>> IT WILL HAPPEN AUTOMATICALLY? WELCOME BACK TO "HARDBALL."
CURING THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATES
AS YOU SAW, DONALD TRUMP SAID
VERY CLEARLY HE INTENDED TO
APPOINT SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO OVERTURN
THE COURT’S LANDMARK DECISION OF
ROE V. WADE.
MOST LARKBLY IS HE WENT SO FAR
AS TO SAY THERE SHOULD BE SOME
KIND OF PUNISHMENT FOR A WOMAN
WHO CHOOSES TO HAVE ABORTION.
HERE’S AN INTERVIEW WITH THEN
CANDIDATE TRUMP IN MARCH OF
2016.
2016. >> DO YOU BELIEVE IN PUNISHMENT
FOR ABORTION, YES OR NO AS A
PRINCIPLE?
PRINCIPLE? >> THE ANSWER IS THAT THERE HAS
TO BE SOME FORM OF PUNISHMENT.
>> FOR THE WOMAN.
>> YEAH, THERE HAS TO BE SOME
FORM.
FORM. >> NOW WITH THE RETIREMENT OF
ANTHONY KENNEDY, PRESIDENT TRUMP
IS SET TO APPOINT HIS SECOND
JUSTICE TO THE HIGH COURT.
THAT COULD HAVE MASSIVE
IMPLICATIONS.
IMPLICATIONS. FOR YEARS OPPONENT OF ABORTION
HAVE BEEN LEADING A CAMPAIGN
AGAINST THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE IN
COURTROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
IF YOU’RE ONE OF THOSE CASES
THAT REACH THE SUPREME COURT.
MARIE CA CANTWELL AND MIGUEL
JOHNSON A PLANNED PARENTHOOD
BOARD MEMBER AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR CONFIDENT PERCEPTION
INSTITUTE.
INSTITUTE. I WANT TO TALK TO THE SENATOR
FIRST.
FIRST. GENERALLY, YOU’VE BEEN
CONFRONTED WITH STAGGERING NEWS
THAT THE VACANCY SITS THERE
NUMBER FIVE ON A NINE-PERSON
COURT.
COURT. >> UNBELIEVABLE.
>> UNBELIEVABLE. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT
THIS WHOLE THING IS THAT THE
PRESIDENT’S VIEWS ARE OUT OF THE
MAINSTREAM OF THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC.
PUBLIC. SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THE
PRESIDENT GOING TO INSERT HIS
VIEWS OR IS HE GOING TO CONSULT
WITH CONGRESS ON WHAT ARE THE
MAINSTREAM VIEWS OF AMERICA ON
THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.
>> WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF HIS TALK
ABOUT.
ABOUT. >> HORRIBLE.
>> HORRIBLE. >> IT’S A LITTLE WEIRD TO TALK
ABOUT.
ABOUT. WHAT DID HE MEAN BY SOME FORM OF
PUNISHMENT
PUNISHMENT PUNISHMENT?
PUNISHMENT? >> THE FACT HE TOOK THIS PLEDGE
DURING THE CAMPAIGN AND SAID HE
IS GOING TO APPOINT NOMINEES
THAT BELIEVE THERE SO HE’S NOT
FOR HOLDING UP THE PRIVACY
RIGHTS THAT NOW HAVE BEEN WELL
ESTABLISHED AND SUPPORTED BY
MANY COURTS.
MANY COURTS. HE’S BEAK SAYING I’M GOING TO
ROLL THAT BACK AND SO NOW HE HAS
AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY PUT HIS
THUMB ON THE SCALE TO MAKE THAT
DIFFERENCE.
DIFFERENCE. WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING
POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT
DOESN’T HAPPEN.
DOESN’T HAPPEN. SO HIS VIEWS ARE NOT IN THE
MAINSTREAM.
MAINSTREAM. THAT’S THE CASE WE NEED TO TAKE
TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE UNITED
STATES SENATE.
STATES SENATE. YOU’RE WILLING TO CHANGE WHAT IS
NOW ACCEPTED AS POLICY IN OUR
STATE, IT’S BEEN CODIFIED INTO
STATE LAW.
STATE LAW. MAYBE WE’LL HAVE A CAMPAIGN IN
EVERY STATE IN AMERICA TO SHOW
PEOPLE WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT FOR
THE PRIVACY RIGHTS.
>> RONALD REAGAN PICKED KENNEDY.
