mcconnell: no.illing to accept the government he had rather than the government he wished he had. clinton had the government he wanted, but the american people changed. charlie: this is 1994? sen. mcconnell: right. the question is, you do not have the ability on your own to do what you want to legislatively. politicalto the center and make deals? clinton did, obama did not. charlie: why is he so far to the left? sen. mcconnell: it is a regulatory rampage all over the country. this is the worst recovery of a deep recession since world war ii. america, on average, has averaged a growth rate of 4% a year. this administration has not had a single quarter of 3% growth. in fact, it averaged about 1.5%. charlie: a big problem? sen. mcconnell: a big problem. they have done everything they can do with monetary policy. the answer is, in fact, creating more demand in the economy. sen. mcconnell: the way you do that is you stop the regulatory rampage. there is not a single business in america that is not being

mcconnell: right.plause] [laughter] charlie: you sat next to legends. bob dole, ted kennedy. and so many others who have come and gone. how is it different? sen. mcconnell: i do not think it is all that different. charlie: in terms of the institution or membership? sen. mcconnell: i think the perception that we are at each other's throats is incorrect. it is a very collegial place. charlie: you and ted cruz are best friends? sen. mcconnell: i cannot tell you that every twosome loves each other, but it is a collegial place. and, let me give you some examples. most americans do not know much about american history. i am not blaming them for that, but we have not had a single incident where a congressman from south carolina came over and almost beat to death a senator from massachusetts. charlie: when did that happen? sen. mcconnell: that was in the 1850's. charles sumner. charlie: with a cane? sen. mcconnell: almost killed him, and one of the major incidents leading to the civil war. anything we say pale

senator mcconnell: ok.ell, when i was a young man and began to have hopes that maybe i could have a political career, my role model was a man named john sherman cooper, who was a republican senator from kentucky. kentucky was pretty democratic, so it was a little bit unusual to have a successful republican. so, i identified with him. in his office in the summer of 1964. he was actively involved in breaking the filibuster on the civil rights bill of 1964. happily enough, 20 years after that, i won the seat that he'd -- that he had held, and he was still alive. and this is a picture of when i came up to be sworn in -- orientation. he asked me to stay at his house, which was a great honor, so i had gone from intern to senator. i didn't obviously defeat him. he retired. in the meantime, i defeated the guy who replaced him after he retired. but it was a thrill to literally, with senator cooper, go from intern to his replacement. host: another influence on your life? senator mcconnell: yeah. this is my great uncl

the agent that senatorea mcconnell himself promoted. for years senator mcconnell and other leaders graced the darkest elements in their party. made antiwoman, anti-lated teen no and anti-muslim and anti-obama policies the norm. trump is the logical conclusion that we have -- been saying and doing for the past years. by refusing to denounce trump's attack on a federal judge, itnn shows senator mcconnell is a poster boy for republican spinelessness, and allowed donald trump to be the republican nominee for president of the united states. i've made this argument for months. i'm not the only one making it anymore. now even some republicans are joining me. the conservative blog "red state" rallied against senator mcconnell's re -- the conservative blog "red state" said this, and i quote: senator mcconnell fell back to the last coward's refuge. we have to support trump because he won the primary. close quote.ho republicans willing to say that senator mcconnell won't -- what he is saying today and tweeted, and i quote that from senator -- publ

there are others, but for his part senator mcconnell is -l doubling down on trump. the republican leader is waging a nonstop campaign to persuade republicans who have doubts about supporting trump to drop their complaints and fall in line. the republican leader went so far, listen to this, as to compare donald trump as comparable to president dwight eisenhower. to general dwight eisenhowers donald trump is a failed businessman who bilked millions of americans out of their hard-earned money. no wonder he won't release his tax returns. trump doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as eisenhower who led allied forces in world war ii and integrated american schools. comparing eisenhower to trump, give us a break. donald trump is the converse of all for which leaders like eisenhower, lincoln, roosevelt and reagan stood. they stood for equality, fairness, and decency. trump and mcconnell obviously do not. donald trump stands for hatred and stands for division. senator mcconnell also defended trump's temperament reassuring everyone that as president, donald trum

