Anderson Cooper takes viewers beyond the headlines with indepth reporting and investigations. Interesting to see the white house parsing its words over this issue. This is something under discussion, something been on the president s mind and appears its been on the president s mind lately as well. To hear the president yet again go after Attorney General Jeff Sessions, going after him in that interview, we will talk to him more about it later. Where do things stand on that. You heard him earlier on fox, What Kind Of Man is this, once again seizing on this recusal Jeff Sessions decided to go with early on in the administration to stay out of the russian investigation. That has obviously been under the president s skin ever since then and he went after Jeff Sessions. What changed, a watershed moment often this Punching Bag Relationship the president constantly beating up on Jeff Sessions, Jeff Sessions fired back showing what a lot of people in washington have been waiting for for a long time,
scorsese, i say this half ingest that he had a lot of experience in jest this whole trump era has moved to a completely different position now. By my own analysis, i say my own upon, in the last 48, 60 hours, there is an outrage fatigue in the country. Trump, i cant think about that anymore. The manafort guilty verdict and the cohen guilty plea, i think, changed the dynamic into a much more dangerous period for donald trump personally and politically for the american presidency, and therefore for the country. I do use the word, absurd, what else can you say about it . I said with you a couple of occasions going back a month or a year, whats happening in the trump era is worth a shakespeare
play or ancient greeks. Its moved into a whole different era now. I do find when one tweets any suggestion about gangster movies, Gangster Connection here that seems to resonate with the public. I dont think theres the outrage fatigue anymore. People are centered on this. I know are trump people who say they dont care. I dont believe that for a second. Americans, whether theyre Trump Supporters or not somewhere down in their core believe the american presidency should be about honor and integrity. Its very hard to see whats happening these last few days and hear what the president is saying, trying to move us to believe truth is not truth, crime is not crime, facts are not facts. The American People have a lot of common sense. It may be a long time coming. I myself think its far too early to talk about impeachment as long as the republicans control at least the senate and
i agree very much with dans analysis the dynamics have been changed. Donald trump is a Control Freak in many ways. He wants to control everything he controlled this Epic Battle Month after month. He alone had the platform and mueller couldnt speak. We talked about that before. Mueller had a chance to speak in courtrooms. Trump is losing control of the narrative and mueller is taking it away from him. You can see it in a fox poll fascinating. In july, you ask americans if they approve or disapprove. In fox poll, 48 approve, 40 disapprove. Today, this week, 59 approve, its gone from 48 to 59. The disapprove has gone from 30 to 47. I think you can see the power of the courtroom can change the dynamics. Mueller is holding a lot of
cards. We dont know what they are. Trump himself must be panicked because he doesnt know what the cards are and he has lost control. How many times have wee been at points we said this is an Inflection Point in the presidency, tipping point, turning point, whatever the phrase you want to use yet it just continues on . Heres whats different. We have now seen in its naked ugliness the instinctive lawlessness of this president of the United States. The sewage, the stench of the Sewage Seeping from the white house swamp is starting to waft across the country. Its becoming tangible. There has been a change. I think people are now getting a look at the real donald trump in a way that is taking the
blinders off some eye, not enough eyes on republicans in congress, his enablers and protectors through the awful months of his presidency. Were also seeing great examples of his incompetence. The rails are starting to come off visibly. You hear init in the rails of congress discussing it in private in ways they have not. Were into a new era of the Trump Presidency in which he is not only not in control in the way of his authoritarian instincts, his authoritarian instincts are starting to fail him because too many people are on to those authoritarian instincts, and they frighten people, they frighten what he is trying to do to this country and
