i'm supposed to be in ceramics. do you know -- -room 303. -oh. thank you. -yeah. -good luck, everybody. our mission is to provide complete, balanced nutrition for strength and energy! whoo-hoo! great-tasting ensure. with nine grams of protein and twenty-six vitamins and minerals.

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and accessoriesphones for your mobile phone. like this device to increase volume on your cell phone. - ( phone ringing ) - get details on this state program visit right now or call during business hours. welcome back to "hardball." president trump's taken a break from his vacation in new jersey and is holding a campaign rally in manchester, new hampshire right now, a state he lost by more than 2,000 votes. one of the main arguments he is making tonight, ahead of the 2020 election is that the economy is steady under his stewardship. let's listen. >> we have a very powerful country, a very strong economic and military country. we've never been better. the stock market is way up today

for various reasons, including tariffs. >> it used to be it's the economy, stupid. nothing else. it's the economy, stupid. so we have the best economy in history. >> our companies are doing well. the fundamentals are beyond what -- literally, beyond what anyone's ever seen. this isn't a bubble. >> the stock market, which to me is jobs, the stock market hit an all-time high again. think of it. >> everyone that greets me says hello, mr. president. congratulations on what you've done for the economy. it's the talk of the world. >> well, yesterday, fears of another global economic slowdown and escalating concerns over the u.s. and china trade war sent the stocks plunging downward. a volatile market right now is the biggest threat, trump's greatest political asset, the economy. additionally one of trump's signature and singular pieces of legislation, the 2017 tax cuts have been a bust economically.

they haven't done anything for jobs. in the past year the tax cuts haven't added a lot if anything to growth and wages or the overall economy that's zero. president trump or white house officials now tell "the washington post" they have become concerned that the economy is weakening faster than expected, but they are not working on proactive plans to change its course. president trump seemingly aware of the danger of volatile poses to his reelection unloaded on twitter, attacking the future and the press. there is a good reason for some of the president's concern. stay tuned after this break to find out why he's worried. you're watching "hardball." this summer at panera,

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welcome back to "hardball." president trump is still speaking to supporters at a rally in manchester, new hampshire right now. ahead of that event, the associated press spoke to some new hampshire voters who were feeling what one called trumpgret. he said i don't see where he's helped me. maybe a guy who's got a million dollars he's helped, but i don't feel he has helped me at all. that's a guy saying i don't like what trump's done for me. amid these warning signs, trump launched another attack on two of his four favorite foils, congresswoman rashida tlaib and ilhan omar. i'm joined by rick tower. you know, there is nothing more nervous than an economy that

might begin to drop. and trump's got this difficult job of if he says the wrong thing, he can help start a bank run. pound the fed chair. >> we actually should not lose sight of the fact that trump himself -- it's unusual to have a president who himself is a cause of the consternation. >> what is the cause? >> there is numerous causes, but one is just business investment is down because there's a concern about confidence and stability. a lot of that concern about confidence and instability is because a lot of business leaders and the global market is fearful about what trump will tweet, let alone the tariffs and china. >> the tweet cost? >> yes, the tweets cost. the tweets against different people, against different businesses, against saying i'm going put tariffs on one day and take them off the other. that creates instability in the markets. i think the big challenge for trump is that he could own a

downscale more than anyone else. >> here he is talking right now about the democrats. let's watch him up in new hampshire. >> now we have a group of socialists or communists could be, could be. they're not far away. now the fake news will hit me on that. how dare he say that. but they're not far away, right? >> the trouble with that is historic, rick. it's called red baiting. >> you know, i'm sorry i'm laughing. it's just like watching -- like a bad comedy. >> the old united states communist party. they're not any part of that. they're not stalinists. they're left democrats. >> right. socialism means to control the economic heights meaning the means of production. that's what socialism is. i don't know anybody on the democratic side that is proposing to do that. i may disgrie with some, but that's not socialism. this product here, this is an apple, this took over ten years

to develop. and from the glass, which was very difficult to develop to the investment to the what the labor market is to what the dollar is, you have to plan these things out long-term. and when trump is tweeting and one day we're with china and the other day we're going have a deal, there is is no deal. there is no deal there have been no trade deals except chorus which is south korea. >> haven't got congress to ratify. >> it's only like a paper back version of the hard cover. it wasn't really that big of a deal. but he talks it up like this rhetoric. but the problem is the rhetoric sounds wonderful to these people until they start to see -- >> can he win next year's election if the economy turns down? >> i think it would be very difficult because most presidents will not win during a recession, because it's james carvel's adage. it's the economy, stupid. >> in fact, the economy is basically what's holding him up. if you see what's happened with his numbers, his personal approval, his job approval is low considering people's views of the economy.

