Only for a limited time. >>> BIGGEST STORY OF THE TRUMP
ERA IS THE MASSIVE DAY AFTER THE
INAUGURATION WHEN MILLIONS
PARTICIPATED IN WOMEN’S MARCHES,
TO THE RECORD NUMBER OF WOMEN
RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN THIS
YEAR’S ELECTIONS, EARLIER TODAY
I GOT TO SIT DOWN WITH THREE
WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN WITH THE
WOMEN’S MOVEMENT FOR DECADES TO
GET THEIR UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON
THIS MOMENT.
THIS MOMENT. >> WE’RE A FEW DAYS AWAY FROM AN
ELECTION, AND IT FEELS LIKE THIS
YEAR WOMEN’S POLITICAL ACTIVISM
IS THE DRIVING STORY.
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO YOU AS WOMEN
WHO HAVE WATCHED MANY
FLUCTUATIONS IN FEMMISM IN
AMERICA THIS YEAR?
>> IN MY VERY LONG LIFE, THIS IS
THE MOST ENTHUSIASM I’VE EVER
SEEN.
SEEN. >> REALLY?
>> REALLY? >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY. I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE
IT.
IT. AND I’VE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH
WORRY ABOUT THE PROCESS OF
VOTING.
VOTING. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THE ACTIVISM
AND THE CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE
ANGER AND THE CARING, AND THE
BAD NEWS IS WHAT’S GOING TO
HAPPEN TO THEM AT THE POLLS.
>> YOU WOULD SAY THAT THE
ACTIVISM, YOU KNOW, THE DEGREE
TO WHICH PEOPLE ARE MOBILIZED IS
MORE THAN EVEN THE SORT OF PEAK
ICONIC MOMENTS IN THE 1960S?
>> MUCH MORE.
REMEMBER THAT THAT -- THAT WAS
HUGE CONSCIOUSNESS AND ACTIVISM
AND THE WAKE OF IT WAS ABOUT
MAYBE A THIRD OF THE COUNTRY.
NOW IT’S THE MAJORITY OF THE
COUNTRY, AND CERTAINLY THE
MAJORITY OF WOMEN.
BUT THERE IS A THIRD OF THE
COMPANY THAT IS OPPOSED TO
LOSING THEIR OLD HIGHERERARCHICA
DYNASTY AND THEY’RE MAD AND
THEY’RE RESTRICTING THE VOTE IN
MANY CASES.
MANY CASES. >> YOU’VE BEEN DOING A LOT OF
STUFF ON THIS GROUND.
>> I HAVE.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN OUT THERE.
I WONDER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.
>> I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN
MICHIGAN THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH
LILY TOMLIN, TRYING TO GET A
MEASURE ON THE BALLOT FOR ONE
FAIR WAGE THAT WOULD RAISE THE
MINIMUM WAGE TO $12 AND INCLUDE
TIPPED WORKERS IN THAT WHICH IS
UNUSUAL.
UNUSUAL. >> CARVED OUT IN MINIMUM WAGES.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. AND WE DID IT.
WE GOT IT ON THE BALLOT, AND
THEN THE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE
TOOK IT OFF THE BALLOT AND VOTED
IT INTO LAW, MAKING IT VERY
CLEAR THAT THEY WOULD GUT IT
AFTER THE ELECTION.
AND THEY DID IT AS A FORM OF
SUBTLE VOTER SUPPRESSION.
>> THEY WERE SCARED OF IT.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. THEY KNEW THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
UNLIKELY VOTERS WOULD BE COMING
TO THE POLLS TO VOTE THEMSELVES
A RAISE, SO THEY TOOK IT OFF.
SO I WAS WITH TARAJI P. HENSON
AND PATRICE CULLERS TRAVELING
ALL OVER MICHIGAN TALKING TO
PEOPLE ABOUT THIS AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF GOING TO THE
POLLS.
POLLS. AND THE PEOPLE SEEMED ENERGIZED.
PEOPLE ARE WOKE.
