>> I FEEL LIKE THE LAST TWO YEARS HAS BEEN JUNIOR LAW
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. RACHEL, HAVE YOURSELF A GREAT
WEEKEND.
WEEKEND. >> THANKS, ALI.
>>> JUST HOURS AFTER THE
PRESIDENT DECLARED IT.
THE WATCHDOG GROUP PUBLIC
CITIZEN FILED A LAWSUIT IN
FEDERAL COURT IN WASHINGTON
CHALLENGING THE PRESIDENT’S
ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY THAT HE WILL
REDIRECT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
FEDERAL FUNDING TO BUILD A
BORDER WALL BECAUSE OF HIS
SO-CALLED NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS ARE ALSO
MAKING PLANS TO FIGHT THE
PRESIDENT’S DECLARATION.
PRESIDENT’S DECLARATION. AND OUR FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS A
MEMBER OF THE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE, WHICH IS NOW PLANNING
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE
EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
EMERGENCY DECLARATION. EVEN DONALD TRUMP IS HAVING A
HARD TIME PRETENDING THAT THIS
IS AN ACTUAL EMERGENCY.
FOR ONE THING, HE FLEW TO
MAR-A-LAGO RIGHT AFTER DECLARING
THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
AND LOOK AT HOW HE STARTED HIS
BIG SPEECH, ISSUING THE NATIONAL
EMERGENCY DECLARATION.
EMERGENCY DECLARATION. NOTICE WHAT HE DOESN’T MENTION.
>> BEFORE WE BEGIN, I’D LIKE TO
JUST SAY THAT WE HAVE A LARGE
TEAM OF VERY TALENTED PEOPLE IN
CHINA.
CHINA. WE’VE HAD A NEGOTIATION GOING ON
FOR ABOUT TWO DAYS.
IT’S GOING EXTREMELY WELL.
WHO KNOWS WHAT THAT MEANS.
YOU KNOW ALL OF THE SITUATION
WITH RESPECT TO BREXIT.
WE HAVE A VERY GOOD TRADING
RELATIONSHIP WITH UK.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT
ANNOUNCEMENTS HAVING TO DO WITH
SYRIA.
SYRIA. WE’RE WORKING ON A SUMMIT, AND
YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THE SUMMIT.
IT WILL BE IN VIETNAM.
HANOI.
HANOI. WE’VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY
WITH SOUTH KOREA, WITH JAPAN,
BUT CHINA, RUSSIA, ON THE
BORDER, HAVE REALLY BEEN AT
LEAST PARTIALLY LIVING UP TO
WHAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE
DOING.
DOING. >> IF THERE IS A REAL EMERGENCY
AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER, YOU’D
THINK TRUMP MIGHT HAVE STARTED
HIS ANNOUNCEMENT BY ACTUALLY
TALKING ABOUT IT.
INSTEAD, THE FIRST BORDER HE
MENTIONED WAS THE ONE IN NORTH
KOREA.
KOREA. WHEN HE FINALLY TALKED ABOUT THE
U.S. BORDER, HE ANNOUNCED HIS
NATIONAL EMERGENCY AND MADE THIS
STRANGE PREDICTION.
STRANGE PREDICTION. >> WE WILL HAVE A NATIONAL
EMERGENCY AND WE WILL THEN BE
SUED AND THEY WILL SUE US IN THE
NINTH CIRCUIT, EVEN THOUGH IT
SHOULDN’T BE THERE, AND WE WILL
POSSIBLY GET A BAD RULING, AND
THEN WE’LL GET ANOTHER BAD
RULING, AND THEN WE’LL END UP IN
THE SUPREME COURT, AND HOPEFULLY
WE’LL GET A FAIR SHAKE AND WE’LL
WIN IN THE SUPREME COURT.
>> TODAY THE ACLU AND THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA SAID THEY ALSO
PLAN TO CHALLENGE THE PRESIDENT
IN COURT.
IN COURT. IF THE PRESIDENT IS HOPING TO
WIN THOSE COURT BATTLES, HIS
ADMINISTRATION WILL PROBABLY
NEED A BETTER EXPLANATION FOR
IGNORING CONGRESS TO BUILD THE
WALL THAN THE ONE THAT HE GAVE
TO NBC’S PETER ALEXANDER.
