Transcripts For CSPAN Washington Journal 09182020 20240712

At 8 45, the Washington Examiners Joseph Simonson talks about joe bidens relationship with the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Good morning, it is friday, september 18, 2020. The house is set to meet in a pro forma session at noon today. The senate will convene on monday. We are with you for the next three hours on washington journal. Hearing from you on how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted your job. Newly released data show that nearly one million americans file for firsttime jobless benefits last week. Our phone lines split up a bit differently this morning. If you are unemployed, 202 7488000. If you have senior hours reduced, 202 7488001. If you have recently returned to work, 202 7488002. The phone line for business owners, that number 202 7488003. You can also send us a text this morning. That number also 202 7488003. If you do, please include your name and where you are from, otherwise catch up with us on social media, on twitter, c spanwj. Very good friday morning. You can go ahead and start calling in now. We take you through the latest numbers. This from todays wall street journal, weekly initial claims for jobless benefits were a seasonally adjusted 860,000 in the week that ended september 12. According to the labor department, that is down 33,000 from the week before. Early spring and summer, new applications have held steady since early august. Market has partially recovered from the coronavirus pandemic and shutdowns. Employers through august have replaced about 11 million jobs of the 22 million shed at the beginning of the pandemic. The pace of hiring slowed later in the summer and layoffs have remained persistent. There are still nearly 30 million americans receiving some form of unemployment aid. When it comes to the Unemployment Rate in this country, this chart from todays Washington Times showing the race from the beginning of the year rates from the beginning 3. 5 in thefrom beginning of the year two 14. 7 . Tohas been trickling down 11. 1 june, 10. 2 july, 8. 4 august. That is where we are now. Situation innomic the country, we are asking you letting us know how the coronavirus has impacted your life, your job. 202 7488000 if you are unemployed. 202 7488001 if you have senior hours reduced. 202 7488002 if you have recently returned to work. The line for business owners, 202 7488003. We will start on that line for business owners. Jonathan, arlington, virginia. What kind of business do you run . Caller i am in private host how is your business doing . Did you apply for a ppp loan . Caller i did not need to. I tell you what, you are going in and out a bit. Give us a call back. We will try to get that line cleared up as we go to carol from new jersey on that line for those who are unemployed. How long have you been unemployed . Caller carol. I mean i have been unemployed since march 13. I applied on the 16th from new jersey. I have not received my first unemployment check. I am not happy about it. I just wanted host what did they tell you . What is the reason . Caller no. I have called. Telephone, in my have about five numbers. I have called the governors office, the senators office. They have a form you can fill out online, but i just dont get anywhere. They kind of send you back a form. It is like a big circle. They did give me a profile. I am a substitute teacher. They did say i would get something, but i have not received a debit card in the mail yet. Strange. T very i have not gotten anything. Host how are you getting by right now . Caller i am a senior. I am retired. I had something to live on. College girls getting it after one day of work for the whole year. They got full benefits,. Employment, everything after just working one day. The teacher trainees would get the whole thing. It just seems very uneven to me. I just wanted to vent my feelings. Host thank you for doing that. We want to talk to you and hear your stories, setting aside the first hour of washington journal today. How the pandemic has impacted your job. Rock hill, south carolina. Good morning. Caller good morning. How are you . Host i am doing well. How are you . Caller i am disgusted with the whole situation with the pandemic and unemployment. I cannot believe america has turned into this. Host what do you need right now . How long have you been unemployed . Caller i have been unemployed since march. , i do not recall the exact date. I did go out during the first part of the epidemic, and i took a job as a security representative for allied. It did not last long because they failed to disclose that the job i took, it was the outbreak of covid, and i wanted up having an bad sore throat. I had to quarantine for 14 days, which put me back in unemployment. During that time, i lost my motherinlaw, who died as a frontline responder, who was a nurse for 30 something years. Host what was her name . Caller mildred jean green. Host sorry for your loss. Caller i am, too. She was the backbone of our family. I have been going back and forth for unemployment in south carolina. Appeal after appeal. I did receive my unemployment, was getting it weekly, and then my last job that i worked in North Carolina as a Mental Health qualified professional, was going into homes behind the froml Health Therapies a day by day service center. I had a caseload of 12. I am going in and out of peoples homes. I contracted the flu. I did not know covid was out. I really think it was probably covid. The flu several times in life. I could not get out of my bed for 14 days. I was crawling to the bathroom. I was given tamiflu twice. It did not work for the whole 14 days. A vaporizer,sing putting vaporizer stuff inside of the vaporizer and just a bunch of Home Remedies to make it through those 14 days. I contracted it from going back and forth to the clients homes. One of my clients went to the Dominican Republic for christmas break. Come back, and she told me babies was over there dying. I believe that was the spread of covid at that time. Host before you go, he started by saying youre disgusted by watching this. What has disgusted you . The u. S. Response to the pandemic or what is happening right now on capitol hill for relief . Caller all of it. I look around. We are facing eviction because of all of this. I cannot hear your last part could not hear your last part. Host i will let you continue. How long do you have before eviction . Caller i go to the court on the 23rd. Really, we should have been out on the 14th. I decided to fight it because we would not have been facing eviction had both of us in this home been working. This is a twoparty home. Both of us come to the table, and we split bills down the middle. If i am not working, and i am not receiving unemployment, it puts part of that income out of the way. Host that is christina. Taking your phone calls. Hearing from you, how the pandemic has impacted your job and your life. Phone lines split up for those who are unemployed, those who have had their hours reduced, those who have recently returned to work, and business owners. Let us know your stories as we let you know what is going on here on capitol hill. As cspan viewers know, the ongoing negotiation continues over the next Coronavirus Relief legislation. This headline this morning from the Washington Post, President Trump forces nancy pelosi to consider her. This was nancy pelosi her next move. This was nancy pelosi talking about what democrats will accept. [video clip] we have three arenas. One want to bring the 3. 4 trillion to the floor again. Others say we cannot bring anything to the floor unless we have an agreement because we want it to work for the american people. That is what we are striving for. Others will say lets put our own proposal on the floor. You hear different things. The fact is we want to have an agreement. We will stay until we have an agreement. Ask thet you go republicans why they dont want to see the 14 million hungry children who are food insecure or the families who are on the verge of eviction or why they have a disdain for state and local governments, who are our heroes, healthcare workers, teachers, first responders, police and fire, transportation, sanitation . We could not function as a country without the work they do. They say, they are blue states. We are not sending any money there. Host nancy pelosi yesterday on capitol hill. From politicos playbook this morning, trying to let you know about the contours of a potential deal. They note the biggest Sticking Point right now has been state and local money. Democrats are at 900 billion over two years. Republicans are at Something Like 100 billion and 100 billion in repurposed money over two years. Democrats want 300 billion for schools. Republicans at 105 billion. This would be immediate money. The two sides were relatively close on other issues before the talks broke down this summer. Be loaded upld like a christmas tree. Everybody will want their priorities on. The leadership and the white house will have to manage that process and the expectations that surround it. Back to your phone calls, asking you how the pandemic has impacted your job. Ryan has seen his hours reduced in michigan. What kind of work do you do . I would like to say that Nancy Pelosis hair looks really nice. I would like to comment on her hair. Host lets talk about your job. What is happening with you in michigan . Caller lets look at the big picture. All, i look at your narrative on how jobs have been reduced and hours have been reduced and things like that, but you guys are really missing the big picture. The big picture is that anywhere you drive in michigan, you cannot drive by a business that says hiring. We need people. We need workers. Ok. The fact of the matter is democrats have shut this country down. They are keeping kids out of school. Efore parents cannot go to work. We have people working in Grocery Stores, gas stations, things like that. They are working double shifts because they cannot find people to work. Really, we do not have a jobs problem. We have a government problem. It all starts with the democrats. They need to open this country back up, and this problem will go away. Host what is your employer telling you as far as your hours being reduced . Caller to be honest, my hours have not been reduced. That is why there is a double narrative here. There are people you go to walmart, you go to home depot, you go to the big box stores, their hours have been increased. I am one of those people. They have been increased through the pandemic. We are not getting sick. We are not getting sick. The problem is we need to get america back to work and quit paying people to sit at home. Andour kids back in school, these are all democratic policies to ruin the economy so that they can try to make it look bad on our present. Host that is ryan in michigan. This is terry also in michigan on that line for people who have returned to work. How long have you been out of work and what is it like to be back . Caller thank you for having me. Workedbeen working i through the pandemic. Since we started back to work, we opened our business back in august. It has been pretty well. I noticed a lot of traffic. Host what kind of business . Caller i work at the casino. They are doing well. Nobody is allowed to smoke. Everybody is wearing masks. Everybody is social distancing. I have been here going on 19 years. I think everybody is pretty satisfied. We just want to reopen our state again and get back to some normalcy. Host is the casino operating at half capacity . Are there any restrictions . Caller it is at half capacity right now. We started out at 15 . I think a couple of the other places, because they are big, they are at 18 . They are doing pretty well. The first figures came out, and they were quite well. They are making a comeback. We are pretty happy with returning back to work and being able to keep our insurance. We are doing well. I am very excited. Host we played that clip from nancy pelosi. We are talking about the state of the next relief bill. Do you think this country needs another relief bill to the tune of 1. 5 trillion or 2 trillion . Caller sure, people are still not back to work. We still have not called the majority of our people back yet. I think we do need that, but like i said, there is a majority of us that are working now. I agree. They still need to come out. I have friends that need that extra money. I agree with that. Host thanks for the call from michigan. We showed nancy pelosi. This was senator roy blunt with reporters on capitol hill talking about the state of negotiations. [video clip] i think we have always understood we were likely to go up a number. Is the starting number 2 trillion in the house ealtage that actually d with covid or the other 1 trillion that dealt with Everything Else they could think of . 1we are dealing with trillion to 2 trillion, that is legitimate negotiation. Whether state and local government should get money to replace money they dont have. That is part of getting a deal. We dont have much time to get this done. The president clearly eager to sign a bill. Lots of things like the Airline Layoffs occur october 1. We need to get this done between now and the end of the fiscal year. I still think that we can. I still believe we will. The work that the House Democrats and republicans did yesterday to come up with a compromise idea may have been as helpful as anything that has happened this week. Add to that the president says he is willing to sign a bigger bill than the republican bill should help us get headed in the right direction. Host that was senator roy blunt yesterday on capitol hill, referring twice to the present being eager to sign a bigger bill. He is referring to the statements the president made earlier this week. Just want to show you the statements from the president at the white house. [video clip] i have said that. I think some of the republicans disagree. I think i can convince them. I like the larger number. I want to see people get money. It was not their fault this happened. It was chinas fall. People say you should not say that. It was chinas fault. I would like to see the larger number. I would like to see it. There are some things i disagree. I heard nancy pelosi said she does not want to leave until we have an agreement. She has come a long way. I agree with her. We should have an agreement. People should be helped. They should be helped as rapidly as possible. I think it is going to happen. I think it is very important. The problem solvers, a group of people, you know them all. They are very good people. I guess you would consider them dead center. In many cases, they are not. They are left. They are right. They are well on their way to suggesting some good things. I agree with a lot of it. In terms of things you dont agree, are you comfortable the things i dont agree, we can probably negotiate. I think we made some progress last week. Would you endorsed that proposal . Not that proposal, but we are getting closer. We are getting closer. Host that was President Trump from the white house earlier this week. Those negotiations continue, as we found out, yesterday as 680,000 americans file for unemployment claims last week. Here is another way to look at the unemployment situation in the United States. This map from Yahoo Finance showing the ratio of people on Unemployment Benefits divided by the labor force in each state. The National Average is 9. 3 . Isaii it is the. 3 . 20. 3 . New york 15 . In puerto rico 15. 