Meet the Press NOW — July 12

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If it's Friday, President Biden hitting the trail in Battleground, Michigan, and holding multiple calls with congressional allies, as more Democrats call for him to step aside, following a defiant and at times shaky press conference. Plus former President Trump and Republicans revel in the Biden campaign struggles, as they prepare for the spotlight and the scrutiny of next week's Republican Convention in Wisconsin. And one of Ukrainian President Zelensky's top advisors joins us in studio, fresh off a critical week of meetings right here in Washington, that could pave the way for Ukraine to join the NATO alliance is it, in the future Russia. Welcome to me, the President.

I'm Kristen Welker, just moments ago, President Biden arrived in Michigan, where he will rally with supporters this evening as he kicks off a major week of campaigning. The President spent the first part of the day holding calls with groups of House Democrats, including the Hispanic Caucus and Asian Pacific American Caucus. It all comes following that high stakes press conference yesterday that appears to have left Democrats in limbo, with a performance that was at times commanding and at times unsteady, the President defending his campaign doubling down on his decision to stay in the race. I think I'm the most qualified person to run for President.

I beat him once, and I will beat him again. I'm not in this for my legacy. I'm in this to complete the job I started. I'm determined on running, but I think it's important that I lay fears.

I see him let them see me out there. You earlier explained confidence in your Vice President. If your team came back and showed you data that she would fare better against former President Donald Trump, would you reconsider your decision to stay in the race? No, unless I came back and said there's no way you can win.

Me. Well, the President was clearly comfortable discussing foreign policy issues from Ukraine to China, but he did mix up Vice President Harrison, former President Trump's names, near minutes into the event. Just hours after mistakenly calling Ukrainian President Zelensky, President Putin, something he caught. Look, I wouldn't have picked Vice President Trump to be Vice President, so I think she's not qualified to be President.

So let's start there. I want to hand it over to the President of Ukraine who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin. President Putin is going to be President Putin.

President Zelensky. Now, despite those slip up, some of the President's Capitol Hill allies say last night's performance should end any conversations about him potentially withdrawing. Here's South Carolina Congressman and Biden campaign co-chair Jim Clyburn. Should the conversation about the President getting out of the streets?

Should that conversation continue? No, it shouldn't. The conversation should focus on the record of this administration, on the alternative to his election, and let Joe Biden continue to make his own decisions about his duty. He's earned that, right?

And I am going to give him that much respect. If he decides to change his mind later on, then we will respond to that. So just leaving the door open, a crack for President Biden to change his mind about his decisions. Also, five more Democrats are now publicly calling for President Biden to step aside, bringing the total to 19.

Here's Congressman Jim Hind, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, who broke with Biden mere minutes after the news conference ended. Hard reality is, and I'm far from the only Democratic who believes this, that the numbers, the trajectory, what Americans feel in their bones right now suggest not only that Joe Biden would lose this race, but that he or we would lose the Senate and the House. But the reality remains that the poll numbers are not as clear-cut as either the President's critics or supporters would like. Three polls conducted after the debate, but before last night's news conference show a close race nationally, which has not changed significantly from earlier in the year.

But voter discontent with the President is palpable. He fares significantly worse than former President Trump on questions of fitness for office, with nearly two-thirds saying he doesn't have the mental fitness to serve as President, including a third of Democrats and two-thirds of independents. Joining me now is NBC News Senior White House correspondent Gabe Gutierrez. He's on the ground with President Biden, Michigan, and NBC News Capitol Hill correspondent Ryan Nobles.

We should know we are going to have a new polling coming out on Sunday on Meet the Press. Gabe, let me start with you. Last night, President Biden was again defiant. What is the campaign?

What are your sources telling you about how they are feeling today? Do they feel like they stopped the bleeding enough for him to continue and quiet those growing halls? Well, President, it's a bit of an ink-lock performance, isn't it? Supporters saw that performance and have a lot to point to the detractors side.

Certainly those new statements that you just played, and they point to that as a reason for white-prisoned Biden should leave the race. But as for the Biden campaign, look, they say that a press conference like yesterday really didn't move the needle, with voters out in America, out in these battleground states, and that is why they say President Biden is coming here to Michigan. They'll speak here in front of a crowd of supporters later on this evening inside this high-school gymnasium. But look, they say that the press conference yesterday, they didn't look at it as a singular event, but part of a larger series of events where they want to get him out there, making more accessible, put him in unscripted environments, as you've been reporting on.

Of course, there's a interview on Monday with Lester Holt, and there's trips out west to conferences in Las Vegas, and he'll do that interview in Texas where he's scheduled to speak at the LBJ Library. So quite a schedule of the next couple of days for the President to go out and about, but as for the campaign in last night, they do feel, at least for now, that he did what he needed to do, and he put at least some of the doubters to rest. And while you've been speaking, we are watching live footage of President Biden who's just touched down in Wayne County, Michigan, greeted there by dignitaries, including Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, who has warned that Michigan, as it always is, will be tough. Of course, President Biden won Michigan in 2020 part of his blue wall, Ryan, part of his blue wall that he will need to hold, if he wants to hold on to the White House, and of course concerns about states like Michigan are why you have a growing number of members of Congress, Ryan, saying that they are concerned about the President's viability.