>> IN THE PAST WHEN PRESIDENT
OBAMA TRIED TO USE EXECUTIVE
ACTION AS IT RELATED TO
IMMIGRATION, YOU SAID, THE WHOLE
CONCEPT OF EXECUTIVE ORDER, IT’S
NOT THE WAY THE COUNTRY’S
SUPPOSED TO BE RUN.
YOU SAID YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO GO
THROUGH CONGRESS AND MAKE A
DEAL.
DEAL. WILL YOU CONCEDE THAT YOU WERE
UNABLE TO MAKE THE DEAL THAT YOU
HAD PROMISED IN THE PAST AND
THAT THE DEAL YOU’RE ENDING UP
WITH NOW FROM CONGRESS IS LESS
THAN WHAT YOU COULD HAVE HAD
BEFORE A 35-DAY SHUTDOWN.
>> I WENT THROUGH CONGRESS.
I MADE A DEAL BUT I WANT TO DO
IT FASTER.
IT FASTER. I COULD DO THE WALL OVER A LONG
PERIOD OF TIME.
I DIDN’T NEED TO DO THIS, BUT
I’D RATHER DO IT MUCH FASTER.
>> I DIDN’T NEED TO DO THIS,
SAID THE PRESIDENT, WHO IS
ULTIMATELY GOING TO HAVE TO
JUSTIFY WHY HE DECLARED A
NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
NATIONAL EMERGENCY. HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI
RESPONDED TO THAT WITH THIS
TWEET.
TWEET. "CLEAREST SIGN THAT REAL DONALD
TRUMP’S FAKE EMERGENCY IS NOT
LEGITIMATE, THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF SAYS HE DIDN’T NEED TO
DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
IT’S JUST A FASTER WAY TO FORCE
TAXPAYERS TO FOOT THE BILL AFTER
CONGRESS WOULDN’T LET HIM HAVE
HIS WAY."
HIS WAY." ANOTHER STRANGE MOMENT TODAY WAS
WHEN THE PRESIDENT EXPLICITLY
TIED HIS SO-CALLED NATIONAL
EMERGENCY TO THE 2020 ELECTION.
>> I DON’T HAVE TO DO IT FOR THE
ELECTION.
ELECTION. I’VE ALREADY DONE A LOT OF WALL
FOR THE ELECTION.
2020.
2020. AND THE ONLY REASON WE’RE UP
HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS IS
BECAUSE OF THE ELECTION.
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO TRY TO WIN
AN ELECTION, WHICH IT LOOKS LIKE
THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
DO.
DO. >> I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’VE
ALREADY DONE A LOT OF WALL
ACTUALLY MEANS, BUT JUST TO BE
CLEAR, NOT A SINGLE MILE OF NEW
WALL CONSTRUCTION HAS HAPPENED.
TRUMP ALSO HAD A LOT TO SAY
ABOUT CONSERVATIVE TALK RADIO
HOSTS, INCLUDING ANN COULTER,
WHO CALLED HIM AN IDIOT TODAY.
AND TODAY HOUSE DEMOCRATS
RESPONDED TO THE PRESIDENT.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ AND
JOAQUIN CASTRO SAID THEY WILL
INTRODUCE A RESOLUTION TO
TERMINATE THE EMERGENCY
DECLARATION.
DECLARATION. AND THE HOUSE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN JERRY NADLER
SENT A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT
SAYING HIS COMMITTEE, QUOTE, IS
COMMENCING AN IMMEDIATE
INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER,
WHICH RAISES BOTH SERIOUS
CONSTITUTIONAL AND STATUTORY
ISSUES.
ISSUES. WE ASK THAT YOU MAKE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED IN THIS
DECLARATION AVAILABLE TO US FOR
A HEARING IN THE COMING DAYS.
ALL RIGHT.
ALL RIGHT. JOINING US NOW IS DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSMAN DAVID SIS
CONGRESSMAN OF RHODE ISLAND.
HE’S ON THE POLICY AND
COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE AND HE
HAS VISITED THE U.S.-MEXICO
BORDER MULTIPLE TIMES.
CONGRESSMAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
THANKS FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.
MY PLEASURE.
