all of you down in houston, mr. pickles at houston zoo tortoise became a first-time father at 90. you got alpha cina was impressive i mean, with a name like mr. pickles. where are you going to do cad morocco. >> and thank you so much. again, it's called rocket engine arians really, really fascinating. where else would you expect from mo raga? thanks for watching. anderson cooper 360 starts. now tonight on 360, the former president goes to washington to formalize his almost total takeover of the republican party. >> what he told me lawmakers behind closed doors, when a signal signals about his plans if reelected. also, tight, cnn's donie o'sullivan talking with trump's supporters about what they think will happen the country if he loses. into a pill, it's applied prize-winning historian. but what she thinks might happen if he wins also breaking news, i'm supreme court judge thomas already you under scrutiny for accepting millions of dollars in gifts and travel over the years. now, the senate judiciary committee reveals three more trips he took, but did not disclose. good evening. thanks for joining us. we begin tonight. keep it on, keeping them honest with the former president's de in washington, with his party. and that use the possessive to describe the republican senators and house members email with today in separate closed-door sessions, each just steps from the capital is no accident because if he's done nothing else over the last three-and-a-half years of insurrection and search warrants and indictments and trials and felony convictions. it has been to remake the party of ronald reagan in his own image the house meeting. he made a point of reminding members and nearly every republican get into voted to impeach him as either been voted out of office or retired? not that by this point, they're survivors really needed reminding. listen to speaker of the house mike johnson almost basking in the afterglow and majority whip tom emmer, a self-proclaimed tough on crime while lawmaker, attacking the criminal justices he said very complimentary things about all of us. >> we had sustained applause. he said, i'm doing a very good job. we're, grateful for that. >> i'm going to add anybody who sought that this president was going to be down after the sham trial after that crooked trial that we saw in new york. i think again more than more than one member of congress in the house meeting told cnn that the former president has spent most of his time here grievances about his felony conviction afterwards at a house judiciary committee hearing, democratic members world all too happy to bring it up just to show hands for anyone in the room who hung out with a felon today hey guys probably want to get your hands up. i want to begin by quoting the jury in the manhattan hush money payment trial guilty guilty guilty guilty now it's remarkable because whatever you think that congressional decorum or for that matter, x presidential criminality. >> this is where we are, but we are convicted felon leads the self-proclaimed party of law and order in his post-conviction visit, just a few blocks away from the place that his supporters attacked into filed is just another headline and so is what one lawmaker in the rooms, as he told house members about former demo house speaker nancy pelosi, after calling one of his daughters a quote wacko, he reportedly claimed that one of her daughters wants told him that he and speaker pelosi would have had a quote, great romance in another life dr. christine today, responded tweeting quotes, speaking for all four pelosi daughters, this is a lie. he also called milwaukee start of the republican national convention, quote horrible, according to a source in the room another lawmaker later saying he was only talking about crime all from a single meeting at this other meeting, his republic with republican senators also close to the capital. he spoke with minority leader mitch mcconnell for the first time since december 2020 the photo prompting this reaction from liz cheney, the staunchly conservative former republican congresswoman, who was drummed out while first out of the party leadership and then out of office for co-chair and the january 6 committee, she tweeted and quote hooded words. mitch mcconnell made on the senate floor in february 13, 2021 cheney wrote mitch mcconnell knows trump provoked the violent attack and our capital and then quote watch television happily unquote as his mob brutally beat police officers and hunted the vice president. he knows trump reviews for hours to tell his mob to leave and quote even then with police officers bleeding, he kept repeating his election leinz and praising the criminals. she went on to say again, quoting mcconnell, he knows that trump committed a quote, disgraceful dereliction of duty, unquote, and is a danger to our republic here are some more of what mcconnell said on that day there's no question. >> none their president trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day was her tough words from mitch mcconnell, but just 12 days later, after he said that on the 25th, center mcconnell, at those words telling fox is brett bear, he would support the man he so recently criticized if he's nominated in 2024, talk, it seems is cheap. >> join us now with more cnn's meloni's in ono. so what else went on behind closed doors today with trump? >> well anderson heading into these meetings, lawmakers are really hopeful that trump was going to be talking about a campaign strategy or laying out his vision for a policy agenda. and now there was some of that one of the more substantive moments was on trump brought up the topic of abortion, and he counseled republicans about how he thinks they should talk about this issue. he said, they shouldn't be afraid of it. they should frame it as a state's issue. and he also encourage republicans to voice support for exceptions and not come across as too extreme on the issue. but for the most part according to all the lawmakers that i spoke to, these meetings were more of an airing of grievances. it was a gripe session and particularly in the house meeting this morning, i'm told that trump, of course brought up the legal challenges against them, calling all the charges against him, quote, bogus. he also referred to the department of justice as quote, dirty, no good according to some of the lawmakers but i talked to he even at one point complained about taylor swift. were endorsing his rival president joe biden. and he also gloated about how most of the house republican and who voted to impeach him over the january 6 insurrection are no