now a lot of these agreements are coming to fruition and we have not seen what that deal looks like yet, yasmin, but we know those members are going to get a look at it pretty soon and hopefully they will be able to decide whether or not they want to take that deal. >> so, stellantis, halfway of, possibly on the way to getting that done. gm, kind of still this outlier here. i know, as you quoted, some of the leaders at gm, and the leaders at the unions as, well are they hoping that the momentum from fort and possibly stellantis will help propel forward an agreement with gm in the coming days? >> exactly. and we have seen that here and los angeles with the writers strike. you know, that prompted the actors to go back to the negotiating table and there's been some weird that maybe they are getting closer to a deal. so this is likely going to put some pressure on gm to try to get on board so that all three big automakers can get those

workers back to work and try to recoup some of that money that has already been lost. >> thank you dana, appreciate it. that wraps up for me, very busy two hours everybody, i will be back in the chair tomorrow two pm eastern. simone starts right now. >> greetings everyone. you are watching symone. we are following breaking news on the israel, hamas war. a massive bombardment by the israel defense forces into the gaza strip, it is now underway. the idf says that it has taken out 150 underground targets and is now in the next stage of war. we will have a live update from the israel, gaza border. plus, a man hunt in maine, it is now over. the alleged shooter who killed 18 people found dead. while the search is over the scars left on the families and the communities, scars remain. i will talk to the brother of one of the victims this hour. breaking from the presidential campaign trail, former vice

president, mike pence, has announced that he's suspending his presidential campaign. the question is, is it a sign that we are getting closer to a biden and trump match? congresswoman jim clyburn of south carolina is here. we are going to ask him about that and the new speaker of the house. i am simone sanders thompson and i have something to say. good afternoon, it is four pm eastern in new york. 11 pm in israel and gaza. a major escalation is underway in the israel-hamas war exactly three weeks after the october 7th attack, hours after sending tanks and infantry into the gaza strip, it has moved into the next stage of war. here is what prime minister benjamin netanyahu said just a couple hours ago. >> there's moments in which a

nation faces two options to exist or to seize. and right now this is the kind of test we are facing. and i have no doubt how it will end. we will come out triumphant. >> israeli forces say that the latest barrage of airstrikes hit 150 underground targets in northern gaza and neutralized key members of hamas's leadership. including some architects of the initial attack on israel. israeli forces have escalated their air, land, and see operations in gaza since yesterday. and in this new phase of their mission to eliminate hamas. while this escalation continues the humanitarian toll on civilians in the gaza strip grows even more gut wrenching. the only lives visible last night were explosions. as the people navigate a near total internet and cellular blackout. a development that threatens

emergency services and coverage of what is happening on the ground. and nbc news crew member was able to message colleagues in london after briefly finding a connection. telling themthat every street is affected. people are carrying their dead and injured in the most basic methods. it's very dangerous everywhere and they are bombing us from the sky above and the ground. even ambulances do not dare go out. the u.n. secretary general said that gaza is facing, quote, a total collapse with devastating consequences for the more than 2 million people who live there. more than half of them have been displaced as scrambled for safety in an active war zone. i will note more than half of the people in the gaza strip or children. demonstrations are growing across the globe demanding an immediate cease fire and it prevented further civilian laws. and were quickly distributing aid. meanwhile, the families of more than 200 hostages still captive in gaza are desperately waiting for answers and they are --

they visited washington where they met with lawmakers and spoke about the english that they're experiencing. here are the parents of a 22-year-old long island native believed to be held by hamas. >> if for some how you see the, we know that you are alive, we know you are strong and are doing what you can do to support everyone around you. and we pray that you will be with us really, really soon. >> shelling continues to rain over the gaza strip and war impacting millions of lives. nbc news correspondent, alison barbara, is now at the border. what is the latest? >> simone, we've just been

hearing massive artillery fire into the direction of fire. we've seen some rockets coming out of gaza headed towards the direction of israel, at israeli cities, the rockets have been coming more from this direction, the booms, the artillery we are hearing is all from back there in the direction of gaza. you can watch a little with us as we talk if there is any sort of explosion, again, you will probably hear it and also see the skyline start to light up. what we heard from prime minister netanyahu tonight is also that israel's defense minister, that they are in a new phase of war. they say that this is a war that includes, now, a ground incursion into gaza. the start was last night. and it was announced at 8:15 pm local time and since then, israeli forces have not left from the areas that they went into inside of northern gaza. hamas's military wing was reporting late last night that

