joining me now, former rnc chair michael steele. michael, let's start with trump and then talk about walker. >> sure. >> the issue here to me is this. when i think about how these 15 people are going to distinguish each other substantively and rhetorically, the -- most of them agree on most things, right? they're going to be against regulation smaller government, et cetera. there's a few places on foreign policy syria and iraq and immigration is going to be one of the biggest areas of contention, which means it will dominate as an issue in the campaign, don't you think? >> i do. i would not have said that three weeks ago or four weeks ago, but i believe now, given the way donald trump has played this particular card, it will be -- even if the issue subsides, even if something else takes over the storyline for a few days weeks or even a month, this is still now going to be a subtext for a lot of the individuals standing on that stage, because donald trump has now put it squarely in front of folks. i was out in vegas this past weekend

michael steele, this is a tough call for reince priebus. i don't envy him.s to play referee. you know on one side he'd like to totally denounce but they can't alienate the party. >> i would have a slightly different approach. look, you've got to have that sister soldier moment with the party where you have to be honest and call it what it is. >> you right now as the chairman would aggressively criticize one of your candidacy. >> i would have said sooner this is not the tone this is not the effort. we have an autopsy report that says one thing you are running counter to that. you've got to stake that claim. you've got to be authentic. people are sophisticated enough to know when you're just full of bs. fact that you're not coming out -- everyone in the country reacted to this and you didn't the party didn't, and those who want to be president didn't -- until what? this week. that's a problem. it's a problem of authenticity. it is a problem of legitimacy when you're going to go speak to that community. what do you say to them? oh, i'm sorry we just figured o y

i think he'll make that call. >> michael steele? >> it's not just that. it's also okay so how weak is hillary, ultimately. what baggage weighs her down to the point where the party naturally comes to the vice president to say we need you to come into this race to salvage it. they're not going to turn to martin o'malley. they're not going to turn to bernie sanders. i think that you're seeing more talk about joe being ready in case all the stuff around hillary just really weighs down that campaign that he can step into this. i don't think he jumps in it right out of the box though. >> we know his family, including his late son beau was encouraging him to run a little bit. you have to believe there is some part of joe biden saying women, what about me? all these months it was presumed and assumed it is being handed to hillary clinton. i'm the vice president of the states here. >> stranger things have happened. >> i would think. >> even if you say, no you want to say but don't forget me. >> let's move to the story mika is talking about. the justice department

and joining me now msnbc political analyst michael steele and our own chuck todd moderator of course of "meet the press." thank you for being here. chuck this debate issue seems to be coming up for republicans in a way they didn't initially expect when they made these rules. >> no. and look i say this. i'm glad we don't have the first debate. i don't envy if position fox and cnn are in trying to figure it out. i think in hindsight they probably both wish they had said we're doing two debates seven and seven and just not picking a tier at this point. i understand why they did it. you feel the need. you can't have -- we've done a ten candidate debate. the last two cycles. it is too many. and i get that that is is max you can do. but it has turned -- what it's doing is turning candidates into looking for odd ways to stay in the news. look at ted cruz and the simpsons thing. it's very cute and all this stuff but all of these campaigns have to start thinking about things like that just to keep them relevant in the news. or they may say crazy stuff to electrify themselves with just one mor

it will reside in the white house to secure that border. >> michael steele. >> governor michael steelehat has also been driving the news lately. one of your opponents in the race, rand paul has had a strong voice on criminal justice reform. the president last week commuted the sentence of 46 felons and today, i believe, or some time this week will be sitting down with some felons in a prison visiting a federal prison. what is your take on criminal justice reform broadly speaking? if you have some specific ideas of how you would move that particular agenda forward, particularly for african-americans and hispanic men in this country who are most directly affected by the criminal justice system as it stands right now. >> well in the early '90s, we saw this huge building process going on of prisons, both at the state level, federal level ann richards was our governor, and bill clinton was the president of the united states. we saw bill clinton yesterday apologize for basically signing that piece of legislation that helped expand the federal row. we realized it was a problem in the state of

