1 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:06,360 Speaker 1: I'm Alec Baldwin and you're listening to Here's the thing. 2 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 1: Since January, Congressman Adam Schiff of California has been the 3 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:17,279 Speaker 1: chair of the House Intelligence Committee. That position has made 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: him a target of the President and his allies. It 5 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: is an occupational hazard when you have the power to 6 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: subpoena Trump business associates and two thousand sixteen campaign officials. 7 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: This made him a hero to those who feel the 8 00:00:33,640 --> 00:00:39,279 Speaker 1: President and the Russians have escaped accountability. The attacks went 9 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,919 Speaker 1: into overdrive when Schiff refused to stop investigating Russian election 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: interference even after Muller released his report a decade ago. 11 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: Schiff called House Intelligence quote the least partisan and probably 12 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: the most productive of all the committees on the Hill unquote. 13 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: This year, every one of his Republican Committee colleagues called 14 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: for his resignation. This month, the President's re election campaign 15 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:16,200 Speaker 1: started selling shirts featuring shifts distorted face. But when we 16 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: spoke last week, it was Iran on everyone's mind. They 17 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: had just bombed two oil tankers near their waters to 18 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 1: show their power over global trade. America almost didn't get 19 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: the advantage of Adam Shift's service, at least in Congress 20 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: in college, he agonized over his life path. Would it 21 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:43,319 Speaker 1: be law and policy or medicine. I procrastinated as long 22 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: as you possibly could. I took the M cats, I 23 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 1: took the L SATs. I applied to medical school. In 24 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: law school, I waited literally until I could not wait 25 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: any longer. And I still remember telling my folks that 26 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 1: I had decided to go to law school, and how 27 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: I told them and what their reaction was, Um, because 28 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:07,560 Speaker 1: oh horrified. Um, you know why they were counting on 29 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: my son the doctor. Oh you know, to get a 30 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:11,720 Speaker 1: Jewish mother that close to my son, the doctrine that 31 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: snatched away as a very cruel thing to do. You know. 32 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: My brother had exactly the opposite experience. I got into 33 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: Cal got into acting school. Um went to acting school. 34 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: My parents were absolutely mortified. He was at acting school 35 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: for about two weeks and he hated it, and he 36 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: was very upset that he had turned down col. But 37 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: Cal never got the rejection letter. So my mother called 38 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 1: Berkeley and it was too late for him to fly 39 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 1: up to registers, so she went to Berkeley and registered 40 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,520 Speaker 1: for him. Um. But I remember standing in the den 41 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: of our house and telling my folks that I had 42 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: made my decision, and they were quite stoic. You know, 43 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 1: why is that? And I said, well, uh, you know, 44 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 1: I think medicine is very interesting, satisfying. But when I 45 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: pick up Time magazine, I never flipped to what's new 46 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: in medicine section. I want to read about what's going 47 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: on in the world. It didn't occur to me until 48 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:03,200 Speaker 1: midway through my first year of law school that I 49 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: never flipped to the what's new in the law suction either. 50 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 1: But um, was politics on your mind even then. I 51 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: don't know if politics per se in terms of my 52 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: running for office, was so much on my mind, although 53 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: I do attribute a lot of my interest in government 54 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: service to growing up in Boston. We lived in Boston 55 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: until my father, who was in the rag businesses he 56 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 1: called it, was transferred out West. Um. You know, growing up, 57 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: you know, during the nineteen sixties when the Kennedy's were 58 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: in the ether. Um. You know, I grew up thinking that, uh, 59 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: public office, public service was a noble calling. So I 60 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: think that was sort of the background. But when I 61 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: made decision to go to law school, I was thinking 62 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 1: more that I wanted to work just in the area 63 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 1: of public policy, even if I didn't know exactly where. 64 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:58,120 Speaker 1: I remember I went to g W and I walked 65 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: into the dorm room and one guy was unpacked his 66 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: luggage and I said, I'm Jeff, I'm from New Jersey, 67 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: and uh, what are you here to study? As he said, 68 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: political science? I said the other he said, yeah, he said, 69 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be the president of the United States. We 70 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: were in a six man sweet number three walks in 71 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: counter three. He says, I'm going to be the President 72 00:04:15,760 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: of United States. Everybody went to GW. Everybody went down 73 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:21,479 Speaker 1: there to do internships in the Congress, the White House 74 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: Social Secretary's Office. At internships you can apply for. Do 75 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: you feel that some people just want nothing to do 76 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: with that anymore? For running for office? You know, I 77 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: felt during the Obama administration and during the first Obama 78 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: campaign that a lot of young people were inspired the 79 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,799 