Original Broadcaster Captioning (Enhanced). Treat it as a searchable index of what was broadcast, not a quotation record.
00:00:54ELECTIONS. HE DELIVERED THE ADDRESS AND TOOK QUESTIONS AT THE NATIONAL
00:00:58ASSOCIATION OF BLACK
00:01:03JOURNALISTS' CONVENTION IN ATLANTA.
00:01:05♪
00:01:11>> ALL RIGHT, NOW, DO YOU WANT
00:01:14TO GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR
00:01:17KNICKS REFERENCES OUT OF THE WAY
00:01:20BEFORE WE GET STARTED?
00:01:23ALL YOU GET IT OUT OF YOUR
00:01:25SYSTEM BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
00:01:27>> I WANT YOUR BLUE SKIES.
00:01:31>> THIS ALL OF A SUDDEN CAN ASK QUESTIONS ONLINE.
00:01:33LOOK FOR YOUR PROMPT TO DO SO ON
00:01:36THE APP. AT THE NEWS WAKER PLENARY EVENT.
00:01:40OK?
00:01:42LEADER JEFFIES, LET'S GET STARTED.
00:01:45WE'RE ABOUT 82 DAYS FROM THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS WHICH IS GOING
00:01:49TO DECIDE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS CONGRESS BUT TODAY YOU'RE HERE
00:01:53WITH US IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA IN A
00:01:56ROOMFUL OF BLACK JOURNALISTS.
00:01:57WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO EVERYONE
00:02:00AT THIS MOMENT? >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE AND
00:02:04THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.
00:02:05THIS IS A MOMENT OF PERIL BUT A
00:02:11MEET WHEN I THINK THE PRESS
00:02:14OVERALL AND I THINK THE BLACK PRESS IS NEEDED.
00:02:18YOUR INDEPENDENCE, YOUR VOICE,
00:02:21YOUR AUTHENTICITY AND THE CONNECTION, TO THE COMMUNITIES
00:02:24THAT YOU COVER AS WELL AS TO THE COUNTRY. OUR JOURNEY AS FOREST, OF
00:02:27COURSE, HAS BEEN A FREEDOM STRUGGLE FROM THE VERY BEGINNING
00:02:30AND WE'VE BEEN ON A LONG WALK TOWARD FREEDOM WITH FITS AND
00:02:33STARTS WITH, PROGRESS AND BACKLASH THAT HAS BEEN THE
00:02:36REALITY OF OUR WALK OVER THE
00:02:38LAST 250 YEARS BUT EVERY STEP OF
00:02:41THE WAY THE BLACK PRESS IN
00:02:45COVERING THAT JOURNEY
00:02:48AUTHENTICALLY HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT PART OF MAKING SURE
00:02:51THAT TRUTH IS BEING SPOKEN TO
00:02:53POWER AND WE NEED TRUTH SPOKEN
00:02:55TO POWER NOW MORE THAN EVER. >> YEAH, AND WHAT DO YOU SEE THE
00:02:59ROLE OF BLACK JOURNALISTS IN
00:03:02DOING THAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TRUTH BEING UNDER ATTACK AND
00:03:06UNDER THREAT FROM THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF OUR GOVERNMENT?
00:03:10>> IN MY VIEW, WE'RE DEALING
00:03:12WITH THREE DIABOLICAL ELEMENTS.
00:03:15FACTS DON'T MATTER.
00:03:18HYPOCRISY IS NOT A CONSTRAINT TO
00:03:22THEIR BEHAVIOR THESE EXTREMISTS WILL SAY ONE THING AND DO THE
00:03:26OPPOSITE AND I'M CONVINCED THEY BELIEVE THAT SHAMELESSNESS IS A
00:03:30SUPERPOWER SO WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH THAT KIND OF
00:03:33ADVERSARY OR AT LEAST THAT KIND
00:03:35OF ENTITY, THE TRUMP CARTEL SITTING IN THE WHITE HOUSE,
00:03:39HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND, THEN
00:03:44BEING UNAFRAID IN TERMS OF SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER IN THAT
00:03:47REGARD IS GOING TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
00:03:51I THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AREN'T BUYING WHAT THEY'RE
00:03:54SELLING BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN HISTORIC DISAPPROVAL ACROSS
00:03:58ALMOST EVERY MEASURE, RIGHT? THAT'S GENERAL DISAPPROVAL,
00:04:02THAT'S THE ECONOMY, CERTAINLY THAT'S HEALTH CARE.
00:04:05EVEN IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND
00:04:08CERTAINLY THIS RECKLESS AND COSTLY WAR OF CHOICE IN IRAN.
00:04:11>> YEAH, I WANT TO GO BACK IN TIME A LITTLE BIT.
00:04:14WHEN YOU CAME TOO THE CONGRESS IN TWITTER, JOHN BOEHNER WAS THE
00:04:18HOUSE SPEAKER. NANCY PELOSI WAS IN YOUR
00:04:22POSITION NOW AS MINORITY LEADER AND YOU WERE 44 YEARS OLD.
00:04:25A LOT OF PEOPLE SO YOU YOU AS A
00:04:28FIRE BRAND COMING IN --
00:04:31>> I THINK I WAS 42, BUT --
00:04:36>> FACT CHECKING.
00:04:38DO YOU RECOGNIZE HAS BEEN WHAT
00:04:41CAN THE PROGRESSIVE WING OF YOUR
00:04:43PARTY IS FIGHTING FOR NOW?
