MY FIRST GUEST HAS BEEN COVERING POLITICS FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

LET'S SEE IF TODAY'S NEWS HAS GIVEN HIM ANYTHING TO SHOUT

ABOUT.

PLEASE WELCOME, THE HOST OF "HARDBALL," CHRIS MATTHEWS!

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )

>> Stephen: GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> HI, STEVE.

>> Stephen: HOW ARE YOU?

AS WELL AS ANYBODY IS.

( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: WHAT THE HELL IS

GOING ON, CHRIS MATTHEWS?

THE G7, THE G8, WHATEVER THE NUMBER IS, HAS BEEN GOING ON

YEARS.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS

ADVERSARIAL THE ENTIRE TIME?

>> THIS IS THE SOFTBALL GAME OF THE YEAR.

YOU GO UP AND HANG AROUND WITH CANADA.

WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A BORDER WITH CANADA.

CANADA IS EASY, IT'S A NICE COUNTRY, LAKE THEY LIKE US AND

THEY HAVE A REALLY PRETTY PRIME MINISTER, YOU KNOW?

>> Stephen: MAYBE THAT'S WHAT MAKES TRUMP SUSPICIOUS.

>> I THINK HE MIGHT BE THE WICKED WITCH AND HE'S SNOW WHITE

AND HE SAYS, WHO'S THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL?

MAYBE THAT GUY IS.

IT'S STRANGE.

CANADA HAS ALWAYS BEEN OKAY WITH US.

I KNOW THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR CEDAR SHINGLES AND SHAKES AND

LUMBER AND ALL THOSE ISSUES ARE LIKELY IMPORTANT WITH THEM, BUT

WE'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THAT, THEY'RE TRICKY ABOUT THE TRADE ISSUES

AND TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY.

TRUMP SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT, INSTEAD OF GETTING MAD AT

THEM.

THE WEIRD THING, IS HE WAS ELECTED LEADER OF THE FREE

WORLD, AND NOW HE'S DISBANDING IT.

I MEAN, OF ALL THOSE COUNTRIES UP THERE, THEY ARE THE FREE

WORLD.

IT'S THE FRENCH, THE BRITS, THE ITALIANS, JAPANESE, CANADIANS,

ALL OUR FRIENDS.

WE ALL ARE DEMOCRACIES, WE HAVE REGULAR ELECTIONS, WE PICK OUR

LEADERS, WE GET RID OF THEM IF WE DON'T LIKE THEM, WE HAVE FREE

SPEECH.

THEY'RE ALL THE GOOD COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD, AND HE'S TELLING

THEM TO GO TO HELL, LITERALLY!

>> Stephen: WHAT'S THE ARGUMENT, THE UPSIDE FOR THE

UNITED STATES?

>> THERE ISN'T ANY.

HE WANTS TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE COUNTRIES WHERE LEADERS KILL

PEOPLE.

THE LITTLE GUY IN NORTH KOREA, THE GUY WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE

IN CHARGE OF HIM, HIS UNCLE, HE KILLED THEM.

AND THEN HE KILLED HIS HALF BROTHER.

REMEMBER THE AIRPORT IN MALAYSIA, THEY PAINTED THE

POISON ON HIM?

THE GUY HAS KILLED ABOUT 300 PEOPLE AROUND THEY KNOW ABOUT.

LOOK AT PUTIN, HE KILLS JOURNALISTS.

THESE ARE AWFUL PEOPLE, AND HE WANTS TO BECOME BEST FRIENDS

WITH THEM.

>> Stephen: I CAN KIND OF UNDERSTAND NORTH KOREA, BECAUSE

YOU BUTTER UP SOME OF THEM TO GET THEM TO THE NEGOTIATING

TABLE, AND IF HE SUCCEEDS, GOD BLESS HIM.

IF HE SUCCEEDS IN REDUCING THE NUCLEAR THREAT IN NORTH KOREA --

( LAUGHTER ) NO, BUT YOU HAVE TO THINK THE

BEST AND HOPE THE PRESIDENT SUCCEEDS IN THAT CONDITION.

