♪♪ >>> WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "POLITICAL REWIND ".

I'M BILL NIGUT.

IT'S BEEN ANOTHER WEEK WHERE JUST A TORRENT OF NEWS HAS BEEN COMING AT US FAST AND FURIOUS.

MUCH OF IT, OF COURSE, FROM UKRAINE WHERE THE RUSSIAN INVASION CONTINUES AND AS YOU LISTENED TO THE NEWSCAST JUST AHEAD OF US HAS GOTTEN MORE AND MORE TROUBLING.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THAT THIS WEEK, AND WE'LL DO A BIT OF THAT DURING THE SHOW TODAY, BUT IT'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING IN STATE POLITICS ESPECIALLY UNDER THE GOLD DOME AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION CONTINUES.

SO WE'LL MIX THINGS UP A BIT ON THE SHOW TODAY AND ARE GLAD THAT YOU'RE HERE TO JOIN US.

PATRICIA MURPHY, POLITICAL REPORTER AND COLUMNIST FOR THE "ATLANTA JOURNAL" IS WITH US.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE HAVE TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT YOUR COLUMN, POLITICAL INSIDER APPEARS IN THE WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY EDITION OF THE AJC AND "THE JOLT" AND GIVES US A GREAT LOOK AT BRIEFS IN POLITICAL NEWS.

SOME OF IT REALLY IMPORTANT NEWS AND OTHERS JUST PLAIN INTERESTING.

HOW ARE YOU, PATRICIA?

?

I'M DOING GREAT.

THANKS, BILL.

>> WE ARE ALSO JOINED TODAY BY PROFESSOR ANDRA GILLESPIE FOR THE STUDY OF RACE AND DIFFERENCE.

ANDRA, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE, AS WELL.

>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.

>> AND WE ARE JOINED BY AMY STEIGERWALT, PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AT GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY AND ALSO WE HASTEN TO ADD, THE ASSOCIATE CHAIR OF THE POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT GEORGIA STATE.

AMY, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

BY THE WAY, PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO THE SHOW KNOW THAT YOU ARE A HUGE FAN OF ATLANTA UNITED.

CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT OPENING OF THE SEASON VICTORY BY UNITED LAST WEEKEND.

>> IT WAS TERRIBLY EXCITING AND ALSO WOW!

CALEB WILEY, OUR BRAND NEW 17-YEAR-OLD WHO IN HIS FIRST TEN MINUTES OF HIS MLS DEBUT GOT HIS FIRST GOAL.

>> IT WAS EXCITING.

I GOT TO WATCH IT ON TV, YOU, OF COURSE, WOULDN'T MISS BEING THERE TO SEE IT IN PERSON.

>> NO, I WOULD NOT.

PATRICIA, LET'S GET DOWN TO A BIG STORY DEVELOPING IN THE CAPITAL TODAY.

WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT THE FACT THAT FOUR BILLS WHICH IN MANY WAYS WILL LIMIT HOW TEACHERS CAN TALK ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL, DIFFICULT SUBJECTS, RACE, BIGOTRY, SLAVERY AND OTHERS THAT LEGISLATORS WORRY AND MIGHT MAKE PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE AND IF THEY WERE TO BLAME FOR HISTORICAL PROBLEMS THAT HAVE FACED THE UNITED STATES.

ONE OF THOSE BILLS IS MAKING ITS WAY TO THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE AND WILL BE VOTED ON TODAY, CORRECT?

>> YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT'S RIGHT.

BILL WADE IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD UP IN DAWSON COUNTY AND HE COMES TO US FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

HE ALSO COMES AT IT FROM A VERY CONSERVATIVE PERSPECTIVE, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A VERY POSSIBLY EMOTIONAL, CERTAINLY HEATED CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS ON THE STATE HOUSE FLOOR.

TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS BILL HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE HOUSE AND SENATE AND AT ISSUE IS REALLY WHAT IS DIVISIVE?

WHAT IS APPROPRIATE CONTENT AND WHO GETS TO DECIDE THOSE QUESTIONS?

SHOULD IT BE THE TEACHERS?

SHOULD IT BE THE PARENTS?

SHOULD IT BE THE SCHOOL BOARD?

SHOULD IT BE STATE LAWMAKERS?

I WOULD SAY IT SHOULDN'T BE STATE LAWMAKERS.

THEY'VE BEEN DIVISIVE AND IT DOES RAISE THE QUESTION THAT'S BEEN A POLITICAL, HOT BUTTON ISSUE THAT'S BEEN AT LEAST PROBABLY TWO YEARS OF EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE SCHOOL ROOMS AND IN VIRGINIA, THIS IS WHAT'S FUELING THIS IN VIRGINIA, THE GOVERNOR'S RACE BEGAN TO CENTER ON THIS QUESTION AND REPUBLICANS WON THAT RACE WITH THE NEW GOVERNOR GLEN YOUNGKIN AND THE ISSUE IN 2022.

>> WE KNOW, ANDRA, THAT ARE TYPICAL OF A PHENOMENON THAT HAS DEVELOPED IN REPUBLICAN PARTY POLITICS PARTICULARLY AND THAT IS REPUBLICAN THINK TANKS LIKE THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION DEVELOP A SERIES OF MEASURES THAT THEY THINK WILL BE ADVANTAGEOUS TO STATEHOUSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

I'M NOT DENYING THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT SOME OF WHAT THEY PUT OUT THERE IS, IN FACT, SIGNIFICANT AND THEY RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE ELECTION HOT-BUTTON ISSUES AND ELECTION FOUNDATIONS IS A GROUP THAT'S HELPED CREATE SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING IN THE BILL THAT WILL BE UP TODAY AND THE OTHERS MOVING FORWARD, ANDRA.

>> I DON'T WANT TO DISCOUNT THE ROLE THAT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OPERATES AS A THINK TANK AND RIGHT NOW IT'S OPERATING AS AN INTEREST GROUP AND THIS IS PART AND PARCEL OF WHAT LOBBYISTS DO.

THEY HELP LEGISLATORS WRITE LEGISLATION.

THEY HELP TO SORT OF SHARE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND THE WORK BURDEN THAT GOES INTO MAKING LEGISLATION AND INTERESTED PARTIES HELP DRAFT LEGISLATION AND THEN THEY GO FIND A LEGISLATOR WHO IS ACTUALLY WILLING TO SPONSOR THAT LEGISLATION AND THAT'S WHAT THEIR STANDPOINT IS.

WE'VE SEEN IT IN OTHER ISSUES AND IT'S THE REASON WHY TRANSGENDER SPORTS RULES LAWS HAVE PROLIFERATED IN TERMS OF THEIR PROPOSALS.

FOR INSTANCE, IF WE LOOK AT THE CROWN ACT BANNING HAIR TEXTURE AND HAIRSTYLE AND THAT'S AN IDEA THAT HAS PROLIFERATED AND IT STARTS IN ONE PLACE AND YOU SEE OTHER PLACES ADOPTED AND IT TENDS TO BE CENTRAL IN THAT PROCESS AND THIS IS A PROCESS THAT'S INVOLVED.

>> LET ME READ FROM THE ROTOR OF THE AJC AND HIS STORY ABOUT THIS MEASURE TODAY, AND HE COMBINES IT WITH OTHER MEASURE, AS WELL.

HE SAYS IN NUMEROUS HEARINGS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS, BOTH REPRESENTATIVE WADE AND HIS FELLOW REPUBLICAN SENATOR BEAU HATCHET HAVE BEEN PUSHED FOR EVIDENCE OF WIDESPREAD PROBLEMS WITH TEACHING ABOUT RACE AND OTHER ISSUES, AND IT'S -- THEY ESSENTIALLY SAY THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ANY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE LEGISLATION LIKE THIS IN ITS PLACE.

I THINK WADE POINTS OUT TO AN OLD GWINNETT COUNTY REPORT THAT SUGGESTED THEY DID USE THE TERM CRITICAL RACE THEORY IN A SUGGESTED CURRICULUM, BUT IT WAS NEVER INSTITUTED AND IT NEVER WENT ANYWHERE.

SO THEY'RE HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING A REAL PROBLEM TO ADDRESS HERE, AREN'T THEY?

>> THEY ARE A BIT.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S CONFUSING ALSO IS THERE ARE MULTIPLE BILLS GOING AROUND THAT ARE ALL ABOUT DIFFERENT THINGS.

HB-1084 IS FOCUSED ON THE IDEA THAT BASICALLY, NO ONE IN A SCHOOL SHOULD DISCRIMINATE OR TREAT SOMEONE BADLY BASED ON THEIR RACE.

THAT IS ALREADY LAW UNDER MULTIPLE, FEDERAL AND STATE STATUTES AND SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT UNCLEAR ON THIS PARTICULAR ONE WHAT IT IS GETTING AT BECAUSE IT'S LESS ABOUT THE TEACHING OF PARTICULAR TOPICS AND IT'S MUCH MORE ABOUT TREATMENT.

SO IT TALKED ABOUT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO TELL A STUDENT THAT THEY ARE INFERIOR BECAUSE THEY ARE OF A CERTAIN RACE, AND THAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

SEPARATELY, THERE ARE OTHER BILLS THAT DO GET AT CERTAIN TYPE OF CONCEPTS AND FOR EXAMPLE, SB-377 TALKS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO TEACH THE IDEA OF SOMETHING CALLED SYSTEMIC RACISM OR INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND THE CONCEPT THAT IS EMBEDDED WITHIN THE STRUCTURES OR EVEN WITHIN THE STATUTES THAT EXIST.

FINALLY, THERE IS THE PARENT'S BILL OF RIGHTS AND THIS IS SOMETHING ABOUT ACCESS FOR PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE CONTENT OF WHAT THEIR STUDENTS ARE LEARNING.

THAT'S NOT IN THE BILLS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW.

THAT'S IN A TOTALLY SEPARATE BILL AND THE IDEA THAT BY SEEING THAT INFORMATION YOU COULD POTENTIALLY BLOCK SOMETHING THAT'S PROBLEMATIC.

THERE'S NOTHING IN THAT BILL OF RIGHTS THAT ACTUALLY ISN'T ALREADY ALLOWED UNDER CURRENT LAW AND CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD POLICY.

YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THAT AND ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LOG ON AND YOU CAN SEE THE ASSIGNMENT AND THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING AND IT IS THERE AND IT'S PART AND PARCEL AND PART OF WHAT IS DIFFICULT IS SEPARATING OUT WHAT EACH OF THEM DOES AND ALSO THE IMPLICATIONS OF THEM, RIGHT?

WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PREVENT.

NUMBER ONE, THE PUNISHMENTS COULD BE QUITE LARGE AND THE OTHER ISSUE IS WHAT IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE THERE TO BE AN INQUIRY AND THE TEACHER WHO NOW HAS TO WORRY IF I TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC, IS THAT GOING TO GET ME IN TROUBLE AND HAVE PARENT COMPLAINTS LODGED AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> PATRICIA.

OBVIOUSLY, A LOT OF ATTENTION JUSTIFIABLY HAS BEEN TEACHING RACE, TEACHING WHITE PRIVILEGE AND TEACHING SLAVERY AND NOT MAKINGING WHITE STUDENTS RESPONSIBLE FOR SLAVERY AND THERE ARE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENTED OTHER GROUPS THAT HAVE WAITED ON THIS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS THAT THINK TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST COULD BE TERRIBLY TO STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, ALTHOUGH THEY WON'T BE DISALLOWED UNDER THE MEASURE FROM TEACHING ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS, THEY MAY BE LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDER AND WORRYING ABOUT HOW THEIR TEACHING MAY COME INTO CONFLICT WITH THE LAWS.

>> THAT IS TO ME HARD ABOUT PASSING A BILL ABOUT WHAT IS TAUGHT ABOUT EACH INDIVIDUAL CLASSROOM WITHOUT HAVING A MYRIAD AND THEY'RE INAPPROPRIATE IN SOME PEOPLE'S MIND, AS WELL AND DURING THE DEBATE OVER THE SENATE BILL.

A BLACK LAWMAKER SAYS WHAT ABOUT A CONFEDERATE-THEMED MASCOT.

IF WE'LL PREVENT DIVISIVE CONCEPTS FROM BEING DISCUSSED AND RATED BY A TEACHER, ISN'T IT TO HAVE THE CONCEPT IMPLEMENTED AND EXHIBITED BY A MASCOT?

THE REPUBLICAN ON THE OTHER SIDE SAID THAT'S PRETTY TOUCHY AND ONCE YOU START TALKING ABOUT MASCOTS, PEOPLE WILL GET OFFENDED BY THAT.

THIS IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE FODDER FOR LAW MAKING OTHER THAN TO TALK ABOUT AN ESTABLISHED FRAMEWORK OR A WAY FOR A SCHOOL BOARD OR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DEAL WITH THESE AT A LOCAL LEVEL.

IT REALLY DOES SHOW WHY IT'S A TRICKY AREA AND WHY YOU'RE KEEPING THINGS THAT ARE DIVISIVE.

THAT IS ENTIRELY THE OPINION OF ANYBODY IN THAT ROOM AND THEN THAT PARTICULAR BILL GETS SENT TO THE QUESTION OF, WELL, THE TEACHER MAY ANSWER A QUESTION ABOUT A DIVISIVE TOPIC AND LET'S DO THAT IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT SHOW PREFERENCE FOR THE OTHER SIDE.

THAT IS SIMPLY NOT THE ROLE OR THE LEGISLATURE TO TELL A TEACHER EXACTLY HOW TO ANSWER A QUESTION BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY TO DO THAT PROPERLY WITHOUT GETTING INTO A NUMBER OF OTHER PROBLEMS THAT YOU'RE CREATING IN THE PROCESS.

>> IT ALSO RAISES ISSUES ABOUT WHETHER TEACHERS ARE PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE DEVELOPED A CERTAIN EXPERTISE WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO TEACH.

>> I'VE SAID ON THE SHOW ONCE BEFORE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE IF I WENT INTO THE DENTIST WITH MY SON OR DAUGHTER AND THE DENTIST SAID I THINK THEY NEED TO GET THEIR TOOTH FILLED AND I SAID NO, I LOOK AT THEIR TEETH.

LET'S GO TO WHAT I THINK IS IN MANY WAYS TRIGGERED ALL OF THIS CONCERN AMONG, ESPECIALLY CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS ABOUT TEACHING OF RACE AND HOW IT'S TAUGHT.

WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE REMARKABLE 1619 PROJECT THAT "THE NEW YORK TIMES" DEVELOPED -- I DON'T KNOW, I THINK AROUND 2019.

YOU MAY KNOW BETTER THAN I. NICOLE HANNA JONES OVERSAW THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND ESSENTIALLY HER POINT WAS THAT WE HAD TO LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY THROUGH THE FACT THAT UNTIL THE SLAVES WERE FREED WE'RE NOT LIVING IN A TRUE DEMOCRACY.

THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS BACKLASH TO THAT.

SO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE WAY YOU SAW THAT UNFOLD.

>> THE 1519 PROJECT IS THE REMARKABLE SERIES PUBLISHED IN NEW YORK MAGAZINE AND ITS OWN CURRICULUM AFTER THAT AND IT WAS LAUNCHED TO COINCIDE WITH THE 400th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST SLAVES' ARRIVAL IN JAMESTOWN IN 1619.

SO THE WHOLE POINT IS IF WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE FOUNDATIONS AND ORIGINS OF AMERICA, YES, 1776 IS IMPORTANT.

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE IS IMPORTANT, BUT AMERICAN SOCIETY WAS STARTED AT THIS MOMENT THAT YOU ARE STARTING TO SEE SLAVES COMING TO VIRGINIA.

SO YOU SEE THE FIRST PERMANENT COLONY OF ENGLISH SETTLERS COMING IN.

THEY'RE COMING IN VIRGINIA AND A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IN THE VIRGINIA COLONY, SLAVERY BECOMES A BEDROCK OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND IT REFLECTS CHANGES IN HISTORIOGRAPHY.

WHEN I WAS IN UNDERGRAD I THOUGHT SLAVERY STARTED IN THE UNITED STATES AROUND 1640.

THE FIRST BLACKS BEING BROUGHT WERE INDENTURED SERVANTS AND THEY HAD FREEDOM AND TO MOVE INTO SOCIETY AND THERE WAS A REBELLION OF WHITE AND BLACK INDENTURED SERVANTS AND THEN THIS IS WHEN IT GETS CODIFIED.

IN TALKING TO MY FRIENDS WHO ARE HISTORIANS THEY FOUND EVIDENCE THAT PUSHES THAT BACK AND THEY FOUND THAT THOSE INDENTURED SERVANTS WHO WERE BROUGHT TO VIRGINIA WERE KIDNAPPED FROM ANOTHER SLAVESHIP.

THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE ALWAYS INTENDED TO BE SLAVES THAT WERE VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE WHITES AND INDENTURING THEMSELVES FROM COMING OVER FROM IRELAND OR SCOTLAND.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT SLAVERY HAS BEEN AT THE FOUNDATION OF THE AMERICAN STORY AS MUCH AS THOMAS JEFFERSON AND BEN FRANKLIN AND WHAT NICOLE HANNA JONES WANTS TO REMIND US OF THAT.

IN CRITIQUE OF HER INTERPRETATION OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR IS LEGITIMATE AND NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED, BUT THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT AMERICA WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT SLAVERY WITHOUT GOING BACK TO 1819 IS A VALID POINT AND JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GETTING THEIR FEELINGS HURT ABOUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD STOP HAVING THE CONVERSATION.

>> AMY, IT STRIKES ME THE WAY IN WHICH ANDRA JUST FRAMED THAT IS EXACTLY WHY OPEN DEBATE IS SO IMPORTANT.

NOT EVERYTHING THAT NICOLE HANNA JONES, SHE WON THE PULITZER PRIZE, BUT NOT EVERYTHING SHE LAYS OUT THERE IS UNTOUCHABLE.

PEOPLE CAN DEBATE SOME OF WHEN SHE HAD TO SAY AND IT'S IN THE DEBATE THAT WE BECOME RICHER AND MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT THIS WHOLE CONCERN ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T TEACH IN OUR SCHOOLS.

>> THAT IS A GREAT WAY TO FRAME IT AND THE WAY ANDRA FRAMED IT.

YES, I'M AN ACADEMIC, BUT PEOPLE BRING FORTH EVIDENCE AND WE DEBATE THAT EVIDENCE ON THE MERITS, AND WHILE THERE MAY BE OPINIONS THAT WE ALL HAVE, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE LOOK TO IT SHOWS US WHAT THE EVIDENCE TELLS US AND LOOKING AT THE STRENGTH AND MERITS OF IT AND THAT IS, IN FACT, PRECISELY WHAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS AND YES, WE SHOULD PRESENT BOTH SIDES AND WE SHOULD ALLOW STUDENTS TO READ THE 1619 PROJECT AND THE CRITIQUES WRITTEN BY CERTAIN HISTORIANS TO MATCH IT UP AND HAVE THE DISCUSSION AND TO TEACH THEM HOW TO WEIGH THE EVIDENCE AND PROSPECTS GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIALS AND SAY WHAT DO YOU THINK?

YOU ARE NOW LEADING THIS.

THIS IS WHAT THEY EACH READ.

WHAT CONCLUSIONS DO WE DRAW FROM IT?

THAT IS WHAT A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT AND THE ABILITY TO HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE, IN FACT, MULTIPLE, VALID INTERPRETATIONS THAT CAN AT TIMES BE DRAWN AND IT IS THE JOB OF EDUCATORS TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS HOW TO ASSESS THAT INFORMATION.

QUICKLY, I WOULD TELL MY STUDENTS, I WILL FORCE YOU TO ARGUE THE SIDE YOU DISAGREE WITH BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU WILL PROBABLY UNDERSTAND YOUR ARGUMENT.

JUST A COUPLE OF OTHERS IN MUCH BRIEFER FORM THIS WEEK ROSE TO THE SERVICE OF THE LEGISLATURE.

PATRICIA, A BILL THAT WOULD MAKE IT FAR MORE DIFFICULT FOR PREGNANT WOMEN IN GEORGIA TO OBTAIN THE ABORTION PILL THROUGH THE MAIL, SOMETHING THAT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZED QUITE SOME TIME AGO SAYING DURING THE PANDEMIC, WOMEN OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS ABORTION PILL BY MAIL.

THEY NEED A PRESCRIPTION, BUT THERE WAS AN EASY ROAD FOR DOING IT.

THE BILL THAT HAS ADVANCED IN THE SENATE WOULD, IN FACT, PUT UP A LOT OF OBSTACLE FOR WOMEN BEING ABLE TO GET THAT PILL, YES?

>> YES, THAT'S RIGHT.

DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE REQUIREMENT THAT THERE BE AN IN-PERSON VISIT WAS LISTED BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE NO IN-PERSON VISITS IN ORDER FOR SOMEONE TO OBTAIN THIS ABORTION MEDICATION.

INSTEAD, PEOPLE WERE STILL REQUIRED, WOMEN WERE STILL REQUIRED TO HAVE A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT, A VISIT AND IT WAS A TELEHEALTH VISIT AND DOCTORS I SPOKE WITH SAID DURING THOSE TWO YEARS THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS AND MINOR PROBLEMS.

THEY SAID A TELEHEALTH VISIT FOR THIS TYPE OF MEDICATION IN THEIR OPINION WAS STILL QUITE SOUND.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WHO AGREED WITH THAT.

THERE WERE ONE OR TWO DOCTORS AT THIS PARTICULAR SENATE HEARING WHO SAID I STILL HAVE SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS AND THEN THEY SAID YOU SHOULD ASK YOUR DOCTOR TO COME INTO AN IN-PERSON VISIT.

THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM IN RETROSPECT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

HOWEVER, THE STATE SENATE NOW REQUIRES THAT IN-PERSON VISIT AGAIN AND ADULTS ARE PART OF THE FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENT AND TAKE THIS TO THE NEXT LEVEL IF GEORGIA'S SIX-WEEK ABORTION BAN WHICH IS REINSTITUTED AND IF SOMETHING HAPPENS AT THE SUPREME COURT THAT WOULD MAKE THAT POSSIBLE TO GO FORWARD, CURRENTLY HELD UP IN LITIGATION, BUT IF IT WERE ABLE TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND IT WOULD MAKE THIS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR WOMEN WHO ARE LESS THAN SIX WEEKS PREGNANT TO THEN GO IN, GET AN IN-PERSON VISIT AND HAVE IT PRESCRIBED TO THEM.

SO THERE ARE CERTAIN OBSTACLES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND MORE SIGNIFICANT OBSTACLES IF IT IS PAIRED WITH OTHER INFORMATION AND THE LAWMAKERS HAVE PASSED.

>> YOU KNOW, AMY AND ANDRA, BEFORE THIS SESSION STARTED DAVID RALSTON AND OTHER REPUBLICAN LEGISLATIVE LEADERS SAID THEY REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO GO ANY FURTHER WITH ABORTION RESTRICTIONS THIS SESSION.

THEY HAD ALREADY PASSED THE SIX-WEEK BAN WHICH, OF COURSE, IS STILL MIRED DOWN BY -- BY COURT CASES MOVING FORWARD, AND THEY REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO GET INTO IT, BUT THIS IS AN EXAMPLE THAT THE LEADERSHIP, IT DOESN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT IT WANTS BECAUSE PEOPLE IN THE LEGISLATURE HAVE GOT TO PLAY TO THEIR BASE.

SO, AMY, I GET WHY THIS BILL WOULD BE OF SOME VALUE IF YOU'RE RUNNING IN A PRIMARY CAMPAIGN AS A REPUBLICAN AGAINST AN OPPONENT, BUT I WONDER WHAT IT DOES WHEN THE GENERAL ELECTION COMES ALONG AND HOW A MAJORITY OF WOMEN IN GEORGEAL SEE IT AS A BILL TO GROW UPON.

>> ON THE ONE HAND, ON SENATE AND HOUSE SEATS MANY OF THEM ARE EITHER VERY FIRMLY REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC AND SO WHAT THEY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT REALLY IS THE PRIMARY RACE AND THOSE ARE, TO BE PERFECTLY BLUNT, THE MEMBERS THAT ARE MUCH MORE HESITANT ABOUT THESE BILLS.

THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, THOUGH IS THE QUESTION YOU'RE RAISING IS A GOOD ONE FOR THOSE RUNNING STATEWIDE, RIGHT?

WHILE BILLS SUCH AS THIS WILL HELP, PERHAPS, STAVE OFF A PRIMARY CHALLENGER OR WIN IN THE PRIMARY, THE QUESTION BECOMES HOW DO YOU NOW PRESENT YOURSELF TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO ALSO WIN THEIR VOTES AND YOU'RE GOING BEYOND YOUR BASE AND INSTEAD TRYING TO REACH OUT TO MODERATE REPUBLICANS OR EVEN MODERATE DEMOCRATS TO SAY VOTE FOR ME, SUPPORT ME AND SOMEWHAT DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM THESE POSITIONS THAT YOU'VE TAKEN WHICH WERE REALLY, AGAIN, PLAYING TO THOSE PRIMARY PLACES AND THAT'S TRY FOR MEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES.

>> THIS ISN'T STWRUFT A PARTISAN, POLITICAL ISSUE.

>> WE KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL WHO TRUL I BELIEVE THAT ABORTION IS WRONG AND THEY DEVOTED TIME AND ENERGY TO FIGHTING AGAINST ABORTION.

>> WE KNOW ABORTION IS A THORN, DIFFICULT ISSUE TO DEAL WITH AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT DOES BECOME PART OF PARTISAN FODDER IN AN ELECTION YEAR.

>> THE LARGER ISSUE IS THE WOMEN'S VOTE, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO REALIZE THAT WOMEN ARE A LESS COHESIVE BLOCK THAN AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTERS AND WOMEN WOULD BE PERFECTLY FINE.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IS NOT JUST PLACES WHERE SPEAKER RALSTON WOULD NOT HOLD IT OVER THE REPUBLICAN DELEGATION, BUT YOU'RE ALSO SEEING PEOPLE ANTICIPATING WHETHER THE SUPREME COURT WILL MAKE CHANGES TO ABORTION RIGHTS THIS SPRING AND IT WILL GIVE STATES A LOT MORE LATITUDE IN TERMS OF WHAT KINDS OF ABORTION SERVICES THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW AND WHAT WE'LL SEE IS A PATCHWORK OF DIFFERENT POLICIES AND THEY'LL HAVE VERY, VERY LIBERAL POLICIES AND GEORGIA IS LIKELY TO BE ON THE CONSERVATIVE END OF IT AND THESE LEGISLATORS ARE PROPOSING MAKING IT EVEN MORE DIFFICULT FOR WOMEN TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE ABORTION CARE, PARTICULARLY IF THE SIX-WEEK BAN ENDS UP BEING RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND IT GETS CAUGHT UP BY A COMPLETE BAN WHICH IS WHAT IS AT STAKE IN THE MISSISSIPPI BILL THAT'S COMING UP FOR THE -- AND THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET IT BY MAIL TO MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO BEABLY TO GET THAT.

>> WE'LL HAVE TO GET TO OUR FIRST BREAK OF THE SHOW.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER ISSUES THAT ARE BUBBLING UP AND CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.

PARAMUTUAL WAGERING SEEMS TO BE EMERGING AS A FORM OF GAMBLING THAT VOTERS A CROSS THE STATE MAY BE ASKED TO VOTE ON DURING THE NOVEMBER ELECTION.

CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY IS MOVING FORWARD.

PATRICIA, BEFORE WE GOAT A BREAK I WANT TO LOOK AT JUST BRIEFLY AT LEAST ON A STORY THAT IS A GOOD NEWS STORY YOUR COLUMN WHICH IS POSTED TODAY ON THE AJC WEBSITE AND WILL APPEAR IN THE NEWSPAPER ON SUNDAY IS ABOUT THE HEALTH BILL.

DAVID OSTON'S OMNI HEALTH BILL IS AN APPROPRIATE TERM FOR IT IS MOVING FORWARD AND YOU WRITE TODAY ABOUT THE EMOTIONS OF LEGISLATORS AS THEY HAVE LOOKED AT THIS MEASURE, AND I THINK IT'S WORTH A MINUTE OR TWO FOR YOU TO TELL US ABOUT IT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BILL.

I COVER A NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE HEARINGS AND THAT'S WHAT I FIND ESPECIALLY INTERESTING, AND A SMALLER NUMBER OF REPORTERS FEEL THAT WAY.

I LIKE TO GO TO THE HEARINGS AND SEE WHO HAS INPUT ON THE BILLS AND COVERING THIS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE AND THE STATE HEALTH, IT BECAME ABUNDANTLY CLEAR VERY QUICKLY THAT THIS ISSUE OF MENTAL HEALTH IS SOMETHING THAT AFFECTED ALMOST EVERY LAWMAKER IN THAT COMMITTEE IN THEIR OWN CAPACITY AND WITH A LOVED ONE AND THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, HELEN COOPER TALKED ABOUT AGREEING UP WITH A STEPMOTHER WHO WAS PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIC AND SHE SPOKE ABOUT THE TROUBLES THAT FAMILIES HAD AND ONE PERSON WAS TRACY JONES AND HER HUSBAND TODD JONES WAS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE WHO HAS HELPED TO CRAFT THIS HEALTH BILL AND IT DEALS WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH IN GEORGIA THAT HAS FRAUD IN CONCEPTION AND THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THEIR SON, JUSTIN JEN WHO IS 25 AND HAS STRUGGLED WITH SEVERE MENTAL ISSUES SINCE HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEY'VE HAD HIM IN AND OUT OF FACILITIES MORE THAN 30 TIMES.

THERE IS A CRITICAL LACK OF IN-PATIENT BEDS IN GEORGEA.

THEY OFTEN HAD TO LEAVE THE STATE TO GET HIM HELP AND THERE ARE PIECES OF THE SYSTEM THAT ALLOW PEOPLE OVER 18 TO CHECK THEMSELVES OUT.

THEY'VE CONSISTENTLY RUN INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT SO THIS COMMITTEE WITH THE SPEAKER WILL EXTEND SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT IS FOCUSING ON WHO THEY CALL.

THE FAMILIAR FACES, THE FACES THAT PEOPLE IN ERs, COUNTY JAILS AND STREETCORNERS.

THEY SEE THESE FACES OVER AND OVER IN CONTINUAL CRISIS AND THIS IS AN EFFORT TO TRY AND HELP THEM GET WHAT THEY NEED TO START TO LIVE AND EVEN SUSTAINABLE AND HOPEFULLY SUCCESSFUL LIVES.

>> WE WILL POST A LINK TO OUR COLUMN ON SOCIAL MEDIA TODAY AND THINK, PEOPLE CAN READ IT IN THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER.

DAVID ROSTON SAID THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATE THAT WILL BE DEBATED THIS SESSION AND IT CERTAINLY APPEARS THAT IT WILL EMERGE AS THE BEST NEWS, MOST IMPORTANT GOOD NEWS STORY FROM THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

LET'S TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND COME BACK WITH MORE IN JUST A MOMENT.

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I'M JUDY WOODRUFF, ON THE NEWS TONIGHT -- >> FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT GPB.ORG/ALEXA.

>> WE'RE BACK ON "POLITICAL REWIND."

WE RECOGNIZE AT POLITICAL REKIND THAT GLOBAL NEWS, INTERNATIONAL NEWS IS NOT OUR FORTE, THAT WE FOCUS MOSTLY ON STATE NEWS AND NATIONAL NEWS FILTERED THROUGH A GEORGIA PERSPECTIVE, BUT THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE CAUSED US TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE COULD BRING YOU INFORMATION THAT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO YOU HERE IN GEORGIA AND THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE A NUMBER OF EXPERTS IN THE CITY OF ATLANTA, IN THE STATE WHO CAN TALK KNOWLEDGEABLY ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.

ON MONDAY SAM NUNN WAS HERE TO TALK ABOUT HIS PERSPECTIVE ON ALL OF THIS AND LATER IN THE WEEK, FOUR-STAR RETIRED GENERAL PHILIP SINGLETON, SUPREME COMMANDO OF NATO GAVE US A PERSPECTIVE AND A HISTORY OF UKRAINE THAT WAS FASCINATING TO ALL OF US.

I MENTION THIS NOW FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS, TO SAY BOTH OF THOSE INTERVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE EITHER ON OUR PODCAST OR ON OUR WEBSITE AND I INVITE YOU TO GO LISTEN TO THEM.

I THINK YOU'LL FIND THEM TO BE REALLY MEANINGFUL AND I ALSO MENTION IT, PATRICIA BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT DECIDED THAT IT WAS WORTH BRINGING UKRAINE INTO POLITICAL CONVERSATIONS IN GEORGIA.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF THAT.

LEGISLATORS AT THE CAPITOL HAVE USED THE INVASION OF UKRAINE TO PROMOTE THE FACT THAT WE NEED CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY, THE RIGHT TO CARRY A CONCEALED WEAPON WITHOUT A LICENSE AND DAVID PURDUE'S CAMPAIGN SAID THIS, THIS EVENT IS ABOUT HIGHLIGHTING A NEED -- HE WAS AT A PRO-GUN RALLY THAT MARJORIE TAYLOR-GREENE SPONSORED.

THIS EVENT IS ABOUT HIGHLIGHTING THE NEED TO PROTECT OUR SECOND AMENDMENT AND EXPAND OUR GOD-GIVEN RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS.

GIVEN THE INVASION IN UKRAINE, WE SEE THE NEED TO BE PROTECTED NOW MORE THAN EVER.

>> THAT'S INTERESTING.

STACY ABRAMS CAME UNDER FIRE FROM REPUBLICANS WHEN SHE APPEARED ON "THE DAILY SHOW" WITH TREVOR NOAH AND SAID THIS - When I'm focusing on the voting system, my focus should never be on who you cast your ballot for.

Voting itself, the process is nonpartisan.

Now, when you get in there, I'm gonna do everything in my power to convince you I'm the person to pick.

- [Trevor] Right.

- But the fight for the right to vote is something that should cut across every demographic, every ideology, every community.

We are a stronger nation when we allow people to participate, and if we ever doubted that, the war that Putin is waging against Ukraine, President Zelensky said it, I'm gonna paraphrase him probably poorly.

He said this isn't a war on Ukraine.

This is a war on democracy in Ukraine.

When we allow democracy to be overtaken by those who want to choose, who can be heard, and those choices are not based on anything other than animus or inconvenience, then that is wrong.

PATRICIA, IN GENERAL ABOUT THAT WHOLE ISSUE ABOUT USING THE UKRAINE AS POLITICAL FODDER HERE.

THE FIRST TIME I SAW THIS COME UP WITH EARLIER THIS WEEK WHEN THE CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY GUN BILL WHEN THINGS DEBATED ON THE SENATE FLOOR AND THIS WAS TO LIFT THE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE THE PERMIT TO CARRY A CONCEALED WEAPONS BILL IN GEORGIA AND MULTIPLE REPUBLICANS WENT TO THE MICROPHONE AND SAID IF YOU THINK THAT HAVING YOUR GUN RIGHTS ISN'T IMPORTANT ASK SOMEONE IN UKRAINE AND AT THAT VERY MOMENT, YOU HEARD UKRAINIAN CITIZENS ISSUED, IF THEY UPONED THEIR OWN MACHINE GUNS SO THEY CAN TAKE AIM AND FIRE ON RUSSIAN TROOPS IF THEY CAME INTO CITIES AND VILLAGES AND SAID THAT WAS THE CONTEXT OF THAT CONVERSATION AND I WAS SURPRISED AT THE TIME THAT WE WERE EQUATING AMERICAN GUN RIGHTS ATTACKED BY RUSSIANS AND STACY ABRAMS SAID SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR FROM HER OWN POINT OF VIEW ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS AND THE NEED TO PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN DEMOCRACY.

I DON'T WANT TO DISCOUNT THE EMOTION THAT EVERYBODY WHO IS USING UKRAINE IN THESE CONTEXT REALLY DO SEE IT THAT WAY.

THEY REALLY DO SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN UKRAINE AS A REASON FOR FIGHTING FOR WHAT THEY SEE AS A WAY TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY HERE AT HOME.

WHAT MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT ALL OF THESE LINES OF ARGUMENT IS THAT THE GUN RIGHT ARGUMENT AND THE VOTING RIGHTS ARGUMENT ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF DEFENDING AMERICANS AGAINST OTHER AMERICANS AND THE DEMOCRACY IN UKRAINE IS BEING ATTACKED BY RUSSIANS AND AN EXTERNAL THREAT RATHER THAN AN INTERNAL THREAT.

THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE.

I THINK WE'RE ALL SO WORRIED AND SICHL THETIC AND TERRORIZED FOR THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE.

I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT ABOUT OTHER AMERICANS AND I CAN MAKE THE CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT.

AMY?

>> WHAT BECOMES CONCERNING IS THIS IDEA THAT WE'RE SORT OF SEEING OTHER AMERICANS AS THE ENEMY, BECAUSE IF WE SEE THEM AS THE ENEMY THEN HOW WOULD YOU COME TO THE TABLE AND TALK TO THEM AND DISCUSS AND DEBATE THINGS IN A GOOD NATURE AND WHERE IT GOES FROM THAT.

WHAT IS ALSO DIFFICULT OR THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO VIEW WHAT HAPPENED ON JANUARY 6th AS WITHIN THAT SAME VEIN, THAT THAT WAS SORT OF A VIOLENT ATTEMPT TO WAGE WAR ON AMERICAN DEMOCRACY AND THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO PROTECT AND THAT'S WHERE THE LINKAGE POSSIBLY COMES IN.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, THOUGH, IT'S NOT THE SAME IN THE SENSE THAT IT INVADED ARMY AND IT IS TRYING TO DOMINATE WITH WAYS THAT ARE HORRIFICALLY MIRRORING THE START OF WORLD WAR II AND TO BUILD UP PRESSURE AND INTIMATING THAT THIS IS AILS A TIME WHEN WE ALSO DO NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND FIGURE OUT WHERE ARE WE STANDING ON THIS?

WE ARE SUPPORTING AND SHOWING UNITY AND THAT WE WANT TO STAND BEHIND UKRAINE AND STOP WHAT IS, IN FACT, A JUSTIFIED INVASION OF THEIR SOVEREIGNTY AND THEIR COUNTRY.

>> ONE THING I HAVE TO SAY OUT OF AMY'S COMMENTS RIGHT NOW IS AS MUCH AS WE HAVE SOME GEORGIA POLITICAL FOLKS WHO ARE, YOU KNOW, REAL STRONG DONALD TRUMP ADHERENCE.

WE HAVE NOT HEARD IN GEORGIA, REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO GO DOWN TRUMP ROAD AND PRAISED VLADIMIR PUTIN AND TALKED ABOUT IN THE RUSSIANS IN A WAY THAT IS FAVORABLE TO THEM WHICH YOU AND I WILL TALK ABOUT FOR A FEW MINUTES.

FOR THE MOST PART REPUBLICAN, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO GO WITH DONALD TRUMP ON THIS.

>> WHILE THAT DOES MAKE THE TIDE CLEAR.

WHILE I AGREE WITH AMY AND PATRICIA THAT IT IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE INTERNAL STRIKE THAT WE FACE WE SHOULDN'T FORGET THAT VLADIMIR PUTIN COULD HAVE ACHIEVED THIS BY HAVING RUSSIAN DISSIDENTS START THE CIVIL WAR, HE WOULD HAVE DONE THAT AND THE FAKE NEWS THAT HE DID TO KIND OF JUSTIFY INVADING UKRAINE IS I'M GOING IN TO PROTECT RUSSIAN INTERESTS BECAUSE THESE RUSSIAN NATIONALS REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF MY COUNTRY.

SO HE'S USING INTERNAL STRIVE AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR COMING IN AND PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO HE BELIEVED THIS IS NATIONAL AND I THINK THAT THAT TYPE OF DESTABILIZING MENTALITY AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ARE IN WAYS THAT ARE POLITICALLY MALIGNANT AND ARE CAUSING LOTS OF TROUBLE IN OUR SOCIETY.

STACY ABRAMS AREN'T SAYING ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE SAYING.

A TWEET FROM THE COMEDIAN GEORGE WALLACE LAST NIGHT SUGGESTED THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ALL FOR UKRAINIAN DEMOCRACY ARE BEING HYPOCRITICAL AND I'M CLEANING THAT ONE UP BECAUSE HE SAID IT IN A PROFANE WAY, BUT THAT SENTIMENT IS THERE AND THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO USE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS TO MAKE PARTISAN POTSHOTS, AND I THINK WE SHOULD DECRY THAT, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, IF WE CARE ABOUT DEMOCRACY IN UKRAINE AND IF WE CARE ABOUT THEIR AUTONOMY, WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT THE ABILITY OF OTHER PEOPLE TO CAST THEIR VOTE.

>> ANDRA GETS THE LAST WORD ON "POLITICAL REWIND."

WE'LL SAY GOOD-BYE TO BOTH PATRICIA MURPHY AND AMY STEIGERWALT, THEY BOTH HAVE OBLIGATIONS TO GO OFF TO.

SO WE'LL HAD THE THEM DO JUST THAT.

OF COURSE OF COURSE WE LOVE HAVING YOU ON THE FRIDAY POLITICAL REWIND.

I THINK YOU'RE OFF TO WATCH A SCHOOL PLAY.

>> I DO NOT WANT TO BE LATE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR UNDERSTANDING.

>> AMY, AS ASSOCIATE CHAIR OF THE POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT ARE GOING OFF TO A POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT MEETING.

WHAT FUN THAT SOUNDS LIKE, AMY.

>> I'M WEARING MY GEORGIA STATE BLUE BECAUSE THIS IS OUR FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING SINCE FEBRUARY 2020.

TERRIBLY DPIETING.

>> THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING PART OF THE SHOW TODAY.

ANDRA, WE'LL TALK ABOUT TWO EDITORIALS ABOUT MARJORIE TAYLOR-GREENE AND WE'LL DO THAT AFTER THESE MESSAGES.

>> YEAR AFTER YEAR, PBS HAS BEEN BRINGING YOU THE NEWS YOU TRUST.

>> WE CARE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WILL AFFECT THE LIVES OF EACH AND EVERY AMERICAN.

WHAT WE NORMALLY SEE FOR CRISES.

>> WE'RE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME NOT JUST TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS, BUT WHY IT MATTERS.

>> IT'S ALL THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU, AND STAY TUNED TO AMERICA'S MOST TRUSTED NETWORK.

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GOOD MORNING, IT'S 8:00.

WHEREVER YOU ARE IN GEORGE A WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU'RE LISTENING.

>> SHOW YOUR SUPPORT BY VISITING GPB.ORG.

♪♪ ♪ >> ANDRA GILLESPIE, MARJORIE TAYLOR-GREENE HAS ACCOMPLISHED AGAIN THIS WEEK WHICH IS WHAT SHE LOVES MOST WHICH IS DOING SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS THAT GETS HER IN THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SPOTLIGHT, BUT THAT SAID, AT A CERTAIN POINT YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF THIS WILL START WORKING AGAINST HER AND AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

BOTH THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION THIS WEEK AND MORE IMPORTANT FOR HER THE ROME NEWS TRIBUTE WHICH PUBLISHES IN HER DISTRICT RIGHT WHERE SHE LIVES REALLY BLISTERED HER AND I WANT TO READ JUST A LITTLE OF IT AND ASK YOU TO COMMENT AND ALL OF THIS IS TRIGGERED BY THE FACT THAT MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE HEADLINED A CONFERENCE THIS WEEK OF AN ORGANIZATION AND A WHITE SUPREMACIST ORGANIZATION ACCORDING TO GROUPS THAT MONITOR HATE ACTIVITY RUN BY A GUY NAMED NICK FUENTES WHOSE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SAYS IS A WHITE SUPREMACIST IN WHICH ATTENDEES CHEERED ON RUSSIA IN THEIR INVASION OF UKRAINE IN WHICH FUENTES SAID WHITE MEN WERE THE SECRET SAUCE THAT MAKE HIS ORGANIZATION POWERFUL.

GREENE LATER SAID TO CBS NEWS REPORTER THAT SHE DIDN'T GO ALONG WITH ALL OF WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT RUSSIA, BUT SHE WASN'T GOING TO LET A FEW OFF-COLOR REMARKS CHANGE HER FEELINGS ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND HERE'S WHAT THE ROME NEWS TRIBUNE SAID.

MARJORIE TAYLOR-GREENE, OUR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS RECENTLY APPEARED AS A GUEST AT THIS CONFERENCE, AND THEY SAY -- I'M SORRY, I'VE LOST MY WAY.

OH!

IN THE PAST WE HAVE CRITICIZED CONGRESSWOMAN GREENE FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE ARE OUTLANDISH ANTICS AIMED MORE AT PROPELLING HER CELEBRITY THAN HER DISTRICT.

SHE'S USING HER PLATFORM FOR PERSONAL ADVANCEMENT OR FAME.

WE DO NOT TAKE THIS ISSUE LIGHTLY.

HER ANTICS HAVE BROUGHT EMBARRASSMENT TO A DISTRICT THAT DESERVES AND ENTIRELY CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BETTER REPRESENTATION.

MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE IS POPULAR IN THAT DISTRICT, BUT TALK TO US WHETHER YOU THINK THERE WILL BE A PRICE TO PAY AT SOME POINT.

>>.

>> I DO THINK THAT IN THE LONG RUN THERE IS A SHELF LIFE TO HER ANTICS.

I JUST USED A FORMER CONGRESSMAN IN IOWA AS AN EXAMEL AND HE SPENT YEARS IN CONGRESS AND EVENTUALLY, LIKE, YOU KNOW, HE MADE ONE RACIST STATEMENT TOO MANY AND LEADERSHIP GOT TIRED OF HIM AND I DO THINK THAT THIS WILL FADE OUT.

I THINK THE LARGER QUESTION IS HOW LONG WILL THAT TAKE?

SHE'S IN HER FIRST TERM, SHE'S IN A VERY SAFE DISTRICT.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE A REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER TO RISE UP AND BE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGE HER?

AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY.

I THINK IT WILL HAPPEN EVENTUALLY AND THE LARGER QUESTION IS HOW MUCH DAMAGE IS DONE TO THE REPUTATION OF THE DISTRICT AND IN PARTICULAR, HOW INEFFECTIVE IS SHE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE TYPE OF CONSTITUENT SERVICES AND BRING THE TYPE OF LEGISLATIVE REWARDS THAT, YOU KNOW, MORE DILIGENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ARE ABLE TO DO THROUGH THEIR COMMITTEE AND THROUGH THEIR ATTENTIVENESS AND NOT JUST PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES THAT TRY TO SHUT DOWN CONGRESS AND DO THE THINGS THAT SHE'S KNOWN FOR DOING.

>> SHE WAS CRITICIZED THIS WEEK BY LEADERSHIP, KEVIN McCARTHY CALLED HER OUT FOR APPEARING WITH THIS GROUP WHICH IS SURPRISING BECAUSE McCARTHY'S BEEN QUIET ABOUT HER ANTICS IN THE PAST AND MITCH McCONNELL ALSO SAID THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY TO BE INVOLVED WITH AN ORGANIZATION LIKE NICK FUENTES' GROUP AND YET McCARTHY HAS SAID THAT IF REPUBLICANS TAKE THE MAJORITY IN THE FALL HE'LL PUT HER BACK ON THE COMMITTEES THAT SHE WAS STRIPPED OF BECAUSE OF PAST BEHAVIOR SHE WAS TAKEN OFF OF.

SO IT'S KIND OF AN INTERESTING ISSUE THAT REPUBLICANS ARE DEALING WITH HERE BECAUSE McCARTHY WILL CERTAINLY WANT HER VOTE IF HE'S IN A POSITION TO BECOME SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

AT THE SAME TIME DEMOCRATS ARE NOW LOOKING AT WHETHER OR NOT THEY OUGHT TO MAKE GREEN AND LAUREN BOEBERT OF COLORADO, ANOTHER ONE OF THE OUTLANDISH MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE, BIG ISSUES IN THE MIDTERMS AND TRY TO TAG REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES TO THEIR EXTREMIST VIEWS.

