And so in the mid 19th century, as new american railroads were spreading out from sea to shining sea, all over the United States, st. Louis found itself kind of geographically cut off from the future of commerce and the future of transit. That would be defined by all those new railroad tracks. And so city of st. Louis hired somebody to fix that. His name was James Buchanan eads. Ead skrk eads. He was a selftaught engineer. He never built a bridge before in his life, but in 1867, st. Louis hired him, anyway, and he built the city a lifeline. What eads built st. Louis was the first steel trust bridge anywhere in the world. It carried trains, had train tracks on it and horses and people in wagons. It made it a technological marvel at the time. There was no bridge like this anywhere else on earth. That bridge that eads built, it took seven years to built. It cost 10 million, which you can think of in todays dollars as basically the price to go to mars, plus a bag of chips. But they did it. And on the fourth of july in 1874, on the day the United States of america turned 98 years old, the eads bridge opened up to bridge st. Louis across the mississippi. To bridge st. Louis and missouri to the rest of the country. To bridge st. Louis to the railroads. For a nickel, they would even let you walk across it. That bridge is still there today, still in use. She can still take the train across or drive across it. You can still walk across it if you want to. Although there are no more tolls so if you walk it now, you can keep your nickel. The eads bridge has since been designated a national landmark, a living, working monument to the ingenuity and the effort and the expense that it took to literally bridge that divide across the mississippi between missouri and illinois on the far bank. And now that bridge, the eads bridge, is about to become a lifeline again for a reason that feels both very, very modern and also if youre a woman in st. Louis, if youre a woman in missouri, this may well also feel sort of ancient at the same time. Over the last few weeks, the republicancontrolled government in missouri has come very close to ending legal Abortion Access in the entire state of missouri. With a new conservative majority on the u. S. Supreme court, missouri is one of a whole bunch of republicancontrolled states where republican governors have recently signed laws that effectively ban abortion. Missouris new abortion ban is slated to go into effect in august. If its not blocked by the courts by then. But in missouri, theyve also got Something Else going on that is a little special. Even before the new ban that was just signed by the governor, over the course of the last decade, republican lawmakers in missouri have all but canceled access to legal abortion in their state through a series of cuts. They have they have passed targeted laws aimed at shutting down Abortion Providers and those laws have led to clinic after clinic after clinic shutting down. Sort of the death by a thousand cuts. Missouri now has only one Abortion Provider left in the entire state. At planned parenthood in st. Louis. And now the State Government is on the cusp of shutting that last clinic down as well which, of course, has become National News because that means missouri is closing in on its ultimate goal of becoming the first state since roe v. Wade in 1973, the first state in america to go totally dark in terms of legal abortion. Now, planned parenthood is currently fighting it out in the courts to try to stop the State Government from revoking that clinics license. So they can keep that clinics doors open. Weve been covering that all this week, in particular, because that court fight is live. Its still up in the air right now tonight. We are still waiting for the judges ruling on whether the clinic is going to be allowed to keep its license which the State Government is trying to take away. If it missouris sole Abortion Provider is forced by the state to go dark, women in missouri will have to leave the state. They will have to cross state lines in order to access a legal abortion. From st. Louis, the next closest place for Missouri Women to get an abortion will be across the mississippi at this, the hope clinic for women in granite city, illinois. Hope clinic is across the mississippi river. Its about ten miles east of st. Louis. They provide legal abortions to more than 3,000 women every year. And even though missouris last clinic still as of this moment can keep their lights on with their license hanging by a thread, the staff at hope clinic across the river in illinois, they tell us theyre already feeling the effects of that fight in missouri. From their spot all the way across the river. A lot of people have been calling for missouri asking if were still open open. If they have to be under 8 weeks to get the procedure. Are they going to go to jail if they come over here to get the procedure . If they have to be an illinois resident. Are people scared . They are very scared. What do you tell them . I tell them as of right now, illinois is a safe mace to haple a safe abortion and were going to be open as long as we can. Ive had girls break down in tears when i told them they can still come over here. I mean, they are traveling quite a bit, but for the most part, its relief. Its usually very relieving for them. When they find out that they can still get this access here. Right now, more than half the patients that are coming through the hope clinic are coming from missouri. The hope clinic is not a clinic in missouri. I mean, thats with the last Abortion Provider in missouri still up and running for now. If republicans in the missouri State Government succeed in outlawing abortion in that state all together, the number of patients coming over the river toikely to jump way up which, of course, would put a huge amount of pressure on the one Abortion Provider