Like what were talking about. Well talk to republican congressman kevin brady. The man in charge of getting the tax bill cut passed in the house. This is mtp daily, and it starts right now. Good evening. Im chuck todd here in washington and welcome to mtp daily. We begin the night with a purge of the gop establishment. A crisis of confidence in Mitch Mcconnell, a weakened president whos now scrubbing his twitter feed and the political earthquake in alabama underneath it all. If youre not familiar with this guy, pull up a chair. Because after knocking off the president , mcconnells preferred knt in the alabama runoff by nearly ten points, roy moore with a phrase Christian Conservative doesnt even begin to describe him, could very well be your next u. S. Senator. If you dont understand just how freaked out some folks in the gop in the white house are about what that means, then you dont know roy moore. First off, he doesnt appear to believe in the constitution as its written. Our rights dont come from government or from a bill of rights. They come from almighty god. Now, thats just a taste of what are very fundamentalist views that have gotten him removed twice at alabama chief justice. Once for refuse toll follow a court order to remove this 350pound monuments of the Ten Commandments he had installed in the state courthouse and once for ordering state judges to ignore the United States supreme courts ruling that samesex marriages are constitutional. Take a look at what he has said about the issue of samesex rights. Do you think homosexuality should be illegal . It was in many of the states across this union. Homosexual conduct should be illegal . Yes. Did you know that bestiality, the relationship between man and beast is prohibited in every state. Do you know that . Did i ask you about having sex with a cow or a horse ask. You didnt. But its the same thing. Thats just one of his beliefs and suggested in this speech earlier in the yeyear 9 11 was punishment for not following gods word. He wrote in this oped in 2006 that congressman keith elson was unfit for office because hes muslim. His foundation shared this video on facebook asking, so is obama a muslim . Spoiler alert, answer at the end was, yes. You want to see moores view on the Second Amendment, here you go. I believe in the Second Amendment. [ cheers ] President Trump could not stop roy moore, despite campaigning against him. Despite perhaps even belittling him by calling him ray moore malt poor times in an interview and despite his warning voting for him could put a ruby red seat in jeopardy in december. And whether his endorsement even matters and werther he could sway his own base. Does his support inoculate anybody from the insurgency . You have to think it was on his mind. The president deleted three tweets endorsing the losing candidate. Arguably, nobody would have noticed he was doing this if he didnt delete it, but, whatever. Then added one, endorsing the winning candidate. Then reminded reporters today, mcconnell dragged down his candidate, not trump. Roy ran a really great race, and i know what they did with mitch and they used it very much in the campaign. I will say they used him in the race, and i was very honored by the way i was treated in the race, but they used him in the race, john, they used him in the race, and, you know but, one of those things. Mitch mcconnell now looks even more unpopular with republicans if that was possible. Senate gridlock is fueling a rise of antirepublicans like moore and the proestablishment republicans like bob koescorker. Moore in. Tuesday, says a lot about the direction of the gop now. For all of the gop divisions all the infighting and drama, what are the democrats doing . Theyve yet to put a significant election victory on the board in the era of trump. Can they pull off an upset against moore . Im joined now by doug jones. He is the democratic nominee for the u. S. Senate whos now the man running against roy moore in alabama. Mr. Jones, welcome. Youre a former u. S. Attorney. But other than that i think a lot of people dont know about you outside of alabama. So we get a chance to get to know you. Let me ask you this why do you believe youre qualified to be in the u. S. Senate . Well, first of all, chuck, thanks for having me on today. Its been a big victory for us over the course of the last few moss and were looking forward to this vigorous debate. You know, look, ive had a history of working with people, whether as the u. S. Attorney, who worked to put together a task force to invest gate the eric rudolph case for the clinic boning in berm hamm, going back to 1963, Church Bombing case and prosecuting old klansmen. I have a quality of passion for fairness and well talk about issues important to everybody across the state. People in the state of alabama have seen me over the years and i think they wrap ive done as a u. S. Attorney, in my professional career and thats what people are looking for. Theyre looking for a change. How is it this is alabama. We know the Democratic Party hasnt had a lot of success in statewide races, in quite some time. Why do you believe they should overlook your party, because the average alabama voter will sit there and say, you know, the Democratic Party that i see, whether its nancy pelosi, hillary clinton, barack obama, thats not the Democratic Party that theyve wanted to vote for. Why are you different . Well, because i think people are looking beyond that right now. First of all, i dont think theyre seeing a lot with the Republican Party. I think theyre seeing partisan rancor affecting everyone, republican or democrat. The folks here are looking for leadership and want somebody to reach across the aisle and talk