>>> WELCOME BACK TO "MORNING JOE."
JOE." BEAUTIFUL LIVE PICTURE OF THE
SUN COMING UP OVER WASHINGTON
THIS MORNING.
THIS MORNING. IT’S ALMOST 7:30 HERE ON THE
EAST COAST.
EAST COAST. THE COLLEGE PREP CONSULTANT AT
THE SENCENTER OF THE SCANDAL HAS
ADMITTED TO HELPING MORE THAN
750 FAMILIES.
750 FAMILIES. NOW COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
ENTANGLED IN THE SCANDAL ARE
LOOKING INTO THE ROLE STUDENTS
MAY HAVE PLAYED.
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS
ANGELES, UCLA, WARNED YESTERDAY
IT MIGHT PUNISH CURRENT STUDENTS
WHOSE APPLICATIONS WERE TAINTED,
INCLUDING POTENTIALLY REVOKING
THEIR ADMISSIONS AND THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ADDED
IT WILL REVOKE ANY CURRENT
APPLICANTS CONNECTED TO THE
SCHEME.
SCHEME. PROMINENT BUSINESS EXECUTIVES
HAVE BEEN FUTURE ON LEAVE AFTER
COMPANIES LEARNED OF THEIR
ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE
SCANDAL.
SCANDAL. ACTRESS LORI LOUGHLIN IS ACCUSED
OF LYING TO GET HER DAUGHTERS
INTO COLLEGE.
INTO COLLEGE. AND GOOD MORNING.
I’M STARTING TO THINK THERE
MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO YOUR
THESIS FOR LIVING IN AMERICA.
THIS IS ALMOST A PARODY OF WHAT
YOU DESCRIBE IN YOUR WORK AND
YOUR BOOKS.
YOUR BOOKS. WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS STORY
TELLS US ABOUT AMERICA?
>> I THINK WHAT’S SO
EXTRAORDINARY IS THE IDEA THAT
AMERICA IS RIGGED IN FAVOR OF
WEALTHY AND POWERFUL PEOPLE HAS
BECOME COMMON PLACE IN MANY
WAYS.
WAYS. THAT RIGGING IS A GENERALIZED
RIGGING.
RIGGING. THERE’S A LOT OF SYSTEMS IN
AMERICAN LIFE THAT ALLOW ALL OF
THE WEALTHY AND POWERFUL TO
BENEFIT.
BENEFIT. THE WAY WE FUND PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
WHERE THE NICER THE HOUSE YOU
HAVE, THE BETTER PUBLIC SCHOOL
YOU GET, THAT’S A FORM OF
RIGGING AND ANY NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT GIVE ALL WEALTHY PEOPLE A
DIS
DIS DISTINCT ADVANTAGE.
DISTINCT ADVANTAGE. BUT THESE PEOPLE WEREN’T
SATISFIED WITH SHARED RIGGING.
THEY WANTED PRIVATE BOTTLE
SERVICE RIGGING JUST FOR THEM
WITH A GUARANTEE, OVER AND ABOVE
THE RIGGING THAT EVERYBODY ELSE
BENEFITS FROM.
BENEFITS FROM. IN THE INDICTMENT, THE SINGER
GUY, THESE CARE TERSEHARACTERS A
IMPORTANT, THEY OFFER THIS
AMAZING AND THROW POLLOGICAL
HENCE.
HENCE. LENS.
LENS. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
KIND OF THING IS OPERATING IN SO
MANY DOMAINS OF OUR PUBLIC LIFE.
WHILE WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT’S
ASSOCIATES DAY BY DAY, PLEADING
GUILTY TO CRIMES.
WE HAVE FACEBOOK, WHICH IS NOT
A -- ONE OF THE PRINCIPLE MANY
MANYCORRUPTION IN MANY WAYS IS
BECOMING THE CENTRAL THEME OF
AMERICAN LIFE IN 2019.
