I KEPT THINKING TO MYSELF, IS
THIS WHO WE ARE?
THE CAPITOL BUILDING IS USUALLY
AS PROUD A PLACE AS EXISTS IN
AMERICA.
IT IS WHERE FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT
STEADIED A NATION CRIPPLED BY
THE DEPRESSION.
>> THE ONLY THING WE HAVE TO
FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF.
ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO
FOR YOU.
>> Reporter: WHERE JOHN F.
KENNEDY CALLED A COUNTRY TO
SERVICE.>> Reporter: WHERE JOHN
KENNEDY CALLED A COUNTRY TO
SERVICE.
ANYONE WHO HAS WALKED THROUGH
IT, ON A SCHOOL TRIP OR FAMILY
VACATION, CAN FEEL THE CAPITOL’S
POWER.
TO KNOW THE NATION’S BUSINESS IS
CARRIED ON THERE MAKES YOUR
HEART SKIP A BEAT OR TWO.
THROUGH TIMES OF PEACE AND TIMES
OF CONFLICT, BUT TIMES OF WANT
AND TIMES OF PLENTY, MOST OF US
HAVE BELIEVED, OR WANTED TO
BELIEVE, THAT THE CAPITOL WAS A
PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE’S
BUSINESS WAS CONDUCTED.
WE THE PEOPLE’S BUSINESS.
THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY,
REPRESENTATIVES CAME FROM EVERY
CORNER OF THE COUNTRY, AND AS
THE COUNTRY GREW, SO, TOO, DID
THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
IT GREW TO LOOK MORE AND MORE
LIKE WE DO.
A PLACE WHERE MEN AND WOMEN
WOULD COME TO WORK AS EQUALS,
WHERE COLOR AND ORIGIN WAS NO
BARRIER.
I HAVE SAT IN THE HOUSE CHAMBER
FOR A STATE OF THE UNION
ADDRESS.
I REMEMBER LOOKING AROUND THE
ROOM, FROM THE SUPREME COURT TO
THE JOINT CHIEFS, THE CABINET,
MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
THE ROBUST CHEERS, THE STONY
SILENCE, A BEAUTIFULLY IMPERFECT
MIX.
THE FOUNDERS CONJURED ALL THIS
UP.
WHILE IT SURE WAS MORE DIVERSE
BY GENDER AND RACE THAN THEY
EVER IMAGINED, IT WAS THEIR
IDEA, THE AMERICAN IDEA.
I HAVE STOOD IN LINE TWICE AT
THE CAPITOL TO PAY RESPECTS TO
PRESIDENTS WHO PASSED.
BOTH TIMES WERE THE SAME.
YOU’D EXPECT, I GUESS, THE CROWD
TO BE DOMINATED BY THE PARTY
FAITHFUL, BUT IT WASN’T LIKE
THAT.
WHATEVER OUR DIFFERENCES, IN THE
MOMENT, UNIMPORTANT.
♪ GOD BLESS AMERICA ♪
>> Reporter: LIKE REPUBLICANS
AND DEMOCRATS LIFTING THEIR
VOICES TOGETHER AFTER 9/11.
OUR MOST IMPERFECT UNION
SUFFERED A JOLT YESTERDAY, A
SIMPLE, PROCEDURAL STEP IN THE
PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER WAS
CRASHED BY AN ANGRY MOB.
IT WAS AS DISTURBING AS IT WAS
HEARTBREAKING.
IT WAS, QUITE FRANKLY,
UN-AMERICAN.
MOST OF US, I RECKON, STILL
BELIEVE IN OUR ABILITY TO GOVERN
OURSELVES, TO ABIDE BY THE WILL
OF OUR FELLOW CITIZENS.
MANY HAVE SACRIFICED MUCH, AND
SOME HAVE SACRIFICED ALL, TO
ENSURE THOSE RIGHTS.
SO IT WAS WITH NO SMALL DEGREE
OF PRIDE AND RELIEF THAT THE
HOUSE AND SENATE WENT BACK TO
WORK LAST NIGHT.
>> WE SETTLE OUR DIFFERENCES NOT
WITH MOB RULE.
WE SETTLE OUR DIFFERENCES
THROUGH ELECTIONS.
>> Reporter: DOING THE PEOPLE’S
BUSINESS.
A POLITE BUT UNAMBIGUOUS
REPUDIATION TO THOSE WHO WOULD
WISH OTHERWISE.
THE REPUBLIC STILL STANDS.
AND WE PRAY THAT IT REMAINS INDY
INDIVISIBLE
INDIVISIBLE.
WE WERE LISTENING TO STEPHANIE’S
PIECE.
SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW
FRACTURED THE COUNTRY IS, AND I
KEPT THINKING, WE’VE WITHSTOOD
SO MUCH OVER ALL THESE DECADES
AND CENTURIES.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE
ARE NOT INVULNERABLE.
IT BEHOOVED ALL OF US, I THINK,
TO REMAIN DILIGENT AND REMAIN
RESPECTFUL.
