Read Full Transcript EXPAND
TO AMANPOUR AND COMPANY.
HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.
WHENEVER YOU TRY TO USE THE DEATH PENALTY FOR SOME POLITICAL GOAL, YOU'RE GOING TO DO THINGS THAT ARE UNJUST.
TRUMP AND HIS PRESIDENCY WITH A SPREE OF EXECUTIONS.
I ASK EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE DIRECTOR STEVENSON ABOUT AMERICA'S CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.
THEN.
THE CAPITOL INSURRECTION THAT SHOOK THE WORLD.
I SPEAK TO CNBC ANCHOR AND FORMER FOX NEWS STAR SHEPHERD SMITH ABOUT THE ECO SYSTEM THAT ENABLED TRUMP AND RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY THEORIES.
THEN.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES, SO WE REALLY HAVE -- WE REALLY HAVE WORK TO DO.
WALTER ISACKSON SITS DOWN WITH FREDERICK AS HE LEAVES CONGRESS TO JOIN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
Announcer: AMANPOUR AND COMPANY IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY FUND.
SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.
THE CHERYL AND PHILIP MILLSTEIN FAMILY.
CANDACE KING WEIR.
THE STRAUSS FAMILY FOUNDATION.
BERNARD AND DENISE SCHWARTZ.
JEFFREY KATZ AND BETH ROGERS.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THESE FUNDERS.
AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE.
I'M CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR IN LONE.
SUN SETS ON THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY AND IT WILL RISE ON INAUGURATION DAY LIKE NONE OTHER.
THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE NO CROWDS AND NO PARADE.
INSTEAD A FIELD OF FLAGS ON THE NATIONAL MALL REPRESENTING AMERICANS UNABLE TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY AMID SECURITY AND HEALTH CONCERNS.
WITH THE COUNTRY STILL REELING FROM THE VIOLENT INSURRECTION ON CAPITOL HILL AND THE PANDEMIC STILL CLAIMING OVER A THOUSAND AMERICAN LIVES EVERY DAY.
MEANWHILE, ON THE WAY OUT, TRUMP BREAKS YET ANOTHER NORM, PAUSING EXECUTIONS DURING A PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION.
INSTEAD A WHOLE FRENZY OF EXECUTIONS ARE SWEPT THROUGH FEDERAL DEATH ROW.
13 SINCE JULY, THE MOST OF ANY PRESIDENCY IN 100 YEARS.
WHY THIS LEGACY?
CRITICS POINT TO THE DEEP RACIAL BIAS THAT PERMEATES CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, AND MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT CONTINUES TO FIGHT TIRELESSLY AGAINST THIS INJUSTICE.
HE'S BRIAN STEVENSON, A HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, A CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, AND THE FOUNDER OF THE EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE.
HE'S JOINING ME NOW FROM MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.
WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM, BRIAN.
I GUESS IT MIGHT SOUND STRANGE TO MARK THIS TRANSITION PERIOD IN THE WAY WE'RE DOING, BUT IT IS PRETTY EXTRAORDINARY THAT YET ANOTHER NORM, AND THIS ONE GOES RIGHT TO THE HEART OF LIFE AND DEATH.
YOU KNOW, FOR 17 YEARS NO FEDERAL EXECUTIONS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN 13 SINCE JULY.
WHY DO YOU THINK THIS HAS HAPPENED?
I THINK IT'S, IT'S JUST ONE MORE MANIFESTATION OF THIS REALLY RECKLESS DISPLAY OF POWER.
I THINK WE ARE LIVING AT A TIME WHERE UNCERTAINTY AND FEAR AND ANGER CAUSES PEOPLE TO ACT IN WAYS THAT ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE VALUES THAT MANY OF US UPHOLD.
YOU KNOW, THESE EXECUTIONS LAST WEEK, BOOK ENDED THE BIRTHDAY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
I CAN THINK OF NOTHING MORE THAT WOULD DISHONOR DR. KING THAN THESE SCHEDULED EXECUTIONS.
THEY COME AT A TIME WHEN OUR AWARENESS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE DEATH PENALTY HAS ACTUALLY INCREASED.
WE HAVE A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT TREATS YOU BETTER IF YOU'RE RICH AND GUILTY THAN IF YOU'RE POOR AND INNOCENT.
AND WE SEE THAT PLAYING OUT WITH PARDONS AND OTHER THINGS.
WE'VE CREATED A SYSTEM THAT IS VERY, VERY BIASED AGAINST PEOPLE OF COLOR.
THERE IS A PRESUMPTION OF DANGEROUSNESS AND GUILT THAT GETS ASSIGNED TO BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE, WHICH MEANS THEY'RE AT GREATER RISK OF WRONGFUL CONVICTION AND EXECUTION.
AND WITH ALL OF THAT KNOWLEDGE, AND THEN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT A THOUSAND AMERICANS ARE DYING A DAY FROM COVID, THOUSANDS HAVE DIED IN JAILS AND PRISONS, WE WOULD GRATUITOUSLY KILL SOMEONE I THINK SPEAKS TO THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS ABOUT OUR IDENTITY.
THE DEATH PENALTY ISN'T AN ISSUE THAT YOU CAN DECIDE OR EVEN EVALUATE BY ASKING WHETHER PEOPLE DESERVE TO DIE FOR THE CRIMES THEY COMMITTED.
THE THRESHOLD QUESTION IS DO WE DESERVE TO KILL.
AND AS A NATION OF 400,000 AMERICANS HAVE DIED, WHERE A THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE DYING EVERY DAY, OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS NOT PROVED THAT IT IS CAPABLE OF RELIABLE AND FAIR JUDGMENT.
WE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE EXECUTING PEOPLE AND I THINK IT IS A REAL TRAGEDY THAT MARKS THIS ADMINISTRATION'S LAST DAYS, THAT THESE EXECUTIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
AND, OF COURSE, THE UNITED STATES SADLY REMAINS AN OUTLIER IN THE WORLD WHEN IT COMES TO EXECUTIONS, BUT PARTICULARLY IN THE DEMOCRATIC WORLD, IN THE DEMOCRATIC WORLD WHERE IT IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CONTINUES.
AND AS I SAID, IT'S MORE THAN ANY PRESIDENT IN MORE THAN SIX DECADES HAS DONE THIS.
BUT WHAT I WANT TO ASK YOU FIRST IS THE CONSERVATIVE MAJORITY ON THE SUPREME COURT SIGNED OFF ON ALL OF THIS.
JUSTICE SONYA SOTOMAYOR, SHE WROTE THE DISSENT.
AND SHE SAID OVER THE PAST SIX MONTHS THIS COURT HAS REPETEDLY SIDE STEPPED ITS USUAL DELIBERATE PROCESSES OFTEN AT THE GOVERNMENT'S REQUEST, ALLOWING IT TO PUSH FORWARD WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED BREAK-NECK TIMETABLE OF EXECUTIONS.
AGAIN, THEN, BRIAN, YOU'VE BEEN STU STUDYING THIS AND WORKING AT IT SO LONG.
WHY SUCH A BREAK-NECK PACE?
I WANT TO ASK YOU WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE IN FOR IN THE FUTURE.
WELL, I THINK IT'S A VERY WORRISOME SIGN.
JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR ISSUED THE DESCENT SATURDAY NIGHT THAT WAS INCREDIBLY COMPELLING.
SHE SAID THIS IS NOT JUSTICE.
AND I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT TO WORRY ABOUT WITH THE COURT'S WILLINGNESS TO TOLERATE SOME OF THESE EXECUTIONS, THE LAST MAN EXECUTED HAD A COVID DIAGNOSIS.
AND HIS LAWYERS WERE ARGUING THAT IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO EXECUTE SOMEONE DEALING WITH THAT.
THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF TREMENDOUS RACIAL BIAS IN SOME OF THESE CASES.
ONE OF THE MEN HAD BEEN TRIED BY AN ALL-WHITE JURY, BY A PROSECUTOR WHO HAD A HISTORY OF EXCLUDING PEOPLE ON THE BASIS OF RACE.
THESE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT MIGHT HAVE JUSTIFIED A STAY BEFORE THIS CURRENT COURT.
AND I DO THINK ONE OF THE GREAT CHALLENGES WE ARE NOW GOING TO HAVE TO FACE IN THIS COUNTRY IS WHETHER WE CAN PERSUADE OUR COURTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY TRUMP APPOINTEES, TO MEET THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL OBLIGATIONS.
YOU KNOW, IN THE UNITED STATES FOR EVERY NINE PEOPLE WE'VE EXECUTED, WE'VE IDENTIFIED ONE INNOCENT PERSON ON DEATH ROW.
IT'S A SHOCKING RATE OF ERROR.
WE HAVE A DEATH PENALTY THAT MAKES A LOT OF MISTAKES.
NO ONE WOULD TOLERATE SELLING APPLES IF YOU KNEW THAT ONE OUT OF NINE APPLES, IF YOU TOUCH IT, WOULD TILKILL YOU.