JUSTICE KENNEDY SAID THERE COULD
NOT BE THE ESSENTIAL RIGHT OF --
THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, TO MAKE THE
DECISION MUST BE PROTECTED AND
THERE WILL BE NO UNDO BURDEN.
YOU GOT TO DO THIS ONE MINUTE
AFTER MIDNIGHT.
AFTER MIDNIGHT. NO TRICKS.
NO TRICKS. HE SAID NONE OF THAT.
>> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. SO THE POINT IS THAT YOU HAVE
NOWING THIS LIBERTARIAN JUDGE
NOW BEING REPLACED BY A
PRESIDENT WHO IS SHOWING
AUTHORITARIAN TENDENCIES.
AUTHORITARIAN TENDENCIES. >> MIKE PENCE TENDENCIES.
>> AN AUTHORITARIAN.
HE’S LIKE IT’S MY WAY.
>> CAN YOU SLOW IT DOWN TO --
HERE’S MY HOPE.
YOU CAN SLOW IT DOWN UNTIL AFTER
THE VOTERS VOTE SO YOU CAN THROW
THIS TO THE PEOPLE THIS FALL.
>> WE’RE GOING TO THROW IT TO
THEM RIGHT NOW.
THESE PRIVACY RIGHTS THAT ARE SO
IMPORTANT ACROSS THE BOARD ARE
THINGS THAT HAVE NOW BEEN WELL
ESTABLISHED AND IN THE ME NUMB
BRA.
BRA. WE’RE GOING TO POINT OUT THIS
PRESIDENT IF HE’S GETTING HIS
LIST IS SUPPORTING TEXTUALISTS.
HE IT MEANS THEY’RE NOT GOING TO
AGREE THAT THESE PRIVACY RIGHTS
WHETHER IT’S YOUR RIGHT TO
PRIVACY AT HOME, WHETHER IT’S
YOUR RIGHT TO PRIVACY ON THE
INTERNET, WHETHER IT’S YOUR
RIGHT TO PRIVACY AS A WOMAN,
THAT THEY ARE GOING TO SUPPORT
THE PEN NUMB BRA EXISTING IN THE
CONSTITUTION.
CONSTITUTION. THAT’S THE FIGHT WE’LL TAKE TO
THE PEOPLE AND ASK OUR
COLLEAGUES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE AISLE TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE
SUPPORTING THOSE PRIVACY RIGHTS,
AS WELL.
AS WELL. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
COMING.
COMING. ALEXIS, I THINK THAT EVERY GREAT
SUPREME COURT DECISION WHETHER
IT WAS ROE VERSUS WADE, THE
BASIC PRIVACY RIGHTS OF A WOMAN
TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT HER
BODY AND THE IDEA THAT SEPARATE
BUT EQUAL IS WRONG INHERENTLY,
THESE ARE ALL PROFOUND DECISIONS
WHERE YOU CAN’T FIND IN A LETTER
NECESSARILY OF THE CONSTITUTION.
YOU HAVE TO FIND IT IN THE
SPIRIT IN IT AND WHAT THE
CONSTITUTION IS ALL ABOUT IN
TERMS OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET A
TEXTUALIST TO HELP YOU ON THESE
LANDMARK DECISIONS.
LANDMARK DECISIONS. THEY’RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE
SAYING NO.
SAYING NO. THEY’LL ALWAYS SAY LEAVE IT THE
WAY IT WAS.
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
>> EXCEPT FOR ROE VERSUS WADE.
>> EXACTLY.
>> EXACTLY. LOOK, I WAS BORN IN 1972, FIVE
MONTHS BEFORE ROE VERSUS WADE.
THE IDEA THAT A RIGHT THAT HAS
ALWAYS EXISTED IN MY LIFETIME
AND THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN HAVE
GROWN UP UNDER IS SOMETHING THAT
THIS ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO
UNDERMINE AND OVERTURN IS
COMPLETELY INSANE.
COMPLETELY INSANE. AND THE PREVIEW, WE’VE SEEN THE
TRAILER.
TRAILER. 18 STATES HAVE EXISTING LAWS
UNLIKE SENATOR CANTWELL’S STATE,
THERE ARE 18 STATES THAT HAVE
EXISTING LAWS THAT ARE INTENDED
TO OVERTURN TO ELIMINATE
ABORTIONING IF ROE VERSUS WADE
IS OVERTURNED.
IS OVERTURNED. SO THERE’S REASON TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT TRYING TO FIND A
TEXTUALIST AS OPPOSED TO HAVING
THIS CONVERSATION WITH THE 70%
OF AMERICAN WHO’S SUPPORT ROE
VERSUS WADE.
