>> I AM DI SAITO. LET'S STRAIGHT TO OUR TOP STORY. OPENING STATEMENTS HAVE JUST ENDED IN A HISTORIC CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY TRIAL AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. TRUMP'S ATTORNEY TODD BLANCH STARTED HIS STATEMENT BY BLUNTLY TELLING THE JURY THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS INNOCENT, LATER ADDING, QUOTE, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TRYING TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION. IT'S CALLED DEMOCRACY. THE PROSECUTION SAYS THE CASE IS ABOUT A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND, QUOTE, ELECTION FRAUD, PURE AND SIMPLE. TRUMP HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO FALSIFYING BUSINESS TO CONCEAL A HUSH MONEY PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION. LET'S BRING IN ABC NEWS EDITORIAL PRODUCER SANTUCCI, ABC NEWS POLITICAL DIRECTOR RICK KLEIN AND ABC NEWS LEGAL BRIAN BUCKMIRE. FOR MORE ON THIS, JOHN, WHAT'S THE LATEST? THE COURTROOM WAITING QUITE ACTUALLY, BECAUSE WE WENT ON A QUICK LITTLE BREAK AFTER OPENING STATEMENTS WERE COMPLETED BY BOTH PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE DIANE. THE DAY IS GETTING CUT SHORT BECAUSE OF A PERSONAL MATTER INVOLVING OF THE ALTERNATE JURORS. SO WE'VE ONLY GOT 30 MINUTES LEFT OF TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS. SO IN THEORY, THEY COULD GET STARTED WITH THEIR FIRST WITNESS BEING DAVID BY PROSECUTORS. WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IF THAT ACTUALLY DOES HAPPEN. SO FAR, I THINK THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM, OPENING STATEMENTS MADE BY BOTH THE PROSECUTORS AND DONALD TRUMP'S DEFENSE TEAM, YOU KNOW, BOILS DOWN TO TWO DIFFERENT ARGUMENTS, RIGHT, FOR THE PROSECUTORS STANDPOINT THIS IS ELECTION INTERFERENCE, THE BEHAVIOR OF DONALD, YOU KNOW, IS SOMETHING THAT WAS WELL KNOWN. BOTH NDAS AND THE WAY HE SPOKE ABOUT WOMEN. THEY REFERENCED THE INFAMOUS "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" TAPE THAT CAME OUT JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE 2016 ELECTION. ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THINGS, IT'S -- IT'S THE THE TRUMP LEGAL TEAM THAT'S MAKING THIS ARGUMENT, LOOK, THIS IS NORMAL BUSINESS PROCEDURE. NDAS. EVERYBODY USES THEM. SECOND, DONALD TRUMP AND MICHAEL COHEN HAD A LONG STANDING RELATIONS SHIP AS HIS ATTORNEY. HE WAS ADVISED BY HIS ATTORNEY. HE WAS PAID BACK FOR THAT AND OTHER SERVICES HE DID FOR DONALD TRUMP AS ATTORNEY. SO I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT OF ALL OF THESE PROCEEDINGS FROM BOTH SIDES IS TWO WORDS, MICHAEL COHEN AND LET'S GO TO THAT, BRIAN, BECAUSE THE DEFENSE DIDN'T WASTE ANY TIME HERE TALKING ABOUT MICHAEL COHEN, TRUMP'S FORMER ATTORNEY WHO MADE ALLEGED HUSH MONEY PAYMENT, SAY, TOWARD THE END OF OPENING STATEMENTS, MICHAEL COHEN IS OBSESSED WITH DONALD TRUMP. HE CANNOT TRUSTED THE PROSECUTION. ALSO IN THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS, A FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP LIVE WALKING BACK INTO THAT COURTROOM. BRIAN, THE PROSECUTION ALSO PREPPED THE JURY SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT ABOUT MICHAEL COHEN. WHAT DO YOU MAKE ABOUT THAT? AND THE LEVEL OF FOCUS ON MICHAEL COHEN JUST IN HIS OPENING STATEMENTS? SO THIS WHAT I THINK I THINK BOTH SIDES ARE ZEROING IN ON AN ELEMENT, VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT ,THIS CRIME, WHEN WITH THE INTENT TO DEFRAUD AND GOING TO BE A BIG ASPECT HERE BECAUSE OF ALL THE WITNESSES. MICHAEL COHEN, IS THE ONE THAT I BELIEVE CAN FOCUS IN ON THE INTENT ASPECT, CAN TALK ABOUT WHAT DONALD TRUMP ALLEGEDLY SAID TO HIM AS TO WHY WAS IMP SUIT AND QUESW ABOUT THE BOND THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP POSTED IN THAT CASE. JOHN, I WANT TO BRING IN AND LET'S GO OVER TO OUR PRODUCER, JOHN SANTUCCI, JUST TO SORT OF CATCH UP WHAT'S HAPPENING, BECAUSE IT'S INTERESTING, HAVE THESE TWO CASES PLAYING OUT JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. >> THERE ARE LITERALLY TWO THINGS HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME, DIANE, WHICH IS JUST REMARKABLE ALL RIGHT NOW IN COURT. SO FIRST, LET'S START WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THAT CRIMINAL COURTROOM WITH LESS THAN A HALF HOUR TO GO IN TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS, PROSECUTORS HAVE JUST CALLED THEIR FIRST WITNESS, DAVID , THE FORMER PUBLISHER, THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER, TO THE STAND, THE ONE WHO THEY SAY WAS WORKING WITH DONALD TRUMP AND MICHAEL COHEN TO BUILD OUT THE CATCH AND KILL SCHEME. SO THAT'S REALLY GOING TO START TO BUILD THEIR CASE WITH VERY TIME. SO OBVIOUSLY, HE'S GOING TO COME BACK TO THE STAND TOMORROW. BUT IT JUST SHOWS THE SPEED TO WHICH JUDGE MERCHAN IS MOVING THESE PROCEEDINGS WITH THE FACT THAT OPENINGS ARE DONE. WE'RE ALREADY ON THE FIRST WITNESS FOR PROSECUTORS. SO THAT'S THE CRIMINAL CASE ON THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CASE, WHICH WAS ALSO, AS YOU NOTED, HAPPENING TODAY, THERE WAS AN ARGUMENT BY PROSECUTOR, I'M SORRY, ATTORNEYS FOR THE YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL, THAT THERE WERE SOME CONCERNING ISSUES WITH BOND COMPANY THAT EVENTUALLY STEPPED UP AND MET DONALD TRUMP AT $175 MILLION BOND HE HAD TO PUT UP IN THAT CASE. NOW, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH FOR NOW, DONALD TRUMP'S LEGAL TEAM WAS SUCCESSFUL IN STOPPING THE BLEEDING. IN THAT CASE, THEY MET SEVERAL CONDITIONS. THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL'S TEAM WANTED TO BASICALLY HAVE STIPULATE ACTIONS AS THIS GOES FORWARD. SO THAT'S SORT OF A THING THAT FOR THE MOMENT WE HAVE TO SORT OF SEE IF THOSE CONDITIONS ARE MET. THE JUDGE GAVE THEM SEVERAL TO DO SO. MY HONEST INTERPRETATION OF THAT, I FEEL LIKE THAT'S GOING TO BASICALLY GO THEIR WAY FOR NOW. AND NOW WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THAT'S BOND FOR NOW. DONALD TRUMP IS STILL ON THE HOOK FOR THE ENTIRE NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLAR RULING THAT CAME DOWN FROM THAT JUDGE EARLIER THIS YEAR. OF COURSE, THAT RULING IS BEING APPEALED. DONALD TRUMP. SO NOT YET CLEAR WHEN HE'D ACTUALLY HAVE TO PAY UP IF THE ORDER IS STAYED. SO WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. THERE. >> ALL RIGHT. AND BRIAN, I WANT TO TAKE US BACK NOW TO THE CRIMINAL HUSH MONEY TRIAL THAT WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL MORNING. OPENING STATEMENTS ARE NOW DONE . THE PROSECUTION JUST CALLED DAVID TO THE WITNESS STAND. HE'S THE OF THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER, A LONG TIME FRIEND OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP AND ACCUSED IN THIS CATCH AND KILL SCHEME ESSENTIALLY OF AGREEING TO BE EYES AND EARS