ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND.
>> Dana: SEE YOU MONDAY MONTH
"THE FAULKNER FOCUS" IS UP NEXT.
>> Harris: DEMOCRATS STEPPED UP
THEIR POWER GRAB WITH A HOUSE
VOTE TODAY TO RADICALLY RESHAPE
THE ELECTORAL MAP.
I’M HARRIS FAULKNER.
THE HOUSE IS SET TO VOTE ON A
BILL THAT WOULD MAKE
WASHINGTON, D.C. THE 51st STATE.
DEMOCRATS ARE FRAMING IT AS A
CIVIL RIGHTS ISSUE.
SOME RALLIES ARE BEING HELD NOW
AROUND THE NATION’S CAPITOL IN
SUPPORT OF STATE HOOD FOR THE
DISTRICT.
A LONG-TIME DEMOCRAT STRONGHOLD
AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW.
NANCY PELOSI PUT IT THIS WAY.
>> BY VOTING FOR D.C. STATEHOOD
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
REAFFIRMS THE TRUTH THAT ALL
DESERVE A VOICE IN OUR
DEMOCRACY.
FOR CENTURIES THEY HAVE BEEN
DENIED THEIR RIGHT TO
REPRESENTATION.
IT IS IMPERATIVE WE CORRECT
THIS INJUSTICE WHICH IS ALSO A
MATTER OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND
SECURITY.
>> Harris: WELL, HOLD ON
BECAUSE THE SENATE IS A MAJOR
ROADBLOCK.
DEMOCRATS AIM TO USE THE BILL
TO GET PRESSURE TO END THE
FILIBUSTER ALLOWING THE LEFT TO
DRIVE FORWARD THEIR AGENDA
WITHOUT NEEDING ANY REPUBLICAN
SUPPORT.
HERE WITH REACTION SENATOR JOHN
KENNEDY REPUBLICAN FROM
LOUISIANA.
SENATOR, GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON
THE PROGRAM.
AN IMPORTANT DAY, A LOT TO GET
TO.
LET’S START WITH STATEHOOD AND
WHAT THIS MEANS AND WHAT
REPUBLICANS CAN DO IN THE
SENATE IF THEY WANT TO BLOCK
THIS.
>> WELL, I’M RATHER FOND OF OUR
CONSTITUTION.
I KNOW YOU ARE TOO, HARRIS.
AND I THINK THE HOUSE BILL IS
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
I WAS READING AN INTERVIEW BY
MR. JERRY NADLER ABOUT THE BILL.
HE IS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE
JUDICIARY.
AND I THINK HIS ARGUMENTS FOR
THIS BILL ARE TYPICAL.
I’VE SEEN MR. NADLER’S LEGAL
ANALYSIS.
I DON’T MEAN TO BE CRUEL BUT IF
YOU WANT TO HIDE SOMETHING FROM
HIM, PUT IT IN A LAW BOOK.
I MEAN, THIS ISSUE WAS SETTLED
IN 1790.
OUR FOUNDERS DID NOT WANT THE
SEAT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
TO BE INFLUENCED BY ANY
PARTICULAR STATE SO THEY
CREATED A DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,
A NON-STATE.
AND THE LAND WAS GIVEN BY
VIRGINIA AND MARYLAND.
IT IS NOT IN THE CONSTITUTION,
BUT OUR FOUNDERS TALKED IN
TERMS OF HAVING A DISTRICT THAT
WAS I THINK THE LANGUAGE WAS 10
MILES SQUARE.
NOW, CAN THAT BE CHANGED?
SURE, BUT YOU HAVE TO AMEND THE
CONSTITUTION.
THEIR BILL ALSO, I THINK, IS
PROBABLY GOING TO BE FOUND
UNCONSTITUTIONAL ON THE 23rd
AMENDMENT.
THEY CREATE THIS NEW MINI
DISTRICT AND GIVE IT WHICH WILL
HAVE A COUPLE HUNDRED OR A
COUPLE THOUSAND PEOPLE AND GIVE
THIS MINI DISTRICT THREE
ELECTORAL VOTES, WHICH IS GOING
TO DISENFRANCHISE A LOT OF
OTHER PEOPLE.
