distribution sites. many are desperate. >> it's pretty tough to find bottled water. we are having to boil to wash dishes or do anything. >> north texans are urged to conserve as much water as they can. >> we've been hunting. we're going different places looking for it and can't find it. >> we have no water at all. we've had -- i've had no baths in four days. >> we lost our water. so that's why we -- that's why i came here, to pick up some water. >> more than one million units of water will be given out. >> this is just some of what we're learning about the scale of a humanitarian crisis that's ongoing. meanwhile, there are fires you see raging, informs san antonio are trying to contain this apartment fire. it's another aspect of the suffering with so many basic services breaking down. power company officials are under severe criticism. you probably heard about it. they say the system will generate enough power resolve, quote, normal operating conditions. this week of arctic cold temperatures has led to now a death toll of 30. it includes many tragic case, including an 11-year-old boy who died of what they believe to be hypothermia, taking shelter in what was an unheated mobile home, and a 60-year-old man freezing to death in his own recliner. we are tracking another humanitarian disaster. and that also speaks to some of the wrath facing one of the top officials in the state, senator ted cruz. he is back in the u.s. after that trip to cancun turned into something of a national allegory for modern failed civic and political leadership. we will get to that, as we did last night, but we will begin on the ground in texas and with people who understand the humanitarian crisis. we begin with nbc's antonia hylton live from the houston area, and a former state senator in texas, wendy davis. antonia, you were walking us through so much of this last night. what's most important that you can share in your reporting as we end this tough week? >> ari, right now residents here feel like they're lurching from one version of this crisis to the other. most people have their lights and their power back, but they don't have safe water to drink, as all those people you just played explained. so what we saw happen here at del mar stadium here in houston is hundreds of people lining up, waiting for hours just to get into this site. volunteers were out in the cold, giving out free cases of water to their families, and they served thousand upon thousands of people. they're still trying to estimate how many people they served today. the main emotion is people are frankly exhausted and drained after days of all. this and many of the people we saw today came from communities of color, low income areas in houston that have been hit hard by covid, and now they worry that they're going to be the people that recover from this last, ari. >> antonia hylton kicking us off here with a lot of tough stories. we've been relying on your reporting all week. thanks very much for joining us. wendy davis is here. your thoughts on your home state. >> ari, it's just such a level of failed leadership, it's hard to describe. and i want to make sure that everyone is watching understands that texas understood ten years ago when we had a horrible blizzard come through exactly what the problems were. we knew that unless our power companies were required to have reserves of fuel as backup and unless they were required to weatherize their equipment, we were going have a situation like this. it's a failure of leadership, and honestly, not a failure of ercot nearly so much as it is a failure of elected officials who failed to require that those steps be taken. >> yeah, you lay that out. and we're hearing that i would say up and down the population in texas. there are political aspects of this, but it's not politically divisive. we are hearing from people across the spectrum to the sentiment you raise. let me play a little bit more of that recording. take a listen. >> you know, somebody responsible for this. somebody needs to pay for it. you got people dying out here. you got hypothermia, dying. it's worse than a hurricane, but this is the worstest. i have 56 years old. this is the worstest thing i have ever been through, and i'm a houstonian, since i been living here in texas. >> is this crisis and the awareness of it across the state different from what yourself, policy leaders in texas were warning. so some of this has happened before. >> it will only be different if elected officials feel like they're going to be held accountable, quite honestly, ari, because at the end of the day, they feel more accountable right now and certainly have in the past to their friends in the fossil fuel industry than they do to people like this woman who you just showed. she's been through hurricanes if she lives in houston, and as she is saying to you, this is the worst crisis that she's experienced. and the problem is that even when the weather warms up, which it is right now, and it will be in the 60s here next week, there are going to be hundreds of thousands of texans who are displaced, texans who have lost their lives, and texans who are going to be dealing with a long-term consequences of cleaning up and paying for the damage because leaders failed to do what they knew they needed to do many years ago. >> yeah. wendy davis, who knows so many of these issues well, thank you, and good luck to everyone in the community there. i want to turn now from what so many texans are going through to what one texan official decided to do during this ongoing crisis, and that is to just dip out. senator ted cruz busted for flying off to cancun during the humanitarian crisis. and another southern politico, ragin' cajun james carville joins me to discuss. before we hear from james, i do want to give an update on what many are calling the most jaime humiliating and politically damaging of ted cruz's career. >> while fellow texans are freezing with the power out, ted cruz did what any great lead worry do when a state needs leadership most. he booked a flight to mexico and said adios, amigos. >> while cruz is a harvard educated elite lawyer, he really had no defense for this trip because it's indefensible. his damage control ranged from literally blaming his own kids to then lying by claiming this was an overnight trip. it wasn't. that got him busted again by reporting that showed everyone it was lie since he had packed more than an overnight bag, and flight records show cruz was originally booked to stay longer. a text chain in cruz's text chat also leaked with writing to a friend, our house is freezing, and inviting people to join them for the week. i repeat, the week, adding we may go to cancun. cruz was busted for the vacation, and then busted again for lying about it, which adds some layers to the spectacle, adds author beth kalb tweeted, imagine having almost 24 hours to come up with the perfect response and the best you can come up with is i was just dropping my 10-year-old off in mexico and was bringing a suit case, and also my wife joined with her own suitcase and then accidentally we checked into a resort. it's not very effective damage control. so after prolonging his own political self-tortured crisis, cruz is now back jacking. >> look, it was obviously a mistake, and in hindsight, i