i'm going to say it, michael steele, but in terms of politics i believe in economics. i'm a marxist determinist in that sense. economics drives. you know what harry truman's growth rate was in 1948, michael? guess? explain why he got re-elected. 6. it was booming. the farm situation was booming for farmers. stupid pollsters that stopped polling about, what, two months before the election didn't get it. times were great. truman won. the roundtable staying with us. it's time for clown card tuesday. donald trump now leads, catch this, not just the clown car that he's steering. he's leading the circus. he is now the official front-runner for the republican presidential nomination in 2016. live with that one. and this is "hardball," the place for politics. >>> a day after commuting the sentences of 46 drug offenders president obama is rallying support for new criminal justice reforms. in an address to the naacp annual convention in philadelphia today the president pushed for shorter sentences for nonviolent offenders. thursday in oklahoma he'll continue his push as he makes

steve schmidt, michael steele and joan walsh. anyway, south carolina senator lindsey graham who was good friends with senator john mccain is going after trump. >> he's a jackass. he's becoming a jackass at a time when we need to have a serious debate about the future of the party in the country. >> today trump traveled to graham's home turf in south carolina and jabbed back. >> i see your senator. what a stiff. what a stiff. lindsey graham. by the way, he's registered zero in the polls. zero. he's on television all the time. a total lightweight. here's a guy in the private sector he couldn't get a job, believe me. couldn't get a job. then i watch this idiot lindsey graham on television today and he calls me a jackass. he's a jackass. >> anyway, that was just the beginning of trump's attack today. watch what happens next. >> then i said to myself, hey, didn't this guy call me like four years ago? yes. he called me four years ago, three, four years ago, lindsey graham. i didn't know who he was. mr. trump, this is senator lindsey gr

michael steele, josh, thank you. >>> still ahead, why donald trump's stamp on immigration is pretty much in line with the republican primary voters and how a new york times bomb shell exclusive on hillary clinton is falling apart. and 35 of bill cosby's accusers speak out in a powerful report from new york magazine. >> he reached over and put a pill next to my wine glass. he said, take this. it will make you feel better. it will make us all feel better. so when my husband started getting better dental checkups than me i decided to go pro... with crest pro-health advanced. my mouth is getting healthier. my teeth are getting stronger. this crest toothpaste is superior in five areas. great checkup. i already feel like we're the most connected but i think this solo date will seal the deal. sure! i offer multi-car, safe driver, and so many other discounts that people think i'm a big deal. and boy, are they right. ladies, i can share hundreds in savings with all of you! just visit progressive.com today. but right now, it's choosing time. ooh! we have a winner. all: what? [chuckles] he's suppos

our friend michael steele was cheryl of the republican party at the time and he got on the radio at that time and he said this. and i quote. crazy nonsense empathetic. i'll give you empathy. empathize right on your behind. >> i'll give you empathy. empathize right on your behind. >> and so i bought empathize right on your behind.com. we bought that website. then one day down the road. i didn't really make pals with michael steele, i was able to offer him empathize right on your behind.com. i was able to offer that to him as a gift. we also known fred thompson is inherently funny.com. if i ever meet and make friends with senator fred thompson, i look forward to giving him that web address as well. i have one that i've been holding on to all of these years and hoping to give to rick trul. in the 2012 race for the nomination, senator santorum went to florida and he gave a stump speech that included this anecdote. he was talking about long days, door knocking on the campaign trail and one particularly hot day when a nice lady not only opened her door to him. she invited him in for a glass of

joining me now, kurt anderson michael steele and lawrence o'donnell. i put myself in the trump position here. i thought it appropriate for our last show. john you have done the focus groups that have shattered america's impression of who exactly supports tonld trump. and do you think it matters to trump supporters whou he ss how he does in the debate. >> first off i have a bunch of those hats and you are going to get pick which color you want. >> i will wear it and hopefully make america great again. >> the same way donald trump is impervious to most attack bis most of his rivals and it just rolls off him like water off a duck's back his supporters are impervious to almost anything that could happen to him. and i think it's surprising a lot of these people i talk to that are strong supporters know a lot about his business background. not as much about his political views but they rise to his defense if you suggest anything that might be a criticism, a contradiction, hypocrisy, liberal positions. they dismiss them all because they think he is one of the

