20 years. >> let's play "hardball." >> obama drama. machineny the meany. >> to the moon and back. no one's ever late for an execution. don't tax you, don't tax me, tax that fellow behind the tree. >> to huckabee or not to be? high noon on gun control. no country for old men. hope for the pope. wiener schnitzel. mutiny for the wacko birds. is the free world free from fear? could it really be trump versus hillary next year? you say you want a revolution. size matters, day four. friends without benefits.

moscow nights. white house rumble. to russia with love. mueller time. individual one. a trumped-up emergency. cohen doubles down. bar fight. who's a friend of big bad mueller? second term or prison term? the whistle-blower versus the tweeter. let's play hardball. let's play hardball. let's play hardball. >> i'm chris matthews. let's play "hardball." >> it gets no better than that. >> oh, my god. >> how great is that? >> second term or prison term? bar fight, i love that one. but size matters, i mean, let's just stop right there. >> chris, seriously that's the most important part of the day. for mee ka. everything else revolves around 7:00 p.m. every night. where did you get that idea? >> well, in the cold open, i guess, a couple things. an 8-year-old kid once said they love this show because they love the opening. they love the let's play hardball thing. a lot of these things, you

created "morning joe" with mieke. a lot of it's generic. we kept saying it. a lot of this stuff, tell me something i don't know on the sunday show. a lot of it it's do it once and yeah let's do that. you know? that's how it works. >> well, how did we do? >> you did good. you got the hoot pretty well, joe. you got to say it like you don't plan to do it, it just comes. >> well, you know, it's called "hardball" from a reason, mika. >> it is. over the past two decades chris has earned his reputation as one of the toughest interviewers on television. let's watch. >> tell me what chamberlain did wrong. >> changeable was an appeaser. >> what did he do? >> he was an appeaser, all right? >> what did he do? >> his policies the things he supported --

>> are you an innocent man? >> very much so. i'd never ever intended to sell a senate seat for financial gain. when the prosecutor said he was stopping crimes before it happened, that prosecutor mutilated the truth. i was conducting politics to get the most done for the people of illinois. and the truth -- >> we're just going in circles. we've just gone in a circle. >> why? >> because you said you did nothing wrong but two minutes ago you said you didn't know if it was wrong or not. why does your party want national law against gay marriage? why are you so much involved in abortion all the time? why don't you stay out of peoples lives if you really want limited government? >> maybe it's that you're so misguided you think i'm misguided. >> no, i read your party's platform. do you? i read the platform. it's not just rotten apples, it's our point of view. was he legitimately elected president of the united states? >> president obama was elected president. >> legitimately.

>> people elected him, yes. >> legitimate? so he was a natural-born citizen? >> i didn't make that judgment when he was brought in. >> are you, tom delay, with your political and professional career history in the united states government questioning this man's button fides -- bon fides -- >> no. >> you're questioning it. you want to see his paper. >> chris, the constitution of the united states says -- >> i know it. but i'm not asking for yours. a couple of his people said they believe president obama is a legitimately elected president of the united states. >> i confirm that and -- donald trump now confirms that. you know, hillary clinton campaigned -- >> when did he do that? >> >> two years ago. three years ago. >> when did he accept that birtherism is nonsense? >> look, hillary clinton's campaign -- >> when did he do that? >> chris, hillary clinton's campaign -- >> he did not do that yet. i'm waiting for him to do it. >> ken cuccinelli could have turned around and said, hey, do

dwlaun terry mccull lot of is for late-term abortion? >> how do you know that's a policy of terry mccullof's? >> i don't. >> i would ask to make sure that he's asked the same questions. >> other colleges and universities should be tuition free. >> how do you pass it through the senate? how do you get 60 votes for any of this? >> you pay for it through a tax on wall street -- >> who's going to pay that tax? >> the american -- chris, you and i look at the world differently. you look at it inside the beltway. i'm not an inside the beltway guy. i am an outside the beltway guy. >> but the people that vote on taxes are inside the beltway. >> who's your favorite foreign leader? anywhere in the country, anywhere on the continent. >> i guess i'm having an aleppo moment with the former president of mexico. >> i'm giving you any part of the world you like. pick any leader. >> the former president of mexico. >> which one? >> i'm having a brain -- >> name anybody.

