[♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> WELCOME BACK TO THIS EXPANDED EDITION OF "ARIZONA HORIZON."

AS MENTIONED EARLIER, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS TODAY BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN AND PERSON OF COLOR TO ASSUME THE SECOND-MOST POWERFUL POSITION IN THE COUNTRY.

LEAH SHARED WHAT THE DAY MEANS FOR HERE AND SO MANY OTHERS.

LEAH ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

BIG DAY FOR YOU.

VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS IS YOUR FRIEND.

>> NICE TO SEE YOU TOO TED.

AND TO SEE AN INDIVIDUAL, VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS AND I WERE CLASSMATED IN THE CLASS OF 2006, AND TO KNOW THAT GOING THROUGH THAT TWO-YEAR PROGRAM WITH THIS PERSON AND NOW SEEING NOT ONLY AN INDIVIDUAL THAT I CONSIDER JUST A WONDERFUL PERSON AND A FRIEND, BUT ALSO SOMEONE NOW THAT HAS TRULY BROKEN THE CEILING, BECOMING THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE SWORN IN AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AN INCREDIBLE DAY, AN INCREDIBLE HISTORIC HISTORIC MOMENT TO WATCH.

>> THE IMPORTANCE FOR GIRLS, AFRICAN AMERICAN GIRLS, GIRLS OF SOUTH ASIAN DECENT TO SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN, THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT HAS TO BE INCALL INCALCULABLE INCALCULABLE.

>> YOU KNOW, HAVING THE CHANCE TO TALK TO MY CHILDREN, SPECIFICALLY MY DAUGHTERS TO SAY WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS.

AND THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF ONE OF MY DAUGHTER'S MOUTHS IS, WOW, THIS IS PRETTY COOL, AND THE OTHER SHARED THE FACT THAT TO SEE THIS AND TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE JUST SWORN IN THE VERY FIRST WOMAN TO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT JUST MAKES ME THINK THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE FOR MYSELF, AND I THINK LOOKING AT THAT AND KNOWING THAT THAT'S THE WAY ALSO THE VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS -- SHE REALLY HAS A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUNG PEOPLE AND ENJOYS SPEAKING WITH THEM AND KNOWING SHE IS TRULY WALKING THE WALK, AND SHOWING THAT WHEN YOU PUT IT OUT THERE, ANYTHING TRULY IS POSSIBLE.

>> IS THERE -- THE -- HOW MUCH OF AN IMPORTANCE DO YOU THINK, REGARDING -- JUST RECOGNIZING HOW BLACK AMERICAN WOMEN HELPED INFLUENCE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THIS ELECTION CYCLE?

>> I THINK THAT'S A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT POINT.

AND KNOWING ACROSS THIS COUNTRY THAT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN VOTE WAS EXTREMELY HIGH.

IT WAS EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH, AND TO SEE THE AMOUNT OF GRASSROOTS EFFORT AS WELL AS THE SYNERGIES AND ENERGIES THAT WERE AROUND, MAKING SURE PEOPLE WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE.

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, AND UNDERSTANDING HOW TO VOTE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

THE AMOUNT OF EDUCATION THAT WENT FORWARD WAS JUST PHENOMENAL, AND THEN TO SEE THE OUTPOURING OF INDIVIDUALS MAKING SURE THAT THEY VOTED WHETHER IT WAS IN THE MAIL, AND THOSE THAT ACTUALLY WENT TO THE POLLS, YES, IT WAS SOMETHING TO SEE THAT, BUT KNOWING THAT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WERE VERY STRONG IN THAT VOTER TURNOUT IS AN INCREDIBLE THING.

AND THAT IS AN HISTORICAL FACTOR AS IT RELATES TO HOW THIS WAS ABLE TO COME AROUND AND TURN AROUND AND THE AMOUNT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN THAT DID GET OUT AND VOTE.

IT JUST SHOWED WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN -- WHEN -- WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER, AND YOU SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT DEMOCRACY STAYS STRONG.

>> THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> LATER ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," POETRY AND POLITICS, HOW THE WRITTEN WORD TIED INTO TODAY'S INAUGURATION.

>>> YOUNG VOTERS TURNED OUT IN RECORD NUMBERS IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS.

