Incivility blocked president barack obama from filling a vacant sprooem court seat refusing to hold hearings on his nominee. Today mcconnell tweeted a picture of himself shaking the justices hand because he knew what was going on. Everyone did. With its decision on the travel ban today, the republican controlled Supreme Court gives an effective green light to the president S Immigration agenda which im sure he receives as more than just about this case. That i amgration agenda lets remember until last week including tearing Migrant Children away from their parents at the border as a kind of punishment and deterrence and reportedly holding those children as hostages to force families to drop their asylum claims. Family separation policy appears to have been halted after overwhelming public backlash but and this is important, the vast majority of those children right now as i speak you to have yet to be reunited with their parents. The president has been quite
political power of their overwhelmingly white base still make up a small minority of the Political Class and of the country in general. But right now at this moment, they are the ones in charge. Unless and until the bigger portion of the majority of the country mobilizes against them. Im joined by a member of the Democratic Party leadership, 2018 candidate for Attorney General of minnesota, one of the few muslims serving on the hill, congress man keith ellison. Your reaction to the Majority Opinion in which the Chief Justice says maybe he said nasty stuff but you have to look at the four squares of whats in there and it passes constitutional muster. Well, its really kind of a surprising and shocking decision because its very clear that you can have a document that might be facially neutral but if its intent, purpose and expected application resolution discriminatory, that is going to pass constitutional muster. Yet the Supreme Court said if they get a thin excuse for
were nothing short of disturbing. They are hostile to the idea of representative democracy. And im telling you, theyre pretty overt about this, pretty clear. You remember well the Chris Kovach Commission that was going to study the false voting group that according to him fraudulently switched the popular vote to hillary clinton. I mean, and thats just the begin. We all know were living under a gutted Voting Rights act. We still have not been able to pass the restoration of that. So thats what were looking at, a minority that is trying to dominate a majority and is using the courts, legislature and the president to do it. What do you say to people saying theyre doing a pretty good job right now. What do dobo it. I have to agree theyre doing a good job. Weve got to mobilize and get out there. Weve got go to low turnout
districts and get folks out to the polls. And weve also got to argue it is about an election but its not only about an election. Activism, engagement, participation in society really has to go up. You know, i tell you, sitting on the sidelines in this moment really its not a protest. Its a surrender. And so what im asking folks to do is get out there and do something about it. I just left a rally in minneapolis in front of e federal courthouse. I can tell you people are energized. Theyre not demoralized. Theyre looking for things to do. People are running for office and getting involved. Just the other day, we had the parkland students here in minnesota. Theyre organizing young people to register to vote making sure that the Millennial Vote turns out in november and people stay active throughout the year. Thats what weve got to do about it. We cant simply assume things will get better because they usually do. In this case, they may not unless we act now. Do you feel like democratic
leadership is sending a strong message what the sort of the agenda of the party is in resisting what you described as a kind of minority managing to exert its power over majority, how to resist that . I think that the Democratic Party leadership has shifted its focus, i mean right now were not only focused on every four years. Were focused on every single day. The Democratic National committee is thinking about how we can support candidates in municipal races, state legislative races, School Board Races all kind of races up and down the ballot. We do it every single race. So that is a shift in focus. We simply cannot have an approach where we raise money from a lot of rich people and buy ads every four years. Thats not going to work. We need to engage people at every single level. You mentioned a few other cases. Theres one that were watching for tomorrow. And you probably are keeping occur eye on the janice case, as well. That has a lot to do with the shape and trajectory of our
country as it relates to Public Employee unions. Were keeping our eyes out, chris. Keith ellison, thank you. Thank you. My next guest is a long time republican strategist who just quit the gop after almost 30 years over the president S Immigration policy. In a Tweet Storm Last week, Steve Schmidt wrote this independent party will be aligned with the only party left in america that stands for what is right and decent. That party is the Democratic Party. And msnbc contributor Steve Schmidt joins me right here. Good to see you chris. First i want to talk about that. The kind of Breaking Point for you. Youve been a never trumper. Thats been clear. Tes a group of people that i think have very strong views about this individual, this president and his character. Then theres a question at which point that becomes true about
