GOING TO LOVE IT.
OUR TOPIC.
ILHAN OMAR IS NOT BACKING DOWN
FROM THE CONTROVERSY OVER THESE
COMMENTS ABOUT THE 9/11 TERROR
ATTACKS.
>> HERE IS THE TRUTH.
FAR TOO LONG WE HAVE LIVED WITH
THE DISCOMFORT OF BEING A
SECOND-CLASS CITIZEN, AND
FRANKLY, I'M TIRED OF IT, AND
EVERY SINGLE MUSLIM IN THIS
COUNTRY SHOULD BE TIRED OF IT.
CAIR WAS FOUNDED AFTER 9/11
BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZED THAT
SOME PEOPLE DID SOMETHING, AND
THAT ALL OF US WERE STARTING TO
LOSE ACCESS TO OUR CIVIL
LIBERTIES.
>> Dana: FRESHMAN DEMOCRATIC
LAWMAKERS NOW RUSHING TO OMAR'S
DEFENSE.
OCASIO CORT HAD-CORTEZ.
>> PRINTING ON THE FRONT PAGE
AROUND NEW YORK CITY AFTER THIS
INCREDIBLY UPSETTING AND
TRIGGERING FOR NEW YORKERS THAT
WERE ACTUALLY THERE AND WERE
THERE WITHIN THE RADIUS THAT
WOKE UP ONE MORNING OR WERE IN
THEIR SCHOOLS AND DIDN'T KNOW IF
THEY WERE GOING TO SEE THEIR
PARENTS AT THE END OF THE DAY TO
ELICIT SUCH AN IMAGE FOR SUCH AN
APPARENTLY POLITICALLY MOTIVATED
ATTACK ON ILHAN, WE ARE GETTING
TO THE LEVEL WHERE THIS IS AN
INDICTMENT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST
PROGRESSIVE WOMEN OF COLOR.
>> Dana: RASHIDA TLAIB CLAIMING
OMAR IS BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED.
>> THEY DO THIS A THE TIME TO
US.
ESPECIALLY WOMEN OF COLOR.
THEY TAKE OUR WORDS OUT OF
CONTEXT BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID
BECAUSE WE SPEAK TRUTH.
WE SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER.
THIS IS PURE, RACIST ACTS BY
MANY OF THOSE -- HATEFUL ACTS BY
THOSE BECAUSE SHE DOES SPEAK
TRUTHS WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT
DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT THEY
DISAGREE WITH AND I'M OUTRAGED.
>> Dana: ONE OF THE FIRST TO
COME OUT AGAINST HER COMMENTS IS
CONGRESSMAN DAN CRENSHAW WHO
LOST AN EYE FIGHTING TERRORISTS
IN AFGHANISTAN.
TELLING HIM TO "GO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT DOMESTIC TERRORISM."
OMAR ALSO DRAGGING PRESIDENT
GEORGE W. BUSH INTO THE
CONTROVERSY WITH THIS TWEET.
THE PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE WHO
KNOCKED THESE BUILDINGS DOWN
WILL HEAR ALL OF US SOON.
WAS BUSH DOWNPLAYING THE
TERRORIST ATTACK?
WHAT IF HE WAS A MUSLIM?
A LOT TO UNPACK HERE, GREG.
LET ME START WITH YOU IN TERMS
OF WHAT -- GEORGE W. BUSH WAS
SENDING A WARNING TO THE
TERRORISTS.
>> Dana: SHE'S NOT VERY GOOD
ABOUT -- JESSE IS THE KING OF OF
WHAT-ABOUT-ISMS.
SHOOS THE WORST OF IT.
>> Dana: IT DIDN'T WORK.
>> Greg: HERE IS HER PROBLEM.
SHE'S TOO CASUAL ABOUT SOMETHING
THAT EVERYBODY TAKES REALLY
SERIOUSLY.
LET'S ASSUME THAT SHE KNOWS THAT
NIEVENL IS A BAD THING.
I THINK SHE DOES.
THE PROBLEM IS SHE'S INTERESTED
IN -- MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT
HAPPENED AFTERWARDS AND WHAT
THAT DOES IS BY SHIFTING THE
EMPHASIS AND THE PRIORITY TO
THAT, IT MAKES IT SEEM LIKE SHE
CARES LESS ABOUT NIEVENL, AND
THE WEIRD THING, I THINK, THAT I
FIND TROUBLING AND PERSISTENT
BECAUSE SHE'S MADE THIS MISTAKE
A NUMBER OF TIMES IS THAT SHE
FINDS AN ATTACHMENT TO THE
NEVER-FORGET ELEMENT KIND OF
TIRESOME.
