Mika: I’m Going To Speak In Defense Of Jim Acosta | Morning Joe

WHO'S THE TRAP PAEZ ARTIST. >> THE WHITE HOUSE IS CUTTING
NUMBER OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS INTO THE UNITED STATES IN HALF AND
RESHAPE HOW PEOPLE COME TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY.
THE BILL INTRODUCED BY REPUBLICAN SENATORS TOM COTTON
AND DAVID PERDUE HAVE REPLACED THE CURRENT LOTTERY SYSTEM FOR
ISSUING GREEN CARDS WITH A MERIT-BASED SYSTEMEM FAVORING
THOSE WHO SPEAK ENGLISH AND WHO HAVE HIGHER LEVEL JOB SKILLS.
THE NUMBER OF GREEN CARDS ISSUED EVERY YEAR WOULD GO FROM JUST
OVER A MILLION TO ABOUT 500,000. THE WHITE HOUSE HAD SENIOR
POLICY ADVISOR STEVEN MILLER EXPLAIN THE PROPOSAL AT
YESTERDAY'S PRESS BRIEFING. AND WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR
QUESTIONS, THINGS GOT HEATED. >> BUT THIS WHOLE NOTION OF
WELL, THEY COULD LEARN, THEY HAVE TO LEARN ENGLISH BEFORE
THEY GET TO THE UNITED STATES, ARE WE JUST GOING TO BRING IN
PEOPLE FROM GREAT BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIA.
>> I HAVE TO HONESTLY, I AM SHOCKED AT YOUR STATEMENT THAT
YOU THINK THAT ONLY PEOPLE FROM GREAT BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIA
WOULD KNOW ENGLISH. IT REVEALS YOUR COSMOPOLITAN
BIAS TO A SHOCKING DEGREE THAT IN YOUR MIND -- NO, THIS IS AN
AMAZING MOMENT. >> Reporter: YOU'RE TRYING TO
ENGINEER THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC FLOW OF PEOPLE INTO THIS COUNTRY
AS POLICY. >> THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST
INSULTING, IGNORANT, AND FOOLISH THINGS YOU'VE SAID, AND FOR YOU,
THAT'S STILL A REALLY -- THE NOTION THAT YOU THINK THAT THIS
IS A RACIST BILL IS SO WRONG AND SO INSULTING.
>> THE PRESIDENT CLAIMS THAT THE BILL IS GOING TO REDUCE POVERTY
AND INCREASE WAGES. WHAT WAS YOUR TAKE AWAY, TIM,
FROM WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY OTHER THAN SAYING WHY DON'T WE
GET CAMERAS OUT OF THE PRESS ROOM?
>> IT WAS A VERY SPIRITED DEBATE BETWEEN TWO VERY SPIRITED PEOPLE
ON THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION. AND ONE OF THEM HAPPENED TO BE A
SUPPOSEDLY OBJECTIVE NEWS REPORTER FOR CNN.
I THOUGHT BOTH OF THEM WERE TOO RUDE AND TOO PERSONAL, BUT THIS
IS HOW WE GOT TRUMP. THIS IS WHY PEOPLE HATE THE
PRESS. ACOSTA GOING IN AND SAYING THERE
BECAUSE OF A POEM IT'S UN-AMERICAN TO REQUIRE
IMMIGRANTS TO SPEAK ENGLISH? FORGET ABOUT HOW STEVE MILLER
GOT PERSONAL. ACOSTA IS PUTTING OUT AN
ARGUMENT FEW PEOPLE HOLD, AND MILLER IS STANDING UP THERE,
KNOWS IMMIGRATION POLICY MUCH BETTER THAN ANY REPORTER I KNOW,
AND SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A -- STEVE MILLER COULD HAVE
DONE BETTER. ACOSTA COULD NOT HAVE DONE
WORSE. >> I SWITCH IT THE OTHER WAY
AROUND. >> ON TWITTER YESTERDAY, I
FORGET YOUR EXACT TWEET, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE JIM ACOSTA IS
DOING SO HORRIFIC TODAY, THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M --
>> I AGREE WITH HIM BUT HE'S DESTROYING HIS OWN ARGUMENT WITH
HIS COMPORTMENT. >> WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> I MEAN I'M A GRANDSON OF IMMIGRANTS.
