GOOD EVENING.
>> GOOD EVENING, CHUCK.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WELCOME TO "THE BEAT."
I AM ARI MELBER.
WE BEGIN A QUESTION AT THE HEART
OF THE NATIONAL PROTESTS AND HOW
POLITICS WORKS.
HERE IT IS.
WHAT DOES WINNING LOOK LIKE?
AMERICA HAS BEEN LIVING THROUGH
THESE MARCHES FOR WEEKS NOW.
ACTIVIST LEADERS SAY SOME THINGS
ARE ALREADY CHANGING.
RARE CHARGES OF OFFICERS, SOME
CITIES PASSING THESE BIG REFORMS
WE’RE COVERING.
AND THEY SAY OTHER THINGS ARE
STUBBORNLY THE SAME.
ATLANTA STILL ROILING OVER THE
SHOOTING OF A BLACK MAN WHO WAS
SHOT IN HIS CAR.
HE POSED NO IMMEDIATE THREAT TO
ANYONE.
THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO
ARE ALL THESE DIFFERENT PROTESTS
MOVING?
WHICH GOES TO THE QUESTION
TONIGHT THAT I BEGIN WITH.
WHAT DOES WINNING LOOK LIKE IN
DO THESE PROTESTS HAVE THE MOST
IMPACT ON DEMOCRATIC LEADERS WHO
HISTORICALLY RELY MORE ON THE
VOTES OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES
AND YOUNGER PEOPLE?
DO THEY HAVE AN IMPACT ON A
WIDER GROUP OF MORE MODERATE
AMERICANS AND WHITE AMERICANS,
WHO WE HAVE SEEN VERY VISIBLY
JOINING PROTESTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY IN MORE OFTEN THAN HAS
BEEN DOCUMENTED IN RECENT
HISTORY?
ONE SIGN ON THAT IS YES.
"THE NEW YORK TIMES" FINDS THAT
AMERICAN VIEWS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY
SHIFTING IN SUPPORT OF BLACK
LIVES MATTER.
NOW, DO THESE PROTESTS HAVE ANY
IMPACT ON CONSERVATIVES AND
DONALD TRUMP?
WHO OF COURSE IS RUNNING THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT?
ANY IMPACT THERE?
MANY, MANY DIFFERENT PUNDITS
HAVE SUGGESTED NO.
THEY’VE ARGUED BLACK LIVES
MATTER DOESN’T HAVE ANY
POLITICAL LEVERAGE OVER TRUMP.
LIKE SO MANY THINGS PUNDITS SAY
ABOUT POLITICS, ABOUT THESE
COMPLEX ISSUES, THAT IS WRONG.
LET ME TELL YOU WHY TONIGHT.
YOU CAN SEE THE EVIDENCE IN THE
ROSE GARDEN TODAY.
WHERE DONALD TRUMP DID SOMETHING
THAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE DONE BUT
FOR THESE PROTESTS.
HE TOOK SOME GOVERNMENT ACTION
AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY.
DONALD TRUMP BENT PARTLY TO THE
PROTESTERS’ VIEW WHICH HAS BEEN
GROUND IN THE EVIDENCE IN THESE
DISTURBING CELL PHONE VIDEOS TO
FORMALLY STATE ON BEHALF OF THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, THIS
IS NEW.
LET ME READ IT TO YOU.
THAT POLICE OFFICERS HAVE
MISUSED THEIR AUTHORITY,
CHALLENGING THE TRUST OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, WITH TRAGIC
CONSEQUENCES FOR INDIVIDUAL
VICTIMS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES
AND OUR NATION.
END QUOTE.
LET’S TAKE THAT IN.
THERE IS MUCH THAT THIS NEW
ORDER FAILS TO DO.
NOW AS A JOURNALIST, A LEGAL
REPORTER, I CAN WALK YOU THROUGH
THAT TONIGHT AND WE HAVE EXPERT
GUESTS TO GUIDE US TO THAT.
BUT IT WOULD BE A VERY NARROW
AND REALLY A POTENTIALLY
PARTISAN MISTAKE TO JUST SAY
THAT SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE
PRESIDENT’S FAULTS, OR SIMPLY TO
AVOID EVER GRADING HIM ON A
CURVE, THAT PEOPLE TONIGHT WOULD
IGNORE THIS NEW VICTORY FOR
THESE PROTESTERS.
EVEN IF, YES, ALSO, AND THIS IS
SO OFTEN THE CASE IN THE
AMERICAN CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
WHAT YOU STUDY IN LAW SCHOOL.