1 . That is where the impacts are being felt by the most people, but it is happening around the country. Callersearing from around the country about your job situation. On that line for those who are unemployed. What kind of work did you do . Cller due to the covid19, i had thework because i underlying diseases. I had sarcoidosis. I had sickle cell. At that time, my sugar level was 10. My doctor thought it was time for me to leave the job for a while. I was a health care worker. After working this job for 33 years, i tried unemployment. At this point, i dont even have insurance to take care of myself. I lived in my house for 25 years. I dont even have the money to take care of myself. I am a single parent. Children, and my now i feel like i have to go ask my kids. My job, i think i was sabotaged, keep directing unemployment. Asked me to work. I got the papers back from the doctor stating i could go back to work. They told me they had no hours for me. Im just in a rut. This morning, i am getting up. I been looking for jobs. For some reason, i cannot get one in my field. I have been a cna working in a nursing home in south carolina. For some reason, i cannot get no help whatsoever. I got foreclosure on my house. I just paid off my car. Couplelike in the next of months, i will be living in my car. Nobody want to depend on because i have taken care of myself for years, forever, in my children. I think this is so awful because i cannot get my medicine. Said thatnce, they mr. Donald trump said he was going to have insurance until the end of the year. I cannot even go to the doctor. At that time, my diabetes was 10. He wanted to put me in the hospital. I told him i did not want to go. He talked to me over my phone because he did that want me to come into the office. He asked me, did you have covid on your job . I told him, we had two people who died. He told me, you cannot go to that job. You have illnesses that will kill you. I think they got upset with me. They just throwing me away. I just needed somebody to hear me, to listen to me because this is wrong. I am 57 years old. How am i going to make it . I feel like i am going to be homeless. That is where i am at. Host thank you for sharing your story. We hear your call. Thank you for calling in. Appreciate it. Steve is next, dayton, ohio. On that line for those unemployed. Go ahead. Caller good morning. I have been unemployed since april. The people that still work at my work, their hours have been cut down to three or four days a week. This is a major corporation. I have underlying conditions. That lady that was just on brought tears coming down my face. My heart goes out for her. I have underlying conditions. I have had two heart attacks. I have copd. Governor mike dewine in ohio, people still have not received and it is a week, only going to be for six weeks that they are going to pay, and now they are going on the eighth week, and we still have not received any of that 300. Who knows if we are going to . People are in dire distress. They think 300 is enough. 400 or 500 a week, all that money is going to go back into the economy anyways. It is going to help everybody. They are going to pay 1200 a month to people still having , 80, 100, and making 120 dollars a year, thousand dollars a year. People making the less amount, and i have been a pressman for 42 years. I cannot go back to work. It would kill me if i did. If i was to get that i dont go out except necessity to get groceries. Host thank you for the call. You mention the 300 a week. One more map to show you from Yahoo Finance, 15 states and the United States started paying the extra Unemployment Benefits under the president s august 8 memorandum. The states in red on this map have already run out of funds when it comes to paying that extra 300 in Unemployment Benefits. The dark green states, states that have started paying. Are states green that have approved paying those extra 300 employment benefits. That is down from the 600 under the cares act. States on this map, states that are applying for that program, and south dakota declining to apply for that program. You can find your state on that map. Of new baltimore, michigan. Recently returned to work. What kind of work do you do . Caller it was actually my wife. She is at work right now. She was working at macys for 22 years. She managed the foods area. She was let go. They decided not to open up the foods area again. I guess they just did not see it as profitable enough with the restrictions and all that on the restaurants. She went back to work. This was her first week with amazon. She is doing ok. Bryan, the one caller, i have to agree with him in michigan. I am on surgery right now. I just had a shoulder rotator cuff repair. Repair, but my employer is dying for people to come and work. In needust constantly actually, and they are working overtime, so if anybody is in michigan in the detroit area, we are looking for help, and they have good benefits. They are a terrific company, that treats people really well. I just wanted to share that. I agree with that caller, brian, theres a lot going on, the democrats, that relief bill, they have really healthy country hostage to get extra money for their you know, their pet peeves, you know, their things. I say donors in a lot of ways, because you know a lot of people that that money would be going to are going to be democratic donors. Host what does your wife do for amazon . She is hired in at the driving al, so she is truck. It was a little difficult for her to get at first, but she thinks that it is going to work out pretty well, and, you know, she said theres a lot of rules and a lot of things, you know, just strict in a lot of ways, but so far, she has no complaints about it. Obviously one of those places that you need to go to work, do your job, and you are fine, you know. But she has a hard worker, and she always has been, and i think she will be fine. I am just happy she is glad to be working, and her paycheck definitely makes life easy for us, so i am happy she is working, too. ,ost thank you for the call from michigan, this morning. You mentioned amazon. Amazon is planning to hire an employees in the u. S. And canada. Layoffs of the summer more than offset by hirings that have been happening, but companies are still concerned about layoffs, erom bakery chain maison kays to Apparel Company under armour to Hotel Operator marriott international, all are companies that have seen job cuts in recent weeks and job because that could be coming soon. James in mississippi, next, on that line for unemployed. James, good morning. How long have you been unemployed . Caller yes, sir. Host how long have you been unemployed . Caller i have been unemployed. I have been on disability for several years, so i really have not been working because of my previous illnesses, so i decided to call in to let you know that this virus that we are having here now, this is very serious. It is real serious, because i hear a lot of people say well, you know, we can tell people to go to work, and you have got jobs, but some peoples immune systems are different than others. Some of the people, they dont hello . Host im listening, james. Some of the people, they dont, what . Caller some of the people dont have the symptoms. They may be working, they are doing everything, but what about when winter comes . When winter comes, and it gets cold, and you see a lot of people this virus beginning to break them down, and with the flu, so you have got a lot of people. It is not bothering them right now. Thinkso, james, do you there should be stricter, harsher lockdowns in this country . Do you think people should not be going back to work . Caller i think, first of all, we need to let the buck stops wh ere it stops at. This is the president of the , americas baby, this is the republican baby, and democrats baby. You have that the republicans who are basically in charge of this virus, and the democrats are in charge of compromising we have. Alien that like i said, when winter comes and the flu season comes, you are going to see an epidemic, sir. Host that is james out of mississippi. Our tweets, first, chris saying i am a history teacher. I am lucky to be able to work remotely throughout the pandemic. I believe the House Majority is deliberately delaying the relief bill that has have so many that are not as fortunate as me as horrible that partisanship is causing people to suffer. Anything is better than nothing. I have been taking care of my parents, because they are both out of work. We need another relief bill to help millions of people that are out of work right now. Chris in new york. This is sue, who says i was working at a once lively Parish Office that was mandated to close in march. I am now working 12 hours a week. Everything is different, but i am trying to make the best of it. What else can we do . This is scott out in maine, recently returned to work. Caller . John, is it . Host yes, sir. Caller i watch you guys every morning, so i get the names yet, it is all the same for me, but i just want to ask america, pretty much, how long is america going to put up with this, you know . I just i dont get it, how we allowed ourselves to be maneuvered like we are. Host put up with what, scott . Caller huh . Host put up with what . Caller with the Current Situation we are going through. We just got through paying 7 trillion to the corporations and the banks and the multinationals , and they are bickering. The people in this country are losing their homes, getting evicted, cant find work, cant get, you know, the work until they get their first paycheck. It is pretty bad. I am just wondering how it is stillhe congress is getting a paycheck. All you have got to do is stop paying them people, and they will fix this stuff. Overnight, i guarantee you, when they stop getting a paycheck, they will put an end to this. Why are we giving a country like israel 10 million a day, every single day of the week, even on sundays . You know . And americans are begging for the senate and the congress to do something with them, to help them. Host do you want to stop all foreign aid right now . Caller well, we certainly need to stop that. 10 million a day, every day of the week, that is a lot of money. I think we should be taking care of our own instead of doing Something Like that. Host that is scott in maine. This is william in North Carolina on our line for those who have seen their hours reduced. What kind of work do you do, william . Sir, i have as, job. [laughs] how are you, young man . John, is it . Host yes, sir, what kind of job do you do . Caller i obey. Have spoken to yall many times, when the bush was brother baracken has come through, and now the trumpet has sound, trump. And i have warned all yall that ndis day was coming forth, a twol you cannot serve masters. You cannot serve the word of god and man. You can continue in your endeavors to have things go on. Host that is william in North Carolina. This is lou next out of highland park, illinois. Good morning. Caller good morning. Questioncomment on the how has the pandemic impacted your job . I believe the correct question should be how did trumps nonreaction to his scientists at the cdc impacted your job . For pandemic pandemic happen could have been stopped in january. He was told the epidemic was coming, but what did he do . He did nothing. He even admitted on the media that he did nothing. He wanted to downplay this danger. This entire Health Hazard that is affecting every single person, not only in america, but the world now, could have been stopped at the door in washington. Host how has it impacted you . How long have you been unemployed . Caller i am well, i am on ietired, so i guess can only call in on the unemployed line. Host this is michael out of kansas city, missouri. Also unemployed. How long have you been unemployed . Caller good morning, john. Host good morning. Go ahead. Caller i just want to address the lady who called earlier from south carolina. I am on Social Security disability, and i am willing to give her whatever i can afford out of that check every month to get her back on her feet to help out as much as i can, so if you can have her call me to set up something, i sure would appreciate it. Host michael, that is a kind offer. Can you talk about what your Monthly Budget looks like for you in kansas city right now, and how it has been impacted the last couple of months . Caller well, i get 1100 a month. After i pay my rent, all my utilities, you know, and groceries and stuff, i have got just a little bit of money to fall back on in case something happens, but i am willing to help that lady out. Host do you think we are in a place where people are doing that more these days, helping each other out, or do you think we are doing that less these days . Caller this place is so screwed up, this country. They dont want to help nobody out. So it just takes people with good hearts to help out. Host are you optimistic there are enough good people with good hearts out there . Caller well, its far and few between. Very kind i said, offer, from kansas city, missouri. Albert is from vancouver, washington. Good morning. You are next. Caller hey, john good morning. How are you . Host i am doing well. Somer that was restoration with respect to humanity, the gentleman before. That was a very kind offer on his part. Unemployed. Am we were finishing a project for it was a manufacturing job here in vancouver, and there is a huge intel campus of course , and of course the project was coming to an end based on supply, and there were some positives at the site at intel in hillsboro, here in oregon, so we shut down due to covid, so unemployment at that juncture. Baffledust im just by the supposedly yale and harvardeducated folks both sides of the aisle. I consider myself a real strong independent. When those individuals are earning close to 200,000 each, irrespective of your qualifications, and a lot of the country and, again, i dont hear there is a great divide in the portland area, politically, but economically, and social economically as well, a lot of halves and a lot of havenots. I would say rather they made a 600, youer than know, people are saying it does to gocentivize people back to work. The liberal New York Times, they just published an article about that. Nevertheless, wouldnt you want to adjust that to each city and state . 600 in portland will be a lot different than 600 in rural areas. For example, the gentleman who called prior to me in missouri. So you would adjust that according to the standard of living. I mean, if the 600 is disincentive fighting this incentivizing people to go back to work, there itanother question, isnt something to quit question, whether it is a Multi National or entrepreneur, if people are willing to stay at home, maybe we are not getting paid enough. Maybe individuals are not getting paid enough. Host albert, you are in washington. This is scott also in washington out of spokane, saying as a business owner, i have had to work harder to make less and deal with restrictions, so why did the unemployed make extra money during hard times . Explain toou scott . I was an entrepreneur at 208i would love to speak with scott. I am 58. I am close to retirement trade i was doing physical labor to make ends meet early in the year, prior to covid. I have been ingrained with an incredible work ethic. I grew up on the southside of chicago. I needless i got close to my masters degree tear die owned thenightclubs back in 1990s in grand rapids, michigan. It is hard work. The buck stops at your desk. Less skilleople with sets then probably scott and i that really have been dealt a different hand. I would go into that kind of discussion. If the entrepreneur wants good employees, i want good citizens around me, i want wellnourished citizens, i want content citizens around me, a constituency that maybe you could bring on board. I am 58. I am close to Social Security. I am worried about that. Theres so many worries at my age, and i just, again, we are really a divided country. I have never seen it i have been watching washington journal since brian lam was one of the only hosts back in the day, and i can tell by the constituency calling that the country has changed. But just by the rhetoric of calls, it is incredible, john. Have a good weekend. Host i will let brian lamb know. Appreciate that. Caller brian is i hate to use the word a hero, but mr. Lamb has always been an incredible individual to make it i have always looked up to him, and i can see obviousl he obvioy has an incredible staff, you included, john. Host i appreciate that. Section of the washington journal, getting an idea of how the pandemic has impacted your jobs. Breaking news out of the white house, from reuters this morning, saying that the u. S. Commerce Department Plans to issue an order today that will bar people in the United States from downloading chineseowned messaging out wechat and tok,o app tik according to people who spoke with reuters David Shepherdson, writing the ban on new u. S. Extended by tiktok President Trump before it takes toce, as the owner reaches face an agreement. Tedance had been in talks with that aims tohers address u. S. Concerns. The Commerce Department will apps andrm the two the United States and bar google play and others according to a senior commerce official who talked to David Shepherdson at reuters. News on thatoy front over the weekend as that story continues to develop back to your phone calls. There is, like i said, about 15 minutes left here. Chris is in hyattsville, maryland. He has seen hours reduced. What kind of cutbacks have you seen, chris caller hi. Good morning. Hours not seen my reduced. I get paid every day. I am killing it. But the reason i called is i wanted to come of the previous caller, there is a lady, she was 57, and she is in tears, and it just about broke my heart that, you know, that thats where things are at with this economy, and i just wanted to reach out to you guys, is there any way that you can connect us and let me help this lady out . You know, i am killing it. I make, like, 1000 a day, every day, and i would like to give this lady 1000, you know, it would really make me feel good. Wasshe sounded like she just about at rock bottom. If theres any way you can connect us, thats really why i am calling, to try to help this lady out. Host chris, again, and very kind offer. Since we talked to her, and since the issue came up, we do have her information, if you want to email us, chris, at journal cspan. Org. Caller im not going to remember that, im driving. Can you transfer me to someone in the information in the office, and they can get my contact information, and i can try to make it happen that way . Host chris, stick around for just a second, and as my producer is doing that, i did want to share with our viewers and couple of the other stories happening this morning. From president s remarks yesterday at the National Archives museum, President Trump calling for Patriotic Education of American Children. The president speaking at the National Archives museum about what he calls an emerging classroom narrative that america is a wicked and racist nation, and said that he would create a new 1776 commission help restore Patriotic Education to our schools. We will be talking about that in our last halfhour of today. Ton journal toda i think my producer talked to chris, so i am going to go to pat in asheboro, North Carolina, a business owner. Good morning. Caller good morning. I have been watching you guys for several years, you know, but i am a business owner, and normally i take off during the winter. Early me back in the early spring. This year, i decided not to open up my retail business, and the reason why is not because of this coronavirus, it is because of all the civil unrest. Is so divided, and the Democratic Party and cnn, these and a lot of leftwing people have caused this country to go out of control. Business owners tell me in this county that they are getting harassed by people on facebook, because somebody doesnt wear a mask. A mask is not going to keep everybody from getting sick, period. Washing your hands, personal hygiene is the key. The democrats have ruined this country. People are afraid to go outside if they are not wearing a mask. This is going to have to stop. The Democratic Party, they need to keep their mouth shut and of thethe president United States and keep their mouths shut. All they have done is bash him from the very first day, before he ever became president. Host that is pat in North Carolina. This is judy on the line for those who are unemployed. Judy, what kind of work did you do . Caller hi. I did office work. Back in those days, it was called secretarial. Host how long have you been out of work, judy . Caller i have been disabled for 19 years. Massive heart attack about 19 years ago today, as a matter of fact, so i have not worked in a long time. But i wanted to say, what i was calling about, is i know i personally feel this way, and people i know have said the same thing, we like trump, you know, i hope he wins. I really do. But we need some relief now. We need to get another stimulus check. Got all of this politics going on now, so they are not thinking about we come of the people out here, need some help. That is judy in georgia. This is in harrison, michigan, barry come on the line for unemployed. Mary, how long have you been unemployed . Caller actually quite a while. I am on disability, and that is what i am calling about. There are so many people on disability in this country, and we dont even warrant a . Tatement from these guys host what do you want to hear, barry . Caller well, i would like to hear somebody at least acknowledge that there are disability people out here, living on 250 a week everybody is working, and they ,re not getting unemployment extra employment. What about the people on disability that are barely holding their houses together. About notpeople whine wearing a mask . Throughpeople climb jungles to protect this country, and these people do not have enough gumption to wear a mask every now and then when they go into a store. You see them and walmart marching up and down, screaming and hollering at people to take their mask off. What is going on in this country, and what is supposed to be so great about this country . That statement went out years and years ago. Something is going on terribly, and they need to watch both parties, because in the position i have been stuck in. Not one single time have i hoard, and i watched the news a lot, not one time have i heard them even mention people on disability. And this is from the government disability 250 a week. That is after working for 30 years on a job that i have been at barely able to do for the last 40 years, but i still tried to do it. And now i am stuck living in this position. I have got to pay somebody to go to the Grocery Store to get my groceries for me . Somethings wrong in this country. Too many people are being left behind and forgot about. Thank you. Host barry, before you go, when did things go wrong in this country . We lost barry. Luis is next in west virginia. She has seen her hours reduced peer what kind of work, louise . Just work for myself, doing here, and i have been iing this for 50 years, so cut back on doing a couple of peoples hair, that is all. Beginning, we were weeks six weeks, and that was to slow the curve, andtten the decrease hospitalization, so people would not get sick and crowd the hospitals. Here we are, six months later, the hospitals are fine, everything is fine, except nobody is opening up. They never said that nobody is going to die if you do all this. They did not say that. They said that it would flatten the curve, and that is pretty sad, whenever we are still like this, all this time. Hair,louise, when you do do you use Safety Measures that you put in place . What sort of restrictions do you require for your customers . We lost louise. Mark in oklahoma, you are next. Good morning. Caller good morning. I am on disability, and i actually own my own small actually and it is more on what i can make, and the thing i think is congressman , thed take a pay cut house of representatives and the rest of the elected positions need to cut their pay by half. The government would have a lot more money to dish out to people to help them. And theres employers that have got help wanted signs up around where i am at, more in the surrounding states offering a 1000 bonus if you go to work in the surrounding state of kansas, and they are offering a 1000 bonus. If you are willing to work for them. Host what kind of work do you do in your Small Business . Caller merchandise. Host say again . Caller i sell surplus merchandise. Host and what are people buying these days . Hammers, nuts, a variety ofrates, stuff. Host can go ahead. Its just you have got to stay on your game and stay with it, and i think theres a lot of people thats been scared to go out here and get out and buy i think you need to take caution cured i have an underlying illness. I deal with the public at least two days a week. I think we are getting to the point that a lot of times we are overplaying it. In there was a deal news, people who wear glasses are less likely to catch up your i think we just dont know it. Companies, iine was watching it. They want to make a profit and the government is funding the research for the virus. , think the world government belgium, switzerland, and the United States, somewhere needs to pull the Research Teams together and say we are going to get this over with, at this done, find a cure for this, and we will pull together and not worry about making money. Let us get it done. Host before you go, you called for members cutting your pay and have, in my math is right, that would be an additional 50 million a year if members cut their pay and half. Where would you want to see that go . Caller i would like to see it go to helping people who need boosting the stimulus checks and stuff going out for people, because that is helping, and i know people are doing extra fix their house up to prepare it for winter, and some people are giving the money away to help others less fortunate that cannot get out. Would reallyit help our economy right now, put it out there and in job projects, put it in projects to build the United States up, and stimulus package, and unemployment for the ones who need it, but encourage them to go back to work safely. Host that is marked. From elizabeths from moscow, pennsylvania on the line of those unemployed. Go ahead. Caller good morning, thank you for taking my call. I am unemployed since the beginning. My last day was march 13. I am a cosmetologist, and, unfortunately, there is a lot of work for me. Host why do you say unfortunately . Caller because i cannot go back to work. Facial,ctually do is and with the mask mandate and in the state of pennsylvania, we are required to wear masks in orderilding, so my job in to do it requires the client to remove the mask during the service. So, there are restrictions on my license, and that is why i am unemployed. But my clients are calling the shop and contacting me, when are you coming back to work . And so, i am only making on unemployment not even half of what i was making before the shutdown. Host what do you say to the clients who call and say when are you coming back . Caller i tell them that i am sorry, we have to be patient, find out what happened what will happen with the mask mandate. Board, you a state take an exam, we use hospital grade cleansers. The people that are back to work in the shop, they are all wearing the masks in the face shields and the clients are wearing the masks and they are taking your temperature, and they have Hand Sanitizer all throughout the shop. So, i kind of think it is overkill as far as people who have a license, that know about sanitation and sterilization, and it is not anything that is new. I have been doing this for 15 years. So, i just do not understand why would keep this restriction on our license. And, it is all of us in the state of pennsylvania. Host thank you for the call. Theabeth, our last call in first hour. Stick around, plenty more to talk about including Sarah Longwell, the founder of republicans against trump, and we will talk about the efforts this election cycle, and later, joe simonson joins us to discuss the ability to satisfy the progressive wing of the democratic public party. We will be right back. Book tv on cspan2 has top nonfiction books and authors every weekend. Eastern,at 7 30 p. M. Martha jones explores the efforts by black women to win their white right to vote in her book vanguard. Rules in no rules netflix and the culture of reinvasion reinvent reinvention, they talk about the workplace culture. , connecticut democratic senator chris murphy whats at the origins of violence and firearms in americas history and the role they play in society in the violence inside us. Seniornterviewed by a criminal justice fellow. Watch book tv on cspan2 and the all virtual Nash National book festival at 7 00 p. M. Eastern on book tv. Washington journal continues. ,ost Sarah Longwell joins us the founder of Republican Voters against trump. When did you found the group and were you ever a republican voter for trump . Guest was never a republican voter for drop for trump, but we founded the group about six months ago. It is part of a broader effort. Wasr to its founding, i with tim miller and a few other folks like murphy, we had had a group that was republicans for the rule of law. We have been this group of former republicans or current republicans, people who wanted a pushback against donald trump within the party. Beenhe organization has around for a few years and we did a lot of work around impeachment and the mueller investigation. Really what i came to understand, and i have been doing focus groups for the last three years trying to understand what was going on with voters inside my own party, and one of the things i learned was that voters had reservations about donald trump, especially women, even if they voted for him. They did not like him, and a lot of their 2016 vote had more to do with disliking Hillary Clinton than liking donald trump. I have been thinking for a long time about how do you move those voters from Donald Trumps column in order to defeat him in 2020, and that is we found that is why we founded Republican Voters against trump, because we needed to hear from other Republican Voters who just could not do it anymore in terms of voting for donald trump. If you go to our rep website t. Org you can see that there from000 testimonials people who voted for trump and 2016, but they are doing little testimonials that talk about why they cannot support donald trump in 2020 and will support joe biden, and for people who have been culturally, privately, or politically republican, is a real move. Tell,he stories that they they are very compelling, and what we do with the stories is that we make sure that other Republican Voters, soft trump voters and collegeeducated voters make sure that we see the have the testimonials because we are trying to build a new tribe, a tribe of republicans who cannot support donald trump in good faith. Host we want to talk to Republican Voters. The phone lines are little different. 2027488000 if you are a republican who opposes President Trump. 