Left their jobs and families behind and fled to washington to keep a vote from going into law. Which means all eyes are on those State Representatives still camped out in washington. New york times reports, quote, abbotts announcement sent national Attention Swinging back to a hotel in downtown washington, where several dozen democrats from the Texas House of representatives are grappling with a familiar Question Stay or go back . But more progressive members are pushing to stay in washington and continue to call attention to Voting Rights, at least while congress is in session. I think there is a collective will of this caucus to do everything we can to continue to defeat repression of voting in texas. Thats what we did in may, we did that in july and we continue to do it going forward. Its not the federal legislation that texas democrats have been pressing for, but it might help. Merrick garland weighed back in on the Fight Today in a new oped of the Washington Post marking the 60th Anniversary. On this landmark of the voting Rights Act, we must not erect barriers that make it harder for millions of americans to vote. We need to protect that fundamental right. The reverend Al Sharpton is here, host of msnbcs politics nation. Also joining us, erin haines, msnbc contributor, and Jasmine Crockett is back. All three of you are to be commended. Youre all on the front lines of pushing for and or covering this fight. I wonder if i can start with you, representative crockett. Are you satisfied that whether you go back or not now that you have handed the baton to a democratic senate that understands the stakes . First of all, its good to see you nicolle. I am satisfied that we have fought harder than anyone thought that we could fight, that we have accomplished more than anyone thought that we could accomplish. If you want to know if our job is done, i dont. I think we have to keep the pressure on. If you read that article and they were talking about progressive members, im sure you can guess what side im on. I want to continue to push them. We know there will be a recess today. We know they wont be working over the weekend. We know they will potentially be working next week. As long as they are in session, i am here. I will not be in austin on saturday surprise, surprise i will be here fighting for what i said i came to get, which is to get Voting Rights for those not only in the state of texas but in this country. Jasmine crockett, i usually put this question to the rev, so hell breathe a sigh of relief that im giving it to you. Why is it up to democrats to save this . This is existential as to whether or not democrats ever win again, which there is that, but whether or not peoples votes are counted. That wont always be the state of the two parties. You start disenfranchising voters and make it so whoever votes for who it doesnt count, thats the beginning of The End of our democracy. Youre absolutely right. Its sad because they cant see the forest for the trees. I must give a shoutout to lyle larson. Lyle larson is the only republican in texas who actually voted for us. Lyle larson has been trying to convince members of his party that this is not only bad for democrats, this is bad for republicans, especially republicans in rural areas which, in the state of texas, the majority of our republicans are elected from rural areas. Our urban centers tend to be more democratic. But they cant see that. They only see an opportunity at a Power Grab in some of our urban centers. Thats what theyre focused on. It shouldnt be our fight. But the reality is, it is our fight, and youre right, there is always this division because, sadly enough, we always want to be the good guys, right . There are those who say, lets kumbaya to our colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Im saying a kumbaya for me is making sure peoples rights are protected. Thats what i want to do, is get on the right side of people because youre too afraid to take care of more than just the extreme right which tends to be a little bit of the white supremacy side. It does, indeed, tend to draw that these days. I want to ask you this question and then i want to bring the reverend in. When you said on this program that you dont need the legislation currently proposed, that you support it and that you like it, but what you need as long as texas is in this, do you believe they will give an inch . I had a meeting with Senator Warnock on monday, and he told me, thank you. And he specifically said, because of the work you all have done, this has ended up on the forefront instead of the back burner. It has a direct implication on Senator Warnock. We know that georgia is upset about the two senators we were able to get out of there, and Senator Warnock is up for reelection and they want to disenfranchise so many people that most likely they will go vote for him. He said thank you, and he told me he is working on that legislation, that legislation that we anticipate is coming out hopefully sometime today. So i am satisfied that had with her told there are some that are optimistic and some not so optimistic. But its our understanding there will be a vote on relegislation before they leave for the summer. Reverend, youve been in this fight. What do you understand of the state of the voting Rights Today . Its my understanding that there is going to be some legislation. I bet with Senator Schumer and pelosi and others, they had just left eight senators, including warnock and others upon what theyre trying to carve out. We will probably see that if not today, tomorrow. The problem is whatever they come with, it will probably be a partisan vote which would then mean it would be defeated if they do not give a carveout around the filibuster, or if they dont do anything at all with the filibuster, which means they will go down with a vote on partisan levels. Which is why we must continue the direct action throughout the summer culminating with the big national August 28, because when they come back in september, if we have cooled off for the summer, this wont be on the front burner, and we do not yet have the John Lewis Bill complete until first of september, so well have to go through the house and well go through the senate. Were in the middle of the battle, which is the real heroes here like Senator Crockett and others who lets not forget that we went to sign the bill. We went to selma of that generation because general Lee Jackson had been killed dealing with Voting Rights in marion, alabama. Let us not forget it was a struggle and it was protesters, and people were beaten and tear gassed which led to this country being outraged. It will be the Texas Delegation, it will be those of us who have been marching and protesting, those of us who have met Biden Two or three. It always comes with the bottom line which means whatever the Texas Delegation has done, they have been on guard of this and, in my opinion, why August 28 becomes even more important. Erin, i want to bring you into this and i dont want to put the representative on the spot or rev al. I dont know how to say this politely, but a lot of people in the political arena in washington really sort of are animated by their own personal twitter feed. I think what makes the texas democrats is weve come to look at them as putting skin in the game. Texas is a pretty republican state and theres some criticism for them. Theyre here, anyway. Let me read you more of the personal skry fis. After we first arrived in washington, d. C. I was called the N Word repeatedly. One hoped my plane crashes. One threatened to come after me and lynch me. Im very fearful that my 20yearold Son may get pulled over because Police Officers are looking for me. A Routine Stop in america is never routine when it comes to watching balanced men. Be sure to lock your car when ensuring his safety. Its more than skin in the game in the same way thatly and during the Selfrights Management Toll ensure there is voting for black people across this country. They are alarming at this point, and Thats Something we have to worry. Afs national outryan with people being blocked from the violence blocks with violence and other means of literacy, 20hour voting pregs from getting to the ballot box. Where is that aly multiracial coalition of people who were in the streets. For too many americans, 56 years after the passing of the voting Rights Act voting is a privilege and not a right. So im very strung by struck by this when others are facing possible threat. I agree with you. My sense as a former political person is that in some ways, and i think Jasmine Crockett described this perfectly. They just want to get all democrats on board for the same legislation. Its allowing republicans to take a pass. Theyre not at the table, theyre not paying a political price when, frankly, Election Officials as probably democrats. That was an assault on the country, an assault. I wonder, Jasmine Crockett, if you can make this not a democratic problem to solve but a Country Problem to solve approximately it should affect soly many ministers. There is this moral conversation thats being brought to the. When we fwauk Pan Anymorety and approximate. But i think by bringing