>>> WOULD THE RULE THAT YOU A
LIED IN 2016 TO THE SCALIA
VACANCY APPLY IN 2024 TO ANY
VACANCY THAT OCCURRED THEN?
>> WELL, I THINK IN THE MIDDLE
OF A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IF
YOU HAVE A SENATE OF THE
OPPOSITE PARTY OF THE PRESIDENT,
YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE 1880s
TO FIND THE LAST TIME A VACANCY
WAS FILLED.
I THINK ITS HIGHLY UNLIKELY.
IN FACT, NO, I DONT THINK
EITHER PARTY IF IT CONTROLLED,
IF IT WERE DIFFERENT FROM THE
PRESIDENT, WOULD CONFIRM A
SUPREME COURT NOMINEE IN THE
MIDDLE OF AN ELECTION.
>> SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH
McCONNELL MAKING IT CLEAR WHAT
HE WOULD DO IF REPUBLICANS
CONTROL THE SENATE AGAIN UNDER A
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT.
McCONNELL WAS ABLE TO FILL THREE
SUPREME COURT SEATS DURING THE
TRUMP PRESIDENCY WITH
CONSERVATIVE JUDGES THAT
PROMISED TO MOVE THE COURT TO
THE RIGHT, SOLIDIFY TRUMP
SUPPORT AMONG WHITE
EVANGELICALS.
AND NOW THE NATIONS LARGEST
PROTESTANT DENOMINATION IS
CHARTING ITS PATH FORWARD.
THE MEETING OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION IS UNDERWAY,
BAPTIST CONVENTION IS UNDERWAY,
AND THERE IS MINGLING ABOUT
RACE, GENDER AND SPOUSAL ABUSE.
>> AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT GREW
UP IN THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST
CHURCH?
ANYBODY, ANYBODY?
I THOUGHT SO.
VERY GOOD.
LOOK, IVE BEEN TALKING FOR
YEARS ABOUT THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST
CHURCH.
RUSSELL, OF COURSE, WAS
INVESTIGATING SEXUAL ABUSE IN
THE CHURCH.
BUT ALSO BECAME PERSONA NON
GRATA WHEN HE WAS CRITICAL OF
DONALD TRUMP.
HERE WAS A TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN
BAPTIST BASICALLY GOT DRIVEN
FROM THE CHURCH.
>> THE DENOMINATION IS REALLY
CHANGING.
THEYRE ALL GATHERING IN
NASHVILLE THIS WEEK, AND WERE
ALL REALLY WONDERING IF THIS IS
THE END OF THE RUSSELL MOORE ERA
OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST.
THEY HAVE ABOUT 16,000 PASTORS
AND LEADERS THERE, MOSTLY WHITE.
ON ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL, THIS IS
A GATHERING IN THE SOUTH OF
ABOUT 16,000 MOSTLY WHITE MEN TO
DEBATE RACE, SEX, THE ROLE OF
WOMEN AND THE FUTURE OF
EVANGELICAL POWER IN THE
COUNTRY, AND A LOT IS AT STAKE.
THEYRE POTENTIALLY GOING TO
ELECT AN ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT
POPULIST CANDIDATE.
THIS IS A DENOMINATION, AS YOU
KNOW, THAT IS ALREADY VERY
CONSERVATIVE.
>> RIGHT.
>> AND ITS FACING ANOTHER
CONSERVATIVE TAKEOVER.
>> BUT NOT CONSERVATIVE ENOUGH.
YOU WRITE IN YOUR ARTICLE THAT
THOSE THAT USED TO BE SEEN AS A
CONSERVATIVE FACTION ARE NOW
BEING CALLED BASICALLY MODERATES
AND SELLOUTS.
>> IT SOUNDS A BIT LIKE THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY, RIGHT?
ALL CONSERVATIVE, AND LIKE YOU
SAID, MANY OF THESE PEOPLE
REALLY SUPPORTED FORMER
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, AND THE
LEGACY OF THAT IS UNFOLDING.
THIS IS A CULTURAL REVOLUTION.
>> TELL ME ABOUT THIS PIRATE
THING THATS GOING ON IN
NASHVILLE.
>> WHATS A SOUTHERN BAPTIST
CONVENTION WITHOUT PIRATES AND
PIRATE FLAGS AND SKULL AND
CROSSBONES.
SERIOUSLY, THERE ARE SUPPORTERS
OF THIS ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT
CANDIDATE, AND BASICALLY
CONSERVATIVE INSURGENCY, AND
THEY HAVE DRIVEN, FLOWN TO
NASHVILLE.
SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN ON SOCIAL
MEDIA DISPLAYING THEIR PILOT
FLAGS AND THEYRE TAKE THE SHIP
HASH TAGS AND THEY MEAN
BUSINESS.
>> ARE THEY SUGGESTING THE
CONVENTION HAS DRIFTED?
>> THEYRE SAYING THE CONVENTION
HAS DRIFTED ACHLT.
A LOT OF THEM ARE VERY UPSET
ABOUT CRITICAL RACE THEORY.
WE ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER, THIS
IS A YEAR AFTER THE MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD, AND THE COUNTRY
HAS EXPERIENCED GREAT CHANGE AND
AWAKENING IN THAT AREA.
THERE IS A LOT OF RESISTANCE TO
THAT IN WHITE CHRISTIAN AMERICA.
>> A NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT
COVERING FAITH AND POLITICS FOR
THE "NEW YORK TIMES," ELIZABETH
DIAS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>>> BY THE WAY, WERE GOING TO
BE BACK HERE TOMORROW IN
WASHINGTON WITH FULL COVERAGE OF
THE BIDEN-PUTIN SUMMIT, WHICH A
LOT OF WHICH SHOULD BE HAPPENING
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF "MORNING
JOE" GIVEN THE TIME CHANGE,
RIGHT?
>> I THINK SO.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE HILL
TODAY?
>> WELL, THE HILL IS STILL KIND
OF -- WERE STUCK IN
INFRASTRUCTURE TALKS THAT ARE
NOW DRAGGING WEEKS ON END, SO
IM LOOKING TO MORE REACTION
FROM BERNIE SANDERS SAYING, I
DONT WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE.
>> IM NOT GOING TO THE HILL
TODAY.
IM WORKING FROM HOME AFTER A
YEAR AND A HALF.
RESTRICTIVE COVID RESTRICTIONS
HERE.
>> CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION?
GO OUT AND HUG BABIES IN FRONT