2027488001 if you are a republican who supports President Trump. All others, 2027488002. In, we knowalling President Trump likes to talk and tweet about his Approval Rating within the republican ruetersriters had a had a poll recently on job approval and had a 92 among republicans approving of the president s job performance. How me Republican Voters against trump do you think are out there how many Republican Voters against trump do you think are out there . Going onere is a lot in those numbers. A lot of republicans are out on the party and have already left. If you look at pew has the registrations of people who identify as republicans and democrats, that has been dropping because donald trump is actively tricking the party. The other thing is that you cannot actually win a National Election with just people who were registered republicans. You need independence. A lot of these rightleaning for georgets voted w. Bush but they are looking at donald trump and saying i am for keeping the government out of our lives and lower taxes, but i cannot support this person and they are more than happy to say, joe biden is fine, i can vote for joe biden. For donald trump, when he brags about these numbers, what he is areng is all the people who tribally republicans are still in on me, but it is not a big enough group to win an election and there is a lot of people he has driven out, and i am one of them. Host who is olivia troye . Guest olivia troye was the lead staffer on the covid19 task force. She was the main liaison for mike pence. The covid19 task force and she was his top staffer. Last night she released a video through our organization talking about what she saw while she was on the task force, and it is a moving story because olivia is clearly a person who went into this job because she wanted to protect the lives of americans. That is everything that she has done in counterterrorism, she was in the department of Homeland Security, what she wanted to do was protect americans, and she says while working on the task force, they were trying to help americans navigate the task force the pandemic and donald trump was making their job more difficult, going out and downplaying the pandemic at the same time they were trying to take the pandemic seriously. And so, she is the third trump official who released a video through Republican Voters against trump. , a first was myers taylor chief of staff at Homeland Security. He tells till chilling stories about trying to get the president to Pay Attention to things like the wildfires in california only to have the president say i do not care about that, those people are not my base. Newman, the head of counterterrorism and i am sorry, she was chief of staff there. And, she talks about one of her main jobs was fighting the rise of White Supremacy and domestic terrorism and how much her job was made harder by Donald Trumps rhetoric. It is about average voters creating structures to help doer voters move over and Something Different than they might normally do, but it is also about creating a space for republicans who want to speak out about what they are seeing in this administration, and letting america know what is going on in their, and olivia is the latest person to do it. She led all of the news last night because she is the First White House official to calm out and talk about what she saw. What she is saying totally comports with what we have heard from things like Bob Woodwards book with the case of donald trump knowing how serious the virus was but deciding to play it down for what looked like political reasons. Host i want to play about one minute of that testimony that she released through your group last night. [video clip] troye, i was a Homeland Security and advisor to Vice President pence and i had been on the Covid Task Force from day one. The virus was unpredictable and there was a lot of unknowns. Towards the middle of february, we knew it was not a matter of if covid would become a pandemic in the United States, it was a matter of when. The president did not want to hear it because his biggest concern was we were in an Election Year and how will this affect his record of success. It was shocking to see the president saying that the virus was a hoax and saying that everything is ok when we know it is not. The truth is that he does not actually care about anyone else but himself. He made a statement once that was striking that i never forgot it because it defined who he was. When we were in a meeting the president said maybe it is a good thing. I do not like shaking hands with people, i do not have to shake hands with these disgusting people. Those disgusting people are the same people he claims to care about and the people going to the rallies today who have complete faith in who he is. [end video clip] host it is available at rvat. Org or on twitter at rvat2020. I want to ask you about President Trumps response. He was asked about olivia troyes comments in that video as he was outside of the white house yesterday. Heres about a minute of what he said. [video clip] pres. Trump i do not know her. She was on the task force as some kind of lower level person. I have no idea who she is, i have never met her to the best of my knowledge. Maybe she was in a room. I have no idea who she is. She does not know me. It is just another person who leaves, and whether it is cnn or say Washington Post they negative things. We have a letter from her that is absolutely the most beautiful going away letter. She was terminated, they did not want her. She has nothing to do with me. I do not know her, i never met her. She may have been in a room or something, but i never met her. Mike pence told me about her and said she left. Then, sheer go, and wrote a beautiful letter, as i understand it, a letter praising the administration, but then the people got a hold of her and said let us say bad things about donald trump, the same thing about miles. I never met him, he has gone. I have no idea who he is. This is a big government. Every time some believes government, 99 of the time i will not know who they are. Is a almost like it personal thing with me. [end video clip] host on the comments from yesterday . Guest first of all, he is not telling the truth. She was not fired, she left because of what chief saul, the letter she was talking about, she wrote a nice letter to the task force who she thinks is doing important work and who she was honored to be a part of the work. Her criticism and she certainly does not mention donald trump in the letter, she is not praising him, her point is that they were trying to do something important and donald trump undermined what they were doing at every turn, whether it was finding important doctors or refusing to focus and Pay Attention and be focused on whatever Tucker Karlsson had said the night before. And so, look, he can say every single one of these employees at have left is trouble, but some point, there are so many of them, i am talking about john kelly, and now we are talking about multiple other officials. You know what, of course they were in the room. Himselfs pictures of with the president. The president says the same thing every time. Do not know them, they were disgruntled. None of them bears out, and at some point they are telling the same story, and he cannot keep brushing them all off. Host i will let you chat with a few of our callers starting on the line for republicans supporting President Trump. Mary and dallas, texas. You were on. Caller yes. I have a lot to say. I have never been so disgusted in this election as to see what this president has gone through. You can call yourself a republican, maybe you are a republican establishment candidate, or a democrat in disguise. Im going to tell you what. The division in this country is not caused by him, it is caused by the rhetoric, being called racist. What has been done to the people who support trump. You know what, i will tell you one thing. After this, i said i might be done voting, and i have been voting a long time, and i said i am getting disappointed with the ublican party, and i said when you look about when you talk about division, msnbc and cnn will not put on trump, so all of the viewers do not even get a true story of what he has talked about. Also, i can say may god bless this country because we all need to vote for President Trump, and a whole bunch more come out in support. Host that is mary in texas. Guest i have been a republican my entire career, and heres the thing. As a republican there are a bunch of principles that matter to me. Matters, foraw example, and never have we had so many people surrounding the president who have gone to jail and been indicted. Never, andpt, i have my adult life or in the time i have been alive, seen a president who cozies up to dictators the way this president does. And, turns on our allies. I have never seen a president with the Economic Policy where he runs up the debt, and this is happening before the pandemic, who have trade deals that defy a free market. I do not just oppose the president. I oppose him as an american, but also as a republican. Values not reflect the of conservatives and republicans. I understand, he has people who like him and believe that he is a victim in some way, but if you spraytch him turn pepper bullets on Peaceful Protesters that caused fourstar generals who worked in his administration to call him a threat to democracy, if you can watch that and still say this man deserves another four years, we have a difference of opinion. A conservative, when i was coming up as a young person, bill clinton was the president and we talked about character mattering. And, morality mattering. Thandonald trump has more 20 Sexual Assault allegations against him, a new one came out this week. We have heard the things he has said about women, and minority groups. Id, i am not making it up, hear it with my own ears and he tweets about it. I have very deep political differences with some of the folks on the democrat side, but when you tell Democratic Congress woman of color to go back to the places they came from when they are american citizens, both of whom were born here, there is not many other ways to interpret that, and i am not saying that we were not divided before donald trump. I think division has gotten worse, but donald trump stokes those on purpose for his own political end. And i think it is important for americans to come together and say that we cannot have this person another four years. Host what is the future of the Republican Party look like in january 2021 if President Trump does when and if he does not . Then iif he does win, think you will see the divisions get much deeper. Will have aook, he hold on the party. His takeover of the Republican Party will be total and complete , and i also think that democrats will have to think about a few things as well. Because of donald trump wins, it is the second time that there is a repudiation of democrats at a time when it really looked like that was not going to happen. Will havek democrats to do soulsearching about how do you win National Elections. Republicans would become a trumpy party. And full on, there is no coming back from it. It would be a populist, nationalist, party. If donald trump loses and joe biden wins, especially if he wins by a lot, and gets a thorough repudiation of trump and trumpism, then i think there is an opportunity for the Republican Party, as it does sometimes when it is out of power, to go back and do its own soulsearching and think, ok how are we going to win and have a big enough coalition. Lot, it is by a because he lost the College Education collegeeducated suburban voters and he lost women at historic margins which is all the polling shows. The gender gap has turned into a chasm. If he loses those people, the republicans, if they ever hope to be in power will think how do we get some of these people back and how do they change the party to do that . Winning and losing causes for the bothngs parties to rethink how they are doing things. I am conference concerned about the future of the Republican Party. There was a poll about people who wanted she would want for the 2024 nominee. Donald junior came in second and mike pence came in first. I think that is a strange for a party that felt like it was rejecting political dynasties and one of the reasons that jeb did not have a shot was because we are over political dynasties. John don jr. Is the future of the Republican Party, that i think that is a concerning thing. Pennsylvaniaout of on the line for republicans opposing President Trump. Good morning. Caller good morning. I am definitely opposed to President Trump. I do not think he is helping the country at all. Weaker,try isw we sicker, and poorer. In four years am i better off today . The answer is no. Absolutely not. And he acts like he is not accountable to nobody, he has above the law. When you pledge allegiance to the flag, i vote for a president , i do not vote for a dictator. And you wonder how adolf hitler got into office in germany and talk to those people into doing horrible things. You can see trump, he is like adolf hitler and the making, and people do not see that. Host how do you feel about hitler comparisons . Guest i think we should be careful about exactly i think never if this worth is this worth comparing people to hitler because it was a uniquely horrible situation, but when talking about his authoritarian tendency, that is fair game. You have a president who has suggested that perhaps we move the date of the election. He has told people that perhaps, they ought to vote twice. He is undermining democracy at every turn by saying that the election is rigged if he does not win and casting doubt on mailin ballots. Suggesting that he needs a third term in office. These are all things that in normal circumstances, donald trump has lulled us into a weird phrase where he says crazy things that normally would set heyseven alarm fires over this guy is threatening the constitution and he sounds crazy, but everybody is never quite sure how serious he is. Isalways acts like, maybe he joking or Something Like that, but he absolutely is he does not respect the rule of law or the constitution, or the thoughts and values of this country. Now, i think he also does not seem to have much of an aim in terms of what he wants to do policy wise. Dictators other have a really negative thing that they want to do, some horrible thing. Donald trump does not seem to have any ideology beyond he wants power for himself. Host the pushback that you talked about has come in the form of ill boards in pens billboards in pennsylvania and advertisements as well. That costs money. Where does your funding come from and how much are you planning to spend in the next 50 days . Let total right now for what we have raised and planned to spend is about 23 million. We are running most of that digitally, some on tv and we are inng billboards pennsylvania, arizona, and North Carolina. We have expanded our campaign into florida. Where we get the money is from all over the place. We have thousands of donors. We have been lucky in so many small dollar donors that have started us that have helped us once our campaign caught traction. We have raised millions of dollars from small dollar donors , and then our donors are people democracy. Out raised a lot of money and we are spending it all in the service of hoping to beat donald trump in 2020. Host Anonymous Sources on twitter saying if you are supporting the democrat candidate and campaigning against the republican candidate, you are not a republican voter. That is like saying and i am a Miami Dolphins fan but i hope the new york jets kick their butts twice this year. Guest people say this and say you are not a real republican. You are supporting joe biden. They can save i am not a real republican, it does not matter to me. My policy beliefs lean more conservative, i also think that i am an american first before i am a republican. And i see unique dangers posed by this president. And, as an american, my political identity does not matter as much as my american identity. I think donald trump is a threat , and frankly