Mike Johnson narrowly survives vote to remain speaker

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell – "Mike Johnson Narrowly Survives Vote to Remain Speaker"

Release Date: January 4, 2025

In this compelling episode of The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, host Lawrence O'Donnell delves into the high-stakes political maneuvering surrounding Mike Johnson's narrow victory to remain Speaker of the House. The episode provides an in-depth analysis of the internal dynamics within the Republican Party, the influence of former President Donald Trump, and the broader implications for upcoming legislative battles. Additionally, the podcast touches upon significant developments in the U.S. Senate and critical state elections in Virginia.

---

1. Mike Johnson’s Speaker Vote and Trump’s Influence

Key Event: Mike Johnson secures his position as Speaker of the House after a tense vote where Republican holdouts initially opposed him but ultimately switched their votes.

• Ali Velshi [01:27]: "Donald Trump spent much of his Friday working the phones to save himself and Mike Johnson from another House Republican speaker vote humiliation, which he did barely."

• Mike Johnson [02:28]: "I'm humbled by [Trump's] support, and I think that was a big factor."

Johnson attributes his successful bid to remain Speaker largely to Trump's backing, emphasizing the former president's pivotal role in unifying the Republican caucus.

2. Internal Conflicts Within House Republicans

Despite Johnson's victory, underlying tensions within the House Republican Conference remain evident. The House Freedom Caucus, a group of staunch conservatives, expressed "sincere reservations" about Johnson's track record, indicating unresolved factional disputes.

• Ali Velshi [03:08]: "Donald Trump did not fill Republican brains with fever dreams of working groups and financial reports. And clearly their appetites were not sated by those comments."

Furthermore, the passage of a new rules package increased the threshold to remove a Speaker from one vote to nine, signaling heightened challenges ahead for Johnson.

3. Democrats’ Strategies and Reactions

House Democrats, under the leadership of Hakeem Jeffries, remain unified in their opposition to Republican agendas that threaten key social programs.

• Pete Aguilar [04:41]: "Social Security and Medicare are not entitlement programs. They are earned benefits... Democrats will fight hard to protect working-class Americans and the things that matter to them."

The Democratic Caucus emphasized their commitment to defending critical social safety nets and opposing policies that favor the wealthy and corporations.

4. Donald Trump’s Legal Challenges

Amidst the political turmoil, former President Donald Trump faces significant legal challenges. Judge Juan Marchon has scheduled Trump's sentencing for January 10th in his criminal hush money case, rejecting Trump's attempt to overturn the jury verdict.

• Barbara McQuaid [15:43]: "The judge thought that, yes, the conviction stands, but we need to sentence Donald Trump... he does not plan to sentence Donald Trump to any prison time."

The legal community anticipates that Trump may receive an unconditional discharge, meaning the case would end without any penalties despite the conviction.

5. Special Elections in Virginia State Legislature

With Election Day on the horizon, the podcast highlights two pivotal special elections in Virginia's state legislature. Democratic candidates Kanye Srinivasian and J.J. Singh are campaigning vigorously to retain and potentially expand Democratic control.

• Kanye Srinivasian [32:16]: "Women’s right to choose, common sense gun safety, investing in public education, and climate change are all on the line."

• J.J. Singh [34:41]: "The federal government is integral to the economy of Northern Virginia... disruptions could have significant impacts here in Virginia."

These races are critical for maintaining Democratic majorities and advancing key legislative priorities in the state.

6. Historic Moment in the U.S. Senate: Two Black Women Serving Concurrently

A landmark achievement was celebrated as Lisa Blount Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland were sworn in, marking the first time two Black women serve simultaneously in the U.S. Senate.

• Hakeem Jeffries [45:14]: "It means that the Senate, the legislation, both House and Senate, are beginning to look more like America."

• Carol Moseley Braun [41:45]: Reflecting on the significance of this milestone, she expressed pride in witnessing a more representative and diverse legislative body.

This historic development underscores progress in diversity and representation within U.S. political institutions.

7. Analysis and Future Implications

The episode concludes with a sobering assessment of the challenges facing the Republican Party, particularly the friction between MAGA loyalists and the emerging influence of tech billionaires like Elon Musk. The potential for legislative gridlock looms large, especially concerning critical issues such as the debt limit and budget approvals.

• Robert Garcia [10:02]: "Mike Johnson is completely bought into the Elon Musk agenda, which is essentially huge tax cuts for Elon Musk and his billionaire friends."

The podcast underscores the precarious balance of power in the House and the significant hurdles Democrats must overcome to enact their policy agenda.

---

Conclusion

Lawrence O'Donnell's episode offers a comprehensive examination of the tumultuous political landscape following Mike Johnson's narrow retention as Speaker. By spotlighting internal GOP conflicts, Trump's enduring influence, and the rising stature of Democratic leadership, the podcast paints a vivid picture of the legislative battles ahead. Additionally, the historic strides in Senate diversity and the critical state-level elections in Virginia highlight the multifaceted nature of American politics today.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Ali Velshi [01:27]: "Donald Trump spent much of his Friday working the phones to save himself and Mike Johnson from another House Republican speaker vote humiliation, which he did barely."
• Pete Aguilar [04:41]: "Social Security and Medicare are not entitlement programs. They are earned benefits..."
• Barbara McQuaid [15:43]: "The judge thought that, yes, the conviction stands, but we need to sentence Donald Trump... he does not plan to sentence Donald Trump to any prison time."
• Kanye Srinivasian [32:16]: "Women’s right to choose, common sense gun safety, investing in public education, and climate change are all on the line."
• Hakeem Jeffries [45:14]: "It means that the Senate, the legislation, both House and Senate, are beginning to look more like America."

