JAMIE RASKIN REPRESENTS MARYLAND'S EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

AND HAS TAKEN ON MANY LEADERSHIP ROLES DURING HIS TIME IN OFFICE.

IN HIS MOVING MEMOIR, "UNTHINKABLE: TRAUMA, TRUTH AND THE TRIALS OF AMERICAN DEMOCRACY" CONGRESSMAN RASKIN TELLS THE STORY OF THE 45 DAYS AT THE START OF 2021 THAT PERMANENTLY CHANGED HIS LIFE.

AS HE CONFRONTED THE PAINFUL LOSS OF HIS SON AND HIS MANAGEMENT OF THE IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, A OF FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP.

CONGRESSMAN RASKIN IS JOINED IN CONVERSATION BY Dr. FIONA HILL, A SENIOR FELLOW IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE IN THE FOREIGN POLICY POLICY PROGRAM AT THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION.

HER POIGNANT MEMOIR "THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU HERE" REVEALS HOW DECLINING OPPORTUNITY HAS SET AMERICA ON THE GRIM PATH OF MODERN RUSSIA.

RECORDED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY AUTHOR FORUM, THIS IS "GREAT CONVERSATIONS."

CONGRESSMAN JAMIE RASKIN AND Dr. FIONA HILL.

>> WELL, YOU DON'T GET AN ENTRANCE LIKE THAT EVERY DAY, DO YOU?

IT'S A REAL HONOR FOR ME AND CONGRESSMAN RASKIN TO BE HERE AT THE KENTUCKY AUTHOR FORUM.

AND FOR ME, AS A CONSTITUENT OF CONGRESSMAN RASKIN, THIS IS A PARTICULARLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S NOT EVERY DAY THAT SOMEONE FROM THE EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF MARYLAND, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVE, GETS TO GRILL AND HAVE A NICE CHAT TO THEIR CONGRESSMAN.

>> ON THE CONTRARY, IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.

[LAUGHTER] >> I GOT TO SPEND AN HOUR WITH THE GREAT FEE ANN AHILL.

I SAID WOULD I GO ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY ESPECIALLY LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

>> THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE TO BRING IT.

AND WE MET UNDER RATHER STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCE AT THE PREPARATORY HEARINGS FOR THE FIRST IMPEACHMENT TRIAL OF DONALD TRUMP.

I MEAN WHO THOUGHT WE WOULD BE SAYING THE FIRST IMPEACHMENT TRIAL, BUT IT WAS-- [LAUGHTER] IT HAS BEEN UNEXPECTED ALL THE WAY AROUND.

AND I HAD BEEN CALLED UP AS A FACT WITNESS AND I HAD TO GIVE A CLOSED DOOR DEPOSITION AS PART OF THE PREPARATION FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING.

THAT POINT I WASN'T SURE WHETHER I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO TESTIFY IN PUBLIC.

I HOPED I WOULDN'T.

BUT WE KNEW THAT WE WOULD HAVE A GRILLING FOR HOURS IN THESE CLOSED DOORS.

AND AS I WALKED INTO THE ROOM, I SAW SOMEONE WHO LOOKED SOMEWHAT FAMILIAR.

THAT WAS PRE-COVID SO HE DIDN'T WEAR A MASK.

I THOUGHT THAT GENTLEMAN LOOKS FAMILIAR, WHERE HAVE I SEEN HIM BEFORE.

IT WAS A ROOM WITH QUITE A A FEW PEOPLE.

AND I SAID YOU'RE MY CONGRESSMAN.

DID HE JUST SHOW UP TO SHOW ME MORAL SUPPORT?

AND THEN I REALIZED HE WAS PART OF THE COMMITTEE.

>> I WASN'T GOING TO MISS IT BECAUSE I HEARD THERE WAS THIS BAT ASS RUSSIAN EXPERT WHO WAS TALK BACK TO VLADAMIR PUTIN AND DONALD TRUMP.

I WANTED TO SEE IT BECAUSE IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY BECAUSE SOME OF MY MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE AISLE WERE HARANGUING THE WITNESSES AND THEY STARTED TO GO AFTER FIONA HILL ABOUT UKRAINE AND THEY WERE PERPETUATING THE MYTH THAT IT WAS UKRAINE THAT HAD TRIED TO INTERFERE IN OUR 2016 ELECTION AND SHE SAID YOU ARE REPEATING VLADAMIR PUTIN'S PROPAGANDA RIGHT NOW.

BUT IN HER ACCENT AND THEY SHUT UP IMMEDIATELY.

[ APPLAUSE ] IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THEN.

THAT WAS OCTOBER OF 2019.

>> TWO PEOPLES AGO.

>> AND A WHOLE PANDEMIC AGO.

AND OF COURSE SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN TO ALL OF US AND OF COURSE VERY MUCH TO YOU.

WE ARE GOING TO START TONIGHT WITH YOUR BOOK, UNTHINKABLE WHICH IS NUMBER ONE ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST AS WE ARE SPEAKING RIGHT NOW WHICH IS REALLY QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT AND I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE IT REALLY IS JUST SUCH AN AMAZING BOOK AND I FLOW I KNOW THAT IT IS A DIFFICULT BOOK FOR YOU BECAUSE IT'S A MIXTURE OF THE PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL AND POLITICAL.

IT WAS HARD FOR ME AND I'M SURE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO READ IT AND WHO ARE GOING TO READ IT, IT WILL BE A HARD READ BECAUSE IT BRINGS TOGETHER A TERRIBLE PERSONAL TRAGEDY AND A POLITICAL TRAGEDY THE DAYS AND ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENTS AROUND JANUARY 6 AND THE TITLE OF THE BOOK DESCRIBES YOU FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

I MEAN AS WE ARE ALL AWARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE HAS MANY WORDS.

WHEN YOU LOSE A HUSBAND YOU ARE A WIDOW.

WHEN YOU LOSE A WIFE, YOU ARE A WIDOWER.

WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR PARENTS YOU ARE AN ORPHAN BUT WE CAN'T CONCEIVE OF A WORD WHEN YOU LOSE A CHILD.

YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN THAT POSITION JUST BEFORE WE HAD THE MOST UNTHINKABLE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6.

YOU WERE THERE IN THE CONGRESS.

YOU WITNESSED AND EXPERIENCED EVERYTHING THAT WE WERE WATCHING ON THE TELEVISION IN REAL TIME.

AND THEN OUT OF ALL OF THIS, ABOUT THIS UNTHINKABLE TRAGEDY AND EVENTS, YOU GET ASKED TO DO SOMETHING THAT, FOR MOST OF US, WOULD BE UNTHINKABLE AS WELL.

YOU GET ASKED TO MANAGE THE NEXT IMPEACHMENT TRIAL AND RIGHT NOW WE ARE ALSO-- YOU ARE LITTLE ON THE COMMISSION INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED IN THE EVENTS RUNNING UP TO JANUARY 6.

THAT'S A LOT FOR ANYBODY TO DEAL WITH AND JUST HOW ARE YOU DOING IT?

>> LET ME SAY ONE THING.

THE COMMISSION WAS ACTUALLY BLOCKED BY KEVIN McCARTHY AND MITCH McCONNELL.

WE HAVE A SELECT COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THE COMMISSION WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OUTSIDE ENTITY.

SO WE'LL LOOK, YOU KNOW, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WORDS AND YOU KNOW, I'M HANGING TOUGH.

I THINK WE ARE IN THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES TO DEFEND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY RIGHT NOW AND I'M GOING TO DO IT IN HONOR OF MY SON TOMMY RASKIN, WHO WAS A BEAUTIFUL AMAZING SOUL.

