>>> THIS WEEK REMINDED US WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY OF ALTERNATE
REALITIES.
REALITIES. IN ONE COUNTRY THE ECONOMY
CONTINUES TO DO WELL WITH
MARKETS, JOB GROWTH AND WAGES
ALL ON THE RISE.
IN ANOTHER, A PAST PRESIDENT
CALLED FOR AN AWAKENING AMID
POLITICAL DARKNESS.
POLITICAL DARKNESS. USING THE WORD DARK FOUR TIMES
IN HIS SPEECH.
IN ONE WORLD, BRETT KAVANAUGH IS
A BRILLIANT JURIST READY TO FILL
THE SHOES OF ANTHONY KENNEDY.
IN THE OTHER, ACCUSATIONS OF A
RUSHED CONFIRMATION TO PAPER
OVER HIS PAST AND CHARGES HE MAY
ROOT OUT YEARS OF ESTABLISHED
LEGAL PRESS DEPTS.
IN ONE AMERICA THERE’S A
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DRAGNET
MEANT TO HAMSTRING A DULY
ELECTED PRESIDENT.
ELECTED PRESIDENT. IN THE OTHER, AN INVESTIGATION
THAT HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN
FELONY GUILTY PLEASE AND AND PRI
TIME.
TIME. THIS IS THE COUNTRY WE LIVE IN.
TONIGHT, PERHAPS FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN MODERN HISTORY, TWO MEN
STAND AT THE CENTER OF IT IN AN
HISTORIC COLLISION.
HISTORIC COLLISION. >> WE’VE GOT THE BEST EMPLOYMENT
NUMBERS IN OUR HISTORY.
>> WHEN YOU HEAR HOW GREAT THE
ECONOMY IS DOING RIGHT NOW,
LET’S JUST REMEMBER WHEN THIS
RECOVERY STARTED.
RECOVERY STARTED. >> SO WE’VE STARTED THE WALL.
WE’VE SPENT NOW CLOSE TO $3.2
BILLION.
BILLION. >> WE CAN’T JUST PUT WALLS UP
ALL AROUND AMERICA.
>> YOU KNOW WHEN ABRAHAM LINCOLN
MADE THE GETTY TYTYGETTYSBURG AD
>> I DON’T MEAN TO PRETEND I AM
CHANNELING ABRAHAM LINCOLN NOW,
BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT HE HAD IN
MIND, I THINK WHEN HE HELPED
FORM THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
>> FOR MANY, PRESIDENT OBAMA’S
WORDS FELT LIKE A RETURN TO
SANITY.
SANITY. FOR OTHERS, IT WAS A STARK
REMINDER OF WHY PRESIDENT TRUMP
WON THE ELECTION.
MEANWHILE, MUCH OF THE COUNTRY
IS JUST SICK OF ALL OF IT.
>> I CONCEIVE OF MYSELF AS AN
INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE WHO
CAUCUSES WITH THE REPUBLICANS
BUT, FRANKLY, NEITHER OF THESE
PARTIES HAVE A LONG-TERM VISION
FOR THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY.
THERE’S MASSIVE STUFF HAPPENING
IN AMERICA, AND THESIS MATTERS
ARE REALLY CONTENT TO DO 24-HOUR
NEWS CYCLES SCREAMING AT EACH
OTHER.
OTHER. >> WHY STAY A REPUBLICAN, AND
WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU
THOUGHT ABOUT BECOMING AN
INDEPENDENT?
INDEPENDENT? >> I PROBABLY THINK ABOUT IT
EVERY MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP,
BUT I FIGURE OUT, WHY AM I
FLYING AWAY FROM NEBRASKA TO GO
TO D.C.
TO D.C. WE ARE GOING TO GET REAL STUFF
DONE?
DONE? I’M COMMITTED TO THE PARTY OF
LINCOLN AND REAGAN AS LONG AS
THERE’S A CHANCE TO REFORM IT.
>> STUART STEVENS, BEFORE I ASK
THE REST OF THE PANEL ABOUT
PRESIDENT OBAMA, I AM JUST
CURIOUS.
CURIOUS. YOU PERSONALLY, HAVE YOU THOUGHT
ABOUT SWITCHING YOUR PARTY
ALLEGIANCE AS YOU’VE WATCHED ALL
OF THIS UNFOLD?
>> WELL, I’M GLAD YOU PLAYED THE
BEN SASSE CLIP BECAUSE IT GIVES
ME THE CONVENIENT WAY TO SAY
I’LL CONSIDER MYSELF A BEN SASSE
REPUBLICAN.
REPUBLICAN. >> CONVENIENT.
>> CONVENIENT. >> I THINK THAT THERE REALLY IS
A BATTLE HERE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE
TO CALL THE SOUL OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
REPUBLICAN PARTY. A LOT OF US WERE DRAWN TO THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY BECAUSE IT WAS
AN OPTIMISTIC VISION.
CHARACTER COUNTS, PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
RESPONSIBILITY. FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY WITH THE
DEBT, STRONG ON RUSSIA.
AND ALL OF THOSE HAVE BEEN
TURNED ON ITS HEAD.
I WORKED FOR PRESIDENT BUSH AND
IT’S NOT LIKE WE WERE PERFECT
BUT IN OUR BEST MOMENTS, I THINK
WE ASPIDERRED TO BE BETTER THAN
WERE.
WERE. THAT IDEA OF COMPASSIONATE
CONSERVATISM, FLAWED AS IT WAS.
>> WASN’T IT REJECTED IN 2016?
WHY DID REPUBLICAN VOTERS REJECT
ALL OF THAT?
IS IT BECAUSE PRESIDENT TRUMP
PUSHED RACIAL BUTTONS?
>> THAT’S A VERY COMPLICATED
TORTUROUS QUESTION.
TORTUROUS QUESTION. IT’S DIFFICULT TO TALK ABOUT
RACE IN THIS.
I DON’T THINK --
>> IS IT, THOUGH?
I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD
ARGUE IT’S PRETTY
STRAIGHTFORWARD.
STRAIGHTFORWARD. >> I THINK THAT YOU CAN’T LOOK
AT THE 2016 ELECTION AND COME TO
ANY CONCLUSION OTHER THAN DONALD
TRUMP WON AND IT WAS A FAIRLY
WEAK FIELD.
WEAK FIELD. I THINK THE DANGER IN IT IS
LOOKING AT IT AND DRAWING THESE
CONCLUSIONS THAT THE PARTY HAS
TO BE A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE
PARTY.
PARTY. THAT THE PARTY SHOULDN’T REACH
OUT.
OUT. THAT THE PARTY SHOULD WRITE OFF
CALIFORNIA.
CALIFORNIA. JUST BECAUSE YOU WON AN
ELECTION, HE GOT LESS PERCENTAGE
OF THE OVERALL VOTE THAN MITT
ROMNEY DID.
ROMNEY DID. THIS IS NOT A FUTURE PARTY THAT,
IN A CHANGING AMERICA, WHERE
YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE
ABILITY TO WIN NATIONAL
ELECTIONS JUST BY GETTING MORE
WHITE VOTERS.
WHITE VOTERS. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A DIFFERENT
VISION.
VISION. THAT’S JUST MATH.
AND YOU CAN GET THROUGH ONE OR
TWO ELECTIONS.
TWO ELECTIONS. BUT, REALLY, I THINK THERE’S A
MORAL IMPERATIVE THAT YOU HAVE
TO REPRESENT MORE AND THERE’S A
POLITICAL IMPERATIVE THAT’S
LOOMING OUT THERE.
>> YAMICHE, WEIGH IN ON THAT.
>> IT’S STRAIGHTFORWARD TO TALK
ABOUT RACE IN THE 2016 ELECTION.
THERE WAS A PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATE THAT CALLED MEXICANS
RAPISTSs IN SS AND CRIMINALS AND
MILLIONS WHO SAID THAT’S OKAY.
WHITE PEOPLE ESSENTIALLY IN A
LARGE MASS LOOKED AT DONALD
TRUMP AND SAID THIS IS WHAT WE
WANT.
WANT. THAT’S NOT TO SAY, OBVIOUSLY,
THAT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED
FOR HIM ARE RACIST, BUT IT’S TO
SAY THAT RACE WAS A VERY CENTRAL
PART OF THE REASON WHY PRESIDENT
OBAMA, I THINK, WAS TALKED ABOUT
THE WAY HE WAS AND WHY PRESIDENT
TRUMP IS NOW IN OFFICE.
THAT SAID, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
TWO DIFFERENT AMERICAS, OBAMA
WAS SAYING, I’M DONE WITH
VACATION.
VACATION. I’M BACK ON THE TRAIL.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE VERY HAPPY
TO HEAR THAT.
I HEARD FROM A LOT OF SOURCES
LIKE FINALLY OBAMA IS BACK FROM
VACATIONING.
VACATIONING. WHAT OBAMA IS TALKING ABOUT IS
ALSO, HE’S SAYING TO DEMOCRATS,
YOU NEED TO COME ON AND BRING IT
ON.
ON. STEP INTO THE RING AND BRING
SMAFT FIGHT.
