Pelosi and Trump Fight for Upper Hand Amid Shutdown.
KING: Welcome back. A new Time Magazine cover story takes a look at the big debate in Washington. A deep look at the two key players in this government shutdown drama, the president and the House speaker. Here's a quote, at the center of this drama of the two towering figures whose clash will define the next biennium. Trump and Pelosi, the yang and yin of a divided America, two powerful leaders with their credibility on the line, both convinced they hold the winning hand. Neither can afford to lose. The cover? Look at this, that's the online version. It's animated, they</s>BALL: Very different. You know, I think it had -- it didn't really set in until -- well, and it didn't become literally true until this week that there is a balance of power now in Washington. And it is a whole new world and it's a new world for Donald Trump that I don't know if he has fully internalized that he doesn't have all the power anymore. He has had a Republican Congress at his beck and call for the last two years doing everything or at least trying to do everything he wants to do. That is not the case anymore. There is a branch of Congress that has some power now. There is a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives and it happens to be led by probably the savviest legislator that America has seen for the past few decades. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, she's a master of the inside game. We saw her put on this great display when she was tamping down the murmurs of dissent in her own caucus in order to retain the speakership. This is her skill set. This is what she's good at and she has</s>KING: That's what makes it so fascinating. And just moments ago, you can tell, one of her weapons if you will or strategies is trying to get under his skin a little bit. This is her, she was asked on her way back to her office some few moments ago by reporters about this prospect the president will declare a national emergency. "This is isn't a wall between Mexico and the United States. This is wall between his failures of his administrations. Problems that may happened with Mueller, his cabinet in disarray and disgrace. That's the wall he's trying to build between public opinion on what's going on. And so this is a big diversion and he is a master at diversion." That's poking the bear.</s>BALL: She is, she is. And, you know, the Democrats really believe that they have the upper hand in this fight. And it's very interesting, when you talk to both sides, the Republicans, particularly the White House, they also say that they have a winning hand but they don't actually have an exit strategy. They have this declaration of emergency but there's a lot of people around Trump who actually -- whether in the White House or especially among congressional Republicans, on a deep level they want him to lose this fight and that they don't necessarily want the wall built. They don't necessarily want a state of emergency. They just need him to be able to say that he won so that he can get himself out and get them out of this pickle. He's painted himself in a corner. We know he has, you know, a big ego, considers himself an alpha male. The Republicans want him to get something that he can say he won. The question is, will he accept that, or does he need to actually see, you know, the bricks going up and the wall being built.</s>KING: And how much is she willing to give in the early days of her speakership given to the point she just crossed the opposition.</s>BALLL: Sure. I mean, this isn't necessarily the way she wanted to begin her reign either.</s>KING: Yes, right. It's fascinating. It's a great read. You can pick it up if you haven't seen it already. Thanks for joining us in the INSIDE POLITICS. Brianna Keilar starts right now. Have a great day.