in Southern Illinois thats already serving a majority of women who are fleeing restrictions in missouri which have made abortions hard enough to get there already even if one clinic still stands. So the hope clinic in illinois has been carefully, quietly, gearing up in case that bre breakglass moment comes and may come at any time. The hope clinic tells us in preparation for the expectation that missouri will shut down its last provider, they have doubled their number of doctors and nurses. They have increased hours. They have added appointment times. Theyve even increased the number of people answering the phones. Which they say have been ringing off the hook over the last few weeks. The staff at that hope clinic in illinois is already feeling that pressure. This is a crisis situation. This isnt just something that could happen. Might happen. People are kind of being all crazy about. This is actually a real situation and we are seeing patients all day long, every day, both calling, coming to our clinic in tears because they just cant get the care that they need at that time. If the last clinic in missouri were to close tomorrow, it would be very difficult to suddenly accommodate every patient that needed us right away. Within a month or twos time, we could, but when youre talking about a pregnancy in a crisis situation some of these patients are in, they dont often have that much time. As of tonight, were waiting for that judges ruling about the last clinic standing in missouri. Could come at any time. And the Health Care Workers and volunteers and doctors in the state next door, a state that happens to be democratic controlled in illinois, we can report tonight that they are scaling up this fairly massive effort to try to serve the women of missouri who may very well be the First American women to be totally cut off from legal abortion for the First Time Since roe. That illinois clinic is scaling up rapidly but worried they will not have the capacity to meet demand if the missouri governor, missouri government, succeeds in shutting down that clinic across the river in sth. Louis. This is worth watching as that clinic in illinois tries to scale up, right, in the realization that they may soon be the constitutional haven for women from that neighboring state. That bridge from 19 from 1874 forgive me is about to have a whole new chapter in u. S. History if that happens. But its interesting, this is why were doing this special report tonight. While we have been reporting on this story, and weve been covering the situation in missouri and the situation with that last clinic for a while now, while we were reporting that out, we came into some information that we did not expect about what is happening in missouri as this last clinic is tryinging to keep its doors open. Specifically the information that we came into was about something new that the missouri State Government is ordering must be done to any woman who seeks an abortion at that last clinic now. As that last clinic fights to stay in operation in that state. Now, as i mentioned, already in missouri, there have been a whole series of laws designed to make it all but impossible to provide abortions in that state. Theyre down to their last clinic for a reason. Targeted laws designed to shut down clinics to make it impossible to work as an Abortion Provider in missouri. Penalties and obstacles that the State Government has put in place to try to make it too hard and too expensive and just too awkward and difficult and uncomfortable for a woman to get an abortion if she wants one, despite her constitutional l right to do so. Well, one of those provisions in missouri is a threeday waiting period. Now, theres no medical reason for this at all, but the republicanro Republicancontrolled Legislature in missouri decided they would make you take three full days so you have to show up at the clinic and meet with the doctor, sign a consent form, and then for no medical reason, you then have to go home or go to a hotel if youre far from home, and in you have to wait for thee or more days before you are allowed to then come back and actual get the procedure done. So you want an abortion, go sit in the penalty box for three days first, oh, do you have is to travel a long way to get to the clinic because theres only one in your entire state . Is it difficult for you to take triple the time off work, double the drive, double the childcare to make this trip twice . Good. Good. Thats the idea. Thats part of the way we want to make you pay. So the waiting period already is a medically unnecessary obstacle designed to make it impossible for some women to access abortion in missouri and to punish all the rest of them. That was in effect in missouri already, but now heres something new. The republicanled State Government in missouri has decided that as long as theyve got the state down to one last clinic and as long as theyve got the clinic on the ropes as they try to yank its license and shut it down, the State Government in missouri has decided that maybe this is an opportunity for them to do Something Else to women that theyve never tried before. This is whats brandnew. You ready . What we have to discovered is that as of thursday last week, as of a week ago today, we can now report that every woman seeking a legal abortion in the state of missouri is being subjected to a mandatory medically unnecessary pelvic examination by order of the State Government. Just going to say that one more time. As of last week, every woman seeking a legal abortion in missouri is being told by the state that she must have a mandatory medically unnecessary vaginal examination by order of the state of missouri. Now, doctors at this missouri clinic, they do perform pelvic exams right before they do an abortion, which is standard medical practice which is fine, but now as of this week, what the state