ruth marcus, david brooks, we thank you. with that, before we go tonight, we wanted to let members of our newshour family-- past and present, on camera and behind the camera-- pay tribute to our colleague, gwen ifill, who passed away earlier this week. she'll be remembered at services this weekend here in washington. personally, i'm the luckiest person i know because i had the privilege of being gwen ifill's friend and her sidekick at work. ♪ >> she was like a magnet. people just wanted to be close to her because she instinctively cared about how they were doing. we joked. we were like an old married couple. we weren't afraid to say the really important stuff to each other's faces, like you've got salad in your teeth, or where did you find those fabulous earrings? as a work partner, she was the ultimate, holding me and everyone else here at the "newshour" to the highest standards. her mantra was assume nothing. how do you know? i can hear her asking. boy, do we miss her. there is an empty place in our hearts, but we'll carry

cillizza, msnbc contributor, founder of the washington post fix blog and deputy editorial page editor ruth marcus, the whole transition i was told by people knowledgeable about the meeting in the oval office that there was a huge learning curve. and that president obama was surprised by how little the president-elect knew about what he was inheriting. but the reporting in the new yorker seems to want to inspire the better angels in donald trump and hope being as collegial as he can be about this important transition the best for the country. >> i think that's a very smart strategy from the president's point of view. let's be clear. all transitions for anybody who is becoming president are co-ott tick and huge learning curves. that doesn't mean this isn't steeper than normal just because it's no surprise. donald trump has not been through this before. it's not like hillary clinton who went through a transition herself or one of the governors, former governors on the republican side who had run. this is going to be different. one thing we know about donald trump, he responds well to being treated w

the panel is back, michael steele, chris cillizza, ruth marcus.test movements like this and how long you think this goes? >> well, i'm not -- ting they have every right to protest. i thought it was unwise and disturbing for donald trump's first tweet to criticize the protesting. and i think there's a lot of unhappiness in the country and it's probably good to let that out. i think where it goes too far is, obviously, in violence, and it also goes too far when you talk about calling for his impeachment. that's just as wrong as it would be, to talk about hillary clinton's impeachment. >> well, it was just as bad when jason chaffetz was talking about -- >> ridiculous then and progressives attacked it. it's ridiculous now and conservatives are -- >> yeah, he was elected. a lot of people, myself included, were not happy with that outcome, but it is the democratic outcome. popular vote notwithstanding. we solve our problems in america through elections. >> beauty of the ballot box. >> he won. and you don't have to like that, but he won. people say, well

ruth marcus, when we think about these teams, whether they are teams of rivals or teams of campaign loyalistso imagine, as beth was just saying, some of them working together this way. but interesting that josh earnest confirmed today that president obama has spoken several times since their meeting in the oval office, with the incoming president, with the president-elect. and what he described to david remnick in that exclusive interview, when he was on the road in peru, in "the new yorker" was, he's trying to appeal to his better angels. he really is trying to place a bet that once you get the office, once you are elected, that you might be different than the person who ran. >> sure. and there's some evidence that the president's approach might be a smart approach. if you look at what trump had to say about general mattis today, so during the campaign, trump was very clear, it's completely clear, torture works, we have to do more of it, not just waterboarding, worse than waterboarding. he sat down with general mattis and he heard what any general and anybody in the field would tell you, whi

ruth marcus, thank you, perry bacon, and michael tomasky. we'll be right back after this. our progressive direct rate... great deals for reals! ...and our competitors' rates side-by-side, so you know you're getting a great deal. saving the moolah. [ chuckles ] as you can see, sometimes progressive isn't the lowest. not always the lowest! jamie. what are you doing? -i'm being your hype man. not right now. you said i was gonna be the hype man. no, we said we wouldn't do it. i'm sorry, we were talking about savings. i liked his way. cha-ching! talking about getting that moneeeey! talking about getting that moneeeey! savings worth the hype. now that's progressive. >>> well, today we learned that ohio congressman tim ryan, who was here on the show last night, has decided to challenge nancy pelosi, for leadership of the house democrats. ryan comes from the youngstown area of ohio, an area filled with the kind of voters that helped donald trump win that election last week. the vote on the house democratic leadership positions will take place november 30th, coming on, and we'll be

