from the tisch wnet studios at lincoln center in new york, megan thompson. this is pbs newshour weekend. >> thompson: good evening and thanks for joining us. president obama is pushing the proposed transatlantic trade and investment partnership he hopes to finalize by the end of the year. the president was in germany today for talks with chancellor angela merkel about the deal, which is intended to lower the costs and regulations of imports and exports between the u.s. and europe. at a news conference with merkel, obama said both nations benefit from free trade. >> it is indisputable that it has made our economy stronger. it has made sure that our businesses are the most competitive in the world, and as you see other markets like china beginning to develop, and asia beginning to develop, and africa growing fast, we've got to make sure our businesses can compete there. >> thompson: the president also praised merkel for being, as he put it, "on the right side of history," for accepting a million refugees from syria and elsewhere in the past year. tomorrow, obam

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megan abbott. pendarvis, you know. poet chiyuma elliott. wright thompson is a senior writer for espn.s originally from milwaukee. crime novelist billy boyle from brooklyn. downstairs, currence's restaurant city grocery cranks out many delicious things. the man known as big bad chef, aka "johnny snack", is sending some of those goodies upstairs as there's nothing professional writers like more than free food. usually you put five writers in a room it's a ugly hell broth of envy, hatred. >> writer: we all hate tommy. >> writer 2: no, that goes without saying. >> tom: even me, i hate me the worst of all. >> jack pendarvis: around here anyway, the writers are really supportive of each other. for writers to argue would be like arguing over a piece of dirt. i mean, what are we fighting about? the stakes are so low, why would you be a jerk about it. >> anthony: if mississippi were a country and there were a national hero, uh, dead or alive, by consensus, statewide, who would -- who would the statue be of? >> wright thompson: elvis. >> anthony: really? wouldn't be b.b. king? >> wright thompso