mike: what's going to mcconnell's mind, if you put yourself and mcconnell's mind, he's basically seemingo write donald trump off. john: mcconnell was really focused more than anything, mcconnell was focused on trying to somehow against the odds, given the number of seats republicans are defending in the senate, he wants to keep hold of the majority. to do that, under his population, the only way for them to do that is to put as much distance as possible between themselves and donald trump. and he is starting to lay down markers for that permit mitch mcconnell is going to be running away from donald trump all election long. mike: do think paul ryan's job is bigger of the house, the leader of the national republican party, the phrase leadership and character, together, what is he sacrificing in terms of his hesitancy to really come out and say, listen, this guy is not what i thought? john: you tell me. what do you think he is sacrificing. you seem to be suggesting something. the: i think at the end of day, he is sacrificing a lot of his hard-earned reputation he has. toa smart guy who want

mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 9:30 a.m. wednesday, june 8. following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date,ed and the time for the two leaders be reserved that are their use later in the day. further, that following leader remarks, the senate resume consideration of s. 2943, finally, that the senate recess subject to the call of the chair at 10:30 a.m. officerster without objection. -- the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: if there is to further business to come before the senate, i ask it stand adjourned under the previous order. the presiding officer: the senate stands adjourned until 9:30 a.m. tomo >> the senate continued work on the pentagon spending for the fiscal year 2017 and that bill requires for the first time every that women register for the draft. the senate proved two amendments one continuing breast cancer resear

mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to immediate consideration of calendar numbered 506, s. 795. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: calendar number 506, s. 795, a bill to enhance whistle-blower protection for contractor and grantee employe employees. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection. mr. mcconnell: i further ask the committee reported substitute amendment be agreed to, the bill as amended be read a third time and passed and the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the armed services committee be discharged from murder consideration of s. con. res. 39 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: s. con. res. 39 concurrent resolution honoring the members of the united states air fo

what is going through mcconnell's mind?e's seeming to write donald trump off in a sense. >> i think mcconnell is focused on trying to somehow, somehow, against the odds given the number of seats that republicans are defending wanting to keep hold of the senate majority. the only way to do is to put as much distance as possible between themselves and donald trump. he's starting to lay down markers for that right now. i think he'll be running away from donald trump along with a lot of republican senators all election long. >> do you think paul ryan's job as leader of the house, the phrase leadership and character both go together. what is he sacrificing in terms of his hesitancy to really come out and say, listen, this guy is not what i thought he was? >> you tell me. what do you think he's sacrificing? the question is loaded. you seem to be suggesting something. >> i think he's sacrificing a lot of his hard earned reputation that he has a smart guy who wants to broaden him approach to politics, poverty and things like that.

he's a mitch mcconnell kind of candidate. yes.is exactly the kind of candidate you would expect from a republican party whose script for several years has been to execute a full-scale assault on the integrity of our courts. blockading judicial appointments so donald trump can fill them. smearing and intimidating nominees who do not pledge allegiance to the financial interests of the rich and powerful. that's the kind. now, trump is also house speaker paul ryan's kind of candidate. paul ryan condemned donald trump's campaign for its attacks on judge curiel's integrity. great. where's paul ryan's condemnation of the blockade, the intimidation, the smears and the slime against the integrity of qualified judicial nominees and judge garland? where is he? yeah. paul ryan and mitch mcconnell want donald trump to appoint the next generation of judges. they want those judges to tilt the law in favor of big businesses and billionaires like trump. they just want donald trump to quit being quite so vulgar and obvious about it. yep. so, look,

he has a different set of imperatives than mcconnell does, but i've got my eye on mitch mcconnell. do, too. if the trend keeps going on these senate races the way it is, i think mcconnell is going to have to come up with a new strategy. it may not mean try to stop trump at the convention, but it does mean come up with a new strategy of how his incumbents talk about trump. was quoted earlier this year saying they would drop him like a hot rock, and i know they would. he is not going to sit by and easily lose the majority. i think they have real problems hanging onto their majority, but he will make a move if he has to. you are a great student of john mccain body language. do you think he is scared about losing this race or just being cautious? legitimatelyhe is worried, but you are right, he always runs like he could lose. that may wind up saving mccain in the end, the fact that he took this serious from the start . of candidatend skills does congresswoman kirkpatrick have? dan: she is not very well-known statewide. she represents a very rural district, several indian communities in