everyone in league with him. What was the Breaking Point for you . I had the experience on June 5th Standing On Juno Beach and spending time in the canadian cemetery spending time at Pegasus Bridge where the British 6th Airborne went in and understanding the value of the u. S. Led Liberal Global Order that emerged from the aftermath of humanitys greatest tragedy which killed 80 Million People and left the world in ruins. That Liberal Global Order is worth defending. This president is an autocrat. He is not a small d democrat. He doesnt believe in Liberal Democracy. And what were seeing here every day are five behaviors, one, he incites fervor in a base through constant lying. Two, he scapegoats minority populations and heixes blame
for complex problems to them and them alone. Three, he alleges conspiracies that are hidden and nefarious and linked to those scapegoated populations. Four, he spreads a sense of victimizations among those fer per vent supporters. And five, he an sers the need to exert heretofore unprecedented power to protect his victim class from the conspiracies and the scapegoated populations. Through all of history, you understand totalitarianism, you understand how democracies fall. You will find those five behaviors. Now, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party i would argue and you and i disagree on many many things but we are fidelitious to Liberal Democracy. Thats true. That government of the people, by the people, for the
people must continue. And the Republican Party abdicated, Conservative Mix has become synonym mus with obedience to the leader a leader who says i am the law. I am above the law. I will define what truth is, truth is what the leader says it is. Not what we would have recognized months ago as objective truth. So the Republican Party has become a threat to Liberal Democracy and All Over The World, we see a regression in poland, in hungary, the rise of far right ethnationalist parties and the last time this happened, it unleashed a tragedy the likes of which the world has never seen. And i think theres a real lack of imagination in this country about how fragile these institutions are and about how dangerous a president is unprepared as authoritarian as ignorant as he the damage that
he would be able to cause. Thats incredibly well said. And when i think about this and you think about those behaviors they eem so obvious. And here you have today the court, this is what i found so fascinating about the courts decision today. If donald trump wasnt donald trump and president Marco Rubio On Kay One puts in this ban, it almost certainly its not even a question. The question is, does what this guy has said and the bigotry hes espoused taint in a kinds of unfixable way constitutionally this ban. We all saw it happen in realtime. Its remarkable you have gorsuch and roberts who is something you worked on his confirmation. I led the confirmation. Beak doing a kind of sophisticated version of the paul ryan i didnt read the tweet. They all read the paper and so the facts of the case. The intent was perfectly clear. This was a religious test. This was a religious ban. This was what he said it was. We should take him seriously when he says things. And so this is as unamerican a policy as we have ever seen. We have Freedom Of Religion in this country. And this is also true. This decision harms the National Security of this country in a profound way. The forces of islamic radicalism of extremism are real and dangerous. But the only force that can defeat it is moderate islam. This was a gift to the extremists. This was a fulfillment of bin ladens strategy which was to precipitate a global conflict, a war of civilizations between the west and between islam. We dont want to be at war with a billion muslims All Over The World in a 21st century crusade. So the stigmatizing of good and decent people in the insult given to the muslim soldiers who have served this country, who have sacrificed, it is appalling. Theres also a similarity here that strikes me whats happening on the border and here. In both cases the president talks about ms13 and i. C. E. Those are two groups genuinely ivl. Theres no real supports are of them. What he does policy wise is people fleeing i. C. E. From syria and people fleeing the murders in guamala trying to flee to this country, those are the people that end up caught in the gears of his demonization of those groups. You look at regression of democracy to an oughtocracy. All through history, when you look at violations of Civil Liberties they have always occurred through a prism of fear, fear is a contagion. It erodes Democratic Values and institutions but always In The Name Of security that Civil Lishes Are Col Pro Mized and that lesson has been learned through history. And here we are repeating it again. And the moral shame that comes from Internment Camps and precisely what they are for toddlers and children who are stripped away, some of those children stripped away from breastfeeding mothers, it is a shame that will linger a stench that will linger around this vial administration and my view for a century. Is there a is there a political constituency of vote in other words the country that feel the way you do . I really mean this. Like i dont know if there is. Theres Steve Schmidt. Theres nicolle wallace. Theres charlie sykes, people that exist in the world and bret stephens. Are there voters who at whats happening and say im a republican and cant abide this. I dont know if they exist. I think there are acts of