Speaker 1: same way Democrats have been inspired by Kennedy and Republicans 80 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:47,120 Speaker 1: have been inspired by Reagan. Now I think that they're uh, 81 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 1: you know, the vast reaction is just revulsion at what 82 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: they see going on. The one positive that comes out 83 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: of it, though, is that people have recognized that they 84 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:58,479 Speaker 1: can no longer sit on the sidelines so I can't 85 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:00,040 Speaker 1: tell you how many people have told me of the 86 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: last couple of years that they have never been politically 87 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:06,320 Speaker 1: involved before, but now they realize they have to be. Uh. 88 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,719 Speaker 1: The new class of members is the strongest class I 89 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: think we've ever had. I will hold it up to 90 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: the post Watergate class any day of the week. Uh. 91 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: These people were motivated because they saw what was going 92 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: on in in Washington, and we're so distressed that the 93 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 1: direction administration wanted to do something about the present circumstances. UM. 94 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 1: When Iran happens, when the bombs, when the tanker was bombed. UM, 95 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,120 Speaker 1: I'm assuming you get a phone call, someone's calling you, 96 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: you get briefed, and some of the information comes to 97 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 1: Is that how it works, you know, Sometimes that's the 98 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: way it works. Uh. There are times where I'm informed 99 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: before the public if we're going to take action somewhere, 100 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: I may get a call and a heads up about 101 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: what we're going to do. UM. There are times when 102 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: I'm informed at the same time as the public. And 103 00:05:56,240 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 1: in the case of the attacks on the ships, UM, 104 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: I certainly had the opportunity to sit down with people 105 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:08,520 Speaker 1: in the intelligence community to get a full debriefing. Um 106 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: and you know, it's a deeply distressing and escutory situation 107 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,960 Speaker 1: there right now. Uh, you know, I don't have any 108 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: question that Iran was responsible. At the same time, it's 109 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: also quite clear that they have been so ramping up 110 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: the pressure on Iran that the Iranian response was all 111 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 1: too predictable. And now that doesn't certainly justify what Iran 112 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: is doing. And we ought to be marshaling the international 113 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: community to protect freedom of navigation. But we can see 114 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 1: how our allies are not rallying to our side here. 115 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 1: Many are doubting what the President and the Secretary of 116 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: State have to say when the evidence is quite clear. 117 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: For those allies of ours who continue to doubt, specifically 118 00:06:54,600 --> 00:07:00,320 Speaker 1: Germany and Japan who continued to doubt our intelligence about Iran, 119 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: what would you tell them, Well, I have to think 120 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 1: that if we have shared intelligence with them, and I 121 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,119 Speaker 1: would imagine that we are, that it's less an issue 122 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: of whether they really question Iran's responsibility, but rather they're 123 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,080 Speaker 1: worried about going um full skill in hand in hand 124 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: with Donald Trump on a path towards possible conflict with Iran. 125 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: They don't want to see another war with Iran, so 126 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,880 Speaker 1: they're deeply suspicious and skeptical of the President of Bolton 127 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: of Pompeo because they knew all along and felt all 128 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: along and said all along. If you leave the agreement, 129 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: if you take these other steps, if you designate the 130 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 1: r GC as a terrorist organization, if you constrict Iran 131 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: with these sanctions, you're you're cornering a dangerous animal and 132 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: it's going to lash out. And that's exactly where we are. 133 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 1: What I think the Administration needs to be doing is 134 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: working with our allies to figure out a way to 135 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: protect the navigation in the straits of Hormones, to de 136 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: escalate the situation, to keep Iran from going back and 137 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: and beginning in Richmond again, uh and and working constructively 138 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: with our allies. And you know, the convincing, frankly, is 139 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: a lot less to do with the intelligence. The convincing 140 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: is that the administration doesn't want war with Iran, is 141 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 1: prepared to work with our allies to try to avoid that. 142 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: And now Iran is saying that you know, they're going 143 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: to leave the agreement, They're going to start enriching iranium, 144 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:29,560 Speaker 1: which was also all too predictable. We reneged on the 145 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 1: agreement when they were complying, and we're trying to get 146 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: Europe to also leave the deal. Why should we be 147 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 1: surprised when Iran does? But where does that leave us? 148 00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:42,000 Speaker 1: This is the deep concern right now, which is it's 149 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,439 Speaker 1: putting us on a path the conflict. You've been in 150 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: the Congress now for eighteen years, nineteen years. I remember 151 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: when I was studying in politics in Washington. They had 152 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 1: that great line with the Southern Senator. His line was, 153 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: I have the least amount of high regard from my 154 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 1: colleague from Pennsylvania. What I mean, the least amount of 155 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:03,280 Speaker 1: hire we go, you'd say in attacking him, and uh, 156 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 1: you know, the gloves are on and everybody's a little 157 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 1: more polite. But it seems to outside is that it's 158 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: so different now when the Republican members of your committee 159 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,120 Speaker 1: vote for you to resign, does that make it tough 160 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: for you went to the room and talk to them 161 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,640 Speaker 1: the next day? It does? You know? I think that 162 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: ever since the now infamous midnight run where our chairman 163 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:27,400 Speaker 1: went somewhere in the middle of the night and said 164 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 1: he had access to classified information that showed an Obama 165 00:09:30,679 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: conspiracy against the Trump administration that he had to rush 166 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: and present to the White House, and we learned that 167 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: it had actually gotten this information from the White House 168 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 1: and it was bogus. Um. It destroyed the comedy on 169 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: our committee, and at that time he was forced to 170 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 1: step down. I think this was sort of his chance 171 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 1: at payback. But on the issues not involving Russia, on 172 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:57,360 Speaker 1: the threat from Iran and China, the challenge of Venezuela 173 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: and other places around the world, are analysis of our 174 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 1: intelligence agencies and are we investing the right amounts and 175 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,559 Speaker 1: human intelligence versus signals intelligence. All of that work still 176 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: goes on in a very nonpartisan way in our committee. 177 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: We we managed to compartmentalize our differences on Russia. Uh. 178 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: And those differences are profound. But on the other issues 179 00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: we're able to work together. Um. And that's the good news. 180 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 1: But yes, that professional Uh. You know, I think we 181 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 1: we all recognize that the job is too big and 182 00:10:27,679 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: too important to allow differences, even very severe ones over Russia, 183 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 1: to interfere with the other work of the committee. UM. 184 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 1: But yes, it makes it very difficult when, in my 185 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: view of the Republicans, our committee view themselves as um, 186 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 1: a part of Giuliani's defense team. UH. And when you 187 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: have people who are supposed to be conducting an objective 188 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: investigation acting as defense counsel. Um. It certainly makes it 189 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: difficult to work together. Uh. Um you know, I would 190 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: say in terms of the partisanship in the House, in 191 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: the relationship between members they were over the last couple 192 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: of decades, uh, in a period of decline through forces, 193 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: obviously having nothing to do with Trump Initially. I think 194 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:24,120 Speaker 1: the the way that the media has uh stratified, where um, 195 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: people who are conservative tune into Fox, that people liberal 196 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: turn into MSNBC, and those who weren't sure what CNN 197 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: people were choosing the news they wanted to hear. That 198 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: was a profound departure from what had been the case before. 199 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: UM when as I remember in college, rushing home to 200 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: see Walter Cronkite's last broadcast that were sort of a 201 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 1: broad agreement on a set of facts, and it was 202 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:50,719 Speaker 1: like I was a John Chancellor man. UM. So the 203 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 1: change in the nature media, I think, accelerated the divisions. 204 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 1: Then the change in the way campaigns are funded, where 205 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: a lot of the power left the parties and left 206 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 1: the building and went to these groups that were on 207 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: the far left of the far right. UM. All of 208 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: that contributed to a worsening of relations among members. Uh. 209 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: But I have to say it took a precipitous fall 210 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,599 Speaker 1: when Donald Trump took office, and it's not going to 211 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:19,439 Speaker 1: change as long as he's there. I mean, this is 212 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: the first president of my lifetime who I think gets 213 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: up in the morning determined to find new and better 214 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:29,599 Speaker 1: ways to divide us. Uh. And it's really true that 215 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: the president does set the tone. Uh. And the tone 216 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: here is one of of just bitter hostility. Yeah. All 217 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: I have with these lame analogies like the wicked Witch 218 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: of the West, where everyone's just cowering in fear. Do 219 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: you sense from your colleagues that some quotation of them 220 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 1: really are onto him, but they just have to suck 221 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 1: it up and take Oh without a doubt. I mean, 222 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: I would have to say the vast majority of them 223 00:12:54,000 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 1: don't like what he's doing to the party, don't like 224 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:58,959 Speaker 1: what he's doing to the country. They will express their 225 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:03,200 Speaker 1: private misgiving. Um. I'm frankly fed up with private misgivings. 