>> oh, my god. >> so unbelievable. that's just -- chris. >> that was incredible. >> oh, my lord. >> so your interviews are tough. your interviews are honest. you know your stuff, and that's all part of it. but is the secret sauce your love for politics? what is it? >> well, in those cases i sort of scan the intellectual map to figure what doesn't this guy or person know what they're talking about? like trump with abortion rights, he didn't know what the pro-life position was. it wasn't punish the woman, and he didn't know. i don't ask them what they want to talk about. i ask them what they don't want to talk about. i do push them. i get accused of badgering them. but other shows can ask the question twice before people say you're badgering the witness. so i do it for three and i still get attacked on social media because the people who back these candidates don't want them to be hit with hard questions. they don't like hard questions.

like name a world leader if you're running for president of the united states. >> briefly. but i thought your back and forth with bernie was really revealing. of course how funny a guy that's been in washington, d.c. for a quarter of a century or more is calling you a washington insider. that's funny. but, you know, whether it's donald trump saying mexico's going to pay for the wall or bernie saying that he's going to get 60 votes for free college or we have elizabeth warren -- it seems like every four years people make promises that just aren't realistic. how important is it that you've been there -- and again it's not what you're for or against. it's what you know is possible. politics is the art of the possible. and you learn that at the shoulder of one of the greats in congressional history, tip o'neil. >> joe, you know the whole thing. you served in the house. you know how it works. the senate is the cooling dish, the cooling saucer.

it takes 60 votes. for example, senator warren says she's going to get rid of the filibuster. go ahead and try because there's a lot of traditional democrats who believe in the institution and know the senate is distinct from the house because it's hard to get something through there. it does take 60 votes. you get rid of the filibuster rule, and it's the house with less members. it's easier said than done. anytime i hear someone talk about free constitution, free health care paid for by the zillionnaries, i think, okay, if you can do that with 50 or 51 votes, you can get rid of it with another 50 votes in the next election. another party, they get rid of all that stuff. you've got to build your house on a stronger foundation than 50 votes. you need 60 votes. >> has anything prepared you for the age we find ourselves in where you have a white house and in fact a large part of my former republican party who

lives by as kellyanne conway said an alternative reality, alternative facts, the truth as known. the objective truth just doesn't matter. >> well, you know back when i went to college before you guys we didn't have google or social media. you couldn't look up anything. so at midnight when you're arguing with someone in the dorm the way to shut somebody up was five bucks, and that was a lot of money for us%. five bucks. boy, people shut up when they hear that. that's the bet. you bet. we'll check it at the library tomorrow. if there's one way to shut people up, you're not going to bet $5 unless you know you're right, not in those days. that could buy you three or four meals. that's a great way to end the argument and tell who's bluffing, who says something just because it's coming out of their head. but but if you want to put money behind it, put your money where your mouth is. >> next up, chris, your producer

scoured the "hardball" vault for some memorable moments with celebrities and politicians. let's take a look. >> great. >> let me ask you, ben, hammond does me rather well. nagt i try to do him sometimes. he's so damn good at me. i've heard through the grapevine through my producers you can do me. >> you're on the show. what do you know? what are you here for? what do you got? why am i talking to you? go ahead and answer. how's that. >> nice try. >> i heard your uncle got ahold -- >> first of all, it's an honor to be here. >> got ahold of robert de niro and insisted the guy do philly right. all the philly talk, he insisted that de niro, one of the great actors of all-time get it right.

>> yeah, and bob really is -- >> do you like being able to call robert de niro bob? >> i do. any moment -- i like better calling him dad. >> you vowed to crack down on drug deals and lower incarceration rates. hardball, reverend. how are you going to do both? [ laughter ] >> i want to be president and you want to grow up and be chris matthews. >> can you say it in french? >> i can, but i won't. >> you have a broadcasters voice, do you know that? >> thanks. >> it's a good thing to have. >> i'll stick to my day job if they'll let me. >> i never would chris matthews ask a question -- never. >> my problem is that i have the chris matthews syndrome. i want to break in, i want to talk too fast and cram too much information and you'd be lousy at these debates chris. >> for professional reasons who would be the best setup material

for the next four to eight years? >> can i ask a question? >> yes, sir. >> can you slow it down a peg? >> no, no. that's the answer. >> i feel like i got oatmeal in my head. >> let me ask you a question slower. who would you as a comedian most like to see elected president? >> as a comedian? i'd like to see mr. t. elected president. do i have to leave now? >> you have to leave now. >> can i recommend something to you before i go? punctuation. >> what we've learned today, no one can do chris matthews better than chris himself. up next, steve kornacki at the board with a look at "hardball" by the numbers. and remember when chris matthews was challenged to a dual? that's coming up, too. >> congratulations on an incredible run, chris. 20 years of "hardball." you can inhale now. >> i've been watching you for 20 years, and i am still struck by your insights and the way you

get politics and get into the areas where nobody else would have thought of it. >> i'm deeply moved by your journalistic clarity and, more importantly, by the truth you've been telling us. >> hi, chris. i want to wish you a very happy 20th anniversary. i remember a little bit more than 20 years ago when you told a group of us that you were thinking of doing a tv show. i thought, what? and now here you are. i cannot believe it's been 20 years. >> chris, congratulations. it's been an honor, a privilege and a real pleasure to cover the history in the making with you all these years. >> i congratulate you on 20 terrific years. >> congratulations, my friend. you know, i've learned a lot sitting at that table over the years. i've learned to wait until you ask the question, then answered the question and then critiqued your answer before i respond.

>> new rule, chris matthews owes us 20 more years of "hardball." i'm honored to call you a friend, and there's no one i'd rather get talked over in a three second satellite live. [ cheers and applause ] congratulations on getting this far the first 20 years are always the hardest. storage solus from $9.99. and area rugs up to 80% off. plus, tons of limited-time mystery flash deals. and free shipping on everything when you shop from thanksgiving through cyber monday. and we're just getting warmed up. our black friday blowout is happening now through december first. shop the event of the season, only at wayfair.com.

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ranks and came over and spoke for the democrats, would you respect them? >> yes. >> why? >> of course i would. i've seen that happen from time to time. >> what did jim jeffreys say to you? it takes a few words. >> get out of my face. if you're going to ask me a question, sit back and let me answer. >> senator, please. >> you know, i wish -- i wish we lived in the day where you could challenge a person to a dual. now that would be pretty good. >> i'll tell you all these years later i still don't know what the hell that was about. >> welcome back to "hardball." that was the first and only time an msnbc host was challenged to a dual by a politician. that's never happened to you, right? >> not yet. >> let's head over to steve kornacki at the big board to break down the numbers on 20 years of "hardball." steve? >> yes, 20 years of "hardball" on msnbc.

of course the true die hard fans remember the chris matthews television phenomenon goes back further than that. remember there was politics with chris matthews on america's old talking network. then that went away. politics with matthews on cnbc. then "hardball" on cnbc and finally 20 years ago "hardball" on msnbc with chris matthew. what are some of the big numbers that stand out? from the last 20 years? how about this? six president of the united states. six commanders in chief have appeared on "hardball" with chris matthews on msnbc. you had former president carter, president gerald ford, and every current president starting with bill clinton, george bush, barack obama and yes donald trump has appeared a couple of times on "hardball" with chris matthews. it's also eight presidential nominees, eight candidates from president from the major parties have appeared on "hardball."