senate majority leader, mitch mcconnell is joining me next.mitchell reports" on msnbc. d. with venture, you'll earn unlimited double miles on every purchase, every day. and when you're ready to travel, just book the flight you want, on any airline and use your miles to cover the cost. now that's more like it. what's in your wallet? ugh. heartburn.g ] sorry ma'am. no burning here. try new alka-seltzer heartburn relief gummies. they work fast and don't taste chalky. mmmm. incredible. looks tasty. you don't have heartburn. new alka-seltzer heartburn relief gummies. enjoy the relief. ♪ "dinner!" "may i be excused?" get the new xfinity tv app and for the first time ever stream live tv, watch on demand, and download your dvr shows anywhere. jack knocked over a candlestick, onto the shag carpeting... ...and his pants ignited into flames, causing him to stop, drop and roll. luckily jack recently had geico help him with renters insurance. because all his belongings went up in flames. jack got full replacement and now has new pants he ordered from banan

mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent that when the senate completes its business today, it adjourn until 10:00 a.m. tuesday, june 28. following the prayer and pledge, the morning hour be deemed expired, the journal of proceedings be approved to date, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day. further, that following leader remarks, the senate resume consideration of the conference report to accompany h.r. 2577, with the time until the cloture vote equally divided between the two leaders or their designees. the presiding officer: is there objection? without objection. mr. mcconnell: so if there is no further business to come before the senate, i ask it stand adjourned under the previous order following the remarks of senators toomey, wyden, and brown. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. toomey: mr. president? the presiding officer: the senator from pennsylvania. fume too many thank you, mr. president. -- mr. toomey: thank you, mr. president. by fri

gnat majority leader mitch mcconnell weighed in on some of that tone this morning.i want to play you a little bit of what he had to say and get your reaction on the other side. >> i ended up casting as a young man a protest vote against a candidate i basically agreed with on almost everything because i thought he was wrong on the principle issue of that era, civil rights bill of 1964. and my party has been struggling with african-american voters ever since. i don't want to see that mistake made with latinos. it's a big important part of america. soon will be if not already our largest minority group in the country. for our party to be competitive, we have to be able to reach out to all kinds of people. >> josh, to what extent are you concerned about losing minority vote, different groups of voters for a generation as mitch mcconnell was just talking about? >> incredibly concerned. you're well aware and cited some examples donald trump has said ways that will turn off wide swath s of voting groups for generations to come and people of all colors and backgrounds and y

it is the mcconnell-ryan conundrum.n a situation where donors think that donald trump will lose, but survivable in the house and senate, they will take all the money and give it to these down ballot races. if they start to see this is the titanic or the lusitania, they would just sit there on their wallets, and that becomes part of a negative cycle that makes losing the house and senate more likely. mark: based on what trump is only done, assuming he makes no additional mistakes, i think when bernie sanders is out of the race, you will see prominent republican donors raising money for hillary clinton. john: the third d, dissension. we have had a lot of reports. how much of that is playing in his current woes? mark: it's a big problem. all campaigns got the rough spots. smart campaigns reach out. you saw when the clinton campaign was having trouble. get that that letters to put on wetters put on some diapers, put some plastic sheeting on the bed if they wet the bed. the trunk campaign is in confusion in disarray right no

it's also the case that mitch mcconnell came out yesterday and , i've nevermments heard mcconnell sayingt he would be open to considering gun-control change. but notlow probability, impossible, that a couple of these issues, particularly no-fly, we could get actual legislation passed on this in the next few weeks. it is possible. mark: i think you can get it through the senate, but not the house. getting it through the senate would be a big win. pass't think anything will until next year, but i think there is a chance that democrats will push this for momentum. john: i think you will see hillary clinton leading the charge. this is a different issue than it has been for 20 years now. mark: even donald trump's allies have now admitted that the presumptive gop nominee has had a not so stellar month. hillary clinton's campaign could choose to sit back and wait and watch while their opponents self-destructs. pretty, clinton has been aggressive. she has kept the pressure on her republican arrival. today whilegain talking about national security and virginia. >> so not one of donald trump's rec

mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the committee on indian affairs be discharged from further consideration of h.r. 2212 and the senate proceed to its immediate consideration. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 2212, an act to make certain federal lands located in lassen county, california, into trust for the susanville indian rancheria and for other purposes. the presiding officer: is there objection to proceeding to the measure? without objection, the committee is discharged and the senate will proceed. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the bill be read a third time and passed, the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: now, mr. president, i ask unanimous consent the senate proceed to the immediate consideration of h.r. 812, which was received from the house. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: h.r. 812, an act to provide for indian trust asset mana