MY PLEASURE. >> THE PRESIDENT WAS HAVING
TROUBLE MAKING A CLEAR
JUSTIFICATION FOR WHY HE
DECLARED THIS NATIONAL
EMERGENCY.
EMERGENCY. HE DID MENTION ANN COULTER.
HE MENTIONED RUSH LIMBAUGH.
HE MENTIONED SEAN HANNITY, BUT
IN THE END HE MAY BE DIVERTING
FUNDS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE
USED FOR LEGITIMATE MILITARY
PURPOSES.
PURPOSES. I WANT TO JUST PLAY FOR YOU
QUICKLY WHAT DONALD TRUMP SAID
ABOUT WHY HE WOULD TO THAT.
>> WE HAD CERTAIN FUNDS THAT ARE
BEING USED AT THE DISCRETION OF
GENERALS, AT THE DISCRETION OF
THE MILITARY.
THE MILITARY. SOME OF THEM HAVEN’T BEEN
ALLOCATED YET, AND SOME OF THE
GENERALS THINK THAT THIS IS MORE
IMPORTANT.
IMPORTANT. I WAS SPEAKING TO A COUPLE OF
THEM.
THEM. THEY THINK THIS IS FAR MORE
IMPORTANT THAN WHAT THEY WERE
GOING TO USE IT FOR.
I SAID, WHAT WERE YOU GOING TO
USE IT FOR?
I WON’T GO INTO DETAILS, BUT
DIDN’T SOUND TOO IMPORTANT TO
ME.
ME. >> CONGRESSMAN, THAT SOUNDS
WEIRD.
WEIRD. YOU’VE BEEN DOWN TO THE BORDER.
I HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO ANY GENERALS
WHO SUGGEST THAT THE THINGS THAT
THEY’RE DOING WITH THEIR MONEY
WOULD BE LESS USEFUL THAN
SPENDING IT ON A BORDER WALL.
THIS IS F-35 TRAINING.
THIS IS REAL CONSTRUCTION WORK
AT BASES.
AT BASES. THIS IS -- THIS IS KIND OF HARD
TO BELIEVE WHAT THE PRESIDENT
JUST SAID.
JUST SAID. >> YEAH, I MEAN, PRESIDENT IS
SUGGESTING HE’S GOING TO TAKE
MONEY FROM CRITICAL MILITARY
CONSTRUCTION AND
CONSTRUCTION AND COUNTERNARCOTICS WORK.
COUNTERNARCOTICS WORK. IT’S KIND OF IRONIC WHEN HE’S
CLAIMING HE NEEDS TO BUILD A
WALL FOR BOTH OF THOSE PURPOSES.
BUT, LOOK, THERE IS NO EMERGENCY
AT THE BORDER.
I’VE BEEN THERE TWO TIMES IN THE
LAST YEAR.
LAST YEAR. ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS ARE
DOWN TO A 40-YEAR LOW.
HIS OWN INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY
WHEN HEY DO THE WORLD THREAT
ASSESSMENT THAT IDENTIFIES THE
GREATEST THREATS TO THE UNITED
STATES DIDN’T EVEN REFERENCE THE
SOUTHERN BORDER AND CERTAINLY
NEVER SAID THERE WAS AN
EMERGENCY.
EMERGENCY. SO THERE IS NO EMERGENCY AT THE
BORDER AND THE PRESIDENT’S
STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION THAT
HE’S REFERRING TO RELATES TO
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION TO SUPPORT
THE ARMED FORCES, WHICH IS
CLEARLY NOT IMMIGRATION RELATED.
SO THERE IS NO BASIS FOR THIS.
THIS IS THE PRESIDENT ATTEMPTING
TO CIRCUMVENT THE WILL OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, AS REFLECTED
THROUGH DECISIONS IN CONGRESS.
THIS IS REALLY DISRESPECTFUL TO
THE RULE OF LAW, TO THE
SEPARATION OF POWERS BETWEEN THE
BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT, AND WE
HAVE A DEMOCRACY.
THE PRESIDENT, JUST BECAUSE HE’S
FRUSTRATED THAT HE DIDN’T GET
WHAT HE WANTS, ISN’T ALLOWED TO
JUST CIRCUMVENT THE DEMOCRATIC
PROCESS.
