This Sunday targeting Biden the resolution is adopted the House votes to formalize an impeachment inquiry of President Biden I think the evidence is compelling even though Republican lawmakers have yet to present any evidence linking the president to a crime We don't know what the crime is while the president's son defies demands He testified before Congress my father was not financially involved in my business plus border battle Republicans call for major changes to u.s. Border security in exchange for sending more aid to Ukraine Food is banking on the United States failing to deliver for Ukraine. We must prove him wrong The border is an absolute catastrophe and this is because the policies of this White House How far is president Biden willing to go to get a deal and reluctant voters some Democratic voters in Michigan say if 2024 isn't Biden Trump rematch They'll grudgingly support mr. Ball.
There's no way. I'm gonna vote Republican, but reluctantly. Yes I will vote Biden why reluctantly while others tell us they aren't sure who they'll vote for on election day Why are you still undecided because I want the candidate that I vote for to earn my vote my guests this morning Republican senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan joining me for insight and analysis are NBC News National Security and Pentagon correspondent Courtney QB Jeff Bennett co-anchor of PBS NewsHour former White House press secretary Jen Psaki and Republican strategist Matt Gorman 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 the Kristen welcome Good Sunday morning in just hours There will be more urgent talks on Capitol Hill between Republicans Democrats and White House negotiators as all sides aimed to reach a deal to Ramp up security at the border a part of a larger package that would also provide more aid to Ukraine and Israel Bipartisan talks have zeroed in on GOP proposals including those that would make it more difficult to claim asylum seek parole and return to a Trump Era policy that could trigger mass expulsions at the border on Saturday The White House met with leaders of the congressional Hispanic caucus who expressed concerns Democrats are poised to cave to Senate Republicans I want to speak quickly to the Democrats in the Senate and others who are considering supporting this proposal If you do so, you will be surrendering to right-wing racism and more than that you will be enabling it Senate Democrats and the White House must not agree to these extreme demands It's a sign of how far the issue of border security has shifted to the right and how politically fraud It's become for a president who on his first day in office proposed a bill overhauling the US immigration system with a path to citizenship And another challenge for the president the House voted to open a formal impeachment inquiry into him this week citing the goal of Investigating any financial links between president Biden and his son Hunter who has recently indicted on tax charges so far Republicans have not provided any evidence of a crime This marks the fourth impeachment proceeding in the last 25 years house speaker Mike Johnson denies the move is political We're following the Constitution and I've made this very clear remember my background is constitutional laws We have no choice to fulfill our constitutional responsibility. We have to take the next step. We're not making a political decision It's not it's a legal decision But four years ago as former president Trump was being impeached Johnson warned a party line impeachment would cause irreparable damage to the country The founding fathers the founders of this country warned against single party impeachments This is the first time in the history of this nation and 243 years that a president has been treated in this manner when one party has Followed and pursued a predetermined political outcome and this week one Republican congressman was even clearer Representatives, what are you hoping to gain from an impeachment inquiry? All I can say is Donald J.
Trump 2024 And joining out was Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina Senator Graham welcome back to meet the president Happy holidays. Happy holidays. Thank you for being here Yeah, let's start with the border negotiations. There is so much focus on that you have been so focused on that Can you bring us up to speed?
What's the very latest? Do you think there's gonna be a deal before the new year? I know I think this will go into next year. I've been talking to the people at the table The White House got engaged five days ago.
They sent over a supplemental with border security provisions that did nothing to change policy We've been talking to them since September five days ago. They finally said it's table So like we're doing a good job. The bottom line here is we feel like we're being jammed We're not anywhere close to deal it'll go into next year and let me tell you why it's important to get a good board security deal What congressman Castro said was pretty offensive According to the FBI director last week. He's never seen more more threats to the homeland than he does today wherever he looks He sees blinking lights.
The border has been obliterated since January 21 to now Oh, we've had six million people come today There are three point six million on schedule to come this year along the policy choices of the Biden administration has made the border a dangerous place to come to America's under threat according to the FBI director since October 7th Jihattas groups want to attack us because we're helping Israel I've never been more worried about a 9-11 than am right now and our border has been obliterated and we're not going to give in on some Band-aid fix I want to talk about the proposals that are under discussion But just to be very clear you say you're not close to a deal But it sounds like there has been some measured definitely sides are coming together. How would you characterize that progress? Oh? The only way we ever get a secure borders We got to make them do things they don't want to do but they're getting there It was a choice by the Biden administration to change policy led to this debacle, but there is progress on asylum There's a ways to go on parole.
