biden launches white house bid. transcript: 4/25/19, all in w/ chris hayes. - small grill with side burner

Chris Matthews, MSNBC host: After 25 years, today's message is powerful, similar to that of 1994.
It seems that in order to fight evil, we must constantly appeal for its existence.
This is a hard ball.
Chris Hayes's "everything is ready" starts now. (
Start Video Editing)
Ali Weixi, msnbc anchor: I am fully committed tonight. JOE BIDEN (D)
Presidential candidate: the United States is back as before.
VELSHI: the person who is in the lead in the polls finally entered the competition.
Biden: We are fighting for the soul of this country.
Tonight, Can Joe Biden's campaign against Donald Trump play a role in a controversial Democratic primary?
US President Donald Trump: I dreamed of Biden.
VELSHI: So, when he asks his former White House adviser to be a liar, will the president create more questions for himself?
Don mcghain is really a good man.
VELSHI: Plus-evangelist Franklin Graham: I appreciate the president's focus on Christian values.
Trump supported the evangelist's call for Mayor Pete to repent for his sexual orientation.
There is nothing better than the Bible.
Pastor William Barber responded here.
Now it's all started. (END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Good evening. I'm Ali Velshi from Chris Hayes.
People who have been leading 2020 Democratic primaries since they started are now officially running.
After waiting for another 19 candidates, former Vice President Joe Biden officially announced his candidacy in a video today, basically saying that the whole reason for his candidacy was Donald Trump, in particular, Trump's comments after the white rally in Charlottsville. (
Start Video Editing)
Biden: He said, "there are some very good people on both sides.
Good people on both sides?
With these words, the president of the United States assigns a moral equivalent between those who spread hatred and those who have the courage to oppose it.
At that moment, I knew that the threat to the space station was not the same as any threat I 've ever seen in my life.
The core values of this country in the world, our democratic system.
Everything made in America
America is at stake.
That's why I announced today that I will be the candidate for president of the United States. (END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Trump responded on Twitter, saying, "I just hope you have long-standing intelligence about successful primaries.
It will be annoying.
You will deal with people who really have some really disgusting and crazy ideas.
But if you do, I will see you at the start.
"Biden has rarely avoided attacking Trump, and he has today avoided questions about his decision to run, as if he were in the general election, not the primary election. (
Start Video Editing)
Unidentified woman: Your message speaks very clearly about the debate about President Trump, but you have to pass the Democratic primary first.
Why are you the best choice for Democrats?
Biden: it's up to Democrats to decide.
Unidentified female: But how can you-unidentified male: What do you think of the Miller report --(CROSSTALK)
Biden: I'll talk about all these things in time, okay.
Unidentified male: is the case against Donald Trump enough to impeach? (END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: although Biden has been running for the highest number of Democratic polls, he is still burdened with important burdens, including more than 30 years of Senate voting. His attitude towards Anita Hill during his confirmation at the clarencethomas Supreme Court and the recent allegations by multiple women that Biden touched them in a way that made them uncomfortable.
Jonathan Allen NBC News and author of the book Broken: Hillary Clinton's doomed internal campaign are now with me to see Biden's prospects.
His latest column titled "Biden bet on Democrats fearing a re-election to Trump ".
Nice to meet you, Jonathan, my friend.
Let's talk about what that column means.
What do you mean he bet on the Democrats fear of re-electing Trump?
NBC News reporter Jonathan Allen: Well, you heard the vice president just now.
This is not a message of hope and change expressed by Barack Obama in the video.
He is talking about the interests of the United States, the basic features of our country.
What makes America-
The United States, he says the danger of Donald Trump for four years.
What he is arguing with Democratic voters is that I think for the majority of voters, if Donald Trump is given another four years, there will be an unchangeable change in the United States.
So this is a message of fear.
That said, if you do that, if you go down the path of Donald Trump, you won't be able to go back to what it was.
It's a very, very different message, not only from what you heard from Barack Obama, but also from other Democrats who have come up with some very ambitious left --
Suggestions of inclination
Welch: Cornell Belcher, a Democratic pollster and political analyst at msnbc, is with me now.
Nice to meet you.
I ask you this.
Because Donald Joe Biden said a few weeks ago, I'm Obama-Biden Democrat.
What is he trying to catch now?