i think he is destroying the party. I think that he has shrunk the party, i think that he has put a whole bunch of republican senators in peril. It is a real chance that donald trump loses the election as well is a wipeout of senators, so i do not think that he has been good for the party. People comparen it to sports teams, it is a good comparison and it is funny because this is not night like a sports team. In sports teams the stakes are not high. You can have a team and have team loyalty, that is not what politics should be about, it is we aredeas and about how talking to each other about policy and a totally different thing. When you see something going off the rails and something that is actively dangerous to say, just because i am on the team i have to support it when it is something that threatens your country, that does not make a lot of sense to me. Host 15 minutes left with Sarah Longwell. The group is Republican Voters against trump and you can find them on rvat. Org. If you want to have a question or comment the phone lines are open to do so. This is jean, a republican supporting the president out of maine. Good morning. Caller good morning, i have been listening to this lecture for quite a while, and i just want to say that one of the things that the lady mentioned was how many indictments and lawsuits that have been brought against trump, and i would like to say that accusations and indictments, these are not facts. These are things brought about by political enemies and trump has a lot of political enemies. I also noticed that she said, i do not know whether it was about herself or someone else, people seem to know what trumps sink is thinking. They know that everything that he does is for himself, and i would like to say that one of the things that i learned early from watched a short tape youcy pelosi and she said start a lie about your opponent, and you get it printed, and once it is in the news you can truth. It as and this is what has happened to this man. President trump is trying to return us to the constitution. Attorney general barr is the best man to do that. We have been governing by gossip ever since the 90s. People Say Something and it is all over the news, nobody knows the facts, they just talk about how awful someone was, and i just think that mostly people are concerned with elitists manners. If you do not have this elitists and politically correct approach, then you are not a real american. You are some kind of deplorable. So, i guess what i would really like to say is, why is this lady republican . Host Sarah Longwell. Guest there is a lot to respond to. You know, i am not a donald trump republican. That is clear from what i am saying. Is thishink that there sense and donald trump does this on purpose where he creates this notion that there is no truth or no objective truth. The caller said something about this is governing by rumors, that nobody really knows what is going on. There is a lot of things we know for absolute fact. Putnow that donald trump actual pressure on a foreign ally so that they would investigate his political opponent, joe biden. We know it. Many republican senators said yes, he did it, it was wrong in a quid pro quo but they would not agree that it rose to the level of impeachment where the, except for mitt romney. They did not deny that he did it. It is on tape and we know what happened. It is on tape with bob woodward that donald trump downplayed the threat of the coronavirus by hiding how severe it actually was, and objectively you could say that put lives at risk, because you were not told how serious it was. As a result, people were not encouraged to take necessary precautions as quickly as they needed. We know that he paid off a foreign star. Porn star. There are all these things that you know, and we know he lied about that. And lots of things. I think there is objective truth, there are things that we note, and i understand that people say that the media is he has political enemies and everybody wants to attack him. That is true. There is fighting and politics and people trying to get people on things. That being said, he has multiple Campaign Managers who have gone to jail, multiple senior officials have gone to jail and pled guilty. It is unprecedented how much corruption there is in this white house. So, you can say that nothing is true or everyone is out to get him, but at some point when so many people from his own administration have said he is unfit, you can only deny it for so long or say that everyone is out to get him. His general mattis out to get him, or trying to tell the truth about what he saw . Host a lot of callers in a little bit of time left. Here is a text that came in saying i agree with you on trump, he is too despicable of a human being for me to support even if i favor policies. Like reagan said, the Democrat Party left me, i did not leave the Democrat Party. I cannot support it or biden either. Suggestions for those like me . Guest i hear that from a lot of how cans where they weight where they are staunchly prolife and they cannot vote for a democrat for that reason. I think that is tough. I think that it is important for people to recognize that donald trump is an existential threat to democracy and support his opponent, but i think if you only ado that there are couple practical options, one is voting for an independent candidate or you could skip and write somebody in. A lot of people might write in a republican that they admire, but and really, i would not tell anyone not to vote, those are your practical options, but i do think as a broader point, if you feel like you are a republican but you are opposed to what donald trump is doing, i would make age you to testimonial for Republican Voters against trump and we have almost 1000 on our website, and just speak out and say. It is important for people to hear from other republicans who talk about why they cannot support this president and why, because there are a lot of republicans on the fence. They do not necessarily support the president with the same fervor that the most recent caller did, but they are not democrats and they are not sure what to do, they feel like they should support the president , because they are republican, so just talking to people and letting them know where you stand is important. Host wayne is in a public a republican opposing President Trump out of illinois. Caller good morning. Host you are on. , you might as well be a democrat, because the way you are spewing the hate about mr. Trump is not fair. I think i voted for hillary in 2016. By theesident trump won electoral vote, not by the popular vote. Now, all of a sudden the democrats want to get rid of the Electoral College. That is a strange twist. And i know there are a lot of things that mr. Trump has said that people do not agree with, and maybe he has divided the country. And some people refer to him as hitler, but when i look at the riots in the democratic states with democratic mayors allowing these lack matter lives to go on black matter lives to go on reminds me of the brownshirts. Host are you supporting the president in november . Caller i have not made up my mind, but i have looked at some of his policies and ive seen where they have made a difference in the black caucus by helping black colleges and giving millions of dollars to these universities and helping people who are less fortunate than ourselves. Host wayne, in illinois. Well, here is the thing. Is a theme, saying why do you not just going be a democrat . For example, there are plenty of policies i do not agree with, one is abolishing the Electoral College and filibuster which are like because i am more temperamentally conservative. I find it interesting the way so many Trump Supporters when their posture is not let me try and convince you about why you should vote for this person is, go be a democrat. Happened is because a lot of people have gone and done just that. The Republican Party been shrinking because rather than trying to build a broad Political Coalition among people who might agree on policy and having a more uniting tone and being a president who governs responsibly and takes threat seriously, you know, if he had done that, and look, i did not support him in 2016, absolutely not. But when he was elected, there was a period where he was like where i was like, he was the president and you have to think i was like, what could i do and maybe he could rise to the occasion. I thought there was a chance he would be different than how he campaigned and how he has been. I thought that for two minutes before you saw quickly that that was not how he was going to govern and he was not going to be a president for all americans, just for republicans and is divisive. I am looking for somebody who is committed to the foundational notions of this country in terms of the constitution and rule of law, and also who is trying to unite us. Even by virtue of joe biden saying i want to be the president of all americans, i want to hear that from somebody. We are at a dangerous place where we are so angry, divided, and polarized. On one hand we have a president who tries to fill to throw fuel on that, and on the others, you can talk about what certain people on the left are doing, and i am opposed to a lot of those things. But also, joe biden speaks and every more progressive person as the most moderate candidate with the exception of perhaps mike bloomberg. And, has overwhelming support to do it. I think that i am pleased that joe biden is the democratic candidate, because i was opposed to donald trump. I wouldve had a near impossible i wouldve been the other caller who said i do not want what i do if it had been Bernie Sanders. Joe biden is a good person who i think is genuinely interested in trying to bring us back together as a country, which is more important than any one individual policy position. Elmo,moses out of lake minnesota on the line for all others. Good morning. Caller i have a couple of quick questions. First and foremost, the constitution is protected by the supreme court, so donald trump will not abolish the supreme court, so i think you can relax. Did you support the iraq war . Was 21. Caller did you work for the Mitt Romney Campaign . Guest i did not. Caller did you work for the Mccain Campaign . Guest i did not. Caller but you are a republican strategist. Inyou do not support trump 2000 16, is the Republican Party like a john kasich, do you support that guy . Guest i like john kasich. Caller ok, fine. So when he pledged that he would support the republican candidate for president , he hosted the Republican Convention and he did not show up and support him. Is that the kind of republicans, these 20 who do not like trump, is that what you stand for, going against your word . Politics is about power and money. How Many Supreme Court texted john mccain get, or mitt romney . Host go ahead. Guest i do not think politics is just about power and money. At all. I think it is about how People Choose to govern itself and what its values are. I think that i am not quite sure what the kasich point is. Lying ore are against not keeping our word, i would hold john kasichs record against Donald Trumps any day or twice on sunday. There were a lot of republicans that did not show up like ted cruz who got up and did not endorse donald trump. Because, all of these people including Lindsey Graham were saying this guy is a con man, this guy is dishonest and will destroy the party. I think they were right then and i think they are not correct now. There are lots of republicans happily supported any other republican on the stage, but not donald trump. The point is, donald trump won because he got to do what he wanted. I think the question is can he win this time. There is no doubt that the country was more opposed to Hillary Clinton and they were really to take willing to take a risk on a guy who was a political outsider, not a majority, but enough for an electronic Electoral College standpoint. The question is, that happen again or will donald trump create a magical shrinking Republican Party that cannot build winning Political Coalitions again. Host time for one last call. This is tiny on republican supporting the president. Go ahead. Caller good morning. Very disturbed about everything that is going on. Trumper a never never trumper it was never republican like mitt romney. Donald trump has done so much for america has spoken what a lot of people in america feel. We have been sold out not only by the Democratic Party, at the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is a party party against the people of america. They are not for america. Anytime you support anyone who says it is all right to murder a baby in the womb of to the ninth month and you can support someone like that, in time a party says, no, god does not care who you love, but he cares about who you marry. I cannot support someone who does not stand for the word of god. And joe biden, he has never been for the black race, he has always been against it. As far as black lives matter and in tivo. And i have been watching what is been going on in this United States, it reminds me of the kkk and sends me back when we had to get on the back of a cotton truck and leave mississippi from the burning, looting, and murder of black people. And you can get people to support this party and urge people to say to go back to their own nation. In the house of representatives and their job is trying to destroy and bring the United States down to its knees. I do not to be a china, russia, or iran, i want the United States. We have terrible things that have happened, but i am speaking as a black woman who has suffered through racism. That is what i am speaking of, and i know racism when i see it. Host we will give you the last minute or so. Guest i also do not want to be china, or russia, or any of the other places led by dictators that donald trump sucks up to too often. I also say what i say because i believe strongly in america and i love the country. And i think donald trump has been bad for the country. And, heres the thing. I am not questioning anybodys patriotism and i think we can all do disagree on politics and that is ok. Nobody has to agree with me and i can think that i am the political establishment, i am a Mitten Romney republican Mitt Romney Republican because i think that guy has a has good morals and he would have made a great president. So, there are a lot of people who think we need a different version of the Republican Party and it is not a version i am interested in. I did not work for mccain or romney but i think their vision for the Republican Party was considerably better than what we have now. But, i you can question whether or not i am a republican, but i am doing what i believe to be right and saying what i think is true and that is all you can expect for everybody. Longwell, founder of Republican Voters against trump, rvat. Org and on twitter at rva t2020. Journal, washington we will hear from joe simonson on his recent piece looking at joe bidens ability to satisfy the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. American history tv on cspan3, exploring the people and events that tell the american story every weekend. This weekend, saturday at 10 00 l. M. Eastern on ree america, three films about the census. And at 2 00 p. M. Eastern, a look at the 1918 flu pandemic and the ways it altered life in ways that mirror the 2020 pandemic. At 7 00 p. M. , 19 62nd president ial debate between john f. Kennedy and richard nixon. On the presidency the dedication ceremony for the new to dwight d. Eisenhower memorial just off of the National Mall and at the base of capitol hill. Speak include frank gary, condoleezza rice, senator pat roberts and president eisenhowers