Ryan, we know that the President talked to some key caucus members on the Hill today. How was he received? Well, it sounds like a mix back, Kristen. And it seems like in many respects that was too little too late.

I had a conversation just a few minutes ago with Jerry Connelly of Virginia. He scheduled me on one of these calls tomorrow with a group called the New Democrats, and what Connelly has expressed to me is that the White House should have been making these calls the day after the debate, not more than two weeks after the debate. And we do know our Capitol Hill team has confirmed that during this call with Hispanic members of Congress, that Mike Levin, who's one of the members of Congress that have called on the President to step down, forcefully confronted the President and said that he believes that he cannot win the election. And so that's an important flashpoint because we know that there are members of Congress that are frustrated, but one of the things that they are frustrated about is that they don't feel that the message that they are sending to us, that they're sending through the media, that they're sending through statements, and strongly worded statements, is not necessarily getting to the President himself, that perhaps it's getting to his aides and advisers, but somehow that message is being blocked or just not received by the President himself.

So this was an opportunity for them to do that, but the President did forcefully push back. They released the transcript of his response in that meeting, and he is sticking to his guns that he has killed the best candidate to win in November. I can tell you just from my own reporting in the last 12 to 13 hours, of course, and that is not a widespread belief among House Democrats and Senate Democrats for that matter. They are not that much relieved from what they saw last night.

They are still very worried about the future of this campaign. Gabe, let me go back to you, because ultimately the fate of members of Congress, who Ryan's been talking to, and the President rests with the voters. It's ultimately all about what the voters have to say. I know you've been out there talking to folks.

What are they telling you, Gabe, has this resonated with them? Yeah, well, some of them are still processing this, but, Kristen, you hit it. Michigan, of course, such a crucial battleground state, especially this time with many, a week of the Israel-Hamas War, at least President Biden's handling it. We've been hearing out for months that some of the voters here, especially Arab-American voters, are so concerned about how he's handling this.

And so President Biden faces real troubles here in Michigan, but there was a poll that came out today. The NPR, PBS, and Aristotle had really showed a tight race within the margin of error, not much movement at all after this debate. So the question is, did the debate really move any of these undecided voters, or even some Biden supporters, were positive to stay home? We spoke with a few of those voters.

Just over the past 24 hours or so, I take a listen to what they have to say. I wish that Biden was 10 years younger, but he's not, and so we had to deal with the real, and the reality is he's 81 years old. I hope he doesn't take this personally, but I think it's time for him to step down. I wasn't a Biden supporter right up until the debate.

Now, I'd really like to see an open convention problem is, he's not going to be able to win the election. So that's why I'd like to see someone else run. So those were two Biden supporters that now say they would want to vote for somebody else, but we expect to hear Kristen from some Biden supporters that are sticking by him. They're streaming at this auditorium right now.

They want to see what he has to say to him. Give fascinating conversations, tremendous reporting from both of you, Gabe and Ryan. Thank you for starting us off on this Friday. Joining me now is Illinois Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider.

He is one of the House Democrats calling on President Biden to end his campaign. Congressman Schneider, thank you so much for joining us this afternoon. We really appreciate it. Thanks for having me.

So walk me through your decision-making process. You actually called on President Biden to end his reelection bid yesterday before his press conference. How did you reach that conclusion? Why not give the President the benefit of the doubt?

Listen to what he had to say last night. Well, it wasn't about one press conference or a single debate or an election rally. It's really about what we've been seeing over the last several weeks, even last several months. And as I said, my statement yesterday, I love President Biden.

I was the first of the Illinois delegation to endorse him four years ago. I did so because I knew he would be a great president. He has been a great president, a transformative president. But I'm looking out to where the future where we are.

And between now and November 5th, we have to be doing everything we can to make sure we went in November. And what I tried to convey to the president and the public is we are at a watershed moment where President Biden can seal his places in history, put a capstone on an incredible career, a secure legacy, by transmitting the baton to the next generation. We've got a great bench. We've got a lot of people who are able and ready to lead.

And if he does it in a way that unites the power of the United Nations, I think we can not just get to the finish line in November, but we can run through the tape and win with a big ending. Well, I want to drill down on you about what that process might look like from your perspective. But look, President Biden, pretty defiant last night, he said, look, if his team shows him evidence that he cannot win in November, then yes, he would not win. If he had a chance to win in November, then yes, he would consider dropping out of the race.

He says he hasn't seen evidence that he can't win. Have you seen that in the polls? I mean, the reality is the head to head match ups have not moved that much, although clearly the cross tabs. If you dig into the details, in other words, it does tell a slightly more complicated story.

Yeah, I don't like relying on polls. I spent a lot of time in my district last week with the holiday. I had a chance to be all over my district. I walked in a parade, walked by at least 50,000 people.

More people than I can count. Hundreds, if not a thousand people say we love Joe Biden, but we need to find someone else to run this race. I didn't have anyone say it to me the other way. In our office, we get calls and letters and emails.

We record all of those. It's running 30 to one that Joe Biden should pass the torch. Those are messages. I talked to my colleagues and as others have said, I'm not a lonely voice in this.

This is not anything I take. Joe Biden has been a great president, a great vice president, a phenomenal senator. He has served his nation with dignity. And I think we are just at a point where he has a chance to do the last act as George Washington did 240 years ago or less, but passing the baton and setting the country on a course to continue this experiment that we have celebrated for 240 years.