226 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 1: I think they need to speak out, um, but they're 227 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,000 Speaker 1: afraid to. Uh. You know, those that do, um, like 228 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:14,440 Speaker 1: Mark Sandford, Carolina, get attacked and tweeted against and they 229 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:19,720 Speaker 1: lose their primary justin Amash. You know, the president and 230 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:24,360 Speaker 1: his son are coming after him, um, and so they're 231 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,120 Speaker 1: just not willing to risk it. They think they want 232 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: to write it out if they can. And I do 233 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 1: think that when this chapter of history has written, some 234 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 1: of the most damning language will be reserved for the 235 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 1: GOP members of Commress that refused to stand up to him. 236 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: I mean, this is someone calling the press the enemy 237 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 1: of the people, trying to um, do away with the 238 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: Congress's power of the purse by declaring non existent emergencies. Uh. 239 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:52,000 Speaker 1: You know, someone who is denigrating judges based on their ethnicity. 240 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: I mean, the list goes on and on. Um. You know. 241 00:13:55,800 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: The the reaction, for example, just the other day to 242 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: the recommend nation by not Special Council Mother Mueller a 243 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 1: different Special Council's office that kelley On and Conway should 244 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: be relieved of her post for violations of the hatch Ack. 245 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: Her reaction, you know, was blah blah blah. In other words, 246 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: who cares about ethics or who even cares about the law. 247 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: We can do what we want, um. I mean in 248 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: the in the face of that, yes, I mean the 249 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: face of that, to uh, to remain quiet, too, to 250 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:32,560 Speaker 1: keep misgivings to oneself. I just think it's profoundly unpatriotic. 251 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,800 Speaker 1: And I don't know why they wanted the job to 252 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: begin with. Those folks that you were talking about, that 253 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: you met in college who wanted to be president, nited 254 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:42,280 Speaker 1: States or came to Washington to be interns and were idealistic, 255 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: you know, someone in the GOP and some went to 256 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: the Democratic Party. You know, where are those idealists in 257 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 1: the GOP? Where? You know, where are the people that 258 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: espoused family values and free trade and all those other 259 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 1: things that the GOP was supposed to stand for. It's 260 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 1: becau I'm a cult of personality around the president, and 261 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: it's not adequate to say, you know, we're going to 262 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: hunker down and wait it out. I really think that 263 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: the country needs people on both parties to be speaking out. Um, 264 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: what are the policies that aren't getting done that concerns 265 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 1: you the most? Well, there's a lengthy list, and you 266 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: know this is the the you know, one of the 267 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,560 Speaker 1: terrible tragedies of where we are, which is, um, it's 268 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 1: not as if all the other problems are just standing still. 269 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: While we self immolate with this presidency. UM. There are 270 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 1: any number of unmet needs that we could be addressing 271 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: in Congress, and we have passed any number of really 272 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 1: significant and vital bills, bills to address the issue of 273 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: gun safety, like passing universal background checks. We have passed 274 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: legislation to do away with the gerrymander, to make election 275 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: day and national holiday and take dark money out of 276 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:00,160 Speaker 1: the political process. We passed legislation to guarantee equal will 277 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: pay for equal work UH, and legislation to try to 278 00:16:03,520 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 1: raise wages, and legislation to try to protect people's healthcare. 279 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: All of this has past the House and record speed UH, 280 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: and has gone nowhere in the Senate. Now, there are 281 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 1: two problems in the Senate. UM. One is Mitch McConnell 282 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:21,280 Speaker 1: Republicans won't act on in this legislation. The other, of course, 283 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: is the president and and so all of these issues 284 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:32,000 Speaker 1: are are unfortunately languishing and UH. And you know what 285 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: that means is the only legislating that gets done is 286 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: the most basic legislating to keep the government running, UH, 287 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: to pass a budget for the coming year, and generally 288 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: a lot of that is just to keep the government 289 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:50,520 Speaker 1: on autopilot, where you're not even setting new priorities for spending, 290 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: you're just doing literally the lowest common denominator. And meanwhile, UH, 291 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: there are huge problems not just at home but around 292 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,720 Speaker 1: the world that we're not addressed. The very first hearing 293 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: that we had in the Intelligence Committee when I became 294 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: chairman was not on Russia or China or Iran, but 295 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 1: it was on the rise authoritarianism around the world. Uh, 296 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,360 Speaker 1: the United States should be standing up to these autocrats, 297 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 1: but instead we see the autocrats really on the march, 298 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,199 Speaker 1: on the rise. And not just in Russia, but we 299 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:26,919 Speaker 1: see totalitarianism taking even deeper root in China through the 300 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:32,119 Speaker 1: use of this new UH digital technology, big data analytics, 301 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: ubiquitous CCTV cameras. But we also see increasing authoritarianism in 302 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:42,920 Speaker 1: Turkey and the Philippines, in Egypt and Hungary, the rise 303 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: of the far right parties in Poland and in Austria, 304 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 1: and in Germany and France. UM, and these are big 305 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: challenges to the very idea of democracy that our country 306 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: should be taking on our present should be the champion 307 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,960 Speaker 1: of democracy. But of course none of this has happened. 