and tonight's last word, thanks for watching. reminder, how see on saturday. and nine a.m. for the saturday show. and again, on sunday. the 11th hour starts right now. tonight, the fight for electability. tom trump's new place to stay in the, race even if he's criminally charged. rhonda santos appears ready to take his four florida policies nationwide. then, thbatte le for abortion rights, --

after walgreens says it won't sell abortion bill pills in 21 states, also tonight, a key moment in the war in ukraine, the battle for bakhmut. ukrainian forces under intense pressure, as russia's ammunition supply runs low as the 11th hour gets underway on this monday night. >> good evening i'm alicia melendez in for stephanie ruhle the showdown over who will be the republican presidential nominee, appears to be taking place between the twice impeached ex president donald trump, and as once loyal backer ron desantis. in the coming days, both men are expected to head to iowa, in front of the first gop caucus. even though desantis hasn't officially entered the race, here's a preview of what it looks like. we took a finleyville swipe at the florida governor. >> we are going to finish where we started we started something that was -- . we are gonna complete the mission, we are never going back to the party of paul rove, paul ryan, and jeb bush. we're not going back to people that want to destroy our great --

social security system. even some in our own party, i wonder who that might be. in 2016, i declared, i am your voice, today i add, i am your warrior, i am your justice, and for those who have been wrong than betrayed. i am your retribution, i'm a retribution. >> desantis followed on sunday, promoting his record than the speech of the ronald reagan -- social security system. even some in our own party, i wonder who that might be. in 2016, i declared, i am your voice, today i add, i am your warrior, i am your justice, and for those who have been wrong than betrayed. i am your retribution, i'm a retribution.

>> desantis followed on sunday, promoting his record than the speech of the ronald reagan library. >> when the world went mad, when common sense suddenly became an uncommon virtue. florida stood as a refuge of sanity, a citadel of freedom for people throughout the united states, and indeed, throughout the world's. in four years we didn't see our administration leaking like a sea of. you didn't see a lot of trauma or palace intrigue. what you saw was surgical, precision, and execution. day after day after day. and because we did that, we beat the left day after day after day. >> we're also following new elevations from the new york times, about the panic of fox news after the 2020 election. fox, as you recall, is the first network to call arizona for joe biden. it was, quote, besieged with angry protests, not only from president donald j trump's camp, but from viewers, never mind

the call is correct. fox executives worried that they would lose viewers to hard right competitors like newsmax. the top fox executives held a zoom meeting on november 16th, 20, 20 unquote, how to keep from angry networks conservative audience again, by calling an election for a democrat before the competition. fox responded to the times of the statement, fox news stood by the arizona, call despite intense scrutiny, given the extremely narrow 0. 3% margin, and a new protection mechanism, then no other network had. of course, there would be wide-ranging postmortem return in the call, and how is executed, no matter the candidates. with that let's bring in the lead off panel, luke broadwater, pulitzer prize-winning reporter

for the new york times. -- and partner putt news, and tim miller, it contributed to the bulwark, and the communications director for jeb bush. it is good to see you, all tim, you are at cpac, you lived to tell about it, here is some of what to make a cautions of the atlantic road. the apparent decline in interest isn't just about the pack, it speaks to the serious problem for trump's 2024 date. his shtick has gotten stale. >> where are republicans now on trump does that all come down to electability, when we not seeing, he people there want to trump in only trump. he won the straw poll going away, the question for those who didn't show, are they ready to turn the page, are they ready to go to run desantis. might just be an off year, the actual election isn't until next to the year. the real reality might be that the whole party cpac now. i went to a turning point usa

conference called america fest in december, those raucous impact, and at a ton of trump as there. so i hope that is true, but the sad state of cpac is a sign of the parties ready to move on, but i fear that it might be more folks that have the maga fix, and a lot of other options right now. there is no longer violence here gathering. >> talk to me about that list the trump rattled off, and at the party of paul ryan or carl rove or jeb bush who is at a signal to? -- >> i think was kind of a sub tree that ron desantis, and a preview of what's coming, is the right now he feels like rhonda santos has taken some of his maga mojo. i think trump is gonna -- somebody from the pre-trump joe

