ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL ACK TIFRTIVIT
JOY REID IS NEXT.
>>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
WE HAVE A BIG HOUR AHEAD,
INCLUDING THE LATEST ON THE MESS
IN ARIZONA, WITH NEW WARNINGS
FROM ELECTION OBSERVERS.
AND TUCKER CARLSONS NEW
COMMENTS ABOUT COVID VACCINES.
BUT FIRST, CHUCK SCHUMER WILL
BRING THE FOR THE PEOPLE ACT TO
THE FLOOR LATER THIS MONTH FOR A
VOTE.
IT CANT COME SOON ENOUGH, AS
REPUBLICAN LED LEGISLATURES
ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE
INTRODUCED NEARLY 400 BILLS THAT
LIMIT VOTING ACCESS.
AN ANTI-VOTING WAVE THAT THIS
COUNTRY HAS NOT SEEN SINCE THE
END OF RECONSTRUCTION.
ARI BERMAN WRITES THAT MUCH OF
WHAT WERE WITNESSING IS A
CONCERTED ATTEMPT TO END THE
SECOND RECONSTRUCTION WHICH
BEGAN WITH THE PASSING OF THE
VOTING ACT IN 1965.
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS
REWRITING THE RULES OF AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY TO PROTECT
CONSERVATIVE WHITE POLITICAL
POWER FROM THE RISING INFLUENCE
OF NEW DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.
UNLESS SOMETHING IS DONE NOW,
THE DAMAGE COULD BE IRREPARABLE.
TUESDAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN,
SIGNALING A NEW PHASE IN THE
PRESSURE CAMPAIGN, HE CALLED OUT
TWO OBSTINATE MEMBERS OF HIS OWN
PARTY.
>> THIS SACRED RIGHT IS UNDER
ASSAULT WITH AN INTENSITY AND
AGGRESSIVENESS THAT WE HAVE NOT
SEEN IN A LONG, LONG TIME.
ITS SIMPLY UN-AMERICAN.
I HEAR ALL OF THE FOLKS ON TV
SAYING, WHY DOESNT BIDEN GET
THIS DONE?
BECAUSE BIDEN ONLY HAS FOUR
VOTES IN THE HOUSE, AND A TIE IN
THE SENATE, WITH TWO MEMBERS OF
THE SENATE WHO VOTE MORE WITH MY REPUBLICAN FRIENDS.
REPUBLICAN FRIENDS.
>> ONE OF THOSE MEMBERS, KYRSTEN
SINEMA, CALLED HERSELF A HAPPY
WARRIOR FOR BIPARTISANSHIP.
SHE REPEATED HER REFUSAL TO
BUDGE ON THE FILIBUSTER.
>> TO THOSE WHO SAY WE MUST MAKE
A CHOICE BETWEEN THE FILIBUSTER
AND "X," I SAY, THIS IS A FALSE
CHOICE.
THE REALITY IS, WHEN YOU HAVE A
SYSTEM THAT IS NOT WORKING
EFFECTIVELY, AND I THINK MOST
WOULD AGREE THE SENATE IS NOT A
PARTICULARLY WELL-OILED MACHINE,
RIGHT, THE WAY TO FIX THAT IS TO
CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR.
NOT TO CHANGE THE RULES, BUT TO
CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR.
>> THE OTHER UNNAMED SENATOR,
JOE MANCHIN OF WEST VIRGINIA,
TOLD REPORTER TO KEEP THE FAITH
IN THIS DAMN SENATE, AND WELL
MAKE IT WORK OUT.
WELL MAKE IT BIPARTISAN.
KEEP THE FAITH IN WHAT?
LAST WEEK, THE BILL TO CREATE
THE JANUARY 6th COMMISSION WAS
KILLED.
THERE WILL NEVER BE TEN SENATE
REPUBLICANS WILLING TO OVERCOME
A FILIBUSTER BECAUSE OF WHAT
THEIR LEADER TOLD US.
>> 100% OF MY FOCUS IS ON
STANDING UP TO THIS
ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT WE HAVE IN THE UNITED
STATES SENATE IS TOTAL UNITY
FROM SUSAN COLLINS AND TED CRUZ,
IN OPPOSITION TO WHAT THE NEW
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS TRYING
TO DO TO THIS COUNTRY.
>> 100%.
