♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> announcer: from 30 rockefeller plaza in new york, it's "late night with seth meyers." tonight -- sarah jessica parker, nbc news chief white house correspondent, hallie jackson, featuring the 8g band with franklin vanderbilt. ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ladies and gentlemen, seth meyers. >> seth: good evening, i'm seth meyers. this is "late night." how is everybody doing tonight? [ cheers and applause ] that is fantastic to hear. in that case, let's get to the news. president trump held a press conference today after democrats took back control of the house. people thought he would be mad.

but i don't know, i thought he was pretty energetic and upbeat. >> here we go -- >> well, if you don't mind mr. president -- >> come on. >> that this caravan. >> we need the people -- >> your campaign -- your campaign -- >> wait, wait. that's enough. put down the mic. you are a rude, terrible person. >> in jim's defense, i've traveled with him, and watched him. he's a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us. >> well, i'm not a big fan of your's either. you aren't the best. [ light laughter ] >> why are you pitting americans against one another, sir? >> peter, what are you trying to be him? >> i don't why you said -- >> mr. president. >> such a racist question. >> there are some people -- >> that's such a racist question. it's a racist question. i don't know who little john is. i don''t know -- >> he was on "the apprentice." >> i don't know. oh, he was. okay. >> yes. >> oh, i see. >> sir, you have -- >> quiet, quiet, quiet. >> where are you from please? >> japan. >> say hello -- say hello to shinzo. [ audience ohs ] >> seth: well, that's definitely a man who was up all night watching cable news. [ laughter ] that was either a press conference, or a demonstration of every side effect of chantix. [ laughter ] president trump this afternoon fired attorney general

jeff sessions. wow, you know it was a rough election for republicans when even the ones who weren't running are losing their seats. [ laughter ] that's right. [ cheers and applause ] that's right, attorney general jeff sessions stepped down today. apparently he's been on a stool this whole time. [ laughter ] "little help. little help." [ laughter ] attorney general jeff sessions wrote in a letter to president trump, quote, "at your request, i am submitting my resignation." okay, but if it's at his request, then it's not a resignation. that's like saying that you're breaking up with someone because you don't like the way they threw you out of the house. [ laughter ] president trump said today that after last night's election, the republicans defied history, and expanded their senate majority. of course, it's easy to defy history when you literally don't know any of it. [ laughter ]

president -- [ cheers and applause ] president trump said this afternoon that he will adopt a, quote, war-like posture if house democrats move to investigate him personally. that's right. he's going to develop bone spurs in his feet. [ laughter ] msnbc apologized last night for airing footage of democratic senate candidate beto o'rourke cursing. they also apologized for airing footage of ted cruz, period. [ laughter ] we're terribly sorry. [ applause ] we realize now there may have been children in the room. new york governor andrew cuomo has been elected to a third term. said new yorkers, "great, we're still stuck down here." [ cheers and applause ] navy officials confirmed this week that 14 sailors from the nuclear reactor department of the "u.s.s. ronald reagan" will face disciplinary action in

connection to lsd abuse. one sailor said it was the worst thing to happen to him since ronald reagan came back to life, jumped over a rainbow, and dunked a basketball on him. [ laughter ] cover girl cosmetics has become the biggest makeup brand to completely eliminate animal testing. so unfortunately, this horse is back to doing her own. [ laughter ] police in toronto recently caught a woman trying to smuggle 25 handguns across the u.s. canada border by hiding them in the gas tank of her car submerged in gasoline. [ laughter ] and if you look closely at this footage, you can see what tipped the police off. [ explosion ] [ light laughter ] scientists in china claim they found a way for the military to use the calls of sperm whales to send encoded messages. said whales, "then maybe we can change our name to code whales?

[ laughter ] we could be code whales now maybe?" [ laughter ] and finally a coffee chain in london said this week that it will allow stores to refuse caffeine sales to people under the age of 16. while a coffee chain in america just unveiled frappuccino's for babies. [ laughter ] ladies and gentlemen, we have a great show for you tonight. [ cheers and applause ] her new movie "here and now" is in theaters this weekend. she's one of our favorites, sarah jessica parker is back on the show. [ cheers and applause ] she is the msnbc news chief white house correspondent, and host of "msnbc live with hallie jackson. " hallie jackson is here on a day when we will have plenty to ask her about. now before we get to our guest, if you get a chance to look at the paper this morning, you might have seen there was a new study on migrating tree frogs.