AND I TRY TO TELL AT LEAST A PIECE OF THE STORY OF HIS TRAGICALLY ABBREVIATED LIFE IN MY BOOK.

BUT I'M DOING IT ALSO FOR MY DAUGHTERS AND FOR MY CONSTITUENTS AND FOR ALL OF AMERICA.

WE HAVE TO FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY.

I TOLD THE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY FROM CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL IN LOUISVILLE, YOU KNOW, I SAID THAT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW PRECIOUS DEMOCRACY IS.

AND FOR MOST OF THE HISTORY OF THE SPECIES, OUR PEOPLE HAVE LIVED WITH KINGS AND QUEENS AND DICTATORS AND BULLIES AND AUTOCRATS.

AND DEMOCRACY, AS LINCOLN TOLD US, WAS A PRECIOUS PRECARIOUS ACHIEVEMENT AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO FIGHT TOGETHER TO DEFEND AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF TOGETHER.

>> IF YOU LOOK BACK TO THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6, I MEAN YOU ARE MY REPRESENTATIVE AND I CERTAINLY FEEL LIKE MOST PEOPLE THAT YOU DO REPRESENT US IRRESPECTIVE OF OUR POLITICAL PARTY AFFILIATION I MEAN HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THIS KIND OF FEELING OF BEING REPRESENTED HAS SHIFTED BECAUSE THAT IS CERTAINLY PART OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE FACE TODAY.

MANY OF THE PEOPLE, AT LEAST FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THOSE OF US OBSERVING WHO COME INTO CONGRESS SEEM LESS INTERESTED IN THE REPRESENTATION OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS THAN BRINGING FORWARD THEIR PROBLEMS AND THEIR ISSUES TO TRY TO BE RESOLVED BY LEGISLATION AND SEEM MORE INTERESTED IN POLITICAL PERFORMANCE.

MAYBE THAT'S UNFAIR-- >> I DON'T THINK SO.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS HAPPENED.

>> THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT TO FOUND QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WE USE THE WORD CONSTITUENT TO DESCRIBE PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR DISTRICT AND BUT A CONSTITUENT OF COURSE IS A PART OF.

SO I VIEW EACH OF MY CONSTITUENTS AS PART OF WHO I AM AND PART OF WHO I ASPIRE TO BE AND HOW I WANT TO THINK OF MY JOB AND WE CAN'T BE NAIVE ABOUT POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE FOUNDERS WEREN'T.

THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT HUMAN BEING DIVIDE INTO FACTIONS AND THAT'S TRUE WHETHER YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A CONGRESS, STATE LEGISLATURE, CITY COUNCIL, SCHOOL BOARD FACULTY MEETING.

PEOPLE TEND DO THAT THE QUESTION IS WHAT IS THE SPIRIT WITH WHICH YOU DO IT.

IS IT WITH THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE DIFFERENCE ABOUT WHICH WAY TO GO BUT FUNDAMENTALLY WE HAVE THE BONDS OF AEXIF.

THE-- OF AFFECTION.

AND IN THE PRIMARIES AND IN THE GENERAL ELECTION, WE CAN FIGHT LIKE CATS AND DOGS AGAINST EACH OTHER.

BUT ONCE WE ARE IN, SOMETHING HAS GOT TO CHANGE.

AND I ALWAYS TRY TO REMEMBER THAT THE WORD PARTY COMES FROM THE FRENCH WORD A PART OF THE WHOLE.

ONCE WE WERE ELECTED WE HAVE TO REPRESENT EVERYBODY AND WE KNOW HOW TO DO THAT.

WHEN YOU CALL UP JOHN YARMOUTH AND YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAID, MEDICARE.

HE DOESN'T SAY ARE YOU A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN.

HE JUST SAYS DO YOU LIVE IN MY DISTRICT?

IF YOU DO, HE GOES TO WORK FOR YOU.

WE KNOW HOW TO BE NON-PARTISAN WHEN WE WANT TO BUT IT'S GOTTEN VERY VICIOUS AND YOU KNOW, WEIGH SEE WHERE THAT LEADS.

IT ULTIMATELY WILL BE TO VIOLENCE IF WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE BONDS OF AFFECTION AND SOLIDARITY THAT HAVE GOT TO HOLD US TOGETHER AS AMERICANS.

>> NOW YOU PROBABLY CAN'T TELL US TOO MUCH ABOUT THE DELIBERATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF ALL OF THEM BUT IS SOME OF IT IMPACTS YOUR EFFORTS TO, YOU KNOW, GET TO THE BOTTOM OF WHAT LED UP TO JANUARY 6.

WHAT HAD BEEN SIS APPOINTING IS NOT THAT IT WAS THE NON-PARTIES OUTSIDE COMMISSION AS YOU MIGHT BE CORRECT THAT WE HAD AFTER 9/11 WHEN WE LOOKED INTO WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED AND TRIED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.

IT HAS BEEN TO BE AS YOU POINTED OUT, A COMMITTEE BECAUSE WE SCOONT GET CONSENSUS ON THAT AND OF COURSE WE HAVEN'T SEEN MANY REPUBLICANS STEPPING UP, OF COURSE THERE WAS DEBATE ABOUT THE COMPOSITION BUT WE HAVE LIZ CHENEY AND ADAM KINSINGER.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HOW FAR WE HAVE GOT SO FAR.

>> THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS IS BAY FAR THE MOST FOCUSED AND BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE I'VE EVER BEEN ON BA UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES WE DON'T SPEND ALL OF OUR TIME FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER IN THOSE ENDLESS FOOD FIGHTS YOU SEE IN MOST COMMITTEES THAT ARE IN CONGRESS TODAY.

THERE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW INVECTIVE THAT OPEN UP EVERY COMMITTEE SESSION.

WE ARE ACTUALLY FOCUSED ON THE TASK AT HAND.

WE HAVE ONLY HAD ONE PUBLIC HEARING WHICH IS WITH THE OFFICERS YOU PROBABLY SAW OFFICER DUNNE AND HODGES AND WE ARE GOING TO DO MORE HEARINGS COMING UP AND WE HAVE A REPORT TO GIVE TO CONGRESS AND AMERICA ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED I MEAN HOW DID IT TAKE PLACE?

AND LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A QUICK PREVIEW OF HOW I SAW WHAT TOOK PLACE ON JANUARY 6.

THERE WERE BASICALLY THREE CONCENTRIC RINGS OF ACTIVITY WITHIN THIS SEDITION AND THE OUTER RING WAS A MASS DEMONSTRATION CALLED FOR A WILD PERFORMANCE ACCORDING TO THEN DONALD TRUMP, THEN PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP.

THAT DEMONSTRATION BECAME A MOB RIOT, OKAY?

THAT WAS THE OUT ERR RING.

THE MIDDLE RING WAS THE RING OF THE INSURRECTION SO THAT WAS THE PROUD BOYS, THE OATH KEEPERS, THE 3%ERS, THE CUE ANON, FIRST AMENDMENT, ALL OF THREE EXTREMIST GROUPS THEY WERE THE FIRST PEOPLE TO TACK OUR POLICE OFFICERS, TO SMASH OUR WINDOWS TO INVADE THE BUILDING AND TO TRY TO STOP THE STEEL BY SHUTTING DOWN CONGRESS.

AND THERE WERE 150 OFFICERS ON THE CAPITOL POLICE AND METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE, WHICH I REPRESENT AND SOME OTHER YURS DISIX-- OTHER JURISDICTIONS WHO WERE WOUNDED, BROKEN INTRERT BRAY, ARMS, LEGS, NOSES, JAWS, NECKS, TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, POST TRAUMATIC STRESS SYNDROME IN DOZENS OF PEOPLE.

THAT WASN'T EVEN THE SCARIEST RING OF THE ACTIVITY.

