a sign they had gotten something. the optics are terrible. people felt that, ask although the presidency says it was their money, which is true, and in some way it was a good deal for the u.s. the optics look bad, and an issue the republicans will come back to. it shows the uneasiness about this deal in the eyes after it was concluded. >> john: do you think it's going to encourage hostage taking? this idea of paying ransom, even if there is technicalities that the administration says that's not what it is, that is will encourage this behavior more? what's your assessment of that? >> there are additional americans who have been imprisoned since this payment. so it's possible. it's a hard thing to speculate about. because the president was firm in restating the policy, we

hostages, i think that's a deterrent, and relative to many other countries and in xwruerp and the u.s. they've been careful about this. a lot of european countries do pay money. >> john: this morning, we learned the iranians publicly announced they executed a nuclear scientist who reportedly helped the united states uncover information about the iranian nuclear program. what does that tell you about the iranian regime? relations between the united states and iran? >> the announcement of this man was a sad and mysterious case. i wrote about it at the time. this was a nuclear scientist who disappeared in saudi arabia while on a visit supposedly. turned up in the united states saying that he he wanted to go back to iran.

they call a virtual walkin coming in over the internet. he had left his family, wife and child in iran. he got lonely and unhappy and went back, said she had been pressured by the united states. i don't think it makes a difference in terms of the future. the u.s. has extensive intelligence resources devoted to iran. one reason the u.s. was confidence in signing the nuclear deal is because going on in the country because of spying and surveillance. >> john: i'd like to talk about russia for a moment. there's been back and forth about donald trump's position on russia. give us your take on what the u.s. relationship is with russia right now. i should also mention russia is finger in hacking scandal at the democratic committee, and what should voters think

these candidates and that country. i think the obama administration is deeply frustrated. it hoped it would be able to find in russia a partner to sdofrl the nightmare war in syria. that hasn't happened. the u.s. continues in effect to leave the exit ramp open for vladimir putin to adopt more sensible policies. i think there is deep concern about russian hacking and meddling in the u.s. election intelligence operation that was characteristic of the cold war. it's strange and worrying to people now. generally, i hear from foreign leaders concern that in the u.s. election that the candidate donald trump says differentenings about russia than we've heard for years, and differentenings aboutinatea and nuclear deterrent. they try not to make comments to intervene in our election, but i pick up in aspen and vrn

leaders as they watch what's happening. >> john: do they think oox*ez inviting more freedom of movement from the russians? is that the nature of concern? >> i think the fear is that donald trump announces that he's a deal maker and might be willing to make geels that traditional lie have been outside the boundaries of the nato alliance and consensus of u.s. policy. foreigners don't want to seem like for the global economy. and trump says things that dim that north star, that guiding set of principles in a way that worries leaders. >> john: briefly, david, you mentioned that putin thinks that clinton shot first in terms of meddling in elections. what does that mean? >> putin feels that when hillary clinton was secretary of state she was so strongly

moscow who were protesting the gains made by putin and his party, supporting dissenters in 2010 and 2011. he said at the time this is in effect a revolution and you're trying to destabilize our government. puetdin blamed her personally for her statements and intervention. in goes back a long ways. undoubtedly he sees and someone to deal with more easily than hillary clinton. >> thank you.

>> john: now for the politics panel, we're joined by u 0 a today usa bureau chief. and ron brownstein, and michael duffy, the editor of

>> where are we this sunday. what's real and what's a shiny object? >> we've had a series of polls nationwide, and there's a movement towards the democrats and bad news for republicans. on the other hand, donald trump is the past 48 hours has shown a more disciplined campaign, and acknowledged he made a mistake seeing the money offloaded i speaker of the house. that seemed slow in coming. the question is, can he keep up that kind of campaign for three months or even a week. >> john: michael what is the nature -- the republicans have been worried before about donald trump. was there something different about this week? give us a sense of the nervousness about him? >> this is the week where donald trump iss and fitness