IT'S LIKE WHEN SHE WAS
CRITIQUING PEOPLE ABOUT THE WAY
THEY SAY AL QAIDA AND HOW THEY
OVERDRAMATIZE IT LIKE SHE WAS
SAYING YOU PLACE TOO MUCH
IMPORTANCE ON THE THREAT OF
TERROR BECAUSE THE REAL THING IN
HER MIND IS HER AS A VICTIM.
YOU BETTER NOT CRITICIZE HER
BECAUSE SHE COULD BECOME A
VICTIM OF SOMETHING AND WE COULD
JUST SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT
THE VERY CRITICISMS YOU SAY
ABOUT US.
>> Dana: IT IS INTERESTING TO
WATCH HOW CONGRESSMAN DAN
CRENSHAW AND A.O.C. GO BACK AND
FORGOT ON TWITTER AND IT'S KIND
OF STRANGE BUT GOOD TO SEE THE
FIGHT.
>> Jesse: YEAH.
I DON'T THINK SHE'S FIGHTING
FAIR BECAUSE SHE BLAMES EVERY
ATTACK ON HER BEING A BACK
FEMALE MUSLIM REFUGEE INSTEAD OF
ACTUALLY ADDRESSING WHAT SHE
SAID.
TO GREG'S POINT, I THINK THE
IMPRESSIVE SHE WAS GIVING OFF IS
THAT SHE CARED MORE AND THOUGHT
THAT ISLAMOPHOBIA WAS A BIGGER
THREAT THAN RADICAL ESHELMAN --
THAN RADICAL ISLAM.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
SURVIVE VERY MUCH LONGER IN
CONGRESS.
>> HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?
>> Jesse: SHE'S ALREADY ON
DOUBLE-SECRET PROBATION.
>> LOW-I.Q. INDIVIDUALS.
>> Jesse: SHE WASN'T FRIENDS
WITH A.O.C. THE REST OF HER
CAUCUS WOULD CAST HER ASIDE
BECAUSE SHE'S NOT WORTH THE
TROUBLE.
>> ONE OF THE FIRST TWO MUSLIM
WOMEN IN CONGRESS AND -- SHE
DIDN'T MEAN TO MINIMIZE WHAT
HAPPENED.
>> Jesse: SHE WAS VERY DISMISS
ABOUT NIEVENL AND PEOPLE TAKE
THAT SERIOUSLY ESPECIALLY THE
NEWSPAPER IN MANHATTAN, AND IF
ANYBODY NEWSPAPER IS GOING TO
PUT THAT ON THE FRONT PAGE I
THINK "THE NEW YORK POST" HAS
LICENSE TO DO THAT.
SHE NEVER REALLY ACKNOWLEDGES
WHAT SHE SAYS WHEN SHE'S
ATTACKED.
SHE SAYS YOU'RE ONLY ATTACKING
ME BECAUSE OF MY IDENTITY NOT
BECAUSE OF WHAT I SAID AND
THAT'S LIKE PLAYING SPORTS
AGAINST SOMEONE, THEY'RE GETTING
DOMINATED PLAY AFTER PLAY AFTER
PLAY AND THEY'RE ALWAYS WHINING
TO THE REFEREE.
SHE DOES NOT HAVE THE TALENT, I
DON'T THINK, TO STAND IN THE
RING AND FIGHT.
>> SHE IS NOT WHINING.
THIS IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT.
SHE'S GETTING DETH THREATS ON A
DAILY BASIS.
WE ALL GET DETH THREATS.
I GET THEM.
THE BAR IS LOW NOW.
I'M A NEW YORKER.
I UNDERSTAND -- AS A NEW YORKER
I UNDERSTAND YOU SPEAK WITH
SOLEMN, HUSHED TONES WHEN YOU
TALK ABOUT 9/11.
I LOST FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ON
9/11.
I GET IT.
IT IS AWFUL.
343 FIREFIGHTERS.
71 COPS.
I GET IT.
IT'S A MASS MURDER AND MASS
GRAVE DOWNTOWN.
SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE GLIBNESS,
THE LANGUAGE OF A VETERAN WHO
KNOWS THAT THIS IS THE PROPER
RESPONSE WHEN YOU ARE TALKING
ABOUT SOMETHING AS HORRIFIC, AS
TRAUMATIC AS 9/11 THAT SCREWED
UP ALL OF OUR LIVES FOR THE
WORST.
THIS IS BEGINNING TO SOUND A LOT
LIKE WHEN MY FIRST PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION, 1960 KENNEDY BEING
ATTACKED BECAUSE HE WAS CATHOLIC
AND THEY SAID HE'S GOING TO HAVE
ALLEGIANCE TO ROME RATHER THAN
TO THE UNITED STATES.