308 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: While we um deal with this, you know, completely self 309 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: absorbed president who seems uncomfortable in a company of other 310 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: Democrats and only comfortable with other autocrats. So the opportunity 311 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:22,880 Speaker 1: costs are tremendous while we confront this presidency. House Intelligence 312 00:18:22,920 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: Committee Chairman Adam Schiff. One witness recently called by Congress 313 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 1: about the Muller Report was Richard Nixon's White House Council 314 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: John Deane. Maybe they'd heard our conversation about impeaching Trump 315 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: two years ago. I think it's a an appropriate path 316 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: because it's a constitutional path. The system is designed to 317 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: deal with the president who is not uh playing the 318 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 1: games it's supposed to be played, and that's a determination 319 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: made by the House of Representatives, which is the closest 320 00:18:54,840 --> 00:18:58,199 Speaker 1: to the people. My full interview with John Deane is 321 00:18:58,240 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: in our archives that here's the thing, Dot Org. This 322 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 1: is Alec Baldwin, and you're listening to Here's the thing. 323 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: As the chairman of one of the most important committees 324 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:36,800 Speaker 1: investigating the president, Congressman Adam Schiff's reading of the Muller 325 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:41,440 Speaker 1: Report has real world consequences. Well, I think he has 326 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:46,000 Speaker 1: certainly laid out the case without calling for impeachment, and 327 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 1: I think Mueller made made a couple of decisions. First, 328 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:53,399 Speaker 1: he made the decision to follow the Office Legal Council 329 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: opinion that he says you can't indict a sitting president. Now, 330 00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,479 Speaker 1: I think that OLC opinion is flawed. Um. And and 331 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: by the way, you know, when Mueller said during his 332 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: press conference the other day that it would be unconstitutional 333 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: to indict the president, that really gives a weight to 334 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,439 Speaker 1: the OLC opinion that I don't believe it deserves. This 335 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: is just the opinion of lawyers who occupy that office 336 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,440 Speaker 1: at any given time. It's not a Supreme Court case. 337 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:21,959 Speaker 1: It's not in the Constitution. And I think, in particular 338 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 1: on the issue whether you can indict a president and 339 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 1: defer the prosecution until they leave office, that where there's 340 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 1: a situation where the running of the statute limitations may 341 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: effectively mean that a person can avoid justice. Um, that 342 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: is a far more important consideration than the stigma of 343 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:41,439 Speaker 1: an indictment where you don't effectively give the person a 344 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: means to clear their name until they leave office. So 345 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:46,840 Speaker 1: I don't agree with the logic of the OLC opinion, 346 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:49,800 Speaker 1: But nonetheless I'm not surprised that he would follow it. 347 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: It does follow from that though, and if you are 348 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: going to feel bound by the OLC opinion that you 349 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,919 Speaker 1: can't indict the sitting president, the two other things are 350 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:00,680 Speaker 1: also true, which is you can't say, as bar would 351 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: suggest that but for the policy, I would have indicted 352 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,560 Speaker 1: the president, because then you're basically casting the same stigma 353 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 1: over the person. But I think it also meant for 354 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:13,199 Speaker 1: Bob Mueller that if he wasn't going to say that 355 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: he should indict, it was also not going to say 356 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 1: that you should impeach. But rather, here is the evidence, Congress. 357 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: There is a remedy if you think it appropriate. And 358 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 1: it's not my position to tell you whether that is so. 359 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: But here's the evidence, preserving it for you to do 360 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: with as you see fit. I'm also preserving it for 361 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 1: the Justice Department for when the president leaves office. Uh, 362 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:38,040 Speaker 1: they'll have to determine whether he should be indicted then. Um. 363 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: But it certainly I think lays out the witnesses a 364 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 1: lot of the testimony in some reform that Congress should 365 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: be bringing before the American people, whether that's in an 366 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:53,440 Speaker 1: oversight proceeding or an impeachment proceeding. Now, I take the 367 00:21:53,520 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 1: view that we should begin with an oversight proceeding and 368 00:21:56,800 --> 00:22:00,200 Speaker 1: see where that leads us. UH, And we are now 369 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: starting to bring witnesses in. We had a hearing just 370 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: last week on volume one of the Mulla Report with 371 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:12,119 Speaker 1: counterintelligence experts to talk about the counter intelligence and aspects 372 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: of the investigation. UM. That is, people that may be 373 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: compromised within the Trump administration and what danger that poses 374 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: to American security. So you know, he certainly I think 375 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,399 Speaker 1: did a profound service and what he did H and 376 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 1: left basically passed the baton onto Congress. Pelosi remains unconvinced. 