>> HOW DOING?
HAPPY 25th BIRTHDAY TO MSNBC.
>> THANK YOU, AND TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
WE BEGIN "THE ReidOUT" TONIGHT
WITH GOOD TROUBLE IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST VOTER SUPPRESSION.
DAYS AFTER THE ONE-YEAR
ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF THE
LATE, GREAT JOHN LEWIS, A CIVIL
RIGHTS ICON WHO SPENT HIS ENTIRE
LIFE FIGHTING FOR HUMAN AND
CIVIL RIGHTS, BEATEN AS A YOUNG
MAN MARCHING FOR THE RIGHTS OF
BLACK AMERICANS ACROSS THE SOUTH
AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO VOTE
AND HAVE THAT VOTE COUNTED.
NOW LEWISS HOME STATE, GEORGIA,
IS AT THE EPICENTER OF THE
REPUBLICAN ASSAULT ON VOTING
RIGHTS.
HOME TO ONE OF THE NATIONS MOST
DRACONIAN VOTER SUPPRESSION
LAWS, IMPLEMENTED AFTER BLACK
AND BROWN VOTERS IN GEORGIA GAVE
JOE BIDEN THE PRESIDENCY AND
DEMOCRATS CONTROL OF THE UNITED
STATES SENATE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE HAILING
LEWIS ON THIS ANNIVERSARY
INCLUDING ARIZONA CONSERVATIVE
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR KYRSTEN
SINEMA, WHO GOT QUITE A BIT OF
BLOW BACK FOR CALLING HIM HER
DEAR FRIEND AND PERSONAL HERO.
SIN
SINCE SINEMA STANDS IN
OPPOSITION TO ENDING THE
FILIBUSTER.
MEANWHILE, OTHER DEMOCRATS WERE
MAKING GOOD TROUBLE IN ATLANTA
TODAY.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS,
THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE HELD
A FIELD HEARING, STARTING WITH
IMPASSION REMARKS FROM GEORGIA
SENATOR, THE REVEREND RAPHAEL
WARNOCK.
JOHN LEWISS PASTOR AT EBENEZER
BAPTIST CHURCH.
>> SADLY, WHAT WERE SEEING IN
GEORGIA IS AN ATTEMPT TO DENY
CERTAIN PEOPLE THE ABILITY TO
HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN OUR
DEMOCRACY.
AS I HAVE SAID TIME AND TIME
AGAIN, SOME PEOPLE DONT WANT
SOME PEOPLE TO VOTE.
CONGRESS MUST TAKE ACTION ON
VOTING RIGHTS.
WE HAVE NO TIME TO SPARE.
THERE IS NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT
FOR US TO DO THIS CONGRESS.
WE AMERICANS LIVE IN A GREAT
HOUSE THAT DEMOCRACY BUILT.
RIGHT NOW THAT HOUSE IS ON FIRE.
>> NOT A SINGLE REPUBLICAN
SENATOR PARTICIPATED IN TODAYS
FIELD HEARING.
MINORITY LEADER McCONNELL POKED
HIS HEAD OUT OF HIS SHELL LONG
ENOUGH HOWEVER TO CALL THE
PROCEEDING A, QUOTE, SILLY
STUNT.
ON SUNDAY RULES COMMITTEE CHAIR
WOMAN AMY KLOBUCHAR HAD A ROUND
TABLE WITH STACEY ABRAMS HEARING
FROM VOTERS ABOUT OBSTACLES TO
THE BALLOT.
SPEAKING WITH GARRETT HAAKE
BEFORE THE HEARING, KLOBUCHAR
TOOK AIM AT THE ONGOING
COMPLICITY WITH THE BIG LIE.
>> I BELIEVE IT IS EVEN A BIGGER
DEAL THAN PARTY VERSUS PARTY.
THIS IS LITERALLY A QUEST TO
SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY BECAUSE ONCE
YOU START DISENFRANCHISING
PEOPLE, THEN PEOPLE LOSE FAITH.
>> FOR HER PART, STACEY ABRAMS
VOTING RIGHTS ORGANIZATION, FAIR
FIGHT ACTION, IS LAUNCHING 2.0
OF ITS HOT CALL SUMMER CAMPAIGN,
ASKING SUPPORTERS TO CALL THEIR
SENATORS EVERY DAY UNTIL THEY
TAKE ACTION TO PASS THE FOR THE
PEOPLE ACT AND THE JOHN LEWIS
VOTING RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT.
JOINING ME IS STACEY ABRAMS,
AUTHOR OF "OUR TIME IS NOW"
WHICH IS AVAILABLE NOW IN
PAPERBACK.
STACEY, IT IS ALWAYS GREAT TO
TALK WITH YOU.