wait, i'm sorry, i could be wrong here, but i think i smell some smoke. and that can only mean one thing, it's time for "ya burnt!" [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> seth: welcome to the burn zone. we got a lot of topics to sizzle through, but not a lot of time. over here is the burner, let's turn on the gas, and load her up. whoo, flaming hot cheetos! first up, exit polls. hey, exit polls, you want to know who i voted for? your mother! [ laughter ] if i wanted an inaccurate guess at who's going to win the election, i'd just ask "the huffington post." side burn, huffpo. >> side burn. >> seth: also exit pollsters, stop hanging around outside elementary schools, you creeps. [ light laughter ] you're like r. kelly without the microphone. [ laughter ] exit polls, exit on out of here. ya burnt! scented candles! hey, kids! you love the smell of pie, but

hate the hassle of eating and enjoying it? [ laughter ] try scented candles. nothing is more disappointing than walking into a kitchen that smells like cookies, and finding out it's just a ball of wax. [ laughter ] also, i'm trying to cover up the smell of cooked fish, not make it smell like the fish died eating gingerbread. [ laughter ] and, by the way, anytime i walk into a house and smell fresh linen, i know you just took a dump. [ laughter ] scented candles, smell ya later. ya burnt! luggage carousels! you're not a carousel. carousels are fun. what you are is a luggage gutter. [ light laughter ] if i wanted to see something move this slowly, i'd just follow robert mueller's russia investigation. [ light laughter ] side burn, mueller. >> come on, bobby, give us some candy. [ light laughter ] >> seth: and why is everyone lining up by the chute? you just spent five hours on a plane, stop trying to shave off the last 15 seconds. [ light laughter ] also, can we talk about the weird cardboard box covered in saran wrap?

it's been circling the baggage claim for 30 minutes, and i think i heard a muffled scream come from inside of it. [ light laughter ] luggage carousels, keep on moving. ya burnt! v-neck sweaters! for the man who thinks -- [ cheers and applause ] we hit a nerve. [ laughter ] v-neck sweaters! for the man who thinks this outfit could use a little more visible white undershirt. [ laughter and applause ] v-neck sweaters, what are you for? all those times people say, gee, my torso, and arms are freezing. but my clavicles are roasting. why are you exposing just my neck? you're the ass-less chaps of winter clothing. >> that's redundant. all chaps are ass-less. [ light laughter ] >> seth: v-neck sweaters, see you neck time. ya burnt! [ applause ] marathons! hey, marathons, if i wanted to waste my day watching someone

travel 26 miles by foot, i'd binge watch the "lord of the rings." >> frodo needs a gatorade. >> seth: marathon weekend is like any other weekend in new york city, except the people going to the bathroom on the street are in much better shape. [ light laughter ] marathons, my nipples may be chaffed, but you, ya burnt! lemon-lime soda! face it, lemons and limes are basically the same thing. we don't need both of you. you're the property brothers of soda. [ laughter ] also, soda without the caffeine? that's like asking for heroin without the high of 10,000 orgasms. >> been there brother. [ laughter ] >> seth: lemon-lime soda, seven up yours. ya burnt! layering! oh, great, high of 72, low of 55? i'll just wear four shirts in case i step into a shadow, and it suddenly feels colder than thanksgiving dinner in a swing state. maybe i wouldn't have to wear all these scarves if i hadn't left my jugular exposed with this [ bleep ] v-neck! [ laughter ] >> v-neck.

double burn. [ laughter and applause ] >> seth: layering, hit the hamper, ya burnt! beto o'rourke! you may have lost the election, but at least you got the drop the f-bomb on national tv. let's take a look. [ cheers and applause ] >> i'm so [ bleep ] proud of you guys. [ cheers and applause ] >> seth: damn. with that kind of potty mouth, it's only a matter of time before you become president! [ light laughter ] seriously, i haven't heard that much swearing on msnbc since the time chris matthews sat on a thumbtack. [ light laughter ] and that's why, beto, you're this week's unburnable! ascend to safety, my friend. i'm so bleeping proud of you. [ cheers and applause ] button-fly jeans! just what i wanted, a padlock for my pants. nothing i love more than getting to the bathroom, and having to spend five seconds of panic not knowing if i'm going to get you open in time. [ light laughter ] button-fly jeans, zip it! ya burnt! music biopics! if i really wanted to watch someone pretend to be a musician for two hours i'd go to a pitbull concert. [ audience groans ]

