1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,933 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: And it's the beginning of the week, and so we are joined now by our 2 00:00:03,933 --> 00:00:08,033 regular Politics Monday duo, Amy Walter of The Cook Political Report and Tamara Keith 3 00:00:08,033 --> 00:00:09,433 of NPR. 4 00:00:09,433 --> 00:00:10,833 Welcome to you both. 5 00:00:10,833 --> 00:00:12,066 AMY WALTER, The Cook Political Report: Thank you. 6 00:00:12,066 --> 00:00:14,100 TAMARA KEITH, National Public Radio: Thank you. 7 00:00:14,100 --> 00:00:15,600 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Before we get to Alabama and policy and all that stuff, let's talk 8 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,433 about Sean Spicer and his little cameo last night on the Emmys. 9 00:00:18,433 --> 00:00:22,133 For those who didn't see it, he comes out, and it seems like he's trying to poke fun 10 00:00:22,133 --> 00:00:25,933 at his first day of the job, President Trump's inauguration. 11 00:00:25,933 --> 00:00:30,933 He comes out and, all evidence notwithstanding, he says that president had the biggest audience 12 00:00:32,033 --> 00:00:34,566 ever in the entire history of the universe. 13 00:00:34,566 --> 00:00:37,233 And then that was his declaration. 14 00:00:37,233 --> 00:00:40,266 And he pointed his finger at the journalists and told them, report this. 15 00:00:40,266 --> 00:00:45,033 Last night, during the Emmys, Stephen Colbert is wondering about the size of his audience. 16 00:00:45,033 --> 00:00:46,433 And out comes Sean Spicer. 17 00:00:46,433 --> 00:00:48,166 Let's take a look at that. 18 00:00:48,166 --> 00:00:49,266 (LAUGHTER) 19 00:00:49,266 --> 00:00:52,566 (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) 20 00:00:52,566 --> 00:00:57,566 SEAN SPICER, Former White House Press Secretary: This will be the largest audience to witness 21 00:01:04,533 --> 00:01:08,466 an Emmys, period, both in person and around the world. 22 00:01:08,466 --> 00:01:10,466 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: What do you make of that? 23 00:01:10,466 --> 00:01:12,333 AMY WALTER, The Cook Political Report: You know, this is life imitating art. 24 00:01:12,333 --> 00:01:14,333 Right? 25 00:01:14,333 --> 00:01:18,333 He was actually channeling Melissa McCarthy, who you see there, who was making fun of him 26 00:01:20,266 --> 00:01:22,533 in her "Saturday Night Live" skit. 27 00:01:22,533 --> 00:01:27,533 Look, this, to me, is a sign about where we are more broadly as a culture, which is, there 28 00:01:29,333 --> 00:01:33,033 is no such thing as having bad publicity or notoriety. 29 00:01:33,033 --> 00:01:34,566 You can always cash in on it. 30 00:01:34,566 --> 00:01:36,600 And it's very short-lived. 31 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,600 So, the name Sean Spicer is one that most people know today. 32 00:01:43,266 --> 00:01:46,266 It's hard to know that it's going to be the same a year from now. 33 00:01:46,266 --> 00:01:48,166 So, take it while you can get it. 34 00:01:48,166 --> 00:01:50,133 Take it to the bank. 35 00:01:50,133 --> 00:01:53,300 A lot of other Trump supporters, his former campaign manager, for example, got fired, 36 00:01:53,300 --> 00:01:57,066 and then ended up as a CNN commentator, is a lobbyist now. 37 00:01:57,066 --> 00:02:01,733 So, people trying to use their cache while they can here in Washington. 38 00:02:01,733 --> 00:02:03,000 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Tam, what do you think about this? 39 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,800 Is this us not being able to take a joke? 40 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:10,800 Or is this us, as many people have argued, that we're being encouraged to chuckle at 41 00:02:12,833 --> 00:02:15,166 the idea that it's just fine for the press secretary to lie to the American people? 42 00:02:15,166 --> 00:02:19,600 TAMARA KEITH: Well, this is Sean Spicer's rehabilitation tour, his image rehabilitation 43 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:21,600 tour. 44 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,966 He also went on the Jimmy Kimmel show, and then today, in an interview with The New York 45 00:02:24,966 --> 00:02:29,966 Times, said that he regretted that press conference where he came out and told reporters, report 46 00:02:31,066 --> 00:02:32,166 the facts that were not the facts. 47 00:02:32,166 --> 00:02:34,233 They were alternate facts. 