grandchildren. Exploring the american story. Watch American History tv on cspan3. Period washington journal continues. Host joe simonson joins us and has been following the ins and outs of campaign 2020, and in a recent piece focusing on joe biden you posed this question about who is actually leaving the Democratic Party. He wrote what if biden is the passenger in not the driver . Explain. Guest as i laid out the Democratic Partys governing coalition which is who is actually running the country in 2021 and, as well as who are democratic voters. As i write, this is one of the most incoherent coalitions in modern american political memory. I think that sets him up well to win in november. If you see who makes up and who is the coalition, it is largely black americans who vote the highest rate of any group in this country, higher than whites, and college educated. Suburban voters as well as those with a postgrad degree. These are overwhelmingly, particularly those of a post at postgrad degree, vote democrats. These two groups have completely separate policy ,oals, separate interests culturally they could not be more different. And, like i said that is good if you want to win an election, but in terms of what is the agenda the Democratic Party, we get a lot of stuff thrown out. Republicans like saying it is the party of aoc. Democrats like to say that we are the party of these women elected to congress in 20 in suburban districts, and a lot of more moderate members of congress. And so, these two groups, i just do not see a lot of room for agreement aside from basic things like undoing some trump policies or gop policies and repealing tax cuts. These are small things. We have a president ial candidate joe biden and a party pledging for Health Care Reform. What is Health Care Reform according to aoc . It is something very different memberd to a democratic of congress who represents philadelphia suburbs. Challenges that joe biden will face if he wins in november. And, it is something that i am not sure i do not see think we see more of a disconnect between what a president ial candidate is saying and the priorities of members of congress in his own party. Host biden and the left is the name of the peace and you can find it at washingtonexaminer. Com. You can join the conversation this morning. Phone lines as usual. If you support the biden harris ticket,1. Trump pence, 2027488001. 2027488002 if you are undecided. I want to talk about the illustration. It is a picture of joe biden catching a tiger by its tail. Arent all nonincompetence nonincumbents trying to hold together a coalition at this point . Guest i think the Hillary Clinton example is not a bad one. Obviously, we know that hillary is at least partially, her inability to hold together that coalition was partially somewhat was sponsored for the loss in 2016. She certainly struggled with that. In terms of trump, trump i would say did one of two things. One trump was the nominee, he was theed when trump nominee, he reoriented the party. What we are seeing with joe biden, he is having to adjust to the party that he is on the top of the ticket. In 2016, at least, accused trump of being beholden to republican interests or establishment interests or saying anything that he did not fairly believe, or change dramatically in a matter of months his position on something in order to satisfy a coalition of voters within his party. Joe biden is doing Something Differently where he is simultaneously this moderate, i ran in the primary as a moderate, that i am also promising you the most Progressive Administration since fdr. It is possible that being a moderate in todays Democratic Party is another fdr presidency. I do not think that is the case, but that is the only way you can square that, in which case the party has moved so far to the left that it does not moderate matter if you are moderate. I think that is what the kind of means, or what it is trying to convey, he has the nomination, he has caught the tiger, but can he actually govern what does it actually look like . How does he satisfy these disparate groups in the Democratic Party. Host the phone lines are lit up for you. We will start with illinois on the line for those who support President Trump. Go ahead. Aller good morning i was just thinking. , he did not trump say that the pandemic was not real. January on thein pandemic. If biden would have been in office, we would not have stopped people coming in from china, and we would have had twice as many people dead as we everybody says trump is hitler this, and that. There is only one person running that i watched in the 70s that stood up for the kkk against Martin Luthert king jr. Tried to get done, uniting blacks and whites, and that one person was joe biden,tanding up with senator byrd and everyone said, well as shallow Michelle Obama said that trump is putting kids engages at the border. See just she just forgot to say that the cages that my husband built for the same reason. Bring up a lot of issues there. Go ahead. Guest one thing i will comment on is the question about joe bidens pandemic response. I think joe bidens campaign denies it but its unquestionable that early on in the pandemic when donald trump announced the china travel ban, joe biden responded saying we cant beat this virus with xenophobia. Later, they were wishywashy but they agreed with the president s decision in that particular issue. I think that signifies i dont know this for a fact, but im not sure joe biden sincerely believes shutting off travel when theres a Global Pandemic is xenophobic, but he felt the urge to signal to his contrasts that, to himself with the trump administrations response. Microcosm ofis a some challenges he will face uncovering. If people say you need to shut down your border, if you have saying if anything looks xenophobic dont do, i think it leads to the tensions in his party and things he will have to work out. Dont later, he can say disagree, but that takes months. We really need to make decisions at the time. Chula vista, is in california on the line for those that support joe biden. Caller i think with this administration, this president , it comes down to a very basic level. I think everybody that watches television knows he is a chronic liar. I dont trust anything he says. We see it over and over. Its on video, and each time im hopeful people can see the light , that this is a man who is a narcissist and cares about himself and not the United States. But i believed, in a twoparty system where there are arguments, debates, and you tried to convince the other side. I feel democracy is failing us. I cant leave a president is using all of his executive powers to the point where it is abusive and we see he is going around the congress, belittling Congress Host carmen, let me ask you this, you can focus on joe biden for a second, as we are talking about the competing coalitions within the democratic already. Do you think joe biden will be able to Democratic Party. Do you think joe biden will be able to navigate that . Do you think hes being pulled to one side or the other . What do you think of his leadership for the Democratic Party as he has become the nominee. Caller i think he is in the middle. I think not everybody is happy. , consider myself a progressive and i wish he would endorse one pay for health system, but i think you will bring it together enough to win the election, but i think that is the way democracy works. We meet halfway, and i think he will rule and govern for himself. This president host got your point, carmen. Why not let him jump in. Guest i completely concede and i said earlier in the segment that joe biden could be the best candidate the democrats have to win the election, and when you talk to democrat voters, when i talk to democrat voters in iowa, new hampshire, during the , people think this is a guy that could win. I think thats a viable strategy , but it doesnt get to the governing question. I think democrats are so frustrated with this president , so frustrated with where they see the direction of the country , this caller was talking mud democracy was failing, abuses from the white house going on, that they are willing to put anyone against him that can win, or at least the person they think has the best shot of winning. What happens after . I think that is something democrats are not considering. When you talk about who will be covering governing, joe biden and the white house and democrats in congress, congress has so many factions inside of it that im not sure voters know what they are getting, democratic voters, Republican Voters, it is anyones guess. Thats what i find so fascinating, even the voters. Host let you chat with another democratic voter. This is houston, texas. Go ahead. Another supporter of joe biden. Caller i do support him. He was with president obama and went together. Trump has put that together with me. Trump has really told his country of art tore his country apart. Had done died. There are so many people that he kept from talking and fired. We need to bring the country back together again we need someone to bring the country back together again. Sometimes the democrats get mad with the democrats like president obama did with violence with him. He cant just go with that party, hes got to do it for the whole country. That in theld say short term, the coronavirus pandemic presents biden with any with an opportunity to and rhetorically reach out to voters in this kind of bipartisan fashion where we have a common enemy, not politics, it is science, this president has failed in his response. So here is my plan to beat the virus and get people back to work. Theres not a ton of politics there, aside from maybe the lobbying that biden is at the president. I think the existence of the coronavirus, that being the top one to two concerns for voters in november, pushes that whole what does a joe biden presidency look like maybe out six months, takese of joe biden office, thats the first thing across his desk. It wont be things like trump did, like a travel ban a van him dividual modular individual muslim countries, not totally reholding immigration system, it will be dealing with the coronavirus. I think questions about what a joe biden presidency will look like are pushed off but need to be addressed. Host francisco has a question on twitter, do you believe joe biden will see the presidency to Kamala Harris if she wins . Guest no. This is a i dont think this is an unfair question , and im sincerely, people on the right ask about joe bidens mental capacity and age more than anything, but this is also something joe biden has wanted since the 1980s. We know he has ran for president several times. Theres no indication from the amount of time i spent around him, covering him, that he is doing this all for show. I do think that, again, the despite the ticket, fact that harris is not Bernie Sanders, but i think they represent two totally different factions of the party. You have joe biden, whose chief appeal is to noncollege educated whites, bluecollar voters, which is why all of his events are in pennsylvania, virtually all of them. And then you have Kamala Harris who is supposed to be the multiethnic america who has a more progressive voting record than joe biden. These are expected these two are expected to work together. I think it will be interesting to see what that will look like in a white house. It is not uncommon for president s and Vice President s to disagree on things, to feud. They certainly did not get along wealth each other in the primary. I dont he will be ceding control to her. If he wins in november, he will be vindicated in his decades long struggle to win the presidency, but i do think, again, to the pieces of my essay and something i spent a long time thinking and asking people about, it is indicative of the struggles of the Democratic Party. These people couldnt be more harris andkamala joe biden. Host this next caller is undecided. Caller i was going to ask you, obama and biden were running the show. [inaudible] and what did we get for it . We dont have roads or nothing else. All of a sudden, hes talking about millions and millions of jobs the government will create, but people are so brainwashed we wenty forget bankrupt. They dont know what that means i guess. It means we have no money. Biden cant do nothing. Host joe simonson. Guest sure. Said, joe bidens chief concern when he takes office withyear would be dealing the fallout from the coronavirus. The constraints the caller know,ned, you historically high deaths, s p 500 will be the highest since world war ii, spending is the highest gdp since world war ii. Plenty of economists think the time to spend is now because Interest Rates are far lower than people previously thought. On the other hand, it is true joe bidens platform is the most progressive in american politics i think. These calling for trillions of dollars in new spending, nonpartisan think tanks and organizations. Ive looked at his spending programs and there are 2 trillion to 3 trillion gap in terms of where he wants to raise revenue and spend more money. I expect republicans to fall back. It will be a debt hawk if joe biden wins. Ofwill be a problem in terms governing. You promise constituents all these things, calling for the greatest expansion of welfare since fdr, and you have to pay for it. You have to pay for it by raising taxes, and hopefully you are not raising on people that voted for you to give programs to other people who voted for you. I think these tensions are going to point out in the joe biden presidency. Host remind us what the Biden Sanders Unity Task Force was. Guest absolutely. Of 2016, theeat Democratic Party, joe bidens sought outgressively advice from Bernie Sanders for progressive members of the house whataoc to kind of draft does the Democratic Party stand for. That is the language they language, they believe x, they believe y. People want talk about this, but one of joe bidens most progressive initiatives hes that he doesnt talk about on the trail much, housing would be a federal guarantee to every american. We would basically create a new entitlement that provides housing to everyone. It would be a dramatic expansion of government welfare, and that was certainly influenced by aigne andnders camp staffers. It has had a real impact on joe bidens platform. He isnt campaigning on everything in his platform, he is campaigning on trump on his response to the coronavirus, unity, on the race rise we see in American Cities riots we see in American Cities, but there is no doubt in Bernie Sanders and aoc staffers met with the biden campaign, they got real victories there. Host back in california, this is janice in chula vista. Good morning. Morning. Ood thank out everybody in chula vista does not think like carmen first of all. That iy, i wanted to say dont understand why people cannot see through the facade with this republican i listened to your last segment with the republicans against trump, which was pure garbage. If you are a republican or another trumper, there is a big difference. The only thing i can see that trump has been so wrong and has not follow the usual mandate of bush or is good old jeb the other professional one inians who have 2016, we would not have this uprising, because it would have been business as usual. They would have still been selling us out under the table and doing their political jargon , lying upfront and going behind making and lying bills behind closed doors against the american people. So here comes trump, who not only does what he says, says what he means, but means what he says and has kept his promises. He has turned the political world upside down simply because he has kept his word. Host joe simonson, do you want to jump in . Guest sure. I will