CELEBRATION. WE WILL TAKE YOU THERE, LIVE, WHEN THE PRESIDENT BEGINS SPEAKING. WHILE WE WAIT, I AM HONORED TO BE JOINED BY SENATOR WARNOCK, DEMOCRATIC, OF GEORGIA. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING. >> GOOD EVENING. >> LET ME START WITH, AS WE WAIT FOR THE PRESIDENT, I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT REMARKS MADE BY HIS OPPONENT, FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP, AT A RALLY IN OHIO LAST NIGHT, THE PRESUMPTIVE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE WARNED THAT THERE WOULD BE A " BLOODBATH UNQUOTE --" IF HE LOSES THE ELECTION BID HE CLAIMS HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE CAR INDUSTRY RIVER -- BUT REPEATED THOSE WORDS SEVERAL TIMES AND EVEN SAID SOME MIGRANTS ARE NOT PEOPLE AND AT ANOTHER POINT CALLED THEM "ANIMALS". WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? >> WELL, MY ANGELOU SAID WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM THE FIRST TIME. DONALD TRUMP IS SHOWN AS WHO HE IS TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN. WE OUGHT TO TAKE HIM SERIOUSLY. THIS IS THE INSURRECTIONIST PRESIDENT. THIS IS THE MAN WHO EGGED ON THE MOST VIOLENT INSURRECTION ON OUR CAPITAL OR ATTACK ON OUR CAPITAL SINCE THE WAR OF 1812, AND THAT VIOLENCE HAS METASTASIZED AND THAT CONTINUAL ATTACK ON THE DIGNITY AND INTEGRITY OF OUR DEMOCRACY THROUGH SUPPRESSION LAWS WHICH I AM ENGAGED IN FIGHTING AND SO ARE YOU, IN SO MANY WAYS, SO THE SELECTION IS A BINARY CHOICE AND WE ARE JUST BEING REMINDED TIME AND TIME AGAIN ABOUT HOW MUCH IS AT STAKE. NOTHING MORE AND NOTHING LESS THAN THE FUTURE OF OUR REPUBLIC. >> IN YOUR STATE OF GEORGIA, LET'S GO TO YOUR HOMESTAND. FRIDAY, A JUDGE RULED THAT FULTON COUNTY D.A., FANI WILLIS, CAN CONTINUE TO LEAD THE INTERFERENCE CASE AGAINST PRESIDENT TRUMP ALTHOUGH SHE HAD TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR WITH WHOM SHE HAD HAD A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP. MANY OF US HAVE QUESTIONED WHETHER FANI WILLIS HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO SUCH PERSONAL SCRUTINY IN THIS CASE PARTS, BECAUSE SHE IS A SUCCESSFUL BLACK WOMAN. ARE YOU CONFIDENT THIS CASE WILL GO ON AND JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED AND ARE YOU HOPEFUL WE WILL SEE A TRIAL BEFORE THE ELECTION? >> FIRST OF ALL, WE CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN DONALD TRUMP ATTACK THIS BLACK WOMAN, AND AGAIN, WE ARE NOT SURPRISED WHEN WE SEE DONALD TRUMP DO THAT BECAUSE THAT IS WHO HE IS. WHEN WE SEE THAT PROCESS PLAY OUT, THERE ARE SOME POLITICAL ACTORS WHO HAVE TRIED TO PUT THEIR HAND ON THE SCALE. I'M NOT GOING TO PILE ON. WE ARE WATCHING THE PROCESS MOVE FORWARD. SHE WILL BE ABLE TO TRY HER CASE AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT WE CENTER WHAT THIS CASE IS ABOUT, IT'S ABOUT A SITTING PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CALLING DOWN TO THE STATE OF GEORGIA, BASICALLY, THREATENING THE OFFICIALS, HERE, AND SAYING, I NEED 11,000 VOTES. I NEED SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT ELSE HE COULD MEAN OTHER THAN THAT THEY SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN SOME KIND OF FRAUD. HE'S ON TAPE SAYING THESE THINGS SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO CENTER THAT, TO CENTER THE WAYS IN WHICH HE CREATED AN ENVIRONMENT THAT LED TO INTIMIDATION AND DEATH THREAT FOR SAMOS AND B FREEMAN, FOLKS WHO WERE JUST VOLUNTEERING, PEOPLE WHO KEEP THE WHEEL OF DEMOCRACY TURNING, THEIR LIVES WERE LITERALLY TURNED UPSIDE DOWN BECAUSE