their militant forces were engaged in clashes in at least two cities in northern gaza. this is expected to be a continuation, a continuous event with no plans for israeli forces to leave inside of northern gaza in the past we've seen them carry out with the idea was limited -- but then they left within a couple of hours. this is different, they and heard on friday night, local, time and they've not left since then. i'm keeping an eye back here because we just saw some flares and i will let you watch with us in case we do hear or see anything again. it has been a quite active here in the last 30 minutes. israel says that this next phase of war, in their view, is necessary. they say that they have three objectives here, one, to dismantle hamas permanently, too, to secure borders, and also to bring the hostages inside of gaza home. netanyahu was asked about some

suggestions that some families have made saying that they want to see instead of a full ground invasion right now, at some sort of exchange for the 4000-plus -- so that the hostages could also be released. prime minister netanyahu said he couldn't talk about specifics when it comes to things that they may or may not be discussing to get the israeli and other foreign nationals who are being held hostage inside of gaza out. but he said that that is not a sidebar to the ground incursion or to dismantling hamas. that is a key part of their objectives in this war. the reality, when we hear the booms, see the flashes inside of gaza, is that there is probably civilians in the area where the artillery, and where the rockets were all of it is falling because this is such a densely populated area. a lot of people, according to israeli estimates, about 1 million have evacuated south of the gaza river because israel has been telling them to do that saying that we will focus

our efforts on northern gaza, and gaza city. but simone, we've seen almost every single day, constant israeli airstrikes in the south as well. the teams on the ground as you said we've not been able to really communicate with four hours, they say nowhere in gaza is safe, and since this escalation started last night, every single street and gaza say has been impacted. simone? >> nbc's alison barber, live at the israel gaza border. thank you very, very much. now, i want to bring in former u.s. envoy to the middle east and msnbc foreign analysts ambassador, denys be ross. ambassador ross, thank you very much for being here today. for context, i think it's important people understand that for at least 35 years, you have been working on the issue of the middle east. you are intimately familiar with the conflict, prior to this war. between hamas, israel, you have

been in the room, notably, when president clinton was trying to broker that peace still way back when. israel's defense minister has now warned today this would be a very long war. and you have an op-ed in the new york times you wrote cently, saying you may have once supported the cease-fire with hamas, but you won't now. you made the case in that piece that peace within the region cannot be achieved with hamas in power. can you just break down the article? i think a lot of folks are wondering if cease-fire is not at the solution, what is? because civilian deaths are at the top of folks's mind at this hour. >> look, it is obviously understandable that there is a focus on the number of civilians who are being killed. while i was trying to say in that piece is that every time we have made a move towards peace, every time we had progress --

hamas is basically carried out suicide bombings or acted through an act of terrorism, of interrupting any possibility of making peace. one thing i was trying to say is in the end, hamas cannot be in a position where it is still controlling gaza. if we want to have peace in the region. if we want to have peace between israelis and palestinians possible. that challenge is, how to do that in a way that minimizes the number of casualties within gaza, that, in fact, allows us to produce something, gives us a day after gaza, that allows us to look to a future that is different from what we're seeing now. so, the thrust of what i was saying, israel, on the one hand, is understandable that they can't live with hamas next door, and it is also understandable, you can't make peace with a

group that is constantly trying to undermine it. so, one of the challenges is to think about the day after budget to get to the day after, it's important for israel to also demonstrate that this is about fighting hamas. it is not about trying to punish palestinians. so, one of the things i was calling for is create some safe areas in the south. as you report suggests, 1 million palestinians have moved from the north to south, we've been the home office tried to prevent people from moving to the south, so israel is encouraging people to move to the south, it also has an obligation to make things safer and when they get there to create corridors or provide humanitarian assistance. that also creates a climate for the future that shows okay, look, this was only about dealing with those that were trying to prevent any kind of peace, and we want to shape the future characterized entirely by violence and warfare. >> on friday, the united nations voted overwhelmingly in

