Paula Reid: “President Trump Will Argue That The Situation Along The Southern Border Is A Humanitarian And Security Crisis That Requires Immediate Action. He’s Demanding $5.7 Billion To Build His Border Wall.” PAULA REID: “In his address, president Trump will argue that the situation along the southern border is a humanitarian and security crisis that requires immediate action. He’s demanding $5.7 billion to build his border wall.” [CBS This Morning, CBS, 1/8/19; Video]
Joe Lockhart: “It Is Absolute Fiction There Is A National Emergency Here. We Have National Emergencies. Climate Change Is A National Emergency, Gun Violence Is A National Emergency. This Is Not, This Is Politics.” JOE LOCKHART: “If there is a humanitarian crisis here, he created it, he can fix it. It is absolute fiction there is a national emergency here. We have national emergencies. Climate change is a national emergency, gun violence is a national emergency. This is not, This is politics. Tonight, one of two things is going to happen. We will find out Donald Trump is even more cynical than we ever knew and that he used yesterday’s briefing with the vice president to build this up so he could get his seven minutes and we’ll just get more lies or we will have a constitutional crisis, where he for no reason at all, declares a national emergency and starts violating U.S. Law.” [New Day, CNN, 1/8/19; Video]
Peter Alexander: “President Trump In A Speech To The Nation Will Cast The Situation At The Southern Border As A Crisis. His Critics Say The Real Crisis Is An Economic, Political And Human One. Hundreds Of Thousands Of Federal Employees Out Of Work As The Government Shutdown Stretches On.” [Today, NBC, 1/8/19; VIDEO]
Peter Alexander: “Today Many Are Charging The President’s Credibility On The Border Issue After The White House Has Repeatedly Misrepresented The Facts.”[Today, NBC, 1/8/19; VIDEO]
Mika Brzezinski: “NBC News Has Obtained Customs And Border Protection Data Provided To Congress In May Of 2018. It Found Only Six Non US Citizens Who Were Residents In The Terror Database Were Encountered By CBP At The Southern Border.” MIKA BRZEZINSKI: “The government’s data, own data, disputes that. NBC news has obtained customs and border protection data provided to congress in may of 2018. It found only six non US citizens who were residents in the terror database were encountered by cbp at the southern border. In fact, the number was greater on the northern border where the data shows 91 people were stopped, including 41 who were not American citizens or residents. The trump administration, nice tweet this morning, said thousands were the number, when according to government data is actually six. It is possible that the data was updated since that time but not provided to congress.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 1/8/19; VIDEO]
Julia Ainsley: “Right Now The Administration Right Now Is Battling An Asylum Problem And Most Of Them Are Families With Young Children.” JULIA AINSLEY: “They have a natural border there. It’s the river. They can see people coming across the river, often on rafts. They see them as they’re turning themselves in. Right now the administration right now is battling an asylum problem and most of them are families with young children. This isn’t the kind of people the administration is trying to make it out to be, single men who related to terrorist organizations. The vast majority are families coming for asylum. And there is nothing a wall would do about that. Our data is there are five who would have come through between ports of entry. It could be as many as 11 came through the southern border. Either way it shows a wall would have only kept out at max five.” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 1/8/19; VIDEO]
Richard Haas: “It’s A Theater And A Show But This Is Serious. The Faux Crisis On The Border Really Is A Sham; It’s A Good Rule Of Thumb In Washington, If You’re Going To Cook The Books, You Might Want To Rethink Your Argument.” RICHARD HAAS: “It’s a theater and a show but this is serious. The faux crisis really is a it’s a good rule in Washington, if you’re going to cook the books, you might want to rethink your argument. We have a political, economic human crisis for 800,000 Americans and much more as a result. But we could fe a real political and constitutional crisis, Willie, if the president invokes the emergency powers. Essentially over the years congress has granted discretionary authority to the president. There’s always intent. But the president can run with things in ways it was never intended. The courts have been historically reticent about weighing in. We could be on the edge of a major political and constitutional crisis that the president may want because it changes the conversation. And that’s where I fear that we could be heading after tonight..” [Morning Joe, MSNBC, 1/8/19; VIDEO]
JACKIE KUCINICH: “You Could Say The Midterm Elections Was A Rejection Of Some Of The Tactics The Administration Used During The 2018 Election Having To Do With Immigration, The Caravan, The Immigration Hellscape That They Were Painting. People Weren’t Buying It.” JACKIE KUCINICH: “While some of those close to the president are concerned his message isn’t breaking through, it might be that the public just doesn’t agree with him. You could say the midterm elections was a rejection of some of the tactics the administration used during the 2018 election having to do with immigration, the caravan, the immigration hell-scape that they were painting. People weren’t buying it. Perhaps it’s the message and the messenger and not how it’s being said. In order to fact check this in live time we might be seeing a situation where it’s basically closed captioned because of this president’s notorious infrequent relationship with the truth.” [New Day, CNN, 1/8/19; Video]
David Gregory: “The President Said He Would Own It, He Would Pick Up The Mantle Cause He Thinks It’s Worth It. The Gamble Tonight Is He Will Somehow Persuade Americans The Pain They’re Feeling Is Worth It To Solve A National Emergency That Is Not A National Emergency.” DAVID GREGORY: “The president said he would own it, he would pick up the mantle cause he thinks it’s worth it. The gamble tonight is he will somehow persuade Americans the pain they’re feeling is worth it to solve a national emergency that is not a national emergency. That’s the gamble politically.” [New Day, CNN, 1/8/19; Video]