>> THIS IS NOT A DATE.

IT'S NOT LUNCH.

IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

>> Stephen: MAYBE HE'LL TAKE HIM FURNITURE SHOPPING.

>> THAT'S WHAT THEY DO AT THE FUNDRAISERS, THEY TAKE THEM UP

TO NEW HOPE AND LOOK AT OLD FURNITURE.

WE THINK ABOUT A MILLION THINGS IN THE UNITED STATES AND A LOT

OF IT IS IMPORTANT STUFF.

WE ARE THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD AND EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD

KNOWS IT.

WHEN EAST GERMANY FELL, WHEN THE BERLIN WALL CAME DOWN, YOU KNOW

WHAT I FOUND OUT AFTERWARD?

I WAS OVER THERE.

THE LAST DICTATOR, AND HE'S A BAD GUY, HEAD OF EAST GERMANY,

HIS NUMBER ONE GOAL IN LIFE WAS TO BE INVITED TO THE WHITE

HOUSE.

EVEN THE BAD COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD KNOW WE'RE THE GREATEST

COUNTRY.

THE BAD GUYS KNOW.

THIS THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND.

THEY ALL WANT TO BE INVITED TO SIT DOWN WITH US BECAUSE THEY

KNOW WE'RE THE GREATEST COUNTRY EVER AND IT'S A FACT, IT'S A

HARD THING FOR CYNICS TO BUY, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GOOD

PERSON TO RECOGNIZE THIS IS A GREAT COUNTRY.

AND THIS LITTLE GUY WANTS TO MEET WITH OUR GUY AND SIT DOWN

TOGETHER AND LOOK LIKE EQUALS.

>> Stephen: WHAT DOES THE UNITED STATES GET OUT OF THIS?

DONALD TRUMP GOES OVER THERE.

THE OBJECTIVE IS DENUCLEARIZATION, WITH WHICH IS

A WORTHY GOAL, IF HE CAN GET IT, GOD BLESS HIM, JUST MAKE THE

WORLD SAFER.

BUT EXPERTS ARE SAYING THE CHANCE THEY WILL GIVE UP THEIR

NUKES ARE VERY SLIM.

>> THAT'S ALL THEY'VE GOT.

>> Stephen: AND YET, KIM GETS WHAT HE WANTS, WHICH IS EQUAL

FOOTING WITH THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD.

>> HE WANTS US TO GET OUR TROOPS OUT AND HE WANTS THE BORDER OPEN

FOR HIM TO DO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.

HE WANTS US TO NO LONGER PROTECT JAPAN OR SOUTH KOREA AND HE HAS

NUCLEAR WEAPONS.

THAT'S THE SCARY THING ABOUT.

THIS I'M WORRIED ABOUT TRUMP BEING FOLD AND HE COMES OUT AND

SAYS, LET'S HAVE END OF HOSTILITIES BETWEEN NORTH AND

SOUTH, LET'S HAVE AN OFFICIAL TREATY, AND TRUMP WILL SAY,

GREAT HEADLINE TOMORROW.

THAT GIVE AWAY THE JUSTIFICATION OF HAVING OUR TROOPS AND I THINK

THAT'S WHAT KIM JONG UN WANTS.

>> Stephen: IF WE DECLARE PEACE --.

>> NO REASON FOR OUR TROOPS.

>> Stephen: WE STILL HAVE TROOPS IN GERMANY.

>> BECAUSE THEY WANT THEM THERE.

I DON'T THINK SOUTH KOREA WANTS US THERE IF THEY DUE TO A DEAL.

I THINK KIM WANTS A DEAL THAT SEPARATES US FROM SOUTH KOREA.

THAT'S MY PREDICTION.

>> Stephen: LET'S TALK ABOUT RUSSIA FOR A SECOND.

>> NOT A HAPPY SCENARIO.

>> Stephen: NO.

BUT I'M WITH YOU, STEPHEN.

IF IT MAKES THE WORLD SAFER, LET'S ALL APPLAUD AND MOVE ON.