THAT LEAVES US FRANKLY CONFUSED
AS TO WHY MANCHIN AND SINEMA
CARE MORE ABOUT THE WILL OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY THAN ABOUT THE
WILL OF THE AMERICAN PARTY.
JOINING ME NOW, AL FRANKEN,
FORMER SENATOR AND HOST OF THE
AL FRANKEN PODCAST, AND
CHRISTINA GREER.
SENATOR FRANKEN, I HAVE NOT
WORKED WITH THESE PEOPLE, I
DONT KNOW THESE PEOPLE.
BUT I CANT THINK OF AN
EXPLANATION FOR WHAT MANCHIN AND
SINEMA ARE DOING UNLESS IT IS
THAT THEY ACTUALLY PREFER THAT
REPUBLICANS CONTROL THE PROCESS
AND MAYBE THAT REPUBLICANS
CONTROL THE SENATE.
OR THEY THEMSELVES MAYBE DONT
PLAN TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION AND
ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR
NEXT THING, THEYRE JUST
PREPARING THEMSELVES TO BE THE
SMOKING MAN ON "THE X-FILES" AND
LET THE OTHER GUY WIN.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND THIS?
>> THIS IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT
TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
WHAT THE REPUBLICANS PASSED
NATIONWIDE, AND LOOK AT ARIZONA.
WHERE NOT ONLY ARE THEY
SUPPRESSING VOTES, SOMETHING
THEY TRADITIONALLY DO TO TRY TO
GET PEOPLE THEY DONT WANT TO
VOTE, TO VOTE.
WHAT THEYRE ACTUALLY DOING IS
TRYING TO GIVE THE AUTHORITY TO
REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS IN
ELECTIONS.
IN ARIZONA, THEYVE GIVEN THE
AUTHORITY TO THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, TAKEN IT FROM THE
SECRETARY OF STATE.
THAT EXPIRES IN JANUARY OF 2023,
BECAUSE THEY DONT KNOW WHO WILL
WIN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND
WHO WILL WIN THE SECRETARY OF
STATE. THIS IS DIFFERENT.
THIS IS DIFFERENT.
THIS IS NOT WHETHER, YOU KNOW,
TO COVER ORTHODONTICS IN THE
ACA.
THIS IS DEMOCRACY.
AND I WOULD MAKE THE CASE TO JOE
MANCHIN, ESPECIALLY ON THIS
BILL, BECAUSE I HEAR SINEMA IS
FOR IT.
BUT ALSO ON THE FILIBUSTER,
OBVIOUSLY, THAT WE EITHER NEED
TO GET -- JOE SAID HE WONT GET
RID OF IT, SINEMA SAID SHE WONT
GET RID OF IT.
WEVE BEEN WORKING ON A
MODIFICATION THAT I THINK WOULD
WORK IN STOPPING THIS.
AND ILL LET THE PROFESSOR WEIGH
IN HERE SO I DONT, YOU KNOW,
TALK TOO MUCH.
>> NO, WE WANT YOU TO TALK.
THE THING IS, CHRISTINA GREER,
KYRSTEN SINEMA KNOWS EVERYTHING
THAT AL FRANKEN JUST SAID, SHE
KNOWS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HER
OWN STATE.
I CAN ONLY CONCLUDE SHE WANTS IT
TO PROCEED.
SHE SAYS SHES A CO-SPONSOR, BUT
I CANNOT CONCLUDE OTHER THAN
WHAT SHE SEES HAPPENING THAT
REPUBLICANS ARE DOING, SHES FOR
IT.
BECAUSE SHES NOT FOR CHANGING
IT.
SHES NOT FOR STOPPING IT.
I DONT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO
CONCLUDE.
>> WELL, TWO WORDS, JOY.
PRIMARIES MATTER.
BECAUSE JUST AS YOU SAID, SHE
WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHOW
UP IN PARTICULAR COMMUNITIES
WHEN THE PRIMARY SEASON COMES
AROUND TO TALK ABOUT CERTAIN
LEGISLATION THAT SHE
MEALY-MOUTHED SUPPORTED.
BUT WITH WITH OUR DEMOCRACY,
SHES BEEN ADVERSARY TO THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
AND WE KNOW THERE IS GREAT
IDEOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
BUT WE CANNOT HAVE DEMOCRATIC
SENATORS WHO ARE ACTIVELY
WORKING AGAINST THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
AND THAT IS WHAT WERE SEEING
WITH SINEMA AND MANCHIN, WHEN
THEY REFUSE TO SUPPORT THEIR
DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES WHEN IT
COMES TO ASSESSING WHAT THE
FILIBUSTER HAS DONE, AND HOW IT
PREVENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH
McCONNELL AND HIS CAUCUS, HOW IT
PREVENTS THE AMERICAN PUBLIC
FROM MOVING FORWARD IN A
SUBSTANTIVE WAY.
