STARTS RIGHT NOW. >> THANK YOU, NICOLLE. APPRECIATE YOU SHARING THAT STORY MARKING THAT LIFE. WE ARE HERE ANOTHER EDITION OF "THE BEAT" WITH ARI MELBER, AND OUR TOP STORY HERE BEGINS WITH THIS POLITICAL THUNDERCLAP OUT OF DEEP RED ALABAMA WHERE THE DEMOCRAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN JUST TROUNCED HER REPUBLICAN OPPONENT BY 25 POINTS IN THE SPECIAL ELECTION. A NAME YOU MIGHT HAVE JUST STARTED HEARING FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY IF YOU FOLLOW THIS KIND OF POLITICS AND NEWS. MARILYN LANDS WINNING, FLIPPING THAT STATEHOUSE SEAT, BUILDING ON A TREND OF CANDIDATES RUNNING ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS SINCE TRUMP'S JUDGES GOT THE SUPREME COURT TO END ROE v. WADE. >> MARILYN LANDS HAS JUST WON THE HOUSE DISTRICT SEAT IN ALABAMA. >> RELIABLY RED DISTRICT IN NORTH ALABAMA TURNING BLUE IN A SPECIAL HOUSE ELECTION. >> SHE MADE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS A CENTER PIECE OF HER CAMPAIGN. >> IT'S A VICTORY TONIGHT FOR WOMEN, FOR FAMILIES, FOR ALABAMA IN GENERAL. >> PEOPLE ARE VERY EXCITED TO SEE MARILYN LANDS WIN TONIGHT. >> A LOT OF THIS IS PEOPLE VALUE THEIR FREEDOMS IN THE SOUTH, IN THE MIDWEST, ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. >> ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. THIS VICTORY MARKS ANOTHER MOMENT WHERE VOTERS ACTUALLY SPEAKING, WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM HEARING FROM THE D.C. ELITES OR OTHER PEOPLE TRYING TO TELL US WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT IN THE COUNTRY OR LOOKING AT VARIOUS HORSE RACE POLLS SEVEN MONTHS BEFORE BIDEN AND TRUMP ACTUALLY FACE-OFF. HERE TONIGHT WE ARE REVIEWING WHAT THE VOTERS SAID IN ONE PLACE. AND I'M GOING TO PUT YOU IN KIND OF A CONTEXT TO REMEMBER HOW MUCH IT MATCHES WHAT VOTERS HAVE SAID IN OTHER PLACES SINCE THE COURT OVERRULED ROE BECAUSE THE RESULTS FROM VOTERS ARE CLEAR. LANDS WAS ON OFFENSE AGAINST THE RIGHT FOR THEIR POLICIES THAT HAVE BEEN BARRELLING TOWARDS WOMEN AROUND THE COUNTRY ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, ABORTION, IVF, AND THE GENERAL IDEA WHETHER YOU LIVE IN ALABAMA OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, PEOPLE AS YOU SEE HERE, SUPPORT SOME ABORTION RIGHTS. OVERWHELMINGLY OVER 70% WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST SIX WEEKS OF PREGNANCY. DEMOCRATS RIDING BASICALLY AS WHAT THEY SEE AS THE MAIN STREAM VIEW AGAINST THE FAR RIGHT CRACK DOWN. TAKE USA TODAY WHICH IS NOT EXACTLY A LEFT OR RIGHT PUBLICATION, BUT THEY PUT IT LIKE THIS. DEM RUNNING ON ABORTION PLATFORM WINS ALABAMA HOUSE SEAT BY 25 POINTS. THIS IS THE MESSAGE FAR AND WIND. AND THE RACE IS CLEARLY SEEN AS AN EARLY TEST HOW THESE ISSUES COULD PLAY OUT IN THE GENERAL ELECTION ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS AWAY. IT SHOWS HEAD WINDS FOR REPUBLICANS ALL OVER THE CONINCLUDING IN ALABAMA. AND MANY ARE GETTING THE MESSAGE. >> THAT IS HUGE, DASHA. >> IT'S A MASSIVE MARGIN IN DEEP RED ALABAMA. I MEAN DEMOCRATS ARE CALLING THIS A POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE. >> WHEN WE LEAN-IN AS CANDIDATES, OUR CANDIDATES LEAN-IN AND PERSONALIZE THIS, IT'S REALLY COMPELLING AND IT'S A WINNING MESSAGE. >> THIS STORY IS AMAZING TO ME BECAUSE IT'S ABOUT ISSUES AND ABOUT DIGGING DEEP INTO THOSE ISSUES AND ACTUALLY CREATING A MOVEMENT AROUND IT. >> THAT LAST VOICE THERE STATE PARTY CHAIR TALKING TO NICOLLE JUST WITHIN THE LAST HOUR. HOW DID WE GET TO THIS POINT? WELL, THE ROAD'S PRETTY CLEAR. WE'VE REPORTED HOW THE RIGHT FINALLY GOT TO ITS POLICY GOAL AFTER PROMISING OTHERWISE TO USE ITS POWER