aim at the gop for talking down the economy, as he touted the unemployment rate dropping to a new pandemic low. >> now, i hear republicans say today that my talking about this strong record shows that i don't understand. i don't understand a lot of people are still suffering, they say. well, they are. or that i am not focused on inflation. malarkey. i want to talk down the recovery because they voted against the legislation that made it happen. i refuse to let them stand in the way of this recovery, and now my focus is on keeping this recovery strong and durable, notwithstanding republican obstructionism. >> and the president taking on the gop on the economy, as he is facing skeptical conservative justices, i should say, on his covid plan and vaccine mandates for large businesses. that, as the republican party seems to -- locked into a never-ending game of how low can you go? here is exhibit a. ted cruz who is now trying to backtrack after getting caught doing something that seems to be a cardinal sin in today's gop. telling the truth. >> we are approaching a solemn anniversary this week, and it is an anniversary of a violent terrorist attack on the capitol where we saw the men and women of law enforcement demonstrate incredible courage, incredible bravery, risk their lives to defend the men and women who serve in this capitol. >> can you guess which part of that got the senator in trouble? >> of all the things that january 6th was, it was definitely not a violent terrorist attack. it wasn't an insurrection. is it a riot? sure. it was not a violent terrorist attack. sorry. so, why are you telling us that it was, ted cruz? >> well, it was a violent terrorist attack. but snapter ted cruz is apparently so rattled by criticism from tucker carlson that he actually asked to go on the fox-propaganda network to grovel before carlson and a more pathetic display would be hard to imagine, so i will just play it for you. >> the way i phrased things yesterday -- it -- it was sloppy and -- and it was frankly dumb. >> i don't buy that. whoa, whoa, whoa! i don't buy that. look, i have known you for a long time since before you went to the senate. you were a supreme court contender. you take words as seriously as any man who ever served in the senate. and every words -- you repeated that phrase. i do not believe you used that accidentally. i just don't. >> well, and there ya have it. proof that the old saying that a broken clock is right twice a day. tucker carlson is right about one thing -- that ted cruz wasn't being sloppy when he called january 6th a violent terrorist attack. it was. the fbi director has called it a domestic terrorism -- domestic terrorism in congressional testimony. and he's actually described the capitol riot as a terrorist attack or the rioters as terrorists repeatedly from the beginning. and the ted cruz grovel-palooza, just goes on and on and on and on. >> i wasn't saying that the thousands of peaceful protestors supporting donald trump are somehow terrorists. i wasn't saying the millions of -- of patriots across the country supporting president trump are terrorists and that's what a lot of people have misunderstood that comment. >> wait a second. hold on. what you just said doesn't make sense. >> ha-ha-ha-ha. oh, boy. well, i wonder if the senator knew about that banner saying cruz cruising for a bruising. would you sign up for that? well, you would if you're ted cruz. but it's also the price that you have to pay now if you are a republican. begging for forgiveness for speaking the truth. while the fox-propaganda network is turning itself into a three-ring circus of lies and cringey moments like that, the big news today was a georgia courtroom and that's where three white men learned the price that they will have to pay for the murder of ahmaud arbery, shot to death while jogging nearly two years ago travis mcmichael and his father gregory mcmichael were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. william roddy bryan was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. and the judge's remarks, as he sentenced them, were riveting. including a moment rarely seen in a courtroom. more on that, coming up. ahmaud arbery's grieving family putting a human face on this terrible crime. ahmaud wasn't just a victim, he was a man they lofbd, a son, a brother. his sister, jasmine, addressing the court before sentencing. >> ahmaud had dark skin that glistened in the sunlight like gold. he had thick, curly hair and he would often like to twist it. ahmaud had a broad nose and the color of his eyes was real with melanin. he was tall with an athletic build. he enjoyed running, and had an appreciation for being outdoors. these are the qualities that made these men assume that ahmaud was a dangerous criminal, and chase him with guns drawn. to me, those qualities reflect that a young man, full of life and energy, who looked like me and the people i love. >> ahmaud arbery's mother, wanda cooper jones, speaking movingly about her son, and responding to a defense attorney's attempt to insult his memory. >> he had a smile so bright, it lit up a room. he never hesitated to tell me, his sister jasmine, and his brother marcus that he loved us. and, your honor, we loved him back. he was messy. he sometimes refused to wear socks or take gcare of his good clothing. i wish he would have cut and cleaned his toenails