I FIND IT VERY HARD TO TAKE A RESTRICTIONIST POLICY BECAUSE IF
MY GRANDPARENTS WOULDN'T HAVE COME IN, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
MURDERED BY THE NAZIS. IT'S DISCOMFORTING TO ME, BUT
HAVING A REPORTER YAMMER AT A WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL BY QUOTING
THE POEM AT THE BASE OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY AS THOUGH
THAT'S THE BASIS FOR POLICY, SOMETHING LIVING IN 1883 AND
WE'RE LIVING IN 2017 AND KEEPING GOING.
IT WAS OBNOXIOUS. MILLER IS OBNOXIOUS, HIM SAYING
YOU'RE IGNORANT AND STUPID AND FOOLISH.
THAT WASN'T -- THE MOMENT THAT ACOSTA WENT INTO TERRIBLE
TERRITORY WAS HE WAS LIKE LECTURING MILLER, QUOTING A
POEMT THAT HE DOESN'T KNOW. HE WAS READING IT FROM HIS
NOTEBOOK AS THOUGH HE WERE -- AS THOUGH THERE WERE A DEBATE
BETWEEN HIM AND A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.
AS OPPOSED TO BEING A JOURNALIST WHO WAS TRYING TO TEASE OUT THE
DIFFICULTIES AND PROBLEMS WITH THE PROPOSAL WHICH WOULD HAVE
BEEN PERFECTLY FINE. ASK YOU ASKED HIM A SUBSTANTIVE
QUESTION ABOUT RESTRICTIONS IN ENGLISH AND HOW IMMIGRANTS,
STUDIES SHOW AN IMMIGRANT CAN LEARN ENGLISH IN SIX MONTHS.
>> ACOSTA SHOULD MEET SOMEONE FROM JAMAICA.
>> 1 .5 BILLION PEOPLE ON EARTH, IT'S SAID SPEAK ENGLISH.
>> AND THEY'RE NOT MOSTLY IN THE UK.
>> WHERE THINGS SEEMED TO REALLY MELT DOWN WAS WHEN JIM ACOSTA
TALKED. WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT PUTTING THIS
ON JIM ACOSTA. YOU CAN WATCH THE CLIP AND
CHOOSE SIDES. OR JUST SAY AS TIM SAID AFTER,
MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TVS IN THE PRESS ROOM AFTER ALL.
BUT THEN JIM ACOSTA USED THE LANGUAGE OF IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR
POLICIES ARE TRYING TO ENGINEER RACIAL AND ETHNIC PERCENTAGES,
OR SOMETHING, IT SURE SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD
READ OUT OF MINE CALM OF OR SOMETHING.
SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE ACCUSED THOR IS -- AT THAT POINT IT WENT
OFF THE RAILS. >> THIS IS ALL OF A PIECE, THE
POLICY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, THE
PRESIDENT'S TRACKDOWN ON LATINO GANGS.
HE'S PLANNING FROM I'M TOLD SO TO THE START TALKING MORE ABOUT
BUILDING THE WALL. TRUMP IS PIVOTING BACK TO THE
BASE IN A HARD AND DIRECT WAY. >> YOU'RE SAYING HE'S GOING TO
BUILD THE WALL? >> AND MEXICO'S GOING TO PAY FOR
IT, BUIT, BUT I KNOW AFTER THAT EXCHANGE WITH JIM ACOSTA
YESTERDAY THEY WERE HIGH FIVING EACH OTHER BEHIND THE SCENES.
>> JIM ACOSTA, THAT'S NOT ONLY FEEDING INTO THE NARRATIVE ABOUT
THE POLICY BUT ALSO ABOUT THE PRESS.
AND AT THE SAME TIME I'M GOING TO SPEAK IN DEFENSE OF JIM
ACOSTA THIS MORNING, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYBODY ON
THIS SET WHO HASN'T GOTTEN TOO PERSONAL DURING THIS PRESIDENCY.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S JUST OUR FAULT.
I THINK THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST DISTURBING MOMENTS IN
HISTORY TO WATCH THIS PRESIDENCY AND THE LIES JUST SPILLING OUT
EVERY DAY. AND THAT'S ON THE RECORD.