its traditions. In every Despotic Tyrann call country that the leader has tried to seize the institutions of justice and undermine the press as the real means of controlling through authoritarianism. People are starting to realize that. Dan, just the lies, whether something is against the law or not, we had good people on either sides arguing good law. Just the lies, the swamp, at the heart of the swamp, the the number of lies is overwhelming. This is a good example how much has changed in the american political landscape. The word lies has been used for much of what donald trump has said quite a while now. This is something new. Previously people were reluctant to say somebody told a lie especially the president of the United States. President trump has so clearly adopted the attitude, if i donald trump say it no matter how big a lie, the word is just, no matter how big a lie it is, it isnt going to matter. There have been books written about authoritarian technique in history. Much of what the president has been doing is aversion of a big lie, tell a lie, know its untrue, but given the bully pulpit. Repeat it over and over. Repeat it over and over. One reason he tweets so much, bombards it and counts on the power of the presidency to persuade and influence. He feels and i wonder if he still feels given the last couple of days, he was invincible and he could say any damn thing he pleased, if he
said it often enough people would believe it. I would guess using a poker phrase hes checking his hold cards to counted on these lies. David pekker of ami, American Media incorporated that owns the National Enquirer and tabloid like magazines. He in Donald Trumps terms, flipped and cooperating with federal prosecutors like Michael Cohen. Thats stunning. David pekker, theres no telling how many files he has on the man who is now the president of the United States. No telling how many catch and kill stories or sleazy things david pekker has access to he has on the president. Thats absolutely right, anderson and why i think the president is so upset and panicked. We hear continual reports from
the white house to that effect and he has lost control. One of the harsh lessons in life is loyalty runs both ways. Donald trump is only loyal to himself and cuts people loose. Now, people are turning it on him and disclaiming their loyalty to him, breaking their bonds with him to save themselves. That has made it particularly dangerous. Let me emphasize one other thing. He can still cling onto office a lot longer than people think. I dont think hes down and out yet. Hes down but not out. A lot still will depend ultimately what mueller has on the collusion question. We will discuss this when we come back. We have to take a quick break. We have never seen donald trump truly cornered with his back against the wall and truly down. We have no idea what he is capable of for better or for
worse, when truly cornered. Thats something obviously we may come to witness and may not. Coming up next we talk more about the Attorney General and how much longer he might be the Attorney General and one of the president s earliest congressional supporters and Duncan Hunter and his day in court. Unlimited ways share with others. Unlimited ways to live for the moment. All for as low as 30 bucks a line. Unlimited for you. For them. For all. Get unlimited for as low at 30 bucks per line for four lines at tmobile. Little things can be a big deal. Thats why theres otezla. Otezla is not a cream. Its a pill that treats moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis differently. With otezla, 75 clearer skin is achievable. Dont use if youre allergic to otezla. It may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Otezla is associated with. An increased risk of depression. Tell your doctor if you have a history of depression or suicidal thoughts,. Or if these feelings develop. Some people taking otezla reported weight loss. Your doctor should monitor your weight and may stop treatment. Upper respiratory tract infection and headache may occur. Tell your doctor about your medicines and if youre pregnant or planning to be. Otezla. Show more of you. Bundle and save big, but now its time to find my dream abode. Right away, i could tell his priorities were a little unorthodox. Keep going. Stop. A little bit down. Stop. Back up again. Is this adequate sunlight for a Komodo Dragon . Yeah. Sure, i want that discount on Car Insurance just for owning a home, but im not compromising. Youre taking a shower . Water pressures crucial, scott its like they say location, location, koi pond. They dont say that. Let your perfect drive come together during the final days of the Lincoln Summer Invitation event get 0 apr on select 2018 lincoln models plus One Thousand Dollars bonus cash. You wouldnt accept from any one else. Why accept it from an allergy pill . Flonase relieves sneezing, itchy, watery eyes and a runny nose, plus nasal congestion, which most pills dont. Its more complete allergy relief. Flonase. Mom okay we need to get all your School Supplies today. School. Grade. Done. Done. Hit the Snooze Button and get low prices on School Supplies all summer long. Like these for only 2 or less at office depot officemax. Like these for only 2 or less the smoother the skin, the more comfortable you are in it. And now theres a new way to smooth. Introducing new venus platinum. A premium metal handle boosts control. To reveal up to 100 smooth skin. Venus more now on the president s favorite shots known for being a punching bag is the United States Attorney General. I put Jeff Sessions in as Attorney General and never took control of the justice department. Its an incredible thing. The president also said the only reason he appointed Jeff Sessions because he supported him during the campaign. The two have beened a odds ever since jeff recused himself. While i am Attorney General the actions of the department of