OVERHAUL OF ALL VOTERS UNDER THE AGE OF 30 CAST BALLOTS.

"HORIZONTE" HOST JOSE CARDENAS SPOKE ABOUT THE EFFORT TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE REGISTERED.

>> STEPHANIE THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING.

BIG DAY.

INAUGURATION DAY, AND THERE WAS A HUGE TURNOUT OF PEOPLE UNDER 30 WHO VOTED IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS.

TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> YES, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

YES, THIS PAST 2020 ELECTION WAS AN HISTORIC YEAR FOR YOUTH.

HERE IN ARIZONA WE SAW ALMOST DOUBLE VOTER TURNOUT IN AGES 18 THROUGH 25, WHICH WAS HISTORIC, BECAUSE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OTHER STATES LIKE GEORGIA, WE SAW THE YOUTH -- YOU KNOW, YOUTH SHOWED UP.

YOUTH VOTED AND ENSURED THAT THEIR VOICES WERE HEARD, AND THAT WOULD HAVEN'T BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT OTHER YOUTH TAKING ACTION, AND ENSURING THAT YOUTH YOU KNOW -- YOUTH OF COLOR WERE REPRESENTED IN THIS ELECTION.

>> WHAT -- WHAT DID YOU ALL DO TO REGISTER THE THOUSANDS OF YOUNG VOTERS WHO DID VOTE HERE IN ARIZONA.

>> YES, SO WE STARTED OUR EFFORTS PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC HITTING OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS, YOU KNOW, GOING OUT INTO OUR COMMUNITIES, SUPERMARKETS, HIGH SCHOOL, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, AND REGISTERING COMMUNITIES ABOUT HAVING BASIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM, AND HOW DO THEY SEE THEMSELVES REPRESENTED, HOW DO THEY FEEL THEIR PRIOR ADVERTISE OR DEMANDS OR NEEDS ARE BEING SEEN AND HEARD BY OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND FROM THERE WE WERE ABLE TO REGISTER THOUSANDS OF YOUNG VOTERS.

POST THE PANDEMIC, WHICH REALLY IMPACTED OUR COMMUNITIES, WE HAD TO TAKE A LOT OF OUR EFFORTS HOME AND TARGET YOUTH ON FACEBOOK, AND TWITTER, TO URGE THEM TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO STILL, YOU KNOW, HERE IN ARIZONA REGISTER OVER 160,000 PEOPLE TO VOTE.

>> YOU SAID YOU TALKED TO THEM ABOUT WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM.

WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM THEM?

>> YEAH, WE HEARD A VARIETY OF THINGS.

WE HEARD EDUCATION.

EDUCATION IS IMPORTANT.

THE COST OF EDUCATION IS SO INACCESSIBLE FOR LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.

AND HEALTHCARE, WE SAW A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVING NO ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.

WE ALSO HEARD OTHER ISSUES LIKE THE ENVIRONMENT.

HOW THEY WANTED TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A PLANET THAT YOU KNOW -- THAT IS READY FOR US AND OUR FUTURES TO COME.

WE ALSO HEARD IMMIGRATION.

IMMIGRATION IS A HUGE ISSUE WITH A LOT OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, RIGHT?

WHO WERE ABLE TO VOTE THIS YEAR, WERE PROBABLY THE FIRST IN THEIR FAMILIES TO VOTE.

SO THOSE WERE JUST SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE DRIVING OUR YOUTH TO THE POLLS.

>> COVID WAS UNIQUE, AND ALSO A PRESIDENT WHO GENERATED A LOT OF PASSION IN BOTH FOLLOWERS AND PEOPLE WHO WERE OPPOSED TO THEM.

DO YOU THINK THIS IS A ONETIME EVENT, AND WE WON'T SEE THIS KIND OF VOTER YOUTH TURNOUT IN THE FUTURE?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION CREATED A LOT OF EMOTION ON BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM, BUT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNGER PEOPLE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO MORE INFORMATION THAN EVER BEFORE.

WE HAVE SOCIAL MEDIA WHO PUSHES -- SOMETIMES GOOD INFORMATION, BUT ALSO MISINFORMATION, AND I THINK THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF GENERATIONS OF LATINO AND AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, IT WILL CONTINUE.