When I talk to the president's supporters, they say, look, passing the baton is more complicated than just passing the baton. You would likely have a big floor fight at the Democratic National Convention, even if the president were to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris, that you could be opening up the process to chaos, to do what he is and they argue that that would be also handing Donald Trump a win. What do you say to that argument? The first thing I say is none of us can predict the future.

I can't say with certainty that Joe Biden is not going to defeat Donald Trump in November. And if he is our candidate, I'm going to do everything I can, 100% and a little bit more to get him across the finish line. I can't say for certain that someone else on the top of our ticket is going to do better, but I believe that if we unite the party, unite the country, we have a chance to do something great. We don't know what the future is.

I don't know that there will or there won't be a contested convention. What I'm hoping for and what I'm calling for is the party to come together to unite the convention to get behind our candidate and recognize the threat we face with Donald Trump, a convicted felon, someone who wants to undermine our Constitution over democracy and put America's role in the world at risk and so doing America's in the world security at the same time. Do you think that Vice President Harris is the strongest alternative to take on Donald Trump or is there someone else who has caught your eye? Obviously there are a lot of names that are being discussed.

Governor Gavin Newsom, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Governor Scott Shapiro, I should say there are a lot of different names that are being discussed as a potential nominee. Who do you have your eye on? Absolutely. You took my answer because my answer is we've got a lot of people.

It's not for me to pick who it should be, what I will tell you whoever it is, whether it's the Vice President who I think would be. As Joe Biden said yesterday, he would not have pictured to be Vice President and so wasn't ready to step into that role. If it is one of these governors who have executive experience and a demonstrated record of accomplishment in their states, our bench is so deep and so wide. One of the key differences between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.

The Republican Party has become a party of a cult of Democrats. We are a party not only with big tents, but a tent with a lot of people who have done a lot of amazing things and who are committed to moving our country forward in an amazing way. I'm curious, Congressman, since you called on the President to step down yesterday, have you urged other Democrats to speak up to take your lead and do you anticipate that the calls are going to grow based on your conversation, your conversations with your colleagues? And this is a matter of style.

I've been talking to my colleagues last week during the holiday. I was making calls. I talked to them when I was in Washington this past week. And I said the same thing to everyone.

You have to follow your heart. You have to do what you've got to tell you what you believe is the best for the country. Since I made my position known yesterday afternoon, there have been others who have taken similar positions. I suspect there will likely be more.

But at the end of the day, as Mr. Clyburn said earlier in the show, that it's ultimately the decision for the President. My hope is the President will follow the lead of George Washington, who set the standard by passing baton to the next generation and setting the country on a course for success. That Joe Biden will live up to that example.

Congressman Schneider, very quickly before I let you go, what do you say to fellow Democrats who are concerned that your words, that the words of other Democrats who are calling on the President to drop out if he does stay in the race will be used against him as we get closer to election day in Republican ads? Absolutely. That's a fair concern. But here's the bottom line.

What I'm saying is when I'm hearing from the people I represent, and they're all almost all overwhelming. The 31 are saying the same thing I'm saying. Fundamentally, we love Joe Biden. We think he's been a great President.

And we think this is the moment to erotically pass baton and move it to the next generation. All right. Representative Brad Schneider, thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it.

Thank you. Let's hear now from the Biden campaign. Joining me is Quentin Foltz, Principal Deputy Campaign Manager. Thank you so much for being here.

Really appreciate it. Thank you for having me, Kristen. So since last night's news conference, we have seen five House Democrats come out and say that the President should end his campaign. The goal, obviously, of that press conference was to stop the calls from growing.

Did the press conference fail? Well, the goal of the press conference was to talk to the American people about NATO and the stakes, a foreign policy in American President Biden's leadership in doing it. And I think that the President did that in doing so. He also stood up for nearly an hour at press conference and answered some of the most difficult questions about some of the most complex issues facing our country.

And he did so by answering a wide array of questions from reporters. Obviously, we know the subject matter of those questions, but I think that the President did exactly what he went out there to do last night. And that is to all the stakes of this election about what his predecessor did is he would say in official speech in his vision about what is going on in this country about his command over the issues leading America, not just foreign, but also here domestically at home. And so that is what the President intended to do less on.

And that's exactly what he did. Quentin, you know, as you know, there has been a lot of discussion and intense focus on the language that he used last night. He said, look, if my team shows me that I can't win, then maybe I would consider getting out of the race. My question for you, is this a closed matter for him?

Is there any way and because there is conflicting data as we laid out at the top? There's a lot of new data coming in. Has he completely shut the door on changing his mind on passing the torch? Yes, yes.

President Biden is a Democratic nominee. It has always been his decision to make. But even let's take a step back from that, Kristen. It's his decision to make because the voters make their decision.

And the 14 million votes cast in the Democratic process, Joe Biden won 87% of them. The deliest that were given out there by the has 3900 of them. That is why Joe Biden has the decision to make, the power to make this decision. And that's exactly what he's doing.

And I am a member of the President's team. And so when the President says to you that his team is not giving him that or not coming to him, it's saying you can't win. It's because we are not. President Biden is in this race.

