>>> THIS SUNDAY, CONVICTION CAMPAIGN. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP RETURNS TO CAPITOL HILL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE JANUARY 6th ATTACK. >> WE AGREE JUST ABOUT ON EVERYTHING, AND IF THERE ISN'T WE WORK IT OUT. >> HE RETURNED TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME LIKE A LOT OF CONVICTED FELONS DO. >> MR. TRUMP PUSHING TO UNITE REPUBLICANS AND URGING THEM TO OVERTURN HIS MANHATTAN CONVICTION. >> I'M THE ONLY ONE IN HISTORY WHO GOT INDICTED, AND MY NUMBERS WENT UP. >>> PLUS, SETTING THE STAGE WITH THE FIRST GENERAL ELECTION DEBATE LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN HOLDS A STAR-STUDDED FUNDRAISER IN LOS ANGELES WITH FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA. >> THE SUPREME COURT HAS NEVER BEEN AS OUT OF KILTER AS IT IS TODAY. >>> AFTER HIS SON HUNTER BIDEN IS CONVICTED ON GUN CHARGES. >> AND I ABIDE BY THE JURY'S DECISION. I WILL DO THAT, AND I'LL NOT PARDON HIM. >> MY GUESTS THIS MORNING, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS, A POTENTIAL TRUMP RUNNING MATE. AND DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN RO CANA, A TOP BIDEN SURROGATE. PEACE AT ANY PRICE? RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN RESPONDS TO THE NEW U.S.-UKRAINE SECURITY AGREEMENT WITH A CEASE-FIRE OFFER THAT INCLUDES SWEEPING DEMAND FOR UKRAINIAN TERRITORY. >> YOU CANNOT WAIT US OUT. YOU CANNOT DIVIDE US. WE'LL BE WITH UKRAINE UNTIL THEY PREVAIL IN THIS WAR. >> IS THE COST TOO HIGH? JOINING ME ARE NBC NEWS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT YAMIHSH ALSENDOR, JONATHAN MARTIN OF "POLITICO," STEPHANIE MURPHY, AND MARK SHORT, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE. WELCOME TO SUNDAY, IT'S "MEET THE PRESS." >> FROM NBC NEWS IN WASHINGTON, THE LONGEST RUNNING SHOW IN TELEVISION HISTORY, THIS IS "MEET THE PRESS" WITH KRISTEN WELKER. >> GOOD MORNING, AND HAPPY FATHER'S DAY. I'M PETER ALEXANDER IN FOR KRISTEN WELKER. WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE JUST 11 DAYS AWAY, THE TWO MEN WHO WILL FACE OFF ON STAGE ARE AGGRESSIVELY GEARING UP FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP ON CAPITOL HILL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE CAPITOL ATTACK USED PART OF HIS DAY IN WASHINGTON FOR INFORMAL DEBATE PREP WITH SENATOR MARCO RUBIO AMONG OTHERS. PRESIDENT BIDEN, WHO RETURNS TO WASHINGTON LATE TONIGHT, WILL BEGIN EXTENSIVE DEBATE PREP THIS WEEK, AS WELL, OVERSEEN BY HIS FIRST WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF, RON CLAIN. HE HELD A STAR-STUDDED FUNDRAISER IN LOS ANGELES LAST NIGHT WITH PRESIDENT OBAMA, GEORGE CLOONEY, AND JULIA ROBERTS AMONG OTHERS. >> WE HAVE THE SPECTACLE OF THE NOMINEE OF ONE OF THE TWO MAJOR PARTIES SITTING IN COURT AND BEING CONVICTED BY A JURY OF HIS PEERS ON 34 COUNTS. WHAT I WOULD SAY AND WHAT I DO SAY TO A BUNCH OF GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE CONSERVATIVELY PREDISPOSED WHO MAY NOT AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT JOE OR I OR OTHER DEMOCRATS STAND FOR IS THAT THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE HAD CERTAIN CORE VALUES THAT WE AGREED WITH. >> PRESIDENT BIDEN DELIVERED SOME OF HIS TOUGHEST CRITICISM YET OF THE SUPREME COURT, WARNING THAT THE NEXT PRESIDENT COULD NOMINATE TWO SUPREME COURT JUSTICES. >> THE SUPREME COURT HAS NEVER BEEN AS OUT OF KILTER AS IT IS TODAY. I MEAN, NEVER. THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A COURT THAT'S BEEN THIS FAR OUT OF STEP. >> AND JUST DAYS AFTER HIS SON HUNTER BIDEN'S CONVICTION ON FELONY GUN CHARGES, PRESIDENT BIDEN FLEW TO ITALY FOR THE G7 MEETING OF AMERICAN ALLIES REINFORCING THE U.S. COMMITMENT TO UKRAINE. AND NEW THIS MORNING, MULTIPLE SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THE WHITE HOUSE'S PLANS TELL NBC NEWS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS SET TO TAKE EXECUTIVE ACTION AS EARLY AS TUESDAY TO PROTECT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF UNDOCUMENTED SPOUSES OF U.S. CITIZENS FROM DEPORTATION. FOR HIS PART, MR. TRUMP IS TRYING TO PRESENT A UNITED FRONT, AND THAT MEANS BEARING A LOT OF BAGGAGE ARE REPUBLICANS. HE REPEATEDLY ATTACKED MITCH McCONNELL AS A LOUSY LEADER AND WORSE, AND EVEN INSULTED HIS WIFE, THE FORMER TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY, ELAINE CHOW, USING RACIAL SLURS. IN THE DAYS AFTER THE JANUARY 6th RIOT, McCONNELL BLAMED MR. TRUMP SAYING THAT HE WAS PRACTICALLY AND MORALLY RESPONSIBLE, CALLING THE ATTACK DISGRACEFUL. THEY HAD NOT SPOKEN IN FOUR YEARS, BUT NOW AT LEAST TO THEM, IT ALL APPEARS TO BE WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE. >> THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING GROUP OF PEOPLE. I'M WITH THEM 1,000%. THEY'RE WITH ME 1,000%. WE AGREE JUST ABOUT ON EVERYTHING, AND IF THERE ISN'T WE WORK IT OUT. >> HE TOOK QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE. AND IT WAS AN ENTIRELY POSITIVE SESSION. >> BUT THE MESSAGE DISCIPLINE MAY BE SHORT-LIVED. IN A CLOSED DOOR SESSION, MR. TRUMP REPORTEDLY CALLED MILWAUKEE, WHERE REPUBLICANS ARE HOLDING THEIR CONVENTION NEXT MONTH, A, QUOTE, HORRIBLE CITY. THE FORMER PRESIDENT HAS BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH USING CONGRESS TO FUND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND AFTER A MANHATTAN JURY FOUND HIM GUILTY ON 34 FELONY COUNTS, HE ASKED HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON TO FIND A WAY TO, QUOTE, OVERTURN HIS CONVICTION. >> I DO BELIEVE THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD STEP IN. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS TOTALLY UNPRECEDENTED. THIS WILL BE OVERTURNED, GUYS, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. IT'S JUST GOING TO TAKE TIME TO DO IT. >> IN MICHIGAN ON SATURDAY WHERE HE CAMPAIGNED IN AN EFFORT TO COURT BLACK VOTERS, MR. TRUMP SLAMMED HIS CONVICTION. >> I GOT INDICTED MORE THAN THE LEGENDARY ALFONSE CAPONE. HAS ANYONE HEARD OF ALFONSE CAPONE? SCAR FACE. I GOT INDICTED MORE THAN HE DID, AND I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG. >> AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT SEEMED TO ENJOY THE SPECULATION ABOUT WHO HE'LL PICK AS A RUNNING MATE. MENTIONING REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS. >> HE'S ON THE LIST, BY THE WAY, AND I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO MAKE IT. BUT HE'S ON A LIST OF A FEW PEOPLE, RIGHT? NOT TOO MANY PEOPLE. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE VP? HUH? [ CHEERS ] I THINK HE WOULD. >> AND JOINING ME NOW ON BEHALF OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN IS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS OF FLORIDA. CONGRESSMAN DONALDS, WELCOME BACK TO "MEET THE PRESS." HAPPY FATHER'S DAY. >> OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO EVERYBODY OUT THERE. >> THANKS. THIS WEEKEND DONALD TRUMP AGAIN RAILED, AS YOU SAW, AGAINST HIS GUILTY VERDICT HANDED DOWN BY THAT MANHATTAN JURY LAST MONTH. HE'S SAID HE'S GOING TO APPEAL THE VERDICT. HE HAS ASKED HOUSE SPEAKER MIKE JOHNSON TO OVERTURN HIS CONVICTION. WHY SHOULD CONGRESS INTERVENE ON DONALD TRUMP'S BEHALF RATHER THAN LETTING THE JUDICIAL PROCESS PLAY OUT? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD TO BE WITH YOU. ONE IMPORTANT THING, IT'S NOT ABOUT SPEAKER JOHNSON. HE DOESN'T HAVE THE POWER TO OVERTURN ANYTHING. WHAT IT'S ABOUT IS THAT CONGRESS DOES FUND A LOT OF JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY. IF THERE IS A JURISDICTION THAT TAKES FEDERAL MONEY AND DOES NOT ALSO PROTECT THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICANS, WHETHER THAT'S PRESIDENT TRUMP OR ANY OTHER AMERICAN, THEY SHOULDN'T RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDS. I THINK HAAS SOMETHING THAT -- THAT'S SOMETHING THAT EVERY AMERICAN WOULD AGREE WITH. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND PRESIDENT TRUMP'S FRUSTRATION. WHAT HAPPENED IN LOWER MANHATTAN WAS A VIOLATION OF HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. THEY DIDN'T EVEN IDENTIFY THE CRIME, QUOTE/UNQUOTE, UNTIL THE END OF THE PROCESS WHICH IS A VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL NORMS. JUDGE MERCHAN DID NOT DO THAT. AND SO YES, HE'S FRUSTRATED, ANYONE AMERICAN WOULD BE FRUSTRATED. >> CONGRESSMAN, TO BE CLEAR, THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A STATE CASE. HE WAS INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY OF NEW YORKERS. IT WAS A JURY OF HIS PEERS IN NEW YORK THAT FOUND HIM GUILTY. THE PRESIDENT, FORMER PRESIDENT, HAS CALLED HIMSELF A POLITICAL PRISONER. BUT OF COURSE, HE HAD LEGAL REPRESENTATION. HE HAS THE RIGHT TO APPEAL. HE'S NEITHER BEEN DETAINED NOR IMPRISONED. SO WHY NOT JUST LET THE JUDICIAL PROCESS PLAY OUT? >> WELL, LET'S GO BACK BEFORE YOU GO DOWN THAT LINE. IN THE ORIGINAL INDICTMENT, THEY NEVER IDENTIFIED AN UNDERLYING CRIME. UNDER OUR BILL OF RIGHTS, UNDER OUR RULE OF LAW, A DEFENDANT IS ENTITLED TO KNOW WHAT HE'S BEING CHARGED WITH. DONALD TRUMP WAS NEVER AFFORDED THAT ABILITY. HOW CAN HIS LEGAL TEAM PREPARE A DEFENSE IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL CRIME IS? THAT IS WHY WHAT HAPPENED IN LOWER MANHATTAN WAS SO TERRIBLE, AND THE ONLY TIME THE PROSECUTION COULD EVEN ASSERT A CRIME WAS AT THE END OF THE -- IN THE CASE, THIS CLOSING ARGUMENTS. YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT. EVERY JUDGE KNOWS THIS. THIS IS WHY EVERYBODY BELIEVES THIS IS GOING TO BE OVERTURNED ON APPEAL. >> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT THAT BECAUSE -- >> THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THAT IS THE PROBLEM. >> IF IT IS OVERTURNED -- I APOLOGIZE FOR THE SATELLITE DELAY. IF IT IS OVERTURNED ON APPEAL, WILL YOU ACCEPT THAT VERDICT? >> UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO YOU. THIS IS BEING DONE FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. EVERYBODY KNOWS HOW THE COURT SYSTEM WORKS IN NEW YORK. >> BUT WILL YOU ACCEPT THE VERDICT IF IT'S -- >> THE ABILITY TO BE OVERTURNED IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING TWO OR THREE YEARS FROM NOW. WE ALL KNOW THIS. THAT'S WHY WHAT HAPPENED IN LOWER MANHATTAN WAS TO INTERFERE WITH AN ELECTION WHICH IS WHY SPEAKER JOHNSON, MYSELF INCLUDED, AND MANY AMERICANS BELIEVE THE SUPREME COURT SHOULD STEP INTO THIS MATTER. >> TO BE CLEAR, JOE BIDEN, THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT HE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS CASE. THE MANHATTAN DA, AS YOU KNOW, BEGAN THIS INVESTIGATION IN 2018 BEFORE JOE BIDEN WAS EVEN HIS PARTY'S NOMINEE. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM REPUBLICAN AND DONALD TRUMP CLAIMING THE DEMOCRATS ARE ILLEGALLY WEAPONIZING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGAINST MR. TRUMP. WHY IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR DONALD TRUMP THEN TO CALL FOR PROSECUTING HIS POLITICAL OPPONENTS INCLUDING PRESIDENT BIDEN? >> WELL, LET ME ALSO EXPLAIN THIS ONE. NOW WHAT HE DID SAY WAS IS THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD THIS KIND OF GENTLEMEN'S AGREEMENT THAT YOU DO NOT GO AFTER THE POLITICAL LEADERS OF THE OPPOSITION PARTY. WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS PRESIDENT, HE DIDN'T HAVE HIS ATTORNEY GENERALS GO AFTER HILLARY CLINTON WHEN SHE DID VIOLATE THE ESPIONAGE ACT. HE DID NOT GIVE THAT ORDER. THEY DID NOT PROSECUTE HILLARY CLINTON. NOW YOU HAVE A SITUATION WHERE MAIN JUSTICE HAS WEAPONIZED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO GO AFTER DONALD TRUMP. YOU HAVE JACK SMITH WHO'S CHASING DOWN DONALD TRUMP ON VIOLATING THE ESPIONAGE ACT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, ROBERT HUR KNOWS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS VIOLATED THE ACT. JACK SMITH IS TRYING TO PROSECUTE DONALD TRUMP. THAT IS A TWO-TIER SYSTEM OF JUSTICE. PLAIN TO SEE. >> THEY ARE PURCHASING ROBERT MENENDEZ OF NEW JERSEY, HENRY QUAYAR. IS IT ONLY WHEN REPUBLICANS ARE BEING PROSECUTED? >> THAT'S NOT TRUE. AND THAT'S NOT EVEN THE SAME THING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. WHAT YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND IS -- >> THEY PROSECUTED BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS. OFTEN IS THAT -- >> GOLD BARS WITH HIS NAME ENGRAVED FROM A FOREIGN COUNTRY. THAT'S WHAT BOB MENENDEZ'S SOFTWARE IS. THE OTHER JUST GOT INTO INVESTIGATION. IT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT THESE LEGAL CASES WERE ALL BROUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FOR ONE PURPOSE, AND THAT IS TO CRIMINALIZE DONALD TRUMP. THAT IS TO POLARIZE DONALD TRUMP. THAT IS TO PERSECUTE DONALD TRUMP. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON WHY YOU BRING THESE CASES IN THE TIMEFRAME THAT THEY'RE BEING BROUGHT. >> AGAIN, THERE HAVE BEEN A SERIES OF CASES AGAINST DEMOCRATS, AS WELL. LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT ANOTHER HEADLINE WE'VE BEEN WATCHING. A TRUMP SUPPORTER IN TEXAS THIS WEEK, CONGRESSMAN, WAS ARRESTED FOR MAKING THREATS AGAINST AN FBI AGENT WHO WAS INVOLVED IN THE HUNTER BIDEN INVESTIGATION. AUTHORITIES SAY THE AGENT RECEIVED TEXT MESSAGES AND AN EXPLICIT VOICEMAIL THAT SAID IN PART, "YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE, AND WE'LL HUNT YOU DOWN AND SLAY YOU LIKE THE TRAITOROUS DOGS YOU ARE." WILL YOU CONDEMN THOSE THREATS? >> I DON'T -- FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T THINK THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR ANY CITIZEN TO SAY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU I HEARD YOU CLEARLY. WE TALK ABOUT A CITIZEN? WHO WERE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I WANT TO HEAR CLEARLY. >> I HAVE THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT. I CAN GET INTO MORE DETAIL. SUFFICE TO SAY THIS IS AN INDIVIDUAL IN TEXAS WHO WAS SAYING THESE THINGS ALLEGEDLY IN THE FORM OF