side burn, pitbull. >> don't pretend you wouldn't trade lives with him, meyers. [ laughter ] >> seth: the queen biopic is in theaters, but i don't want to see an actor playing freddie mercury. i want to see freddie mercury as he's supposed to be seen, as a hologram at an adam lambert concert. [ laughter ] music biopics, another one bites the ya burnt! [ siren ] uh-oh! that sound means things are really heating up, which means it must be time for our speed round, the blaze, election edition. [ siren ] john king, gets your hands off the map bro, you're going to be the first guy to get me-too'd by a touch screen. ya blazed! [ laughter and applause ] hey cnn, i haven't seen that many people in a studio since arcade fire's last recording session. ya blazed. nevada! you elected a dead pimp to the state assembly. who was his opponent? a [ bleep ] plug with a cocaine dictation? ya blazed! mitt romney, you come from michigan. you were the governor of massachusetts. and now you're a senator from utah.

you change teams more often than lebron james. ya blazed! florida, now i know why you're shaped like a penis, because every year you [ bleep ] us. [ laughter ] ya blazed! [ buzzer ] [ cheers and applause ] oh, that buzzer means we're out of time. that has been "ya burnt." [ cheers and applause ] we'll be right back with sarah jessica parker. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> seth: welcome back, everybody. give it up for the 8g band right over there. [ cheers and applause ] also sitting in with us again tonight. he's a singer-songwriter and the drummer for four-time grammy winner, lenny kravitz, whose latest album, "raised vibration" is out now. for more information on his music and work in chicago communities, check out franklinvanderbilt.com. franklin vanderbilt is here, everybody. [ cheers and applause ] >> thank you. >> seth: our first guest tonight is an emmy award winning actress you know and love from hbo's "sex and the city" and "divorce." she stars in the new film, "here and now" which will be in theaters, on demand, and digital this friday. please welcome back to the show our friend, sarah jessica parker, everyone! [ cheers and applause ] ♪

♪ >> seth: hi. >> hi. >> seth: i am very, very happy to have you here. >> you're so kind. >> seth: always such a pleasure. i have to ask -- >> we'll see how you feel at the end. >> seth: okay, yeah. i'll check in. >> reserved judgment. >> seth: i'll give you an assessment. did you stay up late last night? did you watch election returns? >> i did, i did, i did. >> seth: how do you feel? >> i feel -- how do you -- [ light laughter ] maybe i would say i would like to use you as a sort of yardstick. a sort of -- my gold standard for how i should feel emotionally. >> seth: okay. >> my level of rationality, post-midterm, post-cable exposure. >> seth: yes. >> you know, projection. >> seth: it was a hard -- i forgot how stressful projections are. >> god i wish they would stop

that part in a way. >> seth: yeah. i wish it was more -- at the very -- they wouldn't say anything about results and at the end of the night they would go, "this happened." >> exactly. >> seth: and you would just go, "okay, great." >> and let it be on a slow scroll or just let it sort of, rise to the surface. maybe it's sort of -- appears and then it dissolves. >> seth: yeah. [ light laughter ] >> but i feel as if -- and i feel as if two things were happening last night. i feel like one place was trying to be extremely calm. >> seth: yes. >> if you know what i'm talking about. >> seth: uh-huh. >> one outlet. and then i feel like another outlet was really lively and it felt like maybe it was like the common space in a dorm. >> seth: right. everybody just kind of -- yeah. >> you know, but i don't know. how do you feel? i don't know -- >> seth: the only thing i found very stressful last night is how every time something, happened they would go, "we have a big result" and you realize they never say, "this next one is meaningless." [ light laughter ] >> i know. >> seth: "we have a meaningless

result from a state that doesn't matter." [ laughter ] yeah. but you know, i don't quite know how to feel either. i mean, i certainly know i could feel worse. >> right, right. i've said that to myself. >> seth: i didn't feel that two years ago. >> yeah. no, no -- >> seth: you know what i mean? two years ago i didn't say, "well, it could have been worse." that didn't happen. [ laughter ] >> exactly. and then in fact, it proved to be worse. >> seth: right. but of the night, i couldn't imagine. >> you thought, well, yes. there's some comfort in knowing it can't be. >> seth: with that, yeah, so -- but i'm also trepidatious about what it means -- i mean, i don't -- based on even the events of today, i don't feel like, "well, we had a midterm and then everything settles down." >> right. now this is a question that i did, i asked so many -- mostly i asked television last night, but some people around me did say that's a good question. when people were -- i wouldn't say gloating. but there was, you know, some people felt really positive about this blue wave. let's call it a wave. and they were saying, you know,