Because a large part of the Democratic Party wants the party to be what Jonathan Allen calls a more progressive party, according to opinion polls, the bigger part is hoping that, as Nancy Pelosi says, more progress will continue to win in those swing areas affected by the moderate.
What is Joe Biden in this group?
Cornell Belcher, political analyst at MSNBC: Well, I'm going to support that for the time being and understand what the Obama Democrats are.
Obama-you have to go a long way in our country to find a win-back Democrat --to-Support the majority.
Hell, you have to go a long way in our country to find a Republican who won back. to-Support the majority.
So when he says he's going to be a Democrat like Obama, you're talking about a big party, a big reminder, right.
Obama brought in what you know. in our speech on 2008, 8% of us never attended, 11%.
So it's about-it's expanding and expanding the party and getting more people involved in the dialogue.
It's about progress, progress, not progress, and I think it's the insight game in Washington.
I think it's an elite game.
When I spoke to Democratic voters, I was everywhere in Iowa, South Carolina, and New Hampshire.
When you talk to Democrats in those states, the real Democrats in those states, they talk about the kitchen table problem.
They are talking about the ongoing division of the country.
They are talking about health care.
They are talking about more than just work, and in fact, in this country, they can take the lead again on wages.
So this is not a progressive dialogue between the left and right and who is making progress, and I don't think it's a real voter dialogue.
Joe Biden claims to be O. G.
In fact, it is progress.
He said he has been fighting for these policies, and even in Joe Biden's criticism of Anita Hill and his actions to reach people, many from a historical point of view, this is a person who has some evolution, but in fact he is described as a person who has made progress.
Alan: he has always been a progressive after the progressive school has reached the progressive position.
I mean, if you look at Joe Biden's history, he's against Roy.
When Wade first came out
He supported the war in Iraq, and since then he said he regretted it.
In his 70 s, he opposed the senator who led the South at this point.
You went through all sorts of problems and Joe Biden finally got to the point of progress, but it was never where he started and it was hardly where he started.
Even the Violence Against Women Act, he talked a lot, and if my history is correct, I believe it was after Anita Hill's hearing.
So this is not a person who leads the Democratic Progressive Party.
The argument he is going to make is-this is the 100 th anniversary since Warren Harding's return to tonormalcy and he will bring this argument back to normal.
Vichy: Cornell, what Jonathan said almost never started.
If the spirit of the times is about the progress of some people, which I think may be true, he will have to make the argument that he has evolved to this point.
But I saw a survey from the Wall Street Journal, the NBC.
February Wall Street Reporter survey
If that's true, it's hard for me to believe it, but it's asking about the most popular and unpopular presidential traits.
List the most popular, African-Americans, then white, then women, then gay, then people over the age of 75, and finally Justin VI. V. is socialist.
Do you believe in such a poll?
Belcher: Well, I think they're -- I think they're measuring something.
Obviously, what Democrats want is diversity.
But Jonathan is absolutely right.
Biden does have a record of what he has to explain, and he will give some progressives and his opponents some firepower to deal with them.
Because Ali, they have to come because he is the front line. runner.
So in the next two weeks, you will see the Democratic Party's candor to figure out how they have weakened Biden.
I don't think the old man's route is the only way to solve this problem.
I think that's part of it, but if voters look like Democratic voters, they're also looking for the future, who's going to build a progressive movement for the future, instead of just beating Donald Trump, I think they have others.
If they just want to beat Donald Trump, I think it's a very safe place for Joe Biden.
Nice to meet Jonathan Allen and Cornell Belcher, guys.
More on Biden's 2020 strategy is now with me, Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress.
She's the Obama administration's head of domestic policy.
Biden presidential campaign
Michael Steele, former RNC chairman and political analyst at MSNBC.
Two of my favorite.
Thank you for helping me tonight.
Neera, we started with you.
Let's take this issue out of the Democratic primary, where Joe Biden acts like a presumptive nominee.
He's ahead.
Assuming he wins, what does this look like for Donald Trump?
Neera tanden, president of the Center for American Progress: I actually think the fact that Trump's engagement with Joe Biden today actually helps Joe Biden's argument.
As mentioned earlier, Joe Biden's argument is that he is a person who can unite the party and he is willing to bring that argument directly to Trump.