00:04:45>> YEAH, I DO THINK WE'RE IN AN
00:04:47IMPORTANT MOMENT OF GENERATIONAL CHANGE AND I GIVE A LOT OF
00:04:50CREDIT TO SPEAKER PELOSI, THEN
00:04:54MAJORITY CHIP, CLYBURN MAJORITY
00:04:59LEADER.
00:04:59WHO IN 2022 DECIDED THAT THEY
00:05:03WERE GOING TO VOLUNTARILY PASS THE BATON TO THE NEXT GENERATION
00:05:07OF HOUSE DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE BOARD IN LEADERSHIP AND BEYOND.
00:05:10SO THAT'S THE TRANSITION THAT, OF COURSE IS, NECESSARILY
00:05:13UNDERWAY AND I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT ABOUT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES -- IT'S A
00:05:17SPECIAL INSTITUTION.
00:05:19IT'S THE INSTITUTION THAT THE
00:05:22FRAMERS WANTED TO BE THE CLOSESTED TO AMERICAN PEOPLE.
00:05:26REFLECT THE HOST OF DREAMS,AS
00:05:28RATIONS, FEARS, CONCERNS, ANXIETY, THE LIFE EXPERIENCES
00:05:31AND PASSIONINGS OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
00:05:35I THINK IT WAS MADISON WHO SAID
00:05:36THE HOUSE SHOULD BE IN INTIMATE
00:05:39SYMPATHY AT ITS BEST WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN,
00:05:43I THINK TRANSITION, CHANGE,
00:05:46RENEWAL WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY AND
00:05:50THAT ENERGY IS BEING BROUGHT TO
00:05:52THE HOUSE IN A VARIETY OF WAYS
00:05:55INCLUDING FROM OUR PROGRESSIVE MEMBERS.
00:05:59>> I THINK WE CAN SEE THAT WITH THESE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
00:06:03DSA WITH SEVERAL
00:06:07CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT HEADED INTO THESE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
00:06:10YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT ENERGY,
00:06:12DOES THAT REPRESENT SOME OF THE CHANGE YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT?
00:06:16>> YES, I THINK WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN TERMS OF WHAT THE
00:06:19CAUCUS LOOKS LIKE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
00:06:23CERTAINLY OUR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS MAKING SURE THAT WE WIN AS MANY
00:06:26SEATS AS WE CAN IN NOVEMBER,
00:06:28FLIP AS MANY RED SEATS BLUE AND
00:06:31TAKE THE GAVELS BACK SO WE CAN
00:06:35ACTUALLY FUNCTION LIKE A CHECK AND BALANCE ON AN OUT OF CONTROL
00:06:38ADMINISTRATION AS OPPOSED TO WHAT REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN DOING
00:06:41WHICH IS A RECKLESS RUBBER STAMP
00:06:45FOR DONALD TRUMP'S EXTREME AGENDA.
00:06:48IT WAS INTERESTING -- KING
00:06:50CHARLES, WHEN WE CAME TOE CONGRESS, JOINT ADDRESS TO THE
00:06:54HOUSE AND TO THE SENATE, STOOD
00:06:56THERE AS A KING AND REFERENCED
00:06:58THE MAGNA CARTA AS THE PRINCIPLE
00:07:00AND FOUNDATION FOR THE NOTION IN
00:07:04AMERICA THAT EXECUTIVE POWER IS SUBJECT TO CHECKS AND BALANCES
00:07:08AND, OF COURSE, WHEN HE SAID THAT, EVERYBODY ON THE HOUSE
00:07:12SIDE, THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OF THE
00:07:14HOUSE STOOD UP AND GAVE HIM
00:07:18ROUSING OVATION BUT THEN I
00:07:24LOOKED TO THE REPUBLICAN SIDE AND THEY STOOD UP AND GAVE HIM A
00:07:27STANDING OVATION AND I WAS VERY CONFUSED, Y'ALL.
00:07:31BECAUSE KING CHARLES WAS TALKING
00:07:33ABOUT THEM AND THEIR FAILURE TO
00:07:36ACTUALLY BRING TO LIFE THIS PRINCIPLE.
00:07:38SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT THAT
00:07:40WILL CONNECT ALL HOUSE
00:07:43DEMOCRATS, WHETHER THEY'RE NEW
00:07:45DEMS, PROGRESSIVES OR NEW DOGS.
00:07:48BUT EVERYBODY IS FOCUSED ON THE FACT THAT LIFE IS TOO EXPENSIVE
00:07:52IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. FOR FAR STOPPLE PEOPLE,
00:07:55CERTAINLY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITIES, WHO ARE WORKING HARD, THEY'RE PLAYING BUT THE
00:08:00RULES BUT THEY CAN'T THRIVE AND THEY CAN BARELY SURVIVE.
00:08:03AND THAT'S GOT TO CHANGE.
00:08:05SO WE HAVE TO MAKE LIFE MORE
00:08:08AMPEDDABLE, MORE COMFORTABLE FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THAT'S
00:08:11WHAT UNITES EVERY PART OF THE HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
00:08:14>> I WANT TO ASK ABOUT AID FOR ISRAEL BECAUSE THAT MAY BE ONE
00:08:18OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS ISSUES
00:08:21IN YOUR CAUCUS.
00:08:22MANY MEMBERS, INCLUDING YOU,
00:08:25HAVE SAID THEY WANT THAT AID TO COME WITH CONDITIONS.
00:08:29WHAT DO YOU SAY TO OTHERS WHO WANT TO CUT THAT AID OFF
00:08:33COMPLETELY? >> THAT'S CERTAINLY A CONVERSATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO
00:08:36HAVE ABOUT WHAT'S THE ROAR APPROPRIATE WAY TO BRING TO LIFE
00:08:40I THINK SOME PRINCIPLE THAT IS
00:08:42PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE WITHIN THE
00:08:45DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS AND I THINK AMERICA THE BELIEVES IN.