48 00:02:34,233 --> 00:02:38,266 And that was sort of the original sin of his entire time as press secretary. 49 00:02:39,733 --> 00:02:41,766 He came out and said something that was unverifiably untrue. 50 00:02:41,766 --> 00:02:46,366 And it led to further questions about whether what he said was true, whether what was said 51 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:53,533 from the podium in the White House press Briefing Room, which has typically had some connection 52 00:02:53,533 --> 00:02:58,533 to reality, whether that could be trusted from this administration. 53 00:02:59,766 --> 00:03:00,533 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Some connection to reality. 54 00:03:00,533 --> 00:03:02,466 I love that. 55 00:03:02,466 --> 00:03:06,500 OK, let's talk about the runoff next Tuesday in Alabama, very big Senate runoff race. 56 00:03:07,233 --> 00:03:08,700 AMY WALTER: Right. 57 00:03:08,700 --> 00:03:10,233 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Roy Moore and Luther Strange. 58 00:03:10,233 --> 00:03:12,233 What is at stake in that particular race? 59 00:03:12,233 --> 00:03:14,866 AMY WALTER: Well, these are two Republicans that are challenging each other. 60 00:03:14,866 --> 00:03:19,866 And what's interesting here is, it is the choice between which Alabamans are going to 61 00:03:20,466 --> 00:03:22,933 like more. 62 00:03:22,933 --> 00:03:26,433 Or their choice is between loving Trump more or whether they dislike Mitch McConnell more. 63 00:03:29,766 --> 00:03:31,900 That is what they get a choice between. 64 00:03:31,900 --> 00:03:34,333 Roy Moore is the outsider. 65 00:03:34,333 --> 00:03:37,900 He is a former state Supreme Court judge. 66 00:03:37,900 --> 00:03:42,900 He has been kicked off the bench twice now, but he's running as the anti-establishment, 67 00:03:44,233 --> 00:03:46,633 anti-Washington firebrand. 68 00:03:46,633 --> 00:03:51,500 Luther Strange is in a Strange position, which is, he's been endorsed both by Donald Trump, 69 00:03:51,500 --> 00:03:54,933 and Donald Trump is coming down on Saturday to campaign for him. 70 00:03:54,933 --> 00:03:58,466 But he also has the support of Mitch McConnell and the leadership. 71 00:03:58,466 --> 00:04:03,033 So, really, what we're looking for here is, how strong is the Trump connection? 72 00:04:03,033 --> 00:04:08,033 Can support from Trump, the president, coming down, giving outward, in this case a rally, 73 00:04:09,966 --> 00:04:13,500 outward support, enough support to overcome what voters' reticence, especially in a place 74 00:04:15,433 --> 00:04:18,900 like Alabama, for the establishment -- Roy Moore, polling has shown him ahead, some by 75 00:04:19,766 --> 00:04:21,266 bigger margins, some by smaller. 76 00:04:21,266 --> 00:04:23,866 So, Luther Strange, who is the incumbent right now -- he was... 77 00:04:23,866 --> 00:04:25,933 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: The interim. 78 00:04:25,933 --> 00:04:29,866 AMY WALTER: ... the interim here, replacing Jeff Sessions, starts off as the underdog. 79 00:04:31,500 --> 00:04:34,133 The real question for Republicans, what really is at stake, two things. 80 00:04:34,133 --> 00:04:38,866 One, if Roy Moore wins and comes to the United States Senate, the fear from Republican establishment 81 00:04:40,300 --> 00:04:42,933 people like Mitch McConnell is, he's another rogue agent. 82 00:04:42,933 --> 00:04:45,600 They have very few votes that they can lose. 83 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:47,400 They only have a 52-seat majority. 84 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,033 They can't afford somebody else who goes off on his own tangent. 85 00:04:50,033 --> 00:04:55,033 And the second is, it may encourage, if he succeeds, it may encourage other candidates 86 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:58,300 to challenge sitting Republican incumbents. 87 00:04:58,300 --> 00:04:59,833 That's not something they want to deal with. 88 00:04:59,833 --> 00:05:02,033 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: So, Tam, the president can read the polls. 89 00:05:02,033 --> 00:05:06,766 He must know, even if he prefers Strange, that he might be backing the guy who ends 90 00:05:06,766 --> 00:05:08,800 up losing. 91 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,766 Like, why is the president -- why is he willing to risk capital on this? 92 00:05:11,766 --> 00:05:16,233 TAMARA KEITH: I haven't quite figure that out, to be perfectly honest. 93 00:05:16,233 --> 00:05:18,266 It's a big question. 