the church into this conversation, faith leaders from different backgrounds, i i think part of that was like, hey, this is Kag Care doing whats right versus whats wrong. Sodly. They are going to say they are so extrachristian, cant find their what would their will to do what is morally right. Ill go even further, rev. There are a lot of republicans, especially in the senate, who claim to believe in democracy so much that after 9 11, they thought democracies would be the greatest way to sort of prevent another 9 11. I know that the foreign policies pursued by my old boss were extremely controversial and became unpopular. Those republican senators, and they knew who i was talking to, they were there. They believed in democracy in that instance. They dont seem to believe it n it as once at home, rev. In 2016 where Donald Trump lost the Popular Vote by 3 Million votes and one electoral college vote, they believed in the election, they believed in the process. In 2020 when he lost both, all of a sudden there was something wrong with the process. This is nothing about the process. This is nothing about them protecting against fraud. There have been no place for him. This is about grabbing and holding onto power. The reason its an existential threat thats why they the. We didnt wlik trump was about. We suffered through four years of the most embarrassing, Cat Strof in. Now when you lose both, all of a sudden youre going to come with new state lose. This has all to do with the takeover of government skpl refinishing. Weve got to do everything we can to stop it. Its hard to finish this sentence, aaron haynes, and say the worst part about it is x, because its all pretty bad. Voter suppression, removing boxes are heinous. Thats pointless. There are more than 40 dozen. He was asking to remove trumps brand in georgia. Just see to it to find 11,170 votes. If you had to consider the most alarming aspect of this, it is this willingness, i guess, or enthusiasm for abandoning the essential tenet of our democracy and lurching Congressman Clyburn on that point. These laws are being proposed in 48 of our 50 states. The question is, are we going to continue to be a democracily. Erin, let me prlt. Even republican lawmakers have said out loud that its predicated on a lie. Republicans are lejs lagt disenfranchise. There wasnt any fraud, chris krebs, byron krebs, life long republicans. You know, nicolle, ive been thinking a Lot Today about the 60th Anniversary of the voting Rights Act. It was literally created to have a right to the constitution. That was a right that was not protected by our government until a century. What is the worst about this . Voting right 9 or Voting Right 2 with this. Theyre Making Americans feel terrible about the future rights of this country, you know what i did today, nicolle . I read the entirety of the Voting Rights of 1965. This was not my idea, it was just a suggestion of the naacp legal Defense Fund who is someone i listen to a lot. On these issues, i think we would do well as a personal Journal Class and to get a handle on what this means. Listen, i have no idea whether democrats or practicesly. When they are getting counted, they have to accept that. Those who block it can get up to five years in prison. They can oversee elections in places where disenfranchisement is. There are provisions in the voting Rights Act which can and should be addressed today and these voters could be disen franchised in the wake of the 2020 election. History shows that when federal legislation is passed, the electric tore ate ex i dont care what the Party Breakdown was around the ratification of the 19th amendment, what i care about is that amendment says i cannot be kept off the ballot on the basis of my gender. Aaron ames, reverend Al Sharpton, Jasmine Crockett. Im so glad i got to speak to you three today. Thank you for starting us off. When we come back, the republican leaders for florida and texas basically throwing in the towel at approximate point which when it comes to a plus how the economic recovery fats. We are climg climbing towards hypocrisy. Well take a quick break. Dont go anywhere. So many people are overweight now and asking themselves, why cant i lose weight . For most, the reason is insulin resistance, and they dont even know they have it. Conventional starvation diets dont address insulin resistance. Thats why they dont work. Now theres golo. Golo helps with insulin resistance, getting rid of sugar cravings, helps control stress, and emotional eating, and losing weight. Go to golo. Com and see how golo can change your life. Thats golo. Com. Here in maryland, because were so vaccinated, the Virus Isnt Spread like the rest of the country. You were talking about florida who had 25,000 cases in a day. But we are strongly recommending and urging people who are unvaccinated to wear masks indoors and in settings where they cant distance. 100 of our hospitalizations and deaths at this point are people who have refused to take the vaccine. The governor of maryland, a republican, we should note, after urging People Yesterday to just get the Damn Vaccine and announcing protocols for some State Employees show proof of Vaccination Or Face strict Mask And Testing rules. Meanwhile, President Biden is telling other republican governors to get out of The Way of Mask Mandates, like Ron Desantis of florida who has banned face masks in schools. Dr. Leana wen writes in her book, lifelines, about why real leaders matter. Quote, Public Health depends on public trust. For any response to be effective, people need to heed government orders, and to do that, they must have faith that their leaders know what theyre talking about and have citizens best interests at heart. A breakdown of that trust means that Public Health measures fall apart. Joining us now, the author of that brand new book, an old friend, dr. Leana wen, former baltimore health commissioner, now visiting professor at George Washington School of Public Health. She joins us alongside two other old friends, deutsch and investigative reporter. Dr. Wen, its so nice to see you. We watch you on the other network and i watch you on twitter. This is the governor of one of the countrys hot spots, florida. Lets watch. Reporter mr. President , do you have a response to governor desantis who is using your words about dont be in The Way, and hes saying, i am in The Way to block too much interference from the federal government . Your response, mr. President . Im the governor who protects parents in their ability to make the right choices for their kids education. Im the governor who protects the jobs and education and businesses in florida by not letting the federal government lock us down. Dr. Wen, hes almost a living, breathe extension of president i dont want the Cruise Ships to dock because then my numbers will go up. He sort of picked up where that kind of leadership left off. But i wonder what your concerns are about the citizens of his state. Nicolle, im really glad to join you again today, and its upsetting to watch this because we have seen during the Covid19 Pandemic what happens when we dont have leadership. Weve also seen what happens when Public Health officials are actively being undermined by political leaders. Because we know that Public Health depends on public trust, and when you are pitting had you been pitting Public Health as some kind of enemy, that hurts at The End of the day and people are wondering what to do. In this case i find it hypocritical that those leaders are proentrepreneurial and are getting in The Way of Mask Mandates or vaccinations. My child is four. I want him to be back in school, and to do that safely, i know masks are The Way to do that. So i really think its time for our public officials to be held to account, and thats what i talk about a lot in lifelines, about how leadership really matters in times of Public Health crises. Were going to get into more of what you write. Its so perfect for this moment that were all trying to live through. You talked of hypocrisy. The hypocrisy of any republican who holds himself out as prolife, at least in desantis case, hes presiding at government levels, and many are going to defy him. The School Systems in broward county, leon county, Duval Have said they are going to seek to impose Mask Mandates. In arizona, they also plan to defy that, the laws banning Mask Mandates. I wonder how much of this you chalk up to our political dysfunction in terms of our cases. Im also going to put up usas front Page Today because its powerful and its upsetting and its graphic where all the cases are with the simple headline that were failing. Right. In fact, weve seen this correlation now across the country that the places with the lowest Vaccination Rates are also the places seeing the massive surges right now. And i think the key is that we didnt have to be in this position. Its very different from where we were last summer or where we were last winter before widespread vaccine access. We could have prevented this Delta Surge from happening. And i think the most tragic part of it all is that were failing our children. We failed our kids all along in this pandemic. We failed to open schools, we prioritized