OF THE AWFULNESS OF DONALD TRUMP. HE DESERVES HIS DAY IN COURT AND THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA AND THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRY WILL GET THEIR CHANCE TO ENSURE THAT HE DOES NOT RETURN TO THE OVAL OFFICE. >> BEFORE WE MOVE COMPLETELY OFF OF DONALD TRUMP, I WANT TO GET TO VOTING RIGHTS BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE BRINGING A BILL BACK BUT I HAVE TO ASK ABOUT HIS CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR OF NORTH CAROLINA, MARK ROBINSON. HE HAS GONE ON RECORD WITH BIGOTED COMMENTS WERE JEWISH PEOPLE, WOMEN, THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY. TRUMP HAS CALLED HIM "MARTIN LUTHER KING ON STEROIDS." YOU ARE THE SENIOR PASTOR OF DR. KING'S CHURCH IN ATLANTA, ONE OF OUR PROMINENT CHURCHES. YOU EVEN HAD ME PREACH THERE A COUPLE TIMES. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT COMMENTS LIKE THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW IF HE'S ON STEROIDS OR SOMETHING ELSE, BUT HE DOES NOT KNOW MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DR. KING SAID WE ARE CAUGHT UP IN AN INESCAPABLE NET , WHAT AFFECTS ONE DIRECTLY AFFECTS ALL DIRECTLY. HE REMINDED US OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WE NEED ONE ANOTHER. THIS MAN HATES EVERYBODY. HE, LIKE THE PERSON WHO IS ENDORSING HIM, IS NOT WORTHY OF THE OFFICE HE SEEKS. >> I'VE KNOWN YOU FOR YEARS AND YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN INVOLVED IN CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS CAUSES, YOU ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE ARRESTED FOR A CIVIL RIGHTS CAUSE, CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE, WAS A RALLY ORGANIZED IN '99 HERE IN NEW YORK. I'M SURE YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE MILITARY IN CHRIST IS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD. HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN HAITI? I HAVE CALLED FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO HOLD AN EMERGENCY MEETING WITH MYSELF AND OTHERS TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION. I MET WITH HAITIAN ASYLUM- SEEKERS AT THE U.S./MEXICO BORDER IN 2021 WHEN THE BORDER PATROL AGENTS WERE SEEN CHASING THEM ON HORSEBACK AND IT'S HEARTBREAKING TO HEAR STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE FEELING POLITICAL VIOLENCE ONCE AGAIN, BEING TURNED AWAY. WHAT CAN CONGRESS DO TO HELP? >> I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN HAITI AND AS YOU POINT OUT IN THE PAST, AND EBENEZER CHURCH, WHEN I SEE HUMAN SUFFERING WHEREVER IT IS, IT MOVES MY HEART, BUT HAITI IS IN OUR OWN HEMISPHERE. HAITI IS A STONE'S THROW FROM OUR FRONT DOOR. HERE IS A SMALL REPUBLIC, A VERY POOR COUNTRY WITH AN INCREDIBLE HISTORY. THE SLAVES IN HAITI ROSE UP AND THEY TOOK OVER THE GOVERNMENT AND IN A REAL SENSE IT SEEMS TO ME THEY'VE BEEN PAYING FOR THAT EVER SENT. WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE IN HAITI NO THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. I THINK IT IS IN OUR VESTED INTEREST AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE GANGS, THE ANARCHY, HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ON OUR DOORSTEP'S AND I AM ACTIVELY EXPLORING AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS EVERYTHING I CAN DO TO RESPOND TO THAT SITUATION. THE FIRST TIME I EVER LEFT A COUNTRY, I GREW UP A POOR KID IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND I WAS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL IN THE SEMINARY