michael steele? if too many republicans criticize him. >> throw kisses.y the way, jeb bush is throwing kisses. hit. his future running mate. i'll be sure he gets a callout. >> what is this? they want to make it as nonvolatile as possible. when they bring the noise down, he do not think you'll see a third party candidacy emerge here. >> if jeb runs, they'll let it go? >> at the end of the day, conservatives are the ones who will control the outcome of the primary process. if they want a ted cruz or a rand paul, they have to muster up the balance of a to getett it done there will be a third party candidate. a libertarian candidate and a constitution party candidate who is conservatives love. >> will he run third party in. >> i believe he'll dangle it out there as long as he can. ? . i think he's crazy not to run. the opportunity to sit there on a national i know at a with nhl hillary and the republican party nominee and be up there in that situation three times. >> this is even bigger. >> the idea that the teem will get together, they're not. they're splitt

joining me now, michael steele, former chairman of the republican national committee. this is what was most interesting to me about this brouhaha this weekend. the rnc getting involved. you got to think the rnc is the referee of this scrum. their whole point is they have to be neutral. they're not backing a specific candidate. they're just sort of setting ground rules. here's the rnc saying senator mccain is american hero because he served his country and sacrificed more than most can imagine. there's no place in our party or country for comments that disparage those that served honorably. is it the right call to take the unusual step of stepping into this? >> absolutely. i applaud the team who put out that well crafted statement. here's why. it's simple. i said maybe even on this program a few weeks ago when we had the first trump, that is rnc needs to be the off-ramp for that. they need to be the ramp you take whether you're the media or others who are going to delve into this so it doesn't have to go to candidates. what did you just show us? you showed us about 30 s

michael steele was rnc chair back when it was a normal organization. and stephanie cutter was campaign management for president obama and heather haddon with "the wall street journal." the only reason christie can get this this thing is to be christie. i don't think he gets in there as a wilting frail flower, a wallflower and acts well mannered and doesn't cut up anybody. do you agree with that that he has to get out there and slug it out? >> yeah, we definitely saw that today here at livington heights school where he formally announced and entered the race. the speech he gave, some policy details but mostly all about his personality. the straight talker, i'm going to tell it like it is governor was on display here. he's down in the polls. he's not where he was in 2012, really the sheer force of his personality they're banging on at this point. >> in livingston, new jersey, christie jumped into the race with, yes, a promise to make us cringe. that was his word. >> people say aren't you shy in a crowd. i said you should see the family i married into. yo

the republicans are michael steel, jeb bush too many republicans criticize him. >> throw kisses.y the way jeb bush is throwing kisses. his future running mate john kasich said he will make sure he gets a call out. what is it the buddy system. >> they want to make the landscape as nonvolatile as possible between now and the first debate. they want to bring rhetoric and noise down. i do not think that you'll see a third party candidacy emerge here. >> if jeb runs they will let it go. >> at the end of the day, conservatives are the ones that will control the outcome of the primary process. if they want ted cruz rand paul, they have to muster up the ballots to get it done. you can't sit back and do as a you have done in the past three presidential cycles. >> third party candidate? no. >> maybe. you want me to say yes, but maybe. >> it will be a libertarian candidate. and a constitution party candidate who the conservatives will -- >> donald trump will the right winger run third party. >> i believe he will not but dangle it out there as long as he can. >> i think he is crazy not to ru

michael steele josh thank you. >>> still ahead, why donald trump's stamp on immigration is pretty much in line with the republican primary voters and how a new york times bomb shell exclusive on hillary clinton is falling apart. and 35 of bill cosby's accusers speak out in a powerful report from new york magazine. >> he reached over and put a pill next to my wine glass. he said take this. it will make you feel better. it will make us all feel better. when my back pain flared up, we both felt it. i tried tylenol but it was 6 pills a day. with aleve it's just two pills, all day. now i'm back! aleve. all day strong. hey terry stop they have a special! so, what did you guys think of the test drive? i love the jetta. but what about a deal? terry, stop! it's quite alright... ok, you know what? we want to make a deal with you. we're twins, so could you give us two for the price of one? come on, give us a deal. look at how old i am. do you come here often? he works here, terry! you work here, right? yes... ok let's get to the point. we're going to take the deal. get a $1000 volkswagen reward c

thanks to today's panel, michael walsh, jo steel. john mccain tomorrow morning on "morning joe." the first interview since his war service was called into question. >>> you'll want to stick around for melissa harris-perry. she's coming up next. have a great week. it's quite alright... ok, you know what? we want to make a deal with you. we're twins, so could you give us two for the price of one? come on, give us a deal. look at how old i am. do you come here often? he works here, terry! you work here, right? yes... ok let's get to the point. we're going to take the deal. get a $1000 volkswagen reward card on select 2015 jetta models or lease a 2015 jetta s for $139 a month after $1000 volkswagen bonus. let's celebrate these moments... this woman... this cancer patient... christine... living her life... loving her family. moments made possible in part by the breakthrough science of advanced genomic testing. after christine exhausted the standard treatment options for her disease, doctors working with the center for advanced individual