You tell me Ukraine's important I agree with you to all the national security experts when you say if we don't have Ukraine They could lose in the world of all into chaos boot and we'll keep going I agree with you But if you're a national security expert you should have the same energy and vigor to fix a broken border And of course the Biden administration has argued there are a complex set of factors which have led to I don't buy I don't buy that Let me ask what can I just come in on that you chose to undo Trump policies you gave into people like mr. Castro You've created a nightmare is bitten in the ass and you need to change policy. This is not unseen factors This is a policy choice has led to the border being obliterated and we're not going to take a band-aid approach as a solution Let me ask you because Democrats are always saying also saying that what you are proposing would effectively shut down the border to families Who are seeking asylum who are running for their lives senator? What do you say to that criticism?
I would say asylum is being gained. They're playing remember the guy who said thank you president Biden went to New York He says I'm not here to leave oppression I'm here to have a better life under the Biden administration the asylum system has become a joke But but senator just very quickly are with these proposals effectively shut down the border to asylum seekers No people who are running for their lives 90% of the people who claim asylum are denied So the initial they're coming here for economic opportunity not fleeing oppression under international law You're supposed to apply for asylum in the first safe third country 90 70% of the people will be denied asylum under international law, but Biden chooses to ignore the law This is not people running for their lives. They're running here because the the borders wide open They think if they get here making asylum claim They never leave and of course the administration's argument is that they are trying to have tougher protections at the border Well, also trying to have a humane response People let me ask you about Ukraine because you just mentioned Ukraine as well Obviously if you break through this log jam at the board you get a deal on Ukraine as well The last time you were on this program Here's what you said about the need to fund Ukraine take a look to my house colleagues if you strip out Ukrainian aid Russia will keep going there will eventually be a war between NATO and Russia and it will be a green light to China to debate Taiwan Senator this week you said quote I'm more worried about our border than Ukraine 100% if you don't get a deal on the border Are you willing to walk away from it Ukraine or is that not so essential? I am willing to help Ukraine the package sent over by the president was pretty robust the package sent over the president to help Israel I'm a hundred percent far the package sent over in September to help Taiwan count me in the border provisions sent over in September are a joke October the seventh is a game changer the FBI director said he's never seen more threats of homeland than he does now We're helping Israel and jihadist groups want to hit us to punish us for helping Israel I will not help Ukraine Taiwan or Israel until we secure a border that's been obliterated You see from mr.
Castro congressman Castro the attitude here. Anybody wants to secure the boards are racist. That's BS Well, let me just get your sense on how critical Ukraine is though. Do you still see a hundred thousand percent?
That's critical to us national security Let me tell you what will happen if we pull the plug on Ukraine Putin will keep going will be in a war with NATO China We'll see that as a green light to go into Taiwan It would be a national security nightmare for Europe if you don't help Israel destroy Hamas if Hamas is still standing when this is over God help us all I get everything now Where are the same people lecturing me about Ukraine on our border? Our border is a national security nightmare They chose bad policies it's been them in the ass and we're not gonna continue these stupid policies We're gonna change them very quickly Do you think what is under discussion right now in the Senate can get through the house where they're asking for some even tougher measures? If we make a solemn really a solemn if we enforce international law and stop it stop blanket parole Yes, I think it will get through there will be some people in the house will never vote for Ukraine package But if you have real border security and I'm not asking for HR to I've been doing this for 20 years I know what works and what doesn't they have made policy choices to obliterate the border They need to reverse these policy choices. Yes, the package can't get through the house if it has real border security Let's talk about Israel Which obviously is also a piece of this another week of just devastating headlines out of the Middle East including revelations that three hostages were killed by IDF soldiers National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was in the region this week his message the White House's message is Israel needs to do more to protect civilian lives Do you agree with how the Biden administration is handling this moment and this crisis generally speaking?