ruth marcus, hugh hewitt, and perry -- what do you want the topic to be if you're for clinton? >> i'm not sure people are going to be totally convinced by additional women, so i think you've got to go for war. >> i think they're both accusing each other of blowing up the universe, which is an amazing -- how do you go beyond that? >>> coming up, the state of the race with one week to go, polls are tightening and nerves are fraying, as we've been saying. what do both sides see tonight when they look at the map. a fascinating look at our country and all the little different pockets of it and how you can figure this race will evolve the last week. plus, is russia interfering with our presidential election? i think they say da over there in russia? anyway, if so, what's putin trying to get out of it. what's he up to? we'll have new reporting on what russia's up to and it's troubling stuff. >>> and some comic relief in what otherwise has been a dark campaign. take a look at this clever new advertising on television for a county commissioner down in texas whose wife wants him re-elect

ruth marcus, whoan write about anything brilliantly.e's deputy editorial page editor of "washington post," and clarence paige, my old pal, columnist with the "chicago tribune." i'll let the two ladies here go first. >> ladies first. >> is there a role for the fist lady, besides, she's going to be beautiful and she's well turned out and she'll not embarrass anybody. she'll do everything right. but is there a job that goes with it? >> i think there's an incredible job that goes with it. you're the figurehead of american democracy. and you are, you know, a wife and a mother. and i think it's an incredible responsibility. and the first ladies i've interviewed expressed kind of frustration with the fact that no matter what they did, they'd be criticized. rosalynn carter said i sat in on cabinet members, because i knew people would dislike me for one thing or another. hillary clinton was very active as first lady, eleanor roosevelt. but i do not think we'll see that from melania trump. >> jackie kennedy would say awful things when she first g

. >> we're with michael gersen and michelle noris and ruth marcus. until it's over, we can't repeat that enough, but donald trump is leading in enough states to get him to 270. so i raise this question-- what if donald trump becomes president? >> well, people concerned about that need to remember that we have strong institutions in america, strong legislative branch, strong judicial branch, and a balance of power system where the president doesn't get to do everything he wants. although, he has tremendous power on the international stage, and this is someone who elected, may have actually helped to get elected. and someone that our alliance-- people in our alliance structure are very afraid about what's going to happen. he's going to have to reassure them. so there are going to be a lot, on the international side, a lot of immediate implications. >> reporter: michelle. >> you know, but there are checks and balances but if we have a republican in the white house and a republican senate and a republican house, you don't sort of have that modulating pre

joining us today is molly ball of the atlantic, ed o'keefe of the "washington post", his colleague ruth marcus is a columnist and editor of the post and ramesh ponnuru is senior editor at the national review. with you. donald trump made staff picks. he is thinking about others. do you have a unified theory of what he is doing? is there a clear message to the picks he has made? >> i do not have a unified theory i'm not sure he has a unified theory but the transition is going better than one might have expected a couple weeks ago when there was breathless coverage of what a disaster it was turning out to is this public fight going on about who is going to be the secretary of state in a trump administration where you have top advisers like kellyanne conway like blasting that mitt romney might be that person. >> ruth, on some of the names that have been made. i was interested on the one hand you had donald trump say kelly ayotte former senator from new hampshire was not anything because she said that donald trump was not a role model for her children. and niki haley is now the ambassador to the u.

david brooks and ruth marcus analyze the first week of the donald trump transition.lly, our newshour family

. >> i'm with three women, peggy noonan, michelle morris, and ruth marcus. we want to talk about women, and there is a number of divisions that we can speak to. one college educated, versus not college educated, young-old, african american-white, and "b,d have been women. so we'll figure that out as the that having been said, mr.mpwo i think very much in the lead nowa language towards women, been so alienating.ra, had not he put a lot of them off. i'm sure it cut down on the number of people who are vote ago. >> you're almost saying if he hadn't been d.n.a. that with respect to women and latinos he would be much closer to being president. >> yes, actually. i a landslide." >> a weren't behaving as donald trump behaved he would have amud the right to vote he would almost certainly be president because we still see a significant gender gap here. a ce wom pt th with men. she is up 14 points with women can't afford to fix the windshield, put food on the table, can't afford to send their kids to college and she there's also a question about the young women, and ho