this is an opportunity for the democrats, you know, a-b-c. and i kept screaming, "but what in the next -- there's two more months. what if he -- for instance, should fire or ask the attorney general to, like, yeah, exactly." >> seth: you should resign. >> yeah. >> seth: yeah. i think we'd be better off apart! >> yeah, exactly. [ light laughter ] what about when the remaining two months -- it's like an opportunity, it's a recipe for all sorts of -- you know? >> seth: yeah, yeah, yeah. [ light laughter ] >> and nobody -- well, no one on the television would answer me because they couldn't hear me. [ laughter ] >> seth: and that's really one of the downsides of television, right? i mean, everybody says we're living in the golden age of television, and you're like, "well how come they won't talk to me?" [ laughter ] >> i had -- a long time ago somebody -- i was telling a story about my friend, he told me this really, you know, amusing story. and i went ahead and i told the story. and then they asked, "which friend was that?" and i was like, "i think it was johnny carson." johnny carson told all of

america this story last night. [ light laughter ] but he was my friend. >> seth: yeah. that's totally normal and you shouldn't feel weird. i mentioned the golden age of television. i want to tell you this, because everybody says right now there's so many good shows and it's so hard to figure out what to watch. my wife and i are watching, "sex and the city." we're watching two episodes a night. >> wow. >> seth: i have never watched that. [ cheers and applause ] yeah. >> wow, two episodes a night? >> seth: this is a request my wife made and said, "hey, this is a show i've watched a hundred times. and i feel like you would understand me better if you watch this show." and i want to say, i'm enjoying it so much and it is a show that i underestimated having not seen, just based on -- >> did somebody say wow? [ laughter ] >> seth: but i didn't -- but i will admit and obviously i cost myself. unfortunately i'm getting this great life experience now. >> yes. >> seth: but have you found that's happened before where people said to you, oh i thought, even just based on the color palette of the show? >> right. well, first of all, yes. i want to say that i think it's

very big of you to share not just with me, but with all of america. [ light laughter ] that you feel that your life is -- >> seth: it's enriched. >> enriched. >> seth: yeah. >> that's what i was gonna say. i will say it's really lovely to hear because i think there was -- there's always been a slight, you know, i do feel that the show suffered a wee bit from a sort of an idea. a preconceived idea which often had nothing to do with anyone having seen it. but because you could assume there were sort of things that we knew and saw, whether you saw this. this sort of titillating -- >> seth: yeah. >> you know, in the candid language, this salty dialogue and the costumes and the shoes. but, in fact, i feel like the show always offered up actual profundity and the writing was really smart and moving and clever. and i think beautifully illustrated. an attempt at finding love, finding home, you know? so i am so thrilled to hear you -- >> seth: also, i just didn't -- i think the part i'm really

drawn to -- we're in season 6. you're with berger. i hope it doesn't work out. [ laughter ] >> yeah. >> seth: you know, i thought the show would have more of a bow on it. if that makes an sense. >> right. >> seth: these characters are so human and messy in a way that really resonates. and especially like, where it starts. that's the part about it i did not realize, because there are certain shows you watch. and, you know, you can tune in to a seinfeld, any season and there's the same four characters. >> right, which is comforting. >> seth: this is a very different experience. like, the arc of it is really an accomplishment. >> yeah. >> seth: i'm not to the point -- cause when we started, my wife said it's, you know, whatever, however many episodes. >> and you're like, oh boy. >> seth: and i was like, "oh boy, here we go." this seems like it's going to be a lot of t.v. >> the things we do for love. >> seth: and now i'm like, "we only have 17 left." [ laughter ] >> aww, that's so lovely. >> seth: so, thank you for that. i want to talk about your movie. we'll be right back with more from sarah jessica parker. [ cheers and applause ] ♪

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since it's only a three-day gig at bird land. and i know you all have so much weed to smoke. so many video games to play. >> all right. >> so we're good? >> you got it, mama. >> seth: welcome back to "late night," everybody. we're here with sarah jessica parker. [ cheers and applause ] "sex and the city" was a love letter to new york. this is another -- this film takes place in new york city -- >> it does. >> seth: -- over the course of 24 hours. >> mm-hmm. >> seth: it depicts it a different way. but did you enjoy telling another story that the city is so much a part of it? >> yeah, i loved it. i loved it for a lot of reasons and shooting in new york is always special. but i loved that the city played a different character, i think, in this movie. it's not a city as seen, you know, to the eyes of carrie bradshaw. that city was really aspirational and full of promise of potential, and this is a city that, i think, feels like it really has betrayed the

