>> ARMAGEDDON, ALLEGATIONS, AND ARGUMENTS. AFTER RUSSIAN THREATS DIRECT, PRESIDENT BIDEN ISSUES A START WARNING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES, THE WORLD RISKS NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON. MEANWHILE. >> I NEVER ASKED ANYONE TO GET AN ABORTION, I NEVER PAID FOR AN ABORTION. I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT. >> HERSCHEL WALKER, GEORGE'S REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATE RESPONDS TO ALLEGATIONS HE PAYS TO HAVE ANNEXED GROWTH AND HAVE AN ABORTION. >> DON'T LIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE AT THE EXPENSE OF ME, MOM MOM. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRETEND YOU ARE A FORMAL FAMILY GUY. >> ACCUSATIONS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. >> MANDELA BARNES, DANGEROUSLY LIBERAL ON CRIMES. >> REPUBLICAN STEP UP THEIR CLAIMS DEMOCRATS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SPICING CRIMES. THE SUPREME COURT RETURNED, HEARING LANDMARK CASES, NEXT. >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO WASHINGTON WEEK. THIS WAS A BUSY WEEK. LAST NIGHT, PRESIDENT BIDEN ISSUED A STARK WARNING. HE SAID BECAUSE OF RUSSIA'S RECENT MILITARY SETBACKS, AND THREATS BY PRESIDENT PUTIN, GLOBAL NUCLEAR RISK IS HIGHER AT THIS POINT THEN IN DECADES. THE PRESIDENT TOLD A SMALL GROUP OF DONORS WE HAVE NOT FACED THE PROSPECT OF ARMAGEDDON SINCE THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS. JOINING ME TONIGHT IS JONATHAN LAMY OR, THE WHITE HOUSE BUREAU CHIEF FOR POLITICO. AND JOINING THE IN STUDIO, BODY AGREE SOLACE, CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT FOR NPR. THE WHITE HOUSE REPORTER FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, AND AREA UNDER BOW, THE SUPREME COURT REPORTER FOR CNN. THINK YOU FOR BEING HERE. TAKE US INSIDE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S THINKING. WHAT HE'S SAYING PRIVATELY ABOUT THE NUCLEAR THREATS COMING OUT OF RUSSIA. >> CERTAINLY HE SURPRISED A LOT OF PEOPLE LAST NIGHT WITH THE VERY STARK COMMENTS AT A FUNDRAISER IN NEW YORK CITY. HE IS NOT WRONG, I SUPPOSE. IT IS THE CLOSEST WE HAVE BEEN TO SUCH AN UNTHINKABLE OUTCOME. BUT THEY WERE QUICK TO CLARIFY WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID. HE WAS TRYING TO SUGGEST THE ARK OF THE CONFLICT. VLADIMIR PUTIN IS CORNERED, THE WAR AND EFFORT BY THE RUSSIANS NOT GOING WELL. U.S. OFFICIALS ARE CONCERNED HOW HE MAY LASH OUT IF THE DEFEATS CONTINUE TO MOUNT. BUT THERE'S BEEN NO SIGN, U.S. INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS STRESS THIS, NO CHANGE TO MOSCOW'S NUCLEAR POSTURE. NO SIGNS THEY ARE LIKELY TO LAUNCH A WEAPON LIKE THAT IN A SMALL TACTICAL VERSION NOW THAT HE WAS AT THE BEGINNING OF A CONFLICT IN NATO INTELLIGENCE TENDING TO AGREE. THIS IS THE MOMENT WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO KEEP ALLIES RALLIED BEHIND UKRAINE AND UNDERSCORE THE THREAT OF RUSSIA CONTINUING TO POSE AS EUROPE IS ABOUT TO HEAD INTO