[Manu Raju, Cnn Senior Congressional Reporter:] It could be very significant because as in this investigation, the Mueller probe goes forward and
[John King, Cnn Anchor:] It'd be interesting if we get to a point and we expect to get to a point where the president is interviewed by the special counsel, he said it didn't happen. But you have Comey, McCabe and several others with years of experience in law enforcement. Comey took contemporaneous notes and briefed people right away and gnaw what he was doing. Went and told other people so that it was on the official record. That's how you build a case against somebody. Let's move on to the other issue. I was watching another network last night that I often refer to as state T.V. here. And they were making there weren't touching that part of the story because of who it involves. But they were saying that, you know, McCabe is one of these people who they view as tainted. And they're working behind closed doors. If the Republicans have a case, if they have a case that whether it's Deputy Director McCabe or other people at the FBI not sending a few foolish text messages but we're actually working with bias. Will they held a public hearing or they just have behind closed door meetings and then come out and
[Rachael Bade, Politico:] Public hearings for sure, I do believe. Devin Nunes, if you watch him at the House Intelligence Chairman, he's a Trump loyalist. And he's been we reported out this week he's been he started this sort of secret investigation beyond only his committee's investigation. It's an investigation specifically aimed at looking at criminal actions in the FBI. Now, there are a lot of Republicans who are very uncomfortable with this. It created this divide in the House about whether or not, you know, trying to discredit this investigation is going to bar a questioning and making people question a law enforcement agency that is one of the most respected in the country. But, I think that Nunes, you know, is a dog with a bone right now, and they really are trying to make the point to try to discredit these folks in order to protect Trump.
[King:] Just saying you're investigating to the base of the Republican Party undermines their confidence. Their chairman is investigating. It undermines public conversation and institution. My point is, if they have something, bring it out in the public. We do if they have something, well then, we should see it. But if they're just trying to change the subject with behind closed door hearings and then innuendo, that's reckless.
[Molly Ball, Time:] Oh, that is really the question. Is this just an attempt to delegitimize somebody at the waters and to create confusion? And that you know, you see as you mentioned that the echo chamber of right wing media really creating really presenting this one-sided portrait. And so, that is much more about persuading the public rather than, you know, coming up with a matter that Congress could investigate and do something about. It really just about convincing the public that there's nothing to see.
[King:] And to the point, it works. You know, Speaker Pelosi writes that she wants the House investigation to continue. I think the Senate investigation and the Intelligence Committee sense that more credibility in town among people in all parties. But the investigation that counts is the special counsel of Robert Mueller. He's actually operating in the court system. And look at our new poll. The Russia investigation is a serious matter or an effort to discredit Trump. Ninety-three percent of Democrats say it's a serious matter. Seventy-eight percent of Republicans say it's an effort to discredit Trump. So, this attacking the institutions and the investigators and the prosecutors works.
[Sara Murray, Cnn White House Correspondent:] Well, yes, that absolutely works. I mean, it works during the Clinton era too. You saw how effective that was and how it can start part of it to be a political document when it came out. I think that's that it's easy for Republicans to try to follow this sort of the same play book, you know. There are broader concerns about what this does to the fabric of American society when you're trying to undermine an institution like the FBI. So, I think that that, you know, is a broader concern and part of what's driving the
[Raju:] And expect next year, the House Republicans in particular to focus on the Clinton e-mail investigation which was why McCabe was behind closed doors with the two joint committees yesterday asked about how they handled it. They believe it was not handled properly. They believe what he said gave them fuel to the concerns that she was treated favorably as a candidate which is why she was not charged. That can be a big focus for them next year. So, these investigations will probably, at least in the House will grow partisan lines and probably shape the narrative heading into 2018.
[Bade:] I would also say, watch Republican leadership open house in the Senate, Ryan and McConnell, also Senator Burr potentially
[King:] It's a great point because when they come back, it will be an even numbered year and an election year. And sometimes that influences behavior of Washington D.C.