Former mayors, Mike Bloomberg and Pete Buttigieg seem to be gaining ground while joe biden is down 11 points from last month. Lets go to our road warriors. Josh, mayor bloomberg is preparing for his first president ial debate and the campaign is on the defense again after more comments from the mayors past have resurfaced. Walk us through it. Thats right, stephanie, mayor bloomberg trying to climb out of a mountain of past controversial comments that have been brought back into light over the last week or so as hes been surging in the polls. Just in the last 24 hours or so, weve seen new comments hes had to try to respond to, including comments about blacks and latinos faring more poorly in schools. As well as remarks he made as recently as last year where we referred to transgender women as he, she or it. A in all of these instances mayor bloomberg saying this doesnt reflect the way he feels. Emphasizing his record as mayor shows he cares very much about trying to support minorities and other communities that have been disinfranchised. The big question heading into tonights debate, how will he explain this, deal with this. The Bloomberg Campaign saying he plans to flip the switch and go after his competitors, more i have no deals that could happen in russia because we have stayed away. Specifically Bernie Sanders. Joining us is robert lang, and i have no loans with russia. I have no investments in russia. None whatsoever. Joel payne, brett stephens, and i dont have property in russia. I mean, i have nothing to do with russia. I dont have any jobs in russia. Former democratic congressman im all over the world but were from new york, steve israel. Not involved in russia. I have nothing to do with russia, folks. The congressman has thrown his i have nothing to do with russia, i told you i have no support behind former vice deals there. President joe biden. I have no anything. Brett stephens, lets talk about it is time for money in mayor bloomberg, this is the first time we are going to see politics and that of course was the president saying over and him alone on the stage. Over that hes got no deals, no not with his very skilled, very nothing in russia. Despite his own fact that expensive machine behind him. I think hes going to have a don jr. Once told a manhattan hard time. You have candidates who have conference, russian makes up a gone through nine debates. Even if youre not a good pretty disproportionate part of our assets. Debater, that gives you tremendous practice. So the truth, the truth is still up clear but if theres one i dont think Mike Bloomberg is used to the intense questioning, i dont think he doesnt do well place that it could intersect under it. Its Deutsche Bank. One of the most oldest financial i hear hes been prepping extensively, as he should, hes going to face tough questions institutions in the world. I spent eight years working for and if hes not able to answer Deutsche Bank and the next guest them or change the subject, hes has written about the ties to President Trump. The result is the latest book, going to be in real trouble. Dark towers. If that happens, he will have hes the finance editor of new destroyed the moderate lane while not advancing his own case. Take us to the state of york times. David enrich. Some executives at deutsche had nevada. What are you watching out for discussed the pit falls of the tonight . Robert, can you hear us . Trump relationship and they were worried. They talked about trumps well yes, i can hear. Documented ties to organized can you hear me . Yes. What are you looking for tonight . Can you hear me . What were looking for tonight crime and the possibility that trumps real estate projects were laundry mats for ill list from las vegas is this. It funds from countries like las vegas is the first really truly big city the democrats are russia. Elaborate. Going to be in, because its a well, this is its been globally connected place, it has publicly known for a long time over 2 million population. That hes had brushes with the the biggest city before this is organized crime world. Des moines. This is the first time the and whats less publicly known democrats are in a space that is that trump has been in democrats typically win. You have to win places like las business with russians and in vegas because if you with win las vegas you can win phoenix some cases Deutsche Bank and charlotte and other cities facilitated the relationships. In the sun belt that are the i found that Deutsche Bank held alternate strategy to the gatherings, partying, events midwest that democrats have that they would introduce trump traditional won in the past. To wealthy russians and people i want to go back to mayor closely connected to the bloomberg. When he was running for mayor in kremlin. And these russians were looking for places to park their money in the west in particular in 2005 he had to answer a question i have a feeling hes going to real estate. And they were introduced to have to address tonight. Trump for those purposes and, take a look. Four years ago, you warned you know, thats something that has not gotten i think quite as much attention as it deserves. Against obscene spending. Then why is your book the how did you define obscene only place were seeing this . Spending then and how do you define it now . Im trying to get my message right . Deutsche bank has been out to everybody. Subpoenaed. The president tried to block it. Every community, every single the next place its going to the person regardless of where they Supreme Court. Why . And will we ever actually see live. Im doing it by buying time on at . Well, its interesting, well television, radio and in print. Whats his argument going to see next month when the oral be . He spent 400 million. The oral arguments at the Supreme Court if they have to comply with subpoenas from is the argument if youre going to win the game you got to bring congress. I think its a good chance they a gun to a gun fight . I think thats a part of it. Have to hand over all of the materials it has on donald look, im a former opposition trump, and one of the things i have tried to do in the book is researcher too and mayor really explain the kinds of bloomberg has proven himself to stuff the bank has that could be be an opposition researchers damaging to the president which dream. Weve seen over the last two explains why hes fighting tooth weeks unprecedented unloading of and nail to keep this stuff secret. Are they fighting to keep it secret, do they cooperate with opposition of the mayor from his you . No the bank didnt really comments to stop and frisk, cooperate. They answered some of the redlining, to his attitudes questions late in the process. About transgender people. But i would not describe our i think tonight will be the relationship as cooperative. What was your biggest first opportunity the other takeaway with this pack . Candidates have to frame him for the biggest takeaway with the a national audience. Book i think is that shows how hes essentially run an when one institution is run in a unopposed, over the top reckless, out of control, amoral campaign. Its the campaign that joe biden kind of wanted to run, he was manner the consequences for the just not able to do so because he had to be a part of the mix. World not just for the Banking Industry who bloomberg tonight has to be part care about money or investing of the mix. But the consequences are huge. He has to survive in advance. I dont know if he has to win not just the election of tonight, i think he has to President Trump, although thats endure tonight. One point. Its the economies all over the he has to take the punches, give world that have been destroyed, companies, individuals lives. Its really a tragedy in a lot of ways and i think it shows the some counter punches and stand up to the bright lights of perils of big institutions pursuing short term profits tonight, which his supporters feel hell do. Above everything else. Congressman, the last time its a tragedy yet, the you joined us was just before New Hampshire. You said that was the opportunity for Vice President president sits in the white biden to go big and maybe senator Amy Klobuchar to step aside. House and Deutsche Bank is since then shes revved up and literally at the new york stock hes moved down. Do you feel the same way . Were at the early stages. Exchange ringing the bell. I didnt know that. We had a Conference Call with is the bank suffering any consequences . I mean in this book one of your Vice President biden and his sources is the adopted son of wife and Campaign Manager last a of the former cfo of the whole bank who has since killed friday. I would characterize that himself. Theres tragedy all over this Conference Call as one of realistic concern but not thing. Yeah. Dispair. Heres why its part of the grisly pattern what does that mean . Of the bank where a number of bidens path is anything but executives including one who had been involved the manager of forclosed. If he comes in second in nevada, the making all the trump loans committed suicide. First in South Carolina, he goes as a reporter it has been very weird and difficult honestly to be dealing with these people who to super tuesday with a slight delegate edge and then he has to do well on super tuesday. Are many of whom are suffering thats over 1,300 delegates. Severe personal problems. He does have a path. And you know the bank i think its not the path we considered has suffered real consequences. The reputation has been hugely at the beginning of this, but it is a realistic path. The second is, i think history is instructive, look at 2008 on tarnished not just by the trump the republican side, john mccain connections but the losses they have suffered as a result of their recklessness. But look the people in charge of entered as the clear front the bank have a lot of work to runner and then struggled for do in cleaning it up and i think several weeks. He had to reset his campaign. One of the first steps they should be taking is being as he goes on to win the transparent as possible about nomination. We have one or two percent of all of the work they have done the electorate accounted for for donald trump and their family. But they havent. Well, not yet. I think theyre ready to comply with the congressional subpoenas if the Supreme Court gives them now. There is clearly time. The all clear. But my candidate, joe biden thats anybodys guess if thats needs to do well in south going to happen. Carolina and reset on super well soon find out. Tuesday. John mccain won New Hampshire congratulations on this book. In 2008 thats what made the dark towers. Difference for him. He did win New Hampshire, but he still he continued to debate day is here its hosted struggle in other states. By msnbc and nbc news tonight. We know that Michael Bloomberg and ledid need to go back and will be on the wing and bernie kind of consolidate his campaign, his money gbegan to dy sanders and joe biden in the up, had to put it in a different middle. Dynamic and he went on to win. I will be joining Kristen Welker when you look at the latest on nbc news now for predate coverage. Well be right back. Nbc news poll, you have bernie l estate cr, solar incentives. Sanders with a double digit lead and we have no way to integrate all that . As moderates are splitting this no. But bdo does. announcer people who know, know bdo. Vote. Are they creating a lane for bernie to run away with it . I think its the same thing on the republican side in 2016 in the fact that trump had a laso you can enjoy it even ifst youre sensitive. Se. Yet some say it isnt real milk. Solid 