I HOPE WE DO MAKE THE WORLD SAFER.

IF THEY AGREE TO RESTRAIN THEIR TESTING OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, IF

THEY AGREE TO RESTRICT THEIR TESTING OF MISSILES, I MEAN,

THAT WOULD BE GOOD.

>> Stephen: TRUMP WANTS RUSSIA BACK IN THE G8.

HE GOES, SOMETHING HAPPENED -- HE JUST GLOSSES OVER ATROCITIES

AND HE GOES LET'S GET THEM BACK IN THERE.

WHAT IS THE POSSIBLE JUSTIFICATION FOR THAT

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE HEAD OF THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES ARE SAYING

THE RUSSIANS ARE STILL TRYING TO GAME THE 2018 ELECTION NOW.

HOW CAN THAT BE DEFENDED?

DO YOU TALK TO ANYBODY ON TRUMP SIDE SAYING THE REASON HE WANTS

THIS IS X, Y, AND Z?

BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE THE RATIONALE.

>> WE KNOW RUSSIA WANTS TO TAKE AWAY OUR MORAL SUPERIORITY

BECAUSE WE HAVE CLEAN ELECTIONS AND A DEMOCRACY GOING BACK TO

1879.

NO OTHER COUNTRY CAN MATCH THAT.

THE FRENCH HAVE HAD FIVE REPUBLICS, WE HAVE THE ONE WE

STARTED.

WITH THIS COUNTRY IS A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR DEMOCRACY.

RUSSIA WANTS TO TAKE THE MORAL ADVANTAGE AWAY FROM US.

THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO IN 2016, LET THE WHOLE WORLD SEE WE

HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR ELECTIONS AND THEY HAVE THAT

DONE.

NOW WE REWARD THEM BY PUTTING THEM BACK IN THE G7 AND MAKE IT

THE G8 AGAIN.

TRUMP NEVER SAYS A WORD AGAINST THE RUSSIAN FORCE WHAT THEY DID

TO OUR ELECTIONS.

>> Stephen: NEITHER TO THE REPUBLICANS.

>> TRUE.

>> Stephen: YOU TALK TO THESE PEOPLE MORE THAN I DO.

WHAT DO THE PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON SAY WHO DEFEND THE PRESIDENT

SAY -- >> THEY'RE SCARED TO DEATHS OF

HIM.

86% OF REPUBLICANS SUPPORT TRUMP.

REPUBLICANS ACT PERSONALLY A LOT LIKE MIKE PENCE.

( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: OH, WE HAVE A

FANTASTIC CLIP.

>> BY THE WAY, I WANTED TO SAY --

>> Stephen: IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THIS --

>> I KNOW YOU LIKE THE MOVIE "MAN FOR ALL SEASONS" ABOUT

HENRY II AND THE GREAT THOMAS MOORE WHO DIED FOR HIS RELIGION

AND WHEN HENRY VIII PLAYED BY ROBERT SHAW GETS OUT OF HIS

BOAT, WATCH HOW EVERYBODY BEHAVES.

>> Stephen: WE PULLED THIS CLIP.

IMAGINE SHAW IS TRUMP.

( LAUGHTER ) >> THAT'S THEM.

>> Stephen: YES.

THAT'S THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

>> Stephen: HE WAS A MONSTER.

THAT'S THEM!

( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: HE'S DESCRIBED AS

A MONSTER WHO NONE DARED GAIN SAY.

>> THESE ARE ALL LIKE MIKE PENCE, THAT'S WHAT HE DOES.

>> Stephen: TRUMP, PENCE.

BOTTLE DOWN FOR NO REASON AND RIGHT WITH YOU, SIR.

( LAUGHTER ) ( APPLAUSE )

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

>> IT MEANS WE ALWAYS SAY DEMOCRATS FALL IN LOVE,

REPUBLICANS FALL IN LINE.

I GET IN TROUBLE FOR THIS, BUT REPUBLICANS ARE STEREOTYPICAL.