---

This summary encapsulates the main discussions and insights from the episode, providing listeners and non-listeners alike with a clear understanding of the critical political developments covered.

Transcript

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Now is your time to get into a new Dr. Horton home by taking advantage of their national red tag sales event going on right now through January 19th. Stop by any of their participating communities and find select red tag homes at incredible Pricing. So whether you're buying your first home or looking for an upgrade, you don't want to miss the red tag sales event going on right now. Discover the Dr. Horton difference at Dr. Horton.com that's Dr. Horton.com drop cr Horton America's builder and equal Housing Opportunity Builder. When work gets crazy, I like to stop by the bar after, have a few cold ones.

[Ali Velshi]

I don't drink at all until 4:00.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

We limit ourselves to one bottle of wine a night. Excessive drinking has a way of sneaking up on us. A few drinks a few nights a week, it can add up and suddenly we're at greater risk for long term problems like heart disease, cancer and depression. Reason enough to rethink the Drink. [e-mail] no HA initiative. Time now for the Last Word with Simone Sanders Townsend in for Lawrence this evening, which is just not a privilege. I get very much you and I talk every weekend morning, but I'm on the other end of it. I'm saying goodbye to you and I'm starting my show. This is kind of fun, Simone.

[Ali Velshi]

It's refreshing. It's refreshing. I will see you tomorrow. Ally Velshi I look forward to that.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Get some sleep tonight, my friend. Have yourself a great show.

[Ali Velshi]

Thanks. You too. So Donald Trump spent much of his Friday working the phones to save himself and Mike Johnson from another House Republican speaker vote humiliation, which he did barely. And he also spent it whining that flags will be at half staff on Inauguration Day in honor of the late President Jimmy Carter. But that was the least of Donald Trump's problems today because this afternoon he found out that he will be sentenced next Friday in his criminal hush money case. We're gonna have more on that later in the program with MSNBC legal analyst Barbara McQuaid. Now today, shortly before Judge Merchand set Donald Trump's sentencing date, Mike Johnson won his first full term as speaker of the House of Representatives. But it wasn't before Republican holdouts who initially voted against Mike Johnson this afternoon switched their votes, allowing him to squeak through on the first ballot today. Mike Johnson credited his win to Donald Trump voice and his influence is of singular importance.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

So grateful to have his support.

[Ali Velshi]

I'm humbled by it and I think that was a big factor. And he wants us to unify as a conference and to get the job done. And we must. But you see the holdouts, they are telling a different story. For some members, it actually wasn't Donald Trump's call that convinced them to ultimately change their votes. Here's what South Carolina Republican Ralph Norman said I was able to convince where are you trying to Trump.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I knew what Trump stood.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

It was worth my vote.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

You never know how these things are going to come out.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

I didn't know how everybody was going.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

To vote, but I knew we needed to impress on Mike Johnson that we're serious about budget, we're serious about the border, we're serious. And is he going to fight?

[Ali Velshi]

Make no mistake, this was a shot across the bow for Mike Johnson and for Donald Trump. Ahead of the vote, Johnson issued a list of commitments which included creating a working group to work with Elon Musk's pet project, Doge, to issue a report of audits of federal agencies and to ask House committees to do appropriations reviews. Donald Trump did not fill Republican brains with fever dreams of working groups and financial reports. And clearly their appetites were not sated by those comments. After today's speaker vote, the 11 members of the House Freedom Caucus, well, they issued a list of demands of their own for Speaker Johnson ran writing that they voted for Johnson despite their, quote, sincere reservations regarding the Speaker's track record over the past 15 months. More proof that Republicans aren't feeling especially confident about the House leadership. Today, the Republican controlled House, they voted on a new rules package for the new Congress and it included increasing the threshold that allowed just one member to initiate a vote to remove a Speaker. That threshold increased to nine. Now, Speaker Johnson, I think it's safe to say he passed the first test of the new Congress. But it is possible that this is quite possibly the easiest vote. He will have to wrangle votes for the debt limit, which is scheduled. Frankly, it was the unrest that started Johnson's whole kerfuffle last month is coming up at the end of January and that means that the united House Democrats will once again be a powerful force. Here's what House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said on the House floor today.

[Pete Aguilar]

In the 119th Congress, we will work with the incoming administration for to make life better, safer and more affordable for working families. And the incoming administration must also recognize.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

That while my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are divided, and.

[Pete Aguilar]

While compromise remains a dirty word for so many, Congress won't be able to.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Keep the lights on, let alone pass.

[Pete Aguilar]

Anything of substance without the Buy in.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

And blessing of House Democrats and Hakeem Jeffries.

