Welcome to the beat. Im ari melber. With all the trial news we have been covering, the top story is political news that will help decide the election. Because it usually does. Today, President Biden and donald trump both agreed to do two new president ial debates. The first coming next month. Capping weeks of posturing and negotiation. That breakthrough came today as the Biden Campaign took control of things with a plan that was months in the making. Biden using this video to publicly challenge trump. With two partners on board. Abc and cnn. If a debate starting next month sounds different than usual, earlier than usual, it is. This will now be the earliest general Election Campaign debate ever. And that matters actually not only for people tuning in and paying attention, but also for the political strategy at play. Which we will get into right now. The times reporting this is what biden wants for a couple of reasons. Democrats think early voting helps them more than the other side. I
President. Im alex wagner here with my colleague, chris hayes, who was in the courtroom today, as former Trump Attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen took the stand for a second day in a row. Today the defense began its crossexamination, which did not start off that well. Here is Trump Attorney todd blanche. Mr. Cohen, my name is todd blanche. You and i have never spoken or met before have we . Michael cohen, we have not. Mr. Blanche, but you know who i am, dont you . Cohen, i do. Mr. Blanche, as a matter of fact, you went on tiktok and called me a crying little this is a euphemism here poop didnt you . Cohen, thats probably something i would say. Judge merchan called lawyers to a sidebar, the official Court Transcript tells us what went down. Here is the court. Judge mershon, why are you making us about yourself mark easter blanche, im not making this about myself your honor, i have a right to show this witnesss bias, and he has expressed bias about the lawyers, just on who he represents.
In the 11th hour with Stephanie Ruhle starts right now. Tonight, Michael Cohens crossexamination. Donald trumps defense team is trying to paint him as motivated by revenge and money. Plus, what the former president s entourage said outside the courtroom. Then President Biden announces new tariffs. What it means for the economy and the campaign. And it january 6th Takes Center Stage in tonights primaries. An officer who protected the capital and a Convicted Rioter are both on the ballot as the 11th hour gets underway on this tuesday night. Good evening, once again, im Stephanie Ruhle live from washington, d. C. And we are now 175 days away from the election. And today at Donald Trumps criminal trial in new york, Defense Attorneys got their chance to go after trumps former fixer, Michael Cohen. The defense tried to portray cohen as obsessed with the desire for revenge against donald trump himself. Here is my colleague, laura jarrett, with more. Reporter tonight, Donald Trumps defense tea
Tonight, the Michael Cohen testimony begins. The guy we saw this morning was credible and calm, if not a little freaked out. Donald trumps former fixer testifies that the candidate himself led the conspiracy. The most repeated line of Michael Cohens testimony was just take care of it. This is a total disaster. Women will hate me. The most important thing the jury heard today, he wasnt thinking about his wife. This was all about the candidate. Tonight, Rachel Maddow recapped the testimony with Lawrence Odonnell, lisa rubin, Suzanne Crane and katie phang, who were inside the courthouse. Plus, Nicolle Wallace, chris hayes, jen psaki and Catherine Christian as a special coverage of trump on trial begins, now. Good evening and thanks for joining us for our msnbc Primetime Recap of the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump. Im here tonight along with my colleagues, Lawrence Odonnell and katie phang and Nicolle Wallace and chris hayes. Big night, you guys. Todays proceedings , expec
Free the cargo ship that collapsed ball her yeah, im here in washington alive. Look at new york city on this Tuesday Morning where that push my trials had to get back underway just a few hours from now. Good morning, everyone. Im kasie hunt its wonderful to have you with us. This is the de, we think that Donald Trumps legal team has been preparing for the day they could get to crossexamine Michael Cohen and try to convince a jury that he simply cannot be believed trumps former lawyer and fixer returns to the stand this morning after testifying on monday about payments that were made to kill potential really damaging stories about trump. All he says at the direction of his former boss. In the final critical days before the 2016 election, his testimony designed to show just how close he was to trump involved in talks about the hush money at every turn the juror has got to hear this conversation between cohen and trump about payments made to Playboy Playmate playmate karen mcdougal. It wa