A LONG, DARK, COLD WINTER DEPRIVED OF A LOT OF RUSSIAN ENERGY SOURCES. IT COULD PUT A STRAIN ON THE ALLIANCE. THE UKRAINIANS COUNTEROFFENSIVE IS GOING WELL. A SHOCKING SUCCESS. THE PRESIDENT IS SIMPLY SAYING THIS IS SOMETHING U.S. OFFICIALS CAN BE WORRIED ABOUT, NO SIGN OF VLADIMIR PUTIN WILLING TO ESCALATE THINGS AND TAKE SUCH A DRASTIC STEP. >> YOU MADE THE IMPORTANT POINT THAT THERE IS NO FRESH INTELLIGENCE. HOW DOES IT SQUARE WITH WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS? COULD HIS COMMENTS BE SEEN AS NICKING THINGS MORE TENSE WITH RUSSIA OR HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT? >> THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW TIMES WHERE THE PRESIDENT SAID SOMETHING AND WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS HAVE HAD TO QUICKLY CLARIFY IT OR WALK IT BACK A LITTLE. BUT I THINK THIS IS ONE WHERE THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO SUGGEST, KEEP FOCUS ON HOW IMPORTANT THE STAKES ARE. THAT UKRAINE IS DOING WELL, BUT THE AMERICANS AND THE WESTERN ALLIES SHOULD NOT BE COMPLACENT, THAT THIS IS STILL A THREAT. AND BIDEN WAS SIMPLY TRYING TO TRACE THE ARC OF THE CONFLICT AND PUT IT IN HISTORICAL CONTEXT. HE IS RIGHT IN A WAY OUTSIDE OF A FEW FLASHPOINTS. IT PROBABLY IS THE CLOSEST THE WORLD HAS BEEN TO SOME SORT OF NUCLEAR EXPLOSION. OFFICIALS ALSO MADE CLEAR TO VLADIMIR PUTIN IF HE WERE TO DO THIS, IT WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES FOR MOSCOW. DOESN'T MEAN THE U.S. WOULD NOT ISSUE A NUCLEAR RETURN, BUT WHETHER IT IS A CYBER ATTACK CONVENTIONAL WARFARE, THE U.S. MILITARY WILL PROBABLY RULE THROUGH THAT. NO ONE WANTS THAT, BUT THERE IS A BIT OF A WARNING TOWARDS WHAT THE PRESIDENT SAID. >> THE PRESIDENT TOLD DONORS I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS PUTIN'S OFFERING -- OFFRAMP, WHERE DOES HE FIND A WAY OUT? WHAT ARE YOU HEARING ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S THINKING AND WHETHER THE U.S. THINKS THEY HAVE AN OFFRAMP? >> WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS ASKED ABOUT THAT WITH REPORTERS ON THE PRESIDENT'S TRIP TO MARYLAND. WHAT DOES HE MEAN BY AN OFFRAMP? IS THE ADMINISTRATION LOOKING TO DO SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN? WE DID NOT REALLY GET ANY CLEAR ANSWERS. I THINK IT IS REMARKABLE WHAT HE SAID. THIS IS THE STARKEST WARNING, SOME OF THE MOST UNVARNISHED WARNINGS WE HAVE DONE FOR SOME TIME. >> IT IS A VERY STARK WARNING, UNUSUAL FOR HIM. THERE IS A LOT GOING ON. I WILL PIVOT TO THE OTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN TOP OF MIND. ELECTION DAY, MIDTERM ELECTION DAY 32 DAYS AWAY. SEVERAL RACES ARE HEATING UP. IN GEORGIA, AN OCTOBER SURPRISE. HERSCHEL WALKER FIGHTING ACCUSATIONS OF HYPOCRISY AFTER CAMPAIGNING ON FAMILY VALUES AND AGAINST ABORTION. WITHOUT EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE OR INCEST. IN INTERVIEWS WITH THE DAILY BEAST AND NEW YORK TIMES, A WOMAN WHO SAID SHE'S THE MOTHER OF ONE OF HERSCHEL WALKER'S CHILDREN SAID HE PAID FOR HER TO HAVE AN ABORTION WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS CHILD IN 2009. WALKER'S SON AND CONSERVATIVE SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE ALSO ACCUSED HIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INCLUDING THREATENING TO KILL HIM AND HIS MOTHER. HERSCHEL WALKER IS CALLING THE ALLEGATIONS A LIE. TAKE A LOOK AT TO WHAT HE TOLD ME WHEN I WAS REPORTING IN GEORGIA. >> JUST WHAT I JUST SAID, DEMOCRATS ARE DESPERATE FOR THIS SEAT, IT IS IMPORTANT. VERY DESPERATE FOR THIS SEAT. I LOVE MY FAMILY. I'M GOING TO WIN THIS RACE. >> THAT IS WHAT HERSCHEL WALKER IS STICKING TO. IN BATTLEGROUND STATES LIKE WISCONSIN AND PENNSYLVANIA, REPUBLICANS ON THE OFFENSE, FEELING AIRWAVES WITH ADS ATTACKING DEMOCRATS AS SOFT ON CRIME. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I'M HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE. A LOT GOING ON IN GEORGIA. SO MUCH GOING ON. I WAS TALKING TO VOTERS. WHILE IT IS MAKING WAVES, PEOPLE ARE IN THEIR CAMPS. A REPUBLICAN TOLD ME EVEN IF ALL OF THIS IS BELIEVABLE, SHE'S STILL VOTING FOR HERSCHEL WALKER BECAUSE HE IS AN OPPONENT OF ABORTION RIGHTS NOW. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HOW IT IS PLAYING OUT AND WHERE WE ARE? >> WE ARE IN A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE. PREVIOUSLY A REPORT LIKE THIS COULD SINK A CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN. BUT WE ARE NOT SEEING THAT RIGHT NOW. THEY ARE VERY LOYAL, IN TERMS OF WHAT PARTY THEY ARE FOLLOWING. EVEN IF YOU HAVE A BOMBSHELL OF A STORY COMING OUT LIKE THIS, IT IS NOT GOING TO DETER SOME VOTERS WHO ARE VERY LOYAL TO THEIR PARTY. THERE COULD BE VOTERS ON THE FENCE THAT ARE NOT SO MOTIVATED TO GO OUT AND VOTE FOR HIM, OR A DEMOCRAT THAT IS MORE ENERGIZED TO VOTE AGAINST HIM. TRICKY TIMES, BUT IN TERMS OF MAKING PREDICTIONS LIKE THE OLD DAYS OF SAYING IT WOULD SINK A CAMPAIGN, IT MAY NOT BE THE CASE. >> TRICKY TIMES IS THE WAY SHE IS DESCRIBING THE POLITICAL MOMENT WE ARE LIVING THROUGH. ALL NATIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE STICKING WITH HERSCHEL WALKER, THERE IS SOME DAYLIGHT WITH REPUBLICANS. THE GEORGIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR SAYING THE STAUNCHEST REPUBLICANS ARE RATTLED BY WHAT THEY SAW. THE BAGGAGE MIGHT BE UNBEARABLE. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF HOW IT IS PLAYING OUT AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR MIDTERM POLITICS? >> THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, A LONE VOICE IN SUGGESTING THE MOMENT WAS TOO BIG, SAYING HE WAS PERHAPS NOT A QUALIFIED CANDIDATE. ONLY ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE HE HAS SCORED TOUCHDOWNS. HE DID NOT KNOW WHO THE TENANT - - THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR WAS. LARGELY, REPUBLICANS ARE REPUBLICAN VOTERS. SINCE THESE STORIES CLAIMING HIS OPPONENT, SENATOR WARNER, IS MISREPRESENTING HIS RECORD. A NATURAL NARROWING OF