AP Finds That President Donald Trump Base Still Supportive | Morning Joe

DICK GREGORY WAS 84 YEARS OLD. >>> BACK TO POLITICS NOW.
MORE REPUBLICANS HAVE COME OUT CRITICIZING PRESIDENT TRUMP
RESPONDING TO THE DEADLY EVENTS IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.
IN A LENGTHY FACEBOOK POST NEBRASKA SENATOR BEN SASS SAYS
IT FEELS LIKE VIOLENCE IS COMING.
HE WROTE, IN PART, "WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
I DOUBT THAT DONALD TRUMP WILL BE ABLE TO CALM AND COMFORT THE
NATION IN THAT MOMENT." THE NUMBER TWO SENATE REPUBLICAN
JOHN CORNYN TOLD "THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE," "I THINK THE
PRESIDENT HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT WOULD UNITE
AMERICA BEHIND OUR COMMON RESOLVE TO HEAL THOSE WOUNDS AND
UNITE OUR COUNTRY. UNFORTUNATELY, I DON'T THINK HE
DID THAT." IN THE WAKE OF LAST WEEK'S
EVENTS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAD REPORTERS SPEAK WITH REPUBLICAN
OFFICIALS. SEVERAL OF WHOM ARE BEGINNING TO
OPENLY EXPRESS PRIVATE DOUBTS AND ANXIETY ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT'S RECENT ACTIONS. IN KENTUCKY REPUBLICAN STATE
SENATOR WHITNEY WESTERFIELD CALLED TRUMP'S COMMENTS AFTER
CHARLOTTESVILLE'S PROTESTS MORE THAN A GAFF.
I'M CONCERNED HE SEEMS TO FIRMLY BELIEVE WHAT HE IS SAYING ABOUT
IT. TOM DAVIS, A REPUBLICAN STATE
SENATOR REPRESENTING COASTAL SOUTH CAROLINA SAID TO HIS
DISCREDIT HE HAS BEEN MADDENINGLY INCONSISTENT IN
ADVANCING THOSE POLICIES, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON SO LITTLE
HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. CHIP LAKE, A GEORGIA-BASED
REPUBLICAN OPERATIVE WHO DIDN'T VOTE FOR TRUMP IN THE GENERAL
ELECTION, SAID IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE A SCENARIO UNDER WHICH
THIS IS SUSTAINABLE UNDER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD.
LET'S BRING IN THREE OF THE AP CORRESPONDENTS WHO CONTRIBUTED
TO THAT REPORT ON CAPITOL HILL. WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE
A.P. JULIE PACE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN, STATEHOUSE
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOWER IN ATLANTA, AP NATIONAL POLITICAL
REPORTER BILL BARROW, ALSO HERE ON THE SET WITH THE CONVERSATION
WE HAVE COLUMNIST FOR "THE "NEW YORK TIMES"" BRETT STEVENS.
LET ME BEGIN WITH YOU, JULIE. ANYTHING NEW HERE, OR ARE THESE
A LOT OF THE SAME REPUBLICANS THAT SAID DONALD TRUMP WOULD
NEVER RUN, DONALD TRUMP WOULD NEVER WIN THE PRIMARY, DONALD
TRUMP WOULD NEVER WIN THE GENERAL ELECTION?
>> WELL, WE TRIED TO TALK TO REPUBLICANS WHO REALLY WERE
ACROSS THE PECK TRUM ON TRUMP DURING THE ELECTION.
SOME FOLKS LIKE CHIP LAKE, WHO YOU SAW THERE WHO DIDN'T VOTE
FOR TRUMP IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.
OTHERS LIKE TOM DAVIS WHO WAS A TRUMP DELEGATE AT THE
CONVENTION, AND FOLKS WHO AFTER THE ELECTION DECIDED THAT THEY
WERE GOING TO RALLY AROUND TRUMP AND SUPPORT HEM AS A PRESIDENT.
WE FOCUSED ON PEOPLE WHO WERE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT TRUMP ON
THE RECORD BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PRIVATE DISCUSSIONS
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT IN WASHINGTON AND AROUND THE
COUNTRY AMONG REPUBLICANS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT HIS
COMPETENCE, ABOUT HIS ABILITY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL PRESIDENT, BUT
WE REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS ON WHAT PEOPLE WERE WILLING TO SAY
PUBLICLY, AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, THIS IS NOT
NORMAL FOR REPUBLICANS -- FOR A PARTY TO BE SAYING THESE TYPES
OF THINGS ABOUT A SITTING PRESIDENT FROM THEIR OWN PARTY.
>> YEAH. >> IT IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENS IN POLITICS. >> IT'S VERY ABNORMAL, AND I
KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, NOT MANY HAVE STEPPED OUT,
BUT THE NUMBER THAT HAVE SEEMS FAIRLY UNPRECEDENTED SEVEN
MONTHS IN. YOU EVEN HAVE SOME PEOPLE
TALKING ABOUT A PRIMARY THREE AND A HALF YEARS FROM NOW.
THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT'S AT THE TOP OF HIS LIST.
IF HE HAS ANY CHANCE OF BEING RE-ELECTED.
HIS NUMBERS OBVIOUSLY HAVE FALLEN THERE, BUT HE WASN'T THE
MOST POPUL POPULAR GUY IN WISCO EVEN ON ELECTION DAY.
THERE'S A REAL DIVIDE BETWEEN REPUBLICAN STRATEGISTS AND
CONSULTANTS AND THE LIKE. THE GRASSROOTS STILL SEEM TO BE
FIRMLY BEHIND HIM, AND THE OTHER FOLKS ARE SAYING -- I HAD ONE
PERSON TELL ME LAST WEEK THAT IT WAS THE WORST WEEK OF THE
AMERICAN PRESIDENCY HE COULD REMEMBER IN HIS LIFETIME.
THERE'S A REAL DIVIDE IF ARE YOU IN WISCONSIN.
>> BILL, IT'S KATTY KAY HERE. YOU WRITE ABOUT CHIP LAKE, WHO
IS A GEORGIA-BASED GOP OPERATIVE, AND HE SAYS HE TOLD
YOU THAT HE FINDS IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THIS BEING SUSTAINABLE
OVER A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD. DID HE COME UP WITH SOME KIND OF
SCENARIO IN WHICH THIS DOESN'T LAST A FOUR-YEAR PERIOD, THAT
YOU THINK IS PLAUSIBLE? >> CHIP AND SEVERAL OTHERS
MENTIONED THAT AS THE PRESSURE BUILDS, YOU MIGHT THINK THERE
WOULD BE SOME TIPPING POINT, SOME BREAKING POINT FOR THE
PRESIDENCY, BUT CHIP ADDED, AND THIS WAS REFLECTED IN OTHER
CONVERSATIONS I HAD, I'M DONE MAKING PREDICTION WITH THIS
PRESIDENT. IT'S JUST EVERY TIME YOU THINK
IT IS GOING TO REACH AN ABSOLUTE BREAKING POINT, HE COMES BACK OR
SIMPLY IS ABLE TO SUSTAIN HIMSELF NOT IN A WAY THAT YIELDS
TO EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE, BUT IN A WAY THAT STILL DOESN'T
NECESSARILY THREATEN HIS OVERALL STANDING.
THAT'S SORT OF THE -- EVEN FROM THE REPUBLICANS COMING OUT, I
PICKED UP THIS SENSE OF I STILL DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS GOES NOW
AND WHAT DOES THIS MEAN NOT JUST FOR THE PARTY, BUT FOR THE
COUNTRY. SEVERAL PEOPLE DID MENTION,
THOUGH, THAT THEY THINK IF THERE IS A BREAKING POINT, IT WILL NOT
COME UNTIL -- UNLESS AND UNTIL THE SPECIAL COUNSEL YIELDS THE
PROVERBIAL SMOKING GUN, AND REPUBLICANS ON THE HILL ARE
PROBABLY GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THAT POINT.
>> I FOUND THIS VERY INTERESTING THIS WEEKEND.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT ITCH PEACHMENT, AND A
LOT OF REPUBLICANS SAYING JUST RESIGN.
A LOT OF SUGGESTING THAT SOMEHOW THIS TIPPING POINT IS ANY
DIFFERENT THAN, I DON'T KNOW THE "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" TIPPING POINT
OR THE THOUSAND OTHER TIPPING POINTS BEFORE THAT.
CALLING A FORMER MISS UNIVERSE FAT.
INSULTING A GOLD STAR MOTHER. USING RACE, PRETENDING HE DIDN'T
KNOW WHO DAVID DUKE WAS. PRETENDING HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
THE KLAN DID THE SAME BEFORE SUPER TUESDAY.
SAYING HE WAS GOING TO BAN OVER A BILLION MUSLIMS BECAUSE OF THE
GOD THEY WORSHIPPED. WHAT TIPPING POINT?
WE'VE HAD THOSE TIPPING POINTS. WHAT'S DIFFERENT NOW?
>> WHAT -- THE THING IS THE PRESIDENT HAS A UNIQUE ABILITY
TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
TONIGHT HE IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT AFGHANISTAN.
HE CAN JUST -- HE CAN JUST MOVE ON.
HE HAS THAT -- PRESIDENTS IN GENERAL HAVE THAT ABILITY.
HIS ACHILLES HEEL IS THIS IS A GUY WHO CAN'T APOLOGIZE, SO TO
THE EXTENT THAT HE IS PRESSED ON THE ISSUE, AS YOU SAW ON TUESDAY
IN HIS PRESS CONFERENCE, HE IS GOING TO GO FORWARD WITH IT AND
TAKE A DEEPER HOLE FOR HIMSELF. IF HE HAS ENOUGH DISCIPLINE,
WHICH IS THE BIGGEST THING IN AMERICAN POLITICS, HE CAN JUST
MOVE ON. >> IT USED TO BE THAT PEOPLE
WOULD SAY PERSONNEL IS POLICY. AS SOMEBODY --
>> NOT WITH THIS GUY. >> I WAS GOING TO SAY, AS
SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN HARSHLY CRITICAL OF DONALD TRUMP FROM
THE VERY BEGINNING, DOES IT PROVIDE YOU ANY COMFORT THAT,
YOU KNOW, FLYNN IS OUT AND BANNON IS OUT AND NOW YOU HAVE
McMASTER AND -- DO YOU SEE ANY -- DO YOU SEE ANY SILVER
LINING IN THIS VERY, VERY DARK CLOUD HANGING OVER THE WHITE
HOUSE? >> IT PROVIDES ME COMFORT IN THE
SAME WAY IT MUST HAVE PROVIDED MY FATHER COMFORT IN 1973 AND
1974 THAT YOU HAD ALEXANDER HAAG, ELLIOTT RICHARDSON, HENRY
KISSINGER IN IT THE WHITE HOUSE. A SENSE THAT NOT JUST THE
PRESIDENT, BUT A PRESIDENCY WAS IN DECLINE, AND THERE WERE
SERIOUS PEOPLE AT THE HELM. THE REAL ISSUE, THOUGH, IS THAT
PERSONNEL IS NOT POLICY WITH TRUMP BECAUSE HE STILL RETAINS
THE WHIP HAND IN THE ADMINISTRATION, AND THE TENOR OF
THE ADMINISTRATION SPURTS OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE PROBLEM. IT ISN'T AS IF HE IS ABIDING BY
CAREFULLY CRAFTED STATEMENTS. HE JUST ROLLS WITH IT.
>> JULIE, IT'S JEREMY. I HAD THIS REALLY INTERESTING
CONVERSATION I THINK YOU MIGHT APPRECIATE GIVEN YOUR REPORTING
OVER THE WEEKEND WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS ABOUT AS DIE HARD A TRUMP
SUPPORTER AS YOU CAN GET, AND SHE SAID TO ME, WELL, YOU, YOU
IF I DON'T DEFEND HIM, WHO ELSE IS GOING TO?
I THOUGHT THAT WAS SUCH A FASCINATING WINDOW INTO THE
PSYCHE OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS. SOMEHOW THIS MAN WHO HAS HAD
EVERY ADVANTAGE IN THE WORLD HAS BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS, IS -- HE IS CONVINCED AMERICANS THAT THE SYSTEM IS
STACKED AGAINST HIM AND THAT THEY NEED TO RALLY TO HIS SIDE
BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE WILL. >> IT'S STILL A BINARY CHOICE.
THEY HATE THE PRESS. THE MEDIA IS BEING TOO TOUGH ON
HIM. THEY HATE THE DEMOCRATS.
THIS IS STILL ABOUT HILLARY CLINTON.
THIS IS STILL ABOUT MSNBC. THIS IS STILL ABOUT THE "NEW
YORK TIMES." THIS IS STILL ABOUT BERNIE
SANDERS. THIS IS STILL ABOUT EVERYBODY
BUT DONALD TRUMP. >> IT REALLY IS -- IT REALLY IS
STRIKING WHEN YOU TALK TO FOLKS OUT IN THE STATES, AND BILL AND
SCOTT KNOW THIS BETTER THAN I DO FROM BEING IN WISCONSIN AND
GORNL GEORGE. TRUMP HAS REALLY PLAYED INTO A
FEELING AMONG A LOT OF AMERICANS THAT THE DECK IS STACKED AGAINST
THEM, THAT THE MEDIA IS CORRUPT, THAT WASHINGTON IS CORRUPT, AND
EVERY TIME HE RAISES THESE ISSUES PEOPLE FEEL A CONNECTION
TO IT. THIS IDEA, AGAIN, THAT HE HAS
PAINTED HIMSELF AS IN A CORNER BY HIMSELF THAT HZ SUPPORTERS
NEED TO RALLY BEHIND HIM GIVEN ALL OF THE ADVANTAGES THAT HE
HAS IS ACTUALLY QUITE A TALENT FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT
IT ALSO GIVES YOU A SENSE OF WHY THAT SUPPORT IS SO ROCK STEADY
AMONG THAT ROUGHLY 30% OF VOTERS THAT JUST WILL NOT MOVE NO
MATTER WHAT HE DOES OR SAYS. >> SCOTT, SO WE STARTED THE
PROGRAM AT AT 6:00 THIS MORNING TALKING ABOUT THE NEW NBC MARRIS
POLL AND THE NUMBER OF AMERICANS IN WISCONSIN WHO SAY THEY ARE
EMBARRASSED BY THE PRESIDENT'S CONDUCT.
IT'S 64%. TAKE US BACK TO NOVEMBER JUST IN
THE WEEK OR TWO AFTER THE ELECTION.
WHERE WOULD THAT NUMBER HAVE STOOD THEN, DO YOU THINK?
HOW MANY WISCONSINITES, HOW MANY MORE WISCONSINITES ARE
EMBARRASSED BY THE PRESIDENT PERHAPS THAN THEY WERE BACK IN
NOVEMBER, OR IS THAT NUMBER ACTUALLY NOT CHANGED VERY MUCH?
>> I THINK THE KEY THING TO REMEMBER TO LOOK AT IS HOW
REPUBLICANS IN WISCONSIN FEEL ABOUT DONALD TRUMP VERSUS THE
ENTIRE STATE AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
HIS NUMBERS AMONG REPUBLICANS HAVE IMPROVED TO THE POINT WHERE
HE IS ACTUALLY -- IN A POLL THAT WAS DONE HERE IN WISCONSIN A
COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, HE IS MORE WELL LIKED AMONG REPUBLICANS
HERE THAN HOUSE SPEAKER PAUL RYAN WHO IS FROM WISCONSIN.
>> THAT'S SO INTERESTING. >> SO -- TO JULIE'S POINT, YOU
KNOW, I TALKED TO A TRUMP SUPPORTER IN WESTERN WISCONSIN
LAST WEEK WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, NOTHING IN HIS MIND HAD CHANGED
OVER THE PAST WEEK AND THE PEOPLE HE TALKED WITH AT THE
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME THAT FRIDAY NIGHT, THEY JUST DON'T
BELIEVE ANYTHING THEY HEAR FROM THE MEDIA, AND THEY REMAIN
COMPLETELY COMMITTED TO TRUMP AND THEY FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, HE
MAKES SOME ILL-ADVISED COMMENTS. MAYBE HIS TIMING IS NOT SO
GREAT. HE IS THE SAME GUY HE WANTS IN
NOVEMBER WHEN THEY VOTED FOR HIM, AND THEY'RE NOT REALLY
SURPRISED BY WHAT THEY'VE SEEN SO FAR.