I think one can imagine him and Donald Trump on the debate stage.
He communicated with Donald Trump, in which he did not shy about making quite an aggressive, confident voice about what Donald Trump did.
I do think that in a party, from the most moderate left to the most liberal left, Donald Trump is annoying on many issues, and the most fundamental is race and division.
So I think Vice President Joe Biden is actually talking about these issues, which really helps to put forward the argument that he is the best candidate against Trump.
This has really strengthened.
In the primary election, what voters really focus on is the candidate-the public.
So the more he is able to beat Trump into an argument, the more powerful he is in the party because they are looking at these polls and he is doing very well.
VELSHI: Michael Steele, Donald Trump's call-and by the way, Bernie Sanders, too, but they call for it in many cases --
Those who believe that elites and institutions and global trade are conspiring to make all but them rich and on the road to work are affected by the class.
Donald Trump has somehow won the news of economic populism.
Joe Biden wants to bring this information back.
He does have the problem of being a part of the government, where life is still difficult for Americans.
What is his best case for economic populism?
Michael Steele, political analyst at MSNBC: Well, I think it's from his different points of view.
First, you know, Joe is an ordinary person.
I mean, I think Joe had a relationship with his time in government, even though you know,
Existing relations with many voters and workers across the country.
So they knew him.
There is a reason why he will start the campaign with union workers in Pennsylvania.
There is a reason why he walked outside the block on the community street because he has this connection with people.
So when he starts talking about bringing it back to the kitchen table, bringing it home to people, keeping their jobs, increasing their jobs, getting a livable salary, people understand, get better health care.
It was a battle that he had been on the front line for a long time, and during the previous administration he certainly led the fight in some ways.
So I think he got the sweet spot that Trump can hardly accept.
Look, Trump can be behind someone else on Jost's left all day.
You know, there's a center here, of course.
Will be amused by the left and right of the country.
But when it comes to really bringing the votes home, Trump worries about what Joe can do to peel off some white workers --
Class voters who came to him after Barack Obama.
Nara, tell me about White jobs.
Generally speaking in class
If Joe Biden is the kind of candidate that might appeal to them, a college-educated voter.
Is he also the kind of candidate who needs to attract those who are angry and are now more angry about what Donald Trump did before he got there?
TANDEN: in fact, Barack Obama himself is very popular if you look at polls within the Democratic Party.
I mean, he's 85.
90% of the popularity.
As a result, some voters are not happy with Obama's presidency, but are small in the party.
So you know, I-my own point of view is that whoever the nominee is, there is a need to justify how to raise wages and ensure that their work is economically dignified.
S. Center for progress andACLU will hold a presidential forum with many presidential candidates in Las Vegas this weekend.
The vice president could not succeed because he had just started but many candidates would be there.
I think the argument of Vice President Joe Biden is that he has a claim on those voters.
He campaigned in the mid-term elections and in many swing areas.
He ran campaigns in places like Alabama and reached out to those voters.
Anything-but I do think whoever is nominated has to argue about their performance-they have the ability to bring back some voters who lost in 2016, back in 2018, there are many such swing areas.
Michael Steele, there are a lot of people, and many Democrats say they want to see a female candidate.
Of course they want to see a woman on the ticket.
How do you think that two issues that JoeBiden has had to argue about in the last few months, about how he handled the Clarence Thomas nomination and the criticism of AnitaHill again, these allegations from women, they said-he did something that made them feel uncomfortable?
How do you think he handled it, is that not enough for him?
Steele: I think the strange thing is that it doesn't go along the gender line, but along the long age line.
I think you will find that young millennial voters between the ages of 18 and 25 or 30 will apply today's standards to a process at the age of 30
35 years old, well said, why don't you answer that way or why don't you solve this problem like we did today.
For older voters, I don't think it would be a barn burner for them.
I think there are votes that show this split way, and older voters tend to be more frustrated with what you're going to do for me now, because I already have the business I'm running.
I have health care and other issues now.
So as far as I think Joe is out of the box, Ali came out and said, look, I'm not going to apologize for what I did at the time, because that's the time.
The vast majority of Democrats supported his bill.
The vast majority of Democrats and Anita Hill are sitting in the same group, with no objections raised.