before he went out be fofor that jog that. i guess he would have, if he knew he would be murdered. >> she also told the court the men convicted of murdering her son did not deserve leniency. >> they chose to treat him differently than other people who frequently visited their community. and when they couldn't sufficiently scare him or intimidate him, they killed him. >> joining me now, wanda cooper jones, ahmaud arbery's mother and lee merritt, attorney for the family. thank you, both, for joining, i really appreciate it. >> thank you for having us. >> wanda, you know, nearly two years since your son's murder. what was it like for you to watch these sentences handed down today? >> it was very, very -- um -- very rewarding. today was a day that my family and i prayed for almost two years ago and fwienl finally got our prayers answered. >> yeah. the judge was scathing in his assessment of the mcmichaels. zeroing in on the lack of remorse. listen to this. >> it doesn't require an apology, and quite honestly, sometimes apologies are made simply to get past problems. remorse is something that's felt and demonstrated. in this case, getting back to the video, again, after ahmaud arbery fell, the mcmichaels turned their backs. >> even after they shot your son, they never admitted to making a mistake, never apologized. i know that stuck with you. >> it -- it did. until this day, no one has ever apologized. >> do you want an apology from them? >> at this point, no, i don't. it really doesn't matter. um, today, like i said, was a very huge win. um, after hearing travis's testimony during through the trial, he tried to justify the moments that he decided to take ahmaud's life and really he -- if he gave a apology at this point, it wouldn't be genuine at all. >> you know, the judge also referred back to something that you said. he talked about how closure, and how sentencing doesn't generally provide closure. that, it's more an exercise in accountability. that was a quote from him. what does closure look like for you? is that -- i don't know if that's even possible? >> i don't think my family and i will ever get closure because ahmaud's gone forever. i mean, we will get some sense of relief that we did get [ inaudible ] today. but as far as actual closure-closure, i don't think we would ever get that. >> you know, wanda, i have wanted to ask you about this. you addressed those insulting comments made by defense attorney laura hoge about ahmaud's toenails. she referred to them, and i am quoting, as dirty. why did you even choose to go there and include that today? >> the day that she -- she chose to describe ahmaud's long, dirty toenails was in her closing arguments, which i thought was very, very rude. i wanted to -- she -- she never made mention that when ahmaud was lying there with those dirty long finger -- toenails, ahmaud was also lying there with a big hole in his chess when he was shot with that shotgun, and she failed to mention that. so i thought it was very, very important to reiterate what she shared in the closing arguments about his long toenails. >> people were shocked by -- like, why even -- i don't understand why she even, um, well, went there. but i -- i thought that you doing it in the -- in your statement, um, was quite appropriate to respond to that. lee, before the sentencing, the judge held a minute of silence. he explained why, um, he did it. and let's listen. >> that's approximately a minute. again, the chase that occurred occurred over about a five-minute period. and when i thought about this, i thought from a lot of different angles, and i kept coming back to the terror that must have been in the mind of the young man running through. >> have you ever seen a judge do something like that? >> no, i have never seen a judge make that kind of demonstration and, you know, that one minute in court felt like an eternity. and if you think about it, what -- what he was trying to impress upon all of us was -- was just that, for ahmaud, that five minutes must have felt like an eternity. and -- and that weighed heavy on his conscious when handing all outthese life sentences and i thought it was appropriate. >> these men are still facing, lee, federal hate crimes trial next month. the family rejected a plea deal that would have put them in federal prison for 30 years, in addition to today's sentencing. the family rejected that. why? >> well, it took real courage for wanda and marcus to decide not to take the deal from the -- from the feds. number one, the hate crime charges are going to be very difficult to prove because you have to get into the mind of someone. and that -- that is always a difficult task at -- at -- in court. but wanda made the decision -- we all came to that conclusion because, you know, the -- the hate crime charges are just as important as these charges. we believe that the state above the -- the correct outcome today which was life without the possibility of parole for the mec mcmichaels. and we wanted them to have their day in the court, and -- and to be forced to explain the motivation behind their actions, and so that's why it was so important that we reject that plea deal, and allow things to play out in court. >> you are, um -- so you're -- you're -- are you satisfied with the outcome for, um, roddy and also for the mcmichaels? >> yeah. i think this -- the outcome was appropriate