FBI Asked Justice Department To Refute Trump Claims
KING: Let's close as we always do. Head around the "Inside Politics" table, ask our great reporters to get you out ahead of the big political news just around the corner. Nia-Malika Henderson?</s>HENDERSON: Well, what it's going to be fascinating to watch is the Trump effect in terms of politicians and politics in different countries. And we've seen that somewhat in France with Marine Le Pen, also in Mexico there is -- his name is Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his name is -- his nickname is Amlo for short, and he is seemingly doing really well in Mexico right now in terms of being the next president, possibly replacing Enrique Pena Nieto who steps in June of 2018, and he sounds both like Trump and the anti-Trump. He talks about the Mafia of power, the Mafia politicians and is doing really well in gaining some traction there. It will be interesting to see how he does in terms of campaigning for the presidency. He's run twice before, lost, but there's a whole new ball game now with Trump.</s>KING: New playbook to copy.</s>HENDERSON: Exactly. Jeff?</s>ZELENY: As 02:16, there is some skepticism and some objection to the health care bill. Well, this is going to be the first sign and the test of how strong the Trump movement actually is out there. He is not traveling this week, which tells (ph) a little bit surprised. But at least he is not scheduled to travel. But at some point when there is opposition from House Freedom Caucus members and other things, what will his supporters do? What will he do specifically to urge them to vote for this? I think this is one thing we have not seen him use the power of the presidency for. I am told that he is going to use it, and he is going to convince some of these, you know, reluctant conservatives to sign on board of this. Now, easier done on the House and the Senate I think but keep on eye on the Trump movement to see on which muscle it has.</s>KING: Let's see if they gets out there. Rally Trump can be powerful. Let's see. Manu?</s>RAJU: John, we're just two weeks away from Neil Gorsuch's confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Republicans are still searching for those eight Democratic votes in order to put Gorsuch over the top because they're expected to need to get 60 votes on the floor of the Senate and there were 52 Republican senators. They don't expect to lose any of those Republican senators. The question is where do those eight Republican senators -- Democratic senators come from? There's a pretty concerted advertising campaign by these conservative groups are pushing Neil Gorsuch to get those red state Democrats who are on -- who are running for re-election, including Joe Donnelly, who's been a target of $1.2 million worth of ads in Indiana from conservative outside groups. The question is where the other three more members, one person, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, also up for re-election. I talked to him about Gorsuch. He is not there yet. So, a lot of questions about where those final votes are going to come from.</s>KING: Yes. There's a Supreme Court nomination battle. On other stuff you forget that sometimes. Karen?</s>TUMULTY: Well, the phrase that you've been hearing on everyone's lips, and I think especially within, like, the last week is the phrase deep state. This is the idea that there is an entrenched federal bureaucracy. Not only national security, but throughout the government that basically leans left. That is going to -- that was there before the President got there. It will be there after he leaves. But what I am finding extraordinary is the degree to which people on the right are now calling for Donald Trump to do something about that. Certainly Steve Bannon believes that the success of his presidency really hinges on bringing deep state under control. Steve King, the Iowa congressman yesterday tweeted that the President needs to "purge leftists" from the executive branch. And Newt Gingrich is actually calling upon the model of Abraham Lincoln essentially saying that there has to be an idealogical house cleaning of the federal bureaucracy.</s>KING: They could start by filling the hundreds of jobs they've yet to fill for their own appointees so they could put them in these agencies. We'll see. I'll close with this. The President's stunning wiretapping allegation again puts front and center a fascinating dynamic year of the new Washington. Meeting (ph) Republican say they're determined to ignore all the drama around the Trump presidency and just focus on passing their ambitious agenda, but there, of course, is no ignoring or escaping the drama. The Republicans who wish the president would cancel his Twitter account. No, they are going to be asked daily about his twitter misses. They're beyond thinking he will change his ways. But one interesting thing this weekend, there's so many elected Republicans and outside Trump allies say they wish he would bring a veteran Washington hand to the White House operation. But they see the likelihood of that as about equal to the likelihood of the President curing his twitter addiction. Thanks for watching us in "Inside Politics". See you back here same time tomorrow. After a quick break, Wolf Blitzer.