August 9, 2024

>> HELLO EVERYONE, WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR & CO" HERE IS WHAT IS COMING UP.

>> LET ME JUST SAY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER.

>> KAMALA HARRIS'S HISTORIC BID FOR THE WHITE HOUSE, KENNEDY REACTS TO THE RACIST ATTACKS ON THE VICE PRESIDENT.>>> AND, THE SOUND OF DEFIANCE, MEMBERS OF THE AFGHAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA JOINED ME THREE YEARS AFTER THE RETURN OF THE TALIBAN.>>> WE COULD END UP WITH A MILITARY THAT MIGHT NOT BE AS SURVIVABLE IN A CONFLICT OF THE FUTURE.>> UNIT X, RAJ CHETTY SAYS HOW THE PENTAGON AND THE SILICON VALLEY IS TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF WAR.>>> IN REALITY, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE, MENTAL HEALTH ISRAEL AND IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.>> IMPORTED INSIGHT FROM THE MOST DECORATED OLYMPIAN OF ALL TIME, WE REVISIT THE CONVERSATIONS WITH MICHAEL PHELPS AND OTHER AMERICAN GOLD MEDALISTS.

>>"AMANPOUR & CO." IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT.

JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS, CANDACE KING WEIR, THE SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM, THE FAMILY FOUNDATION OF LEILA AND MICKEY STRAUS, MARK J. BLECHNER, THE FILOMEN M. D'AGOSTINO FOUNDATION, SETON J. MELVIN, THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND, CHARLES ROSENBLUM, KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, JEFFREY KATZ AND BETH ROGERS, AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM EVERYONE, I'M BIANNA GOLODRYGA, SITTING IN FOR CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, JUST AS SOON AS THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN BEGAN NEARLY FOUR WEEKS AGO, SO DID THE UGLY OLD RACIST ATTACKS, STARTING WITH THE TOP OF THE GOP TICKET, DONALD TRUMP.

THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE QUESTIONS HIS RIVALS RAISE IN A SITDOWN INTERVIEW, HERE ARE THOSE SHOCKING COMMENTS.>> SHE WAS ALWAYS OF INDIAN HERITAGE AND SHE WAS ONLY PROMOTING INDIAN HERITAGE, I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WAS BLACK UNTIL A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN SHE HAPPENED TO TURN BLACK.

SO I DON'T KNOW, IS SHE INDIAN OR IS SHE BLACK?

>> VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS NO STRANGER TO THIS KIND OF UGLY RHETORIC, RESPONDED.

>> TODAY WE WERE GIVEN YET ANOTHER REMINDER, THIS AFTERNOON DONALD TRUMP SPOKE AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS.

AND IT WAS THE SAME OLD SHOW.

THE DIVISIVENESS, AND THE DISRESPECT, AND LET ME JUST SAY, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER.

>> RANDALL KENNEDY IS A LAW PROFESSOR AT HARVARD AND EXPERT ON THE HISTORY OF RACE AND POLITICS.

AND HE JOINS ME WITH HIS INSIGHTS FROM CAMBRIDGE.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, AS WE KNOW, YOU ARE A LEADING SCHOLAR AND HISTORIAN ON RACIAL POLITICS AND IT IS NOTABLE THAT IN YEAR 2021 BOOK, YOU WROTE THIS, I DO NOT EXPECT IN THE REMAINDER OF MY LIFE TO GLIMPSE, MUCH LESS ENJOY THE PROGRESSIVE RACIAL PROMISED LAND, AND HERE WE ARE, NOW WE HAVE KAMALA HARRIS, HALF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HALF INDIAN WHO WAS NAMED THE NEW DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE TO CHALLENGE DONALD TRUMP.

GIVEN THIS, DOES THAT PROGRESSIVE RACIAL PROMISED LAND THAT YOU SAID NOW LOOKED OUT OF REACH, IS IT ONCE AGAIN IN REACH IN YOUR VIEW?

>> I'M VERY HOPEFUL AT THIS MOMENT, I THINK THIS IS A MOMENT THAT IS FILLED WITH PROMISE.

WE HAVE A SITTING VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WHO IS A BLACK WOMAN, SHE IS NOW THE STANDARD BEARER FOR THE PRESIDENCY FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

SHE HAS A VERY GOOD CHANCE OF PREVAILING.

AND OF COURSE, THROUGHOUT AMERICAN LIFE, THERE ARE MANY EXAMPLES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, WHO ARE IN POSITIONS OF INFLUENCE, POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY, POSITIONS OF RESPECT, AND I THINK THAT BODES WELL FOR OUR DEMOCRACY AND SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE PROMISE OF AMERICAN LIFE.

>> HER GENDER ASIDE, IT IS INTERESTING THAT JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO THERE WERE TRUE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT SHE COULD CARRY A TICKET AND NOW YOU SEE THE MOMENTUM THAT HAS BUILT AND MANY ARE COMPARING IT TO WHAT WE SAW IN 2008 WITH BARACK OBAMA'S CAMPAIGN, THUS FAR SHE HAS NOT SKIPPED A BEAT.

ARE YOU SURPRISED WITH HOW QUICKLY YOU HAVE SEEN A TURNAROUND IN CONFIDENCE IN HER LEADERSHIP?>> WELL, I THINK THAT SHE IS PROBABLY SURPRISING MANY PEOPLE, AS VICE PRESIDENT OF COURSE, SHE WAS NUMBER TWO, AND THAT POSITION ALWAYS PUTS SOMEBODY IN THE BACKGROUND BUT, IN THE TIME WHERE SHE HAS COME TO THE FLOOR, SHE HAS CERTAINLY SHINED, AND I THINK THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE DELIGHTED BY THE WAY IN WHICH SHE HAS UNITED HER PARTY AND IS PUTTING HERSELF FORWARD AS THE POSSIBLE LEADER OF THIS COUNTRY IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS.>> AND THE FACT THAT JOE BIDEN IS NO LONGER ON THE TICKET AND NOW WE HAVE KAMALA HARRIS ON THE TICKET, THAT SEEMS TO HAVE RATTLED DONALD TRUMP, AND HE HAS BEEN FORCED, IT APPEARS, TO GO BACK TO HIS OLD TRICKS, JUST LAST WEEK, AT A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS CONVENTION, HE ONCE AGAIN WENT THERE, SPECULATING ABOUT HER RACE, SUGGESTING THAT SHE IS NOT ACTUALLY A BLACK WOMAN, THAT SHE IS INDEED INDIAN AND WE KNOW THAT SHE IS BIRACIAL, SHE HAS NEVER HID FROM THAT FACT.

HER MOTHER WAS INDIAN, HER FATHER IS BLACK JAMAICAN AND HERE WAS DONALD TRUMP ONCE AGAIN DOING WHAT HE HAS DONE IN THE PAST.

ARE YOU SURPRISED TO SEE HIM GO THERE?>> NO, I WASN'T SURPRISED.

IT'S NOT THAT HE'S GOING BACK TO HIS OLD TRICKS, THIS IS PART OF HIS PROGRAM.

THIS IS PART OF HIS ONGOING RHETORIC.

HE HAS NEVER DEPARTED FROM HIS POLICY AND HIS PRACTICE OF RACIAL RESENTMENT.