character i played. that it's, like, taken more than it's given and asked more than she could possibly offer and it's still this place that is dangling, and sort of, elusive success as it does for many people, and for all of us in its own way. but we also got to shoot in different neighborhoods that we never had a chance to shoot in and, you know, there are 8 million stories in this city. [ light laughter ] and there's a lot more to tell, and i love shooting here for that reason. >> seth: you play a jazz singer in the film. this is the most you've ever sung in a film. >> mm-hmm. >> seth: was that intimidating or exciting? how did that feel? >> it was -- it was exciting. rufus wainwright wrote this beautiful song for the movie called "unfollow the rules," and i was really excited. i mean, i was nervous. but i like that our director is this film maker named fabien -- fabien constant, and he's french, and so he was been very influenced by, you know, the french cinema and this, sort of, different kind of musical performance, which is a lot of

interpretation versus like, big numbers and -- so, i like that, you know, it was about sort of telling a story and experiencing more -- more breath than bravado. so, it was really nice. it was easier than like, the 11:00 number, for instance. >> seth: right. >> you know. >> seth: you -- you also you have so much else going on. you have a shoe line -- >> i do. >> seth: you have a store downtown. >> we have a store that just opened in seaport, and we have a permanently temporary, temporarily permanent pop-up shop on 52nd street. [ light laughter ] yes. >> seth: is it true you actually show up at the store and help try to sell the shoes? >> as often as possible. >> seth: that seems very hands-on. >> it's so hands on feet. >> seth: yeah. >> it's so -- [ laughter ] i have seen so many -- so many feet. i have seen and smelled -- [ laughter ] and i have to say i love it. i really do it all the time. i do it as often as possible, if i'm not shooting or needed elsewhere, and it's a great way to meet people and to learn about other people's lives. we have, you know, people traveling from all over the country.

and it's a good way to grow a business, frankly. i mean, you learn about what you need and, you know, how your product is satisfying somebody and what they want and it's -- it's been enormously fulfilling. strange as it sounds, and i am there as often as possible, for hours in a stock room. they're on the floor and when i say on the floor, i mean on the floor. [ light laughter ] >> seth: yeah. do you have that foot thing? the sizers? >> no, we don't anymore. >> seth: you got to get the sizer. >> i have one at home. >> seth: yeah. >> i have one at home. i just -- there's a whole generation that i think would feel like it would scare them. i don't think they've ever seen it. >> seth: yeah. [ laughter ] that's true. >> and i almost think it would feel like a weapon versus my attempt to be as completely, you know, offering the best experience. >> seth: right. >> you know, the most informed experience. but also, we don't do with -- widths, and you know, the size and measurement for widths is no longer relevant in most shoe stores. you know that, right? >> seth: yeah. >> i mean how often -- when was the last time you were measured? right? >> seth: yeah. >> it just doesn't happen. >> seth: that's true.

>> for children maybe. still. >> seth: yeah. we're just -- whatever. we just hammer his foot into the shoe. [ laughter ] >> you just like, sag on the bottom. >> seth: yeah. we're like, "we do not have time for this." >> how about when they curl their toes. has he curled his toes? can you put it in his shoe yet? and you just are like, "are you kidding me?" >> seth: there was definitely a time when i put on a shoe and i would say to my wife, "i think this is too small," and she said "it's fine." and then the velcro like, popped off. >> yeah, yeah. [ laughter ] >> seth: and the shoe just shot across the room. >> yeah, it might be a little small. >> seth: might be a little small. >> yeah, little small. >> seth: you also have a -- we talked about this last time you were here. you have a literary imprint. >> i do, yes. >> seth: and that must be also fulfilling. >> it is. >> seth: do you have a new book coming out? >> yes, a book coming out in january called "golden child," by claire adams. [ applause ] a beautiful -- a beautiful story about a family in trinidad and tobago. and our first novel called "a place for us," by fatima farheen mirza debuted on "the new york times" best seller list. it shared this -- it shared the 13th or 12th spot with tommyo range who wrote an exquisite debut this year called

"there there." and for literary fiction, that's really an amazing accomplishment that speaks of the -- of the talents and skills of these new authors. so, i'm enormously proud. >> seth: and it's incredible that you give them that platform, and thank you so much for being here, and spending time with me. >> oh, my god. it's my pleasure. [ cheers and applause ] >> seth: sarah jessica parker, everybody. "here and now" will be in theaters on demand this friday. >> seth: we'll be right back with more "late night." [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ter bank starts with looking at something old, and saying, "really?" so capital one is building something completely new. capital one cafes. inviting places with people here to help you, not sell you. and savings and checking accounts with no fees or minimums. because that's how it should be. you can open one from right here or anywhere in 5 minutes. seriously, 5 minutes... this is banking reimagined. what's in your wallet?