PROCESS. HE’S NOT AN IMPERIAL KING WHERE
HE CAN JUST ISSUE AN EDICT.
WE HAVE A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY
AND HE FAILED TO CONVINCE THE
CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
OF THE NECESSITY OF THIS WALL
AND HE JUST CAN’T DO WHAT HE’S
PURPORTING OR PROPOSING TO DO.
>> YOU KNOW, THE PRESIDENT
TRYING TO GET $8 BILLION FOR
THIS.
THIS. MORE THAN THE $5.7 BILLION HE
WAS ASKING FOR IN THE FIRST
PLACE.
PLACE. AS WE KNOW, A RED HERRING IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
FIRST PLACE. EACH THE MOST CONSERVATIVE
ESTIMATES OF THE WALL THE
PRESIDENT WANTS TO BUILD IN 20
TO 25.
TO 25. ESTIMATES CLOSE TO DOUBLE THAN
THAT.
THAT. AS REPRESENTS YOU HAVE TO DEAL
WITH THE FACT THAT $8 BILLION IS
A LOT OF MONEY.
$8 BILLION FOR TECHNOLOGY THAT
IS NOT DEEMED BY THE EXPERTS TO
SAY THE THING THAT IS GOING TO
KEEP OUR BORDER MORE SECURE IS A
WASTE OF AMERICAN MONEY, AND AS
NANCY PELOSI SAID, THIS IS ONE
WAY OR THE OTHER TAXPAYER MONEY.
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY.
LOOK, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY
TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT WE SECURE
THE BORDER IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT
WE NEED TO DO IT IN A WAY THAT
ACTUALLY ACHIEVES THE OBJECTIVE,
USING THE BEST TECHNOLOGY, DOING
CARGO INSPECTIONS, USING DRONES,
USING SATELLITES, ADDITIONAL
PERSONNEL.
PERSONNEL. THE THINGS THAT THE EXPERTS SAY
WILL ACTUALLY WORK, RATHER THAN
THIS SORT OF MONUMENT TO THE
TRUMP CAMPAIGN PROMISE THAT HE
SAID MEXICO WAS GOING TO PAY
FOR.
FOR. IT’S INEFFECTIVE.
IT’S INEFFECTIVE. IT’S WASTEFUL.
IT’S WASTEFUL. IT WILL NOT ACHIEVE THE
OBJECTIVE HE CLAIMS IT WILL.
AND THAT’S WHY A BIPARTISAN
GROUP OF CONGRESS NEGOTIATED A
RESOLUTION OF THIS ISSUE AND
PASSED IT OVERWHELMINGLY BECAUSE
WE SETTLED ON SMART, TOUGH,
EFFECTIVE BORDER SECURITY AND
NOT THIS CAMPAIGN PROMISE THAT
THE PRESIDENT MADE.
>> CONGRESSMAN, THE CHAIRMAN OF
YOUR COMMITTEE, JERRY NADLER,
HAS SENT THIS LETTER TO THE
PRESIDENT SAYING MAKE PEOPLE WHO
WERE INVOLVED IN THIS DECISION
AVAILABLE BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING
TO INVESTIGATE.
TO INVESTIGATE. ON WHAT BASIS ARE YOU GOING TO
INVESTIGATE?
INVESTIGATE? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
>> WELL, WE’RE LOOKING FOR THE
PRESIDENT TO COME FORWARD AND
THE PRESIDENT’S TEAM TO MAKE
CLEAR WHAT IS THE BASIS OF THIS
DETERMINATION?
DETERMINATION? HOW DO THEY COME TO THE
CONCLUSION THAT THERE WAS A
NATIONAL EMERGENCY?
NATIONAL EMERGENCY? WHICH, OF COURSE, THERE IS NOT.
WHAT ADVICE HE GOT WITH RESPECT
TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS
APPROPRIATE.
APPROPRIATE. WHAT AUTHORITY HE THINKS HE HAS
TO REALLOCATE FUNDS.
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF
HOW THE PRESIDENT CAME TO THIS
DECISION, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS
ULTIMATE DECISION TO DO THIS.
BECAUSE WHAT WE REALLY BELIEVE
IS THAT THIS PART, AS HE
MENTIONED IN THE PRESS
CONFERENCE, THIS IS ABOUT A
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. THIS IS ABOUT KEEPING THIS ISSUE
ALIVE SO THAT HE CAN CLAIM HE’S
FIGHTING TO SECURE THE BORDER
AND NOBODY ELSE WILL DO IT AND
NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO GET IT DONE
BUT HIM.
BUT HIM. HE’S GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS
NARRATIVE.
NARRATIVE. HE WANTS THIS FIGHT BECAUSE HE
THINKS IT’S POLITICALLY
ADVANTAGEOUS, BUT IT’S DANGEROUS
TO ALLOW THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES TO CIRCUMVENT THE
WILL OF CONGRESS, THE RULE OF
LAW IN THIS COUNTRY, THE
SEPARATION OF POWERS AND JUST
DECIDE THAT HE THINKS THIS IS
IMPORTANT, THIS POLICY
DISAGREEMENT, AND HE’S GOING TO
GO AHEAD WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL
AUTHORIZATION, UNDERMINES RULE
OF LAW IN THIS COUNTRY,
UNDERMINES DEMOCRACY.
UNDERMINES DEMOCRACY. THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE IS GOING
TO HAVE A FULL INVESTIGATION OF
THIS SO THAT WE CAN LET THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE SEE WHAT’S
REALLY HAPPENED HERE.
>> CONGRESSMAN, THANK YOU FOR
JOINING ME TONIGHT.
>>> ALL RIGHT.
LET’S BRING IN OUR PANEL.
SENIOR CORRESPONDENT FOR
VOX.COM.
VOX.COM. COVERING IMMIGRATION.
COVERING IMMIGRATION. CHRISTINA BELTRAN IS AN
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL AND
CULTURAL ANALYSIS AT NEW YORK
UNIVERSITY AND SHE ALSO THE
AUTHOR OF "THE TROUBLE WITH
UNITY: LATINA POLITICS AND THE
CREATION OF IDENTITY."
WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
DARA, LET ME START WITH YOU.
THIS WAS A FACT CHECKER’S DREAM
TODAY, THE PRESIDENT’S RAMBLING
UNSCRIPTED CONVERSATION, IN
WHICH HE TALKED ABOUT ANYTHING
THAT KIND OF CAME INTO HIS MIND.
BUT THE FACT IS HE KEPT ON GOING
AT JOURNALISTS WHO WERE ASKING
HIM FACT-BASED QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE TRUTH ABOUT IMMIGRATION,
ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO COME ACROSS
THE BORDER, ABOUT DRUGS.
THE PRESIDENT WAS CREATING AND
THE KRAING AND DISCUSSING HIS
OWN REALITY TODAY.
>> YES, THAT’S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.
IT’S ALSO NOT THE FIRST TIME
WE’VE HEARD THIS.
I MEAN, SO MUCH OF WHAT HE SAID
TODAY HE SAID DURING HIS PRIME
TIME SPEECH IN JANUARY DURING
THE STATE OF THE UNION.
THE PROBLEM WITH TALKING ABOUT
THE BORDER RIGHT NOW IS THAT
DONALD TRUMP TAKES UP SO MUCH
OXYGEN TALKING ABOUT THE KIND OF
FEVER DREAM OF THIS LAWLESS
ENVIRONMENT THAT TALKING ABOUT
THE ACTUALLY DIFFICULTIES THAT
THERE ARE WITH, YOU KNOW,
UNPRECEDENTED NUMBERS OF
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMING IN,
WITH BORDER PATROL IS EQUIPPED
TO HANDLE THAT, YOU KNOW,
SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE
CONDITIONS THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING
KEPT IN AREN’T COMING TO THE
FORE.
FORE. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> BECAUSE IT’S ENTIRELY
DETERMINED BY DONALD TRUMP SAYS
THERE IS A CRISIS AND THEREFORE
THAT’S ALL ANYONE CAN TALK
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >> YOU’RE RIGHT.
IT TAKES ALL THE OXYGEN.
ANYBODY WHO COULD BE WORKING ON
OTHER THINGS.
OTHER THINGS. I THINK YOU CAN GET 100%
AGREEMENT IN THIS COUNTRY THAT
THERE ARE ISSUES WITH
IMMIGRATION.
IMMIGRATION. BUT TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE THOSE
ARE DIFFERENT THINGS.
CHRISTINA, THIS IS THE PROBLEM,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? DONALD TRUMP HAS FOR BETTER OR
WORSE CREATED A NARRATIVE AROUND
BAD PEOPLE COMING OVER THE
SOUTHERN BORDER AND THAT’S OUR
IMMIGRATION PROBLEM.
IMMIGRATION PROBLEM. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. RIGHT.
RIGHT. I MEAN, THERE’S ACTUAL REALITIES
WE CAN HAVE REALLY IMPORTANT AND
INTERESTING DISCUSSIONS AROUND
IMMIGRATION.
IMMIGRATION. INSTEAD WE’RE CAUGHT UP IN
DONALD TRUMP’S SORT OF RACIST
DYSTOPIAN FEVER DREAM.
AND I THINK A LOT OF IT THAT WE
REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IS
THAT HIS BASE AND THE NATIVIST
PORTION OF HIS BASE ARE REALLY
INFORMED BY THAT FANTASY.
SO REALITY DOESN’T CHANGE IT.
IT’S A CONSTANT REFERENCE.
I THINK ONE THING THAT IS
IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT IS THIS
HAS A LONG HISTORY.
SINCE THE 19th CENTURY, THERE
HAVE BEEN CERTAIN
CHARACTERIZATIONS OF MEXICANS AS
BEASTIAL, SAVAGE.
BEASTIAL, SAVAGE. THERE IS A HISTORICAL WAY --
ALMOST AT TIMES A PORNOGRAPHIC
PLEASURE WHERE HE DISCUSSES
LURED DESCRIPTIONS OF MIGRANT
WOMEN BEING TIED UP WITH DUCT
TAPE AND BRUTALIZED.
THERE IS A COMPULSION HE HAS TO
TELL THIS STORY.
IT’S LIKE MISOGYNY DISGUISED AS
COMPASSION.
COMPASSION. >> LET ME JUST PLAY THAT.
IN A WEIRD THING, THAT WAS EVEN
WEIRDER.
WEIRDER. I WANT TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF
THIS ONE.
THIS ONE. DONALD TRUMP WAS DESCRIBEING, AS
YOU SAY, HUMAN TRAFFICKING
TODAY.
TODAY. LET’S LISTEN TOGETHER.
>> THEY CAN’T SEE THREE WOMEN
WITH TAPE ON THEIR MOUTH OR
THREE WOMEN WHOSE HANDS ARE
TIED.
TIED. THEY GO THROUGH AREAS WHERE YOU
HAVE NO WALL.
EVERYBODY KNOW THAT.
NANCY KNOWS IT.
CHUCK KNOWS IT.
THEY ALL KNOW IT.
>> THE DANGER HERE, CRISTINA IS
THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS A REAL
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. LOTS OF WOMEN GET BROUGHT INTO
THE COUNTRY AND ARE TRAFFICKED,
MOST OF THEM WITH PASSPORTS
THROUGH BORDER CROSSINGS.
TO SUGGEST THAT’S HOW WE’RE
DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF
HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS MISLEADING
AND DETRIMENTAL TO OUR FIGHT
AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
>> IT’S COMPLETELY UNHELPFUL IN
EVERY WAY AND IT’S TIED TO THIS
IDEA OF MIGRANT WOMEN BEING
BRUTALIZED BECAUSE MEXICAN MEN
OR LATIN AMERICAN MEN ARE
MONSTERS.
MONSTERS. IT’S ALWAYS THIS STORY THAT --
WE HAVE REAL PROBLEMS THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DRUG.
WE HAVE REAL ISSUES WITH
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY.
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY. RATHER THAN HAVE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THE REALITY OF ECONOMIC
INEQUALITY, LOWER WAGE, DRUG
USE, INSTEAD WE HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION IN WHICH ALL THE
ISSUES ARE DISPLACED ON TO
MIGRANTS AS SAVAGE CRIMINALS.
IF WE HAVE WALLS, THOSE PROBLEMS
WILL NOT BE HERE.
>> THAT’S ONE PROBLEM.
DARA, THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT
IT’S NOT CLEAR WHETHER THIS IS
JUST A BASE OR JUST NATIVIST
SUPPORTERS OF THE DONALD TRUMP.
KELLY O’DONNELL GOT INTO A
CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT
TODAY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT HIS
POLICIES BEING DETERMINED BY
RIGHT-WING MEDIA HOSTS.
LET’S LISTEN.
LET’S LISTEN. >> MR. PRESIDENT, COULD YOU TELL
US TO WHAT DEGREE SOME OF THE
OUTSIDE CONSERVATIVE VOICES HELP
TO SHAPE YOUR VIEWS ON THIS
NATIONAL EMERGENCY?
NATIONAL EMERGENCY? >> I WILL TALK ABOUT IT.
LOOK, SEAN HANNITY HAS BEEN A
TERRIFIC, TERRIFIC SUPPORTER OF
WHAT I DO.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, I THINK HE’S A
GREAT GUY.
GREAT GUY. HE’S A GUY WHO CAN SPEAK FOR
THREE HOURS WITHOUT A PHONE
CALL.
CALL. TRY DOING THAT SOMETIME.
>> DECIDING POLICY, SIR?
>> THEY DON’T DECIDE POLICY.
ANN COULTER.
ANN COULTER. I DON’T KNOW HER.
I HARDLY KNOW HER.
I HAVEN’T SPOKEN TO HER IN WAY
OVER A YEAR, BUT THE PRESS LOVES
SAYING ANN COULTER.
I LIKE HER.
BUT SHE’S OFF THE RESERVATION,
BUT ANYBODY THAT KNOWS HER
UNDERSTANDS THAT.
UNDERSTANDS THAT. >> DARA, I MEAN, THAT WAS JUST
WEIRD.
WEIRD. THE PRESIDENT WAS ASKED ABOUT
INFLUENCES AND HE NAMED THE
THREE PEOPLE WHO MOST OBSERVERS
THINK HE IS BUILDING HIS
IMMIGRATION POLICY FOR.
>> YEAH, ALTHOUGH IT’S ALWAYS
HARD TO KNOW WITH THIS PRESIDENT
WHETHER HE’S SAYING THAT BECAUSE
HE ACTUALLY DOES HAVE
RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM OR
WHETHER HE’S SAYING THAT BECAUSE
HE WATCHES A WHOLE LOT OF
TELEVISION.
TELEVISION. AND SO IF THOSE ARE THE NAMES
THAT ARE COMING UP AS
INFLUENCERS, HE’S GOING TO
INTERPRET THAT.
INTERPRET THAT. BUT IT’S DEFINITELY CLEAR THAT
TRUMP IS VERY AFRAID OF ANY
FIGHT WITH PEOPLE WHO HE THINKS
OF AS MEDIATING BETWEEN HIM AND
HIS BASE.
HIS BASE. EVEN TO POINT WHERE, YOU KNOW,
HE’S BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS AT
THIS POINT THAT ANY BORDER
BARRIER THAT IS BUILT NEEDS TO
BE STEEL POLES OR STEEL BOLLARDS
OR SLATS, BUT WHEN HE POSTED A
SKETCH OF A DESIGN IN DECEMBER
AND THE RIGHT WING FREAKED OUT
TO A CERTAIN EXTENT BECAUSE THEY
WERE EXPECTING A CONCRETE WALL,
HE HAD TO BACKTRACK ON THAT.
EVEN THOUGH HIS DHS HAS SAID
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT TO
BUILD.
BUILD. IDENTICAL TO THE STUFF THEY WANT
TO BUILD WITH EMERGENCY MONEY.
THE DEFINITION OF A WALL HAS
GOTTEN CAUGHT UP IN THIS DYNAMIC
BETWEEN TRUMP AND THE RIGHT-WING
MEDIA.
MEDIA. BECAUSE IT’S NOT CLEAR WHICH ONE
OF THEM, IF THERE WERE A FIGHT,
WOULD BE THE ONE TO TAKE THE
BASE.
BASE. >> AND THE SAD PART IS AFTER
THROWING OUT THE LINE ABOUT RUSH
LIMBAUGH AND SEAN HANNITY AND
ANN COULTER, ANN COULTER
RESPONDED TODAY BY SAYING, LOOK,
THE ONLY NATIONAL EMERGENCY IS
THAT OUR PRESIDENT IS AN IDIOT.
I HOPE THAT IF I CALLED SOMEBODY