>>> GOOD MORNING. TO SUNDAY, JUNE 23. IN A FEW DAYS, JOE BIDEN AND BUT DONALD TRUMP WILL FACE OFF AGAINST EACH OTHER THE FIRST SHOWDOWN SINCE THE 27 ELECTION CYCLE. THE MEN WILL BE IN ATLANTA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FIRST OF TWO SCHEDULED GENERAL ELECTION DEBATES THIS SEASON. IT WILL LAST 90 MINUTES, BOTH CAMPAIGNS HAVE AGREED FOR TO TAKE PLACE IN A TELEVISION STUDIO WITHOUT AN AUDIENCE PRESENT. TAKE PLACE ONE MONTH AFTER DONALD TRUMP WAS CONVICTED ON 34 FELONY COUNTS ON FALSIFYING BUSINESS RECORDS AND TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE IS SET TO RETURN TO COURT FOR THE SENTENCING HEARING. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ON A NATIONALLY TELEVISED DEBATE SINCE LAST TIME. THERE TAKING VERY DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO PREPARE FOR THE DEBATE. BIDEN WILL SPEND SEVERAL DAYS HUNKERED DOWN AT CAMP DAVID DEVELOPING PLANS AND STRATEGIES WITH SOME OF HIS CLOSEST ADVISERS. THE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF HAS TAKEN TIME OFF FROM HIS CURRENT JOB TO GET THE PRESIDENT READY FOR THIS YEAR'S DEBATES. HE IS ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED CONFIDANT AND AN EXPERIENCED STRATEGIST WHO HAS HELPED NEARLY EVERY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE PREPARE FOR THE DEBATES. THE PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL ATTORNEY WILL LEND THE CAMPAIGN A HELPING HAND AND STAND IN AS DONALD TRUMP IN THE MARKET DEBATES THAT THEY PLAN TO STAGE IN THE DAYS AHEAD.'S ROLE HE TOOK ON TO HELP BIDEN PREPARE FOR IN 2020. A ROTATING CAST OF ABOUT A DOZEN OTHER ADVISERS HAS BEEN TAPPED TO HELP THE PRESIDENT PREPARE FOR THURSDAY, MEANWHILE, THIS IS WHAT DONALD TRUMP TOLD NBC ESTHER WHEN HE WAS ASKED WHAT HIS STRATEGY IS FOR THE UPCOMING DEBATE. >> MY STRATEGY IS VERY SIMPLE. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN. THAT IS ALL. OUR COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL. WE ARE GOING TO TURN IT AROUND FAST. >> THERE'S NO STRATEGY, WE ARE GOING TO TURN IT AROUND FAST. TRUMP'S TEAM HAS BEEN TRYING TO GIVE OFF THE IMPRESSION THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS NOT WORRIED AT ALL ABOUT FACING OFF AGAINST BIDEN. THEY SAY THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL HAS BEEN ENOUGH OF A PREPARATION FOR TRUMP AND THEY HAVE NO PLANS TO STAGE MOCK DEBATES. NBC'S REPORTING INDICATES THERE IS AT LEAST SOME PREPARATION HAPPENING. HE HAS HELD INFORMAL POLICY SESSIONS WITH AIDS, ADVISERS, AND LAWMAKERS INCLUDING THE NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR AND THE SENATORS JD VANCE AND MARCO RUBIO, ALL OF WHOM ARE CONTENDERS TO BE VICE PRESIDENT. THERE DISCUSSING HOW TO RESPOND TO INEVITABLE QUESTIONS ABOUT TRUMP'S RECENT CRIMINAL CONVICTION AND HIS ROLE IN THE JANUARY 6 INSURRECTION OF HOW TO REIN IN THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S RHETORIC. THE LAST POINT IS PARTICULARLY NOTABLE. THE CAMPAIGN HAS REPEATEDLY AND OFTEN UNFAIRLY USED SELECTIVELY EDITED CLIPS TO BETRAY BIDEN AS OLD AND FEEBLE MINDED, BUT TRUMP IS PRONE TO GAFFES AS WELL. DURING A SPEECH LAST WEEK, HE BRAGGED ABOUT ACING A COGNITIVE TEST AND THEN REPEATEDLY GOT THE DOCTOR'S NAME WRONG. HE HAS McDUCK PRESIDENT BIDEN AND OBAMA MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE AND ONCE CONFUSED NIKKI HALEY WITH NANCY PELOSI. FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH HIS LONG-WINDED SPEECHES, HIS LONG WINDED RAMBLINGS WILL SOUNDS ABSOLUTELY INCOHERENT. WHEN HIS TELEPROMPTER MALFUNCTIONED IN NEVADA EARLIER THE MONTH HE WENT OFF SCRIPT AND TOLD A LONG AND MEANDERING STORY INVOLVING AND M.I.T. PROFESSOR, ELECTRIC BOATS, AND WHETHER HE PREFERS ELECTROCUTION TO BE EATEN BY SHARKS. AND ANOTHER RALLY HE PRAISED THE