And our campaign is going to continue to do what we have set out to do from the moment he announced the reelection. We have built this campaign to be in a very close election, which we knew would be closed before the debate. And that remains true now. And so we're going to continue to dollar the contrast every single day of President Biden's agenda for America and that in Donald Trump in Project 2025.

What do you say to the argument though that there wasn't necessarily a competitive primary? Sure, you had one competitor, Dean Phillips, but this wasn't exactly the type of open primary that you are talking about with a robust number of candidates in some states. The rules were changed. I mean, what do you make of that argument?

I would say to that argument and not to be defined at all. But when we talk about rules, the rules have been the same for every single presidential election. And anyone could have challenged President Biden. Any Democrat could have stepped up to challenge President Biden.

The ones who wanted to do that did so. And we are in this place where again, as I reiterate, President Biden won 87% of 14 million votes in our campaign. A sneer came to that because we have been set out with a single division, which is again, drawn the contrast in the stakes of this election of what Donald Trump wants to do by gripping away women's reproductive freedoms by continuing to put a burden on the middle class while the wealthiest and big corporations get ahead and continuing to incite violence and political extremism across this country. And so we have been prepared to do that since day one.

We're prepared to continue to do it. And that is where our focus remains from now until November. Quinn, let me show you some of what my NBC News colleagues are reporting and just get your reaction on the other side. This is from Biden campaign staffers this week.

One person saying quote, he needs to drop out. That's a Biden campaign official. Another saying he will never recover from this. No one involved in the effort thinks he has a path, said a second person working to elect him.

Is there a thread of concern throughout the campaign throughout campaign staffers who you were talking to? Not that has been voiced in me. And again, it's hard to address things like that because again, it's hearsay. We don't see names on these statements that rumors and gossip mills and all we can continue to do is do our job.

But I am a member of the president's reelection campaign team leader on it. And I'm saying that I do think that he has a path. I know that he has a path. I've seen the numbers.

And so again, our campaign is focused. We're going to be honest and level with our staff. We are going to continue to do the work. This is a margin of error.

It has been since the outset of this. It's exactly where it is today. And we're focused on continuing to fund raise continuing to build a campaign apparatus and infrastructure to draw the contrast between President Biden and Donald Trump. Quinn laid out for me.

What is the path? Because he was behind heading into the debate. He has slipped, albeit. It is not a dramatic shift.

But as you know, the numbers have gotten tougher for President Biden, including in some battleground states, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, now leading Republican, as opposed to being toss up. What exactly does the path look like? Well, first of all, in 2022, I was in Georgia, which is also a battleground state for us now. And people told me that the path was tough.

I think people told Democrats across the country that the path was tough. In fact, some might have said there was no path yet. Here we are with the most successful midterm under President Biden's leadership in any since 1934. But the path quite simply, look, we're not being polyenish about it.

This is basic math. I mean, I can spit off the states to you as the blue wall, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, also the Sunbell States, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina. We are very bullish. We believe that voters across this country understand what's at stake.

They understand the danger that Donald Trump in Project 2025 that was written for him. They understand what it is. And so this is the contrast that we have to continue to draw by pointing out the work that the President has done and the danger that Donald Trump poses to this democracy and that he wakes up every single day thinking about. Quickly, quickly before I let you go, can you respond to give us details about the reporting that the campaign has quietly run the numbers on Vice President Harris to see how she would do against former President Trump?

What is the purpose of that? Is there a real consideration about passing the baton to her? Well, there is no consideration about passing the baton to her because President Biden has made his decision. And at the end of the day, Vice President Harris is on the ticket.

This is something that campaigns do. She is a member of this team. She is out all the time as one of our lead surrogates talking about the issues, women reproductive freedom. She is all across this country communicating with voters.

She's based on a barrage of attacks recently. And so this is standard run of the mill campaign things that happen behind the scenes with all of our principals, with surrogates who are the best allies to get out talking about your points. And we know that just like every other campaign. And I think that a spotlight unfairly has been put on this because of the dynamics that have been taking place in the media over the past week.

But that's all that is. But President Biden has been nominated and we're going to continue to run this campaign as such. Quinn folks, thank you very much for joining us. Thank you for all of that information.

And we will have our own poll coming out on Sunday. So make sure to tune in to meet the press for that and make sure to tune in on Monday for Lester Holt's exclusive sit down interview with President Joe Biden. Watch a preview on NBC Nightly News and then the full unedited interview in a prime time special at 9 p.m. Eastern on NBC and NBC News Now.

And coming up just after the break, we're just three days away from the start of the Republican National Convention. We'll have the very latest on how the host city and how the presumptive nominee are preparing for the festivities. Do say with us, you're watching Meet the Press Now on a Very Busy Friday. Notice how some homes sell faster in your neighborhood?

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One group that's happy with how President Trump, President Biden's news conference went last night. Republicans, especially those around former President Trump. Two sources telling NBC News that Trump world is feeling quite happy with the Biden professor. Seeing it is not enough to push the president out and not enough to mitigate his electoral woes.

Joining me now on set is my NBC News colleague Garrett. Hey, who has all of that reporting? Garrett, it is great to see you. Welcome back from Leave.

So break down what you're hearing from your sources. They are. We've seen Trump has been in the background for once. We're not used to this.