has started doing, what the State Government is now doing, is that theyve told the doctors at that one remaining clinic that they must do a second medically unnecessary invasive pelvic exam on every woman before she was before she is allowed to start the punitive threeday waiting period that is required of all women who need an abortion in missouri. I mean, at that point, youre literally just going in to sign a consent form and meet with the doctor before they have to send you home to wait for three days. Only now, before they let you go from that first appointment, you must, by order of the state, take off your clothes and submit to an intrusive vaginal inspection that you do not need and your doctor does not want to give you. This is the latest thing the state of missouri is doing as of this week as theyre trying to force the last clinic in the state out of business. Ill tell you this, what the women are mostly upset about these last few days is having to get a pelvic exam that they dont need. Thursday was the first day last visit, first day that we had to start doing mandatory pelvic exams. Were not satisfied with the fact that we do the pelvic exam when its medically necessary. They want us to do the pelvic exam theree, four, five, six b, seven, days before they get the procedure. They want us to do pelvic exams on medication abortions. None of that is medically necessary. My doctors have spoken to that over and over again and will continue to speak to that, how thats not medically necessary. One doctor who works at that clinic tweeting this on monday of this week. Today i was forced by the state of missouri to perform an unnecessary pelvic exam on a patient terminating her pregnancy for a fetal anomaly. She is heartbroken over her situation and i was forced to do an invasive, uncomfortable, exam. It broke me as a physician to do this to her. So theyre basically daring the doctors at this clinic, oh, you dont want to do that to your patients . Oh, you dont want to do this . You dont think this is good medical practice . Well, thats the new cost of staying open. You sure you want to keep fighting to stay open . We sent one of our shows producers, kelsey, b to missouri this week. Just as this new rule from the state was being implemented. These women thursday and on monday were traumatized at the fact that they had to get undressed to get a pelvic exam to get an ultrasound. How do you exmain that to a patient who is so traumatized . Basically, we let them know that we do not agree and the state of missouri is requiring us to do this to them and have every right to contact who they feel they need to contact to voice their opinions, but we make it very clear this is not our doing, dont want to violate your rights, dont want to make you do an unnecessary invasive procedure that we couldnt do at this moment, and most women are quite disturbed at that. But theyre pretty remarkable because theyre actually apologizing to my doctors, said im sorry you have to do this to me. And thats shameful. And really, it is just so inappropriate to subject somebody to a pelvic exam which includes putting your fingers and other instruments in the vagina when really that gives no medical information. It doesnt do anything to help the patient or myself choose what is the best approach for their abortion care. And i can say that of the physicians whove had to do that in the last few days, they have just been devastated. First, to have to explain to patients that this is the requirement. To explain that they dont feel that theres any medical relevance to the exam and then to ultimately end up with but if you want to continue with care, we have to do it. You know, for patients whove had a history of trauma, for example, i mean, its just retraumatizing them all over again. The state continues to put us into a position where we are really choosing between what we know is medically and ethically appropriate, and i would put avoiding unnecessary pelvic exams squarely in that box. Or making the choice to then say, well, we cant provide abortion care at all. And so, obviously, now thats an impossible choice for us, right . We either have to ask patients to subject themselves to a statesanctioned, essentially, Sexual Assault, or they cant have an abortion here in missouri. Docket caller it stat statesanctioned, essentially, Sexual Assault. Statesanctioned Sexual Assault at the new price that the state of missouri is extracting from Missouri Women if they try to get an abortion. Now, why would the State Government do that . What is the benefit to the state of doing that . I suppose its possible that the State Government in missouri just seems, sees value in absolute terms of punishing women like this. Maybe the governor sees value in making women have unwarranted v vaginal examinations on his orders. Its hard to talk about. Of course, the secondary benefit to the State Government in missouri is that this is intolerable for these doctors, in addition to being intolerable for their patients. I mean, doctors having to do this, you heard the woman from the clinic there describe how the patients are apologizing to the doctors for the state making the doctors do this to them. I mean, this is intolerable for these doctors, for them to be forced to do unnecessary invasive vaginal exams on their patients who dont want them, dont need them, and the doctors dont want to do. So maybe the state is hoping that these doctors faced with this impossible imperative, maybe the state is hoping the benefit to the state here is that theyre hoping that the doctors will give up and stop providing abortions all together, which, of course, would leave missouri with no providers since theyre down to that one last clinic. Well, that is not whats happening, for now, at least, the doctors in missouri are reluctantly and against their will complying with this new rule, though