wouldn't have done it. i was trying to be a dad, and all of us have made decisions when you got two girls who have been cold for two days and haven't had heat or power and they're saying hey, look, we don't have school. why don't we go. let's get out of here. if i had understood how it would be perceived, the reaction people would have, obviously i wouldn't have done it. it was a mistake. >> senator cruz referring to perception. so he still doesn't get it. because this is still about an ongoing deadly emergency. it's not the perception that he left town, which he did. it's the fact that he abandoned his post and his job at a time when texans need all the government help and leadership and coordination with fema and federal resources that they could possibly get. now could there be any more to this story? well, tonight after a long week, america, i tell you yes, there. because the cruzes left their family dog back at that freezing house we heard about, and a reporter snapped this photograph while cruz was gone. the dog there sitting alone by the front door. you may know the old political saying if you want a friend in washington, get a dog. but if you are a dog, try to avoid ted cruz, because it doesn't look like he is much of a friend. and this dog braving the snowstorm in that freezing house, well, one more thing we should all know. reportedly the dog's name is snowflake. so i don't know. we're done. we can't go any further. luckily we have someone to take us the rest of the way. james carville is here on the political disaster of a lifetime. your thoughts, james? >> i'm not going to claim this the worst scandal in modern american politics, but i'm going to declare it the very top of the most delicious scandals in american politics. i mean, every time -- look, what dad -- your daughters come in and say let's go to condition cuban for a week. what dad is going say no to that? like everybody in the world just drops airplane tickets and $400 a night hotel rooms because the kids wanted to be that, it's being a good dad. i mean, it's almost comical. and the other thing that is utterly delicious about it is all my friends, they were like sending "the new york times" the text chain. and other friends will confirm it. i don't think the tennis game at river oaks country club is going to be very friendly a week from tomorrow. there is a lot of trouble there in the bayou state. . there is a lot of circular firing squad. i will say we don't get into families obviously in the news other than to say what the kids thought and said is their business, but the way their politician father is trying to exploit and invoke them, obviously people can judge the dad, the senator for that. i will say shout out to snowflake, and i hope snowflake gets warmed up, james. the comics have had a field day. take a look. >> ted cruz, no, man. you got to be [ bleep ]ing me, dude. seriously, ted cruz blaming his daughters for this is just gross. being a good father means putting them on a bus, not throwing them under one. >> snake on a plane, right there. i guess we're supposed to believe that he was just chaperoning his wife and kids to mexico and was planning to come back the next day all along with a carry-on bag stuffed like pinata. >> now the facts are bad for any politician, james, but you and i are around this. you and i both know plenty of senators in both parties who are more obscure, who are more low-key, who i don't think would work for national punch lines the same way ted cruz has because he has made himself famous, partly by being self-righteous. and there is nothing self righteous about this. >> right, he is. and it makes him such an attractive target. the other thing is, public life, if you're in public life-long enough, you're going have your doubts. you just are. and you're going to have a general wine messup. usually you have friends, people you have relationship, they'll rally and if the press calls, i'll give them a quote on this, and you do it set, et cetera. the point is everybody is having fun with this. it's not just the democrats. the republicans are having fun with it. like i said, it's almost like yes, he obviously an ivy league graduate, you know, he's whatever. but he just -- doesn't strike you as the kind of person that's developed real deep and meaningful relationships in his life in politics, and it's haunting him now because no one other than john an yu made as big a fool of himself as cruz. even cruz had to contradict the spin for cruz. there are some real lessons here, and one of the lessons is try to be nice to some people in your moment in the sun because, you know, the sunsets on you and you want to have some friends when it sets on you that will defend you and say some nice things about you. it's just remarkable to me how universally ganged up on senator cruz is. it's really something to see. >> oh, yeah. it's one of the few moments of unity i've seen in 2021 in politics, as you mentioned, a lot of republicans particularly who know him, who deal with him are really concerned about as well his continued position in the party. there has been so much talk about the last president that people may forget there were a lot of candidates who ran in 2016. ted cruz came in second. he did get delegates. he did get grassroot voters. while he is supremely unpopular with a lot of people who deal with him, sean hannity, boy did he put his neck out. we have a little bit of that. take a look. >> you went, and you took your daughters to cancun and you came back. i think you can be a father and be the senator of texas all at the same time and make a round trip, quick drop-off, quick and come home. >> i had initially planned to stay through the weekend and work remotely there, but as i -- as i was heading down there, you know, i started to have second thoughts almost immediately. >> james, it was obviously an important, rigorous journalistic interview. those of us who have been around this world, we study, we study the introduce where you really see a reporter do their job. your thoughts. >> look, in sean's defense, i mean, maybe he says he is a journalist, but i don't think anyone thinks that he is. so, i mean, it's not like some kind of truth in packaging here. he makes an enormous living being just a total flak. that just exposed the extent of how far he was willing to go. ted cruz had to hold him back in check. i missed a little bit of work, as soon as the airplane door closed i knew i had made a mistake, but i couldn't jump out in the gulf of mexico. again, the reason this works on so many levels, and the terrible thing against the backdrop against the tragedy is senator smith was talking about, and you heard that very effective woman from talk about she is 56 years old. and this is like some of the worst thing. the magnitude of the tragedy, we shouldn't be so quick to laugh at cruz, but that's also the backdrop. and i think cruz has probably given a lot of beleaguered people in texas sitting at home at least some comic relief. sometimes i believe living in a very disaster prone area, and people need comedy in the middle of the disaster. so senator cruz, you provided some real comedy for people. make a disaster, the bilger the need for comedy. >> yeah, well, how many of us have watched "snl" skits about serious things? i was