NOBODY WOULD SELL IT.
WE WOULDN'T ACCEPT THAT RISK.
BUT OUR DEATH PENALTY SYSTEM CARRIES ON AND UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION CARRIED ON AT LIGHTNING PACE BECAUSE WE DON'T REALLY WORRY ABOUT THE MISTAKES.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN THAT THESE JUSTICES AND THESE COURTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY DEAL WITH.
AND I DO THINK IT'S A REALLY TRAGIC END TO A VERY DIFFICULT PERIOD, THAT THE UNITED STATES -- THE OTHER THING THAT THEY'VE DONE, CHRISTIANE, IN ADDITION TO THESE EXECUTIONS WHEN THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT GETTING THE DRUGS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THESE LETHAL INJECTIONS, THEY ACTUALLY ATTEMPTED TO JUSTIFY EXECUTION BY GAS CHAMBER AND BY FIRING SQUAD, AND THAT THE UNITED STATES IN 2021 WILL BE TRYING TO LEGITIMATE PUTTING PEOPLE IN GAS CHAMBERS AND EXECUTING THEM AS THE NAZIS DID AND CALL THAT DEMOCRACY AND JUSTICE, SPEAKS TO THE CRITICAL MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN AND WHY IT IS SO URGENT THAT WE HAVE A NEW CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO GO.
SO A NEW CONVERSATION, OBVIOUSLY PRESIDENT-ELECT TOMORROW, PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS HE WILL NOT CARRY OUT ANY OF THESE FEDERAL EXECUTIONS, AND CERTAINLY ALL OF THOSE -- NO MORE AND NONE OF THOSE CURRENTLY ON FEDERAL DEATH ROW WILL BE PUT TO DEATH UNDER HIS ADMINISTRATION.
BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR A POTENTIAL, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT IN THE YEARS AHEAD?
WELL, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS IS A VERY POWERFUL STATEMENT FOR WHY THE FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.
WE CANNOT TRUST POLITICIANS WHO WILL USE THE DEATH PENALTY IN THE WAY THIS PAST ADMINISTRATION HAS, TO MAKE A DISPLAY OF ITS POWER TO KILL.
TO MAKE THIS GROTESQUE SPECTACLE OF KILLING PEOPLE TO SHOW THAT IT STILL HAS SOME POWER.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY COMPELLING ARGUMENT FOR ABOLISHING THE FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY.
AND I THINK IT WOULD SEND THE RIGHT MESSAGE THAT WE NEED TO SEND TO STATES BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, EVEN THOUGH THE FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, WE'VE HAD 60 PEOPLE ON THE FEDERAL DEATH ROW.
THERE'S ANOTHER 3,000 ON DEATH ROWS ACROSS THE STATES.
AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT CAN DO AND WHAT THE CONGRESS CAN DO WILL NOT HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THOSE OTHER CASES.
AND SO A LOT OF US ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO ACTUALLY STAY COMMITTED TO REFORMING AND CORRECTING THESE SERIOUS PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
SO MANY, JUST THE DAY BEFORE THE LAST EXECUTION, A MAN IN MISSISSIPPI WAS EXONERATED AFTER BEING ON DEATH ROW FOR 26 YEARS, INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE BEING IDENTIFIED ALL THE TIME, AND YET WE KEEP EXECUTING PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MEET IN THE COMING YEAR.
NOW, EXPLAIN TO ME, YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP OFTEN TALKED ABOUT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.
HE HAD PROMINENT BLACK ACTIVISTS AND MEMBERS OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND WORKING WITH HIM ON THIS, ON THIS TOPIC.
WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF THAT?
PUT THAT IN CONTEXT.
WELL, WE'VE SEEN ALMOST NOTHING HAPPEN.
THE FIRST ACT WAS PASSED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN CONGRESS WITH DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT.
IT HAD A VERY, VERY MARGINAL IMPACT ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT WAS DIRECTED AT, AGAIN, FEDERAL PRISONERS.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT LESS THAN 10% OF THE PEOPLE IN JAILS AND PRISONS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM.
THE ADMINISTRATION DID NOTHING TO IMPACT THE HIGH RATES OF INCARCERATION THAT WE HAVE IN JAILS AND PRISONS.
THE PRESIDENT MADE LIP SERVICE ABOUT SEEING THE OPIOID ADDICTION AS A HEALTH PROBLEM, BUT DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO REVERSE THESE DECADES OF POLICIES WHERE WE SAID THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE ADDICTED OR DEALING WITH DRUG DEPENDENCY ARE CRIMINALS.
AND WE CRIMINALIZED ADDICTION AND DEPENDENCY.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE STILL IN OUR JAILS AND PRISONS, AND I THINK WE ACTUALLY LOST GROUND WITH ALL OF THIS RHETORIC ABOUT BEING TOUGH, AND USING VIOLENCE AND PUNISHMENT AS A WAY TO MANAGE THESE COMPLICATED HEALTH PROBLEMS.
SO, I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO REALLY ADDRESS SOME OF THESE CRITICAL ISSUES THAT WE'VE BEEN FACING FOR A LONG TIME NOW, AND THAT WE HAVEN'T MADE THE PROGRESS UNDER DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN LEADERS, I HOPE THAT THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION WILL ADDRESS THIS IN A NEW WAY.
WE NEED TO END THIS MISGUIDED WAR ON DRUGS.
I THINK WE SHOULD JUST SAY IT.
WE'RE NOT GOING TO ENGAGE IN A MISGUIDED WAR ON DRUGS.
WE'RE GOING TO ABANDON THE POLITICS OF FEAR AND ANGER THAT CAUSED US HAVE A PRISON POPULATION FROM 200,000 IN THE 1970s TO 2.2 MILLION TODAY.
THE UNITED STATES SHOULD NOT BE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT IT HAS THE HIGHEST RATE OF INCARCERATION IN THE WORLD.
WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO RETREAT FROM 6 MILLION PEOPLE ON PROBATION OR PAROLE.
800% INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF WOMEN SENT TO JAILS AND PRISONS.
ALL OF THESE DATA TELL US THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO SOME THINGS TO CORRECT A REALLY TRAGIC DEVELOPMENT THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST HALF CENTURY.
SO NOW TALK ABOUT -- LET'S PULL BACK THE LENS A LITTLE BIT IN THE BACKDROP RIGHT NOW, THE IMMEDIATE BACKDROP IS THIS HEIGHTENED TENSION, RACIAL TENSION IN THE UNITED STATES.
OBVIOUSLY WE HAD BLACK LIVES MATTER AFTER THE KILLING, THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD AND THE RESURGENCE OF THAT.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THIS HORRIBLE BACKLASH OR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, INSURRECTION, VIOLENT FANATIC MOB STORMING THE CAPITOL HILL, CARRYING A CONFEDERATE FLAG, YOU KNOW, JUST IMAGES THAT ONE HASN'T SEEN IN PUBLIC, I GUESS, IN THAT KIND OF LOCATION FOR DECADES.
HOW MUCH OF AN IMPRINT AND AN IMPACT IS THAT GOING TO HAVE GOING FORWARD?
WELL, I THINK IT'S REALLY, REALLY SIGNIFICANT AND VERY DRAMATIC, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAPPENED AS THE CONSEQUENCE OF FIVE YEARS OF RACIAL POSTURING AND BIGOTED RHETORIC.
PRESIDENT TRUMP, BEFORE HE TOOK OFFICE, NAMED PEOPLE BY RELIGION AND BY ETHNICITY AND BRANDED THEM AS CRIMINAL.
HE SAID THAT MEXICANS WERE RAPISTS.
HE WANTED TO BAN MUSLIMS.
WE BEGAN TO LEGITIMATE THIS RACIALIZED WAY OF SEEING PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE DID NOT CONDEMN A WHITE SUPREMACIST WHEN THEY MARCHED INTO CHARLOTTESVILLE, VACCINATE, EVEN AFTER SOMEONE LOST THEIR LIFE.
WE WERE EQUIVOCAL AND A AMBIVALENT.
WE DID NOT ADDRESS THE MULTIPLE MANIFESTATIONS OF BIGOTRY THAT WERE PLAYING OUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
I SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN WASHINGTON ON THE 6th OF JANUARY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS INDIFFERENCE TOO BIG GUIDE AND RACISM AND WHITE RESISTANCE TO EQUALITY AND JUSTICE.
AND THAT HAS A LONG HISTORICAL NARRATIVE.
I MEAN, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN POLITICAL VIOLENCE BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A MOVE TOWARD SOMETHING THAT MANY WHITE AMERICANS CONSIDER TO BE TOO DIVERSE, TOO INTEGRATED.
IT'S HAPPENED THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY.
IN FACT, WE HAVE 100 YEARS OF VIOLENCE, BLACK PEOPLE FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR BECAUSE WHITE AMERICANS IN THE SOUTH WOULD NOT ACCEPT BLACK VOTERS.