central issue. he attacked a gold star family. and coming out of convention he should have been magnanimous. he was talking about that instead of talking about the economy. he had been given a good number for him. the growth had been less than one percent. thafrs a good topic for him. he wasn't talking about that. he was talking about the khan family. and the worst much it is, if yier in august, and you're vi country about fitness to be president, you're losing it. >> and has the trump can pain has said, the bar to change the election -- obviously the democrats are trying to get everybody is talk about fitness. but the trump can pain has said if he convinces people he's fit to be president that's all he has to do. >> in our poll this morning, 3

becomes president. he might lose in arizona. he might lose in ohio. there's no confidence for him across his party in the polling. if this is sustains itself through labor day, that's a point at which they start to make the kleks and balances argument like they did in 1996. >> it's the idea that we've acknowledged our republican presidential candidate has no hope, bute congress to be the check and the balance. it worked in 1996 for them, and i think they look at the numbers now and say if this continues through labor day, there might be something to do. >> you mentioned 60% in the "washington post" said 60% said he's want qualified to be

trump consistently has is he's more likely to bring change to washington. if he can stay on that terrain he's in a stronger position. but the underlying structure, virginia, in this race, donald trump has done well with blue collar workers. he's going to face the biggest deficit any republican has among non-white voters. he could lose 84 or 85% of them, more than we've seen in college educate the white voters, and more argue towards a smaller government. he's going to speak tomorrow on the economy, and he wraps himself in the republican traditional arguments about taxs and regulations. he may move back for college white men who is now where he's x*urnds performing. as long as the percentage of voterss think he's not

those are the twin powers blocking the white house. >> john: can a candidate fix the temperament question in a campaign. hillary clinton, there's a question with her? how do you show trust in a campaign? can you show temperament? is there something that can be done? >> as long as the referendum is on them -- each of the candidates needs the referendum to be on the other guy. you mentioned structure. i remember in 1988, the speech that george h.w. bush made a difference. in 2012, the convention speech barack obama made or bill clinton made for barack obama made a difference. in these two conventions two people -- mr. khan at the democratic convention. but both the reality and the authenticity, the emotion of

i think, concern about it. there will be twists and turns in the election. >> exactly. i spend a the well of time talking to hispanic operatives and voters. you hear from african-americans as well. maybe other candidates -- he will not be able to do it un goes out there and (speaking spanish) i'm sorry i did this. absent that it won't help. >> john: take a look at john mccain who had difficulty answering this and contributes to the question. take a look at parts of it. >> are you comfortable with donald trump possibly having control of the nuclear

>> anyone who we choose to be commander in chief, the president of the united states, therefore can lead this country, and will lead in a responsible fashion if elected president of the country. that's the wayorski that our democratic system works. that's the way our government works. the american public know full well what the role of the commander in chis. respect. >> that wasn't exactly straight up question. senator cotton said he would be okay. and he added congress will be there as a check. what do you make of that? >> there are moments. this week, it wasn't just the content. donald trump says that the race is rigged. that raises another question

judgment. and the campaign a lot of politicians about taxes and the trade system, and how the economy benefits. and trump put the actual voting and choosing the election on the table and says it's broken and corrupt. one of two things here. he's laying the predicate for his own failure, or he's setting the table for saying later that the outcome is illegitimate. this puts the nuclear codes or whatever senator mccain was talking b a set of areas on the table about temperament. is this the kind of person you want to have? so the transfer of power for 200 and some years, the longest, it's not a small thing. >> john: couldn't it be a turnout mechanism. the other side is trying everything is undermine me.