canned remarks about donald trump for mitch mcconnell.s bloomberg politics why he believes companies to pick an experienced running mate. >> he doesn't know a lot about the issues. you see that in the debates in which he has participated. that's why i have argued to him --t he often this ought to that he ought to use a script more often. mcconnell also says trump's attacks on ethnic groups and other republicans needs to end. teams hunting for the missing searchan airliner will hun thepieces of debris off australian coast in the southern indian ocean. the head of germany's track and field federation wants the ioc to bar russian and kenyan athletes from this year's olympic games in rio. unjust tot would be athletes -- the campaign for written to --ve the european union britain to leave the european union took a 10 point lead in one newspaper. in less than two weeks, the country votes in a referendum. global news 24 hours a day, powered by our 2400 journalists in more than 150 news bureaus around the world. david: commodity markets are closi

as you have just played in that clip with mitch mcconnell. he was asked the same question ten times and gave the same answer every time. >> does mr. trump understand that people do find these remarks to be offensive even within the gop that are calling this to be racist remarks? are they racist in feeling that way? where is the disconnect here, katrina? >> i think the disconnect. that's a great question. the disconnect is the context of the statements. the statements alone, they can sound racial in nature. when you put it in context of the ethnicity connected to the potential activism, which the media has been putting out black lives matter and their entire premise is activism with ethnicity in the court system. so all of the sudden it doesn't matter in this case. i think the context here is what's important. >> donlt judge curiel's work taking on the mexican drug cartel, having to hide himself and his family doesn't that go to speak to the character in which he serves in this federal position on the bench? >> i don't think anybody is questio

i had talked to mcconnell. very moving. he had polio as a child.e was showing emotion he talked about his mother and all those things. yet, he still couldn't bring him to this to feel this. >> dom, thank you very much for having me on your program. thousands of americans dying in their cars because they're texting. our truth serum correspondent on the case. and president obama once again going after fox news. dana perino has some thoughts on that. we hope you stay tuned to those reports. with my diabetes. i do my best to manage. but it's hard to keep up with it. your body and your diabetes change over time. your treatment plan may too. know your options. once-daily toujeo® is a long-acting insulin from the makers of lantus®. it releases slowly to provide consistent insulin levels for a full 24 hours. toujeo® also provides proven full 24-hour blood sugar control and significant a1c reduction. toujeo® is a long-acting, man-made insulin used to control high blood sugar in adults with diabetes. it contains 3 times as much insulin in 1 milliliter as sta

notably mitch mcconnell and paul ryan. neither have heeded trump's advice to shush. they have been critical of trump's rhetoric since they endorsed him last month. both dodged questions about his yesterday. with all that mind, we decided and thinking about this to call the main sources of trump's prevail, the three ds. there's the data. there are the donors, those big dollar backers who have stayed largely on the sideline and there's the ongoing dispension, third d, within trump's campaign. let's start with first d. what kind of data, beyond public poll numbers that we talked about, what kind of private poll numbers are spooking republicans? >> there's a period when they said, trump may win. he may not. he probably won't. we're going to get a lot of donations from people who don't give it to trump and we're going to support our majority. they're going to poll a lot in the next week and see how this is affecting things. the minute they think he will cost them their majority, their view of the world will change dramatically. they are beginning the hear from people it m

what about mitch mcconnell and where he stands?ting conversation last night with the senate majority leader and what he thinks donald trump needs to do. let's listen. >> i think it's time for him to look like a serious candidate for president which means that you need to think before you speak, you need to apologize when you make a mistake, and get on script. he's running for the most important job in the country, some would argue in the world. and i think there's a certain threshold of credibility that needs to be met. this could be a winnable race. >> now, as you know, mitch mcconnell chooses his words very carefully. that was quite a smackdown in a prepared smackdown from the majority leader. is that how you took it? >> he had to know i was going to ask him that question. we had a great discussion at the american enterprise institute. this is another prime example of the senate majority leader who was also in a very difficult position. i mean, a lot of people don't realize that mitch mcconnell has been quietly a civil rights lea

