THE ABORTION PILL BUT LEFT OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT FUTURE BANS COULD ACTUALLY SUCCEED. BUT WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH CHAOS AT HOME AND CHAOS ABROAD. AS PRESIDENT BIDEN MET WITH NERVOUS WORLD LEADERS FOR THE GP SUMMIT AMID THE RISE OF EUROPEAN FASCISM, DONALD TRUMP WAS RALLYING HIS SYCOPHANTIC TROOPS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AS FOR THE CHAOS AT HOME, ALLOW ME TO SHARE A STORY YOU PROBABLY DON'T HEAR MUCH ABOUT. PROBABLY DIDN'T HEAR MUCH ABOUT. LAST NIGHT'S CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME, AN ANNUAL AFFAIR THAT'S NORMALLY PRETTY INNOCUOUS. THIS YEAR, IT WAS INTERRUPTED BY CLIMATE PROTESTORS. EIGHT WERE ARRESTED AS THEY TRIED TO PROTEST ON THE FIELD WEARING SHIRTS READING END FOSSIL FUELS. MEANWHILE, REPRESENTATIVE LAUREN BOBERT WAS REPORTEDLY FLOUTING RULES BY VAPING WHERE IT'S FORBIDDEN. THE WHOLE AFFAIR IS IN SOME WAYS EMBLEMMATIC OF OUR POLITICS. PARTICULARLY THE EMBARRASSING HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WHERE SHE IS THE TYPICAL REPUBLICAN MEMBER. FLOUTING THE RULES OF CLASS AND DECENCY. WHICH LEAVES PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT CRUCIAL ISSUES FOR OUR PLANET OR COUNTRY TO TRY TO LITIGATE THEM WITH LAWMAKERS IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE. AND THERE'S ANOTHER WAY THAT CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME'S EMBLEMMATIC OF THE MESS WE'RE IN. AFTER REPUBLICANS WON, THEY GAVE THE BALL TO SOMEONE WHO WASN'T THERE. DONALD TRUMP. THEIR KING OF KING AND LORD OF LORDS. TODAY, THE REPUBLICAN GOD HEAD WHO FOMENTED AN -- CENTERS ON GETTING HIM OUT OF HIS CONVICTION ON 34 FELONY COUNTS. HOUSE REPUBLICANS REPORTEDLY KICKED OFF THEIR MEETING BY SINGING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO TRUMP WHO TURNED 78 YEARS OLD TOMORROW. TRUMP IS REPORTEDLY VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THEM FOR DROPPING THEIR PLANS TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR NO REASON AND WITH NO EVIDENCE BUT NOW THAT HE IS CONVICTED OF FELONIES, HIS SYCOPHANTS ARE LOOKING AT WHETHER THERE IS SOME WAY THEY COULD INTERVENE AND OVERTURN HIS HUMILIATION. AMONG THE TOPICS, HARNESSING THE POWERS OF CONGRESS TO GO TO WAR AGAINST THE DEMOCRATS. IN ONE OF HIS FIRST CALLS ON THE OF HIS CONVICTION WAS TO REPUBLICAN HOUSE SPEAKER, MIKE JOHNSON, INSISTING WE HAVE TO OVERTURN THIS. THAT'S RIGHT. THE ROYAL WE. AND HE DIDN'T HOLD BACK ON HIS BASELESS ATTACKS ABOUT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. ACCORDING TO THE "WASHINGTON POST," TRUMP REPEATED HIS ATTACKS ON THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CALLING THE DEPARTMENT DIRTY, NO GOOD BASTARDS ACCORDING TO PEOPLE IN THE ROOM. THE DEPARTMENT, WHICH AS A REMINDER, HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH BRAGG'S PROSECUTION OF THE JURY'S GUILTY VERDICT. YET NOW, HOUSE AND SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE DOING THEIR VERY BEST TO OFFER SOME OPTIONS TO APPEASE THEIR MAD KING. LIKE USING THE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS TO TARGET SPECIAL COUNSEL, JACK SMITH, AND CUT OFF FUNDING. MIKE JOHNSON IS ALREADY BACKING A BILL TO LET A PRESIDENT MOVE A CASE TO FEDERAL COURT. I GUESS PRESUMING THERE WILL BE LOTS OF FUTURE FELON PRESIDENTS? AND REPUBLICAN SENATORS ARE EXPANDING A PUNITIVE BLOCKADE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN'S NOMINEES. SENATOR J.D. VANCE IS SPEARHEADING THAT EFFORT. PRESUMABLY PART OF HIS TRYOUT TO BE THE NEXT HANG MIKE PENCE DESPITE ONCE COMPARING TRUMP TO HITLER. BEFORE DRINKING THE MAGA JUICE AND TAKING THE KNEE. IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT DONALD TRUMP DID NOT MEET WITH REPUBLICANS IN THE ACTUAL U.S. CAPITOL TODAY, BUT RATHER AT THE NEARBY CAPITOL HILL CLUB. HIS FIRST VISIT TO CAPITOL HILL SINCE JANUARY 6th, 2021, WHERE AS WE ALL REMEMBER, STORMED THE CAPITOL TRYING TO ATTACK MANY OF THE SAME MEMBERS TRUMP MET WITH TODAY. THAT INCLUDES MITCH McCONNELL WHO SAID THIS NOT LONG AFTER THE CAPITOL COUP ATTEMPT. >> THERE'S NO QUESTION. DONE. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS PRACTICALLY AND MORALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVOKING THE EVENTS OF THE DAY. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. >> WELL, I GUESS IT'S ALL GOOD NOW SINCE MITCH McCONNELL HAS SINCE ENDORSED THE DEAR LEADER AND ATTENDED TODAY'S LITTLE PEP RALLY FOR TRUMP BECAUSE I MEAN, HE SAID HE'D SUPPORT THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE. McCONNELL CALLED TODAY'S MEETING ENTIRELY POSITIVE. WHILE MOST OF THE REST OF THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS THE MOB TRIED TO KILL ON JANUARY 6th, APPLAUDED AND STOOD BY ADORINGLY WHILE TRUMP DID HIS USUAL GRAMP HAS BEEN WATCHING TOO MUCH FOX AND NEEDS A NAP ACT. >> WE'RE A NATION BEING LAUGHED AT ALL OVER THE WORLD, A LEADER THAT'S BEING LAUGHED AT. >> LESS THAN TWO YEARS, MY ADMINISTRATION HAS ACCOMPLISHED MORE THAN ALMOST ANY ADMINISTRATION IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. AMERICA'S SO TRUE. DIDN'T EXPECT THAT REACTION, BUT THAT'S OKAY. >> RIGHT. THEY WERE LAUGHING AT YOU, DONALD. JOINING ME NOW IS FORMER SENATOR, CLAIRE McCASKILL, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST AND CO-HOST OF HOW TO WIN 2024. AND RUTH, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR OF HISTORY AND AUTHOR OF STRONGMEN. THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE AND CLAIRE, I WANT TO START WITH YOU. LET ME READ TO YOU CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON WHO CHAIRED THE JANUARY 6th SELECT COMMITTEE. HIS RESPONSE TO DONALD TRUMP'S RETURN TO CAPITOL HILL. AFTER INCITING A DEADLY INSURRECTION THAT DECIMATED THE HALLS OF CONGRESS, HOW DARE TRUMP SHOW HIS FACE ON THESE GROUNDS. CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ALLOW HIM TO WALTZ IN HERE WHEN IT'S KNOWN HE HAS NO REGARD FOR DEMOCRACY. SINCE JANUARY 6th, DONALD TRUMP HAS REPEATEDLY DOUBLED DOWN ON HIS DISRESPECT FOR THE RULE OF LAW AND CONTINUES TO SEW HATE AND DIVISION. HE STILL PRESENTS THE SAME DIRE THREAT TO OUR DEMOCRACY THAT HE DID THREE YEARS AGO AND HE'D BE WISE TO HEAD BACK TO MAR-A-LAGO AND AWAIT HIS SENTENCING. UNQUOTE. YOUR THOUGHTS. >> WELL, IT'S SOMETHING, ISN'T IT? WATCHING THEM ALL CLAP AND YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THE FOLKS I SERVED WITH WHO WOULD TELL ME IN VERY PLAIN TERMS WHAT A DISASTER DONALD TRUMP WAS THE FIRST TIME HE WAS PRESIDENT. THEY'D GO TO MEETINGS AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY'D COME BACK AND WE'D HUDDLE ON THE SENATE FLOOR AND I'D SAY HOW WAS IT. THEY'D SAY IT'S UNBELIEVABLE. IT'S ALL ABOUT HIM. YET THEY ALL ARE. THE OTHER THING I DID TODAY, JOY, YOU MAY BE COVERING THIS IN ANOTHER SEGMENT. THEY VOTED AGAINST PROTECTING IVF. YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK, THEY VOTED AGAINST PROTECTING CONTRACEPTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY THINK THIS IS, BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THERE ARE UNDECIDED VOTERS EVERYWHERE THAT ARE WATCHING THEM GENUFLECT TO THIS GUY. WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO AMERICA AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY? >> RUTH, TALK ABOUT WHAT