THE FACT THAT THEYRE VOTING
AGAINST THE JANUARY 6th
COMMISSION SHOULD BE PROOF
ENOUGH TO LET US KNOW THEYRE
NOT INTERESTED IN THE HEALTH,
WEALTH, AND CONTINUATION OF THE
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
>> YOU HAVE VICE PRESIDENT
HARRIS WHO WILL BE LEADING THE
ADMINISTRATIONS EFFORTS.
YOU HAVE THE NAACP PREPARING TO
MEET WITH MANCHIN.
THEYRE BASICALLY THROWING THE
FULL AFRICAN-AMERICAN COALITION
AT MANCHIN.
BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, ITS SENATOR
CORY BOOKER THAT IS OUT THERE.
REVEREND WARNOCK OUT THERE.
THEYRE THROWING -- I DONT SEE
HOW THAT MOVES HIM.
HE DOESNT NEED AFRICAN-AMERICAN
VOTES TO WIN.
ITS A 7% BLACK STATE.
DOES THAT WORK?
I DONT SEE HOW IT WORKS, BUT
TELL ME IF YOU THINK ITS
DIFFERENT.
>> LET ME DESCRIBE WHAT WEVE
BEEN WORKING ON FOR 12 YEARS
NOW, AND WEVE MODIFIED THE
MODIFICATION.
RIGHT NOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE
VOTE ON THE JANUARY 6th
COMMISSION, THEY ONLY GOT 35 TO
STOP IT.
BUT THEY DIDNT NEED 35.
THEY DIDNT NEED ANY.
THEY NEEDED ONE, I GUESS.
THEY NEEDED SOMEONE TO SHOW UP.
>> YEAH.
>> BUT WE NEEDED 60.
THIS MODIFICATION IS, THEY HAVE
TO SHOW UP.
AND THERE HAVE TO BE 41 VOTES.
THEY HAVE TO KEEP THE FILIBUSTER
GOING.
BUT NOT JUST THAT, THEY HAVE TO
STAY THERE.
IT HAS TO BE A TALKING
FILIBUSTER, AND THEY HAVE TO
STAY THERE.
AND THEY CAN STAY THERE A DAY,
THEY CAN STAY THERE TWO DAYS.
THERES 50 OF THEM.
41 HAVE TO BE THERE AT SOME
POINT, ALL DAY, ALL NIGHT, BY MY
MATH, EACH OF THEM WOULD GET
FIVE HOURS OFF.
YOU DO THAT FOR TWO OR THREE
DAYS, CHUCK GRASSLEY GETS A
LITTLE TIRED OF THAT.
MITCH McCONNELL GETS A LITTLE
TIRED OF THAT.
PLUS, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GET TO
HEAR THEM DEBATE.
AND THEY GET TO HEAR THE
REPUBLICANS TAKE THE PRO SIDE ON
WHY IT SHOULD BE A CRIME TO GIVE
SOMEONE A GLASS OF WATER OR
GIVERGIVE
THEM WATER IN A LINE.
I WANT TO SEE THAT DEBATE.
I WANT TO HAVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SEE THAT DEBATE.
PEOPLE SEE THAT DEBATE.
AND I WANT TO MAKE JIM INHOFE
AND MITCH McCONNELL BE THERE.
BELIEVE ME, IVE BEEN IN THIS
BODY.
THEY DONT WANT TO STAY THERE,
AND THEYRE NOT GOING TO.
AND THIS, YOU KNOW, BEFORE
FILIBUSTERS WERE PEOPLE LIKE
STROM THURMOND, WERE FOR THE
EXACT OPPOSITE REASON, FOR BAD
REASONS.
THIS IS ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY.
IF WE ALLOW THIS TO OVERTURN
ELECTIONS, ELECTED OFFICIALS,
ELECTED REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS TO
OVERTURN ELECTIONS, OUR
DEMOCRACY GOES AWAY.
IT WOULDNT BE HITLER, WOULDNT
BE TOJO OR THE CONFEDERACY, IT