for all three defendants. each of these men will be serving at least 30 years in prison. william roddy bryan -- he was as culpable of these men. without his -- his involvement, these -- ahmaud may have been able to get away that day. but there was some reflection on his part, after the fact, that maybe what he did was the wrong thing. and i -- i tend to agree with what the court had to say about roddy's involvement. >> um, you know, you -- wanda, the way you talked about your son, he had a smile so bright, it lit up a room. the way ahmaud's sister described him, dark skin that glistened in the sunlight. both are really special tributes to ahmaud. anything else that you would like to say about him? >> we -- i mean, ahmaud arbery was loved and with the outcome today from the sentencing, ahmaud arbery was not just loved. ahmaud arbery's name will also implement change. when we see the name of ahmaud arbery, you know, that it was change. we held these three defendants accountable for the actions that they took. >> yeah. you know, lee, before i even met wanda, um, you know the whole thing with the videotape and trying to get it on and airing it and what have you. w where do you think we'd be today -- meaning, us who watch this trial and the family and you -- without that videotape? >> the video was the absolute lynchpin of accountability in this case. it's -- it's somewhat sad that, for many families who don't have the benefit of having this kind of video that would capture what happened, we rarely see justice in cases absent of video. i -- i -- we're approaching ten years since the murder of trayvon martin and we know that his kill wer was acquitted. there was no video and that video evidence was key. >> thank you, both. be well. >> thank you. president joe biden calling out republicans for talking down the economic recovery. is this a sign of how he'll deal with the gop from now on? >> i refuse to let them stand in the way of this recovery, and now my focus is on keeping this recovery strong and durable, notwithstanding republican obstructionism. now i'm running for me. i've always dreamed of seeing the world. but i'm not chasing my dream anymore. i made a financial plan to live it every day. ♪ at northwestern mutual, our version of financial planning helps you live your dreams today. find a northwestern mutual advisor at nm.com (vo) subaru and our retailers volunteer and support charities all year long. and...through the subaru share the love event, we are proud to have donated over two hundred and twenty five million dollars to charity. you can get a car from any company, but none will make a difference like subaru. 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>> yeah, well, i think he should, for absolute sure, on the -- in terms of voting rights and, uh, the big lie. i mean, it's just -- you know, i -- when he gave his speech on thursday, there were people who said, well, you know, i don't know if he is going to continue this. i don't know how you can go down to atlanta, and talk about voting rights and not talk about the big lie and what donald trump has been doing because all of these changes in voting laws are predicated on the big lie. this notion that somehow the elections were fraudulent and, therefore, we need to restrict voting rights and we need to give legislatures the right to overrule the actions of local-election boards. this is all predicated -- it is all of one piece. so, you know, i think he -- he has to, and i think he should keep that up down there. as to -- and as to the rest of his program, look, he is not getting any help from republicans. and he's unlikely to get any help from republicans now that we're in -- in an election year. we've got some significant crises facing this country. uh, we -- we're still navigating our way through this pandemic. it's quite serious right now. got economic issues that he is trying to tend to. and, you know, too much of the focus, frankly, has been, in the last few months, on intramural wrangling among democrats. when, in fact, there are no republicans who were willing to support the build back better act. there were no republicans willing to support voting rights. so, you know, there is a lot of focus on joe manchin and -- and, you know, i think that it's -- it's politically the right thing to do to put the focus on the republican opposition that's been so implacable. >> you know, david, your -- you're a former presidential adviser and you know biden well. in that speech yesterday, he denounced the former president repeatedly, mercilessly really. and -- and it was very deliberately done. our reporting is that they began working on this a month and a half ago, back in november, and president biden had very distinct views about the tone. what's the strategy here? and why choose this moment to make this pivot, you think? >> well i think a few things. first of all, i don't know how you can talk about january 6th without talking about donald trump. >> right. >> and everything that led to it. you know, don, those -- i -- i don't defend, in any way, and i -- the people who mauraded through the capitol that day. they weren't all awl proud boys and oath keepers, they were also average americans who became convinced by donald trump that somehow the election had been stolen, and that it was their a apatriotic duty to protect democracy by doing what they