Yes, and the Biden administration went to Saudi Arabia The idea of normalizing relationship between Saudi and Israel is still the big prize I think the attack of October 7th was orchestrated to stop a march toward normalization Iran's biggest fear if the Arabs reconciled Israelis So give Israel the time and space to destroy Hamas That's not negotiable, but we need to be thinking about the day after is Israel doing enough to limit civilian deaths I would hope they could do more but here's the problem Hamas is under schools or under hospitals But let's talk about the day after the Biden administration is trying to revive the normalization efforts And I think they're right to do so if you want to really hurt a wrong long term Don't let them get away with destroying efforts to reconcile between Israel and Saudi Arabia But think that's possible. So Arabia on board with that. Yeah, I do. Here's what's changed after October 7th Israel will demand security buffers they've never demanded before because they can't afford another October 7th And to my friends in Israel, you do whatever you think is best for the state of Israel But I can tell you Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries cannot normalize with Israel if they've seen if they're having been seen as during the Palestinians under the bus We have two choices Continue the death spiral or use October 7th as a catalyst for change I think the Arabs are going to demand some form of two-state solution to recognize Israel I think Israel's going to demand security buffers different than before and they need to make those demands I don't know how this ends, but I'll tell you this if we don't get this right this time We're talking about another generation of just tip or death.
Okay, let's turn to the other big story on Capitol Hill the impeachment Of course of impeachment inquiry into President Biden your colleague Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa said that he does not see any evidence Quote that the president is guilty of anything. Do you agree with him? Is there any evidence so far? You know, I haven't really been paying that much attention to it They have to pull it that to prove that President Biden somehow financially benefited from the business enterprises of Hunter Biden We'll see have they done it yet in your mind if there were a smoking gun I think would be talking about it, but you know the narrative that Hunter Biden presented is falling apart The idea that Joe Biden knew nothing about the business dealings falling apart I'm not worried about impeaching the president right now You know what I'm worried about helping the president bring the mitties to a better spot trying to convince the Arabs and the Israelis to not let Iran get you off track give Israel the space to destroy Hamas I'm trying to find a way forward to secure a broken board for attack That's what I'm more worried about than anything I've never been more worried about attack on a homeland than am right now And there's an opportunity in the mitties in the middle of all this carnage rape murder torture heart-breaking visuals There's a chance to change things.
That's what I'm working on changing things for the better at home and abroad before I let you go I do want to get your reaction to something that former president Trump said overnight He was in New Hampshire. He was talking about the need to keep immigrants out of this country Here's what he said. I got your response. They're poisoning the blood of our country That's what they've done.
They poisoned mental institutions and prisons all over the world Not just in South America Not just the three or four countries that we think about but all over the world They're coming into our country from Africa from Asia all over the world The Biden campaign has accused former president Trump of quote parroting Adolf Hitler What is your reaction? Are the president's comments representative? How you and other republicans feel 76% of the American people not Donald Trump believe the border is broken They're worried about that not coming over killing their kids. But what about his language that just that language that poisoning the blood Yeah, I'm worried about an outcome He is right to want he had the border secured the lowest in four years in December 2020 to the Biden administration You're talking about Donald Trump's language as you said on the sidelines and allow their country to be invaded 172 people on the Terrace watch lift have come on your watch fentanyl skill and more Americans Just on the language just on the language though.
I want to get yours But you have endorsed former president Trump. Are you comfortable with him using words like that? You know, we're talking about language I could care less what language people use as long as we get it right. I live in legal immigration I have no animosity toward people trying to come to our country I have animosity against terrorists and against drug dealers But I understand why people want to come to America But we have chaos and we need to create order if you think you're gonna win the debate on illegal immigration By picking a line out of the Trump speech most Americans understand the game has to change that we're under threat that we're gonna Get attacked that our borders completely been obliterated So if you're talking about the language Trump uses whether I'm trying to fix it That's a losing strategy for the Biden administration Do you think he would appeal to more people though if he chose different words on that argument?
You know, I think the president has a way of talking sometimes I disagree with but he actually delivered on the border people are looking for results If the only thing you want to talk about on immigration is the way Donald Trump talks You're missing a lot just finally is it the position of the Republican Party that African-Asian immigrants are poisoning the blood Of the people in the country. No, it's the position of the Republican Party that we've lost control of the border That terrorists are coming that there's never been a higher threat to the United States from the terrorist attack from a broken border But immigrants people coming to America. We are many people coming to be won We've lost control of a border there people coming here who are selling drugs or people coming here raping and murdering They're people coming here trying to have a better life the terrorists are coming here to kill us after October 7th How easy is it to get into our country to a broken border and kill a bunch of us to my democratic colleagues? You're not gonna get away with keeping this border broken If you can't commit to secure in our border, we're not gonna have a deal.