to opening bars. We did not invest in the infrastructure that we needed in order to get schools to be reopened safely in the first place, and now were failing kids all over again because its actually the duty of us as adults to get vaccinated so we can protect our most vulnerable. Who are we when we fail in that critical responsibility . You know, nick, i miss dr. Wen because shes so blunt, but this does seem to be the diagnosis that the White House has made of this country as well, that theyre not sacrificing another school year, that the communities where the adults have become vaccinated are directly correlated to the communities where the schools will be safest. Look, the fact that, as we have seen reported, the biden administration is considering withholding funding, for example, from institutions that dont do a Vaccine Mandate just shows you what the stakes are here, right . Vaccines and masks equal jobs and growth, thats it. And the biggest obstacle for the biden administration both substantively and politically are people who dont want to get the vaccine. Its going to kill the recovery. Were still 5 Million jobs south of where we were precovid, and then if that happens to the recovery, people are going to die and go jobless and not be in school, and thats going to be bad for everybody, but including all these governors and the president himself. Its a loselose. Its an amazing reveal of our politics. I want to show you what the Washington Post said. The biden administration is considering using federal regulatory powers and the threat of withholding federal funds from institutions to push more americans to get vaccinated. A huge potential shift in the fight against the virus and a far more muscular approach to getting shots into arms, according to four people familiar with the deliberations. The effort could apply to institutions as varied as longterm care facilities, Cruise Ships and universities, potentially impacting millions of americans. I guess my insight here, donnie, the right is already painting the efforts as over the top people like Marjorie Teller Green are not in reality, but even the left are depicting things in The Way that is not accurate. They may as well protect themselves with the virus. Theyre not going to get credit for doing it with a soft touch, anyway. I want to go back to desantis for a second, because hes obviously the Heir Apparent to trump. St. Petersburg in florida, hes trailing Charlie Crist in the poll. You asked me many times on the show, nicolle, you said, what are the things we can do to convince people . Cant we make it about the kids . Wouldnt that get the people the answer is yes. It does stop with kids, and i think all of our differences come together 99 of the time when it comes to protecting children. So i cant see the logic in what hes doing. Going back to the thing of Biden Withholding funds. Look, take a leave from private industry, which is really starting to put the hammer down, and basically whether its restaurants saying you cant come in unless youre vaccinated, airlines saying you Cant Work at our airlines. Thats whats go to happen. The other that its not working, and for a mandate in this country, 28 of people who are unvaccinated favor a Vaccine Mandate. Think about that. A quarter of A Million people who arent getting vaccinated, theyre in favor of a Vaccine Mandate, they just need somebody to do it. Why is it so hard to get the government involved here . I want to get your reaction to that, dr. Wen. Im not surprised. We keep talking about the unvaccinated in this one big category. But we actually know there is a group, of course, who are really seriously antivax. They think there is some kind of Government Control happening. Theyre the ones who are protesting. Thats actually the minority. We have a huge middle group, if you will, that really need to be pushed over the edge. If theyre told there is a Vaccine Requirement for their work, tail be able to goefrt and when theyre told they have to get a vaccine, that pushes them over the edge. I think we as a Society Need to look at what are our values . Maybe we should look at it as drunk driving. You have the option if you want to be in private and be intoxicated, but if you want to be out in public and engage with others, you dont have a right to endanger other peoples health. I think its time for us to say that vaccination, yes, is something that protects you, but its not just an individual choice, because its something that very much affects other people around you, including because we know about breakthrough infections. It very much impacts our health and wellbeing, too. Thats fascinating. The unvccinated as the new sort of people who drink and drive or dont practice safe sex. Im going to give you the break to think about that, donny, and come back to you. Donny, Nick And Dr. Wen are all staying with us. How major businesses are now stepping up to make sure it holds. It holds. If youre 55 and up, tmobile has plans built just for you. Switch now and get 2 unlimited lines and 2 free smartphones. And now get netflix on us. Its all included with 2 lines for only 70 bucks only at tmobile. What The World needs now. Is people. People who see energy a little bit differently. Where a switch to cleaner power means a more resilient grid. With renewables and Gas Power providing energy whenever its needed. Because seeing a more sustainable World Isnt far in the future. Were building it. Now. Ge building a world that works. Is your family ready for an emergency . You can prepare by mapping out two ways to escape your home, creating a supply kit, and including your whole family in practice drills. For help creating an emergency plan, visit safetyactioncenter. Pge. Com a little preparation will make you and your family safer in an emergency. A Weeks Worth of food and water, radio, flashlight, batteries and first Aid Kit are a good start to learn more, visit safetyactioncenter. Pge. Com weve got a lot of hard work left to be done, both to beat the Delta Variant and to continue our advance of economic recovery. Wear a mask where recommended. Get vaccinated today. All that will save lives, and it means were not going to have the same kind of economic Damage Youve seen when covid19 began. President Biden Today with cautious optimism there on todays strong jobs report. The u. S. Economy added 943,000 jobs in july, then the Employment Rate fell to 5. 4 . But as the Delta Variant creates more uncertainty about hiring and reentering the work force, a growing number of employers are making a major Business Bet on vaccines, companies like netflix, facebook, twitter, google and the New York times over requiring employees to get vaccinated before returning to work. United Articles Today putting the pressure on other major airlines to recommend vaccines for its entire work force. Were back with leana wen. At what point does this happen . I wouldnt go on an airplane without it being required. When did this assume all this sort of Hand Wringing . I learned from business that the customer is always right. The customer will start to dictate it and people with vaccines will be shamed. Theyll be shamed at work. Its peoples own lives, theyll want to protect their own lives, so i think companies are the first ones taking this step. I think its ironic facebook making sure people have the vaccine, although i think theyre one of the perpetrators of the vaccine. No, i think as we go forward, The World knows we cant shut down again. We can, but its really something we want to avoid, and theyre going to start blaming others for it so thats the answer. I do think customers are going to fight back and insist on certain things with plates they frequent whether its hotels or dining places, and i do think the customer will have the power here. I think thats very right on. Nick, you work for one of the companies that are requiring vaccines. Washington post has done the same thing, New York times, i think just fired people who werent vaccinated. Does this land among your colleagues as the new normal . Certainly i think were headed to the point where if you want to work in the physical office with your colleagues, a vaccine is going to be a must. Im vaccinated. I think probably almost all my colleagues are vaccinated at this point. Its amazing, nicolle, i think about how a few months ago i was on a Website Scrambling to get a Vaccine Appointment for my parents, my neighbors, for myself. I was on these websites all night trying desperately to find a slot to get one. I got one, thank god. I didnt think at the time that we would be in a place where there would be all these people who dont want to get the vaccine. But what i think is really interesting is to think about the middle cohort there of people who are antivax or hesitant or resistant or confused or worried. As dr. Wen was saying, people need some coaxing. I think of the people you might see in a survey in a campaign in october who say theyre not sure of the candidates yet. And People Like Us who talk about politics all the time are saying, how can you not be sure . Weve been talking about them for three years now. Or theyre a little confused or working on other things and busy with