So there's a time and place analysis that can be done, but now he has to focus on what he's going to do tomorrow because I can't ---
I can only say what happened yesterday, but I said so much.
I don't think he wants to fall into the trap of having to apologize, re-
Then explain what he did.
I think voters want more now.
Wells: can you get there?
TANDEN: You know, I really think the vice president will be asked these questions.
Someone will ask him about the crime bill and someone will ask him about Anita Hill.
I think these are very legitimate.
The question about Anita Hill is very reasonable at the moment we are going through the MeToo movement.
I do think that young, old people, everyone in the party wants to see that they will have a strong presidential and presidential candidate who can afford a lot of donations --and-take.
So I think the vice president knows, and I hope he knows, that he will have to answer questions about those issues.
He will be in a debate where the opponent will raise their level and he has to have a comfortable level and accept that, you don't know, it's 1990.
People want to know how you will deal with these problems in the future.
What is your attitude towards sexual harassment?
What is your attitude towards the MeToo movement?
What is your attitude towards mass imprisonment?
People will understand what happened at the time, but you have to have a plan and an idea about how you can solve these different problems now than in the past.
VELSHI: It was great talking to you two.
Thank you to Nella Tanden and Michael Steele for joining me.
Well, next, the president is blocking any oversight of Congress, saying that he will fight against all House subpoenas, while there is no ground in denying one of the core elements of the Miller report.
Supervisory Committee member Ro Khanna and what happened two minutes later. (
Business break)
VELSHI: The White House has now rejected a request by the chairman of the House oversight committee to hear testimony from senior adviser Stephen Miller about the government's immigration action.
You may remember the Miller report that Miller released a week ago-just released a week ago.
The president said he is now battling all of the House subpoenas, and he is suing the supervisory chair for blocking subpoenas against his financial records.
While Trump is holding back any form of congressional oversight, he is also trying to deny one of the key parts of Miller's report, that is, how he asked for a detailed description of the situation at the time
White House lawyers fired special counsel Robert Miller.
The president tweeted today, "I never told you.
White House lawyer DonMcGahn fired Robert Mueller.
Here to talk about what is happening now, the congressman is one of the members of the House's key oversight committee because it is named for oversight, Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California.
Nice to meet you.
I don't know where to start, but I'm going to start with Stephanie Miller because he's called to testify about immigration policy, not Miller's report, and the president doesn't even allow that to happen. REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA)
Ali, it is important to understand that this is unprecedented.
White House advisers testified that Clinton's chief of staff testified after many White House aides from both parties came to testify, so when the White House said that White House aides did not appear before the committee, this is actually wrong.
You will remember that in the Obama case, sorindra and Benghazi, and all those false investigations, the Obama White House is working on documents.
VELSHI: I really don't know what Stephen Miller should ban, and everyone admits that he is at the heart and soul of the Trump administration's immigration policy.
What's the problem here?
KHANNA: Frankly, it has nothing to do with the president.
This is a matter of policy.
I mean, Stephen Miller says people from the Department of Homeland Security should be fired and replaced.
He is the designer of the policy of separating infants from parents.
He is the designer of the border wall policy.
This is what Congress says you have some responsibility for voters to explain why you are doing what you are doing.
I mean, this is the essence of the separation of powers that the president opposes and the role of Congress.
VELSHI: This tweet about Don McGahn says I didn't tell fireRobert Mueller, and it's interesting that Don McGahn is a lawyer.
He's not just a lawyer.
He's a White House consultant.
He is not just a White House lawyer, he is the one preparing for the president to investigate-as part of the investigation, he has sworn in his words in cooperation with the eller ueller investigation.
So the president basically doesn't just say he didn't say anything, he also accused White House lawyers-former White House lawyers who lied after the oath, which is certainly a criminal offence.
KHANNA: Well, it just shows that the president has not learned anything from Mueller's investigation or report.
You may think he will really surpass McGann and thank the assistants who have saved him from further embarrassment.
I mean, the report basically says that the president is trying to block justice and that he is not able to do so because of the disobedience of Don mcghain and others.
But what the president is really worried about is that before Congress tells his story on television, Don McGahn ).
He is not so concerned about the report, but he knows the power of television and he is scared about it.