they are clearly distraught over it. As you heard them explain, it runs counter to what they see as their ethics and duty as doctors, but they are doing it. As of this week so that abortion doesnt go away entirely in the state of missouri. Theyre also fighting it by talking about it. By telling their patients and also by now telling us, telling the press, what is happening, what the state of missouri is making them do. Now, this is not the first time a republicancontrolled State Government has hit on the idea of forcing women to have unnecessary vaginal inspections on orders of the state as a sort of punishment for seeking an abortion. Virginia republicans tried to pass a mandatory vaginal ultrasound law back in 2012. You may remember that. Even though the legislature had already passed that, and the republican governor, Bob Mcdonnell, had already said he would sign it, there was Massive National outrage once the country figured out thats what they were trying to force on virginia women. There was Massive National outrage, there was backlash in the state. Almost ultimately forced the governor to back down and they stripped out that mandatory vaginal ultrasound requirement from the virginia law. Thats how Bob Mcdonnell first got famous. Remember . Ultrasound bob. Before he ultimately left office under the cloud of a giant corruption and bribery scandal. But when it came to that forced vaginal ultrasound attempt by Virginia Republicans in 2012, public pressure really did work to stop it. They were on track to do that and they were turned back. It remains to be seen if anything like that will happen in missouri this year. I mean, back in virginia in 2012, that was elected officials. That was the legislature and the governor who were behind the effort to force doctors to perform invasive, unnecessary, procedures on women. In missouri we are just learning this is happening now. We are reporting this nationally for the first time because theyve been doing this sort of under the radar. Theyve been doing this by surprise. This was the governors appointed state Health Director in missouri who ordered this change. This has not happened through the legislature. Its been through this much less visible process. Right . Newly selective enforcement of state regulations. Its also happening in the context of the state using those regulations to try to shut down the last clinic providing abortions in the whole state. That is a substantially different kind of battle to be fighting. States like oklahoma, kansas, missouri, georgia, alabama, mississippi, we have been fighting these fights for a really long time, and i will say the thing that has changed, theest fat least for us in the last year, is really this weaponization of the regulation and the licensing process. Its not just passing abortion bans. Its not just the work of the legislature. It really has become a tool of political appointees in the departments of health to really try and push and shut down clinics through a different mechanism. Folks who are trying to keep open the one last clinic in the state of missouri that can provide abortions, while that is hanging on by a thread, they are now, as of this week, trying to figure out how to fight back against not just antiabortion lawmakers, who are elected in their state, who are trying to ban abortion by legislation, they are now trying to figure out how to fight back against a new effort imposed by the state, a new enforcement of state regulations, that makes Missouri Women pay with their bodies. Pay with vaginal exams that they dont need and that their doctors dont want to give them. Thats how they have to pay with their bodies if they want to access a procedure that they have a constitutional right to access. Now, we are the first to report this, but in missouri, this policy of forced vaginal probing by order of the state health department, by order of the governor, its already being implemented. For the women who had appointments at the last clinic late last week or early this week, they have already paid this latest penalty for any woman who dares try to get an abortion in that state, but now the docket ertors at the clinic letting it be known this is what the state is forcing them to do to their patients as they fight to keep the doors open at all. Weve got more ahead on this tonight. Weve got a Second Chapter of this story for you tomorrow night. Stay with us. Us can be a big deal. Thats why theres otezla. Otezla is not an injection or a cream. Its a pill that treats differently. For psoriasis, 75 clearer skin is achievable, with reduced redness, thickness, and scaliness of plaques. For psoriatic arthritis, otezla is proven to reduce joint swelling, tenderness, and pain. And the otezla prescribing information has no requirement for routine lab monitoring. Dont use if youre allergic to otezla. It may cause severe diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. 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Yeah, its a lot. But Td Ameritrade can help you build a plan for today and tomorrow. Great. Can you help us pour the foundation too . I think you want a house near the lake, not in it. Come with a goal. Leave with a plan. Td ameritrade. What is that . Uh mine, why . Its just that its. Lavender. Yes it is, its for men but i like the smell of it laughs but we all know were paying too much for it. Enter xfinity mobile. Americas best lte, with the most wifi hotspots combined for the first time. When youre near an xfinity hotspot youre connected to wifi, saving on data. When youre not, you pay for data one gig at a time. Use a little, pay a little. Use a lot, just switch to unlimited. Its a new kind of network. Call, visit or go to xfinitymobile. Com. Ill tell you this, what the women are mostly upset about these last few days is having to get a pelvic exam that they dont need. Im hoping abortion do not become illegal in the state. If missouri goes dark, we will still find a way to service our patient in whatever capacity that we can service them in. It would be a very sad day if missouri goes dark. But i hope it doesnt. I hope that whoever is reading the case and looking at the case sees the bigger picture. Its not about whether you agree with a woman right to get an abortion. Its a right its the point that you agree that shes human. Our special report tonight from the state of missouri, where the republicancontrolled State Government there has become a point of National Focus as they try to not only ban abortion in that state, but they try aggressively to close down the states last remaining clinic where abortions are provided. Well, while we await a judges ruling on whether that clinic is going to be allowed to stay open, we are reporting tonight that the State Government as of this week has started forcing doctors in the state to perform medically unnecessary pelvic exams, vaginal examinations, on any woman who wants an abortion in missouri. Just in the last week, you are newly subject to what amounts to a punitive intrusive vaginal examination as the price of wanting an abortion in that state. Joining us now is catherine spiller, executive director of the feminist majority foundation. Thank you for being here tonight. Im really glad you were able to be here. No, thank you. Obviously, were reporting this for the first time. This has not been publicly discussed i think in part because its brandnew, also because the missouri State Government appears to have done this very quietly through new selective enforcement of state regulations rather than passing this as a special law. What do you make of what theyre trying to do in missouri . It almost, frankly, feels like political extortion by politicians who are opposed to abortion. Trying to literally dictate the type of medical practice that Health Care Providers who are providing a very common, safe, and simple procedure, are now mandated to follow. Weve seen this kind of regulatory harassment in a couple of other states as well that have been very hostile to Abortion Providers. And the clinics have fortunately in those other states been able to fight back and i hope that this restriction will be challenged. It clearly is an overreach by politicians through the regulatory process to literally dictate the Health Care Procedures and practices of what is a very solid clinic, a very safe and common procedure. I am neither a doctor nor a lawyer, and i dont even try to play one on tv in either case, but it strikes me that the specific regulatory overreach, as you put it here, is is disturbing on a level that it wouldnt be if it was in any oa other thing they are mandating here, because what theyre forcing these docktors to do isa physical exam, intrusive, internal exam of these women that is not related to their medical care the at all. Theyre setting this as a new barrier the states ban that was just passed by the legislature and signed by the governor will be reviewed by the federal courts because it obviously contradicts roe v. Wade. Do you think that there should be a new course of legal action basically to try to block this part of it specifically . Do you think this just gets factored in to all those other fights . Well, i do think there should be a challenge to this. You know, weve got to challenge these overreaches by political appointments as in this missouri case. So i think it needs to be challenged as overreach, and frankly, i it appears that theyre playing from the same playbook as some of the antiabortion extremists. Operation rescue out of wichita, kansas, has done this kind of regulatory harassment, working with Health Officials in other states or with attorneys general, in an effort to get clinics prosecuted or shut down or required to take unnecessary measures that increases the cost of the health care to women. So i think weve got to be alert to this strategy which now is so obvious in missouri. And i got to tell you, i mean, this is an effort by antiabortion missions to punish women, and if anything has happened in the last year or two, especially in the wake of these bans that have been passed, and missouris one of them, is that its very now clear to people that this is an effort to punish and shame women. But i got to tell you, i think theyre overreaching. I think they are overplaying their hand, and its going to come back and get them. You knows you were talking about virginia and what happen teded there with the transvaginal ultrasound requirement and how it was beat back by not only Public Opinion but what happened in the next election there . The republicans lost the governorship. They lost the entire top theere of the statewide offices and in 2017, they almost lost control of the house and the senate and thats because women are now furious. Were fighting back. And were taking this to the voting booth. And i think theyve overplayed their hand and theyre going to suffer losses, millpolitically, they keep this course going. Kathie spiller, executive director. And executive director of miss magazine. Thank wyou for your time tonigh. Thank you. This was our special report tonight in terms of whats happening in the missouri State Government. The missouri government has started forcing the last doctors at the last clinic that provides abortion in that state to provide unnecessary vaginal exams to women as a cost of trying to seek an abortion at that clinic. Were reporting that for the first time tonight. Weve got a second chachpter in our speshlt repocial report com tomorrow night. One of the things thats been discusseding on t ee eed on the trail is the Hyde Amendment, a longstanding restriction on any federal money, including money spent on medicaid and medicare being used to pay for Abortion Services for any women who use those as sources of their health