[Ali Velshi]

A standing ovation from House Democrats on the floor in today's speaker vote. Every single Democrat in the chamber in that party's diverse caucus. They united behind House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffress. And before presenting the gavel to Mike Johnson, Jeffries had this to say.

[Pete Aguilar]

We will push back against far right extremism whenever necessary. So let me be clear. Social Security and Medicare are not entitlement programs. They are earned benefits. Hardworking American taxpayers pay in to Social Security and Medicare every day, every week, every month, every year throughout their entire adult life. They've earned those benefits, worked hard for those benefits, and deserve those benefits. So as Democrats, our promise to the American people is that we will fight hard to make sure that no one in this town takes away Social Security or Medicare from the American people. Not now, not ever. No means never. Our position is that it is not acceptable to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut Medicaid, cut veterans benefits, or cut nutritional assistance from children and families in order to pay for massive tax breaks for billionaires and wealthy corporations. House Democrats will fight hard to protect working class Americans and the things that matter to them. Not the wealthy, the well off and the well connected. Keep your hands off Social Security and Medicare. Two months ago, the American people elected Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States of America. Thank you for that very generous applause. It's okay. There are no election deniers on our side of the aisle. You see, one should love America. One should love America when you win and when you lose, that's the patriotic thing to do. And that's the America that House Democrats will fight hard to preserve. Because we love this country. Democrats will never abandon the long walk toward freedom. We will fight hard to defend the freedom of opportunity that makes the American dream possible. We will fight hard for the freedom to vote and to fight for a government of the people, by the people and for the people. We will fight for the freedom to organize and join a union of your choice. We will fight to defend the free enterprise system, but work hard to make sure that it actually works for working class Americans. And we will always defend a woman's freedom to make her own reproductive health care decisions.

[Ali Velshi]

Joining us now is Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia of California. He is a member of the House Homeland Security and Oversight Committees. Um, you're not a betting man, but did you have that Johnson was gonna become speaker on the first ballot today?

[Robert Garcia]

Honestly, we didn't know. I think that it's pretty clear that he probably cut some last minute deals to win on that first ballot. It was open for a long time.

[Ali Velshi]

Two hours, I believe.

[Robert Garcia]

Yeah, it was open for a long time. We weren't sure what was gonna happen. But look, I mean, the same is true whether that happened on the first ballot or the second or third, is that the Republican House conference is divided, it's still a mess, he's got fractions all over the place. And at the end of the day, he's giving away a lot, I think, to the most extreme members to get some of those votes.

[Ali Velshi]

You know, we just played a little, a lot of what House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries had to say in his remarks prior to handing the gavel to Speaker Johnson. And I liked everything Hakeem Jeffries had to say, except the first minute of what he was talking about. Because in the first minute of his remarks he said, the time for campaigning is over, the election is over. It's time to put down the swords, the campaign swords, essentially, I'm paraphrasing, and pick up the bipartisan plows to do the work. And nice sentiment, okay? But then you got Speaker Johnson that gets up there right after him and he lays out the Republicans priorities, new Congress, saying their goal is to implement an American first agenda. He talked about how too many politicians over the last couple of years have done the opposite of what needs to happen now. And then he had this to say about cutting back the size and scope of government. We'll play it real quick.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

We're going to drastically cut back the size and scope of government. We're going to return the power back to the people.

[Ali Velshi]

Does that sound like the plow of bipartisanship? Because that's gonna cut jobs.

[Robert Garcia]

Mike Johnson has real no interest in bipartisanship. I mean, that's clear. He takes his orders from Donald Trump and now Elon Musk. And we know what they want to do. And Mike Johnson has fully gone in on this Doge Committee or whatever that's going to be, that essentially wants to roll back rights, roll back hard earned benefits and programs like Social Security, like Medicare. And we know that Elon Musk now controls essentially the Republican Party. And they're talking about things like eliminating the Department of Education. And so I think Mike Johnson is completely bought into the Elon Musk agenda, which is essentially huge tax cuts for Elon Musk and his billionaire friends. That's what the fight in this Congress is gonna be. It's gonna be against the billionaires, against Elon Musk and Donald Trump trying to do everything in his power to enrich his friends.

[Ali Velshi]

I get a lot of questions from folks on, you know, on my little social media, I always ask people, like, what's on their minds. And the number one question I've gotten over the last couple of days is, do Democrats have a plan? What are Democrats gonna do? And it sounds like you all are ready to work with Republicans where it makes sense. But I'm looking to see where Republicans have said it makes sense to work with y'all.

[Robert Garcia]

I don't think there's gonna be a lot of places where it actually is gonna make sense. Because at the end of the day, Republicans say they want to have border security, but what does it really mean? It means mass deportations. It means children in camps. It means not having any sort of pathways to work, permits for people that have been here for 20 or 30 years. So the Republicans idea of bipartisanship is we get everything you want, you get nothing. Oh, then, by the way, we're gonna cut your benefits, redistribute that wealth, and then give it to our billionaire funds.

[Ali Velshi]

So what's the plan for House Democrats?

[Robert Garcia]

Look, first of all, we've gotta be ready to fight like hell every single time. And I think Hakeem Jeffries, our leader, understands that. He knows that. You're going to see in the last Congress a lot of the same thing where we stop a lot of bad things from happening in this Congress, we're going to stop a lot of really bad things from happening. They're going to try to repeal Obamacare. We're going to push back on that with everything that we've got. And their plans, their grand scheme of plans is to reshape benefits in this country for working class people. They want to change programs that people have worked their entire lives to support. On top of that, they want to roll back rights for women, roll back rights for gay people, roll back civil rights that we've enjoyed in this country for such a long time. And so I think what's most important, what people want to see is Democrats in the fight. This is going to be a bar fight. We cannot sit around and kumbaya holding hands with Republicans, hoping that things are going to go our way, are hoping that they're going to cut us some bipartisan deal. That is not going to happen. And it makes no sense, none. To work with Elon Musk and his billionaire friends on trying to cut the government.

[Ali Velshi]

Well, Robert Garcia of California, someone with clarity about this 119th Congress, I appreciate your time, sir. It's Good to see you. Congratulations on being reelected in sworn in.

[Robert Garcia]

Thank you.

[Ali Velshi]

Thank you. Now today, New York Judge Juan Marchon rejected Donald Trump's attempt to overturn the jury verdict in the hush money case. And he actually scheduled Donald Trump to be sentenced a week from today on Friday, January 10th at 9:30am Eastern. Now, Donald Trump may appear virtually or in person in an 18 page order. Marshawn made clear that he would not likely sentence Trump to jail, but he delivered a passionate defense of the jury's historic verdict. The significance of the fact that the verdict was handed down by a unanimous jury of defendants, peers after trial cannot possibly be overstated. Indeed, the sanctity of a jury verdict and the deference that must be accorded to it is a bedrock principle in our nation jurisprudence. In May, a jury found Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election by covering up his hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. Judge Juan Marchand described the case as one about premeditated and contentious deception by the leader of the free world. And he added this to vacate this verdict on the grounds that the charges are insufficiently serious, given the position defendant once held and is about to assume again would constitute a disproportionate result and cause immeasurable damage to the citizenry's confidence in the rule of law. Hear, hear. Joining us now is former U.S. attorney Barbara McQuaid, a law professor at the University of Michigan Law School. Barbara, it's very good to see you. Did you have it on your bingo card that we would get this from Judge Merchan today?

[Barbara McQuaid]

No, I did not see this coming at all. I think maybe over the holidays we'd sort of forgotten about this case a little bit. The parties were battling. We've seen briefs, Donald Trump wanting to dismiss this case altogether, Alvin Bragg's office suggesting maybe that the whole thing put on hold for the next four years. And the judge obviously over the past several weeks working very carefully on this 18 page opinion. Now, I'm sure there are Trump critics and Trump supporters who will find this unsatisfactory. But what the judge said was important for him to do here was to balance three competing factors. One is the president's ability to do his job as the chief executive in his upcoming term. Two was to uphold the rule of law. And three was, as you just read there, deferring to the sanctity of the jury verdict. And so the judge thought that, yes, the conviction stands, but we need to sentence Donald Trump but he let it be known pretty clearly that he does not plan to to sentence Donald Trump to any prison time.

[Ali Velshi]

Marshawn's order seems to indicate that there will not be jail time. As you just noted, this is what he actually wrote. While this court, as a matter of law, must not make any determination on sentencing prior to giving the parties and defendant an opportunity to be heard, it seems proper at this juncture to make known the court's inclination to not impose any sentence of incarceration, a sentence authorized by the conviction. But when the people concede, they no longer view it as a practicable recommendation. As such, balancing the aforementioned considerations in conjunction with the underlying concerns of the presidential immunity doctrine, a sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow defendant to pursue his appellate options. Can you explain unconditional discharge for us, Barb?

[Barbara McQuaid]

Yes. So it means this case will be ended. This judgment will become final. That is a conviction against Donald Trump for 34 counts. But there will be no conditions attached. Prison, no fine, no community service, no nothing. This would be the end of it. So unlike most defendants who will get some sort of consequence for a criminal conviction, the judge says in balancing all of these factors, including the upcoming presidential term, there will be no penalty for Donald Trump in this case.

[Ali Velshi]

All right, Barbara McQuaid, thank you so much for joining us and breaking it down. Coming up, today's speaker vote was just the first of the many challenges Republicans will have when they try to do anything. That's next.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Skip the waiting room. Tirerack.com now offers convenient mobile tire installation in select areas. Simply shop tirerack.com for your next set of tires and at checkout, choose Tire Rack mobile tire installation. An expertly trained technician will arrive with your tires and install them on site, at home, at the office, office, wherever you are, you'll spend less time waiting and more time doing the things you enjoy. Tirerack.com the way tire buying should be. Hey, everybody, it's Rob Lowe here. If you haven't heard, I have a podcast that's called Literally with Rob Lowe.