He's letting President Biden sort of enjoy all of these negative headlines. Yeah. I mean, it's sort of campaign 101, but not in line with how Donald Trump has mostly conducted himself in public. When your opponent is struggling or making a mistake, you basically stay out of the way.

That's what the Trump campaign has done. We've only seen him in public really twice since the debate. He's in a number of radio interviews. But he's basically taken it backseat.

And what they want is basically what they saw last night, kind of a Goldilocks approach to Joe Biden. They want a weak Joe Biden is sort of the best possible opponent for them. Too strong. He's harder to beat.

Two weeks potentially gets replaced. Their whole strategy goes out the window. They say they're prepared to run against anybody. But Joe Biden's the guy they've been running against for two years.

That's what they want to continue to see. That's what's so interesting. Let me just follow up with you on that last point because I get the sense that there is some trepidation. If he were to pass the baton.

Sure, they have all these attempts against the vice president. There's no surprise about that. And yet they haven't really run the playbook on her in a real way. I mean, are you getting that sense?

What would it look like from their perspective? If it went to a vice president Harris or someone else? Well, I think the Trump campaign believes she's responsible for the Biden record as much as Joe Biden. So on the issues they can run against the same issue set.

But instantly Donald Trump once again becomes the old guy in the race. That's right. And he inherits all the problems that Joe Biden has about questions about whether he's fit enough and the spotlight comes back on him in that way. So do they think Kamala Harris is particularly strong?

No, but she's a less known commodity. And this version of the Trump campaign, as we talked about many times, is a little bit more buttoned up. They want to have a plan. They want to stick to it.

Joe Biden's the plan. The less disruption to that, the better from their perspective. Let's talk about the other big soon to be headline that you and I are tracking who will. Trump's VP pick me.

Sometimes the helpful thing about covering Trump is that he confirms all of your reporting. He did that today. He put out his own short list. And he said he'll be announcing during the convention.

Yeah, he's made it clear for a long time. This is the way he wants to do it. When you think about Donald Trump, the politician, sometimes he's sort of stuck in a 1980s mindset. And if this were a 1984 convention, or a 1980 convention, the idea I'm going to announce during the convention itself is right out of the play.

But that's what he wants to do. He said again today he's going to do it. It's his call. He's driving the party bus right now.

We're still looking at really, I think, mainly those three finalists, Marco Rubio, Doug Bergen of North Dakota and JD Vance. That's the order I would probably put them in for least likely to most likely the vibes. And that's really all they are seem to be advanced. But right now, I still believe no one knows the answer to this question except Donald Trump and maybe not even him.

That's my suspicion as well. I think he's waiting to see as he said how this plays out on the Democratic side. Karen, hey, thanks for your reporting. Great to see you.

And turning now to Milwaukee, where with less than 72 hours to go until the Republican National Convention, preparation is ramping up. The Milwaukee Police Department is expecting roughly 50,000 people at this event that could have major ripple effects for national politics and the Midwestern city's economy. Joining me now from Milwaukee is MBC Shack Rooster. So, Shaq, set the scene.

You have been there. What's the mood like in the city? How are they preparing? Well, I'm sure during this report you'll hear the preparations, but I'll show you some of the preparations.

These last minute preparations outside of the Pfizer Forum, you have the security barricades that we know will blanket the downtown area are still being built as we speak as we know. Secret Service is responsible for security inside of the secure zone. But when you go beyond that, that's what is the responsibility of the Milwaukee Police Department. And I talked to them several times.

They say they are ready. They know that their protest involved, but they feel confident about their ability to secure this convention. Shaq, you always talked to the most fascinating people. And you met something of an odd couple, I think it's safe to say, of politicians that helped to get this convention off the ground.

Tell us about them. Yeah, these are two who have been turning some heads here in Wisconsin, where the state has been in this open political warfare for well over a decade. I'm talking about Rice Priebus, the former head of the Republican Party, former President Trump's first chief of staff. And the mayor here, Cavalier Johnson, a Democrat who is strongly backing President Joe Biden.

They've been working together to bring this convention to recruit and donors for this convention and volunteers for it. And I sat down and talked to them about what their partnership has been able to accomplish. Listen here. We both love politics, but we've come together, I think, for something great.

And the mayor has been fabulous to work with from day one. And I've kind of joked that I've got to be careful with all these compliments. And I've never ruined his political career. It's not going to be able to run for anything.

What is this going? Have you heard people say you're looking a little too close to the Republican Party here with this? You got a Democrat in a city that votes overwhelmingly for Democrats, overwhelmingly for President Joe Biden, 20 will do so again in 2024. Or maybe not as much.

I think we both. But, yeah, I mean, there have been folks on my side of the aisle saying, well, why are you hosting the RNC? And my thought, again, is those things that I said before. Like, I want to create a virtuous economic cycle in Milwaukee.

I think the RNC helps us to be able to do that. What was that first conversation like when you wanted to bring this to Milwaukee's being talked about? You guys were making the pitch. What was that first conversation like when you had to realize, okay, it's going to take partnership between a Democratic mayor and the Republican Party?

Well, I wasn't sure because I didn't really know the mayor. And we met at a restaurant with a group of members of the RNC. And I was sort of, I mean, I wasn't surprised, but I think he's extremely talented. And I think he could be dangerous as a candidate, quite frankly, from a Republican standpoint.