john kerry, john mccain, some blasts from the past right here. eight presidential nominees and countless -- we tried to start tallying these, and too many to count. candidates for president, democrats, republicans, running for president in their primaries, all the elections since this show came to msnbc. too many to count. and this year that tally has certainly grown. if you're running for president, you're going to be on "hardball" with chris matthews. how about this, chris himself impersonated on the gold standard of pop culture. "saturday night live" 26 times chris has been impersonated. by darrell hammond. i remember i was covering the 2004 presidential primary up in new hampshire. saturday before the primary big bar, everybody in the media is there. tv has "snl" on, darrell hammond comes out to do chris matthews. the door opens in the bar, chris matthews walks in, the place went crazy. really memorable moment there. back in 2004.

of course darrell hammond came on "hardball" a few times and that set a record for the most has in one segment. chris matthews there. and you mentioned the dual, 2004 and came on after and challenged chris to a dual. the keynote speaker came on, challenged chris to a duel. 2.8 miles from the site of the burr/hamilton duel. chris matthews, miller, almost turned into a dual but it didn't. 20 years of chris matthews here on msnbc. congratulations to you, chris. back to you. >> that's so nice, s times impersonated on "snl." those are the cute numbers, but the fact is chris matthews, we've marked our time. certainly politics in this century and even the end of last century was defined by chris matthews and this show.

>> absolutely. >> there's so much noise out there, so much charter out there. this show still matters like it always has. and chris, we just want to thank you for letting us be a part of this, to just thank you for all you've done. not only for us and this network but more importantly for the conversation of the country. >> well, i got to congratulate you guys in return because you guys created something in the morning nobody else ever did. i always like to say when president trump is sitting in his bubble bath watching "fox and friends," you guys are putting on a real news show, and it's a hell of a good thing. you created it. >> we really share your love for politics. when "hardball" returns, another surprise guest will join chris to celebrate 20 years. hint, she's the queen of "hardball." you're watching "hardball." we'll be right back. >> "hardball" is a great show. you've done great work. you ask tough questions. you have a great political head,

and i hope there are many, many more years of success. >> hi, chris matthews. it's michael bennett from colorado coming to you from manchester, new hampshire, to congratulate you on 20 years of "hardball." >> chris, congratulations on 20 amazing years. look forward to see what the next 20 will be like for you. >> hey, chris, happy 20th anniversary of "hardball" and thanks for always throwing the fast pitches. >> i cannot think of a better time to have chris matthews on-air than right now during this trump era because you don't take any bull, you keep pushing through, and mostly you cover what matters. can't wait to see the next 20 years. >> to chris and the whole "hardball" team, congratulations on 20 years of smart analysis, spirited debate and always telling it like it is. >> you're one of the best standard bearers for the power of the fourth estate. you're a fierce watchdog for the american people, so keep on grilling us. >> every time i come on the show i never know what types of hardballs, curve balls will come

my way, but i can always expect pride from the professionals on the team because they put that on the show every night. so here's to many more years to chris matthews and the team shaking the dialogue. and holding up america's leaders to account. >> i'm so impressed with your spirit, your determination to get to the truth, your passion and energy for the field of journalism, and you really know how to laugh. >> keep up the great work especially in this time for our nation. your show, your journalism, your willingness, your guts is what this country needs. we present limu emu & doug with this key to the city. [ applause ] it's an honor to tell you that liberty mutual customizes your car insurance so you only pay for what you need. and now we need to get back to work. [ applause and band playing ] only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