their jobs and kids. I think there is a little light for the biden administration to target those people and say, okay, its time, lets move along now. Dr. Wen, to nicks point, i think the compassion for the chunk in the middle thats open to it, not the Ones Trading in what donny is talking about, just information on facebook. I think what people like myself didnt do a good job of talking about is how crummy you feel. I had the moderna. I missed my first day of work because i was sick when i had the second shot. I wonder if you can speak to where we go from here. Youve been really, really sort of out front with mistakes that have been made. From where we are now, if you look at that as the starting gate, whats your advice for how to proceed . I definitely think vaccination is our best and only way out of this pandemic. Anything we can do to increase Vaccination Rates at this point is so critical. You look at other countries. We need to achieve global Vaccine Equity as well, because as has been said, if we dont share the vaccine with The World, the virus is going to share The World, so we do need to work on that. But you look at these countries where there are Health Care workers and vulnerable people who havent received one drop of the vaccine. Here we are in the u. S. This speaks to american exceptionalism. We are here begging people to take the vaccine and there are people elsewhere begging, and they know that some of them will lose their lives because they cant get access to something we have thrown away. So we have to work on that aspect. Here in this country, i think we need to embrace our role. To those in our lives, we are the most trusted. Lets try to engage a neighbor with compassion, not judgment, and see what we can do to sway them. I also think on a Policy Level there is something really important the biden administration can get behind. To be fair, theyve done so much work, and as nick mentioned maybe we couldnt imagine a month ago we would be in this position where we have so much supply. A Vaccine Verification is the one single thing the biden administration can do right now. Dr. Leana wen, it is so nice to see you again. Thank you for spending some time with us. Of course, dr. Wen is here on the occasion of the publication of her new book. Its called lifelines. As she goes im going to read one expense of it. We depended on Medicaid And Food stamps when i was a child. Living from paycheck to paycheck, we went through times when we were homeless. My life is a testament to Public Health. The book is full of all sorts of wonky stuff and good personal stuff, and its a pleasure to get to talk to you about it. Nick compressore and donny deutsch, thank you for spending time with me today. The assault on the White House, this man could get charged. What does that mean for others assaulting Police Officers . 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And Robert Reader of maryland could be the first to face Prison Time after pleading guilty to the lower Level Misdemeanor of unlawful parading after spending two hours on the capitol grounds. Lets bring in the best reporter on the story, scott macfarlane. Take us through both mens cases and what they face in terms of Prison Time. Reporter the Justice Department is ending the week with a bang, two big Plea Deals. Let me talk with Scott Fairlam first. He is accuses of assaulting d. C. Police. Body camera shown in his Court Case offers compelling images of the alleged assault. He is going to plead guilty to assault, being the first defendant to do so. He will face about four years federal Prison Time when he is sentenced next month, but it is really a test for the others accused of assault that day. Did they see it as a good deal or a bad deal . Do they jump to plea agreements as well or do they run away from Plea Deals . We will find out. But Robert Reader is significant. He is pleading guilty to the Misdemeanor Weve seen so many others plea to so far, unlawful picketing and parading. Before his case, everybody that pleaded guilty has avoided prison, but today the feds recommended two Months Prison time for him for a few reasons. They said he seemed proud of what he did January 6th even after the insurrection, and it seems like the feds have had enough, nicolle. They said in their Sentencing Memo there has to be a message of deterrence to prevent future mobs and future insurrections. You know, weve seen so much because of the testimony last week in front of the January 6th select committee of the brutality of the assault and attacks on the officers. I wonder if you could just spend a little more time on mr. Fairlams Sentencing Recommendation . It is four to five years i think. How many others could be charged with assaulting a Police Officer . Reporter so his sentencing guidelines, nicolle, are between four or five years. We will see what the prosecutors recommend the judge do, go on the high side or the low side ahead of his September 27th sentencing. We know from our Nbc News reporting there are roughly 160, 170 defendants accused of assaulting police that day. Let me tell you what would Defense Attorney told me during last weeks hearing. Hearing those police testify about the horrors, nicolle, he said, can you imagine being a January 6th defendant and having to face a jury of d. C. Citizens after watching that testimony . Maybe they should have thought of that before they attended the insurrection. Scott macfarlane, thank you so much for staying on this story and for spending time with us on it. We are really grateful. The next hour of deadline White House starts after a quick break. Dont go anywhere. We are just getting started. Shopping malls can be a big trigger for young homeowners turning into their parents. You ever think about the Storage Operation a place like this must rely on . No. They just sell candles, and theyre making overhead . You know what kind of fish those are . No. Eh, dont be coy. [ laughs ] [ sniffs, clears throat ] koi fish. It can be overwhelming. Think a second. Have we seen this shirt before . Progressive cant save you from becoming your parents. But we can save you money when you bundle Home And Auto with us. But you know what . Im still gonna get it. If youre 55 and up, tmobile has plans built just for you. Switch now and get 2 unlimited lines and 2 free smartphones. And now get netflix on us. Its all included with 2 lines for only 70 bucks only at tmobile. Without Democracy Nothing is possible. With It Everything is. So, my fellow americans, we must all do our part to perfect perfect and to preserve our democracy. It requires people of good Will And Courage to stand up to the hate, the lies, the extremism that led to this vicious attack. It requires All Of Us working together, democrats, republicans, independents, on behalf of The Common Good to restore decency, Honor And Respect for our system of government. Hi again, everyone. It is 5 00 in the east. An american president proclaiming his allegiance to democracy should not be noteworthy because the i deals of a democracy should be more american than apple pie. But the right wing in this country has lurched away from that american tradition, lurched toward autocracy and placing one man and his dangerous whims above all else, making those standing up for democracy all the more striking. What we have seen from republican state and federal officials as well as the Nightly Rantings On rightwing media demonstrate what democracies are not. Take what is happening in florida and texas as covid cases and hospitalizations rise due to the contagious Delta Variant, the governors of those states have only fuelled disinformation and taken steps to limit or ban Public Health measures like mask wearing or Vaccine Mandates. Then more than 400 bills put forward by Gop State lawmakers that undermine the heart of our democracy, ones that limit the ability of some americans to vote, make it easier to nullify votes. Theres also prominent News Anchor Tucker carlson who this week is broadcasting his show from hungary, a country whose Prime Minister is known The World over for his Roll Back of democratic practices. Carlsons warm embrace of him described like this by Anne Applebaum in The Atlantic today. Quote, showing how much he despises the u. S. , its constitution and its heritage, the Fox News Host is celebrating the achievements of a Petty Central European autocrat, viktor orban. He seems to believe that by paying homage to hungarys assault on democratic stroougss he will make people angry at home. The good thing he told a Dinner Party in budapest is that you are hated by all the right people. Yes, all the right people includes everyone who still has some faith in the american dream. Just yesterday We Saw a hallmark of autocracy, the stifling of Free Speech on display ironically as House Leader mccarthy spoke about the need for freedom in cuba. The editor of occupy Democrats Grant Stern tried to ask him a policy question. Watch what happens. Thats not american. Thats not what we stand for and thats definitely not reporter minority leader, you said that the 1960 revolution created tyranny on the island of cuba, and i am asking you a question. It is not a democratic or republican