25 every time while everyone else was splitting it i guess those cows must actually be big dogs. Eight ways, five ways or sit whatever it was, created a i said sit momentum that became unstoppable. I said in early january that Bernie Sanders was likely to be not only the nominee, but that he has a good shot of winning the presidency and i still believe that. In that same msnbc news wall street journal poll, the top three characteristics voters say they do not want is someone whos a socialist, had a heart attack in the last year and someone who is over 75. Yet wi yet, look at the numbers. Can you do the math for me . No, i cant. I think voters are talking in circles. Frankly were talking in circles. Its the characteristics that might be troubling but when you put it in a package of Bernie Sanders, its palatable to his supporters and he has built a durable movement that has started to really flex its muscles here in this primary contest. I think whats interesting is that the frame has been so much about democrats versus trump and who can beat trump. Really, ever since the beginning [ disthave you ever wondered [ distant band playing ] of this primary process, i think what the motorcade driver drives the frame thats been instruckive is who can beat when theyre not in a motorcade . [ upbeat music starts ] [ engine revving ] sanders. Biden entered the race not just a foil for donald trump but as a foil for Bernie Sanders. This one drives a volkswagen passat. I think thats why Mike Bloomberg is rising. Thats why youve seen folks like Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar get a second look in places you wouldnt have thought with our moving and storage solutions. They would. Pack what you want, its as much about stopping we store it for as long as you want. Sanders as stopping trump for then, we deliver it where you want, so whether you need to move or store your things, pods is here to help you with flexible moving and storage solutions. Democrats. Robert, who has the most riding on tonight . I think sanders does. Unlike the republican side, when trump ran the boards and had a core support of 25, 30 , you had a lot of winnertakeall primaries. In the case of the democrats, theyre democratic that they so whether you need to move wheneveryone is different. A, love to fraction everything. Which is why Xfinity Mobile created so if sanders doesnt start a different kind of wireless network. Running away with the race, the one that saves you money middle lane or center right lane by letting you design your own data giving you more choice and control compared in the Democratic Party if it to other top wireless carriers. Coalesses around a single now you can choose unlimited, shared data, candidate theyll be sanders. Id be worried, in that the or mix lines of each and switch any line, anytime. Figure he has as a baseline is no one else lets you do that. So different in democratic design your own data with Xfinity Mobile. Politics versus republican its wireless reimagined. Politics because of the way they select their candidates, hes simple. Easy. Awesome. Actually at a risk. And if super tuesday is messy, it might be no one goes into the convention with the actual majority. Only time will tell. Do not forget, where are you watching it all . Right here tonight on msnbc. Nbc hosting the debate live from vegas, kicking off at 9 00 p. M. Eastern. After the debate live analysis with Nicole Wallace and brian williams. Coming up, two men, one among tonights debate moderator and the other, a big donor. What wraps up this hour. A strategy shift, its joe im stephanie ruhle. I know we are headed into the bidens first debate not as a big battle on the debate stage front runner. Tonight in nevada. He says he is the nations and it seems that theres always a battle in washington. But i want to remind you there chief Law Enforcement officer is always good news somewhere and hes flexing his muscles over the justice department. And im urging you today check im not talking about the attorney general. Im talking about the president. I saw you move in, out twitter and instagram. And i wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood todays good news ruhle is with some homemade biscuits oh, thats so nice especially good and good people and a little tip, geico could help you save on homeowners insurance. Deserve to be recognized. More news with my friend ayman mohyeldin. Hmm im going to check it out on cookies uhh, biscuits. The first commercial break and i follow you on twitter. I like what you say. Mmmm, thanks, stephanie. Is there a little nutmeg in there . Debate day is here on msnbc and oh its my mums secret recipe. You can tell me. Its a secret. Im in for Hallie Jackson who will be one of the moderators is it cinnamon . Right here on msnbc as we come its my mums secret recipe. On air this morning everyone in call geico and see how easy saving on homeowners and condo insurance can be. Las vegas dealing with the wild card. Ill come back for the plate. Our new reporting on just how democrats are getting ready to saving for avas college. Unleash on newcomer mike being able to retire on our terms. Taking care of dad. Why Ameriprise Financial . Bloomberg. The billionaire and former mayor my advisor cares about my personal goals. Facing renewed scrutiny over the past views and the massive personal war chest. He gives us comprehensive advice. Plus, how hes responding to one candidate this morning. I feel prepared for whats expected in life all of it with new polling showing that Bernie Sanders is and even whats not. She helps us feel confident. We know our financial future is secure. Now opening a double digit lead and a double digit drop for joe biden. With the right financial advice, a warning sign. We have the numbers and what life can be brilliant. They all mean. Am