EVERYONE CAN CORROBORATE IT BACK TO THEMSELVES, BUT LOFT IN THE
CONVERSATION YESTERDAY WAS THE POLICY.
IT GOT SO PERSONAL AND EMOTIONAL ON BOTH SIDES.
WHO LEARNED ANYTHING ABOUT THE POLICY DURING THIS CONVERSATION?
>> BY THE WAY, THAT WAS THE PROBLEM, TIM.
PETER BAKER, I WANTED TO HEAR THE POLICY.
I NEVER GET A CHANCE TO HEAR THE POLICY BECAUSE WE WERE HEARING
SPEECHES. >> AND TIM,M, DO YOU THINK THAT
IF, PERHAPS, GENERAL KELLY WAS EXPLAINING THE POLICY YESTERDAY,
PERHAPS MORE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE LISTENED TO HIM BECAUSE OF HIS
MATURITY AND SERVICE AND SACRIFICE.
BECAUSE OF THE RESPECT PEOPLE HAVE FOR HIM?
THAT IS SOMETHING NO ONE HAS FOR MILLER OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> MILLER WAS PUT OUT THERE SO HE COULD PICK A FIGHT AND HE
DIDN'T HAVE TO PICK IT. IT CAME TO HIM.
TWO, HE DOES KNOW IMMIGRATION POLICY VERY WELL.
I'D LOVE TO DEBATE THE SPECIFICS.
SOME OF HIS SPECIFICS, THE GENERAL IDEA OF SHIFTING FROM A
LOTTERY AND THE VERY VAGUE IDEA OF FAMILY REUNIFICATION WHICH
YOU CAN GO OUT INFINITELY, SHIFTING FROM THAT TO SKILLS
BASE IS GOOD. THE SECOND HALF, REDUCING THE
NUMBER, ONE EDITORIAL SAYS WE SHOULD BE SKILLS BASED AND NOT
REDUCE THE NUMBERS. GETTING DEMOCRATS ON BOARD WITH
AN ARGUMENT, BUT INSTEAD IT GETS LUMPED INTO A POLICY --
>> I AGREE. HAVING AN IMMIGRATION POLICY
THAT FOCUSES ON SKILLS -- THAT'S JUST AN 80/20.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT. >> IT'S ALSO A GOOD DEBATE.
>> IT LUMPS SOME OTHERS IN THERE THAT I THINK A LOT OF AMERICANS
WOULD HAVE PROBLEMS WITH. PETER BAKER, TALK ABOUT THE
FRUSTRATION THAT EVERYBODY HAD TO FEEL INSIDE THAT PRESS ROOM
BEING BERATED, LIED TO, ATTACKED, EVERY DAY.
WE'VE CERTAINLY ALREADY -- YOU'VE HEARD AROUND THIS SET
PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT HOW HE MAY HAVE BEEN DELIVERING A SPEECH
INSTEAD OF ASKING A QUESTION. WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEGATIVE
SIDE. ON THE OTHER SIDE, HOW HARD IS
IT WHEN YOU SEE STEVEN MILLER GOING UP THERE WITH A
PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS FOR REPORTERS SOMETIMES NOT TO LET
THEIR EMOTIONS GET THE BETTER OF THEM?
>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF TENSION IN THE BRIEFING ROOM AND
HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE. THERE WAS SOME HOPE THAT AFTER
SEAN SPICER LEFT AND ANTHONY SCARAMUCCI CAME IN IN HIS FIRST
DAY DID PRETTY SMOOTHLY AT THE PODIUM.
THAT THAT MIGHT CHANGE. IT MIGHT BE A CHANCE TO RESET,
TO USE THE WORD USED AT THE TIME.
BUT I THINK THE TENSION AT THE MOMENT IS KIND OF BAKED IN.
IT'S A SHAME. I DON'T THINK IT DOES ILL LUM
NALT. IT'S NOT REALLY ACHIEVING WHAT
REPORTER I WOULD HOPE WANT, WHICH IS TO GAIN CLARITY AND
UNDERSTANDING AND TO HOLD PEOPLE IN POWER ACCOUNTABLE.
THAT'S THE FUNCTION OF THE BRIEFING.
>> IT'S A CREDIBILITY ISSUE. >> YEAH.
