helene cooper, she lives blocks from today's snend. david french is a senior writer at national review. he also served in iraq. and ruth marcus is editor at "the washiton post." helene, let me start with you. you're geographically located, just tell me your first thoughts when you heard and then sort of digest today and sort of what do you think the fallout of this is going to be on our politics now or at least our discourse? >> well, i woke up this morning to the police sirens, but you know, we hear police sirens all the time, so i didn't really pay much attention to that. but then when i started seeing the traffic on my cell phone and on my laptop about a shooting in del ray, i was pretty shocked because, you know, it's such a cliche. nothing ever happened in this neighborhood. but this really is very much a very -- that's what i think is kind of interesting about this. this is a very democratic neighborhood. it's probably one of the bluest places in virginia. and yet, for some reason, the republicans, the republican congressional sof

. >> helene cooper i have enjoyed every minute of reading the book. when it is a book that you really like you're disappointed when it comes to an end and that is how i felt reading "madame president" it was special because i certainly know president ellen johnson sirleaf and i knew about her past but you had such incredible detail about her rise it agreed me feeling like it under boat -- a believable leader that she is. i know this is not your first book. >> guest: i am from liberia and just to echo what you said i thought space about her when i started research i've heard about her all of my life even as a little girl but once i started to dig into why was amazed at how much i did not know. i am from iberia mine family are descendants from the american slaves my great great great great grandfather was of the first ship to free the of blacks sailing from new york harbor . eventually they ended up in liberia 1962 so that is a my mom's side but on my father's side the brothers of sales from virginia in 1829 to liberia and that is for my dad's side of t

. >> helene cooper i have enjoyed every minute of reading the book. when it is a book that you really like you're disappointed when it comes to an end and that is how i felt reading "madame president" it was special because i certainly know president ellen johnson sirleaf and i knew about her past but you had such incredible detail about her rise it agreed me feeling like it under boat -- a believable leader that she is. i know this is not your first book

. >> helene cooper, i must tell you i have enjoyed every minute of reading the books and the things you say. you know,

. >> helene cooper, i must tell you i have enjoyed every minute of reading the books and the things you say. you know, when there is a book you like, you are almost dispointed when it comes to an end. it was very special to me because i certainly know president johnson and i thought i knew about her past and all but you went into such incredible detail about her rise and it left me feeling what an unbelievable international leader she was. it made me want to ask about you. i know this isn't your first book. your first book is the house of sugar beach. is that right? >> guest: yes. i thought i knew a lot about her too when i started researching for the book because i am liberian and heard about her all my life even as a little girl who she was a political dissidedi disside dissident. i am from liberia. my family is descended from the free american slaves. my great great great great grandfather was on the first ship of slaves that sailed to liberia from new york harbor and they ended up in siarra leon. that is on my mother's side. .... when you said that they march the people out in the c

joining me for insight and analysis are syndicated columnist george will, helene cooper of the "new york times," nbc news's hall jackson and mark leibowitz. welcome to sunday. it's meet the press. >> from nbc news in washington, the longest running show in television history celebrating its 70th year. this is "meet the press" with chuck todd. >> good morning. this was a week that brought into no cuss more clearly than ever the hardening of political cultures. one left, right, blue, red, liberal and conservative. from the election in georgia to debate over health care to the shooting at the republican baseball practice. americans watched their favorite cable channels, clicked on top new s sites and spoke and listened to those who agreed with them. our poll bears it out this week. 38% gave president trump a positive rating. 38% believe the economy has improved and the president deserves credit. 38% believe obamacare is a bad idea. 38% want efforts to repeal and replace obamacare to continue. do you notice the pattern? 38% largely packed into republican districts, maybe just enough to push