VELSHI: Yesterday, our reporter, Vaughan Hilliard, caught up with the vice president and after Miller's report, he asked him if he really wouldn't use stolen information from foreign governments in the election, which is
Let's listen to the communication. (
Start Video Editing)
Vaughan Hilliard, MSNBC Reporter: Do you regret using email
The emails stolen by Russian intelligence officials during the campaign, do you promise not to do so in the upcoming presidential campaign?
US Vice President Mike Pence: The US is taking strong action against the founder of WikiLeaks.
We are seeking extradition and we will hold him accountable for leaking US secrets. (END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: this is an interesting answer that has nothing to do with the question being asked.
By the way, this has been going on for a long time.
We show you the shortened version of it, but in almost two versions, none of them
Did the vice president say no, I actually wouldn't.
We don't accept that.
One of your colleagues, Sheila Jackson Lee, said on Twitter today that she is Felida bill, named H. R.
2353, the obligation to refuse and report foreign interference in the US election law of 2019, which provides for the obligation to refuse foreign entities to provide campaign assistance, and the normal response to the obligation to report the situation to the FBI is to think.
KHANNA: Ali, it is said that we are in a state in this country and even ask these questions.
I mean, how difficult it is for the vice president or anyone to say that I will not accept any assistance from foreign forces in any way. VELSHI: Right.
It should be myself. evident.
Miller's report concluded that this is important for people.
It concluded that the Trump campaign wanted to benefit from the Russians.
So I'm worried that the vice president won't just be flat-
They don't want any help from foreign countries.
I support Sheila Jackson Lee's bill, which only needs to give any notice to the FBI if there is foreign interference or an attempt to provide foreign assistance to the campaign.
VELSHI: it's worth noting that when you see a crime, you need to submit a bill to do what most Americans think is normal.
Congressman, it's a pleasure to see you as always.
Thank you for joining me.
Thank you for inviting me.
Member of Parliament, Luo Qana.
Well, next, Pastor Williams Barber is here to respond to Trump's support for the evangelical leader's homophobic attack on Mayor Pete butigeg.
Next is Pastor Barber. (
Business break)
Wells: Mayor Pete butigeg is a historic candidate and the first openly gay party candidate in the United States.
In the national poll of Democratic primary voters, his approval rating has been ranked third.
One of the things he did was to accept the hypocrisy of Vice President Mike Pence because he was a evangelical Christian and so strongly supported Donald Trump and supported him.
Now, Pastor Franklin Graham himself is a supporter of Trump, and he has had enough.
In a series of tweets, Graham responded, "Mayor butigeg said he was a gay Christian.
Praise is said or politicised, and as akriwal, I believe that the Bible, which defines homosexuality as sin, is to repent, not to show off.
It should be noted that Graham never asked Donald Trump to publicly confess anything, not because he habitually lied about big things or because of his Muslim ban, nor is it because of the separation of the family on the border, nor is it because of his personal weaknesses, such as adultery.
Graham bluntly criticized President Bill Clinton during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and wrote a column
The Wall Street Journal published an article entitled "Clinton's sin is not private" on 1998.
But with regard to Trump, Graham told The Associated Press, citing "I don't think it's anyone's business to do anything with things like stomi Daniels . ".
So Graham took to the rostrum to attack mayor butigeg.
While boutigeg chose not to respond to Graham's attack, the pastorDr.
William Barber's comments and Rev on Graham. Dr. Barber, co-
The president of the national campaign for the rehabilitation of the poor now joins me.
Good to meet you, honorable pastor, thank you for joining us.
What's your opinion about Franklin Graham? RE. DR.
William Barber
Founder of the movement of the poor: Well, what you see here is the religion of Franklin Graham, not the religion of Jesus.
He and many others tried to do so.
Jesus knows what sin is.
Sin is the refusal to love others, the refusal to show grace.
Sin refuses to solve poverty.
Sin is refusing to deal with injustice.
Sin is the refusal to come to strangers, to feed hungry people, and to take care of them.
I am always surprised by these people he knows who claim what the Bible says-he never said that Jesus said it was important.
But Graham said a lot about what Jesus said, and he and others said little, and he said little about what Jesus said.
There are more than 2,000 verses in the Bible saying that what God calls us in the public square is how we take care of children, widows, strangers, immigrants, poor people, and you can hardly hear him say that.
