THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU.
HOW ARE WE DOING?
>> Stephen: THAT'S THE QUESTION, HOW ARE WE DOING?
>> IT AIN'T GREAT!
>> Stephen: NO, IT'S NOT, BUT IN EVERY DAY AND IN EVERY WAY,
THERE'S A NEW WAY TO BE SHOCKED.
>> YEAH, IT'S A HARD BAR TO MEET, BUT HE FINDS A WAY TO MEET
IT.
>> Stephen: YES.
THEY JUST BURY THE BAR NOW, SO HE CAN CLEAR IT.
( LAUGHTER ) OKAY, BEFORE WE GET INTO
ANYTHING ELSE, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR GRANDFATHER,
BOBBY KENNEDY FOR A MOMENT, BECAUSE LAST MONTH WAS THE
50th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ASSASSINATION WHICH I REMEMBER
AS A CHILD, ONE OF THE FIRST MEMORIES I HAVE IS THE SLOW
TRAIN WITH YOUR GRANDFATHER'S CASKET ON IT.
I GUESS THE QUESTION IS ALL WE AMERICANS FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SOME
OWNERSHIP AND RELATIONSHIP TO YOUR FAMILY.
WE HAVE OUR OWN STORIES ABOUT YOUR GRANDFATHER.
BUT WHAT STORIES DO Y'ALL TELL IN THE FAMILY?
WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT YOU CHOOSE TO REMEMBER, THE STORIES
YOU LIKE TO TELL?
>> SO, STEPHEN, IT'S -- THERE'S THE STORIES THAT I THINK YOU
KNOW AND THAT A LOT OF AMERICANS KNOW.
THE ROLE THAT HE AND HIS FAMILY, HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS HAVE
PLAYED IN OUR HISTORY, THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS, THE STANDING IN
THE SCHOOLHOUSE DOOR, THE CIVIL RIGHTS BATTLES, HIS OBVIOUS
CAMPAIGN FOR THE PRESIDENCY AND THE TURMOIL WE SAW IN 1968, AND
THAT THE IMPORTANT TO ME AND MY FAMILY.
THE THERE'S THE OTHER SIDE WHICH DOESN'T GET TOLD, HE WAS A DAD,
HE WAS A BROTH SNORE FATHER OF ELEVEN.
>> YEAH, WHICH IS A LOT, TURNS OUT.
( LAUGHTER ) SO IT'S THOSE STORIES I KIND OF
DRAW MOST ON.
IT'S THE STORIES OF THEM AS A HUGE GROUP GOING WHITE WATER
RAFTING DOWN THE COLORADO RIVER ON AN AIR MATTRESS WHICH KIND OF
CHANGES THE DEFINITION OF WHITE WATER RAFTING.
IT'S THE PHOTOS AND STORIES THEY HAVE OF SAILING AND SPENDING
TIME WITH EACH OTHER IN THE SUMMERS, PLAYING FOOTBALL, IT'S
THOSE PIECES THAT FAMILIES HAVE THAT I THINK GET LOST IN A LOT
OF THIS.
IT'S A PUBLIC FAMILY GUESS, BUT, YOU KNOW, MY FAVORITE DAY OF THE
YEAR IS THANKSGIVING BECAUSE WE HAVE MOST OF OUR FAMILY AROUND A
TABLE, AND IT'S, LIKE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE FIRST IN LINE FOR THE
TURKEY, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE NOT -- >> Stephen: I'M ONE OF 11
CHILDREN MYSELF.
I UNDERSTAND.
YOU REACH FOR SOMEBODY'S SKIN OFF THEIR PLATE YOU PULL BACK A
BLUEDY STUMP.
>> FAMILY SPORT.
>> Stephen: DO YOU STILL PLAY FOOTBALL?
>> IT'S A YOUNGER GENERATION THAT ENDS UP PLAYING FOOTBALL,
BUT IT'S FUN.
>> Stephen: SO IN YOUR STATE OF THE UNION RESPONSE, YOU SAID
THE STATE OF OUR UNION IS HOPEFUL, RESILIENT, ENDURING.
HOW DO YOU FEEL SEVEN MONTHS LATER?
BECAUSE I'LL AGREE WITH YOU, IT DOES FEEL LIKE WE'RE ENDURING
SOMETHING.
( LAUGHTER ) >> YOU KNOW, THE END OF ANIMAL
HOUSE WHERE KEVIN BACON IS SAYING "ALL IS WELL"?