. >> we're withsenha and michelle noris and ruth marcus. as yogi berra said it's not over until it's over, we can't repeat that enough, but donald trump is leading in enough states to get him to 270. so i raise this question-- what if donald trump becomes president? >> well, people concerned about that need to remember that we have strong institutions in america, strong legislative branch, strong judicial branch, and a balance of power system where the president doesn't get to do everything he wants. although, he has tremendous the russians wanted to have elected, may have actually helped to get elected. and someone that our alliance-- people in our alliance structure are very afraid about what's going to happen. he's going to have to reassure them. so there are going to be a lot, on the international side, a lot of immediate implications. >> reporter: michelle. >> you know, but there are checks and balances but if we have a republican in the white house and a republican senate and a republican house, you don't sort of have modulating press

. >> mark murray, chris cillizza and ruth marcus. what an election. perhaps too exciting for us.are really engaged about the results tomorrow. it is a jam-packed day on the campaign trail. today president obama rallying voters in ann arbor, michigan. more ahead on "andrea mitchell reports." stay with us. >> make sure women get paid the same for doing the same work as a guy. surprise!!!!! we heard you got a job as a developer! its official, i work for ge!! what? wow... yeah! okay... guys, i'll be writing a new language for machines so planes, trains, even hospitals can work better. oh! sorry, i was trying to put it away... got it on the cake. so you're going to work on a train? not on a train...on "trains"! you're not gonna develop stuff anymore? no i am... do you know what ge is? parts a and b and want more coverage, guess what? you could apply for a medicare supplement insurance plan whenever you want. no enrollment window. no waiting to apply. that means now may be a great time to shop for an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company

ruth marcus a columnist i often degree with, jonathan capehart opinion writer, and molly hemingway forut reason why donald trump -- by the way, he gets up like a nun, like at 5:00 in the morning and i don't think he's praying. he's up so early because we know by the tweet clock. why does he get up and immediately hears something on fox or something on rush, something -- not rush at that time, but interest where he hears that military veterans are complaining of what was done at a left wing college up in massachusetts. so what? and he gets all excited about it. why? >> most of us need a little k r caffeine before we get that worked up. did your mom used to tell to you think before you spoke? sd >> jefferson did that. >> nobody told donald trump -- >> would he be pressed? >> he needs to be heard and if something annoys him, he doesn't know how to hold it in. >> did you hear the story somebody once counseled him if you're mad, express it and get over with it and you will live longer? >> it might help you. for most people, it doesn't help them in their business and professional life. it ma

join us online, and again heren tomorrow evening with david brooks and ruth marcus. all of us at the pbsr newshour, thank you and good night. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your financial futuren >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you.ns thank you. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.orgd acce.wgbh.or >> announcer: this is "nightly business report" with tyler mathisen and sue herera. >>> gaining strength. jobless claims fall. housing starts climb. inflation finds its footing. the numbers say the economy is looking up. but not everyone is feeling it. >>> attention walmart investors. the world's largest retailer is entering the crucial holiday season on a slightly disappointing note. >>> what's old may be new again. remember the bridge no nowhere? some lawmaker

join us online, and again here tomorrow evening with david brooks and ruth marcus. all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and good night. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> lincoln financial-- committed to helping you take charge of your financial future. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions >> this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org >> this is "bbc world news." funding of this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation, newman's own foundation, giving all profits from newman's own to charity and pursuing the common good. kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. and aruba tourism authority. >> planning a vacation escape that is relaxing, inviting, and exciting is a lot easier than you think. you can find it here, in aruba. families, couples, and friends can all find t

. >> we're with lesley san chelz, and ruth marcus of the "washington post." this is more than a national election. >> absolutely. talking to a lot of folks, certainly in the republican party, they feel this is an event, especially when you combine it with brexit, which was very much a big part of donald trump's argument. he's also talking about the fact-- and norah was talk this-- in the bug cities you saw the democratic machine turn out but we whatwe see now is an avalanche of rural voters, small cities, the suburbs, the exushes that turned out in a bag way for donald trump, and nobody really saw that wave coming. people do. i think in this election, you had two very controversial people. and ultimately, you saw the motivating factor for hillary clinton's voters, among the barack obama's constituencies, the younger voters, minority communities, et cetera, not be as much of a motivating factosh as the motivation of trump supporters, both for him and against her. >> ruth. >> i know you don't want to hear this word, but i'm going to have to say "recount." it co