did. he -- he propagated this lie, he spread this lie. he used his authority with other republicans to draw them in. and so, he was the provocateur. so, that's the first thing. as a matter of politics, look, i think it's important for biden. biden looked, i thought, strong and resolute and very passionate on thursday. that's the joe biden people need to see. um, you know, too often, i think he -- he has been a little bit laid back in his presentations. and people need to see that kind of energy and that kind of resolve. so um, i think that's also part of the strategy now. >> yeah, i think the -- his supporters want to see that. the people who put him into office, they want to see him as fighter. even -- even over some of the, you know, just bipartisanship at all costs. listen. president biden is pivoting to voting rights now. he is giving a speech in atlanta on tuesday. but without senators joe manchin and kyrsten sinema onboard with chaungs to the filibuster, any legislation is really dead in the water. no new tone is likely to change that. >> yes. well, and the -- that is what's happening in public. he is going down and making speeches. there is an awful lot going on in private. a lot of conversations between manchin and some of his colleagues and others -- some of which have been reported, some of which haven't. i don't think they have had a breakthrough, yet. you know, i texted with one senator who is involved today, and he said, well, hope springs eternal. but nothing -- nothing has changed. um, so far. but the -- you know, and so, we'll see. i mean, it could end up where some of these other issues have ended up. but, you know, manchin has been -- i mean, he, when he met with reporters the other day, did say that he was deeply concerned about making sure that people who are eligible to vote have the opportunity to vote. and that, everyone's vote gets counted. and of course, all of these things are being impeded by some of the legislation we have' see around the country. so, you know, he has laid a predicate for doing something. the question is what is he willing to do? and he -- you know, he clings to the notion that the filibuster is some -- somehow pro -- promotes debate and promotes cooperation. but, you know, we've seen that that is not the case. and what it really does is it creates gridlock in the senate, and -- and it presentlies an image to the country that -- that we can't move forward. that, even when a majority of americans support action, that action can't move forward because the filibuster is now been used, time and time and time again, as a cudgel against majority views in this country. the -- the u.s. senate was constructed and the constitution constructed, the senate in such a way as to -- as to protect minority rights. the rights of the minority views in this country. but uh, what we now have -- you know, it was to prevent a tyranny of the majority. what we have now is a tyranny of the minority. time and time and time again, republicans who represent 41 million less -- fewer americans than democrats do in the senate -- use the filibuster to thwart the public will. the majority will in this country. that's untenable. that doesn't help strengthen democracy. that doesn't help strengthen our institutions. and hopefully, at least on this issue which is so fundamental, senator manchin will come to that conclusion. >> well, we hope. we will see. david axelrod, thank you very much. i appreciate it. >> good to see you, don. thanks. the first black man to win the best actor oscar dying today at the age of 84. spike lee is here to remember -- 94, excuse me -- spike lee is here to remember sidney poitier. >> i miss you, i love you, i always have, and i always will. 4 but you think of yourself as a colored man. i think of myself as a man. 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[ chantell ] clearchoice dental implants changed everything. my digestive health is much better now. i feel more energetic. the person that i've always been has shown up to the party again. before treating your chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month each lasting 4 hours or more, you're not the only one with questions about botox®. botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine before they even start, with about 10 minutes of treatment once every 3 months. so, ask your doctor if botox® is right for you, and if a sample is available. effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. don't receive botox® if there's a skin infection. tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. in a survey, 92% of current users said they wish they'd talked to their doctor and started botox® sooner. plus, right now, you may pay zero dollars for botox®. ask your doctor about botox® today. pretty sure of yourself, ain't you, virgil? >> that's a pretty funny name for a boy that comes from philadelphia. what do they call you up there? >> they call me mr. tibbs. >> mr. tibbs, take him down to the depot, and i mean boy like now. >> i have the fbi lab send you a report on this. legendary actor, director, and longtime activist sidney poitier dead at the age of 94. he was the first black man to win the best actor oscar. his civil rights activism inspired so many americans. in 2009, president barack obama awarded poitier the presidential medal of freedom -- the nation's highest civil