ON THE SUPREME COURT AIDED BY TRUMP TO GUT ROE v. WADE. THAT SHIFTED THE WHOLE DEBATE AND LANDSCAPE FROM A HYPOTHETICAL TO AN URGENT REALITY. AND THE REALITY OF POLITICIANS USUALLY REPUBLICAN, OFTEN MALE IN YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE IS INCREDIBLY UNPOPULAR. VOTERS BACK WOMEN'S RIGHTS EVERY TIME WHEN THEY'VE BEEN ASKED AND APPEARED ON THE BALLOT SINCE ROE FELL IN EVERY SINGLE STATE WHO FACED IT. YESTERDAY SOME OF THE CONSERVATIVE JUSTICES WHO UNLEASHED THE REPUBLICAN THICKET WE'RE IN NOW AND RELEASHED THE BACKLASH, THEY'RE WAVERING ON THE LEGAL PATH THEY SET AS THE DEMOCRATIC APPOINTEES, AND THOSE TALKING ABOUT PRECEDENT HAVE SAID IT SHOULD HAVE NEVER COME TO THIS. PROTESTS ARE MOUNTING. THE PRESSURE IS ON. WE HEARD THIS COURT BASICALLY JAMMED WITH A CASE IT HAS TO TAKE BECAUSE OF IN ITS VIEW THE NEED TO CONTINUE TO HAVE A NATIONAL LITIGATION OF WHERE TO DRAW THESE LINES BECAUSE THEY OVERTURN THE PRECEDENT. AND NOW THE COURT HAD A DIFFERENT TONE. THIS CASE AS YOU MAY RECALL IS WHETHER YOU GO ANOTHER STEP AND LIMIT ABORTION ACCESS ON THE PILL, ON THE EXTREME EFFORTS OUT THERE TO OVERRIDE ESSENTIALLY THE NONPARTISAN SCIENTISTS AT THE FDA AND TRY TO FURTHER LIMIT WOMEN'S RIGHTS TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER TO AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES TAKE OR NOT TAKE AN ABORTION PILL. >> WHAT DO WE WANT? >> FREEDOM! >> WHEN WE DO WANT IT? >> NOW M. >> THE FIRST TIME IT'S THE ONLY TIME ANY COURT HAS RESTRICTED ACCESS TO AN FDA APPROVED DRUG BY SECOND GUESSING FDA'S EXPERT JUDGMENT. >> NO DOCTORS CAN BE FORCED AGAINST THEIR CONSCIENCES TO PERFORM OR ASSIST IN AN ABORTION, CORRECT? >> I HAD UNDERSTOOD THE CONSCIENCE HARM AS JUSTICE BARRETT DOES, BUT YOU SUGGEST THAT THERE'S A BROADER ONE. >> THAT IS THE STATE AT PLAY. AND WHILE SOME OF TRUMP'S NEWLY APPOINTED SUPREME COURT JUSTICES MAY BE WARY OF GOING FURTHER WHATEVER THEIR REASONS, TRUMP HIMSELF IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE FLOATING A NATIONAL ABORTION BAN THAT WOULD KICK IN AT 15 WEEKS. FEDERAL ABORTION BAN, IF YOU'RE LISTENING IN A BLUE STATE OR A PLACE THAT HAS AS I MENTIONED CONCENTRATED THESE RIGHTS, KANSAS, WELL, THIS WOULD OVERRIDE THAT IF THERE'S A FEDERAL BAN IF HE'S ELECTED. POLITICALLY DEMOCRATS WELCOME THAT TOPIC AND THE CLEAR STANCE. BIDEN IS LEANING INTO A CAMPAIGN STRATEGY HAMMERING THIS IN THE GENERAL ELECTION IN THE MONTHS AHEAD. AND THEY SEE IT AT THE BIDEN CAMPAIGN AS A CLEAR CONTRAST AND A WAY TO MOBILIZE WOMEN AND YOUNGER VOTERS. THIS IS STRATEGY BIDEN WAS TOUTING ON THE ROAD IN A SWING STATE LIKE NORTH CAROLINA YESTERDAY. DEMOCRATS THINK THEY CAN FLIP THAT STATE AS THE SAME GOP POSITIONS COLLIDE WITH EXTREME CANDIDATES. AND THERE ARE VOTERS WHO DON'T PAY AS CLOSE ATTENTION TO WHERE THE GOP HAS GONE. MAYBE THEY HEAR ABOUT TRUMP, BUT THEY MAY NOT REALIZE UNTIL WE GET INTO CAMPAIGN SEASON THE DEEMER DESCENT FROM THE TEA PARTY ERA, THE MAGA ERA. YOU MAY RECALL REPUBLICANS ONCE FRETTED ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL OR SEEMINGLY ODD BALL CANDIDATES LIKE THAT TEA PARTY DARLING WHO ASSURED VOTERS SHE WAS NOT A WITCH, SHE LOST. WE'RE A LONG WAY FROM THERE. NOW APART FROM TRUMP, THE GOP'S TOP CONGRESSIONAL FACES ARE A -- WELL, THEY'RE A LOT. THERE'S A NEW EXTREME SPEAKER, THERE WAS THAT SENATOR HAND PICKED FOR THE "STATE OF THE UNION" RESPONSE THAT WAS SO OUT OF TOUCH, EXTREME, AND BIZARRE, IT MADE FOR INSTANT "SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE" SELF-PARODY. CAN YOU PICK THEM APART? MOST REPUBLICANS DIDN'T EVEN PRETEND TO DEFEND THAT. MY POINT ISN'T PICKING ONE RANDOM