AND IT'S PANIC EVERYWHERE?
>> Stephen: IT NOT A PART AT STATISTICS OUT TO ME.
BUT GO AHEAD, I'LL BITE.
>> THE BOTTOM LINE ON IT IS I HAVE EQUAL AMOUNT OF FAITH IN
OUR COUNTRY.
IT'S THIS ADMINISTRATION THAT'S LETTING PEOPLE DOWN, AND THEY'RE
LETTING PEOPLE DOWN EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I SEE IT, I FEEL IT, I SPOKE ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, YOU SEE INDIVIDUAL AMERICANS DOING
AMAZING THINGS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
THIS PAST WEEK THERE'S A STORY OF A YOUNG MAN THAT WALKED
11 MILES TO WORK ON HIS FIRST DAY AND HIS CO-WORKERS GAVE HIM
A CAR.
THERE'S A STORY OF A TEACHER THAT GOT ON AN AIRPLANE AND
TALKED ABOUT TRYING TO -- HOW THEY DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH SCHOOL
SUPPLIES, AND THE PASSENGER BEHIND HER OVERHEARD THE STORY,
SLIPPED HER A $100 BILL.
SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE PLANE GAVE HER MONEY.
SHE WALKED OFF THE PLANE WITH $500 IN SCHOOL SUPPLIES FOR HER
STUDENTS.
PEOPLE WHO DO GRACIOUS THINGS FOR STRANGERS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
I'M IF A JOB WHERE YOU GET TO SEE AND HEAR THOSE STORIES AND
TALK TO THOSE FOLKS.
I HAVE AN AWFUL LOT OF FAITH IN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
MY FAITH IN THIS ADMINISTRATION THIS PAST WEEK DIDN'T QUITE HIT
THAT SAME LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE.
>> Stephen: I AGREE WITH YOU.
I HAVE FAITH IN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TOO.
THE MAJORITY OF THEM DID NOT VOTE FOR THIS CAT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.
>> Stephen: AND I BELIEVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GOOD PEOPLE,
AND WHAT WORRIES ME IS THEY'RE BEING LED TO A BAD PLACE AND
BEING TOLD THAT IT'S A GOOD PLACE.
THEY'RE BEING PUT IN A POSITION OF MORAL HAZARD TO HAVE TO CALL
SOMETHING THAT IS A SIN A VIRTUE.
AND WHAT IS CONGRESS DOING?
YOU'RE IN THERE.
OBVIOUSLY YOU'RE A DEMOCRAT, YOU GUYS AREN'T IN THE MAJORITY.
HOW DO YOU THINK CONGRESS IS DROPPING THE BALL IN CHECKING
THE ABUSES OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION?
>> HOW MUCH TIME YOU GOT?
>> Stephen: ONE MINUTE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> SO A REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IS
DOING NOTHING.
LOOK, WE HAD A VOTE TODAY, LITERALLY, TO TRY TO RESTORE
FUNDING FOR ELECTION SECURITY FOR OUR MIDTERM ELECTIONS, AND
IT GOT PULLED OUT BUT OUR REPUBLICAN MAJORITY.
>> Stephen: WHY?
RAVES THE RATIONALE?
>> I HAVE NO IDEA.
>> Stephen: YOUR GREAT UNCLE, OUR PRESIDENT, SAID THAT THOSE
WHO MAKE PEACEFUL REVOLUTION IMPOSSIBLE MAKE VIOLENT
REVOLUTION INEVITABLE.
WHAT IS THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION THAT IS MOST POSSIBLE FOR US?
>> LOOK, IT'S GETTING BACK TO THOSE STORIES I TOLD A SECOND
AGO, IT'S THE STORIES YOU SEE IF YOU ARE OUT AND AROUND THIS
COUNTRY EVERY SINGLE DAY.
IT'S THE 600,000 PEOPLE THAT SHOWED UP IN AUSTIN, TEXAS ON
THE ANNIVERSARY OF A WOMAN'S MARCH, AND ALL THOSE FOLKS GOING
TO HELP MY BUDDY GET ELECTED TO THE SENATE AND BEAT TED CRUZ.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> Stephen: GOOD LUCK TO YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: CONGRESSMAN JOE KENNEDY, EVERYBODY!
WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH COMEDIENNE CARMEN LAGALA!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )