>>> HE’S BEEN CALLING HEXMEXICAN IMMIGRANTS RAPISTS AND
CRIMINALS.
CRIMINALS. MEMBERS OF THE PRESS, WHAT THE
[ BLEEP ], HOLD ON A SECOND,
IT’S THESE QUESTIONS THAT YOU
KNOW THE ANSWERS TO.
CONNECT THE DOTS ABOUT WHAT HE’S
BEEN DOING IN THIS COUNTRY.
HE’S NOT TOLERATING RACISM, HE’S
PROMOTING RACISM.
PROMOTING RACISM. HE’S NOT TOLERATING VIOLENCE,
HE’S INCITING RACISM AND
VIOLENCE IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> THAT’S BETO O’ROUKE SPEAKING
FROM THE GUT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
IN HIS HOMETOWN OF EL PASO THIS
WEEKEND.
WEEKEND. AND POLITICO NOTES, POLITICAL
REVERBERATIONS ARE NOW BEING
FELT FAR AND WIDE.
POLITICAL COSAYS, QUOTE,
BACK-TO-BACK SHOOTINGS SHOOK UP
THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY,
ELEVATING THE PROFILE OF
LOWER-TIER CANDIDATES,
LOWER-TIER CANDIDATES, REORIENTING THE FOCUS OF THE
CONTEST
CONTEST CONTEST FUSING THE DIVISIVE
ISSUES OF IMMIGRATION, RACISM
AND GUN CONTROL FOR THE FIRST
TIME ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.
DAVID JOLLY IS STILL HERE.
DAVID, I HAVE TO START WITH YOU.
I HAVE HAD A KEEN INTEREST IN
BETO O’ROUKE’S CANDIDACY BOTH IN
THE SENATE AND HIS PRESIDENTIAL
CAMPAIGN BECAUSE OF WHAT WE JUST
SHOWED IN THAT VIDEO.
THERE’S A WTF MOMENT IN THIS
COUNTRY EVERY SINGLE DAY WHEN
YOU COVER DONALD TRUMP.
AND IF BETO COULD CARVE OUT THE
WTF QUESTIONS EVERY DAY -- I
HAVE TO SAY, HE PUTS IT BACK ON
US.
US. ANYONE STILL ASKING A QUESTION
ABOUT THE ROLE OF THE PRESIDENT
IS TWO STEPS BEHIND.
THE TRAIN HAS LEFT THAT STATION.
I THINK YOU MOVED THE
CONVERSATION BEYOND IT.
WHAT DO WE DO?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK FOR EVERY DEMOCRATIC
CANDIDATE, THIS IS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF VIEW THEM
IN A VERY AUTHENTIC MOMENT, HOW
THEY MAY LEAD THE NATION IN A
TIME OF CRISIS AND GOOD FOR BETO
FOR BEING RAW AND HONEST IN THAT
MOMENT.
MOMENT. WE FOCUSED ON DAYTONA, HIS
CONTRIBUTION TO THE NATIONAL
NARRATIVE, BUT NICOLLE, I THINK
THAT GIVES A PASS TO THE BROADER
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
REPUBLICAN PARTY. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT AS
WELL IN THIS MOMENT BECAUSE IT
IS THEIR SILENCE THAT NORMALIZED
THIS ESCALATION OF THIS
NARRATIVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
THAT TRUMP CONTINUES TO
REINFORCE.
REINFORCE. IT’S THEIR INACTION ON GUN
CONTROL, REASONABLE GUN CONTROL
MEASURES.
MEASURES. I INCLUDE MYSELF IN THAT.
LOOK, I TRIED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE
WITHIN THE PARTY AND I FAILED.
IT’S IMPORTANT IN THIS MOMENT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE IT.
ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I FIND MYSELF TODAY OFFERING THE
SAME INSIGHT I DID AT THE NIGHT
OF THE PARKLAND SHOOTING A FEW
HOURS FROM OUR HOME IN FLORIDA,
WHICH IS THIS, REPUBLICANS WILL
NEVER DO ANYTHING ON GUN
CONTROL, NOTHING, EVER.
THEY WON’T.
THEY WON’T. THINK ABOUT LAS VEGAS.
THEY DID NOTHING WHEN 500 PEOPLE
WERE INJURED.
WERE INJURED. THE PULSE NIGHTCLUB, 50 KILLED.
THE QUESTION FOR THE NATION WAS,
DO WE ALLOW SUSPECTED TERRORISTS
TO BUY FIREARMS?
REPUBLICANS DID NOTHING.
PARKLAND, THEY DID NOTHING.
SOUTH CAROLINA, KNOCK.
GO TO SANDY HOOK IN CONNECTICUT,
NOTHING.
NOTHING. JEWISH TEMPLE IN PITTSBURGH,
NOTHING.
NOTHING. JEWISH TEMPLE IN SAN DIEGO,
NOTHING.
NOTHING. SOUTHERLAND SPRINGS, EVANGELICAL
CHURCH IN TEXAS, NOTHING.
NOW TEXAS AND OHIO IN THE SAME
WEEKEND AND ALL WE GET IS
SILENCE.
SILENCE. I SAY THAT BECAUSE IF THIS IS
THE ISSUE THAT FORMS YOUR
IDEOLOGY AS A VOTER THE STRENGTH
TO DRAW IN THIS MOMENT IS TO
BEAT REPUBLICANS, BEAT THEM.
BEAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
EVEN THE SAFE ONES IN THE HOUSE,
BEAT THEM.
BEAT THEM. BEAT THEM IN THE SENATE.
TAKE BACK THE SENATE.
>> YOU TAKE ME AWAY WITH YOUR
BLUNTNESS.
BLUNTNESS. BUT YOU’RE NOT WRONG.
NO REPUBLICAN HAS EVER BEEN
MOVED BY ANY OF THOSE TRAGEDIES.
>> THEY HAVE NOT.
THEY HAVE NOT.
LOOK, NOTIONALLY I GATHERED WITH
THE DEMOCRATS AFTER THE HOUSE
SIT-IN AFTER PULSE BEGGING TO
FORM SOME SORT OF BIPARTISAN IN
A MOMENT OF NATIONAL CRISIS AND
OUR LEADERS COULDN’T BE FOUND.
THEY WENT HOME AND HID.
AND THIS IS GETTING EASIER FOR
ME TO SAY THESE DAYS,
REPUBLICANS, THEY WON’T DO
ANYTHING.
ANYTHING. IF YOU’RE A PRESIDENTIAL
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE RIGHT NOW
WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A
PIVOTAL SENATE RACE, DROP OUT OF
THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND DO
SOMETHING FOR THE PARTY THAT
WILL DO SOMETHING ON THIS.
WHEN THE PARTY FINDS THEIR
NOMINEE, BEAT DONALD TRUMP.
BEAT HIM.
BEAT HIM. GET A CHANGE THERE.
THE LAST THING I WILL SAY,
NICOLLE, TO MY FORMER REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES AND REPUBLICAN
VOTERS, IF YOU ACTUALLY THINK
THE SECOND AMENDMENT WAS
ENVISIONED TO PROTECT GUN RIGHTS
OF THIS MOMENT OF NATIONAL
TRAGEDY TO ALLOW CARNAGE WITH
WEAPONS OF WAR, IF YOU THINK
THAT’S WHAT THE SECOND AMENDMENT
PROTECTED, YOU’RE FUNDAMENTALLY,
CONSTITUTIONALLY IGNORANT.
CONSTITUTIONALLY IGNORANT. IF YOU KNOW THAT’S WHAT IT
PROTECTS AND YOU CONTINUE TO DO
NOTHING, YOU’RE WORSE THAN
CONSTITUTIONALLY IGNORANT.
CONSTITUTIONALLY IGNORANT. YOU’RE A SCOUNDREL.
ALL I CAN EVER THINK OF IN THIS
MOMENT WHEN I SEE REPUBLICANS DO
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, YOUR TIME IS
COMING.
COMING. MY MOM LIKES TO SAY THE WHEELS
OF JUSTICE GRIND SLOWLY BUT THEY
GRIND INCREASINGLY AND
EXCEEDINGLY FINE.
EXCEEDINGLY FINE. THAT’S WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO A
LOST PUBLIC CAREERS IN MOMENTS
LIKE THIS.
LIKE THIS. >> MY GOD, YOU ALL TAKE MY
BREATH AWAY TODAY.
JEN, I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME OF
THE OTHER DEMOCRATS.
>> WE HAVE A PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES WHO HAS EMBRACED
WHITE NATIONALISM.
WHITE NATIONALISM. >> HE CERTAINLY HAS DONE
EVERYTHING THE WHITE
NATIONALISTS WANTED HIM TO DO.
>> THE WHITE NATIONALIST THINK
HE’S A WHITE NATIONALIST AND
THAT’S THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM.
>> HE’S BEEN EMBOLDENING WHITE
SUPREMACISTS HIS ENTIRE
PRESIDENCY.
PRESIDENCY. >> I BELIEVE THE PRESIDENT IS
FOSTERING, FOSTERING HATE IN
THIS COUNTRY.
THIS COUNTRY. >> I HAVE THIS IDEA YOU REAP
WHAT YOU SOW AND HE’S SOWING
SEEDS OF HATRED AND THIS HARVEST
OF HATE VIOLENCE WE ARE SEEING
RIGHT NOW LIES AT HIS FEET.
>> SO YOU SEE IN BETO’S RESPONSE
WHY SOME PEOPLE FIND HIM SO
INSPIRING.
INSPIRING. HE SAID NO, HE IS A WHITE
NATIONALIST.
NATIONALIST. NOT SIDES WITH THEM BUT WILLING
0 TO SAY THAT.
THE OTHER THING YOU SAW IN
BETO’S RESPONSE IS WHY SOME
PEOPLE FIND HIM SO INSPIRING IS
THAT IS HIS HOME.
HE’S A WHITE MAN WHO LIVES IN A
VERY -- HE IS VERY MUCH OF OF EL
PASO.
PASO. HE SEES IT AND DOESN’T HAVE TO
WAIT FOR ANOTHER GENERATION.
THIS IS PROBABLY WHY YOU SEE HIM
SPEAK WITH SO MUCH INTENSANCE
ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS AND BE SO
ANGRY IN THIS MOMENT AND TO CALL
THE PRESS OUT ON ASKING
QUESTIONS YOU KNOW THE ANSWER TO
THAT ARE SIMPLY DESIGNED TO PLAY
OUT A POLITICAL GAME.
LET’S SEE, IS HE WILLING TO SAY
THE HARDEST THING POSSIBLE ABOUT
TRUMP?
TRUMP? THAT’S WHAT MATTERS.
THAT’S THE LANE WE’RE PUTTING
HIM IN, A GAME ABOUT WHETHER OR
NOT HE CAN BE THE DEMOCRATIC
NOMINATION AS OPPOSED TO THE
MOMENT THAT IS IN OUR COUNTRY.
I HAVE ALSO SEEN THE PREM
COMMENT ABOUT HOW, WELL, NOTHING
IS GOING TO CHANGE.
JUST ASSERTING THAT NOTHING’S
GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE CONGRESS
THIS TIME.
THIS TIME. WHAT’S DIFFERENT THIS TIME?
NOTHING IS DIFFERENT THIS TIME
THAN PUTTING ON ALL OF US TO
PROVE SOMETHING WILL BE
DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT. IT IS IN EVERYBODY’S POWER TO
DECIDE SOMETHING IS DIFFERENT,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? WE DON’T HAVE TO ACCEPT THE SAME
THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.
I JUST SAW SHANNON WATTS, THE
WOMAN WHO STARTED CALLS TO MOM
ACTION HERE AT NBC, AND SHE IS
THE WOMAN I ALWAYS THOUGHT WOULD
TAKE -- I STARTED A GUN CONTROL
GROUP IN 1999 AFTER COLUMBINE.
IT DID NOT SUCCEED.
BUT I THOUGHT --
>> YET.
>> YET. >> YET.
>> YET. BUT I THOUGHT IT’S GOING TO TAKE
CHILDREN BEING KILLED FOR
SOMETHING TO CHANGE.
AND THEN IT HAPPENED IN NEW
TOWN.
TOWN. I WORKED FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA
THEN AND NOTHING CHANGED BUT
MOMS DEMAND ACTION STARTED
THERE.
THERE. NOW YOU SEE IT BECOMING A VOTING
ISSUE.
ISSUE. IT’S A VOTING ISSUE IN THE
PRESIDENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL
PRESIDENTIAL PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY, IT WILL BE THIS TIME.
PEOPLE WILL TURN OUT AND VOTE.
IF CONGRESS DON’T ACT THIS TIME,
THEY WILL GET VOTED OUT IN 2020.
>> JAFDDAVID JOLLY, I’M LOSING Y
AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE LAST
WORD.
WORD. I WILL GIVE YOU ALL OF THE LAST
WORDS ON ANOTHER DAY.
BUT I WANT TO GET YOU ON THE
RECORD TO SOMETHING JEN JUST
SAID.
SAID. I THINK THERE’S SOMETHING EVEN
MORE ENDURING ABOUT ASKING
QUESTIONS YOU KNOW THE ANSWER
TO.
TO. THE OTHER THING WE DO IN THE
PRESS IS WE ANSWER THE QUESTIONS
THAT WE HAVE NO IDEA THE ANSWER.
WE HAVE NO IDEA NOTHING WILL
CHANGE.
CHANGE. WE BANNED THE TALK OF THE BASE
ON THIS SHOW BECAUSE IT TIRES
ME.
ME. MAYBE IT WON’T BE ATTACKS FROM
THE SQUAD BUT MAYBE IT WILL BE
THAT ORPHANED BABY WITH BROKEN
BONES THAT EDDIE TALKED ABOUT,
WHOSE BABY DIED ON TOP OF THIS,
WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WE DON’T
KNOW.
KNOW. PICK IT UP FROM THERE.
>> I’LL TELL YOU WHAT WE DO KNOW
IS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE
THIS NATION MORE DIVIDED AND
CONTINUES TO FOSTER HATE AND NOT
HEALING.
HEALING. WE KNOW THAT.
THAT VERDICT IS IN.
THAT IS A CONTRACT WE CAN DRAW
AS VOTERS TO INFORM OUR
DECISIONS WHEN IT COMES TO 2020.
ON GUN POLICY, DEMOCRATS WILL
DISTRACT YOU BY FOCUSING ON
VIDEO GAMES AND MENTAL HEALTH
AND OTHER ISSUES.
THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE.
THE ISSUE IS EASY ACCESS TO
GUNS.
GUNS. IF HAVING EASY ACCESS TO GUNS
WOULD MAKE US SAFER, WE WOULD BE
THE SAFEST IN THE WORLD.
BUT WE HAVE THE MOST IN THE
WORLD AND WE’RE NOT SAFE TODAY.
IF YOU’RE A VOTER THIS IS YOUR
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CHANGE IN
2020.
2020. TO MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS, I
WOULD SIMPLY SAY FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHTS IN THE CONSTITUTION ARE
NOT ABSOLUTE RIGHTS.
WE PUT LIMITS, REGULATE SPEECH,
ALL OF THOSE RIGHTS WE HOLD
PRECIOUS ARE FUNDAMENTAL BUT NOT
ABSOLUTE.
ABSOLUTE. SO TOO WITH THE SECOND
AMENDMENT.
AMENDMENT. IT IS AN FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT BUT
IT IS NOT AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT AND
YOU WOULD DO BETTER BY YOUR
COUNTRY BY RECOGNIZING THAT
TODAY.