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♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> seth: welcome back, everybody. you know at times like these, it's important to remember there are two sides to every news story. to make sure you get to see important issues from all sides, we've invited two of our writers who have very different points of view. we will examine their opinions in a segment we call, "point, counterpoint." [ cheers and applause ] ♪ >> seth: ally, amber, thank you so much for being here today. first topic -- ♪ president trump exaggerated a threat of the migrant caravan traveling toward the u.s. border to terrify americans into voting republican. did this stunt work? ally. >> it did.

it stoked enough hate and fear to encourage terrorism on our own soil, by trump supporters. this whole scenario is the worst thing i could think of. >> seth: amber? >> you know what the worst thing i could think of is? an angry bear! [ light laughter ] i don't know why he's angry. and he won't tell me. he's trying to act like everything's fine, but i can tell by the look on his fuzzy little face that it's not. [ laughter ] do you want fish? honey? just tell me. [ light laughter ] that's the worst thing i could think of. >> seth: another great point. next topic. ♪ the midterms were yesterday and democrats won back the house. what will they have to do now to win back the white house in 2020? ally >> i don't know, but i'm worried democrats will tear each other apart. so many rising stars have already hinted at a run. and i remember how vicious bernie vs. hillary was in 2016. where we'll be in two years, i can only wonder. >> seth: amber. >> oh, i loved "the wonder years." [ laughter ]

i love it when you can hear kevin's little internal monologue say, "that was when it all changed." [ laughter ] >> what? we're talking about the future of democrats. >> you know who had a great future? that "wonder years" kid. he went on to do "boy meets world." [ light laughter ] >> no, that was his little brother, ben savage. fred savage did "the wonder years." [ light laughter ] >> you know that? [ light laughter ] >> seth, she keeps getting us off topic. >> seth: ally, it's called "point, counter point." you get to make a point, she gets to make a counterpoint. that's how it works. [ laughter ] next topic. ♪ president trump claims he can end birthright citizenship with an executive order, despite it being guaranteed by the 14th amendment. are we facing another constitutional crisis? ally. >> every day with trump is a constitutional crisis. [ light laughter ] i'm starting to think a bunch of old, white slave owners from 240 years ago didn't provide us with a clear moral road map to this country's future. [ light laughter ] >> seth: amber? >> i love road maps! [ light laughter ]

that used to be the only way you could get anywhere. you didn't have navigation systems like tom toms. you had my dad, tom, and my brother, tom. they would bark directions at my mom, garmin. [ laughter ] boy, those were some pretty good memories. ♪ good old family vacations crammed in the backseat with my siblings. the road before us filled with endless possibilities. i would stick my head out the window and --. >> seth: amber, i think you might be using you've your wonder years voice. >> oops, i am. next topic! [ siren ] [ laughter ] >> seth: it might be time for the blaze. [ laughter ] a new "united report" says we will have a climate change crisis as early as 2040 that will affect billions. with the u.s. out of the paris

climate agreement, is there any hope, ally? ♪ >> is climate change going to kill me? i always thought trump would. but maybe climate change will. >> hey, ally. >> you can hear me? >> guess so. and it sounds like your wonder years voice is also upset. you know what would cheer you up? >> what? >> if we sang together. >> sure. ♪ what what you do if i sang out of tune would you stand up ♪ ♪ and walk out on me lend me your ears and i'll sing ♪ ♪ you a song i will try not to sing out of key ♪ >> seth: hey, guys, can i join? >> sure. >> sure ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> whoa, how did you do that. >> seth: most of my internal monologue is just harmonica music. [ light laughter ] >> that sounds terrible. >> seth: it's actually a living

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♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> seth: our next guest is nbc news' chief white house correspondent.

you can see her on "nbc news today", "nightly news with lester holt," and weekdays on msnbc at 10:00 a.m. please welcome to the show hallie jackson, everyone. ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> seth: oh, my god, hallie. >> hi. >> seth: thank you so much for being here. you have made quite an effort to be here, because i saw you live at 2:00 a.m. on the white house lawn last night. >> correct. >> seth: that's in d.c. that's not here. >> it's three and a half hours away. >> seth: three and a half hours away. so, talk me through, 'cause you were on the "today show" this morning. >> right. >> seth: so, what was your schedule then after you wrapped at 2:00 a.m.? >> so, go home, pack a bag, hop a flight, first shuttle out of washington to come here, "today show." i did my show for msnbc and i don't know if you heard, the president held a press conference today. >> seth: yeah, he did. [ light laughter ] >> and so, we did special reports for that for nbc news, two and a half hours. this thing was long.

it was his longest press conference ever, and then i was doing a pre- interview with one of your producers for this show and jeff sessions resigned. >> seth: yeah. >> and then we hopped off the phone went back in it for that. >> seth: there's so much to unpack there. let's start with sessions in that he did not mention it. donald trump did not mention it during a hour and a half press conference. >> well, he was asked -- >> seth: yes. about him very specifically. >> seth: and yet chose -- but there's obviously something he knew was happening. what is your take on this? >> yeah. >> seth: what are you hearing from your sources as far as was this a forced resignation? >> 100%. the president asked jeff sessions to resign. jeff sessions handed him that resignation letter, which said "you asked me to resign. here is my resignation letter." [ light laughter ] this is not surprising. this was expected. this has been rumored, if you guys follow the news, rumored for months and months. that doesn't mean it's not still significant. right? this is a really sort of critical moment here. because if you look at the arc of where republicans were, for example, back last year, remember when lindsey graham, the --- senator said, "there will be holy hell to pay if donald trump fires jeff sessions.

lindsey graham has certainly changed his tune as republicans have come to accept, i think, kind of reluctantly that relationship is just broken. it's broken beyond repair. so, what i'm hearing, what we're hearing from our team at nbc news is that jeff sessions may not be gone from the political world. he's considering possibly per people close to him running for his old senate seat back in alabama. >> seth: that doug jones seat. right. >> going up against doug jones. so he may end up back in washington, perhaps working with or against president trump again. >> seth: i don't think he'll ever work against president trump. that is my takeaway. that i feel as though most of the republicans who have shown resistance to him ultimately are never going to truly resist anything donald trump tries to do. >> the interesting thing about jeff sessions is there a lot of headlines -- listen, this all matters as it relates -- a lot of it matters as it relates to the special counsel investigation. right? with jeff sessions recused himself from, that was, in the eyes if the president, the original sin. the thing he could never forgive jeff sessions for. but here's the thing. if you look at the doj, they've actually implemented almost more than any other agency, donald trump's agenda. >> seth: yeah. >> jeff sessions has done exactly what donald trump has

wanted him to do. so, it's this really interesting, i think, split or dichotomy between the political sphere, the political side of it and then the policy side. >> seth: i want to ask about the fact that donald trump, you know, the russia investigation is the reason he fires jeff sessions. obviously, that's a little more stressful for him now that the democrats have taken back the house and they have this power of oversight. do you think -- obviously, based on the press conference today, it struck me that was a man who was a little stressed out. is it likely that that's what stressing him out? >> part of it, yeah. >> seth: yeah. >> i think he's -- listen, for the first time he's now in washington, he's inside the white house and he is facing a check on his power. that has not happened for him before. so, i think he's in this mode where he's looking around and that's what we're hearing from folks is -- [ applause ] and he's seeing, "hey, democrats do control the house of representatives." there will be an onslaught of subpoenas, and that's a hassle for west wing staffers. you have to deal with that. it's paperwork, it's time, it's energy, and it's also something that donald trump knows is going to be coming. now, what he did today was issue

essentially a threat to the democrats. like, "hey, i'll work with you on infrastructure. i'll work with you on trade, but not if you come at me about my tax returns," for example. nancy pelosi didn't seem so keen on that when she spoke, so. >> seth: well the thing i would say why you wouldn't be keen on it, and this is just based on everything he's ever said or done. [ light laughter ] i don't believe that he's actually going to be honest on that deal. right? do actually see -- do you think if democrats laid off tax returns he would actually make a deal on infrastructure? >> so, here's what i can say. this is the president and this is a person, and i've covered donald trump for his campaign, his candidacy, the transition, the presidency now. he is somebody who has issued threats and not always followed through with them. and that's the facts of the case. so, there's not a lot of past history to point to that the president would follow necessarily follow through on the threat that's he's making today. >> seth: you've been at a lot of press conferences. were you watching today at the mayhem, and was part of you jealous you weren't there? or were you more super relieved that you were safely far away?