All right Well, we're gonna watch those negotiations closely. We'll hope you come back to update us in the near senator Thank you. Happy holidays to you really appreciate it when we come back president Biden is trailing Donald Trump in key battleground states Congresswoman Debbie Dingle of Michigan is warning the president. He needs to do more to turn things around.
She joins me next Welcome back joining me now is Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingle who has warned fellow Democrats president Biden's blue wall could be in trouble Congresswoman Dingle welcome back to meet the press it's great to be with you. It is great to have you here We really appreciate it. I do want to start with what's happening in Michigan, but we'll get to that in a moment Let's talk about the other big news on Capitol Hill I was just talking about it with senator Graham Which is the decision by house Republicans to open an impeachment inquiry into president Biden do you now see a full impeachment as inevitable? No, I don't because it's still got to get facts.
So in order to have The house pass impeachment you got to have facts and I've talked to numerous Republicans who have publicly and quietly said There's no they're there. They can't find anything. There were a lot of arms broken I've talked to those members who are broken about even voting for this on the house floor And I think it will be much harder to get the number they will require to have an impeachment if they don't find something And they've been looking for something from a year and have not found it if it had it be had lines and instead the headlines are Republicans not Democrats public and senators and husband saying there isn't anything there We can't find it What he asked you about something that did get some attention this week president Biden has of course repeatedly said that he's never spoken to His son about his overseas business dealings But I'm sure Biden who held a surprise news conference outside of the Capitol had this to say this week Let me state as clearly as I can My father was not financially involved in my business now the chairman of the house judiciary committee Jim Jordan seized on that moment He said the language suggests that president Biden has been involved in his son's business dealings, but just not financially What do you make of that? How do you respond to that?
I'm gonna stop and very clear. I don't care if you're a Republican I'm credit who you are nobody's above the law. There have been constant investigations since Joe Biden was President and vice president I think that he should have these hearings They should be transparent and open which is don't her body said he would go I think the Donald Trump here a court period should be open and transparent because I don't want excuse me even people like you Christian the media should be American people should see all of this straight up and see what's there and that's there and not have all of us coming I don't know if I did defy a subpoena request He said he would testify openly but not privately, but do you think he should have defied that subpoena request? I think he's got a right to say I'll do this be transparent make it open because I think too many people are coming out of this And implying things that aren't true And I think all of us have a right to know what this is big picture Are you comfortable with a politician's family member profiting off of their last name?
Anyway, look I had to I had my own career my whole life I was working before I ever married John Tingle and I had to work ten times harder than any other person on you just to show I could do the job. So you gotta be careful. We have to be open. We have to be transparent You got to work hard and you got to prove you can do the job So but if you've got a last name that people know does that mean you can't work?
So you got to be open and transparent. I think that's the most important thing and you got to deliver for those you're working for Let's talk about the negotiations over the supplemental. I just talked about them with Senator Lindsey Graham Obviously Republicans proposing some tough new measures at the border that would limit asylum would limit parole things that progressives say just are too extreme Would you vote for legislation that included some of those tough new measures? I'm not gonna tell you what I'm gonna vote for until I see exactly what's there We have needed comprehensive immigration reform in this country for decades and because it's so hard it's so emotionally charged We never get it done.
We don't get it done on a republican presence. We don't get it done under Democratic presidents And I will remind people watching and my dear friend Lindsey Graham 9-11 happened under George Bush People came into this country. It is our national security is something that we need to worry about every single day And I share Lindsey Graham's worry about our national security I've had family members that have died from fentanyl the president has been trying to get more border People more customer border patrol more law enforcement orders We need to do something on immigration But we need to do it in a right way that we keep compassion here, but protects our national security So let me see what comes out of this and then I'll tell you what I'm gonna vote on What is your response when he says that the the border is broken under President Biden borders been broken with broken under Donald Trump as well Our immigration we have needed comprehensive immigration reform for decades. Let me also say you've got small businesses clamoring for people We've got caregiving which is in desperate shape and we need to bring some of these people need to be immigrants But we don't want illegals.