our political pane joining us tod is mo alantic, ed o'keefe o the "washingto post", h colleague ruth marcus i columnist an editor of t pos and rame pnnuru senio editor at th nation revi ramesh ponnuru we will sta wi yo donald trump made sta pick he is thinking abo ohers do you haveunifie eory wh h doin tere cl msage to th picks he hamade d nav unifi unified theory b t transition is goin bette t one might have expected coupl weeks aghen the w breathless coverage wha disaster it was turning out be. thnteresting things going o thi publi fig goi secretary s irung t b t administrati whee yo h to avise lellyan conway lik basti romney might be th prson rut some of th nam that have be m i wa iterested o t o han yo had donal t kel ayotte former senator from ne hampshire was no goin g anything because she sai tha donald trump was not rol model for he children an nikaley i n t ambassador t t u what do yo makfo t differenecision more image unanimous mouse tha others. i ha sa i t transition is going well would like t o goi poorly i wi cnn tolsto a transitions ar chaotic ath craz firs o all w a havin tra

with our political panel they have been talking about his fan in this hispanics, talk to less see, ruth marcus and less see sanchez and frank hunts. what do you think is going on in hispanic community and how large will the turn out be how influential in this election? >> if the white communities are angry hispanics are insulted. they were instilled by the language and the tone and every time he would say mexicans pay for the wall. he talked about immigration policy telling them they weren't and every time they said that the hispanics will love me, they don't. i'm looking across the country, it's not just on border states. spank donald trump in particular cannot win when you are only getting 25-30% of hispanic vote. you cannot put together majority and they are the fastest growing segment of american society and the greatest switch away from the g.o.p. over the last ten which is, i would use the word incensed. because i think that -- >> driven to the polls. >> you know, you might sit home just -- >> if you are incensed you will get in the car. >> it's not just i suspect, not just hispanic comm

. >> we're with michael gersen and michelle noris and ruth marcus. as yogi berra said it's not over until it's over, we can't repeat that enough, but donald trump is leading in enough states to get him to 270. so i raise this question-- what if donald trump becomes president? >> well, people concerned about that need to remember that we have strong institutions in america, strong legislative g >>> we have strong institutions in america. and we have a balance of powers system and a president doesn't the international stage. this is who the russians want elected, maybe hope to get elected. someone that our alliance, an alliance structure very afraid of what's going to happen. he will have to reassure them. on the national side, there could be immediate implications. >> there are checks and balances, but if we have a republican you do not have that pressure perhaps on someone who was rewarded for being tough, who was elected by 25% of his supporters. hitting kaffirs judgment that elected him anyway. can he bring people together? can you figure out -- wi

that this morning from ruth marcus in the "washington post." joseph from charlotte, tennessee, democrats line. good morning. caller: independents line i believe. host: you are on the air. caller: good morning. i wanted to say that i think you may have a big surprise on december 7. collegethe electoral will finally do the right thing. donald trump will not be president. even if he is, when he gets convicted of the trump university fraud, he will be impeached. mike pence will be president. then we will really see some trouble. all you have to do is look at all of the republican states in the u.s. except for the few that have legalized marijuana. the rest of them are in shambles. i really think you will have a surprise on december 7. thanks. host: obama fights obliteration by trump in the historic oval office meeting. it was scheduled to only take about half an hour but the session ran 90 minutes. the two then meeting with reporters very briefly. doug is joining us from washington state on the republican line. good morning. caller: good morning. i

. >> joining me right now, drew marcus, hugh hewitt is host "the hugh hewitt show." i have to start with ruth. why has hillary backed down to that again? it's a little old. is this the nature of the last week, it's going to be scorched earth? i'm going to throw the dirtiest stuff i've got against you, and you're going to throw the dirtiest stuff you've got against me, and they're both claiming it's going to be world war iii. >> of course, women make up 53% of the electorate in the last election. the gender gap is huge. president obama gave her this amazing opening. all the things he said in the past in this tape, in the way he has responded to it. of course she's going to prosecute that tape against him, and especially as things get tighter. as trump might say about african-americans, what's she got to lose at this point? >> even though she says, when they go low, we go high. >> when one goes low, the other campaign goes wherever it thinks it needs to go to win. >> they're choking each other. they're saying the other side is incapable of being a decent president. it's world war iii. >> the bo