>> WOW, THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL,
HARRY.
WE’RE BRINGING IN CHUCK AND
ANDREA.
HARRY, I WANT TO ASK YOU
SOMETHING, THOUGH.
DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS A
LITTLE BIT LIKE HOW THE COUNTRY
CAME TOGETHER AFTER 9/11?
DO YOU THINK THAT, IN SOME
STRANGE WAY, THIS WILL ACTUALLY
BE SOMETHING THAT BRINGS US
TOGETHER?
>> WOULDN’T THAT BE SOMETHING?
YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW.
I DON’T REALLY KNOW THE ANSWER
TO THAT.
THE OPTIMIST IN ME, THE
OPTIMIST, WE HOPE THE ETERNAL
OPTIMIST IN ME WOULD SAY, YEAH,
GREAT, WOULDN’T THAT BE
SOMETHING?
WOULDN’T IT BE AMAZING AT THE
INAUGURATION, TO SEE PEOPLE SAY,
YOU KNOW WHAT, WE’RE ALL IN THIS
TOGETHER.
>> LET ME ASK CHUCK, BECAUSE I’M
NOT GOING TO SAY HE IS A
PESSIMIST, BUT MAYBE HE’S BEEN
AROUND WASHINGTON TOO LONG SO HE
IS NOT AN ETERNAL OPTIMIST, BUT
YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO LOVES THIS
PLACE AND LOVES OUR INSTITUTIONS
AND LOVES OUR DEMOCRACY.
I MEAN, FOR A MOMENT, WHEN THE
LAWMAKERS CAME BACK AND SAID,
ALL OF THEM, TO A MAN AND WOMAN,
WE’RE GOING TO DO OUR DUTY.
WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED.
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE SAID, WE
WILL NOT BE INTIMNTIMIDATED.
THERE WAS A GLIMMER OF HOPE, OF
A TURNING POINT.
>> YOU HOPE THE WEIGHT OF
YESTERDAY IS STILL ON THE
SHOULDERS OF THOSE PEOPLE,
THOUGH, TODAY AND TOMORROW.
I MEAN, LOOK, THERE ARE A LOT OF
PEOPLE SAYING SOME OF THE RIGHT
THINGS, PARTICULARLY ON THE
RIGHT TODAY, WHO REALIZE, WAIT A
MINUTE, SOMETHING IS AMISS HERE.
WHETHER IT’S THE MISINFORMATION,
FEEDING THE LIES THAT CREATED
THIS SITUATION.
BUT I FEAR, AND I THINK THAT’S
WHY HARRY HESITATED WHEN HE SAID
HOW OPTIMISTIC, I FEAR THAT --
YOU AND I DISMISSED THIS --
LIKE, THINK ABOUT, THIS IS IT.
THIS IS THE MOMENT THEY’RE GOING
TO HOLD TRUMP ACCOUNTABLE.
WE THOUGHT IT WHEN HE INSULTED
JOHN McCAIN.
WE THOUGHT IT AFTER SHAR
CHARLOTTESVILLE
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
WE THOUGHT IT WITH UKRAINE.
IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.
WE THINK, MAYBE IT’S THIS
MOMENT.
POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY ALWAYS
SEEMS TO TRUMP THESE MOMENTS
WHEN WE CAN BE THERE.
SO I’M -- CALL ME CAUTIOUSLY
PESSIMISTIC LONG TERM.
I AM SOMEWHAT OPTIMISTIC SHORT
TERM.
I THINK A LOT OF REPUBLICAN
SENATORS, IN PARTICULAR, ARE
GOING TO TRY TO LOOK LIKE
THEY’LL WANT TO WORK WITH JOE
BIDEN FOR A WHILE, WHICH MIGHT
BE NICE.
>> ANDREA MITCHELL HAS BEEN
AROUND EVEN LONGER THAN YOU
HAVE, CHUCK.
ANDREA, I’M JUST CURIOUS, YOUR
PERSPECTIVE ON THIS.
HOW DO YOU SEE THINGS GOING
FORWARD?
>> I AGREE WITH CHUCK, THAT I
THINK THERE MAY BE SOME
SHORT-TERM EFFORT FROM
REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE TO TRY
TO REACH ACROSS THE AISLE.
THEY KNOW HOW BADLY THEY
PERFORMED FOR THE LAST FOUR
YEARS OR LONGER.
BUT THAT SAYID, I THINK WITH
SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE POISON
THAT’S IN THE AIR, IN THE
ATMOSPHERE, THAT PEOPLE’S MINDS
HAVE BEEN SO WARPED BY THE LIES
THAT HAVE BEEN TOLD, FRANKLY,
AND THE CONSPIRACY THEORIES.
I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU GET AROUND
THAT AND FIX THAT, UNLESS YOU
HAVE AN EXTRAORDINARY OUTPOURING
OF LEADERSHIP AND TRUTH TELLING.