AND WE SAW MORE THAN EVER YOUTH SHOW UP, AND THAT IS JUST THE BEGINNING BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY ARE TURNING 18, AND IT WILL JUST CONTINUE FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME.

>> AS WE NOTED TODAY WAS INAUGURATION DAY.

IS THERE A PARTICULAR MEANING THERE FOR -- FOR ALL OF THESE VOTERS TO SEE THE FRUITS OF THEIR LABOR, SO MANY OF THEM DID VOTE FOR THE NEW PRESIDENT.

>> YEAH, I THINK THIS INAUGURATION IS HISTORIC IN ITSELF.

WE SEE THE FIRST-EVER WOMAN OF COLOR BEING SWORN IN.

IF THAT DOESN'T SPEAK, YOU KNOW, TO -- YOU KNOW, WHAT WE HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST -- YOU KNOW, I THINK 46 ADMINISTRATIONS, WE HAVE ALWAYS SEEN, YOU KNOW, OLDER WHITE MEN, YOU KNOW, TAKE OFFICE, AND I THINK NOW WE ARE STARTING TO SEE IT SHAPE A DEMOCRACY THAT IS REPRESENTED BY BOTH MEN AND WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE FEELING EXCITED.

ME AS A WOMAN, AS A MOTHER, AS A WOMAN OF COLOR, I FEEL IT IS A MOMENT THAT I CAN TELL MY DAUGHTER, I WAS PART OF CREATING THAT HISTORY, AND IT IS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OUR FUTURE PRESIDENTS.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, STEPHANIE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO US.

>>> AMANDA GORMAN WAS THE NATION'S FIRST YOUTH POET LAUREATE BACK IN 2017.

TODAY SHE BECAME THE YOUNGEST POET IN U.S. HISTORY TO RECITE A POEM.

>> WHEN DAY COMES, WE ASK OURSELVES WHERE CAN WE FIND LIGHT IN THIS NEVER-ENDING SHADE?

THE LOSS WE CARRY A SEA WE MUST WADE.

WE HAVE BRAVED THE BELLY OF THE BEAST.

WE HAVE LEARNED THAT QUIET ISN'T ALWAYS PEACE, IN THE NORMS NOTIONS OF JUST WHAT IS, ISN'T ALWAYS JUSTICE.

AND SOMEHOW WE DO IT, SOMEHOW WE WEATHERED AND WITNESSED A NATION THAT ISN'T BROKEN, BUT SIMPLY UNFINISHED.

WE THE SUCCESSORS OF A COUNTRY AT A TIME WHEN A SKINNY BLACK GIRL DESCENDED FROM SLAVES AND RAISED BY A SINGLE BLACK MOTHER CAN BECOME PRESIDENT.

>> WE TALKED TO ALBERTO RIOS ABOUT THE INTERSECT SHUN OF PIE -- POETRY AND POLITICS.

ALBERTO, WHAT DID YOU THINK?

>> IT WAS A HECK OF A JOB BY A VERY YOUNG POET.

AND SHE HAS THE KARA -- THE APPEARANCE TO SPEAK TO ALL OF THESE DIGNITARIES.

I THINK IT ELEVATES THE ARTS INTO A -- AS THESE THINGS DO -- INTO A DIFFERENT REALM OF IMPORTANCE.

THIS WAS NOT SIDEWAYS.

IT WAS NOT OBLIQUELY ABOUT POLITICS.

IT WAS STRAIGHT ON.

>> YEAH, IT CERTAINLY WAS.

WHILE WE HAVE OUR EYES ON THE FUTURE, HISTORY HAS ITS EYES OWN US.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD POLITICAL POEM?

SAME THING THAT MAKES A GOOD POEM PERIOD?

>> I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK THEY ARE DIFFERENT.

AND I THINK SO OFTEN THE POLITICAL RHETORIC TELLS US WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO, BUT I THINK A GOOD POLITICAL POEM TELLS US WHY.

AND THERE IS A DISTINCTION.

POLITICS BUILDS THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF POSSIBILITY.

POEMS TAKE IT ON.

THEY TALK ABOUT -- NOW THAT WE CAN DO THIS, WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES A GOOD POEM IN THAT SPOT.

IT SPEAKS TO PERSONAL VISION IN THE MIDST OF A COMMON GOOD, AND I -- I -- I THINK WE -- WE THINK THAT IS A RECIPE FOR FAILURE.