p who is more aligned with paul ryan and the bush family. there's some republicans that want that the majority of the party preferred trump to bush, it's crazy that might seem. so trump is trying to speak to those people, who maybe like trump and desantis, like the trump party better than the bush party. and he's trying to use that as a wedge to try to get those people in his camp, rather than move on to the florida governor. >> tara, and something you have said about desantis, you need to percent arguments for his candidacy. i think if you watch his speeches before, this is a sort of his greatest hits, talking about how the state responded to covid. i wonder though, if the things he's saying will both. move those gop voters who don't think trump can win, and woo some trump loyalists, because he's got to do both. >> exactly, and it's really difficult task, because you can't delineate trump's voters, so we can't really attack trump head on.

they have to come to the conclusion themselves, the trump is not electable. this really hinges on the idea of electability, and ron desantis is also pushing the idea that he's more effective, and executing the maga movement. other truth, is that some of it sure the maga movement, isn't exactly about ideology, it's about a feeling. i'm even just listening to the two of them, it's a very different presentation. rhonda santos he comes off angry like trump and combative, but he sounds more like politicians from the past. that's why trump sees that as a weakness he could time to, that's why you keep hearing him say, desantis is a rhino, people may not know that much about desantis they know a lot about trump, they saw him on the apprentice, they just know of ron desantis so i think trump is trying to shape the narrative right, now before he really has to get into the ring with the scientists, that's why she saying those things, even

though desantis is arguably more conservative than trump. >> so whether not he is more conservative, because we can all agree that we've lost the definition of that term at this point in american politics, he's certainly as trumpy, if not trump here than trump. putting migrants on planes, to martha's vineyard, terms of the stunts in, terms of the cruelty loop my colleagues had a good piece recently, they talked about that classic quote, every u.s. senator looks in the mirror and see a president. but at this moment in history, that is not true, because they don't to be running against donald trump i wonder then when you're working your sources on capitol hill. what it is the gop members of the house and of the senate about are tiny about a potential of the centrist trump showdown. >> well there's really a split between the two chambers at the sands right now. you don't see a ton of support for trump. here mitch mcconnell have been spoken since january six 2021 there's still a lot of bad

blood is some of the senate leadership i think about only five republican senators have endorsed trump to date. a lot of them are looking at tim scott as a potential option. one of the colleagues they really respect that's gonna be running, but many believe might run. on the health side, it's quite different, unleash leadership has already endorsed trump. it is about 40 vectors already lining up to support trump. so many investigations are running out of the house, or essentially to right frame up the race for trump, and to take a conflict between him and biden, where he looks better and biden. we have not seen a lot of people running surrounded centers in congress. you're not seeing a foot of endorsements for around santa. or she hasn't gotten in the race, and that may change when that happens. but the casting about, many people in congress are casting a ballot for someone else besides trump to support, right now you're not seeing a ton of it.

>> when i want you to take a look at what she set up on stage. >> trump, trump, trump! >> take himself, is now up onstage, my bad, still the message the same. they want trump. what is she facing in his quest to win over these voters? >> it's interesting that in the cpac struggle, that she came in second for the vice presidential pick. i think this shows that nikki haley like the kind of grassroots support the republican party. well they say he's too older needs to move, on and she

clearly just doesn't have the support. let's become the trump show, cpac, she was not in friendly territory. she has done exactly come out swinging against, him but she is certainly trying to -- she's intimating that she's already, two and she might eventually swing at him. now it's just during, which i find the interesting, you're hearing them all sort of take wax that each, other pompeo, and haley are going after each other, but they're all very reluctant to actually attack trump, i think we're gonna continue with that posture, i don't know he really beat him. she might be staying like this for a while until she absolutely has to. >> tara referenced -- i understand you spent some time, of the republican nominee for governor of arizona, who refused to concede, take a listen. >> we lost elections, were having corrupt stolen elections, okay. robbyn corrupt, stolen elections. president trump won that election. maybe he lost, because you can reach out to the mccain voters. and you campaigned hard maga. i went to europe last event, it is steve, manito is all these