00:08:49ONE, WE BELIEVE IN A SAFE AND
00:08:51SECURE ISRAEL OR ISRAEL'S RIGHT
00:08:53TOE EXIST AS A JEWISH AND DEMOCRATIC STATE.
00:08:56WE ALSO BELIEVE IN AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN STATE
00:08:59THAT FOR FAR TOO LONG HAS BEEN
00:09:02DENIED AND THAT COULD BE ABLE TO
00:09:08PROVIDE DIGNITY FOR THE
00:09:11PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND HOW DO YOU BRING THOSE TWO PRINCIPLES
00:09:14TO LIFE IN A PART OF THE WORLD THAT HAS BEEN CONTESTED FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS?
00:09:18AND I THINK WHAT IS CLEAR IN
00:09:20TERMS OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
00:09:22IS THAT, ONE, YOU'VE GOT TO RECONSTRUCT GAZA.
00:09:25YOU'VE GOT SO ALLOW NEW
00:09:28PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP TO EMERGE. HAMAS HAS GOT TO BE OUT.
00:09:32YOU HAVE TO FIRE OUT HOW YOU CAN
00:09:36ECONOMICALLY INVEST IN GAZA AND
00:09:37THE WEST BANK THIS WAY THAT IS ALLOW THE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITY
00:09:41TO THRIVE ON A PATHWAY TOWARD AN
00:09:45INDEPENDENCE STATE AND THEN YOU
00:09:46HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE
00:09:49SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BREAKING THE LAW, U.S. LAW, ARE
00:09:52HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND CERTAINLY
00:09:55THAT'S THE CASE WITH RESPECT TO SETTLING THE VIOLENCE IN THE
00:09:59WEST BANK THAT'S OUT OF CONTROL.
00:10:01>> THE DSA IS PUSHING A LOT OF
00:10:04THESE PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES AND MANY OF THEM ARE LOUD ABOUT
00:10:07GETTING BIG MONEY OUT OF POLITICS. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT PUSH?
00:10:11WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT?
00:10:13>> IC WE HAVE TO END CITIZENS UNITED AND ONE OF THE THINGS --
00:10:17THERE'S BEEN A SERIES OF SUPREME
00:10:20COURT DECISIONS THAT HAVE ERODED
00:10:22DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA.
00:10:27ENDING CITIZENS UNITED WAS PERHAPS THE FIRST.
00:10:29THAT CAME IN 2010 THEN IN 2013
00:10:32YOU HAD THE SUPREME COURT AND
00:10:34THE SHELBY COUNTY CASE DECIMATE
00:10:38SECTION 5. THAT WAS THE INITIAL ATTACK ON
00:10:40THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. DECIMATE SECTION 45 OF THE
00:10:44VOTING RIGHTS ACT AND THEN A FEW
00:10:46YEARS AFTER THAT YOU HAD THE
00:10:48SUPREME COURT DECLARE THAT
00:10:51PARTISAN GERRYMANDERING IS ALL
00:10:54FAIR IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING TO PROHIBIT
00:10:58IT IN THE CONSTITUTION AND THEN
00:11:00YOU HAD, I THINK, THE FINAL
00:11:02DEVASTATING TWO DECISIONS. MOST RECENTLY BY THE SUPREME
00:11:06COURT, WHICH IS ONE, OF COURSE, COMPLETELY GUTTING THE VOTING
00:11:10RIGHT ACT OF 1965 IN THE MOST
00:11:15RECENT CALAIS DECISION AND THEN
00:11:17THE DECISION I THINK HAS
00:11:20UNLEASHED THIS UNPRECEDENTED
00:11:21CORRUPTION ON THE COUNTRY IS IN THE TRUMP V. UNITED STATES CASE
00:11:25WHERE THEY GAVE THE PRESIDENT
00:11:28BASICALLY COMPLETE IMMUNITY AS IF HE WAS A KING.
00:11:31SO YOU HAVE A SERIES OF SYSTEMIC DECISIONS OVER THE LAST 15-PLUS
00:11:35YEARS THAT HAVE REALLY DECIMATED
00:11:38SORTS OF OUR DEMOCRATIC FABRIC
00:11:43AND WE HAVE TO UNRAVEL ALL OF IT
00:11:45BUT CITIZENS UNITED, I THINK WAS
00:11:48THE FIRST AND WE SUPPORT FULL
00:11:52REPEAL WHICH MEANS EITHER A
00:11:54CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OR A CHANGE IN THE SUPREME COURT. I THINK WE'RE OPEN TO
00:11:58PROGRESSIVELY PURSUING BOTH. >> FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE
00:12:01COME IN, PLEASE, YOU CAN ASK
00:12:05QUESTIONS AND SUBMIT YOUR
00:12:07QUESTIONS BY USING THE APP.
00:12:09YOU CAN GO UNDER NEWSMAKER
00:12:12PLENARY AND YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS.
00:12:15KEEP THOSE COMING AND WE'LL TRY TO GET TO SOME OF THOSE IN A
00:12:19BUILD. LEADER JEFFRIES, EVEN IF YOUR
00:12:22PARTY WINS BACK THE HOUSE IN
00:12:25NOVEMBER, THAT WON'T CHANGE THE PARTY.
00:12:28PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL STILL BE IN OFFICE.