[Robert Garcia]

And basically it's conversations I've had that really make you feel like you're pulling.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Up a chair at an intimate dinner between myself and people that I admire, like Aaron Sorkin or Tiffany Haddish, Demi Moore, Chris Pratt, Michael J. Fox. There are new episodes out every Thursday, so subscribe, please, and listen wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ali Velshi]

Did you know adults with financial literacy skills have 82% more wealth than those who don't, from swimming lessons to piano classes. As parents we invest in so many things to enrich our kids lives, but how much are we investing in their future financial success? With Greenlight, you can teach your kids essential skills like earning, saving and investing, giving them the tools for financial confidence. This investment costs less than an after school treat at Starbucks. Start prioritizing their financial education today with Greenlight. Invest in their [e-mail] podcast the Republican Party under Donald Trump is about one thing and one thing only. What is good for Donald Trump. Gone are the core principles supposedly about states rights, small government and low taxes. Donald Trump never cared about that. He just says whatever he needs to say in the moment, even if it is a ludicrous contradiction. Trump claims to love American working men but pays Chinese workers to make his Bibles. He was totally against China based TikTok, but after meeting with a billionaire Republican investor, Now Trump loves TikTok. And now that the billionaires of Silicon Valley have decided flattering Trump will help make them even more money. With Elon Musk leading the way, Donald Trump is all too happy to give the Tech Bros everything they want at the expense of the MAGA faithful who put him back into office. You've probably heard about this fight over H1B visas. Well simply put, Elon Musk and his Tech Bros want the visas for foreign high skilled workers because it's good for business. It is so important to Elon Musk he said, quote, I will go to war on this issue. But what about Trump's promises to the red hat wearing crowds about America First? Well, Vivek Ramaswamy doesn't think Americans should be the first hires into good paying tech jobs. He thinks, quote, the reason top tech companies often hire foreign born and first generation engineers over Native Americans is that our American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long. Hmm. Okay. Vivek Ramaswamy the Tech Bros and apparently Donald Trump think Americans are too dumb and or lazy to compete for these tech jobs. A few days ago, Talking specifically about H1B visas, Trump told the New York Post, I've always liked the visas. I have always been in favor of the visas. That's why we have them now. Even the New York Post didn't completely buy that because the report also pointed out, quote, Trump restricted access to foreign worker visas in his First Amendment administration and has been critical of the program in the past. Among the MAGA faithful, the loudest voice railing against these visas is Steve Bannon and he has aimed his criticism, at least for now, only at Elon Musk.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

You can be part of this, but.

[Pete Aguilar]

You'Re not going to sit here and.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Lie to us to our face and expect to say, oh, because you're worth $500 billion, you people are taking money. Take money.

[Pete Aguilar]

I don't care.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Bow down and kowtow.

[Pete Aguilar]

I don't care. I could care less.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I'm a crazy frickin Irishman. 100% moratorium on all immigration until we get this thing sorted.

[Ali Velshi]

It is not just a visa issue. This is a symptom of Rorschach Trumpian politics. It's whatever you want to believe. Trump has been able to survive the last four years from the cheap seats by focusing conservatives on their shared hatred of broad targets like the media and the deep state, whatever that is. Well, we are about to find out what happens when Trump, Elon Musk and his sidekick, Mr. American mediocrity, Mike Johnson and all the unruly House Republicans who put Mike Johnson on notice today and John Thune have to agree on and defend actual legislation with actual spending cuts and actual policies. What about the people who voted for Trump? 155 year old single mom from Pennsylvania told the Washington Post recently, Trump is more attuned to the needs of everyone instead of just the rich. I think he knows it's the poor people that got him elected. So I think Trump is going to do more to help us. Hmm. Joining us now is Jason Johnson, professor at the School of Global Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University. He's also an MSNBC political analyst. Jason, let's start where I ended that last quote from this woman in Pennsylvania who voted for Trump. What say you?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I'm not surprised. I think that a lot of people who voted, and let's not forget it's a very small margin. It was not a blowout. It looked one way on election night. It looked one way when we actually started seeing the numbers later. There are a lot of Americans that take Trump's general dislike for America as empathy for their individual struggles. So I'm not surprised. Look, if you're concerned about the price of eggs, if you're concerned about the price of gas, if you've been nervous ever since the sort of end of the COVID pandemic, there are a lot of Americans who think that Donald Trump understands that they're wrong. He doesn't really care. The people he associates with don't really care. But I'm not surprised that this woman felt that way. And I think obviously a majority of people in Pennsylvania and a lot of other swing states felt the same way.

[Ali Velshi]

You know, this is this rift within the Republican Party apparatus currently is being referred to as a MAGA civil war. This is what Axios had to say about this civil war. Elon Musk condemned a segment of the MAGA movement as contemptible fools who should be purged from the Republican Party. In the social media post Friday, the schism may force Trump to ultimately take sides between the largely white working class supporters who first made MAGA succeed and the techno libertarian billionaires like Musk who are at the center of his new administration. You know this, you know my mother used to say, if it ain't about you, don't get in it. Okay? Just don't, don't, don't put your nose in business. It doesn't belong to you. But we are all watching this play out. And to be clear, I am watching. But this is something that is going to test this movement, if you will.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

I disagree, Simone.

[Ali Velshi]

Oh, you don't think so?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

That 55 year old woman. No, no. That 55 year old woman in Pennsylvania is not watching this conversation on Twitter. She's not. She's not. She is still excited. And the people who voted for Donald Trump are still excited. What is happening with this, this, this visa conversation? It is an online conversation. It is an elite conversation. It is not a conversation that as of right now is affecting most of the men and women who actually voted for Donald Trump. Now, do I think it's bad? Of course it is. Do I think it reveals that you have a conflict in the Republican Party between nativists and white nationalists? Of course you do. Do I think it reveals some of the racism of a certain class of people like Vivek Ramaswamy? Of course it does. But is that going to ultimately impact how Congress behaves? I don't think we know yet. And until, frankly, I know exactly what job. I don't know what security card Elon Musk has or Vivek. I don't even know what their technical jobs are at this point. Right now they're just two guys talking like influencers online. So until we see this manifest in policy, it's just yap yap, yaping from a bunch of basically palace intrigued Republican elites.

[Ali Velshi]

I mean, I'm going to be honest, I don't think they're going to get a swipe card because this isn't an actual agency of the United States government that was created. They do not have any appropriated funds, if you will. Doge doesn't it is a, for all practical purposes, a working group that, frankly, which is, you know, that's what it is. But this point that you just made about this is an elitist conversation among the, you know, the MAGA folks. I listened to Mike Johnson give his speech today when he accepted the speaker's gavel for the 119th Congress and he laid out this America first agenda. He talked about cutting the administrative state, cutting. Those are cutting jobs. Those are not just Democrats or people that voted for Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. That will affect people across the board and disproportionately, I think a number of folks that perhaps cast their ballot for Donald Trump and this MAGA movement. So do you not think that when the chickens come home to roost in that way, or let's just say they actually try to take a real swipe at Social Security that people might not say, hmm, well, wait, what's going on here?

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Well, Simone, look, we are all in agreement that the next two years are going to be the find out phase, right? But how that manifests itself depends on whether or not these Republicans are actually able to accomplish anything. Look, we all talked about Project 2025. In the latter part of 2024, they were going to get rid of all these government programs. You and I both grew up in parts of the Midwest, right? There are some small, deeply red towns where the biggest job there happens to be the federal government, whether it's a NASA's office or national Science foundation, weather foundation. There's all sorts of places where the federal government is the major employer. And they're talking about hacking all those jobs. They're talking about getting rid of all those jobs. When that happens, if that happens, maybe those people turn around and decide that they're going to blame the Republican Party. They're going to blame them for listening to some foreign influencer who doesn't really know anything about American government. Or maybe they won't. Because I think if people were really concerned about the economy and really concerned about policy, we wouldn't have the administration we have now who was promising to cut their jobs. But people still thought, hey, it's not gonna happen to me.

[Ali Velshi]

Well, talk about it. Jason Johnson, thank you for joining us tonight, my friend. Get some rest. Coming up, there are four days until election Day and two key races in the Virginia state Legislature. The two Democratic candidates running will join me ahead of their last weekend of campaigning. That's next right here.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Building a business may feel like a big jump, but on deck, small business loans can help keep you afloat with lines of credit up to $100,000 and term loans up to $250,000. OnDeck lets you choose the loan that's right for your business. As a top rated online small business lender, OnDeck's team of loan advisors can help you find the right business loan to fit your needs. Visit ondeck.com for more information. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by Ondeck or Celtibank. Ondeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amounts subject to lender approval. Finding the music you love shouldn't be hard. That's why Pandora makes it easy to explore all your favorites and discover new artists and genres you'll love. Enjoy a personalized listening experience simply by selecting any song or album and we'll make a station crafted just for you. Best of all, you can listen for free, download Pandora on the Apple App Store or Google Play and start hearing the soundtrack to your life. It's time to have your High Five moment with High Five Casino, the top social casino where the action and real prizes never stop. Fun spins and big wins are right at your fingertips. With over a thousand games including High Five Casino exclusives, High Five Casino is always free to play with free coins given out every four hours. Sign up today and get free welcome coins you can spin. For a chance at cash prizes, visit high5casino.com High5casino no purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 21 years or older. Terms and conditions apply.

[Ali Velshi]

This is the last weekend of campaigning for two Democrats in two key special elections in Virginia. While many national Democrats have spent the last two months since Election Day in conversation about the future, in Virginia, Election Day was the first day of the next campaign. That campaign ends Tuesday with a special election for State Senate, where Democrats currently hold a 21 to 19 majority. There's also a special election in the State House. Now, it is hard work to knock on doors and convince people to vote for you in a presidential election year, but talk about campaigning in the wake of what happened in November and during the holiday season. That's a tall order. But it is oh so very important. And I'm gonna be honest, I'm very biased because I once worked in the Virginia House of Delegates. America's policy folks, it is made in our state legislatures. Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, he is actually term limited. So Democrats have a real chance of winning the Governor's race in November. But the success of a potential Democratic led government in Virginia, it actually starts with winning these special elections and keeping control of the state legislature. Joining us now are two Democrats running on January 7th. Virginia delegate Kanye Srinivasian is running for Virginia Senate and J.J. singh is running for Delegate Srinivasian's seat in the House of Delegates. Both are running to represent parts of Loudoun county outside of Washington, D.C. thank you both for joining me today. Can we just start with the stakes of this race? Because it is my understanding that losses in either two of these seats would result in potentially Republican control or a power sharing agreement having to happen in one or both of the chambers. So delegates from the. Can I start with you? Just the stakes here in this election and how it's been campaigning in the wake of November, that November election.