THE SCARIEST RING WAS THE RING OF THE CAO COUP.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH COUPS IN OUR HISTORY.

THIS WAS A COUP DIRECTED FROM THE PRESIDENT AGAINST THE VICE PRESIDENT AND THE WHOLE POINT WAS HAVING FAILED TO CONVINCE STATE LEGISLATURE TO NULLIFY THE POPULAR VOTE AND SUBSTITUTE IN TRUMP ELECTORAL COLLEGE SLATES, HAVING SURVEILLED TO-- FRAILD TO BROW BEAT ELECTED OFFICIALS IN GEORGIA TO JUST FIND ME 11,780 VOTES, WHATEVER THE VOTE TOTAL THEY NEEDED.

HAVING FAILED IN ALL THAT, THEN THEY WANTED TO GET VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE TO DECLARE UNLAWFUL POWERS TO UNILATERALLY REJECT AND REPUDIATE ELECTORAL VOTES COMING IN SPECIFICALLY FROM ARIZONA, PENNSYLVANIA AND GEORGIA.

PERHAPS A COUPLE OF OTHER STATES, TOO.

THEREBY LOWERING JOE BIDEN'S TOTAL IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE TO BELOW 270.

AT THAT POINT, WOULD IT HAVE KICKED THE WHOLE CONTEST INTO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR A SO CALLED CONTINGENT ELECTION UNDER THE TWELFTH AMENDMENT AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN STUDYING YOUR CONSTITUTION WILL KNOW WHY THEY DID THAT 679 BECAUSE UNDER THE 12TH AMENDMENT, IF NOBODY GETS A MAJORITY IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, WE VOTE IN THE HOUSE BUT NOT ONE MEMBER UP WITH VOTE.

ONE STATE ONE VOTE AND AFTER THE 2020 ELECTIONS, THE G.O.P.

HAD 27 STATE DELEGATIONS WE HAD 22, PENNSYLVANIA WAS SPLIT DOWN THE MIDDLE.

EVEN IF THE AT LARGE MEMBER FROM WYOMING, LIZ CHENEY DIDN'T VOTE WITH THEM AND I DON'T THINK SHE WOULD HAVE, THEY STILL WOULD HAVE HAD 26 STATES AND THEY WOULD HAVE RUB THAT VERY QUICKLY, THE CONSTITUTION SAYS YOU MOVE IMMEDIATELY AND THEY WOULD HAVE DECLARED TRUMP PRESIDENT FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS.

THEY WOULD SUCCEEDED IN SEIZING THE PRESIDENCY AND HE WOULD HAVE INVOKED THE INSURRECTION ACT TO DECLARE MARTIAL LAW TO CALL IN THE NATIONAL GUARD TO PUT DOWN THE CHAOS AND THE INSURRECTION HE UNLEASHED AGAINST US.

THAT WAS THE PLAN.

WE CAME VERY CLOSE TO LOSING IT ALL ON THAT DAY.

>> YOU SEE, UNNONE OF RAWS REALLY APPRECIATED THAT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN IS NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL LAWYER AS YOU ARE.

AND YOU ARE A CONSTITUTIONAL LAW PROFESSOR STEEPED IN ALL OF THIS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE FIND IT EXTRAORDINARILY HARD TO FOLLOW.

>> THE LEGALITY OF IT BECAUSE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS AN AN TEEING AND BYZANTINE AND OBSOLETE AND WE GOT TO GET RID OF ELECTORAL COLLEGE.

[ APPLAUSE ] BUT IT WASN'T JUST THAT.

IT WAS THE DIN AND THE CHAOS.

I MEAN THE PANDEMONIUM, NOBODY UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

IT HAS TAKEN ME TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT TO SPELL EXACTLY THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ACTIVITY AND WE ARE FIGURING OUT HOW THEY WERE COORDINATED.

ENTHUSIASM THE COUP WAS COORDINATED WITH THE INSURRECTION AND HOW THE INSURRECTION ALLOWED 9 RIOT TO TAKE PLACE.

THIS IS OUR DEMOCRACY AND THIS HAPPENED TO US AND I KNOW THE FURTHER AWAY YOU ARE TO FROM IT PHYSICALLY, THE HARDER TO BELIEVE BUT EVERYBODY HAS GOT TO FEEL INVESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT A NIGHTMARE LIKE THIS NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT IS GOING TO BE A MAJOR PART OF YOUR JOB AND YOUR COLLEAGUES JOB AFTERWARDS IS TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE, NOT JUST THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE AND HOW CLOSE WE CAME, BUT HOW WE ACTUALLY GET OUT OF THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN BECAUSE YOU ARE SUGGESTING HERE THERE ARE THESE AS YOU SAID, ANTIQUE NATURE OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM LENDS ITSELF IN ACTUAL FACT, NO THE AS THE FOUNDING FATHERS MIGHT HAVE SUR SUPPOSED BUT LENDS ITSELF NOW TO THIS KIND OF ABUSE AND MAN INLA I GOES.

>> JOHN DEWEY SAID THAT THE SOLUTIONS TO THE ILLS OF DEMOCRACY ARE ALWAYS MORE DEMOCRACY.

AND IF YOU READ OUR CONSTITUTION FROM FRONT TO BACK, YOU WILL SEE THAT IT CAN BE READ AS A CHRONICLE OF THE MOVEMENTS THAT HAVE TRANSFORMED AMERICA AND OPENED US UP RECONSTRUCTION AMENDMENT GOT RID OF SLAVERY AND GUARANTEED EQUAL PROCESS AND DUE PROCESS AND ESTABLISHED YOU CAN'T DISCRIMINATE VOTING BASED ON RACE.

17th AMENDMENT MOVED FROM INDIRECT SELECTION OF U.S.

SENATORS BY THE STATE SENATOR LEGISLATORS TO THE PEOPLE.

DOUBLING THE ELECTORATE BY PASSING WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE AND THE 23rd AMENDMENT GAVE PEOPLE IN THE NATIONAL CAPITOL THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL ELECTIONS AND THE 24th AMENDMENT ABOLISH ISSUES POLL TAXES AND THE 26th AMENDMENT LOWERED THE VOTING AGE TO 1.

YOU SEE THERE IS A LOGIC TO OUR CONSTITUTION.

IT'S OPENING UP THE SOCIETY TO PARTICIPATION BY EVERYONE.

AND IT MEANS THROWING OFF THE INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE WEALTH QUALIFICATION, PROPERTY QUALIFICATION, GENDER EXCLUSION, RACIAL DISENFRANCHISEMENT, INDIRECT SELECTION OF SENATORS THAT INHIBIT DEMOCRACY.

WE'VE STILL GOT A LOT OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE IS A DIRECT THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.

IT'S GIVEN US FIVE LOSERS POPULAR VOTE LOSERS AS PRESIDENT.

INCLUDING TWICE IN THIS CENTURY ALONE.

GERRYMANDERING OF OUR DISTRICTS IS A MIGHT MAYOR WHERE POLITICIANS CHOOSE VOTERS INSTEAD OF VOTERS CHOOSING POLITICIANS.

WE HAVE VOTER SUPPRESSION STATUTES PROLIFERATING AROUND THE COUNTRY AS MINORITY PARTIES ENTREMP THEMSELVES AND USE GERRYMANDERING TO PERPETUATE THEIR POWER AND FINALLY WE SAW A PRESIDENT WHO WAS WILLING TO UNLEASH A PARA MILITARY AND POLICE RIOT AGAINST PROTESTORS IN LAFAYETTE SQUARE ON JUNE 1 OF 2020.

ALSO WILLING TO UNLEASH PROTESTORS AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS ANYTHING TO STAY IN POWER.

THAT'S A DANGER AND UNDEMOCRATIC AND DANGER TO OUR FORM OF GOVERNMENT.

NO PERSON, EVEN THE STRONGEST PERSON IN THE COUNTRY NOT TO MENTION THE WORST PERSON IN OUR COUNTRY IS WORTH THAT KIND OF DAMAGE.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> I MEAN THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION, OF COURSE, IT DOESN'T BEGIN WITH I THE PEOPLE.

IT BEGINS WITH WE THE PEOPLE.

AND AS SOMEBODY WHO IS A NATURALIZED U.S. CITIZEN, I TAKE THAT QUITE SERIOUSLY.

I'M SOMEONE WHO HAS TAKEN AN OATH TO THE UNITED STATES TWICE.

ONCE AS A CITIZEN AND THEN TO SERVE THE COUNTRY IN GOVERNMENT.

>> AND YOU TESTIFIED IN CONGRESS.

>> I DID.

OBVIOUSLY I FEEL VERY STRONG ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT.

LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

I FEEL LIKE MY OWN VIEWS AND OPINIONS, YOU KNOW, OKAY THEY MIGHT NOT BE PERFECTLY REPRESENTED BUT AT THE TIMER CERTAINLY MY INTERESTS ARE REPRESENTED AND COMING FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM WHICH HAS ITS OWN-- >> WE GOT OUT OF.

>> BUT I HAVE BEEN STRUCK, I HAVE TO SAY, AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SEEN HAMILTON, ONE OF MY FAVORITE BIT, THE KING I WILL BE BACK.

I HAVE BEEN WORRIED OVER THE LAST FEW WHETHER WE WILL BE BACK TO THAT BECAUSE THE PRESIDENCY IN THE UNITED STATES SEEMS TO, FROM MY READING, AGAIN OF U.S. HISTORY, TO HAVE MORPHED AND MOVED INTO DIRECTION IS NOT INTENDED AT THE BEGINNING.

WE HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IS THE HEAD OF STATE, LIKE THE KING.

THE HEAD OF CABINET OR CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND IT IS ALSO, NO OFFENSE MEANT TO ANYONE, BUT ELECTED IN A VERY STRANGE WAY, MORE OF A BEAUTY CONTEST.

AND I'VE ALWAYS, COMING FROM THAT STRANGE ARCANE SYSTEM IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, THE PARTIES REALLY HAVE A LOT OF POWER.

YOU CAN REMOVE A PRIME MINISTER AND BORIS JOHNSON SEEMS TO BE IN A BIT OF TROUBLE IN THE U.K. AND MAY OR MAY NOT GET REMOVED FOR NOT HIS POLITICAL PARTY BUT HAVING A BOOZEY PARTY AT NUMBER 10.

A LITTLE BIT, KIND OF DIFFERENT PARTY POLITICS GOING ON THERE.

BUT NOT GREAT IN THE MIDDLE OF A PANDEMIC.

BUT THE PARTY IN THE UNITED STATES DOESN'T SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME DISCIPLINE AROUND THE PERSON OF THE PRESIDENT AND IN FACT SEVERAL OCCASIONS PEOPLE RUNNING FOR THE PRESIDENT WHO WERE NOT REALLY MEMBERS OF THE PARTY IN GOOD STANDING OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, DIDN'T HAVE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN GOVERNMENT.

>> TAKE DONALD TRUMP, FOR EXAMPLE.

>> BUT THEY MANAGED TO RUN FOR ELECTION AND SOMEHOW BECOME THE LEADER OF THE PARTY IN THE SAME PROCESS I MEAN HOW DO WE GRAPPLE WITH THAT MOVING FORWARD?

WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE SHINGS WORSE BY ALL KINDS OF INTERVENTIONS THAT MIGHT CREATE OTHER COMPLEXITIES BUT HOW DO YOU REESTABLISH THE BALANCE IN THE PRESIDENCY AND CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT.

CONGRESSIONALAL OVERSIGHT FAILED TWICE BECAUSE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS DIDN'T, AS I EXPERIENCED AS A WITNESS, DIDN'T SEEM TO TAKE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERSIGHT QUITE AS SERIOUSLY AS ONE MIGHT HAVE HOPED.

>> I'M GOING TO ANSWER IF QUESTION BUT I GET TO TURN THE TABLES AND SCRT ASKING YOU QUESTIONS.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND IT'S A CENTRAL, CRITICAL ROLE THAT WE PLAY BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I DON'T EVEN LIKE THE FRAMING OF IT BECAUSE THE FRAMING IS THAT THE PRESIDENT IS PRIMARY AND CENTRAL AND OUR JOB IS TO SUPERINTENDENT SUPER INTEND WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS DOING.

THAT'S A COMPLETE INVERSION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL DESIGN.

WE HAD A REVOLUTION AGAINST A KING, NOTHING PERSONAL BUT THAT'S WHAT IT WAS, RIGHT?

>> I THINK IT WAS PERSONAL BACK THEN.

>> [LAUGHTER] IN FACT, WHEN, YOU KNOW, ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION WERE WRITTEN, WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A PRESIDENT.

THE PRESIDENT WAS TO HAVE CONGRESS REPRESENT THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY, THEN AFTER THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION CREATED YOU CANS YOU KNOW, A LOT OF INEFFICIENCIES THEY SAID WE NEED A PRESIDENT TO WHAT?

TO SEE THAT THE LAWS ARE ENFORCED.

THAT'S THE PRIMARY JOB OF THE PRESIDENT.

TO BE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE ARMY AND NAVY, NOT THE ARMED FORCES BUT ARMY AND NAVY IN TIMES OF ACTUAL CONFLICT OR INSURRECTION AND THAT'S NOT SO HYPOTHETICAL ANYMORE, BUT TO TAKE CARE THAT THE LAWS ARE FAITHFULLY EXECUTED, THAT'S THE HEART OF THE JOB.

WHAT DO WE START WITH?

WELL, ARTICLE 1.

WE THE PEOPLE.

RIGHT?

IN FACT, IT IS THE PREAMBLE THAT PRECEDES ARTICLE IS, IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION ESTABLISH JUSTICE, ENSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE, DO HEREBY AND PRESERVE TO OURS AND OUR POSTERITY THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY DO HEREBY ESTABLISH THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

THE VERY NEXT SENTENCE IS ARTICLE 1 THAT ALL LEGISLATIVE POWERS ARE VESTED IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE TO CREATE THE COUNTRY, TO WRITE THE CONSTITUTION FLOWED IMMEDIATELY TO CONGRESS AND IN ARTICLE 1, YOU HAVE DOZENS OF PROVISIONS OF ALL OF THE POWERS OF CONGRESS.

WE HAVE THE POWER TO DECLARE WAR.

WE HAVE THE POWER TO PASS BUDGETS.

WE HAVE THE POWER OF TAXING.

WE HAVE THE POWER TO REGULATE COMMERCE, INTERNATIONALLY, DOMESTICALLY ON AND ON AND ARTICLE 1, SECTION 8 CLAUSE 18 AND ALL OTHER POWERS NECESSARY AND PROPER TO THE EXECUTION OF THE FOREGOING POWERS.

AFTER YOU GET THROUGH ALL OF THAT, YOU GET TO ARTICLE 2, WHICH SAYS THE EXECUTIVE POWER IS VESTED IN THE POWER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE FOURTH SECTION IS ALL ABOUT HOW YOU IMPEACH A PRESIDENT, OKAY FOR HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS TREASON, BRIBERY AND OTHER HIGH CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS AND THE REST OF IS IS TO TAKE CARE OF THE LAWS FAITHFULLY EXECUTED AND TO BE COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES OR THE ARMY AND THE NAVY AND ALL THAT HAS BEEN TURNED UPSIDE DOWN AND A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO, AS YOU WOULD KNOW, FROM THE POST WORLD WAR II PERIOD, THE RISE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY STATE AND THE COLD WAR AND SO ON.

BUT THE POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT HAVE BEEN SO INFLATED AND THAT'S REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL PARTY AND CONGRESS HAS GOT TO REASSERT ITS PROPER ROLE AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT PRESIDENTS DON'T ABUSE THEIR POWER AND CERTAINLY DON'T TRY TO PERPETUATE THEMSELVES IN POWER USING UNLAWFUL MEANS.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> I HAVE TO SAY IRHOPE EVERYBODY AGREES THIS IS THE MOST FANTASTIC CIVICS LESSON.

>> BITS ABOUT TO GET BETTER BECAUSE NOW YOU ARE GOING TO GET TO MEET THE REAL FIONA HILL.

OKAY.

FIONA HAS WRITTEN THIS EXTRAORDINARY BOOK, THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU HERE, FINDING OPPORTUNITY IN THE 21st CENTURY.

AND IT'S LIKE MY BOOK IN THE SENSE THAT IT DOES WE'VE TOGETHER A VERY PERSONAL STORY WITH-- THE WEAVING TOGETHER A VERY PERSONAL STORY OF HOW YOU PERCEIVE THE WORLD TODAY IN POLITICAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES.

THIS IS THE BEST THING-- THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS IN YOUR BOOK, BUT IN THERE IS 9 BEST DISCUSSION I'VE EVER SEEN ABOUT ACCENT DISCRIMINATION AND THIS WILL BE FASCINATING FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT FROM YOU BECAUSE, OF COURSE, ACCENT DISCRIMINATION IS A PROMINENT FORM OF DISCRIMINATION IN THE U.K.

IT IS A FORM OF DISCRIMINATION IN AMERICA.

BUT PERHAPS SOMEWHAT LESS PRONOUNCED HERE BUT I WONDER IF YOU WOULD GIVE PEOPLE A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IN TERMS OF THE ACCENT DISCRIMINATION YOU EXPERIENCED AND HOW IT IS INTERTWINED WITH CLASS AND WHAT YOU LEARNED WHEN YOU GOT TO AMERICA WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU DIDN'T FACE ACCENT DISCRIMINATION ANYMORE.

IN FACT, I THINK PEOPLE WITH THE BRITISH AK ACCENT OF WHAT EVER TYPE, GET A BUMP IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND YOU KNOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE THE QUEEN'S ENGLISH TO ME WHEN YOU SPEAK.

TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS.

>> I AM SURE MANY PEOPLE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS.

ANY OF YOU WHO WATCH BBC AMERICA OR ANY BRITISH FILMS.

SOMETIMES BRITISH FILMS COME WITH SUBTITLES AND THAT'S USUALLY FOR THE NON-QUEENS ENGLISH OXFORD ENGLISH BBC ENGLISH, THOSE OF US LIKE ME WHO COME FROM SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE OF LONDON.

BUT EVEN INSIDE LONDON, IF YOU ARE A COCKNEY FROM EASTLAND, YOU MIGHT GET THE SUBTITLES UNDERNEATH AS WELL BECAUSE THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT NOBODY OUTSIDE OF BRITAIN AND EVEN MANY PEEP INSIDE OF BRITAIN WILL EVER UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE FROM THESE REGIONS SAY.

AND MANY REGIONAL ACCENT NBZ THE U.K. LIKE COCKNEYS FROM EASTLAND HAVE NAMES APPLIED TO THEM.

AND AS I SAY IN THE BOOK, ITS USUALLY KIND OF THESE ACCENTS ARE NAMED ALMOST TO SOMEHOW DRAW ATTENTION TO THEM AS IF YOU ARE SOME KIND OF AMUSING KIND OF CARNIVAL SIDE SHOW WITH THIS PECULIAR ACCENT.

SO SOMEBODY FROM LIVERPOOL IS CALLED A SCELTSER.

I'M FROM THE NORTHEAST AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REGIONAL ACCENTS BUT THE MOST FAMOUS OF THEM AND ASKED ME THE OTHER DAY WHEN ASKED WHEN I WAS FROM AND IF YOU ARE FROM NEWCASTLE, YOU ARE CALLED A JODDY.

IN FACT THAT ACCENT MIGHT COME FROM GOOD OL' KING GEORGE THAT YOU GUYS ALL GOT RID OF AND I GOT RID OF AS MY NEW AMERICAN.

IT'S NOT SO NEW.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME ACTUALLY.

AND YOU KNOW, DOWLG ALL OF THESE POLITICAL STRIFE IT WAS THOUGHT THE PEOPLE OF NORTHEAST OF ENGLAND SUPPORTED KING GEORGE AND THEY GOT CALLED JARDIES.

HE WAS THOUGHT TO BE MAD.

NO ONE COULD UNDERSTAND A WORD PEOPLE SAID FROM THE NORTHEAST OF ENG ENGLAND.

YOU CAN PICK THE DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION BUT I COME FROM THE COAL FIELDS OF COUNTY DURHAM, VERY SIMILAR HONESTLY TO APPALACHIA AND WEST VIRGINIA, TENNESSEE, WE NOT ONLY HAD OUR OWN AK ACCENT BUT IT WAS THE ACCENT OF THE COAL FIELD.

MY GRANDFATHER, SENATOR, UNCLES, POSTALLY ALL OF MY FATHER'S SIDE SPOKE THIS DIALECT AND IT HAD IT'S OWN LANGUAGE, OWN CULTURE.

AND SO MANY OF THE PLACES IN ENGLAND, SOME OF THESE ACCENTS ARE RELATED TO WORK AS WELL.

SO IN THE KIND OF HIERARCHY OF SPEECH IN THE U.K.

SOME OF THE PLACES THAT ACTUALLY HAD ACCENTS WERE GIVEN THESE NAMES WAS ALSO FROM SUNNEDDERLAND, THEY MADE 'EM MADE ALL THE MANUFACTURING GOODS, THE TOOLS, THE SHIPS OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.

AND THE ACCENT OF BEING WORKING CLASS NOT JUST 230R9 REGION SAME WITH LIVERPOOL COCKNEY AND SO THE ACCENT CAME WITH A CLASS DISTINCTION AS WELL.

>> THAT WAS YOUR DESTINY.

>> CLASS, ACCENT REGION WERE ALL GOING TO PREDICT YOUR PATH FORWARD.

SO IF YOU CAME OUT OF ONE OF THESE PLACES WITH A STRONG REGIONAL ACCENT, IT WAS GOING TO DEFINE YOU AND IN THE BOOK I TALK AT THE VERY BEGINNING THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME THROUGHOUT PLY WHOLE LIFE WHEN I SUDDENLY REALIZED A KID WERE ASKING ME THESE QUESTIONS NOT BECAUSE THEY WERE INTERESTED IN WHO I WAS.

BUT MORE BECAUSE TRYING TO PLACE ME AND DECIDE WHO I WAS GOING TO BE.

THEY WOULD SAY WHERE ARE YOU FROM WHAT DOES YOUR FATHER DO WHICH IS A STRANGE QUESTION AND WHAT SCHOOL DID YOU GO TO AND THAT WAS ALSO THE HIERARCHY OF SCHOOLS BETWEEN WHAT WE WOULD CALL PUBLIC OR STATE SCHOOLS FAMOUS SKILLS AND IN MY CASE I WENT TO A COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL, UNDER RESOURCED SCHOOLS IMMEDIATELY WHEN I SAID WHERE I WAS, MY ACCENT GAVE IT AWAY, MY FATHER DID.