HE HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL UNFORTUNATELY IN PUSHING RACIAL RESENTMENT.

BUT THAT IS WHAT HE IS DOING.

YOU MENTIONED BIRTHER IS HIM, OF COURSE THERE ARE TWO THINGS, NUMBER ONE, OF COURSE IT IS UNTRUE HIS CLAIM ABOUT FOR INSTANCE, FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA BEING BORN OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, IT IS UNTRUE AND PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW THAT.

BUT, PEOPLE SHOULD ALSO FASTEN A SECOND POINT THAT I DON'T THINK HAS GOTTEN ENOUGH ATTENTION, AND THAT IS THAT OUR CONSTITUTION DOES SAY THAT YOU CANNOT BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IF YOU WERE BORN ABROAD.

YOU HAVE TO BE A NATURAL BORN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

SEEMS TO ME THAT IS A BAD THING, AND I HOPE THAT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE THAT PART OF OUR CONSTITUTION WILL BE CHANGED BECAUSE THERE ARE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES WHO HAVE GIVEN THEIR ALL FOR THE UNITED STATES AND ANYBODY THAT IS A CITIZEN, NATURAL BORN, OR NATURAL, SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUY FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

>> ON THAT ISSUE, I WOULD LIKE TO PLAY SOME SOUND WE HAVE COMPILED, SOME OF DONALD TRUMP'S PREVIOUS STATEMENTS, QUESTIONING WHERE BARACK OBAMA WAS BORN AND THEN WE WILL TALK ON THE OTHER SIDE.

>> THE FACT IS, IF HE WASN'T BORN IN THIS COUNTRY, HE SHOULD NOT BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

THERE IS A REAL QUESTION ABOUT THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

>> THREE WEEKS AGO WHEN I STARTED, I THOUGHT HE WAS BORN IN THIS COUNTRY, NOW I HAVE A MUCH BIGGER DOUBT THAN I DID BEFORE.>> WHY DOESN'T HE SHOW HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE?>> WE KNOW THAT ULTIMATELY DID LEAD HIM TO SHOW HIS BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

I'M WONDERING IN TERMS OF HOW YOU THINK IS BEST FOR KAMALA HARRIS AND HER CAMPAIGN TO RESPOND TO THESE ATTACKS ONCE AGAIN, THESE SWIPES AT HER AND HER BACKGROUND, HOW MUCH EMPHASIS, HOW MUCH EFFORT SHOULD SHE PUT IN IN COMBATING THIS?>> WELL, IN MY VIEW, I THINK THAT SHE SHOULD BE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND I WOULD NOT ALLOW DONALD TRUMP RACIAL RESENTMENT TO MEYER HER CANDIDACY.

I THINK THAT SHE HAS GOT A LOT TO PROPOSE.

I THINK SHE HAS A WONDERFUL VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.

I THINK THAT SHE SHOULD PUSH THAT, SHE SHOULD PUSH THE POSITIVE.

AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THAT SHE SHOULD BE QUIET IN THE FACE OF THESE ATTACKS.

BUT, SHE SHOULDN'T SPEND ALL OF HER TIME RESPONDING TO HIS REMARKS, SHE SHOULD HOOK UP, GO FORWARD, BE POSITIVE AND APPEAL TO THE BEST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

>> PRIOR TO HER NOMINATION TO THE TICKET, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME, I GUESS CONCERN WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, THAT WHILE THE MAJORITY OF THE BLACK VOTE IN THE UNITED STATES WAS DEMOCRATIC, THAT WE HAD SEEN AN INCREASE OVER TIME, PARTICULARLY WITH BLACK MEN TO AT LEAST BE CURIOUS ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.

EVEN HE APPEARED TO BE WILLING THEM AND HEAR NOW THAT HIS OPPONENT IS KAMALA HARRIS, I CAN'T SEE HOW IN ANY OF HIS ATTACKS HE IS DOING ANYTHING TO BRING ON MORE BLACK VOTERS.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS, AND I'M RAISING THIS BECAUSE THERE IS NEW POLLING SUGGESTING THAT SINCE KAMALA HARRIS HAS BEEN NAMED TO THE TICKET, THAT SHE IS DRAWING MORE SUPPORT AMONG BLACK AMERICANS.

DO YOU THINK THERE WERE ANY INROADS THAT DONALD TRUMP WERE MAKING THAT IS NOW SHATTERED?

>> ANYBODY THAT LISTENS TO DONALD TRUMP SHOULD BE VERY AWARE OF HIS REACH, HIS WILLINGNESS TO TAP INTO RACIAL BIGOTRY.

SO, CERTAINLY, THE TARGETS OF RACIAL BIGOTRY IN THE UNITED STATES OUGHT TO BE TURNED OFF TO HIM.

THAT IS NUMBER ONE.

SECONDLY, I THINK THAT THERE HAS BEEN A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY, POSITIVE ENERGY UNLEASHED IN FAVOR OF KAMALA HARRIS, AND HER TICKET.

AND I THINK THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE.

AND I THINK THAT IS GOING TO CARRY HER OVER THE TOP.

I CERTAINLY HOPE SO.>> HOW DO YOU THINK SHE CAN CONTINUE THIS MOMENTUM NOW THAT THE VP PICK HAS BEEN NAMED AND THE TICKET IS IN PLACE?

>> I THINK THAT SHE SHOULD SIMPLY CONTINUE TO DO WHAT SHE HAS BEEN DOING, AND THAT IS TO SET FORTH VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD, VERY CLEARLY HER VISION FOR THE FUTURE, AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT THEY CARE ABOUT.

TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.

TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT JOBS.

TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT EDUCATION, MAKING EDUCATION MORE AFFORDABLE.

TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT MEDICAL CARE.

THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT, SHE SHOULD TALK WITH PEOPLE AND SHOW THAT HER POLICIES WILL BE BETTER FOR THEM THAN THE POLICIES OF THE TRUMP TICKET.

I THINK IF SHE DOES THAT AND IF SHE WILL DO THAT, AND I THINK SHE WILL PREVAIL.>> RANDALL KENNEDY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.

NOW, IT'S THE STUFF OF MOVIES, WHAT WILL WAGING WAR LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE?

OUR NEXT GUEST CAN TELL YOU, RAJ CHETTY INTEGRATED CUTTING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE MILITARY, THE BOOK IS CALLED UNIT X, HOW THE PENTAGON AND SILICON VALLEY ARE TRANSFORMING THE FUTURE OF WAR.>> THINK YOU, WELCOME TO THE SHOW.>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.>> RAJ, LET ME BEGIN WITH YOU, THERE IS A SCENE OF YOU PILOTING AN F-16 DURING THE IRAQ WAR, YOU ARE ON THE BORDER OF IRAQ AND IRAN, TELL ME ABOUT THE EPIPHANY YOU HAVE .

>> IT WAS MY FIRST DEPLOYMENT AND MY FIRST GLIMPSE OF REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW DIVERGENT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE'S WAY OF BUYING TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPING IT FOR THE COMMERCIAL WORLD, SO I'M DEPLOYED, OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT GROUND TROOPS OFTEN ON THE BORDER AND WE ARE FLYING IN A CIRCLE AND WHILE THE F-16 IS AN AMAZING AIRPLANE, AT THE TIME IT DID NOT HAVE A MOVING MAP GPS.