WOULD NOT ACCEPT RECONSTRUCTION.
AND THAT TOLERANCE OF ALLOWING VIOLENCE AGAINST THOSE WHO WERE PROPERLY ELECTED HAS A LONG HISTORICAL NARRATIVE.
I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY IS A CONSEQUENCE OF FIVE YEARS OF THAT KIND OF RHETORIC, THAT KIND OF POSTURING, HAVING A POLITICAL RALLY WHERE YOU ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE VIOLENT TOWARD THOSE WHO ARE DISSENTERS, SAYING THINGS TO LAW ENFORCEMENT WHERE YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE MORE VIOLENT AND ABUSIVE.
ALL OF THAT HAS A CONSEQUENCE.
AND WE SAW SOME EVIDENCE OF THAT ON THE 6th OF JANUARY.
YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST STARTLING OR ONE OF THE MANY STARTLING COMMENTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE MADE IN THE WAKE OF JANUARY 6, A HISTORIAN TELLING 'THE NEW YORK TIMES' THE CONFEDERATE FLAG MADE IT DEEPER INTO WASHINGTON ON JANUARY 6, 2021, THAN IT DID DURING THE CIVIL WAR.
AND NOW YOU'RE SEEING IN THE TWO WEEKS SINCE TRUMP LOYALISTS AND MANY OF THOSE WHO EITHER SUPPORTED OR WERE IN THE CAPITOL HILL, SORT OF MOVING ALONG TO RATIONALIZE SAYING THAT THEY FELT INTIMIDATED AND AFRAID BY WHAT THEY CALL THE BLACK LIVES MATTER RIOTS OVER THE SUMMER.
THEY'RE TRYING TO -- THEY APPEAR TO BE TRYING TO EQUATE ONE WITH THE OTHER, TRYING TO SAY THIS IS A COUNTER TO THAT.
THAT'S GOING TO GO ON AND ON AND ON, ISN'T IT?
WELL, I THINK SOME WILL SAY IT, BUT IT'S A VERY HARD THING TO DEFEND.
I MEAN, YOU DID NOT SEE THE KIND OF VIOLENCE, YOU DID NOT SEE THE KIND OF ASSAULT AT ANY OF THIS SUMMER'S PROTESTS THAT WE SAW IN WASHINGTON.
AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THAT, TOO, IS THAT YOU ALSO DIDN'T SEE THE KIND OF RESISTANCE TO PROTESTS WE SAW DURING THE SUMMER.
WHAT WAS DEEPLY INJURIOUS TO MANY AFRICAN AMERICANS WATCHING WHAT HAPPENED ON THE 6th WAS THE ACCOMMODATION, THE ABSENCE OF THE SHOW OF FORCE THAT TENDS TO HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE OF COLOR OR OTHERS ARE PROTESTING POLICE VIOLENCE.
AND THERE'S A LONG HISTORY TO THAT AS WELL.
WE HAVEN'T RECKONED WITH THE LEGACY OF OUR TOLERANCE OF VIOLENT AND VICTIMIZATION AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.
REMEMBER, THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT FOR 100 YEARS WOULD ALLOW LAWLESSNESS AND TERROR TO PREVAIL.
MOBS WOULD COME TO JAILS AND PULL BLACK PEOPLE OUT AND TORTURE THEM ON THE COURTHOUSE LAWN, AND WE ALLOWED THAT TO HAPPEN.
OUR COURTS DIDN'T RESPOND.
PROSECUTORS DIDN'T RESPOND.
CONGRESS DIDN'T RESPOND.
IN THE 1960s WHEN COURAGEOUS CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS PUT ON THEIR SUNDAY BEST TO ASK THIS COUNTRY TO DO RIGHT, TO FOLLOW THE CONSTITUTION, TO GIVE THEM THE RIGHT TO VOTE, THEY WERE BATTERED AND BLOODIED AND BEATEN ON THE EDMUND PETTUS BRIDGE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFF SERS.
BLACK PEOPLE AND THEIR SUPPORTERS WERE KILLED WITH NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED DURING MY LIFETIME.
AND THEN OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS, WE HAVEN'T RESPONDED TO THE PROBLEMS OF POLICE VIOLENCE.
WE HAVEN'T RESPONDED TO THE PROBLEMS OF RACIAL VIOLENCE AND RACIAL BIGOTRY.
YOU KNOW, I GREW UP AT A TIME, BORN AT A TIME IN THE SAME STATE AS PRESIDENT BIDEN, AND WHEN I WAS BORN, BLACK CHILDREN COULD NOT GO TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
WHEN I WAS BORN, THERE WERE LAWELAWS THAT PROHIBITED BLACK PEOPLE MARRYING SOMEONE WHO WAS WHITE.
THAT RACIAL INEQUALITY SHAPED THE LEGACY WE ARE IN.
WHILE WE SAW A CONFEDERATE FLAG IN THE CAPITOL A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THE CONCEPTS, THE CONSTRUCT, THE IDEOLOGY THAT IS CONNECTED TO THAT CONFEDERATE SYMBOL HAS BEEN THERE A VERY LONG TIME AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO RECKON WITH THAT IF WE REALLY WANT TO MOVE THIS COUNTRY FORWARD.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT AWAY THESE SYMBOLS OF RESISTANCE TO EQUALITY AND JUSTICE.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONFRONT THE FACT WE'VE HAD GOVERNORS TOO LONG TALKING ABOUT SEGREGATION FOREVER.
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE FACT WE HAVEN'T RECKONED WITH OUR HISTORY OF SEGREGATION AND LYNCHING.
WE HAVE TO DO IT WITH THE BELIEF THERE IS SOMETHING BETTER WAITING FOR US.
I SAW SO MUCH DESPAIR OVER THE LAST YEAR ABOUT WHERE WE ARE.
I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING BETTER WAITING FOR US IN THIS COUNTRY AND WE HAVE TO HOLD THAT UP.
THERE IS SOMETHING THAT FEELS MORE LIKE FREEDOM, FEELS MORE LIKE EQUALITY, FEELS MORE LIKE JUSTICE, BUT WE CAN'T GET THERE BY PRETENDING THAT WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OUR HISTORY OF RACIAL INEQUALITY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FULL EQUALITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
I NEED YOU TO COMMENT ON THIS.
THE 1776 PROJECT, AND YOU HEARD THOSE RIOTERS TALKING ABOUT 1776 IN THE CAPITOL.
THIS IS WHAT THE WHITE HOUSE RELEASED ON MLK DAY.
IT'S A COMMISSION APPARENTLY TO COUNTER 'THE NEW YORK TIMES' 1619 PROJECT.
AND ON SLAVERY IT READS, THE MOST COMMON CHARGE LEVELLED AGAINST THE FOUNDERS AND HENCE AGAINST OUR COUNTRY ITSELF IS THAT THEY WERE HYPOCRITES WHO DIDN'T BELIEVE IN THEIR STATED PRINCIPLES AND THEREFORE THE COUNTRY THEY BUILT RESTS ON A LIE.
THIS CHARGE IS UNTRUE AND HAS DONE ENORMOUS DAMAGE IN RECENT YEARS WITH DEVASTATING EFFECT ON OUR UNITY AND SOCIAL.
IS THIS ANOTHER WAY TO AVOID DEALING WITH THE BIG ISSUE OF SLAVERY ITSELF?
WELL, I THINK IT'S AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM.
I THINK IT'S A WAY TO AVOID WITH WHAT MAKES A SOCIETY GREAT.
WHAT MAKES A NATION GREAT.
WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY GREAT.
WHAT MAKES A COMMUNITY, A SOCIETY, A NATION GREAT IS NOT AN UNWILLINGNESS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MISTAKES YOU MADE, THE PROBLEMS YOU'VE HAD.
THAT'S NOT HOW YOU GET GREAT.
IF YOU CAN'T ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SINK A SHOT ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
IF WE CAN'T COME UP WITH TREATMENTS FOR ILLNESSES, WE HAVE TO KEEP WORKING UNTIL WE FIND OUT WHAT'S WRONG.
THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT KILLED MILLIONS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHEN EUROPEANS CAME.
WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
AND WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, THAT DOESN'T MAKE US LESS GREAT.
IT ACTUALLY PAVES THE WAY TO GREATNESS.
WE ENSLAVED MILLIONS OF BLACK PEOPLE FOR 2 1/2 CENTURIES.
WE BEAT AND BRUTALIZED AND RAPED AND CARNAGED AFRICAN AMERICANS.
WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO TO DEFEND THE BRUTALITY OF SLAVERY.
WE LYNCHED THOUSANDS OF BLACK PEOPLE AFTER THE CIVIL WAR AND DID HORRIFIC THINGS TO AFRICAN-AMERICANS WHO HAD TO FLEE THEIR HOMES AND THEIR LAND.
WE CREATED A LEGAL CODE OF RACIAL HIERARCHY WHERE WE DIDN'T ALLOW BLACK PEOPLE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES.
ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE PROBLEMS WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE.
I ACTUALLY THINK WE BECOME GREATER WHEN WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO CONFRONT THESE PROBLEMS.
GERMANY IS A STRONGER DEMOCRACY, NOT BECAUSE IT DENIED THE HOLOCAUST, BUT BECAUSE IT CONFRONTED IT.
WITHOUT THAT CONFRONTATION, WITHOUT THAT WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THE MISTAKES OF THE THIRD REICH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT SOCIETY WOULD BE WHERE IT IS.
AND THEY REALIZE THEY CAN'T HAVE ADOLF HITLER STATUES IN THAT COUNTRY.
THEY CAN'T GLORIFY OR R ROMANTICIZE IT.
IT DOES TRY TO ADVANCE THE IDEA THAT OUR BEST DAYS IN AMERICA ARE BEHIND US.
THEY WERE DOING THE 1776, DURING THE 1800s, DURING THE 1900s.
I HAVE MUCH GREATER HOPES FOR THIS COUNTRY.
I HAVE A MUCH BIGGER AMBITION FOR THIS COUNTRY THAN TO BELIEVE OUR BEST DAYS ARE WHEN WE WERE ENSLAVING BLACK PEOPLE, DISENFRANCHISING WOMEN, EXPLOITING CHILDREN, ABUSING OTHERS.
OUR BEST DAYS CAN BE IN FRONT OF US, BUT ONLY IF WE HAVE THE COURAGE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE MISTAKES OF OUR PAST, WHICH IS WHAT A LOT OF US ARE INTENT ON DOING.
LET US HOPE THAT THESE NEXT FEW DAYS BRING A REAL, YOU KNOW, CHANGE OF THAT PAGE.
BRIAN STEVENSON, THANK YOU SO MUCH INDEED.
> NOW, AS FOR THE MEDIA CHEER LEADERS FOR THIS DEEP DIVIDE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, THE END OF THE TRUMP ERA PRESENTS NEW CHALLENGES TO BROADCASTERS LIKE FOX NEWS, FOR INSTANCE.
THEY ARE BLEEDING VIEWERS TO FURTHER RIGHT NEWS MAGS AND ONE AMERICA NEWS NETWORK AFTER IT ACKNOWLEDGED DONALD TRUMP LOST THE ELECTION.
SINCE ITS INCEPTION, FOX NEWS EMPLOYED A TIME TESTED STRATEGY.
DIALING UP THE GRIEVANCE AND CONSPIRACIES AND DIALING DOWN THE STRAIGHT NEWS.
SHEPHERD SMITH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST HIRES AT FOX.
HE WAS ONE OF THE FEW CREDIBLE SOURCES OF HARD NEWS THERE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.
HE LEFT IN 2019 AND NOW HE ANCHORS THE NEWS WITH SHEPHERD SMITH EVERY NIGHT ON CNBC.
AND HERE IS HOW HE FAMOUSLY DEALT WITH MORE TRUMP LIES, EVEN AS THE PRESIDENT ISSUED A STATEMENT TO GET RIOTERS TO LEAVE THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6th.
WHERE IS THE VIDEO FROM THE PRESIDENT COME?
IT COMES FROM TWITTER AND WE HAVE THAT TWITTER VIDEO NOW IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
I KNOW YOUR PAIN.
I KNOW YOUR HURT.
WE HAD AN ELECTION THAT WAS STOLEN FROM US.
IT WAS A LANDSLIDE ELECTION, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT, ESPECIALLY THE OTHER SIDE.
BUT YOU HAVE TO GO HOME NOW.
STOP, STOP THE TAPE.
THAT IS NOT TRUE, AND WE ARE NOT AIRING IT.
THAT IS -- IMAGINE THE HEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY, OF IRRESPONSIBILITY.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES JUST LIED AGAIN.
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES JUST SAID THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN.
IT WAS NOT.
AND SHEPHERD SMITH IS JOINING ME NOW FROM NEW YORK.
SHEPHERD, THAT WAS PRETTY DRAMATIC AND PRETTY BRAVE.
YOU JUST DROPPED THE MIC ON THE PRESIDENT AND YOU SAID, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
WHAT -- TELL ME WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD AT THE TIME AND ALSO AS YOU LOOK BACK, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN IT MANY, MANY TIMES.
WELL, HONESTLY, I HAVEN'T.
I'VE BEEN BUSY.
BUT I WILL SAY WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF A HELLISH DAY AND I HAD BEEN ON THE AIR MAYBE SEVEN HOURS WITHOUT A COMMERCIAL.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR THE PRESIDENT IS PUTTING OUT A VIDEO AFTER HIS FOLLOWERS HAVE, HAVE ATTACKED THE CAPITOL AND THREATENED TO KILL SOME OF OUR LEADERS, YOU KNOW, YOU JUST SORT OF ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL BE A QUIETED DOWN, EVERYBODY GO HOME, THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT MOMENT.
AND INSTEAD, HE USED IT TO LIE AGAIN AND WE REACHED A LIMIT.
WE ARE HERE TO BE ARBITERS OF TRUTH, TO SEEK THE TRUTH, TO FIND THE TRUTH, TO TELL THE TRUTH NO MATTER WHO IS HAPPY OR UNHAPPY ABOUT IT.
THE TRUTH IS THE ELECTION WAS AS FREE AND FAIR AS ANY.
HIS OWN PEOPLE SAID IT.
ALL OF THIS HAS BEEN LITIGATED.
AND TO BRING IT UP ON THE HEELS OF ONE OF THE MOST HISTORICALLY TRAGIC MOMENTS OF MY LIFETIME, TO SEE THE CAPITOL OVERRUN FROM THAT WAS PERSONALLY PAINFUL I THINK FOR EVERYONE I KNOW.
AND FOR HIM TO COME OUT AND PROPAGATE HIS LIES AGAIN, HE'S NOT GOING TO DO IT ON MY AIR.
NOT THEN AND NOT AGAIN.
DO YOU THINK YOU COULD HAVE DONE THAT, HAD YOU STILL BEEN SITTING AT THE ANCHOR DESK AT 7:00 P.M.? I THINK I REMEMBER THAT WAS YOUR TIME SLOT AT FOX.
I CAN AND I DID.
I FEEL LIKE THE RULES OF JOURNALISM I LEARNED IN UNIVERSITY A LONG TIME AGO, AND THE MAIN THING IS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE GUARDIANS OF THE PUBLIC TRUST.
OURS IS THE ONLY -- OURS IS THE ONLY PROFESSION ENSHRINED IN THE CONSTITUTION.
THE FOUNDING FATHERS THOUGHT IT WAS SO IMPORTANT THAT IT SHOULD BE THERE.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO FIND OUT WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TELL PEOPLE ABOUT IT.
IF SOMEBODY IS USING MY PLATFORM, THE PLATFORM WHICH I'M HONORED TO OCCUPY, TO SPREAD FALSEHOODS, INACCURACIES OR DISOR MISINFORMATION, I'M DUTY BOUND TO CUT THAT OFF.
BECAUSE I SERVE THE VIEWER.
AS A JOURNALIST -- YOU KNOW THIS, CHRISTIANE, BETTER THAN ANYBODY ON EARTH.
I SERVE THE VIEWER.
AND MY JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT I GET IT EXACTLY RIGHT EVERY TIME.
AND FURTHER, IF I MESS IT UP, AND I WILL, TO CORRECT IT WITH THE SAME VOLUME AND IN THE SAME SPACE THAT I DID BEFORE.
I'M NOT GOING TO LET SOMEONE COME ON MY AIR AND LIE IN A DEMONSTRABLE WAY.
I'VE NEVER DONE THAT.
I'M NOT STARTING NOW.
SHEPHERD, WE DO HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM.
YOU WERE AT FOX FOR 23 YEARS.
YOU HAD YOUR -- YOU CARVED OUT YOUR OWN NICHE, AND YOU GOT A LOT OF KUDOS FOR DOING THAT.
AND STICKING WITH THE HARD NEWS SPHERE.
AND FOX KIND OF DIVIDED ITSELF OR AT LEAST IT SAID IT DID BETWEEN ALMOST EQUAL HOURS OF NEWS AND OPINION.
THE OPINION, THOUGH, IS WHAT PRETTY MUCH MADE IT.
THE OPINION IS WHAT GOT IT ALL THE PUBLICITY.
THE OPINION IS WHAT MADE THE STARS AT NIGHT, WHETHER IT WAS HAPPE HANNITY OR TUCKER CARLSSON.
HOW COMFORTABLE WERE YOU?
YOU DID LEAVE, I THINK IN 2019.
HOW UNCOMFORTABLE WERE YOU BY, I GUESS, THE IMPINGING ON THE OPINION ON ALL OF YOU TRYING TO DO THE HARD NEWS?