i'm going to say it, michael steele, but in terms of politics i believe in economics. erminist in that sense. economics drives. you know what harry truman's growth rate was in 1948 michael? guess? explain why he got re-elected. 6. it was booming. the farm situation was booming for farmers. stupid pollsters that stopped polling about, what two months before the election didn't get it. times were great. truman won. the roundtable staying with us. it's time for clown card tuesday. donald trump now leads, catch this, not just the clown car that he's steering. he's leading the circus. he is now the official front-runner for the republican presidential nomination in 2016. live with that one. and this is "hardball," the place for politics. plaque psoriasis. isn't it time to let the real you shine through? introducing otezla apremilast. otezla is not an injection or a cream. it's a pill that treats plaque psoriasis differently. some people who took otezla saw 75% clearer skin after 4 months. and otezla's prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. don

for more let me bring in michael steele former rnc chair and msnbc political analyst fred woodhouse. and matthew miller, former department of justice spokesperson and aide to attorney general eric holder. and mr. miller we'll start with you first tonight. i think people are out there wondering what is the criteria? what bar has to be reached for any kind of investigation to be opened? and does it matter if it's hillary clinton? your thoughts? >> no it doesn't. the bar for opening an investigation like this is pretty high. you have to have a predicate and some reason to believe there is criminal activity. and nothing that we've seen so far shows not only no criminal activity. not even anything inappropriate. if you look at what's come out today after the times story that was walked by sagt significantly you have basically boils down a couple of inspectors general and a few e-mails. they were in her e-mail account. they weren't classified at the time. they have now been retroactively. and you have the state department saying the e-mails that the inspector general is referring to aren't

. >> it was interesting, michael steele as we await donald trump. we have a very crowded field now. we have john kasich jumping into the race. the president speaking out. and of course, john mccain controversy, more on that in a moment. the president and iran, he for the first time mentioned by name a all of the americans who were detained in iran. how high a climb is this? he has the vote so far in congress, we think in terms of an override, but it is controversial this deal. the administration now has a twitter handle going heavy on social media as well. you have $20 million so far being budgeted by the opponents of the deal. >> i think you know better than all of us because you have been on the front doorstep of the issue for the last few weeks, and you have seen this administration move from negotiating with iran to having to now negotiate it which may be a harder lift in some senses with the united states congress. they have had an all-out push to make the case for this deal. and i have to give them -- they have been effective in framing the argument. you have not seen the cong

. >> michael steele is a political analyst and joins us now. michael, let's start with a simple question. do you think that huckabee's comments were appropriate? >> you know, the wording was a little bit off. but, yeah i think the comments kind of reflect a concern and a fear that this administration and others that are supporting this iranian deal just don't want to have to put in the right perspective. if you go back and you look at what governor huckabee was referring to he's talking about a pattern, a history of rhetoric and actions taken by those who have been against israel particularly iran. he referenced in a specific way the comment of one of supporters. we have manufactured missiles to allow us to replace israel with a big holocaust. that was the ayatollah khomeni's representative. if that's the rhetoric of the nation's state that we've been dealing with towards one of our staunchest and most you know important allies sure i think huckabee was giving it some context and saying this is the reality of what we're dealing with here and we

. >> michael steele is here. so nice. sticks to his word and jeremy peters in washington.show the focus groups? >> yeah. >> let's show focus groups. >> what do we have today? that was pretty crazy yesterday. >> we watched that eye-opening focus group. so many people told me yesterday they were blown away. >> got a lot of e-mails on that. >> donny, i don't know if you saw that. >> usually i get hate tweets. >> but a lot of people's eyes opened up by the people supporting donald trump, why they were supporting trump and the fact they weren't all perot supporters, buchanan supporters. a lot of bush supporters people who had cruz as their second choice. let's hear more of the negative comments. >> this is interesting. >> that they had to say, though about trump. >> what's the thing that you like least about him or the thing that concerns you most about him as a presidential candidate? what's the thing about donald trump, if anything could be nothing if you want. >> i think potentially he could cross over with some inappropriate comment that's going to turn a large number of pe