SO I COULDN'T LOOK AT THE SCREEN AND TELL YOU WHICH SIDE OF THE BORDER I WAS ON.

THAT SAME YEAR, WHILE I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THE JET, I COULD TAKE THE PREDECESSOR TO AN iPAD AND HAVE THAT IN YOUR CAR OR IN A CIVILIAN AIRPLANE I WAS LYING, SO MANY OF US IN THE SQUADRON HAD THESE PACKS IN THE READY ROOMS FOR PLAYING GAMES, SO WE WOULD STRAP THEM TO OUR LEGS AND FLY WITH THEM BECAUSE IT HELPED US STAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE.>> THEN YOU GO TO QATAR A DECADE LATER.

TELL ME HOW THINGS HAVE IMPROVED.

>> A DECADE LATER I HAD THE CHANCE TO VISIT WITH YOU WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL TRIP, THE COMMAND CENTER THAT RAN ALL THE AIR OPERATIONS FOR IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN AND SYRIA AND IT HAD REALLY CHANGED SINCE THE YEAR BEFORE WHEN I WAS IN UNIFORM, AND WE SAW A LOT OF DIFFERENT APPLICATIONS AND PROCESSES THAT PEOPLE WERE DOING.

THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS THE MOST INTERESTING, WHICH WAS HOW DO YOU PLAN WHERE A TANKER SHOULD BE TO GIVE GAS TO A FIGHTER JET?

AND THAT PLAN WAS BEING DONE ON A WHITEBOARD WITH MAGNETIC PUCKS AND DRY ERASE MARKERS, AND IT WOULD TAKE THIS TEAM OF OFFICERS 60 MAN HOURS PER DAY TO MAKE THAT PLAN.

SO THIS WAS ONE ON THAT VISIT, WITH THE HELP OF THE DEFENSE INNOVATION BOARD, WE SAID WE WOULD GO SOLVE.

SO WE BUILD SOFTWARE TO AUTOMATE THAT SYSTEM AND WHAT WE DISCOVERED AT THE END WAS BY USING THIS AUTOMATED SYSTEM, WE COULD SAVE THREE OR FOUR SCRAMBLES PER DAY.

WHAT THAT MEANS, BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WAS SO HARD TO TRANSFORM, EVERY TIME A SOLDIER CAME UNDER FIRE FROM AN ADVERSARY, THEY WOULD SCRAMBLE FIGHTERS TO PROTECT HIM.

THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO SCRAMBLE TANKERS AND THOSE TANKERS WERE SITTING AT BASES AROUND THE REGION.

IT SAVED THREE OR FOUR PER DAY, EACH ONE OF THOSE COST ABOUT $250,000, THE TOOL PAID FOR ITSELF IN A MATTER OF A WEEK.

BUT IT STARTED THIS REVOLUTION OF SOFTWARE FACTORIES AND AN EMPHASIS ON HOW IMPORTANT SOFTWARE IS FOR THE MILITARY.>> IT WAS A PART OF THE DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT, EXPERIMENTAL, AND CHRIS, YOU HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED WITH IT AS WELL, NOT FROM A MILITARY BACKGROUND, TELL ME HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED AND WHAT YOU THOUGHT ON THESE TRIPS WITH RAJ .

>> IN 2016, IT WAS SUCH A MOMENT IN TECHNOLOGY, YOU HAD COPIES LIKE AMAZON, COMPANIES LIKE APPLE AND MICROSOFT, AND WALTER, EACH OF THOSE COMPANIES HAD A MARKET CAPITALIZATION THAT WAS ITSELF BIGGER THAN THE ENTIRE U.S. DEFENSE INDUSTRY COMBINED.

WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE PENTAGON IS THAT THE LOCUS OF INNOVATION WHICH USED TO LIVE IN LABS AND OTHER MILITARY LABS A GENERATION AGO, IT HAS COMPLETELY SHIFTED TO THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR.

SO, SECRETARY CARTER WHO FOUNDED THE DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT RECOGNIZED THIS TREND, THIS GENERATIONAL SHIFT.

AND HE KNEW THAT FOR THE MILITARY TO KEEP ACCESSING THE BEST TECHNOLOGY IN THE WORLD, IT WOULD HAVE TO BECOME, IN HIS WORDS, A FAST FOLLOWER OF THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR.

AND SAID THE DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT WAS ESTABLISHED TO ACCESS THAT OTHER ECONOMY THAT IN 2016 WAS NOT DOING BUSINESS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.>> LET ME READ SOMETHING FROM THE MISSION THAT YOU ALL HAD WHEN YOU WERE HELPING TO FOUND THIS UNIT, THE MISSION TRANSFORMED THE CULTURE OF THE MOST BUREAUCRATIC ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD BY INFUSING ITS CLOGGED ARTERIES WITH THE NIMBLE DNA OF SILICON VALLEY.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE PENTAGON.

FIRST, WHY WERE THE ARTERIES SO CLOGGED?

>> I THINK THESE TWO WORLDS HAD DRIFTED, GIVEN THE ADVANCEMENTS OF TECHNOLOGY, SO THE SYSTEMS OF THE PENTAGON ARE REALLY GOOD FOR BUYING AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER, SOMETHING YOU ARE GOING TO KEEP FOR 50 YEARS AND YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PLANNING IS DONE WELL.

BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE ADVANCEMENTS OF SOFTWARE AND HOW FAST IT CHANGES, OUR IPHONES GET UPDATED ON A DAILY BASIS, OUR SYSTEMS WERE NOT BILLED FOR THAT.

AND THE REAL REASON BEHIND THAT IS, IF YOU THINK BACK TO THE 70s AND 80s WHEN WE WON THE COLD WAR, MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT R&D WAS THE LARGEST SOURCE OF INNOVATION IN THE WORLD, IT WOULD TRICKLE DOWN TO THE COMMERCIAL WORLD.

THAT COMPLETELY FLIPPED, AND BECAUSE OF THE HUGE CONSUMER MARKET FOR IPHONES, DRONES, COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY, SO ALL OF IT IS HAPPENING IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

OUR SYSTEMS NEEDED TO BE REFORMED TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT.

BUT, THERE'S ONE OTHER REALLY KEY THING, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THESE ARE HUMAN ENDEAVORS, THEY ARE PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES THAT NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.

WHEN SECRETARY CARTER CAME TO TALK ABOUT HIS DESIRE TO BUILD DIU IN THE VALLEY, IT IS THE FIRST TIME HE HAD COME IN 20 YEARS, THIS WAS AFTER THE EDWARD SNOWDEN REVELATIONS OF HOW OUR INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES WERE COLLECTING INFORMATION.

SO THERE WAS A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MISTRUST.

THAT WAS A PART OF OUR MISSION AS WELL, HOW WE BRING THOSE WORLDS TOGETHER, SO WE HAVE TO REBUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

>> I REMEMBER READING IN THE BOOK, THAT CONGRESS BECOMES A PROBLEM FOR YOU.

YOU GO TO THE HILL AND THEY SAY YOU ARE SPENDING THIS MONEY COMPANIES IN SILICON VALLEY, WHY DON'T YOU SPEND IT WITH INDIANA?