THESE RACE -- RACES. THEY HAVE TIGHTENED IN GEORGIA, PENNSYLVANIA. WE HAVE CLOSE RACES IN WISCONSIN, OHIO, ARIZONA ONLY A FEW POINTS. IT IS A 50-50 SENATE. DEMOCRATS FELT REALLY GOOD MOST OF THIS SUMMER WITH THE WIND AT THEIR BACK, A LOT OF LEGISLATION PASSED. IT FEELS A REPUBLICANS SENSE THEY HAVE A BIG MOMENTUM AT THE MOMENT AS THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION TURNS INTO ISSUES GOOD FOR THEM. INFORMATION, ECONOMY, ALSO CRIME. WHAT IS IN THIS MOMENT, THESE RACES WILL BE CLOSE AND WE WILL HAVE A LATE ELECTION NIGHT. >> WE COVERED FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TOGETHER, WEATHERING SO MANY SCANDALS. IN SOME WAYS WITH A LEGACY OF YOU CAN STICK AROUND, DON'T QUIT, WAIT AROUND, AND MAYBE YOUR PARTY WILL COME AROUND. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF WHAT IS GOING ON? MAYBE THE SCANDALS DON'T MATTER AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO. >> IF THERE'S A POLITICAL LESSON THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY LEARNED AFTER 2016 IS AT THIS POINT IN THE RACE, ON MOST OF THE PARTIES, BOTH THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND REPUBLICAN PARTY, ARE WEARING THEIR PARTISAN JERSEYS, YOU STICK BY YOUR CANDIDATE. IF THERE ARE CLAIMS, YOU DENY THEM, DESPITE THE EVIDENCE WE SEE. OTHERWISE THE COLLABORATION WE SEE FROM ORGANIZATIONS. BECAUSE IT IS OBVIOUSLY TOO LATE IN THE SEASON TO REPLACE SOMEONE ON THE BALLOT, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO PUNISH -- YOUR BASE VOTERS PUNISHING YOU FOR DITCHING YOUR CANDIDATE AT THIS STAGE IN THE GAME. IT IS FAIR TO SAY REPUBLICANS ARE RATTLED IN THE SENSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS COMING NEXT. WE HAD ANOTHER NEWS ORGANIZATION PUT MORE LIGHT TO THESE ALLEGATIONS FROM THIS WOMAN EARLIER TONIGHT. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE WALKER CAMPAIGN OVER THE NEXT DAYS AND WEEKS. >> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTING THIS WOMAN WHO SAID HE PAID FOR AN ABORTION TRIED TO GET HER TO ABORT THE CHILD SHE ULTIMATELY ENDED UP HAVING IN 2011. PART OF THE REASON WHY ABORTION IS SUCH A BIG TOPIC IS THE SUPREME COURT LAST TERM OVERTURNED ROE V. WADE. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THE ROLE THE SUPREME COURT IS PLAYING IN ITS DECISION? >> SO MUCH OF WHAT HAPPENED AT THE SUPREME COURT LAST TERM IS PLAYING OUT NOW. YOU TALKED ABOUT CRIME, THE SECOND AMENDMENT, THE COURT ISSUED THAT BIG OPINION JUST YESTERDAY. A NEW YORK COURT STRUCK DOWN A CONCEALED CARRY. THAT WAS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YOU CAN LOOK AT THE ISSUE OF ABORTION. YOU CAN SEE HOW THE LANDSCAPE CHANGED. HOW QUICKLY THE MIDTERM OUTLET WAS DEFINITELY CHANGED BY THAT. YOU HAVE SEEN HOW THE COURT THAT DOESN'T LIKE TO BE IN THE POLITICAL ARENA IS THERE. I THINK SAMMY ALITO WAS INTERESTING. ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAYS WAS WE ARE TAKING ABORTION OUT OF THE LEGAL REALM INTO THE POLITICAL ROOM. IF PEOPLE WANT TO DO ABOUT HER, WE WILL GO TO VOTE. JOE BIDEN A FEW WEEKS AGO CITING HIM AND SAID WOMEN COME OUT AND VOTE, WHICH IS INTERESTING TO SEE. THE LAST PLACE HE WOULD WANT TO BE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GET OUT VOTE SPEECH. >> IT IS HEAD SPINNING IN SOME WAYS. JONATHAN, WHILE DEMOCRATS WANT TO TALK ABOUT ABORTION, REPUBLICANS WANT TO FOCUS ON INFLATION. WE SAW NEWS OUT OF OPEC. IT IS A WHITE HOUSE SAYING ABOUT GAS PRICES GOING UP AND THE IMPACT THEY WOULD HAVE? >> THEY ARE DEEPLY WORRIED ABOUT IT. STEPHEN SAFFRON CLAIM TOLD ME MONTH AGO, THE FIRST THING HE DOES, EVEN BEFORE HE CHECKS TO SEE IF HE'S HEARD FROM THE PRESIDENT IS CHECK THE PRICE OF GAS. THEY KNOW GASOLINE IS THE ONE CONSUMER ITEM EVERY AMERICAN CARES HOW MUCH IT COSTS. IT HAS ADVERTISE ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAYS, ABORTS, EVERY ROAD IN AMERICA. THOUGH INFLATION HAS IMPACTED A LOT OF CONSUMER GOODS, GASOLINE IS FRONT OF MIND. YOU KNOW THE PRICE WENT DOWN CONSIDERABLY OVER THE SUMMER. IT HAS CREEPED BACK UP. AND THIS NEWS WAS MET WITH GREAT FRUSTRATION FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. FIRST OF ALL, A HELPING HAND TO RUSSIA. WE JUST DISCUSSED THEIR EFFORT. WE KNOW THE PRESIDENT TRAVELED TO SAUDI ARABIA IN JULY, THE INFAMOUS FIST BUMP WITH THE CONTROVERSIAL CROWN PRINCE. THEY ARE ANGRY. MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE CALLING ON STIFF ACTION AGAINST SAUDI ARABIA FOR DOING SO. IN TERMS OF ELECTORAL TERMS, GAS PRICES WILL GO UP. IT WILL GO UP AGAIN IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. THE PARTY IN POWER TENDS TO PAY THE PRICE. THAT IS DEMOCRATS. THE WHITE HOUSE IS NOT HAPPY. >> I WANT TO BRING YOU IN. THERE IS ALSO THESE ADS GOING ON. REPUBLICANS RUNNING ADS ON CRIME, BUT ALSO TARGETING THE FIRST LATINA ELECTED TO THE SENATE, CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO IN NEVADA. YOU HAVE BEEN DOING REPORTING ABOUT ADS AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LATINO VOTE. TALK ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. >> SHE'S VULNERABLE IN NEVADA. PART OF THE PROBLEM WE ARE SEEING IS DEMOCRATS HAVE LONG SEEN LATINOS AS ALLIES, IN TERMS OF VOTERS. A LOT OF VOTERS ARE SAYING YOU CANNOT ASSUME WE ARE A MONOLITH, WE CAN'T BE VOTING FOR DEMOCRATS. SOME ARE FRUSTRATED. I DID REPORTING IN TEXAS WHERE I HEARD FROM LATINO VOTERS WORRIED ABOUT BORDER ISSUES AND IMMIGRATION. THERE WAS A BIG WARNING BEGINNING WITH BIDEN'S PRESIDENCY THAT THIS PRESIDENT NEEDED TO ADDRESS IMMIGRATION OR LOSE LATINOS ALONG THE WAY. AND IMMIGRATION HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. THAT IS THE PRICE THEY CAN PAY COME NOVEMBER. THEY CAN LOSE VOTERS IN NEVADA AND TEXAS THAT THEY PREVIOUSLY MAY HAVE ENJOYED THEIR SUPPORT BEFORE. IT IS A REMINDER THIS IS A TOUGH ISSUE FOR DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW. >> CLAUDIA IS TALKING ABOUT THE ROLE PRESIDENT BIDEN MIGHT PLAY. RESIDENT BIDEN IN SOME WAYS WANTS TO BE INSERTING HIMSELF INTO THE MIDTERM RACE NUMBER WANTS TO BE HELPING OUT. SOME CANDIDATES ARE TRYING TO AVOID HIM. TALK ABOUT THAT. >> MANY CANDIDATES AREN'T REALLY EAGER TO SEE PRESIDENT BIDEN ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING HOW THE DEMOCRATIC SENATOR FROM ARIZONA AND HIS DEBATE WITH REPUBLICAN BLAKE MASTERS PUSHED BACK SEVERAL TIMES, PARTICULARLY ON IMMIGRATION, THE IMMIGRATION POLICIES OF THE ADMINISTRATION. THE WHITE HOUSE, PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS DEFINED UNIQUE WAYS TO HELP OUT DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES. ONE IS DOING FUNDRAISING. HE'S REALLY PICKED UP THE PACE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS AND WEEKS. ANOTHER IS DOING OFFICIAL EVENTS DOING OFFICIAL ACTIONS THAT AREN'T POLITICAL, BUT ARE KIND OF HELPFUL TO THESE CANDIDATES AT HOME. PRESIDENT BIDEN TRAVELED TO NEW YORK YESTERDAY. PART OF HIS TRAVEL WAS THE FUNDRAISER, BUT ALSO TO TOUT THE BENEFITS OF HIS SEMICONDUCTOR CHIPS LAW, AND TOUTING JOBS AND INVESTMENT IN NEW YORK. SOME HOUSE CANDIDATES TARGETED BY REPUBLICANS SHOWED UP FOR THAT, AS WELL. SO YOU SEE HOW THE WHITE HOUSE HAS TO BE VERY CAREFUL AND DELIBERATE IN A POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT THAT WHILE HIS APPROVAL HAD BEEN TICKING UPWARD, HE IS STILL SIGNIFICANT THE OUTER WATER -- UNDERWATER. >> TALKING ABOUT THE UNDERWATER PERCEPTION, IT BRINGS US TO THE SUPREME COURT, ALSO HAVING ITS OWN PERCEPTION ISSUES. THIS WEEK, THE SUPREME COURT BEGAN ITS NEW TERM FEATURING SEVERAL HIGH-PROFILE CASES. TUESDAY, THE JUSTICES HEARD ORAL ARGUMENTS FOR THE PLAINTIFFS ARGUING ALABAMA'S NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAP DILUTES THE VOTING POWER OF BLACK RESIDENTS. JUST AS KETANJI BROWN JACKSON, THE FIRST WOMAN ON THE COURT WHO MADE HER DEBUT, TALKING ABOUT THE CASE. >> IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THE FRAMERS THEMSELVES ADOPTED THE EQUAL PROTECTION CLAUSE IN A RACE CONSCIOUS WAY. THAT THEY WERE IN FACT TRYING TO ENSURE THAT THE FRIEDMAN DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD WERE ACTUALLY BROUGHT PEOPLE TO EVERYONE ELSE IN SOCIETY. >> CONSERVATIVE JUSTICE SAMUEL ALITO ALSO WEIGHED IN. >> THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WIN ON WHETHER THE MAJORITY VOTES IS A BLOCK, WHICH MAY BE DUE TO IDEOLOGY AND NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH RACE, AND BLACK VOTERS AND WHITE VOTERS MIGHT PREFER DIFFERENT CANDIDATES BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DO. >> QUITE AN EXPERIENCE TO HEAR THOSE ORAL ARGUMENTS. MIGHT AS WELL CALL THIS THE AREA ON A VOTE SHOW. DEARLY YOU ARE THE EXPERT AT THE TABLE. WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT CASES COMING OUT OF THE SUPREME COURT, ESPECIALLY THINKING ABOUT EVERYDAY AMERICAN LIVES? >> SO INTERESTING TO HEAR HER THERE. USUALLY WHEN A JUSTICE STARTS ON THE COURT, THEY WANT TO SHOW THEY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. AND THEY