WE JUST WENT THROUGH A WHOLE ADMINISTRATION OF SEEING THAT.

BUT IN A GOOD POEM WE STRIKE A CHORD WITH AN INTERNAL DIALOGUE THAT WE ALL RECOGNIZE.

WE ARE US.

>> IN THAT SENSE, I MEAN, DOES A GOOD POEM IN THIS SETTING BOTH INSPIRE AND CAUSE REFLECTION?

I MEAN CAN YOU DO BOTH?

>> YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN.

AND I THINK IT'S CONTEXTUALIZATION.

IT IS SAYING HERE IS THIS DAY, BUT HERE IS MY LIFE.

AND HERE IS HOW MY LIFE IS GOING TO PROCEED FROM THIS DAY.

AND I THINK THAT IS A GENERALIZATION OF SOME SORT, BUT IT IS ALSO SAYING I HAVE TO LIVE TOMORROW, AND IN MY POEM I WANT TO SAY AS MUCH IS WHAT SHE IS SAYING.

I NEED TO GO FORWARD NOW.

AND I GET TO GO FORWARD NOW.

AND IT'S A DIFFERENT WORD I'M GOING FORWARD INTO.

AND THAT IS NOT JUST INSPIRATIONAL, IT'S REAL.

IT'S NOT JUST RHETORIC.

>> AND SHE SAID SHE DID RESEARCH ON PREVIOUS INAUGURAL POEMS.

YOU HAVE GOT TO DO RESEARCH, DON'T YOU TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST?

>> YOU DO, BUT THERE'S NOT A LOT OF RESEARCH TO DO.

THERE HAVEN'T BEEN A LOT OF PRESIDENTS WHO HAVE USED INAUGURAL POETS.

IT STARTED WITH ROBERT FROST AND JOHN KENNEDY IN 1961.

AND ARIZONA INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH HAS AN ODD CONNECTION TO THAT, IN THAT ROBERT FROST HAS COME OUT WEST BY TRAIN, AND VISITED ARIZONA STATE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA AND OPENED THEIR POETRY CENTER.

AND IN THAT PROCESS, STEWART UDALL WAS THERE, AND HE WAS -- I BELIEVE A CONGRESSMAN AT THAT POINT, AND WAS FRIENDS WITH JOHN KENNEDY, SAID TO ROBERT FROST, WOULDN'T YOU MAYBE LIKE TO READ A POEM AT THE NEW -- IN THE INAUGURATION SHOULD IT HAPPEN?

AND APPARENTLY THAT WAS THE CONNECTION THAT GOT EVERYTHING GOING.

SO STEWART UDALL.

>> YEAH, YEAH, NO KIDDING.

LAST QUESTION HERE.

YOUR THOUGHTS -- JUST YOUR GENERAL THOUGHTS WHEN HEARING THIS HOME?

AS AN ACCOMPLISHED POET YOURSELF, YOU MENTIONED RAISING THE ARTS TO NEW AND WONDERFUL LEVELS, BUT WHEN YOU ARE WATCHING AND LISTENING, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?

>> I'M THINKING THERE IS A YOUNG WRITER.

THAT IS A YOUNG POEM.

IT'S NOT AT ALL HOW I WOULD HAVE DONE IT, AND THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

AND I WOULD HAVE TO SAY, WELL, THAT'S -- THAT'S THE POINT.

WE WOULD HAVE DONE IT SO DIFFERENTLY, AND THEY SHOWED ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE LABIAL, CONSERVATIVE, AND RURAL AND URBAN, THE PRESIDENT WAS TALKING ABOUT, BUT ALWAYS YOUNGER AND OLDER, AND -- AND I HAVE TO SAY, TO SEE HOW LANGUAGE IS NOW GOING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE NEXT GENERATION IS -- YOU KNOW, WE -- WE CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT TWEET, BUT WE ALSO GET TO SEE THERE'S SOME REAL CONSTRUCTIVE, POSITIVE AND JOYFUL USES OF IT AS WELL.