YOU KNOW, CHRISTIANE, I THOUGHT -- THROUGHOUT MY TIME THERE, WHEN I GOT THERE, I WAS A FIELD CORRESPONDENT TRAVELING AROUND THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD REPORTING, AND THAT WAS ALL I DID AND NOBODY EVER GOT IN THE WAY OF THAT.
AND THEN WHEN I BECAME THEIR CHIEF NEWS ANCHOR AND MANAGING EDITOR OF THE PROGRAM, THE BUCK SORT OF STOPPED WITH ME AND I MADE SURE, TO THE BEST THAT I COULD ALONG WITH MY TEAM OF EDITORS AND JOURNALISTS, TO GET IT RIGHT AND NOT TO FALL EITHER POLITICAL LINE.
I DON'T ENJOY THE POLITICAL PART OF IT ALL.
I ENJOY FINDING OUT ABOUT IT AND TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT, ADDING CONTEXT AND PERSPECTIVE.
SO I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT I STAY THERE BECAUSE I KNEW THAT I WAS GROUNDED IN THAT PHILOSOPHY AND WORKING TOWARD THAT PROMISE.
AND IF YOU FEEL LIKE THE FOX VIEWERS WERE GETTING MISS OR DISINFORMATION, I WAS THERE TO MAKE SURE THEY GOT IT STRAIGHT.
THERE WERE OTHERS WHO WERE DOING THE SAME THING.
BUT I THOUGHT TO ABANDON IT AND TO DEPRIVE THOSE VIEWERS -- IT WASN'T JUST ME.
THERE IS AN ENTIRE TEAM OF PEOPLE GETTING THE NEWS TO THE AIR.
TO DENY THEM THAT WITH THE THOUGHT THAT THEY MIGHT REPLACE IT WITH OPINION INSTEAD SEEMED A LITTLE SELFISH.
SO I STUCK WITH IT FOR AS LONG AS I COULD.
AND AT SOME POINT I REALIZED I'VE REACHED THE POINT OF DIMINISHING RETURNS AND I LEFT.
I'M PROUD OF THE WORK THAT WE DID THERE.
SOMETIMES -- GO AHEAD.
NO, NO, YOU WERE GOING TO SAY YOU WERE PROUD OF THE WORK YOU DID THERE AND --
I AM PROUD OF THE WORK WE DID.
YES, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE YOU DID HARD NEWS.
BUT YOUR SLOT IS ABOUT, APPARENTLY ACCORDING TO THE LATEST REPORT, THE 7:00 P.M.
SLOT IS ABOUT TO BE REMOVED FROM A, YOU KNOW, HARD NEWS ANCHOR, AND POTENTIALLY DELIVERED TO ANOTHER OPINION.
SO THAT'S UPPING THE NUMBER OF OPINION HOURS ON FOX NEWS.
AND I DON'T KNOW.
YOU CAN BE PROUD OF WHAT YOU DID.
BUT I WONDER WHETHER YOU ALSO FEEL -- NOW THAT YOU'RE AT CNBC, YOU SEE HOW A WHOLE DIFFERENT ECO SYSTEM WORKS.
WHETHER YOU ACCEPT THAT FOX NEWS IN THE OPINION SPHERE, YOU KNOW, AND OTHER RUPERT MURDOCH ENTERPRISES, PERPETUATED SO MANY OF THE DIVISIONS, THE LIES, THE CONSPIRACIES, THE SUPPORT -- LOOK AT SEAN HANNITY GOING UP AND DOING CAMPAIGN RALLIES FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.
SO BLURRING THE LINES AS TO BE THE PROPAGANDA ARM OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
I JUST WONDER WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THAT NOW.
WELL, I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THAT NOW THAT I DID THEN AND MY GOAL WAS TO JUST KEEP THE BLINDERS ON AND DO MY JOB TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY.
AND WAS I -- I AM ALWAYS CONCERNED WHEN PEOPLE -- OPINE ALL YOU LIKE.
BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO OPINE, BEGIN WITH THE TRUTH AND OPINE FROM THERE.
AND IT'S THAT, THAT DEVIATION FROM THAT THAT HAS CAUSED ME THE GREATEST CONCERN, AND I BELIEVE THAT WHEN PEOPLE BEGIN WITH A FALSE PREMISE AND LEAD PEOPLE ASTRAY, THAT'S INJURIOUS TO SOCIETY.
IT'S THE ANTITHESIS OF WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING.
THOSE OF US WHO ARE SO HONORED AND GRATEFUL TO HAVE A PLATFORM OF INFLUENCE HAVE TO USE IT FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD.
I SLEPT VERY WELL.
I DON'T KNOW HOW SOME PEOPLE SLEEP AT NIGHT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROPAGATED THE LIES AND HAVE PUSHED THEM FORWARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHO ARE SMART ENOUGH AND EDUCATED ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER.
AND I HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT THOSE WHO HAVE DONE US HARM AS A NATION, AND I MIGHT EVEN ADD AS A WORLD, WILL LOOK AROUND AND REALIZE WHAT THEY'VE DONE.
BUT I'M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH.
WELL, YOU SPEAK VERY POWERFULLY NOW.
AND, OF COURSE, LAST WEEK THE FORMER FOX EXECUTIVE, OF COURSE AS YOU KNOW, THE SON OF RUPERT MURDOCH, JAMES MURDOCK SAID THE SACKING OF THE CAPITOL IS PROOF POSITIVE WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS DANGEROUS IS INDEED VERY MUCH SO.
THOSE THAT PROPAGATE LIES TO THEIR AUDIENCE HAVE UNLEASHED INSIDIOUS AND UNCONTROLLABLE FORCES THAT WILL BE WITH US FOR YEARS.
HE SAYS, THOSE OUTLETS.
HE COULD HAVE SAID, OUR OUTLET.
IT'S NOT SUCH A SUBTLE MESSAGE.
WE KNOW WHERE HIS POLITICS LIE AT THE MOMENT, WHICH IS TO TRY TO DEFEND, YOU KNOW, THE CLIMATE, TRY TO DO THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, HIS FAMILY IS NOT KNOWN FOR.
IN FACT, THE OPPOSITE.
I WONDER WHAT YOU MADE OF JAMES MURDOCK AND HIS WIFE INDEED KATHRYN, COMING OUT AND MAKING THAT STATEMENT.
WELL, JAMES IS SEPARATED FROM THE FAMILY AND SEPARATED FROM THE BUSINESS.
THAT HAPPENED RATHER FAMOUSLY WHEN DISNEY BOUGHT UP A LARGE PORTION OF THEIR COMPANY.
I MUST SAY, CHRISTIANE, I'M NOT A VERY GOOD CRITIC AND I'M REALLY MUCH BETTER AT THE FINDING OUT ABOUT IT AND TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT IT THAN I AM POI POINTING MY FINGER IN SHAME.
WE IN THE NEWS, MYSELF INCLUDED, HAVE TO BE BETTER AT IT.
PERSONALLY, IF I READ A BY LINE OR I WATCH A PROGRAM WHERE THE AUTHOR OR THE SPEAKER HAS REPEATEDLY MISINFORMED ME, LED ME ASTRAY OR LIED TO MY FACE, I SHUT THAT SOURCE OFF.
IF A PROGRAM THAT I WATCH, CNN DOMESTIC, IF I WATCH IT EACH NIGHT AND DON LEMON STARTS GOING OFF ON TANGENTS ABOUT THINGS THAT ARE DEMONSTRABLY FALSE, I'LL STOP WATCHING HIM AND I WON'T LET THAT BE PART OF MY NEWS DIET EVERY DAY.
WE AS CONSUMERS OF THE NEWS HAVE TO BE BETTER AT IT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CRAP OUT THERE.
AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET INTO A WORM HOLE OF FULFILLING YOUR OWN DESIRES ABOUT HOW THE WORLD SHOULD BE, YOU'RE NOT HELPING ANYBODY, LEAST OF ALL YOURSELF.
WELL, I DON'T THINK DON LEMON IS, YOU KNOW, ENGAGED IN LIES, BUT I CAN SEE THAT YOU PROBABLY --
NOR DO I.
YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF THE POLITICS.
EXACTLY.
NO, NO, I THINK DON IS GREAT.
I USED DON BECAUSE HE'S A FRIEND.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST SAYING ANYBODY WHO IS SITTING ON AIR AND GIVING THEIR OPINION, YOU KNOW, IF THE OPINION IS BASED IN FACT, YOU'RE CERTAINLY ENTITLED TO IT.
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM -- I HAVE FRIENDS AT MSNBC AND CNN AND, YES, FRIENDS AT FOX.
THEY CAN OPINE ALL THEY WANT.
BUT WHEN THEY START LYING TO US, THEY'RE OFF MY DIET.
AND THEIR MANAGERS SHOULDN'T LET THEM BE THERE.
THEY SHOULDN'T.
BUT THEY DO.
AND FRANKLY, THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE AS YOU SAY, IT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THE BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT A PAGEANT SHOW.
IT ACTUALLY AFFECTS THE WORLD.
PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY, FOR, YOU KNOW, AS THEIR JOB ARE CRITICS, LIKE MARGARET SULLIVAN AT THE WASHINGTON POST, THE MEDIA WRITER AND HAS BEEN OMBUDSMAN IN THE PAST.
I HAD HER ON THE SHOW THE OTHER DAY.
AND SHE REALLY WENT AFTER, AND RIGHTLY SO, THE NAMES THAT I HAVE MENTIONED.
SEAN HANNITY, TUCKER CARLSSON, LAURA INGRAHAM.
SHE ALSO WENT AFTER THE HEAD, THE HEAD OF THIS ENTERPRISE.
JUST LISTEN TO WHAT SHE SAID.
ALSO CALL OUT THE NAMES OF RUPERT MURDOCH AND LAUCHLIN MURDOCK IN CHARGE OF FOX NEWS.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOMENTED THIS KIND OF OUTRAGE THAT HAS -- AND ALLOWED VERY MISLEADING AND VERY TOXIC KIND OF INFORMATION TO CIRCULATE, AND THEY'VE DONE SO UNDER A VERY MISLEADING BANNER.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, WHEN FOX WAS FIRST ON THE AIR, THE IDEA WAS, AND THE MOTTO OR THE SLOGAN WAS, FAIR AND BALANCED.
WELL, THAT HAS BEEN MISLEADING FROM THE START.
AND IT'S BEEN A VERY DESTRUCTIVE FORCE IN OUR SOCIETY, AND IT HAS RADICALIZED MANY PEOPLE.
MAYBE NOT TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO GO TO THE CAPITOL AND PARTICIPATE IN A RIOT, BUT CERTAINLY IN UNDERMINING THE TRUTH.
SO, SHEPHERD, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU MAKE OF THAT COMMENTARY.
MANY AGREE WITH HER.
FURTHERMORE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE MEDIA IN THE POST TRUMP -- PARTICULARLY THE RIGHT WING, THE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA BECAUSE FOX IS LOSING VIEWERS AFTER THIS ELECTION, AND IT DID CALL THE ELECTION.
IT WAS THE FIRST TO ACTUALLY CALL ARIZONA AND REALLY, REALLY ANGERED TRUMP OVER THAT.
SO IT PERFORMED ITS DUTY THERE ACCURATELY.
BUT NOW THEY ARE HEMORRHAGING VIEWERS APPARENTLY TO EVEN FARTHER RIGHT, LIKE NEWSMAX AND ONN AND THE REST.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS IS HEADED IN A COUNTRY WHICH IS DIVIDED OVER WHAT IS REAL AND WHAT IS TRUTHFUL?
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHAT CONSUMERS WANT.
IF A CONSUMER LOOKS AT A CHANNEL AND SAYS, OH, THAT PERSON'S LIED TO ME OVER AND OVER, THAT'S BEEN PROVED, BUT I'M GOING TO STAY RIGHT HERE, WE HAVE ONE THING.
BUT YOU JUST SAID SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING AWAY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE OF THAT IS.
BUT, BUT TO SAY THAT, WELL, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STAY WITH THEIR PATTERNS WOULD BE SURPRISING BECAUSE USUALLY THE ONE YOU'RE PROMOTING, YOU'RE CHEER LEADING AND WHEN IT CHANGES OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE, YOU BEGIN A FIGHT.
SO TRADITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, EITHER CONSERVATIVE OR LIBERAL CHANNEL, WHEN THEIR GUYS ARE IN OFFICE, THEIR GUY OR GAL IS IN OFFICE, YOU'RE CHEER LEADING, OTHERWISE YOU'RE FIGHTING.
MY GUESS IS THEY'LL TURN TO FIGHTING.
I HAVEN'T BEEN WATCHING AND I DON'T PLAN TO.
AND ON THAT NOTE, SHEPHERD SMITH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US.
MADE A WISE DECISION THERE.
> NOW, JOE BIDEN'S CABINET IS THE MOST RACIALLY AND ALSO GENDER DIVERSE IN U.S. HISTORY.
CEDERIC RICHMOND IS PART OF THIS HISTORY-MAKING ADMINISTRATION AND HE'LL BECOME A SENIOR PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER AND DIRECTOR OF THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
HE SPENT THE LAST DECADE REPRESENTING LOUISIANA IN CONGRESS, AND FROM 2017 TO '19 LED THE CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS.
HERE HE IS TALKING TO OUR WALTER ISACKSON ABOUT WHY IT'S CRUCIAL THE NEW DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION WORKS WITH COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE AISLE.
THANK YOU, CHRISTIANE.
AND CEDRIC RICH MOMOND, WELCOME THE SHOW.
THANK YOU.
TOMORROW YOU MOVE INTO THE BIG OFFICE IN THE WEST WING.
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY?
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TOMORROW AFTERNOON?
WELL, FIRST WE'LL HAVE TO NAVIGATE THE ENTIRE DAY.
BUT AS SOON AS I GET A CHANCE TO DECOMPRESS AND TAKE IN THE MOMENT THAT WE WORKED PROBABLY OVER TWO YEARS TO GET HERE, TO JUST DIG RIGHT IN.
I MEAN, WE STILL HAVE OVER 400,000 AMERICANS THAT WE'VE LOST TO COVID-19.
WE STILL HAVE OVER ALMOST 20 MILLION AMERICANS THAT ARE UNEMPLOYED.
THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TIME TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES, SO WE REALLY HAVE, WE REALLY HAVE WORK TO DO AND WE CAN'T -- WE JUST CAN'T SLOW DOWN.
AND SO THE PRESIDENT-ELECT WILL SIGN A BUNCH OF EXECUTIVES ARTICLES TOMORROW.
WE'LL GET STRAIGHT TO WORK.
YOUR MOTHER, MAPLE RICHMOND, BELOVED FIGURE DOWN HERE IN NEW ORLEANS, IS GOING TO FLY UP TO SEE YOU SWORN IN.
TELL ME, SHE'S BEEN A SCHOOL TEACHER, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM HER ABOUT HOW REGULAR PEOPLE ACROSS THIS COUNTRY ARE SUFFERING IN THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS?
WELL, ONE THING I LEARNED FROM HER VERY EARLY IS THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE GAVE A LOT.
AND SO WHENEVER SHE HAD SOMETHING, SHE WOULD GIVE TO THOSE WHO WERE IN NEED.
NOT THAT SHE HAD A WHOLE LOT, BUT WHATEVER IT WAS, SHE GAVE.
AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT AND THEN WATCHED HER AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AND I ALWAYS SAY THIS.
YOU'RE NOT A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER UNLESS YOU PICKUP THAT PHONE ON FRIDAY AND HAVE TO TELL PEOPLE THEY CAN'T CASH THEIR PAYCHECKS TILL MONDAY BECAUSE SOME PAYMENT DIDN'T COME IN.
AND THAT'S THE GROWING PAINS OF A SMALL BUSINESS.
SO WATCHING HER DO ALL OF THOSE THINGS REALLY HELPED INFORM ME OF THE STRUGGLES THAT AVERAGE EVERYDAY AMERICANS GO THROUGH.
SO THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY FOCUS.
AND, LOOK, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING AGAINST ANYONE, BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES OR HAVE THE MEANS TO LIFT THEMSELVES UP THROUGH THEIR OWN CAPACITY.
THE OTHER PEOPLE WORK HARD EVERY DAY.
WHEN THEY GET KNOCKED DOWN, IT'S BEYOND THEIR CAPACITY TO GET BACK UP.
NOW WITH COVID-19, WE HAVE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE KNOCKED DOWN AND THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN CAN'T GET BACK UP WITHOUT HELP JUST LIKE WE WERE AFTER KATRINA AND RITA.
SO THAT'S THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT, AND THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I THINK OF MY MOM, THAT'S WHAT IT REMINDS ME OF.
WHAT'S IN THE COVID RELIEF BILL, THE $1.9 TRILLION THAT PRESIDENT-ELECT BIDEN IS GOING TO PROPOSE, THAT WOULD HELP DIRECTLY SOMEBODY LIKE YOUR MOTHER OR YOUR STEPFATHER?
WELL, LOOK, I THINK THE DIRECT PAYMENTS WILL GO THE FURTHEST, AND THAT'S $1,400 TO BRING EVERYBODY UP TO THE $2,000 NUMBER.
BUT, LOOK, JUST AS QUICKLY AS THAT MONEY IS GOING TO GO OUT, IT'S GOING TO GO TO RENT, IT'S GOING TO GO TO BILLS.
THAT MONEY IS GOING TO GO STRAIGHT BACK INTO THE ECONOMY BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FALLING SO FAR BEHIND.
I THINK THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART.
THEN THE OTHER VERY STRONG PART IS MAKING SURE THAT WE GIVE AID TO OUR FRONT LINE WORKERS THAT ARE WORKING IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, AND THAT IS VERY ESSENTIAL.