justice will not be improperly influenced by political considerations. I demand the highest standards and where they are not met i take action. How long he remains in the job is an open question. It is incredible, Jeff Sessions has probably done more than anyone else in this administration to execute the president s agenda, getting judges through confirmation process, the fact he is the person the president is focused on with such mockery is extraordinary. Its the ultimate irony, youre right. Sessions has done more to advance the trump agenda, not only judges but in other ways than anybody i can think of in the administration. The fact President Trump does this tells us a lot because it raises the view, if president
trump is not guilty of anything, why does he act like hes guilty by doing such things by saying if sessions had told me he would recuse himself about the russian probe. This is erie. Im prepared to say theres never been anything quite like it in the history of the american presidency. My friend, david gergen, a president ial scholar and served in all sorts of white houses would know, theres been nothing like this. I would like to hear your thoughts on it. Dan tweeted, the question is we enter the next chapter and the fate of this nation lies not in the acts of the president but gop leaders and Party Faithful who seem determined to explain away criminality for their own cynical grip on power. In watergate, it was republicans who ultimately turned the tide. Other than republicans saying things and whispering, you still dont hear an awful lot of folks going on the record, even
speaker ryans response to the Michael Cohen guilty plea was, oh, well, we need more information. Ryan is a great example of the most crazy leadership of a Political Party i think ive ever seen, in all the years ive been covering politics. The fact is two things are going on at once, running on parallel tracks. Republicans in washington who have shown no inclination and probably wont show any inclination to have a spine until after the midterm elections. Also, we have to look at who trumps constituency is. He still commands 80, 90 approval of those people in this country who call themselves republicans. Thats a huge difference between
now and watergate. In watergate when nixon left office, perhaps 52 of republicans according to the polls approved of nixon still. Disapproval rating of trumps is extraordinary. And he is the president of his base during a Cold Civil War in this country. He has brought that Cold Civil War to the point of ignition. When we talk about the danger during the next few months, that Cold Civil War is fraught because he is intent on doing whatever he has to do to hold onto these powers, to hold onto his presidency, and his followers are indeed many of them ready to stand behind anything that he does. Thats the extraordinary difference between one of the extraordinary differences between a period of watergate
and now because the behavior and conduct as demonstrated by donald trump is so far beyond what would have been approved in 1974 by republicans an voters and representatives in congress alike, thats the real difference. We have to wait for the midterms to see if anything changes. David, do you agree with that . Yes. I agree with most of that. I think for all of us here, this Republican Party is increasingly unrecognizable. It has become the trump party. Because of what many consider the cowardice of the republican leaders, if trump goes down, this party may go down with him. Their values setting forth and not facing reality and
unwillingness to see climate change, the tax bill presented, a whole range of things that will leave this party in serious serious trouble with minorities and women and millennials. They will pay a price for this. If they dont change soon and start drawing clear red lines, i think the consensus what is happening with Jeff Sessions on the hill and the senate, he may well be removed from office after the midterms. Were building towards a climax after the midterms, a real Danger Sessions will be out and Trump Will Fire Mueller and put somebody in to close the Mueller Investigation. Republicans have to move to protect Special Counsel now. If he gets fired without republicans making that protection they will be jointly responsible for dismantling this investigation. David gergen, carl bernstein, dan rather, thank you so much. Appreciate it. Good to have you all. Thank you. We touched on this reporting long time trump friend, david pecker, was given immunity and weigh in on the possible significance of this in a moment. Hey so he took aleve. If hed taken tylenol, hed be stopping for more pills right now. Only aleve has the strength to stop tough pain for up to 12 hours with just one pill. Aleve. All day strong. But lets be honest, nobody likes dealing with insurance. Which is why esurance hired me, dennis quaid, as their spokesperson because apparently, im highly likable. See, they know its confusing. I literally have no idea what im getting, dennis quaid. Thats why theyre making it simple, man in cafe. And more affordable. Thank you, dennis