>> he should be in the 60s or the 70s. >> a normal president who wasn't so personally -- >> offensive. >> offensive and gross and racist would actually have higher approval ratings. but that's the thing for him. >> let's take a look at this. what looks like the signal. president trump is eager to cut a deal with china, politico is reporting amid violent protests in hong kong right now, president trump seems determined to keep china's human rights abuses from complicating his trade negotiations. look, i worry all the time about another tiananmen square. i worry about the protests going overboard, because chinese are very conservative when it comes to don't question the government you don't go after the state. trump ought to be cautioning both sides, especially government. that's my thinking. >> yeah, he should be. but he actually is generally aligned with autocrats. and we have protest movements in hong kong. we have big national protests in russia around democracy.

these are protest movements around democracy. big democracy would usually support them. he is silent or supportive of the government in these crackdowns. one can argue it's multiple things. he wants a deal with the chinese. i don't know why the chinese would give him a deal a year before his election. >> i'm with it. i'm sympathetic to a lot of democrats who want to get tough with china. people like sherrod brown, people like industrial democrats representing the unions, the steelworkers are tired of being pushed around. it's not the only problem we've got. modernization is the challenge. automation. and the fact is we need a trade war, the right kind. your thoughts? >> i disagree. >> you think we should let the chinese gradually eat our breakfast, our lunch and dinner? >> no. americans tomorrow could stop buying things from china. we have a trade deficit the same way you have a trade deficit with your growcery store. walmart, competitors and others

are full of stuff -- >> but keep building up their current exchange that. >> could buy anything in the world with that. the chinese have so much exchange. >> it only goes so far. >> they're buying africa. >> trump wants to buy green land. >> just for the record, there should be ways to actually deal with china. >> we got to go. >> quickly. >> punishing farmers is a bad way. >> thank you, neera tanden, rick tyler. there is one thing he can do and he forgot all about it, and i remember it clearly from the election last time. he promised something he ain't done. you're watching "hardball." l. new depend® fit-flex underwear offers your best comfort and protection guaranteed. because, perfect or not, life's better when you're in it. be there with depend®. tthe bad news? ouyour patience might not.ay. new depend® fit-flex underwear offers your best comfort and protection guaranteed. because, perfect or not, life's better when you're in it.

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when donald trump appealed for our votes the first time, he showed traces of sanity. he was going to end stupid wars. i'll leave that one to another night. it's the other trace obscenity i want address right now. let's listen to what candidate trump said three years ago this month. >> we will build the next generation of roads, bridges, railway, tunnels, seaports and airports. that, believe me folks, is what our country deserves. that was candidate donald trump speaking in detroit in august of 2016. in september 2016, he said this in north carolina. >> we're going to rebuild our inner cities because our african american communities are

absolutely in the worst shape that they've ever been in before, ever, ever, ever. you take a look at the inner cities, you get no education. you get no jobs. you get shot walking down the street. >> and here he was on election night, the moment of his upset victory. >> we are going to fix our inner cities and rebuild our highways, bridges, tunnels, airports, schools, hospitals. we're going rebuild our infrastructure. >> we are going to build. so here we are heading into the third fall of his presidential term, and donald trump is facing what might be a slowing economy. so is it because he put all his eggs into the tax cut? is it because he gave all that money to corporations who used to it buy back stock? is it because he failed to act on the central role of reikeyne economics. has he forgotten the country's

most successful populist believed in building? if president trump wants to be a success, the time is right now to put the country to work. all he needs for blueprints are the words he spoke in get hearing. that's "hardball" for now. thanks for being with us. "all in with chris hayes" starts right now. tonight on "all in" -- >> why did you feel you need to get involved in the two congresswomen's trip to israel? >> the president demands a foreign government retaliate against american citizens. >> i can't imagine why israel would let them in. >> tonight, the growing outrage over the president's behavior and his continued attacks on the first two muslim women in congress. senator bernie sanders joins me on the trump attacks on the squad and a trump economy teetering on the edge of recession. plus, why democrats just subpoenaed the man donald trump just endorsed for senate. >> he is terrific on television you've seen. and what we're learning from

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