i know you disagree with mitch mcconnell.s can't help donald trump to have the senate majority leader keep on saying stuff like this. >> two things, number one, part of what mitch mcconnell is saying donald trump himself has said, that he doesn't want to duplicate of himself on the ticket. he wants somebody who is experienced in government that knows his way around capitol hill and all of that. so donald trump himself has said that. so i don't think there's anything that mitch mcconnell said in terms of that that's out of line. the rest of it, however, i would just suggest this is the reason donald trump is the nominee in the first place. what mitch mcconnell is talking about, he's representing, if you will, the quote, unquote, political class of washington, d.c., republican and democrat alike. this is exactly what voters in the republican party, 13.2 million people strong, have vetoed. they don't want this. they don't want that in their presidential nominee. so to that extent when i hear mitch mcconnell say this, all that do

how can anyone get mitch mcconnell to talk for an hour? in your own book you point out that you only speak to the press when it's to your advantage. you talk about a time when bill gates came in to see you and you just sat there and people were uncomfortable waiting for one of you to speak, and someone also told president george w. bush you were excited over a certain vote, and he said, really? how can you tell? why so few words? >> well, i'm not afraid of talking but i found i learn a lot more by listening, and so frequently i start out listening, and i think about what i want to say before i do it. i think it's fair to say that i'm in the era of trump, probably very different in my approach to commenting on public affairs. >> you're not the first one, i are remember bob novak used to say the hardest interview on "meet the press" was with a senator mike mansfield because he would ask him a question and he would say, yep, and the easiest one was hubert humphrey. one question he would talk for an hour. >> you don't get in trouble with what

mcconnell knew that, did it anyway, it went down. why not put kate's law as a stand-alone and see which senators will spit in the eye of all law-abiding americans are going to insult the steinle family. let a ps see that. >> exactly. >> he didn't see that. >> no, he didn't. i pursued that, bill. i can't believe there are not five or six -- >> there are. there are. >> they would go with this. >> that's right. >> let's get into other motivations. part of the motivation is personal. he called you had an entertainer. these guys call me that, a politician did just yesterday. when they can't handle it, when it's wrong, and they're angry at who we represent, we're just a bunch of entertainer. we don't know. >> i called mcconnell because i was going to give him a list of democratic senators who i talked with who would consider kate's law. all i want to do is get him on the phone. and i've called almost -- every time i call a politician, they get on the phone with me. it's a matter of respect. it's off the record. i'm not going to deal with i

mcconnell: i do. i remember thinking it would be a big mistake and voting against it, but i have to confess, i was the one who made the mistake. it has been extremely important. the senate televised and have c-span do that and i am sure i , have made a number of mistakes in my political career, but voting against having c-span televised the senate was one of them. >> the institutionalists were worried the senate would change as a result of the cameras. that is what held it up for those many years. howard baker, your predecessor, it was the first piece of legislation he put in as leader, and it did not go anywhere for years because of the concern. has the senate actually changed? were the worriers correct? sen. mcconnell: i think our debates are a lot more civil than what they are subjected to during a presidential campaign or a senate reelection campaign. don'tet to see that we hate each other, that we have a collegial environment and that , there are a lot of intelligent people who are doing what the

i've got my eye on mitch mcconnell. >> i do too.oing on these senate races in new hampshire, ohio, north carolina and missouri, if the trend line keeps going the way it is, i think mcconnel will have to come up with a new strategy. >> i think he was quoted by jonathan martin earlier this year that they dropped him like a hot rock. i know he would. he's not going to sit by and easily lose the majority. i think they have some real problems hanging onto their majority. he'll make a move if he has to. >> john, you're a great student of mccain's body language. do you think he's worried about losing this race or being cautious? >> i think he's worried. he always runs like he could lose. he is doing that. maybe that's something that may wind up saving mccain in the end is the fact he took this serious from the very start even before trump. >> what kind of candidate skills does congresswoman kirkpatrick have? she's not well known yet statewide, i don't think. slepts a large rule arizona district. several indian communities in her district.

senator mcconnell repeatedly refused to call the attacks racist. this is the precise type of failure that gave rise to donald trump in the first place. senator mcconnell and all congressional republican leaders have never taken a stand against trump's rhetoric because the hate flowing from donald trump's mouth reflects the republican agenda for the last seven and a half years, the agenda senator mcconnell himself promoted. mcconnell andator the republicans have embraced the darkest elements of their woman, anti-mexican, anti-immigrant, anti-muslim, anti-obama. by refusing to denounce trump's andck on a federal judge the racism it clearly connotes, it shows that senator mcconnell is a poster boy for the republican spinelessness that allow donald trump to become the nominee for president of the united states. this statement for months. are even some republicans joining me. consider this. the conservative blog "red state " said this. senator mcconnell chose a coward's refuge, to support trump because he won the primary. public service announcement. a