kindness and decency that take place every day in this country. I think about the las vegas 33yrold africanamerican , runs into a hail of gunfire. He saves 33 peoples lives. Hes running towards a group of school kids to save them and hes shot twice in the neck. And then a white cop runs into the gunfire to save Johnny Smiths life. That is also america. The author alex haley had a saying, he said find the good and praise it. Nobody can compete with donald trump in a vileness contest. Hes the most vial. Nobody can compete with donald trump in a dishonesty contest. Because hes the most dishonesty honest. We have to find the good and praise it in this country. Free market american capitalism is worth defending in my view. Liberal democracy is worth defending. The u. S. Led liberal global
order despite all of its flaws, it has secured the peace, it has lifted billions of people on the planet out of abject poverty into something approaching prosperity over the last 73 years. All of this is worth defending. It was architected by giants. Conceived by fdr. Built by a plain spoken man from independence, missouri, harry truman. Stewarded from john kennedy to Ronald Reagan to barack obama and the departure from it by this president , his Feather Sizing autocrats from erdogan to putin to president xi is disturbing. Our allies who we are connected to by shared history and values are rightly concerned. But i do believe that the American People dont want to live in trump i stan. They want to continue living in america. This is a fundamental question in 2018. This is the most important Midterm Election income american history. Because if this is not repudiated in november, this countrys going down a track of not just decline but a fundamental change that will be very, very difficult to change the trajectory that were on. Steve schmidt, its great to have you here. Thank you very much. Good to see you. After the break, 17 states are now suing the Trump Administration for its Family Separation follows as over 2,000 children separated from their families still remain in the custody of the u. S. Government. Resistance to that in two minutes. What about him . Lets do it. Come on. This summer, add a new member to the family. At the mercedesbenz summer event. Lease the glc300 for 429 a month at your local mercedesbenz dealer. Mercedesbenz. The best or nothing. Billions of problems. Morning breath . Garlic breath . Stinky breath . Theres a therabreath for you. Therabreath fresh breath oral rinse instantly fights all types of bad breath and works for 24 hours. So you can. Breathe easy. Theres therabreath at walmart. Welcome to holiday inn thank you wait, i have something for you every stay is a special stay at holiday inn. Save up to 15 when you book early at hollidayinn. Com
still 2,047 separated children in their custody. And that is only six fewer than about a week ago, although we dont know if new children are coming in. Now 17 states as well as the District Of Columbia are suing the administration to force the government to reunite those families. The daily beast reports some veterans and active duty ca troops disapprove of Building Camps on military bases to house imMigrant Children. All of which adding up to hundreds of planned protests on saturday across the country including a Big March Being Planned in washington, d. C. Karine jeanpierre is a spokesperson for moveon. Org and Sonya Nazariyo of enriques journey, thats a fantastic book. Sonji want to read a new story about what is happening as the question of family Ru Funfication Hacks over everyone. The aclu says in a filing that the border agent threatened to put an immigrants daughter up for adoption if she did not essentially sign deportation papers. Weve seen other reports from the Texas Tribune about essentially threats that unless you say you will deport and waive your right to asylum, well keep you away from your kid. What do you think of that . I think its horrific. We are criminalizing people who are coming here and seeking refuge from the United States. We said after world war ii during that war we turned back a ship with 800jews and did not allow anne franks family to come to this country. We were the leaders in saying this would never happen again and yet here we are doing this with vulnerable children. We shouldnt shouldnt be criminalizing these folks and not using children as bait and saying were only going to give you your child back at the airport if you relinquish all your Due Process Rights to asylum. Theris a difference between an