people. he went appealing to moderate republicans. maybe would've won a few done that. >> i brought the establishment together. unfortunately, a few of them didn't vote, and they rigged the election. >> tim, hard pivot from election denialism, to top of electability, who shouldn't reach out to. what did you take away from that exchange with her? >> yeah, right before that she said something very relevant to this conversation, because i preface that by saying that we've lost seven of the eight last popular votes, we've lost three straight elections, midterms in the 2020, now means we need a little bit of a new path from this ultra maga path, and i pose that carry, whether she thought that was true. obviously she rejects that. partly because ideologically she rejects it and also she's pretending that she's still the governor she's brittani and she won.

i think it's interesting that path it's carry is offering which is not to change at all. to continue down the full ultra maga path and do not even acknowledge that's when a failed path and three straight elections is what is appealing more to the republican base. not every single person the republican base. she won the vp straw poll she had bigger cousin nikki hill in mike pompeo. maybe, it's pretty wyebridge, we had one side of said we don't really loose, and a nine, reality and we should be as maga as possible. and that is side saying, hey, let's live on a real world. >> the real world. luke, political points out, january six was once an albatross for trump, as i argue should be. it's currently no longer disqualifying for his candidacy. there's a smear what we see happen with the house gop, in terms of how they see january --

and that is side saying, hey, let's live on a real world. >> the real world. luke, political points out, january six was once an albatross for trump, as i argue should be. it's currently no longer disqualifying for his candidacy. there's a smear what we see happen with the house gop, in terms of how they see january 6th. and the language we heard from trump on that stage about i will be your warrior, i will be a retribution. >> yeah, absolutely, if you go to town halls around the country. four republican primary, january 6th is not something to be distanced from, we're condemn, it's now been framed as, you need to fight for the people who are arrested for breaking into the capitol. you need to be on their, side and he saw -- but saw the prisoners are saying, the national anthem or something. the normal people who are at

the capitol, who saw what happened that day, in some get beat with hockey sticks, and the mobs armenians mansion up building. republicans, and democrats alike running and fear. completely different reality. so the republican primary that trump is running in, and this may be successful in that will turn off a ton of swing voters think anybody who analyzes the polling or the electors. if you run in lockstep with rioters. there's no way you can appeal to the swing voter and the moderates in general. so is a very risky strategy but it may well win in the primary. >> turns out american voters really to care about democracy as we saw during his midterms. luke broadwater, palmieri, thank you so much. -- that's around craig about how that might lay out. later, exclusive reporting on the new house with a total ban on abortion in texas. we'll hear on that and the

ongoing battle over access to abortion pills. 11 tower, just getting underway on monday night. (male announcer) important information for viewers age 50 to 85. have you thought about getting life insurance to help your family with funeral expenses, but worried it would cost too much or that you wouldn't qualify? at colonial penn, we talk to men and women like you every day.

and today i'd like to share three questions they often ask about our guaranteed whole life insurance. can i get this coverage on a fixed income? (jonathan) can you get this coverage on a fixed income? yes, you can. options start at $9.95 a month. that's less than 35 cents a day. and the good news is they won't ever increase. a lifetime rate lock guarantees it. i'm not in perfect health. can i get this coverage? (jonathan) can you get this coverage if you're not in perfect health? yes, you can. the truth is, you cannot be turned down for any reason. your acceptance is 100% guaranteed. we don't require a medical exam or ask a single health question. what if my health changes? can i keep this coverage? (jonathan) can you keep this coverage if your health changes? yes, you can. the peace of mind this insurance provides can be yours for life. just pay your premiums and the policy cannot be cancelled for any reason. now, there's one question i'd like to ask you. are you ready to take the next step and help protect those you love? call the number on your screen to learn more.