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i'm joined right now by the person who knows me better than anyone else, my wife, kathleen, the queen. there you are, kathleen. and it's your segment. >> this has been your life, right? this is your life. >> twice as long as this show. >> we will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary in 2020. but 1999, so steve kornacki went through the numbers and here are our numbers. married almost 40 years. we met in 1978. >> yes, at the radio tv correspondents dinner. >> we have a great picture of us in that first year when we were dating. we haven't changed that much, have we? >> no, i've stayed exactly the same. you've become more glamorous i think. >> 1999 when "hardball" started here on msnbc, think back about

that, 1989 we did a fabulous first family safari to africa in that summer before. >> what year was that? >> 1999. it was the first trip of taking the kids to africa. >> we went around to all these wild places in kenya very few people go. and we found real animals. they weren't in a preserve or anything. we found them, real ones. >> and our kids are grown up now obviously but caroline at that point was only 10 years old, thomas was in 7th grade and michael was a sophomore in high school. >> back then we went to showers made out of river water and a big sort of a plastic bag of water to throw on your head and smelled of the river. remember? >> that's right. and bill clinton was the president. very popular over in africa. what was he like to cover for you on "hardball"? >> a mixed bag like many politicians. i think he was smart as a whip. i think he got in trouble with monica and some other things that sort of put a mark on his presidency. but he was a moderate democrat. i think he figured out a way to save the democratic party when

it was in real trouble. he brought it back. he beta an incumbent president that was very respected. that was quite a victory for him. >> and succeeded by bush's son, george w. bush. what was that like to cover for you? >> i thought george w. was okay as a personality. i think he handled 911 really well. i think that had nothing to do with 9/11. they didn't have anything to do with it. i thought it was cheney and the neocons and he talked into it and led the world into a war that cost 100,000 people their lives and left us and israel without a bunker between us and iran. they said it was to protect our security and it made us less secure. we would have been much better off with iran and iraq going at each other. >> fast forward to trump. when you were falling in love with politics as a young kid, did you ever imagine a presidency like this? >> no, and i don't want to use this anniversary to take another shot at him except to say there

was a part of trump that he's repressed, which was interesting. the part that sort of gatsby, the sort of loner, the individual against the establishment, a bit like citizen cane. there's a very american piece there, but that's been over by the indecency of the guy. there was a lot of important stuff going on there and that's why people i think voted for him. and once he got into power he didn't elevate himself to the office. he didn't become a better person. he took shots at peoples physical disabilities, at their looks, their voices, their gender. this is something our parents taught us not to do. you cannot have a president -- the ends do not justify the means. >> this is what we talk about at night. every night he comes home at 8:00, 8:30, we sit down at dinner and the conversation -- continues. >> i will i find an old movie i like and you can't figure out. thank you, kathleen, the queen.

up next, my thoughts on 20 years of "hardball." >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> chris, 20 years in and you are still throwing the heat on "hardball." you're the first thing i watch after i finish my broadcast each evening. your unique ability to cut through the daily heapings of political word salad has never been more important. so to you and the entire "hardball" staff, congratulations on a remarkable milestone. 20 years and wishing you many more. go get them, pal. >> chris, congratulations on 20 years of "hardball" on msnbc. as a philly girl you have always been one of my biggest inspirations. you've turned tough interviews into an art. you are one of the true pillars of our democracy. >> 206rz "hardball"? that is just amazing. congratulations, chris matthews. the entire "hardball" team for your success, for your 20th anniversary. >> hey, chris and the "hardball" crew, congratulations on 20 years. it is astounding, amazing and impressive. and before i started in nightly television and someone told me

this show just celebrated 20 years, i'm like, oh, good for them. and now i'm like how did you do it? >> 20 years? chris, it's more than 20 years. but this is the beauty of you, chris matthews, is that you're always so youthful, you're always so energetic. even though you've been doing this i think 30 years we've decided it only feels like 20 years. that's how energetic and you've actually changed the space time continuum. >> chris matthews, 20 years, how you do it, i don't know. you're an inspiration, a joy, a pleasure to be on the air with and to watch. congratulations, my friend. >> congratulations on 20 years. this is not a career, by the way. this is 20 years playing one position. on behalf of this loyal viewer, thank you, my friend, for always asking the questions that matter every night of the week. congratulations. tures like blind spot detection, back up camera... [kristen gasps] (employee) because you never know what might be behind you.