joan walsh and michael steele. ael, let me start with you about the hillary back draft or whatever we're calling it. i don't know where to place her in the wind system. >> hot air. >> oh. chairman steele had to just get in there. i feel like -- and it's sort of understandable because trump is such a sensationalist this is getting less play and is arguably maybe much more important. because hillary clinton is likely to actually be the nominee, unlike trump. these number how did you read them and how much trouble? >> it's just one poll and a little different from other polls, where she has consistently maintained a lead over ule of these guys for a year basically. but if this poll augers something to come and others reflect it, then it is bad news and she has a lot of work to do. i watched her do it when she campaigned. i covered the campaign in '99 and 2000. not quite as big a deficit but she steadily worked her way out of that hole. and steadily gained new yorkers' trust. she has do something like that this time. bu

she's tied for first place with michael steele. up next, what makes america great including our ability to beat back the rain with popup tents as we head to the fourth of july weekend from the special cookout spectacular. stay with us. >>> all right. we're back with our guests talking about what makes america great and one of the things that makes america great is this roof terrace. what makes america great? >> we were e-mailing and las vegas makes america great. >> i agree. >> las vegas is the most uniquely american place because it's simultaneously so awesome and so stupid. we're going to build this thing in the middle of the desert and we'll rebuild the italian lakes region and people will play blackjack and people come with dreams against all odds and believe they will win because america is optimistic. >> here is the thing i love about vegas, i love vegas, i love going to vegas, one of the things i love about vegas, too, it is a unionized town and that makes a huge difference in terms of the durability of the middle class. the

the prospect of being out there and connecting with voters. >> michael steel, former chair of the rnct elections. michael? >> yes. >> question for the governor. >> you've been a successful three term governor in new york that is going to wind his way through a primary process that is driven by the south. and in light of the recent court rulings and what we've heard coming out of the base of the party, what is your message to conservatives in -- across the country but particularly where the strength of the party is now in the southern region? what do you say to them that will either stand you apart or move our agenda forward? >> you know i've been down to the south. i've been to south carolina a number of times. i spoke at ralph reid's faith and freedom forum about ten days ago. the reception was very well. i was tremendous. and the message very simple. and that is that is the nature of america going to be? are we going to be a country where the politicians tell us how we have to live our lives or it is going to be what america has always been where the people tell the politicians what

thank you, michael steele, thank you, dave, thank you, joan walsh. coming up, one week to go before the all important first debate. john kasich is on the rise and could make the cut. the big question, how do you want donald trump? plus, even mitt romney says he went too far by calling them the leading finlseer of terrorism. donald trump versus bernie sanders. trump offers a new bit of improv every night. bernie sanders is as reliable in a broadway performance. finally, let me finish my question. is this how we pick a president? this is "hardball." the place for politics. i asked my dentist if an electric toothbrush was going to clean better than a manual. he said sure... but don't get just any one. get one inspired by dentists. with a round brush head. go pro with oral-b. oral-b's rounded brush head cups your teeth to break up plaque and rotates to sweep it away. and oral-b delivers a clinically proven superior clean vs. sonicare diamond clean. my mouth feels super clean. oral-b. know you're getting a superior clean. i'm never going back to a manual

she's tied for first place with michael steele. up next, what makes america great including our ability to beat back the rain with popup tents as we head to the fourth of july weekend from the special cookout spectacular. stay with us. ♪ ♪ ♪ (vo) making the most out of every mile. that's why i got a subaru impreza. love. it's what makes a subaru a subaru. watch as these magnificent creatures take flight, soaring away from home towards the promise of a better existence. but these birds are suffering. because this better place turned out to have an unreliable cell phone network and the videos on their little bird phones kept buffering. birds hate that. so they came back home. because they get $300 for switching back to verizon. and so can you! verizon, come home to the best network. >>> all right. we're back with our guests talking about what makes america great and one of the things that makes america great is this roof terrace terrace. what makes america great? >> we were e-mailing and las vegas makes america great. >> i agree. >>