377 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:36,600 Speaker 1: She does not think he should be impeached. Can you 378 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,960 Speaker 1: say that you agree with that, you disagree with that. 379 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 1: I do agree with her. And this is a if 380 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: we were to embark on it, a very divisive process 381 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 1: for the country h and a wrenching process for the country, 382 00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: and one where we know where we end up, which 383 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: is an acquittal in the Senate UM. And I think 384 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: before we embark on that we need to know for 385 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,159 Speaker 1: sure this is the right thing to do. Now. I 386 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 1: think there are another ber of factors UM. In my view, 387 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: and I think the Speaker probably shares this view. The 388 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: man is unfit for office. He demonstrates that every day, 389 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: demonstrated it yet again when he said that, yeah, I 390 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,359 Speaker 1: might take foreign help again. I don't know that I 391 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 1: need to call the FBI. Um. He's either learned nothing 392 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,359 Speaker 1: over the last two years or he's learned exactly the 393 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 1: wrong lesson, which is I can do whatever I want 394 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:25,440 Speaker 1: and there's no consequence. Um. But I I think the 395 00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 1: concern is that we occupy all of the nation's time 396 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: for the next year impeaching the president resulting in an acquittal, 397 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: we then have a precedent that this conduct and adjudication 398 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:42,040 Speaker 1: that this conduct is not impeachable, and we're we're between 399 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:45,200 Speaker 1: the horns of this dilemma. That is, if we don't impeach, 400 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: what are we saying about this conduct and whether it 401 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: is compatible with office? But if we do a peach 402 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: and it leads to an adjudication that it's not impeachable, 403 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 1: where does that leave us? And UM, you know, I 404 00:23:57,080 --> 00:24:00,560 Speaker 1: think that's the difficult dilemma At this point. I think 405 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 1: we flesh out the evidence, we bring in the witnesses, 406 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,119 Speaker 1: we get the documents, we make the case to the 407 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,480 Speaker 1: public um, and we see where that leads us, along 408 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:11,919 Speaker 1: with the presidents continuing conduct and it may lead us 409 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,479 Speaker 1: to impeachment. But I'm not there yet. I don't think 410 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 1: the speakers here there yet, and I don't think most 411 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:19,720 Speaker 1: of the Democrats and Congress are there yet. But I'll 412 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:21,880 Speaker 1: tell you that President is working hard to get us there. 413 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 1: Interesting you see that that he's trying to bating people 414 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: because perhaps, in his estimation, starting impeachment proceedings works well 415 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: for him. You know, I think that, and this is 416 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,879 Speaker 1: just speculation obviously on my part, but I don't think 417 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: the President personally wants to be impeached. I think, um, 418 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: he doesn't want the stigma being one of the few 419 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 1: presidents in history to be impeached. I think there are 420 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,480 Speaker 1: people around him who want him to be impeached because 421 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 1: they feel politically it's advantageous that if this is all 422 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,080 Speaker 1: about impeachment, then they have a chance to win. If 423 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:57,439 Speaker 1: this is actually about anything policy wise, then they're on 424 00:24:57,520 --> 00:24:59,720 Speaker 1: losing ground because of course they've done nothing but a 425 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: and this tax cut h and our deficits of just 426 00:25:04,119 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: mushroomed and working people have been made no better through it. 427 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 1: So they don't have much to run on. But if 428 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: they can run against impeachment, I think some of the 429 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,320 Speaker 1: Bannon oriented people probably think it's a pretty good idea. 430 00:25:16,640 --> 00:25:18,679 Speaker 1: I'm even more neurotic. I mean, I'm not that you 431 00:25:18,720 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 1: are neurotic. I am neurotic about this. I thought that 432 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:25,280 Speaker 1: their strategy was the Republicans would kind of back off 433 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:29,920 Speaker 1: on their rhetoric until after they've crossed the halfway mark, 434 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:34,680 Speaker 1: so that Pence was then LBJ. The Pence was entitled 435 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: to ten years in office. See we get the remainder 436 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,600 Speaker 1: of Trump's term and two full terms of his own. 437 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: You really are dark. I thought that was the strategy, 438 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: give Mike Pence ten years in office. But when that wave, 439 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: that remarkable wave in the last election, the Democratic take 440 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 1: over the House, do you feel that that engine is 441 00:25:57,880 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: a lot of times you win the first set and 442 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:02,359 Speaker 1: as six out and then you lose the second one 443 00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:04,159 Speaker 1: goes all your chi goes out of you. You know, 444 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: are the are the Democratic the D Triple C and 445 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:09,720 Speaker 1: all of their minions. Are they still on the balls 446 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: of their feet raising money for the next h Yeah? 447 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 1: I know the fundraising is going really well. I mean 448 00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: it's obviously a constant effort, but it's going very well. Um. 449 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 1: I remember after that Puni inauguration, when we had that 450 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 1: massive Women's march, wondering whether the energy that we saw 451 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,240 Speaker 1: in that march that was followed by marches around the 452 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 1: country could possibly be sustained for the next two years, 453 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,160 Speaker 1: which is the marathon we were going to run until 454 00:26:37,160 --> 00:26:39,480 Speaker 1: the next chance to go vote. And the reality is 455 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: it just grew UM and people marched to the polls 456 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:47,359 Speaker 1: in the mid terms and it was an astonishing wave 457 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:49,800 Speaker 1: of an election that wiped out the Republican majority in 458 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:55,399 Speaker 1: the House. Mitch McConnell's political model is based on fewer 459 00:26:55,440 --> 00:27:00,280 Speaker 1: people voting. UM. If he can't deprive people of the vote, 460 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,480 Speaker 1: he knows he loses his majority, he loses his position. 