ASK A FEW QUESTIONS. SHE ACTUALLY DOMINATED THOSE ARGUMENTS. SHE WENT ON AND ON, AND SHE KNOWS SHE'S HAS THESE CONSERVATIVE COLLEAGUES. WHAT WAS INTERESTING IS SHE SAW HER CONSERVATIVE COLLEAGUES WHO BELIEVE IN ORIGINALISM. SHE IS MAKING AN ORIGINALISM ARGUMENT. DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT HOW THE MAPS HAVE TO BE RACE NEUTRAL, WHEN LOOK AT THE 14TH AMENDMENT, THEY TOOK RACE INTO CONSIDERATION. SO FASCINATING TO SEE HER TAKE THAT AWAY. SO WE HAVE THESE BIG CASES COMING, WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE SECTION TWO CASE. ANOTHER CASE INFUSED WITH RACE, AGAIN THIS TERM, IT HAS TO DO WITH AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. THERE ARE TWO DISPUTES. COURT PRECEDENT SAYS YOU CAN TAKE RACE IN CONSIDERATION AS A FACTOR IN ADMISSIONS. BUT NOW A CONSERVATIVE GROUP IS COMING TO THE COURT SAYING WE DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE RACE -- YOU CAN'T LOOK AT RACE AT ALL, OTHERWISE YOU ARE VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION. ONCE AGAIN THE COURT IS BEING ASKED TO LOOK AT AND OVERTURN PRECEDENT, AS WE SAW LAST TERM. THERE IS ANOTHER INTERESTING VOTING RIGHTS CASE. IT COMES FROM SUPPORTERS OF TRUMP WHO WANT THE COURT TO ADOPT THIS OBSCURE LEGAL THEORY THAT BASICALLY SAYS STATE COURTS CANNOT PLAY A ROLE WHEN THEY ARE LOOKING AT LAWS PASSED BY STATE LEGISLATURES WHEN IT COMES TO FEDERAL ELECTIONS. WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN, CRITICS FEEL, IS STATE LEGISLATURES COULD GO BROKE. THEY COULD PASS WHATEVER THEY WANTED AND THE STATE COURTS COULD NOT STOP THEM. AND RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THE STATE LEGISLATURES ARE CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS. SO THERE'S A REAL FEAR AMONG SUPPORTERS OF VOTING RIGHTS WHERE THIS CASE COULD GO. THERE IS ALSO A REALLY IMPORTANT LGBTQ CASE PITTING THOSE RIGHTS, GAY RIGHTS, AGAINST RIGHTS OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY. THAT WILL BE A HOT BUTTON TOPIC. SO FASCINATING TO SEE JUSTICE JACKSON IS GOING TO TAKE OVER THIS TERM THAT IS SO INFUSED WITH RACE, HANDLING THESE CASES, AND SHE STARTED OUT THERE, SHE WAS AT EASE, CONFIDENT, AND SUPER AGGRESSIVE. >> I WAS TEXTING SOMEONE, SOME OF THE FRIENDS I HAVE SOURCED, THEY SAID THIS IS WHO WE KNOW, THIS IS OUR FRIEND WHO WILL SPEAK UP. I WANT TO ASK AGAIN, THE SUPREME COURT TERM STARTED WITH ITS LOWEST APPROVAL RATING IN MODERN HISTORY. HOW AWARE ARE THE JUSTICES OF THE PERCEPTION OF THE COURT? HOW DOES IT FACTOR INTO THEIR THINKING OF THEIR JOBS? >> INTERESTING, BECAUSE OVER THE SUMMER, USUALLY WHEN A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE GIVES A SPEECH, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF MEAT. THIS SUMMER, WE SAW A SQUABBLE, THE LIBERALS. JUSTICE ELENA KAGAN SAYING WELL. A COURT CAN NO LONGER BE CONSIDERED LEGITIMATE IF YOU ARE DOING THINGS LIKE OVERTURNING PRECEDENT AND NOT FULLY EXPLAINING WHY, OR IF YOU ARE STRAYING FROM YOUR COMMITMENT TO A CERTAIN JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY. SHE KEPT SAYING I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT ANY CASES OR CONTROVERSIES DIRECTLY. BUT SHE WAS. THAT IS WHAT SHE SAID ALL ALONG. THEN YOU HAVE CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS SAYING YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE LEGITIMACY OF THE COURT JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE THE OPINIONS COMING OUT. AND JUSTICE ALITO ALSO JUMPED IN. THEY KNOW THAT THE LEGITIMACY OF THE COURT IS SO IMPORTANT, THEY NEVER WANT TO BE LOOKED AT AS ANOTHER POLITICAL BRANCH. THE SIMPLE REASON IS WHEN THEY ISSUE OPINIONS, THEY WANT THE PUBLIC TO FOLLOW THEM AND NOT THINK IT IS JUST POLITICS, WE WILL WAIT FOR ANOTHER POLITICIAN TO GET ON THE BENCH. THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT IT, THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS APPROVAL RATING. I'M NOT SURE THEY KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH IT. >> ONE LAST QUESTION, WE HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT. PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS GONE TO THE SUPREME COURT TO ASK THEM TO BASICALLY REVOKE THE DOJ FROM HAVING ACCESS TO THESE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS SEIZED FROM HIS HOME. WHAT IS THE LATEST AND WHAT KIND OF POLITICS ARE GOING ON? >> TRUMP DRAWS THE SUPREME COURT, STARTING A NEW TERM, TRYING TO BE A FRESH -- IT IS DRAWN INTO THIS WHITE-HOT FIGHT. IT IS A NARROW DISPUTE. TRUMP ISN'T LOOKING FOR RELIEF TO DEAL WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROBE GOING ON. HE WAS CLEAR. HE'S NOT ASKING FOR RELIEF THERE. HE'S ASKING FOR THE SPECIAL MASTER NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THE CHANCE TO SEE ABOUT 100 OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT WERE SEIZED THAT WERE MARKED CLASSIFIED. THAT IS THE ISSUE BEFORE THE COURT. IT IS KIND OF TECHNICAL. DID THE LOWER COURT DO THINGS RIGHT? BUT WE HAVE SEEN ANOTHER DOCUMENT CASE AROUND DOCUMENTS LAST TERM, AND TRUMP LOST BADLY, EXCEPT FOR JUSTICE CLARENCE THOMAS, WHO RULED IN HIS FAVOR. SO IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO GIVE HIM RELIEF. THEY WILL PROBABLY DENY IT. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY ARE BEING DRAGGED IN. THE POLITICAL SPOTLIGHT IS ON THEM. THE TERM IS BEGINNING. IT WILL PROBABLY BE RESOLVED NEXT WEEK. IT IS WHERE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE. >> NOT WHERE THEY WANT TO BE, BUT WHERE THEY FOUND THEMSELVES. THANK YOU FOR COMING ON AND BREAKING ALL OF THAT DOWN. THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR JOINING AND SHARING YOUR REPORTING. TUNE IN SATURDAY TO PBS NEWS WEEKEND. AFTER CHANGES THIS WEEK IN THE GLOBAL OIL MARKET, THEY WILL LOOK AT WHAT IS AHEAD FOR AMERICANS AT THE GAS PUMP. JONATHAN TOLD US GAS PRICES ARE GOING UP, BUT CHECK IT OUT SATURDAY. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. GOOD NIGHT FROM WASHINGTON.