FOR DONALD TRUMP ONCE HE DECIDED TO RUN FOR OFFICE TO SEEK OUT NEGATIVE STORIES AGAINST THE PRESIDENT, AGAINST THE FORMER PRESIDENT, THEN CANDIDATE TRUMP, AND ESSENTIALLY MAKE THEM GO AWAY OFTEN BY PAYING PEOPLE OFF. HOW MUCH DOES THIS TESTIMONY WEIGH IN TO LARGER CASE AT HAND HERE? >> IT'S WHAT WE CALL LEGALLY THE. AND FROM THERE YOU BUILD THE I AM THE ONE WHO WITH DONALD TRUMP, IF YOU BELIEVE IT IN TESTIMONY BUILD A FOUNDATION OF THIS CATCH AND KILL SCHEME. AND THEN FROM THERE YOU'RE JUST BUILDING UP FROM THE PROVERBIAL HOME OF, OKAY, THERE'S A FOUNDATION. OKAY, WHAT DO WE DO? WE CAUGHT THIS STORY AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THIS ONE STORY AND THEN HOW THEY ARE ABLE TO THEN KILL THAT STORY BASED ON PAYMENTS. THEN ULTIMATELY THEY'LL COME TO THE STORMY DANIELS STORY AND DO THE SAME THING, AND THEY'LL JUST KEEP SHOWING HOW THIS CATCH AND KILL SCHEME WORKED THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS. THEN THEY'LL GET TO THE ACTUAL CRIME THAT THE ARE TRYING TO PROVE IN THIS CASE, THAT BEING THE COVER UP THAT HERE IS THE HERE IS THE COVER UP WHO THIS IS. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEE AN UNDERLYING CRIME AS TO WHY IT'S A IT'S A FELONY AND AN EXPLANATION AS TO HOW THESE CHARGES. >> AND THEN THAT WILL BE THE PROSECUTOR TRYING TO PROVE THEIR CASE BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT. YOU SORT OF TOUCHED ON MY NEXT QUESTION, BUT WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO SHOW THAT DAVID IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A PAYMENT TO KAREN MCDOUGAL, A PAYMENT TO A DOORMAN WHO HAD SOME DISPARAGING INFORMATION AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP THAT ENDED UP APPARENTLY NOT PANNING OUT? >> WHY DO THEY NEED TO SHOW THAT SINCE THOSE INSTANCES ARE NOT AT THE HEART OF THIS CASE, WHICH IS THE PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY NEED TO, BUT IT DEFINITELY STRENGTHENS THEIR CASE THAT MUCH. THEY CAN GO STRAIGHT TO IT. IN THE VERY BORING CASE OF HERE ARE STORMY DANIELS, HERE IS MICHAEL COHEN HERE THE ELEMENT OF CRIME AND THEN DONE WHAT THEIR ABILITY TO PROSECUTOR DISCRETION AND TO PROSECUTE THE CASE IN THE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WANT AND THE WAY THAT THE LAW ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD THIS WHOLE SCHEME SHOW HOW THIS WHOLE ENTITY, THIS ENTERPRISE OPERATED. AND SO THAT IT CREATES A LESSON, AN ABILITY FOR DEFENSE TO POKE HOLES IN. BECAUSE IF THEY JUST CAME FORWARD WITH JUST STORMY DANIELS STORY, A DEFENSE ATTORNEY LIKE MYSELF WOULD COME TO LIKE, WELL, NO, THIS IS JUST A RUN OF THE MILL PAYOFF. THERE WAS SCHEME, THERE WAS NO MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF THIS HAPPENING. AND THEN THIS JUST A LEGAL EXPENSE. AND SO I THINK THE PROSECUTOR, THEY'RE TRYING TO BUILD AN IRONCLAD CASE WITH MULTIPLE CATCH AND KILL SCHEMES THAT THEY'RE SAYING DONALD TRUMP PARTICIPATED. >> RICK, THE JUDGE ALSO RULED TODAY THAT IF TRUMP DOES DECIDE TO TAKE THE STAND HERE, THAT HE CAN BE ASKED PREVIOUS CASES. SO THAT LEAVES HIM A BIT MORE VULNERABLE THAN MAYBE THOUGHT IF HE DOES CHOOSE TO TAKE THE STAND, IT'S SOMETHING ATTORNEYS MAY ADVISE HIM AGAINST BECAUSE OF THAT. BUT POLITICALLY, WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO CONSIDER IN THIS DECISION OF WHETHER OR NOT TO TESTIFY IN HIS OWN DEFENSE? >> WELL, FIRST, I NEVER THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO TAKE THE STAND IN THIS CASE. HE HAS SAID HE TO REPORTERS ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO, THAT HE'D BE GLAD TO DO IT. I REMEMBER HIM SAYING THE SAME ABOUT THE MUELLER PROBE. AND LOOK, I THINK HE HE ANSWERS YES TO THAT MAYBE HE PERSONALLY WOULD LIKE TO. BUT AS BRIAN AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN POINTING OUT ALL MORNING, IT WOULD BE A BAD LEGAL MOVE TO TAKE THE STAND. ALSO ARGUE THAT IT'S A BAD POLITICAL MOVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE BIG POTENTIAL. YOU'RE NOT ON CAMERA. YOU HAVE BIG POTENTIAL OF GETTING YOURSELF IN FURTHER LEGAL JEOPARDY, OF CONTRADICTING. THAT'S SAID OUTSIDE JUST IN HIS FACIAL EXPRESSIONS WOULD BE WOULD BE ANALYZED HIM HAVING THE BENEFIT OF OF HAVING THE BROADCAST ALL OVER THE PLACE. YOU CAN GO OUTSIDE AND TALK AS MUCH AS HE WANTS. AND HE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND HAS CONTINUED TO DO THAT. SO I THINK THIS MAKES IT A LITTLE LESS LIKELY THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN. >> WHATEVER WHATEVER COMES TO PASS. I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO TAKE THE STAND. >> AND JOHN, WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT TRUMP'S DEMEANOR INSIDE THE COURTROOM SO FAR? >> AND HOW DO YOU THINK TRUMP'S TEAM IS GOING TO FEEL ABOUT DAY ONE SO FAR? WELL WELL, SO, SO FAR FROM THE DEMEANOR, A LOT OF PASSING NOTES IS OUR TEAM IS REPORTING RIGHT NOW I'M LEANING IN, YOU KNOW, TAPPING LAWYERS. OBVIOUSLY, WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT SHAKING HIS HEAD. WHAT I THINK IS INTERESTING AND TALKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER WHEN YOU WERE ASKING ME ABOUT FAMILY, OTHERS JOINING US. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE LEGAL TEAM THAT WAS ARGUING, THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CASE, WHICH WAS JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM WHERE THEY ARE RIGHT NOW, HAS JOINED DONALD TRUMP IN COURTROOM. WE SAW ALEENA. HOBBS, OBVIOUSLY ANOTHER MEMBER OF HIS LEGAL TEAM THAT WAS WORKING ON THAT CASE. I'M TOLD THAT ALAN GARTEN, WHO'S CHIEF COUNSEL TO THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION, IS NOW IN THERE WITH THEM. AND THAT PLAYS INTO THAT CONVERSATION. THE THREE OF US WERE HAVING A LITTLE EARLIER. THOSE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE A LITTLE MORE FAMILIAR TO DONALD TRUMP. ALAN GARTEN HAS WORKED FOR DONALD TRUMP FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES. WE KNOW HARPER HAS BEEN WITH HIM FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE FAMILIAR FACES THAT I THINK IN THOSE MOMENTS OF TRYING TO KEEP HIM CALM, BECAUSE ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW, THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT. THE SENSE THAT DAVID WAS A LONG TIME FRIEND OF DONALD TRUMP'S WASN'T A BUSINESS ASSOCIATE. HE WASN'T SOMEBODY YOU RANDOMLY SAW WHEN YOU WENT TO GO PLAY GOLF OUT IN. THIS IS SOMEONE THAT THEY'D HAD A LONG TIME FRIENDSHIP. TO THINK THAT SOMEONE THAT IS YOUR FRIEND THAT HELPED YOU OUT IS GETTING UP THERE ON A STAND TO DIVULGE ALL ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE. THESE ARE ALL GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT WITNESSES FOR DONALD . LET'S BE CLEAR. BUT THIS IS ONE IT'S NOT LIKE MICHAEL COHEN, RIGHT? SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SO