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when you first wake up in the morning and you first become al gore at the break of dawn, does that al gore want to be president? and wonders why he's not. >> i'm actually al gore while i'm asleep also. >> what are you dreaming of? the white house? >> that was my college tour with al gore in 2002. let's take a look. a memorial at stanford

university. >> >> here at stanford university from george mason university in virginia. live from chaplain university in southern california. live from the university of albany. live from the citadel. from fordham university then bronx, new york. live from the university of denver, the university of notre dame. from iowa state university in iowa. senator john mccain. let's play "hardball." [ cheers ] arnold schwarzenegger. [ cheers ] john kerry. [ cheers ] robert de niro. [ cheers ] matt damon. [ cheers ] robin williams. [ cheers ] the georgetown band. ♪ joe biden of delaware. live from westchester university

outside philadelphia, the "hardball" college tour with our special guest senator barack obama. let's play "hardball." [ cheers ] i promised you the president of the united states, and he's here. let's play "hardball." hillary clinton. [ cheers ] >> hi, mr. matthews. >> welcome to this exclusive town hall. tonight for a full hour our guest is the front-runner for the republican presidential nomination, donald trump. [ applause ] [ cheers and applause ] >> should a woman be punished for having an abortion? this is not something you can

dodge. if you say abortion is a crime or abortion is murder, you have to deal with it under the law. should abortion be punished? >> people in certain parts of the republican party and conservative republicans would say yes, they should be punished? >> what about you? >> i would say it's a very serious problem. >> do you believe in punishment for abortion as a principle? >> the answer is that there has to be some sort of punishment. >> for the woman? >> yes. >> my last interview with him obviously. for the past two decades i've had the honor of interviewing many presidents in this show from gerald ford to jimmy carter to barack obama. what are you going to do in that first debate when al gore tries to knock your teeth out one chop after another but you're going to scare the old ladies, you're going to scare the women? you made the statement this week you're standing by the decision you made the momentous decision to pardon your predecessor in the white house. just talk about your decision

about that feeling after all these what's a quarter century ing a. >> i feel more strongly today, . >> i feel more strongly today, chris, than i did when i actually signed the pardon document. and i'm pleased to see that the public are now supportive of what i did in that very tough decision. >> has a woman president -- has that time arrived, obviously talking about secretary clinton here. >> well, i think it's always been here. we should have considered a long time ago women were equal to men in the right to hold public office in this country. i'm not taking a position but just to show america lacks behind women in public office and equal pay. >> it's worth reminding americans that every election is a choice. if you have to run against the ideal if it's a referendum every one of us will get beat. nobody would get elected. we'd have nobody in office because there's no such thing as the perfect public servant.

>> how many kids here want to go into politics? >> that's a pretty good number. >> are they right? >> it continues to be a way to serve that i think can be noble. it's hard. it can be frustrating. you've got to have a thick skin. but i tell you, the satisfaction you get when you've passed a law or you've taken an executive action and somebody comes up to you and says you know what, my kid's alive because you passed that health care bill because he was uninsured, he got insurance, got a checkup and we caught a tumor in time. or you see somebody and say, you know, you helped me save my house, and i can't tell you what that means. it's pretty hard to get greater satisfaction than that.