longer in congress. so it was a very wide ranging speech, very freewheeling that member say more like a pep rally or even a roast than a serious policy discussion should wonder. and taylor swift has not endorsed joe biden. do you have any more details on the trump mcconnell counter well with trump and mcconnell, there was a very serious effort. >> i'm told by both parties to really bury the hatchet after years of feuding and years of frost newness right before the meeting trump and mcconnell shook hands, which was captured on a photograph during the meeting. trump credited mcconnell with helping to elect more republican senators. and then after the meeting, mcconnell praised trump and said the meeting was very, very positive. so just a remarkable inflection point, i think anderson, we're going to look back on this moment similar to kevin mccarthy tracking down to mar-a-lago in the weeks after january 6, and really just captures how much the party including some of trump's former critics like mcconnell, have really fallen in line in the years after january 6. and despite these criminal convictions, anderson bones in order. thanks so much one snails new york democratic congressman daniel goldman, congressman, any surprises for you today in the visit by trump not really he didn't come to the capital, which was a good thing because this is where he fomented a massive riot and insurrection to try to keep, keep him installed in office he didn't talk much about policy because he doesn't really care much about policy. what he cares about is himself and what he cares about is his conviction 34 times for being a felon and what he cares about others three other cases and getting revenge. and he wants to do that by tearing down our democracy. and what he was effectively doing today is greases the wheels trying to play nice with republicans who support he needs in order to become president so that he can take his fat fascist authoritarian views into office if he were to win. >> and it is just a very telling, i think that mitch mcconnell has now bowed down to the ring of donald trump someone who, you quoted what he said on january 20, where he helped donald trump responsible for their january six riot. >> and has resisted donald trump. but now he has clearly demonstrated that donald trump owns the republican party. there is no other faction of the republican party that has any influence other than donald trump and his maga supporters. >> obviously, none of us, there's privilege privy to the inner thoughts so mitch mcconnell, but why do you think senator mcconnell made this choice? i mean, after, you know the strong comments he made criticizing trump theory the racist attacks trump made against mcconnell's own wife. i mean, what is mitch mcconnell get out of this anderson, what do any of these people who i know good mcconnell is running i mean, it's, you know, he could he could go out on like liz cheney, who at least has taken a very strong stand ultimately now mix for the same reasons that mitch mcconnell refused to give merrick garland a vote for the supreme court and then rammed any amy coney barrett through under the same circumstances, two weeks before the election, mitch mcconnell has a very focused and narrowly tailored view of what he wants to accomplish and at the end of the day, i'm sure mitch mcconnell views donald trump as the only possibility to get these type of conservative judges who have now over return roe v wade back into more into the our judiciary and into the supreme court. and push forward a clear lead minority favored agenda that mitch mcconnell has been pushing for decades it was interesting millions and i was reporting is that trump was telling lawmakers counseling them on how to run about and talk about abortion and to talk about states rights and to not seem too extreme do you have any belief that that's how he would be if he got into office? absolutely not donald trump does not care. >> donald trump used to be pro-choice. he used to be a democrat. now, he's out there promoting and celebrating his don't work and getting roe versus wade overturned. he will do whatever he needs to do to secure the support for his fascist anti hi democratic attacks on the rule of law to undermine our democratic institutions. and if that means that he'll give over supreme court nominations to mitch mcconnell or someone else. it's on the far right. who wants to roll back our individual freedoms even more than this supreme court has done. he will do that in a minute. and if there's a national abortion ban that publications pass, donald trump will sign that in two seconds. do not believe donald trump whenever he says that he will stand up for for abortion rights, he has completely flip-flopped in his career. he will do whatever benefits himself. speaker johnson was asked yesterday, the former president would accept the outcome of the election. >> i just want to play that for years really for the first time republican house and senate meeting with him since the january 6 attack on the capital. are you committed or have you spoken to him about basically not not doing anything like that again and come mating to respecting the sort of american tradition of peaceful transfer of course, he respects that and we all do and we've all talked about it at nausea i mean i mean yeah. >> i mean, i can anyone say with a straight face of donald trump respects the peaceful transfer of power? >> that i want you to take that clip and run it over and over and over. that is everything you need to know about mike johnson and the maga republican party they will look you in the eye and they will lie directly to your face over and over and over. there is no question that donald trump does not respect a peaceful transfer of power. he has made it a litmus test for his vice president that whoever that will be will not pt the results. and that's why you have every single vice presidential candidates so far refusing to concede or acknowledged that they will accept the results. donald trump, it will not accept the peaceful a trap power you don't have to ask me or trust me, he already did it. so for speaker johnson to look in the camera and to say that of course he respects the peaceful of transfer of power. put that on every bulletin board around the country, country, it is total bogus and it shows you what knowing liars the landscape, of the g7 summit in italy, the two signing a new tenure security agreement at the press conference afterwards, frozen biden spoke briefly when asked about his son, hunter i'm extremely proud of my son hunter. he is overcoming addiction. he is he's one of the brightest, most decent man i know and i am satisfied that i'm not going to do anything. i sat i said i bide by the jury decision. i will do that. and i will not partner the present-day also ruled out commuting his on sentencing is mj lee is traveling with the president, joins us now from from barry, italy. >> so mj earlier in the week, the white house appeared to leave open the possibility of a commutation or centrally not commenting at essentially overturning the sentence, not a conviction what specifically did the president say about that yeah. >> when the president was walking away from that press conference, some reporters are loud, which do you commute your sons sentence and he answered directly. he said no. >> that was after he had more broadly addressed the conviction of his son hunter, as you just played there standing by his son, standing by the judicial system, and also reiterating his previously stated position on pardoning his son. >> he said, i well, not pardon him anderson white house officials had suspected that it was likely he would get asked about the hunter issue at this news conference, given that it happened just two days ago, he had not publicly commented on in yet on it yet, and they knew that this specific issue of the commutation was one that could come up if you'll recall? yes. yesterday white house press secretary karine jean-pierre was asked by a reporter whether she would rule out that possibility and she wouldn't say yes or no. and that exchange, the white house, you had i've taken on a life of its own when in reality, i'm told the issue was really that some senior aides hadn't had a chance yet to speak to the president about the commutation issue. corinne jean-pierre said yesterday to reporters, i haven't talked to him about this yet. i'm not just i'm not going to have anything more to say on this, but it certainly was a really remarkable moment. the president speaking on this kind of a stage. on the other side of the world about an issue that has been so deeply sensitive or his entire family mj lee, thanks more in prison, biden's trip later in the program. next though cnn's donie o'sullivan and talking to trump's supporters as well as a historian of dictatorships and autocracies about donald trump mokgweetsi. and later there's breaking news. turns out there are even more undisclosed trips. supreme court justice clarence thomas took paid for by republican megadonor start. >> your de, with nature me. >> the number one pharmacist recommended vitamin supplement brand cities. >> industry-leading global payment solutions help their clients move money around the world he mostly in over 180 countries and help a partner like the world food programme as they provide more than food to people in need together, city in the world, food per gram and power families across the globe if you're shopping for a home realtor.com, real choice financing, lets you choose from up to three independent lenders. >> unlike some apps that push you to use their mortgage company, really really trust the number one app, real estate professionals trust is bad debt holding you back all your ambitions, all in one low fixed rates bar with 100 cake no fees required. so phi get your money, right so who are you i'm in a child that you really need to live is some fricking, tall oh, yeah. >> four-star keeps you going toward get you going now we're talking i love guard bonds hello, i know what our job wanted. >> are totally torqued out crossing that on family-friendly hotels. so many great trips we might just leave here with another vacation baby take it easy, paris and u2 for motor to help. lisa wasn't toledo earlier happy priceline p team checkout for imprint.com. >> in brynn, for certain. >> i'm melissa bell in paris and this it's cnn prison biden is billing his reelection campaign as a fight to preserve democracy. >> tonight, how that notion is going down with trump's supporters as well as one node good author who's made describing how democracies fail her specialty more from cnn's donie o'sullivan what happens if trump loses? i don't see him losing. i don't think he lost the last election to be honest. do you think he's going to win? >> yes. >> without a doubt. no doubt. you want if he doesn't this time, what happens to the contrary and we're done biden talks about democracy saving democracy they're the ones that are killing you democracy. >> obviously there's a lot of criticisms of trauma that he is bad for democracy that he's bad for it american democracy. >> a republican or a republic are not a democracy republican. we're not a democracy one thing we've been hearing a trump rallies like this over the past year two months. >> is that america isn't really a democracy america's not a democracy. >> that's a real pub it's not a democracy okay? mark hirsi is actually not as good as you think it is. >> but for centuries, america has celebrated its democracy. >> democracy is worth dying for democracy remains the definition of political legitimacy, but some republicans and pro-trump media are pushing the idea that america is not a democracy united states of america is not a democracy. we are constitutional republic. >> those things were america is not a democracy. you don't want to be in a democracy. we are not a democracy. we are a republic is america a democracy? america is a democracy. it was founded as a democracy. >> i've heard a lot of conspiracy theories. i hear a lot of things out on the road. but to hear americans people who would describe themselves as patriots say that america is not a democracy that stopped me in my tracks you are hearing people say america is not a democracy because there are people around trump who won't get them to be saying that, who'd been planting that narrative is america democracy i don't think we'll never now. >> yeah, we're, republic. what's the difference? >> i feel like democracy we think this through its government i don't see freedom and drop freedom in the republic honestly, the word democracy and the word republic have often been used interchangeably. there isn't a meaningful difference between them. >> so much of the warnings and criticism about trump is that he is a threat to democracy, that he has anti-democratic absolutely. >> if they can convince people that we don't have a democracy, then it's okay that trump is attacking democracy because it doesn't really matter. >> that's why, like, why has democracy become a bad word? >> because it's been used in a way to change the flavor of our country which is a republic. >> these words were used in different ways in the 18th century