joining me now to discuss these political developments is "newshour weekend" special correspondent jeff greenfield. jeff, the news does not stop on saturday and sunday. this is partly a justification of why our program exists. but is it possible to step back from this flood, find a little bit of common ground in the parties here? >> i can try. here's what is interesting to me. as soon as the story broke about jeff sessions and his lack of complete forth comingness to al franken, as soon as that happened, a number of republicans suggested maybe he should step out of the picture. the former and president chair of the house oversight committees who were very tough on hillary clinton, a couple of very conservative republicans, the reason this is so significant, it is a basic political rule that i call the be your own man says so,-- we always get in arguments and the way that argument ended was when a guy on your team said yeah, my guy was out. and particularly in this polarized environment, the idea that a number of republicans felt the need to step away from sessions, i think, was not only a signific

joining me now to look ahead at what to expect is "newshour weekend" special correspondent jeff greenfield from santa barbara, california. >> jeff, this finally takes the spotlight off of whether or not president obama, illegally wiretapped president trump. so many other story lines that had been building up in the trump administration. >> right. this has got to be a very welcome event. because he's phrasing resistance there his left and right on health care. some republicans have been tough on him for those unfounded accusations. but with the nomination of neal gorsuch. the president hit a ten strike among republicans. we got to vote for him because the supreme court's at stake and what he's delivered is a nominee who has not only drawn unanimous praise from the right but grudging praise from the liberals, he is not an antonin scalia, a are candidate who snowmentsnow -- foements, aboutt couple of weeks. >> sreenivasan: there's a lot of pressure on republican senators to stop add all costs considering merrick garland at any time get a slake. >> this has the chuck schumer, he has enough to

alall right jeff greenfield, thk you. yesterday afternoon, soon after the republican healthcare bill was pulled before any vote took place, president trump indicated that the focus will now shift to reforming the tax code. treasury secretary steven mnuchin echoed that sentiment at an event earlier in the day, saying he would push for comprehensive tax reform for individuals and corporations before the congressional recess in august. mnuchin said that the president wants a tax cut for the middle class, not the top 1%. just how that process will begin and how complicated it will become are open questions. joining us from washington, d.c., to discuss what lies ahead for tax reform is nick timiraos of the "wall street journal." so, secretary mnuchin says, it is easier to reform health care than the tax code? >> yeah, that's-- that's what he said. and, you know, there's an argument that he made which was along the lines of, look, taxes are something republicans are on the same page on. everybody is going to want lower taxes. i

i'm jeff greenfield filling in for charlie rose. tonight a look at the growing divide within the republican party over healthcare. the first big legislative task on the trump administration's agenda. and whether the divide posts a long term threat to the republicans and the president. we talked to bret stephens of the wall street journal and -- >> had bill clinton passed welfare reform before he moved on to health reform it's quite possible you wpbt have had the republican revolution of 1994 if george w. bush tried doing something about the woes of middle class folks troubled by their gen rule health insurance before massing a big task cut the bush years would have been different too. trump has an opportunity to get this right by cutting ryan loose. >> we look at march madness the ncaa basketball tournament and a larger conversation about the ncaa. john feinstein, joe nocera and william rhoden. >> whether it's football or basketball does not care. if you go to a football game and you start to ask people about the exploitation of ath

roll tide. >>> quizzical look on your face, jeff greenfield. >> yes.g change the balance of the court, but next time. when president trump puts up his next nominee, which might change the balance of the court, why don't they think mitch mcconnell will blow up the filibuster then? i don't see how being calm with gorsuch -- >> because gorsuch has been about as effective in front of the committee as judge roberts was. your next person may not be that way. you may lose a susan collins or -- you won't lose a single republican here. and if they -- i just think they're not going to change the balance of power here. the next justice would change the balance of power there. and they know they'll lose this battle. there's a chance they get one or two republicans, who knows, maybe trump's at 25% then, if they hold their fire. we disagree. i personally think it will be a terrible mistake for them -- i know why they're doing, it because of their base. but to basically go to war against this guy when he's going to pass regardless when they have at least an outside s

i'm jeff greenfield, filling in for charlie rose. consensus choice of the republican party, roughly one in senators refused to endorse him. so did four of the last five republican presidential nominees. but with his election and with the party controlling both houses of congress, republicans almost all -- of almost all stripes saw a chance to finally their mostof significant goals, from tax cuts to the environment to regulation. first big test, repealing and replacing obamacare, has

i'm jeff greenfield, filling in for charlie rose.ot exactly the consensus choice of the republican party, roughly one in senators refused to endorse him. so did four of the last five republican presidential nominees. but with his election and with the party controlling both houses of congress, republicans almost all -- of almost all stripes saw a chance to finally their mostof significant goals, from tax cuts to the environment to regulation. first big test, repealing and replacing something ofs set a wall of opposition within the ranks. is obamacare light. meditationhanges in would leave millions without protection. and they appear to be urging break with house speaker paul ryan and forge his own path. care fightthe health to the long-term hopes of the party and the president? brett stevens, the wally editor at street journal. i'm pleased to welcome you to the table. let me start with you, ryan. this can't be what the white the republican leadership had hoped to find when they put the health care bill out. >> well, the truth is, tha

jeff: good evening, i'm jeff greenfield, filling in for charlie rose.onald trump was not exactly the consensus choice of the republican party, roughly one in five g.o.p. senators refused to endorse him. so did four of the last five republican presidential nominees. but with his election and with the party controlling both houses of congress, republicans of almost all stripes saw a chance to finally enact some of their most significant goals, from tax cuts to the environment to regulation. now the first big test, repealing and replacing obamacare, has set something of a wall of opposition within the republican ranks, the house freedom caucus. they say it is obamacare light. some republicans and senators say the plans and medicaid would leave millions without protection. mostow some of trumps ardent supporters like breitbart say they want to break with house speaker paul ryan and forge his own path. how big is the health care fight to the long-term hopes of the party and the president? joining me now, two journalists on the right. bret stephens and deputy

jeff: good evening, i'm jeff greenfield, filling in for charlie rose.exactly the consensus choice of the republican party, roughly one in five g.o.p. senators refused to endorse him. so did four of the last five republican presidential nominees. but with his election and with the party controlling both houses of congress, republicans of almost all stripes saw a chance to finally enact some of their most significant goals, from tax cuts to the environment to regulation. now the first big test, repealing and replacing obamacare, has set something of a wall o