first term so he's not a lame duck president, but he's in his first term and you've got the mueller investigation and the implication that, well, if something happens to him, you know, i'm not going to -- >> i think it's -- >> pence is potentially saying, you know, wrap it up, robert mueller. he was the highest level person to say that. being the front man to pressure mueller and defend the president when he's actually just protecting his flanks. is the argument against him by these leakers. >> sure. i think there's no question that the president would prefer to have nothing but -- would prefer for all these questions to go away. the mueller investigation to go away. all the speculation that he may not finish his term. all of that to go away. but it's the reality we're living in. that's what everyone has to deal with. >> michael steele, kacie hunt, on duty there. the moment the president comes out, we'll be hearing from you, of course, right here on msnbc. coming up, on the mend, the latest on the first lady's