issue, so why do you oppose the January 6th commission, sir . Why do you oppose the January 6th commission, sir . According to sterns tweet that accompanied the release of that video he was dragged out of the event by four cops ordered by congressional staffer. A spokesman for mccarthy responded by saying this, quote. Congressional staff had nothing to do with his removal, end quote. What is clear is that We Saw a man who doesnt want to hold the former Guy Accountable for inciting an insurrection, who doesnt have any interest in getting to the bottom of an attack on our democracy that happened seven months ago. The rights Willing March Towards Autocracy is where we start this hour. Mark mckinnon is here, cohost of The Circus and former adviser to george w. Bush and John Mccain. It is nominated for an emmy. Also, alexie mckinnon, an msnbc contributor. Michael shearer is here, New York times, washington correspondent. It is nice to see all three of you. Thank you for being here on the first friday of august. Mark mckinnon, i want to start with you. You and i have a history of working for republicans who had critics really on both sides of the ideological spectrum, especially george w. Bush, but who lived and breathed their faith in democracy like their own faith. They were both men of strong religious faith, but they their whole thing was about our democracy and they managed to bring along a lot of republicans at the time. I find it unbearable to watch the likes of Mitch Mcconnell and Rob Portman and Roy Blunt and all of those guys, theyre largely guys who were there, look the other way as republicans try to damage and Roll Back the Central Tenet of our democracy. Well, hello, friend. Yeah, you know, it is one thing for satan to do what he does. Weve come to expect that. But who i really hold responsible over satean are enablers. Boy, do i wish that John Mccain had been around for this January 6th and to see what he would have done, how he would have responded and maybe rallied more of his republican colleagues given his coverage. I guess Liz Cheney has inherited that mantle on the House Side anyway. But the hypocrisy and the irony of people like Tucker Carlson going to autocratic countries, the whole up is down, down is up element of all of this, which is republicans love to run around, particularly trump republicans, saying, im more patriotic than you are, youre not american, and yet these are the people overturning the constitution, creating an act of insurrection at the capitol, going and visit autocrats in autocrat countries. Meanwhile, the republicans who demanded 33 hearings on benghazi dont want to have one hearing on a domestic event with more Life Loss when you include the suicides than benghazi. It is such an important point. Michael shearer, i understand from some of my conversations that President Biden is deeply pained by what he saw on January 6th and that it really just is his commitment to running a messagedisciplined White House focused on the covid Relief Package, focused on infrastructure that keeps him from speaking out in such stark terms that we heard yesterday. What is your understanding of sort of the underthesurface concerns about antidemocratic movements from the other governing party . I mean, look, first of all, thank you for having me today. It is a Central Tenet of the Biden Presidency, it is part of the reason that he ran. It is part of the reason that he is in the White House in the first place, is that when he and the rest of us looked at trumps presidency, the great irony of the Trump Presidency was that he claimed, President Trump claimed to be a sort of champion, a populous champion of the Little Guy, and yet at the same time embraced the worst autocratic leaders Around The World. Not only embraced them, this is kim jongun, this is putin, these are leaders Around The World for whom the Little Guy was the last concern of these leaders. Not only did trump embrace them, but he legitimized them. He sort of echoed their view of governance and of domination of their populations in a way that kind of gave them some cover. I think so when when Joe Biden comes into office and sees what has happened, sees the kind of, you know, people looking past the, you know, what is going on Around The World, the Tucker Carlsons of The World, the mccarthys of The World, i think it really gets to biden. I think, you know, what he has said, what his people have told us is that that is at the heart of why he wants to do this job. But, as you said, he is disciplined and he knows that in terms of getting stuff done, in terms of making it for the american people, he has to focus on what is in front of him, and thats some of the domestic policies. And, i mean, alexi, the bet is born out in the data. I think the Infrastructure Package is the most popular policy he has backed so far, but behind it is a covid Relief Package which maintained high levels of support from americans across the ideological spectrum and the president s Approval Rating is quite high, especially in these turbulent times. Political violence is a reality that im surprised we have crossed the transom in accepting as a possible risk. I want to read new reporting in politico. The January 6th attack on the capitol changed plenty about u. S. Politics, but one smaller consequence was with the federal Election Commission ruled that members of congress could now spend Campaign Money on a new item. Body guards. All told, Security Costs have already topped 1. 6 million so far this year, according to the daily Beast Review of recent federal disclosures. The biggest spenders among democrats and republicans shared one attribute, they voted to impeach or convict former president Donald Trump. What an unbelievably sick sign of the ailing status of our democracy. Yeah, and it is reminding me. The other day i saw on twitter, i think it was the House Gop Account tweeting, criticizing Cori Bush, congresswoman Cori Bush for i think spending something like 70,000 on that, you know, body guard, secret security detail post, threats she has had from Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor greene, postJanuary 6th. Theyre trying to make it political by saying, well, she wants to defund the police and yet here she is spending this money. I bring it up because it is a clear example of how republicans are really not just ignoring the facts that we are all trying to grapple with and, you know, learn more facts about what actually happened that day, but theyre running away from them and turning it into this political Talking Point because they know that thats what is going to rile up their Base Voters the most. It is increasingly relying on these Culture Wars because, unlike the democrats, or at least this is how dems feel when i talk to them, republicans dont have this legislative agenda and results they can tout to voters in 2022 as a reason why they should support them. So theyre going to have to run against the democratic, increasingly populous agenda, and rely on this cultive Personality Culture wars. I mean, getting to alexis point, the republicans are basically running on the insurrection. I mean the Litmus Test in republican party politics is where you stand on whether the 2020 result was, as kris krebs, a lifelong Republican And Bill barr, who looked but didnt find any Voter Fraud, the most secure election in our countrys history, and not for nothing the largest defeat by anyone in terms of the Popular Vote, or whether you are still parroting the kinds of lies that have landed rudy Giuliani And Sidney powell in front of billion Dollar Defamation lawsuits from voting machine companies. I mean that that is the test in republican politics. I want to put up some polling that bears out why that is. This is how people describe what happened at the United States capitol. Among all voters, 67 saw it as an effort to overturn the election. 56 of all voters describe it as an insurrection. Here they are. 31 say they were defending freedom. 