VERSUS WADE. >>> IS YOUR GROUP GOING TO TRY
TO STOP THIS VOTE FROM OCCURRING
BEFORE THIS ELECTION?
>> WE’RE DOING EXACTLY WHAT
SENATOR CANTWELL SUGGESTED.
WE’RE OUT TALKING TO EVERY
SENATOR, HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT THE SENATE
REJECTS ANY CANDIDATE THAT
OPPOSES ROE.
OPPOSES ROE. PART OF THE RESISTANCE HAS BEEN
ENGAGING IN THE STREETS IN THE
MARCHES AND MOVEMENT.
THE OTHER PART IS HAVING THESE
CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR SENATORS.
PEOPLE LIKE SUSAN COLLINS AND
LISA MURKOWSKI HAVE BEEN
INCREDIBLY THOUGHTFUL ON HELPING
SUPPORT WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE.
THESE ARE THE KINDS OF VOICES
THE CONVERSATION TAZ WE NEED TO
BE HAVING ACTIVATING ENGAGING IN
PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> REPUBLICAN SENATOR SUSAN
COLLINS OF MAINE SAID ROE VERSUS
WADE IS SETTLED LAW WHEN ASKED
ABOUT ABORTION RIGHTS THIS
AFTERNOON.
AFTERNOON. LET’S WATCH.
LET’S WATCH. >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I VIEW
ROE VERSUS WADE AS BEING SETTLED
LAW.
LAW. IT’S CLEARLY PRECEDENT AND I
ALWAYS LOOK FOR JUDGES WHO
RESPECT PRECEDENT.
RESPECT PRECEDENT. >> SUSAN COLLINS IS GREAT AND
SAID SHE RESPECTS JUNGS ACCEPTS
IT AS IT IS.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ROE VERSUS
WADE IS SAFE?
>> NO, BECAUSE WHEN A PRESIDENT
MAKES THAT PLEDGE ON NATIONAL TV
AND SAYS HE’S GOING TO STICK TO
IT AND GOES TO THE MEASURE OF
SAYING HE WOULD PUNISH WOMEN,
YOU HAVE TO TAKE WHAT HE SAID
DURING THE CAMPAIGN, HE IS
IMPLEMENTING.
IMPLEMENTING. AND WHAT WE DON’T WANT IS A
BENCH THAT BASICALLY IS GOING TO
FOLLOW THAT WILL TEXTUALIST LIST
BEING SENT TO HIM.
IT WOULD BE ONE THING IF HE WAS
CALLING US AND SAYING I HEAR
YOU.
YOU. LET’S HEAR WHO YOU THINK OR
JUSTICES THAT WOULD FOLLOW
PRIVACY RIGHTS.
PRIVACY RIGHTS. >> THIS 5-4 COURT HAS DONE STUFF
NONE OF US COULD IMAGINE.
INTERVENE IN A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION IN 2000 AND DECIDED
THAT GEORGE W. BUSH, THE FIVE
REPUBLICANS ON THE COURT, SAID
SHOULD BE PRESIDENT AND THEY
VOTED 5-0 TO MAKE GEORGE W. BUSH
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES. ON CITIZENS XWRINTS THEY SAID
MONEY SHOULD TALK MORE THAN A
VOTER.
VOTER. THEY MADE THAT PARTISAN
DECISION.
DECISION. THEY KEEP MAKING PARTISAN
DECISIONS AND SAY WE’VE ABOVE
PARTISANSHIP.
PARTISANSHIP. >> IT’S NOT ABOUT PARTISANSHIP.
IT’S ABOUT CORPORATIONS.
THE OTHER SIDE RIGHT NOW IS
HURRYING TO END THE TAX BILL TO
GIVE CORPORATION WHAT’S THEY
WANT.
WANT. THEY HAVE PEOPLE IN THE CABINET
WHO ARE NOT FOLLOWING
REGULATIONS AND NOW THEY WANT A
COURT THAT IS ALSO GOING TO SIDE
WITH THEM AND BASICALLY SAY
WHETHER IT’S CLEAN AIR THAT
BASICALLY WAS SO HARD FOUGHT.
>> YOU MEAN THE WORKING PEOPLE
OF PENNSYLVANIA, WISCONSIN,
INDIANA AND MICHIGAN, THE
WORKING STIFF MAN AND WOMAN
THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING A
POPULIST PRESIDENT AND THEY GOT
A CORPORATE SHILL.
>> RIGHT NOW IF THEY’RE GOING TO