COAL MINER WHO LOST HIS JOB OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOSPITAL PORTER AND ODDLY IN THE HOSPITAL AND I SAID THE SCHOOL I WENT TO PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY WOULD SAY YEAH, WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

AND WHO YOU ARE GOING TO BE WHICH IS, NOTHING VERY INTERESTING.

>> FOUND SOME OTHER FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION.

>> TALK ABOUT IT.

I MEAN AND TALK ABOUT GENDER SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE THIS IS A LIGHT MOTIF THAT ONES THROUGHOUT YOUR BOOK IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY FOREIGN POLICY CIRCUIT CIRCLES YOU TRAVEL IN, THE WAY THAT WERE YOU OFTEN ASSUMED TO BE A SECRETARY, YOU WERE SOMEBODY WHO WAS GOING TO GET COFFEE, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

>> WELL, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE UNITED STATES, I MEAN I HAD A SOLAR POWER TO HARVARD SO-- SCHOLARSHIP TO HARVARD.

WOULD I NEVER EXPECT SOMEONE FROM MY BACKGROUND WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A SCHOLARSHIP.

AND WHEN I CAME, I WAS VERY NERVE BUS THIS.

I THOUGHTISM POSSIBLE TER SYNDROME WE ALL TEND TO HAVE AND PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE FROM THE NORTH OF ENGLAND, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE WHAT RIGHT DO HAVE YOU TO HAVE AN AMAZING SCHOLARSHIP.

I GOT HERE AND I WAS LIKE OH MY GODNESS.

I LOVE YOUR ACCENT.

MOST TIMES PEOPLE WOULD SAY TO ME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING BUT YOUR ACCENT IS GREAT.

[LAUGHTER] >> IT SOUNDS GOOD.

>> I COULD LISTEN TO YOU ALL DAY.

NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE SAYING, YOU KNOW, FANTASTIC.

AND PEOPLE WOULD SAY YOU SOUND LIKE THE QUEEN WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT.

BUT I ALSO NOTICED RIGHT AWAY, HARVARD 1989, THERE IS A LOT GOING ON.

AND I NOTICED OF COURSE, RIGHT AWAY THAT THERE WAS RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

IT WAS A BIT OF A SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM.

I HADN'T EXPECTED THAT WHEN I CAME.

I READ ALL ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND I HADN'T BEEN THINKING ABOUT THAT AND THEN CRASH COURSE AND AS I ARRIVED, I TALK ABOUT THAT IN THE BOOK.

I STARTED TO SUDDENLY REALIZE THAT BEING A WOMAN WAS NOT ALL IT WAS CRACKED UP TO BE.

BACK IN THE U.K., I WAS MUCH MORE WORRIED ABOUT CLASS DISCRIMINATION.

NOBODY EVER SAID TO ME I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I WAS A GIRL AND MY FATHER-- EVERYBODY ENCOURAGED ME TO DO THINGS BUT BEING WORKING CLASS, THE IDEA WAS THE TITLE OF THE BOOK, THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU HERE.

YOU NEEDED TO MOVE OUT OF THE REGION.

YOU WERE ALWAYS GOING TO BE HELD BACK.

ALWAYS THOUGHT OF WORKING CLASS AND IN BRITAIN PEOPLE WERE LESS FORGIVING, IT TURNS OUT TO WOMEN WITH THE NORTH OF ENGLAND ACCENTS MORE SO THAN MEN BUT WHEN I GOT TO THE UNITED STATES I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE WHAT MANY WOMEN DO WHEN THEY MOVE INTO A PROFESSIONAL POSITION, THERE ARE MANY OBSTACLES AND BARRIERS WE WERE MAKING FUN EARLIER ABOUT, DRESS AND WARDROBE MALFUNCTIONS I HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY NECKLACE AND WE HAD TO TAKE IT OFF BECAUSE IT WAS INTERFERING WITH THE MICROPHONE AND ON ONE OF MY VERY FIRST PROFESSIONAL OCCASIONS, AT THE KENNEDY SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT WHERE THERE WERE ONE OF TWO WOMEN IN SEMINAR AND I SHOWED UP IN MY BRITISH GRADUATE SCHOOL, KIND OF LOOK WHICH WAS RIPPED JEANS, DOC MARTIN BOOTS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A NICE SHIRT.

IT WASN'T A T-SHIRT BUT I SORT OF SIT DOWN AT THE DESK AND THERE IS AN AMAZING, YOU KNOW, OLDER WOMAN AND A SEA OF MEN WEARING SUITS.

AND THE OLDER WOMAN, DOROTHY, I TALK ABOUT HER AT HARVARD, JUST LOOKED AMAZING.

SHE HAD A SWEPT UP BEE HIVE HAIR SCIEL AND BIG GRIPPING GIANT FRAME GLASSES AND BIG SCAR OF AROUND AND I THOUGHT WOW.

LOOK AT HER.

I WAS KIND OF THINKING, MAYBE THIS ISN'T QUITE THE RIGHT LOOK FOR ME BUT ANYWAY... AND PARTICIPATING IN THE SEMINAR SHE TOOK ME TO ONE SIDE AND WAS LIKE IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO LISTEN TO YOU, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN LOOK AT YOU AS A YOUNGER WOMAN, YOU NEED A SUIT.

I THOUGHT OH THIS IS A BIT AWKWARD.

SHE SAID DO YOU HAVE A SUIT.

I DON'T HAVE A SUIT.

I WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT.

THIS WAS PLY DRESS JEANS AND DOC MARTENS AND SO I DIDN'T EXACTLY HAVE A LOT OF CLOTHES THERE AND SHE SAID WELL WE NEED TO GET YOU DRESSED FOR SUCCESS.

AND SHE TOOK ME OUT TO T.J. MAX.

SHE BOUGHT ME A SUIT AND A COUPLE OF TOPS AND SHE SAID JUST WEAR THAT SUIT AND CHANGE YOUR TOPS AND CHANGE YOUR EARRINGS.

I USED TO WEAR BIG CHUNKY EARRINGS.

SHE SAID NO ONE WILL EVER NOTICE.

SHE SAID YOU CAN DRESS LIKE ME WHEN YOU GET TO MY AGE.

I AM PROBABLY HER AGE NOW BUT I HAVEN'T PERFECTED THE BEE HIVE HAIR STYLE BUT NOT YET SHE SAID.

AND THE GUYS WILL NEVER NOTICE THAT YOU ARE WEARING THE SAME SUIT.

AND THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH WOMEN AROUND TO NOTICE EITHER SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

AS A WOMAN, YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING TO HAVE TO BE JUDGED BY HOW YOU DRESS AND SHE ALSO SAID, AND YOU ARE GOING HAVE ALL THESE OTHER PROBLEMS AS WELL ABOUT JUST MAKING YOURSELF FELT AS A PRESENCE IN THE ROOM.

>> WELL, SHE SET YOU ON THE PATH TO THE PINNACLES OF SUCCESS AS YOU WENT TO WORK FOR THE DONALD TRUMP WHITE HOUSE.

>> THAT WAS A DIFFERENT DRESS I DIDN'T MANAGE TO PULL OFF.

>> TELL US ABOUT THIS.

YOU DEVOTED YOUR LIFE TO STUDYING RUSSIAN POLITICS, RUSSIAN HISTORY, RUSSIAN LANGUAGE, YOU LIVED OVER THERE.

AND YOU HAD BEGUN TO FORM THE IDEAS THAT REALLY BECOME THE BACKBONE OF THIS BOOK IN TERMS OF THE REDUCTION OF SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY IN RUSSIA, THE U.K. AND THE U.S. AND THE STRUGGLE TO DEFINE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE BUT YOU FIND YOURSELF WORKING FOR A PRESIDENT WHO YOU SAID TRANSPARENTLY ADMIRED AND PRAISED AUTHORITARIANS.

AND THUGS WHICH WAS THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU BELIEVED IN BECAUSE FOR YOU, YOU HAD, ALTHOUGH GROWING UP IN THE U.K., VERY AMERICAN SENSE OF OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYBODY, INCLUDING YOURSELF.

AND WANTING TO RISE UP AND NOW YOU ARE WORKING FOR SOMEONE WHO IS IN LEAGUE WITH THE PUTINS AND THE LCC AND THE BOLSONARAS.

HOW DID YOU TREAT THE COG ANY OF DISSONANCE OF BELIEVING CERTAIN THINGS AND WORKING FOR HIM AND THEN TWO, TELL THE STORY OF WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IN UKRAINE AND HOW YOU CAME TO TESTIFY?

>> WELL, LOOK, I HAVE TO SAY THAT FIRST OF ALL, THIS WAS IN MANY RESPECTS, SOMEWHAT UNEXPECTED, NOT JUST ME WORKING IN THE ADMINISTRATION, BUT ALSO THE WAY THAT THINGS PLAYED OUT.

BECAUSE, OF COURSE, PRESIDENT TRUMP GETS ELECTED IN 2016.

WITH A PROMISE TO PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF, SO PEOPLE WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN COAL COUNTRY, HERE AND ACROSS THE MIDWEST AND ELSEWHERE.

PEOPLE ARE GROWING UP IN OLD INDUSTRIAL CITIES, MANUFACTURING CITIES, STEEL CITIES, WHO LOST THEIR JOBS.

AND HE WAS PROMISING THAT HE WAS GOING TO LISTEN TO THEM AND HEAR THEM AND, YOU KNOW, TRY TO FIX THINGS.

>> HE SOUNDED LIKE HE WAS RUNNING TO THE LEFT OF HILLARY CLINTON A LOT OF TIMES.

>> IN FACT, FOR MANY OF MY EXTENDED FAMILY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, HE WAS MAKING A KIND OF A PROMISE NOT JUST THAT I HEAR YOU AND I'M GOING TO FIX THINGS FOR YOU.

IT WASN'T JUST MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN BUT BRINGING JOBS BACK TO COAL COUNTRY AND STEEL COUNTRY AND PAYING RESPECT TO THE WORKING CLASS.

BUT, OF COURSE, THIS IS ALSO AGAINST THE BACKDROP IN 2016 OF A MASSIVE RUSSIAN INFLUENCE OPERATION AND AN ATTEMPT TO INTERFERE IN OUR ELECTIONS AND ALL OF THAT GOT TANGLED UP TOGETHER.

AND WHAT THE RUSSIANS DID IN 2016 WAS A CLASSIC COLD WAR PROPAGANDA AND INTERFERENCE OPERATION BUT IT METASTASIZED.

IT WAS SOMETHING THAT THRE COULDN'T HAVE ANTICIPATED BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM GETTING BACK TO ALL OF THE ISSUES WE TALKED ABOUT HERE, THE 2016 ELECTION WAS UNPRECEDENTED IN MANY RESPECTS, NOT JUST BECAUSE OF ITS VITRIOL AND ALL THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED, BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, 17 CANDIDATES AND YOU KNOW, PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS THE WILD CARD OUT OF ALL OF THIS.

I THINK THAT IN ITSELF IS UNPRECEDENTED.

NOBODY EXPECTED HIM TO BE A CANDIDATE.

NOBODY EXPECTED HIM TO BE THE PRESIDENT.

>> THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE NEED RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

>> THE RUSSIANS DIDN'T EITHER.

THE RUSSIANS THOUGHT THAT HILLARY CLINTON WAS GOING TO BE PRESIDENT AND VLADAMIR PUTIN PERSONALLY DID NOT LIKE HILLARY CLINTON.

THAT'S PROBABLY AN UNDERSTATEMENT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT-- >> I THINK THE FEELINGS WERE MUTUAL.

>> I THINK THEY WERE.

BUT IN 2011, VLADAMIR PUTIN HAD BEEN SORT OF MASQUERADING AS PRIME MINISTER OF RUSSIA.

PEOPLE MIGHT REMEMBER.

AND FEDOV WHO WAS THE PRESIDENT WAS THE PRESIDENT AND GOES BACK TO BEING PRIME MINISTER.

COMPLICATED RUSSIAN POLITICS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE SAME , YOU KNOW, CHECKS AND BALANCES THAT WE DO.

BUT BASICALLY PUTIN THOUGHT THAT HILLARY CLINTON HAD TRIED TO BLOCK HIS RETURN TO THE PRESIDENCY AND THERE WERE LOTS OF DEMONSTRATIONS IN RUSH AND SHE WAS SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE TIME.

SHE CRITICIZED HIS RETURN TO THE PRESIDENCY AND HE HAD HER IN HIS CROSS HAIRS.

HE THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO BE ELECTIONED AND HE WANTED TO GRIEVOUSLY WOUND HER AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE WHOEVER WAS THE PRESIDENT, AND AT THAT POINT WHEN HE STARTED OFF IN THIS OPERATION, HE COULDN'T HAVE POSSIBLY KNOWN IT WOULD BE DONALD TRUMP, WOULD BE THERE UNDER A CLOUD, QUESTION THE LEGITIMACY AND HE WANTED ALL THE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND VOTERS NO MATTER WHAT OUR PARTIES WERE BACKGROUND OR VIEWS MIGHT BE, TO HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN THE U.S.

POLITICAL SYSTEM.

AND ESPECIALLY IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

WHICH LOOKS MUCH MORE LIKE A REFERENDUM OR PLEBISCITE THAN A REGULAR ELECTION AND PUTIN KNOWS A THING OR TWO ABOUT MANIPULATION OF ELECTIONS AND THEN HE SET OFF HIS AGENTS TO INTERFERE.

AND SO THAT KIND OF FEEDS INTO EVERYTHING AND I WENT INTO THE ADMINISTRATION TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THIS AND ALONG THE WAY, AS YOU SAY, I START TO SEE THAT VERY UNFORTUNATELY, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SOMETHING OF AN OBSESSION WITH VLADAMIR PUTIN NOT IN THE WAYS IT WAS DEPICTED IN.

HE MENTIONED ALL THE TIME HOW STRONG AND POWERFUL PUTIN WAS, HOW HE ADMIRED THE WAY HE RAN THE COUNTRY.

>> HE SAID THAT ABOUT THE DICTATOR OF NORTH KOREA.

>> HE SAID THAT PUBLICLY.

I THINK TO BE VERY FAIR HERE, WITH NORTH KOREA, PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS PLAYING A GAME CAN KIM JONG-IL.

HE KNEW HE WAS ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING OUTRAGEOUS SHOOTING A MISSILE IN OUR DIRECTION.

HE WAS WARNED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA AND WAS PLAYING THE PLAID MAN GAME.

>> BY WRITING HIM LETTERS?

>> I ANY SO.

I SUPPOSE ONE COULD SAY IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE BUT I THINK HE REALLY UNDERSTOOD ABOUT IT AGAIN HE DESERVES AND SIMILAR WITH PRESIDENT ERDOGAN AND TURKEY AND THE INTERVIEW WITH BOB WOODWARD'S BOOK, PERIL, HE SAID I PREFER THE TOUGH ONES.

>> I THINK HE ENYOURS-- ENDORSED FOR REELECTION.

>> AND IT WAS REALLY, IT FITS INTO THE WHOLE THEME OF YOUR BOOK THE DISCUSSIONS THAT WE ARE HAVING AND I TALK IN MY BOOK AS WELL ABOUT THE SELF COUP, THE ATTEMPT TO STAY IN POWER AND THE KIND OF BELIEF THAT THE PRESIDENCY IN THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BE, IN FACT, A HYPER PERSONALIZED AND EXTRAORDINARY STRONG PRESIDENCY.