29 describes it as patriotism. Well, you have 55 of republicans saying it was defending freedom, and thats why im saying this has become the new Litmus Test in republican politics because of Donald Trump, is whether or not you are willing to defend the Big Lie. Of course, he perpetuated the Big Lie before the election saying if we win, we win, if we dont it is fraud. The fact the notes that theres systemic Election Fraud or was systemic Election Fraud is the biggest fraud in american politics right now. Republicans have spent millions of dollars, more than six months trying to prove it, and as yet they have zero, zip, nada in terms of any systemic Voter Fraud. In fact the Texas Attorney Generals Office spent 22,000 man hours trying to detect any examples of fraud and they came up with 12 bad addresses and i think may be prosecuting one case. Thats 1,300 man hours per bad address. Mark mckinnon, i should have pulled it, i didnt, but i have played it on this program in recent weeks. You did an interview in texas around access to, i think it was Drop Boxes or absentee voters. Can you reprise that . That ran before the election and that to me was the canary in the Coal Mine where the gop was heading. It was dan patrick, the republican Lieutenant Governor of texas and it was a few weeks before the election. We were talking about the environment at that time where houston, largely because of the pandemic, had drivethrough voting and they had Drop Boxes. Dan patrick just thought that was outlandish, and i kept asking him about examples of any fraud that he wanted to suggest. He just said, i dont need evidence, i just know the democrats cheat and thats all i need to know. By The Way, nicolle, after the Election Patrick put up A Million Dollar Reward for any examples of Voter Fraud that anybody could find. He has yet to pay out a nickel. By The Way, the one person who responded was Lieutenant Governor fetterman from pennsylvania who said, i found one, he voted for trump and it was a fraudulent vote, so pay up, buddy. Thats where most of them are. Michael shear, i want to ask you how the White House that is so clearly and so earnestly working to reassure our allies, it was on display on the european trip, but it is obviously something that goes on day after day, how do they manage so many we should give credit where credit is due. Tucker carlson has the highest Rate Ed Program on Fox News and he is over there with his arms and legs wrapped around someone, i love the description, a petty european dictator. How do they navigate governing a country that is drawn to that . Well, look, i think and i was on that trip in europe with the president when he went a couple of months ago, and i think they are relying on a kind of sense of normalcy that they think is sort of The World is snapping back to. Thats not to say that they, you know, misunderstand or play down the disinformation thats out there. They certainly understand the power of Fox News and they understand that, you know, Donald Trump has followers in the United States and there are equally, you know, equal numbers of like minded people Around The World. But i think, you know, they have a kind of central optimism, operating principle, optimism that the Country Kind of is beginning or The World, frankly, is looking beyond that and that, you know, the president always says those central thing that he needs to do, that this government needs to do is to demonstrate that democracy can work. I think thats the mission that hes on, that ron klain, his chief of staff, is on. Lets not talk about this in highminded ways. Lets do things. Lets fix the pandemic. Lets fix the economy. Lets, you know, build back better is their is their mantra. I think they believe if they do those things that people will see democracy works, that they will see that it works better than these autocratic governments and that that will ultimately break through. Yeah. I mean that, alexi, is the Midterm Strategy that shots in the arms, checks in the mail, bridges that dont crumble on top of the roads underneath them are a better bet than engaging in where some of the heat is. That said, there is an opportunity to point out only in a democracy could Tucker Carlson even do and say the things he is doing, that he is benefitting from the democracy in some ways more than the rest of us. I want to read some of what i mentioned already, Anne Applebaums piece. She writes this. The irony, of course, is under orban it is impossible for a Hinge Airan Equivalent of carlson, a loud Television Pundit Critic of the government watched by millions of people to exist. In the hungary, the party doesnt influence the bulk of the press, it owns the bulk of the press, and not metaphorically. At some point you have to wonder if they walk around the halls and issue an Irony Alert at Fox News. Yes, right. Right. And this is at the same time that other hosts on their network are now pivoting, encouraging folks to get vaccinated, after they helped Spread Disinformation around voefd and the Vaccination Process for several months. I think theres an Identity Crisis going on because 2024, of course, is looming over the heads of certain republicans, Ron Desantis, governor abbott, perhaps Tucker Carlson. Trying to keep their finger on the pulse of what is animating voters in the void without former President Trump. Thats why you see him out on the campaign trail, pulling republicans, you know, Out Of Line to talk about all of these things that maybe they dont want to talk about but maybe they do because, as i mentioned before, they dont have these populous policies or ideas to run on or even run against. They havent figured out how to run against democrats economic agenda, especially infrastructure. I think theyre having a hard time punching what democrats are doing, focusing on the things theyre trying to deliver rumts on. I think that thats why theyre reaching and grasping for that kind of tribal mindset that really animated voters in 16, 18, 20. I think they hope 22 and 24. Reaching all The Way to budapest. Alexi and mark are sticking around. Michael shear, thank you for starting us off this hour. Sure. It is great to call on your expertise. When we come back, on the anniversary of the signing of the voting Rights Act, a Big Push from the biden Administration And Attorney general Merrick Garland to protect the right to vote in america, under siege by republicans from Coast To coast. Our good friend John Meacham will join us on where the fight goes next. Plus, Joe Biden was elected because he promised to make things work again, as weve been discussing, and there are new signs this week that that approach is actually getting results. As the Tokyo Olympics draw to a close, we will look at The Enduring memories and changes these games made on All Of Us. Deadline White House continues after a quick break. Dont go anywhere. Break. Dont go anywhere. Out of convenience, or necessity. We can explore uncharted waters, and not only make new discoveries, but get there faster, with better outcomes. 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Thats why we created the sportstech accelerator, to invest in and develop the next generation of technology that will change The Way we experience sports. Weve already invested in entrepreneurs like ane swim, who develops products that provide Hair Protection so that everyone can enjoy the freedom of swimming. Like the athletes competing in tokyo, these entrepreneurs have a fierce Work Ethic and drive to achieve to change the game and inspire the team of tomorrow. 56 years ago Today President Lyndon Johnson signed the voting Rights Act of 1965 into law. It enforced the 14th and 15th amendments and prohibited the Voting Discrimination that had taken over, that was so prevalent in many southern states in the wake of the civil war. As we mark the Bills Anniversary Today we stand at a crossroads in this Countrys Fight for equality as the gop continues and ramps up its salt on Voting Rights in this country. According to the brendan center for justice, 18 states enacted 30 laws that will make it harder for americans to vote this year, and the pressure is building on democrats to stop it by passing federal Voting Rights legislation. As Congress Heads towards the Summer Break next week, several senators are working on negotiations to bring new Voting Rights legislation to a vote. The stakes for democrats in the country, higher than ever, especially as the 2022 midterm elections loom. Joining us, our good friend John Meacham, president ial historian, the american presidency at Vanderbilt June and the author of his truth is marching on, John Lewis and the power of hope. Jon meacham, it is wonderful to see you. I think about you often, and the president is pretty restrained in terms of not revealing his despair at the state of our democracy, but yesterday in the Rose Garden at a ceremony honoring the Police Officers who protected the capitol, we got a glimpse into his commitment, i guess, to making sure that the truth is known. I wonder if you can tie all of these threads together for us that weve been talking about . Sure. As you know, i informally talked to the president about this sort of thing, and i think he believes fundamentally in the democratic experiment. Hes given his life to it. I mean hes 78 years old. He has been in the senate since 1972. He has practiced the art of the possible and the art of compromise for a biblical more than 40 years. I think what you see in him is a man who feels very deeply that the experiment to which he has given his life and which he understands so many others have given their lives, whether it is the soldiers who fought, the civil Rights Activists who marched, the women who marched for the right to vote and equal rights, all of the issues of Identity And Equality and access, that have shaped this journey toward a more perfect union. That experiment is in fundamental danger, and it is not hyperbole. I sound like the president , it is not a joke. It is real. It is real. You know, nicolle, you know this. I have been fairly optimistic for five years because i believed that the forces that brought Donald Trump to power were perennial american forces, nativism, extremism, xenophobia, racism, but these forces ebbed and flowed. But that only works if theres a system in which things can ebb and flow. What happened on January 6th was an attempt, the most decisive and direct attempt