MTP EXCLUSIVE: COTTON: “NO CREDIBLE EVIDENCE OF THESE CONTACTS” BETWEEN TRUMP CAMPAIGN & RUSSIA, SAYS AG SESSIONS CAN MAKE CALL FOR SPECIAL PROSECUTOR

EXCLUSIVE: Cotton on ACA: “When we repeal Obamacare, we have to get it right”

EXCLUSIVE: Colorado Gov. Hickenlooper: “I’m getting close” to supporting marijuana legalization

NEW NBC NEWS/WSJ POLL: President Trump Holds Record Low Approval Rating

FEB. 26, 2017 — Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) exclusively joined “Meet the Press” this morning and disagreed with the call from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) for a special prosecutor to investigate Russian interference in the election: “There’s no allegations of any crime occurring … If we get down that road, that’s a decision that Attorney General Sessions can make at the time.”

“There’s no credible evidence of these contacts beyond anonymous sources in the media,” added Cotton.

The senator also reinforced the party’s promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act – not repair it: “Republicans won big victories because we promised to repeal Obamacare and to fix our healthcare system once and for all … It would not be keeping faith with the American people if we did not keep our word from those last elections.” Watch the full interview.

In an exclusive interview with moderator Chuck Todd, Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) said he doesn’t think it’s a clear-cut case for the federal government to shut down recreational marijuana businesses: “Our voters passed it 55-45. It’s in our constitution … It’s a sovereignty. The states have a sovereignty.”

The governor, who originally opposed marijuana legalization, noted he’s “getting close” to supporting it. Watch the full interview.

Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez, elected just yesterday, told Todd that voters heard the party’s 2016 message as “Vote for us because we’re not him.” “There’s an acute understanding that where we fell short is that we didn’t invest enough in those state parties,” said Perez. “We have to underscore that economic message.” Watch the full interview.

President Trump’s job approval rating stands at just 44 percent — a record low for a newly inaugurated commander-in-chief — according to new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll numbers debuted on the broadcast this morning.

Read the full transcript of this morning’s “Meet the Press.” Miss the show? Catch up in less than two minutes.

For more from moderator Chuck Todd throughout the week, watch MSNBC’s “MTP Daily” weekdays at 5 p.m., and subscribe to “1947: The Meet The Press Podcast” for on-demand interviews.

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