if you have diabetes, then getting on the dexcom g6 is the single most important thing you can do. it eliminates painful fingersticks, helps lower a1c, and it's covered by medicare. before dexcom g6, i was frustrated. all of that finger-pricking and all of that pain, my a1c was still stuck. my diabetes was out of control. i was tired. (female announcer) dexcom g6 sends your glucose numbers to your phone or receiver without painful fingersticks. the arrow shows the direction your glucose is heading: up, down, or steady, so you can make better decisions

about food and activity in the moment. after using dexcom g6, my a1c has never been lower. i lead line dancing three times a week, i exercise, and i'm just living a great life now. it's so easy to use. dexcom g6 has given me confidence and control that everything i need is right there on my phone. (female announcer) dexcom g6 is the #1 recommended cgm system by doctors and patients. call now to get started. (bright music) as a business owner, your bottom line is always top of mind. so start saving by switching to the mobile service designed for small business: comcast business mobile. flexible data plans mean you can get unlimited data or pay by the gig. all on the most reliable 5g network. with no line activation fees or term contracts. saving you up to 60% a year. and it's only available to comcast business internet customers. so boost your bottom line by switching today. can i take this moment to comcast business. powering possibilities.

ashore you're donors and supporters, that here in this race to stay no matter what happens with those investigations? if you are indicted one more times? >> absolutely, i wouldn't even think about leaving. these are fake stories. he's a horrible -- >> donald trump, at cpac over the weekend, saying that he

will stay in the 2024 race, even if he's facing criminal charges, of course, trump is facing several carnivorous to geishas, including it doj special counsel probe, a special grand jury probe in georgia. back with me tonight barbara mcquade a federal prosecutor for the eastern district of michigan, it's good to see you, what can you tell us from the legal perspective about trump's stay in this race even if he's facing criminal charges, even if he's indicted while a, lisa it's a really unusual thing about the scenario, there's nothing in the constitution that would prevent him from staying in the race, requirements for president, are only that the person has obtained the age of 35, and the natural born citizen, so there's nothing constitutionally bill clued southern from running for, president even when they're under indictment, i understand that the framers of the constitution, simply did not contemplate such a scenario, so we could continue to run while under indictment, but it certainly complicate things,

someone who is indicted often has their travel restricted, for example, they're released on bond, i imagine donald trump would be released on bond, would not be detained pending trial. a flight under traditional measures of those things. they're quite dates that someone needs to, make imagine, that the realities had to be scheduled around court appearances. and then of course as a trial, which could take place if president trump were indicted this year. the trial would likely take place next year, during campaign season. so the courthouse, selling trump campaign posters in scissors, and other paraphernalia. so really weird scenario this comes to past. >> i was also struck watching a lot of the sound from cpac. i watch so our viewers don't have, to you have trump in the face of the exam destinations, all staged just repeating the big lie, in front of audience and wondering again from a legal perspective, i get the prosecutors at this point, have

like a cornucopia of evidence, they don't need more. but i'm curious, if you are his legal team, how you feel about the fact that he's up onstage, saying it over and over again? >> it's really complicated to represent someone whose public figure. is he needs to be able to answer to's voting base, and its constituents. staying silent about what happened on january, six really isn't an option for him. instead he's jones into embrace the whole thing, and doubled down, even as you talked about recording a song with some of the january 6th prisoners, who have been convicted, and are now serving prison sentences, for their conduct on january 6th. fully embracing them, talking about how he would pardon them if elected. so i think, that there's no real middle ground here. either you have to say that it was a terrible crime, or you have to embrace them, and that is the choice that he's made. and later, at a trial certainly all these statements can be used against him, to demonstrate a case, that he was

perpetuating a fraud against american people. >> we talked about special counsel, i want to make sure we talk about the manhattan da's office. because hope hicks met with him today. this investigation is on trump 's involvement in paying hush money gets to stormy daniels, as a reminder, because there's a lot of investigations keeping track of. hear your take on where this one is that it? >> well, you really got used to be flowy a refund weeks. we have hope hicks as, week kellyanne conway there last week according to reports. that executives from the national enquirer and there it really seems to be getting to the stages of putting in the key witnesses. prosecutors generally start with the concentric stored circles that the fire farthest reaches from the target and then getting closer and closer to the person as they push a decision. and that's because you want to question those witnesses when you're as informed as we possibly be. and say it's like they're close to making a charging decision, and clear that charging

decision will be. but they wouldn't be putting these people in the grand jury if they weren't very serious about considering criminal charges. >> speaking of trump's legal charges, at this point they slow things down as much as possible, melvin strategies. there's political taking clock ear with his upcoming election. how do you square that up? >> he seems to be moving very rapidly, since he became the special counsel in this case. we do see him in these kinds of last steps of subpoenaing people. mike, danced someone who such a key witness he would want to put that person last. so it does seem like he'd twos getting close to the end. and we get to the point where in the scenario, donald trump is elected president again, takes office in january of 2025. where the old rule but you can't indict a sitting president. and the point that, because it would be too distracting from his duties as president, to have to deal with been under indictment, being charged, and if anyone selves. unless this case were completely over by them, you

would have a problem. so you need to make sure a trial is finished by the time we get to january 2025, he's got to be thinking of indictment before the midpoint of this year. >> what a way to say the time is of the essence, barbara mcquade, as always, thank you. coming, up and near total abortion ban left one woman with a near death experience. how she and others are challenging the system, in a new lawsuit. fighting to protect the lives of new mothers, as the 11th hour continues. -- we get to january 2025, he's got to be thinking of indictment before the midpoint of this year. >> what a way to say the time is of the essence, barbara mcquade, as always, thank you. coming, up and near total abortion ban left one woman with a near death experience. how she and others are

challenging the system, in a new lawsuit. fighting to protect the lives of new mothers, as the 11th hour continues.

ah, these bills are crazy. she has no idea she's sitting on a goldmine. well she doesn't know that if she owns a life insurance policy of $100,000 or more she can sell all or part of it to coventry for cash. even a term policy. even a term policy? even a term

policy! find out if you're sitting on a goldmine. call coventry direct today at the number on your screen, or visit coventrydirect.com.

texas has become ground zero in the fight over abortion rights. the lone star state has some of the strictest abortion, laws in the country. in some of the harshest penalties. -- i i can challenge the state of texas and save women's lives. >> when amanda and josh doroski found they're expecting a baby girl, they were overjoyed. the name they picked for her, willow. >> it was magical. >> the first 17 weeks were very easy, very smooth sailing. >> but just before we came, team something felt wrong. amanda's body was preparing for labor too early, the news for doctorate was devastating. >> she said pretty quickly, you know, on one breath. you are going to lose the baby, she's not gonna survive. i thought what they do is going in intervening mediately, but she told me that they couldn't, because the baby's heart was still beating, and i wasn't sick. >> wasn't texas ban doctors from performing abortions, except when a medical emergency, endangers a person's life or major bodily functions. those who violate the law could

face up to life in prison. >> take me into what it was like to wait. >> i just existed, in sorrow and fear, i was really, really scared. >> this isn't something you can do with any other kind of medical issue, is you have to ask him second up to get treatment. it was infuriating. >> three days at then the diagnosis, and mandates healthy thierry rated. doctors performed an abortion, but serious infection led to, sepsis and amanda spent three days in the icu. >> because of the law, a very nearly died, nothing about this is pro-life. >> now amanda is part of a group of seven plaintiffs, represented by the center for reproductive rights. we plan to file a lawsuit against the state of texas, tonight. >> until there is a legal fight, nothing's going to change. and something has to change. >> but john's ego president of texas right to life, we'll

crowd the texas heartbeat, act says the law is clear clear as written, and doctors like amanda's are misinterpreting it. >> if there's a nafta delay and wave the days like you talking about, that is medical malpractice. but if it is uncertain, that this child may survivor may not, texas is saying, we don't jump to conclusions. >> doctors are saying, the law is not clear, and as a result they have to act on the side of being cautious, and that might mean i have to wait for him to get sicker and sicker, before i can perform an abortion i know she needs. >> that's the wrong conclusion. >> nancy northrop, is this president of the center for reproductive rights. >> the issue here is not that the doctors have been too cautious. the reality is, without clarification of this texas law, without a change in those circumstances that are happening today it is gonna come that women are going to die. >> so go disagrees. >> the law is putting not putting lives in danger. the law is black and white about what a doctor can do, and

what he cannot do. >> does it ever give you pause, that there are situations that have happened after this law, where lives been put at risk? >> yes. our mission is to save lives, so the fact that some women's lives have been jeopardize, it's something that we take very seriously. >> amanda and josh are still grieving their loss. >> the dam onesie gets me every time. >> they hope something changes. >> i want nothing more than to have kids. but i am terrified to be president again. >> -- nbc news, austin, texas. >> but this for more, maria three succumb, are the president of voter latino, she's also the former board member for planned parenthood. maria, absolutely heartbreaking, i wonder what you make of this lawsuit. >> it's a long time coming, and so sad that so many women have had to be sitting on the brink of almost dying, and not only having to grieve the loss a filled pregnancy, but i shouldn't hold these

individuals to account. let's be clear, this is not about science. this is not about making sure that a woman is okay, nor the fetus, this is all about control. no limit of what we believe in the separation of church and state, but this is basically government at a source. to religious ideology, and not every single american and here is to. and women will, die and it's going to disproportionately for women. when we do not have access, who don't understand the, law and you don't know how to access alternatives, nor did have an abortion. >> let's talk about that, because a south carolina woman who's been arrested for allegedly using medication to induce an abortion back in

2021. this is what we've been warned about. how worried are you, the what were seen happening in south carolina becomes the new normal? >> incredibly worried. because a lot of things of the texas law does, set very similar to south carolina law, is basically provides any individual to be a vigilante, and say this person assisted someone to go to a clinic. so for example, if you call on, uber and uber drives between abortion clinic, and they deem that a type of assistance, intermediate pregnancy. it is so many repercussions. >> and that's why one of the things we're seeing is, other states getting into the fight. we're talking specifically, in this, case i'm speaking about gavin newsom. he declare today a war on wall, grams because walgreens decided he would not sell one of two widely available fda approved drugs, that allows women to receive this kind of medication, so they can self administer abortion care. so the fact that we're seeing

democratic governors coming in and doing it, that's where the fight is. let's not kid ourselves, that california, the fourth largest economy in the world, is now going toe to toe with texas, saying this is how we're gonna crack down it, because what was, seen not just in texas but potentially in supreme court, if it goes to this. what we've seen is not to be blue state, red, state who has access to the abortion, care but it's gonna affect any every single american, woman regardless of where they live. >> right, that's why this abortion case in texas that we're all, watching under judge whose, merrick key provided our viewers, it will not just ppe people in textbooks will not have access abortion, bills it will be nationwide. here's the thing about texas, in texas you, had before roe v. wade was overturned, sba turned irregular citizens into abortion bounty hunters. we're waiting to see about this

texas judge whether they're gonna van wert land and have a texas republican introducing a bill that would charge credit card companies with a felony for processing payments related to abortion pills. and again we keep in reminded that they are not going to stop at roe. the road was the beginning it was not the end. what is going on down there? >> what's going on and so we have a republican governor, but run by texas gop, that is incredibly extreme. they, again, are imposing a really awesome young people in texas. they're not gonna stop there, -- basically take it to them. if the wives were in a fight for our lives, this is about a woman's health, and her ability to decide for herself, what is good for her family, but also make sure that she's keeping

