♪ ♪ opossum.>>> good morning. welcome to a special holiday edition of "morning joe." how are you all doing today? feeling good? happy holidays. it's so fantastic. >> the whole specter of the christmas album. >> it's incredible. >> it's absolutely unbelievable. in fact we got it playing at home right now. it's not a merry christmas for phil. the next 40 or so won't be. >> no. >> but man, have you heard phil specter's christmas album? >> mike barnacle, brian shactman, john heileman. and in washington, sam stein is here with us. hi, sam. >> hello. >> all right. >> hello. how is your holiday season going, sam? >> going pretty well, i guess. how about for you? >> man, it's unbelievable. it really is. it's the best holiday season i've ever had in my life. it's because you're here, sam. let's talk about this next year. >> let's look ahead. >> let's look ahead. >> let's be forward thinking. let's lean forward. okay. >> that's a great idea. >> this year's session of congress will -- >> i'm sorry, go ahead. >> this year's session of congress will go down as one of the least lik