00:12:30YOU TALKED ABOUT SEEING THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY COMING TOGETHER
00:12:34ON THE OTHER SIDE OF NOVEMBER
00:12:36BUT DO YOU SEE POSSIBLY DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS BEING
00:12:39ABLE TO COME TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL
00:12:42FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, EVEN IN THIS NEW CLIMATE?
00:12:46>> I THINK WE HAVE TO TRY ANCHORED IN THE PREMISE THAT
00:12:50DONALD TRUMP HAS BROKEN EVERY SINGLE PROMISE THAT HE'S MADE TO
00:12:54THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, OF CONSEQUENCE. HE PROMISED TO LOWER COSTS ON
00:12:58DAY ONE. COSTS HAVEN'T GONE DOWN, COSTS
00:13:02HAVE GONE UP AS A DIRECT RESULT
00:13:04OF TRUMP'S POLICIES, INCLUDING
00:13:07HIS TARIFFS, PEOPLE IN OUR
00:13:09COMMUNITY AND BEYOND COSTS HAVE
00:13:12INCREASED BY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER YEAR.
00:13:14HE PROMISED THAT IMMIGRATION
00:13:17ENFORCEMENT WAS GOING TO TARGET THE WORST OF THE WORSE BUT
00:13:21IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT HAS
00:13:23BASICALLY UNLEASHED I.C. E.
00:13:29BRUTALITY ON AMERICAN CITIZENS
00:13:32LIKE ALEX PRETTI AND RENEE GOOD,
00:13:36IN THOSE INSTANCE KILLING THEM
00:13:38IN COLD BLOOD.
00:13:41VIOLATING IMMIGRANTS ACROSS THE
00:13:44COUNTRY. HE BROKE 245 PROMISE.
00:13:47HE PROMISED TO'S THE EPSTEIN FILES. BROKE THAT PROMISE.
00:13:51WE FORCED A VOTE ON THE ISSUE.
00:13:54ABOUT HALF THE FILES HAVE BEEN
00:13:57RELEASED, THE OTHER HALF STILL
00:13:58BEING SUBJECTED TO A COVER-UP BY
00:14:02THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. DONALD TRUMP PROMISE 9 TO LOVE
00:14:05AND CHERISH MEDICAID THEN
00:14:07ENACTED THE LARGEST CUT TO
00:14:11MEDICAID IN AMERICAN HISTORY,
00:14:14COSTING ABOUT 14 MILLION
00:14:16AMERICANS THEIR HEALTH CARE AND
00:14:19DEVASTATING HOSPITALS IN OUR
00:14:22COMMUNITIES, IN RURAL AREAS, THE HEARTLAND OF AMERICA AND ALL
00:14:26ACROSS AMERICA. AND LASTLY, THIS GUY PROMISED HE
00:14:29WAS IN OFFICE NOT TO START ENDLESS WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
00:14:33BUT TO START THEM AND THEN TURNED AROUND AND GOT US
00:14:36INVOLVED IN THE RECKLESS WAR OF
00:14:38CHOICE IN IRAN.
00:14:40SO HE'S BROKEN EVERY PROMISE HE'S MADE.
00:14:43DOWN THE STRETCH WE'VE MADE CLEAR TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
00:14:46WE'RE FIGHTING FOR AN AFFORDABLE AMERICA AND WE'VE SAID THAT
00:14:50LOOKS LIKE THREE DIFFERENT THINGS. ON COST, CARE AND CORRUPTION.
00:14:54ON COST, WE HAVE TO LOWER THE
00:14:55COST OF GROCERIES, GASOLINE,
00:14:59HOUSING BECAUSE LIFE IS FAR TOO EXPENSIVE.
00:15:03ON HEALTH CARE WEEKS THIS IS THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.
00:15:06WE HAVE TO MAKE HEALTH CARE AFFORDABLE FOR EVERY SINGLE
00:15:09AMERICAN AND THAT'S OUR COMMITMENT. WE VERSE THE DAMAGE THAT'S BEEN
00:15:13DONE AND THEN BUILD SOMETHING BETTER AND THEN ON CORRUPTION,
00:15:17OUR VIEW THAT BE -- I DON'T KNOW
00:15:19THAT WE'LL GET PARTNERSHIP ON
00:15:22CORRUPTION BUT WE'LL TIE AND SEE
00:15:25SOME COMMON SENSE REPUBLICANS, THE FEW THAT ARE LEFT IN
00:15:28WASHINGTON, TO WORK WITH US ON
00:15:30COSTS AND HEALTH CARE BUT ON
00:15:32CORRUPTION WE'VE SAID IF YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN OFFICE WHO ARE
00:15:36FOCUSED PRIMARILY IN ENRICHING THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES,
00:15:39THEIR FRIENDS AND THEIR DONORS
00:15:42THEN THEY'RE NOT FOCUSED ON
00:15:45MAKING LIFE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR
00:15:47THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SO BEGINNING
00:15:49ON DAY ONE-YEAR GOING TO HOLD
00:15:51THE CROOKS ACCOUNTABLE. THESE ARE THE EXPLICIT PROMISES
00:15:54THAT WE'RE MAKING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO BRING
00:15:58THAT ABOUT AND IF WE'RE IN A
00:16:02DIVIDE DIVIDE GOVERNMENT SCENARIO, WE CAN DO THE
00:16:06ACCOUNTSABILITIES STUFFER ON OUR
00:16:07OWN WITH GAVELS AND SUBPOENA
00:16:11POWER BUT IN TERMS OF MOVING LEGISLATION WE'LL NEED A
00:16:15HANDSFUL OF REPUBLICANS TO JOIN US.