However, when what you see from past reviews is actually hypocritical, he tries to show that he is truly Christian.
Wei Xi: The interesting thing about Mayor Pete is that he never avoids his religious beliefs.
He did not evade his Christianity.
He does not object to the view that some Christians disagree with his homosexuality.
As he explained, he believed in an inclusive belief. BARBER: Sure.
This is nothing new.
He said, you know, Frederick Douglas is skeptical about the religion of the slave owners because he loves the religious beliefs of Jesus Christ.
He had to hate the religion of the slave owners.
The slave owners told the slaves that it was sinful if they fled the slave system, but never said that the slave system was sinful.
It was once said that it was a sin to marry black and white people, and apartheid never said it was a sin.
Graham and his philosophy and logic are consistent with these people.
But not only on the issue of gay, bisexual and transgender people, you know, health care is a moral issue, it's a sin if we have public policy and violence, you know, in this world's richest country, millions of people without health care, and 0. 14 billion of those living in poverty and low wealth are created by unethical actions by policies rather than the poor.
If you look at the Bible and Jesus, these things will be classified as sins, and we should deal with people in this society.
VELSHI: You said welcoming strangers, feeding hungry people, and of course, with respect to the southern border, this is not the policy that this government is following, so what good is it for people like Franklin Graham to come out and attack Pete butigeg, but don't talk about these things you're talking about and never say anything about the Trump administration or about what Donald Trump himself has done?
How does this enrich Franklin Graham?
Barber: Well, I don't know how it's done, but it's clear that it's in some way.
The reality is, I hope we can have a long-term program to deal with this, which is historic in the United States.
You know, when Roosevelt pushed for social security and the new deal, you had a group called spiiritualrazizer coming out against him.
Your Moral Majority and other groups have come out.
You know.
I don't like to use these terms, it's called religious rights, it actually started with the issue of privatizing schools, and I want to refuse to remove apartheid.
So, over the years, we 've had this weird form of heretical support for extreme policy, and people basically say, if you're against the option of women, if you're praying at school, against homosexuality, against tax cuts, you are on God's side somehow.
We must challenge it now.
He can say that this is the religion of Franklin Graham, but he cannot say that his speech is the religion of Jesus Christ or the religion of Christianity, and we must challenge it.
As a Evangelist, as a priest, an atheist who loves Jesus, I challenge it.
I can't find Jesus saying what he said. VELSHI: Rev. Dr.
You're right, William Barber.
I hope we will do it for an hour.
You and I will one day.
Thank you, sir, for joining us as always.
Hairdresser: Thank you very much. VELSHI: Rev. Dr. William Barber.
Just ahead, Republicans cheated to maintain power.
Today, TheMichigan's ruling says their efforts to divide the constituency are coming soon.
In addition, the first thing tonight, the second thing starts next. (
Business break)
VELSHI: first thing tonight, last week, Miller's report revealed the fact that press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders lied directly to the American people on the White House podium, our friend Sam Stein joked on Twitter that Sarah Sanders will have some tricky issues at today's daily briefing.
It's so funny because Sarah Sanders is not doing the briefing anymore, silly.
In the past, when our government was concerned about things like transparency and open dialogue with the American people, the White House daily briefing was one thing.
But we are 114 days away from 2019, and the White House has given two briefings.
At this time last year, there were already 36.
The last full year of President Obama's administration, by April 25, they had held 50 meetings.
But tonight, Sarah Huckabee Sanders is back in the briefing room, even though she is not actually there talking to the media.
It's the second one in 60 seconds. (
Business break)
VELSHI: across the country, our daughters and sons are working at the White House today or Thursday.
But on this special day, little Jerry and Ivanka, who were running around the White House, did not do so. staff and even reporters had to walk into the office, and the White House did everything possible, even opened a special room that they only used twice this year.
That's right, Sarah Huckabee Sanders dug out the keys to the White House briefing room, wiped out the dust, drove away the bats, and held a real briefing for the kids.
Now, we'll show you some videos, but the White House insists it's not on the record.
Some reports mention some of the questions the children ask, such as what kind of ice cream the president likes, and why the government wants to split families at the border.
But, after the briefing, the children met with the president themselves, and fortunately, it was recorded because it gave us another strange moment to talk to the children. (
Start Video Editing)
I even like the media today.