THIS IS. THERE IS A STRONG MAN KIND OF PLAYBOOK OF THE WAY THEY GET PEOPLE TO BEND THE KNEE. THE IMAGE TO ME OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO HIS MOB TRIED TO KILL GOING UP TO DONALD TRUMP AND SAYING HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. PRESIDENT, HERE'S THE BASEBALL FROM OUR GAME YESTERDAY. IT'S PATHETIC. IT'S UNMANLY. IT'S SAD. BUT IT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO WERE CALLING DONALD TRUMP A RACIST, A BIGOT. THEY KNOW HE'S A FELON. WHY ARE THEY TAKING THE KNEE AND IN SUCH HUMILIATING FASHION INCLUDING McCONNELL? >> THESE ARE CLASSIC AUTHORITARIAN DYNAMICS. ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS ABOUT IT IS IT ASKS YOU TO BETRAY NOT ONLY YOUR COMPATRIOTS WHEN THEY START GETTING HAULED AWAY FOR DEPORTATION, YOU TURN THE OTHER CHEEK, BUT IT ASKS YOU TO BETRAY YOURSELF. IT'S A KIND OF MORAL COLLAPSE THAT YOU KNOW HAVING TRUMP BACK ON CAPITOL HILL, I SEE THIS AS A KIND OF SYMBOLIC UNDOING OF JANUARY 6th. WHERE HE HAD REPUBLICANS RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES. THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE CALLING THEIR LOVED ONES TO SAY GOOD-BYE. SOME OF THEM YOU KNOW, ESCAPED HARM BY 20, 30 SECONDS. AND AUTHORITARIAN LEADER CULTS REQUIRE YOU TO SUBMIT TO THAT THEN FORGET ABOUT IT. FORGET ABOUT YOUR OWN WELL-BEING. AND INSTEAD, CLASH THE LEADER WHO HUMILIATED YOU AND PUT YOU IN HARM. IT'S REALLY DANGEROUS AND SAD. >> CLAIRE, COMBINED WHAT THE TWO OF YOU ARE SAYING, DO THEY UNDERSTAND YOUR FORMER FELLOW SENATORS THAT TRUMP NEEDS THEM MORE THAN THEY NEED HIM? REPUBLICAN BASED VOTERS WILL VOTE FOR ANY REPUBLICAN. YOU COULD SAY I AM THE DEVIL HIMSELF. ARE YOU A REPUBLICAN? YES. THEY'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR THAT PERSON. DOESN'T MATTER WHO IT IS. THEIR BASE IS GOING TO VOTE REPUBLICAN. TRUMP NEEDS THEIR IMPRIME TOR. HE NEEDS NORMAL PEOPLE WHO FEEL A LITTLE ICKY AND VOTING FOR A FELON, A PERSON WHO TRIED TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT. HAVING MITCH McCONNELL BLESS THAT IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING TRUMP NEEDS. SOMEONE WHO WILL IGNORE THE FACT HE CALLED OUR MILITARY LOSERS AND SUCKERS. HE NEEDS THEM. DO THEY UNDERSTAND THAT? >> I THINK THEY COULD HAVE AT ONE POINT IN TIME. LET'S REWIND THE TAPE. THE ACCESS HOLLYWOOD TAPE. I MEAN, LET'S, WHEN THAT HAPPENED, KEEP IN MIND THESE, MANY OF THESE ARE THE SAME REPUBLICANS THAT WHEN TODD AIKEN SAID WHEN A WOMAN IS LEGITIMATELY RAPED, HER BODY HAS A WAY OF SHUTTING DOWN. ALL THE REPUBLICAN LEADERS REJECTED HIM. THAT'S WHY I WON BY SUCH A BIG MARGIN. IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF ME. IT'S BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS STOOD UP TO HIM AND SAID THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE. THEY HAD A MOMENT THEN WHEN SOME OF THEM BACKED UP AND SAID NO, BUT THEN THEY ALL GOT AFRAID BECAUSE THEY SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO SOME REPUBLICANS WHO HAD DONE THAT. IF THEY WOULD HAVE UNITED AGAINST HIM, ONCE AGAIN, THE FIRST IMPEACHMENT. IF THEY WOULD HAVE UNITED AND SAY THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE OR AFTER JANUARY 6th, IF THEY WOULD HAVE HELD ON TO THEIR FEAR, JOSH HAWLEY WAS RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE AND HE WAS STANDING THERE TODAY APPLAUDING LIKE THIS IS THE BIGGEST HERO IN AMERICA. IF THEY JUST WOULD HAVE STAYED WHERE THEY WERE RIGHT AFTER JANUARY 6th, DONALD TRUMP WOULDN'T BE THE NOMINEE. HE WOULD NOT. BUT THEY ARE TOO AFRAID OF THE BASE OF THEIR PARTY EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE SUPPOSED T