thinking about as you say this the old russian saying you laugh through the tears because you have things to cry about and you still need to laugh. and in that spirit, james we have one more thing on this great story, which is the internet. you know, they say the internet is undefeated. and boy, some of these memes which are made by -- these are made by honest men and women across the country. here is one, missing, have you seen this man? putting out the wanted poster for ted cruz. going old school with a new twist, marie antoinette reimagined as cruz, let them eat snow. there is more. what does it tell you when a story breaks through news and politics to everyone roasting him? >> you know, it's just like i say, it's one of these moments where you had this kind of tragedy. it was actually ted cruz. it would have been someone else. sometimes i think the happiest person in the world is lindsey graham because compared to ted cruz, the only person in the world lindsey graham can look good against. this can really help lindsey graham because they're not talking about lindsey graham anymore. they're not talking about mitch mcconnell right now. we're not even talking about the donald trump, to tell you the truth. cruz has come in and clobbered the whole cycle for everybody. look, i don't think historic can be overappreciated because it's not the greatest scandal in the world, but it also just exposes a lot. and it gives people something to chuckle at in the middle of this horrific and i don't know what the cost because having 14 million people without water? you talk about some profound effect. and now you're having fires and no water and fires is not a bad combination, i don't think. that's not a good idea. so there is, and we should reflect it, there is a lot of strategy and people's lives have really been upended. even in gallows humor sometimes can be some of the funniest humor in the world. >> an ongoing crisis there. >> there are thousands of people. they're going to come back. i promise you. they're going come back. >> sure. no way. and they're resilient, and they've been through their share of these things. it's funny, but it's about a serious thing. and as i mentioned, ted cruz and josh hawley are out there pushing themselves as a potential presidential nominee. if people got a preview of how ted cruz does his current job, that may be a public service. as always, i let the voters have the final word. james carville, thanks for joining us tonight. >> all right. have a great weekend. best to you. >> have a great weekend. we have our shortest break right now, 30 seconds, and then we're back with some of the best news we've ever had on covid. live bookkeeper for peace of mind. your books are all set. so you can finally give john some attention. trusted experts. guaranteed accurate books. intuit quickbooks live. the lexus es, now available with all-wheel drive. this rain is bananas. lease the 2021 es 250 all-wheel drive for $349 a month for thirty six months. experience amazing at your lexus dealer. welcome back. we have major news on covid right now. some experts saying this could be the best thing to happen to you this year. tonight's news is a far cry from the dark days of early 2020 when transmission was mounting with no vaccine in sight, yet many felt like we were all living through a scene out of "contagion." >> we have a virus, no treatment protocol and no vaccine at this time. >> watch this. it's transmission. we just need to though which direction. >> on day one, there were two people, and then four, and then 16. in three months, it's a billion. that's where we're headed. >> but the good news tonight, covid cases are falling. not just falling a bit or falling for a week, but dropping a full 77% in the last month and a half. so you take it together, it offers tremendous hope for rounding the corner. it's a real substantial drop in covid in america, and in the risk of transmission. one expert says the data means we could be racing towards an extremely low level of infection overall, citing both partial immunity from people who beat the virus and the vaccine progress, which brings us, of course, to the vaccines. more good news because new studies show they're not only effective, but more effective than some early projections, because even a single dose of pfizer's vaccine is so effective at preventing symptomatic disease, it works at a rate of about 85%. so let's put that in very plain english here at the end of a long week. what this means is while two doses are still ideal, one dose of that vaccine, according to the new study protects four out of five people who get it. that's why some countries are first giving single doses to people most at risk, and then coming around to do the more ideal vaccination protocol later when they expect fewer shortages. let's be clear. this is part of my job. i love it when i get to give good news, but you need the whole picture. there is no good news in a pandemic without caveats. one is that any progress will draw on people following the safety rules. that's part of what got us here. if people get too lax, if they look up and see a headline and see "covid dropping" and they stop doing the things that got us here, we won't get to be here anymore. to underscore this point, i want to paraphrase the late ruth bader ginsburg in her civil defense laws. she famously said you don't stop enforcing them just because you think you see overt racism going down, any more than you throw out an umbrella in a rainstorm because you're currently dry. so you don't stop covid safety habits just because covid is currently dropping. and amidst that progress, president biden also pushing ahead on covid relief, touring a michigan vaccine plant today. >> our predecessors, as my mother would say failed to order enough vaccines, failed to mobilize the effort to administer the shots, failed to set up vaccine centers. that changed the moment we took office. >> you see there a new president talking tough and factually about these problems. he's not leaning into the good news for the same reason dr. fauci didn't when we had him here, because the public health messaging urgency is to keep people working on the safety rules, not basking in a six-week piece of good news. so that's the context. democrats are still rallying for the big push to pass what would be about a $2 trillion relief bill that biden has. republicans meanwhile looking backwards. lindsey graham is heading to trumpland, going to mar-a-lago this weekend, a voyage other top republicans have made even after some light criticism of donald trump over the insurrection. it's becoming something of a 2021 tradition. we're joined now by our colleague alicia menendez, host of msnbc's "american voices" and a keen observer of politics and policy, if i may say so myself. having walked through -- >> thank you, ari. >> both the covid -- you're welcome. having walked through the covid news which i mentioned is good but not a reason to change course, your thoughts on that and also where biden's headed. >> yeah, i think the biden administration has been really clear about the fact that they have to get america's dual crises under control, that they need to get both the health crisis brought on by covid-19 and the economic crisis brought on by covid-19, the