quaid. Youre welcome. Thats a prop apple. Id tell you more, but i only have 30 seconds. So heres a dramatic shot of their tagline so youll remember it. Esurance. Its surprisingly painless. So youll remember it. Hey, what do you guys wanna listen to . Ooh, hiphop reggaeton. Edm. What about Bubble Trance . Bubble what . Bubble trance. Its a thing. man oh. My point is, everyones got different taste. Thats why verizon lets you mix and match your family unlimited plan so everyone gets the plan they want, without paying for things they dont. And right now, the whole family can get six months of free apple music on verizon. Oh. So lets play that reggaeton. Old school reggaeton, not the new stuff. vo get 45 million songs with six months free apple music on us. Only on verizon. Switch now and get 300 off our latest phones. Directly to investors. And now we have zero account fees for brokerage accounts. At fidelity, those zeros really add up. Maybe ill win, Saved By Zero
himself. David pecker, it now seems clear is the david on the tape that Michael Cohen made just before the election discussing the possibility of getting the rights to Karen Mcdougal story already bought in a catch and kill deal right before the election. I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend, david. I will do that right away. Ive spoken to allen about how to set the whole thing up with funding. Yes. Its all the stuff all the stuff, you never know where that company he gets hit by a truck im all over that. I spoke to allen about it. When it comes time for financing what financing . I have to pay with cash . No, no. Allen wiseleberg is the trump organizations chief financial officer, david pecker and talking about the Karen Mcdougal catch and kill arrangement. There is a report that they kept a safe on other damaging stories it killed, as part of its relationship with donald trump. Here to talk about it, jeffrey toobin. You wrote a lengthy piece in the new yorker, i recall, about david pecker. I did. What do you think about this, that theres a safe, potential information that david pecker or ami would have on donald trump is enormous. David pecker is very open with me including talking about Karen Mcdougal saying, we supported donald trump and i wanted to help him by making this deal with Karen Mcdougal. That may its certainly not unlawful to support a candidate,
thats what magazines do. But getting involved financially in Buying Silence for in return as a political favor is potentially a big problem. Its part of what Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to. We obviously know there are these two hush money deals, but inside this safe, it is certainly possible theres more in there. If david pecker got immunity in the situation, does that mean it would be Blanket Immunity to cooperate with anything with the prosecutors . I would assume he has been given immunity with conversations with them and refused to walk in and would incriminate himself if hes paying money and if its related to the political campaign, hes potentially guilty of a crime. What happened he saw that liability and refused to walk in
the door without a grant or immunity. If he had a decent lawyer they bawled have said he wants immunity. Im sure. He is now free from prosecution from both the Southern District of new york that did the Michael Cohen investigation as well as the Mueller Investigation starting increasingly to bleed together. If it seems logical he walks in with a grant of Blanket Immunity, would the Southern District attorneys ask him about other cases not related to i have to believe. Agree. They certainly would be free to do that. Given the scope of the relationship between trump and pecker, its a lot to talk about because they go back to the 80s together. The enquirer was and organ of support for trump in a really
extravagant way. The remember, the government doesnt just give out immunity. You cant walk in and say im potentially guilty of a crime, i want immunity. They had to make proffers and the lawyer says heres what we know and would say and why we want immunity. The government already probably has some of this information or some sense. Not just related to Michael Cohen. It might have been. Thats a very important point youre making, you have to show the government you have something worthwhile before theyll give you immunity. Its a big deal to give immunity to someone because you are potentially avoiding prosecution of serious crimes. The fact they gave him immunity suggests that pecker has something serious they need. The interview the president gave which aired this morning, in which he talked about, first of all, the Campaign Finance violations of Michael Cohen, they werent really campaign