THEY ALL PLAY GOLF AND THEY ALL READ THE "WALL STREET JOURNAL"

AND THEY VOTE REPUBLICAN.

THEY SHOW UP AT THE MOVIES ON TIME.

REPUBLICANS ARE A VERY REGIMENTED PEOPLE.

>> Stephen: THEY SHOW UP TO THE MOVIES ON TIME?

>> OH, YOU JUST KNOW THEY DO.

>> Stephen: DEMOCRATS SHOW UP LATE?

>> THEY'RE THE ONES THAT COME IN WITH THE BIG COKES AND THE

POPCORN.

WHAT TIME DID THIS MOVIE START ANYWAY?

PUSHING THEIR WAY PAST YOU.

REPUBLICANS ARE ON TIME.

ONE THING I'LL SAY FOR THEM.

>> Stephen: I'M GOING TO NEED SOME SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY TO BACK

THAT UP.

>> I HAVE THE DATA.

>> Stephen: TOUGH DATA ON THAT ONE?

( LAUGHTER ) OKAY.

>> BUT I THINK IT'S SAD BECAUSE -- THEY'RE ALL LEAVING

NOW, TREY GOWDY, CORKER, FLAKE IS LEAVING, AND EVERY TIME

THEY'RE LEAVING, THEY START TALKING HONESTLY.

ISN'T THAT WEIRD?

WHAT'S THE NAME, SPEAKER RYAN IS

NOW TALKING THE TRUTH.

>> Stephen: THEY RECOVER FROM THE MORAL AMNESIA.

>> THE MINUTE THEY'RE LEAVING, THEY TELL THE TRUTH.

THIS IS THE SAD THING ABOUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT IS NOW

LACKING ANY GUTS TO SAY ANYTHING AGAINST THIS GUY, AND I THINK

THAT THEY'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS MORALLY SOME DAY BECAUSE I

THINK JOHN PAUL SERGEANT SAID WE DON'T ALWAYS DO WHAT WE WANT BUT

WE'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR WHO WE ARE AND THEY WILL BE HELD

HISTORICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR FOLLOWING THIS GUY, AND IT'S A

REAL PROBLEM.

( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: WELL, YOU KNOW,

GETTING BACK -- GETTING BACK TO" A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS ," THERE'S

A MOMENT WHERE MOORE IS IN JAIL FOR NOT VIOLATING HIS OWN

CONSCIENCE, BECAUSE IT'S A PLAY AND A MOVIE ABOUT THE SELF AND

WHAT CAN YOU BRING YOURSELF TO DO AND NOT TO DO, AND HIS

DAUGHTER SAYS OH, JUST TAKE AN OATH AND DON'T MEAN IT.

THESE PEOPLE WHO STAND UP FOR TRUMP HAVE TAKEN AN OATH TO

DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION AND MOORE SAYS WHEN A MAN TAKES AN

OATH HE WILL NOT FIND HIMSELF AGAIN IF HE DOESN'T FINISH THE

OATH AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW

TRUMP.

( APPLAUSE ) >> WE HAVE TO BE JUST AS TOUGH

ON THE OPPOSITION THESE DAYS BECAUSE WHAT NERO DID THE OTHER

NIGHT -- YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I THINK THE

CULTURAL WORLD, YOUR WORLD, TO SOME EXTENT THE DEMOCRATS,

CERTAINLY THE MEDIA, HAVE TO UPHOLD WHAT NOBILITY IS IN THIS

COUNTRY THROUGH THESE YEARS.

>> Stephen: AND WHAT IS THAT?

THEY HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE NOT HAVING, A

SENSE OF NOBILITY ON THE PLANET AND A SENSE OF MORAL GOODNESS.

I THINK TRUMP IS LOWERING US TO A STANDARD.

IT'S SAID IN WAR YOU END UP IMITATING YOUR ENEMY IN WAR.

YOU BECOME AS BA BARBAROUS AS TH ARE.

THE CRITICISM IS IT'S GOING DOWN TO THE LEVEL OF TRUMP.

PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO TALK LIKE HIM.