LETS TALK ABOUT WHAT THE FIELD
HEARING THAT TOOK PLACE TODAY
MEANS IN PRACTICAL TERMS.
>> WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST IT
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ONCE AGAIN
SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT.
THERE HAS BEEN AN ATTEMPT BY
OPPONENTS OF S-1 TO BE, YOU
KNOW, EITHER INTENTIONALLY
REDUCTIVE OR INTENTIONALLY
OBTUSE.
THIS IS ABOUT A SERIES OF LAWS
BEING PASSED ACROSS THE COUNTRY
STARTING IN GEORGIA TO REDUCE
ACCESS TO THE RIGHT TO VOTE FOR
INCONVENIENT VOTERS, VOTERS OF
COLOR, YOUNG PEOPLE, DISABLED
VOTERS, ELDERLY VOTERS, POOR
VOTERS, BUT LARGELY TARGETING
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR THAT
OUTPERFORMED IN THE 2020 AND
2021 RUN-OFFS HERE IN GEORGIA.
>> AND, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SEEMS
TO UNDERSTAND THAT, WE THINK, IN
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, WHICH IS
THE PARTY THAT, YOU KNOW, IS THE
PREFERRED CHOICE OF THE MAJORITY
OF VOTERS OF COLOR.
AND YET DESPITE THE FACT THAT
YOU HAVE FELLOW DEMOCRATIC
SENATORS IN GEORGIA DOING A
FIELD HEARING TODAY, YOU KNOW,
KYRSTEN SINEMA IS TWEETING ABOUT
HOW MUCH SHE LOVES AND RESPECTS
ONLEWIS.
I WILL ECHO, SAYING IT IS A
FUNNY WAY TO SHOW HE IS YOUR
HERO BY NOT REFLECTING ANY OF
THE THINGS THAT HE BELIEVES IN.
BISHOP BARBER CALLED IT SHAMEFUL
TO CLAIM YOU HONOR JOHN LEWIS
WHEN BLOCKING THE WORK HE WAS
TRYING TO DO.
HARRIET POINTED OUT IT WAS
DIFFICULT TO FIND IN GOOGLING
MS. SINEMAS BACKGROUND ANY NOTE
OF HER HAVING REVERED JOHN
LEWIS.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF DEMOCRATS
WHO LOVE TO QUOTE LEWIS AS WELL
AS MARTIN LUTHER KING AS LONG AS
THEY WONT PASS THE FILIBUSTER?
>> I THINK THERES THE LAYER
GETTING 50 DEMOCRATIC SENATORS
ON THE RECORD SUPPORTING A
VERSION OF THE FOR THE PEOPLE
ACT THAT CAN AFFECT THESE LAWS
AND CAN SAVE TOUR DEMOCRACY.
THE SECOND STEP THEN IS WHAT DO
WE DO MECHANICALLY TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN.
I BELIEVE THE FIRST STEP IS
EITHER A CARVE-OUT TO THE
FILIBUSTER OR A REDUCTION IN THE
THRESHOLD OR RETURNING IT TO ITS
ORIGINAL FORM, WHICH IS THE
TALKING FILIBUSTER.
SO I DO CALL ON EVERY SINGLE
SENATOR, BOTH THOSE WHO HAVE
DECLARED OUT LOUD THEY OPPOSE
THE FILIBUSTER -- SUPPORT THE
FILIBUSTER AND THOSE WHO ARE
BEING QUIET ABOUT IT, THAT THIS
IS A TIME FOR ACTION.
THAT, YES, WE APPRECIATE YOUR
REVERENCE FOR AND YOUR RESPECT
OF JOHN LEWIS AND THE WORK OF
SAVING DEMOCRACY, BUT NOW IS THE
URGENT TIME FOR ACTION.
WHAT HAPPENED IN TEXAS, WHAT IS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WILL
HAPPEN IN OHIO, WHAT WILL HAPPEN
IN NORTH CAROLINA, WHAT WILL
HAPPEN IN PENNSYLVANIA IS NOT
ENDEMIC TO THE SOUTH.
IT IS ENDEMIC TO AUTHORITARIANS
WHO DO NOT WANT TO SEE
INCONVENIENT VOTERS CAST THEIR
BALLOTS AND SPYEAK THEIR MINDS.
THAT HAS TO BE THE CALL TO ARMS.
THIS IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT ONE
MOMENT.
THIS IS ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS OF
OUR DEMOCRACY, AND THEY ARE IN
PERIL, AND IT IS TIME NOW FOR
EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE U.S.
SENATE, DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS AND INDEPENDENTS, TO
DECLARE THEIR ALLEGIANCE TO OUR
DEMOCRACY AS OPPOSED TO THEIR
PARTIES.
>> THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT
OUT.