herself safe. >> it also comes on the heels of a midterm where voters are very clear, about the fact that they didn't, like this kind of extremism, that even if they don't consider themselves pro-choice necessarily, a lot of them saw those government overreach and i wonder as we continue in texas, for zemple and other states to, to push a line if there will be electoral coupon sizes for these laws. >> what we'll see as electoral consequences of the top of the ticket, oddities said some highly gerrymander districts, and that's where the challenges. so it's gonna be really important that we see, a consistency of state legislators, in democratic governors, and the exact thing that you have newsom did. then, if people don't feel the fires going to, them you narcy

lot of republicans who are very well organized, when it comes to back down state houses. making sure this passes legislation. this is part of a concerted effort with the republican party, where they are going to texas as test cases, and if it succeeds there they will go to other states. that's one of the reasons why it's important. that the american people continue to be very vigilant, they continue protesting, they continue voting, but just as importantly, it's important governors that are of democratic states, make sure that they're doing the exact same thing. >> teresa kumar, as always, thank you. coming, up we are running out of armor, soldiers left to fight the shovels, the shortage could give ukraine the leg up in the battle for bakhmut. when the 11th hour continues. recommending things that i know work.

(tony hawk) skating for over 45 years has taken a toll on my body. i take qunol turmeric because it helps with healthy joints and inflammation support. why qunol? it has superior absorption compared to regular turmeric. qunol. the brand i trust.

why are 93% of sleep number sleepers very satisfied with their bed? maybe it's because you can gently raise your partner's head to help relieve snoring. so you can both stay comfortable all night we're tracking important save $1,200 on the sleep number 360 i10 smart bed. only for a limited time.

developments in the brutal fight in the creighton city of bakhmut. after, months -- lane wasted at minus city, it means top general was bolstered by forces. that despite city be nearly encircled by russian forces. -- white house reporter for the wall street journal, has been covering the war in ukraine. interpret, bash former chief of staff at the cia, and the pentagon. why do we need to know about the battle for bakhmut? how important is the city? >> well, in the last couple minutes, the ukrainian general staff posted a statement on facebook, this will be the first a light they've held more than 140 different attacks over the course of last 24, hours i think with the ukrainian military is trying to say is that, bakhmut, although it may not be strategically important, it's symbolically important.

because they do not want to see the russian flag flying over any more territory in ukraine, and the russians couldn't currently control officials from the north, the south, and the east. the ukrainians have been fighting block to block, and in some cases hand-to-hand, in a display of bravery, that the world has seen, and the world is rallying behind you, can i think it's just motivating ukraine's allies in the last, to provide them with graces to get weaponry, more support, more funding, keep the aid flowing. so this is a really galvanized support for ukraine, as russia 's made a very bloody advance. >> a bronze will get back to the question of additional resources, because it is important. i want to take a look at this from the russian, side because the head of the private military group that is leading russia's advance, warning that the entire fund could advance if they were to from bakhmut. when it, them the kremlin still

hasn't provided ammunition, some fighting with shovels. what does that suggest to you? >> well, this is a hybrid force made up of regular russian troops, but also the wagner group's so-called recruits that they've taken from prisons, people without uniforms, without weapons. when they make regular runs at the different trends shines, the ukrainians have fought, the criticisms that in some, cases it's hard to fight them, because they're so erratic, so ill trained, that they'd rather face off against a normal regularized russian infantry. so this is an effort by the russians to throw anything against the ukrainian military, to see what sticks. >> sabrina, i promised i'd come back to this question of resources, and nbc news has learned that two ukrainian pilots are in the u.s.,

undergoing assessment to see how long it would take them, to train on attack aircrafts, the white house previously said would not send fighter jets to ukraine. is this reporting a sign that position has changed. >> i think it could be a sign that the u.s. has not entirely close the door, on providing f-16s to ukraine, but u.s. officials are still exercising caution. they say that this activity is more routine, part of the u. s. military dialogue, with ukraine, and at the current position, providing f-16s hasn't changed. and the thinking within the biden administration, is still what it also is among other western allies, which is that providing f-16s to ukraine, is impractical for a number of reasons, one that it could require considerable full training of ukrainian pilots, if the russians actually have extensive aircraft systems, they could easily shut those jets down. and really the u.s. and other allies are still very mindful of taking any action, it could be seen as an escalation, between nato and russia. right now, the biden