I see these beautiful kids, media products.
In fact, I like you more than your parents.
You visited with our wonderful presidential photographer, very talented people.
The photos you took, you saw people from all over the world, and they got some great photos.
Very talented people.
I hope they can make me look better.
In fact, sometimes I think they mean it.
They always pull my chin in and take pictures of me.
I look bad, but it doesn't matter. they did it on purpose. (END VIDEO CLIP)(
Business break)
VELSHI: Michigan has made a very important ruling today, with three federal panel of judges ruling that the state must re-demarcate legislative and congressional constituencies for 2020 elections, because the current map drawn by Republicans represents a historical proportion.
Partisan constituency division is a process that benefits a political party by manipulating which constituency voters finally enter to attract congressional constituencies.
Both sides have been involved in this approach, but the public sector is much more aggressive in defining the region for its own benefit.
In Michigan, for example, a staff member boasted that a Republican map was a glorious way to fill up all Dem garbagein in Wayne, Washington, more easily, with only four districts in Oakland and McComb counties.
As a result, in 2018, Republicans were still in control of Michigan's legislature despite the Democratic Party winning the vote for the legislative election.
Republicans in Michigan have vowed to appeal the decision to conservatives. S.
The Supreme Court has weighed cases of partisan conflict between North Carolina and Maryland.
We know what people think, because last year the University of Michigan successfully passed an-
Constituency division proposal, which will have the right to withdraw constituency from the Republican Party
Control the legislature and hand it over to 13-
Members of the civic replanning committee, composed of four Republicans, four Democrats and five people who are different from both parties.
The initiative came from a Facebook post by a young michignander named Katie Fahy, who appeared in a new documentary about constituency division and how Republicans deployed strategies
After that, Katie told her story with me. (
Business break)
VELSHI: since last year, there have been a series of court decisions that have overturned the guerrillas, with judges in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina, and the ruling of the parties in the legislative area that have been illegally attracted to benefit, it's usually Republicans.
Now, a federal court in Michigan has ruled that Republicans illegally manipulate the historical proportion of political maps.
And ordered new maps and special elections held in advance.
This is a big deal.
Last year, voters in Michigan overwhelmingly passed an-
The constituency Division voting initiative began with Michigan resident Katie Fahy, who appeared in a new documentary called "kill the dragon" about constituency division.
"Now discuss this with me, Katie Fahi, the voter, not the founder of the politician.
Barack Goodman is also a colleague of mine.
Director of the new documentary "dragon.
Welcome to both of you.
Thank you for coming.
Filmmaker Barack Goodman: Thank you.
What is Dragon?
Katie Fahy, founder, voter, not politician: this is the constituency division we have had since the founding of the United States, itisthis, this is basically based on one party or another with more control and elections are held every 10 years.
VELSHI: At the beginning, a shape in these things was like asalamander, whose name was divided by constituency.
But the problem is, we have been here for a long time.
What's the difference now?
Goodman: The difference is that a party came up with how to turn this old political dirty trick into a national strategy.
This took place in 2011 after the 2010 census.
So they find that if they win state councils across the country, they will control the process of re-zoning, and they can divide those states, so that they can basically deceive their way back to power, and maintain power for 10 years before the extremes.
VELSHI: Katie, how are you-you can't even-you know, you were a kid at school at the time.
How did you get involved?
FAHEY: Yes, so I remember learning about constituency division in elementary school and asking my teacher why don't we fix it if we know it's broken?
Very good question.
Fahy: that's what I always do.
It really bothers me.
Michigan's performance was very interesting in the 2016 election.
In the primary election, a lot of voters-actually Bernie Sanders, who won the election.
I was really nervous when I went for Thanksgiving dinner.
I don't want togo.
My family is very divided politically.
But they started talking about politics.
I think, what do the two characters have in common?
This is really a message like destroying the system.
We're starting again.
Wei Xi: That's right.
FAHEY: I think that's a lot of systemic frustration that voters feel because they realize that when they show up at the polling site, they don't get a solution no matter who they vote.
I remember the constituency division was part of the reason that we were mathematically divided every 10 years, so whether we showed up in ballotbox and whether our voice really didn't matter because they should, we have lost the power to choose people we don't like and to choose people we like.