favor of a resolution that demanded humanitarian truth in gaza. not a cease-fire, but a humanitarian truce. the united states joined 14 other countries, some of those countries included israel, and they voted against the measure. that united states ambassador, thomas-greenfield, criticize the revolutions failure to condemn hamas. i want to play what she had to say for you. >> we must condemn hamas's acts of terror. hamas's goals are single-minded and they are sickening. they are determined to destroy israel and kill zhu was. and let's be clear, hamas has never cared about the genuine needs or concerns or safety of the people it claims to represent. and hamas has no respect for the rule of law or human life. to them, palestinian civilians are expendable. >> we have gone through great lengths on our show and

throughout this network to distinguish between hamas and the palestinian people. and you have even said speaking with arab officials within the region privately, they told me who must must be destroyed. but publicly, that is not what they have been saying. if there's change on the horizon, frankly, in the near future, and if not, will this conflation of hamas with the palestinian people continue to happen out there, because again, that human toll is extensive when it comes to palestinian lives and israeli lives. >> look, i think that the challenge is to get from where we are to the day after and to get there in a way that allows you to have an interim administration in gaza. i would like to see it run by palestinian technocrat, create an international umbrella under then, brick and arab states and non-arab states to help create

security for civil administration, to begin a process of massive reconstruction. no one is going to be committed to reconstruct in gaza and less it's clear hamas is not in a position to re-arm and tomas is not in a position to prevent a new administration from creating a better life for palestinians. if we can begin that process, that begins to allow us to change the trajectory. you raise a very important point. look who pays the price in this ongoing war between israelis and hamas. we see a terrible human toll. and if we want to bring that to an end, it's very important hamas is not seen as winning, that its ideology of rejection is not seen as producing anything. that gives us a chance, i think, to change a different reality at the changes, as i said, the trajectory. >> the images on this free that we had next to you, ambassador ross, is harrowing, but it's important story we have to cover in support and for people

to see. thank you for your insight, ambassador demings ross. we appreciate your time. folks, we are just getting started here on simone. we are going to have more on a lot of the news coming out today, including mike pence dropping out of the presidential race. coming up next, a massive sigh of relief in maine. the gunman who terrorize their communities is dead but the trauma he left behind is far from over. up next, i'm going to talk to the brother of one of the victims about the lasting impact of this deadly mass shooting on his family. stay with us. stay witush dude? dog food in the fridge? it's not dog food. it's freshpet. real meat. real veggies. real weird. my skin has been he wso much smootheray.

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communities across maine since wednesday's mass shooting is finally over. there is no telling how long the trauma will last. today, maine's public safety officials confirm the shooter was found dead of an apparent self inflicted gunshot wound around 7:45 pm last night. he was found in the back of a box trailer of a recycling center, where he used to work.

it was just across from a business previously cleared twice by the police. authorities also found a note in the shooter's home and they say that no ted the tone and tenor of a suicide note. the threat to the community has passed. but i think it is very important that we are shifting our focus now to the victims of what is now the deadliest mass shooting in america this year. all 18 of the victims had been -- se eat a bowling alley hosting a grouof children. eight died at a bar, a grill holding a rnhole tournament for members of the deaf community, and three later died at hospitals. trisha aslan was fooling with her sister when the gunman opened fire, her sister said trisha was killed while trying to get to her phone to dial 9-1-1. josh seal was killed while playing cornhole at the bar and grill. he was an american sign language interpreter, and least behind a wife and four kids.

peyton brewer-ross was also killed at the bar and grill. he was a new father and his brother said he loved playing cornhole with his friends, and he was killed doing just that. i want to bring in peyton's brother now, roth. ralph, i'm so sorry. i got very emotional reading that, because just having fun and a cornhole tournament, every single person was just out having a good time with their friends, with their family. this is just such a terrible tragedy. we have heard a lot about the shooter. we will not be saying his name here today. i want to talk about your brother. what do you want us to know about him? >> he was a character. you know, i don't think he ever found and saw or interacted with anybody he didn't get along with. he was, you know, a great guy. i don't think he had any enemy

in the world, you see him there in this two-year-old daughter. he loved being a dad. he loved going out with his buds and tossing some bags around. that's exactly what he was doing. u.s. at a wednesday night cornhole tournament, right? he should be, you should feel safe enough to go to a bowling alley, a bar, a school, anywhere, and not have to worry about, you know, somebody coming in with a weapon and causing havoc, you know, not just to the people in, there but for all the families that are affected. you know, the 18 people we lost, the wounded, and even, you know, think about all the people that were there that are going to have to take these scars, you know, on through life. you know? it's senseless.