And he emphatically delivered, without hesitation, the commitment to bring a lot of money to the city. And he was always focused on that. And I saw that from day one. How did this partnership start?

Well, first I said, I'll hold you to that, right? In terms of being dangerous Republicans. Oh, that. Okay.

Well, but I mean, to right this point, I mean, the relationship started, I think there was an appreciation on my part about what this could mean for Milwaukee. They know I'm a Democrat. They know what my values are. Like, I don't approve of the Republican platform or certainly the nominee for the Republican Party.

But I do support being in a position to be able to grow Milwaukee. The partnership that people see helps people have the confidence that this convention will deliver. We're going to be, you know, it's not just production inside the arena. It's construction.

It's a $75 million security grant that we had to work together on in Washington, D.C. to make sure it was delivered. That's $25 million and has ever been granted to a host city. You guys came to this place?

It was really hard. You were calling each other. Like, hey, have you talked to Tammy Baldwin? You talked to your guy.

What's the takeaway from this? Well, I mean, exactly what Ryan just said, right? There are so many things, especially today that are divisive in politics, but there are a certain number of things, many things. I think where you can find some kind of ground where you can work to advance those kind of causes.

Now I did also have to ask Ryan's about that RNC platform that we saw released earlier this week. He admitted that he was surprised by that abortion language that was toned down a little bit. No call for a national abortion ban, but he said he liked and appreciated the 14th Amendment language that it ultimately landed on Kristen. All right, Jack Rooster, love the bipartisan conversation.

Appreciate your reporting. I will see you in Milwaukee in a couple of days. I will be anchoring the press now live from inside the convention hall. Every day of the Republican National Convention will have special nighttime NBC news coverage throughout the events next week.

Right here on NBC News Now, we do not want to miss it. Coming up next, left in limbo. Where do Democrats go from here? The panel's next.

You're watching me the press now. Welcome back. Even as President Biden is insisting, he's the Democrat best equipped to defeat Donald Trump. He's also touted the qualifications of his vice president as the Biden campaign just confirmed Quentin Folks to us here on this show.

The campaign is assessing her potential viability at the top of the ticket. This was a hell of a prosecutor. She was a first-rate person and in the Senate she was really good. I wouldn't have picked her unless I thought she was qualified to be president.

From the very beginning, I made no bones about that. She is qualified to be president. That's why I picked her. Now, some recent polling has the vice president nearly ahead of Donald Trump and hypothetical matchup, but her lead is within the margin of error.

And again, we'll be releasing our own poll on Sunday on Meet the Press. I'm joined now by my panel. Chris was a founder of the So What newsletter and senior advisor at Denton's Global Advisors. Simone Sanders tells it from her chief spokesperson for Vice President Harris.

And now a co-host on MSNBC's The Weeknd and Lance Trover, Republican strategist and former spokesperson for Doug Burgum's presidential campaign. Thanks to all of you for being here. A lot to chew on today. Chris, let me start with you.

Sure. Where are we today after this press conference? Where are we now? After this press conference?

Look, I don't think it takes a huge political mind to think that if the president's campaign is polling the viability of the vice president at the top of the ticket, that's not necessarily where you want to be a month before the Democratic Convention. I think Joe Biden has moved from the Lord Almighty, his words, was the only person who could get him out of the race too. Yesterday, I would need to see polling that would show I can't win and Kamala Harris can't win. I would suggest there's data out there in swing states in particular.

You have to dig for it. It's not the national polling, which is great for him, but not that bad. But I would suggest in swing states that there is that data out there. I just think if this race is a referendum on Joe Biden, which means a referendum on age, he probably loses.

If this race is a referendum on Donald Trump, Donald Trump loses. I need to oversimplify, but if you take that off the table, I'm not saying Kamala Harris wins 60-40. I just think it's such a big issue and I don't know how he solves that problem. That I think it's, it might be, if Democrats want to win, that's the move they should make.

So I'll pick up on that point because I have spoken to a number of Democrats who have privately said, and of course a growing number of them now publicly have said exactly the point that Chris is making, that it's not a matter of, it's a tough road. It's a matter of they think he can't win. And the revelation that yes, they are polling by his president, Harris, now Quinn folks, to be fair, said this happens in campaigns. But what do you make of this?

So I think on the polling front, when I first saw the polling, I think I tweeted this, I said, it could be the faith, right? It could just be that they are looking because Donald Trump has stepped up his attacks on her. They want to know what is landing, what is resonating with their voters and swing voters, so they don't have to counter that, like what else do they need to pick the messaging. When I thought I also thought it could mean that, you know, they're looking to find the polls and say, look, she doesn't do really well to show people to potentially drag congressional and the president.

That would be the cut throat of political action. I hope that that is not a look for that one. Okay, I hope it is the former, not the latter, and it sounds like Quinn folks, it is the former, so okay, I believe when folks, okay, he's like, he's a trustworthy individual. I think we're going to come to this conversation about the vice president at the time of the ticket and what members are saying.

I continue my gut, Kristen, which is telling me like to call up some DNC members because of the DNC members also saying this at one point, I was like, not crazy. And when I spoke to the DNC members, pledge delegates, people who like run caucuses of the DNC, they said that their membership is with the president. And so you have this split screen of members of Congress who frankly do not get voted on the first ballot, thanks to my former former former boss, Bernie Sanders. So we'll get in head action now.