[Kanye Srinivasian]

Good evening. Thanks for having me. Yes, the stakes are very high. As you rightly said, it is a thin majority that we have in the General Assembly. In the Senate, it's 21 to 19. There are many things on the line. Women's right to choose, number one is on the line. The constitutional amendment is on the line. My opponent has clearly said that she will vote against it and she will ban abortion. So that's clearly on the line. Common sense gun safety is on the line. Investing in public education is on the line. Investing in climate change is on the line. We are two years of majority two years ago in the General assembly. And Democrats did amazing things when we had trifecta, we did outstanding work. So as you rightfully said, we have the chance to have a trifecta next November. But it starts with this important election. That's why I'm running. I'm a son of two school teachers. I'm the first Indian American immigrant elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. And I am very excited about this. I've been knocking thousands of doors and people want to hear, people want to push back. People are concerned about many things, including the new administration.

[Ali Velshi]

You know, Mr. Singh delegates. The delegate makes a really important point here. And let's just drive the point home from the last conversation I was just having with Jason Johnson. The Augusta Free Press had a column on Glenn Youngkin backing Donald Trump and Elon Musk's plan to cut federal spending in parts of the federal government. They write this Glenn Youngkin thinks that 300,000 Virginians whose job seems to be on the line with Donald Trump's promise to dismantle the federal government can just get a job somewhere else. That may result in some job losses in federal government. I think that efficiencies oftentimes do result in that, said Youngkin A former hedge fund guy with a net worth north of 400 million. So, yes, he feels your pain there, folks. Mr. Singh, this Loudoun county is home to a number of individuals that disproportionately have ties to working for the federal government. One, Virginia particularly has one of the largest military employees in the Commonwealth. Talk about the stakes here as it relates to what could potentially be coming down the pipeline in Virginia.

[J.J. Singh]

I mean, you said it best. I was born and raised right here in Northern Virginia. Both of my parents spent their entire careers working for the Department of Veteran Affairs. The federal government is integral to the economy of Northern Virginia. It's integral to the economy of the entire commonwealth. And it's not just federal government employees. It's members of our military who serve in our bases here. So the disruption that they're trying to put into place could have really significant impacts here in Virginia.

[Ali Velshi]

I am just struck by the fact that while many folks were wringing their hands about the last election and talking about pontificating about how to talk to voters, the two of you were out there actually talking to voters. Delegate, what have you been hearing from folks out there on the ground?

[Kanye Srinivasian]

People are concerned about many things more. I mean, they're concerned about dilution of their rights. They don't want their children to have less rights than what they have. That's very concerning to them. They're very concerned about the jobs. They're very concerned about the uncertainty of the new administration. Healthcare is another big one. I got involved in politics only because of healthcare. I got hit by a truck when I was a student in early 90s, my wife's rare surgery. Those two incidences made me realize how broken our healthcare systems. We have wonderful doctors, nurses and specialists, but our healthcare system is broken. People are very concerned about that. People are concerned about cost of tuition, about public education. The other side wants to cut public education. Democrats were the first to invest heavily in public education last year in our budget. I was very proud to support that. So people are concerned. People are concerned about gun safety. We have had 84 school shooting and they are very, very concerned about that. So we have the policies. We are the party of good governance and we can deliver to all Virginians. And that is the message that I talk about at every door.

[Ali Velshi]

Mr. Singh, how are you going to spend your last weekend campaigning?

[J.J. Singh]

Knocking on doors. We've knocked on thousands of doors so far. And I want to tell you what I'm hearing, which is very similar to what the delegates hearing. Excuse me. The first is I have two daughters who are in public school. And I care about reducing gun violence. Gun violence is the number one cause of death for kids. The second thing is we talk about reproductive freedom. My two daughters have fewer rights than my wife did before the Dobbs decision. The third thing that I'm talking about with voters at the doors is as what the delegate mentioned, college tuition. When I went to the University of Virginia tuition, room and board was $15,000 a year and now it's $40,000 a year. The situation is totally untenable. We have a public institution that's requiring parents, if they can afford to help at all, to choose between funding their own retirement or their kids education. And so when we talk about voters about these issues, it's getting them excited, it's getting them enthused, it's getting to see the stakes, it's getting to see the importance of coming out. And so we're going to keep doing it. I knock doors in the snow. And one thing I'll mention about the stakes, my mom, who was 76 years old, recent knee replacement surgery with eight of her friends, who I call super aunties, knocked on doors in the snow. If they can do it, the rest of us can do it.

[Ali Velshi]

Hear, hear. Election day is January 7th. Virginia, get out there and vote. Delegate Kanye Trinovasian, candidate for Virginia Senate, and J.J. singh, candidate for Virginia State House. Thank you both for joining us tonight. Coming up, there was some Good news in 2024, folks. History was made in the United States Senate today. Two black women serving together. And I am so excited to be able to discuss it with my next guest, the trailblazing former senator Carol Moseley Braun. 32 years ago, history was made when our next guest, Carol Mosley Braun, became the first black woman to serve in the United States Senate. She was the sole black woman to serve in the Senate until 2017, when Kamala Harris was sworn in to serve as California senator. And then again in 2023 when Laphonza Butler filled a vacancy after the death of Dianne Feinstein. There have only been three black women to serve in the Senate since Carol Moseley Brown. That is until today. For the first time ever, two black women will serve in the Senate at the same time, Lisa Blount Rochester of Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that you take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion? And that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of of the office upon which you are about to enter, so help you God. Congratulations, Senators. Congratulations is your right hand. Do you solemnly swear that you will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that you will bear true faith and allegiance to the same that you take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that you will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which you are about to enter, so help you God?

