>> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION
FOR SUNDAY, AUGUST 9: QUESTIONS
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT'S POWERS
AFTER HIS EXECUTIVE ORDERS.
THE RISK OF SPEEDING UP THE
CENSUS COUNT.
SIX YEARS AFTER FERGUSON, THE
LEGACY OF MICHAEL BROWN'S
KILLING.
AND WHAT MAY BE THE END OF AN
ERA FOR POLITICAL CONVENTIONS.
NEXT ON "PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND."
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>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING AND
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
THE DAY AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP
SIGNED FOUR DIFFERENT DOCUMENTS
ON COVID-19 ECONOMIC RELIEF,
BOTH CRITICS AND SUPPORTERS ARE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS
POSSIBLE AND WHAT IS LEGAL.
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS CALLED THE
EXECUTIVE ACTIONS
UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND SAID THEY
WON'T PROVIDE NECESSARY RELIEF
TO AMERICANS.
SENATE MINORITY LEADER CHUCK
SCHUMER CRITICIZED THE
PRESIDENT'S PLAN TO PROVIDE $400
IN WEEKLY EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS-- $200 LESS THAN THE
BENEFIT THAT EXPIRED ONE WEEK
AGO.
STATES WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PAY
100 OF THOSE DOLLARS.
>> THIS IS AN UNWORKABLE PLAN.
MOST STATES WILL TAKE MONTHS TO
IMPLEMENT IT, BECAUSE IT'S
BRAND-NEW.
IT'S SORT OF PUT TOGETHER WITH
SPIT AND PASTE.
AND MANY STATES, BECAUSE THEY
HAVE TO CHIP IN $100, AND THEY
DON'T HAVE MONEY, WON'T DO IT.
>> Sreenivasan: YESTERDAY, THE
PRESIDENT SAID ONE OF THE ORDERS
WOULD PROVIDE A TEMPORARY
PAYROLL TAX CUT, WHICH HE SAID
WOULD BECOME PERMANENT AFTER THE
ELECTION.
>> IF I'M VICTORIOUS ON NOVEMBER
3, I PLAN TO FORGIVE THESE TAXES
AND MAKE PERMANENT CUTS TO THE
PAYROLL TAX, I'M GOING TO MAKE
THEM ALL PERMANENT.
>> Sreenivasan: THE EXECUTIVE
ORDER MR. TRUMP SIGNED DEFERS
PAYROLL TAXES, BUT DOES NOT CUT
THEM, MEANING EMPLOYERS AND
WORKERS COULD STILL BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THEM
LATER.
PAYROLL TAXES HELP FUND SOCIAL
SECURITY AND MEDICARE, AND TODAY
WHITE HOUSE ECONOMIC ADVISOR
LARRY KUDLOW TRIED TO CLARIFY
WHAT THE PRESIDENT MEANT WHEN HE
SAID THE CUT WOULD BE PERMANENT.
>> WHEN HE REFERRED TO
PERMANENT, I THINK WHAT HE WAS
SAYING IS THAT THE DEFERRAL OF
THE PAYROLL TAX TO THE END OF
THE YEAR WILL BE MADE PERMANENT.
IT WILL BE FORGIVEN.
>> Sreenivasan: HOUSE SPEAKER
NANCY PELOSI SAID SHE HOPES THAT
THE WHITE HOUSE WILL COME BACK
TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE AND DID
NOT COMMIT TO A LEGAL CHALLENGE.
>> RIGHT NOW, WE WANT TO ADDRESS
THE NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
AS-- AS MY CONSTITUTIONAL
ADVISERS TELL ME THEY'RE
ABSURDLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
>> Sreenivasan: I SPOKE WITH
"POLITICO" REPORTER CAITLIN EMMA
WHO IS COVERING THE PRESIDENT'S
ACTIONS.
CAITLIN, WHEN WE SAW THE
PRESIDENT LAY OUT HIS EXECUTIVE
ORDERS YESTERDAY, ONE OF THE
FIRST QUESTIONS WAS, WHAT IS
WITHIN HIS RIGHTS AND HIS POWERS
TO DO VERSUS CONGRESS THAT
APPROVES SPENDING?
>> THESE EXECUTIVE ORDERS, AND I
THINK IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT
ACTUALLY ONLY ONE OF THEM IS AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER, THE REST WERE
MEMORANDUMS, IN A SENSE THEY
CARRY A LITTLE BIT LESS WEIGHT
IN THAT WAY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY I THINK
WE'RE ALREADY SEEING SOME OF
THESE ORDERS, MEMOS, KIND OF IN
THE LEGAL CROSSHAIRS.
SO, IT IS CERTAINLY, THERE ARE
DEFINITELY A LOT OF QUESTIONS, I
GUESS, ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE IS
PROPOSING HERE.
>> Sreenivasan: IN ONE OF THE
Q & A's WITH REPORTERS HE SAID
"WE HAVE GOT PLENTY OF MONEY
THAT WE HAVEN'T SPENT YET."
HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE TALKING
ABOUT AND CAN IT FUND ALL OF THE
THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET
FUNDED?
>> YOU KNOW, STATES HAVE ONLY
SPENT ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE
MONEY THAT THEY RECEIVED THROUGH
THE CARES ACT, WHICH WAS ABOUT
$150 BILLION.
AND THAT'S BECOME A POPULAR
REPUBLICAN TALKING POINT IN
THESE NEGOTIATIONS IN ARGUING
THAT MORE STATE AND LOCAL AID
ISN'T NECESSARY.
LOOK, ALL THESE STATES HAVE ALL
THIS MONEY THAT THEY HAVEN'T
SPENT.
BUT THAT REALLY VARIES WILDLY
ACROSS STATES.
AND A LOT OF THE MONEY THAT
HASN'T BEEN SPENT IS ALREADY
SPOKEN FOR IN THAT IT HAS BEEN
ALLOCATED FOR A SPECIFIC
PURPOSE.
SO, ASKING GOVERNORS TO PICK UP
ANY PART OF THE TAB FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IS GOING
TO BE A VERY DIFFICULT ASK,
ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY SAY THAT
THEY ARE ALREADY GRAPPLING WITH
INADEQUATE LEVELS OF FEDERAL
AID.
>> Sreenivasan: FINALLY,
REGARDLESS OF WHAT NEGOTIATORS
IN WASHINGTON AGREE TO OR NOT,
WHAT THAT CHECK LEVEL IS, WHEN
DOES IT ACTUALLY GET TO PEOPLE
WHO RIGHT NOW MIGHT REALLY NEED
THAT $600 TO PAY RENT OR PAY FOR
FOOD?
>> IT'S REALLY UNCLEAR WHEN
THESE SUPPOSED PAYMENTS WOULD GO
OUT.
IT'S UNCLEAR HOW MANY STATES
WOULD BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE TAB
FOR THE REST OF THE $400 A WEEK
PAYMENT.
THIS IS A, IT'S A VERY UNCERTAIN
SITUATION AT THE MOMENT BOTH IN
TERMS OF LEGALITY AND WHEN SOME
OF THESE THING WOULD ACTUALLY
TAKE EFFECT TO POTENTIALLY HELP
PEOPLE.
>> Sreenivasan: CAITLIN EMMA
FROM "POLITICO," THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Sreenivasan: AS POLITICAL
LEADERS GRAPPLE OVER ECONOMIC
RELIEF, THE UNITED STATES
REACHED A GRIM MILESTONE IN THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN FIVE
MILLION CONFIRMED INFECTIONS IN
THE U.S.-- BY FAR THE MOST IN
THE WORLD.
THE DEATH TOLL IS NOW MORE THAN
162,000 ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS
AT JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY.
THE NUMBER OF DAILY INFECTIONS
IS FALLING, ON AVERAGE, FROM
HIGHS EXPERIENCED IN MID-JULY.
GLOBALLY, THE NUMBER OF
CONFIRMED CASES IS APPROACHING
20 MILLION.
BUT THE VIRUS IS NOT SPREADING
EVERYWHERE.
TODAY, NEW ZEALAND MARKED 100
DAYS WITHOUT A DOMESTIC
TRANSMISSION OF CORONAVIRUS.
PRIME MINISTER JACINDA ARDERN
WARNED AGAINST COMPLACENCY, EVEN
AS MANY IN NEW ZEALAND HAVE
RETURNED TO NORMAL LIFE.
>> 100 DAYS IS A MILESTONE TO
MARK, BUT AGAIN, WE STILL NEED
TO BE VIGILANT REGARDLESS.
>> Sreenivasan: FIVE DAYS AFTER
A MASSIVE EXPLOSION IN BEIRUT,
INTERNATIONAL DONORS PLEDGED
TODAY TO HELP THE CITY RECOVER,
EVEN AS LEBANON DESCENDS INTO A
DEEPENING POLITICAL CRISIS.
AT AN EMERGENCY DONORS TELE-
CONFERENCE TODAY, ATTENDED BY
PRESIDENT TRUMP AND DOZENS OF
OTHER LEADERS, FRENCH PRESIDENT
EMMANUEL MACRON SAID WORLD
POWERS MUST PUT ASIDE THEIR
DIFFERENCES AND SUPPORT THE
LEBANESE PEOPLE WITH FINANCIAL
AID.
A TOP AMERICAN OFFICIAL SAYS THE
U.S. WILL PROVIDE $15 MILLION IN
ASSISTANCE.
THE PLEDGES OF ASSISTANCE COME A
DAY AFTER HUGE PROTESTS IN
BEIRUT.
YESTERDAY THOUSANDS SET FIRES
AND STORMED GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
CARRYING NOOSES AND BANNERS
SAYING "RESIGN OR HANG."
PROTESTERS ACCUSE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS OF NEGLIGENCE AND
CORRUPTION, WHICH THEY BLAME FOR
THE EXPLOSION THAT INJURED
THOUSANDS AND KILLED MORE THAN
160 PEOPLE.
TODAY AFGHANISTAN OFFICIALS
AGREED TO RELEASE 400 "HARDCORE"
TALIBAN PRISONERS SIGNALLING THE
BEGINNING OF PEACE TALKS THAT
COULD END MORE THAN 19 YEARS OF
WAR IN THE COUNTRY.
AFGHAN PRESIDENT ASHRAF GHANI
ADRESSED THE COUNTRY'S GRAND
ASSEMBLY, WHICH APPROVED THE
RELEASE.
THE MOVE, SUPPORTED BY THE U.S.,
MEANS THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT HAS
FULFILLED ITS PLEDGE TO RELEASE
5,000 TALIBAN PRISONERS.
THE PEACE DEAL SIGNED BY THE
TALIBAN AND THE U.S. IN FEBRUARY
CALLED FOR THIS RELEASE AND,
TODAY, THE TALIBAN WELCOMED THE
DECISION.
A SPOKESPERSON SAID TALKS COULD
BEGIN AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.
IN BELARUS TODAY, THE PRESIDENT
IS PROJECTED TO HAVE WON IN A
LANDSLIDE AFTER AN UNUSUALLY
CONTESTED ELECTION.
PRESIDENT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO--
CALLED EUROPE'S LAST DICTATOR--
FACED ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES TO HIS 25-YEAR RULE.
SVETLANA TIKHANOUSKAYA EMERGED
AS A SURPRISING RIVAL, DECIDING
TO RUN AFTER HER HUSBAND WAS
BARRED FROM BEING A CANDIDATE
AND JAILED.
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS HAVE NOT
DEEMED THIS A FREE AND FAIR
ELECTION AND THERE ARE
ALLEGATIONS OF VOTE-RIGGING.
FOR THE LATEST ON THE ELECTIONS
IN BELARUS AND OTHER
INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL NEWS,
VISIT pbs.org/newshour.
>> Sreenivasan: SIX YEARS AGO
TODAY, MICHAEL BROWN, A YOUNG
UNARMED BLACK MAN, WAS SHOT AND
KILLED BY A POLICE OFFICER IN
THE STREETS OF FERGUSON,
MISSOURI.
THOUGH QUESTIONS STILL REMAIN
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY,
THE PROTESTS AND THE MOVEMENT
THAT IT SPARKED HAVE CHANGED THE
COURSE OF CIVIL RIGHTS IN
THE U.S.
BRITTANY FERRELL IS A ST. LOUIS-
BASED ACTIVIST AND ORGANIZER FOR
THE POLITICAL ADVOCACY GROUP,
BLACK FUTURES LAB.
NEWSHOUR WEEKEND CORRESPONDENT
IVETTE FELICIANO SPOKE WITH HER
ABOUT THE FERGUSON PROTESTS AND
ABOUT HOW THE KILLING OF MICHAEL
BROWN LED US TO WHERE WE ARE
TODAY.
>> Reporter: FIRST OFF, I WANT
TO ASK YOU, YOU KNOW, TO
TAKE US BACK TO 2014.
HOW DID THE SHOOTING OF MICHAEL
BROWN INITIALLY IMPACT THE
FERGUSON COMMUNITY AND HOW DID
IT CHANGE YOUR LIFE?
>> I WAS ACTUALLY IN NEW YORK ON
A VACATION WITH SOME PEERS THAT
I WAS CURRENTLY AT THE TIME IN
UNDERGRAD WITH.
UM, I FOUND OUT ABOUT MIKE
BROWN'S MURDER WHEN I OPENED UP
TWITTER AND ANOTHER PEER OF MINE
WHO WAS HERE HAD TWEETED,
"FERGUSON POLICE DEPARTMENT JUST
SHOT AND KILLED AN UNARMED BLACK
BOY."
AND IT WAS THAT MOMENT THAT I
WAS JUST INSTANTLY GLUED TO MY
PHONE.
EVEN FROM HUNDREDS OF MILES
AWAY, THE GRIEF AND THE PAIN AND
THE ANGER THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS
FEELING WAS PALPABLE.
LIKE, IT WAS SO STRONG, YOU
KNOW, THE RESPONSE THAT FOLKS
HAD TO SUCH AN ATROCIOUS ACT OF
VIOLENCE.
THAT IS WHAT URGED ME TO BOOK MY
TRIP HOME THE VERY NEXT DAY.
IT ROCKED OUR COMMUNITIES.
IT ROCKED OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND WHEN-- WHEN PEOPLE HERE
GATHERED TO GRIEVE AND WHEN
FOLKS WERE MET WITH VIOLENCE,
THE RESPONSE TO THAT FROM THE
COMMUNITY, THE RESPONSE TO THE
POLICE VIOLENCE FROM THE
COMMUNITY WAS THAT WE'RE NOT
GOING TO LET YOU KILL US IN THE
STREET AND THEN TELL US THAT WE
CAN'T GRIEVE.
AND IT WAS THAT RESPONSE THAT
SENT THIS RIPPLE EFFECT AROUND
THE WORLD WHERE THIS CIVIL
RIGHTS MOVEMENT THAT WE ARE NOW
LIVING IN HAS EMERGED FROM.
>> Reporter: WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW THE MEDIA
COVERED THE PROTESTS?
YOU KNOW, MANY PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF
FERGUSON SAW IMAGES OF FIRES AND
DESTRUCTION TO PROPERTY AND
VIEWED THE PROTESTS LARGELY AS
RIOTS.
YOU KNOW, HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT
FROM WHAT YOU SAW AND
EXPERIENCED ON THE GROUND?
>> YOU KNOW, THE FRAMING OF OUR
MOVEMENT, THE FRAMING OF OUR
UPRISING AT THAT TIME, IT REALLY
PUT-- IT-- THEY NEEDED TO
CONTROL THE NARRATIVE.
SO, IN ORDER TO DO THAT, THEY
PIT THE PROTESTERS, PEACEFUL
DEMONSTRATORS, FOLKS WHO WERE
HAVING VIGILS, WHO WERE MET WITH
VIOLENCE, AS-- AS THE RIOTERS,
AS THE LOOTERS, AS THE DANGEROUS
ONES.
AND THE POLICE WERE FRAMED AS
BEING HEROIC, TRYING TO SAVE THE
COMMUNITY, TRYING TO SAVE THE
COMMUNITY FROM DESTROYING THEIR
OWN COMMUNITY.
IT WAS VERY CLEAR WHAT THEY WERE
TRYING TO DO.
WE SEE IT TODAY, RIGHT, WHEN
DONALD TRUMP, UM, HE CALLS THE
PROTESTERS RIOTERS AND LOOTERS--
LOOTERS.
IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF
HIS MESSAGE BECAUSE IT GIVES
VALIDATION TO THE FACT THAT
FEDERAL AGENTS GET TO SNATCH
PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND NO
ONE SHOULD BE CONCERNED
ABOUT IT.
LIKE, IT'S A REPETITIVE THEME
THAT I BELIEVE THE MEDIA IN THE
PAST HAS USED A LOT, AND THAT
PEOPLE GET TO HOLD ON TO, TO
CONTINUE TO PERPETUATE THIS--
THIS NARRATIVE THAT POLICE ARE
NECESSARY, VIOLENCE AGAINST
PROTESTERS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE
ALL THEY DO IS RIOT AND LOOT,
THERE'S NO PURPOSE IN-- FOR THEM
BEING OUT IN THE STREETS.
AND THAT'S JUST INACCURATE.
AND I'M ACTUALLY VERY HAPPY TO
SEE NOW, SIX YEARS LATER, THAT
PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE HOW
INACCURATE THAT ACTUALLY IS.
>> Reporter: BACK IN 2014,
FORMER OFFICER-- POLICE OFFICER
DARREN WILSON WAS NOT INDICTED
FOR MICHAEL BROWN'S KILLING AND
HE WAS CLEARED OF ANY CIVIL
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS.
WHAT IMPACT DID THAT HAVE ON
YOUR ACTIVISM AND ON THE
NATIONAL MOVEMENT THAT WAS
SPARKED BY THIS INCIDENT?
>> I-- I FELT LIKE A SENSE OF
RAGE AND ANGER AND DEEP SADNESS
AND GRIEF ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
AND IT WAS IN THAT MOMENT THAT I
KNEW FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE MY
WORK WAS GOING TO BE GEARED
TOWARDS FIGHTING FOR THE JUSTICE
AND DIGNITY AND POWER FOR BLACK
COMMUNITIES.
AND I HAVE BEEN ON THAT SAME
TRAJECTORY SINCE THEN.
EVER SINCE THE NON-INDICTMENT
CAME OUT IN NOVEMBER OF 2014,
FOLKS HERE AND, I WOULD-- I
WOULD FEEL SAFE TO SAY AROUND
THE GLOBE HAVE NOT-- HAVE NOT
STOPPED MOBILIZING, HAVE NOT
STOPPED MOVING IN PURSUIT OF
JUSTICE FOR BLACK PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
>> Reporter: WE'RE ONCE AGAIN IN
A PERIOD OF WIDESPREAD PROTESTS
SURROUNDING THE KILLINGS OF
UNARMED BLACK PEOPLE BY THE
POLICE.
YOU KNOW, SIX YEARS LATER, WHY
ARE WE BACK HERE AGAIN?
IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS
MOMENT THAT FEELS DIFFERENT TO
YOU?
>> YES.
THIS MOMENT, IT FEELS DIFFERENT,
DEFINITELY.
WE HAVE SHIFTED IN HOW WE
INTERROGATE POWER OVER THE PAST
SIX YEARS AND WE HAVE ALSO BEGUN
TO REIMAGINE JUSTICE.
IT'S NO LONGER, "ARREST THE COPS
THAT KILLED BREONNA TAYLOR."
IT'S ALSO "DEFUND THE POLICE AND
INVEST MONEY INTO COMMUNITIES
THAT NEED THAT TYPE OF
INVESTMENT, BLACK COMMUNITIES.
INVEST IN THINGS TO HELP BLACK
PEOPLE THRIVE."
>> Reporter: HOW DO YOU SUSTAIN
A MOVEMENT SUCH AS BLACK LIVES
MATTER?
WHAT MORE NEEDS TO HAPPEN TO
TRULY SHIFT POLICY AND PEOPLE'S
CONSCIOUSNESS?
>> I BELIEVE THAT THIS MOVEMENT
IS GOING TO CONTINUE MOVING
FORWARD BECAUSE WE-- WE HAVE TO.
WE HAVE TO.
WE KNOW THAT THE ONLY OTHER
OPTION AT THIS POINT, WHAT IT
LOOKS LIKE, IS WE ARE ON THE
PATHWAY TO A DICTATORSHIP.
AMERICA IS FALLING INTO FASCISM.
IS THAT WHAT WE WANT FOR OUR
COUNTRY?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE NO OTHER
CHOICE BUT TO ORGANIZE AROUND
THE MESSAGE BLACK LIVES MATTER,
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF BLACK
FOLKS HAVE JUSTICE IN THIS
COUNTRY, EVERYBODY HAS JUSTICE
IN THIS COUNTRY.
>> Reporter: BRITTANY FERRELL OF
BLACK FUTURES LAB, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Sreenivasan: THIS PAST WEEK
THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU SUDDENLY
ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL END ALL
COUNTING FOR THE 2020 CENSUS ON
SEPTEMBER 30, A FULL MONTH
EARLIER THAN SCHEDULED.
THE CRITICAL COUNT REQUIRES THAT
ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN THE U.S. BE
COUNTED AND EFFORTS TO GET
RESPONSES ARE BEING SLOWED DOWN
DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
I SPOKE WITH NPR REPORTER HANSI
LO WANG EARLIER THIS WEEK ABOUT
THE CENSUS COUNT AND THE
DECISION TO MOVE UP THE
DEADLINE.
HANSI, WHAT DOES A SHORTENED
AMOUNT OF DAYS THAT THE CENSUS
BUREAU WILL KNOCK ON DOORS MEAN?
>> THIS MEANS THE CENSUS BUREAU
HAS EVEN LESS TIME THAN IT WAS
TRYING TO REALLY FINISH THE
COUNT OF EVERY PERSON LIVING IN
THE COUNTRY.
NOW, RIGHT NOW, ROUGHLY FOUR OUT
OF TEN HOUSEHOLDS NATIONWIDE
HAVE NOT BEEN COUNTED YET.
AND THESE REMAINING HOUSEHOLDS
ARE WHAT THE CENSUS BUREAU
CONSIDERS THE HARDEST TO COUNT.
THESE ARE POPULATIONS THAT HAVE
BEEN HISTORICALLY UNDERCOUNTED.
THEY INCLUDE PEOPLE OF COLOR,
RENTERS, RURAL RESIDENTS, GROUPS
THAT ARE NOT LIKELY TO FILL OUT
A FORM ON THEIR OWN.
AND THAT'S WHY THIS DOOR
KNOCKING, THAT'S ABOUT TO ROLL
OUT NATIONWIDE NEXT WEEK, THAT
DOOR KNOCKING IS SO CRITICAL TO
MAKING SURE THAT NO ONE IS LEFT
OUT AND NO RESIDENT IS LEFT OUT
OF THE COUNT.
>> Sreenivasan: NOW, THAT'S HARD
ENOUGH AS IT IS.
LAY ON TOP OF THAT, A PANDEMIC
WHERE PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO BE
WITHIN A FEW FEET OF ONE
ANOTHER.
>> DOOR KNOCKING IS THE LARGEST,
MOST EXPENSIVE OPERATION BECAUSE
IT IS REALLY HARD WORK AND
TRYING TO DO IT WHILE SOCIALLY
TRYING, TRYING TO KEEP SOCIAL
DISTANCE, THAT'S VERY HARD.
AND, I MEAN, THE P.P.E. AND
TRYING TO OVERCOME PEOPLE,
PEOPLE'S PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS.
BUT NOW TO DO THAT IN A SHORT
AMOUNT OF TIME, IN THE MIDDLE OF
HURRICANE SEASON, AS WELL AS
WEEKS AFTER THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION, AFTER PRESIDENT
TRUMP ISSUED A MEMO CALLING FOR
UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANTS TO BE
EXCLUDED FROM NOT THE CENSUS IN
GENERAL, BUT SPECIFICALLY FROM
THE CENSUS NUMBERS USED TO
REAPPORTION SEATS IN CONGRESS,
THAT'S CAUSING A LOT OF
CONFUSION.
A LOT OF OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS ARE
SAYING CONFUSION AMONG FOLKS,
EVEN THOUGH THE CONSTITUTION
SAYS THAT COUNTING OF THE WHOLE
NUMBER OF PERSONS IN EACH STATE,
THAT'S THE NUMBER THAT SHOULD BE
USED TO REAPPORTION SEATS IN
CONGRESS.
AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE
FEDERAL LAWS THAT SAY A PERSON'S
PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE
INFORMATION CANNOT BE USED
AGAINST THEM BY ANY FEDERAL
AGENCY OR IN COURT.
>> Sreenivasan: SO, YOU KNOW,
YOU HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS
BEAT FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW,
AND THERE WAS THIS SORT OF DRAMA
ABOUT THE CITIZENSHIP QUESTION.
THEN, OBVIOUSLY, CAME THE
PANDEMIC.
AND HERE WE ARE THINKING ABOUT
APPORTIONMENT.
WHAT KIND OF POWER DOES THAT
LEAVE IN THE HANDS OF THE
PRESIDENT, EVEN IF HE WERE TO
LOSE THIS ELECTION?
>> FIRST THING I THINK IT SHOULD
BE VERY CLEAR, THERE IS NO
CITIZENSHIP QUESTION ON THE 2020
CENSUS.
THE FEDERAL COURTS HAVE BLOCKED
THAT FROM BEING ADDED TO THE
FORMS.
HOWEVER, THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION HAS MOVED FORWARD
WITH THIS MEMO CALLING FOR THE
COMMERCE SECRETARY TO TRY TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO EXCLUDE
UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANTS IN THE
APPORTIONMENT COUNT.
AND, YOU KNOW, HERE'S ONE THING
TO KEEP IN MIND HERE: BY NOT
EXTENDING THE COUNTING, BY NOT
EXTENDING THE DEADLINES FOR
REPORTING THE CENSUS RESULTS,
WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT BY THE
END OF THIS YEAR, UNDER FEDERAL
LAW, THE PRESIDENT WILL RECEIVE
THE LATEST STATE POPULATION
COUNTS.
THAT IS WHAT THE CENSUS BUREAU
RIGHT NOW IS WORKING TOWARDS.
AND THOSE ARE THE STATES, THOSE
STATE POPULATION COUNTS, THOSE
ARE THE NUMBERS THAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP, WHO HIS MEMO SAYS HE
WANTS TO EXCLUDE UNAUTHORIZED
IMMIGRANTS FROM.
>> Sreenivasan: THE CENSUS HAS
TO BE COMPLETED BY A CERTAIN
TIME, RIGHT?
SO, IF THIS DOES NOT GO WELL, IS
THERE SOME SORT OF STATISTICAL
THRESHOLD WHERE THE CENSUS
TAKERS CAN JUST SAY, LOOK, WE
ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE AN ACCURATE
PICTURE OF WHO'S IN THIS COUNTRY
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT AND WE
KIND OF NEED A DO-OVER.
>> THAT'S A BIG OPEN QUESTION AT
THIS POINT.
THE CENSUS BUREAU DOESN'T HAVE
NECESSARILY DEADLINES TO SET--
DOESN'T HAVE SET LEGAL DEADLINES
FOR ENDING OF COUNTING, BUT IT
DOES HAVE REPORTING DEADLINES.
AND DECEMBER 31 IS THAT KEY
DEADLINE.
AND THE QUESTION IS, DOES THE
CENSUS BUREAU HAVE ENOUGH TIME
TO FINISH A COUNT AND ALSO HAVE
ENOUGH TIME TO PROCESS ALL THOSE
RESULTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE
AREN'T DUPLICATE RESULTS AND DO
ANY TYPE OF CLEANING NECESSARY
TO MAKE SURE THIS IS THE MOST
ACCURATE DATA SET POSSIBLE.
AND THE BIG QUESTION IS ALSO IS,
ARE THERE GOING TO BE ENOUGH
INDICATORS AND METRICS FOR THE
CENSUS BUREAU AS WELL AS OUTSIDE
RESEARCHERS TO REALLY MAKE THAT
ASSESSMENT OF HOW GOOD IS THE
2020 CENSUS?
HOW GOOD ARE THESE RESULTS?
>> Sreenivasan: NPR'S HANSI LO
WANG JOINING US FROM NEW YORK.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME, HARI.
>> Sreenivasan: BEFORE THE
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC CHANGED
EVERYTHING, THE SUMMER OF 2020
WAS GOING TO BE THE TIME OF THE
TRADITIONAL DAYS-LONG NATIONAL
POLITICAL CONVENTIONS.
BUT AS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SPECIAL
CORRESPONDENT JEFF GREENFIELD
REPORTS, THE CONVENTIONS WERE
ALREADY FADING FROM THE
SPOTLIGHT AND THEIR HISTORIC
ROLE YEARS BEFORE COVID-19.
>> THE STRANGEST SOUND YOU WILL
BE HEARING THIS MONTH IS THE
SOUND OF SILENCE.
THERE WILL BE NO THRONGS OF
DEMOCRATS CHEERING THE
NOMINATION OF JOE BIDEN IN
MILWAUKEE; NO CROWDS OF
REPUBLICANS CELEBRATING
PRESIDENT TRUMP IN CHARLOTTE,
NORTH CAROLINA.
NOR IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA,
WHERE THE REPUBLICANS PLANNED TO
DECAMP, THE BETTER TO HOLD A
MORE TRADITIONAL CONVENTION.
THE PERSISTENCE OF THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC HAS FORCED BOTH PARTIES
TO ABANDON AN EVENT THAT HAS
BEEN A MAINSTAY OF AMERICAN
POLITICS FOR CLOSE TO TWO
CENTURIES: THE NATIONAL
NOMINATING CONVENTION.
BUT IN A LARGER SENSE,
CONVENTIONS HAVE BEEN ON
SOMETHING CLOSE TO LIFE SUPPORT
FOR DECADES.
FROM THE FIRST GATHERINGS IN
1831, THROUGH CIVIL WARS AND
WORLD WARS, THROUGH PROSPERITY
AND DEPRESSIONS, THIS IS HOW
AMERICA'S POLITICAL PARTIES HAVE
CHOSEN THEIR CANDIDATES, AND
BATTLED OVER THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT OF ISSUES.
IT'S WHERE IN 1912, FORMER
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT
CHALLENGED HIS SUCCESSOR,
PRESIDENT WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT,
FOR THE NOMINATION, THEN LED HIS
SUPPORTERS INTO A THIRD PARTY.
IT'S WHERE, IN 1924, DEMOCRATS
BATTLED FOR 103 BALLOTS BEFORE
CHOOSING A CANDIDATE-- AND WHERE
THEY FOUGHT OVER PROHIBITION,
IMMIGRATION AND WHETHER TO
CONDEMN THE KU KLUX KLAN.
IT'S WHERE, IN 1948, DEMOCRATS
EMBRACED THE CAUSE OF CIVIL
RIGHTS AFTER A ROUSING SPEECH BY
HUBERT HUMPHREY.
>> THE TIME HAS ARRIVED IN
AMERICA FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
TO GET OUT OF THE SHADOWS OF
STATE'S RIGHTS, AND TO WALK
FORTHRIGHTLY INTO THE BRIGHT
SUNSHINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> AND WHERE SOUTHERNERS WALKED
OUT, AND LAUNCHED A
SEGREGATIONIST THIRD PARTY THAT
ALMOST COST HARRY TRUMAN THE
WHITE HOUSE.
BUT IT WAS THE ARRIVAL OF
TELEVISION THAT BROUGHT
CONVENTIONS INTO MILLIONS OF
AMERICAN HOMES, COMPLETE WITH
FURIOUS CONFLICTS RHETORICAL AND
PHYSICAL.
IN 1952, WITH FIGHTS OVER
DUELING DELEGATE SLATES, AND AN
ANGRY DENUNCIATION BY ILLINOIS
SENATOR EV DIRKSEN OF THE
PARTY'S LAST NOMINEE, NEW YORK
GOVERNOR TOM DEWEY.
>> AND WE FOLLOWED YOU BEFORE,
AND YOU TOOK US DOWN THE ROAD TO
DEFEAT!
>> OR THE 1968 DEMOCRATIC
CONVENTION IN CHICAGO, WHERE
VIOLENT CLASHES IN THE STREETS
LED TO A FRONTAL BLAST AT
CHICAGO MAYOR RICHARD DALEY.
>> AND WITH GEORGE McGOVERN AS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO HAVE
GESTAPO-STYLE TACTICS IN THE
STREETS OF CHICAGO!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> AND WHERE A PRESS CREDENTIAL
WAS NO PROTECTION.
>> BUT DON'T PUSH ME.
TAKE YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME UNLESS
YOU PLAN TO ARREST ME!
>> AND EVEN WITHOUT SUCH HIGH
DRAMA, CONVENTIONS WERE OFTEN
FILLED WITH POLITICAL SUSPENSE.
WOULD GEORGE McGOVERN GET TO
KEEP ALL HIS DELEGATES FROM
CALIFORNIA IN 1972, THE KEY TO
HIS NOMINATION?
WOULD RONALD REAGAN FOUR YEARS
LATER SUCCEED IN UNSEATING
PRESIDENT GERALD FORD?
WOULD TED KENNEDY MANAGE TO KEEP
HIS NOMINATION HOPES ALIVE WITH
A PARLIAMENTARY MANEUVER?
BUT THAT 1980 CONVENTION WAS THE
LAST GASP OF ANYTHING
APPROACHING SUSPENSE.
THE PRIMARIES HAD ALREADY BECOME
THE WAY THE GREAT MAJORITY OF
DELEGATES WERE ELECTED.
NO MORE BROKERS IN SMOKE-FILLED
ROOMS PICKING A NOMINEE; NO
SECOND OR THIRD BALLOTS WHERE
ALLIANCES WERE FORMED OR BROKEN.
THERE HASN'T BEEN A SECOND
BALLOT FOR A PRESIDENTIAL
NOMINATION SINCE 1952.
AND EVERY FOUR YEARS, PUNDITS
PROCLAIM THAT, THIS TIME, THERE
WILL BE A REAL CONTESTED
CONVENTION, ONLY TO WATCH THE
NOMINATION WRAPPED UP WEEKS OR
MONTHS BEFORE THE CONVENTION
BEGINS.
THAT FACT, IN TURN, HAS MADE
CONVENTIONS MUCH LESS APPEALING
TO AUDIENCES, AND TO TV
NETWORKS.
THE MULTI-MILLION INVESTMENT IN
SKY BOOTHS, AND AN ARMY OF
REPORTERS AND TECHNICIANS, HAS
BEEN SCALED BACK IN RECENT
YEARS, AND THE MAJOR BROADCAST
NETWORKS DEVOTE LESS THAN AN
HOUR A NIGHT TO THE PROCEEDINGS.
THERE ARE NO CHALLENGES TO THE
RULES OR THE PLATFORM, OR THE
CREDENTIALS OF DELEGATES.
ABOUT THE ONLY CHANCE FOR
SURPRISE IS WHEN AN OBSCURE
FIGURE SUDDENLY EMERGES INTO
PROMINENCE; LIKE THIS KEYNOTE
SPEAKER FROM 2004.
>> THERE IS NOT A LIBERAL
AMERICA, AND A CONSERVATIVE
AMERICA, THERE IS THE UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> FOUR YEARS AGO, THE ONLY
REMOTELY UNSCRIPTED MOMENT CAME
WHEN SENATOR TED CRUZ DID NOT
ENDORSE DONALD TRUMP, AND WAS
ROUNDLY BOOED FOR IT.
>> FREEDOM MATTERS, AND I WAS
PART OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL.
( MIXED CROWD REACTION )
>> NOW, THE PANDEMIC MAY HAVE
ANSWERED THE QUESTION MANY HAVE
BEEN ASKING FOR DECADES: DO WE
REALLY NEED FOUR DAYS OF
METICULOUSLY SCRIPTED PAGEANTRY?
IS THERE A POINT TO AN EVENT
WHICH-- LIKE MAIN STREET AT
DISNEY WORLD-- CREATES AN
ESSENTIALLY ARTIFICIAL REALITY?
OR DO WE NEED TO KEEP THE
CONVENTIONS ALIVE ON THE CHANCE
THAT SOME YEAR, SOME DECADE, AN
UNRESOLVED PRIMARY FIGHT MAY
ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE RESOLVED
ON THE CONVENTION FLOOR?
>> Sreenivasan: FINALLY, TODAY
MARKS THE 75th ANNIVERSARY OF
THE ATOMIC BOMBING OF NAGASAKI,
JAPAN.
( BELL RINGING )
AT EXACTLY 11:02 LOCAL TIME,
BELLS RANG OUT.
THAT'S THE MOMENT THAT AN
AMERICAN B-29 BOMBER DROPPED A
10,000 POUND PLUTONIUM BOMB ON
THE CITY, KILLING AN ESTIMATED
70,000 PEOPLE.
THAT WAS THREE DAYS AFTER THE
NUCLEAR BOMB DROPPED ON THE CITY
OF HIROSHIMA.
WITHIN A WEEK, ON AUGUST 15,
1945, JAPAN SURRENDERED, ENDING
WORLD WAR II.
THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF
"PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND."
FOR THE LATEST NEWS UPDATES
VISIT pbs.org/newshour.
I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
STAY HEALTHY AND HAVE A GOOD
NIGHT.
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