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
SOUTH, IN THE SOUTH IS THAT IT
IS WHERE HALF OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS ARE AND WHERE THERE
ARE BIG CONCENTRATIONS OF BLACK
VOTERS AND IT IS CONTROLLED BY
REPUBLICANS FOR THE MOST PART.
FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO
PARTICIPATE IN HOT CALL SUMMER,
I HAD THIS QUESTION ASKED TO ME
A LOT AND I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO DO IT.
EXPLAIN, BECAUSE THE JOHN LEWIS
ACT AND THE S-1 ARE VERY
DIFFERENT THINGS.
CAN YOU SORT OF LAYOUT FOR US
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES?
WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
ABOUT HOW THESE TWO BILLS ARE
DIFFERENT?
>> FIRST OF ALL, WE WANT TO
THANK THE 40,000 CALLS THAT WERE
MADE DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF
HOT CALL SUMMER AND WE ENCOURAGE
FOLKS TO DIAL AGAIN,
888-453-3211.
BUT HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE.
THE JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS
ADVANCEMENT ACT IS DESIGNED TO
SAY FOR NEW BILLS THAT WOULD BE
PROPOSED AFTER ITS PASSAGE,
THOSE BILLS CANNOT TAKE EFFECT
WITHOUT BEING PRE-CLEARED BY THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT IF YOU ARE IN
ONE OF THE STATES THATS COVERED
BY THE VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT
ACT.
THATS AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
BUT BEFORE WE GET THERE, WE HAVE
TO UNDO ALL OF THE BAD THATS
ALREADY BEEN DONE, SO THE VOTING
RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT ACT WILL STOP
NEW BAD FROM HAPPENING ONCE IT
PASSES, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO
CLEAN UP ALL OF THE TERRIBLE
BILLS, THE 28 BILLS THAT HAVE
ALREADY PASSED AND ANY THAT PASS
IN THE INTERIM, AND THATS WHAT
THE FOR THE PEOPLE ACT DOES.
IT SAYS THAT NO MATTER WHERE YOU
LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES, YOU
LIVE IN GEORGIA, WHICH HAS GOOD
LAWS BUT CERTAINLY RULES AND HAS
NOW NEW LAWS THAT NEGATE THE
EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR GOOD RULES,
OR YOU LIVE IN A STATE THATS
BEEN ALLOWED TO SUPPRESS YOUR
VOTE FOR YEARS, THAT WE ALL HAVE
A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
SO WE WANT THE JOHN LEWIS VOTING
RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT ACT TO STOP
NEW BAD, BUT WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP
THE OLD BAD.
WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE CURRENT
ATTACK ON OUR VOTES BY MAKING
CERTAIN WE PASS THE FOR THE
PEOPLE ACT, AND THAT MEANS HOT
CALL SUMMER.
THAT MEANS CALLING EVERY U.S.
SENATOR, NO MATTER THEIR PARTY,
BECAUSE THEY WORK FOR YOU AND
THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU.
>> THAT IS SO IMPORTANT.
I WILL LET YOU GIVE THE PHONE
NUMBER AGAIN BEFORE WE GO
BECAUSE IT IS THE KEY THING.
PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THESE
ARE TWO VERY SEPARATE THINGS,
BUT THAT JOHN LEWIS IS SORT OF
RETROACTIVE -- OR IT IS
PROACTIVE FOR THE FUTURE, BUT IT
WOULDNT ACTUALLY -- BECAUSE
THERE DOES FEEL LIKE, AND I
DONT KNOW IF MAYBE IT IS MY
PERCEPTION, THAT THERE IS A BIT
OF A BAIT-AND-SWITCH KIND OF
THING GOING ON.
FOR A LOT OF DEMOCRATS THEYRE
WORRIED THAT DEMOCRATS ARE GOING
TO GO AHEAD AND USE, YOU KNOW,
THE SORT OF SIMPLE 50 VOTES TO
PUSH THROUGH THINGS THAT ARE
LONG HELD DESIRES OF DEMOCRATS,
WHICH ARE ALL GOOD THINGS.
YOU KNOW, PASSING THINGS LIKE
THE CHILD TAX CREDIT AND
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GIVES CHILD
CARE AND CHANGING MEDICARE.
ALL OF THESE GREAT THINGS ARE
GOING TO HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE,
BUT IN THE MEANTIME THEY WILL
JUST GIVE THE PROMISE OF A
FUTURE JOHN LEWIS ACT AS THE
THING THEY DO FOR VOTING RIGHTS
AND LEAVE S-1 BEHIND.
ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT IN THE
WHOLE BARGAIN THATS HAPPENING
IN WASHINGTON THE JOHN LEWIS ACT
GETS TO BE A FUTURE THING THAT
THEYLL DO DOWN THE ROAD MAYBE,
YOU KNOW, IF MANCHIN WILL LET
THEM, BUT S-1, WHICH IS THE
BILL, AS YOU SAID, THAT ACTUALLY
FIXES THE BAD LAWS GETS LEFT ON
THE TABLE?