honor. joining me annow is the filmmaker -- the legendary filmmaker, mr. spike lee. spike, thank you. >> how you doing, sir? >> i'm doing okay. this one hit me hard. um, you know -- >> me too, me too. a lot of people. >> mr. poitier -- mr. tibbs, he was a trailblazer. he had so much presence, he had so much dig thinnity on the scr and in life. talk about the impact he had on -- on film and this country and you. >> my dear mother was a -- so she took me to see lilies a field in 1963. and later on, in '67, "heat of the night." and my mother loved her some sidney, like a lot of women did, she loved sidney. and here is the thing that i really want to say. sidney paid a price. the roles accepted where he had to be the perfect negro -- >> yes. >> he cannot be threatening. he cannot alienate the white audience. and there's a -- there's a -- there's a extresemblance to wha rookie told jackie robinson and also what joe lewis had, too, they cannot be offensive. they had to, like, toe the line. after a couple years, oh, jackie went crazy because he -- he couldn't hold -- they let him loose. but when sidney slapped that cracker -- >> you mean the guy in the movie. >> yeah. in the -- in the -- in the scene. >> in the scene, he was that. >> but listen, i want to play it because that -- we -- >> that's -- that's when the handcuffs came off. >> that -- that is the iconic moment for both of us. the iconic poitier moment. 1967's "in the heat of the night." watch this. >> was mr. coburt ever in this greenhouse, say, last night about midnight? >> yeah. i saw it. what are you going to do about it? i don't know. i'll remember that. there was a time when i could have had you shot. [ laughter ] >> don, 1967, i was 10 years old. >> i was 1. >> and -- and -- and brother sidney gave it to him. i remember like it was yesterday. black folks lost their mind. >> it was -- >> we never seen that before, ever! >> but it was reflex. that's exactly how people would react. he -- he requested a script change to add that slap in the film. he even rewrote his contract to prohibit the movie studio from cutting that scene. that -- i mean, what did that slap -- we're laughing here but that slap meant everything to -- to black people. that was during, really, the height of the civil rights movement. >> height of the civil rights movement but also we are talking about hollywood. we never seen that, before. we been -- we were animals. we were less than human. if you looked at history of our -- of our culture, going back to the birth of a nation. so that was -- that's like the nuclear bomb went off. slap. oh, you like this. a slap turned into a nuclear bomb. >> reaction seen, i haven't seen in a while is immediately whoo! when you see it, right? i want to talk about your tribute to -- to him today. this is on instagram and you say, am i the only one who's noticed that every day we are losing the game-changers who have impacted our lives with their positive force? and we are losing these giants when there is so much going on in the fight for voting rights, in the fights for civil rights, in the fight -- fight for human rights. >> well, we have to remember that sidney and harry belafonte were the ones that got paul newman, james gardener, a whole bunch of hollywood the right checks and march dr. king. there was sydney and belafonte that got the white stars of hollywood to join the movement. >> charlton hesston. >> that's the funny one. he had a little change over the years. he was there, though. >> when i see that picture. >> paul newman was there. and marlon brando. bran dough was there, too. >> yeah, frank sinatra. >> listen. >> sinatra. >> you were no stranger to balancing activism and film and you know i spoke to -- to harry belafonte this summer, did an interview with him along with his buddy. they set the standard for using celebrity -- their celebrity to enact change and the celebrity of others. um, this is charlton hesston at the 1963 march on washington. we have that picture up. it meant something for the civil rights movement to have celebrities lend themselves to this cause, and these two gentlemen -- they were the ones who did it, as you said. it was amazing. >> yes. and we had -- they -- they understood that -- that just being black folks out there, we had to show that we had white brothers and sisters who were on with us, walking, marching. >> don't we need that now with civil rights? >> i -- voting rights. but if you saw -- i mean, with the brother george floyd, that -- i saw -- you saw demonstrations around the world. that was not just relegated to black folks. so, it's -- it's -- it's there. it's there. >> well, we need people to stand up for voting rights in this time. so, it would be nice to take a cue from sidney poitier and mr. harry belafonte. but today, this is dedicated to sidney poitier. 94 years old. thank you, spike. keep doing what you do. i appreciate you ajoining. oh yeah, that's his auto biography. hold it up so people did see it. "this life, sidney poitier." and this is spike lee. see you soon. >> see you back in new york. >> yes, sir. >> peace. the january 6th committee not ruling out charges for trump and his allies. we are going to ask a former impeachment manager if he thinks there will accountability this time. congressman joe neguse is next. which saved investors over $1.5 billion last year. that's decision tech. only from fidelity. real cowboys get customized car insurance with liberty mutual, so we only pay for what we need. -hey tex, -wooo. can someone else get a turn? yeah, hang on, i'm about to break my own record. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ for people living with h-i-v, keep being you. and ask your doctor about biktarvy. biktarvy is a complete, one-pill, once-a-day treatment used for h-i-v in certain adults. it's not a cure, but with one small pill, biktarvy fights h-i-v to help you get to and stay undetectable. that's when the amount of virus is so low it cannot be measured by a lab test. research shows people who take h-i-v treatment every day and get to and stay undetectable can no longer transmit h-i-v through sex. serious side effects can occur, including kidney problems and kidney failure. rare, life-threatening side effects include a buildup of lactic acid and liver problems. do not take biktarvy if you take dofetilide or rifampin. tell your doctor about all the medicines and supplements you take, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis. if you have hepatitis b, do not stop taking biktarvy without talking to your doctor. common side effects were diarrhea, nausea, and headache. if you're living with hiv, keep loving who you are. and ask your doctor if biktarvy is right for you. when you have xfinity, you have entertainment built in. which is kind of nice. ah, what is happening. binge-watching is in the bag, when you find all your apps, all in one place. find live sports faster just by using your voice... sports on now. touchdown irish! [cheering] that was awesome. and, the hits won't quit, with peacock premium included at no additional cost. all that entertainment built in. xfinity. a way better way to watch. what does a foster kid need from you? to be brave. to show up. for staying connected. the questions they weren't able to ask. show up for the first day of school, the last day at their current address. for the mornings when everything's wrong. for the manicure that makes everything right, for right now. show up, however you can, for the foster kids who need it most— at helpfosterchildren.com the chairman of the committee investigating the january 6th insurrection saying today they are considering formally asking mike pence to speak with them voluntarily. so, chairman bennie thompson telling npr he expects that before the month is out. so joining me now to discuss, democratic congressman joe neguse. he was a house manager during donald trump's second impeachment. congressman, appreciate you joining. thank you so much. >> thanks for having me, don. >> this is the vp who had to evacuate the capitol, as rioters called for him to be hanged but it is also the vp who spent four years as a yes-man to donald trump. to you think that he'll -- that he is going to willingly cooperate? or they are going to have to compel him to do it? >> that's a great question. i think it's an open question, don. i suspect that he will be unlikely to voluntarily cooperate but, of course, who knows? and -- and obviously, the chairman and the committee i think have good reason to talk to the vice president. he played a pivotal role in the events that day, obviously, with respect to the certification of the electoral college votes and the final outcome and our ability to ultimately certify the election. one would hope, given the way in dh he was treated by the former-trump administration and the -- the threats that were made against him, personally, that day as we all were gathered in the -- the house chamber, that he would be willing to step forward and choose country over party, and participate in this proceeding. but time will tell. >> the january 6th committee making it very clear they are leaving the door open to criminal recommendations. listen to congresswoman liz cheney. >> january 6th itself was a line you just can't cross. the committee is looking at that. looking at whether what he did, um, constitutes that kind of a crime. but certainly, it's dereliction of duty. >> look. you have been here before, right? because you were part of president trump's second impeachment. he escaped accountability twice in those investigations. do you think he will actually be held accountable this time? >> again, don, that is an open question. as you know, he evaded accountability at the conclusion of the impeachment trial. the house charged him with constitutional offenses. offenses against the constitution, including incitement. i thought we made a compelling case on the floor of the united states senate, and i believe ultimately, majority of the united states senate agreed and concurred in our conclusion. unfortunately, only seven republican senators were willing to choose country over party and follow their conscience and vote to convict the president. and so, as you stated, he was able to avoid accountability. it seems like the committee is certainly considering, based off the public statements that i have heard from vice-chair cheney and chairman thompson, potential criminal referrals, particularly as it relates to perhaps the obstruction statute, in terms of impeding a official proceeding which would be the electoral college certification because again, i am not going to get in front of the committee. obviously, that will involve a number of complex legal questions the committee is going to have to answer