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH CONGRESS, DOES IT MAKE IT WORSE?>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS A CHALLENGE AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO SAY OTHERWISE.

SECRETARY CARTER FLIES ON THE AIR FORCE 2, SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN SILICON VALLEY COME TO THE UNVEILING, AND TWO DAYS LATER WE GET A PHONE CALL FROM A FRIEND OF OURS ON THE HILL THAT SAYS I HAVE SOME NEWS TO SHARE.

YOUR BUDGET HAS BEEN CUT.

AND WE SAID, WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HOW MUCH HAS IT BEEN CUT?

AND THAT'S THE THING, YOUR ENTIRE BUDGET HAS GONE AWAY, THE UNION IS BEING SHUT DOWN BY CONGRESS.

SO OUR FIRST TRIP TO WASHINGTON WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A VICTORY LAP, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MEETING WITH THE SERVICE CHIEFS AND SERVICE SECRETARIES TO FIGURE OUT THEIR TOP PRIORITIES.

AND INSTEAD, WE WERE MEETING WITH TWO STAFFERS ON THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE WHO HAD DECIDED FOR PETTY REASONS OF THEIR OWN THAT THEY WERE GOING TO MIX THE HIGH-PROFILE INITIATIVE TO GET BACK AT THE GUY.

THAT IS JUST ONE ILLUSTRATION OF HOW MUCH DIU HAD TO CUT AGAINST THE GRAIN NOT ONLY WITH CONGRESS BUT ALSO WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, MANY OF WHOM IN THE DEPARTMENT WERE SKEPTICAL THAT SILICON VALLEY COULD PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY THAT THEY COULD RELY ON IN WAR.>> ARE YOU WORRIED THAT TOO MUCH INNOVATION COULD LEAD TO HUMANS NOT BEING IN THE CHAIN SOMEDAY?

>> THAT IS A REALLY INTERESTING DEBATE, WHERE DOES THE LINE AS A.I.

AND AUTONOMY CONTINUE TO GROW?

AND THE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN PRETTY CLEAR FOR A LIFE OR DEATH DECISION, THERE IS ALWAYS A HUMAN IN THE LOOP.

BUT, YOU ALSO HIGHLIGHT A RAPID CHANGE IN HOW WARFARE AND HOW WE ARE GOING TO DETER WAR IS OCCURRING.

CHRIS AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT UKRAINE IN OCTOBER TO SEE FIRSTHAND HOW A DRONE WARFARE IS CHANGING OUR WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT CONFLICT.

FOR EXAMPLE, JUST RECENTLY, IT WAS REVEALED THAT WE HAD SENT 31 BATTLE TANKS TO UKRAINE, THESE ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SOPHISTICATED TANKS IN THE WORLD.

AND 25% OF THEM HAD BEEN DISABLED BY KAMIKAZE BRANDS SO THEY HAD TO WITHDRAW ON THEM FROM THE FRONT LINES.

SO HERE IS A SITUATION, SINCE WORLD WAR I, MECHANIZED ARMORED WARFARE HAS BEEN OUR MAINSTAY AND NOW CHEAP LOW CLASS DRONES ARE CHALLENGING THAT.

SO WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO RETHINK HOW WE FIGHT AND WHETHER THE RIGHT TOOLS THAT WE ARE GOING TO EQUIP OUR MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM WITH.

>> SUPPOSE YOU WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT USED VISUAL AND FACIAL RECOGNITION AND PATTERN RECOGNITION AND IT WAS 10 TIMES MORE ACCURATE THAN A HUMAN PUSHING A BUTTON.

DO YOU THINK WE SHOULD GO TO ALL AUTONOMOUS WARFARE?>> THESE ARE CHALLENGING QUESTIONS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, IF AUTONOMY IS GOING TO LOWER COLLATERAL DAMAGE, IT IS GOING TO MAKE US MORE ACCURATE.

THOSE ARE ALL GOOD THINGS.

SO, HOW DO WE INCORPORATE THAT, YET STILL HAVE HUMANS ULTIMATELY MAKING THE DECISION?

LOOK, THE OTHER THING IS OUR ADVERSARIES, THEY HAVE A VOTE IN THIS MATTER, TOO.

SO, IF A POTENTIAL ADVERSARY IS USING THIS TECHNOLOGY AND THEY ARE USING IT DIFFERENTLY THEN WE ARE, HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THAT AND HOW DO WE DO IT WHERE WE MAINTAIN OUR AMERICAN LIBERAL WESTERN VALUES YET DETERRING CONFLICT?

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND TECHNOLOGY AND WARFARE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND THIS IS WHERE THINGS LIKE THE DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT WILL HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.>> CHRIS, AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN UKRAINE, ALL OF THE COMMERCIAL SATELLITES GET TOTALLY WIPED OUT BY THE RUSSIANS, EXCEPT FOR SPACE X, AND SUDDENLY YOU ARE DEPENDING IN UKRAINE ON A PRIVATE COMMERCIAL COMPANY THAT DOES IT BETTER.

IS THAT A GOOD OR BAD THING, TO HAVE TO SAY WAIT, WE DON'T NEED BOEING AND LOCKHEED, THESE COMPANIES CAN DO IT BETTER.

>> WELL, IT CERTAINLY IS A THING, AS YOU WRITE IN YOUR BIOGRAPHY ON ELON MUSK, THE FACT THAT A COMPANY LIKE STAR LINK CONTROLLED A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS NOW MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT WHO TO EXTEND SERVICE TO AND WHO NOT TO EXTEND SERVICE TO IS A NEW REALITY IN THE WORLD.

AGAIN, THIS IS A PART OF THE SHIFT THAT WE CONFRONTED FIRSTHAND OF THE TECHNOLOGY ECOSYSTEM MEANT TO SERVICE THE CONSUMER MARKET JUST EXPLODING IN SIZE.

SO INCREASINGLY, IT IS GOING TO BE COMPANIES LIKE SPACE X, LIKE THE NEW BREED OF DEFENSE UNICORNS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PRODUCING REALLY POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL BE CENTRAL TO HOW THE U.S. MILITARY DEFENDS THE COUNTRY.>> LET ME PUSH BACK ON THAT BECAUSE I READ IN YOUR BOOK WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THESE GRANTS GOING OUT, INSTEAD OF GOING TO ALL THESE STARTUP COMPANIES, MOST OF THE GRANTS ARE GOING TO THE BIG BLOATED, OLD DEFENSE CONTRACTORS DOING COST PLUS THINGS, LIKE LOCKHEED.

>> YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HAS A LONG WAY TO GO.

AT ONE LEVEL IT HAS MADE VERY IMPRESSIVE STRIDES, EVEN THE LAST 12 MONTHS BY ELEVATING THE UNIT WE USED TO SERVE WITH, THE DEFENSE UNIT TO DIRECTLY REPORT TO THE SECRETARY, CONGRESS ENSHRINED ITS MISSION IN LAW, THE BUDGET DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT IS NOW $1 BILLION PER YEAR WITH EVEN MORE MONEY BEING SPENT ON IT THROUGH THE REPLICATOR INITIATIVE, THE MOST IMPORTANT INITIATIVE STARTED BY LLOYD AUSTIN TO DEVELOP AUTONOMOUS DRONES.