she's tied for first place with michael steele. up next, what makes america great including our ability to beat back the rain with popup tents as we head to the fourth of july weekend from the special cookout spectacular. stay with us. ♪ [music] ♪ defiance is in our bones. new citracal pearls. delicious berries and cream. soft, chewable, calcium plus vitamin d. only from citracal. ahhh. beautiful day in baltimore where most people probably know that geico could save them money on car insurance, right? you see the thing is geico well, could help them save on boat insurance too. hey! okay...i'm ready to come in now. hello? i'm trying my best. seriously, i'm...i'm serious. request to come ashore. geico. saving people money on more than just car insurance. >>> all right. we're back with our guests talking about what makes america great and one of the things that makes america great is this roof terrace. what makes america great? >> we were e-mailing and las vegas makes america great. >> i agree. >> las vegas is the most uniquely americ

to iowa after tough talk on the border and appearing on "morning joe" today, former rnc chair michael steele weighs in on the trump effect coming up. and we'll also get reaction to the lafayette shooter from aurora, colorado. a community all too familiar with this kind of event that took place last night in louisiana. state police colonel michaeled monday son sharing some details with me earlier today. >> we went in with a robot. we exploded inside the car and explored it to open up the truck itself. nothing on that. the dogs hit on several objects inside the movie theater. that's why it took us a little while to release the scene back to the lafayette police department. but, you know, outstanding work.t in some protein to get us moving. i'm new ensure active high protein. i help you recharge with nutritious energy and strength. i'll take that. yeeeeeah! new ensure active high protein. 16 grams of protein and 23 vitamins and minerals. ensure. take life in. nobody told me to expect it... ...intercourse that's painful due to menopausal changes. it's not likely to go away on its own. so let's d

michael steele is an msnbc political analyst. also former chairman of the rnc. any laughter will do at this point. >> exactly. >> let's show everybody the headlines. big stories in politico and the national journal today asking how republicans will deal with trump in these debates, just six days away. you are going to be in clove land. >> yes. looking forward to it. >> what do you expect? >> i expect -- i expect a few of them to handle him with kid gloves, if they engage him at all. i think you'll see others probably like a chris christie and some of the others like lindsey graham, even though they're not on the main stage, necessarily, in graham's case, take aim htat him as well. the bigger player, scott walk irs and jeb bushes they will probably offhandedly deal with him. the problem they have they don't know how to prepare for this debate because it's not going to fit any traditional format that we've seen, even though the format is articulated as traditionally put together it's not going to be because you've got this x factor trump who does the stream of con

thank you, michael steele thank you, dave thank you, joan walsh. coming up one week to go before the all important first debate. john kasich is on the rise and could make the cut. the big question how do you want donald trump? plus even mitt romney says he went too far by calling them the leading finlseer of terrorism. donald trump versus bernie sanders. trump offers a new bit of improv every night. bernie sanders is as reliable in a broadway performance. finally, let me finish my question. is this how we pick a president? this is "hardball." the place for politics. go roam sleep in sleep out star gaze dream big wander more care less beat sunrise chase sunset do it all. on us. get your first month's payment plus five years wear and tear coverage. make the most of summer... with volvo. why should over two hundred years of citi history matter to you? well, because it tells us something powerful about progress: that whether times are good or bad, innovators with great ideas will continue to drive the world forward. as log as they have someone to belie

robert costas the great front page political report we are "the washington post," michael steele chairman of the rnc and joan walsh. the new poll out today in iowa shows bernie sand serz gaining momentum. but since may, clinton lost eight points and sanders picked up 18 points. yesterday sanders plays the part of progressive rock star. here he is going after the political cast. >> what this campaign is about is creating a political revolution in america. >> the billionaire class has got to end and we're going to end it for them! >> this is not democracy. we have got to end it. >> they may have the money, but we have the people. when the people can stand together, we can win. thank you all very much. >> we had the people 10,000 people in wisconsin. he announced a fund-raising hall of $15 million in the last quarter, way ahead of expectations. not so bad compared to hillary clinton's $45 million. donald trump continues to raise heck. he shot himself out of a cannon and is number two in the republican field. trump has shown more disdain for the republican establishment than bernie has for th