how can anyone get mitch mcconnell to talk for an hour? because in your own book, he, he you point out that you only speak to the press when it is to your advantage, you talk about a time when bill gates came in to see you in the two of you just sat there people were uncomfortable waiting for one of you to speak and you are recounted. someone once told president george w. bush that you are excited over a certain votes and he said really, how could you tell? so why so few words? >> guest: i'm not afraid of talking but i found i learned a lot about learn more from listening. so i start out listening to think about what i want to say before i do it. so i think it's fair to say that i am in that era of trump, very different in my approach to commenting on public affairs. >> host: you are not the first one. i remember novak used to say the hardest interview he ever had on meet the press was when senator mike mansfield because when he asked the question he would say yes, and then he will say no would ask out of questions and hubert humphrey woul

he's a mitch mcconnell kind of candidate.es. [ applause ] he is exactly the kind of candidate you'd expect from a republican party whose script for several years has been to execute a full scale assault on the integrity of our courts, blockading judicial appointments so donald trump can fill them. smearing and intimidating nominees who do not pledge allegiance to the financial interests of the rich and powerful. that's the kind. now, trump is also house speaker paul ryan's kind of candidate. paul ryan condemned donald trump's campaign for its attacks on judge curiel's integrity. great. where's paul ryan's condemnation of the blockade, the intimidation, smears and slime of the qualified judicial nominees and judge garland? where is he? paul ryan and mitch mcconnell want donald trump to appoint the next generation of judges. they want those judges to tilt the law in favor of big businesses and billionaires like donald trump. they just want donald trump to quit being so vulgar and obvious about it. yep. [ cheers and applause ] s

mitch mcconnell is here. he is a u.s. senate majority leader. he has represented kentucky since 19 '84 and is now in his sixth term in office. mcconnell has been at the center of some of the hardest fought plilt kal battles in recent history from campaign finance to o bam-- obamacare to the current clash of president obama's supreme court nominee. senator john mccain once said there are few things more dawnting in politics than the determined opposition of mitch mcconnell. recently mcconnell pledged his support for donald trump. >> i think most of our members believe that he's won the nomination the old-fashioned way. he got more votes than anybody else. and we respect the voices of the republican primary voters across the country. we know the alternative is four more years, just like the last eight. i don't think the american people are thrilled. senator-- was just talking about the growth rate in this country. i believe it's the kaition the president hasn't had a single quarter with 3% growth in his whole presidency. this country needs to get

mcconnell: i send a cloture motion to the desk for s. 2943. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the cloture motion. the clerk: cloture motion. we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on calendar number 469, s. 2943, a bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military activities of the department of defense for military construction and for defense activities of the department of energy to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year and for other purposes, signed pie 17 -- by 17 senators as follows. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the reading of the names be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent to waive the mandatory quorum call. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent the senate be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to ten minutes each. the

i think mitch mcconnell has played this pretty well. >> how do you do that? the house and senate? >> i think you have to give people who need to distance themselves opportunities to do that and not expect them to stick with it because there's a growing feeling this -- donald trump is taking what was a fairly minor story and turned into a public relations disaster. and that means if you go and support him now, if you come out for him, look what happened to paul ryan. in the morning he comes out for him, that night he gets embarrassed by this whole controversy over the judge. so removes all the incentives. let me say one thing about this, donald trump put out a statement today, but he did not put out the fire. he issued a statement that did not come to grips with the essential issue. he danced around it, but if he did not retract what he said. this does not boil down with all due respect to whether trump is a racist. what it comes down to is whether he believes that this judge by virtue of having hispanic heritage or mexican heritage is unqualified. his own law

and mcconnell, let me play for you, what mcconnell just said about trump and then what he said about clinton, larry, take a listen. >> my hope is he is beginning to pivot and become what i call a more serious and credible candidate for the highest office in the land. >> what was your working relationship like with hillary clinton in the senate? >> fine. she has been an intelligent capable person. no question about it. >> so larry, in that same interview he questioned, got even more about questioning about what kind candidate donald trump is at the same time mitch mcconnell about hillary clinton, yeah, fine capable intelligent person. you know, if that's an endorser, i think trump would be looking for new endorsers. >> he has endorsed them. senator mccon al is a smartpera. we need him in the senate. the way i read stuff, i think that guys like mitch mcconnell are trying to help trump. move them in the right direction. i think that's very constructive. i go back it this point. you good through the processes, ben and i have been to the conventions through the years. there is always disa