EVERY WOMAN I KNOW IS ASKING ME
WHERE DO WE GO, HOW DO WE GET
OUT THE VOTE, HOW DO WE CANVAS.
I DON’T KNOW ANYBODY THAT’S NOT
INVOLVED.
INVOLVED. >> THAT’S THE ENCOURAGING PART.
YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING ABOUT
THIS LAST NIGHT AT THE AWARDS,
AT THE -- BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY
WE’RE VERY PROUD OF THE WOMEN’S
MEDIA CENTER.
MEDIA CENTER. IT’S 11 YEARS AND WELL, GROWN
HUGELY AND STUFF.
BUT I WAS THINKING THERE ARE
LITERALLY TWO FACTORS NOW IN
THIS COUNTRY ON WHICH DEMOCRACY
ITSELF DEPENDS.
ITSELF DEPENDS. A RIPPLE EFFECT IN THE NEGATIVE
ON THE RIGHT WING.
AND ONE OF THOSE FACTORS IS A
FREE, STRONG PRESS ARE.
AND THE OTHER FACTOR IS THE
RISING VISIBLE POLITICAL FORCE
OF WOMEN.
OF WOMEN. BOTH OF WHICH WE’RE SEEING IN
THIS COUNTRY.
THIS COUNTRY. AND I GOT SUDDENLY SO PROUD
BECAUSE I REALIZED THE WOMEN’S
MEDIA CENTER STANDS RIGHT AT
THAT INTERSECTION.
THAT INTERSECTION. >> THERE IS AN INTERESTING THING
HAPPENING REPRESENTATIONALLY
HAPPENING REPRESENTATIONALLY RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. IN BOTH THOSE SPHERES.
SO IN MEDIA, THE "NEW YORK
TIMES" HAD THIS PIECE ABOUT SORT
OF THE ME TOO MOVEMENT AND ALL
THESE POWERFUL MEN WHO HAVE
BEEN, YOU KNOW, HAVE LOST THEIR
POSITIONS AND OFTEN REPLACED
WITH WOMEN.
WITH WOMEN. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> SO THERE IS A SORT OF
REPRESENTATIONAL CHANGE
REPRESENTATIONAL CHANGE HAPPENING SLOWLY BUT SURELY.
AND ITS SAME THING AT THE
CANDIDATE LEVEL.
CANDIDATE LEVEL. >> THAT’S RIGHT.
>> YOU ARE JUST SEEING MORE
WOMEN CANDIDATES THAN WE’VE EVER
SEEN BEFORE.
SEEN BEFORE. >> IT’S NOT ONLY -- I WORRIED AS
AN OLD ORGANIZER THAT AFTER THE
WOMEN’S MARCH IT MIGHT FADE.
PEOPLE THINK I MARCHED, I HAD A
PUSSYCAT HAT AND THEN I GO HOME.
BUT SUSTAINING IT IS ALWAYS THE
HARD PART.
HARD PART. BUT NOT ONLY DID THEY SUSTAIN
IT, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ADDING TO
IT.
IT. THE TEACHERS WHO ARE WALKING
OFF, YOU KNOW, IN STATE AFTER
STATE, 80% OF TEACHERS ARE
WOMEN.
WOMEN. THE HIGH SCHOOL MOVEMENT,
ANTI-GUNS AND SO FORTH, OVER
HALF WOMEN.
HALF WOMEN. ONE FAIR WAGE IS BASICALLY
WOMEN.
WOMEN. >> IF YOU GO TO ANY
DEMOCRATIC --
DEMOCRATIC -- >> AND THERE ARE GUYS INVOLVED,
AND THEY’RE TERRIFIC.
BUT IT REALLY IS FOR THE FIRST
TIME WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP.
AND IT’S CONTINUING.
WOMEN WHO ARE JUST TOO DAMN
PISSED OFF AT THIS POINT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS
ECONOMICS IS AT THE ROOT, HEALTH
CARE AND ECONOMICS.
PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO WORK, I
DON’T CARE ABOUT WHAT THE PAPER
SAYS WAGES, PEOPLE ARE HAVING TO
WORK TWO AND THREE JOBS AND ARE
STILL BELOW THE POVERTY LINE,
AND MOST OF THEM ARE WOMEN AND
IT’S UNCONSCIONABLE.
IT’S UNCONSCIONABLE. A LOT OF THE MILLENNIALS ARE
GOING TO THE POLLS BECAUSE THEY
KNOW IF THEY DON’T, THEY’RE
GOING TO BE HAVING TO LIVE WITH
THE CONSEQUENCES LONGER THAT WE
WILL.
WILL. >> ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES, I
HAVEN’T HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK
TO YOU SINCE THE KAVANAUGH
NOMINATION.
NOMINATION. ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES IS THERE
IS THIS MAJORITY ON THE SUPREME
COURT AND A REAL QUESTION ABOUT
ROE’S FUTURE.
ROE’S FUTURE. HOW DID YOU FEEL WATCHING THE
KAVANAUGH CONFIRMATION PLAY OUT?
>> WELL, OBVIOUSLY HE WAS
SOMEBODY THAT WAS NOT EVEN ON
THE FIRST LIST OF CANDIDATES.
HE WAS THERE BECAUSE HE BELIEVES
IN THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENCY
OVER THE SUPREME COURT.
HE WAS THERE FOR A SPECIFIC
PURPOSE.
PURPOSE. BUT OBVIOUSLY I BELIEVE THE
ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM.
BUT EVEN IF YOU DIDN’T.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> IF YOU SAW HIM ON TELEVISION,
REFUSING TO LET HIS WIFE TALK,
OR SHE SAT THERE THE ENTIRE
TIME, AND FINALLY THE
INTERVIEWER ASKED HER A
QUESTION, AND HE ANSWERED.
I MEAN, SHE OPENED HER MOUTH.
>> NOTHING CAME OUT.
HE HONED RIGHT IN.
>> THAT SAYS IT ALL, RIGHT?
THE ONE THING WORSE THAN HAVING
HIM ON THE SUPREME COURT IS TO
BE MARRIED TO HIM.
>> BUT CLEARLY, IT LIT A FIRE, A
PRAIRIE FIRE.
PRAIRIE FIRE. >> DO YOU THINK IT DID?
THERE WAS ALL THIS TALK OH, THIS
IS REALLY ENERGIZING REPUBLICANS
BECAUSE THEY THINK HE IS BEING
TREATED UNFAIRLY.
TREATED UNFAIRLY. >> WELL, I DON’T KNOW HOW THEY
CAN THINK HE WAS TREATED
UNFAIRLY, BUT WE DON’T WOENT DO
THERE.
THERE. THAT INVOLVES LOGIC.
THERE WERE WOMEN ON STREET
CORNERS TALKING TO EACH OTHER
ABOUT IT, FURIOUS.
ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS.
ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS. THERE ARE TWO NEW BEST SELLERS
OUT ABOUT WOMEN AND RAGE, BEING
NOT AFRAID TO BE ANGRY ANYMORE,
AND WHAT A PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL
FORCE WOMEN’S ANGER HAS BEEN
THIS YOU LOOK AT THE REAL
HISTORY.
HISTORY. SO YEAH, I THINK THE KAVANAUGH
HEARING, AND I’M AN ETERNAL
OPTIMIST.
OPTIMIST. I’M THINKING WELL, MAYBE WE CAN
TEACH HIM ONCE WE HAVE A LITTLE
POWER, ANYBODY.
POWER, ANYBODY. BUT STARTING WITH KAVANAUGH AND
MAYBE MOVING ON TO OTHER PEOPLE.
>> HOW DO YOU -- I KNOW A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD A VERY HARD
TIME EMOTIONALLY WITH THE LAST
FEW YEARS.
FEW YEARS. IT’S EXHAUSTING.
IT’S EXHAUSTING. IT’S EXHAUSTING, EVEN IF YOU
DON’T DO IT EVERY DAY FOR A
LIVING, JUST BEING A CITIZEN.
YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN IN THE FIGHT
FOR A WHILE.
HOW DO YOU -- WHAT DO YOU TELL
PEOPLE WHO FEEL --
>> THAT’S WHAT YOU DO.
YOU STAY IN THE FIGHT.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> I REMEMBER RIGHT AFTER THE
2016 ELECTION, I FELT LIKE I HAD
BEEN RUN OVER BY A TRUCK.
WE HAD TO GO TO ATLANTA AND
SPEAK TO 1600 WOMEN.
IT WAS HARD.
>> WAS IT LIKE THE DAY AFTER?
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. AND THEN I WENT TO STANDING
ROCK, AND I WAS RENEWED.
WHEN YOU’RE ACTUALLY DOING
SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW CAN MAKE
SOME KIND OF DIFFERENCE, IT
REALLY HELPS.
REALLY HELPS. IT REALLY HELPS.
AND BEING IN COMMUNITY WITH
OTHER PEOPLE, MOSTLY WOMEN.
>> THAT LEARN FROM OZONE WATCH
OTHER.
OTHER. >> THAT’S THE KEY.
YOU ONLY DESPAIR IF YOU’RE
ALONE.
ALONE. BUT AS SOON AS YOU’RE TOGETHER,
YOU REINFORCE EACH OTHER.
AND IT ACTUALLY BECOMES BORING
NOT TO DO IT.
>> IT’S LIKE VALUE ADDED.
BUT THE OTHER THING IS WHEN WE
SAY THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT,
YOU KNOW, ELECTION, AND SOME
PEOPLE WE’VE BEEN SAYING THAT
FOR THE LAST DECADE.
BUT THIS IS, AND IT’S TRUE FOR
COMPARISONS WITH THE ’60s AND
’70s, THIS TIME THE CLOCK IS
TICKING ON THE PLANET.
AND THAT’S A DIFFERENT THING ALL
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. WE’VE GOT TO REALLY WAKE UP AND
BE VERY SERIOUS NOW BECAUSE IT’S
NOT AS THOUGH PEOPLE CAN GROW
INTO THIS AND TAKE THEIR TIME
DEVELOPING IT AND THERE IS A
REAL.
REAL. >> EXISTENTIAL CRISIS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> RIGHT THERE.
>> AND THE ENVIRONMENT DOES NOT
CHANGE BACK, NO MATTER WHAT THE
SO-CALLED PRESIDENT SAYS RISKS
YOU HOPEFUL?
YOU HOPEFUL? >> YES.
>> YES. BECAUSE HOPE IS A FORM OF
PLANNING.
PLANNING. I MEAN, YOU CAN’T LET THEM TAKE
YOUR HOPE AWAY.
THAT’S THE ENERGY.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> THAT’S WHAT THEY WANT TO DO
IS TAKE THE HOPE AWAY.
SO WE WILL NOT PERMANENT THAT.
>> HOPE IS ACTIVISM.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> AND IF OUR HOPES WEREN’T
ALREADY REAL INSIDE US, WE
COULDN’T EVEN HOPE THEM.
>> IT’S THE NECESSARY
PRECONDITION TO MAKING THE WORLD
BETTER.
BETTER. >> I IMAGINE ABOUT WAKING UP IN
THE MORNING AND FILING GOOD
ABOUT THINGS AND GOING OUT ON
THE STREET AND SEEING PEOPLE
SMILE AT EACH OTHER AND GIVE
EACH OTHER HIGH-FIVES AND SEE
KIDS RUNNING AROUND AND OLD
PEOPLE SITTING ON BENCHES AND
LAUGHING AND SPONTANEOUS CIRCLE
DANCES BREAKING OUT AND
REALIZING OH MY GOD, IT’S
NOVEMBER 7th.
NOVEMBER 7th. WE NEED TO IMAGINE IT TO GET
BACK TO THAT PLACE, OR FORWARD
TO THAT PLACE.
>> WELL, THERE IS NO ONE BETTER
TO GIVE THIS KIND OF ADVICE THAN
YOU.
YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING