This is KPBS Midday Edition . I am Maureen Cavanaugh. It is Wednesday, August 23. The top story, President Trump wild the supporters last night. He lashed out at that news media and Congress and when he spoke about his support for a border wall, he said he is willing to stop everything in Washington to get it.Build that wall. The Democrats would not like us to do it but we have to close down the government before building out wall.During the speech he made reference to his intent to pardon Joe Arpaio and continue to inflate the illegal border crossings. Joining me is Ev Meade. Welcome back.Hello.President Trump told the crowd that he visited a section of the Arizona border yesterday. What do we know about the current influx of immigrants crossing into the U.S. rum immigrants? Are the numbers up or down?They are down. They are taking credit for that. They probably deserve some credit. It is undeniable the numbers are down. I take issue or how much credit. This is part of a 15 year downward trend. They are counting it against last year. There was actually an uptick last year. If you compare with 2015 come it is down by percent but that is statistics and they have a right to say there is a decline.Candidate Trump used to talk about a big and beautiful border wall stretching across the border. Mexico would report. We did not hear that message last night.It is impossible. It is ludicrous at this point. Mexico will not pay for the border wall. The question, we have a fencing, across the Mexico border. The proposal that he sent to Congress that they approved is for $1.6 billion. That means 60 miles of levees and fences and 14 miles of fencing in San Diego. That is far from the wall. The Senate has not approved that.That is a big issue. The second issue, he talked about Democratic abstractions but in reality, it is within the Republican Party at this budget is in dispute. There is nobody in Congress on either side who supports the grantor vision of the wall.Do you see the Congress is heading for a showdown with the president considering that he has threatened to shut down the government if he does not get it ?It is difficult to parse. Things seem to change minute by minute and he is trying to fire up supporters and talk to the crowd. You know, I am not going to make a prediction. I say the wall that they asked for is more modest that what he promised on a camping trip. Even with that and the staffing increases that he is asked for, to stuff when it comes to many, it is difficult. They have opened positions that they have not been able to help. It is tricky to predict what will happen. What is on the table is more modest.President Trump all but promised a pardon for the Sheriff last night. Remind us why the sheriff needs a pardon.He was convicted in a federal court or convict of flagrant violation quarter which ordered him to stop racially profiling Latinos in Arizona. That is assuming that drivers because they were Latino should have to prove citizen status. It is important to note that this case has been portrayed through the Obama justice department as if it was a political witchhunt. It started in 2008 under the Bush administration. It was done by the civil rights division. This was not a political exercise. The reason that they undertook the investigation was because they were facing multiple lawsuits and multiple charges against him for flying in the vase of the arms. This is important because it speaks to whether people who are not citizens or racial minorities are protected by the Constitution or not. This is difficult. It is hard to parse this as a citizen and a scholar. It is difficult or the president to claim the rule of law and then pardon a law enforcement official before he has been sentenced. Basically, there will be no punishment for violating the order.If it goes through, what message does it send to law enforcement ?It is a bad message. It says that so long as they are with the president, they are above the law. I am not trying to be political but the case is important to note, this was the federal charge that really stuck to him. It is important. If you look at trials with police officers and you look at heart a screw, it is intent. By a large, we give officials huge latitude. We do not presume they a bad intent. Basically, a judge went out of her way to said that he willfully violated the court order and brag about it.For role of law questions, we have to look at this case seriously. He is not facing life in prison. He is facing six months.The president had strong words about NAFTA renegotiations saying he thought it should be scrapped. That is not the impression his administration has been given, is it?I am sure the president, you know, in this week or the near future, he will let on that this was a negotiating tactic. So far, they have not exactly as they had hoped at least from an aggressive position of defending what he perceives to be the U.S. interest. He is using tough talk to foresee parties theForce them to the table. Will work ?I do not think so. There is a trading party and 39 American states and half of the exports come from Mexico. So there is bigger interest here then the political rhetoric but it is important that we consider those issues that there is a lot at risk in jeopardizing a relationship.To change the subject, I want to ask you about a travel warning issued for areas in Mexico, including Acapulco. Why has this been issued ?It feels almost like a little bit late. The situation, the violence has been aspirating for a number of years. If you look at the Mexico peace, there is 31 states and the federal district. [ Indiscernible ] is located 29 out of 32. They are in a real crisis. It makes a certain sense that this date would issue a warning. If you look at [ Indiscernible ], it is complicated. This is largely peaceful. It seems like the change and status with the State Department had more to do with big high-profile shootouts were a couple of bystanders were wounded. It is important to note two things. Number one, the warning does not specify that foreigners have been the targets of these attacks. That is important. The State Department may backup. There is not evidence that foreigners are part of the targeting. That is important. The secondarily, it is important that we have a relative sense of danger. If you look at the homicide and violent crime rates on the American cities, the Mexican cities are in the norm. They are right there with American cities. If you are considering going to New Orleans, it has the same as some of these places like Tijuana. That is important. It is important to note that the State Department did not say you should not go. They did not issue the harshest travel warnings or update those with resorts are major tourist areas.I have been speaking with Ev Meade. Thank you.Think you. -- Thank you.
President Donald Trump opened his political rally in Phoenix with calls for unity and an assertion that "our movement is about love." Then he erupted in anger.
He blamed the media for the widespread condemnation of his response to violence at a Charlottesville, Virginia, protest organized by white supremacists. And he shouted that he had "openly called for healing, unity and love" in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy and had simply been misrepresented in news coverage.
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He read from his three responses to the racially charged violence — getting more animated with each one. He withdrew from his suit pocket the written statement he'd read the day a woman was killed by a man who'd plowed a car through counter-protesters, but he skipped over the trouble-causing part that he'd freelanced at the time — his observation that "many sides" were to blame.
That, as well as his reiteration days later that "both sides" were to blame for the violence that led to the death of Heather Heyer and two state troopers, led Democrats and many Republicans to denounce Trump for not unmistakably calling out white supremacists and other hate groups.
Trump also suggested he still intends to pardon former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who is awaiting sentencing in Arizona after his conviction in federal court for disobeying court orders to stop his immigration patrols. But he left little doubt that he wanted to do it. He said he'd aimed to avoid "controversy" by not immediately granting the pardon. But Trump also said, "I'll make a prediction: I think he's going to be just fine."
Of his media criticism, the president told the crowd of thousands shoehorned into the Phoenix convention center: "You know where my heart is. I'm only doing this to show you how damned dishonest these people are."
Well after his appearance had ended, Trump sent a tweet on his Twitter account saying: "Not only does the media give a platform to hate groups, but the media turns a blind eye to the gang violence on our streets."
Trump's broadside against the media, and the "fake news" he says is out to get him, was one of several detours he took from his prepared remarks at a rally where he was introduced by Vice President Mike Pence and other speakers appealing for unity and healing.
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The president unabashedly acknowledged that his own advisers had urged him to stay on message, and that he simply could not.
He went on to skewer both of Arizona's Republican senators, insisting that his coy refusal to mention their names showed a "very presidential" restraint. He said his aides had begged him, "Please, please Mr. President, don't mention any names. So I won't." Yet he'd clearly described Sen. John McCain as the reason Congress didn't repeal and replace the much-maligned Affordable Care Act, and he labeled Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake as "weak" on law enforcement and immigration.
He followed up Wednesday morning on Twitter, writing "Phoenix crowd last night was amazing - a packed house. I love the Great State of Arizona. Not a fan of Jeff Flake, weak on crime & border!"
As for how he would assist with the upcoming Herculean tasks facing Congress — passing tax reform, raising the debt ceiling, and agreeing on a budget — Trump offered little detail. He did threaten that if legislators force a government shutdown "we're building that wall," a reference to his campaign promise to close off the border with Mexico.
He also said he thinks the U.S. will "end up probably terminating" the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico "at some point," though he said he hasn't made up his mind.
"Personally, I don't think we can make a deal because we have been so badly taken advantage of," Trump said.
In the comfort of his most fervent fans, Trump often resurrects his free-wheeling 2016 campaign style, pinging insults at perceived enemies such as the media and meandering from topic to topic without a singular theme. This was Trump's eighth rally since taking office in January, and each event is attended by supporters screened by his campaign.
His comfort-level was apparent: As he discussed his responses to Charlottesville, he interrupted himself. "I didn't want to bore you. You understand where I'm coming from. You people understand."
Outside the rally, the divisiveness seen across the country was on display.
One man on a loudspeaker said the largely Latino protesters belong in the kitchen. A Trump opponent hoisted a sign depicting the president with horns. A day of noisy but largely peaceful protests turned unruly after his speech, as police fired pepper spray at crowds after someone apparently lobbed rocks and bottles at officers.
Trump is on a two-day trip to the west, which continues Wednesday with travel to an American Legion convention in Reno, Nevada. He began his Arizona visit Tuesday with a brief trip to the southern edge of the country, touring a Marine Corps base in Yuma that is a hub of operations for the U.S. Border Patrol.