We don't want other people coming in. We don't want drugs coming across our border We need a balanced comprehensive immigration policy Just very quickly would you support whatever the White House agrees to if they strike a deal? I don't ever say I'll support something categorically until I see what it is. Okay, fair enough This week I did have a chance to talk to some Michigan Democratic voters who supported President Biden in 2020 now two out of five of the voters I talked to say they're not so sure they cite the economy is one of the reasons they say hey We can see that inflation is coming down But we don't feel that in our pocketbooks.
What do you say to those Michigan voters? Why should they vote for President Biden when they say they're struggling still to buy groceries first of all I know they're struggling because I'm when I'm home and I'm out and about I'm at the farmers markets I mean those grocery stores in the labor halls and people are having a hard time to guess prices are coming down food prices are coming down But we're gonna have to do a lot of things we're gonna have to do first of all people know that machines are purple state I can't always convince people of that this year these balls are saying hey Debbie's right this time I was right back in 215 in 262 but Donald Trump we have to look at not words But actions when he was president he gave the rich tax cuts in increased prices, too So we finally got to talk about the economy the jobs that have been created the kind of investments that are going in and show What's been done? We have to show and remind them of the actions not the words one of the big issues for voters in Michigan is the issue of how President Biden is handling the war in the Middle East with some calling to quote abandoned Biden over his handling of the Israel Hamas war of course Michigan has one of the largest Muslim populations in the country is there anything President Biden can do to win back those voters so there's a lot that has to be done and this is a very serious issue I lived in Dearborn for 40 years with a man that I love that I moved last year because of the district team I know this community they are hurting all of us in this country need to understand what's happening in Gaza right now You can fight about how many thousands of people have been killed, but six to eight thousand children have been killed 85% of the people in Gaza have had to leave their homes. They're living in shelters disease is going up There's one toilet for 220 people one shower for 4,500 people They don't have food.
They don't have medicine. They don't have utilities And I can't tell you the number of families that I've spoken to who've lost entire families entire families We have to show some empathy and compassion a Jewish baby and a Palestinian baby are babies I don't want to see any baby die. So first of all, we got to take that on We got to get a ceasefire this has to stop and we agree with Lindsay if anything good comes out of this crisis We need everybody to come together and get a strong two-state solution congressman Debbie Dingle. Thank you so much for your time this morning I really appreciate it.
Thank you with you Thank you, and when we come back Steve Carnegie is here with a look at the key counties to watch in 2024 plus my conversation with those Michigan Democratic voters Welcome back this morning something we are so excited about we are rolling out the deciders It's a new county-level initiative featuring in-depth on the ground reporting from a team of nearly 20 journalists focused on the 2024 presidential race in Seven key counties all around the country. I'm joined by our national political correspondent Steve Carnegie who has more high Steve What do you have? Hey Chris and yeah, well, I love this too because you know there are more than 3,100 counties across the United States But we've got seven and you see them on the screen here as you say that we're gonna drill down now between now and election day 24 I think they're gonna help us tell the story through next year and put it pin in all of them because on election night next year They are all going to loom large for different reasons So let's take you through this morning just as a preview a little taste Let's take you through three of them and why they're on this list and what we're looking for in each of them We're gonna start here in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania Erie County here It's as close to Cleveland or Buffalo as it is to Pittsburgh and it is the ultimate blue-collar swing county Just give you a sense here of how Erie County has moved go back here to 2008 when Barack Obama first won and won run in one Look at this landslide for Obama in Erie County 2012 Obama's reelection landslide then Donald Trump shows up in 2016 Look at the shift one of those Obama Obama Trump counties We saw him across the country to the reason Trump won in 2016 large white population very blue collar lower college degree percentage Then you see statewide and Trump really capitalized here in 16 and then in 2020 when Joe Biden won Pennsylvania in the presidency He carried Erie County barely but it was one of only two counties in the state of Pennsylvania that Joe Biden flipped It was a big reason Biden was able to win the election So how here he goes in Pennsylvania in 2024 could well tell you how the state of Pennsylvania is going Let's go south now and take a look here at Miami-Dade County, Florida This is a massive county nearly three million people nearly 70% Hispanic We say we're looking for the Latino vote here because again the Latino vote We've talked about this since the 2020 election Trump made big inroads none bigger than in Miami-Dade in 2016 He lost by nearly 30 points in this county to Hillary Clinton in 2020 You can see it right here. Joe Biden only won Miami-Dade by 7 and then in 2022 Ron DeSantis We're running for reelection governor of Florida He won Miami-Dade by more than 11 points He won the Hispanic vote statewide in Florida We are asking the question heading into 2024 those games Republicans have made with Hispanic voters Have they locked them in are they giving them up or are they expanding on them?
