>>> VOTING RIGHTS IS MAYBE THE
MOST CONSEQUENTIAL THING, IM
GOING TO BE GOING AROUND THE
COUNTRY SPENDING TIME MAKING THE
CASE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THIS
ISNT JUST ABOUT SHOWING
IDENTIFICATION THAT THIS IS WHO
I AM WHEN I VOTE.
THIS ISNT JUST ABOUT WHETHER
YOU CAN PROVIDE WATER FOR
SOMEONE STANDING IN LINE WHILE
THEYRE WAITING TO VOTE.
THIS IS ABOUT WHO GETS TO JUDGE
WHETHER YOUR VOTE COUNTED AFTER
ITS CAST.
WHO IN GODS NAME DIED AND LEFT
THEM BOSS, AS MY MOTHER WOULD
SAY.
YOUR VOTE HAS TO COUNT WHEN YOU
CAST IT.
>> PRESIDENT BIDEN TODAY
PROMISING ACTION ON WHAT HE
DESCRIBES AS THE MOST
CONSEQUENTIAL FIGHT OF HIS
PRESIDENCY, THE BATTLE OVER
VOTING RIGHTS IN AMERICA.
WITH COMMENTS COMING AFTER THE
U.S. SENATE GOP BLOCK THE
DEMOCRATS SWEEPING VOTING
RIGHTS, CONTEMPLATING NEXT
STEPS.
AMID THE STEADY MARCH OF VOTER
SUPPRESSION BILLS IN 48 STATES
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
JOINING OUR CONVERSATION WHITE
HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY JEN PSAKI.
HI THERE, JEN.
>> HI, NICOLLE.
NOTHING HAPPENING HERE.
>> NOTHING TO SEE HERE.
WELL GET TO INFRASTRUCTURE,
WELL GET TO COVID, I KNOW THE
PRESIDENT IS ON THE ROAD.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THOSE
COMMENTS.
I INTERVIEW FOLKS ON THE
FRONTLINE OF TRYING TO PROTECT
NOT JUST VOTING RIGHTS BUT AVOID
VOTER NULLIFICATION WHICH A LOT
OF PEOPLE FEEL IS THE MOST
OMINOUS AND HAUNTING PARTS OF
THESE VOTER SUPPRESSION BILLS.
389 OF THEM SPEEDING THROUGH 48
LEGISLATURES, 22 OF THEM ALREADY
SIGNED INTO LAW.
YOU COULD ARGUE THAT PRESIDENT
BIDEN MIGHT NOT HAVE WON STATES
LIKE GEORGIA IF THAT LAW HAD
BEEN IN PLACE THEN IF YOU LOOK
AT THE NUMBERS AND THE
RESTRICTIONS.
I WANT TO KNOW IF HE SIDES LIKE
PEOPLE LIKE OROURKE AND BENSON
WHO SAY IT IS LONG OVERDUE TO
REFORM THE FILIBUSTER WHEN IT
COMES TO VOTING RIGHTS
LEGISLATION?
>> FIRST, I WOULD SAY, NICOLLE,
YOULL HEAR A LOT MORE FROM THE
PRESIDENT NEXT WEEK ON VOTING
RIGHTS.
HE WILL DELIVER REMARKS TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND HE ALLUDED
TO TALKING ABOUT IT AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
HE WANTS TO USE EVERY LEVER AT
HIS DISPOSAL.
HE WANTS TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
THEIR RIGHTS IS A PART OF IT AND
MAKING SURE WE FIGHT ALONGSIDE
THESE LEGISLATORS AND ACTIVISTS
TO MAKE SURE VOTING RIGHTS AND
ACCESS TO VOTING IS SOMETHING
PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
WE CERTAINLY KNOW THERES BEEN A
LOT OF TALK AND CONVERSATION
ABOUT THE FILIBUSTER.
THE PRESIDENTS POSITION ON THAT
HASNT CHANGED.
HE BELIEVES, ALSO, THERES A
WAY -- THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO
WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE VOTING
MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE.
ITS A BASIC RIGHT.
>> I GUESS ITS ALREADY OUT
THERE -- THERE IS NO
BIPARTISAN -- WORKING ALONGSIDE
FOLKS IN THE STATES WOULD NOT BE
NECESSARY IF THERE WAS FEDERAL
LEGISLATION.
HAS HE ABANDONED FEDERAL
LEGISLATION?
>> NO, HE CERTAINLY HAS NOT, AND
THIS LEGISLATION JUST FAILED TO
MOVE FORWARD JUST TWO DAYS AGO
AND THE PRESIDENT WILL WORK WITH
LEADER SCHUMER, SPEAKER PELOSI,
OTHERS ON WHAT WE CAN DO NEXT ON
A FEDERAL LEVEL.
THERES ALSO ADDITIONAL VOTING
RIGHTS, ADDITIONAL PIECES OF
LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE WERE
PROTECTING VOTING RIGHTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
THATS SOMETHING HES GOING TO
CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR.
ITS NOT EASY.
WERE NOT SUGGESTING THAT.
ALL IM CONVEYING IS THERES
ALSO WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE
OUT IN STATES WITH ACTIVISTS
EMPOWERING, ENGAGING AND
STANDING BY THEIR SIDES AND HES
GOING TO DO THAT.
>> HE IS VERY POPULAR NOT JUST
IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BUT I
KNOW HE AND YOU ALL POINT OUT
WITH REPUBLICANS IN THE COUNTRY
WHO SUPPORTED THE COVID RELIEF
PACKAGE OVERWHELMINGLY, WHOSE
SUPPORT LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO
REPUBLICANS COMING TO THE TABLE
ON INFRASTRUCTURE.
WOULD HE PLAY A SIMILAR ROLE IN
BRINGING REPUBLICANS TO THE
WHITE HOUSE TO WORK ON A
BIPARTISAN COMPROMISE ON VOTING
RIGHTS?
>> IF THERE WAS A PATH FORWARD,
ABSOLUTELY HE WOULD.
HES A BELIEVER WE HAVE TO FIND
WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIND
COMMON GROUND.
TODAY WAS EVIDENCE OF THAT.
WELL SEE IF VOTING RIGHTS IS
EVIDENCE OF THAT.
I KNOW YOUVE TALKED A LOT ABOUT
THIS ON YOUR SHOW.
IT IS INSANE.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE THINK ITS
INSANE, AND THEY SHOULD, THAT
WERE NOT MAKING IT EASIER FOR
PEOPLE TO VOTE.
WHAT ARE PEOPLE SO AFRAID OF?
AND SO, YES, OF COURSE HE WOULD
BE OPEN TO THAT AND ENGAGING AND
PLAYING A ROLE IN BRINGING
DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
TOGETHER.
THE QUESTION NOW IS FOR THE
REPUBLICANS.
WHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF?
WHY WONT THEY HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT WHERE WE CAN
FIND AGREEMENT ON MAKING IT
EASIER AND MORE ACCESSIBLE?
WE EXPECT -- I KNOW YOU ASKED ME
ABOUT THE FILIBUSTER EARLIER --
THATS A QUESTION FOR DEMOCRATS
IN CONGRESS, MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE, TO SEE IF THERES 50
VOTES TO MOVE FORWARD ON
CHANGES.
I DONT THINK THOUGH EXIST RIGHT
NOW.