AND I WAS TELLING FRIENDS EARLIER TODAY THAT THE FIRST TIME I LEFT THE COUNTRY, I WENT TO HAITI WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS OBSERVING THE SITUATION , AT THE TIME WHEN THEY WERE DEALING WITH POLITICAL STRIFE AND IT HAS REMAINED IN MY HEART EVER SENSE. I WANT TO SEE HOWEVER I CAN TO UPHOLD THE DIGNITY OF THE PEOPLE OF HAITI AND HELP THEM WITH A PATHWAY, AT LEAST, TO PEACE AND PROSPERITY. >> I WANT TO ASK ABOUT TWO SENATE SITUATIONS, WHEN YOU REINTRODUCED, THE JOHN LEWIS WILL AROUND VOTING RIGHTS AND THE SENATE WILL NOW HALF TO CONSIDER A BILL CALLING FOR THE SALE, OR BAN THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM, TIKTOK AFTER HE PASSED THE HOUSE LAST WEEK. PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS SAID HE WOULD SIGN THAT LEGISLATION. WHERE ARE WE WITH THE VOTING RIGHTS BILL AND WHERE YOU STAND ON THE TIKTOK ISSUE? >> LET ME JUST SAY ON THE LATTER ISSUE, MY RECORD IS CLEAR. WITH MAKING SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO CHECK THE AMBITIONS OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY AND SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT EVEN AS WE DEBATE THESE ISSUES AND I AM REVIEWING THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS JUST PAST IN THE HOUSE, THAT WE, IT'S IMPORTANT WE CENTER WHAT IT'S ABOUT AND IT'S ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY AND I AM AWARE OF THAT AND WE WILL SEE WHERE HE AND UP IN TERMS OF LEGISLATION. I AM HEARING FROM THE 13-YEAR- OLDS IN MY CHURCH AND MY CONSTITUENTS ACROSS GEORGIA AND I DON'T WANT TO SAY TOO MUCH ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE WITH MY SEVEN- YEAR-OLD AT HOME, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, WE DO NEED TO TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND I AM REVIEWING THE LEGISLATION AND WE WILL SEE WHERE WE LAND. I AM VERY FOCUSED ON, ALWAYS, ON VOTING RIGHTS. FOR ME, VOTING RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY, THIS IS NOT JUST ONE ISSUE ALONGSIDE OTHER ISSUES. IT'S THE FRAMEWORK IN WHICH WE GET TO FIGHT FOR EVERYTHING WE CARE ABOUT. I HAD THE HONOR OF SERVING NOT ONLY IN THE PULPIT WHERE MARTIN LUTHER KING SERVED BUT WHERE JOHN LEWIS WORSHIPED. I WAS HIS PASTOR AND I WAS PROUD LAST WEEK TO REINTRODUCE THE JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT ACT. IT'S THE RENEWAL OF THE VOTING RIGHTS LAW FIRST PASSED IN 1965 AND IT USED TO BE REAUTHORIZED, ANY BIPARTISAN MATTER, WHEN IT WAS LAST REAUTHORIZED, IT'S 2006 AND PASSED THE SENATE, 98 TO 0, AND A REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT WHO CAME TO JOHN LEWIS HIS FUNERAL, BY THE WAY, GEORGE W. BUSH, WAS PRESIDENT. SADLY, WE'VE ENTERED IN IN -- INTO AN ERA IN WHICH THE VERY VIOLENCE WE SAW ON JANUARY 6th, 2021, HAS METASTASIZED THROUGHOUT THE BODY POLITIC AND ALL THESE VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS. THE SUPREME COURT DID US A GRAVE DISSERVICE IN 2013 AND THE VERY PLACES WHERE HISTORICALLY WE HAVE SEEN THESE KINDS OF ASSAULTS ON VOTING RIGHTS, INCLUDING GEORGIA, ARE THE PLACES WHERE WE ARE SEEING IT RIGHT NOW. I WON'T REST UNTIL WE PASSED THE JOHN LEWIS VOTING RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT ACT AND THE FREEDOM TO VOTE ACT. >> I CAN SAY THAT I REMEMBER IN 2008 ON THE ELECTION NIGHT, WE ASKED YOU AND YOU LET US HAVE A WATCH NIGHT TO WATCH THE ELECTION AT EBENEZER AND YOU AND I SAT WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING'S SISTER, AND JOHN LEWIS WAS THERE AND WOULD ALWAYS SAY, THAT'S MY PASTOR, AND HE WAS VERY PROUD OF YOU