say i do express sympathy with i think voter frustration at these republicans against trump group the republicans against trump group. The republicany party is not as defined, the Republican Party is trump. It doesnt sound like you are a republican anymore, and that is fine. I think trump is what republicans are now. I think trumpism is how the Republican Party is defined. It would be like saying i am a democrat against joe biden. I dont think anyone would take that seriously, i dont think anyone will except those people. I think you just say you are against joe biden. If you are against trump, you dont need to put a prefix in front of it. You are just against trump and thats ok. Host this is marianna in new york on the line maria on the line for those who support joe biden. Caller good morning. Its the blacks, hispanics, and minorities, young people, and suburban women dont go out and vote for biden, they deserve everything they get on trump. Suburban women who are afraid now, will be afraid if trump is elected because you and your daughters will be back into kitchens, suburban housewives, which is where trump wants to put you. Seniors will no longer have their Social Securitys eventually, medicaid will be gone, and this is what i feel. Thank you. Host maria in new york. Joe simonson, going through some of the coalitions we started this conversation talking about. Guest absolutely. If you go through the list of people she mentioned, and we went on this earlier, but it was minorities, suburban women, women generally, she talked about people 65 plus and Social Security. Those people vote in extremely high numbers. I think the caller is right to say if you feel this strongly about the president , you should go to the polls. Nothing wrong with that, but i cant think if you were to tell me all of these people have the same political mission, i would probably be a little surprised. The kind of democratic turnout machine in philadelphia voters there, black voters there were arected, political class, expected to believe that people voting in innercity philadelphia have the same interests as a woman who is a stayathome mom in suburban detroit or milwaukee. That they want the same things for this country, that they care about the same things. They dont, and that is fine. Right now, they are unified in removing the president , but that woman in suburban detroit i have voted for mitt romney in 2012. She might have voted for obama, too, but the party significantly moved to the left from obama. These people can help you get elected. Theres no doubt there. Im not saying there is some or massive, strategic mistake in this Democratic Coalition in winning elections. Won in 2018,018 slated to win in 2020, and that is not the problem. When people say go out and vote yourump will do x, y, z for to you, you ask what joe biden is going to do for you. I think that is the question democrats will be forced to reckon with it biden wins. Host this is lower on the line for those who support President Trump. The line for those who support President Trump. Caller i believe it is not so much what he says, because sometimes i dont like what he says. Dieser, i do like what he and his policies. I think he has accomplished more as president than any president in my lifetime. Ive at most every person i vote for them. I dont just willynilly vote for them. I want to know the policies and what they stand. I know the pros and cons of each person before i vote for them, just like the pros and cons of trump before i voted for him the first time, which i did. Biden, the more i read the more i dont like. I dont like his policies or track record. Kamala harris, i dont like her policies and what she has done an office, as well as what she has done with senator what she has done with her time as senator. I have voted in the past for people like progressives, and i would be willing to be voting for that person as well, but i want to clear out, as trump it, the swamp. Host how do you think President Trump has done in draining the swamp . Caller im slightly on the fence with that, because i believe he has done something to drain the swamp. Changing his cabinet when he doesnt think they agree with his decisions, Something Like that, where i know the other size criticizes the news media. However, i believe he could have done better. I think he should have stopped hiring from the swamp. I think they should have definitely went outside, because during the campaign trail, he said there were many intelligent people outside of washington, d. C. , outside of the swamp, and i was hoping he would hire more outside people. Host joe simonson . Guest i think thats an important observation from that caller. I think, should trump lose in november, the story of his presidency will begin and end at two he brought in to his administration. The hiring in that white house, the frustration for democrats, but also for members of his days. It calls for disruption within the white house. This is probably the most, in terms of individuals, paranoid, backstabbing white house we have there hasse i think been a huge breakdown in the hiring process there. Its not surprising to me to hear from trump callers trump voters to call in and say one of the biggest disappointments is the draining of the swamp. I dont think the president necessarily agreed with everyone that works in his white house, policies, what the agenda of the white house is, the messaging is coming from people who are not necessarily trump, who i think have radically different visions for the white house and president. A veryink thats important observation. I think that is absolutely true and i can understand her frustration. Its frustration held by a lot of voters and supporters from trump. Host a couple minutes left of joe simonson this morning, Washington Examiner political reporter. If youre interested in his takes, you can find him on twitter and Washington Examiner. Try to get in linda, who has been waiting in st. Petersburg, florida, on the line who support joe biden. Caller hi. What im looking to bring back. S integrity and honesty doingrump talks about things right away about the pandemic, he closed the borders and did nothing. If you think about it, they only the only place he helped out was new york city. [inaudible] and the only reason he did that is because he was afraid the stock market was going to close down. He didnt send that ship to south florida, though. Host thats linda in florida. Joe simonson, i will give you the final minute or two as we wrap up. Guest sure. I guess i wont entirely agree with the premise of comments. I think at the time president ship, new a naval york was expecting a massive hospitalsin terms of being overcapacity for coronavirus, so florida, i understand there was a lot of concern, a lot of hype in the media that florida was going to peoplenext new york, and were really worried about resources down there. That just did not happen. New york was certainly a unique case, the tristate area being responsible for disproportionate amount of deaths. I dont think anybody knows why. Im from that area and it is sad to me, heartbreaking. Florida, ippened in dont think anyone, any experts, and he scientists, any hospital administrators, doctors said they needed the u. S. Comfort down there. Being said, there is no question that the president s president s Coronavirus Response is struggling right now. Do i think all the covers that he is getting his fair . Of course not. Do i think this white house had a coherent strategy to deal with the coronavirus . No, and particularly what is going on with trump, and i will leave it here, with the coronavirus, he is no longer defining the terms of the policy debates around the coronavirus. He is being defined by what democrats are doing and calling for. So democrats, they would need to continue lockdown or lockdowns happen and consider using them again. Thats not an affirmative policy, and i think thats what a lot of voters are seeing, that he is being very reactive, and i think that is hurting him and responsible for anger, for like the caller who just spoke. Host joe simonson is a political reporter with the Washington Examiner. Check out his work at washingtonexaminer. Com. Thank you for your time this morning. Guest thank you so much. Int about half an hour left washington journal, and we back to your phone calls, asking you about president s call yesterday for more Patriotic Education in schools. President trump at the National Archives yesterday, called for a new narrative in america and more education about Patriotic Education. Adding your thoughts on footlights. Republicans, independence, and a special line for parents and teachers. Start calling in now, and we will be right back. sunday at 7 00 p. M. Eastern, a live discussion with woodward which new book, rage, looks at President Trumps national and Foreign Policy decisions. Watch book tv on cspan two. Ongoing, Global Pandemic and many school shifting to online learning, cspans studentcam competition continues to provide students a platform to engage in national conversation. Middleton High School Students are asked to produce a documentary exploring the issues they most want the president and new congress to address in 2021. Justice is conformity. [inaudible] yet presentday, there are issues with equality. It needs reform. When students are given the opportunity and skills to become informed voters and engaged citizens, they dont, because democracy must be earned. From an equity, to decades long waits to legal documents, to a pathway for citizenship born here but parents illegally migrated here. 100,000ear, we award in total prizes, including a grand prize of 5,000. The deadline to submit videos is january 20 of 2021. For more information on how to get started, go to the website, studentcam. Org. Washington journal continues. Host about half an hour left in the washington journal today. Want to get your thoughts on this story, here is how the Washington Times puts it today. President trump said yesterday the left cancel culture Critical Race Theory and 1619 project by the New York Times are toxic propaganda that americans must eliminate from the work they sent schools for the sake of National Unity. Thepresident said movement from the left is trying to make students ashamed of their history and will sign a National Commission called the 1776 commission to promote Patriotic Education. This was the president from the National Archives yesterday on Constitution Day. [applause] pres. Trump today, im also pleased to announce i will soon sign an executive order establishing a National Commission to promote Patriotic Education. The 1776be called, commission. [applause] thank you. It will encourage educators to teach our children about the miracle of American History, and make plans to honor the 250th anniversary of our founding. Think of that, 250 years. Host that was the president yesterday at the National Archives, and we are getting your thoughts this morning. Here is how the phone lines are split up, democrats, 202 7488000, republicans are 202 ts 202 , independen 7488002, and a special line for teachers and parents, 202 7488003. Some reaction to the president s announcement yesterday. First, the republican side of the aisle, congressman ken buck, the 6019 teaches a historically inaccurate version of our history. This from Tennessee Republican nted seven note are senator marsha blackburn, we will not allow the New York Times and the 6019 project to push its revisionist history onto unsuspecting students. Some reaction from independent an independent, keep the federal government out. My family does not need or want this president or any president telling our schools what to teach. Barbara lee yesterday afternoon, trump is interested in teaching White Supremacy in our schools, not patriotism. The6019 projects explains u. S. Had an illegal premise of slavery. Real patriotism is recognizing our brutal past and establishing a commission to address it. That was some of the reaction on capitol hill. We are asking for your reaction and our last halfhour of the washington journal. Phone lines are open to call in. This is dennis on the line for democrats. Good morning. Caller good morning, sir. This is the first time i have ever called. Host what do you think of the president s idea . Caller i hear a lot of this stuff a lot of my friends and here in west virginia, there are few democrats left. They are all Republican Trump thump trumpies. When they talk about taking on the statues down because they are destroying history, while they dont want people to know the south lost for a reason. That history was only put up in the 50s. 1950s. Thats not actual history. That stuff was not put up until the 1950s and 1960s to show people that you may be getting rights but we are still in control. That is what people dont understand a lot. The messaging is wrong. Trump is trying to do everything he can to become a dictator, and this whole white supremacist thing is the tip of the iceberg as far as im concerned. Jim is in pacific grove, california. An independent. What do you think about this idea for more Patriotic Education of American Children . Caller i agree with the president , but i also want to say that i think there is a need for more Critical Thinking theories in our kids today. I think one of the examples of this is the lady you had earlier the never trumper. She has a hang out on her finger and wants to cut her arm off. She cant think past what would really happen under a biden administration. I will tell you, the democrats were so eager to pull the 20 for the amendment on the president , 25th amendment on the president , they will eat their own and put the 20 for the amendment on biden and move onris 25th amendment biden and move harris into the presidency. That is a terrible, socialistic society that we will lose our whole way of life on. California, in that was in california. Kathleen is next, good morning. Caller yes, i think we need to go back to the beginning and find out when slavery started and see who started it instead of blaming americans. I think they need to start at the beginning, and realize that slavery and all of thats, if youre going to teach kids, teach it right. It went back to the 1400s. Then they were brought to europe, then america. If you want to talk slavery, native americans, they had those. They did not need to bring black people here. If youre gonna look at history and teach it, teach it accurate, then. Host thats kathleen in south dakota. The president yesterday singling out the New York Times 1619 project. Heres how the New York Times describes the project and their story about the president s comments yesterday. The project named for the year the first enslaved africans arrived in virginia colony, which reframes American History around consequences of slavery and contributions of black americans. The project, whose lead author, Nicole Hannah jones, was rewarded awarded a pulitzer prize, has been incorporated into a curriculum and taught amend taught in many schools across the United States. Shirley is next, a democrat. Caller good morning. I try to get on last time, but the clown was from the Washington Examiner. Host what do you think of caller hold on, i have been calling for the last hour so im going to say what i got to say. Person trump needs to teach about history is himself. Thats who he needs to teach about history. He doesnt know history. Thank you very much. Host anything else you want to add since you waited a long time . Caller a long time. Of correcting history, teach it. When they came in so the last of the indians, [inaudible] 1619 is the time. Goodbye. Host that is surely in new orleans. The president making his comments yesterday on Constitution Day in the United States, making