BUT WHEN YOU INTERVIEW PEOPLE
WHO ARE THE TRUE BELIEVERS, THEY
ARE FOLLOWING THESE LIES.
THEY STILL BELIEVE THE ELECTION
WAS STOLEN.
HOW DO YOU BUILD LEGITIMACY?
>> WELL, THAT’S THE QUESTION,
CHUCK.
I MEAN, AS I TURN TO YOU, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU ARE FED A SERIES OF
LIES AND MISINFORMATION, THAT
COMES IN THE PACKAGE WHERE IT
SEEMS TRUE, AND WHAT YOU’RE
WATCHING ON TELEVISION REAFFIRMS
THAT, AND WHAT YOU’RE HEARING
FROM A PRESIDENT THAT YOU
SUPPORT REAFFIRMS THAT, YOU
THINK EVERYONE ELSE IS CRAZY.
I MEAN, HOW DO YOU CHANGE THIS
DYNAMIC?
YOU KNOW, IT’S KIND OF A CLICHE
AT THIS POINT, YOU’RE ENTITLED
TO YOUR OWN OPINION, NOT
ENTITLED TO YOUR OWN FACTS.
BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, IN OUR
POLITICS, NOT OPERATING FROM THE
SAME SHARED SET OF FACTS.
>> THIS IS THE CORE PROBLEM.
LIKE, WE’RE ALL GOING TO ASK
THIS QUESTION, HOW DID THIS
HAPPEN?
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
THIS IS THE CORE ISSUE.
WE HAVE A MEDIA ECOSYSTEM,
INFORMATION ECOSYSTEM, SOCIAL
MEDIA ALLOWS YOU TO DO WHAT YOU
TALKED ABOUT, SILO IT UP.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW -- MAYBE
IT’LL BE A RECKONING.
THE ELECTED LEADERSHIP IN THIS
COUNTRY HAS TO TELL THE TRUTH.
PURE AND SIMPLE.
THEY’RE LYING -- THEY WANT TO
LIE OR THEY WANT TO ATTACK US IN
THE PRESS IN ORDER TO DEFLECT A
BAD QUESTION.
ALL OF THAT FEEDS THIS ANGER AND
THIS BELIEF THAT WE’RE THE
MISINFORMATION TO THIS 30%.
I MEAN, THE ELECTED LEADERSHIP
IN THIS COUNTRY HAS TO START
TELLING THE TRUTH, AND WE HAVE
TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE FOR IT.
>> HODA?
>> THAT WAS SOMETHING MITT
ROMNEY EXPRESSED LAST NIGHT ON
THE FLOOR.
>> VERY WELL.
>> I THINK HARRY HAS SOMETHING
TO SAY.
WE ALWAYS LOVE TO END ON HARRY.
WHAT YOU GOT, HARRY?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, IT’S
INTERESTING, BECAUSE I SPEND A
LOT OF MY TIME TRAVELING ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
I’VE REPORTED FROM EVERY SINGLE
STATE IN THIS UNION, AND ALL THE
CONTINENTS ON THE PLANET.
IN A DAY BY DAY BASIS, MOST OF
THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY ARE
NOT WATCHING THE NEWS 24/7.
THEY’RE NOT HORRIBLY ABSORBED BY
WHAT IS ON THIS SIDE OR WHAT’S
ON THAT SIDE OR HOW THE FABRIC
OF THE COUNTRY IS BEING TORN TO
SMITH
PIECES.
THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR DAY
TO DAY LIVES.
QUITE FRANKLY, I STILL REALLY DO
BELIEVE THERE IS MORE THAT
UNITES US THAN DIVIDES US.
>> YEAH.
YOU KNOW WHAT, HARRY, I AGREE
WITH THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY, BUT
THE GOOD HEARTED FOLKS WHO ARE
JUST LIVING THEIR LIVES, THEY
NEED TO TURN THEIR ATTENTION,
TOO, TO OUR DEMOCRACY.
I THINK THAT’S WHAT, YOU KNOW --
IT’S THE FAMOUS -- THE FOUNDERS
AFTER THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION, COMING OUT AND
SAYING, WHAT DID YOU VOTE?
WHAT GOVERNMENT ARE WE GOING TO
HAVE?
A DEMOCRACY, A REPUBLIC, IF YOU
CAN KEEP IT.
I THINK THAT’S WHAT WE SAW
SIMULTANEOUSLY YESTERDAY, THE
FRAGILITY AND THE STRENGTH.
YOU KNOW, GOOD HEARTED PEOPLE,
PEOPLE OF GOOD FAITH JUST NEED
TO COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT
THIS COUNTRY THAT WE ALL LOVE
AND WE DO ALL LOVE IT.
>> THAT WAS THE PERFECT PERIOD
ON THAT DISCUSSION, SAVANNAH.
HARRY, CHUCK, ANDREA, THANK YOU,
GUYS.
WE’RE GOING TO BE BACK IN A
MOMENT. FIRST, THIS IS "TODAY" ON NBC.