finance related. Said they werent crimes. And it wasnt campaign money. And he talked about flippers as being something that should almost be outlawed. Did that make any sense to you . Its hard to be shocked by stuff donald trump says. All of federal loh aw enforceme is based on the idea of going from the bottom up. You get them to cooperate. Thats how courts exist. Lets how you get the heads of Organized Crime families and the leaders of drug the president is very big talking about how evil ms13 is, this gang from central america. The only way they prosecute people from ms13 is by using flippers. The idea there is something sinister of flippers just because it led to the conviction of Paul Manafort is surreal. I agree. The people who flip are guilty and are sentenced and get a benefit on sentencing and can be good. As a rule, they do a lot of time on the crimes they committed. Thank you. Why is the president suddenly interested in South African land policy and could it have anything to do with the Fox News Report and White Nationalist talking point. What he tweeted about was wrong and were keeping him honest next. I dont care where we go and i dont care what we do just take me with you there are roadside attractions. And then theres our worldfamous onroad attraction. The 2018 glc. Lease the glc300 for just 459 a month at your local mercedesbenz dealer. Mercedesbenz. The best or nothing. At at t innovations, we give you more for your thing. Here were adding tv and movies from our unlimited plan
to the powerful new Samsung Galaxy note9. The perfect device for entertainment productivity. So, its essentially the ed helms of devices . How so . Well hes both very entertaining and very productive. You think . Yeah, i do. And thats my completely unbiased opinion. Buy a galaxy note9 and get one free. More for your thing. Thats our thing. Africans from the land in favor of whites. As for the president keeping them simple and honest, theres not large scale killing of farmers. It shows its reached a 20 year low, 47 killed in 2017, 2018, obviously, still a high number, a huge Crime Situation in south africa. Getting the facts wrong, curious the president is suddenly interested in south africa at all since the only other time as president he tweeted anything about south africa was 2017, challenges and opportunities facing our nations today and four months later he called them shole organizations in private meetings and suggested they live in huts. Why is the president suddenly tweeting about South African land policy particularly relating to whites. Carlson talked about it last night and why is it an issue regarding white South Africans. The Antidefamation League is concerned the president is echoing a longtime false claim. And tweeting south africa totally rejects this narrow perception which only seeks to divide our nation. Race matters and the dr. King. He tweeted President Trump was attacking south africa with a disproven racial myth of large scale killings of farmers. This man has never visited the continent and has no discernible africa policy. I wonder if you agree with that . You know, brother anderson, theres a line in the t. S. Eliot poem were distracted by distraction. Fairly clear hes lying again. I read recently told 429 lies in
58 days. We shouldnt be surprised. Hes at moment in these last days where it looks like brother donald trump, gangster, racist, misogynist, a brother because hes a human being. Hes a human being who chooses to be demonic, reaching the end, meeting his match with brother mueller. When mueller lays bare and discloses the facts donald trump will not just be shaking in his boots but saying goodbye. He expresses something deep in the american culture. In terms of catastrophic and keeping track of gangsters, not all by himself, not isolated. He has something in the culture, he has followers. We have to come to term whats produced him. Corporate elites still running amuck. The wall street still breaking records, stock market breaking records, wealth inequality still
increasing, racial divide still deep and homophobia still running amuck. Not just getting donald trump on his way but on his way out, i believe. We have to keep track of his humanity as he goes out. You talk about a distraction a technique he used before, what do you think it says the first time the president decided to comment on issues in africa, africa is an extraordinary continent with many Different Countries in it, other than that one tweet about meeting with African Leaders in which i think he welcomed leaders from a country that doesnt exist he chooses to offer focus on a small population of white people in south africa. Hes in over his head. Hes got a white supremacist tilt, no doubt about it. I wish he could Say Something about uganda, Whats Going On with the arrest of opposition
leaders, a u. S. Ally and Say Something about yemen, especially women and children, u. S. Supporteded saudi forces doing that. Hes in over his head. I dont think we ought to take it too seriously, he at this point is throwing whatever he can in hopes that it sticks and tries to get us away from the fact that he is going under. I think, in many ways, you think of the tiers of fred and mary ann, his mother and father, this is the son that we produced, look at the levels of criminality, but as a human being he can still change. Im not making a program on it. Im saying that because i dont want us to be selfrighteous in our criticism. Even after trump we have to be just as righteously outraged and full of indignation in terms of wealth and in equality and prison situation and women are