Miami-Dade is one of the first counties in the country on election night 24 We're gonna get results from I think we're gonna start to get an answer to that question very early in 24 So that's why we're looking closely at Miami-Dade and then we're gonna land in Wisconsin Look a swingiest of swing states Biden won this by 20,000 in 2020 Trump won it by a small margin in 2016 Where did Biden's win come from a few places here? But one that stands out is Dane County You see the biggie here in the middle of the state college educated It's the core Democratic-based University of Wisconsin is here and what you see in Dane County It's long been a Democratic County But now activation motivation interest in elections is absolutely sky-high with this demographic college educated Democratic meaning voters in the 2020 election The turnout in Dane County was nearly 90 90% Joe Biden won this overwhelmingly It used to be that Milwaukee was where Democrats looking in Wisconsin for their big margins Now they look as much if not more at Dane County every election Democrats seem to get bigger and bigger margins out of Dane County because the enthusiasm and the turnout of their base is so much in this Trump era We're gonna be looking here for clues not just to see how Wisconsin goes But there are a lot of counties like this across the country are Democrats getting that sky-high turnout from their core base of college educated voters Just a few things we're looking for in this exciting project, Kristin It is exciting those counties are gonna keep our correspondence and us very busy Steve Cornakis so great Thank you so much for joining us and this morning as we just heard from Congresswoman Debbie Dingle There are startling new warning signs for President Biden from Democratic voters in battleground Michigan We went to Macomb County and spoke to a group of women who supported Mr. Biden in the last election But are now reluctant to commit to supporting him again The question for these Democrats is not Trump versus Biden. It's will they show up or stay home?
Show of hands who is decided on who they're gonna vote for in 2024 Okay, so three out of five of you Why are you still undecided because I want the candidate that I vote for to earn my vote I will probably agonize again once I'm in the ballot box about what to do How do I do this? I'm not gonna vote for a Republican. I'm trans. I feel like that's almost like it's almost like a death sentence But when it comes to Democrats, I just don't really see anyone who really feels like they will be a strong pick who is running So are you saying that you at this point are planning to vote for President Biden, but reluctantly?
Very reluctantly Are you good about for President Biden again? Yes, why? I may not be as enthusiastic about Canada's a candidate, but I am by some of the things that he's done Reducing not insulin down to $35. Also, I'll finally repair in our infrastructure The American care act.
I mean, it's a lot of things that he's done. There's no way I'm gonna vote Republican, but we're locked in Yes, I will vote Biden. Why? I don't I really don't agree with his Dealings with the Middle East right now also his age Jesse.
What about you? Would you support a third-party candidate or consider supporting a third-party candidate would depend on who that candidate is? However, I don't I don't think that a two-party system is working for America anymore and Terry would you consider voting for a third-party candidate? I don't know.
I don't know I feel as I feel compelled to but I really feel as though my vote will be just wasted and my vote counts. Shelly, what about you power? Yeah, you see a third party as a dream, but not a reality. I mean in my ideal world I see it as as a party that is truly for the people by the people and I don't see people having that power that respect Let me follow up with you on that Jackie.
Are you concerned that people are going to stay at home and not vote in 2024? What are you hearing from the community around you? Pretty much what I say that they've not enthusiastic about either candidates, but they don't want one of the other to get in So they're gonna vote against someone more so than voting for someone. Shelly, what are you hearing?
Are you concerned that people are gonna stay home? There are a lot of people who I know who are just completely checked out of the game. It feels like it's already lost It doesn't feel like we're getting the progressive change that we we're all sort of promised Where does the economy fit into how you are viewing 2024? How do you feel about the economy?