mcconnell: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority leader. mr. mcconnell: i ask consent that the further proceedings under the quoarm quorum call being dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the senate be in a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak up to ten minutes. officer sphe without objection. mr. mcconnell: i understand there are two bills at the desk and ask for their first reading especially block. the presiding officer: the clerk will read the titles for the first time. the clerk: h.r. 5447, a fen aact to provide aexception from certain group health plan requirements for qualified small employer health reimbursement arrangements. h.r. 5456, an act to amend parts b and e of title 4 of the social security act and so forth and for other purposes. mcmi now scw for a second -- mr. mcconnell: i now scw for a second reading and object to my own request. the presiding officer: the titles will be read for a second time on the next legislative day. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the sena

the senate majority leader, mitch mcconnell, "outfront." and why he argued that two other judges she had stanley cup down from a case. he said it had nothing to do with their race or gender. our report, coming up. >>> plus trump and clinton, the next fight for sanders' supporters. let's go "outfront." >>> i'm erin burnett. "outfront" tonight, no apology. donald trump ignoring demands from party leaders and donors. for an apology over his remarks about an american judge's mexican heritage. tonight, telling bloomberg news and i quote mr. trump. it's not a big case, and they, the voters, don't care about it. nobody cares. we want to get on to where the economy is going and everything else. now that combined with a scripted and toned down super tuesday victory speech, giving house speaker paul ryan cover to call for party unity. telling house republicans behind closed doors today, quote, it's time to be united. otherwise you get stuck with hillary clinton. ryan, of course, yesterday calling trump's remarks about the judge racist. republican lea

mitch mcconnell, those comments from mitch mcconnell, what's most significant to me about them is the fact that he's making them. this is a guy who's loathe to speak out publicly, to get off of -- to be saying anything negative about his own team, about his own party. the simple fact that he's saying anything here seems to speak volumes. >> most times, in presidential campaigns, communications to the candidate from within the party, they're done via back channels. but in this campaign, especially with donald trump as the standard-bearer, these communications are being done in public, through the media. and you see this with senator mcconnell and so many other party leaders. they're trying to make their advice to trump pluck so he hears it and perhaps listens to it. this is a party that's grappling with someone who's not an insider. someone who is reluctant to have their advice, but they feel a burden, because they want to keep their majorities and keep their party in line to say it. >> so, ann, is there any indication trump is getting that message and is adjusting in any way? he gave

mitch mcconnell made comments yesterday.has been -- they have been more harsh in their criticism of donald trump than they have ever been against the obama agenda or anything that hillary has done. you know, i look at the trump agenda, i've interviewed him, as you know, a lot. >> yes, many times. >> he laid out a list of conservative justice that hillary would never appoint. he said he'll secure our border, which is good for the economy and national security, as we just discussed. he's talked to me at length about replacing obamacare with health care savings accounts. he's talked about the petty plan to stop robbing our children. he's talked about expanding coal and drilling and fracking and nuclear technology. that's going to create millions of high paying jobs for the country. every one of those positions is a conservative position. why the opposition? fierce opposition from republicans. >> do you think people like mcconnell and ryan should step aside if they cannot support the republican nomination? >> either shut up or m

he's a mitch mcconnell kind of candidate. yes. he is exab exact -- exactly the kind of candidate you would expect from a republican party whose script for several years has been to execute a full scale assault on the integrity of our court while filling judicial appointments while donald trump can smear them who do not pledge alley january of the financial interest of the rich and powerful. that's the kind. now trump is also house speaker paul ryan's kind of candidate. paul ryan condemned donald trump's campaign for its attacks on the judge's intriguity. great. where is paul ryan's condemnation of the blockade? the intimidation, the smears and the slime against the integrity of qualified judicial nominees and judge guardland? where is he? -- and judge garland? >> paul ryan and mitch mcconnell want donald trump to appoint the next generation of judges. they want those judges to tilt the law in favor of big businesses and billionaires like trump. they just want donald trump to quit being quite so vulgar and obvious about it. [laught