461 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:09,640 Speaker 1: The whole business model, because they're relying on a disappearing demographic, 462 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 1: is discouraging people from voting. UH. And our mission ought 463 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: to be expanding democracy, expanding the franchise, making sure everyone 464 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,800 Speaker 1: who is legally eligible to participate gets to participate. People 465 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 1: who do their time get their franchise restored back to them. 466 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: People aren't discriminated against based on the color of their 467 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: skin or that they're working people. And we end this 468 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:37,360 Speaker 1: practice of closing down polling stations and urban areas because 469 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 1: urban working poor can't go out to the suburbs to 470 00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 1: vote somewhere. Um, that is anti democratic. And I think 471 00:27:46,760 --> 00:27:49,800 Speaker 1: our first act in the new majority with a new 472 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: president ought to be getting rid of the jerryman or 473 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: getting rid of these voters disenfranchiset. You know, my district 474 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: is actually unjerrymandered because we have a commission in California 475 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,920 Speaker 1: that does in an independent commission, which every state ought 476 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:10,280 Speaker 1: to have. No. No, the the Russian infiltration of the 477 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: US political system, is it still going to be a problem. 478 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 1: In It's still gonna be a problem. You know, the 479 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 1: Russians have never stopped interfering with us on social media, 480 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: trying to divide the country. You know, those efforts began Ineen. 481 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 1: They continue through the Trump election with a special tilt 482 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: in favor of Trump and against Clinton. But they've continued since. 483 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:36,879 Speaker 1: And the most profound concern I're frankly going into is 484 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 1: something I worried about in as we were watching on 485 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: the Intelligence Committee the Russians releasing these hacked documents in 486 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,480 Speaker 1: real time. I was most concerned that they were going 487 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: to start releasing forged documents among the real ones. A 488 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:54,440 Speaker 1: forged Clinton emails suggesting that Clinton workers were engaged in 489 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 1: the illegality, and there would have been no way to 490 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 1: prove disprove that in the weeks running up to the election. Today, 491 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: because of the development of a technology called deep fake, 492 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:07,440 Speaker 1: technology that allows you to produce utterly convincing fake video 493 00:29:07,520 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: or fake audio exactly. Um, I'm deeply concerned that the 494 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: Russians are going to push out a video Joe Biden 495 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 1: saying something he never said, or videos of Mayor Pete 496 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: or Elizabeth warrener Bertie Sanders or anybody else, or just videos, 497 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 1: um showing police violence on communities of color, which we 498 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,560 Speaker 1: have enough of that are authentic, but doing what they 499 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,680 Speaker 1: did in ten but doing it to much greater effect 500 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: because now they have these visual tools and they can 501 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 1: insert these into the social media ecosystem, making it difficult 502 00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:48,840 Speaker 1: to attribute the Russian hand. Um. The power to divide 503 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 1: us is now amplified by this new technology, the power 504 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 1: to massively disrupt an election. You can imagine if there 505 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: was a video that emerged of the Democratic nominee three 506 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 1: weeks before the election saying something racist or misogynist, or criminal, 507 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:06,680 Speaker 1: or or simply disparaging of the voters in a key 508 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: swing state, and this, this doctored video of Nancy Pelosi 509 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,880 Speaker 1: recently gave us a good trial run. And here you 510 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,160 Speaker 1: have the present pushing that video out on the social media, 511 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,920 Speaker 1: and it's still up on his social media. Uh. You 512 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: have the president denying the access Hollywood tape, which is real, 513 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: pushing out tapes that he knows are doctored. And this 514 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: is you know what we have one of our experts 515 00:30:28,960 --> 00:30:31,440 Speaker 1: before a committee last week testify about. This is what's 516 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: called the liars dividend, where someone who traffics and untruths 517 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: has a great advantage in environment which people can't tell 518 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: what's true anymore. Do you think somebody's gonna shot beating him? Oh? Absolutely, 519 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 1: And people should not be discouraged about the opportunity to 520 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 1: defeat Donald Trump. He should be defeated. He has historically 521 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: low support among the American people. He has never expanded 522 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: his base of support, he's never bothered to even try so. 523 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: He is eminently beat able. Now be easy, and we 524 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:05,000 Speaker 1: we underestimated him once at our peril um. In terms 525 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: of the role of the prior presidence, they do have 526 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:09,640 Speaker 1: a role to play, but I think they also recognize 527 00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:12,640 Speaker 1: they can't be the future of the party, and so 528 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: if they're two out there, then they throw shade on 529 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: everybody else. And and so I think they try to 530 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 1: pick their battles where they can be helpful. Um. I 531 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: still believe that our best days are ahead of us, 532 00:31:24,720 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: that when this president is gone, the next president can 533 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,000 Speaker 1: quickly mitigate much of the damage that has been done, 534 00:31:30,640 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: can restore our standing in the rest of the world. 