this is tnn. thank me. thank me. thank me very much.elcome to tnn, the trump news network, your source for real news. not fake news. [ light laughter ] today's top story -- me. i was big last night. i was so big. so, so, big, big. did you see my speech? everyone was saying i was so presidential, because i started talking like this. [ light laughter ] in a slow, deeper voice. wasn't i presidential? i was so presidential? [ cheers and applause ] i was presidential. i'm going to be so presidential all the time. there's going to be so much presidential, you're going to get sick of me being president. [ laughter and applause ] i totally spoke from the heart. i was so calm and so collected. i have to admit, i started meditating. [ light laughter ] it works. i have a new app that's like "headspace" but even better. it's called "hairspace." [ laughter and applause ] but i will also admit that right before my speech, steve bannon did shoot me up with a horse tranquilizer. isn't that fantastic? in other news -- me again. [ light ht my speech was

>> this is tnn. >> "early today" starts right now. good to be with you, i'm frances rivera. nbc news is following the breaking news on the investigation into russia's alleged election meddling. several democratic lawmakers are calling for resignation of attorney general jeff sessions after a new bomb shell report says the a.g. had contact with russia's ambassador on more than one occasion. it is a fast moving story developing throughout the night. >> 9:22 eastern time and here we were with preexisting plans to take on this topic for two hours tonight. the washington post is out with a headline that reads, "sessions, the attorney general, spoke twice with russian ambassador during trump's presidential campaign, justice officials say." now quoting from that piece, "sessions did not disclose when asked about possible contacts between members of president trump's campaign and representatives of moscow during sessions' confirmation hearing to become attorney general." here now is that moment from his confirmation hearing on january 10th. >> if there is any evidence that anyone af

this is tnn. thank me. thank me. thank me very much.me to tnn, the trump news network, your source for real news. not fake news. [ light laughter ]

this is tnn. thank me. thank me. thank me very much.come to tnn, the trump news network, your source for real news. not fake news. [ light laughter ]

this is tnn. thank me. thank me. thank me very much.me to tnn, the trump news network, your source for real news. not fake news. [ light laug

and is a regular commentator on fox news and cbs in the morning as well as a frequent commentator on tnn -- cnn. he is also cowritten -- has also cowritten nearly 30 books. then got hisknown, start in politics working in the nixon administration. ben's father was chairman of that's one ofn's president nixon's administrations. he wrote, among other pieces, the message to congress outlining president nixon's proposal for health care reform in 1974. there is no more loyal friend around we are looking at with us today. ladies and gentlemen, ben's time. -- ben stein. [applause] ben stein: thank you very much. it is a great pleasure to be here. if it is possible to honor those -- can we dim those incredibly bright lights, i would appreciate that. it is a real honor to be here. i start out every thought by richard nixon -- first of all, thank you so much to the people of the foundation and library, thank you very much. god bless you all. it is the thought that always goes through my mind, the very first thing, blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of god. why it me tell

this is tnn. >> how do those scenes come together?ork at the tonight show. >> that one particularly i remember was very exciting. it was last minute and there was something just given that last minute press conference, and they were, like, let's come up with something within an hour that goes up -- they finished at 2:00 and we tape at 5:00. all very last minute, but very exciting and fun. also i think the thing we do best is everyone else talks about it and we show it. we do a sketch we can show the absurdity in a different way. >> that's the puff daddy principle. i ain't got to talk it because i live it. what have you learned working the crowds there? >> i warm up the crowd. i do maybe a little bit i'll mention trump here and there, a little joke, and no one seems to be -- >> you have tourists from all over the country. >> all over the world. but the crowds seem to love it. >> let me ask you this, unfair question, i don't know if you know the answer, do you think this is a potentially undercounting thing? we -- there was a great repo