>> GO AHEAD, PETER, FINISH UP. >> AS A REPORTER IN THE BRIEFING
ROOM, IT'S OUR JOB TO CHALLENGE, PESTER, IN FACT, TO ASK TOUGH
QUESTIONS. IT'S NOT OUR JOB TO ARGUE OR GET
INTO A DEBATE. THAT'S NOT HELPFUL, I DON'T
THINK, AND IT IS ONLY ABOUT GETTING AIR TIME ON CABLE NEWS,
NOT REALLY ABOUT HELPING VIEWERS OF READERS UNDERSTAND THINGS
BETTER. SOMEHOW WE HAVE TO GET INTO THE
RHYTHM WHERE WE ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS AND GET REASONABLE
ANSWERS OR AT LEAST ANSWERS THAT DEFEND THE POLICY WITHOUT MAKING
IT PERSONAL. >> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE POLICY.
WE DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO HEAR IT YESTERDAY.
YOU HEARD WHAT TIM KEARNY SAID. THERE WERE PARTS OF THIS,
SKILL-BASED. I'VE HEARD A LOT OF
CONSERVATIVES START TO SAY, HEY, WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM JUST
CUTTING IMMIGRATION AND INSTEAD, A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE POLICY
MAKERS SAYING WE NEED TO START LOOKING AT THE RATIO BETWEEN
HIGHLY SKILLED IMMIGRANTS, LOWER SKILLED IMMIGRANTS.
CHANGE THAT RATIO A BIT BUT DON'T SLASH IMMIGRATION LEVELS.
WHAT DOES THIS POLICY THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS PUSHING
DO? >> THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THIS
THAT I TOTALLY AGREE WITH WHAT'S BEEN SAID ONSET.
THERE ARE ELEMENTS THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT.
MOVING AWAY FROM AN ARBITRARY SYSTEM RIGHT NOW WHERE WE
BASICALLY ALLOCATE GREEN CARDS ACCORDING TO COUNTRIES WE THINK
MIGHT BE UNDERREPRESENTED TO A SYSTEM THAT'S MORE SKILLS BASED.
BUT THEN YOU COUPLE THAT GOOD CHANGE WITH A SLASH IN THE
OVERALL NUMBER OF GREEN CARDS, SIGNIFICANT CUTS, FOR EXAMPLE,
TO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CAN COME HERE SEEKING ASYLUM.
THAT'S REALLY THE CHALLENGE HERE.
YOU HAVE GOOD POLICY THAT COULD GET A HUGE AMOUNT OF BIPARTISAN
SUPPORT, COUPLED WITH ELEMENTS THAT I THINK ARE QUITE
RESTRICTIONIST AND QUITE A PROBLEM.
YOU END UP STEPPING ON YOUR OWN MESSAGE, BUT REMEMBER, THERE IS
AN EFFORT HERE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK, TO JEREMY'S POINT,
THAT WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THIS POLICY IS REALLY SPEAK
DIRECTLY TO A PART OF THE PRESIDENT'S BASE OF SUPPORT.
AND SO IT DOESN'T BECOME THE POLICY THAT'S IMPORTANT ANYMORE.
IT BECOMES HOW THE POLICY IS
FORMULATED IN LIGHT OF THE POLITICS OF THE SITUATION.
>> HE PUTS HARD CORE POSITIONS OUT BUT WHEN HE'S ALLOWED TO
WANDER, HE ALWAYS MOVES BACK TO A MORE EXPANSIVE IMMIGRATION
REFORM. YOU JUST GET -- YOU JUST GET THE
FEELING BY LOOKING AT TRANSCRIPT THAT HIS HEART HEART IS NOT IN
RESTRICTIVE IMGREAT LAKES POLICY.
>> NO. FIRST OF ALL, HE'S FROM NEW
YORK. HE'S SEEN EXAMPLES LIKE JOHN AND
ME WHO WOULD NOT BE HERE WITHOUT AN EXPANSIVE IMMIGRATION POLICY.
MY GRANDPARENTS DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH.
HE RAN GOLF COURSES AND HOTELS. I DON'T KNOW THE LAST TIME YOU
WENT TO A HOTEL AND THE HOUSEKEEPER WAS BORN IN AMERICA.
