. >>> TAKE A DEEP BREATH, FRIENDS. THE 2024 ELECTION IS EXACTLY SIX MONTHS AWAY. DONALD TRUMP'S INCREASINGLY BIZARRE BEHAVIOR WAS ON FULL DISPLAY SATURDAY EMBRACED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. NBC NEWS REPORTS THAT AT THE RNC SPRING MEETING IN FLORIDA, TRUMP CALLED SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH DERANGED AND AN EVIL THUG. AND COMPARE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO THE SECRET POLICE FORCE OF NAZI GERMANY SAYING, THESE PEOPLE ARE RUNNING A GESTAPO ADMINISTRATION. AND STARTED WITH THE RECORDING OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMED BY NONE OTHER THAN THE JAILED JANUARY 6th DEFENDANTS. ALL THIS BEHAVIOR CONDONED BY GOP LEADERS IN THE EVENT MANY VYING TO BE TRUMP'S VP PICK. JOINING US FROM THE GOP COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, A SENIOR ADVISOR AT THE LINCOLN PROJECT AND OUR INVESTED BC POLITICAL ANALYST WHO SERVED AS THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS. >> GOOD MORNING, GUYS. QUICK QUESTION TO YOU. I THINK YOU HAVE SEEN CONVERGENCE, THE RNC AND DONALD TRUMP, THE WHOLE IDEA THAT THEY JANUARY 6 INSURRECTIONISTS ARE GOOD PEOPLE. THEY CAN USE THE PRISON CHOIR TO SING TRUMP ON TO THE STAGE. IT IS SORT OF THE COMPLETION OF THE PUEBLO THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS ESTABLISHED ABOUT JANUARY 6th NOW THAT IT IS BOUGHT INTO BY THE INTEREST WITHIN THE RNC. >> IT IS PRETTY OUTRAGEOUS, MICHAEL, WHEN WE WATCH THIS. BUT NOT SURPRISING. HE HAS BEEN TALKING LIKE THIS FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THIS ISN'T NEW. IT'S JUST THAT NOW THAT WE ARE SIX MONTHS AWAY FROM THE ELECTION, WE ARE PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO THE THINGS THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN SAYING. HE HAS BEEN CONSISTENT ABOUT THIS. THEY JANUARY 6th CHOIR SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM HAS BEEN PLAYING AT HIS RALLIES FOR MONTHS NOW AND THE FACT THAT HE IS EMBRACING THEM AS PATRIOTS AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SEEMS TO BE JUST FINE WITH THAT, YOU HAD JD VANCE WHO WAS ALSO ON AN AUDITION TORCH TO BE VP BLOWING IT OFF AS IF IT IS NOT A BIG DEAL AND IT WAS NOT THAT MUCH VIOLENCE AND EVERYONE WAS OBSESSED WITH THIS. WHAT AN INSULT TO THE POLICE OFFICERS AND THE SECRET SERVICE AGENTS PROTECTING HIM THAT DAY. IT IS CLEAR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MADE A CALCULATION. THEY ARE OKAY WITH DONALD TRUMP REWRITING HISTORY AND TRYING TO WHITEWASH WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY AND THEY ARE TRYING TO DISMISS HIS CONSISTENT USE OF VIOLENCE, RHETORIC, POLITICAL VIOLENT RHETORIC IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE HIS GOALS, TO WHIP UP HIS PEOPLE AND TRY TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT WHAT WE ARE SEEING HIM DO AND WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT AND WHAT HE HAS DONE BEFORE IS SOMEHOW OKAY. THAT IS THE BIDEN ADMIN STATION DOING THAT AND NOT MAY. IT IS PROJECTION ALL THE TIME. BUT THIS IS WHAT HE IS RUNNING ON. THIS IS THE CONTRAST. I'M GLAD PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE WE NEED TO BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS. TRUMP IS TELLING US WHAT HE IS GOING TO DO EVERY DAY. LOOK AT WHAT WE SAW THE LAST WEEK. THE TIME MAGAZINE ARTICLE TO HIS UNHINGED RANT LAST NIGHT. HE IS LISTING WHAT HE PLANS TO DO AND A LOT OF THAT SOUNDS LIKE THAT AND NOT WITH THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING TO DO WHICH IS PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY. >> I'M JUST GOING TO READ FROM THE NBC ARTICLE OF WHAT DONALD TRUMP SAID BECAUSE PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW. AND AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO PREFACE EVERYTHING WITH, NOT TRUE. GESTAPO ADMINISTRATION TRUMP SAID ACCORDING TO THE AUDIO. IT IS THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE AND THE ONLY WAY THEY WILL TURN 40 IN OPINION. WHEN I GOT INDICTED, I SAID THE GLOVES HAVE TO COME OFF TRUMP ADDED SAYING BIDEN IS THE WORST PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. HE IS GROSSLY INCOMPETENT AND HE ACCEPTS MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM CHINA, RUSSIA, UKRAINE AND OTHER COUNTRIES. HE IS A CROOK. RICHARD, -- AND HE ALSO ADDED THAT HE DOES NOT LET HIS LEGAL TROUBLES BOTHER HIM TOO MUCH. IF YOU CARE TOO MUCH, YOU TEND TO CHOKE. IN A WAY, I DON'T CARE. LIFE IS LIFE. THE PIECE ABOUT BEING CROOKED AS HE DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS, I FIND INTERESTING BECAUSE WE KNOW FROM CONGRESSIONAL WORK OF THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, NOT THE REPUBLICANS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE BUT THE DEMOCRATS, ASKING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP'S MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT CAME TO A NUMBER OF HIS BUSINESSES WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT. AND AMONG THEM FROM PLACES LIKE CHINA AND FOLKS IN SAUDI ARABIA. WHEN YOU HEAR THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS SAYING THINGS LIKE THIS TO DONORS AND PARTY LEADERS AND NOBODY IS OBJECTING, WHAT DOES IT MAKE YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GOING? >> IT IS NOT A GOOD DIRECTION. ONE OF THE THINGS I HAVE NOTICED OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO IS THIS KIND OF -- WHAT PSYCHOLOGISTS CALL MIRRORING BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF TRUMP AND THE GOP WHERE THEY ARE ACTUALLY TAKING THE LANGUAGE FROM PROGRESSIVES AND LIBERALS AND ACCUSING TRUMP OF HAVING BEEN A TERRIBLE PRESIDENT. MAYBE THE WORST PRESIDENT. HE TOOK ALL KINDS OF MONEY FROM ABROAD. HIS DAUGHTER GOT DOZENS OF PATENTS FROM CHINA WHILE HE WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. AND HE IS AND CAPABLE OF ACTUALLY HAVING AN ARGUMENT THAT IS RATIONAL OR LOGICAL. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PERSON WHO JUST RESPONDS WITH THE SAME INSULT. REMEMBER THE DEBATE WITH HILLARY WHEN SHE SAID, YOU ARE A PUPPET OF RUSSIA. AND SHE SAYS, YOU ARE THE PUPPET PICK THAT IS THE KIND OF BEHAVIOR HE IS ONLY CAPABLE OF. AND IN THE TRIAL, WHEN THE JUDGE SAID, YOU WOULD PROBABLY LIKE TO HAVE TO GO TO PRISON, AND HE SAID I WOULD LIKE TO GO TO PRISON. HE IS ONLY CAPABLE OF THAT 6th GRADE LEVEL RESPONSE AND EPITHET. THE WHOLE PARTY NOW IS DOING THAT. AND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS SOMETHING THAT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE AUTHORITARIAN PLAYBOOK TO BESMIRCH THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND USE THE SYMBOLS OF THE COUNTRY TO TURN IT AROUND IN THE OPPOSITE WAY AND WE ARE SEEING THAT ACROSS THE ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY AS WELL AS HIS OWN CAMPAIGN. AND BY THE WAY, IT IS NOT A TERRIBLE RESPONSE IN THE SENSE THAT IT TAKES DEMOCRATS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE HAVE TO INDICT THEM IN A WAY WHERE WE ARE NOT JUST USING THE EPITHET AND AND SOLD BUT ACTUALLY SHOWING HOW CORRUPT THEY ARE? >> AS MY FRIEND MICHAEL STEELE OFTEN REMINDS ME, THERE IS TRUMP AND THERE ARE ALL OF THE REPUBLICANS CARRYING HIS WATER. THEY WERE HAPPY TO GET ON STAGE WITH HIM AND HEAR THEMSELVES IN AMERICA'S NEXT TOP VP PICK. HE PRAISED ELISE STEFANIK FOR HER ROLE AND PRAISED CLAUDINE SAYING YOU DESTROYED HER FOR JD VANCE. AND HE SAID, HE USED TO BE MY CRITIC BUT TURNED OUT TO BE AN INCREDIBLE. HE SAYS SCOTT, WAS NOT A GREAT PRESIDENTIAL PIG BUT AS A SURROGATE, UNBELIEVABLE. MARCO RUBIO, A TALENTED GUY. HE IS FLIRTING WITH EACH OF THEM IN FRONT OF THE OTHERS AND THEY ARE WILLING TO ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN. AND IN ORDER TO STAY ON THE STAGE AND STAY IN THIS VP MIX, THEY ARE WILLING TO CARRY THE WORST OF HIS AUTHORITARIAN TENDENCIES. >> YES. THEY ARE DESPICABLE HYPOCRITES. THEY ARE THE WORST PEOPLE BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP COULD NOT BECOME WHO HE HAS BECOME, THE MALIGNANCY OF TRUMP'S BECAUSE I KEPT SM WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SPREAD WITHOUT THEM. FOR THE HISTORIANS, THEY WILL APPRECIATE WHAT HAPPENED DURING WORLD WAR II. THEY ARE THE WORST KIND BECAUSE THEY KNOW BETTER. NONE OF THEM -- HE WENT DOWN THE LIST. MARCO RUBIO, JD VANCE, ELISE STEFANIK. THEY WERE CRITICAL OF DONALD TRUMP WHEN THEY WERE BEING HONEST AND THOUGHT