SO I’M NOT ESPECIALLY WORRIED
ABOUT IT.
I THINK IT IS ANYBODY WHO KNOWS
A LAW BOOK FROM A J. CREW
CATALOG KNOWS IT’S
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
>> Harris: REAL QUICKLY.
ANY OF THE DEMOCRATS YOU ARE
TALKING WITH.
YOU HEAR THE NAMES OF KRISTIN
SINMAN AND JOE MANCHIN.
DO THEY APPLY HERE IN TERMS OF
SUPPORTING REPUBLICANS?
>> WELL, I DON’T KNOW YET.
WE HAVEN’T SEEN THE BILL.
I THINK MOST PEOPLE ON CAPITOL
HILL -- AND I THINK MOST
AMERICANS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS
BILL IS NOT ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS.
IT IS NOT REALLY ABOUT
INFRANCHISING OR
DISENFRANCHISING PEOPLE.
IT IS ABOUT NANCY PELOSI AND
OTHERS TRYING TO CONSOLIDATE
LIBERAL POWER BECAUSE I THINK
FOR A LONGEST TIME THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA, WHICH CAN VOTE IN
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IS
HEAVILY DEMOCRATIC.
>> Harris: I WANT TO SCOOT TO
THIS.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS PLAYER
LEBRON JAMES IS FACING SOME
BACKLASH AND SENATOR, I KNOW
EVEN ON CAPITOL HILL THEY’RE
TALKING ABOUT THIS ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY BECAUSE HE HAS SUCH A
HIGH PROFILE.
HUGE.
IT IS OVER THIS DELETED TWEET
WHICH SAYS YOU’RE NEXT OVER A
PICTURE OF THE COLUMBUS, OHIO
POLICE OFFICER WHO SHOT AND
KILLED 16-YEAR-OLD MA’KHIA
BRYANT CAUGHT ON BODY CAM
ATTACKING TWO OTHER GIRLS WITH
A KNIFE.
LEBRON JAMES LATER WROTE THIS.
BY THE WAY AGAIN HE DELETED
THAT TWEET.
WE HAVEN’T SEEN THE POLICE
OFFICER’S PICTURE UNTIL HE PUT
IT OUT THERE.
I TOOK THE TWEET DOWN BECAUSE
IT IS BEING USED TO CREATE MORE
HATE, HE SAID.
THIS ISN’T ABOUT ONE OFFICER,
IT IS ABOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM
AND THEY ALWAYS USE OUR WORDS
TO CREATE MORE RACISM.
SENATOR KENNEDY, YOUR REACTION.
>> Harris: WELL, FIRST I THINK
MR. JAMES DID THE RIGHT THING
BY PULLING DOWN THE TWEET.
LOOK, HARRIS, I ADMIRE HIS
PASSION.
HE IS CLEARLY A LEADER FOR MANY
AMERICANS FOR A VARIETY OF
REASONS, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH
IS HIS EXTRAORDINARY PHYSICAL
SKILLS.
I THINK SOMETIMES MR. JAMES HAS
MORE ZEAL THAN WISDOM.
HE DOESN’T WAIT ON THE FACTS.
I MEAN, HE CAN GO FROM ZERO TO
SCREW EVERYONE PRETTY FAST AND
I WISH I WAS AS SURE OF
ANYTHING AS MR. JAMES SOMETIMES
SEEMS TO BE SURE OF EVERYTHING.
I DON’T WANT TO BE OVERLY
CRITICAL BUT ON A SITUATION
LIKE THIS, YOU HAVE TO GET THE
FACTS.
WHAT HAPPENED IN COLUMBUS WAS
HORRIBLE.
A COP HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN TWO
LIVES IN A SPLIT SECOND.
AND I KNOW SOME HAVE SAID
PRESIDENT BIDEN WHEN HE WAS
RUNNING SAID WELL, THE COP
OUGHT TO SHOOT THE GUN AND THE
KNIFE OUT OF THEIR HANDS.