BUT, YOU ARE RIGHT, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE BUDGET IS ACTUALLY GOING TOWARDS NEW SYSTEMS RATHER THAN LEGACY SYSTEMS, IT IS STILL A SMELLY FALL -- FAIRLY SMALL FRACTURE.

WE ARE AT RISK AS A COUNTRY BECAUSE IF WE ARE SPENDING MOST OF OUR MONEY ON THINGS LIKE TANKS WHICH CAN BE DEFEATED BY LOW-COST DRONES, OR FOR THAT MATTER, AIRCRAFT CARRIERS WHICH AS WE KNOW ARE AT INCREASING RISK OF BEING DEFEATED BY WEAPONS LIKE HYPERSONIC MISSILES, WE COULD END UP WITH A MILITARY THAT MAY NOT BE AS SURVIVABLE IN A CONFLICT IN THE FUTURE.

PEOPLE LIKE RAJ AND ME AND THE PEOPLE AT THE DEFENSE INNOVATION ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT HOW THE DEFENSE BUDGET CONTINUES TO SWING TOWARDS THIS NEW GENERATION OF COMPANIES AND WEAPON SYSTEMS AND HOW MUCH OF IT SWINGS AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL WEAPON SYSTEMS THAT FOR YEARS WE HAVE PROCURED.>> YOU TALK ABOUT THE CIVIL MILITARY INTEGRATION THAT HAPPENS IN CHINA, ARE THEY DOING IT BETTER?

>> THEY ARE BEING MORE DIRECTIVE.

CHINA CAN GO TO ANY START UP AND SAY YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A CCP MEMBER ON YOUR BOARD, BUT THAT IS NOT HOW WE DO BUSINESS IN AMERICA.

OUR VERSION OF CIVIL MILITARY FUSION IS WORKING CLOSER WITH PLACES LIKE SILICON VALLEY.

PUTTING THOSE COMPANIES UNDER CONTRACT AND TRYING TO INCORPORATE THAT TECHNOLOGY.

AND REALLY, I THINK THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF FREE FLOW OF CAPITAL, TALENT, IS REALLY HOW WE WIN AND WE DOUBLE DOWN ON THAT.

I THINK WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THAT WITH GENERATIVE A.I.

AND THE RISE OF THOSE GREAT COMPANIES HERE AND NOT IN RUSSIA OR CHINA.>> WHAT IMPLICATIONS DO THESE DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO DEFENSE INNOVATION HAVE IN RELATION TO OUR COMPETITION WITH CHINA AND ESPECIALLY THE FACT THAT SO MANY CHIPS ARE MADE IN TAIWAN?

>> WELL, IT NEEDS TO BE SAID THAT WARS ARE FOUGHT WITH STEEL AND IT IS VERY CLEAR TODAY THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE FOUGHT WITH SILICONE.

IT IS A MAJOR SECURITY VULNERABILITY IN THE UNITED STATES, THE ONLY ADVANCED CHIPS WE USED TO POWER, THE AUTOMOBILES, PHONES, COMPUTERS ARE MADE ESSENTIALLY IN A SERIES OF FABS THAT EXIST ON THE EAST SIDE OF TAIWAN FACING CHINA 70 MILES OFF THE CHINESE COAST.

THAT IS A GREAT WORRY, IT IS THE REASON WHY THE U.S. HAS PASSED THE CHP ACT, SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON AS A NATION TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS NOT JUST TAIWAN THAT HAS THE CAPACITY TO MAKE THE MOST ADVANCED CHIPS.

>> AND I WILL ADD TO THAT, AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS COMPETITION AND THIS SUPPLY CHAIN AND MANUFACTURING, THIS IS WHERE HAVING FRIENDS IS IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ALLIES IN EUROPE, ASIA, AND I THINK DOUBLING DOWN ON THOSE IS NOT JUST FROM A MILITARY STANDPOINT BUT ALSO FROM A MANUFACTURING STANDPOINT, WILL ALLOW US TO MEET THIS CHALLENGE AND CONTINUE TO PREVAIL.>> ARE WE INTEGRATING GENERATIVE A.I.

INTO OUR WEAPONS SYSTEMS FAST ENOUGH?

>> WE ARE BEGINNING TO, THERE IS A TASK FORCE IN THE PENTAGON THAT IS WORKING VERY HARD TO EXPERIMENT WITH GENERATIVE A.I.

HOWEVER, THE WHOLE REASON WHY ASH CARTER CREATED THE DEFENSE UNIT IS BECAUSE THE MILITARY ESSENTIALLY MISSED EVERY LAYER OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE 2010S, IT MISSED THE CLOUD COMPUTING, IT MISSED THE SHIP TO MOBILE, IT ALSO MISSED THE RISE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COMPUTERS COULDN'T EVEN RUN AN A.I.

PROGRAM BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T ROBUST ENOUGH.

SO I THINK WE HAD TO WATCH VERY CLOSELY WHETHER THE DEPARTMENT IS GOING TO TAKE GENERATIVE A.I.

UP AGGRESSIVELY.

AND THE REASON WHY THEY MUST, THIS IS THE ONE ADVANTAGE OUR NATION HAS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, CHINA, RUSSIA, IRAN CAN TAKE HARDWARE AND BUILD AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS AND IN FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT CHINA'S MANUFACTURING BASE, IT IS MANY TIMES THE SIZE OF ANY U.S. MANUFACTURING BASE COMBINED WITH THE EUROPEAN AND THAT OF OUR ALLIES, SO IT IS GOING TO BE OUR COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE?

IT IS GOING TO BE GENERATIVE A.I.

AND INTEGRATING THAT IN BETTER WAYS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.>>> AS THE PARIS OLYMPICS COME TO A CLOSE, WE WANT TO LOOK BACK AT CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR'S INTERVIEWS, FIRST THE MOST DECORATED OF ALL TIME, MICHAEL PHELPS, IF YOU KNEW THAT THE STAR SWIMMER WAS DEEPLY STRUGGLING WITH HIS MENTAL HEALTH, MICHAEL PHELPS IS NOW A PROUD ADVOCATE OF THERAPY AND WE ASKED ABOUT IT IN EARLY 2022 POINT >> I HAD STRUGGLES THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, SOME OF THE SCARIEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE, JUST AGAIN, THE UNCERTAINTY AND FOR ME, I'M VERY FORTUNATE THAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BUILD MY NETWORK THAT I CAN KIND OF REACH TO WHEN I GO THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME.

I THINK WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE OPEN UP ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE MENTAL HEALTH ON THE FOREFRONT OF A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEVER SAW BEFORE.

AND I THINK IT HAS BEEN PRETTY INCREDIBLE TO SEE THE MOVEMENT, TO SEE THE MOVEMENT GROW, BUT ALSO BEING ABLE TO SHARE THE STORIES AND READ THE STORIES WE ARE HEARING.

THAT IS THE BIGGEST WAY WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HELP ONE ANOTHER TO GET THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.

MY DARK DAYS LOOK LIKE DARK DAYS, LOOK LIKE I WANT TO CLIMB INTO A BLACK HOLE AND BE LEFT ALONE.

AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I FEEL LIKE I AM ALL ALONE, BUT IN REALITY, WE KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE.

MENTAL HEALTH IS REAL AND IT IS OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.>> YOU HAVE A FOUNDATION, YOU EVEN SAID THAT IT MIGHT BE MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN WINNING ALL OF THOSE OLYMPIC MEDALS IF YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE GO THROUGH THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAT YOU WENT THROUGH, AND TOO OFTEN ARE DISMISSED AND NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND HOW THAT COMPARES FOR YOU AGAINST BEING THE GREATEST, OR THE MOST HEAVILY DECORATED OLYMPIAN OF ALL TIME.

>> FOR ME, I THINK IT IS AS EASY AS SAVING A LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WINNING A GOLD MEDAL.

I WAS ABLE TO WIN A GOLD MEDAL WHILE STRUGGLING THROUGH THE DARKEST POINTS OF MY LIFE.

I REALIZED THAT I WASN'T ALONE AND THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE GOING THROUGH THE SAME EXACT THING.

SO, YEAH, I THINK IT IS JUST UNDERSTANDING THAT IT IS REAL, THAT IS THE BIGGEST THING.

BECAUSE I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE TRY TO BE THERE AUTHENTIC SELF EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I TRY TO DO IN MY MISSION EVERY DAY BECAUSE, I LOOKED AT MYSELF AS STRICTLY AN ATHLETE AND NOT A HUMAN BEING.

AND FOR ME, GOING TO DO THE WORK THAT I HAVE DONE, I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT MY EMOTIONS AND MY FEELINGS AND KIND OF NURTURE THEM.>> SIMONE BILES WENT TO PARIS IN SEARCH OF A COMEBACK AND TO NOBODY'S SURPRISE, SHE PULLED IT OFF, SCORING A GOAL FOR TEAM USA AND A GOLD IN THE INDIVIDUAL ALL- AROUND.

WE ALL REMEMBER THAT STUNNING MOMENT DURING THE TOKYO OLYMPICS WHEN SHE WITHDREW FROM THE COMPETITION.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR SPOKE JUST AFTER THAT WITH HER FORMER TEAMMATE , A FORMER GOLD MEDALIST.>> IT IS REALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR SOMEBODY THAT HAS BEEN CALLED THE GREATEST GYMNAST OF ALL TIMES TALK ABOUT HOW SHE COULDN'T ACTUALLY PERFORM WHAT SHE WAS TRYING TO PERFORM.

TELL US HOW THAT HAPPENED FOR SOMEBODY OF THAT EXPERIENCE, AT THAT LEVEL UNDER THAT PRESSURE, SOMEBODY WHO IS TRAINED FOR THAT.>> YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT SIMONE BILES IS HUMAN AND EVERY SINGLE ATHLETE, NO MATTER HOW SUCCESSFUL THEY ARE, THEY HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS AND EVERY ATHLETE HAS PERFORMANCES THAT THEY LOOK BACK THEY WISH THEY DID BETTER.

BUT TO BE HONEST, GETTING LOST IN THE AIR, THAT IS ACTUALLY VERY COMMON FOR GYMNASTS AND IT WOULD HAPPEN TO ME SOMETIMES IN MY GYMNASTICS CAREER.

IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT IT HAPPENED AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANYTHING, I'M CURIOUS WHENEVER SHE IS READY TO SHARE, IF SHE CAN THINK ABOUT WHY SHE GOT LOST.

SOMETIMES THERE'S NO REASON BEHIND IT, SOMETIMES YOU JUST GET A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED IN THE AIR.

I THINK GYMNASTICS IS ONE OF THOSE SPORTS WHERE SOMEONE LIKE SIMONE BILES MAKES IT LOOK EASY BUT IT IS ACTUALLY VERY DIFFICULT.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT SHE IS DOING, SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU ARE IN THE AIR AND YOU LOSE TRACK OF THINGS, IT GETS A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING.

SO IT IS IN FACT VERY COMMON, I THINK IT JUST SHOWS UNFORTUNATELY THAT EVEN THE BEST ATHLETES IN THE WORLD HAVE GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS AND I COMMEND HER FOR HER BRAVERY AND SPEAKING UP AND DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR HER AND WHAT SHE FELT WAS RIGHT FOR THE TEAM.

IT'S NOT EASY, BUT EVEN THE GREATEST ATHLETES OF ALL TIME, THEY ARE NOT PERFECT AND THEY ARE HUMAN, TOO.>> NOW TO TENNIS, SERENA WILLIAMS WON 23 GRAND SLAM TITLES AS WELL AS FOUR OLYMPIC MEDALS IN HER CAREER, BUT PERHAPS THE GREATEST CHALLENGE IS KNOWING WHEN TO SAY GOODBYE.

CHRISTIANE SPOKE WITH WILLIAMS IN 2022, SHE WAS CHASING THE ELUSIVE GRAND SLAM TITLE, WHILE ALREADY PLANNING HOW TO EVOLVE BEYOND TENNIS.

>> ARE YOU STILL COMMITTED TO BEATING THAT RECORD AND BEATING MARGARET GORDON AND GETTING THE MAGIC 24?

>> YOU KNOW, I'M COMMITTED TO ME RIGHT NOW, I LOVE TENNIS AND I LOVE WHAT I DO, AND RIGHT NOW I HAVE TO COMMIT TO ME, AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I DON'T KNOW, I STILL PLAY TENNIS OBVIOUSLY AND I STILL TRAIN, BUT I THINK I'M THE KIND OF PERSON WHO IS LIKE, WELL I SHOULD'VE AT 30 OR 32, THAT IS HOW I LOOK AT IT.>> SO, YOU FEEL YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT.

>> I HAVEN'T, OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE, THAT'S JUST HOW IT IS.

I DON'T KNOW.

I SHOULD HAVE HAD IT, REALLY, I HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES BUT I'M NOT GIVING UP, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.

>> THAT IS AMAZING, BECAUSE YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH SUCH A LOT, YOU COULDN'T TAKE PART IN THE AUSTRALIAN BECAUSE OF INJURY.

WILL YOU BE AT PARIS?

>> PARIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITIES AND I ACTUALLY LOVE THE PLACE.

SO WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

HOPEFULLY, IF MY BODY IS HOLDING UP, THEN I WILL DEFINITELY BE THERE.>> I'M ASKING YOU THIS QUESTION, BUT DOES IT BUM YOU OUT, THAT PEOPLE PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE, IS IT UNREASONABLE?

DO YOU THINK YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH OF PEOPLE ASKING YOU THIS QUESTION ABOUT THE RECORD?

>> PRESSURE IS A PRIVILEGE.

WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE, HAVING SOMEONE ASK ABOUT NO RECORD?

AND I THINK THAT IS A PRIVILEGE.

I WOULD RATHER YOU ASK ME THAT, TO BE CLEAR, ANY DAY, ANYONE IS ALLOWED TO ASK ME THAT ANY DAY AS OPPOSED TO THE ALTERNATIVE OF HAVING THREE OR SIX OR 10 OR 15.

YOU KNOW?

SO, I ENJOY IT.

>> GOOD.