mishandling of this pandemic under control. that means distribution of the vaccine needs to be drummed up. that's part of what you're watching there, and they need to get this covid relief bill through. they need to shore up unemployment resources, they need to get the direct payments to americans, they need to figure out school openings. they need to do those things, ari, both because you have millions of americans suffering, and you need to feel the relief in order to feel that the government is working. i also think there is a more macro point, which is if you look at the rise of the faux. lists on the right, they feed on the notion that government doesn't work, that government can't deliver. and there is no better antidote to that argument than proving that government can. i was struck today, ari, by the fact that in addition to everything that you're watching domestically, if you read through or watch the president's statements at the g7, he is underlining that exact point in a global context saying you have to prove that our model isn't a relic of history. we must demonstrate that democracies can still deliver for our people in this changed world, right? really understanding that it is both a domestic and international challenge. >> yeah, well put. have i about a minute left. i'm going put up the polling that shows biden's been at this for about a month. he's got a big job ahead of him, but he is already 20 points above anywhere that donald trump has been. what do you see there? and is that relevant to him getting things through congress? >> yeah, i think it's really relevant because it proves that if you actually approach governance with some seriousness and act as though your job is to get things done, then people will notice that, and i think those numbers could be even better once people start to feel the benefits of that governance. there are debates that are being had right now over the minimum wage, over student debt relief. i think that that expands the conversations so you're not just talking about can government deal with the crisis of the moment, but rather, can government deliver a seismic shift and change that can fundamentally change the american economy? >> hmm, alicia menendez, thank you. always nice to end the week with your insights. >> thanks, ari. >> i want to remind everyone -- you're welcome -- saturday, sunday, 6:00 p.m. eastern, alicia menendez, "american voices" on msnbc. we're going it in in a break, but an important story i want you to stay with me. new reporting on whether black lives matter is making progress on one of the biggest issues of the day. we have it all for you coming up. up i am robert strickler. i've been involved in communications in the media for 45 years. i've been taking prevagen on a regular basis for at least eight years. for me, the greatest benefit over the years has been that prevagen seems to help me recall things and also think more clearly. and i enthusiastically recommend prevagen. it has helped me an awful lot. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. are you one of the millions of americans who experience occasional bloating, gas, or abdominal discomfort? taking align can help. align contains a quality probiotic to naturally help soothe digestive upsets 24/7. try align, the pros in digestive health. ♪ ♪ ♪ when it comes to your financial health, just a few small steps can make a real difference. ♪ ♪ ♪ learn, save and spend with guidance from chase. confidence feels good. chase. make more of what's yours. this is hal. this is hal's heart. it's been broken. and put back together. this is hal's relief, knowing he's covered by medicare from blue cross blue shield. and with coverage you can trust, backed by over 80 years of healthcare expertise, we'll be there when it matters most. this is medicare from blue cross blue shield. this is the benefit of blue. you can't plan for your period's... this is medicare from blue cross blue shield. what the gush moments. but the right pad can. only always ultra thins have rapiddry technology and, they absorb 40% faster. the gush happens fast. that's why always absorbs faster. an update on the reporting we've been doing on accountability. six more individuals associated with the anti-government militia organization, the oath keepers now arrested and charged. these are new indictments this week for conspiring to obstruct the certification of the 2020 election. this is different than just the traditional trespassing or violence charges because it is signaling a conspiracy that was very wide. indeed, this overlaps with some of the arguments we heard from impeachment managers at the senate trial. but these are, of course, separate legal processes and indictments. several members of the group haddoned paramilitary gear and joined a military stack formation according to authorities as they marched up the steps to the capitol in that attack, breaching the door, storming the building. prosecutors also stress that these indicted individuals were coordinating with militia members before and during the attack and they allege tampering with documents after the fact. all of these charges come as police departments are also under scrutiny for whether or not they had members who were at the events before the riot or participated further, plus, the reporting we've been doing about links from indicted rioters to the u.s. military. we'll keep on these cases, especially because we're learning more and more each week from these indictments. i wanted to give you that update. now coming up, police shootings this year are on a certain pace that we want you to know about, because it reflects everything we've been reporting on with police reckoning and the george floyd protests. brittany cunningham, a member of barack obama's task force, el l get into with us next. yeah! ...then you should be able to get a bank account that helps with your budget. (laughs) we created virtual wallet® to help people save and spend smarter. easily see the big picture of your finances... ...and set up alerts to help avoid overdrafts. you see that? virtual wallet® for digital banking. one way we're helping to make a difference at pnc bank. [ fizz ] joining meeting. [ coughing ] [ gasping ] skip to cold relief fast with alka seltzer plus severe power fast fizz. dissolves quickly, instantly ready to start working. ♪ oh, what a relief it is ♪ so fast. wondering what actually goes into your multivitamin? at new chapter, its' innovation, organic ingredients, and fermentation. fermentation? yes. formulated to help you body really truly absorb the natural goodness. new chapter. wellness, well done. ♪ ooh la la by cherie ♪ it was the age of wisdom... ♪ ooh la la by cherie ♪ the moxie showerhead speaker. only from kohler. i'm a verizon engineer. we built our 5g nationwide so millions of people could do what they love in verizon 5g quality. and in parts of many cities, we have ultra wideband, the fastest 5g in the world. this is 5g built right. only from verizon. facing leaks takes strength, so here's to the strong, who trust in our performance and comfortable, long-lasting protection. because your strength is supported by ours. depend. the only thing stronger than us, is you. covid's still a threat. and on reopening schools, we know what happens when we don't put safety first. ignore proper ventilation or rates of community spread, and the virus worsens. fail to provide masks or class sizes that allow for social distancing, and classrooms close back down. a successful reopening requires real safety and accountability measures. including prioritizing vaccines for educators. parents and educators agree: reopen schools. putting safety first. turning now to important news in the ongoing reckoning for policing in america. the black lives matter movement has drawn more support amidst those national protests last year. it clearly catalyzed reforms in some state laws as we've been covering, but on the key issue of police killings, which galvanized those protests, well, 2021 is already looking a lot like past years. least use of force shootings remain on track. some argue the use of force can be warranted, this steady rate is a problem because the u.s. has such a high use of force, as well as force often used in discriminatory ways. take a new report that came to light just this week. california police shooting a black man to death over what is an alleged instance of jaywalking. kurt andres ryan hold asked where he was jaywalking. video taken at the scene shows him trying to walk away from the encounter. that's relevant to whether he posed any initial threat initially. then they tackled him. an apparent escalation which ultimately leads to another officer asserting that reinhold had the officer's gun. and then two shots are fired which killed him. a warning, the video is disturbing. >> what's going on? are you going to stop or are you going to make us stop? >> he's got my gun. >> i want you to remember, that disturbing scene in the middle of the day in san clemente began with allegations of misdemeanor jaywalking. it's one of several stories that we are tracking which may not make the same national news as the killing of george floyd on tape. you may or may not have heard about this one yet, but it reflects of course the same loss of life, the same questions about police conduct, just like another police killing within the last two weeks of 18-year-old trey webster, a robbery suspect was killed in a shootout when a s.w.a.t. team entered his family's home to serve him a warrant for allegedly intimidating a witness. like jaywalking, we are talking about things here that even if they are against the law are, not under any standard of legal interpretation something that would need to require the use of lethal force. now webster was then accused of firing at a witness to persuade them not to testify in that robbery case. but that was at a different time. the incident here is controversial because of the nature of how he was attempted to be contacted by police. and now i'm going show you his family, which alleges that police did so, that they entered without knocking or announcing themselves. >> as they lay sleeping, their door was kicked in. there was no knock. police s.w.a.t. team swarmed their house. none of them ever heard the word "police." they were told to get the f down, shut the f up. >> that is the family's representative giving their perspective. i have to report for you that's also in dispute, because the police involved say they did announce themselves, and they argue it was webster who shot first. now his family says they don't believe webster had a gun. his mother insist any and all of this could have been avoided if the officers had clearly announced themselves and knocked. >> i want my son back. they didn't have to kill him. they killed him in cold blood. i want justice for my son. they didn't have to treat us like they treated us. if they would have knocked on the door, we would have answered and came outside. they treat us like we wasn't even human beings. >> it's another mother's pain. and as i emphasize, if these are stories you haven't heard about yet, that aren't sparking the same national reckoning as mr. floyd's death, each human life is still equal. there are other stories, some arbitrary like what's on tape that can affect whether the governmental and political forces are forced to respond. by definition, a lot of these cases are scrutinized after the fact. and when police conduct is under a microscope, the law looks at it with a high bar of whether police committed a crime or not. but that's just one piece of the potential problems. say that a given tactic might be technically legal. okay. state legislatures or congress can decide or change whether it's legal or not. but if it results in foreseeable and avoidable death, even if it's technically legal, many experts say that is just terrible policing. just like the no-knock warrant used on 26-year-old breonna taylor, an innocent woman was fatally shot by police during a botched raid. now i mention what is legal? more states are considering bans of this controversial practice, which we see both in her death and these other cases continues to create many problems. as promised, we're now joined by brittany packnett cunningham, an activist and former member of president obama's policing task force. thanks for being here. >> absolutely. >> i understand that a lot of this is hard to watch and live, and i understand that people say how do we have this conversation again. we here on this program and many others, and i know in your work try to explain that keeping scrutiny on the facts and getting the facts out is exactly what is necessary for potential accountability or change. your thoughts on all of that, looking at some of these stories. >> i think what we have to reckon with most clearly is the bar that we set for our demands. there are always two ends of this conversation. there is accountability and there is prevention. now accountability is what happens after someone like tre winter is no long were us, after his mother has to sit on the news and tearfully say the most obvious thing, that the police did not have to kill her child. and indeed, that is true. there are developed nations all across this world where police officers, military forces, et cetera, do not kill civilians. so we have to be clear that while we're fighting for accountability that we are setting the bar as high as possible for prevention. that not fewer of these murders need to happen, but none of these murders need to happen. it is possible and we can actually do that if we divest from the institutions that harm us, invest in the institutions that help us, and make sure that as a community, we demand the very best from our public servants. >> uh-huh. i showed that chart, and we can put it back up. it really shows we're on the steady data of use of force. and we consulted these cases in "the washington post," you see the 2021 in blue is really tracking. we're early in the year, but it's tracking almost exactly like past years. and the "washington post" breaks these down. and i stress in my work as a report they're some of the cases have stronger justify indications for use of force. some of them involve shootouts, for example. but repeatedly, like clockwork, some of them involve like the jaywalking scene that we saw. what do you think people need to understand about how that is more common than we might think and it's really only the worst of the worst of the worst that's also on tape that tends to get the full national attention? >> what we really need to understand is that the conversation about bad apples and individual bad actors is not the right one. it has never been the right one. we are talking about institutions and systems. ari, let's just be clear about this. the police and the system at large are not doing much to prevent crime. often they are there to answer after crime has occurred and far too often across the country police departments are not solving much of that crime either. so if they're not preventing crime, they're not solving crime the way that they should be, and far too often like in this jaywalking incident, they are causing crime and harm in the community, then why do we keep paying them the same amount of money? why do we keep increasing their budgets while we see budgets to address houselessness and homelessness, mental health care and living wages in communities continue to shrink? this is an institutional challenge. and the good news is that we have examples all across the world, and certainly this country about how to do this better. well can decouple policing from education, as has been pushed in places like los angeles and minneapolis. well can fund unarmed mental health units like the one in denver to actually answer those calls instead of someone who is armed with a gown and a taser. >> right. >> the federal government can redirect cops program grants to those fundamental community services that actually build safety from the ground up. it is not impossible to get to a world where the police no longer kill people. we just have to have the political will to make it happen. >> all important points. you've been working on this for a long time, which is why we're continuing some of the reporting in this series. brittany packnett cunningham, thank you. >> thank you. we have a lot more in the program tonight. with a whole nation telling ted cruz to fall back, who else should fall back? i got good news. ani di franco is here for a special fallback, coming up. p. d. try claritin cool mint chewabls for powerful allergy relief plus a cooling sensation. live claritin clear. ♪ ♪ when the chapstick goes on. it's on. get yours on at chapstick.com you're strong. you power through chronic migraine-15 or more headache days a month each lasting 4 hours or more. botox® prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. so, if you haven't tried botox® for your chronic migraine check with your doctor if botox® is right for you and, if samples are available. effects of botox® may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. alert your doctor right away, as difficulty swallowing speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. side effects may include allergic reactions neck and injection site pain fatigue, and headache. don't receive botox® if there's a skin infection. tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions and medications, including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects. 95% of patients may pay as little as zero dollars for botox® so, text to see how you can save. botox is the #1 prescribed branded chronic migraine treatment. so, ask your doctor about botox® today. ♪ limu emu & doug ♪ hey limu! [ squawks ] how great is it that we get to tell everybody how liberty mutual customizes your car insurance so you only pay for what you need? i mean it... oh, sorry... [ laughter ] woops! [ laughter ] good evening! meow! nope. oh... what? i'm an emu! ah ha ha. no, buddy! buddy, it's a filter! only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty, liberty, liberty, liberty ♪ if your dry eye symptoms keep coming back, inflammation in your eye might be to blame. looks like a great day for achy, burning eyes over-the-counter eye drops typically work by lubricating your eyes and may provide temporary relief. ha! these drops probably won't touch me. xiidra works differently, targeting inflammation that can cause dry eye disease. what is that? xiidra, noooo! it can provide lasting relief. xiidra is the only fda approved treatment specifically for the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. one drop in each eye, twice a day. don't use if you're allergic to xiidra. common side effects include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when applied to the eye, and unusual taste sensation. don't touch container tip to your eye or any surface. after using xiidra, wait 15 minutes before reinserting contacts. got any room in your eye? talk to an eye doctor about twice-daily xiidra. i prefer you didn't! xiidra. not today, dry eye. you know it's time to fall back. we have two special guests, look who it is, ani difranco, the music legend, nominated for nine grammys, winner in 2004 for the evolve album, an outspoken activist involving the pro choice movement, criminal justice reform. the new album is revolutionary love. plenty of politics in there if you want it. and sally cohn, opposite of the book, the opposite of hate. a field guide to repairing our humanity. she's been everywhere, we're glad to have her here. she's written for "washington post," "new york times," and other outlets. thank you for being here. >> thank you. great to have you here. >> it's an honor. >> i have been looking forward to this after a pretty long week. sally, what's on your fall back list? >> not on my fall back list is the fact that the little baby lesbian inside me is extremely excited to be on tv with my hero, ani difranco. >> ari, is the baby lesbian inside you equally excited. >> first, the answer is yes, thank you for pressing me like any good journalist, and number two, sally, maybe the two of you can get baby lesbian trending on twitter, i don't know. the baby lesbian inside all of us. >> i like to hope that there's a baby lesbian inside of all of us. but i'm not sure that's where you wanted the conversation to go, ari. things i would like to see fall back, for my personally, the thing that's been, you know, goosing my liver all week has been the fact that we know a majority of americans support raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour. we know a growing number of republicans support it. you saw it pass in florida, biden lost in florida, but a $15 minimum wage passed so we know there's overwhelming momentum. we know that it juices the economy. you know, when republicans like when there's a stall in the economy, they want to give tax breaks to the rich. we know trickle down doesn't work, but we know that for every dollar you give a worker, $1.21 gets pumped in the economy. it helps women, it helps people of color. it is overwhelmingly good, smart policy, and yet, what needs to fall back are republicans and frankly too many democrats, you know their names saying that it's bad for business. it isn't. it creates job growth. it creates economic growth. it creates spending, overwhelmingly good, and not saying otherwise. >> big issue in the covid relief bill as you mentioned. mostly republican, some senate democrats cold water there, too, it's an important issue. ani, what about you? >> well, i was thinking we need to fall back on the idea of life without parole and capital punishment. i have long been anti-capital punishment. and i used to think of life without parole as a better, a kinder, gentler alternative, but as i've continued in learning about the criminal justice system and