VELSHI: Then you come out, you come out of Thanksgiving dinner and you realize-the problem is the one you should deal.
People are angry at the broken system, which is one of the easiest to understand.
It's like looking at an election map and telling me why.
What did you do about this?
Yes, so I don't know at first.
I posted on Facebook.
I'm not political.
Shared a bunch.
Then in Michigan, we have a voting initiative process, and if people in Michigan can write constitutional language and collect a large number of signatures, then a large population can vote in the general election.
I think, you know, there's no way that the legislature can interfere, so let's go straight to democracy.
See if people want voters to choose their politicians, not the other way around.
We saw November 6.
There are 5 million people.
Barack, what is the solution for moving forward?
There will be more and more cases, especially in North Carolina, now Michigan, which will be brought to the Supreme Court.
What do ordinary people who are angry about it do?
In Michigan, there are a lot of people voting for Katie.
It has been argued that Michael Moore has been telling me that there is one person alone and people who will not vote will go out to vote because it is an initiative that is important to them.
But what do other people in this country do?
Because in all of our states, we have our own constituencies.
Goodman: Well, there are a few things.
I mean, first of all, we can't stand in the Supreme Court.
Unfortunately, the Supreme Court could not find the betting funds at the plaintiffs in these states, as the cases were open and closed.
But what Katie and her family in Michigan have shown in those states where there is a referendum is that ordinary citizens can accept this through the referendum process, they can basically take power back from the legislature and invest in civic groups instead.
If a state does not have that ability, what I would say is that voters should vote on this issue.
I mean, if you have legislators who are not willing to give up the power to re-divide the constituency, there is no need for politicians to draw their own lines, which is just a conflict of interest on the surface.
So vote on this issue and elect politicians who are willing to give up power, because now it is a completely corrupt system.
As you pointed out, it is affecting states all over the country.
Katie, there's power behind this.
That's not what just happened, right?
Influential people put their money into certain elections that they can influence so that they can, as you say, allow people to re-elect there in their favor.
Can this be fought on a civil level?
Yes, I think we are the evidence.
You know, not just me, in fact, thousands of people have been on hold for two years to dedicate their time, energy, resources, talking about something that feels like it should be left in civic class, but the reality is that people realize that politics doesn't work for ordinary people, especially in Michigan.
For decades, neither the Democratic division nor the Republican division has appeared.
So before we begin to solve some of these problems, we will continue to be unhappy, and the people who suffer are ordinary people.
So we have over 4,000 people collecting signatures, we have over 425,000 people collecting signatures, you know we filled the case of the Supreme Court-we registered the court when we were there and there were 300 outside
It really has to do with voters, because it feels like we can start working on these issues, not just talking about them.
VELSHI: there is a clip in the movie and I just wanted to ask my control room if we have one.
There's a little bit of you in the documentary, and I just wanted to capture what you were thinking and how you got the movie on fire.
Let's listen. (
Start Video Editing)
I think Flint woke up.
Just sit there and watch these politicians blatantly ignore the will of the people.
You have these officials who feel untouchable and feel like they can't be elected because they design and manipulate a system to achieve that.
I 've just reached a point where why don't we-how can we do something about it, like, how? (END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: There are a lot of people in this country, Barack, who will watch the film, who are behind the division.
This is not random. GOODMAN: No.
They won't like this.
As you said, the Supreme Court-
They will not rule for the plaintiff.
But they will redouble their efforts to do what they are doing. GOODMAN: Yeah.
VELSHI: who is-who is the one who wants to fix this broken system?
What they have to deal with is deep-rooted money.
They fight against the rich who have great power in this country.
They oppose current politicians who do not want to face voters and hold free and fair elections.
It's not-it's not just Republicans-it's Democrats, though Republicans have perfected the art.
There is a case in front of the Supreme Court involving Democratic areas.
This is really about the problem that the incumbent does not want to hold competitive elections.
Before this happens, there is really no real democracy in our country.
Thank you for making this movie.
Thank you for doing something that many Americans will feel inspiring and stand up and take action on something that you think is incorrect.
Katie Fahy and Barack Goodman, thank you both for being with me tonight.
Mr. FAHEY: Thank you.
VELSHI: it's here this evening.
"Rachel Mado's performance" began.
This is a report card in a hurry.
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