Hospital: Scalise Improving But Still Critical.
BOLDUAN: House Majority Whip Steve Scalise remains in critical condition today after another day of surgery from the gunshot wound that he suffered in an ambush earlier this week. Hospital officials in D.C. do say that his condition, though, has improved over the last 24 hours, which is welcomed news to everyone. Particularly his colleagues, who in a rare show of bipartisan unity came together on the field and off for the congressional charity baseball game last night that went on, despite the ambush at the Republican practice this week. Democrats, they won the game, 11-2, I believe, handed over the trophy to the Republican manager, Joe Barton. You're seeing it right there, in order to give it to Congressman Scalise. They're placing it in his office for when he returns. Another show of lawmakers putting their differences aside, a historic first, two joint interviews on CNN of House and Senate Republican and Democratic leaders.</s>REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI), HOUSE SPEAKER: It's a tough age. It's a partisan, polarized country. What we're trying to do is tone down the rhetoric, lead by example, and show people, we can disagree with one another, we can have different ideas without being vitriolic, without going to such extremes.</s>REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: We're all close to Steve Scalise. He's a lovely person. But this game is a game where we always come to have fun, root for everybody, do our very best and hope our team wins. Tonight, we're all Team Scalise.</s>SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MAJORITY LEADER: We'd ought to be able to have big, robust debates in this country without having this level of animosity that a lot of people feel.</s>SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY), MINORITY LEADER: If we can still, despite the rhetoric, work together in areas where we can work together in the Senate, as the cooling saucer, helping bring people together a little bit, that's a very good thing.</s>BOLDUAN: Joining me now, a member of the Democratic congressional baseball team, Congressman Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania. Congressman, thanks so much for coming in.</s>REP. BRENDAN BOYLE (D-PA), FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: Happy to.</s>BOLDUAN: Thank you. How would you describe what it was like to be there last night?</s>BOYLE: It was very special, Kate, to be a part of it, especially the pregame ceremony. And really, I think the highlight for me -- well, there were two. First was when Steve Scalise at the end of the player introductions, Steve Scalise was introduced as the last player, and we all looked up at the screen at a picture of him, and he got a standing ovation from the crowd, an extended one. And then the other one was when the Capitol Police officer, one of the heroes from the incident a couple days ago, was actually out on the field with us in crutches. Had the opportunity to embrace him after the player introductions and say thank you to him for his heroism, saved the lives of my colleagues. Those are two highlights I'll take away and never forget.</s>BOLDUAN: Have you noticed a real difference in the capitol since that shooting took place? There's been a lot of conversation, of course, Congressman, of the things need to change, and the rhetoric needs to tone down. Have you felt a difference?</s>BOYLE: Yes, there's no question. Really, the last 48 hours, you can sense it and I think that's been pretty unanimous. Each member has felt it as well. It's a pretty dramatic thing to have experienced, especially for those of my colleagues who were there on the Republican team at the practice. I think there are a lot of questions about, OK, how do we build on this so it's not just a short-term thing and people don't go back to old bad habits. I think that's probably the next step. For myself, I can only control what I say and how I behave. I know that it's something the last week that I will certainly not forget.</s>BOLDUAN: And it's an excellent point. It's how do you make it stick. I mean, we have been here, unfortunately, before, after Gabby Giffords was shot six years ago, Speaker Boehner gave a speech similar to Ryan on the House floor. How do you make it stick this time?</s>BOYLE: I think we all have a responsibility, those of us in Congress as leaders, the president, the media, and also constituents, too. I mean, I can tell you, even a couple days ago, shortly after the incident happened with Steve Scalise, I know on my Twitter, seeing real vitriol, less of it than you would typically see, but it's still out there. So, I think each of us in a free and Democratic society has a responsibility to make sure that we behave in a way that's responsible and doesn't incite others. You know, I can feel strongly about an issue and speak out on it, but if you go beyond a certain line, know that that sort of rhetoric might end up leading very unstable people -- it might be the thing that pushes them over the edge.</s>BOLDUAN: Right. But if we're all being honest, we know that, does this really change the gridlock in Washington which has put Congress' approval rating in the tank? I mean, Republicans still want to get rid of Obamacare, just talking about health care, and Democrats still hate the Republican plan to put in its place. I mean, what does unity look like and sound like on Capitol Hill then?</s>BOYLE: Unity doesn't mean that suddenly we all vote 100 percent on an issue, but I think it has to do in terms of the tenor and the tone of the debate, both here in Washington and also throughout the country. You know, there's another point that I want to make about this, too, is that when we talk about gridlock, a lot of times people perceive that's the system breaking down that's not working. Remember, our founding fathers purposely designed us a system in which it was very difficult to get things done. In many ways, gridlock is the system, it is the fact that it's difficult to get a bill through a House and then work the Senate and then have agreement from the executive. It was designed that way on purpose. If we had a parliamentary system, things would be much quicker, but our founding fathers didn't give us that, and I think for good reason.</s>BOLDUAN: In hearing members of Congress like yourself describe it more that way rather than it's the other side holding everything up, that might be a step in the right direction of what you're talking about, having differences, but letting it tone down and move forward. Congressman Boyle, it's great to see you. Thanks so much for coming in.</s>BOYLE: OK, thank you.</s>BOLDUAN: We are going to go back to our breaking news, forget the president's lawyers that he brought on to respond. White House officials now say that President Trump is taking matters into his own hands in the Russia investigation. The fiery political fight that he seemed to pick this morning with a member of his own administration. That's ahead. Plus, we'll hear from the president very soon, the president in his own words, when he touches down in Miami, Florida, taking on U.S. policy with Cuba. What's the big change and what all will he say when he takes to the microphone? We're going to bring that to you live. Stay with us.