>> DEBRA, YOU’VE COME AT THIS
WITH A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW
AS THE FOUNDER OF HARLEM VILLAGE
ACADEMIES.
ACADEMIES. WE SEEN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF
GETTING KIDS INTO COLLEGE.
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE STORY?
>> I BRING AN EDUCATOR’S
PERSPECTIVE.
PERSPECTIVE. WHAT I THOUGHT OF IT IS THE
EMPTINESS THAT KIDS FEEL DURING
THIS WHOLE RAT RACE OF HIGH
SCHOOL TO COLLEGE ADMISSIONS.
IT’S REALLY A CRISIS OF THE
SOUL, I THINK.
AS A COUNTRY, WE NEED TO REALLY
RETHINK WHAT OUR DEFINITION OF
ACHIEVEMENT IS.
ACHIEVEMENT IS. A COUNTRY’S EDUCATION SYSTEM
REFLECTS ITS VALUES AND THAT
PRODUCES -- WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE
DO WE WANT TO PRODUCE, YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING TO GIVE
SOMETHING TO THE WORLD OR JUST
LOOKING TO CLIMB A LAD ARE TO BE
SUCCESSFUL?
SUCCESSFUL? YOU WONDER WHY SO MANY KIDS ARE
ON ANTI-DEPRESS ENTS, ARE
UNHAPPY AND STRUGGLING AND DON’T
EVEN UNDERSTAND THE IDEA THAT
COLLEGE IS ACTUALLY AN
OPPORTUNITY TO FIND YOUR
CALLING, TO SEARCH FOR TRUTH, TO
STUDY LIBERAL ARTS, TO GROUND
YOUR LIFE.
YOUR LIFE. SO THE EMPTINESS COMES FROM
CHECKING A BUNCH OF BOXES ON
YOUR WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL,
MAKING SURE YOU TAKE THE RIGHT
A.P. AND NOT ENJOYING ANY OF IT
ALONG THE WAY.
>> YES, ENJOYMENT BUT ALSO THE
FULFILLMENT THAT COMES FROM
BUILDING A LIFE OF MEANING.
YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW. AND I TELL MY KIDS IN HARLEM
EXACTLY THE SAME THING THAT I’VE
TOLD MY OWN THREE KIDS.
STUDY BECAUSE IT’S WHAT’S
FASCINATING TO YOU.
FIND WHAT YOUR CALLING IS,
EXPLORE THE WORLD.
THE GRADES WILL COME BECAUSE
YOU’LL WORK HARD BECAUSE YOU’RE
STUDYING WHAT YOU LOVE.
SO WHAT LIFE IS ABOUT AND WHAT
WE WANT OUR CHILDREN ACROSS THIS
COUNTRY TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT
LIFE IS ABOUT FINDING A WAY TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THE WORLD IN
WHATEVER WAY YOU WERE MEANT TO.
IT’S NOT ABOUT WHAT CAN I GET
AND HOW CAN I BEAT EVERYBODY
ELSE IN THIS ZERO SUM GAME.
THE TESTING INDUSTRY, AND IT IS
A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR INDUSTRY,
IS VERY MUCH CONNECTED TO THIS.
THERE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
BENEFIT FROM KIDS COMPETING
AGAINST EACH OTHER.
>> THAT’S THE IMPORTANT PART OF
THIS, TOO, IS THAT ENDLESS
PURSUIT OF THE S.A.T. SCORE.
>> AND THE PARENTS ARE OBSESSED
WITH THE BRANDING ARE ECONOMIC
INSTITUTIONS BUT WHAT I THINK IS
IS PARTICULARLY GALLING I’M
ACTUALLY GOING TO GO OFF TO
FIJI.
FIJI. SHE’S TAKING OPPORTUNITY, THAT
PLACE SHE WAS GIVEN IS NOW A
PLACE THAT DOES NOT GO TO
SOMEBODY ELSE WHO DOES NOT HAVE
THOSE KIND OF CONTACTS.
>> SOME THINGS ARE ZERO SUM.
>> SOME THINGS ARE ZERO SUM.
ANDS THAT THE PROBLEM --
>> I LOVE THE WORK THAT YOU DO
IN HARLEM AND WHAT BREAKS MY
HEART IS SOME OF THE SAME
WEALTHY PEOPLE WHO OUT OF THE
GOODNESS OF THEIR HEARTS
PROBABLY GIVE YOUR SCHOOLS MONEY
AND GIVE GOOD CAUSES LIKE THIS
MONEY, THE CHARITY BY THE WAY
THEY USE TO DO THIS BRIBERY WAS
ITSELF A CHARITY IN SERVICE OF
DISADVANTAGED YOUTH.
DISADVANTAGED YOUTH. SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE WHILE
DOING THAT AND MAKING SURE IT’S
PUBLIC KNOWN IT REVEALED THAT
THEY WERE WORKING BEHIND THE
SCENES TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE
CERTAIN SEATS AT CERTAIN
UNIVERSITIES COULD NEVER COMPETE
FOR.
FOR. NO MATTER HOW HARD THEY WORKED
OR HOW BRIGHT, THAT SEAT WAS
BLOCKED UP.
BLOCKED UP. SO THE TWO ACTRESS ESES THE MOST
IMPORTANT FISH ENSHARED IN THIS
WHOL GOOL BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY,
ONE OF THE LEADERS OF THIS
NUCHLT OF NEW CAPITALISM.
WE HAVE THESE CRITICISMS OF
CAPITALISM BUT YOU HAVE PEOPLE
SAYING LET’S START CHANGE
INSIDE.
INSIDE. $2 BILLION FOR IMPACT INVESTING,
INVESTING THAT’S GOING TO HELP
COMMUNITIES WHILE HELPING OTHERS
AND IT NOW TURNS OUT THAT BILL
Mc.
Mc. >> SO I ACTUALLY KNOW BILL QUITE
A BIT.
A BIT. HE HAS LED AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE
THAN IN EVERY OR RESPECT.
IT’S INEXPLICABLE TO ME HOW THIS
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. BUT --
BUT -- >> BUT WHAT IF IT’S NOT
INEXPLICABLE
INEXPLICABLE INEXPLICABLE.
INEXPLICABLE. THAT’S WHY WE NEED TO GO DEEPER.
>> WE NEED THE EXPLANATION.
IT’S INEXPLICABLE AT THE MOMENT
TO ME.
TO ME. >> THERE AS A LAWSUIT AGAINST
HARVARD BY ASIAN STUDENTS SAYING
THEY’VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED
AGAINST VIA INCLUSIVITY AND SO
FEEL ABOUT A THEY WORK
INCREDIBLY HARD AND THIS ISSUE,
AS WITH -- THIS IS ABOUT RACE
AND THAT MAKES PEOPLE
UNCOMFORTABLE.
UNCOMFORTABLE. WHO IS GOING TO GET THE
ADVANTAGE, WHO IS GOING TO GO TO
JAIL.
JAIL. THE SYSTEM BEING RIGGED
ECONOMICALLY, RIGHT, IT STARTS
SO MUCH EARLIER THAN GETTING
INTO COLLEGE.
INTO COLLEGE. IT STARTS IN NURSERY SCHOOL AND
KINDERGARTEN.
KINDERGARTEN. >> I HAVE A "NEW YORK TIMES"
STORY FROM 2002, THE CHAIRMAN OF
CITY GROUP RIGGING THE SYSTEM TO
GET HIS TWO DAUGHTERS INTO
NURSERY SCHOOL.
NURSERY SCHOOL. 2002, THOSE DAUGHTERS WOULD NOW
BE APPLYING TO COLLEGE SO WE’VE
COME FULL CIRCLE.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. AND THE WAY THE EDUCATION IS
FINANCED IS FUNDAMENTALLY EK
ECKHARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE
AND THEIR PARENTS CAN AFFORD TO
LIVE.
LIVE. WHAT WOULD REALLY FIX IT IS IF
WE HAD A LOTTERY AND THE FOLKS
WHO CONTROL EVERYTHING WOULD
MACK SURE THAT THE FUNDING,
TEACHS ARE GOT PAID DOUBLE AND
TRIPLE.
TRIPLE. >> SO THIS IS A WINDOW INTO ONE
CASE THAT WE KNOW ABOUT.
THE THING THAT’S TRUE, THOUGH,
IS THAT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
TIME, WEALTHY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO PUT THEIR THUMB ON THE
SCALE OF COLLEGES.
MAYBE IT’S $10 MILLION TO THE
SCHOOL AND WE’LL PUT YOUR NAME
ON A BUILDING AND YOUR KID GETS
IN WITH WINK AND A NOD.
>> THIS WAS ON THE DIFFERENT
LEVEL, THE SCAM THAT WE HAVE
BEEN READING ABOUT AND LISTENING
TO THESE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS,
WHICH IS CLEARLY INSANE AND
INFURIATEING
INFURIATEING INFURIATING.
INFURIATING. BUT, YES, THERE ARE LEGAL WAYS
THAT THE RICH AND THE WEALTHY
HAVE HAD A LEG UP.
THEY’VE HAD A FOOT IN THE DOOR
BY GIVING DONATIONS, BY BUYING
BUILDINGS.
BUILDINGS. AND UNFORTUNATELY WHAT THIS DOES
IS IT HURTS PEOPLE OF COLOR,
POOR PEOPLE.
POOR PEOPLE. THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND.
YEAH, THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN, THE
CLEM PROCESS IS BROKEN AND WE
NEED TO START FOCUSING ON THE
LEGAL WAYS OF HOW THIS IS
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. WHEN THIS STORY BROKE TWO DAYS
AGO, I HEARD FROM SO MANY OF MY
FRIENDS WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR
WHO SAID YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS GIVES ME SOME SORT OF
VINDICATION.
VINDICATION. BECAUSE SO MANY TIMES WE’RE IN
CLASS, WHETHER IT’S AN IVY
LEAGUE SCHOOL OR SOME SORT OF
PRIVATE INSTITUTION AND AND I
THINK WE NEED TO FOLKS OR THAN
BUT ON THE LEGAL SIDE OF
THANKSGIVING AS WELL.
>> THINK ABOUT TACK A PICTURE OF
YOUR DAUGHTER ON A ROWING
MACHINE.
MACHINE. >> WILLIE, IF I COULD ADD ONE
THING ABOUT THE TESTING CULTURE,
RIGHT.
RIGHT. WE NEED A NEXT GENERATION OF
ASSESSMENTS IN THIS COUNTRY.
KIDS NEED TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN
AND WRITE BECAUSE WRITING
REFLECTS YOUR BEST THINKING, ON
THE SPOT RATHER THAN GO THROUGH
THE WEALTHY KIDS GET EDITORS TO
EDIT THEIR COLLEGE ESSAYS, WHICH
IS ABSURD BUT THAT’S WHAT
HAPPENS.
HAPPENS. THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT THE
SYSTEM IS TO ALSO CONNECT IT TO
WHAT’S THE EDUCATIONAL
INFRASTRUCTURE IN RELATION TO
SOMEHOW KIDS ARE TESTED.
>> WELL, IT’S BY DEFINITION
UNFAIR.
UNFAIR. EVERYONE’S TAKEN THE D.A.T.
SCORE, THERE ARE A GROUP OF
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. >> OR JUST SOME DUDE TAKING THE
TEST FOR YOU.
>> OR YOU COULD TACK THE AND
THAT EVERY PARENT TRIES TO GOAT
GO IN AND BUSINESS.
>> DOCTOR, THANKS FOR BEING HERE
AND THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT A
THAT WORK GNAW DO.
>> BETO O’ROURKE OFFICIALS
ANNOUNCES HIS PRESIDENT DNS CAM