00:16:17WE HAVE FORCED REPUBLICANS TO JOIN US IN THE HOUSE ON A
00:16:21VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ISSUES, ENCLOUDING EXTENDING THE
00:16:24AFFORDABLE CARE TAX CREDITS FOR THREE YEARS ON OUR TERMS.
00:16:27FORCED THAT VOTE AND WON THAT VOTE IN JANUARY.
00:16:31I THINK WITH THE MAJORITY, WE'LL HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO MORE.
00:16:35>> I WANT TO BACK UP BEFORE DAY ONE AND THINK ABOUT THE OTHER
00:16:38SIDE OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.
00:16:41IN 2020 WHEN YOU WERE ABLE TO
00:16:44REGAIN CONTROL, THERE WAS AN INVECTION AT THE U.S. CAPITOL.
00:16:47ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE
00:16:51BACKLASH AFTER THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS?
00:16:54>> WE'RE OPERATING UNDER THE PREMISE THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AND THAT
00:16:58REPUBLICANS HAVE DEVELOPED VOTER
00:16:59SUPPRESSION AS AN ELECTORAL
00:17:02STRATEGY AND THEY'RE GOING TO
00:17:04TRY TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO
00:17:07TRY TO RIG THE ELECTION IN THEIR FAVOR.
00:17:10WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THAT THROUGH
00:17:13THE JERRY DEMANDERING AND
00:17:16UNLEASHING JIM CROW-LIKE TACTICS IN THE SOUTH.
00:17:20WE'VE SEEN THAT NOW IN TENNESSEE, AND IN LOUISIANA AND IN ALABAMA.
00:17:24CERTAINLY IN ALABAMA -- IS
00:17:27RUNNING HARD AND I BELIEVE HE'S GOING TO HOLD THAT SEAT BUT
00:17:31MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY TO
00:17:35ELECT THE CANDIDATE OF THEIR CHOICE IN ALL THREE PLACES.
00:17:38CERTAINLY THAT'S THE CASE IN TENNESSEE AND IN LOUISIANA WITH
00:17:42CLEO FIELDS DECIDING NOT TO SEEK RE-ELECTION AS A RESULT OF WHAT
00:17:45HAS HAPPENED SO WE'RE OPERATING
00:17:49UNDER THE PREMISE THAT WE HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER THE LARGEST
00:17:53VOTER PROTECTION EFFORT IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY AND
00:17:56THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING. HOUSE DEMOCRATS, SENATE
00:17:59DEMOCRATS, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS
00:18:02ASSOCIATION, THE DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEY GENERALS ASSOCIATION,
00:18:04THE DEMOCRATIC SECRETARYINGS OF STATE ASSOCIATION AND THEN
00:18:08WORKING IN CONCERT REQUEST CIVIL
00:18:12SOCIETY, THE FAITH COMMUNITY, CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS, ORGANIZED
00:18:16LAKE AS WELL AS CIVIL LIBERTIES GROUPS AND GOOD GOVERNMENT GROUPS.
00:18:20IT WILL BE THE LARGEST VOTE PROTECTION EFFORT IN THE HISTORY
00:18:22OF THE COUNTRY. THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
00:18:26RIGHT TO VOTE IS FULLY
00:18:28VINDICATED AND THE PRESS'S ROLE
00:18:32IN EXPOSING THESE EFFORTS AND SCHEMES COMING FROM THE OTHER
00:18:36SIDE IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT SO
00:18:38THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE FULL VISIBILITY.
00:18:41THEY CAN'T DEFEND THEIR RECORD
00:18:44SO THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO ALTER
00:18:46THE LANDSCAPE ELECTORALLY AND WE
00:18:50CAN'T LET IT HAPPEN. >> SOME OF THE CONCERN I HEAR
00:18:52YOU VOICING, IS THAT BECAUSE IN
00:18:54PART YOU MAY BE WORRIED THAT THE PRESIDENT COULD DECLARE A
00:18:58NATIONAL EMERGENCY, AS HE HAS
00:19:00NOT RULED OUT DOING, AHEAD OF
00:19:03THE 2026 ELECTION?
00:19:05>> WE'VE ALWAYS VIEWED THIS AS A
00:19:09THREE-DIMENSIONAL BATTLE.
00:19:13AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL
00:19:17THREE. AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING ALL THREE AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUE AT THE
00:19:20HIGHEST LEVEL OF VIGILANCE IN THAT REGARD.
00:19:24LISTEN, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.
00:19:26I WAS THERE ON JANUARY 6.
00:19:29AND ON THE HOUSE FLOOR, AND I'LL
00:19:32NEVER FORGET THAT DAY AND IT'S A
00:19:35DAY THAT NO AMERICAN SHROUD EVER FORGET.
00:19:38IT WAS A VIOLENT INSURRECTION
00:19:43AND I WAS SEATED IN THE
00:19:46LEADERSHIP CHAIR AT THAT TIME
00:19:48AND I WAS THE NUMBER FIVE CHAIR
00:19:51ON THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS AT THAT
00:19:56TIME AND THERE WAS -- AND THE
00:20:04SERGEANT AT ARMS INTERRUPTS THE
00:20:05DEBATE AND SAYS THE MOB HAS
00:20:09BREACHED THE CAPITOL, THEY'RE ON THE SECOND FLOOR SO EVERYBODY
00:20:12NEEDS TO BE PREPARED TO HIT THE
00:20:15GROUND AND SECURE THE GAS MASKS THAT ARE UNDERNEATH YOUR SEATS.