>> I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF DEMOCRATS USED GREENE AS ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ AND THE REST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SQUAD, AND IN A SIMILAR TYPE OF WAY THAT'S PART AND PARCEL OF POLITICS AND TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT THE EXTREMISM ON EITHER SIDE OF THE AISLE AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR YOUR OWN PARTY'S ELECTORAL CHANCES, BUT I THINK THERE IS A VERY IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY THAT REPUBLICANS ARE MISSING IN TERMS OF NOT FORCEFULLY ADDRESSING THIS BEHAVIOR AND THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.

>> THERE COMES A POINT AT WHICH YOU HAVE TO PUT SENSIBLE AHEAD OF PARTISANSHIP AND THE FIRST TIME THAT MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE TOOK A PICTURE OF A WHITE SUPREMACIST AND IT GOT CALLED OUT AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO BRUSH THAT OFF AS IGNORANCE AND GIVE SOMEONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, BUT WHEN YOU KEEP ON DOING IT, RIGHT?

SOONER OR LATER, THIS IS PART OF THEIR ENGRAINED BEHAVIOR.

I'M NOT HERE TO JUDGE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS A PARTISAN ACT AND IT IS A BRAND AND IT IS WHO SHE IS, AND IF REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP CAN'T ADDRESS THAT AND TAKE ADVANTAGE AND DISCIPLINE HER APPROPRIATELY THEN THAT SUGGESTS THAT THAT LEADERSHIP, AND YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE LIKE KEVIN McCARTHY AND PEOPLE OF MITCH McCONNELL AND PEOPLE WITH LONGSTANDING QAA RAERS.

THEY WON'T USE THE POLITICAL CAP TAM THAT THEY HAVE TO ENFORCE A BETTER NORM WITHIN THEIR OWN PARTY.

>> WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT HOW THIS HAS PLAYED INTO THE GOVERNOR'S RACE.

DAVID PURDUE ATTENDED A RALLY THAT MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE LED, A SECOND AMENDMENT RALLY.

HE WAS THERE BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT AND HE DIDN'T CRITICIZE HER FOR PARTICIPATING IN THAT EVENT.

GOVERNOR KEMP SAYS THERE IS NO PLACE IN OUR STATE FOR WHITE SUPREMACY, ANTI-SEMITISM OR HATE OF ANY KIND.

ULTIMATELY GREENE IS ACCOUNTABLE TO THE VOTERS OF THE 14th DISTRICT AT THE BALLOT BOX EVERY TWO YEARS.

AND BY THE WAY, HERSCHEL WALKER BACKED OUT OF THE RALLY THAT MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE WAS HOLDING.

THEY ARE MOVING AWAY FROM THE EXTREMIST BEHAVIOR SHE EMBODIES.

>> IT IS SOMEWHAT TELLING THAT DAVID PURDUE CONTINUED TO APPEAR WITH HER WHILE OTHER CANDIDATES WHO WERE IN MUCH STRONGER POSITIONS IN THEIR PRIMARIES CHOSE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT SOME DISTANCE BETWEEN THEMSELVES AND GREEN.

I THINK THAT'S SHOWING YOU THE RACE AND THE SCENES ON PERDUE'S PART TO WIN HER BASE IN AN ATTEMPT TO TRY TO SALVAGE A CAMPAIGN THAT SEEMS TO BE FLOUNDERING RIGHT NOW.

>> THEY'LL HAVE TO ASK THEMSELVES AND THIS PRIMARY ELECTION, WHOEPT HE WENT.

THOSE ARE THE LONG TERM QUESTIONS THAT I THINK ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY, ACTUALLY BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE AND IT'S MOST APPARENT AMONG REPUBLICANS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THEY KNOW THAT MANY REPUBLICANS OF GOOD WILL KNOW BETTER AND CAN DO BETTER, BUT THEY SEEM TO BE AFRAID TO TAKE THE STEP.

YEAH, SOME OF YOU WILL LOSE ELECTION, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND YOU HAVE THE PRINCIPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE AND YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY DESPITE THE LAW.

>> I'M GOING TO GO WAY, WAY OUT A LIMB BECAUSE I'M GLAD YOU'RE THE ONE I'M SHARING THIS WITH BECAUSE YOU'LL SET ME STRAIGHT.

I KNOW DONALD TRUMP'S CANDIDATES WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ASSESS WHETHER HE'S STILL THE MOST POWERFUL REPUBLICAN IN THE LAND.

I GET THAT.

WILL DAVID PURDUE WIN THE PRIMARY BECAUSE HE HAS TRUMP'S BACKING, FOR EXAMPLE?

THE REASON I'M SUGGESTING GOING OUT ON A LIMB HERE, I'VE REALLY STARTED TO WONDER WHETHER THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE, THE HORRORS THAT WE'VE SEEN UNFOLD, THE WAY IN WHICH TRUMP REACTS TO IT BY CALLING PUTIN A GENIUS, SO SMART AND BEHAVIOR LIKE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREEN GETTING INVOLVED WITH THIS HATE ORGANIZATION.

I CAN'T HELP, BUT WONDER IF WE MIGHT BE SEEING A TURNING POINT WHERE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS MOVING AWAY FROM TRUMP ANTICS.

IF THEY MOVE AWAY FROM TRUMPISM, IF I DOUBT WILL HAPPEN.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL COME DOWN MOST PRIMARY RESULTS AND ALL OF THIS THEM SINCE THEY TOOK PLACE AFTER THE UKRAINIAN INVASION AND IT MAY NOT JUST BE UKRAINE AND IT MAY BE THE STUFF THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE JP JAN 6th COMMITTEE IS OUTRIGHT SAYING A CONSPIRE SEE AND THAT MAY CAUSE DEMEANOR DEMOCRATS ASK THEY'RE ABLE TO KNOW HERE AND TRUMP DIDN'T HAVE MOJO IN EARLIER ELECTIONS AND IT WAS COINCIDENTAL THAT HE PICKED WINNERS AND THAT WOULD BE THE TELL.

>>A ANDRA GILLESPIE.

I'M GLAD YOU SHARED YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US AND SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU HERE ON "POLITICAL REWIND."

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF TIME FOR TODAY'S SHOW.

I HOPE YOU ALL OUT THERE HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND.

WE'LL BE WATCHING NEWS FROM UKRAINE, FROM THE STATE CAPITAL TO TALK ABOUT IT ON THE SHOW NEXT WEEK BEFORE WE GO.

I WANT TO GIVE MY THANKS AS ALWAYS TO MY POLITICAL REWIND TEAM, AND JESSE SWINEWATER AND THE TV TEAM, DAVID BUCHANON, TAYLOR KLOPP, JAMES TURNER, MATTHEW WOLF AND REGAN SMITH, THANK YOU FOR THE WAY IN WHICH YOU HELPED BRING THIS SHOW ON FRIDAY NIGHTS TO GPB TV.

THAT'S IT FOR US TODAY.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

IN THE MEANTIME, I'M BILL NIGUT.

TAKE CARE AND PLEASE, STAY HEALTHY.

BYE-BYE.