care. Tonight, Vice President joe biden suddenly reversed himself on his position on the Hyde Amendment. This has been discussed intensely over the past few days. Biden said tonight while he used to support the Hyde Amendment, he no lonker does. His campaign had affirmed his support for the Hyde Amendment just this week, just a couple days ago, but tonight, biden, himself, has said he changed his mind. He specifically cited republican governors working to close down clinics that offer free or subsidized care. He said thats why he is changing his mind now. I had said last night that i had thought that the Vice President s position on the Hyde Amendment would not survive the democratic primary. Im not sure i expected that it wouldnt survive 24 hours. But there you go. Lots more to come tonight. Stay with us. Stay with us also available in hybrid allwheel drive. Lease the 2019 ux 200 for 329 month for 36 months. Experience amazing at your lexus dealer. Go to the pharmacy counter for powerful. Congestion and pressure . Claritind. While the leading allergy spray is indicated for 6 symptoms. Claritind is indicated for 8. Including sinus congestion and pressure. Claritind. Get more. That have made the rx crathe leading luxury suvogy of all time. Lease the 2019 rx 350 for 399 month for 36 months. Experience amazing at your lexus dealer. Today we got some interesting new reporting on what top Congressional Democrats are saying about impeachment behind the scenes in private leadership meetings. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee where impeachment proceedings would start, jerry nadler, he has avoided coming out publicly in any sort of unqualified the support of starting an impeachment inquiry. Privately, its apparently a different matter. Politico reporting in leadership meetings for the second time nadler this week has pushed pelosi to allow him to open impeachment proceedings. Hes now arguing that doing so would give him more leverage to attain witness testimony and documents hes otherwise unable to get right now for his committees investigations. Why those discussions play out in congress, on the campaign trail, this whole issue is becoming less and less controversial with each passing day. We have a constitutional responsibility here and thats to start this impeachment proceeding. We should begin impeachment proceedings against donald trump. I think this president should be impeached. I believe that the Judiciary Committee should begin impeachment inquiries. I believe that the president deserves to be impeached. I feel like we have a moral obligation now to investigate this president. Impeachment proceedings will give us more legal leverage. We need to begin impeachment proceedings and we need a new commander in chief. Now, as you and i and everyone have been watching all of the Democratic Candidates talk like that about the necessity of opening an impeachment inquiry and now, i have said a few different times on the show here that the democratic president ial candidates are approaching unanimity on this issue. I am wrong about that in a way that i hope is very interesting. And that is our story next. Stay with us. Stay with us kickstart my heart by motley crue truck honks wheels screeching clapping sound of can hitting bag and bowl clapping always there in crunch time. Run with us. On a john deere z500 series mower. Built to mow better, faster. Because sometimes. When you take a look around. You notice. Your grass is long. Your time is short. And theres no turning back. Nothing runs like a deere™. Run with us. Visit your john deere dealer today, to test drive a z500 or z700 series ztrak™ mower. If we go down the road tomorrow and impeach president trump, were actually giving him a favor. Thats what he wants. To be able to say he was railroaded. And then to have the impeachment from the house go to the senate where i guarantee you Mitch Mcconnell and the republicans are not going to convict donald trump. Theyre going to acquit donald trump and then hes going to run for president saying he was acquitted. Joining us now here on set is Michael Bennet, senator from colorado, candidate in the president ial primary this year. Nice to see you, thanks for letting me come by. I wanted you to come by when i found out you were in town in part because you have proven many e wrong. I have been saying Democratic Candidates are approaching unanimity on wanting to open impeachment inquiries. But you dont. Well, im not sure that i couldnt hear myself on there. Oh. But i i could quote you. I dont think thats right, actually. I was asked the other day, following what bernie said, what i thought about what bernie said. I agreed completely with what bernie just said on your program which i heard. What you were quoting. Which i think its critical for us to begin proceedings and the house decides to call them impeachmentme proceedingsesing, fine with me. It is. I think whats important by the time this all ends, the American People have better concluded that donald trump was guilty of what were impeaching him for and thats critical because either we need mcconnell to do the right thing in the senate at the end of the day, which i think hes very unlikely to do, or we need to win this election. What we cant do is impeach donald trump and create a view in america that hes not guilty of what hes being impeached for. Thats why only point. And that happens how . I think that happens by having hearings. Which is actually what i said on cnn. I think we should have the hearings. Ive said that i think he committed impeachmeecachable of. Ive read the mueller report. Its pretty clear to me that he obstructed justice. And thats really important. But we need to do it in a way either where hes removed or hes beaten at the polls. The alternative, which is hes in an aggrieved victim somehow here then wins reelection, is totally unacceptable to