>> ALBERTO, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>>> AND THAT IS IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪ [♪ THEME MUSIC ♪] >>> [ INAUDIBLE ] AT THE END OF THE DAY WITH A GOAL AND HIGH FIVE, ALL OF THE TEAM MEMBERS, EVEN IF WE WON OR LOST, WE SAID CONGRATULATIONS NO MATTER WHAT.

SO THIS YEAR, 2021, LET'S BREAK IT DOWN.

LOSING POLITELY.

WE HAVE GOT DIFFERENT SIDES THAT ARE DEFINITELY AT A POINT WHERE TENSION A HIGH, AND WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU -- DO YOU ROOT IT TO SOMEONE, YOU PUT ALL OF YOUR EFFORT AND ENERGY INTO IT, AND THEN THAT CANDIDATE LOSES AN ELECTION, HOW DO YOU BOUNCE BACK?

>> I THINK YOUR NOTION OF HOW DO WE END A SOCCER GAME OR ANY ATHLETIC MATCH IS A GOOD ONE, BUT FOR GOVERNMENT I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.

EVERY TIME WE HAVE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER IN THE UNITED STATES, WE SET A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR THE LONGEST THAT HAS EVER BEEN DONE IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

SO THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF SELF GOVERNMENT WHERE WE ALL VOTE AND THOSE THAT LOSE ARE GOING TO PEACEFULLY TRANSFER POWER.

ADAMS STILL PEACEFULLY TRANSFERRED POWER, AND IT SHOCKED THE WORLD.

WE HAVE KEPT IT GOING FOR 230 YEARS, AND THIS YEAR WAS OUR WORST RECORD ON THAT, EXCEPT FOR THE CIVIL WAR.

>> WOW.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

I KNOW FOR ME, AS I LOOK AT OUR COUNTRY, I DON'T KIND OF KNOW WHAT TO SAY TO ANYONE IN TERMS OF HOW WE MOVE FORWARD?

AND MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT IS THIS SOMETHING WE HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

LAST YEAR WE SAW THINGS WE NEVER SAW BEFORE.

WE WERE IN A SPACE WHERE WE HAD NEVER BEEN.

NOW WE'RE DEALING WITH THINGS IN OUR SOCIETY THAT NONE OF US HAVE EVER DEALT WITH.

I MEAN WHAT KIND OF THOUGHT PROCESS DO YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO ENTER INTO CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, AS WELL AS FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR NEXT STEPS ARE?

>> FOR US AS EVERY DAY CITIZENS WHO HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS, WE LIKE TO SAY THE FIRST PUNCH BOWL AND THE BEST PRACTICE IS LISTENING FOR UNDERSTANDING.

IF YOU CAN GET YOURSELF TO A POSITION OF -- LISTENING DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO AGREE WITH THEM.

BUT GETTING TO A PLACE WHERE I CAN UNDERSTAND ITS.

>> UH-HUH.

>> I NOTICE WHEN TENSIONS GET A LITTLE HIGH, AND I'M LISTENING TO SOMEBODY, I START TO LISTEN MORE FOR THE ERROR -- >> EXACTLY.

YOU WANT YOUR POINT TO BE THE PRESIDING POINT, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE ANY ROOM FOR ANYBODY ELSE'S.

>> YEAH.

AND SAY EVEN IF I REALLY DISAGREE WITH YOUR VIEW, I WANT TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.

>> UH-HUH.

>> ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IS THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO LISTEN TO YOU, HONESTLY, IF YOU HAVE LISTENED TO THEM.

SO I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT TO EVERY DAY CITIZENS, BUT CLEARLY OUR LEADERS NEED TO STEP UP, IF PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL FOLLOW WHAT HE COMMITTED TO, I THINK WE HAVE A BRIGHTER FUTURE.

>> I THINK ABOUT THAT WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY KIDS OF WHAT THEY ARE SEEING OF OUR LEADERS, AND WHAT EXAMPLE WE ARE SHOWING.

IT'S HARD TO TURN THE TELEVISION ON NOW, BECAUSE THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOUR KIDS ARE SEEING, AND THEY AREN'T UNDERSTANDING IT, AND WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> YEAH, I THINK ONE THING IS TO NOTE FOR OUR CHILDREN HOW UNUSUAL THIS IS.

THIS IS -- EVEN FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, THEIR WHOLE LIVES THAT THEY HAVE BEEN AT ALL POLITICALLY AWARE WE HAVE BEEN DEEPLY DIVIDED.