how can anyone get mitch mcconnell to talk for an hour. because in your own book, you point out that you only the press when it's to your advantage. you talk about a time when bill gates came in to see you, the two of you to sat there, or uncomfortable waiting for one of you to speak at your account that once someone once told president george w. bush that you were excited over a certain vote and he said really? how can you tell. so why so few words? >> guest: i'm not afraid of talking but i found i learned a lot more by listening. so frequently, i start out listening and think about what i want to say before i do it. i think it's fair to say that i'm in the era of trauma, probably a very different approach to commenting on public prayers. >>. >> host: bob novak used to say the hardest interview he said yet and you dancer asking another question and he'd say no when you got out of questions and the easiest one was hubert aubrey, one question and he talked for 30 minutes before you don't get in trouble for what you don't say and i think the

mcconnell, for mr. johnson, proposes an amendment numbered 4859 to the instructions of the motion to commit h.r. 2578. mr. mcconnell: i ask that the reading be dispensed with. the presiding officer: without objection. mr. mcconnell: i ask for the yeas and nays on my amendment. the presiding officer: is there a sufficient second? there appears to be. the yeas and nays are ordered. mr. mcconnell: i have a second-degree amendment at the desk, number 4860. the presiding officer: the clerk will report. the clerk: the senator from kentucky, mr. mcconnell, proposes an amendment numbered 486 to 0 -- 4860 to amendment numbered 4869. mr. cornyn: mr. president? the presiding officer: the majority whip. mr. cornyn: mr. president, i think a little later on this afternoon, we will have an opportunity yet again to express ourselves on the terrible shooting in orlando a little over a week ago, and some have wanted to make this a debate about the second amendment. others have said, well, maybe it would be more productiv

as you saw from paul ryan, and to a lesser extent, mitch mcconnell. greta: and the response from the donald trump campaign? stephen: a lot of this is donald trump -- he is a negotiator. you try to gain the upper hand with republican leaders who have their own agenda they are working on. literally, house republicans working on an agenda trump has been silent on. this is a play within the party. this is the same thing going on for months now. it is a play within the republican party for primacy and trump is playing that for all it is wth

>> senator mcconnell just told you. the party of lincoln wants to win the white house. that's how cynical this is. to your point, a short-term strategy. >> this is a party that is going to lose not only -- they have already lost a generation of african-americans, multiple generations. they're going to lose a generation of latino voters, and they are going to lose the american public because, you know, they're not willing to call out, and for senator mcconnell to say that the party of lincoln is only interested in winning is pretty shameful statement. >> the fact that john mccain, because of the hispanic vote, is at risk of losing the election after five terms in the senate and being the party standard bearer, and being someone universally admired in many quarters, republican and democratic, because of the top of the ticket, and this would of course also contribute to losing the senate. i think tit's what jim brown jut said about muhammad ali. money is not god. human dignity and integrity matter. winning is not everything. >> speaking of winning is everything. there's a

>> senator mcconnell just told you. the party of lincoln wants to win the white house. that's how cynical this is. to your point, a short-term strategy. >> this is a party that is going to lose not only -- they have already lost a generation of african-americans, multiple generations. they're going to lose a generation of latino voters, and they are going to lose the american public because, you know, they're not willing to call out, and for senator mcconnell to say that the party of lincoln is only interested in winning is pretty shameful statement. >> the fact that john mccain, because of the hispanic vote, is at risk of losing the election after five terms in the senate and being the party standard bearer, and being someone universally admired in many quarters, republican and democratic, because of the top of the ticket, and this would of course also contribute to losing the senate. i think it's what jim brown just said about muhammad ali. money is not god. human dignity and integrity matter. winning is not everything. >> speaking of winning is everything. there's a

mcconnell: i understand is a cloture motion to the desk. the presiding officer: the clerk will report the motion to invoke cloture. the clerk: cloture motion: we, the undersigned senators, in accordance with the provisions of rule 22 of the standing rules of the senate, do hereby move to bring to a close debate on on the motion to disagree to the house amendments, agree to the request from the house for a conference, and the presiding officer a point the following conferees: you senators grassley -- mr. mcconnell: i ask unanimous consent that the reading phs names be waived. the presiding officer: without objection. pursuant to rule 28, there will now be up to two hours of debate equally divided in the usual form. mr. portman: madam president? the presiding officer: the senator from ohio. mr. portman: madam president, i want to start by commending the majority leader, who just came to the floor and offered a motion to go to conference on cara. that's the comprehensive addiction and recovery act. this is an incredibly important piece of legi