SPEECH HERE OR THERE. THAT WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. BIDEN IS IN NORTH CAROLINACISELY TO HIGHLIGHT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S NOMINEE THERE. AND AGAIN, VOTERS WHO DON'T FOLLOW THIS STUFF EARLY MAY NOT KNOW THIS BUT THEY'RE BETTING BY NOVEMBER EVERYONE IS GOING TO QUO THE GOP PUT A HITLER LOVEX EXTREMIST. HE SAYS WE SHOULD GO BACK TO AN AMERICA WRL WOMEN COULD NOT VOTE. IS IT EXTREME TO RESPOND TO RESPOND AND WORRY ABOUT THIS OR IS IT EXTREME TO HAVE THAT POSITION IN THE FIRST PLACE? BIDEN ARGUES THAT WHAT I'M SHOWING YOU ON THE SCREEN THERE REVEALS THE TRUE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF 2024. BUT EVEN IF VOTERS DON'T BUY ALL THAT AND THEY DON'T THINK, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS NOMINEE MARK ROBINSON OR TRUMP REPRESENT ALL REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS DO HAVE A POINT. THEY HAVE EVIDENCE THIS NOMINEE WILL DAMPEN GOP UNITY AND ENTHUSIASM IN THAT STATE AS PEOPLE LEARN WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO SUPPORT THAT. THAT WOULD BE FOR MOST PEOPLE, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE THE KIND OF VIEWS THEY WOULDN'T ALLOW AT THEIR KITCHEN TABLE, DINNER, IN YOUR HOUSE OR AROUND YOUR CHILDREN IF YOU SAID THIS STUFF LET ALONE YOU SHOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THE STATE. IT MAY GALVANIZE VOTERS WHO MAY NOT LOVE BIDEN AT ALL BUT DO OPPOSE THAT EXTREMISM EVEN MORE WHEN THEY'RE INFORMED ABOUT IT. JUST AS OTHER MAGA EXTREMISTS HAVE CLEARLY LOST WINNABLE PLACES FAVORABLE TO REPUBLICAN ESPECIALLY WHEN POLITICALLY TESTED IN PLACES THEY LIKE REPUBLICANS. THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR REPUBLICANS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY BUT THEY DIDN'T LIKE HERSCHEL WALKER WHO LOST WHAT WAS A RED SEAT IN GEORGIA. THEY DIDN'T LIKE DR. OZ. DEMS THINK THESE NEW MAGA CANDIDATES COULD MEET THE SAME FATE. THE KEY STATES LIKE I MENTION TONIGHT OHIO OR ARIZONA WHERE THE 2022 LOSING CANDIDATE ELECTION DENIALER KARI LAKE IS NOW RUNNING AGAIN THIS TIME FOR SENATE. THOSE ARE THE CANDIDATES SOME OF THE ISSUES. THEN THERE ARE TRUMP'S OTHER UNIQUE PROBLEMS THAT OVERHANG THIS. NO PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE HAS EVER RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE WHILE PREPARING TO GO ON TRIAL, WHICH TRUMP IS AT LEAST FOR ONE OF IT TRIALS NEXT MONTH. OR ROUTING SO MUCH DONOR MONEY AWAY FROM HIS OWN AND OTHER REPUBLICAN ALIGNED CAMPAIGNS TO PERSONAL LEGAL BILLS, WHICH JUST REINFORCES THIS GOP MONEY GAP AND CASH CRUNCH THAT WE'VE BEEN REPORTING ON. AND IT'S HURTING THEM WITH TALK OF A SKELETON CAMPAIGN STRUCTURE IN CERTAIN STATES. WHAT'S INTERESTING HERE IS WE TALK SO MUCH IN THE NEWS AND IN POLITICS ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE KNOW THE MOST ABOUT. WHAT DONALD TRUMP IS AND WHAT HE'S GOING TO BE IF HE GETS INTO POWER, AND WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY LOOKS LIKE. AND JOE BIDEN WHO PEOPLE KNOW VERY WELL, AND A LOT OF DEMOCRATS ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT THEY SEE AT HIS EXPERIENCE AND CONSISTENCY. WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE POLLS A LOT OF AMERICANS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HIS AGE, BUT HE AND TRUMP ARE SIMILAR AGE, AND BUT HE WOULD DO OVER THE NEXT FOUR TO FIVE YEARS. WHAT I JUST WALKED YOU THROUGH IS A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF THAT IS VERY CLEARLY REAL. IT'S NOT ABOUT IMAGINING SOMEBODY ELSE'S AGE SOMEWHERE OVER THERE OR PROJECTING HOW THEY WOULD DO OR ANY OF THAT STUFF.