I mean, I don't feel great. I was today even more shocked because sometimes I think I put my head in the sand with the economy Um, I don't like my car starts like oh, maybe I'll just get a new car and I saw these car rates I'm like, okay. I'm not getting a new car. Our economy.
I think it's better than what it has been Is everything affordable? No, everything is going up. What would it in our checks? All right, if you could come up with one word to describe president by what would it be and I'll start with you tired One word he just seems out of it.
Honestly status quo Caring Honestly, it doesn't have to do a politics family. I think I am. I think he cares a lot about his family Our thanks to them for that revealing conversation and you can see more of my conversation with Michigan voters at meet the press Dot-com when we come back the house has only voted to impeach a president four times in history What are the political lessons of what was once the most rare form of punishment for a sitting president? Welcome back this week House Republicans voted to formally open an impeachment in Korean to President Biden Though they have not yet produced any evidence showing the president profited off of his son's business dealings This is the fourth impeachment proceeding in the last 25 years raising the question How is all of this impacting the country in 1998 president Clinton was impeached on charges of perjury and obstruction?
He was acquitted in the Senate, but many saw a process that deepened America's polarization Republican congressman Henry Hyde was the chief impeachment manager for Clinton's Senate trial Mr. Chairman, what's all this done to our politics? I think our politics has suffered I hope not a mortal blow, but certainly a serious blow the name calling the negativity the throwing of mud the The institution of the White House the presidency and Congress itself people are looking at this in horror We have got to conduct ourselves appropriately with some dignity with some purpose, and that's my aim I am not trying to stretch this out. I'm not trying to take political advantage of it.
This helps nobody and When we come back the panel is next Welcome back the panel is here NBC News National Security and Pentagon correspondent Courtney QB Jeff Bennett co-anchor of PBS News Hour Matt Gorman former senior communications advisor for Tim Scott for America and Jen Psaki host of Inside with Jen Psaki and the former White House press secretary Thank you all for being here So Jeff let me have you kick it off You heard from those voters in Michigan two of them are undecided. How concerned should the Biden campaign be how concerned are they? There is legitimate reason for concern President Biden's reelection hopes hinge on his ability to resurrect the coalition that elected him in 2020 And as we soften your conversation with those Michigan voters that coalition is softening and in some cases splintering And I think you could make the argument that the biggest hurdle this president bases is that democratic base voters and battleground states give him low Marx or his handling of the economy and that's not a conundrum because even as the economy gets stronger historically low Unemployment high consumer confidence inflation in this country is easing faster than it is in other parts of the world There are parts of the electorate that don't feel that and they're not they're not seeing it So President Biden has to find a way to sell his agenda to soften a lot of the discontent the disillusionment the questions about his age Bottom line though I can tell you that campaign officials believe that if it's a choice between Donald Trump and Joe Biden voters will break for Joe Biden because of Donald Trump's authoritarian impulses the GOP's position on abortion that might not show up in the polls But it has shown up. It's been born out in previous elections.
So what about that? I mean, how concerned are you heard Congressman Dingle say hey? I sounded the alarm bells in 2015 in 2016 and I'm sounding them again Yeah, look I think that the if you're in the Biden campaign right now You need voters to feel a couple of things when you need them to be scared of being reelected It's actually good for them for these polls in some ways to instill some fear and Democrats and wake them up But you also need people to be energized and what we saw in that fascinating focus group You just did in Michigan is that people are a little scared I'm thinking of the trans woman who was talking about the impact of a Republican being reelected of Trump being Reelected, but they're not energized and this fear of people staying home is something I hear from Democrats over and over and over again Of young people staying home of base voters staying home of people not being energized So yes, the economy they need to run it to a draw That's what the Biden campaign needs to do But they also need to get people energized around issues like abortion around the threat of a Trump second term around a range of things That's gonna get people off of their couches and out to the polls And what are you hearing inside Republicans or folks because some folks I speak to tell me look inflation's coming down There's a real chance that by election day that divide that the voters are talking about where they don't feel that the economy is getting better Could start to turn a little bit of a corner It's certainly possible but at least for right now that chasm is so big whether it's not just cost a living inflation It's the housing market the lady talked about trying to buy a car All those markets are so illiquid it's hard to actually finance those things you see every day And so Republicans are gonna press that advantage as much as possible because in their mind We've gone from you know Bill Clinton's I feel your pain to Joe Biden's essentially telling your pain isn't real And I think with immigration as we talked about there Well coming off the trade with Tim Scott that is such a huge issue not just in border states not just in border counties Debbie Dingell talked about fentanyl this touches so many different counties in America by Biden taking a deal if one is offered That's a huge general election help for him. It really means a lot.
