steve clemens is back with us, editor in chief at the atlantic as well.l reaction to the news as we continue to gather more specific information as well. >> as you and i just discussed this is right along the line that many people are attracted magnetically to sochi and those that have grievances or causes they want to pursue are going to be drawn to try to get headlines or to create damage or to god forbid really do something quite dramatic with bombings. i think it's been very alarming when you look at the intelligence assessments and reports about a big concern about toothpaste bombs and the tsa has put out an order that no liquids whatsoever, nothing of liquid form will be allowed on flights going to russia. that's the level that they are trying to sort of deter anyone from coming in. this is just an example of what you and i just discussed. >> steve clemens, thanks for sticking around. that is going to do it for me. we are going to continue to watch the situation as it unfolds on the ground now in istanbul, turkey. i'm craig melvin, "andrea mitchell

. >> steve clemens writes on foreign policy for "the atlantic." we heard the president there, negotiations in geneva are going slowly and that's probably being generous today. james clapper called syria, an apocalyptic disaster and france was the only country willing to go along with america if strikes -- if we decided to take the strike route last fall. at what point does president obama have to revisit his syria policy this year? >> well, i think it's probably likely that they are doing that right now because it's very clear that the geneva process is not yielding much. there are bits and glimpses of possibilities that are so low on the totem pole i manage secretary kerry has been sending signals and his comments that we're revisiting it now. your comment that france was with us with the responsibility of strikes in syria is important to remember. it's one of the things i think that president hollande and obama are doing, while many people look at the so called special relationship as being the british and united states, they are reminding peopl

. >> joining me now is msnbc contributor steve clemens. steve, this -- i guess you could say that we could see some of this coming, but i'm not sure we can see where this is going. well, is the protest groups are a hard right wing that's anti-russian. the group isn't mon listic. it's quite fragmented. a lot of people are comparing what's happening right now in ukraine with syria and looking at what -- you know, outside observers watch. what's really interesting about ukraine is that the ple protests than taking place are deeply authentic. deeply embedded in that society. and these people aren't waiting for europe and the united states to pitch in, to intervene. this isn't, you know, a group trying to generate red lines that are crossed. this is deep in the soul and identity of ukraine. we're fairly irrelevant to what's going on. that's why i think it's fairly certain we're going to see an escalation there. and you're going to see a lot of tension between russia and the united states over this because fundamentally, we would like the story t

. >> misters steve it plans -- it steve clemens. it. ghter] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] >> mr. anderson this is steve holland. it jeff zucker and steve holland , longtime white house correspondent for writers. again, you're looking at the arrival of the guests that began around 6:30 p.m. this evening in an area known as the bookseller. they then moved upstairs for a reception and then took a trolly a short distance on the south side of the white house for the actual debtor itself. the state dining room and east room not able to handle the 350 guests to honor the french president. so this is what the scene looks like inside the south lawn to and to to replicate a money money-inspired setting in much have that transportation of a spring-like the man and a test by the president of the united states in honor of the president of france. [applause] [applause] >> a good evening, everybody. please have a seat. [laughter] michele and i are so honored to welcome you to the white house as we host the president and his delega

steve clemens, a lot has happened since we last met on this subject. very fast-moving situation. where do you think it stands now, and can this government that's kind of holding on at the moment continue to hold on with the speaker of the parliament basically in charge? >> well, it's highly fragile. there's no one that can watch the events of really the last 48 hours and not be incredibly impressed with the bravery of the protesters and frankly the efficacy and efficiency of that parliament that has moved so rapidly that i think that they've moved very expeditiously, but it raises other doubts because they are in a geographically complex position. they're wedged right in the armpit of russia. and i think the last thing that vladimir putin wants to see is this kind of liberal spring come rushing right in to russia. and so, you know, after the sochi olympics i think you're going to see, you know -- you're going to see the question of whether those moves by the ukrainian parliament and the counterforces to yanukovych can afford what they have. they have a lot of financial exposure t

analysis, katy kay, anchor for bbc world news america and ms nbc contributor for the atlantic, steve clemens. steve, i'll begin with you, among the topics, the spiraling crisis in syria. the president said the state of syria is crumbling and expressed in his words enormous frustration about the situation in syria, directing most of his ire at russia as the lone as he described it holdout in the situation right now. let's play what we heard from the president a moment ago. >> the geneva proses recognizes that if we're going to solve this problem, then we have to find a political solution. we are going to continue to commit to not just pressure the assad regime but also to get countries like russia and iran to recognize that it is in nobody's interest to see the continuing bloodshed and collapse that's taking place inside that country. right now we don't think that there's a military solution per se to the problem. but, the situation is fluid -- >> steve, in many ways syria serves as the back drop for this state dinner, one of the primary reasons hollande was invited to the u.s. because in som

. >> misters steve it plans -- it steve clemens. it. . it jeff zucker and steve holland , longtime white house correspondent for writers. again, you're looking at the arrival of the guests that began around 6:30 p.m. this evening in an area known as the bookseller. they then moved upstairs for a reception and then took a trolly a short distance on the south side of the white house for the actual debtor itself. the state dining room and east room not able to handle the 350 guests to honor the french president. so this is what the scene looks like inside the south lawn to and to to replicate a money money-inspired setting in much have that transportation of a spring-like the man and a test by the president of the united states in honor of the president of france. [applause] [applause] >> a good evening, everybody. please have a seat. [laughter] michele and i are so honored to welcome you to the white house as we

it's like, it's crazy. [ speaking foreign language ] >> joining me now, steve clemens an msnbc contributorjust heard her say in russian was, quote, as a minimum, the ukrainian president has to be jailed for a long time for all the lives that he has taken, for all the lives of innocent people that came peacefully to stand for their opinion. this is as dire as we could imagine up there, steven. it's getting worse. >> well, i mean, you have to imagine that there's another ukrainian president in jail right now, a woman, who was jailed for certain corruption charges and extending her authority. and if nanukovych doesn't do that, i think what she said is going to reenvig rate the aspirati aspirations. she's also a young person. she did not grow up with memories of the soviet union. she's grown up in a relatively free place, making hard choices, but nonetheless, to see her nation go back into something that looked like, you know, a potentially, this sort of stalinist arcanist is something they're willing to put themselves on the line for. >> is there a generational difference to the reaction to t

joining us now is steve clemens, editor at large for the "atlantic" and msnbc contributor on global securitye, thanks for being here tonight. so i mean, i guess the headline tonight is maybe some stability is returning to ukraine. maybe there's a path forward, a path out of the bloodshed and in the chaos of this week. i see that russia did not sign this deal. i'm wondering if that's a big deal. if you see any other major stumbling blocks that are going to keep the stability we're now talking about from taking hold. >> well, you've framed it beautifully, steve. everything you just laid out that has happened has happened in 24 hours. just a testament to where there's a will, there's a way. when people feel desperate and feel on the edge of a real abyss that could take a nation into horrific civil war. russia could cause mischief. this remains a fragile situation. going back to the 2004 constitution, announcing a december election, seeing the interior minister voted out of office and although not verified, reportedly running off to belarus or somewhere else. all of this has happened. that's a s

. >> steve clemens, thank you, sir. >> always a pleasure. >> afghanistan is one of the topics on the table today when john kerry sits down with my pal andrea mitchell. it's a live and exclusive interview right at lunchtime, noon eastern, 9:00 a.m. on the west, right here on msnbc. >>> up next, my conversation with florida governor rick scott. it's part of our tdr 50, and a look at florida. plus, speaking of the sunbelt, all eyes on arizona. the fate of the controversial bill that some say would legalize discrimination against gays in the state of arizona. it's sitting in governor jan brewer's hands, and apparently she enjoys this hot potato. a look at today's politics planner. the president is on the road, headed to st. paul where i'm wondering if it's less snowy than it is here in washington. you're watching "the daily rundown." he's agreed to give it up. that's today? [ male announcer ] we'll be with him all day as he goes back to taking tylenol. i was okay, but after lunch my knee started to hurt again. and now i've got to take more pills. ♪ yup. another pill stop. can i get my al

. >>> for more on this, i want to bring in steve clemens, washington editor at large for "the atlanticns us live. let's start with a little background. why is the opposition so angry at its government? let's bring our viewers up to date. >> i think the big reasons why it is angry with the previous government is that over a period of time, really from 2010, yanukovych, the president, began assuming more and more powers and taking presidential authorities that didn't exist previously. that's why one of the interesting outcomes that happened yesterday is they've gone back to their 2004 constitution and reduced the power of the president dramatically. and that was one of the big gains yesterday. but at the same time, he also robbed them of their rights of protest and the rights of civil society to function peacefully. and then after taking those powers away from them, he tried to restore them. but it set so much fear among the general populace, that they may be looking at a strong-man, thug ri approach to government that it brought everyone into the square and began to capture the attentio