economic migrant someone coming here for a better life and someone coming here because they are fleeing for their life and theyre being persecuted in their home countries. I have spent a lot of time in Central America in the worst neighborhoods. If you took el salvador and you took that murder level to new york city instead of fewer than 300 murders, you would have more than 5,000 bodies littering the streets of new york city. I remember an 8yearold boy in a neighborhood in honduras who from the age of 8 was harangued by the gangs. He would collect cans in his bag to repsy to be able to eat. And he was told from the age of 8, you have to join us. You must join us. Ultimately when he was 10 years old, they gang raped him. These are the options for children in these countries oftentimes. You join the gang or you flee within 24 hours. You pay the war tax or you flee within 24 hours. Girls are told and ive interviewed many girls who say i
was basically told im pretty, i was told to be the girlfriend of the gang leader or they said they would exterminate my whole family. People running from harm, and were not talking about huge numbers. So far in the first eight months of fiscal 18, weve had 59,000 of these families running from harm. 32,000 unaccompanied children. That fills one football stadium. For gods sake, the United States can afford that amount of compassion. Karine, when you think these are the stakes for these people and you hear about the president not just the Family Separation but say Eg Doesnt Want to grant asylum, he wants to get rid of due process, what degree do you think had Public Pressure matters here and protests like the ones that you guys are organizing for june 30th weve seen around the country . Thats the only way were ing to stop this president and his awful policies is by the Public Pressure is by standing
up and fighting back. The president backed down just a little bit. I spent the day at the border. I joined aft and religious leaders. We started off in el paso where we were in front of the u. S. Courthouse where the process begins for separating kids from their families. Then we traveled to Tornillo In Texas where the Detention Center is and where kids are sleeping in cages at night. I learned two things. The first thing is you know what . This is not a political crisis. This is a moral crisis. This is a humanitarian crisis. And number two, nobodys talking about civility and who is left out of a restaurant or asked to leave at a restaurant. They dont care about that. They want to know what is the u. S. Government, what is the Trump Administration doing to reunite these families, reunite these kids with their parents. Thats what people want to know. And the thing about it, these
are innocent children, chris. Innocent. There was this one young girl in el paso in front of the u. S. Courthouse who held a sign that said what did i do wrong. Thats what she was trying to convey, what did i do wrong. These kids are also being traumatized. There was a story that came out in the news today about a young boy ripped apart from his family, sent to new york. He tried to jump off, jump out of a twostory building. This is whats going on with these kids. And we just cant have that. There is such a disconnect right now to whats happening in washington, d. C. , and whats happening right here. No one here is talking about polls. Nobody cares about Donald Trumps polls. Nobody cares about winning or who is losing. Nobody cares aut votes. They want to know what are we doing and this is why peeking of activism, this is why i came out here with aft and the religious leader, are this is why move on with other parns are holding this big activism on saturday. We have 650 events across the country. In 50 states in 350 House District congressional districts. And were just not going to stop. Over 300 i think 400,000 people have signed on. Heres what i think. Six children have been reunited with their families in a week. According to the hhs numbers if theyre not getting new Family Separation abc i dont think they are based reporting on the border. Thats not fast enough. That has to be tracked publicly. But that understanding where we are with that Policy Pre Day that goes by of the utmost important, karine, sonya, thank you both for joining me. Thanks, chris. Should the left take on tea Party Tactics . The democratic debate how to handle the trump era after this. Oh just sign up online and well alert you if we find your Social Security number on any one of thousands of risky sites. That sounds super helpful. How much is it . Well, if you have a discover card, its free. No way yes way we just think its important for you to be in the know. All right hey. Ewww everything ok . Being in the know is very good. Yeah, it is. Ooo dont shake dont shake ahhh know if your Social Security number is found on risky sites. Free from discover. I never thought id say this. But i found bladder leak underwear. Thats actually pretty. Always discreet boutique. Hidden inside. Is a super absorbent core that quickly turns liquid to gel. [snap ] so i feel protected. And pretty. Always discreet boutique. This ones below market price and has bluetooth. Same here, but this one has Leather Seats use the cars. Com app to compare price, features and value. I we worked with pg eof to save energy because wenie. Wanted to help the school. They would put these signs on the door to let the teacher know you didnt cut off the light. The teachers, they would call us the energy patrol. So they would be like, here they come, turn off your lights thoabout energy efficiency. Re teaching the whole school we actually saved 50,000. And thats just one school, two semesters, three girls. Together, were building a better california. I strongly disagree with those who advocate Harassing Folks if they dont agree with you. If you disagree with a politician organize your fellow citizens to action. And vote them out of office. But no one should call for the harassment of political upons. Thats not right, thats not american. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer represents one wing of the Democratic Party whether he it comes to confronting donald trump. Nancy pelosi also in that camp with her call for the Unity From The Sea To Shining sea, but as weve seen the videos of protests and heckling of administration officials, the Democratic Base or parts of it do not seem to be in sync with democratic leadership on this question. As Michelle Goldberg writes today, theres an abusive sort of victim blaming and demanding the progressive single handed lid uphold civility lest the right become more incivil. If they dont want to hear from angry citizens theyre supposed to be, let them eat at trump
grill. Joining us the coclarity of womens march and Jess Mcintosh executive editor, former s adviser forilla clintons presiden campaign. I saw that column you wrote getting shared everywhere. It said something a lot of people were feeling. I think a lot of people sort of harassed because there Falsequiv Leaptcy that has dominated so much of the coverage of the Trump Administration that basically equates an actor saying a bad word with White Nationalists marching around with machine guns on their or semiautomatic Assault Weapons on their back and says, oh, look, both sides are participating in the death of civility is maddening to people. Its also maddening to people to constantly be told to worry about not just kind of their own actions. And the results of their own actions but then how will their actions influence some imaginary
trump voter who theyre trying to win over in the midterms. I think people cant live like that. They cant live in this way in which were constantly overly so lis to us of the feelings of these you know of these alienated white people and contemptuous of the feelingses of the majority of the people who find this administration intolerable. Theres also the way in which people conflate aot of stuff. Something can be morally compelled and not great politics. It could be the case history will look kindly on you if you stand up for absentgration in mississippi and you will be voted out of office. Those two things dont always have to go together. Civil disobedience is very american. That is a very american thing to do. Let me stop you though. Do you think this idea of getting someones face in a restaurant or heckling them, do you count that as Civil Disobedience. I do. Any civilian acting within their
own daily life trying to gum up of the works of our slide into authoritarianism. That is a good thing. The Trump Administration has been a racist disaster since the beginning. In the last couple of weeks, we have seen a dramatic turn and we have move down the steps of a slide into authoritarianism. Its not going to get better because thats how this works. For as long as they are allowed to do what theyre doing, this is only going to get worse. That means we have to take what we can get. The question becomes i want to get to you, the question becomes, answer this too, lynnza, because youre doing a lot of organizing. Its like if god is dead everything is permitted about that formulation. Well if were sliding into thor toretarianism, that can be dangerous. A guy tried to murder steve scalise. 10 1 2 months ago, heather
higher got run over by a snazdy. Thats why im talking about civil obedience. It is very important we do everything we can to make it uncomfortable for those enabling it within our country. We owe that to the communities weve built and the people in the future who ask what we did to try to stop there. Im an organizer and activist. I engage in Civil Disobedience 20 times a year. This thursday about ending Family Separation and heing family detention. And dr. Martin luther king warned us about people like Chuck Schumer. It wasnt the ku klux klan and white senior counselors who were the obstacles of justice. It was people calling forivelity and people telling us how to protest. When we talk about civility, it is not civil to rip babies from their mothers. It is not civil to break up muslim families. It is not civ to take away health care from millions of americans. So you want to talk to me about civil lit, lets make sure were