I agree with Matt I mean this is this is something that the base voters in the Democratic Party will hate and will be outright Just by and there'll be a lot of people in the White House who will not love details of this But in the general election electorates there is a fear of chaos at the border border security It's a real issue doesn't mean it's entirely valid It's a perception talent court Let's talk about this potential deal because Ukraine is a big piece of it I talked to Senator Lindsey Graham about it President Zelensky was here trying to make the case I mean how desperately do they need this aid give us the reality check and what came from that visit They need it. I mean in a word They cannot win the war without this continued aid there have been some small tactical gains even just this week actually We saw that the Ukrainians were able to push into an area in the east of the Dnieboro River That'll have the ability to bring supplies equipment across the river throughout the winter small hard-fought costly tactical gains But it will take many of those before they really see any kind of a breakthrough here and the reality is the US has been giving them 44 have given 44 billion dollars in aid and equipment since the invasion and we're still seeing a war of inches at this point And it's been a very difficult realization But we're even starting to see some wavering support among senior military officials And publicly absolutely not they're still all in for Ukraine absolutely Privately they are starting to talk about the fact that this is a stalemated war and even with this extensive amount of support that the US has been giving them they still are not seeing any major right there Such a significant revelation Jeff Bennett. There is also of course this impeachment inquiry that has been opened up Could President Biden use this moment to try to galvanize his base around him and and could it backfire against Republicans? What are the politics of this he certainly could I mean the risk for Republicans is this never before in the history of this country has a Presidential impeachment inquiry moved forward in the absence of credible evidence and that is what House Republicans are doing typically House committees do the investigative work on the front end they find evidence of wrongdoing and they move on from there That's not that's not what's happened here And so the risk for Republicans is that come election day.
They are seen focusing on the wrong things not focusing so much on the economy or immigration But on what could potentially be a meritless impeachment the risk for the White House is that it becomes a distraction Jen Psaki you had this surprise press conference by Hunter Biden. Yeah, did it help or did it hurt? Look, I think if you're sitting in the White House right now, you're like, please Hunter Biden. We know your dad loves you Please stop talking in public.
This is not helpful to any of them for him to be out there But at the same time the president loves his son that takes precedent over anything else that is appealing I think the woman in your focus group who talked about family he loves his son. He loves his family He's worried about his mental health, but yes the White House would like him to probably go away right now Matt Corbin could this backfire if Republicans don't find a smoking gun Lindsey Graham said there isn't one yet I think the Republicans need to continue to take their time on this I think they need to continue to emphasize that this is not articles impeachment This is merely inquiry the biggest difference between now and I get with Henry Hyde to your point You'll find his elevators. He's not using this to rally Democrats around him. That's a very different thing between that now Yeah, yeah, we'll say court the world is watching here.
We are two foreign wars How do allies and enemies to the United States watch the divisions play out here? And you know the US has been increasingly more isolated on the world stage in the wake of what's been happening in Israel You know October 7th the entire world rallied behind Israel But as we've seen this continuing humanitarian suffering lack of food and water in Gaza continuing strikes and ground offensive by the Israelis I mean even this week we heard about three hostages who were killed by IDF soldiers Israelis are gonna investigate that of course But that is putting growing amounting pressure on the US to really call out Israel We saw that this week with Jake Sullivan's visit and we'll see more of it with Secretary Austin. We sure will Thank you all happy holidays. Great conversation.
That is all for today. Thank you for watching. We will be back next week because if it's Sunday It's meet the press Hey, it's Kate Snow NBC News anchor and host of The Drink this month Demi Lovato is my guest The global superstar tells me that she is the happiest she's ever been right now But getting there it wasn't simple Demi opens up about starting in Hollywood young and why she now thinks she may have started too soon She talks about recovery her new marriage and the deeply personal reason behind her new cookbook The drink is always about the journey to the top and this was an honest conversation about what that takes Hope you'll listen and follow the drink wherever you get your podcasts