WE HAVE JOBS AMERICANS WON'T DO, AND THE IMPACT OF THE SO-CALLED
LOW-SKILLED WORKERS ISN'T AS HIGH AS WE THINK.
HAVING A MORE SENSIBLE POLICY, SKILLS BASED, THE IDEA THAT
PEOPLE HAVE HAD OF STAPING ARE GREEN CARD TO A COLLEGE DIPLOMA.
PEOPLE COME HERE AND THEN GO BACK.
>> WHY NOT IF SOMEBODY HAS AN ADVANCED DEGREE, WANT TO STAY
HERE, WE DON'T ALLOW THEM TO STAY HERE?
IT MAKES NO SENSE. >> IT'S CRAZY.
>> AGAIN, CHANGE THE RATIO. >> RIGHT.
ANOTHER PRINCIPLE WOULD BE THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING
HERE SHOULD BE ON A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP.
WE HAVE THESE HIGH-KILLED VISAS AND LOW-SKILLED GUEST WORKER
VISAS WHERE YOU COME AND GO HOME.
I THINK THE WHOLE DREAM OF THE AMERICAN DREAM IS SOMEBODY WHO
WANTS TO BE HERE AND THEIR GRANDCHILDREN LIKE JOHN AND
STEVE WILL BE HERE. TOO MUCH OF WHAT'S ENTERING THE
COUNTRY ARE PEOPLE NOT PUT ON A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP.
>> THAT'S JUST A NONSTARTER WITH THE CONGRESS.
THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS CONGRESS.
>> IT WAS ANNOUNCED AT THIS PRESS BRIEFING WHICH I THINK WAS
THE WEIRDEST PRESS BRIEFING I'VE SEEN SO FAR.
YOU HAD THE MUSLIM BAN GUY COMING OUT AND TALKING ABOUT
IMMIGRATION POLICY, AND THEN SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS GIVING
SHOUTOUTS, READING MONOATONE, I'M GOING TO GIVE A GIVE A SHOUT
OUT TO KELLYANNE CONWAY AND IVANKA, AND THEN A LETTER FROM
SOME KID THEY'RE GOING TO LET MOW THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN, AND
THEN SHE DEFENDS THE PRESIDENT'S LIES ON THE MOST BASIC LEVEL TO
THE BOY SCOUTS. ALL IN ONE HOUR.
KASIE HUNT, WHERE IS THIS POLICY?
>> THAT WAS QUITE A WIND UP, BY THE WAY, TO KASIE HUNT.
>> IT'S WEIRD. >> HERE'S THE WINDUP.
>> WE HAD A MORE SUBSTANTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE POLICY
RIGHT HERE. WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PRESS
BRIEFING? >> I'M NOT SURE ANYBODY IN
CONGRESS WOULD CONFUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP WITH A BOY SCOUT.
THIS IS A NONSTARTER IN CONGRESS.
YOU HAVE BEEN FOCUSSED ON THE POLICY HERE.
I THINK IT'S FRANKLY IRRELEVANT, AND I THINK THE WHITE HOUSE
KNOWS THAT. THIS IS A PLAY TO THE BASE OF
THEIR PARTY TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S HARD CORE SUPPORTERS.
YOU SEE THIS ELSEWHERE TOO. PAUL RYAN WAS TWEETING OUT A
VIDEO SHOWING HIMSELF VISITING THE BORDER AND SAYING LOOK,
CONGRESS FUNDED THE PRESIDENT'S WALL.
BUT THIS PARTICULAR IMMIGRATION POLICY IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE IN
THE SENATE. LINDSEY GRAHAM CAME OUT
BASICALLY SINGLE HANDEDLY KILLED IT RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE BY
SAYING THIS IS BAD FOR SOUTH CAROLINA.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ACROSS THE COUNTRY?
THIS IS TERRIBLE FOR STATES WHERE AGRICULTURE IS A BIG DEAL.
THAT'S A LOT OF CONSERVATIVE PLACES.
IT'S PLACES LIKE CALIFORNIA AS WELL.
BUT CUTTING THE NUMBER OF GUEST WORKERS WOULD BE REALLYEALLY
DETRIMENT TALL TO A LOT OF THESE PLACES THAT RELY ON

Mika: I’m Going To Speak In Defense Of Jim Acosta | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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