treated, gays, lesbians, trans and especially black and brown folks. Once trump leaves the racism doesnt leave, my brother. You really believe absolutely, my god, i know you can be better, i know i can be better. I dont know if i can be hard to think of a better panel than that, everybody can be better. Im a christian not because im naive, im a christian because i believe we all have the capacity, given our Wretch Chedness to be better, true for everybody, right wing, left wing, center, liberal, across the board. Donald trump is my foe, no doubt about that. We swing at each other. Even still, even as a gangster that he chooses to be, i know i have some gangster in me. I have to try to control it. This is maybe getting off topic, in your belief, is the key to change to acknowledging
ones wretchedness, the word that you used . The key to change is to have the courage to criticize, courage to hope and courage to love and be forces of good before the worms get your body. That is the history that gets your best. The dominant is resentment, domination, oppression, whats so beautiful about democracy and love and justice and what love looks like in public and tenderness and feels in private. That is an interruption from the dark and vicious history somebody of all of us have to wrestle with in the depths of our soul, thats what it is to be human. Lets be honest about it, all of us stand in need of transformation. We used to say at my church if The Kingdom Of God is within you everywhere you go you ought to leave a Little Heaven behind. Donald trump not leaving a lot
of heaven behind, a whole lot of hell and why he has to go. He will go. Dr. West, always an education. Thank you for talking to me. Thank you so much, my brother. Stay strong. To chris for Cuomo Primetime at the top of the hour. Chris. There you are. Hey, chris. I was just playing. I heard you the whole time. Im down in washington, d. C. , this strange land where nothing really works the way it would anywhere else, so even the coms are a little screwed mup we came down here for a couple of reasons. One, theres so much in the air the white house needs defense. Kelly is going to come from the white house and defend everything in the air, and its also going to give us a chance to meet some of the familiar faces from the white house press
briefings and give us their perspective on where they are think we are and where were headed from the capital. Coming up congressman Duncan Hunter entering a plea he and his wife misused more than 250,000 of funds. Now tmobile has unlimited for the rest of us. Unlimited ways to be you. Unlimited ways share with others. Unlimited ways to live for the moment. All for as low as 30 bucks a line. Unlimited for you. For them. For all. Get unlimited for as low at 30 bucks per line for four lines at tmobile. Pet rabbit. Reporter a lavish lifestyle despite being strapped for crash. In 2015 alone he and his wife allegedly took a Family Vacation that cost nearly 1,400 and all of it prosecutors paid for by Campaign Funds. And the hunters are accused of disgiesi disguising their purchases at Benefitting Charities and veterans. An alleged 215 conversation about buying hawaii shorts. Theyd run out of of Money Indictment says, so she suggested they buy the shorts at a golf prohad shop so they could describe it later as the golf balls from wounded warriors. In an effort to explain why that
trip was described as Campaign Funds, he allegedly offer said this terse response, tell the navy to go f themselves. Prosecutors say the couple was in such dire straights they overdrew their bank account more than 11 times in the past seven years. When i joined the marine corp i give power of attorney to my wife because i was gone all the time. His wife margaret allegedly spent a lot, too. Also 152 on makeup at nordstrom, disguising it as Gift Basket Items for the Boys And Girls Club of san diego. A 394 purchase from macys prosecutors say was listed as
gift baskets, too. She too has pleaded not guilty to the charges. Thatll come out in court. I mean thats for the court and for her, right. Was she in charge of those big charges . She was the Campaign Manager of the campaign. More than 5,700 at walmart. If everything in this 60count indictment is true the temerity is tough to hide. For example, the indictment says Duncan Hunter claimed 257. 40 reembursement for Campaign Funds for driving his car to a trip to the beach with a fellow congressman despite the fact they did not use duncans car for that trip. And he allegedly spent more than 1,100 at a ski trip. Duncan saying its all just politically motivated. This is modern politics and modern media mixed in with Law Enforcement that has a political agenda. Thats a new department of justice. Is there any evidence at all this is politically motivated . Looking through that indictment its hard to see. No, its certainly not in that indictment at all. Sources tell cnn that the guy, the prosecutor that actually chose to indict was appointed by Jeff Sessions last year and theres no connection to the clinton campaign. And the new department of justice is run by Jeff Sessions. Exactly who appointed the guy whos indicted him. Its certain an interesting argument hes making. But also duncans Campaign Treasure had warned him had said, look, this is against the
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