THIS ISN’T SILVERADO OR DEAD
WOOD.
THIS ISN’T THE MOVIES.
COPS SOMETIMES HAVE TO MAKE
QUICK DECISIONS AND WE HAVE TO
WAIT FOR THE FACTS AND
INVESTIGATION.
>> Harris: YOU SAY THE
INVESTIGATION.
LEBRON JAMES IS COMING UNDER
HEAT BECAUSE THIS APPEARED TO
INCITE VIOLENCE.
EVEN TWITTER IS NOT RESPONDING.
THEY NORMALLY WOULD FLAP A
STICKER ON SOMETHING LIKE THIS
OR SUSPEND THE ACCOUNT OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN WHAT ABOUT THE
COMMISSIONER OF THE LEAGUE THAT
HE PLAYS IN?
IT IS CRICKETS.
IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS
DEFINITELY CALLING FOR VIOLENCE
TO SOME.
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
>> LOOK, I WISH HE HADN’T
TWEETED IT OUT.
I SUSPECT HE DOES, TAO. HE DID
THE RIGHT THING BY PULLING IT
DOWN.
I ADMIRE HIS PASSION BUT YOU
HAVE TO BALANCE YOUR ZEAL WITH
WISDOM.
AND IF YOU ARE IN A LEADERSHIP
POSITION, YOU CAN’T JUST SHOOT
FROM THE HIP.
NOW AND WE HAVE TO DISABUSE
THIS -- PEOPLE OF THIS IDEA,
WHICH I DON’T THINK AMERICANS
SHARE, THAT EVERY COP, MANY OF
WHOM ARE RACIAL MINORITIES,
EVERY COP GETS UP EVERY MORNING
AND GOES TO HOPE HOPING FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO HURT SOMEBODY
INCLUDED BUT NOT LIMITED TO A
RACIAL MINORITY.
I DON’T THINK THAT’S TRUE, I
JUST DON’T.
I DON’T THINK MOST COPS ARE
RACIST.
SOME PROBABLY ARE.
WE NEED TO WEED THEM OUT.
BUT IF YOU HATE COPS JUST
BECAUSE THEY’RE COPS, YOU ARE
BEING UNFAIR AND UNREALISTIC
AND YOU AREN’T FOOLING THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THEY DON’T BELIEVE THAT.
>> Harris: YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
CHOICE HE MADE IN THAT MOMENT
AND HAD TO MAKE BASED ON A
KNIFE IN THAT YOUNG WOMAN’S
HAND.
>> IT’S TERRIBLE.
>> Harris: WE DON’T KNOW ALL
THE FACTS AND WE’LL COVER THEM
WHAT THEY HAPPEN.
>> WHAT I HATE SO MUCH ABOUT
THAT.
ONE OF OUR STRENGTHS IN THIS
COUNTRY IS OUR DIVERSITY.
DIVERSITY BECAUSE OF SOME OF
OUR LEADERS HAS BECOME DIVISION.
AND IT IS TEARING THIS COUNTRY
APART AND PEOPLE NEED TO THINK
BEFORE THEY SPEAK.
AND I GIVE MR. JAMES THE
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT BUT IF YOU
ARE GOING TO BE A LEADER, YOU
HAVE TO LEAD AND YOU HAVE TO
CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY.
>> Harris: I’LL GET TO THIS NOW.
THERE ARE NEW DETAILS EMERGING
ON THAT COLUMBUS SHOOTING.
A NEIGHBOR WHO WILL JOIN US
LATER IN THE PROGRAM TOLD THE
"NEW YORK POST" HE WATCHED THE
INCIDENT AFTER IT HAPPENED ON
HIS HOME SECURITY VIDEO.
IT WAS SECURED ABOVE HIS GARAGE
SO HE COULD SEE AND SAYS THAT
MA’KHIA BRYANT WAS IN FULL
ATTACK MODE.
HIS WORDS.
HE BELIEVED COPS HAD NO CHOICE
BUT TO SHOOT.
THE WHITE HOUSE PORTRAYED THE
INCIDENT QUITE DIFFERENTLY.