to people. You dont see that out of washington from either republicans or democrats. People in alabama want to have dialogues and be able to talk about those issues. Thats what weve been talking absence i first announced my candidacy. Thats what were going to continue to talk about, and i think thats what people are most interested in. I think chuck, the health care debate, i think has really gotten people focused on issues rather than partisanship. Theyve been looking beyond the party because they dont understand whats going on and have been looking at the issues for themselves. Go through some issues both have been coming up in the u. S. Senate now and issues you may be facing if youre elected. Start with health care. Senator Bernie Sanders came out with a single payer medicare for all proposal, looking for cosigners. About 15 democrats in the Senate Caucus did that. Would you have been one of those 15 . Would you have signed on that . No, i dont think im not there on universal Health Care Like that, or medicare for all. I do the favor of pop lick options for health care but need to look at those numbers. Thats going to be an expensive proposition, but one of a number of issues that need to be on the table. You know, the issues of medicaid and medicare i think are important. I want folks need to remember my opponent in this race has advocated getting the federal government out of health care altogether. Which means doing away with medicaid, which means doing away with medicare. I want to make sure we slhore u our Health Care System and will look at all the options but am 23409 the not there on universal health care tht and joe donnelly traveled with the president , keeping an open mind on the president s tax cut proposal. Where are you on what youve seen from the president and is he somebody that you can work with or do you agree with other members of the Democratic Party that, believe hes not fit for office . Well, no. Im the kind of person that can work with anybody. I think that thats going to be the hallmark of what i bring to this table as opposed to someone else who has his own personal agenda no matter what that might be. I can work with the president. I can work with any member of congress or the senate to try to do whats best i believe is for the best of alabama. We have issues we have to address in this state. And if the president of the United States is addressing them, then im going to be right there, but if hes not, im going to be opposing what about taxes . Sorry. Do you think we need a tax cut . Who needs a tax cut . I dont think the wealthy need a tax cut. I think we are in a position right now where we need to look at some tax issues. I havent stided all the programs that came out just today. This is going to be an issue, taxes like Everything Else is a wroshg in progress. I do want to make sure the working class, the middle class are taken care of. I dont necessarily believe thats going to be a tax cut for the wealthy. I think people in the state understand trickledown tax cuts dont work. Doesnt sign like you could grab on to this proposal as the president laid it out today . Again, devils in the details on that. After all weve gone through in the last 48 hours i want to look over the details of that and the main thing make sure it represents the people of this state not just the wealthy. Getting tripped up in cultural issues. One is guns, one is abortion. Abortions, what are the limitations you believe should be in the law when it come to abortion . I am a Firm Believer a woman should choose what happens to her own body. Ill stand for that and continue to make sure that happens. Make sure as we go forward people have access to contraception, access to the abortion that they might need, if thats what they choose to do. I think that thats going to be an issue we can work with and talk to people about from both sides of the aisle. But you wouldnt legislate you wouldnt be in favor of legislation that said ban abortion after 20 weeks or Something Like that . Im not in favor of anything that is going to infringe on a womans right and her freedom to choose. Thats just the position that ive had for many years. Its a position i continue to have. When those people i want to make sure people understand once a baby is born, im going to be there for that child. Thats where i become a right to lifer. And finally, let me ask you quickly about guns. Do you believe there is any limitation with the Second Amendment . For instance, do you think an assaults weapons ban is something you would support and that it would still comport to the Second Amendment . Well, look. Weve got limitations on the Second Amendment now. Limitations on all constitutional amendsment in one form or another. I want to enforce the laws we have now. The Biggest Issue i think facing the Second Amendment now is we need to make sure we shore up the National Crime information system. The n. I. C. S. At the same time cut down oun error so lawabiding citizens can get this. Im a Second Amendment guy, love to hunt. I have a gun case full of guns and i also want to make sure were smart and solid on those issues. Would you have voted to confirm Jeff Sessions at attorney general . I doubt i would have voted to confirm Jeff Sessions. Ive known jeff a long time. What ive seen what i feared, is exactly what ive seen. That hes trying to roll back civil rights, access to the ballot box. Those are issues especially important to me. So end of the day, i do not believe i would have voted to confirm him. Doug jones, leave it there and hope to catch up with you more on the campaign trail. A fairly long time before general election there. A couple months. I have a feeling well be watching quite a