>> people often ask me what was the most important story i covered on the past two decades. we've lived through incredible moments of course from the florida recount to the horrors of september 11th to the historic election of barack obama. but one event stands out as the single most disastrous policy in recent history. it was something so epicably stupid it makes everything pale in comparison, and we covered it aggressively, politically and doggedly and that's coming up next. >> chris, i want to congratulate you on 20 years of "hardball" and being helpful to me in the white house. you did a good job then and you've done a fine job with "hardball." so thank you very much. >> congratulations, chris. now let's play hardball. >> when i first met you you were sharp, you were smart, you were

encorrigible. after all of these years, you're more incorrigible. >> i've learned a lot about politics. >> from one irishman to another, congratulations on a very successful 20-year run. may you enjoy the next 20 years as much as you have in the past. >> chris, congratulates on 20 years of "hardball." what an incredible milestone. >> i can't believe it's been 20 years, but a huge, enormous congratulations to you for an extraordinary run in a very, very tough business. >> hey, chris. congratulations. now let's play "hardball." "har. like living room up to 70% off. storage solutions from $9.99. and area rugs up to 80% off. plus, tons of limited-time mystery flash deals. and free shipping on everything when you shop from thanksgiving through cyber monday. and we're just getting warmed up.

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you ever wish you weren't a motaur? sure. sometimes i wish i had legs like you. yeah, like a regular person. no. still half bike/half man, just the opposite. oh, so the legs on the bottom and motorcycle on the top? yeah. yeah, i could see that. for those who were born to ride, there's progressive.

yeah, i could see that. there's a company that's talked than me: jd power.people 448,134 to be exact. they answered 410 questions in 8 categories about vehicle quality. and when they were done, chevy earned more j.d. power quality awards across cars, trucks and suvs than any other brand over the last four years. so on behalf of chevrolet, i want to say "thank you, real people." you're welcome. we're gonna need a bigger room. he borrowed billions donald trump failed as a businessman. and left a trail of bankruptcy and broken promises. he hasn't changed. i started a tiny investment business, and over 27 years, grew it successfully to 36 billion dollars. i'm tom steyer and i approve this message. i'm running for president because unlike other candidates, i can go head to head with donald trump on the economy,

and expose him fo what he is: a fraud and a failure. i was on the fence about changing from a manual to an electric toothbrush. but my hygienist said going electric could lead to way cleaner teeth. she said, get the one inspired by dentists, with a round brush head. go pro with oral-b. oral-b's gentle rounded brush head removes more plaque along the gum line. for cleaner teeth and healthier gums. and unlike sonicare, oral-b is the first electric toothbrush brand accepted by the ada for its effectiveness and safety. what an amazing clean! i'll only use an oral-b! oral-b. brush like a pro. welcome back to "hardball." in the fall of 2001 in the weeks after 9/11 i began to catch whiffs of war. people like vice president dick cheney and large spaces in the op-ed pages of the newspapers were pushing for war with iraq. there was no real evidence iraq had anything to do with the september 11th attacks, but that

didn't stop the push for war. and what depressed me was how gullible the country had become. ted kennedy was the one noble exception calling his vote against the iraq resolution the most important of his storied career. we covered the iraq war most intently in the months leading up to it and most passionately in opposing it. >> we should not go to war with iraq unless we have solid evidence that they were connected with the september 11th attack. why are we getting a pr campaign being run in the american media pushing us to war with iraq? why is everybody pushing this war attitude, the drum beat? what's causing it if their only -- they're only number six of a list of dangers? i worry that the united states is going to invade iraq and worry about huge casualties by us, greater casualties by the iraqis. let's find a way to stop the hostility and why do we have ambassadors to all those countries? why do have a state department? if we still have to figure out

why we're going to war with g t iraq, don't we have a problem right there? i'm totally against this war. i read the resolution. the provision is clear, he can do anything he wants under the provision you agreed to. it's an absolute blank check. over the past two decades i've had the honor not only of a front row seat to history but to have a voice in the national political conversation. i never thought i'd still be saying this the night after the election, but this race is still too close to call. it was only five weeks and a few recounts and a few trips to the u.s. supreme court but this country will have a new president-elect. one week has passed since ou terrorist attacks destroyed the world trade center and damaged the pentagon, and hope for finding survivors in the rubble is fading fast. welcome to this special edition of "hardball."

