{"id":2220,"date":"2018-01-21T12:06:26","date_gmt":"2018-01-21T17:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/press.nbcnews.com\/?p=2220"},"modified":"2018-01-21T12:06:26","modified_gmt":"2018-01-21T17:06:26","slug":"mtp-exclusive-cotton-cant-make-that-commitment-at-all-to-support-trump-on-immigration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nbcuniversalnewsgroup.com\/nbcnews\/2018\/01\/21\/mtp-exclusive-cotton-cant-make-that-commitment-at-all-to-support-trump-on-immigration\/","title":{"rendered":"MTP EXCLUSIVE: COTTON \u2018CAN\u2019T MAKE THAT COMMITMENT AT ALL\u2019 TO SUPPORT TRUMP ON IMMIGRATION"},"content":{"rendered":"

EXCLUSIVE: Cotton on Trump\u2019s immigration comments: \u201cI’ve never denied that there wasn’t strong language used in the meeting by lots of people\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

White House Legislative Affairs Director Marc Short says \u201cthe president has been involved\u201d in government shutdown negotiations<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) on the shutdown: \u201cI wish the president would help us. At some point his leadership could make the difference\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

JANUARY 21, 2018 \u2013 In an exclusive interview, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)<\/strong> said he \u201ccan’t make that commitment at all\u201d to fully support President Donald Trump on immigration.<\/p>\n

On the president\u2019s position on the Durbin-Graham immigration proposal and speculation of his influence, Cotton told Todd, \u201cI don\u2019t think anyone got to Donald Trump. Donald Trump studied the proposal that Dick Durbin and Lindsey Graham put in front of him and realized it didn\u2019t address any of our key priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cotton also addressed Trump\u2019s immigration comments: \u201cI’ve never denied that there wasn’t strong language used in the meeting by lots of people. \u2026 I was not offended. And nobody in the meeting expressed their offense at any of the language that was being used.\u201d Watch the full interview with the Arkansas senator.<\/a><\/p>\n

Marc Short<\/strong>, legislative affairs director for the White House, spoke to Todd about the president\u2019s involvement in ending the government shutdown, responding to Todd asking why the president didn\u2019t make a single public appearance yesterday: \u201cThe president has been involved. \u2026 The president is engaged in finding out what are the impacts of this. He’s been on the phone in trying to find a resolution to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the new immigration ad unveiled last night, Short told Todd: \u201cThat ad is produced by an outside group \u2026 not done from people working inside the White House.\u201d When asked if it is helpful, Short replied, \u201cIt’s helpful to continue to raise awareness \u2026 the data of the ad shows that there are people coming across our border that pose threats to our country.\u201d Watch the full interview.<\/a><\/p>\n

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) <\/strong>would not commit to the government reopening before close of business Monday, telling Todd, \u201cI’m not going to make that prediction, but I feel that there are positive conversations.\u201d He added: \u201cI wish the president would help us. At some point his leadership could make the difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the president\u2019s immigration comments, Durbin said, \u201cIt did happen, Chuck.\u00a0 I’m sorry that it was said. I’m sorry that the president denied it.\u201d Watch the full interview.<\/a><\/p>\n

Todd also reported on why Democrats are drawing a line on DACA<\/a>, noting that the numbers on the issue seem to favor the party in the polls and at the congressional district level: \u201cIf the Democrats do indeed take back the House this November it could be because they fought for DACA issue and they won districts like this, Republican-held districts with larger than average minority population.\u201d<\/p>\n

NBC News\u2019 Peter Alexander<\/strong>, Republican strategist Al Cardenas<\/strong>, Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter<\/strong> and The Wall Street Journal\u2019s Peggy Noonan<\/strong> joined this morning\u2019s roundtable for analysis on the week in politics, including on the president\u2019s role in shutdown negotiations. \u201cA lot of people are saying this president has been MIA,\u201d Alexander noted.<\/a><\/p>\n

Read the full transcript of this morning\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press\u201d on\u00a0MeetThePress.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more from moderator Chuck Todd throughout the week, sign up for the\u00a0\u201cFirst Read\u201d newsletter<\/a>, and subscribe to\u00a0\u201c1947: The Meet the Press Podcast\u201d<\/a>\u00a0for on-demand interviews.<\/p>\n

MANDATORY CREDIT: NBC NEWS\u2019 \u201cMEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n