Thank you, Mr. President. Okay, we're going to history. Let's look at that now.

Now all these elected officials coming out saying, oh, the president just sat down. They don't have a vote on the first ballot. So it is not them that will make this decision, it's the pledge delegates. So I think we need to continue to keep our ear to the streets.

That's a really critical point. Lance, pick up here because the person who has been noticeably out of the spotlight is Donald Trump. I can't remember the last new cycle where Donald Trump was out of the spotlight, clearly allowing Biden to kind of have all of these headlines. Is there some concern within the Republican party if someone else were to be the standard bearer?

Well, right now it's the best of both worlds for Donald Trump, right? I mean, if you look at what happened last night, he did just good enough to make to kind of put people at bay, but then he was still messing up names and the like. And so I think the Trump campaign absolutely takes Joe Biden seriously, unlike the folks on Capitol Hill. The Democrats on Capitol Hill, they're not taking him seriously right now.

I do think they take Joe Biden seriously, and that's why you're seeing them still go after him out there. When it comes to the vice president, as Garrett was talking about earlier, really the issues are going to be the same because at the end of the day, the fundamental core issues that voters want to hear about, the border, the cause of living, those are still the same. And she has been his number two, and that's what will be litigated out there. What about the fact that Trump, Chris, hasn't risen that much since the debate?

I mean, should Republicans be looking at that number saying, well, maybe he's not as strong as me. I got up this morning and I saw a poll because someone who doesn't like me sent it to me and said, see your wrong. That had Biden 50 Trump 48 nationally. Now, the people that I talk to say, yes, part of that is we're so polarized that if we rent this phone against this coffee cup, and one was Republican, one was Democratic, be 50, 48, one, and the other.

It's just right. It's totally irrelevant of any external circumstances. What I would say is what I said before though, look at swing states, look at house districts. So, no one's exactly right about delegates.

The one I would point to is, I would argue in this, not all members of Congress are created equally. Like, you know, if you're from some Randall district, that's not competitive, whatever. What I pay attention to is like, the people who are in swing districts, right, who are going to be targeted, whether it's your Biden's on this, or not, what are they saying? Let me just unveil it.

Let's see your politics. They're doing polling to see what their situation is. So, I always pay attention to those frontline members. People are in districts where we know Republicans are going to target.

What are they saying? But it's not right. They still don't get it. They don't get voted vote on the first ballot.

I think it's an indicator. I think it's a good point though, but I think about the fact that you've got Mark Levent at just recently in California, he's in the swing district, came out, Antichrist, swing district, and Minnesota, I mean, she's five-part-level. Life-Hunk, the Republicans have been thought of as a purple district, and I think she made a calculation, but then I also think about the head of the Congressional Caucus, Stephen Horseford, who is a frontline member in Nevada. And so, if Stephen Horseford really thought that his district wasn't in trouble, I doubt that he would be putting his name on a statement.

So, I think that it is kind of a every man for him or her self-situation when it comes to Congress. But I just wonder, like, I just wonder, what is the strategy? If you don't buy this, I can not take it. How does it benefit them for another week to have this very public embarrassing conversation that has to have a drag on voters?

I would just call them to resign. I mean, just so you can't run and win an election, like, if that's the concern, what's the point? What's the point? What's the point?

What's the point? What's the point? What's the point? What's the commandon chief?

How do you know that? I mean, I just don't know. I mean, that's the question that is going to come next for these frontline members. Well, if you think you can't run.

What about that? Well, I just think, first of all, I think the, I personally believe what the members of Congress are doing is just so un-strategic, I can't even. I think that they are in a bubble, and they need to get out of their bubble, and I'm shocked because former Speaker Nancy Pelosi is someone who's extremely strategic, and it is just, it's like they're going to make it there. To that point, I mean, she came out, and she came out, and to some extent, Congress will climb her and did it, and just gave a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit to say, Joe Biden can still make up his mind even though he says he's made up his mind.

Yeah, I know. That thing I'm working, Joe, is totally fascinating, because it was like, I mean, we'll just see, I think the president needs to make up his mind. Like 24 hours, 24 hours, 24 hours, I'm running, I've made my mind up. I think it's the most exact right.

Nancy Pelosi is, this Pelosi didn't get to where she is, because she's done. She's really smart and really strategic, and I would argue the most effective politician of either party in the House or Senate in decades, pay attention to her. She's basically saying what she was saying to Biden there is, maybe she should re-examine that decision. Now, he doesn't have to, but I do think that that to me was the sign of like, okay, well, maybe this book isn't totally close.

Speak to the fact that she's feeling the heatlands very quickly. What are you going to be watching for? Who's going to be the next VP nominee? Oh my goodness, I've said this one.

I'll say it again. If I knew this answer, all on red in Vegas, on an island somewhere in cash in. You think Doug Bergum said that? I'm obviously a tad biased.

I think he would make an excellent vice-president, but I think Trump's looking pretty strong right now. I'm not sure. No, it's he leaves. By the way, I actually think, not to be a Bergum promoter, but I do think if you're Donald Trump and you think you're winning, Bergum is the same person.