>> WELL, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT
TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE FIRST 300
PAGES OF THE FOR THE PEOPLE ACT
WERE WRITTEN BY JOHN LEWIS, AND
SO THE FACT THAT HIS NAME IS NOT
ATTACHED AS THE TITLE DOES NOT
DIMINISH HIS WORK ON THE BILL.
WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT
THE FOR THE PEOPLE ACT IS A VERY
LARGE ACT, AND THERE ARE GOING
TO BE PIECES THAT MAY BE MARRIED
TO THE JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS
ADVANCEMENT ACT IN CONVERSATION,
BUT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THE TWO
SEPARATE PURPOSES.
I THINK IT IS REMEMBERING THAT
AND CALLING THAT OUT AND CALLING
ATTENTION TO IT, BECAUSE THE
FUNDAMENTAL CHALLENGE IS THAT WE
HAVE TO HAVE A U.S. SENATE THAT
RECOGNIZES THAT NOTHING ELSE
PASSED WILL HOLD AND NOTHING NEW
WILL HAPPEN IF WE LOSE THE RIGHT
TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR ELECTIONS
IN 22 AND 24, BECAUSE THAT
PATH WERE ON -- THIS IS NOT
HYPERBOLIC, THIS IS AN ACTUAL
CRISIS.
WE HAVE SEEN PRECURSORS OF THIS
IN 2018 IN GEORGIA AND AROUND
THE COUNTRY, WE SAW IT IN 2016
AND WE WILL SEE IT ON STEROIDS
IN 2022 IF WE DO NOT ACT.
>> THE TEXAS DEMOCRATS WHO ARE
IN WASHINGTON, SOME WHO
CONTRACTED COVID FOR THEIR
TROUBLE, THAT SORT OF FIGHT,
THAT DEMONSTRATING THE WILL TO
FIGHT, IS THAT SIGNIFICANT IN
YOUR VIEW, THE ACTIVISM THAT WE
ARE SEEING?
PEOPLE ARE IN THE STREETS.
I MEAN THIS IS GOING TO BE A
SUMMER OF ACTIVISM AROUND VOTING
VERY CLEARLY FROM LOTS OF
DIFFERENT GROUPS.
IN THE END, DO YOU THINK THAT
WINDS UP MOVING VOTES AND
GETTING THE 50 OR IF NOT WHAT IS
THE POINT OF IT?
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE IN THE END?
>> THE PURPOSE OF ACTIVISM, THE
PURPOSE OF PROTEST IS TO SIGNAL
TO LEADERS THE DEMANDS OF THE
PEOPLE FOR ACTION.
SO IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS THE
LEADERS WHO ARE TAKING THAT
STEP.
GOING FROM TEXAS TO D.C. WAS NOT
PURELY SYMBOLIC.
IT WAS AN ACTIVE DECLARATION
THAT THEY NEED HELP, THAT WE
NEED HELP.
THE SAME HELP HAS TO COME FROM
AVERAGE CITIZENS, MAKING THOSE
PHONE CALLS, FROM YOUNG PEOPLE
WHO TRANSFORMED OUR ELECTIONS.
REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE, THOSE
YOUNG PEOPLE CHANGED THE OUTCOME
OF THE FUTURE IN THE UNITED
STATES BY PARTICIPATING IN
RECORD RATES, AND THEY ARE ALSO
UNDER ATTACK.
SO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THIS
CALL TO ACTION THIS SUMMER, THIS
HOT CALL SUMMER IS ABOUT MAKING
SURE THAT THIS CONVERSATION
ABOUT DEMOCRACY DOESNT GET
PUSHED ASIDE AS RHETORICAL.
WE HAVE TO SEE IT AS AN URGENT
CALL TO ACTION, AS URGENT AS
ANYTHING WE HAVE EVER SEEN.
BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO SEE
ACTION ON POLICE BRUTALITY, ON
CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> THATS RIGHT.
>> ON POVERTY, ON WOMENS
REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE, NO MATTER
WHAT YOUR ISSUE IS, IF YOU DONT
HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND
PARTICIPATE IN ELECTIONS IT IS
IRRELEVANT.
>> AMEN.
ONE MORE TIME FOR THE PEOPLE IN
THE BACK.
IF YOU GUYS CARE ABOUT ALL OF
THE OTHER THINGS, POLICE REFORM,
EVERYTHING ELSE YOU CARE ABOUT,
IF YOU -- IF THEY LOCK YOU OUT
OF THE VOTING BOOTH YOU GET NONE
OF IT.
JUST UNDERSTAND THAT.
IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT.
THATS WHY JOHN LEWIS FOUGHT AND