OUTWARD, PUBLICLY FACING, ATTACKING YOU ,HAS NOT SAID A THING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP IN THE LAST EIGHT PLUS YEARS. TODAY, HE'S GOING TO SAY A LOT. BRIAN, WHAT DO YOU THINK? ARE THE NEXT STEPS HERE? >> SO THE NEXT STEPS, BASED ON THE SCHEDULING THEY'VE DONE 1230 TODAY, SOME PRESSURE IS GOING TO BE ON THE STAND. I DON'T THINK IT'S DIRECT EXAMINATION IS GOING TO END. AND SO ULTIMATE TO COME BACK TOMORROW AND DIRECT EXAMINATION AND SOMETIMES TOMORROW MORNING AFTERNOON THEN CROSS-EXAMINATION AND THEN IT'S UP TO THE PROSECUTION TO PICK THEIR NEXT WITNESS. AND FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THEY'RE PROBABLY GOING THAT SIMILAR DIRECTION OF THEY GO FROM THE FOUNDATION THEY BUILD UP. SO WHOEVER THEN TAPPED IN TERMS OF GETTING THAT NEXT STORY AND HOW THEY GOT THAT STORY, A WITNESS WILL BE ABLE TO TESTIFY TO THAT. AND THEN THE NEXT WITNESS OR, THE SAME ONE, IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW THAT STORY WAS KILLED AND ULTIMATELY PAID AND LAUNCHED AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM ONE STORY TO THE NEXT. AND ULTIMATELY GOING TO START WITH DANIELS AND MICHAEL TO TRY TO TIE THIS ALL TOGETHER. THE BIG THING FOR ME, THOUGH, IS HOW THIS CROSS-EXAMINATION IS GOING TO GO, BECAUSE WE CAN KIND OF GAUGE WHERE THE DIRECT EXAMINATIONS TO GO. HOW IS THE DEFENSE GOING TO POKE THE HOLES HERE? AND WE'VE ALREADY GOT A BIT OF A MAP FROM THE OPENING STATEMENTS. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU THAT. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE OPENING STATEMENTS REVEALED IN TERMS OF WHERE THAT IS GOING? >> WELL, WE UNDERSTAND WHAT DEMOCRACY IS IN THE EYES OF DONALD TRUMP, AND THAT IS INFLUENCING OR AT LEAST HIS ATTORNEY IS PROBABLY MORE ACCURATE TO SAY, AND THAT IS THE ABILITY TO INFLUENCE AN ELECTION. ALSO, IT COMES DOWN TO CREDIBILITY, WHICH I THINK IS A MAJOR ASPECT OF THIS CASE. WILL YOU BELIEVE STORMY DANIELS, WHO GOT PAID HER SILENCE, WHO HAS A POTENTIAL BOOK DEAL AND OTHER FINANCIAL INCENTIVES, AND I'M SURE THE DEFENSE WILL READ THAT INTO A NARRATIVE AS TO WHY NOT TO BELIEVE THEM. AND THEN MICHAEL COHEN, AS THERE IS A VERY CLEAR GUIDELINE HERE AND DEFENSE WITNESS, A JURY CHARGES, IT'S LATIN, IT BASICALLY TRANSLATES TO FALSE IN. ONE THING FALSE IN ALL THINGS. AND IF YOU CAN GET MICHAEL COHEN UP THERE AND PROVE THAT HE IS FALSE IN THING AND GET A JURY TO DECIDE THAT HE COULD THROW OUT HIS ENTIRE TESTIMONY, IT'S A BIG WIN FOR DONALD TRUMP. >> BUT I DON'T THINK THE WIN HERE IS AN ACQUITTAL. I THINK THE WIN HERE IS A HUNG AND THAT WOULD BE MASSIVE FOR DONALD TRUMP. TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT FAR. >> JOHN, I SEE YOU SHAKING YOUR HEAD. I THINK THERE'S ONE POINT THAT YOU ARE. DONALD TRUMP SHOOK HIS HEAD. I KNOW. BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE POINT BRIAN MADE, WHICH IS IMPORTANT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT PROSECUTORS JUST SAID IN COURT, IS THAT YOU MENTIONED STORMY DANIELS AND HER BOOK. MICHAEL COHEN WROTE A BOOK. MICHAEL COHEN HAS A PODCAST. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE DEFENSE TEAM IS GOING TO SAY IS AND THEY SAID THIS IN COURT ALREADY IN THEIR OPENING, IS THAT MICHAEL COHEN IS OBSESSED WITH DONALD TRUMP. HIS LIVELIHOOD IS BUILT ON TEARING DONALD TRUMP DOWN. AND THEY DO HAVE ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT MICHAEL COHEN HAS SAID AND DONE, A BOOK, PODCAST, ETC., THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT RIGHT. HE'S ALSO BEEN A PART OF MULTIPLE LEGAL CASES INVOLVING THE FORMER PRESIDENT. I MEAN, HE WAS YOU KNOW, TODAY THEY WERE GOING THROUGH MOTIONS ON IT. BUT HE WAS CALLED TO TESTIFY AS PART OF THE NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERALS. HERE HE IS AGAIN. NOW, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT, IF YOU'RE A PROSECUTOR OR IF BECAUSE HE WAS HIS LAWYER, HE WAS INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING, I MEAN, DONALD TRUMP WOULD CALL COHEN THE FIXER. RIGHT. SOMETHING NEEDED FIXING THAT WAS A LITTLE NOT WITHIN A COURTROOM BOUNDS CALLED MICHAEL HILL. DEAL WITH IT. I MEAN THE NOT TIMES I HEARD DONALD TRUMP SAY, I'LL JUST CALL MICHAEL, HE'LL FIX IT. THAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP THEY HAD. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHERE WE GOT TO TODAY IS THAT PART OF THAT RELATIONSHIP CROSSED THE LINE. RICK, HOW MUCH DO VOTERS CARE ABOUT ANY OF THIS? >> IT'S UNCLEAR. I MEAN, LOOK, WE HAVEN'T SEEN IT PLAY OUT IN AS PUBLIC A FASHION OF IT HAS SO FAR. WE'VE SEEN POLLING SUGGEST THAT PEOPLE DON'T SEEM TO THINK THAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THE STORMY DANIELS HUSH MONEY THAT THAT THE CENTRAL TENETS OF THIS CRIMINAL CASE ARE NECESSARILY CRIMINAL. BUT WE HAVE SEEN PEOPLE SAY THAT IF DONALD TRUMP IS CONVICTED, THEY'RE LESS LIKELY TO VOTE FOR HIM. SO BOTH THINGS CAN BE TRUE AND WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS. I DON'T THINK WE CAN UNDERESTIMATE WHAT IT MEANS TO HAVE WALL TO WALL COVERAGE THAT EXAMINES DONALD TRUMP'S PERSONAL LIFE IN IN IN MY NEW AND OFTEN VERY AWKWARD DETAIL. I DON'T THINK WE UNDERESTIMATE WHAT IT MEANS FOR DONALD TRUMP'S OWN ACTIVITIES, HIS OWN ACTIONS OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM AS A RESULT OF THIS. IT'S GIVEN HIM A NEW PLATFORM, FOR INSTANCE, TO REPEAT FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT THE LAST ELECTION. I ALSO DON'T THINK THAT WE CAN WHAT IT MEANS SIMPLY TO HAVE HIM IN A COURTROOM FOR THIS MUCH TIME BE IN CONTROL OF HIS SURROUNDINGS. THIS IS NOT WHAT WE'RE USED TO WITH DONALD TRUMP. THIS IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF NEWS CYCLE THAT HE'S DOMINATING. IT IS NOT HAPPENING ON HIS OWN TERMS. >> BRIAN DAVID IS ON THE STAND NOW. WHAT DO YOU THINK PROSECUTORS NEED TO HEAR FROM HIM OR ARE TRYING TO GET OUT OF HIM? THOSE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GET A GLIMPSE OF THE PROSECUTOR, THE PROSECUTOR TO GET A GLIMPSE INTO TRUMP'S MINDSET AT THAT TIME WHEN THAT AGREEMENT WAS WAS WAS BUILT. WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS CATCH AND KILL SCHEME, IF I'M A DEFENSE ATTORNEY, I WOULD SAY, HEY, I'M RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE AND DONALD TRUMP IS A MULTIMILLIONAIRE. I'M TRYING TO PROTECT MY FAMILY FROM NEGATIVE NEWS. I THINK THE DEFENSE WILL BE ABLE TO KIND OF SHIFT THAT NARRATIVE TOWARDS THAT ON CROSS-EXAMINATION OR THE PROSECUTOR'S GOING TO BE ABLE TO HOLD SOME SAY LIKE, NO, THIS IS COMPLETELY ABOUT BAD AND WINNING THE ELECTION. THIS WAS ABOUT KILLING STORIES . THIS WAS ABOUT TRYING TO DEFRAUD THE PUBLIC, THE FEELING THAT UNDERMINES WHY THIS IS BEING DONE IS GOING TO BE MASSIVE FOR EITHER SIDE TO WIN. >> ALL RIGHT, JOHN SANTUCCI RICK KLEIN, BRIAN BUCKMIRE, THANK YOU ALL. AND WE