bincht yes. Thanks for having me, chuck. You got it. Appreciate you coming on the show. Yes, sir. We have more to come on, at some point we hope to see him. Bring in tonights panel. Former chair michael steele, cnbc editor at large and latinos and Maria Theresa combar, before we get to doug jones specifically, i think stu rothenberg summed it up best. Moore in, corker out. Republican party of 2017. What do you make of all this . Makes tax reform harder and it makes republican politics in general harder. Just got off the phone with a republican pollster before coming on here. Theres nobody in the Republican Party who would welcome a trade of moore for corker. Bob corker is somebody who likes to govern. Who is a serious person about solving problems. Roy moore, you know, youve said hes a conservative christian. That term doesnt do him justice. Hes a conservative christian extremist talking about making homosexual conduct inlegal, talking about sharia law existing in the United States when, in fact, it does not. Those are all things that are going to be repellent to young people. That have the potential to embarrass the Republican Party and the fact he was able to beat Mitch Mcconnells candidate, the u. S. Chamber of commerces candidate, Donald Trumps candidate, even though donald trump equick ekwiv katd, means we have a party needed to pat this tax bill. And roy moore, nobody would have said he is the candidate, you would say, perfect candidate to have in a special election. Doug jones feels its meetss definition who democrats would look for. Got to get a candidate that fits the state. I dont know if he fits the state but closest, maybe, they could find. He is. Sounded like a guy who could pull some republicans. You could tell. Trying to straddle the like, im a centerleft guy. Didnt say it like that but trying to. And with a case full of guns and thats a good start a. Good start in alabama. Then making the abortion argument the way he did. Looked at theresa, not bad. I could see the politics of that working for him, in a sense. The democrats, though have to get their act together as well. They cant sleep through this opportunity. They have to get as much energy as theyve put into other special elections this past year, they need to look at this one on a very unique and special way, because there is a body of republican voices out there who are not going to be onboard with mr. Moore, and i think thats something that theyre probably, if theyre smart, will take a look a. Maria, i assume if youre the democrats, you campaign because you just want to shine the spotlight on roy moore even if you lose to him. You just want the spot looiligh him. Thats something you can roll out. Strange was not Mitch Mcconnells first choice. Asked to identify a republican woman. It wasnt wrong. Strange was not the guy right. Because he was reading tea leaves and understood to actively activate a base uncomfortable with trump would be to get more women voters. The ones that disproportion neal came out for the election in alabama. This time, almost voter fatigue. 14 of that base in the Republican Party come out. Thats 4 less than we saw in the special election in august. So if anything i think Mitch Mcconnell is on to the right sentiment actually expand the Republican Party, but are the people on the ground paying attention . Troubles mcconnell. Is he or isnt he . I would say, no. Im not sure any republican leader of this Senate Caucus could do better than Mitch Mcconnells done. I think the problems that hes dealing with are systemic to the Republican Party, not to the senate majoritys leaders office. Remember, john boehner was forced out of his job as House Speaker for some of the very same issues mr. Mcconnell is struggling with. Roy moore, create more retirements . Create more retirements and a lot of frustration for the senate leadership. I said earlier to folks, everybody looking at the house. Crazyland over there. Wait until the senate, because hes going to bring that element in to this conversation in the senate and theyre not used to this and never been there before. Long for the days when they thought rand paul was the outsider, or ted cruz. Mainstream confessional. A fun show coming up. Ahead, President Trump says the nfl has to change as players and coaches unite in protest against his inflammatory comments and nba hall of famer karim abduljabbar joins us. Stay tuned. When food is good and clean and real, its ok to crave. And with panera catering, theres more to go around. Panera. Food as it should be. I got some financial howd that go . Le ago. He kept spelling my name with an i its bryan with a y. since birth. Well, i happen to know some people. Do they listen . What . Theyre amazing listeners. Guidance from professionals who take their time to get to know you. Witness katy perry. Witness katy perry become a legal witness. Witness katy perry and left shark. Or a card shark. Grandma . Witness katy perry work. Witness katy perry firework. Witness katy perry swish. Witness katy perry. Aaaaaaw look at that dog katy perry with music videos and behind the scenes footage, xfinity lets you witness all things me. Welcome back. The policy priority from the white house today is taxes. At least its supposed to be, but on his way to a tax event before he even got on the plane, in this case the chopper, President Trump held a sort of impromptu press conference with the pool making news on several things having nothing to do with taxes. First, health care. I think theyre there now, john. Be honest. Look at the statement put out by alaska. Right . You saw that, by lisa. Look at the other couple of statements. You know, were only one off. Maybe two. Also, secretary tom prices use of pri