the reality of it, i've come to learn that life without parole can be the longest slowest death sentence a person can be given, and of course we would like to think that justice is blind, as the saying goes, but the reality is that justice sees race. justice sees class. justice sees gender and sexual orientation and everything that the rest of the society sees. people don't check their biases at the door when they enter the courtroom. these biases exist in juries in judges. so we have an imperfect system, and it is our justice is meted out imperfectly, and i think that we need to examine some fundamental concepts that we're working with, like life without parole. i think it's wrong. i think it's just actually literally wrong to tell somebody they will never change. they can never redeem themselves. they will never evolve. >> and ani, that's a strong one. i've got about 30 seconds left. your work is inspiring to people, including some of it with values and justice. i'm curious what are the songs or artists that have politically inspired you, just as a final thought. >> oh, man, sally, i haven't heard you sing yet but i love you work. my friend valerie core who speaks so eloquently about revolutionary love, something i'm singing about a lot lately, i mean, there is just so many people that inspire me. >> love it. well, it's great to bring -- >> my baby lesbian just died. my baby lesbian just died. >> it's full circle. let me tell you something, post pandemic, ani, we'd love to have you in person. clearly sally is going to be there no matter what. i can tell. thanks ani and sally, and everyone for being with us this week. "the reid out" is next. week "the reid out" is next stay restless with the icon that does the same. the rx crafted by lexus. lease the 2021 rx 350 for $429 a month for thirty six months. experience amazing at your lexus dealer. (burke) at farmers, we know how nice it is to save on your auto policy. but it's even nicer knowing that if this happens... for thirty six months. ...or this... ...or even this... ...we've seen and covered it. so, call 1-800-farmers and get a quote today. ♪ we are farmers. bum-pa-dum, bum-bum-bum-bum ♪ these are real people, not actors, who've got their eczema under control. with less eczema, you can show more skin. so roll up those sleeves. and help heal your skin from within with dupixent. dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. so help heal your skin from within, and talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent. if your financial situation has changed, we may be able to help. good evening, everyone. we begin "the reidout" with good news for texans, ercot, the entity responsible for managing the flow of electrical power to most of the lone star state announced this morning that it has finally ended emergency conditions allowing the restoration of power to freezing texas homes for the first time since monday. that's the good news. but life is still far from

Related Keywords

Homes , People , Crisis , Ari Melber , State , Times , Texas , The Beat , Hi , Nicolle , 14 Million , Water , Areas , Don T Have Running Water , Water Distribution Sites , Cities , Others , Place , Boiling Advisory , Shortage , Water Disruptions , Pipes , Boiling Snow , Texans , Many , Anything , Dishes , All , Places , Hunting , Baths , Four , Fires , Learning , Scale , San Antonio , One Million , Officials , System , Suffering , Criticism , Apartment Fire , Power Resolve , Services , Aspect , Power Company , Boy , Hypothermia , Quote , Case , Operating Conditions , Death Toll , Shelter , Arctic Cold Temperatures , 30 , 11 , Ted Cruz , Some , Disaster , Oman , Death , Mobile Home , Recliner , Wrath , One , 60 , Leadership , Something , Trip , U S , Cancun , Ground , Allegory , Last Night , Reporting , Wendy Davis , State Senator , Antonia Hylton , Houston Area , Nbc , Other , Power Back , Lurching , Version , Drink , Lights , Cases , Families , Cold , Volunteers , Hundreds , Site , Houston , Del Mar Stadium , Thousands , Communities , Color , Emotion , Income , Lot , Stories , Covid , Thanks , Last , Hit Hard , Everyone , Thoughts , Level , Home State , Ten , Power Companies , Problems , Blizzard , Fuel , Reserves , Failure , Steps , Situation , Equipment , Ercot , Hearing , Population , Aspects , Somebody , More , Listen , Spectrum , Sentiment , Recording , Thing , Houstonian , Dying , Hurricane , Worstest , 56 , It , Policy Leaders , Awareness , Friends , Accountable , Warning , Woman , Hurricanes , Fossil Fuel Industry , Problem , Lives , Weather , Hundreds Of Thousands , Leaders , Damage , Consequences , Community , Luck , Issues , Official , James Carville , Update , Southern Politico , Ragin Cajun , Lead , Career , Flight , Mexico , Worry , Power Out , Jaime Humiliating , Defense , Kids , Damage Control , Elite Lawyer , Amigos , Adios , Harvard , Bag , Flight Records Show Cruz , It Wasn T , Lie , House , Friend , Text Chain , Freezing , Text Chat , Writing , Beth Kalb Tweeted , Best , Spectacle , Vacation , Response , Layers , 24 , Wife , Suit Case , Resort , Suitcase , 10 , Dad , Mistake , Girls , All Of Us , Decisions , Two , You Haven T , Power , Reaction , Heat , Look , We Don T Have School , Why Don T We Go , Fact , Senator , Perception , Town , Emergency , Government , Story , Job , Resources , Help , Post , Coordination , Fema , Reporter , Dog , Cruzes , Family Dog , Photograph , Door , Saying , Washington , Snowflake , Doesn T , Snowstorm , Know , Name , Someone , Way , Lifetime , Rest , Daughters , Scandal , American Politics , Scandals , Let S Go , World , Everybody , Hotel Rooms , Airplane Tickets , 400 , 00 , The New York Times , Tennis Game , River Oaks Country Club , News , Bayou State , Circular Firing Squad , Trouble , Politician , Father , Business , Comics , Field Day , Take A Look , No , Me , Bleep , Snake , Plane , Planning , Bus , Dude , Facts , Both , Pinata , Senators , Parties , Punch , Low Key , Famous , Life , Nothing , Enough , Doubts , Target , Point , Fun , Relationship , Press Calls , Wine Messup , Et Cetera , Republicans , Person , Kind , Democrats , Whatever , Ivy League , Politics , Life Without Parole , John , Relationships , Yu , Fool , Big A , Lessons , Spin , Sunsets , The Sun , Things , Talk , Party , Unity , Him , Position , 2021 , President , Candidates , Grassroot Voters , Delegates , 2016 , Sean Hannity , Bit , Neck , Round Trip , Weekend , Home , Drop Off , Interview , Important , Journalist , Living , Anyone , Truth , Packaging , Work , Check , Airplane , Flak , Extent , Reason , Backdrop , Tragedy , Levels , Senator Smith , Gulf Of Mexico , We Shouldn T , Magnitude , Comedy , Middle , Area , Comic Relief , Need , Bilger , Snl , Internet , Tears , Russian , Spirit , Country , Women , Memes , Wanted Poster , Old School , Men , Undefeated , Snow , Twist , Marie Antoinette Reimagined , Lindsey Graham , Someone Else , Donald Trump , Against , Cycle , Mitch Mcconnell , Historic , Overappreciated , Effect , Cost , Idea , Combination , Don T Think , Strategy , Gallows Humor , Humor , Share , Funny , Nominee , Josh Hawley , Word , Break , Public Service , Voters , Preview , Attention , Books , Experts , Bookkeeper , Set , Peace Of Mind , All Wheel Drive , Rain , Bananas , Intuit Quickbooks Live , Lexus Es , Es 250 , Thirty Six , 