THE REST OF THE PARTY WOULD FOLLOW THEM. BECAUSE THEY SAID, THEY CALLED HIM OUT FOR WHAT HE WAS. WHEN THE PARTY MADE THE DECISION TO GO ALONG WITH THIS FOR POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY, THEY CREATED A FRANKENSTEIN MONSTER THAT THEY CANNOT TURN BACK ON. THEY HAVE TO GO ALONG IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN POLITICAL RELEVANCE. THAT IS THE PROBLEM HERE. THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR PARTY OVER THE COUNTRY AND OVER PRINCIPAL. AT THIS POINT, OVER FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS GOING FORWARD. THEY KNOW WHAT KIND OF A MONSTER DONALD TRUMP IS. THEY KNOW HE IS OFF OF HIS ROCKER AND UNHINGED IN WHAT HE PLANS TO DO IS SURROUND HIMSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO COULD EXECUTE AT THIS TIME UNLIKE THE LAST TIME WHENEVER GUARDRAILS. THEY KNOW THIS BUT THEY DON'T CARE. AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT DEMOCRATS CONTINUE TO CALL THEM OUT. I'M GLAD TO SEE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS STARTING TO DO THAT AND HIS CAMPAIGN IS DOING THAT. THAT IS FANTASTIC. THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY SPEAKS IN ONE VOICE, CONSTANTLY CALLING THIS OUT. AS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION MORE AND MORE, THEY NEED TO SEE WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ACTUALLY STANDS FOR. AND IT SURE AS HELL ISN'T FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS OR MINORITY RIGHTS OR FREE MARKETS. IT ISN'T FOR STRONG, NATIONAL DEFENSE. IT ISN'T FOR AMERICA BEING THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD IN DEMOCRACIES. IT ISN'T. IT HAS BECOME AN APOLOGIST PARTY FOR HOOTON AND ONE THAT WANTS TO REGRESS BACK TO TIMES THAT NOBODY IN THIS COUNTRY WANTS TO GO BACK TO AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE ME, SYMONE OR MICHAEL. >> IT'S CRAZY. AND YET, THERE IS STILL A CAMPAIGN. IT IS STILL COMPETITIVE. THEY ARE SAYING MINNESOTA AND VIRGINIA THEY BELIEVE ARE IN PLAY FOR DONALD TRUMP THIS CYCLE, PROBABLY VIRGINIA. >> I'M THING I'M SURE A LOT OF THINGS ARE IN PLAY FOR DONALD TRUMP JUST AS THEY ARE FOR JOE BIDEN WHICH REQUIRES YOU ACTUALLY RUN THE CAMPAIGN. THAT WILL BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. THEY DON'T HAVE THE RESOURCES ON THE GROUND. ONE OF THE SENIOR LAWYERS QUIT BECAUSE HE WASN'T BENDING THE KNEE FAST ENOUGH OR SOON ENOUGH AT THE RNC. AND THAT SPEAKS TO A LOT OF THINGS TO PUT ON THE TABLE. ONE ASPECT OF THIS TO ME IS THE MOST DISTURBING AND OCCURRED AT THIS DINNER AS WELL. WERE TRUMP SAID HE WOULD ALLOW ANYBODY THAT DONATED $1 MILLION ON THE SPOT TO COME UP ON THE STAGE TO BE WITH HIM ON THE STAGE. SO YOU HAVE TO PUT OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO BE ON THE STAGE WITH HIM. TWO PEOPLE TOOK HIM UP ON THE OFFER INCLUDING ONE WOMAN WHO DECLARED DONALD TRUMP IS THE PERSON THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN. I DON'T KNOW HOW SUNDAY SCHOOL WORKS FOR HER BUT THAT ASPECT OF THIS CONVERSATION TO ME IS ALWAYS PROBLEMATIC. WHEN YOU SEE THIS SORT OF CONVERGENCE OF POLITICS AND RELIGION AROUND DONALD TRUMP, WHAT DOES THAT SAY NARRATIVELY ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN AND WHAT WE CAN ANTICIPATE AS THIS THING UNFOLDS OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS? >> MICHAEL, IT IS A FORM OF POPULISM AS YOU KNOW. UNITING THE FLAG AND THE CROSS THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST IN AMERICAN HISTORY. AND IT IS KIND OF DIABOLICAL. THE OTHER IRONY OF COURSE IS THAT TRUMP TALKS ABOUT AND HAS TALKED ABOUT, SINCE 2016, CLEANING UP THE SWAMP. HE IS THE PERSONIFICATION OF THE SWAMP. INVITING PEOPLE WHO WOULD GET A MILLION DOLLARS ON THE SPOT TO COME UP THERE AND POSE WITH HIM SHOWS THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN POLITICS THAT HE ONLY CARES ABOUT MONEY. THIS IS THE KIND OF THING THAT IS PERNICIOUS AND THE AMERICAN SYSTEM AND IT DOES APPEAL TO CERTAIN PEOPLE AND I THINK AGAIN, THE DEMOCRATS HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BASICALLY INDICT HIM FOR HIS INCOMPETENCE AND TO SHARE THE STUFF THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS DOING FOR THE