engaging in justice and ensuring every american has access to health care and housing, that there is no poverty in america. I was at Laguardia Airport and i recorded a video of children, im talking between the ages 5 to 8 being that came off a United Airlines flight who were unaccompanied minors. I am distraught we live in a country talking about civility but dont see the same outrage about kids being Strip Interest their mothers. Theres a little bit of a difference between the right and the left. Really . Seet in the people Chanting Lock her up at trump raleighs. There is not an equivalent. There arent right now. And people have forgotten what the Tea Party Revolt looked like which a lot of people thought would be bad politics. This is kath castro a democrat in florida, take a listen what it was like at her town halls. You work for us. You work for us. Youre our voihear our voice, h our voice. Hear our voice. Hear our voice. Hear our voice. Now, that was effective. But theres also an argument, that she says this is not a leftist tea partying because newly engaged suburban activists hail from the broad ranging from center to left. The Foundation Rebuilders in many communities are newly mobilized interconnected Grassroots Groups led by middle americas mothers and grandmothers. We need to be clear what were talking about. I dont even think that anybody on the left is getting to that level of harassment that was typical of the tea party. Sarah sanders was politely asked to leave the red hen and had her cheese plate comped. Were not talking about the sort
of like apocalyptic Civil War Threatening Insurrectionary rhetoric that is the bread and butter of the right. Were simply talking about saying if you are a member of a White Nationalist organization, well ostrasize you as such. Ive met some of the same men that she writes about. I was recently in pennsylvania. I think they do care a lot about norms and decency. I mean, absolutely. But i think they are also terrified and outraged by what is going on in this country and are looking for leaders who will speak to that level of concern. They dont want to see Chuck Schumer going on about gas prices and how its not they want to see people who are as outraged as they are. I think the Prime Directive for most of the left is lets make things better for other people. Thats why we go into the social safety net and spends all this time on politics. The Prime Directive forever right, right now is literally to
make liberals angry. That is owning the lives is what they say their win is. Of course, youre seeing temperntal differences. They scream in your face and call a snowflake when you suggest they keep it down and lecture us about civility. Michelle, linda who just came from a protest and Jess Mcintosh, thank you all. Does senator cory booker think its time for a Democratic Tea Party and why the president is worried about the aura of Harley Davidson. Thats tonights thing 1, thing 2 next. Specially formulated with key Nutrients Plus vitamin d for bone health support. Your one a day is showing. Look for new one a day womens with natures medley. Entyvio works at the site of inflammation in the gi tract and is clinically proven to help many patients achieve both Symptom Relief and remission. Infusion and serious allergic reactions can happen during or after treatment. Entyvio may increase risk of infection, which can be serious. Pml, a rare, serious, potentially fatal Brain Infection caused by a virus may be possible. This condition has not been reported with entyvio. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, experience frequent infections or have flulike symptoms or sores. Liver problems can occur with entyvio. If your uc or crohns treatment isnt working for you, ask your gastroenterologist about entyvio. Entyvio. Relief and remission within reach. Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States. After being shown around this plant, it seems to me ive come to hog heaven. Get it, hogs, hog heaven . It seems every republican wants to be seen with a harley even if it wasnt moving. Visiting the harleys can help with your red Blooded American image. Failed candidate mitt romney got a harley escort in ohio, his campaign bus got an escort. Four years later, mike pence rode a harley across the state of indiana. In 2016, bikers for trump became a thing. I talked to a few at the convention when trump became president , harley got an early invitation to visit the white house. Now harley is the enemy and the question is will the bikers for trump choose their harleys or their trump . Thats thing 2 in 60 seconds. Eo. This is not a screensaver. This is the destruction of a cancer cell by the bodys own immune system, thanks to medicine that didnt exist until now. And today can save your life. From the moment you met you wantecomfort and protection thats why Pampers Swaddlers is the 1 choice of hospitals to wrap your baby in blanketlike softness so all they feel is love Pampers Swaddlers
so after President Trump revved up his trade war and Harley Davidson said it was moving some of its production overseas because the eus retaliatory tariffs President Trump is now at war with the iconic american motorcycle company. Surprised that they should be the first to wave the white flag, their employees and customers are angry they moved. The aura capital a, of course, will be gone and they will be taxed like never before. How this will go over with the bikers for trump remains to be seen but threatening sky high taxes out of vengeance would be unconstitutional. We know how much this president cares about the american ideals of oh, never mind. No ride, mr. President. Boy, would you like to see me fall off one. Would that be a story . I am all about living joyfully. Hello. The new united Explorer Card hooks me up. Getting more for getting away. Rewarded going new places and tasting new flavors. Rewarded traveling lighter. Rewarded haha getting settled. Rewarded learn more at theexplorercard. Com and get. Rewarded