250 , 349 , 49 , Dealer , Vaccine , Transmission , Sight , Cry , 2020 , Scene , Virus , Contagion , Treatment Protocol , Felt , Day One , Direction , A Billion , Three , 16 , Risk , Drop , Half , Corner , Hope , 77 , Course , Infection , Vaccines , Data , Vaccine Progress , Expert , Racing , Immunity , Dose , Rate , Disease , Studies , Projections , Pfizer , 85 , Doses , Study , English , Part , Ideal Vaccination Protocol , Countries , Shortages , Five , Pandemic , Progress , Safety Rules , Caveats , Picture , Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Headline , Laws , Covid Dropping , Racism , Rainstorm , Umbrella , Safety Habits , Biden , Mother , Covid Relief , Touring A Michigan Vaccine Plant , Predecessors , Shots , Office , Effort , Vaccine Centers , Health , Context , Fauci Didn T , Piece , Urgency , Messaging , Dr , Six , Relief Bill , Voyage , Trumpland , Big Push To Pass , Mar A Lago , 2 Trillion , Trillion , Policy , Alicia Menendez , Insurrection , Tradition , Observer , Host , Msnbc , American Voices , Ari , Administration , Headed , Control , Health Crisis , Crises , Covid 19 , 19 , Unemployment Resources , Payments , Distribution , School Openings , Relief , Macro Point , Millions , Lists , Right , Order , Rise , Faux , Doesn T Work , Antidote , Argument , Notion , Addition , Everything , Isn T A Relic Of History , Statements , G7 , Challenge , Democracies , Polling , Points , Congress , 20 , Governance , Numbers , Seriousness , Benefits , Act , Wage , Debates , Student Debt Relief , Conversations , Government Deal , Being , Economy , Shift , Insights , Hmm , Sunday , Eastern , 6 , Matter , On Whether Black , Communications , Media , Basis , Robert Strickler , 45 , Eight , Benefit , Prevagen , Discomfort , Quality Probiotic , Taking Align , Bloating , Gas , Healthier Brain , 24 7 , Difference , Pros , Try Align , Learn , Guidance , Confidence , Chase , Hal , Heart , Medicare , Healthcare Expertise , Coverage , Blue Cross Shield , 80 , Blue , Pad , Ultra Thins Have Rapiddry Technology , 40 , Gush , Accountability , Individuals , Indictments , Militia Organization , Oath Keepers , Certification , Election , Trespassing , Charges , Conspiracy , Members , Overlaps , Senate , Group , Arguments , Violence , Trial , Impeachment Managers , Processes , Attack , Prosecutors , Authorities , Capitol , Military Stack Formation , Building , Haddoned Paramilitary Gear , Police Departments , Militia Members , Events , Whether , Scrutiny , Riot , Documents , Military , Plus , Rioters , Links , Protests , Police Shootings , Police Reckoning , Pace , George Floyd , Brittany Packnett Cunningham , Bank Account , Budget , Task Force , Barack Obama , Next , El L , Wallet , Avoid Overdrafts , Banking , Smarter , Finances , Alerts , Pnc Bank , The Big Picture , Power Fast Fizz , Cold Relief Fast , Meeting , Dissolves , Fizz , Alka Seltzer Plus , Coughing , Chapter , Fermentation , Multivitamin , Innovation , Ingredients , Goodness , Yes , Wellness , Ooh La , Cherie , Age , Wisdom , Moxie Showerhead Speaker , Ultra Wideband , Parts , 5g , 5g Quality , Engineer , Verizon , Kohler , 5 , Strength , Protection , Leaks , Strong , Performance , Trust , Depend , Threat , Reopening Schools , Rates , Community Spread , Ventilation , Masks , Safety First , Safety , Class Sizes , Educators , Reopening , Schools , Classrooms , Distancing , Measures , Prioritizing , Parents , Reckoning , Issue , Policing , Movement , Police Killings , Reforms , State Laws , Support , Force , Use , Shootings , Track , Report , Instance , California Police Shooting A Black Man , Ways , Kurt , Jaywalking , Video , Encounter , Ryan , Officer , Gun , Escalation , Reinhold , What S Going On , Tracking , Misdemeanor Jaywalking , Killing , Allegations , George Floyd On Tape , San Clemente , Trey Webster , Police Conduct , Swat Team , Shootout , Police Killing , Loss , Questions , 18 , Family , Witness , Law , Interpretation , Warrant , Standard , Lethal Force , Robbery Case , Incident , Now Webster , Firing , Nature , Police , Sleeping , Police Swat Team , None , F Down , Knock , Perspective , Representative , Dispute , Officers , Son , Justice , Cold Blood , Aren T , Spain , Human Beings , Tape , Forces , Human Life , Mr , Definition , Crime , Bar , Conduct , Tactic , Microscope , Bans , States , No Knock Warrant , Raid , Practice , Breonna Taylor , 26 , Activist , President Obama S Policing Task Force , Conversation , Program , Keeping Scrutiny , Clearly , Change , Prevention , Demands , Tre , Police Officers , Military Forces , Nations , Child , Civilians , Murders , Institutions , Chart , Servants , Uh Huh , Washington Post , Indications , Shootouts , Example , Down , Worst , We Saw , Actors , Apples , Systems , Country Police Departments , Let S , Jaywalking Incident , Harm , Amount , Budgets , Mental Health Care , Homelessness , Wages , Money , Better , Mental Health , Education , Units , Examples , Los Angeles , Minneapolis , Cops Program , Calls , Taser , Gown , Denver , Series , Will , Fall Back , Ani Di Franco , Claritin , Chewabls , Special Fallback , Allergy , Mint , Coming Up , Cooling Sensation , P D , It S On , Chapstick Goes On , Botox , Doctor , Headaches , Migraine Check , Migraine , Adults , 15 , 4 , Side Effects , Symptoms , Reactions , Eye Problems , Signs , Condition , Effects , Breathing , Difficulty , Muscle Weakness , Injection , Speaking , Samples , May , Medications , Don T , Conditions , Headache , Skin Infection , History , Muscle , Injection Site Pain Fatigue , Nerve , Patients , Botulinum Toxins , Side , 95 , Text , Migraine Treatment , So , 1 , Zero , Zero Dollars , Squawks , Laughter , Car Insurance , Limu Emu , Liberty Mutual , Meow , Filter , Pay , Liberty , Buddy , Ah Ha , Emu , Eye , Inflammation , Back , Great Day , Over The Counter , Looks , Eye Drops , Eyes , Burning Eyes , Xiidra , Treatment , Eye Disease , Noooo , Fda , Container , Vision , Taste Sensation , Eye Irritation , Dry Eye Disease , Contacts , Eye Doctor , Surface , Room , Dry Eye , Album , Reform , Choice , Grammys , Music Legend , Guests , Nine , 2004 , Love , Opposite , Sally Cohn , Book , Field Guide , Hate , Everywhere , Humanity , Outlets , Honor , Baby , Fall Back List , Tv , Number , Answer , First , My Hero , Lesbian , Trending , I Don T Know , Twitter , Conversation To Go , Liver , Personally , Majority , Minimum Wage , Florida , Momentum , Worker , Dollar , Tax Breaks , It Juices , Stall , Names , 21 , 1 21 , It Isn T , Spending , Job Growth , Growth , Parole , Cold Water , Capital Punishment , Kinder , Criminal Justice System , Punishment , Alternative , Reality , Death Sentence , Blind , Class , Race , Society , Gender , Sexual Orientation , Biases , Courtroom , Juries , Judges , Imperfectly , Concepts , Values , Valerie Core , Songs , Thought , I Haven T , Artists , Love It , Full Circle , Thanks Ani , No Matter What , Reid Out , The Reid Out , Icon , Rx , Same , Lexus , 29 , 350 , 429 , Farmers , Auto Policy , Quote Today , Burke , 800 , 1 800 Farmers , Bum , Pa Dum , Skin , Eczema , Dupixent , Biologic , Sleeves , Flare Ups , Atopic Dermatitis , Cream , Anaphylaxis , Steroid , Itch , Vision Changes , Eye Pain , Eczema Specialist , Asthma Medicines , Don T Change , Entity , Time , Emergency Conditions , Restoration , Flow , Texas Homes ,