>> LAST, U.S. SOCCER STAR, MEGAN RUFFINO, SHE HAS BEEN USING HER STARDOM TO FOCUS ON EQUITY, AS SHE TOLD CHRISTIANE DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE PANDEMIC IN 2020, JUST FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD.>> I DESCRIBED YOUR ACTIVISM AND YOUR CAMPAIGN FOR JUSTICE, AND YOU ARE HITTING THIS MOMENT IN A VERY VISIBLE AND DETERMINED WAY.

IS THAT RIGHT?

IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW YOU FOR NOW?>> THAT'S NOT REALLY WHAT I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW ME FOR, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.

DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AND DO AS MUCH OF IT AS YOU CAN, I'M CLEARLY VERY LUCKY TO HAVE A PLATFORM TO PLAY FOR THE UNITED STATES AND TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON SOME OF THESE ISSUES, SO I HAVE PERSONALLY FOUND IT INTERESTING AND THIS IS THE STUFF I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT, BUT REALLY I THINK AT THE HEART OF IT, I THINK THAT WE CAN LIVE IN A MORE FAIR AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY.

I THINK THAT WE CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE AND I THINK WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE PARTICULARLY WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T THINK WE HAVE TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD.

I THINK IT CAN BE BETTER, SO FOR ME, I TRY TO USE ALL OF THE RESOURCES OR PLATFORMS OR MICROPHONE IF IT IS GIVEN TO ME TO DO WHAT I CAN TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE.>> WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE IN LOCKDOWN FOR YOU?

YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TRAIN, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF SPORTS PEOPLE.

HOW ARE YOU COPING WITH LOCKDOWN?

>> IT IS VERY STRANGE.

I THINK PRETTY MUCH SINCE I WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE, I HAVE BEEN ON A YEARLY SCHEDULE, AND I'M 35 YEARS OLD NOW SO SOMEONE COULD DO THE MATH ON THAT.

I THINK VERY EARLY ON, I TRIED TO JUST TAKE THE APPROACH OF THE ATTITUDE OF WHAT CAN WE DO, I WASN'T GOING TO STRESS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO TRAIN OR PLAY GAMES, THAT OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

SO WITH TECHNOLOGY, WITH THE CAPACITY OF THE PLATFORM THAT I HAVE, WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE OUR VOICE HEARD OR TO HELP OUT IN SOME WAY, SOMETIMES IT IS PROVIDING COMEDIC RELIEF, SOMETIMES IT IS SPEAKING UP ABOUT THE RACIAL INJUSTICE AND THE PROTESTERS IN THE STREETS AND SUPPORTING THEM.

AND NOW THE TV SHOW WHICH I'M VERY LUCKY TO HAVE, BUT I THINK IT WAS JUST LIKE, NOBODY CAN CONTROL THIS MOMENT RIGHT NOW SO HOW DO YOU MAKE THE BEST OF IT AND JUST TRY TO STAY LEVELHEADED THROUGH IT ALL.>> AND FINALLY, NEARLY THREE YEARS SINCE THE TALIBAN AND CAME BACK INTO POWER, THE OPPRESSIVE REGIME HAS CRACKED DOWN ON A NUMBER OF CIVIL LIBERTIES INCLUDING MUSIC.

SILENCING THOSE WHO PLAY AND ENJOY IT.

MEMBERS OF THE AFGHAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA SOUGHT REFUGE IN PORTUGAL AND ARE NOW RETURNING TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT, PERFORMING AT CARNEGIE HALL AND THE KENNEDY CENTER IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THIS WEEK.

>> [MUSIC] >> THE GROUP'S FOUNDER AND TWO YOUNG MUSICIANS JOIN ME TO SHARE WHAT MUSIC MEANS TO THEM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THE LAST TIME YOU AND I SPOKE, THINGS WERE VERY DARK, OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS THE RETURN OF THE TALIBAN, THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANT FOR YOUR SAFETY, FOR THE FUTURE OF MUSIC AND THE ORCHESTRA IN THE COUNTRY.

LET'S START ON A POSITIVE NOTE, AND THAT IS THAT YOU ARE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, IN NEW YORK, YOU ARE PLAYING FOR CARNEGIE HALL AND IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AS WELL AT THE KENNEDY CENTER.

THE LAST TIME YOU WERE THERE WAS IN 2013.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE BACK?

>> IT IS VERY EXCITING TO BE BACK IN THE UNITED STATES, AND ALSO TO PLAY IN THIS PRESTIGIOUS VENUE.

WHICH IS GREAT AS A MUSICIAN TO BE THERE BUT IT IS ALSO VERY SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF SHARING THIS AFRICAN MUSIC WITH YOUNG MUSICIANS.

WE GIVE A WONDERFUL PLATFORM FOR YOUNG MUSICIANS TO PLAY TOGETHER AND MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER.

IT IS THE WORLD THAT WE SHOULD SEE, LIVING IN PEACE AND HARMONY, AND IN HAPPINESS.

BUT FOR US, COMING FROM OUR HISTORY, IT IS NOT ONLY AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH MUSIC IN AFGHANISTAN, WHAT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE MUSIC OF THE AFRICAN PEOPLE AND MORE PRECISELY, THE WOMEN'S RIGHTS OF AFGHANISTAN.

TODAY, APARTHEID IS TAKING PLACE IN AFGHANISTAN, THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN ONCE AGAIN FACING A CULTURAL GENOCIDE.

ARTS AND CULTURE IS IN DANGER OF BECOMING OBSOLETE IN MY COUNTRY.

BUT, HERE, TO PLAY AT CARNEGIE HALL, WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL ENSEMBLE OF SOLIDARITY, WITH THE WORLD AND WITH AFRICAN PEOPLE AND WOMEN, TO SHOW THE BEAUTY, TO SHOW THE HOPE AND TO SUPPORT PEOPLE.>> YOU ARE 15 YEARS OLD, YOU PLAY THE TRUMPET, TELL US WHAT THIS MOMENT IS LIKE FOR YOU NOW TO BE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND TO PLAY IN THESE TWO PRESTIGIOUS VENUES.

>> IT IS A VERY BIG PLEASURE FOR ME, TO PLAY AT CARNEGIE HALL, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT .

WE HEAR ALL OF THE MUSICIANS PLAYING AND IT WAS INSPIRING FOR US, AND THEY ARE HAPPY TO PLAY AT CARNEGIE HALL AND SHARE OUR MUSIC FOR THE WORLD AND BEING THE VOICE OF THE COUNTRY.

FOR ME, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY AT CARNEGIE HALL AND TO PLAY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CAN'T RAISE THEIR VOICE.>> SHE JUST SAID SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL AND SO TRAGIC AT THE SAME TIME, TO BE THE VOICE OF A COUNTRY WITHOUT MUSIC, THAT CLEARLY WASN'T ALWAYS THE CASE IN AFGHANISTAN, YOU ARE 16 YEARS OLD AND YOU PLAY THE VIOLIN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR YOU AS AN AFGHAN?>> OF COURSE, MUSIC IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING.

IT IS JOY, LOVE, EVERYTHING FOR US.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP OUR MUSIC, WE SHOULD KEEP OUR MUSIC AND IT IS A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE, TO PLAY AT CARNEGIE HALL.

