watching. i am sam stein. katie fang will be back next week, do not worry, 7 am eastern. all will show online. though she is starting right now. ng right now. and good morning to you from beautiful detroit, michigan. it is sunday, october the 23rd. i m ali velshi, this is a very special edition of velshi across america. i am in belle isle state park in detroit, michigan, within 16 days until the most consequential midterm elections in recent memory. michigan is arguably the leading edge of a combustible trumpist, anti-democratic movement which includes fringe political figures, self styled militias and the potential for violence. i saw that with a group of michigan residents and voters from across the political spectrum to talk about this, plus women s reproductive rights, which is actually, literally on the ballot in michigan this year. and how they should think we can move forward as a country, full of people with different views, and the same set of facts. more of that c
what could be the most consequential set of midterm elections in modern history. i am here on belle isle, in detroit, michigan, where stakes could not be higher. all three of the states top leaders, the governor, attorney general and secretary of state are locked in reelection battles against opponents 11 braced the big lie in some shape or form, and there are a slew of other election deniers up and down the ballot, and just about two weeks, abortion rights will literally be on everybody s ballot, in michigan. to a vote on [inaudible] to reproductive freedom. the proposal would [inaudible] two there [inaudible] that would explicitly protect, and guarantee abortion rights in the state of michigan. earlier, at the henry fork museum of american innovation in the city of dearborn, right outside of detroit, i was joined by six people from across the political spectrum
crime. and that is where we see the whitmer plot, and the seditious conspiracy of the oath keepers. let the underwear bomber, something that did not manifest, but was here in detroit, had this gone through, had any of these players been any more successful than the actually were, can you imagine in the united states, the kidnapping of a governor by a self styled militia group? i think it becomes hazy with distance, but this was actually a very serious matter? and also ali, it becomes hazy when a plot fails. i think people remember, think about 9/11. we have an anniversary every year for the lives that were lost, because it was such a somber and horrific event. but we tend to fade, the memories tend to fade from things like the shoe bomber, the underwear bomber because they were not successful. only by some dumb luck, where they not successful. same with this militia group and the plot to kidnap governor whitmer. one man called police, because he was so horrified by what he had he
dingell who represents the 12th district of michigan, the 12th district covers parts of ann arbor, and dearborn and wayne county. it s just west of detroit, still north of canada. she is on the ballot, running for the newly drawn sixth district of michigan. it is now ann arbor center. michigan lost a congressional seat after the 2020 census was tallied. congresswoman, good to see you. thank you for being with us. we appreciate as always, you joining us on the show. look, we are 16 days away from an election that is very different from a typical midterm election. you have no senators up for election, but your three main state officeholders are up for election against election deniers. a number of you in congress are standing up for election against election deniers.
it is detroit, michigan. that gathering of buildings on the left there, the more modern building with a round one on the top, that round one is general motors. this is the renaissance center, general motors is headquartered over here in detroit, ford is headquartered in dearborn, just west of here. also in wayne county, that s the beautiful detroit skyline. and that, to the south of it, the left, you will then see the beginnings of the ambassador bridge, which is one of the ways that connects to canada, winds are ontario s just across the bridge from there. this is the art of automaking, the heart of auto making in america and canada, by the way. on the winter side, on the ontario side, there are many cars made over their. it was actually the interchange between michigan and ontario which gave birth to free trade zone between canada and the united states, having to do with autoparts and cars, which then gave birth to the entire north america free trade act, nafta, because it worked s