I SMELL THE SAME STINK HERE.
>> Jesse: A WHITE, STRAIGHT,
MALE CHRISTIAN FRESHMAN
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN, YOU
DON'T THINK THE REPUBLICANS
WOULD BE RUNNING UP THE SCORE ON
SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
IT'S A GOTCHA.
>> LET HER LEARN ON THE JOB.
GIVE HER A BREAK.
>> Jesse: STEEP LEARNING CURVE
ALREADY.
>> Dana: I'LL ASK EMILY TO
RESPOND TO THIS.
TO GO AFTER PRESIDENT GEORGE W.
BUSH -- OF ALL PEOPLE.
IN A POSITION OF POWER.
THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD AT
THAT TIME WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO
MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS CLEAR THAT
HE DID NOT THINK THAT ALL
MUSLIMS WERE TERRORISTS.
THAT'S WHAT HE MEANT.
WHEN HE WAS TALKING ABOUT "THOSE
PEOPLE" HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE
ACTUAL PEOPLE WHO PERPETRATED
THE ACT.
>> Emily: THAT'S WHY MANY OF
THESE STATEMENTS ARE SO FALSE
BASED ON A LACK OF EDUCATION
ABOUT THE ENTIRE SITUATION AND
WHAT FRUSTRATES ME IS REDUCING
-- IT'S HIDING THE BALL, 100%
WHINING TO THE REF, 100% BEING A
DISTRACTION BECAUSE I DON'T SEE
IT AS AFRAID TO SPEAK TRUTH TO
POWER.
IT'S PURE RACIST.
WHEN DO THEY BECOME EMPOWERED?
WHEN WILL THEY WRITE
LEGISLATION?
WE ARE THEIR BOSSES AND THAT'S
WHAT THEY ARE THERE TO DO.
ESPECIALLY THE ATTACK -- TO ME
THAT IS AN ATTACK ON
REPRESENTATIVE CRENSHAW WHEN HE
SERVED HIS COUNTRY FOR 10 YEARS,
LITERALLY GAVE LIMB FOR IT AND
HE IS SUPPOSED TO SOMEHOW BE THE
BUTT OF THEIR ATTACKS IN TERMS
OF DO MORE?
HE'S THE ONE WHO REACHED ACROSS
THE AISLE TO AVERAGE AMERICANS.
I'M NOT SEEING THAT FROM OTHER
LAWMAKERS.
>> Dana: I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE'S
YOUNG.
I GET IT.
SHE WON AN ELECTION.
SHE'S IN A POSITION OF
LEADERSHIP AND POWER AND THERE
IS RESPONSIBILITY WITH THAT AND
I HAVE SPOKEN ON THE RECORD MY
ENTIRE CAREER
>> SOMETIMES ON BEHALF OF OTHER
PEOPLE, IN THE LAST 10 YEARS FOR
MYSELF.
I REMEMBER ONE TIME WHEN I WAS
TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT AND THE
REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE I'M
THOUGHTFUL ABOUT WHAT I'M GOING
TO SAY.
EVERY WEEK SHE COMPLAINS ABOUT
BEING TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT.
>> YOU ARE THOUGHTFUL BUT HERE
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
YOU HAVE TWO MUSLIM WOMEN IN THE
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
THEY CARRY AN ENORMOUS BURDEN.
IT'S NOT JUST PERSONAL LIVES OR
THEIR DISTRICTS, THEY'RE
REPRESENTING FOUR, FIVE MILLION
MUSLIMS IN THE UNITED STATES.
THERE IS A LOT THERE.
THERE IS A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY
THERE.
THEY'RE GROWING IN THE JOB.
>> Dana: THEY HAVE A GREAT
PLATFORM.
>> THEY HAVE A GREAT PLATFORM.
>> Dana: WHAT ARE THEY USING
THEIR PLATFORM FOR?
>> Greg: I ACTUALLY RESENT -- I
JUST LISTEN TO THE WORDS.
I WILL SAY THIS ON HER BEHALF.
SHE'S GUILTY OF WHAT A LOT OF US
DO WHEN WE'RE IN FRONT OF A
FRIENDLY AUDIENCE.
WE JUST GET CASUAL.
SHE HAS TO LEARN HAD THAT HER
AUDIENCE ISN'T AS CASUAL ANY
MORE.
SHE HAS A DIVERSE GROUP OF
PEOPLE OUT THERE.
PEOPLE LIKE JESSE AND GERALDO
AND EMILY AND WHAT'S YOUR NAME
AGAIN, DANA?
IT'S NOT JUST CAIR.
YOU CAN TALK LIKE THAT IN FRONT
OF CAIR.
>> Dana: CAIR CALLING.