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF MUSICIANS AROUND THE WORLD, AND NOBODY HAS IT EASILY.>> YOU STARTED THE INSTITUTE, THE AFGHAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MUSIC IN 2010, WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE FOR YOU, THE MEANING OF THE INSTITUTE AT THE TIME?>> THE SCHOOL WAS ESTABLISHED IN POST- TALIBAN, FIRST POST-TALIBAN AFGHANISTAN, THEREFORE WE WANTED TO ASSIST AFGHANISTAN TO STAND ON ITS FEET, TO RESTORE THE MUSIC OF AFGHANISTAN ONCE AGAIN TO PROMOTE MUSIC AND CULTURE IN AFGHANISTAN.

BUT MOST IMPORTANT, TO USE THE POWER OF ISAAC TO UNITE THE AFGHAN PEOPLE, AND TO EMPOWER THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND MOST IMPORTANT, THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN NOT ONLY IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE AND MUSIC, BUT GENERALLY.>> WHEN DID YOU FIRST START PLAYING THE TRUMPET?

>> I STARTED PLAYING TRUMPET SINCE I WAS 19.>> WHAT DREW YOU TO THAT INSTRUMENT?

>> I DON'T KNOW, SOMEBODY OFFERED FOR ME TO PLAY TRUMPET, WHICH WAS MY COUSIN, SHE WAS ONE YEAR BEFORE ME THERE, SO OF COURSE I WANTED TO LEARN THE PIANO, BUT AFTER GETTING INTO MUSIC SCHOOL, I REALIZED THERE IS MORE THAT I CAN PLAY.

AND MY COUSIN OFFERED ME TO PLAY THE TRUMPET, AND I DECIDED TO PLAY THE TRUMPET SINCE THEN.>> WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO GIRLS AROUND THE WORLD, HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, WHO TAKE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY MUSIC FOR GRANTED AS JUST A GIVEN RIGHT.

IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS NOT A GIVEN RIGHT TO AFGHAN CITIZENS, IN PARTICULAR AFGHAN WOMEN.

>> FOR THEM, IT IS REALLY HARD TO LIVE IN AFGHANISTAN, THERE'S NO WORKING, NO MUSIC, NOTHING.

I THINK I WANT FOR AMERICAN WOMEN TO UNDERSTAND ALL WOMEN AND BE DIVERSE.

>> I KNOW THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR YOU, AND I ALSO KNOW THAT BECAUSE OF THE OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE IN PORTUGAL WHERE YOU HAVE MOVED AND THE INSTITUTE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THE COUNTRY TO ALLOW YOU TO CONTINUE WHAT YOU ARE DOING, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SEE HER FAMILY IN AFGHANISTAN.

YOU HAVE A TWO-YEAR-OLD SISTER WHO YOU HAVE NEVER MET.

CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY?>> MY FAMILY, IN AFGHANISTAN, I HAVE LIVED WITH MY COUSIN AND MY UNCLE, MY FAMILY IS A VERY OPEN FAMILY.

MY UNCLE IS AN ARTIST, SO IT WAS A GREAT -- HOW DO YOU SAY IT, IT WAS A HAPPY PLACE IN AFGHANISTAN WITH MY FAMILY.

>> I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M SO SORRY THAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH THIS, BUT YOU ARE SO BRAVE TO DO WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND YOU ARE SENDING SUCH A POWERFUL MESSAGE AND I BELIEVE YOUR FAMILY MUST BE VERY PROUD OF YOU, TOO.

WHEN THE TALIBAN CAME BACK IN 2021, I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WAS A VERY DARK DAY FOR YOU.

AND YOU PROBABLY KNEW THAT YOUR DAYS AS A MUSICIAN IN AFGHANISTAN WERE NUMBERED.>> YEAH.

I REMEMBER THOSE DAYS.

IT WAS VERY DARK DAYS.

AND WHEN THE TALIBAN TOOK TO AFGHANISTAN, WE ALL FELT SO SAD BECAUSE THE ONLY THING WE HAVE IS MUSIC.

THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO PLAY, AND THE ONLY HOPE THAT WE HAVE TWO RAISE -- TO PLAY MUSIC TO THE WORLD AND SHOW OUR MUSIC TO THE WORLD.

IT IS NOT EASY FOR US.

AND I REMEMBER, THE DAY THAT THE TALIBAN TOOK OVER, I WAS SHOCKED.

FOR A WEEK I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, AND IT WAS A VERY BAD SITUATION FOR US.

AND I THOUGHT WE CANNOT PLAY AGAIN.

WE CANNOT PLAY FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN.

IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE ISAAC IS IMPORTANT FOR US, IT IS ALL THAT WE HAVE.

WE ARE HERE FOR THE MUSIC AND WE ARE HERE BECAUSE OF THE POWER OF MUSIC.

AND THOSE WERE DARK DAYS THAT WE HAD.>> LET ME FINALLY ASK YOU BOTH A QUESTION, IT IS TWO QUESTIONS.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT PLAYING THE TRUMPET?

AND TWO, WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT AFGHANISTAN?>> MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT PLAYING THE TRUMPET IS HOW I CAN EXPRESS MYSELF THROUGH THE TRUMPET AND THE NOTES I PLAY, IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, HOW TO PUT YOUR FEELING INTO THE MUSIC, HOW TO EXPRESS THAT.

AND FOR THE SECOND QUESTION, I MISS A LOT, EVERYTHING IN AFGHANISTAN.

MY HOME, THE PEOPLE, MY FAMILY, EVERYTHING, SCHOOL.>> I MISS MY WHOLE LIFE ACTUALLY.

I REALLY LOVE MY FAMILY.

AND GETTING THE POWER TO TALK AND PLAY, AND THE VIOLIN IS SUCH A PRECIOUS THING FOR ME IN MY LIFE, AND I REALLY ENJOY PLAYING THE VIOLIN FOR PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

IT IS A PLEASURE FOR ME.

AND ABOUT AFGHANISTAN, I MISS TOO MANY THINGS.

I MISS OUR SCHOOL.

I REMEMBER THOSE DAYS, WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER IN THE SAME SCHOOL, WE WERE WORKING HARD FOR MUSIC, FOR THE MUSIC OF AFGHANISTAN.

WE PRACTICED AFTERSCHOOL.

WE HAD DIFFERENT ORCHESTRAS.

AND WE HAD MANY MUSIC STUDIOS AND TEACHERS, I MISS ALL OF THEM, I MISS THOSE DAYS THAT WE WORKED TOGETHER.

AND WE ARE HERE NOW, AND I MISS IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL I SPENT TIME WITH MY FRIENDS AND TEACHERS AND MUSICIANS, EVERYTHING.>> WELL, I WISH VERY MUCH THAT YOU GET TO GO HOME BACK TO AFGHANISTAN WITH YOUR FAMILY, AS A COUNTRY THAT YOU LOVE, TO PLAY THE MUSIC THAT YOU LOVE, WHERE YOU BELONG.>> THESE DARK DAYS WILL BE GONE.

AND AFGHANISTAN WILL BE LIVING IN PEACE ONCE AGAIN.>> WE LEAVE YOU WITH MORE OF THAT BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING, GOODBYE FROM NEW YORK.

>> [MUSIC]