SMAFT FIGHT. HE’S ALSO SAYING FOR THE PEOPLE
THAT SIT AT HOME, FOR ALL THOSE
PEOPLE WHO ARE MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE WHO DON’T VOTE OR TAKE
PART IN THE DEMOCRATIC
INSTITUTIONS, YOU NEED TO NOT
WAIT FOR A SAVIOR.
HE SAID THAT.
DO NOT WAIT FOR A SAVIOR AND
THINK THINGS ARE GOING TO GET
BETTER.
BETTER. OBAMA’S MESSAGE IS MORE THAT
PEOPLE NEED TO GET MORE ENGAGED.
>> DO YOU THINK THERE’S ANY RISK
FOR HIM IN ACTIVATING THE VOTERS
THAT VOTED FOR TRUMP BECAUSE
THEY WERE SO DISDAINFUL OF HIM?
>> IN MY MIND, I DON’T THINK SO
MAINLY BECAUSE PRESIDENT -- THE
REPUBLICANS ARE REALLY GOOD AT
HAVING VILLAINS.
HAVING VILLAINS. I REMEMBER I WENT TO A RALLY FOR
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. THERE WAS A WOMAN THERE WITH A
HILLARY CLINTON BUTTON.
AND I WAS LIKE IT’S 2018.
PEOPLE ARE STILL INCENSED AND
MOTIVATED BY THE IDEA OF HILLARY
CLINTON.
CLINTON. IF YOU DON’T LIKE OBAMA AND HE’S
THE REASON YOU VOTED FOR TRUMP,
YOU’RE GOING TO DO THAT WHETHER
HE’S ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL OR
SOMEONE MENTIONS HIS NAME IN A
SPEECH.
SPEECH. >> JO LING KENT YOU WERE
WATCHING WHERE OBAMA TOOK CREDIT
FOR THE ECONOMY DOING WELL.
HOW MUCH OF THAT DO YOU THINK IS
FAIR?
FAIR? WHO IS RIGHT ABOUT IT?
YOU COVER THIS EVERY DAY.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, ARE
VOTERS GOING TO BE MORE WILLING
TO GIVE TRUMP A PASS BECAUSE
THEY’RE FEELING BETTER ABOUT
THEMSELVES?
THEMSELVES? >> WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA SAID, IS
A FACT.
A FACT. THE HUGE RECOVERY BEGAN UNDER
HIS WATCH.
HIS WATCH. THERE WERE MANY MOMENTS YOU SAW
ACTUAL JOB CREATION SUPERSEDE
WHAT WE SEE RIGHT NOW UNDER THE
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE.
BUT THE NUMBERS CONTINUE TO
GROW.
GROW. WAGE GROWTH WAS STAGNANT FOR A
LONG TIME.
LONG TIME. LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION WHICH
IS ISSUES OF PEOPLE GOING OUT
AND SEEKING JOBS AND FINDING
JOBS.
JOBS. WELL, THAT WAS STAGNANT UNDER
OBAMA AS WELL.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMY,
THOUGH, IT CONTINUES TO BE THE
NUMBER ONE ISSUE MOST PEOPLE ARE
GOING TO BE VOTING AROUND WHEN
IT COMES TO THE MIDTERMS.
AND IF YOU WANT TO LOOK AT
ISSUES IN A WAY THAT MATTER TO
MOST REGULAR AMERICANS, IT
DEFINITELY IS HOW MUCH MONEY YOU
CAN MAKE.
CAN MAKE. YOUR PROSPECT FOR PROSPERITY IN
THE FUTURE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
TO DIG YOURSELF OUT OF WHATEVER
HOLE YOU’RE IN OR, PERHAPS, BUY
A HOUSE.
A HOUSE. THAT’S WHERE THE FED COMES IN
AND JEROME POWELL COMES IN.
SO IT’S THIS BIG, COMPLICATED
PICTURE THAT IT SEEMS LIKE YOU
CAN REALLY TUG AT BOTH WAYS.
BUT OBAMA WASN’T FACTUALLY
WRONG.
WRONG. TRUMP ISN’T WRONG ABOUT THE FACT
THE ECONOMY IS DOING FINE.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE HAPPENED.
INEQUALITY IN THIS COUNTRY
CONTINUED TO INCREASE.
NO BANK CEO WAS HELD ACCOUNTABLE
FOR THE FINANCIAL CRISIS AND THE
VOTERS THAT ELECTED TRUMP IN
OHIO, MICHIGAN AND PENNSYLVANIA
DIDN’T FEEL THEIR LIVES WERE
IMPROVING.
IMPROVING. THEY DIDN’T BARGAIN FOR THIS