>> oh, my god. i was crawling out of my skin making phone calls this morning like, "i got to skip seth. i gotta go back." but i had to be in new york for my msnbc show. we have an awesome team at nbc news, and so there were out there repping nbc. i will say this, though, watching -- we were, sort of, on set doing the analysis piece for nbc news for our stations throughout the day. there were moments -- that was tense and uncomfortable. that's not a hot take. that's like a very lukewarm take. >> seth: yes. >> you know, press conference it is not normal for the east room, necessary. but the attacks on the media and the way that he has these sort of moments of interactions, that actually does well for him among his supporters, and that's something to remember. that that actually plays for him. >> seth: how do you -- obviously, i see you a lot at press conferences with sarah huckabee sanders. how, as a reporter, do you prepare to ask questions to a person that doesn't always give an answer to the question that you asked? >> so, it's about thinking about -- we do not these extensive discussions with our team. there's a lot that goes into it.

right? you don't just show up with your notebook at like 2:30 in the briefing room. especially, because the press briefings have become so rare. the press secretary has only held, by our count, three in the last two months. that's like a very, very extremely low number. so, when you have these opportunities, you want to make the most of them. so, it's about thinking ahead. and this is not like, you know, rocket science, but thinking ahead to what -- how is she going to deflect your question. and then how do you ask the question to try to prevent that deflection. because there's a lot of discussion about, "hey, do you really get anything out of these press briefings?" listen, it's about having a senior administration official get on the record and try to hold truth to power. >> seth: do you feel as though -- because it strikes me with this administration more than ever, whatever they say on the record, they do not consider it on the record. they will often at the next press briefing say that it was misunderstood or they didn't actually say that way. is that frustrating? because you are getting them on the record and then they're saying "no, that you have a different record." [ laughter ] >> i mean, yes, it is frustrating. >> seth: is that frustrating or is that awesome? [ laughter ] >> it's really awesome.

no, of course it's frustrating. and we talk about that with the folks inside the white house and our sources in and around the west wing. and like, "hey, this doesn't make any sense. this is actually a direct quote the president said and you're trying to say this other thing." i think one of the important things though, is unlike any other administration -- now, this is my first president that i've ever covered. so, i'm like -- >> seth: congrats on the first one. [ laughter ] >> so, i'm coming into this from having covered the republican primary during the campaign. but this is a president who unlike any other -- we don't necessarily need, like, 8,000 million sources. he has a window into exactly what he's thinking and exactly what he's considering on twitter. >> seth: yeah. >> there are no surprises. >> seth: yeah. >> and so in a way that's actually kind of useful. you hear something from a source and you're like, "oh, my god." you send a note, and then he tweets it. [ light laughter ] >> seth: that backs it up. >> right, right. >> seth: you -- obviously when you were covering, especially the campaign you were on the road a lot. you had a very unique way of being nutritional with your eating 'cause i know being on

the road having done it for years, it's hard to eat well. what was your trick? >> baby food. >> seth: okay. >> but, so i said this in an interview once. so here's the thing. there's pouches. it's like kale and spinach and pears. you have kids, you know. >> seth: yeah. like, happy baby and you get them at the grocery store. pack them in a suitcase, and then when you're out on the road you pop in a gas station and you get like beef jerky and then have one of those things and you're good to go. [ light laughter ] >> seth: yeah. >> it's a total meal. >> seth: but, you've had an issue -- >> very glamorous. you've had an issue at tsa with this. >> right, because it looks like the liquid in your bag. >> seth: yeah. >> so, the tsa agents will stop and look at it, "well, what is this? and i'll be like, "well, that's baby food. it's allowed. it's four ounces, but it's okay because it's for children." and they go, "well, you don't have a baby." >> seth: yeah. [ laughter ] but you don't know where i'm going that there's not a baby, and so -- [ laughter ] >> seth: very nice loophole. very well played. hey, keep up the great work. thank you so much for making time for us tonight. i really appreciate it. [ cheers and applause ] hallie jackson, everybody. you can see her weekdays at 10:00 a.m. on msnbc. we'll be right back, everybody. thank you. [ cheers and applause ] ♪

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[ cheers and applause ] >> seth: my thanks to sarah jessica parker, hallie jackson, everyone. franklin vanderbilt, and of course the 8g band. stay tuned for "carson daly." we'll see you tomorrow. [ cheers and applause ] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> carson: hey, what's up ♪ ♪ ♪