THIS IS OF COURSE ONLY A SMALL
PARTIAL VICTORY THAT ARRIVED SO
LATE AND ARRIVES ONLY UNDER THE
UTMOST PRESSURE, AND ARRIVES
ONLY AMIDST THIS TRAGIC BACK
DROP THAT SO MANY ARE LIVING
THROUGH, AND SOME OF COURSE ARE
DYING THROUGH.
SO LET’S STATE ALL OF THAT FOR
THE RECORD.
THE VICTORY IS THESE PROTESTERS
THAT YOU SEE, COMPELLING A
PRESIDENT ON THE OPPOSITE
POLITICAL TURF, TO GO OUT THERE
TODAY AND HAVE DONALD TRUMP
CONCEDE THOSE PROBLEMS, TO DO SO
WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT PRESENT,
AND TO ADD POLICIES THAT THESE
PROTESTERS HAVE BEEN PUSHING AND
THAT DONALD TRUMP HAS LONG
OPPOSED.
AS WE’VE COVERED ON THIS
PROGRAM, THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO
OPENLY AND UNLAWFULLY ENCOURAGED
AND JOKED ABOUT ROUGHING UP
SUSPECTS.
BUT NOW, HE’S USING A FORCE OF
LAW UNDER THIS PRESSURE TO MAKE
LAW ENFORCEMENT CUT DOWN ON
CHOKEHOLDS.
A CONTROVERSIAL TACTIC THAT IS
SLOWLY EXECUTED PEOPLE IN
CUSTODY.
TO DEPLOY MORE MENTAL HEALTH
EXPERTS FOR DE-ESCALATION.
TO REVISE USE OF FORCE POLICIES
AND TACKLING A VOID THAT WE HAVE
COVERED MANY TIMES ON THIS VERY
SHOW.
WE’VE DISCUSSED WITH POLICY
MAKERS IN BOTH PARTIES.
THIS NEW ORDER WILL FINALLY
BEGIN FIXING THE GAPING HOLE IN
FEDERAL TRACKING OF POLICE
MISCONDUCT SO THERE IS NOW,
STARTING NOW IN 2020, ONE
NATIONAL ACCOUNTABLE DATABASE
FOR POLICE MISCONDUCT IF IT IS
EXECUTED CORRECTLY.
IT LEANS TOWARD WHAT PROTESTERS
HAVE BEEN DEMANDING.
THEY ALSO FALL SHORT IN MANY
WAYS.
I CAN GIVE YOU BOTH THOSE FACTS
TONIGHT.
AS A REPORTER, I CAN TELL YOU
THIS IS BOTH A STEP, WHETHER OR
NOT IT IS POPULAR TO NOTE THAT
IT IS A STEP, AND IT ALSO OF
COURSE INVOLVES THINGS THAT MANY
OF THE SAME EXPERTS HAVE SAID,
FALL SHORT.
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU THINK
THE PRESIDENT WAS DRAGGED HERE
BY HIS OWN SELF-INTEREST, UNDER
PRESSURE, OR IF YOU THINK HE
DESERVES NO CREDIT, FINE.
OTHERS CAN DECIDE WHETHER AND
HOW TO DOLE OUT CREDIT.
THERE’S BEEN SO MUCH GOING ON.
SUCH A PART SANDAL POLARIZED
REACTION.
I WANT TO STRESS THIS TO YOU
TONIGHT.
I AM REPORTING TO YOU THAT THE
DONALD TRUMP WHITE HOUSE WAS
PUSHED TOWARD BACKING POLICE
ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES.
THAT’S NEWS.
FROM PROTESTERS AND MANY LEGAL
EXPERTS ARE TILL PUSHING FOR FAR
MORE.
THAT’S NOT THE ENDS OF THE NEWS.
THEY WANT TO CURB THE IMMUNE
THAT PROTECTS POLICE IN COURT.
THEY WANT TO MANDATE
INVESTIGATINGS INTO SHOOTING TO
END CONFLICTS FOR D.A.
THEY WANT TO REFORM NO KNOCK
WARRANTS.
THE ORDER THAT I JUST READ FROM,
THE PRESIDENT IS HOLDING UP
THERE, DOES NOT DO THOSE THINGS
AND THERE ARE NEW FEDERAL BILLS
IN CONGRESS THAT WOULD GO
FARTHER THAN THE PRESIDENT’S
EXECUTIVE ACTIONS TODAY.
BUT LET ME TELL YOU.
WHEN YOU HAVE PROTESTS IN THE
STREET FOR THIS MANY WEEKS, AND
YOU SEE THE REACTION, NOT ONLY
FROM POTENTIAL ALLIES, NOT ONLY
FROM CONCERNED AMERICANS, NOT
ONLY FROM LOCAL MAYORS, NOT ONLY
FROM THE PRESS WHICH HAS A ROLE
TO BE FAIR AND ACCURATE, BUT
WHEN YOU SEE IT ACROSS THE LINE