it's 2:30 in the morning baghdad time right now and we're in the fifth day of this war. nbc news now projects that californians have recalled governor gray davis from office, he's out of office, and they have chosen arnold schwarzenegger to replace him.f americans re-elect president george bush. giving him a mandatory house. california congresswoman nancy pelosi is elected the first woman speaker of the house ever, making her second in line to the american presidency. in two hours the president selle america on an escalation on our partner in iraq civil war. watching history i saw barack i obama declare for president. tonight huge political news. john mccain has pulled the most stirring comeback since the big screen come from behinds of rocky balboa. with todays dropping out of mitt romney, the senator of arizona b

looms as the republican presidential nominee for 2008. the news broke last night hillary clinton is suspending her campaign and endorsing in senator barack obama this saturday. our 45th president is going to be barack obama. it has actually happened. we watched this develop like an old polaroid film for two years now. to get our heads around it and to understand why it happened, how things like this happened. this tragic shooting happened at sandy hook elementary school. the history of americans being written tonight. the supreme court of this country heard arguments on whether two people of the same sex should be allowed a public recognition of their marriage. it's happened after four campaigns of promising donald trump has made the leap at least into the first debate. donald trump will be the next president of the united states, proving nearly all the polls wrong trump racked up victories in states like pennsylvania, um

wisconsin, ohio and florida. today was a day of history. the country's top investigator of an american president shifted the guilt to the u.s. congress. as i said earlier in the show, the question now is to impeach or not to impeach. today the speaker of the house m has made a decision to initiate impeachment proceedings against the president. up next, 20 years of "hardball" on msnbc. >> it's reverend al sharpton wishing chris matthews a happy 20th anniversary. 20 years of excellence. >> wow, 20 years. that's practically -- do you realize an entire generation has grown up hearing ha? >> warmest congratulations on your 20th. i don't know how america did without "hardball" for the previous 220 years. >> chris, congratulations on this anniversary, playing "hardball" for 20 years. >> you know every nook and

cranny about washington politics and i love hearing all the stories, sitting next to you on a flight to the next debate or primary or paying respects to a former president lying in state. history unfolds in front of us. happy 20th.nt here's to many more playing "hardball." >> chris, 20 years. i've been watching you for 20 years. >> hey, chris, it's ben stiller. i wanted to say i really love your show. i'm a huge fan.rio happy 20th anniversary. >> chris, congratulations. a warm greeting to you from bangkok at 3:30 in the morning. 20 years, man, that's awesome. >> hey, i just wanted to say congratulations to chris matthews from one irish catholic to another. only one of us is getting into heaven and i think you know who that is. ha. that liberty mutual customizes home insurance, so they'll only pay for what they need. your turn to keep watch, limu. wake me up if you see anything.

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let's play hardball. "hardball's" on msnbc tonight as well as cnbc so i've got to explain terms.

i haven't done this before in the program. here's the definition of hardball, it's clean, aggressive machiavellian politics. useful to any professional undertaken but practiced most openly unashamedly in the world of politics. this is an important chair i have the honor to sit in each night. i promise to give it all the honor it deserves and to thank those who give it to me. my bosses at msnbc and nbc news. my producers, my directors and crew and really the hardball regulars out there you who get together with me with amazing faithfulness. we love this country. that's why we care, we hope and why we will through sickness and health, through sorrow and yes national disgrace, one day march forth to save it. and that's "hardball" for now.

"all in" with chris hayes starts now. tonight on a special edition of "all in." >> there are a lot of systemic threats. but that doesn't mean just because some things are broken you throw it out and set it on fire. >> alexandria ocasio cortez. on the threats posed by president trump. >> it's really bad. it's not normal bad. it's a threat to the republic and order of american society bad. then, lifelong republican steve schmidt on the global impact of trump. >> we've seen chaos in the world so we've entered this consequences stage of the trump presidency