since Fort Sumter to end the constitutional experiment in liberty. I know the constitution is not perfect. I get it. It is a flawed document because, guess what . Were flawed people. If you look like Me And You are a boring white southern male protestant, things tend to work out for you in this country. The point of america is that we need to do everything we can to make sure everybody has a chance for it to work out. I think that Joe Biden believes that to the depths of his soul. So when i worked in the White House we had a drill called the rude q a, and it was to prepare people like condi rice and others for a rude question from someone like tim Russert Or Someone that was going to probe them. Let me ask you the rude q a, Jon Meacham. Sure. I accept all of that as true. It is also true through no fault of his own Joe Biden has now presided on the biggest Roll Back of access to the right to vote in modern american history. Why isnt or if his hair is on fire, why dont we see it . Well, it seems to me that to say he has presided over it is a little rough. Hes been president. He didnt do it. He has been president while this country has seen the largest rollback in access to the polls in modern history, in this generation. Right. So you have to so as were celebrating the anniversary today, what you have to do is find the right role for the federal government to step into this constitutional question, which is that the states have the autonomy on this. You know, going all The Way back. The point of the voting Rights Act was that those states were practicing totalitarian systems of voter suppression, and so i think the Justice Department is working on it. Im not entirely up on the policy, but i do think his hair is on fire about it. I think the thing that sort of goes beyond any legislative or even regulatory fix today, and this is a Stress Test for All Of Us, is this anxiety that a State Legislature is going to decide in 2024 that they dont like The Way their state voted and theyre not going to certify it. We genuinely havent had that. So i think theres a fix the climate of opinion, and i hope the president , i hope the administration does everything within the power of the federal government to try to stop this attempt to and, tragically, it is probably going to be fairly successful, this attempt to turn back what makes the country special. What makes the special country special is that if you obey the rules and you pay your dues, you get an equal voice. Thats what democracy is supposed to be. You know, alexi, it is the right correction, President Biden has not presided over this. He has happened to be president while it has happened, and the real threat is what jon just described. I have asked, i pushed the White House on this. I said if the Georgia Law had been in place do you think that biden would have won. They think probably, but possibly not Senators Warnock and ossoff. The laws are on the books. They have changed the rules of the game already. I wonder what your reporting suggests the prospects are for federal Voting Rights legislation . Yeah. I mean, look, theres maybe like one real chance i think for democrats to get a comprehensive Voting Rights package passed through congress before the next midterm elections, and that would have to be through the spending bill. So thats obviously going to take a lot of time, and the Senate Measure to increase election funding, led by Senator Klobuchar and others, that is moving through the senate right now or expected to be moving through the senate soon is not an alternative to that but it is something theyre trying to Fast Track to chip away, to your point, all of the damage republicans are doing to restrict Voting Rights access and education. I mean one big thing i was struck by yesterday, i was having a conversation with the Executive Director of black pac, which focuses on senate and gubernatorial races and organizing black voters in crucial battleground state. She was saying while door knocking recently in north carolina, so many folks she talked to, one, simply dont know what a midterm election is. The term midterms doesnt mean much to the average voter still. The other thing she said and picked up on was that a lot of folks in north carolina, nicolle, would be like, oh, do you see the crazy Voting Restrictions happening in georgia . Not even paying attention to what is going on in their own state. Theres this weirdness happening where it is like, look over there what is happening with Voting Restrictions, not happening in my state, but it is happening, as you know, all across the country. I think theres a Greater Educational Effort that needs to be happening from the White House in addition to the local organizers. It is so nice to have you back at the i guess it is not a table anymore, but back in our virtual table, alexie. Im so happy to see you, my friend. Thank you for Spend Intime with us. Jon meacham is not going anywhere just yet. President Biden Making Good on one of the key rationals for his candidacy for president. Thats next. Candidacy for president. Thats next. And our customers rated us 1 for Network Quality in america according to j. D. Power. Number one in reliability, 16 times in a row. Most awarded for Network Quality, 27 times in a row. Proving once again that nobody builds networks like verizon. Thats why were building 5g right, thats why theres only one best network. Im so glad youre ok, sgt. Houston. This is sam with usaa. Do you see the Tow Truck . Yes, thank you, that was fast. Sgt. Houston never expected this to happen. Paid her claim. And we even pulled a few strings. Making it easy to make things right thats what were made for. Usaa. What youre made of, were made for. Get a quote today. Usaa. What youre made of, were made for. Someone once told me, that i should get used to people staring. So i did. Its okay, you can stare. When youre a twotime gold medalist, it comes with the territory. Hey google, turn up the heat. What is indisputeable now is this. The Biden Plan is working. The Biden Plan produces results, and the Biden Plan is moving the country forward. We just have to remember who we are. You have heard me say it before, were the United States of america. Theres not a single thing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. President Biden Reminding Americans just how far we have come moving forward with our economy, making our way out of the pandemic, and, most notably, away from the country led by arguably the most divisive president in our countrys history. Ending todays speech, touting a line prevalent through his campaign, we do it together. In President Bidens inaugural address he made it clear it was his mission. To do this, to restore the soul and secure the future of america, it requires so much more thaN Words. It requires the post elusive of all things in a democracy, unity. The New York times David Brooksries in a new oped, bidens plan which seemed improbable and unworkable last year is working. He said, quote, if Joe Biden stands for one idea, it is that our system can work. We live in a big, diverse country, but good leaders can bring people together across differences to do good things. In Essence Biden is defending liberal democracy and the notion that you cant govern a nation based on the premise that the other half of the country is irredeemably awful. After biden was elected, the Twotrack Pattern was still going strong. The Circus Realm gave us the horror of January 6th, but the governing part of america carried on. The biden administration has moved to separate government from the Culture Wars. It shifted power away from the green new Deal And Freedom Caucus Show horses and lodged it with the congressional workhorses, people like republican Rob Portman and democrat mark warner, who are in no danger of becoming Social Media stars. American politics is in godawful shape, but were seeing a reasonably successful attempt to build it back better. Were back with Jon Meacham. We should mention, as he mentioned, occasionally advises President Biden. Mark mckinnon is here as well. Jon meacham, David Brooks arrives at almost the exact conclusion that you sort of displayed for us about what he was trying to do. How do you sustain that . It is the great question facing the republic, and, again, it is not a joke. Thats it. I mean the biden view, as david put it there, is that perpetual warfare is not a sustainable governing strategy. And i understand why a lot of people find that to be a vision that is incommensurate with the reality on the republican side. One of the problems we have in this country, and it could possibly be a fatal one, is that we dont have two functioning parties. This is not the both sidisms, one of our besetting sins. It is not true. I get in arguments with conservative friends a lot when they say, well, yeah, the capitol, but what about portland, you know, or what about, what about, what about. Well, one party sustained created and sustained a lie that led to the most direct violent assault on democracy since the civil war, and that was not the democratic party. The democratic party could go crazy, but it is going to have to be tonight, because what is going on with the left part