it really is. >> it is harrowing. ralph, whenever and unfortunately, this is a uniquely american problem. i feel like we, i have a heavy, unfortunate opportunity to speak to so many families over just the last couple of months, and when something like this happens, i always think of the family members who are left behind to pick up the pieces. we put up pictures of l, peyton's daughter. she just celebrated her second birthday just a couple of weeks ago. how is the family doing, and what do you hope that elle remembers about her father? she is so young. >> that's what we hope. that she remembers him and we are going to take that into the future of making sure she knows just how much her dad loved her. she is a damaged girl, all right?

he doted on her, and he loved her so much. and he would do anything, he was just that kind of guy that just, you know, was focused and you know, in it for his family. you know, his daughter, his brothers, his sisters, and anybody, you know? that is the kind of guy. you know? and he was. and we want her to know that, and we will. we will make sure that she knows just how special hurt that was. >> i was the family doing, ralph? what has the conversation been? >> it's been tough. you know? these three days, each day has felt like a month long. you know, very little sleep. you know, for me, i am in maryland. heading up to maine here soon. but not being able to just go

and just, you know, hard and be with my family, it is so difficult. you know? knowing that i just can't pick up the phone now, and call my brother, you know, you last time i saw him most this summer, when we were, we had a family gathering at our camp in augusta. you know, i talk to him and i speak to him, you know, weekly. we were just talking about, you know, our beloved patriots. it is just, it's sad. and i just want, you know, everyone to know that we're trying to get through this. there is no script for this. it is going to take time for, you know, everybody. but we appreciate all the love and supports, we appreciate you,

symone, and the rest of the journalists that are looking to get the word out and help us, you know, tell the story of these people that we've lost. >> there are so many people that are praying and thinking of what your family, ralph, and the families of the 17 other folks who lost their lives. a harrowing day. just a whole community. i am so, so sorry for your loss. i am sorry we are having to have this conversation, but we are going to keep telling the stories of the beautiful people whose lives were stolen. thank you so much. we'll be right back. l be right back. the chase ink business premier card is made for people like sam, who make- everyday products, designed smarter. like a smart coffee grinder, that orders fresh beans for you. oh, genius! for more breakthroughs like that- i need a breakthrough card. like ours! with 2.5% cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more. plus unlimited 2% cash back on all other purchases. and with greater spending potential, sam can keep making smart ideas-

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become clear to me, this is not my time. so, after much prayer and deliberation, i have decided to suspend my campaign for president, effective today. >> that was former vice president mike pence, and that's earlier today he is dropping out of the race to become the republican nominee for president. he shared the news during an appearance at the annual republican jewish coalition convention. and he did so following reports he was struggling to raise money and qualify for the third republican presidential debate. joining me now to discuss all this and more is congressman james clyburn of south carolina. the assistant democratic

leader. mr. clyburn, if you have thoughts about mike pence, feel free to share them. i am actually more interested in if congress is ever going to do a little bit more to address this just unfettered access to guns in our society. i just think that is something on the minds of so many people out there. but if, you want to weigh in on mike pence, feel free. >> thank you very much for having me. i -- mike pence and deal with what is on your mind, because it's online as well. -- down today, and i was in the vicinity of emmanuel the third and 12 -- people i see here, the national -- this afternoon, and some discussion came up about the issue that we have with gun

safety and ownership in this country. we are in a very bad place, and we need to do something about this. so, i was saying in the discussion with two or three people last night about what happens over in australia, that there was a mass shooter like this. how did the country react? they reacted in such a way, they have not had one cents. and we have had more than one a day here in the united states this year. that is unacceptable. i think the time has come for us to get real serious about this whole issue of gun ownership, gun safety, and how we purchased guns, who will be allowed to purchase them, yes. this gentleman, there was a mental health issue. but the problem is where it was

discovered. it's been two weeks in the facility. nobody took any steps, it seems, to make sure this gentleman, who has been trained in firearms, and discovered that he had a mental problem, by people in the military, but what was done to make sure he did not have any guns at his disposal? because he was always free to fantasize about shooting up a military installation. so, yes. >> so, i think a lot of folks listening to this would say okay, then what is congress going to do? and understanding that the republican conference just selected and elected congressman mike johnson of louisiana asked the next speaker of the house. and in the aftermath of this most recent mass shooting, he had a lot to say about prayer and many other things, not much