me. Although somewhat out of control, out of the control of House Democrats who have to make the decision now as to what to call their inquiry, whether to make it an i peopmpeachment inq as i understand it, what that comes down to is what the subpoena power is of a committee thats not called an Impeachment Committee and one thats not im not in the house, so i dont know. Uhhuh. All im saying is that this has to we need to we as people that are committed to the rule of law, and by the way, this isnt because im trying to protect donald trump. This is because i think its important for us to protect the democracy by not having him reelected again. We need to make sure the American People are coming along with this discussion. Its not enough for democrats just to talk to democrats when youre talking about Something Like impeachment. We need the country to be following it just as they did with watergate. You know, the other night, i watched you know, theres a compilation on youtube of the watergate hearing. Uhhuh. Which first of all will make you cry because theres a bunch of people doing their jobs without respect of political party. But it took a while for the American People to change their mind about whether Richard Nixon should be impeached or not. Took a while for the public sentiment to catch up to where the politicians were. And i think thats important for our democracy. And the way the public was brought along was by the public nature and the revulatory nature of the hearings. The revulatory nature is an incredible thing. Here was congress not just doing their job but discovering the tapes. Nobody had found the tapes until congress had the hearing that that guy, butterfield, or whatever his name was said the tapes were there, and who knows what were going to find out about this president by conducting these hearings. When you talk about, though, the public ive seen you talk about how the fact that, you know, the public hasnt read the mueller report, most people in the public dont know whats in the mueller report, even though youve read it and increasing numbers i think of politicians are starting to read it now, how do you bring people along . Do you have confidence that the way that we run congress now and the way we might run the Judiciary Committee during this kind of proceeding would tell a compelling narrative that people would learn from . I think thats a very good question. I think a lot of the times people turn on the congress and they see a bunch of people grandstanding and trying to get headlines and maybe trying to come on your show. This has to be this cant be that. Uhhuh. This cant be some game of gotcha. Its no reason for it to be that. This should be a dignified set of hearings that makes the American People gives an opportunity for the American People to be reminded why the rule of law is so important. What it means to be a coequal branch of government. Why we have separation of powers. Why its not acceptable to have a president who doesnt believe in the rule of law. Or freedom of the press. Or the independence of a judiciary. What an amazing opportunity to be able to reconnect with those enduring values that trump has smashed with a hammer . Do you think that it is hard to decide on a daytoday basis as youre running for president and all your other colleagues in the senate, all these other people i know, half the people are gone all day. Its a its a busy little work project that weve got going on here. Do you think that it is a hard on a daytoday basis to figure out how to talk about the president ver sksus how to talk about the country . Is it a zerosum game . Do you have to run against trump now in the primary . Do you put it off until the general election . Is it hard to make those decisions about how to run . I think you have to decide what you think is at stake. For me, this isnt just about getting rid of donald trump, which we have to do. Its essential to do that. Its about the ten years that the Freedom Caucus and Mitch Mcconnell have tyrannized this country. The reason we got nothing done on climate really is because of Mitch Mcconnell. The reason we have nothing done on guns is Mitch Mcconnell. The reason why, you know, hes been able to be so successful on judges, its Mitch Mcconnell. I mean, donald trump is, like, this is a threering circus every day. Hes spinning the plates. He loves to do it. The stuffs dropping all around him. The ringmaster in all this is mcconnell. And i dont think we can go through this with another ten years of Mitch Mcconnell preventing the public sentiment in this country from being heard in congress. And so how we beat donald trump is really important to me. Sounds like you might think its more important to take democratic control of the senate than even to take the white house. I think both are vital. I think both are vital and we cant take our eye off the senate. Some people say, well, its a really tough map. It is a tough map, but we need a majority of democrats in the senate and we need to win the white house and i think, people say youre so naive when you say this, but i believe it, i think we need a Broad Coalition of democrats, republicans, independents, to reassert americas view of what our government should be doing. A set of priorities that actually reflect what the American People need or the kids in my old school district. I used to be superintendent of the Denver Public schools, care about. Theyre totally unrepresented in washington and they will not be represented in washington unless we figure out a way to close over the Freedom Caucus. We just cant we wont succeed. And Mitch Mcconnell i dont think theres any way by doing that other than having a set of policies that are broadly popular and broadly understood by the American People and bring not just democrats along but other people as well. Senator Michael Bennet of the great state of colorado. Thank you. Its a great state. Come visit. See you soon. Thank you. Ill be there tomorrow, actually. Will you really . Good. Sort of stop by, say hello. Getting frustrated. Up next, the curious case of trump mike flynn today even got more curiousyer. That story is just ahead. Stay with us. Curiousyer. That story is just ahead stay with us Award Winning interface. Award winning design. Award winning engine. The volvo xc90. The most awarded luxury suv of the century. With a lot of other young couples. Then we noticed something. Strange. Oh, could you, uh, make me a burger . Poof youre a burger. [ laughter ] everyone acts like their parents. You have a tattoo. Yes. Fun. Do you not work . 