>> at every critical moment he chooses to narrow rather broaden. it's an argument that appeals to the alienated voerlts who believe they're cultural and economically marginalicized, and it's for the elite. if you believe, as i do, that the pivoted of the election are the white collar, white voters who normally vote republican, hillary clinton is now ahead i abc and nbc. those kind of voters, and now talking about a rigged election is more evident that this is someone who is a little too erratic to put in the oval office. the trump theor sethey're going to turn out this massive non-voting, non-traditional voters, maybe they will, but they're looking at structural problems.

you need 60 to 65% of the voters. >> and coming out of the election, with the base of their electorate, could john mccain have looked for ruffle. >> and said i still hope to vote for donald trump. really? and now we're talking about all about the limit that the republicans face in looking at primary challenges. >> john: and 2018. >> and the p viewers is he has a primary this month. he's facing a legitimate threat. one of eight senators who have a primary this month. one of them lost this week. it's an isolated case. ask that question of him and others in a month, and i suspect -- up until now, the biggest fissure in the republican party was barry

it has a lot of former eisenhower officials and big business leaders. it didn't have as many current elected officials expressing reluctance, even compareed to goldwater in '64. there was jacob jafitz. but a few republicans. what we're sighing now is a long list of john kasich, and cruz, and and that goes beyond -- again, if you are that swing suburban voter who usually votes republican, they're getting a consistent signal. i think mike bloomberg had an important speech. this may be the year to depart from the usual inclination. >> you mentioned something. one poll was in georgia where hillary clinton is up in the

one point, and democrats haven't won georgia since 1992 when bill clinton woun it. in that goal, gary johnson is polling in double digits. only a couple states that happens. and that puts hillary clinton in reach because of the plug for the third party candidated, which is now her husband won in2 peot was in the race >> john: right now with arizona and george athese are states coming on in contention. they're going the other way. >> there are states clinton shouldn't be competitive. >> quickly, how can you compete in that many states if you're the trump campaign. >> 92 days left, and sounds

don't forget in some states, it's 46 days. i think minnesota. which means it's not 96 days. that's just really changes the fact this happened this week in mid-august. the olympics get underway and people go on vacation. he should have been uniting and broaden appeal to make people referendum. on the challenge. >> hillary clinton's lead is largely dependent on voters who don't really like here or trust her. the ground is unstable underneath her. the vote of college whites who are so important to why trump is stuck in the low 40s. and a majority say they have unfavorable opinion of hillary clinton. it's a step too far. >> and hillary clinton had

question. why is that a hard question? >> why did donald trump engage with a cell gold star family, a did hillary clinton have the practice and deliver an accurate and clear explanation of her treatment and handling of this e-mail question. instead, she had other chance this weekend and her answer was muddy and misleading. i don't understand why. >> that's xrgt donald trump. they didn't focus >> and it continues. economics is one, e-mail scandal is another and that frustrates so much. there's so much to use against her. i want to make one point. jax*unl we've got to go and be

>> john: usually when there's a lot of news on the campaign trail there's a lot of material for the late night comics. this week no exception. >> i come to work every day wanting to start the show with something other than donald

>> and yet, every day more words come out of his face. he says the election is rigged. you know if donald trump was a teenager, he'd turn the nintendo off the second he starts losing. >> speaking of hillary, this is the vogue editor giving fashion advice during the campaign, and when not available, hillary turns to kim jong-un. >> this morning on cbs, paul manafort may have cracked. >> in the past for years. due support speaker paul ryan. >> i support him as the speenger, and i know i'll support him as a candidate for

>> oh. >> it's funny because god i hope it's true. >> are you so certain that donald trump is destroying himself that you are avoiding public appearances that statements. >> great question. in my heart, i truly feel -- >> reminds me of something. look at this photo of trump eating a taco bowl. i look at that. now look. it's the same face in look. that's trump's i'm about to eat face, which makes me really nervous about this picture. >> john: we'll be back in a moment. or when it's convenient. it's using state-of-the-art simulators to better prepare for any situation. it's giving offshore teams onshore support.

em right. at bp, safety is never being satisfied. and always working to be better. at bp, safety is never being satisfied. let's feed him to the sharks! squuuuack, let's feed him to the sharks! yay! and take all of his gold! and take all of his gold! ya! and hide it from the crew! ya...? squuuuack, they're all morons anyway! they all smell bad too. no! you all smell wonderful! i smell bad! if you're a parrot, you repeat things. it's what you do. if you want to save fifteen percent or more on car insurance, you switch to geico. it's what you do.

>> john: that's it for us today. thanks for watching. until next week for "face the nation" i'm john dickerson. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh

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