WATCH.
>> SHE WAS A CHILD.
WE’RE THINKING OF HER FRIENDS
AND FAMILY AND THE COMMUNITIES
HURTING AND GRIEVING HER LOSS.
POLICE VIOLENCE DISIMPORTANT
PORTION NATURALLY IMPACTS BLACK
AND LATINO COMMUNITIES.
THEY EXPERIENCE HIGHER RATES OF
POLICE VIOLENCE.
OUR FOCUS IS ON WORKING TO
ADDRESS SYSTEMIC RACISM.
>> Harris: NOW THIS HEADLINE
FROM AN OP-ED IN THE "NEW YORK
POST."
JEN PSAKI BASELESS LIST AND
DISGRACEFULLY RADICALIZED THE
KILLING IN COLUMBUS.
WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT
HEADLINE?
>> IMMEASURABLY NOT THE
HEADLINE, WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN
HAS DONE IS IMMEASURABLY
RECKLESS AND FOOLISH.
HE HAS GONE FULL WOKE.
HE HAS JOINED THOSE PEOPLE WHO
BELIEVE THAT AMERICA WAS WICKED
IN ITS ORIGINS AND THAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE EVEN MORE
WICKED TODAY.
THAT WE HAVE MILLIONS OF
AMERICANS WHO ARE RACIST AND
MISOGYNISTIC AND IGNORANT,
ESPECIALLY IF THEY DIDN’T VOTE
FOR HIM.
THE WOKE PEOPLE WHO MR. BIDEN
HAS JOINED HAVE CONTEMPT FOR
AMERICA.
THEY SHOULD HAVE GRATITUDE.
AND I AM VERY, VERY
DISAPPOINTED IN PRESIDENT BIDEN.
I KNEW HE WOULD BE LEFT OF
CENTER.
I DIDN’T KNOW HE WOULD BE LEFT
OF LENIN.
HE KNOWS BETTER.
>> Harris: WOW.
I THINK THE WORDING THAT YOU
ARE USING, THAT IS GOING TO BE
SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WILL BE
QUOTING AND THINKING ABOUT ALL
DAY LONG.
SENATOR KENNEDY.
>> THE PRESIDENT IS ENCOURAGING
THIS.
HE HAS TO STOP IT.
HE IS ENCOURAGING THIS RADICAL
THINKING THAT AMERICA IS BAD.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE NOT
PERFECT BUT THEY ARE GOOD.
>> Harris: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
DIRECTLY TO THE PRESIDENT?
LET’S STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT
AND GIVE YOU A FEW MORE SECONDS
TO EXPRESS THIS.
WE SAW THE PROSECUTION IN THE
DEREK CHAUVIN CASE NOT BRING UP
RACE IN THE CASE OR IN HIS
CLOSING ARGUMENT.
AND THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT BY
SOME CONGRESSMAN MAXINE WATERS
TURNED IT INTO THAT TYPE OF
EVENT FOR HER OWN PURPOSES ONE
WOULD IMAGINE, WE DON’T KNOW.
YOUR LAST WORD.
>> I WOULD TELL PRESIDENT
BIDEN, YOU ARE A SMART MAN AND
YOU DIDN’T GET TO BE YOUR AGE
WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE AND NOT
KNOW THIS IS NONSENSE.
AMERICA IS NOT ROTTEN TO ITS
CORE.
WE’RE NOT PERFECT BUT WE ARE
GOOD.
AND YOU ARE TURNING OUR
DIVERSITY, ONE OF OUR
STRENGTHS, INTO A DIVISION.
AND SOME SAY, MR. PRESIDENT.
I AM NOT ACCUSING YOU, PURELY
FOR POLITICAL REASONS.
IT’S WRONG AND YOU KNOW IT’S
WRONG.
IT IS NOT WORTH IT, MR.
PRESIDENT.
LEAD, DON’T JUST FOLLOW AND DO
WHAT THE WOKE PEOPLE TELL YOU
TO DO.
>> Harris: SENATOR KENNEDY FROM