94 00:05:18,266 --> 00:05:22,233 And the other thing is, President Trump is doing what Mitch McConnell wanted him to do, 95 00:05:23,666 --> 00:05:25,833 which is endorsing Strange and working for Strange. 96 00:05:25,833 --> 00:05:30,833 But the flame keepers of President Trump's, you know, agenda, the Steve Bannons, the Sean 97 00:05:33,966 --> 00:05:38,000 Hannitys, they have all endorsed Moore. 98 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:43,000 And so it's this really bizarre fight for, you know, who is the really -- the true Trump 99 00:05:45,066 --> 00:05:49,833 candidate, the guy who Trump endorsed or the guy that all of Trump's allies endorsed? 100 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:55,433 And I don't know how this is going to turn out and what it will mean for President Trump's 101 00:05:56,166 --> 00:05:58,300 political capital. 102 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:02,133 The interesting thing is, in this case, he's for the incumbent, whereas, in some other 103 00:06:02,133 --> 00:06:05,666 states, he's talking about wanting to primary the incumbent Republican. 104 00:06:05,666 --> 00:06:06,666 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Right. 105 00:06:06,666 --> 00:06:07,666 AMY WALTER: Yes. 106 00:06:07,666 --> 00:06:08,866 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Right. 107 00:06:08,866 --> 00:06:10,866 Let's talk about health care quickly. 108 00:06:10,866 --> 00:06:13,966 The GOP, it seems like, are taking one last stab at putting the dagger in the Affordable 109 00:06:13,966 --> 00:06:16,966 Care Act with the Graham-Cassidy bill. 110 00:06:16,966 --> 00:06:18,200 Why are they pushing for this? 111 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,400 AMY WALTER: It's about a deadline. 112 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,933 That's usually what gets people motivated in Washington, is, they look and they see, 113 00:06:23,933 --> 00:06:26,033 we only have a certain amount of time. 114 00:06:26,033 --> 00:06:30,000 In this case, September 30 is the last day that Republicans can pass a health care bill 115 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:33,633 with just 50 votes under this reconciliation deal. 116 00:06:33,633 --> 00:06:35,733 After that, they have got to get 60 votes. 117 00:06:35,733 --> 00:06:39,233 So this is really the time to be able to do this. 118 00:06:39,233 --> 00:06:44,233 Talking to folks who cover this today, there is a great deal of skepticism that this is 119 00:06:45,066 --> 00:06:47,000 going to happen. 120 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,733 It's pretty clear that the folks that held out on the first version, John McCain, Lisa 121 00:06:50,733 --> 00:06:54,633 Murkowski, Susan Collins, Rand Paul, are not committed to this. 122 00:06:54,633 --> 00:06:59,633 Rand Paul has already come out publicly and said he's not for it. 123 00:07:01,733 --> 00:07:05,566 So, still, I wouldn't say it is impossible, but it's -- the odds are longer. 124 00:07:06,766 --> 00:07:08,766 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Last to you, Tam. 125 00:07:08,766 --> 00:07:11,900 On the Democratic side, you have seen Bernie Sanders has been pushing his Medicare-for-all 126 00:07:11,900 --> 00:07:14,366 plan. 127 00:07:14,366 --> 00:07:17,600 We just saw Hillary Clinton express some skepticism about that, sort of implying that it wasn't 128 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,633 that realistic. 129 00:07:19,633 --> 00:07:22,833 But yet a lot of Democrats, including many who are thought of as 2020 contenders for 130 00:07:22,833 --> 00:07:25,100 the presidency, are signing onto this. 131 00:07:25,100 --> 00:07:27,900 So, why are they risking capital on something that may never go anywhere? 132 00:07:27,900 --> 00:07:31,300 TAMARA KEITH: Well, and Bernie Sanders says this bill is not going anywhere. 133 00:07:31,300 --> 00:07:36,300 They, I think, see this as a way to send a signal, to say that they care about health 134 00:07:36,766 --> 00:07:38,266 care. 135 00:07:38,266 --> 00:07:39,700 And they're not talking about what's practical and pragmatic. 136 00:07:39,700 --> 00:07:42,766 They aren't at that stage yet. 137 00:07:42,766 --> 00:07:45,333 It's -- 2020 is a long way off. 138 00:07:45,333 --> 00:07:48,833 WILLIAM BRANGHAM: Tamara Keith, Amy Walter, thank you very much. 139 00:07:48,833 --> 00:07:49,833 AMY WALTER: You're welcome. 140 00:07:49,833 --> 00:07:50,366 TAMARA KEITH: You're welcome.