SO TO CALL OUT AND SAY THIS IS NOT NORMAL AND IT'S NOT GOOD.

IT'S NOT THE WAY WE WANT TO CONDUCT OURSELVES, AND TO SAY HEY, WE ALL HAVE A PART IN GETTING TO A BETTER PLACE.

>> I LOVE THAT.

WHEN I LOOK AT HOW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN JOINING GROUPS AND SPEAKING OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND JUST REALLY GATHERING TOGETHER FOR A CAUSE, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU DECIDE THIS IS THE RIGHT CAUSE FOR ME TO BE A PART OF VERSUS NOW I'M INCITING, YOU KNOW, MORE DIFFERENCE, AND MORE -- MORE DISDAIN FOR THE OTHER GROUP.

>> WE HAVE UNDERSTOOD WITHIN THIS COUNTRY, THERE'S NO OPTION TO GETTING ALONG.

I MEAN CIVIL WAR?

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH EACH OTHER.

>> UH-HUH.

>> SO TO RECOGNIZE WE CAN BOTH ADVOCATE AND LISTEN WITH RESPECT RATHER THAN RIDICULE.

>> ULTIMATE, DIFFERENCE IS GREAT.

IT ALLOWS US TO BROADEN OUR MINDS.

SO MOVING FORWARD HOW DO WE HEAL BIPARTISANSHIP NOW AS A RESULT OF EVERYTHING?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING THAT WOULD HELP IS -- IS TO FOCUS ON THOSE ISSUES WHERE THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF COMMON GROUND, AND THERE'S MORE OF THAT THAN PEOPLE SEE.

THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WE THINK THERE IS TWICE AS MUCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, EVERY DAY CITIZENS THAN THERE REALLY IS, SO BECAUSE THE EXTREMES TALK LOUDER AND LONGER THAN THE REST OF US, IT MAKES US LOOK MORE DIVIDED THAN WE REALLY ARE.

GETTING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, CLEARLY IS -- WE ALL SHARE THAT.

THERE ARE PIECES THAT HAVE GOTTEN POLARIZED, BUT WE ALL WANT TO GET PAST THE PANDEMIC, TO OPEN THE ECONOMY BACK UP.

INFRASTRUCTURE.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES.

THESE ARE ALL AREAS THAT DON'T HAVE, NECESSARILY A CONSERVATIVE OR LIBERAL ANSWER TO IT, AND -- AND SO I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS, ESPECIALLY WITH A CLOSELY DIVIDED CONGRESS.

>> I LOVE THAT, KEITH, WE JUST HAVE TO GET BACK TO AGREEING TO DISAGREE AND BEING OKAY WITH THE FACT THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE CAN EXIST WITH YOUR THOUGHTS, AND BRING IT TO THE TABLE AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT, AND WE ULTIMATELY GET TO A CONCLUSION.

WORDS FOR ANYONE WHO IS JUST LOOKING FOR THAT -- SOMETHING TO HOLD ON TO TO GET US THROUGH 2021, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY AS DARK AS THINGS HAVE LOOKED HERE IN THE LAST LITTLE WHILE -- AND LET'S BE CLEAR ON JANUARY 6TH, THAT WAS EXTRAORDINARILY SOBERING.

I MEAN THAT WAS REALLY DARK, BUT IF YOU LOOK OVER OUR HISTORY, WE HAVE HAD EVEN MORE CHALLENGING CRISES BEFORE.

>> UH-HUH.

>> WE HAVE HAD WORLD WARS, GLOBAL DEPRESSIONS, A CIVIL WAR.

WE HAVE ALWAYS COME THROUGH IT.

YOU KNOW, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TIMES WHERE ANY RATIONAL BET WOULD SAY HEY, THE UNITED STATES IS NOT GOING TO COME THROUGH THIS, AND WE ALWAYS HAVE.

AND I'M STILL BETTING ON THIS COUNTRY.

>> I LOVE IT.

LET'S BE THE RESILIENT PEOPLE THAT WE ARE.

THANKS SO MUCH, KEITH, FOR BREAKING IT DOWN.

LET'S HEAL.

EVERYBODY, LET'S HEAL.

>> THANKS, CHRIS.

♪♪