TEXT MESSAGES AND VOICE MAILS TO AN FBI AGENT. A SUPPORTER OF DONALD TRUMP, WHO IS MAKING THOSE -- SAYING THESE THINGS. >> LISTEN, I DON'T SUPPORT THOSE COMMENTS. I THINK THOSE COMMENTS ARE OUT OF BOUNDS. I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE DOING THAT IN OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE RESPECT EVERYBODY IN OUR COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TO BE TOLERANT OF ALL PEOPLE EVEN WHEN YOU DISAGREE. NOW I WILL SAY THERE IS ALSO A FRUSTRATION AMONGST THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. IT DOES NOT JUSTIFY THOSE COMMENTS. I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON THIS. BUT THERE IS A FRUSTRATION OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE THE INSTITUTIONS AND THE PILLARS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE BEING ERODED SIMPLY FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. AND IT IS WITHOUT QUESTION THAT IS COMING FROM THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. THEY HAVE SPIED ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THEY HAVE WEAPONIZED THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AGAINST CONSERVATIVES AND NOW AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP. AND PEOPLE ARE GETTING FRUSTRATED WITH THAT. >> AS WE'VE SAID, THEY'RE ALSO PROSECUTING DEMOCRATS. LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT POLICY ISSUES AS THEY RELATE TO MR. TRUMP. THIS WEEK, MR. TRUMP FLOATED THE IDEA OF GETTING RID OF THE FEDERAL INCOME TAX AND REPLACING IT WITH AN ALL-TARIFF POLICY. MANY ECONOMISTS SAY THAT THAT WOULD HELP THE RICH, AND THAT IT WOULD HURT MIDDLE AND LOWER INCOME AMERICANS. IN 2021, CONGRESSMAN, YOU PRAISED AMERICA AS A BEACON FOR FREE AND FAIR TRADE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD. SO WOULDN'T THE PRESIDENT'S IDEA HURT TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS? >> WELL, LET ME BE DIRECT ABOUT TRADE POLICY. FOR A LOT OF OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY, TRADE POLICY HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN TO THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. A LOT OF THESE TRADE POLICIES HAVE FAVORED FOREIGN COUNTRIES. I'M DEFINITELY -- I BELIEVE IN FREE TRADE, BUT IT HAS TO BE FAIR TRADE. THE DEALS HAVE TO BE EQUITABLE. THE DEALS THAT WERE WRITTEN IN THE PAST, PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS, WERE NOT EQUITABLE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO THE AMERICAN COMPANIES. >> SO DONALD TRUMP'S PROPOSING AN ALL-TARIFF POLICY. >> NOW, HOLD ON A SECOND. LET ME FINISH. >> YEAH. >> LET ME FINISH. I'M GOING TO COME TO THE POLICY. NOW WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP IS THINKING THROUGH ALL TYPES OF VARIOUS POLICIES TO JUMP-START OUR ECONOMY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FLOURISHING AND THRIVING AMERICA. IT'S AN IDEA. IT'S NOT CONCRETE YET. A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO BE FLUSHED OUT. I WAS IN THE ROOM WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP. I TALKED WITH SEVERAL COLLEAGUES WHO UNDERSTAND TARIFF POLICY, TRADE POLICY, AND TAX POLICY, IN A LOT MORE DETAIL THAN I DO. THEY SAID THERE'S SOME MERIT TO IT, BUT THERE'S THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT. YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE TAXATION PIECE FOR PEOPLE ON THE LOW END OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC SPECTRUM. >> SO TO BE CLEAR, THESE ARE JUST IDEAS YOU'RE SUGGESTING -- >> TO PROTECT ALL AMERICANS -- >> THIS ISN'T A REAL PROPOSAL HE'S LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT NOW. WE NOTE THAT UNDER DONALD TRUMP AND HIS FOUR YEARS IN OFFICE -- >> THERE ARE MANY -- THERE ARE MANY IDEAS THAT THE PRESIDENT IS THINKING THROUGH ALL DESIGNED TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICA THRIVES AND THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THRIVE. >> THE DEBT ROSE BY $8.4 TRILLION WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS IN OFFICE. ALSO THE FED CHAIR WHO DONALD TRUMP HIMSELF SELECTED HAS SAID THIS WEEK THAT THE ECONOMY IS GROWING AT A SOLID PACE, AND WE HAVE A STRONG LABOR MARKET. I WANT TO ASK YOU IF I CAN ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT. WOULDN'T THIS POLICY, THOUGH, HURT THE VERY AMERICANS, BLACK AMERICANS, THAT YOU WERE SPEAKING TO LAST NIGHT? >> ACTUALLY NO. I DISAGREE WITH YOU BECAUSE, AGAIN, WHEN YOU BEGIN TO GO THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY, YOU THINK ABOUT IT FROM A 50,000-FOOT LEVEL, THEN YOU START TO DISTILL YOURSELF INTO THE IDEA. YOU FIGURE OUT ALL THE DETAILS. >> YEAH. >> LET ME TELL YOU WHAT IS HURTING BLACK AMERICANS. THE FACT THAT UNDER JOE BIDEN'S ECONOMY THEIR PURCHASING POWER IS BEING DESTROYED BY JOE BIDEN'S RADICAL INFLATION. PRICES ARE UP 20% ACROSS THE BOARD. SO WHILE UNEMPLOYMENT MIGHT BE LOW, WAGES ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION ARE SIGNIFICANTLY DOWN. HOW CAN A BLACK PERSON GET AHEAD WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE -- WHEN YOU HAVE LESS DISPOSABLE INCOME TODAY THAN YOU HAD IN 2017, IN 2018, IN 2019? THIS IS WHAT A LOT OF THE BLACK BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WE TALKED TO YESTERDAY IN DETROIT WERE EXPLAINING TO THE PRESIDENT. >> LET ME GET TO OTHER TOPICS. THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR BLACK AMERICANS UNDER DONALD TRUMP WAS 5.3%. THE LOWEST UNDER JOE BIDEN WAS 4.7%. REPUBLICANS ARE SET TO FORMALLY NOMINATE DONALD TRUMP NEXT MONTH. DONALD TRUMP DURING HIS MEETING WITH REPUBLICANS THIS WEEK CALLED MILWAUKEE A HORRIBLE CITY, THE CAMPAIGN CLARIFIED, SAID HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ALLEGED VOTER FRAUD AND THE CRIME RATE THERE. LET ME TAKE THOSE ONE AT A TIME. MURDERS IN MILWAUKEE ARE DOWN 39% SINCE LAST YEAR, AND THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN'S OWN ELECTION INVESTIGATOR IN 2020 SAID THAT WISCONSIN'S RESULTS WERE LEGIT. SO IF MR. TRUMP FEELS SO STRONGLY THAT MILWAUKEE IS A HORRIBLE CITY, WHY IS HE HAVING HIS CONVENTION THERE? >> WELL, TWO THINGS. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN YOU BRING THESE COMMENTS UP, PLEASE BRING THEM IN CONTEXT. I'M GLAD YOU MENTIONED WHAT THE CAMPAIGN SAID AFTERWARDS. I NOTICED THAT YOUR NETWORK AND A LOT OF THE PRESS ARE NOT DOING THAT. WITH RESPECT TO MILWAUKEE, HE WAS TALKING ABOUT ALLEGATIONS OF VOTER FRAUD AND ALSO THE CRIME RATE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND YOUR MURDER RATE MAY BE DOWN, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT VIOLENT CRIME, ET CETERA, ARE ALSO LOWER. THOSE ARE TWO DIFFERNT PIECES OF CRIME. OBVIOUSLY MURDER IS THE MOST HEINOUS OF THEM ALL. WHEN IT COMES TO THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE, THE REASON -- LET ME FINISH NOW. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT MILWAUKEE, THE REASON WHY THE RNC AND PRESIDENT TRUMP WANT TO GO TO MILWAUKEE IS BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE ARE VOTERS IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN LIKE VOTERS ALL ACROSS AMERICA WHO ARE FRUSTRATED WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR COUNTRY UNDER JOE BIDEN. IMMIGRATION, MASSIVELY UP AND OUT OF CONTROL. THE LABOR MARKETS ARE OKAY, NOT GREAT. WAGES ARE DOWN WHEN YOU ADJUST THEM FOR INFLATION. PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO GET TO MAKE ENDS MEET IN JOE BIDEN'S AMERICA. SO THE PRESIDENT'S TAKING HIS MESSAGE EVERYWHERE, INCLUDING THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE. >> I APOLOGIZE FOR THE INTERRUPTION. A LOT TO GET TO. WE NOTE NOT JUST THE MURDER RATE, THE OVERALL VIOLENT CRIME HAS FALLEN DURING BIDEN'S PRESIDENCY. NOW AT A YEAR 50-YEAR LOW. FINALLY SOME NEWS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE. MR. TRUMP SAID YESTERDAY YOUR NAME IS HIGH ON HIS LIST OF PEOPLE HE'S CONSIDERING AS A RUNNING MATE. WOULD YOU BE READY ON DAY ONE TO SERVE AS COMMANDER IN CHIEF IF NECESSARY? >> WELL, I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO STEP INTO THAT JOB, IT'S OBVIOUSLY THE TOUGHEST JOB, THE BIGGEST JOB, NOT JUST IN OUR POLITICS BUT IN THE WORLD. LOOK, I THINK THAT I WOULD HAVE AN ABILITY TO STEP IN. I'M ACTUALLY PRETTY INTELLIGENT. I CAN SIFT THROUGH ISSUES REALLY, REALLY WELL. IT'S ABOUT JUDGMENT. 'S ABOUT LOGIC STREAMS, IT'S ABOUT HOW YOU MAKE DECISIONS AT THE END OF THE DAY. THEN YOU CANNOT DISCOUNT THE FACT THAT YOU WOULD HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE VERY QUALIFIED TO BE AROUND TO HELP YOU DO THAT JOB AND DO WHAT'S IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. DO I BELIEVE IN MYSELF? 100% I DO. YOU KNOW, WE'LL SEE WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP DECIDES. I'M GOING TO SUPPORT WHATEVER HE DOES. >> CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS, WE APPRECIATE YOU MAKING TIME TO SPEAK TO US TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>> WHEN WE COME BACK, MORE THAN EIGHT MONTHS AFTER THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR BEGAN, PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS YET TO SECURE A CEASE-FIRE, AND HE SAYS HE'S NOT CONFIDENT OF THE DEAL HAPPENING SOON. DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN RO KHANNA, A SURROGATE FOR THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN, JOINS ME NEXT. >>> WELCOME BACK. DURING THE G7 SUMMIT WITH WORLD LEADERS, PRESIDENT BIDEN ADDRESSED THE ONGOING BATTLE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS THAT HAS ENFLAMED DIVISIONS AMONG MANY AMERICANS. >> I LAID OUT AN APPROACH THAT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL, BY THE G7, BY THE ISRAELIS, AND THE BIGGEST HANG-UP SO FAR IS HAMAS REFUSING TO SIGN ON EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE SUBMITTED SOMETHING SIMILAR. >> DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN RO KHANNA OF CALIFORNIA, A TOP SURROGATE FOR THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN WHO HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF THE PRESIDENT'S APPROACH TO THE WAR, JOINS ME NOW. CONGRESSMAN KHANNA, WELCOME BACK TO "MEET THE PRESS." HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO YOU, AS WELL. >> HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO YOU AND TO THE VIEWERS. >> I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. HAMAS HAS BALKED AT EVERY CEASE-FIRE PROPOSAL, AS YOU HAVE WITNESSED. THEY ARE HOLDING OUT FOR A COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL OF ISRAELI TROOPS AND A PERMANENT CEASE-FIRE. ACCORDING TO THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL," THE LEADER OF HAMAS CALLED CIVILIAN LOSSES IN GAZA NECESSARY SACRIFICES. WHAT MORE DO YOU PROPOSE PRESIDENT BIDEN SHOULD BE DOING IF HAMAS WILL NOT AGREE? >> THE PRESIDENT HAS SET FORTH A CLEAR VISION, AND I SUPPORT THE CEASE-FIRE PROPOSAL AND RELEASE OF HOSTAGES THAT HE SET OUT, THE U.N. HAS ENDORSED IT, THE ARAB LEAGUE HAS ENDORSED IT. WE NEED EGYPT AND QATAR TO PUT MORE PRESSURE ON HAMAS. HAMAS IS SAYING YOU CAN'T HAVE PHASES, YOU NEED EVERYTHING DONE ON PHASE ONE. THAT'S UNREALISTIC. THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE PRESSURE. THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE MORE PRESSURE ON NETANYAHU. BENNY GANTZ HAS BEEN ALL OVER ISRAELI TV SAYING THAT NETANYAHU HAS BEEN UNDERMINING THE HOSTAGE DEAL, AND IT'S A PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCE. BENNY GANTZ IS SAYING PRIORITIZE THE HOSTAGE DEAL AND THE PEACE. NETANYAHU SAYING THEY WANT TO DESTROY MILITARY ALL OF HAMAS. I DON'T THINK THAT'S ACHIEVABLE. >> LET ME ASK YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU. BY INVITATION OF CONGRESS, NETANYAHU IS GOING TO BE SPEAKING BEFORE A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS TO TAKE PLACE NEXT MONTH IN JULY. SOME DEMOCRATS ARE SUGGESTING FORMS OF PROTEST. WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE, AND WILL YOU ATTEND HIS ADDRESS? >> I WILL NOT ATTEND. I SAID THAT IF HE WANTS TO COME TO SPEAK TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ABOUT HOW TO END THE WAR AND RELEASE HOSTAGES, I WOULD BE FINE DOING THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO SIT IN A ONE-WAY LECTURE. AND I AGREE WITH REPRESENTATIVE CLYBURN. HOW HE TREATED PRESIDENT OBAMA, HE SHOULD NOT EXPECT RECIPROCITY. THAT SAID I THINK IT SHOULD BE POLITE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE A BIG DEAL ABOUT IT. HE'S OBVIOUSLY ADDRESSING THE CONGRESS, AND THERE HAS TO BE DECORUM. >> LET ME ASK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE AS IT RELATES TO FOREIGN POLICY. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES MADE THE ARGUMENT THAT OCTOBER 7th, THE ATTACK ON ISRAEL AND RUSSIA'S INVASION OF UKRAINE, BOTH HAPPENED NOT WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS IN OFFICE BUT WHEN JOE BIDEN WAS IN OFFICE. WHY SHOULDN'T AMERICANS CONSIDER THAT ARGUMENT WHEN THEY'RE DECIDING HOW TO VOTE THIS FALL? >> USED TO BE THAT WE WERE BIPARTISAN ON FOREIGN POLICY. YOU CAN'T BLAME PRESIDENT BIDEN OR TRUMP FOR PUTIN'S EVIL. PUTIN INVADED A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY ON UKRAINE. NOW THE QUESTION IS PHILOSOPHICALLY ARE WE GOING TO STAND UP FOR UKRAINE'S INTEGRITY. PUTIN WANTS ONE-FIFTH OF ALL OF UKRAINE. HE WANTS MORE TERRITORY OF UKRAINE THAN HE'S CURRENTLY OCCUPIED. AND SO THE QUESTION FOR BOTH OF THE CANDIDATES SHOULD BE ARE YOU GOING TO AGREE TO PUTIN'S TERM. BIDEN HASN'T. WE'VE SUPPORTED UKRAINE'S AID. WOULD TRUMP AGREE TO PUTIN'S TERMS? >> THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN A BIG EROSION AS IT RELATES TO YOUNG VOTERS THAT YOU'VE BEEN SPEAKING TO A LOT IN YOUR CAMPAIGNING. HERE SPECIFICALLY AS IT RESULTS TO THE WAR THIS GAZA, YOU SAID BACK IN FEBRUARY THAT EVEN IF PRESIDENT BIDEN WERE TO BRING ABOUT A CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA THERE WOULD STILL NEED TO BE A HEALING PERIOD BEFORE DEMOCRATS, THESE YOUNG VOTERS, MAY BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND BE COMFORTABLE WITH HIS LEADERSHIP AGAIN. THAT WAS FOUR MONTHS AGO. IS THE PRESIDENT RUNNING OUT OF TIME TO WIN BACK SOME OF THESE YOUNG VOTERS? >> BIGGEST THING WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME IS MORE PEOPLE DYING. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE HUMANITARIAN STAKES. YES, IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR OUR PARTY. YOUNG PEOPLE WANT THE WAR TO END. BUT WHAT YOUNG PEOPLE WANT IS A VISION, AND THE PRESIDENT STARTED THAT WITH THE CEASE-FIRE. I HOPE HE CAN GO FURTHER, AND HE SHOULD CALL FOR TWO STATES. HE SHOULD SAY IN HIS SECOND TERM HE'S GOING TO CONVENE A PEACE CONFERENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, RECOGNIZE A PALESTINIAN STATE WITHOUT HAMAS, WORK WITH EGYPT, SAUDI ARABIA ON IT. >> I DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOU. I WANT TO ASK ABOUT OTHER TOPICS QUICKLY ON POLICY, IMMIGRATION. REPUBLICANS TANKED A BIPARTISAN BORDER SECURITY BILL AS YOU KNOW, SO THE PRESIDENT RECENTLY TOOK EXECUTIVE ACTION TO RESTRICT THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS WHO CAN SEEK ASYLUM, WHO ARE ENTERING THE UNITED STATES. YOU'RE AMONG MANY DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE BEEN CRITICAL OF THIS POLICY. AN ACLU LAWSUIT SAYS THE PRESIDENT'S AMBULANCE CIRCUMSTANCE QUOTE, LEGALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM THE TRUMP BAN. DO YOU AGREE? >> I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT POLICY. I UNDERSTAND THE PRESIDENT'S FRUSTRATION. HE HAS TRIED FOR THREE YEARS, NOT SIX MONTHS, THREE YEARS TO GET CONGRESS TO FUND IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PATROL. WE HAVEN'T DID IT. THIS IS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE ISSUE BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN ARTIFICIAL CAP, AND PEOPLE ARE BASICALLY GOING TO GO TO GANGS AND COME THROUGH NON-PORT OF ENTRIES. WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT SITUATION ON THE BORDER. >> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN. CONVICTED ON GUN CHARGES THIS WEEK. HE'LL BE BACK IN THE COURT ON TAX CHARGES IN CALIFORNIA LATER THIS YEAR. EVEN THOUGH HUNTER BIDEN IS NOT ON THE BALLOT, THE CASE THIS FALL COULD RAISE SOME POTENTIALLY DAMAGING DETAILS ABOUT HUNTER BIDEN'S BUSINESS DEALINGS. HOW CONCERNED SHOULD DEMOCRATS BE ABOUT ANOTHER HIGH-PROFILE TRIAL IN THE WANING WEEKS OF THIS CAMPAIGN SEASON? >> IT WON'T BE AN ISSUE BECAUSE DEMOCRATS ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN THE RULE OF LAW. YOU ASK REPRESENTATIVE DONALDS WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE TRUMP CASE EVEN IF IT WENT TO AN APPEAL, HE DIDN'T SAY YES. I WOULD ACCEPT IT IF IT WAS OVERTURNED, AND I ACCEPT WHATEVER THE JUDICIAL PROCESS IS WITH HUNTERS HUNTER. THIS IS REALLY -- HUNTERS HUNTER. THIS IS REALLY ABOUT A FATHER'S LOVE OF A SON OF SOMEONE WHO HAD ADDICTION. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE LEGAL -- HE WILL HAVE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES. THE PRESIDENT IS PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THAT WITH THE LOVE OF A FATHER. ON FATHER'S DAY I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO COME OUT. THE PRESIDENT'S LOVE AND CONCERN FOR SOMEONE WHO'S HAD A DIFFICULT TIME. >> JUST A PHOENIX FROM NOW, NOT EVEN -- FEW WEEKS FROM NOW, EVEN, 11 DAYS FROM NOW WE'LL SEE DONALD TRUMP AND JOE BIDEN TOGETHER ON STAGE AT THE DEBATE. MR. TRUMP JUST TURNED 78 THIS WEEK. JOE BIDEN, AS YOU KNOW, IS 81 YEARS OLD. ACCORDING TO HOUR POLLING, AMERICANS ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FITNESS THAN THEY ARE ABOUT DONALD TRUMP'S. WHY IS THAT? >> SOME OF IT IS AESTHETIC. DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH GOOD GENES OR WHATEVER HE DOES. I THINK THAT THE REAL ISSUE THAT THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS DELIVERS IN BIG MOMENTS, HE DID IN THE STATE OF THE UNION, AND PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE. DOES DONALD TRUMP GOING TO GIVE UP PART OF UKRAINE, DOES HE WANT TO HAVE TARIFFS THAT WELL GOING TO INCREASE PRICES FOR FOLKS? PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BROUGHT BACK MANUFACTURING AND FACTORIES. HOW MANY FACTORIES DID DONALD TRUMP BRING BACK? LET'S HAVE A DEBATE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT VISION OF AMERICA. >> LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR FUTURE. WHEN YOU WERE RECENTLY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, A LOCAL DEMOCRAT THERE INTRODUCED YOU, SIR, AS THE FIFTH MEMBER OF THEIR DELEGATION BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN THERE SO OFTEN. IS A PRESIDENTIAL BID SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER IN THE FUTURE? >> I AM SO FOCUSED AS IS JEFFERSON ON TRYING TO GET -- EVERYONE ON TRYING TO GET PRESIDENT BIDEN ELECTED. I WILL SAY THIS, THIS COUNTRY IS HUNGRY AFTER THAT FOR A NEW GENERATION. WE'VE GOT TREMENDOUS TALENT IN OUR PARTY, AND THERE ARE YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE, AS WELL. I'M LOOKING FORWARD AFTER PRESIDENT BIDEN IS RE-ELECTED TO A NEW GENERATION LEADING THIS COUNTRY. >> CONGRESSMAN RO KHANNA, WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY AGAIN TO YOU. >>> WHEN WE COME BACK, NEITHER DONALD TRUMP NOR JOE BIDEN HAS DEBATED IN MORE THAN 1,300 DAYS. THEIR LAST DEBATE PERFORMANCE AGAINST ONE ANOTHER NEARLY FOUR YEARS AGO. BOTH MEN FACING UNIQUE CHALLENGES AS THEY PREPARE FOR >>> WELCOME BACK. THE PANEL IS HERE. NBC NEWS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT YAMICHE ALCINDOR, JONATHAN MARTIN, POLITICS BUREAU CHIEF AND SENIOR "POLITICO" COLUMNIST FOR "POLITICO," BOW TIE STRONG TODAY. FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN STEPHANIE MURPHY OF FLORIDA. AND MARK SHORT, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE. I'LL START ON SOME OF YOUR REPORTING. WE KNOW ACCESS TO ABORTION PILLS REMAINS LEGAL AFTER THE SUPREME COURT THIS WEEK SENT THE ISSUE BACK TO A LOWER COURT. THE WHITE HOUSE IS MAKING THE POINT THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT DONE. YOU HAVE NEW REPORTING FOR US ON THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN'S PLANS TO LEAN INTO THE TOPIC OF REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US? >> THAT'S RIGHT. I GOT EXCLUSIVE DETAILS ON WHAT REALLY IS GOING TO BE A ROBUST MESSAGING CAMPAIGN BY THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN TO REALLY FOCUS ON ABORTION. THEY SEE THAT AS A UNIQUELY MOBILIZING ISSUE. THAT GOING TO HOLD MORE THAN 30 EVENTS IN BATTLEGROUND CITIES ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. THEY'RE GOING TO BE MAKING THE CASE THAT JOE BIDEN IS THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO KEEP WOMEN SAFE AND THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP PUT A NUMBER OF WOMEN IN DANGER BECAUSE HE WAS THE ONE WHO NOMINATED THESE JUSTICES WHO OVERTURNED ROE V. WADE. THEY'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ROLLING OUT A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING ADS FEATURING WOMEN TELLING PERSONAL STORIES. I TALKED TO ONE OF THE WOMEN WHO'S GOING TO BE PART OF THIS, CAITLYN CASH. SHE LIVED IN AUSTIN AND HAD TO FLEE AFTER SHE LEARNED AT 13 WEEKS THE FETUS SHE WAS CARRYING HAD A FATAL BIRTH DEFECT. SHE'S GOING TO WANT TO EMPOWER WOMEN. PART OF THIS IS TRAINING PEOPLE, TRAINING WOMEN TO TELL THEIR OWN STORIES SO THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN IS GOING TO BE LEANING IN. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S COMING A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE FIRST DEBATE BETWEEN, OF COURSE, TRUMP AND BIDEN. >> YEAH. AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE DOBBS DECISION, AS YOU KNOW. JONATHAN, TO YOU. MR. TRUMP SAID THAT REPUBLICANS SHOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT ABORTION THIS WEEK BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITH REPUBLICANS. HE SAID THEY SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT IT MORE. WHAT IS THE WAY FORWARD FOR REPUBLICANS ON THIS TOPIC? >> TO AVOID IT. NO, LOOK, I THINK IF DONALD TRUMP AND THE PARTY LEADERS HAVE THEIR DRUTHERS, THEY WOULD TALK ABOUT IMMIGRATION, INFLATION, AND JOE BIDEN'S AGE EVERY DAY AND TWICE ON SUNDAYS. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THEIR PREFERENCE. LOOK, THERE'S NO UNIFIED STRATEGY ON THE ABORTION ISSUE IN THE. GOGH, WHICH IS WHY THEY -- THE GOP WHICH IS WHY THEY WANT TO AVOID IT. IT'S BEEN A POLITICAL LOSER SINCE DOBBS CAME DOWN. I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO AVOID IT. THE CHALLENGE FOR DEMOCRATS IS JOE BIDEN DOESN'T TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE. >> AS YOU KNOW, THE DEBATE COMING UP NOW 11 DAYS AWAY. THE FIRST TIME AS WE DID THE MATH THAT THEY'LL HAVE SEEN -- EITHER OF THEM HAVE PARTICIPATED IN A DEBATE IN 1,300-PLUS DAYS HERE. WHO HAS MORE AT STAKE? >> I THINK JOE BIDEN DOES. I THINK THERE ARE GREATER QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS STAMINA, HIS FRAGILITIES. I THINK THE REALITY IS REGARDLESS OF TRUMP, HIS SUPPORT IS GOING TO BE THE SAME. I THINK FOR JOE BIDEN, AS WELL, HE PRESENTED HIMSELF FOUR YEARS AGO AS THE CANDIDATE WHO WOULD BRING BACK NORMALCY AND THE DRAMA. FOR VOTERS YOU LOOK OUT AND SEE WAR IN EASTERN EUROPE, WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST, CHAOS AT OUR BORDER, CHAOS AT COLLEGE CAMPUSES. IF HE WANTS ASSURANCES HE HAS TO STEP UP. >> I THINK HE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE TWO KEY CONCERNS VOTERS HAVE. ONE IS AGE AND THE SECOND IS HANDLING OF THE ECONOMY. ON AGE, HE NEEDS TO SHOW UP LIKE HE DID FOR THE "STATE OF THE UNION" AND GIVE A FIERY PRESENTATION AND REALLY TAKE DONALD TRUMP ON. AND THEN ON THE ECONOMY, HE HAS TO ACTUALLY CONNECT WITH PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR CONCERNS OVER COSTS. AND KIND OF PIVOT FROM WHERE HE HAS BEEN WHICH IS TO TRY TO CONVINCE THEM THAT HIS POLICIES HAVE BEEN GOOD AND THAT THINGS ARE OKAY. THAT ISN'T WORKING. SO HE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN THE PAGE HERE AND MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. >> IF I COULD, I WOULD SAY ON THE ISSUE OF ABORTION, I MEAN, THIS IS UNIQUELY MOBILIZING THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN. THEY THINK THAT BECAUSE POLL -- POLLS AFTER POLLS AND INTERVIEWS THAT I'VE DONE WITH VOTERS, THEY SAY ABORTION, EVEN IF IT'S NOT THEIR TOP ISSUE, IT'S AN ISSUE THAT'S GOING TO MOTIVATE HOW THEY VOTE. >> IT'S ON THE BALLOT IN KEY SWING STATES. >> THE SUPREME COURT DECISION ON MIFEPRISTONE SAYING FOR NOW ON STANDING THAT THE PILL IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE ACCESSIBLE. YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, A NUMBER OF PEOPLE SAY, OKAY, IT'S SAFE FOR NOW, BUT THEY'RE GOING TO BE ARGUING THAT DONALD TRUMP IS TRYING TO IMPLEMENT A FEDERAL BAN ON ABORTION EVEN THOUGH TRUMP IS SAYING -- THEY'RE SAYING YOU CAN'T TRUST REPUBLICANS HERE. >> JONATHAN, BACK TO THIS DEBATE TOPIC. >> YES. >> THEY ARE LARGELY PERFORMATIVE THESE DEBATES, AND THIS YEAR THEY'LL BE PERFORMING WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF RULES. >> YEAH. >> THERE IS NO STUDIO AUDIENCE. NOW A MUTE BUTTON -- >> CUTS THE MICS, PETER. >> WHEN IT'S NOT YOUR TURN TO TALK. YOU REMEMBER IN THE PAST -- WILL YOU SHUT UP, MAN? SOMETIMES IT'S THE INTERRUPTION THAT'S CAN BE THE MOST TELLING. WHAT DO YOU ANTICIPATE? >> SOME OF WHITE HOUSE HAD TO COVER THE 2020 DEBATE ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THAT HIGH WIRE ACT. IT WAS A VERY STRESSFUL EVENING FOR THOSE WATCHING AND WRITING ABOUT IT. UNFORGETTABLE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TOO, THAT TRUMP-BIDEN DEBATE IN '20. I THINK IT'S GOING TO MAKE FOR A BETTER DEBATE. TO HAVE NO STUDIO AUDIENCE ON TO CUT THOSE MICS, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER EXCHANGE. I DON'T THINK BIDEN ULTIMATELY HAD A CHOICE HERE. I THINK HE, THE PRINCIPAL OF JOE BIDEN HIMSELF, WANTED TO DEBATE WHICH WAS -- HE HAS A VOTE. I THINK HIS STAFF REALIZED THAT TRIAL WAS NOT BREAKING THROUGH. THEY HAD TO TRY TO GET TRUMP BACK IN THE CAMERA FRAME, MAKE TRUMP THE ISSUE IN THIS DEBATE. PETER, HERE'S THE RISK -- BIDEN WANTS TO USE A 90-MINUTE DEBATE TO SHOW THE AMERICAN VOTER DON'T BELIEVE THOSE CLIPS, DON'T BELIEVE THAT SPLICED VIDEO. I'M NOT SOMEBODY WHO'S LOSING IT. I CAN BE UP HERE FOR 90s, AND -- 90 MINUTES AND HAS THE DEBATE. TO YOUR POINT, STEPHANIE, IT WILL BE HELPFUL. THE RISK IS HE DOES HAVE A BAD MOMENT AND THERE'S A TEN-SECOND VIRAL VIDEO THAT IS ALL FOLKS WILL RECALL FROM THE DEBATE. THAT'S THE RISK. >> MARK, LET ME ASK ABOUT THE TOPIC OF VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICKS. WE TALKED TO ONE OF THE POTENTIAL PICKS EARLIER. YOU SERVED FOR THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE. HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS SELECTION FOR DONALD TRUMP'S TICKET? >> I THINK IT'S LESS IMPORTANT OBVIOUSLY THAN IT WAS EIGHT YEARS AGO, PETER. I THINK AT THAT TIME WE HAD A VERY DIVIDED REPUBLICAN PARTY. TED CRUZ ONCE AT CONVENTION REFUSED TO ENDORSE DONALD TRUMP. HAVING MIKE PENCE AS THE UNIFIED PARTY -- HE HAS THE PARTY UNIFIED NOW. I DON'T THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THAT -- >> HE WOULD SERVE HIM BEST? >> SOMEBODY WHO CAN BE THERE AND REPRESENT A BROAD SPECTRUM OF POLICY POSITIONS. >> WHO IS THAT AMONG THE LIST OF NAMES THAT WE'RE HEARING? >> IS MIKE PENCE AVAILABLE? >> I THINK THAT PROBABLY OF THE NAMES LISTED PROBABLY RUBIO IS SOMEBODY WHO PRESENTS THAT BROADER SET OF ISSUES FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT. BUT YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT IF HE'S LOOKING FOR A MINI TRUMP, HE'LL PROBABLY END UP WITH J.D. VANCE. IF'S LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL HELP, BURGUM. >> WHAT ABOUT POLICY EFFECTS OF THIS -- >> WHAT'S THE QUESTION? >> I KNOW. YOU KNOW, WHAT HE SAID ABOUT YOUR FORMER -- THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT THAT WAS HE WAS TOO HONEST. I THINK HE'S GOING TO LOOK FOR SOMEBODY WHO WILL DO HIS BIDDING AND NOT PUT UP THE SAME SORT OF RESISTANCE BASED ON VALUES AND CHARACTERS THAT VICE PRESIDENT PENCE DID. >> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VICE PRESIDENTS, WHO DOES VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS WANT TO BE DEBATING? >> I WAS JUST TALKING TO HER OFFICE THIS MORNING, SOMEONE FROM HER OFFICE. THEY TOLD ME THAT REALLY WHOEVER HE PICKS IS GOING TO TURN INTO SOMEONE WHO'S GOING TO BE A MINI TRUMP. THEY'RE GOING TO CATEGORYIZE THIS PERSON AS CHOOSING TRUMP OVER THE COUNTRY. REALLY I THINK THE VICE PRESIDENT ISN'T SAYING THAT SHE HAS SOMEONE SHE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO DEBATING BECAUSE SHE THINKS WHOEVER SHE'S GOING TO BE DEBATING IS SOMEONE WHO'S ECHOING WHAT DONALD TRUMP IS SAYING. I THINK WHEN I TALK TO REPUBLICANS, I ALSO HEAR THAT THEY'RE BASICALLY EXPECTING SOMEONE, WHOEVER THAT PERSON IS, TO MORPH INTO DONALD TRUMP AND TO MORPH INTO ALL OF HIS VIEWS. >> JONATHAN, WE'VE SEEN CRIMINAL HISTORY IN BACK-TO-BACK MONTHS. FIRST THE FIRST FORMER PRESIDENT EVER TO BE CONVICTED OF A CRIME. NOW THE FIRST SON OF A SITTING PRESIDENT TO BE CONVICTED OF A CRIME. HUNTER BIDEN CONVICTED ON THOSE GUN CHARGES. HE HAS ANOTHER TRIAL ON TAX CHARGES THIS FALL. IT TAKES PLACE IN SEPTEMBER. HOW BIG OF A DEAL IS THIS SITUATION FOR THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN? >> WELL, I THINK IT MATTERS TO THE EXTENT THAT IT LETS TRUMP AND HIS LIEUTENANTS TRY TO MUDDY THE WATERS ABOUT TRUMP'S CRIMINAL EXPOSURE. AND WE SHOULD BE CLEAR, IT'S NOT THE SAME THING. IT'S A FORMER PRESIDENT FACING NEARLY 100 FELONY CHARGES, AND THE OTHER IS A SON OF THE PRESIDENT. VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. OBVIOUSLY FROM A POLITICAL STANDPOINT, YEAH, IT'S NOT HELPFUL FOR THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN TO HAVE THIS OUT THERE, AND IT CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TRUMP FOLKS. THIS IS WHAT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN DOES EFFECTIVELY WHICH IS TRIES TO MAKE THIS FALSE EQUIVALENCE HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO SEE THEM TRY TO DO THAT FOR MONTHS HERE. >> I THINK, THOUGH, IT DOES HIGHLIGHT A CONTRAST BETWEEN BIDEN AND TRUMP. AND BIDEN AS PAINFUL AND PERSONAL AS THIS IS HAS ACCEPTED THE OUTCOME OF THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND IS MOVING ON. WHEREAS TRUMP CONTINUES AND THE REPUBLICANS CONTINUE TO TRY TO UNDERMINE OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM. THAT'S A REALLY ARE CONTRAST. >> YOU SAW THE EFFORT TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION RESULTS. HE'S ASKING THE REPUBLICAN SPEAKER TO HELP OVERTURN THE RESULTS OF HIS OWN CONVICTION, MARK. >> I LOOKED YESTERDAY AND SEE HIM GO TO DETROIT AND APPEAL TO AFRICAN AMERICANS VOTERS. A TERRIFIC CONTRAST TO BIDEN BEING IN HOLLYWOOD TRYING TO GET HOLLYWOOD ACTORS TO SUPPORT HIM -- >> HE WAS IN HOLLYWOOD WITH THE FIRST BLACK AMERICAN PRESIDENT -- >> WHAT IS WRONG IS HE GOES TO MICHIGAN AND GETS OFF MESSAGE TALKING ABOUT JANUARY 6th AGAIN. IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. IT'S LIKE EVERY TIME HE'S MAKING A POSITIVE CONTRAST, HE BRINGS IT BACK TO -- >> AND MILWAUKEE, FOR EXAMPLE. HE CAN'T HELP HIMSELF. >> YEAH. YEAH. >> WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE IN MILWAUKEE IN JULY. WE'LL SEE YOU THERE, I TRUST. >>> PRESIDENT BIDEN'S M >>> WELCOME BACK. ON FRIDAY POPE FRANCIS HOSTED MORE THAN 100 COMEDIANS AND ACTORS AT THE VATICAN, INCLUDING JIMMY FALLON, WHOOPI GOLDBERG, AND CHRIS ROCK. THE POPE TOLD THEM IN THE MIDST OF SO MUCH GLOOMY NEWS YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SPREAD PEACE AND SMILES. PRESIDENT BIDEN ALSO MET WITH POPE FRANCIS FOR THE SECOND TIME ON THE SIDELINES OF THE G7 SUMMIT. AN AUDIENCE WITH THE POPE IS A PRIVILEGE THAT WAS ALSO EXTENDED TO THIS BROADCAST LONGTIME MODERATOR TIM RUSSERT. TIM PASSED AWAY 16 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK, JUST DAYS AFTER A TRIP HE MADE TO THE VATICAN. AFTER THE DEATH OF POPE JOHN PAUL II IN 2005, HIM REFLECTED ON THE IMPACT MEETING HIM IN THE '80s HAD ON HIS LIFE. >> THIS MORNING, PERMIT ME A PERSONAL MEMORY. AS A CATHOLIC LAYMAN AND A FATHER. EASTER WEEK 1985, NBC NEWS AND THE "TODAY" SHOW SPENT AN HISTORIC WEEK AT THE VATICAN. THE NEXT YEAR MY FAMILY RETURNED. THE POPE BLESSED THE MOM, THEN THE DAD, THEN HIS UNDIVIDED ATTENTION ON OUR BABY LUKE. HE HUGGED HIM, THEN KISSED HIS FOREHEAD, SAYING ALL THE WHILE "VERY NICE, VERY NICE, VERY NICE." THEN THAT SMILE. LUKE WAS TRULY MESMERIZED BY THIS MOST HOLY MAN. THAT MOMENT, THAT BLESSING WILL BE WITH US FOREVER. >> VERY NICE INDEED. MAN, DO WE MISS TIM. >>> WITH THE TONY AWARD TONIGHT, >>> WELCOME BACK. IT IS SHOW TIME FOR BROADWAY'S BIGGEST FANS. THE 77th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS ARE AT LINCOLN CENTER TONIGHT. ONE OF THE NEWEST STARS ON THE STAGE HAS BEEN A EFFECTSTURE ON YOUR TV -- FIXTURE ON YOUR TV FOR DECADES. ACTOR MICHAEL IMPERIOLI IS BEST KNOWN FOR PLAYING LIARS AND CHEATS. FROM HIS STAR-MAKING ROLE AS A TROUBLED MONSTER IN "THE SOPRANOS," TO A WOMANIZING HOLLYWOOD PRODUCER IN "THE WHITE LOTUS." >> YOU EVER FEEL LIKE NOTHING GOOD WAS EVER GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU? >> YEAH, AND NOTHING DID. SO WHAT? >> YOU NEVER SHOWED ME HOW TO PUT OTHERS FIRST. YOU ALWAYS PUTS YOURSELF FIRST. ALWAYS. SO I DID THE SAME THING. >> NOW HIS LATEST PROJECT EXAMINES HOW FAR SOMEONE WILL GO TO EXPOSE THE TRUTH. HE STARS ALONGSIDE "SUCCESSION'S" JEREMY STRONG IN A REVIVAL OF THE 1882 CLASSIC "AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE." THE PLAY EXPLORES THE TENSION BETWEEN SCIENCE AND POLITICS AND HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR FIVE TONY AWARDS INCLUDING BEST REVIVAL. KRISTEN RECENTLY SAT DOWN WITH IMPERIOLI FOR A "MEET THE MOMENT" CONVERSATION AND ASKED ABOUT HIS BROADWAY DEBUT. >> I THINK DOING A BROADWAY SHOW WAS THE LAST THING ON MY BUCKET LIST AS AN ACTOR, TO BE HONEST. WORKING WITH MARLON BRANDO WAS THERE, BUT THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO A BROADWAY SHOW. I KNEW THIS PLAY AND LOVED IT. SO THIS WAS THE PERFECT STORM TO DO A BROADWAY SHOW, AND YOU KNOW, FOR ME IT'S LIKE BEING PART OF THIS HISTORY AND LEGACY OF GREAT THEATER ARTISTS. >> AS AN ACTOR, WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON YOU TO HAVE THE AUDIENCE SO CLOSE? >> WELL, I FIND IT REALLY, REALLY EXCITING TO HAVE THE AUDIENCE THAT CLOSE. AND YOU KNOW, YOU REALLY FEEL IT AT THE END WHEN -- I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANYTHING AWAY, BUT HE'S SAYING WE HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT SOMEDAY, YOU KNOW, THE TRUTH WILL BE VALUED, AND THE WATER WILL BE SAFE AND CLEAN. AND THIS IS WRITTEN A LONG TIME AGO. YOU KNOW, AND THOSE WORDS MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO EVERYBODY. >> THE ENDING OF THE PLAY IS HAUNTING IN SOME WAYS BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE JEREMY STRONG IS REACHING INTO THE DEPTHS OF EVERYONE'S SOUL AND SAYING WHAT EVERYONE HAS THOUGHT AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER. AND YET, THIS PLAY WAS WRITTEN IN 1882. >> UH-HUH. >> BY A NORWEGIAN PLAYWRIGHT, HENRICK GIBSON. HOW DO YOU THINK -- HOW IS IT THAT IT COULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN YESTERDAY, AND HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOU? >> YOU KNOW, THESE ARGUMENTS WHERE SCIENCE AND POLITICS CLASH, MEET, CLIMATE CHANGE IS OBVIOUSLY A REALLY EASY PARALLEL TO MAKE WHERE A LOT OF SCIENTISTS OR MOST SCIENTISTS ARE SAYING THAT, YES, YOU KNOW, CARBON EMISSIONS AND FOSSIL FUELS ARE CHANGING THE WEATHER, TO DISASTROUS EFFECTS, AND IT'S JUST GOING TO GET WORSE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE CONSENSUS. BUT NOT EVERYBODY BELIEVES THAT. NOT ALL POLITICIANS WANT TO MAKE DECISIONS AND POLICIES THAT ARE BASED ON THAT KIND OF SCIENCE. WHY? WELL, BECAUSE ECONOMIC INTERESTS, LARGE OIL COMPANIES THAT GO UNDER OR DON'T, YOU KNOW, OR FUNDING POLITICIANS AND LOBBYING POLITICIANS, AND JOBS THAT MIGHT BE LOST -- ALTHOUGH JOBS CAN BE CREATED, YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU SEE POLITICIANS MAKING DECISIONS BASED ON ECONOMICS. NOW, WE FACED A SIMILAR THING DURING THE PANDEMIC. SO IT'S LIKE DO WE SHUT DOWN THE ECONOMY? DO PEOPLE GO OUT OF BUSINESS? ARE -- BUSINESSES CLOSED DURING THE PANDEMIC, CERTAINLY DID. WAS THAT THE BEST DECISION? WERE THERE OTHER CHOICES TO MAKE? I MEAN, THERE WERE PEOPLE SAYING WE SHOULD TRY HERD IMMUNITY AND SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE, AND SOME PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LIVE. WE LIVED THROUGH ALL THESE THINGS AND ARE LIVING THROUGH THEM. AFTER THE SHOW, SOMETIMES PEOPLE WAIT OUTSIDE TO SAY HI OR -- AND YOU SEE PEOPLE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS PLAY IS IMPACTING THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE LIVING THIS. THEY'RE -- YOU KNOW, THEY -- THEY DON'T NECESSARILY TRUST THEIR LEADERS OR PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY HAVE POLITICAL MOTIVATIONS RATHER THAN THE -- YOU KNOW, MOTIVATIONS FOR THE WELLBEING OF THE CITIZENS. >> IS THAT PART OF WHAT DREW YOU TO THIS PLAY, THE FACT THAT, YES, IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE 1800s, BUT THERE'S SO MANY PARALLELS TO TODAY, TO OUR WORLD? >> OH, YEAH. IT'S EXTREMELY RELEVANT. EXTREMELY. >> WHY DID YOU WANT TO DO THIS ROLE? >> I THINK IT'S -- I THINK IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PLAY FOR NOW, YOU KNOW. THE FACT THAT IT'S SO OLD, THAT IT'S 140 YEARS OLD, REALLY MEANS THAT WE HAVEN'T LEARNED OUR LESSON. >> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT MOMENT IS WHERE JEREMY STRONG IS ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE AS THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ALL OF US, AND SAYING AT LEAST WE WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS IN AMERICA? >> WHEN HE SAYS THAT LINE, AMERICA WON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS, WHICH HE REALLY SAYS AFTER THEY'VE BASICALLY BEAT HIM UP AND VANDALIZED HIS HOUSE, PEOPLE APPLAUD WHEN THEY HEAR THAT LINE. YOU KNOW, WE LOOKED AT DURING REHEARSAL VIDEOS FROM JANUARY 6th. I MEAN, THAT -- YOU KNOW, THE VIOLENCE THAT HAPPENS IN OUR PLAY, YOU KNOW, WE MADE A DIRECT PARALLEL TO WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THERE'S MISINFORMATION AND THERE'S MANIPULATION OF -- LISTEN, PEOPLE ATTACKED THE CAPITOL BASED ON ABSOLUTE LIES. THAT WAS CONFIRMED BY PRETTY MUCH EVERY, YOU KNOW, JUDGE AND, YOU KNOW, EXPERT AND EVERYBODY. LIES AND LUST FOR POWER. AND PEOPLE WERE HURT, AND PEOPLE DIED AS A RESULT OF THAT. >> SO YOU WATCHED JANUARY 6th VIDEO TO PREPARE FOR WHAT IS FRANKLY ONE OF THE TOUGHEST SCENES IN THE ENTIRE PLAY WHICH IS WHEN YOUR BROTHER IN THE PLAY IS GETTING PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED. WHY WAS THAT IMPORTANT TO GO BACK TO JANUARY 6th? >> YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW. HOW QUICKLY THESE -- IT STARTS WITH WORDS AND IDEAS, THAT SCENE. AND HOW QUICKLY IT TURNS INTO VIOLENCE. >> AND THE REAL WORLD LITERALLY COLLIDED WITH THIS PRODUCTION DURING ONE OF THE PREVIEWS OF THE PLAY WHEN DURING THE VERY BRIEF PAUSE IN THE PLAY, CLIMATE ACTIVISTS STOOD UP AND STARTED SHOUTING. >> I OBJECT -- I OBJECT TO THE SENTENCING OF SCIENTISTS. >> THEY HAD EITHER SEEN THE PLAY OR GOT A COPY OF THE SCRIPT BECAUSE THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO INTERJECT. THERE'S A PLACE WHERE THE MODERATOR OF THE TOWN HALL SAYS IF THERE'S NO FURTHER OBJECTIONS, DR. STOCKMAN, YOU MAY SPEAK. SOMEONE STOOD UP AND SAID, "I OBJECT, THERE'S NO THEATER ON A DEAD PLANET" AT THAT POINT STILL THINKING HE MAY BE A PLANT. AND PART -- THAT THE DIRECTOR PUT INTO -- IN TO THROW ME A CURVE BALL. I WENT OUT AND STARTED PUSHING HIM OUT OF THE THEATER. I WAS NOT TRYING TO HURT HIM. I WAS DOING IT VERY SAFELY. BUT THEN I REALIZED, OH, HE'S A REAL ACTIVIST. AND THEN THERE WERE SOME OTHER ACTIVISTS WHO STOOD UP IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE THEATER. I WASN'T OFFENDED. I WASN'T LIKE HOW DARE THEY INTERRUPT MY PLAY? I THINK THEY DID IT IN A CONSTRUCTIVE, RESPECTFUL WAY, ALTHOUGH IF IT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST THREE SCENES IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY KIND OF DISRESPECTFUL. >> HOW DO YOU SEE THE ROLE OF ART, OF THEATER, OF ACTING IN OUR POLITICS, IN OUR WORLD TODAY? >> PEOPLE RECEIVE SO MUCH INFORMATION THESE DAYS, CONSTANTLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH TELEVISION, THROUGH, YOU KNOW -- NEWS, ALL THE TIME. AND A STORY LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW, ENGAGING IN A STORY CAN REALLY GIVE A KIND OF WIDER PERSPECTIVE AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, MAKE THE PERSON THINK FOR THEMSELVES ABOUT THE ISSUE. HOW DO I REALLY FEEL ABOUT THIS? AND YOU KNOW, TWO HOURS SITTING IN THAT ENVIRONMENT JUST IN THIS STORY CAN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE AFFECT THE BRAIN DIFFERENTLY TO HAVE YOU SETTLE DOWN AND THINK INTO IT A LITTLE, INTO THESE ISSUES A LITTLE MORE. >> AND BY THE WAY, TOMORROW ON "TODAY," TOM LLAMAS SITS DOWN WITH THE CAST OF "THE SOPRANOS" TO CELEBRATE THE 25th ANNIVERSARY. THEY REFLECT ON THE SHOW'S ENDURING LEGACY AND SHARE MEMORIES OF THEIR LATE CO-STAR JAMES GANDOLFINI. >>> WE APPRECIATE YOU WATCHING. MOST PERSONALLY, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL YOU DADS. MY DAD AMONG THEM. WE ARE BACK NEXT WEEK BECAUSE IF IT'S SUNDAY, IT'S "MEET THE PRESS." ♪♪