>> YOU KNOW, AND LOOK, EMBARRASSMENT IS A COMPLEX
EMOTION. WHEN YOU ARE EMBARRASSED FOR
SOMEONE, YOUR YOU'RE ACTUALLY KIND OF ROOTING FOR THEM.
YOU FEEL BADLY. THAT HE HAVE STUMBLED.
THEY'RE ON THEIR BACK FOOT. YOU KIND OF WANT THEM TO STAND
UP. YOU WANT TO SEE THEM RISE.
PART OF THE -- I THINK PART OF WHAT PEOPLE HERE IN NEW YORK
CITY DON'T GET IS THAT WHEN AMERICANS HEAR DONALD TRUMP,
THEY'LL SAY HE IS INARTICULATE. HE WAS TRYING TO SAY -- HE WAS
TRYING TO ISSUE A CONDEMNATION. THEY WON'T NECESSARILY HEAR,
WELL, HE WAS EQUIVOCATING BETWEEN NEO-NAZIS, OR THEY'LL
SAY HE DIDN'T QUITE GET THE PICTURE, BUT WE'RE JUMPING ON
TOP OF HIM FOR FAILING TO ISSUE --
>> HE IS NOT A POLITICIAN. HE IS NOT GOOD AT THIS.
IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME. RIGHT.
MAKING EXCUSES. >> MOST NORMAL PEOPLE WOULDN'T
BE GOOD AT IT, BY THE WAY, EITHER.
IT TAKES AN INAUTHENTIC POLISH TO BE SO GOOD AT IT.
>> I REMEMBER HIS FIRST TOWN HALL MEETING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE,
AND WE CAME ON THE NEXT DAY. WE SAID IT WAS INCREDIBLE.
HE DIDN'T EVEN COMPLETE HIS SENTENCES, BUT THE PEOPLE IN THE
AUDIENCE, YOU COULD TELL, THEY WERE ALL COMPLETING HIS SENTENCE
FOR HIM. THEY DIDN'T CARE THAT HE
COULDN'T COMPLETE SENTENCES. HE THIS DIDN'T CARE THAT HE
WANDERED ALL OVER THE PLACE. IT'S AN OBAMA SUPPORTERS DON'T
ATTACK ME FOR SAYING THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW, BARACK OBAMA HAD THAT
WONDERFUL LINE IN IT ONE OF HIS 12 BIOGRAPHIES THAT HE WROTE
ABOUT HE WAS 29 YEARS OLD, AND IT WAS -- I WAS LIKE A MIRROR,
AND PEOPLE REFLECTED THEIR OWN HOPES AND WISHES AND DREAMS OFF
OF ME. WELL, WITH DONALD TRUMP IT'S
ALMOST LIKE HE IS A MIRROR AND IF THEY RESENT THE MEDIA, IF
THEY RESENT LIBERALS IN WASHINGTON, IF THEY RESENT
ACADEMICS, YOU KNOW, LIBERAL COLLEGE CAMPUSES, THAT'S ALL
REFLECTED OFF OF DONALD TRUMP. THEY DON'T CARE WHETHER HE
FINISHES HIS SENTENCES OR NOT. >> NO, THAT'S EXACTLY --
>> HIS SUPPORTERS WILL BLAME THE MEDIA, THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION,
AND THE REPUBLICAN PARTY FOR HIS FAILURE TO GET THINGS DONE
PRETTY MUCH IN THAT ORDER. >> YEAH.
WELL, ACTUALLY, THE TOP THREE WILL BE MEDIA, MEDIA, MEDIA.
>> YEAH. >> YEAH.
EXACTLY. ALL RIGHT.
JULIE PACE, SCOTT BARROW, AND BILL

AP Finds That President Donald Trump Base Still Supportive | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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