535 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,560 Speaker 1: There are bright days ahead of us, and they're hard 536 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 1: to see when you're in the midst of turmoil. You know, 537 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:44,080 Speaker 1: I found unlikely inspiration in watching Ken Burns Vietnam documentary, 538 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: because you see how deeply divided we were in Vietnam. 539 00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: They were police shooting students on campuses and bombs going 540 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:53,920 Speaker 1: off in cities, uh, and horrendous loss of life in Vietnam, 541 00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:57,760 Speaker 1: And that was a far more divisive and far more 542 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: deadly period of time for country. Biden said that I was, 543 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: I was, I was hosting the RFK Human Rights Center Awards. 544 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:08,520 Speaker 1: It was like a week or two after the election 545 00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: in November here in New York, huge gang of all 546 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:14,640 Speaker 1: the old grade Kennedy liberals. You know, we're there, and 547 00:32:14,840 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: and Biden gets up there in two thousands sixteen, and 548 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:18,680 Speaker 1: he says, you think this is the worst time for 549 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:20,719 Speaker 1: this country. So this isn't the worst time for this country. 550 00:32:20,840 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 1: And he points the picture goes nine and that was 551 00:32:23,240 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: the worst time for this country. You know, Kennedy has killed, 552 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: King has killed Nixon pulls the stake out of his 553 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:30,440 Speaker 1: heart and gets out of the coffin and becomes the 554 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:35,400 Speaker 1: president United States. Chicago, all that kind of stiff. He said, 555 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:37,880 Speaker 1: sixty eight, that was a bad year. But also I'll 556 00:32:37,880 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: never forget. Clinton said to me just weeks prior, I 557 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 1: was on my way to des Moine to be the 558 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:48,480 Speaker 1: keynote speaker for the for the Iowa Democratic Convention, and 559 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,280 Speaker 1: he I said, you have any tips me? And he said, 560 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:53,040 Speaker 1: you tell those people down there that that if they 561 00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:57,000 Speaker 1: think impeachment is their hope, if they're putting all their 562 00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 1: money on impeachment, if that's their hope about how to 563 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 1: change the actions country, and they're mistaken. They got to 564 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,280 Speaker 1: get their act together. They've got to rebuild the party, 565 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:06,080 Speaker 1: they've got to raise the money, and they gotta vote 566 00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 1: this guy out of office. In two thousand twenty, he said, 567 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 1: don't put your money on impeachment. I think what people 568 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: really hunger for is uh certainly within the Democratic Party 569 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: for the Democrats to be just as tough as nails 570 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 1: with this guy, to make the most powerful, profound statement 571 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:29,240 Speaker 1: about just how disgusting and unfit for office his conduct 572 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:33,360 Speaker 1: has has made him. UM. And people look to impeachment 573 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: as the most powerful form of censure, and believe me, 574 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:39,719 Speaker 1: that resonates with me. There are a few people, I 575 00:33:39,760 --> 00:33:43,840 Speaker 1: think who feel as passionately as I do about his 576 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 1: unfitness for office. Um. At the same time, I think 577 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 1: we have to be very disciplined and decide, notwithstanding you know, 578 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 1: those uh, overwhelming feelings, Um, is this the right thing 579 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:58,239 Speaker 1: for the country? Is this the right thing for us 580 00:33:58,280 --> 00:34:00,880 Speaker 1: to do? So there is that younger for the most 581 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:03,440 Speaker 1: profound form of censure. And you know, one of the 582 00:34:03,480 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 1: things that Professor Tribe and others are exploring with us 583 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:12,160 Speaker 1: is is there a way of using impeachment to censure 584 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:15,960 Speaker 1: in a way that doesn't require a vote in the 585 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:20,319 Speaker 1: Senate so there is no subsequent acquittal. Uh. And I 586 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:23,080 Speaker 1: think we continue to keep our mind open about the 587 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:27,120 Speaker 1: possibilities as we do our work. UM. But but we 588 00:34:27,200 --> 00:34:29,320 Speaker 1: have to do our work, and I think there's nothing 589 00:34:29,360 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 1: that this President would like more than to be able 590 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:34,960 Speaker 1: to say, um, after an acquittal in the Senate, I 591 00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:39,480 Speaker 1: was vindicated yet again. The reason we have no better 592 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:42,800 Speaker 1: running healthcare system than the reason we have no reform 593 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:45,120 Speaker 1: of prescription drugs and no infrastructure build and all the 594 00:34:45,120 --> 00:34:48,160 Speaker 1: rest of this is because Democrats chose to impeach me 595 00:34:48,200 --> 00:34:50,280 Speaker 1: instead of working together on this. He would love to 596 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: to make that argument. Um, we don't want to give 597 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 1: um any thought to anything other than you know what's 598 00:34:58,239 --> 00:34:59,959 Speaker 1: the best thing for the country, and let the chips 599 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,400 Speaker 1: while where they may, and if that ultimately leads us 600 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 1: to impeachment, then we impeach. But if it doesn't, then 601 00:35:04,560 --> 00:35:09,040 Speaker 1: we keep our focus on our legislative agenda and also 602 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:11,319 Speaker 1: exposing the wrongdoing of the presence of the American people 603 00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: know exactly what kind of president they have. That was 604 00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: Congressman Adam Schiff from the District of California. This is 605 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:29,759 Speaker 1: Alec Baldwin, and you're listening to here's the thing, m