♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY.
WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," AND OUR LIVE BROADCAST FOLLOWING
TONIGHT'S PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, I GUESS YOU COULD STILL CALL IT.
LET'S SAY HELLO TO OUR FRIEND MR. JON BATISTE.
JON, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE RIGHT NOW.
DID YOU-- DID YOU PUT YOURSELF THROUGH WATCHING THAT DEBATE
JUST NO?
>> Jon: YES, I DID.
I HAD TO DO OTHER THINGS WHILE IT WAS PLAYING BECAUSE IT WAS A
VISCERAL ANGER THAT I FELT.
AND IT TAKES A LOT FOR ME TO FEEL WORKED UP IN THAT WAY.
>> Stephen: NO, YOU'RE A VERY CALM AND REASONABLE PERSON.
IT WAS-- IT WAS EMBARRASSING.
>> Jon: IT WAS A TOUGH AND EMBARRASSING MOMENT FOR AMERICA.
I JUST WANT TO SAY, RACISM IS A BAD THING.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> Stephen: OKAY.
WHERE DO YOU FIND THE COURAGE, JON?
I THINK-- I THINK I-- I THINK THERE'S NO GREATER SOFTBALL IN
THE WORLD THAN, "DO YOU CONDEMN WHITE SUPREMACY?"
AND HE COULDN'T DO IT.
>> Jon: IT'S RIGHT THERE.
IT'S A DEBATE.
YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO UNITE PEOPLE, AND THIS IS THE
EASIEST THING.
YOU JUST KNOCK IT OUT OF THE PARK.
>> Stephen: SEE, THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE.
HE'S NOT LOOKING FOR A WAY TO UNITE PEOPLE.
HE WANTS TO DIVIDE PEOPLE BECAUSE HE'S GOT NO IDEAS TO
GIVE TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
ONLY THE DIVIDED STATES.
WELL, JON, I KNOW IT'S HARD, BUT COULD YOU PLAY SOMETHING THAT
MATCHES THE TONE OF WHAT WE JUST SAW OR SOMETHING THAT IS A
COUNTERPOINT?
>> Jon: YES, A COUNTERPOINT, AND WE HAVE TO COUNTERPOINT IT
WITH THE VOTES.
>> Stephen: THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Jon: LET'S GET OUT THERE.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪
>> Stephen: JON BATISTE, EVERYBODY.
THANK YOU, JON.
>> Jon: THANK YOU, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: JOINING ME TONIGHT IS A SENATOR FROM NEW JERSEY AND
FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," SENATOR CORY BOOKER.
SENATOR, I'M NOT ENTIRELY SURE WHERE TO BEGIN OUR DISCUSSION
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TONIGHT.
CAN YOU-- CAN YOU SUM IT UP?
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT WE JUST SAT THROUGH?
>> YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT WAS PAINFUL.
I THINK THAT IF YOU'RE NOT HURTING OR WORRIED AFTER WHAT WE
JUST WATCHED, MAYBE YOU TUNED IN TO THE WRONG THING.
I MEAN, DONALD TRUMP CAME WITH THIS OBESITY OF AGGRESSION AND
JUST LIKE A PUGNACIOUS POSTURING THAT WAS JUST NOT WHO WE WANT TO
REPRESENT US.
IT'S NOT REPRESENTING THE SPIRIT OF THE HEART OF THIS COUNTRY.
AND I RESPECT A LOT OF WHAT JOE BIDEN WAS TRYING TO SAY AND DO
DURING THAT ELECTION.
HE CAME FAR MORE PRESIDENTIAL, FRANKLY.
BUT DONALD TRUMP-- TO SEE A FOX NEWS COMMENTATOR HAVE TO TRY TO
CONSTANTLY WRESTLE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
JUST SO JOE BIDEN WOULD HAVE TIME TO SPEAK.
IT WAS EMBARRASSING TO OUR COUNTRY.
AND YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW DONALD TRUMP'S HEART IS SO
DISCORDANT WITH I THINK WITH WHAT THE HEART OF AMERICA IS ALL
ABOUT AND WHAT THE SPIRIT OF THIS COUNTRY IS ABOUT.
IT WAS HARD.
IT WAS PAINFUL, STEPHEN.
>> Stephen: I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.
I THINK PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO SAW THAT-- AND I IMAGINE THE FIRST
DEBATE IS USUALLY THE ONE THAT GETS WATCHED THE MOST-- I THINK
PEOPLE WERE IN PAIN TO WATCH THAT BECAUSE, I WAS JUST SAYING
TO OUR FRIEND JON BATISTE, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING FOR
AMERICA TO SEE THAT.
SEEING THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES NOT BEING ABLE TO
SHUT UP FOR JUST TWO MINUTES.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY SHUT UP.
JUST BE QUIET AND ALLOW SOMEONE TO SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES.
IT SEEMED CLEAR BECAUSE HE KNEW HIS IDEAS COULD NOT WIN.
HE HE COULD ONLY WIN THROUGH-- WELL, THROUGH DOMINATION OR
AGGRESSION.
>> YEAH -- >> Stephen: HOW DO YOU THINK
BIDEN DID?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THERE'S A SENSE WITH DONALD TRUMP IT'S
ALMOST LIKE PUTIN DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH THESE THINGS.
WHY DO I EVEN HAVE TO BE HERE?
AND I'M JUST GOING TO TRY TO BULLY AND DOMINATE THE NIGHT.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT JOE BIDEN IS HE KEPT TRYING TO TURN IT AWAY
FROM THE TWO MEN ON THE STAGE AND BACK TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AT ONE POINT, HE DID THIS IMPASSIONATE PLEA, "THIS IS NOT
ABOUT US.
THIS IS ABOUT YOU.
THIS IS ABOUT YOU."
AND TRYING TO KEEP IT ON THE PEOPLE AND PEOPLE THAT ARE
HURTING.
I MEAN, LOOK, WE ARE IN A MOMENT IN AMERICA WHERE ADDICTION IS
UP, LIFE EXPECTANCY IS DOWN, SUICIDES ARE UP, OUR DISPARITIES
IN WEALTH ARE GREATER THAN THEY'VE BEEN IN GENERATIONS.
WE ARE AT A TIME WHERE OUR ECONOMY IS-- IS DOUBLE-DIGIT
UNEMPLOYMENT.
I MEAN, THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING TO.
AND DONALD TRUMP TRIED TO KEEP SAYING THAT EVERYTHING IS
GREATER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.
AND AS HE SAYS, HE'S THE BEST PRESIDENT WE EVER HAD.
AND SO, I JUST APPRECIATE OF APPRECIATE THAT THE PATIENCE
THAT WE SAW WITHIN JOE BIDEN IN TRYING TO CONTINUE TO BRING THE
SUBJECT BACK TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND TO WHAT WAS GOING ON,
DESPITE DONALD TRUMP, WHO JUST SAID THINGS THAT LEFT ME
GOBSMACKED, MAKING CLAIMS THAT WERE WILDLY WRONG, THAT HE
CREATES 700,000 MANUFACTURING JOBS WHEN THE FACT IS WE'VE LOST
200,000 MANUFACTURING JOBS UNDER HIS WATCH.
CONSTANTLY PUTTING OUT THINGS THAT ARE NOT TRUE.
I THINK THE MOST HURTFUL MOMENT FOR ME, FOR JOE, A GUY THAT I'VE
GOTTEN TO KNOW WELL IS WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT THE SACRIFICE OF
HIS SON, YOU KNOW, THE SON, BEAU, THAT DIED, THAT SERVED
HONORABLY IN THE MILITARY, AND DONALD TRUMP DIDN'T EVEN--
DIDN'T EVEN PAUSE.
HE JUST TREADED OVER THAT HURT AND THAT PAIN, TREADED OVER THE
HONOR OF HIS SERVICE TO TRY TO SCORE MORE CHEAP HITS ON THE
VICE PRESIDENT BASED ON LIES.
AND SO THE WHOLE NIGHT WAS JUST SAD THAT OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF
WAS JUST SO UGLY AMIDST JOE BIDEN TRYING TO DO WHAT HE DID
WITH ME.
I WAS ON DEBATE STAGES WITH HIM, WHICH IS ACTUALLY TO DISCUSS THE
ISSUES THAT AMERICANS REALLY CARE ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
>> Stephen: YOU KNOW, I SAW IN WHAT YOU-- I SAW WHAT YOU WERE
DESCRIBING IN VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FACE.
ISAW-- I SAW THE SAME PAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
BUT I THINK-- I IMAGINE THAT IT COMES FROM A PARTICULARLY
SPECIAL PLACE FOR HIM, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF HIS NATURAL EMPATHY
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH AND
WHAT THEY WANT FROM A LEADER RIGHT NOW, AND I THINK THAT IS
THAT SINCERE DESIRE IN THE VICE PRESIDENT TO FULFILL THAT NEED
FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, TO BE A-- A MORAL EXAMPLE FOR THE
NATION, AS F.D.R. CALLED THE PRESIDENCY, ESSENTIALLY A MORAL
OFFICE.
BUT I PAIN I SAW ON HIS FACE WAS KNOWING WHAT A PRESIDENT CAN BE
LIKE AND FEEL THIS PAIN FOR WHAT HE SEES OUR PRESIDENT BEING
RIGHT NOW-- A PAIN FOR AMERICA.
LIKE, IT MUST BE HEARTBREAKING FOR HIM TO-- TO HAVE THE
PRESIDENCY AND A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRESIDENT NOT BE A
THEORY, TO KNOW WHAT THAT PERSON CAN BE.
I DON'T MEAN JUST BARACK OBAMA.
I MEAN PEOPLE THAT JOE BIDEN DIDN'T SUPPORT, BUT DONALD TRUMP
IS AN ABOMINATION.
HE IS A STAIN ON THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY AND HIS BEHAVIOR,
AND I SAW THAT IN VICE PRESIDENT BDEN'S FACE.
>> WELL, TWO POINTS.
ONE IS, YOU KNOW, JOE HAS THIS SORT OF REVERENCE FOR THE OFFI
OFFICE.
HE-- HE SEES IT WITH A SENSE OF HUMILITY.
HE ACTUALLY KNOWS THAT NO INDIVIDUAL, WOMAN OR MAN, IS BIG
ENOUGH TO FILL WHAT THE PRESIDENCY IS, THE AWESOME
RESPONSIBILITIES.
AND THAT'S WHY HE APPROACHES IT WITH HUMILITY AND A SENSE OF
GRAVITY.
DONALD TRUMP DOES NOT AT ALL.
HE TREDZ UPON THE AWESOMENESS OF RESPONSIBILITIES.
HE HAS A LEVEL OF ARROGANCE, AND EVEN A DISDAIN FOR THE VIRTUES
THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW.
AND IN ONE OF MY MOST INTIMATE CONVERSATIONS WITH JOE, WE WERE
DRIVING-- I WAS GOING TO ENDORSE HIM.
WE WERE DRIVING FROM FLINT, MICHIGAN, TO DETROIT, AND IT WAS
ONE OF THE BEST I'D EVER FELT.
I KNOW, I JUST DROPPED OUT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND I WAS
GOING TO ENDORSE THE GUY THAT BEAT ME.
AND HE SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND THAT RIGHT NOW, PERHAPS MORE THAN ANY
PERIOD IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, WHAT THE-- WHAT WE NEED FROM A
PRESIDENT IS SOMEONE THAT CAN HEAL US, THAT CAN REMIND US THAT
THE LINES THAT DIVIDE US ARE NOWHERE NEAR AS STRONG AS THE
TIES THAT BIND US.
HE-- HE YEARNS FOR US TO SEE THAT IN THIS MOMENT IN AMERICA,
WE MUST PUT MORE INDIVISIBLE BACK INTO THIS ONE NATION UNDER
GOD.
AND SO MAYBE THAT'S WHY THE MOMENT OF THIS DEBATE THAT WAS
LIKE A DAGGER TO THE HEART OF THE THAT AMERICAN ASPIRATION,
AND THAT IS TRULY MENACING TO ALL THAT WE STAND FOR.
YOU SEE, I KNOW IN MY PERSONAL FAMILY HISTORY WHAT IT HAS MEANT
TO SEE OUR SOCIETY COLLECTIVELY REJECT THE K.K.K..
I KNOW WHAT IT MEANT IN-- WHEN THE KLAN WAS MARCHING IN
VIRGINIA, IN THE SAME CITY MY MOM DID A SIT-IN, IN, TO SEE
THIS COUNTRYRESOUNDINGLY REJECT THE KLAN AND NAZIS, WHICH
AMERICAN BLOOD WAS SPILLED FIGHTING IN EUROPE.
AND WHEN THIS PRESIDENT WAS GIVEN THE SIMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO
YET AGAIN CONDEMN HATEFUL GROU GROUPS, HE DIDN'T JUST FAIL TO
CONDEMN IT, AS YOU AND JON WERE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE IS SOMETHING EVEN MORE CHILLING THAT ARE REAL.
HE SAID, "STAND BACK AND STAND BY" TO THE PROUD BOYS, A
RIGHT-WING HATE ORGANIZATION.
"STAND BACK AND STAND BY," THAT THEY ARE NO ONLINE USING THOSE
WORDS ALMOST AS IF THEY'RE A LICENSE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES TO STAND READY IN AN ELECTION TO ENGAGE.
THERE IS A DANGEROUS, MENACING REALITY GOING ON RIGHT NOW WHERE
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS FAILING TO ENDORSE THE
AMERICAN 200-YEAR TRADITION OF A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER, A
PRESIDENT WHO HAS SAID UNDENIABLABLY, "IF I LOSE, THIS
ELECTION WAS RIGGED."
AND NOW HE IS CALLING OUT TO RIGHT-WING WHITE SUPREMACIST
ORGANIZATIONS AND TELLING THEM TO STAND BY.
AND SO, THAT, TO ME, WAS SO FRIGHTENING, SO ANTI-AMERICAN
SPIRIT, SO CONTRARY TO THE HEART AND THE SOUL OF THIS COUNTRY.
AND TO ME HE HAS VIOLATED HIS VERY OATH TO DEFEND A
CONSTITUTION THAT SPEAKS IN SPIRIT TO THIS UNDERSTANDING
THAT WE ARE A NATION THAT SETS A DEMOCRATIC EXAMPLE GLOBALLY.
SO I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW TO LISTEN TO HIM TONIGHT.
AS A GREAT POET MIA ANG LOU SAID, IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU WHO
THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM.
IT IS A FRIGHTENING THING BUT WE HAVE TO TURN OUR FEAR INTO
FIGHT, OUR WORRY INTO WORK.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THE POWER.
WE AS A COUNTRY ARE MORE-- THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE IS GREATER
THAN THAT MAN THAT'S IN POWER.
>> Stephen: AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT POWER AND HOW PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO EXERCISE IT WHEN WE COME BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS.
PLEASE STICK AROUND, SIR.
AND YOU AT HOME STICK AROUND, TOO.
I'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH MORE SENATOR CORY BOOKER.