LATE GREAT HANNIBAL LECTOR, A FICTIONAL CHARACTER, A CANNIBAL SERIAL KILLER FEATURED IN THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS AND SAID THAT HE IS A, QUOTE, WONDERFUL MAN. AND HE SAID THAT HE HAD PROPOSED STARTING A MIGRANT LEAGUE OF FIGHTERS. UFC STYLE SPORTS LEAGUE THAT WOULD PIT MIGRANTS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. SAID IT IS NOT THE WORST IDEA I HAVE EVER HAD. IT IS A BIZARRE PROPOSITION THAT REMINDS PEOPLE OF HIS ARE BARRACK AND DEHUMANIZING POSITION AGAINST NONWHITE IMMIGRANTS. MIGHT FEEL LIKE HE HAS THE UPPER HAND BUT THAT IS LARGE BECAUSE HE'S BEEN STUCK INSIDE HIS MAGA BUBBLE. IS INCOHERENT AND STRANGE DIATRIBES MAY PLAY WELL AMONG HIS DIEHARD RALLY GOERS BUT PERCEIVED DIFFERENTLY BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC YOU MIGHT SEE HIM AS AN UNDISCIPLINED CANDIDATE LEADING AND UNSERIOUS CAMPAIGN. JOINING ME NOW IS THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AT THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION AND THE AUTHOR OF TOWER OF LIES. WHAT MY 18 YEARS OF WORKING WITH DONALD TRUMP REVEALS ABOUT HIM. GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN. I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT THIS, THESE WEIRD RANTS THAT DONALD TRUMP IS GOING ON. PUT ASIDE THE STUFF THAT COULD BE DELIBERATE. THE DICTATORIAL AUTHORITARIAN STUFF HE SAYS. CARRYING ON ABOUT BEING ELECTROCUTED BE -- VERSUS BEING EATEN BY SHARKS. DID HE DO THAT WHEN YOU WORKED FOR HIM? >> A LITTLE BIT. HE WAS A LITTLE SANER THEN BUT HE WOULD MAKE RIDICULOUS REMARKS . THE THING ABOUT HANNIBAL LECTOR, IS THAT, IT'S NOT THAT HE WAS PRAISING HIM SO MUCH AS HE WAS JOKING ABOUT HIM. LIKE IT WAS FUNNY THAT HANNIBAL LECTOR WAS EATING PEOPLE AND REMINDS OF A TIME WHEN WE HAD HAD FIRED A RESIDENTIAL MANAGER AND HE WAS BRAGGING AMONGST EXECUTIVES ABOUT HOW GREAT THE GUY WAS AND HE WAS A REAL GENTLEMAN AND SO NEAT AND CLEAN AND THEN HE LOOKED AT A COUPLE OF THE EXECUTIVES WHO HAPPEN TO BE JEWISH, AND SAID WATCH OUT FOR THIS GUY, HE REMEMBERS THE OVENS AND THEN SMILES. EVERYBODY WAS SHOCKED. I CANNOT BELIEVE HE SAID THAT. HE WAS MAKING A JOKE ABOUT THE NAZI OVENS AND EATING PEOPLE. EAST ROCKINGHAM HANNIBAL LECTER AND EATING PEOPLE AS IF IT WAS FUNNY. AS THOUGH THAT WAS APPROPRIATE. HE DID THAT. >> HE WAS A KEYNOTE SPEAKER. FIND THIS INTERESTING AT THE FAITH AND FREEDOM COALITION EVENT YESTERDAY WHICH IS, IN THEORY, A RELIGIOUS THING AND MADE MULTIPLE COMMENTS ABOUT HIS ALLEGIANCE TO THE CREATOR AND THEN ANSWERS TO GOD AND HE TALKED ABOUT THE 10 COMMANDMENTS THING IN LOUISIANA. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HIS EMBRACE, SEEMINGLY, OF RELIGION AND THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT'S EMBRACE OF HIM? HOW COME NO ONE IS TREATING IT AS THE UNUSUAL THING THAT IT IS? >> HIS EMBRACE OF RELIGION IS ABSOLUTE NONSENSE. HE USED TO HATE CHRISTMAS BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE TO GO TO CHURCH ONE DAY. HE IS MAY BE AN AGNOSTIC OR MAYBE AN ATHEIST. HE MOCKED RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND THOUGHT THAT THEY WERE STUPID FOR BELIEVING. AS FAR AS THE RIGHT IS CONCERNED, THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT. I HAVE LIVED FOR A LONG TIME AND I HAVE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE FUNDAMENTALLY DISHONEST, THAT THEY WERE USING GOD AND THE 10 COMMANDMENTS JUST TO PROMOTE THEIR OWN INTERESTS. AS FAR AS CARING FOR OTHERS ESPECIALLY LIKE AND PUERTO RICAN CHILDREN WHO ARE STARVING , AND AS FAR AS DOING ANYTHING BEYOND THE LIMITS OF THEIR OWN CHURCH, IT DIDN'T EXIST. THEY HAD A SPIRIT OF LOVE. THERE WAS NO COMMUNITY. THERE WAS HATRED. THERE WAS ALWAYS HATRED. IT IS A HATRED THAT RUNS WITH THE SUPPORT OF TRUMP. THE HATRED OF GAYS AND THE FEAR WITH OWNING GUNS AND THE FEAR OF HOMOSEXUALS. THAT IS BASICALLY WHY THEY ARE SUPPORTING HIM. NOTHING TO DO WITH GOD. IF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE TRULY BELIEVED IN GOD. FORTUNATELY OR UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD TO GO TO CATHOLICS ONE KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE BIBLE. THEY WOULD SEE IT AS BREAKING EVERY NORM. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT. THE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT JOE BIDEN'S AGE AND WHETHER HE HAS MISSTEPS WHEN HE TALKS IT'S A BEFORE TALKING WITH DONALD TRUMP AND SOME OF THE UNUSUAL THINGS HE SAYS. TELL ME ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DONALD TRUMP YOU SEE TODAY ON TV THIS WEEK VERSUS THE DONALD TRUMP YOU WORKED FOR. ARE YOU SEEING SOMETHING UNUSUAL? WE ARE NOT IN A POSITION TO DIAGNOSE THINGS. IT IS NOT SOMETHING ONE CAN DO ON TV BUT AS SOMEONE WHO KNEW HIM, DO YOU SEE A DIFFERENCE IN HIS BEHAVIOR? >> I DO. I SEE HIM. HERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE IF YOU READ MY BOOK, YOU CAN FOLLOW WHAT YOU'RE BY YEAR. HE USED TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE. HE USED TO TAKE ADVICE. HE USED TO THINK THAT THERE WERE OTHERS WHO MIGHT KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT A SUBJECT THEY AND HE DOES. THAT IS GONE. HE LISTENS TO NOBODY. HE TRULY BELIEVES HE KNOWS MORE THAN ANYBODY ABOUT ANYTHING. IN A SENSE, THERE'S NO CONTROL. THERE IS NO CONTROLLING HIM AND HE SAYS WILL COMES TO HIS MIND AND WHATEVER THAT IS. HE THINKS IT IS BRILLIANT. HEALINGS IT IS BRILLIANT TO BEGIN WITH WHEN HE SAYS IT. THE ONLY TIME HE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN UNDER ANY KIND OF CONTROL WAS DURING THE TRIAL AND EVEN THEN, HE WASN'T REALLY VERY GOOD. I WISH, AND I DON'T KNOW, I WISH THEY WOULD GOAD HIM AND MAKE HIM GO NUTS, BECAUSE WHEN HE GOES NUTS, HE IS REALLY CRAZY. >> THAT IS INTERESTING AS YOU POINT OUT GOING TIME HE EXERCISE ANY DISCIPLINE IS WHEN HE WAS IN COURT WHERE THERE WERE ABSOLUTE THREATS ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO HIM. SOMETHING BAD COULD HAPPEN HIM IF HE MISBEHAVES. DOESN'T HAVE A STRUCTURED THINGS COMING UP OTHER THAN COURT AND THE DEBATE ON THURSDAY. THE DEBATE WILL NOT HAVE AN AUDIENCE NOT THE NORMAL THING HE PLAYS OFF OF. HE LIKES TO PLAY OFF OF A AUDIENCE, POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE. IT WILL JUST BE THE CREW AND THE MODERATORS AND JOE BIDEN. WHAT DOES IT GOADING HIM LOOK LIKE? IN THIS DAY AND AGE, WHAT EVEN GETS TO DONALD TRUMP? SOME OF US BELIEVE THAT HE IS ABSENT SHAME. THERE IS NOTHING THAT WILL EMBARRASS HIM. >> I WILL TELL YOU ONE THING REAL?. PORT FRAME FOR A LONG TIME AND WORK FOR HIM BECAUSE HE NEVER TURNED ON ME AND THEN HE FINALLY DID AND THAT DAY I QUIT. WE WERE IN A BIG MEETING AND HE WAS ACCUSING ME OF SOMETHING. HE WAS RANTING. BARBARA DID THIS. I SAID DONALD, THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN TAKE FOR THAT. HE REALLY GOT CRAZY. HIS FACE TURNED RED. IT WAS WRONG FOR ME TO SAY THAT. IT WAS TERRIBLY DISRESPECTFUL BUT THAT IS A KIND OF THING, TO GET UNDER HIS SKIN TO MAKE HIM FEEL THAT YOU THINK HE NEEDS HELP. YES, DONALD, IT'S OKAY. IF YOU DO, TAKE SOME PILLS FOR THE ISSUE AND YOU WILL CALM DOWN A BIT. MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THE OTHER THING COULD BE HIS SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COMMITTED CRIMES ON JANUARY 6. MAYBE IF HE GOES AFTER THAT, DO BELIEVE IT WAS OKAY JUST SQUEEZE THE POLICE MAN'S HEAD AND THE DOORS AND THAT KIND OF THING. MAYBE HE WILL GET A LITTLE ON EDGE AND REACTIVE. THE REACTION WILL BE GREAT. >> FROM YOUR EARS TO CAMP DAVID WITH HER PREPARING FOR THE DEBATE. GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