his comments there on the National Archives with the u. S. Constitution, the other founding document in the room. Heres more from the president yesterday. Pres. Trump we embrace the vision of Martin Luther king or children and not judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. The left is attempting to destroy tha beautiful vision and divide americans by race and the service of political power. By viewing every issue through the lens of race, they want to impose a new segregation, and we must not allow that to happen. , the 6019ace theory project, and 1619 project, and the crusade against American History is toxic propaganda. Poison that if not removed will dissolve the civic bonds that tie us together, will destroy our country. That is why i recently banned trainings in this prejudiced ideology from the federal government, and banned it in the strongest manner possible. [applause] the only path to National Unity is through our shared identity as americans. That is why it is so urgent we finally restore Patriotic Education to our schools. Under our leadership, the National Endowment, for the humanities as awarded grants and support, for the development of a proamerican curriculum that celebrates the truth about our nations great history. Host that was the president yesterday at the National Archives. If you want to watch that entire event, stick around for about 20 minutes. It will be airing on cspan after our program ends at 10 a. M. Eastern 10 00 a. M. Eastern. Aking your calls sylvia in virginia, republican, you are next. Caller i believe it is a good idea. I was uncertain to vote for trump until he said that. I am about ready to go somewhere we have internet so we can help my granddaughter to learn virtually. We take turns. I noticed it on the homeroom time that they dont say the pledge of allegiance like they used to, they cant, so i will be saying that with her in the morning. Think it is very vital the precious caller before, bless her heart. I agree with what she said so we have to put the combination of ideas together for this Patriotic Education. Host why were you on the fence before now . What was holding you back . Caller i like biden a lot, but i dont think he has been able to help with the pandemic, because he has not been able to get around. Im very concerned about his memory loss. My mother is 88 and has that type of loss. She doesnt have dementia but has that type of loss. I think Kamala Harris might want to be president instead. Iselieve President Trump very patriotic, and i enjoyed the convention so much this year with all of the flags. Caller that a sylvia in virginia. Host that was sylvia in virginia. This is margaret, a democrat, good morning. Caller thank you for taking my call. I think we need to refute some of this propaganda. First of all, the 1619 project will not replace history books. It will be used as a reference tool, possibly. Possibly to augment, to fill out questions that students may come. Aboutl this propaganda democrats are communists, and biden cant think straight, this is all junk. President trump wouldnt know what is that old expression by Samuel Taylor . Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. He would know patriotism if it slapped him in the face. He is a draft dodging, lying, big it bigot, ok . Luscious be honest about this and stop. Lets to get along be honest about this. Lets try to get along. Trump is not a leader. That is why there are so many republicans i feel sorry for the real republicans, because their party has been hijacked by this i dont know what he is. Hes a baldfaced, selfcentered liar. Host that is margaret in texas. This is derek in idaho, an independent. Good morning. An independent and i dont have to worry about whether on a republican or democrat, but when trump was in the impeachment road until february the fifth. This pandemic started in january, and they are saying he didnt do this or that quick enough. Now you are talking about education. The first thing talk to these people should be jeremiah 17 nine, which says the heart is desperately wicked. Above all things, who can know it . If people understood that, you would realize you cannot be shortchanged at the Police Department because it is in our nature to be evil. Nation, this divisiveness, is not going to happen because the republicans love the republican. If republicans win, democrats will be ready for another impeachment. Ill talk to you again. Host thats darrell in idaho. This is renee out of marietta, georgia, writing and via the text line saying i was educated in georgia in the 1960s and we didnt really learn about the except aboutut how awful the north was to us. I feared the same type of curriculum would come from the trump administration, the whitewashing of our history, literally. Renee in marietta, georgia. Pete is next, republican. Caller i agree with the gentleman from idaho to an extent. We all have a heart problem, all , but wehat god created , they have a problem here men who signed the declaration of independence can you hear me . Host yes, sir. Caller the men who signed the declaration of independence, with the words in it, we are we are created by our creator with certain unalienable rights, they may have thought that just for the upperclass white people. Flawed. S, as we are it was a step in the right direction at least. All of our history we took backward steps and forward steps. Ii. S born before world war. ve seen the progress we made we will continue to make progress, but we cannot demonize our past. The way that a lot of people want to do. Im sorry for that. I feel bad about it. At what is trying to be done. It is a retribution and revenge, which is a bad way to feel in our hearts. E should want to get together we shouldnt be broken of spirit and contrite of mind, and put g back in power and not replace it with the big g of government. Host thats pete in pennsylvania. Some reaction from academia to the president s call yesterday. This part of the New York Times rep above the president s comments about a Patriotic Education wrap up of the president s comments of a Patriotic Education. The former chairman of the National Endowment for the humanities criticizing President Trump for, treating historians like he treats scientists, by disregarding our best voices who have written on American History and race. We already have institutions like the National Archives and others that preserve and promote our nations history. I would encourage him to request congressional support for the existing programs at the smithsonian, library congress, the National Archives, and National Endowments. They do a good job and i know they would welcome his strong support to expand those budgets. , youin detroit, michigan are next on the line for democrats. Caller good morning. Host good morning. Go ahead, maam. Caller yes, i think this is the dumbest thing i ever heard the president say. [laughter] we are going to teach education, patriotism in the United States of america from this man . [laughter] history from aw block on the fence. Going to go back to teaching patriotism. Patriotism, this is the dumbest thing i ever heard this president of america say. Host thats mary in detroit. In todayslead story Washington Post, on this topic. Trump attacks public schools, pledges to mission on proAmerican History. Rich in new jersey, republican. Good morning. Caller good morning. First, a couple things and then to the New York Times. The lady on the phone a minute or two ago that said we were trying to get along after she trashed republicans, trashed the president. Joe biden got five deferments from serving in the military. Second of all, our Education System is in shambles. Im a retired teacher in new jersey. I saw what was going on. They take our young people, teach the wrong education to five and six years old, all the way up to college. They teach our kids in college do not get along, that there is only one way you can think, and that is the left way. Times, do youork remember the New York Times during the holocaust . They denied it. They denied it as people were being slaughtered over there. So the New York Times are not legitimate. Thank you very much. Host that is rich in new jersey. This is steve in tennessee. A democrat, good morning. Caller good morning morning, john and cspan. I talked and 31 years for talked for 31 years in North Carolina, i taught science taught for 31 years in North Carolina, taught science. Is a coalition put together by 50 governors to try mathematics in the United States, which has been trash because it was hard. History is written by generally the winners. Books,look at history you will see maybe one paragraph about the trail of tears. You see absolutely nothing about the americans, native americans killed and property and wealth taken. You dont see anything about the four black girls killed in Alabama Church sunday morning. Then i willo, and stop, the state boards of education determine the curriculum. If youre going to complain, you need to go to your state board of education. One last thing, i will say this. Kids coming out of Christian Schools and going to public schools, the fact is they were really good with bible verses but cannot multiply. Theres just a whole lot out there, and it is terrible education has been trashed when it is not the problem. Host kathy is next out of texas, republican, good morning. Caller yes, i agree with this Patriotic Education. Right now, my grandkids are going to school in texas, and are being forced to watch only cnn. They are not allowed to watch any other influence except for the liberal view. Either way, we really should be proud of our history. Not all of its. We should know our history so the bad things, the racism, does not repeat itself. Im sick and tired of this race issue. The blacks are doing much better. I hope they do good in the future. We dont want our citizens to be brought down. We want everybody to be brought up. Please stop using race. It is sad for this country. Host do you think civil rights should be taught about in schools . We lost kathy. When in North Carolina, independent, good morning ly nn in North Carolina, independent, good morning. Caller i have never seen america in the shape it is in. It was not like that. Host it was not like that when, lynn . Caller ive never seen america like this in my whole life. Old, i saw the ,lan go by my house at one time like way back when i was seven or eight years old. It was a scary sites, and we did blacks that were good people around us, but we dont have it. When obama and biden were in there, it was not like it is today. Is fueling the our country will never get back like it is, but either way, i am still undecided. Either way if you go with biden and harris, i dont know how that will turn out, nor with trump. Im just so confused by the whole thing and i have watched all of it. I feel sorry for americans, because were not like this country is, we are better than that. Host thats lynn in North Carolina. We will go ahead and continue to take your calls. President trump for patriotic american Patriotic Education for American Children. Heres the headline from todays Washington Times, trump slams cancel culture as toxic propaganda, calling the establishment of National Commission the 1776 to promote Patriotic Education. This is well in cincinnati, ohio. A democrat, good morning. Caller good morning, cspan. Love cspan. Im happy im able to watch cspan. I have learned so much from cspan. Host thanks a lot. Caller what i wanted to comment on was i am a retired africanamerican, and i have been watching what has going been going on in this country. This president is talking about adriatic education in school. In the 19 6 Patriotic Education in school. In the 1960s, growing up, they never talked about alabama and what happened in selma or the bridge. All we heard about was booker t. Washington, and George Washington carver. That was the extent of black history. When this president talks about Patriotic Education, that was in thesion talked back 1960s. That wasnt the real truth. I bet they thought the real truth was too inflammatory and wanted to leave it alone. Its unfortunate this president is now trying to go back to that same playbook. It is not going to work. Host explain what you mean when you say sanitized version of history. Caller just what i was saying, our extent of extent of black history was booker t. Washington, George Washington carver, and not telling what really happened back then. They told us the good things about what most white, male caucasians did, like thomas jefferson, hamilton, like a lot of others. But that is kind of a guess what im trying to say. I just think this is a step in the wrong direction, going backwards, and we need to be going forwards in this country. Host this is john in florida, republican. Good morning. Caller good morning. Say, myjust like to phone is dying so i hope i can get it all out, but i am so sick of being called a racist. Can you hear me . Host you are sick of being called a racist, john. Caller yeah, i am sick of being called a racist by the democrats. They think biden will carry any of that . I have been called a racist, called deplorable, all the way from obama, which the both of them are racist. I cant hear you. Host thats john in florida. Diamond, washington. Independent, your next. Caller good morning, thank you. My apologies, i gave the wrong zip code. Im in seattle. I disagree with this. This is reeducation. I dont know what other symbols we need to give to us on what is trying to happen here. Theres nothing wrong with learning about how our country was created, and it was created on the backs of slaves, created with the blood of our native americans. People, and, took we even know this. And we need to know this. This is the history we cannot repeat. Yes, great,tion, but the constitution is a 250yearold document that we have amended 27 times. It could be amended a few more times. Franklin roosevelt had a second bill of rights that looks similar to a green new deal. So lets look forward, lets educate, and educate on the past. We made these mistakes, lets not make them again. Thank you. Im at work and have calls going on. Thank you, cspan and good morning, america. Host thats jeff, our last color on washington journal, but we will be back here tomorrow morning at 7 00 a. M. Eastern. In the meantime, have a great friday. [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. Visit ncicap. Org] [captions Copyright National cable satellite corp. 2020] today nancy pelosi holds a briefing life at 10 45 eastern on cspan. You can listen live on the free cspan radio app. President trump s to minnesota for a rally this evening, watch beginning at 7 00 p. M. On cspan, online at cspan. Org or listen live with the radio app. The president and the Vice President joe biden are set to debate. End, andhas pledged to just last week he probably accepted the endorsement of the antipolice portland District Attorney who has a policy of releasing vandals and criminals and extremists without charge. Fmr. V. P. Biden he lied to the american people, he lied about the threat imposed to the country for months for he had the information and new how dangerous it was red while this disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job on purpose. It was a life and death betrayal. Of theh live coverage debate tuesday, september 29 at 9 00 p. M. Easting and watch the coverage either live or debates. At cspan. Org a link to our campaign 2020 website with videos, candidate information and election results, go to cspan. Org debates. Your unfiltered view of politics. Now the president speaking at the white house history conference where he announces a new order to promote patriotic 17 70 sixcalled the commission. This is under one half hour