to say about policy and guns. >> you know, there's the side, the prayers that we should all take in to stop, and -- the james, if i might be a little bit biblical, here and it says prayer [interpreter] an expression of prayer without words,'s death. >> amen. >> so just to talk about your faith and to talk about prayers and thoughts and do nothing, that is nothing, that is violation of scripture. so, i was saying to the new speaker, take the next step, the james, brother of jesus took, and that is to act on your face, because otherwise, it is an empty gesture. >> we have reporting that the house members are going to give

a briefing this week, and you all will potentially be taking up the aid package for israel and ukraine. what can you tell us about that package coming forward, and is there any conversation, also, about having a conversation, here even, about guns, about this latest mass shooting, amongst i, know democrats are talking about it, but i'm talking about the bipartisan potential for bipartisan work here on this. >> i don't know if there's anything happen in bipartisan on this issue. i hope we would break this package this week tore israel, and for ukraine, and for the border. these three things need to be wrapped into one package, and put before the body and acted on. the president has acted, sending us his proposal. it's there. i think there's a little bit

more than a lot of people think it's necessary. but they have done the work. they have studied the issues, and put this thing on the floor, and that has been the debate on the floor. just talking about it in committee rooms will not see what needs to be done. because we need to be discussing these things in the open. a new speaker said that he is gonna be known for transparency. i can think of no better way to be transparent, to do these things in the sunlight, in the sunshine, if you, please and let's get these bills discussed and cast. >> we will be watching for that. before i let you go, sir, minnesota congressman, dean phillips, he has announced he is running for president on the democratic ticket. he is running on the democratic nomination in the democratic primary. i am using quotes. you have been very active in presidential politics. that's how i know you. what do you think about congressman phillips and this

decision he has made? >> well, you know, the first thing you have to do in this business is to demonstrate your commitment to your party and your party's agenda. and i do believe that what -- filibustering here is disrespectful to the titular head of our party, the president of the united states. it is disrespectful to a significant base of our party, and the president has laid out a calendar that we all have been embracing, and if he wants to run, he ought to honor the calendar. the counter says the first primary will take place in south carolina. no, he's not gonna come to south carolina. he's bypassing south carolina, and he's going to run in new hampshire, and that is not the calendar. that disrespects the voters

here in south carolina, and let me add the voters of south carolina, the democratic voters in south carolina, have demonstrated time and time again for decades, that we produce good, not just good, but great candidates, because our choices turned out to be the winners. it's the people who running this other primaries that don't reflect the demographics of our party and, whether they come for the general election. south carolina does. so, why won't you come to south carolina and expose himself to democratic voters, rather than violating the procedure that is laid out by the president, who is the titular head of our party, and not regarding it? i think it's very disrespectful and i am a bit disappointed in

him for doing this. >> south carolina congressman, and the assistant democratic leader, jim clyburn. thank you very much, sir. >> thank you for having me. >> folks, up next, republicans have been having a tough time winning elections the old-fashioned way. more and more, and more and more often, we're talking about and seeing gerrymandering. now, north carolina is ground zero for republicans, for lack of a better word, shady victor -- terrell maps. we're talking about why it could have a major impact on the balance of power in congress and democracy itself. emocracy itself. u did it, you did it... ♪ centrum silver is now clinically shown to support cognitive health in older adults. it's one more step towards taking charge of your health. so every day, you can say, ♪ youuu did it! ♪ with centrum silver. [group laughing] admit it. you use my old spice body wash. i'm not letting hotel soap. near my skin. it's the lavender and mint for me.