00:20:19I GOT TO BE HONEST. I WAS IN CONGRESS AT THAT POINT
00:20:23A LITTLE OVER FOUR TERMS.
00:20:24I HAD NO IDEA THERE WERE GAS
00:20:27MASKS UNDER EACH AND EVERY SEAT. SO I SAID TO MYSELF, DAMN, THIS
00:20:31IS A SITUATION RIGHT NOW.
00:20:33AND, YOU KNOW, EVENTUALLY WE
00:20:36WERE ALL EVACUATED AND THEN
00:20:40OBVIOUSLY WE SAW WHAT UNFOLDED
00:20:43AND THIS WAS AN INTENTIONAL
00:20:46EFFORT TO HALT THE PEACEFUL
00:20:51TRANSFER OF POWER, NEVER BEFORE
00:20:54SEEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND IF
00:20:58IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE, AS THE
00:21:01GREAT JIM CLYBURN OFTEN SAYS, IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.
00:21:04SO WE'LL BE PREPARED.
00:21:07>> WHAT'S IF YOU DON'T --
00:21:11>> FAILURE NOT AN OPTION. AND LOOK, IF THE KNICKS JUST WON
00:21:15THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE ANYTIME 53 YEARS, A DEMOCRATIC COMEBACK
00:21:19CAN TAKE PLACE.
00:21:20>> I SET MYSELF UP FOR THAT ONE.
00:21:27SO YOU'VE PROGRESSIINGS THEY WANT LEADERSHIP.
00:21:30DEMOCRATIC VOTERS HAVE SAYING THEY WANT A FIGHTER. HOW DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'VE
00:21:34EARNED THEIR SUPPORT? >> I'VE BEEN PROUD OF THE EFFORT
00:21:37THAT'S BEEN UNDERWAY BY HOUSE DEMOCRATS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING BUT IT'S NOT BEEN
00:21:41EASY. IT'S BEEN TOUGH BECAUSE THE
00:21:44MOMENT IS TOUCH FOR THE AMERICAN
00:21:46PEOPLE AND WHAT I THINK WE'VE
00:21:51TALKED ABOUT AS HOUSE DEMOCRATS IS WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO
00:21:55STRETCH. WE'RE IN A MORE IS MORE
00:21:58ENVIRONMENTS AND BECAUSE OF THE
00:22:00UNPRECEDENTED EXTREMISM BEING
00:22:03UNLEASHED ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WE HAVE TO BE IN A POSITION TO
00:22:05DO MORE AND DO MORE DIFFERENTLY
00:22:08AND CREATIVELY AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO.
00:22:12IT'S BOTH STOPPING THE EXTREMISM
00:22:15WHENEVER AND WHEREVER POSSIBLE FROM BEING UNLEASHED ON THE
00:22:18AMERICAN PEOPLE AND ARTICULATING
00:22:21A FORWARD VISION OR FOR WHAT WE
00:22:23BELIEVE NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THIS COUNTRY.
00:22:26FIGHTING FOR AN AFFORDABLE AMERICA, HOLDING THE CROOKS
00:22:30ACCOUNTABLE.
00:22:32AFFORDABILITY, HEALTH CARE COST, CORRUPTION.
00:22:36I THINK AFTER THE 2020 ELECTION
00:22:40THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE,
00:22:43INCLUDING THE DEMOCRATS ASKING
00:22:45HAS THE PARTY FORGOT ON THE WIN? THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AND NOW WE
00:22:49ALL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE
00:22:51FALLOUT OF HIM COMING BACK INTO
00:22:54OFFICE.
00:22:59CHANGE WE'VE SHOWN COLLECTIVELY
00:23:02IS THAT WE'VE WON EVERY
00:23:05MEANINGFUL ELECTION UP AND DOWN THE BALLOT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
00:23:07AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AT THE CITY LEVEL, AT THE COUNTY LEVEL AND
00:23:11CERTAINLY AT THE STATE LEVEL.
00:23:15I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING LIKE
00:23:17341 LEGISLATIVE SEATS THAT HAVE CHANGED HANDS OVER THE LAST 18
00:23:22MONTHS. ALL 31 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN WON BY DEMOCRATS.
00:23:26REPUBLICANS HAVEN'T FLIPPED A
00:23:27SINGLE SEAT AND WE'VE SEEN
00:23:31MOVEMENTS EMERGE AND DIFFERENT
00:23:33TYPES OF CANDIDATES GET ELECTED
00:23:36IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PROP
00:23:4050. ACROSS THE BOARD.
00:23:43I DO THINK WE'VE TURNED THE
00:23:49CORNER BUT WE HAVE TO FINISH THE JOB.
00:23:52AND FINISHING THE JOB IS NOT THE NOVEMBER MIDTERM ELECTIONS.
00:23:55THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE END, THAT'S NOT THE END.
00:24:00WE CAN CUT HIS PRESIDENCY LEGISLATIVELY IN HALF BY WINNING
00:24:04THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS AND THAT'S
00:24:07INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT BUT THREATEN WE HAVE TO TURN THIS SITUATION AROUND.
00:24:10AND THIS IS NOT ALL POLITICAL.
00:24:12WE ARE IN A BACKLASH MOMENT AND
00:24:15THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE
00:24:16BEEN ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THAT
00:24:20BACKLASH, AS HAVE MANY IN OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS THE COUNTRY BUT
00:24:23WE'RE IN A BACKLASH MOMENT IN AMERICA AND WE'VE SEEN FROM THE
00:24:27VERY BEGINNING OF OUR JOURNEY, WHENEVER PROGRESS IS MADE IN
00:24:31THIS COUNTRY, IT OFTEN TRIGGERS
00:24:35A BACKLASH. AND WE HAD THE PROGRESS OF
00:24:38EMANCIPATION, THE PROGRESS OF
00:24:40RECONSTRUCTION AND THEN AFTER 13
00:24:43OR 14 YEARS, THAT PROGRESS IS
00:24:47SHORT CIRCUITED BY A BACKLASH AND THE RISE OF JIM ROW.