but i trust chairman thompson and i trust his judgment and his ability to get to the bottom of the facts, to share those facts with the american people. and ultimately, make the necessary decisions as to a referral as the case maybe warrant. >> i have you here, i want to turn now to the destructive fires in your home state of colorado. you were with president biden as he toured some of the devastation there today. and i just want to play some of what he said about it. >> the situation is a blinking code red for our nation because the combination of extreme drought, the driest period from june to december ever recorded -- ever recorded -- unusually high winds, no snow on the ground to start, it created a tinderbox. a little tinderbox. we can't ignore the reality that these fires are being supercharged. they're being supercharged by change in the weather. >> so, the president talked a lot about rebuilding and recovering but how convinced are you about the changing climate in this country, i should say, rather thanned are you about the changing climate in this country and the subsequent weather that has been devastating to folks? >> well, i am deeply concerned. first, let me say, don, what a difference it makes to have a kind, empathetic president who gets it. who literally, within seven days of this disaster, in my community, the most destructive fire in colorado's history, came to colorado. he sent his fema administrator, whom the governor and i hosted just a few days ago. and then, of course, today we travelled with the president from washington here to colorado and had a chance to -- to -- to visit with him and ensure that he had the opportunity to visit with families who had been impacted by the terrible marshal fire. literally, families, don, who lost everything in the fire. lost all their belongings, their home, at a moment's notice, to evacuate with nothing more than the clothes on their back. he is right. the board that the president used -- i couldn't agree more. supercharged with respect to these fires. the reality is climate scientists have warned for many years that this could very well be our new normal. and that is very scary in terms of what may be happening for years to come. you have incredibly dry conditions, as we have had here in colorado, coupled with hurricane winds up towards 90 miles per hour a week ago. what results is a devastating fire that totaled, destroyed over 1,000 homes. countless families in my community, neighbors who are now working to rebuild and to so i'm grateful to the president for his willingness to help us in the short term on disaster relief, but i'm also grateful he is willing to show leadership with respect to the fight against climate change. the time to act is now. the impacts of climate change are happening in our own backyard today. we've witnessed it, and we have to get serious about fighting it. >> congressman, thank you for your time. i appreciate it. the world's top tennis player now living in, take this, a detention center in australia. what's going on with novak djokovic? 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[sfx: voice relief] so take this. novak djokovic in a detention facility for refugees in melbourne, australia, this weekend as he battles with the government over a visa to enter the country, where he is hoping to defend his title at the australian open. australia requires proof of full covid vaccination or a medical exemption to enter. djokovic, who has not revealed his vaccination status, claims to have a valid medical exemption, but australia's government says he does not and canceled his visa, denying him entry. the prime minister taking a hard line, saying rules are rules, and there are no special cases. djokovic is appealing that decision. a court hearing is set for monday. his family claims he's being held captive, but the government says not so. he's free to leave whenever he wants. up next, president biden starting to really take on republicans, and he is preparing for the fight on voting rights ahead. only from discover. nyquil severe gives you powerful relief for your worst cold and flu symptoms, on sunday night and every night. nyquil severe. the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, best sleep with a cold, medicine. you don't get much time for yourself. so when you do, make it count with crest pro-health. it protects the 8 areas dentists check for a healthier mouth. the #1 toothpaste brand in america. crest. (swords clashing) -had enough? -no... arthritis. here. aspercreme arthritis. full prescription-strength? reduces inflammation? thank the gods. don't thank them too soon. kick pain in the aspercreme. no more mr. nice guy? president biden's scathing attack on his predecessor may be a hint that he is ready to rumble with republicans to get big-ticket issues on his agenda passed, especially voting rights. and who's really wearing the pants in the gop? that is the question after senator ted cruz grovels to a host on the fox propaganda network. >> the way i phrased things yesterday, it was sloppy, and it was frankly dumb. >> i don't buy that. whoa, whoa, whoa. i don't buy that. i've known you a long time since before you went to the senate. >> oh, boy. so what's really going on with cruz? a former aide who spoke with him this afternoon joins me just ahead to talk about it. also coming up this hour, a meas