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can we get real clear about life with psoriasis? yeah, i'm ready. is your treatment leaving you with uncontrolled symptoms? like the cover-it-ups and brush-it-offs? enough with good enoughs. don't stay hiding or hurting. when your lotions and creams don't do enough to help treat the inflammation beneath the skin, causing plaques and pain, it's time to get real about psoriasis, so, your dermatologist can help you get clear. make the appointment and ask about real clear skin. >> amidst the mass shooting in lewiston, maine, and israel-hamas war, you may have missed in the past several days, some news about anti-democratic forces that are at work again

in the united states. this week, north carolina approved new voting maps to give republicans a big advantage in upcoming elections for both congress and the state legislature. sadly, this is not new in the tar heel state. in 2021, the republican-controlled state legislature drew a congressional map that heavily favored republicans, but it was struck down by the states supreme court. the court had a democratic majority at the time, and required lawmakers to use the map that better represented all the voters in the state. then, in the 2022 midterms, republicans took control of nortcarolina's state supreme court, and the new conservative majority decided to re-hear the same case. yes, and this court ruled this partisan gerrymandering was actually no longer illegal. in other words, the republicans controlling the state legislature got a free pass to redraw voting district lines to their own advantage. i want you to take a listen to what republican state representative destin hall, a

top north carolina official, had to say about the voting lines approved this week. >> there is no doubt the congressional map that is before you today has a lean towards republicans, >> you heard that right. north carolina republicans aren't even trying to hide. it they know exactly what they are doing, and i think what's more concerning is they are not afraid to say it. this new voting that favors their party. does that sound like democracy to get? well, it doesn't sound like democracy to me. while. plenty of north carolina voters, i think, would agree. here is what cassandra stokes of the north carolina black alliance had to say. >> so, when will you hold your senators accountable, because if you don't, we will, in 2024, -- we've future election cycles. >> these newly drawn maps mean your north carolinians will be represented by republicans in their state house, as well as in congress, for years to come. now, despite this move in north

carolina,, though there is still a lot happening on the 2024 front, we are democrats still have a chance of taking back the house next year. why? because this week, a federal judge ruled that georgia's congressional and state districts were discriminatory and ordered them to be redrawn. this move is almost short to resolve in an additional district that is more favorable to democrats. so, even with the mess happening in north carolina, democrats could use the georgia decision, on top of the alabama decision, from the supreme court, not to mention the section to challenge that still exists in louisiana and, it forget about texas and florida. they could use all those to pick up at least four seats next year in the house. we didn't even mention new york. so, to my democratic friends out there who might have seen what happened in north carolina this week and it just really got them even more down, don't despair. while the anti-democratic forces are still at work,

democracy and organizers work a little harder. up next, folks, we are talking about all the news. we're going to take a deep dive into new house speaker mike johnson's far-right beliefs, and what they could mean for the republican agenda. publican agenda. grunt] [dog bark] [woman screams] [children screaming] happy halloween. aww, happy halloween. >> after 22 days of and and we're done. hm, what about these? ♪ looks right. [sfx: spilling sound] nooo... nooo... nooo... quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty absorbs spills like a sponge. and bounty is 2x more absorbent so you can use less and get the job done with one. this works. kind of. bounty, the quicker picker upper.

disarray, republicans have finally elected a new speaker of the house. but not many people had mike johnson on their bingo card. if you had never heard of the congressman from louisiana or his role in efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election or his extreme views on abortion or his crazy views on medical care for young trans people, for instance, don't worry. here is a brief introduction. >> most lights of electors produced under those modified laws are thus on constitutional. they're invalid on their face. that is the conclusion you have to reach. >> the very subject of this hearing is an outrage. abortion care, the stated topic today, is of course, an oxymoron. >> whether it's by scalpel or by social coercion from teachers, professors, administrators, and left wing media, it's an aggressive attempt to transition young people, our children of our country. >> house republicans were unanimous in their support of johnson, even the folks that

said they wouldn't vote for jim jordan, because he wouldn't say joe biden won the 2020 election. -- are still reeling after eight members toppled former speaker kevin mccarthy. i just want to know how long yell think this unity amongst the caucus is going to last. can speaker mike johnson control the raucous caucus? joining me now are two former house members from pennsylvania. former democratic congressman, conor lamb, and former republican congressman, charlie dent. congressman dent, what happened here? how did mike johnson get the gavel? >> i think it was simply a matter of sheer exhaustion. they went through four or five people. johnson came in without a whole lot of enemies, not a very well-known entity outside of his own conference, and i think that is simply how johnson got it. not that he was the preferred choice, as you just pointed out in your lead up, his positions are very, very conservative on

issues like abortion rights, on lgbt ski, and certainly the role he played in the 2020 election. i'm sure the democrats are celebrating over where he stands. but frankly, it was all about exhaustion. i don't think they want anymore fighting. they just settled on johnson, and they are going to hope for the best, knowing democrats are going to spend a lot of time and money now the finding mike johnson in ways that won't help in any of the swing districts that -- one. >> this was an ugly battle within the house conference, the republican conference. how do you think democrats in the house, and also, democrats that are specifically everyone in the house is up for reelection? so, how could they use that to their advantage, from 2024? >> i think there's a few ways, some visible and not visible. one of the less visible is the fact that mike johnson -- raise funds to support the candidates, the way that nancy pelosi did, or even kevin mccarthy did. so, that republican running in

my old district, for example, would really be counting on mike johnson to get out there and raise money to support him and allow him to take on an incumbent. mike, he just doesn't have the stature for that. it's taken him too long to get to that level. i also think he has no experience -- in this job. , so he's going to screw it up, and those screw ups -- government shutdown, a lot of embarrassing things for house republicans all year, and that will make all their candidates look bad around the country. >> to put a finer point on what the congressman is saying, congressman dent, i mean, mike johnson has only ever raced $5 million his entire career. to put that in context, kevin mccarthy transferred 18 point $7 million of his own campaign cash to house republicans, just this year. so, the math is not math thing, as i have been saying. here's the thing about johnson. he sounds normal and nice and he will say the craziest things

with just the most mild mannered milquetoast to. that might fly in a committee hearing or on the podcast he and -- host, or sitting on c-span, answering calls from the collars in the middle of the day but what about when it comes to come to negotiate? there is a funding deadline coming up. november 17th is right around the corner. >> no question about that, certainly, mike johnson is moderate in tone, not in his policies. this is why mike johnson is untested. he really hasn't been part of these negotiations, and i would be the guy who would normally be supportive of that. -- that ceiling degree met, he did not support the recent resolution. , so we'll see it through these next few days, -- to nominate the hard right within the house gop conference as the -- november 17th. because i think he's a smart guy. he knows that he must cut a deal and he must cut it, fast

and he's going to need democratic help. the question is, when we discover? that i think for after a shutdown and, on the fundraising point, you mentioned, one of the great challenges for him is the congressional leadership fund, or the ceiling, which is really the super pac for house republicans that would normally be associated with kevin mccarthy. that infrastructure transferred over to johnson seamlessly. i don't know that. and also, -- the workers suites is probably going to be a little anxious right now. it doesn't like johnson's positions on lgbt and especially the election denial. that could also, i think, hurt him on the fundraising score. >> he was a cheerleader for election denial! congressman, i have just a short amount of time left. what do you say to democrats out there who are seeing state mince from members of congress, from the president saying they are willing to work with johnson after they are hearing all of these crazy things about him? what do you say to folks who are lexi, this is what's wrong with congress. this is what's wrong with washington?

>> in general, i found even our democratic voters -- do our job. they expect us to pass bills, and they definitely expect us to keep the government open. so, i think leader jeffries and the white house are doing a great job of both speaking about their values. they are not speaking about bipartisanship or compromise in isolation. they are saying that they won't compromise and bipartisanship for the purpose of enacting our values, which are simply keeping the government open so we can do all the jobs that people need, and funding israel and the rest of it. i think it doing a good job. >> former pennsylvania congressman, conor lamb, and charlie dent. thank you both. and thank you all at home for watching symone on this saturday. i am simone sanders townsend. you can get you live on nbc pm weekends at four pm eastern, and anytime over on peacock, where -- msnbc hub every monday. coming up next on politicsnation, you do not want to miss it. house minority leader hakeem jeffries will join the great

reverend al sharpton to talk about that newly elected house speaker, mike johnson. politics nation, with reverend sharpton, will start right after this break. -- -- when you have chronic kidney disease... ...there are places you'd like to be. like here. and here. not so much here. farxiga reduces the risk of kidney failure which can lead to dialysis. ♪far-xi-ga♪ farxiga can cause serious side effects, including ketoacidosis that may be fatal, dehydration, urinary tract or genital yeast infections, and low blood sugar. a rare, life-threatening bacterial infection in the skin of the perineum could occur. stop taking farxiga and call your doctor right away if you have symptoms of this infection, an allergic reaction, or ketoacidosis. when you have chronic kidney disease,

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