-- and correspondent of "new york times" and political analyst and former chairman of the rnc, michael steel. -- over the last week i feel like conventional wisdom concealed around this race. it is something we have been talking about for a while but you have seen it now. everyone saying everyone is trying to get attention to get on the debate stage. they are trying to do crazy things in late july. do you think it stands? >> i think it is overstated. people have been talking about this. if you are not on the stage for this debate you have no chance going forward. one is most of the people have no chance going forward. rick perry is not the nominee whether or not he gets on the stage for this debate. the thing is most people will not watch this debate. there will be a lot of debates. people will tune in more and more as we get farther along. so yeah i think the candidate were on the bubble they'd rather be on the stage. if you are not on the stage you probably won't win. >> i can't decide between two possibles. one is we are seeing something similar to the government shut down terrible for th

they're not a real woman or they are suffocating their traders michael steele tells the story of oreos were thrown at him by liberals black, white on the inside but if you are the african-american conservative watching this you are paying attention to one to be that person that is ostracize? a lot of people don't very few people want to to have that type of feedback gore treatment. it is very effective when you treat people that way and the liberals always talk about racist but then people who calling people who disagree with them are racist but then they have no problem to do this all in the name of i don't know. justice or something. >> you talk about a of a group in the book, most americans have never heard of but yet has influence among people to give the impression it is media matters which is a left-wing organization but they put out a lot of propaganda or false information and you say when you were supportive of them and found some research helpful but it became apparent there was a left wing propaganda machine masquerading as a media monitoring operation. but it is clear their

but michael steele the former chairman of the rnc, was on yesterday and he said the delay with republicanpeaking out against this seems as if some were looking at polls and gauging the base rather than saying this is what i believe. this is my authentic self as a candidate and this is wrong. >> tamron when you take a step back from this entire debate the biggest result is that it really exposes the fault lines of the immigration topic for republicans. as we've seen in the past, immigration hasn't been a very good issue for republicans, particularly when it's through the primaries, during the primary season of course in 2012, it was mitt romney who talked about self-deportation words that came back to haunt him. what was fascinating about donald trump was all the back and forth over his comments about mexican immigrants. when jeb bush responded to him, forcefully, i would end up adding, donald trump's response back was reminding everyone of the active love comments that jeb bush had given about illegal immigration, calling it sometimes an act of love. just seeing that dynamic play out, you

as far as on the other point on drugs, i will say to christie's credit, and forgive me michael steelen this for the messaging aspect. i actually think this is authentic. he's a federal prosecutor. this is something he'sed worked on for many years. and he's always talked about. it is not something that is just coming up on out at blue for the debate. the language he used was particularly incendiary i guess, if you will. no pun intended but i do think this is something he cares about and is focused on. >> polling be damned. >> yes exactly. we've also talked about heroin as an epidemic. drugs as an epidemic. and that is an issue that people in new england are really grappling with right now. and we're not talking about it here day in and day out but it is definitely on the campaign trail. >> legitimate policy precipitations been offered. also i think this week is the spate or the last two weeks in the spate of the weirdest political campaign videos i've seen in a very long time including today's installment, ben carson has a new video with dr. ben carson playing the game operation. and j

interview with senator cruise as well as a brand new interview with donald trump, i'm joined by michael steele, former governor of vermont, howard dean and howard fineman, they're all msnbc political analysts and i'm glad to have you. howard, what did you make of that interview with cruz? >> there must be something here in the studio because ted cruz seemed more like a supreme court clerk than donald trump. >> is that good? >> yes. i think in a way donald trump is so technicolor over the top that the ted cruz who we're used to seeing on the floor of the senate, antagonistic to all institutions came off as a guy with an interesting personal family story who has some explaining to do about things like the hagel takedown on north korea. >> he retook it. >> he disagreed and took his medicine on that and he was ready to engage in a big conversation about the supreme court. that's the ted cruz who's intellectually impressive, i think, and a better guy with donald trump in the race. >> the other guy in the race tapping into the anger on the right is donald trump. in an interview today with nbc's katy

jonathan capehart brought up something that michael steele talked about which is instead of focusing on the messenger, focus on the people following the mess efrpger. all morning we've been talking about and we can't get enough of this focus group out of new hampshire. and a quote that i really want to talk to doris about this. there was a moment in the focus group that you could hear the collective gasps in georgetown. and on the upper west side. when somebody says of trump -- >> and on this set. >> -- he's one of us. >> that's right. >> here you have a guy that lives in a rarefied world, billionaire, industrialist, lives the type of life that very, very few people will ever see, know, relate to. and, yet, one of us. that sounds of course it happens from time to time where people like fdr are seen as populous champions and it stuns the political establishment when that happens. >> i want to hear john heilemann's reaction. he conducted the focus group. first, take a look at new hampshire voters thoughts on donald trump. >> he speaks the truth. >> what truth is that? >> when he talks