YOU HEAR THE GOVERNORS AND THE MAYORS TALKING ABOUT IT.
EVERY DAY WE HAVE HARD WORKING PEOPLE IN MY HOMETOWN THAT ARE BEING FURLOUGHED.
POLICE -- WELL, FIREFIGHTERS WERE BEING FURLOUGHED FOR A WHILE, AND SO YOU HAVE TO HELP OUR FRONT LINE WORKERS.
SO THAT EMERGENCY RELIEF BILL HAS A BUNCH OF THINGS IN IT, BUT THOSE ARE TWO OF THE MORE IMPORTANT ONES ALONG WITH MONEY, TO GET VACCINATIONS DISTRIBUTED.
DO YOU THINK THERE SHOULD BE TAX CHANGES IN ORDER TO HELP FUND THAT BILL?
OR DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO ADD WHATEVER IT MAY BE, $500 BILLION TO THE DEFICIT?
LOOK, IT'S A LONG PRINCIPLE OF THE UNITED STATES THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO FIND AND PAY FOR EMERGENCY ACTIONS AND EMERGENCY SPENDING.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.
AND SO IF WE COME WITH -- THE PLAN HAS TO COME AT SOME POINT WITH AN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, YOU'LL SEE US LOOK TO PAY FOR MOST OF THAT BECAUSE THAT'S NOT EMERGENCY SPENDING.
BUT HERE THE NEEDS ARE SO GREAT, PEOPLE ARE HURTING SO BAD, THAT WE HAVE TO GET THE MONEY OUT AND WE'LL BICKER ABOUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT AND WHERE WE CAN CUT LATER ON.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO GET THAT OUT OR WE RISK MORE PEOPLE LOSING JOBS, EVICTIONS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
DO YOU THINK THAT INITIALLY FOR THE FIRST FEW WEEKS IT'S IMPORTANT TO FOCUS LIKE A LASER ON THIS COVID RELIEF BILL, THE STIMULUS AND THE ECONOMIC ISSUES AND CORONAVIRUS?
AND DO YOU THINK THAT'S AN ARGUMENT TO MAYBE JUST DELAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE DISCUSSION OF THE TRIAL OF PRESIDENT TRUMP ON IMPEACHMENT CHARGES?
WELL, FOR US WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A BUNCH OF THINGS ARE IMPORTANT ON DAY ONE.
YOU WILL SEE US LASER FOCUSED ON COVID.
YOU WILL SEE US DO SOME THINGS ON CLIMATE AND RACIAL EQUITY.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO GET OUR NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM CONFIRMED.
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN TERMS OF KEEPING AMERICA SAFE.
AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GONE ON, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR NOMINEES ARE GETTING HEARINGS AND GETTING CONFIRMED.
AND SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT IMPEACHMENT AND THE SENATE, LOOK, AMERICANS ARE BALLET WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS EVERY DAY.
THEY'RE BALANCING WORKING WITH ALSO SUPERVISING AND HELPING WITH VIRTUAL SCHOOL FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SOME OF THEM ARE VOLUNTEERING.
SO WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE SENATE TO DO THE SAME THING AND TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR AGENDA IS MOVING ALONG BECAUSE IT IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO COVID IS DESPERATELY NEEDED.
OUR NOMINEES ARE CRITICAL TO THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY.
AND SO, YES, WE'RE GOING TO ASK THE SENATE TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS AT ONCE, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN DO IT.
AND THEY CAN ALSO DO IMPEACHMENT WHILE THEY'RE DOING ALL THAT, YOU FEEL, RIGHT AWAY, FIRST WEEK?
I WOULD HOPE SO.
LOOK, YOU KNOW HOW I VOTED ON IMPEACHMENT.
I VOTED IN THE HOUSE TO IMPEACH PRESIDENT TRUMP.
ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCE AND YOU CANNOT TALK TO WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND PEOPLE AND SAY, STAND BACK AND STAND BY.
AND THEN YOU SUMMON THEM TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
THEN YOU POINT TO THE CAPITOL AND SAY, GO THERE AND FIGHT.
AND THEN WHEN IT HAPPENS, I KNOW HE WAS WATCHING IT ON TV BECAUSE I WAS STUCK IN THE CAPITOL WATCHING IT ON TV JUST TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON, YOU KNOW, HOW BAD IT WAS.
AND TO DO NOTHING -- AND SO, IF THAT'S NOT AN IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE, THEN WHAT'S THE MESSAGE TO THE NEXT PRESIDENT?
ALTHOUGH IT'S JOE BIDEN WHO WE KNOW IS AN HONORABLE AND DECENT MAN.
BUT WHAT MESSAGE DOES THAT SEND TO A PRESIDENT THAT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO AND THERE'S NO CONSEQUENCE TO IT?
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO -- THE SENATE TO HAVE THE TRIAL.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO NEED THEM TO DO MULTIPLE THINGS.
YOU'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AS A CONGRESSMAN WORKING ACROSS THE AISLE WITH REPUBLICANS, WITH BUSINESS LEADERS, EVEN WITH YOUR FELLOW NEW ORLEANS CONGRESSMAN STEVE SCALISE, THE WHIP OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN THE HOUSE.
DO YOU THINK THAT THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL COULD GET DIVISIVE ENOUGH THAT IT WOULD MAKE IT HARD TO FIND COMMON GROUND TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE ON THESE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT MATTERS YOU'VE BEEN TRYING TO PROPOSE?
WELL, NO, I DON'T THINK IMPEACHMENT DOES THAT.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS I THINK WE PASSED PART OF THAT POINT WHEN -- AFTER THE INSURRECTION, WHEN OUR CAPITOL WAS ATTACKED, AFTER IT WAS BREACHED AND PELOSI'S OFFICE AND THE SENATE CHAMBER VIOLATED, FOR REPUBLICANS TO COME BACK AND ALMOST 140 IN THE HOUSE, TO STILL VOTE TO OBJECT TO THE ELECTION ON BASIS OF FALSE CLAIMS OF VOTER FRAUD, I THINK THAT THAT WAS THE LOWEST POINT WE'VE PROBABLY EVER BEEN IN IN PARTISANSHIP.
YOU SAW THE SENATE SORT OF COME BACK AND REGROUP AND SAY, LOOK, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
WE'RE GOING TO SHUT THIS CHARADE DOWN, EXCEPT FOR CRUZ AND HAWLEY.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, THE SENATORS CAME BACK AND SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT.
BUT IN THE HOUSE THEY DID.
THEY KEPT UP THE SAME MESSAGE, THE SAME LIE AND ENABLING THIS CONSPIRACY THEORY AND PERPETUATING IT.
I THINK THAT WAS THE LOWEST POINT.
I DON'T THINK IMPEACHMENT GOES ANY LOWER THAN THAT, BUT IT IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO WORK ACROSS THE AISLE FOR OUR MEMBERS IN THE HOUSE WITH REPUBLICANS AND THEIR ACTIONS RIGHT NOW.
WHETHER IT'S THE FACT THAT THEY WON'T MASK UP AND THEY WERE ISOLATED, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE TAKEN TO A SAFE ROOM AND THEY WOULDN'T EVEN PUT ON MASKS TO PROTECT THEIR FELLOW WORKERS AND THEIR STAFF.
AND WE HAD SEVERAL DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO CONTRACT COVID-19.
AND SO THE DISTRUST AND THE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, I WOULD SAY, IS PROBABLY AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH.
AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO TAMP IT DOWN.
BUT YOU STILL HAVE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS WHO NOW REFUSE TO WALK THROUGH THE METAL DETECTOR TO GET ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE.
I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NO TRUST THERE.
YOU KNOW, YOU THINK IT CAN'T GET WORSE, AND EVERY TIME YOU THINK THAT, THE REPUBLICANS DO SOMETHING ELSE THAT TAKES IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
AND HOPEFULLY AFTER THE INAUGURATION THEY'LL TAKE A DEEP BREATH, THEY'LL COME BACK DOWN TO EARTH AND FIGURE OUT THAT THIS IS NOT ABOUT REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE.
DO YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE A HEART TO HEART TALK WITH STEVE SCALISE, YOUR FELLOW CONGRESSMAN FROM NEW ORLEANS, REPUBLICAN WHIP, AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY FRIENDLY WITH HIM.
CAN YOU JUST SAY ALL THAT TO HIM AND MAYBE BRING THE TEMPERATURE DOWN A BIT?
MAYBE AFTER THE SWEARING IN OF JOE BIDEN AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THAT MAY BE POSSIBLE.
BUT AS LONG AS TRUMP IS OUT THERE ACTING LIKE THE BULLY HE IS AND REPUBLICANS NOT BEING WILLING TO STAND UP TO HIM AND JUST TELL HIM THE TRUTH SOMETIMES, LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO BE ON DIFFERENT SIDES, THAT'S FINE, BUT WE CAN'T ALLOW PEOPLE TO PERPETUATE LIES THAT ARE DANGEROUS AND CAN LEAD TO VIOLENCE.