of the conversation is that Senator Sanders and Senator Warren and whoever you want to mention are having a coherent conversation about american life and policy. It may be farther to the left and to the progressive side. It may overemphasize the role of the state in the marketplace than people like, but thats a coherent point of view. Anarchy is not a coherent governing strategy. Weaponizing narcissim for a demagogue in florida or New Jersey or wherever he is, is not a sustainable governing strategy. The president the incumbent president is making a bet that he can take that 81 Million people who voted for him, grow that number by governing in as sensible a way as possible. Will it work . I dont know, but i pray it does. We all should, honestly. You know, mark mckinnon, Jon Meacham said a lot of important things there, but i think as someone who tries to navigate this every day aggressively, there are not two sides in american politics, as he said. There are not two parties, both working with different ideas for how to do it but toward the strengthening of our democracy. One is literally in terms of its numbers, as weve been discussing, one of the largest antidemocratic movements in The World. I wonder what you think in terms of how theyre covered . I mean David Brooks makes this great point about workhorses, and he put some workhorses in the column because theyre working on the biden agenda. But people like Rob Portman were some of the most disappointing people. I mentioned him before. He knew better in terms of what was going on, so the fact that there is no republican party in terms of Idea Or Agenda or even valuing the democracy is of their own making. What do you think they do over the Biden Presidency . We have to watch, you know. The party has clawed its way to the bottom and i feel like im out on an island. To sort of go back on your points and brookss points as well, i mean it is just so comforting and reassuring and lucky for the country that Joe Biden was elected. First of all, im not sure any other nominee would have given the outcome, but also just the tone and the kind of just temperament of the administration in biden is just what we need right now. He is more like a doctor than a president. It is like he is putting a thermometer in our mouth and saying, lets just lower the temperature here. My dad hated people who bragged and danced around to tout their victories, and he had a saying which was, you know, if you score a touchdown dont dance in the End Zone, act like youve been there before, which is kind of what biden has been doing which is a contrast to Donald Trump who would dance in the End Zone on every play whether he scored or not. So i just think this tone is just what america needs right now. By The Way, it is the key that i think biden is doing and also discovering too is that you just cat over promise and you have to be prepared for one step forward, two steps back. This is not going to happen quickly or overnight. It is going to be a long slog, but i think we have the right guy at the tiller. It is amazing that he constantly treats the other party with generosity, Singles Out Mitch Mcconnell for praise for advocating the vaccine. Hes more open and certainly up to this job in a way that probably both of the two of you knew. Jon meacham, mark mckinnon, thank you for spending time with us. Good to see you. The Olympic Games are winding down but they showed enduring lessons about who we are and what we should be. Thats next. Thats next. [relaxed summer themed music playing] summer is a state of mind, you can visit anytime. Savor your summer with lincoln. Here we go. So id like to know where you got the notion to rock the boat dont rock the boat, Baby Rock the boat dont tip the boat over rock the boat dont rock the boat, Baby Rock the boat see disneys jungle cruise. Its time to rock the boat, america. What The World needs now. Is people. People who see energy a little bit differently. Where a switch to cleaner power means a more resilient grid. With renewables and Gas Power providing energy whenever its needed. Because seeing a more sustainable World Isnt far in the future. Were building it. Now. Ge building a world that works. Managing Type 2 Diabetes . Youre on it. 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We are committed to Making Jardiance available and affordable. With our savings card, eligible patients pay as little as 10. upbeat Pop Music in background throughout as the Olympic Flame gets ready to be extinguished at The End of the weekend with closing ceremonies at Tokyo Set for sunday night, it is worth looking back on these games as one of the most important and significant in recent years. Emotion was already running high coming into the games, delayed by a year because of the global pandemic and all of the emotional Baggage And Anxiety that comes with all of that. But these games also will be defined not by who won the most medals but for what the athletes who competed in tokyo said and did. Sports columnist for the Washington Post put it, that these games would be the Mental Health olympics was telegraphed long before the Call Drop was lit. Once here, the athletes screamed it iN Words and actions. Our understanding of and empathy for athletes never will be the same. Joining us, bill rhoden. Author of the million dollar slave. I want to hear what your reaction is what the olympics were for. As the post put it, it was really eloquent. I wish i had written it. You know, we talked a few i feel exhausted, emotionally exhausted like i was running. Im like, god, can we just get these over. I mean just forget the politics and all of that. I do have so much respect for all of the athletes who did go, all of the work they put in, The Way they competed, the sportsmanship that We Saw. You know, the fighting hard, hugging each other, The Way the gymnastics, the u. S. Gymnastics team stepped in. I mean i cant say enough about the athletes. I think we you know, we kind of have to separate the athletes from the politics of the athletes, you know, which is a whole other thing. I just have so much respect for those who competed. They worked hard. I cant say enough. I still think were nuts for being there, but yeah. Thats another issue, you know. They were so eloquent in their humanity about the moment. You know, they didnt deny it. They were away from their families. It felt like watching Tragedy Porn to watch the athletes come out of the pool or off the beam and then face time or skype back to their families at home. Just that ripping from their Support Networks to be able to compete and stay safe and keep their teammates safe and all of the other athletes safe felt like an extra sacrifice that they made. I know you get it, you know, we shouldnt have been there in your view, but what did you make of how they all rose above that . It was one more thing to overcome it seemed . Yes, and thats one of the things. You know, i have been, you know, in this business for like more than 40 years or so and, you know, i think that, again, the respect ive got for the athletes, allyson felix, 35 years old, bringing her daughter there, winning bronze, becoming one of the most decorated united States Woman Athlete ever. I remember being there i think in sydney, i believe, when she won her first. So, again, i cant say enough about the athletes. All of the athletes, because we see how hard they work, how much they sacrifice. I think thats just really tremendous. I wish we could bottle that up, you know, bottle that up and try to spread arena. I think sports is such a great metaphor for Fair Play and there is no alternate realities in sports. You do it or you dont. Thats what i love about this business. I dont like the politics but i love the purity of the athletes who just compete for the sake of competing. I want to read some of what you wrote. We live in a nation where the aggressive pursuit excess runs in our blood and is part of our national character, last week biles hit the pause button. She stepped away from competition and media because they could, her and osaka. I monitor all media and i saw one of the most prominent figures on Fox News defending these two women. I wonder if they done more sort of make a point but they changed the game for other male and female athletes. Well see. I was talking about that with somebody. Well see. We are not here it is nfl season, you know . Thats the big internet i still cant imagine any athletes in the nfl saying i got to step back, i got to take a Mental Health day. I think that it will be great. I think simone put out the possibility of that. She made, quote on quote, Mental Health real. She put a fine point for it. It is all great and wonderful and her olympic career is over. Well spread into the United States where money raised for these professional sports, i hope so but i am not sure, you know, we are still in the Media Regard guys i think there is still a lot of us who will look at scans and people say, listen, i got to step back i dont know, i hope so but i dont know. Give us something to talk about when Football Season starts. Bill rhodes, thank you so much. Well continue to call on you. 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