00:24:50THE RISE OF THE K KK.
00:24:53THE LYNCHING EPIDERMING.
00:24:57FLESHY VS. FERGUSON AND IT TAKES
00:24:59ALMOST 100 YEARS TO UNRAVEL THAT
00:25:02BACKLASH AND THEN THE NEW GENERATION EMERGES.
00:25:06CIVIL RIGHTS AND FOOT SOLDIERS
00:25:08TO USHER IN A NEW ERA OF
00:25:11PROGRESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR AMERICA THROUGH THE CIVIL
00:25:14RIGHTS LEGISLATION THAT WAS HISTORIC. VOTING RIGHTS ACT, CIVIL RIGHT
00:25:18ACT, FAIR HOUSING ACT.
00:25:21GREAT SOCIETY PROGRAMS THAT
00:25:24DR. KING AND OTHERS FOUGHT FOR. HEAD START.
00:25:28IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION ACT OF 1965, THINGS OF THAT
00:25:31NATURE BUT THEN THAT IMMEDIATELY
00:25:33IS FOLLOWED BY A BACKLASH WITH
00:25:36THE ELECTION OF RICHARD NIXON IN
00:25:391968, WHO RAN ON A PLATFORM OF
00:25:43CAPITALIZING ON THE DECIDE TO ALL THE PROGRESS THAT HAD JUST BEEN MADE.
00:25:46AND THEN IN HIS FIRST TERM
00:25:48DECLARES A WAR ON DRUGS WHICH IS
00:25:51A WAR ON US, AND WHEN HE
00:25:54DECLARES DRUG ABUSE PUBLIC ENEMY
00:25:57NUMBER ONE IN HIS FIRST TERM IN
00:26:00THE SUMMER OF 1971, THERE ARE
00:26:04LESS THAN 350,000 INCARCERATED IN AMERICA.
00:26:08TODAY AN 2.2 MILLION
00:26:12DISPROPORTIONATELY BLACK, LATINO
00:26:15OR LOW INCOME OF EVERY RACE.
00:26:17PROGRESS FOLLOWED BY BACKLASH.
00:26:20AND THEN YOU HAVE WHAT I BELIEVE WAS A THIRD MOMENT OF PROGRESS
00:26:24IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT'S THE
00:26:27ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA. HISTORIC ELECTION.
00:26:30INCREDIBLE THING FOR US TO GO FROM THE OUTHOUSE TO THE WHITE
00:26:34HOUSE.
00:26:35AND OF COURSE IT REPRESENTED
00:26:39SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS AND SOME INCREDIBLE THINGS, INCLUDING THE
00:26:43AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WERE
00:26:45ACCOMPLISHED AND OUR CHILDRENNING WITH ABLE TO LOOK
00:26:49AT A PRESIDENT OBAMA, A FIRST
00:26:51LADY MICHELLE OBAMA, THEIR
00:26:54ELOQUENCE, THEIR BRILLIANCE, THEIR CLASS, THEIR CHARACTER AND
00:26:57OF COURSE THEIR CHILDREN AND
00:27:03GRANDMA ALL BEING UP IN THE WHITE HOUSE AS WELL. WHAT AN INCREDIBLE THING, THAT
00:27:07PROGRESS BUT YOU REMEMBER, MANY WERE ASKING THE QUESTION AT THE
00:27:11TIME, BUZZ DID YOU SEE THIS MEAN
00:27:14THAT -- DOES THIS MEAN THAT
00:27:17AMERICA HAS NOW ENTERED INTO A POST RACIAL PHASE?
00:27:21THAT'S THE QUESTION THAT WAS BEING ASKED AT THE TIME.
00:27:24THOSE OF US WHO HAVE STUDIED HISTORY KNOW THAT THOUGH IT WAS
00:27:28MEANINGFUL PROGRESS, IT ALSO
00:27:31MEANT THAT IT WAS ABOUT TO
00:27:33TRIGGER A FEROCIOUS BACKLASH AND
00:27:35THAT'S EXACTLY THE MOMENT THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW AND WE HAVE
00:27:38TO SHOW UP WITH CHARACTER AND COURAGE AND CONVICTION TO GET THROUGH IT.
00:27:42>> YEAH, I WANT TO GET TO A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM THE
00:27:45AUDIENCE IF WE CAN. >> YEAH.
00:27:48>> YOU TALKED ABOUT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
00:27:51WE HAVE A QUESTION ASKING WHY
00:27:54DIDN'T CONGRESS PASS THE JOHN
00:27:56LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ACT BETWEEN
00:27:592021 AND 2023 WHEN IT WAS
00:28:03INTRODUCED AND DEMOCRATS HELD
00:28:05THE MAJORITY IN ALL THREE BRANCH.
00:28:07IF YOU WIN THE ELECTION IN
00:28:10NOVEMBER, WOULD THIS BE ONE OF YOUR FIRST PRIORITIES?
00:28:14>> ABSOLUTELY. I'VE SAID THAT ON THE CAMPAIGN
00:28:16TRAIL, IN THE HOUSE AND ALL
00:28:18ACROSS AMERICA AND JUST A NUANCE
00:28:20TO THAT QUESTION, THE HOUSE DID
00:28:22PASS THE JOHN ROBERT LEWIS
00:28:25VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENTING UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF TERRY
00:28:28SEOUL AND THE CBC -- SUE WELL
00:28:32AND THE CBC NOTE ONCE BUT TWICE.