WE JUST SHOULD NOT DO THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT ONCE WE GET PAST 12:00 ON JANUARY 20th, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
AND IT MAY BE WORTH A CONVERSATION, BUT I'VE NOT SPOKEN TO ANY OF MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES SINCE THAT VOTE AND IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE.
BUT I DID REACH OUT TO GARY GRAVES, CONGRESSMAN FROM LOUISIANA, BECAUSE HIS FATHER DIED OF COVID-19 AND OUR PRAYERS AND OUR THOUGHTS ARE WITH HIM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TIME.
PART OF YOUR JOB IN TERMS OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AT THE WHITE HOUSE IS REACHING OUT TO BUSINESS.
AND I KNOW THAT YOU WORKED ON MAKING SURE THAT A LOT OF C.E.O.s MADE THEIR VOICE HEARD IN THE PAST WEEK OR SO ABOUT THIS.
JOE BIDEN HAS A VERY GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH BUSINESS C.E.O.s.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO BUILD ON THAT TO TRY TO PUSH THROUGH THE STIMULUS PACKAGE AND THE COVID RELIEF PACKAGE?
WELL, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO AMPLIFY THE MESSAGE OF HOW DESPERATE TIMES ARE, HOW THIS IS NEEDED, HOW THIS IS AN INVESTMENT INTO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND WE WILL GET A RETURN ON THIS INVESTMENT.
AND WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT IT AS JUST SPENDING.
WE SHOULD LOOK AT IT AS INVESTING IN OUR RECOVERY, INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE.
AND THEN WE'LL TURN AROUND AND GO RIGHT BACK TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHICH THEY SUPPORTED FOR DECADES NOW, INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT.
GO BACK TO THEM AND LET THEM CHALLENGE US TO GO BIG AND TO GO BOLD.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY HAS A VOICE AT THE TABLE, YOU KNOW.
MANY PEOPLE MADE A LOT OF HAY ABOUT THE FACT WE WILL REACH OUT TO CONSERVATIVES, AND SOMEBODY IN OUR OFFICE WILL HAVE IN THEIR PORTFOLIO CONSERVATIVE OUTREACH.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PERSON WHO HAS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR PORTFOLIO OUTREACH TO FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE TRANSITIONING OUT OF INCARCERATION CAN HAVE EVERY TOOL AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO BE PRODUCTIVE, SUCCESSFUL CITIZENS AND NOT A SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY.
LOOK, WE HAVE AN AMBITIOUS PLAN IN THE OFFICE OF ENGAGEMENT.
WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO BELIEVES IN THE OFFICE.
NO MATTER WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS, OUR PHILOSOPHIES, NOBODY IS GOING TO ARGUE THAT JOE BIDEN IS NOT A DECENT HONEST MAN WHO IS GOING TO OPERATE WITH TRANSPARENCY.
AND I THINK THAT GIVES US ENOUGH BREATHING ROOM TO KIND OF CREATE A BIG TIP.
YOU SAID ONCE YOU WERE THE VICTIM OF EXCESSIVE FORCE BY POLICE.
YOU'VE BEEN ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
HOW DOES THAT INFORM WHAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE DONE RIGHT NOW ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE?
LOOK, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD, UNFORTUNATELY, A WHOLE BUNCH OF EXPERIENCES WITH POLICE OFFICERS.
SO I'VE HAD A POLICE OFFICER STOP AND HELP ME WHEN I REALLY NEEDED IT.
I'VE HAD A POLICE OFFICER USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE POINT WHERE OTHER POLICE OFFICERS HAD TO PULL HIM OFF OF ME.
AND THAT WAS WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AT MOREHOUSE AND DOWN, BACK DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL A PRODUCT OF OUR LIFE EXPERIENCES AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS PART OF WHAT I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO CONGRESSMAN GOETZ IN JUDICIARY THAT DAY.
LIVING AS AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALE, YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT.
YOU KNOW, YOU GET IT COMING AND GOING.
SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO RUN FROM, OF COURSE, THE THUGS, BUT YOU'RE SCARED OF THE POLICE, TOO, AND IT JUST SHOULDN'T BE THAT WAY.
LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO EMBARK ON POLICING REFORM SO THAT ALL AMERICANS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN OUR POLICE.
MAKE SURE OUR POLICE ARE GETTING HOME SAFELY.
WE UNDERSTAND THE HARD JOB THAT POLICE DO, BUT WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYBODY HAS BAD ACTORS.
AND SO IT IS A SCIENTIFIC FACT, IF YOU LOOK AT FRUIT, THAT A BAD APPLE CAN SPOIL THE BUNCH.
AND SO IT IS LIKE THAT IN REAL LIFE, WHETHER IT'S A BAD ELECTED OFFICIAL, A BAD PRIEST, A BAD TEACHER, AND A BAD POLICE OFFICER.
SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE REFORM THAT.
AND SO THE LAST POINT I'LL MAKE ON THAT IS THAT IT SHOULD BE HIGHLIGHTED THAT TOO MANY OF THE PEOPLE -- ONE IS TOO MANY.
BUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO STORMED THE CAPITOL LAST WEEK WERE SWORN TO PROTECT AND SERVE.
THEY WERE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
SO THINK ABOUT THAT IF YOU'RE ME OR MY SON AND YOU'RE STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ONE OF THE ONES WHO WILL TRY TO OVERTURN GOVERNMENT.
YOU DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS ONE OF THE ONES USING THE 'N' WORD TO OUR CAPITOL POLICE.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN POLICE AND THAT THEY ARE POLICING IN A MANNER THAT WE WANT THEM TO.
YOUR SON, CEDERIC, JR., HELPED RECITE THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AT THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION.
6 YEARS OLD, WEARING A SNAPPY SUIT.
YOU WERE MOPPING HIS FOREHEAD.
HE WAS SWEATING A BIT.
BUT I'M WONDERING IN LIGHT OF WHAT YOU JUST SAID, HAVE YOU HAD THE TALK WITH HIM?
NO.
HE'S TOO YOUNG FOR IT, BUT I DID HAVE IT WITH MY NEPHEW.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO SUMMARIZE THE TALK, YOU BASICALLY SAY, YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET PULLED OVER BY A POLICE OFFICER, IF IT'S AT NIGHT, TURN ON YOUR DOME LIGHT SO THEY CAN SEE IN THE CAR.
MAYBE IT WILL EASE THEIR FEAR SO THAT THEY KNOW WHAT'S IN THE CAR.
BUT ALSO NO MATTER WHAT THE COP SAYS, NO MATTER WHAT HE DOES, JUST TAKE IT, JUST EAT IT.
I DON'T CARE HOW DEGRADING IT IS.
I DON'T CARE HOW UPSET YOU ARE.
YOUR JOB IS TO JUST COME HOME.
MY JOB IS TO DEAL WITH IT THE NEXT DAY.
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PROVE YOUR MANHOOD.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DEFEND YOURSELF.
YOUR JOB IS TO JUST COME HOME.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE THAT TALK WITH THEIR KIDS OF COLOR.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO DEAL WITH A WORLD WE WANT IT TO BE.
WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE WORLD WE ACTUALLY LIVE IN.
SO, YES, I HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH HIM.
BUT PART OF THAT SAME CONVERSATION WITH HIM IS, DON'T LEAVE HOME AT NIGHT IF YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE A HALF OR FULL TANK OF GAS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU STOPPING TO GET GAS EITHER.
SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST UNFORTUNATE ESPECIALLY FOR OUR BLACK MALES THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE SO MANY CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES THAT ARE THREATS THAT THEY FACE ON A DAILY BASIS.
CEDERIC RICHMOND, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND GOOD LUCK TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
WELL, THANK YOU AGAIN, WALTER, FOR HAVING ME.
SO MANY CHALLENGES INDEED.
AND FINALLY TONIGHT, AS PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS GOING TO UNDO A WHOLE LOAD OF DONALD TRUMP'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS.
THE MUSLIM BAN.
REENTERING THE PARIS CLIMATE ACCORDS.
TRYING FOR ANOTHER NUCLEAR DEAL WITH IRAN.
AND ENDING CONSTRUCTION OF THE BORDER WALL WITH MEXICO.
NOW, YOU MIGHT REMEMBER THESE PINK SEESAWS WHICH WERE CREATED AS PART OF A TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATION AT THE WALL.
THE EXHIBIT ALLOWED CHILDREN ON EITHER SIDE TO PLAY WITH EACH OTHER.
EXA AND IT'S WON THE PRESTIGIOUS BEASLEY DESIGN OF THE YEAR AWARD.
AN INSPIRING REMINDER TO SEIZE THE MOMENT AND THE CHANCE TO BUILD BRIDGES, NOT BARRIERS.
AND THAT IS IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.
REMEMBER, YOU CAN FOLLOW ME AND THE SHOW ON TWITTER.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AMANPOUR AND COMPANY ON PBS AND JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.
♪ ♪