[Ali Velshi]

I do.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Congratulations, Senators.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

It.

[Ali Velshi]

Joining us now is former Democratic Senator Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois. Senator, it is an honor and a pleasure to see you here tonight. To have you here in studio, I know you were at the Capitol today. Tell us. We all saw it on tv. Tell us how it was in the room.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Oh, it was wonderful to be here. I'm just so excited about what's going on in the Capitol now. I can't tell you. I was beside myself. I didn't get a chance to actually be there for the swearing in, the actual taking of the oath, but I was there with their families. And I'm so proud of these two.

[Ali Velshi]

Women, you know, when now Senator also Brooks, formerly county exec of Maryland, when she won on election night, she was quoted as saying in her speech that it is remarkable to think that in two years America will celebrate its 250th birthday. And in all those years, there have been more than 2,000 people have served in the United States Senate and only three have looked like me. When you sat down, you said, ooh, has it been 32 years? And I'm like, yes, it has been 32 years. The fact that it took 32 years and we are only now at a point where only two black the first time where two black women are serving consecutively. These are the history. This arc is remarkable. But it is also, I think, slightly disappointing because and you're like, why is it disappointing? It's disappointing in my because why does there are young people out here like myself who wonder why does it have to take so long?

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Well, as we said before we got on camera, you know, he works in mysterious ways.

[Ali Velshi]

Yes, he does.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

You know, and that's this is the way it was supposed to play out. And it did. And I'm just so proud of these two women who are now stepping into the Senate chamber with great committee appointments. They're going to be able to do a lot of good for a lot of people. And that really is a whole thing it's not personal to any one of us, to one of them. But that's the real meaning of this, is that they get to do the work, the people's work, with double force.

[Ali Velshi]

And represent all the people. I mean, is what they both said in both of their campaigning out there on the trail. I interviewed both of them in the course of the election, and they never talked about, elect me because I'm going to be the first. Elect me because I'm gonna make history. Elect us so we can serve together. They talked about the focus and the work of the people. And when you first came into Congress, I mean, you were a part of a historic class in that Congress yourself.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Well, all the women. Right.

[Ali Velshi]

Yeah.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

I was telling the story today that when I first got elected, there was no bathrooms for women. There was one stall set aside. One stall, One. And that was it. So they were clearly not anticipating more than one or two people at most, being there at any given point in time. And now, obviously, it's changed. They've reconstructed the bathrooms. And so there's room for all these ladies. And it's really great. It's gratifying to see and to witness and to be part of.

[Ali Velshi]

When women are in the room, things change. Maryland Matters had an article today talking about the Congressional Black Caucus and marked its historic first. As his membership hits a record. They write the Congressional Black Caucus celebrated the number of landmarks Friday, a record 62 members of Congress in the caucus, two black House members from Alabama for the first time, and the historic first of two black women elected to the same Senate class. With these numbers in the House, specifically, the Congressional Black Caucus is going to wield, I think, an outsized amount of power. Republicans can't get anything done in the House without Democrats, and Democrats can't move an agenda without the entirety of their caucus. Chief among them, the members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Talk about that significance.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

Well, I think it's significant because it means that the Senate, the legislation, legislature, both House and Senate, are beginning to look more like America. And the more we look like America, the better and more vital our democracy is. And that's. I'm just thrilled that I got to live to see all of this.

[Ali Velshi]

Well, I'm thrilled you are here today. And as a point of personal privilege, you know, I used to work for Vice President Harris, and she spoke often very fondly of the heroes and the shoulders of whom she and yours was absolutely one of them. So thank you for being here today, and thank you for your service.

[Hakeem Jeffries]

It's my pleasure.

[Ali Velshi]

Thank you, former Senator Carol Moseley Braun. We appreciate it. Tonight's Last Word is next, folks. Stick around. A quick programming note before we go. You can see me, Alicia Menendez and Michael Steele on the weekend. Tomorrow morning, former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn will join us. Then on Sunday, we have former January 6th committee co chair Congressman Bennie Thompson will also have D.C. mayor Mariel Bowser. And that is ahead on the weekend starting right here on MSNBC at 8am Eastern. And that is tonight's Last word.

[Simone Sanders Townsend]

Building a business may feel like a big jump, but On Deck small business loans can help keep you afloat. With lines of credit up to $100,000 and term loans up to $250,000, on deck lets you choose the loan that's right for your business. As a top rated online small business lender, OnDeck's team of loan advisors can help you find the right business loan to fit your needs. Visit Ondeck for more information. Depending on certain loan attributes, your business loan may be issued by Ondeck or Celtibank. Ondeck does not lend in North Dakota. All loans and amount subject to lender approval.