administration, the u.s. officials are maintaining no change position on f-16s, the ukrainians are still extensively lobbying for those jets. so the door has not entirely been closed. >> when the door is not entirely close, that means there's still conversations happening behind closed doors about what this would look like. how crucial with these jets before ukraine? >> i think air power in general is not going to be decisive, and incredibly important in the coming several months,. whether that's unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, or whether they are manned fighter aircraft. i think will be very important for the ukrainian air force, to be able to hit targets against russian advancing troops. -- i think this report the retraining is a signal that either we're gonna be sending assistance directly, or we're gonna greenlight the provision f-16s from other nato allies to ukraine. i think if the biden

administration is learned one important lesson over the last years, is don't telegraph and we're not gonna, to leave the door open with different possibilities, sometimes a red lines have reverted to pink dotted lines, we've provided drones, we provided a number of capabilities that in the past we want to provide. >> sabrina who's reported on those morphine lines. it is striking to me, sabrina, but as we're having this conversations. -- four and out of those unreckoned, no money in, ukraine backcountry needs to find peace, not war. i'm looking at camera, and directly yell zelenskyy directly, you better leave your hands off her sons and daughters. >> sabrina, i've got about 30

seconds left, but i'm very struck by the politics and consequence of that messaging. >> you've seen the lingering impact to former president trump's isolationist rhetoric, within the republican party, the republican leader is mitch mcconnell, kevin mccarthy, are saying these are just voices on the fringes of the party, we very much stand behind ukraine. but i think what you're seeing at cpac, is that this worldview is also becoming a lot more mainstream, within the gop. and it could have significant consequences, because there are gonna be other voices that comfort on aid, for ukraine, economic military assistance, that's gonna have to pass muster in this new republican house majority. so there are significant implications for whether or not kevin mccarthy will be able to corral the votes that he needs, and this is very fascinating that this is happening in a conflict that is widely viewed, around the world, as a battle between democracy and

autocracy. seemingly not so within the majority the republican party. >> those are exactly the stakes. sabrina siddiqui, jeremy bash, thank you so much some love so much. >> coming, up it's a dark but important turning point in the civil rights movement. tonight, a reminder that the march for voting rights is far from over. the 11th hour continues. i wish that shaq was my real life big brother. what's up, little bro? turns out, some wishes do come true. and it turns out the general is a quality insurance company that's been saving people money for nearly 60 years. for a great low rate, and nearly 60 years of quality coverage- go with the general.

♪ ♪ ♪♪

voltaren. the joy of movement. ♪♪ we'll march today to

demonstrate that nation, demonstrate to the world's, that hundreds of thousands of new gross citizens of, alabama but particularly here -- we intend to condemn a gun, marie -- >> blasting before we go tonight, that was a late civil rights leader and georgia congressman john lewis, and then 65. and he's just 25 years old. it is about to set out on the march for voting rights. tomorrow, marks the 40th anniversary of the day now notice bloody sunday. president biden was in selma

yesterday, martin civil rights leaders to commemorate this mom anniversary. in the, speech he spoke to his memories of the, day and how voting rights are still under attack today. watch this. >> they forced the country to confront the hard truth. -- the promise that he was all alive. i was a student up north in the civil rights movement. i remember feeling how guilty of life. how can we all we up there, i can still picture the troopers of the batons and ones and webs. the right have i mean your vote counted, is the threshold of democracy and liberty. with it, anything possible, without that right, nothing is possible. and this fundamental right, remains under assault. conservative supreme court has

gutted the voting rights act, from the 20 election, a wave of states, and thousands and van heel us, fueled by the big lie election deniers. -- and the freedom to vote act. >> on that note i wish you a goliath night, for least a minute is in for stephanie ruhle, you cannot catch me every week on american voices, from all of our colleagues across the networks of nbc news, thank you for staying up late.