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No platform fees. No trade minimums. And yes, its all at one low price. Td ameritrade. Im workin to make each day a little sweeter. To give every idea the perfect soundtrack. To fill your world with fun. To share my culture with my community. To make each journey more elegant. Im working for all the adventure two wheels can bring. At adp were designing a better way to work, so you can achieve what youre working for. We like drip coffee, layovers and waiting on hold. What we dont like is relying on fancy technology for help. Snail mail we were invited to a y2k party. Uh, didnt that happen, like, 20 years ago . Oh, look, karolyn, weve got a mathematician on our hands check it out now you can schedule a callback or reschedule an appointment, even on nights and weekends. Todays xfinity service. Simple. Easy. Awesome. Id rather not. So something is going on right now in the criminal case involving Trump National security adviser mike flynn. Im not sure exactly what is going on with flynn but for starters mike flynn fired his lawyers today, the lawyers who have represented him the whole near and a half hes been cooperating with prosecutors. Hes at the very tail end of his case and about to be sentenced but boom today, his lawyers were gone. I dont know if these things are connected but today, also, by order of the judge in his case, we got a release of the audio recording of a voice mail that president trumps lawyer left for mike flynns lawyer right before flynn pled guilty to lying to the fbi and started cooperating with prosecutors. This voice mail was about how the president s lawyer needed to know what flynn had to say to prosecutors that would implicate the president. Hey, rob, this is john again. Maybe im sympathetic, i understand your situation but let me see if i cant state it in starker terms. If you have it wouldnt surprise me if youve gone on to make a deal with and work with the government, i understand that you cant if on the other hand, theres information that implicates the president , then weve got a National Security issue or maybe a National Security issue. I dont know. Some issue. Weve got to deal with, not only for the president but for the country. So you know, then then you know, we need some kind off heads up. And if its the former, then you know, remember what weve always said about the president in his dealings with flynn. Well, we had seen the transcript of this before. Now getting the audio of it its much more clear what the pressing question is here. What is it that mike flynn had to tell the government about the president and why would it potentially have National Security implications as john dowd says . If theres information that implicates the president then weve got a National Security issue or maybe a National Security issue. I dont know, some issue weve got to deal with not only for the president but for the country. Why this upset call from the president s lawyer to try to get a heads up on what flynn might be about to tell the prosecutors about the president . Why does he need to know and why is that something that might have National Security implications, implications for the country . I dont know. But this came out today and today Michael Flynn fired his lawyers. Theres a status update scheduled for his case next week. Were expecting a sentencing date to be set for him soon. This all seems like a very weird time to fire your lawyers. It also seems like the firing today may have been a little bit sham bol lick. The judge initially rejected flynns effort to file his lawyers today because they didnt even file the paperwork properly. Presumably that would get sorted out. Something is going on here. We dont yet know what it is. Watch this space. I dont keep track of regrets. And i dont add up the years. 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Dont change your dose without talking to your doctor. Tell your doctor about all medicines and medical conditions. Check insulin label each time you inject. Taking tzds with insulins may cause Heart Failure that can lead to death. Lets groove tonight. Ask your doctor about toujeo. We started the show tonight with the first part of a special report on whats happening right now in the state of missouri. The republican government there as we reported tonight has begun over the course of the last week requiring women who want to get an abortion in that state to first undergo a new invasive medically unnecessary pelvic exam, an internal vaginal examination that is not medically required but that is being politically required by the government of the state as of the past week as the state tries to shut down the last clinic in missouri. Tomorrow, were going to bring you part two of that story, the store took a turn i did not see coming before we starred reporting this out. I cannot wait to tell you about that tomorrow night. Thats tomorrow night. Its time for the last word with lawrence odonnell. Great reporting tonight. We learned a lot. I want to raise one point of a prediction that you made last night came true a lot faster than i thought it would. Joe biden on the Hyde Amendment. 24 hours ago when that was a