00:28:36WE SENT IT OVER TO THE SENATE
00:28:39NOT ONCE BUT TWICE INCLUDING
00:28:41WHETHER WE HAD THE TRIFECTA AND
00:28:43JOE BIDEN WAS PRESIDENT.
00:28:45AND UNFORTUNATELY THOUGH WE HAD
00:28:4851 DEMOCRATS, THERE WERE TWO
00:28:51DEMOCRATS AT THE TIME -- I GUESS THEY MAYBE HAD BEEN INDEPENDENTS
00:28:55CAUCUSING WITH THE DEMOCRATS,
00:28:57WHO CHOSE NOT TO CREATE AN
00:29:01EXCEPTION TO THE FILIBUSTER IN ORDER TO ALLOW VOTING RIGHTS TO
00:29:05BE FULLY BROUGHT TO LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND
00:29:08THAT WAS A MISTAKE AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN FROM THE OTHER SIDE
00:29:11IS THAT WHEN WE HAVE POWER, THEY USE IT.
00:29:14AND SO, I THINK ONE OF THE
00:29:17LESSONS HAS TO BE, WHEN WE HAVE
00:29:20THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD AND
00:29:22GET MEANINGFUL THINGS DONE, WE'VE GOT TO USE IT.
00:29:26AND PRESIDENT OBAMA, BY THE WAY,
00:29:29HERE IN ATLANTA, IN 2020 DURING
00:29:32JOHN LEWIS'S FUNERAL, POINTED
00:29:36OUT. PRESIDENT OBAMA, THAT THE
00:29:39FILIBUSTER IS A RELIC OF THE PAST.
00:29:42AND NEEDS TO BE REFORMED.
00:29:45AND WE CERTAINLY SUPPORT FILIBUSTER REFORM.
00:29:49>> TALKING ABOUT REFORM, WE HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION, IT'S ABOUT THE
00:29:53SUPREME COURT. YOU MENTIONED TWO WAYS THAT THE
00:29:57SUPREME COURT COULD BE OVERHAULED. COULD YOU EXPAND ON THAT AND ARE
00:30:01DEMOCRATS PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION ON THAT NOW?
00:30:04>> IN MY VIEW, DRAMATIC SUPREME
00:30:10COURT REFORM IS NECESSARY AND I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT TO THE
00:30:13DEMOCRATS ON THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE LED BY JAMIE RASKIN,
00:30:16WHO WILL BE THE NEXT CHAIR.
00:30:19THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GIVE US THE
00:30:21ABILITY TO GOVERN ON THEIR BEHALF IN THE MAJORITY AND
00:30:25THERE'S A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE
00:30:29AND I THINK THAT WE CAN'T FORECLOSE ANY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
00:30:33THE SUPREME COURT, THE CONSERVATIVE RIGHT WING MAJORITY
00:30:36ON THE SUPREME COURT HAS BECOME,
00:30:38YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A SUBSIDIARY
00:30:40OF THE MAGA REPUBLICAN PARTY.
00:30:43THAT'S WHAT THAT DECISION IN
00:30:52CALAIS SAID TO ME AND THEN THINK
00:30:56TURNED WHOOSHED A THREE-JUDGE
00:30:58PANEL IN ALABAMA FOUND THAT
00:31:01THE -- THE ALABAMA REPUBLICANS WANTED TO PUT IN PLACE THAT
00:31:05WOULD GUT THE SECOND BLACK
00:31:08OPPORTUNITY TO ELECT A DISTRICT.
00:31:10THAT THREE-JUDGE PANEL SAID THAT
00:31:13IT WAS AN ATTACK -- A RACIALLY
00:31:19MOTIVATED ATTACK ON BLACK
00:31:23VOTERS. ONE OF THOSE JUDGES, I BELIEVE
00:31:26WAS APPOINTED BY RONALD REAGAN
00:31:28AND THE OTHER TWO WERE APPOINTED
00:31:30BY DONALD TRUMP.
00:31:33A THREE-JUDGE FEDERAL PANEL
00:31:36APPOINTED BY REPUBLICAN JUDGES, TWO OF WHOM WERE APPOINTED BY
00:31:40THE CURRENT PRESIDENT, COULD
00:31:43CONCLUDE THAT THAT WAS A
00:31:46RACIALLY MOTIVATED MAP ATTACKING
00:31:49BLACK VOTERS AND THEN THE SUPREME COURT COMES IN AND OVERTURNS THAT DECISION?
00:31:52THAT TELLS ME THEY DON'T HAVE
00:31:55THE CREDIBILITY FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD, ACTING LIKE EVERYTHING
00:31:57IS OK AND THE STATUS QUO IS ACCEPTABLE.
00:32:00IT'S NOT AND WE'RE GOING TO PUSH FOR DRAMATIC CHANGE IN THE
00:32:04SUPREME COURT. >> LEADER JEFFRIES, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
00:32:08ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND TALKING HERE WITH ME. >> THANK YOU, ERIN.
00:32:12>> YOU GOT IT.
00:32:40>> ON MONDAY, REPUBLICAN U.S.
00:32:44HOUSE CANDIDATE PAUL LEPAGE IS
00:32:48SCHEDULED TO HOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE AS HE CAMPAIGNS FOR
00:32:51MAINE'S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
00:32:53FROM AUBURN, MAINE, WATCH