Yeah, great point. All right. Well, unfortunately, we have to leave it there. Phenomenal panel.

Thank you so much, Chris. And we'll really appreciate the great conversation coming up. Atopadvisor to Ukrainian President Volodemer Zelensky joins me next. After this week's crucial NATO conference, they will answer your question with the press now.

Welcome back. After meetings with President Biden, NATO allies and leaders on Capitol Hill, Ukraine's President Zelensky is ramping up his diplomatic blitz today. Speaking of the National Government Association, some are meeting. Zelensky once again laid out the stakes in the war against Russian aggression, saying he isn't a fight against evil.

He also thanked the bipartisan gathering for their continued support for Ukraine's war effort. Joining me now is Igor Shovka, a top advisor to President Zelensky and Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Thank you so much for being here. Really appreciate it.

Thank you for having me. So I want to talk to you about the NATO summit which was held here in Washington. What was your top takeaway? What was Ukraine's top takeaway from the summit?

Was it successful? Yes, it was successful. Apart from the very good formulas which were in the final declaration on Ukraine's anniversary to membership, membership and that was very important to be fixed in both the final declaration and the NATO- The practical results which were evaded for, they are more than good. I mean, I would take as the most important outcome is this statement on the air defense.

I mean, look, we're barely near these air defense now in Ukraine. You saw what was happening on Monday in Kyiv and in other cities, when they bombarded it, biggest children's hospital in Kyiv, killing children, etc. So that's that's that's that's that's that's why we need more and more air defense. Very good.

In this statement, five air defense systems are fixed and we hope in that in a very soon manner that will come to Ukraine and some more to come by the end of the year. Did you get assurances that that will happen? Yes. My president talked to me, she's a leader of the country who delivered, who is delivering this to president of Romania, to the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, certainly to US President Biden, who I thank initially for making these decisions.

It's very important for them to be implemented very soon. President Zelensky said in order for Ukraine to win the war, the US has to lift its limits on striking targets inside Russia. Did he discuss that with President Biden? Obviously the president addressed that at his news conference yesterday, but do you anticipate that that is something that will happen?

Did he get any assurances about that? Look, the process has started already, you know about the US decision. The US decision is the decision to lift the ban on the near abroad. We need this because I mean Russia is hitting all of our cities, but especially the cities in eastern Ukraine.

I mean, look, I mean, what is what was happening around Kharaghi from only two months ago? This recent decision of your president helped us to stop this counter-offensive. Now we need to finally, you know, get them, get them without their capacities to ruin the Ukrainian city. So we are working with the US administration, our Minister of Defense, working with DOD.

My president certainly carries this issue with President Biden and certainly he will be raising it for the conversations. And I'm absolutely sure we're going to get it sooner or later. Do you have any sense of a timeline? When's it going to happen?

Well, let's not talk here about timelines. These decisions, they need, you know, quietness. They're gone. As soon as we have it, everyone will see it.

What do you want Americans to know about the war in Ukraine that they may not understand? They may not understand that the war is still going on in that severe manner, as Russia did in the first days of open aggression. I mean, that was happening on Monday in Kyiv, resembled all of us. It's awful first days.

I mean, they're hitting deliberately the civilian charges, the children's hospital. That's the brutality, the cruelty, which the world had never seen before. So I want the Americans to remember, this is the war in the center of Europe in the 21st century. They are killing children and civilians in the center of Europe.

We need America to support us. We need America to win. As you know, there is an election underway in this country. Former President Trump has said he could end the war in 24 hours.

There are concerns that that would require giving up some Ukrainian territory. Do you have a reaction to that notion that this war could be ended in 24 hours? Look, I mean, my president will respond to this. I mean, he told that Kyiv would have desired to see this plan if this plan exists.

Let's look at it and let's sit and discuss, because nothing should be done under Ukraine in expenses. Certainly. Certainly we will never trade any, any, any, any, any, any, any Ukrainian territory. Certainly.

Any peace would be, would be, would be achieved by sacrificing the parts of Ukrainian territory or the sacrifice of our Ukrainians people. So we will continue to fight and we need to win the victory for us, bringing back all Ukrainian territories. And as you know, there are also questions swirling in the wake of this debate between President Biden, former President Trump, about President Biden's capacity to serve another four years to defeat Donald Trump. There was this moment where he temporarily mistook President Zelensky for President Putin.

He then corrected himself. Did President Zelensky, did you come away from this summit with the sense or any concerns about President Biden's passing dissent? Look, no, we had a very good and productive bilateral meeting between my president and President Biden, lost at almost one hour. And many important things, including those things which you're asking about and other things were discussed for about an hour.

Then immediately it was followed by the NATO Ukraine Council. Again, a unique format where Ukraine was in the center. And then after that, it was Ukraine and compact events. So we had President Biden talking the whole day about Ukraine.

We have to set aside. All right. Thank you so much for being here in person. We wish you safe travels home.

You've got to really appreciate it. Thank you for being with us this hour. I'll be back Monday with more Meet the Press now live from the Republican National Convention as we kick off a week of live coverage from Milwaukee. And if it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press.

I'll have exclusive interviews with Senator Skris Kus and Bernie Sanders. Plus, Senator Lindsey Graham. Do not miss it. NBC News now coverage continues with Halle Jackson right now.

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