if a horrible thing happened and we werent lucky enough to have henry nguyen, you know they wouldnt talk about it. They would say donald trump suffered a major, major defeat in the great state of south carolina. It was a humiliating defeat from donald trump, so please get your asses out tomorrow and vote. It is another Election Night in america, including south carolina, where donald trump is hoping to avoid that humiliating defeat, a candidate he campaigned for is now in the runoff of becoming the gubernatorial nominee against warren john warren. He also endorsed sitting president john donovan as the republicans see as a prime
candidate. Everyone knows that there is trumps challenger. Served time in prison. Mm, very civil. Like a boy. M msnbc will be monitoring that race in returns across the country tonight, so stay with us for that. Coming up, cory booker and his trip to the border and how to resist trump in 2018, next. At hollidayinn. Com with pg e in the sierras. And im an Arborist Save up to 15 when you book early since the onset of the drought, more than 129 Million Trees have died in california. Pg e prunes and removes over a Million Trees every year to ensure that Hazardous Trees cant impact power lines. And since the onset of the drought weve doubd our efforts. I grew up in the forests out in this area and honestly its heartbreaking to see all these trees dying. What guides me is ensuring that the public is going to be safer and that these forests can be sustained and enjoyed by the community in the future. Moment. Lets talk about the border and specifically what you mentioned that i think is important and adjacent to the child separation, which is american officials turning people away at ports of entry from asylum. What do you think is happening . First of all, you know this calls to the darker chapters of our country where there was a group of a famous ship escaping from the holocaust. They came to the u. S. And turned back around where many were killed. Theyre turned away because we dont have, quote, unquote, the space for them. When i went into mexico to turn around, the Mexican Official Whofls The Whofwho was there told me, please dont go into the city, its very
dangerous for guys on foot. Here i am from newark. I was already talking to the Border Patrol about how it doesnt reflect our values. We hear the president calling folks illegals. Here are folks showing up ready to go through the Legal Process of seeking asylum and theyre being turned away, often into conditions that arent hospitable, and for me it gives some responsibility for safety and security when we push them out of our country. We need to increase the capacity to hold people seeking asylum and to process people seeking asylum. We need to end that process of Border Patrol to go out on the border away from the other side of the bridge where people are ten ing processed to try to turn people away before they even get to our country. We are now on another primary night. There is a bunch of races in seven states across the country. There is sort of a lot of
people, i think, thinking about the midterms in the wake of whats happening, Family Separation and the Supreme Court today. The white house thinks when theyre talking about immigration, theyre winning. When youre talking about Sarah Huckabee sanders, youre winning because its jimmying up their base. What is your read on the politics at this moment, senator . I guess there are two things. I do agree when were talking about Sarah Huckabee sanders, were talking about the coat that melania wore, were taking away focus on whats happening right now. Jeff sessions working to undermine the protections americans have against being denied insurance because of a preexisting condition. That is being eroded, ended as we speak. And yet we seem to be talking about things that often distract us from really important things that both republicans and democrats agree upon. Im trying to, in my energy, trying to keep people focused on the things that matter. But i do not want major moral moments like ripping away families. I dont care if theres a democrat talking about
immigration reform that will help us in the general election or help us in the 2020 election. Theres got to be a time where we dont ask if its politic. I dont know if folks who protested the vietnam war if it was muhammad ali or scott king stopped and asked if it was politic. They did it because it was the right thing to do. This is a time we need to stand up and do what is right. Our country has a president who is engaging in moral vandalism, whether it is the way he talks about muslims and the roots of what happened in the Supreme Court today are bigotry against muslim people. Or whats happening at the border. This is a violation of our values. We shouldnt wait to see how this plays out in polling. We should do the right thing and stand up for who we are as a nation. Senator cory booker of new jersey, its always a pleasure to have you. Thank you for being with me tonight. I appreciate it. Thank you very much. Before we go, i want you to know we have a new episode out