THIS ISN'T THE VIEW THAT DICK CHENEY HAS WHEN HE WAS ARGUING TO THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION FOR STRONG EXECUTIVE AND EXECUTIVE BRANCH.

IT WAS AN ARGUMENT FOR THE EXECUTIVE THE PERSON AND PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT AND HAVE I TO SAY I WAS QUITE TAKEN ABACK I MENTION IN THE BOOK I WAS ASTOUNDED BY THE PARALLELS OF PUTIN AND RUSSIA AND HOW HE ARTICULATED HIS VIEW OF THE PRESIDENCY WHICH IS EXACTLY THE CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENT FOR THE PRESIDENCY IN RUSSIA WHICH IS, IN MANY RESPECTS A KIND OF MODERN VERSION OF BEING A CZAR WITHOUT THE CHECKS AND BALANCES.

ALMOST LIKE A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY.

IT'S ABOVE THE PARTY SYSTEM AND ONLY PROTECTED IN THE CONSTITUTION.

AND ALTHOUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOT A CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR, SOME OF THE WAYS IN WHICH HE TALKED ABOUT THE PRESIDENCY SOUNDED MUCH MORE LIKE THE RUSSIAN VERSION OF THE PRESIDENCY OR THE FRENCH VERSION OF THE PRESIDENCY.

>> AND HE OFTEN SAID, I'VE GOT MY ARTICLE THE AND UNDER ARTICLE 2, CAN I DO WHATEVER I WANT.

>> EXACTLY.

>> WHICH IS JUST A DERANGED READING OF THE CONSTITUTION.

IT'S INCORRECT.

>> AND HE REALLY PICKED UP THEN IN MANY RESPECTS ON A LOT OF THE GRIEVANCES THAT WE HAVE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAVE BUILT UP OVER DECADES OF THE DEINDUSTRIALIZATION.

PEOPLE FEELING THEY HAVE LOST THEIR PLACE IN SOCIETY; YOU THOUGH, THEY'VE LOST THEIR LIVELIHOODS.

IDENTITIES CHALLENGED AND THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN RUSSIA.

VLADAMIR PUTIN CAME INTO THE PRESIDENCY AT THE END OF THE 1990S, 10 YEARS AFTER THE DISSOLUTION AND COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION AND HE WANTED TO MAKE RUSSIA GREAT AGAIN AND HE WAS SUPPORTED BY ALL THE PEOPLE, VERY SIMILAR CONSTITUENCY FEEL LIKE THEY'VE LOST THEIR PLACE.

THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PUT THE EMPIRE BACK AGAIN.

THE PEOPLE WHO WANT THEIR OLD LIVES AND IDENTITIES BACK AGAIN.

AND YOU KNOW, WITH PUTIN AND UKRAINE AND RUSSIA TODAY, WE SAW PLAYING OUT, THAT DESIRE TO PUT THINGS BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE 30 YEARS AGO.

AND OF COURSE, WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THE UNITED STATES IN A VERY SIMILAR PLACE.

>> YEAH WELL.

WHAT WE'VE GOT, HOWEVER, IS A SUCCESSFUL DEMOCRACY, THE WORLD'S GREATEST MULTIRACIAL MULTIETHNIC MULTIRELIGIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY I WOULD LIKE TO RAISE THOUGHTS ABOUT POPULISM YOU SAID IN THE BOOK.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID I'M GOING TO GET THROUGH CONGRESS AND GO TO THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO MY RALLIES, YOU KNOW, AND POPULISM HAS AN HONORABLE NOBLE HERITAGE IN OUR COUNTRY, TOO.

FROM THE 1890S AND THE 1900s, IT WAS NOT AN ATTACK ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY I.

WAS NOT AN ATTACK ON ELECTIONS AND OUR POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS.

IT WAS NOT AN ATTACK ON THE MEDIA AND THE FREE PRESS.

IT WAS AN ARGUMENT FOR BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES SO IT WAS, IF ANYTHING, AN ATTACK ON MONOPOLY POWER AND THE RAILROADS AND THE TRUSTS AND IT'S WHAT HELPED GIVE BIRTH TO THE ANTITRUST MOVEMENT.

SO IT'S TRUE THAT THE LABEL POPULISM UNDER STEVE BANNON AND ROGER STONE AND DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED BY RIGHT WING AUTHORITARIAN UMP BUT POPULISM HAS ANOTHER MEANING, TOO, THAT WE NEED TO RECAPTURE SO I HOPE YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, I HOPE YOU DON'T THROW POPULISM AWAY AS ONE OF THE STREAMS OF AMERICAN HISTORY THAT WE NEED LIKE PROGRESSIVISM, CONSERVE TICHISM, LIBERALISM.

ALL OF THE STREAMS THAT MAKE UP THE BEAUTIFUL MOSAIC OF AMERICAN POLITICS.

>> I THINK IT GOES BACK TO WHAT WE WERE SAYING, WHEN I WAS ASKING YOU QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR BOOK, VERY BEGINNING OF THE PREAPRIL BELIEVE, TO THE CONSTITUTION, WE THE PEOPLE WE MEADE TO PUT PEOPLE BACK IN POMP LIMP.

THE DISTORTION IS SOMEBODY ABLE TO SAY THEY SPEAK IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE.

BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BECOME AN UNWASHED MASS, UNDIFFERENTIATED MASS AND WE THE PEOPLE MEANT WE ALL HAD AGENCY.

WE ALL HAVE THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING FOR OURSELVES, MAKE DECISIONS FOR OURSELVES AND HAVE DIFFERENT FORMS OF REPRESENTATION.

A DIFFERENT LEAFS.

NOT JUST IN CONSECUTIVE BUT WE COULD REPRESENT OURSELVES IN LABOR MOVEMENTS.

WE ARE SEEING A NEW LABOR MOVEMENTY AMERICANING IN THE UNITED STATES.

EVEN OUR RESEARCH AT BROOKINGS NOW HAVE A UNION THAT THEY'VE FORMED.

THE STARBUCKS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF BA REEFT AKIND PEOPLE-- BA RIS 25 ARE THINKING WHAT IS GOING ON?

PEOPLE WANT TO FEEL HAT THEY CAN MAKE THEIR VOICE HEARD.

NOT JUST ONE PERSON, THE OWNER OF A COMPANY.

>> THAT'S ANOTHER POINT OF CONVERGENCE BETWEEN OUR TWO BOOKS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF WE ARE GOING HAVE AN AUTHORITARIAN AUTOCRATIC SOCIETY, THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE IS IRRELEVANT.

ALL MATTERS IS THE HEALTH OF THE PRESIDENT WHO CAN HAVE, AS DONALD TRUMP DID, 35 DOCTORS RUNNING AROUND WHEN HE DECIDED TO GIVE HIMSELF COVID-19 BY NOT WEARING A MASK AND THEN HE CAN GET A HELICOPTER RIDE TO GO GET, YOU KNOW, THE BEST MEDICAL CARE IN THE WORLD.

THE HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE DOESN'T MATTER.

BUT IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A DEMOCRACY, WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION NOT ONLY TO THE PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE, BUT THE EMOTIONAL AN MENTAL HEALTH OF THE PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S EVERYBODY.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> BECAUSE DEMOCRACY IS BASED ON THE IDEA OF THE AGENCY OF EACH CITIZEN AUNDERSTAND WE NEED EVERYBODY PARTICIPATING AND TAKE TURN IN PUBLIC OFFICE AND WE NEED EVERYBODY ENGAGED AT EVERY LEFL AT THE LOCAL, STATE, COUNTY, FEDERAL.

AND SO WE NEED PEOPLE AT THEIR BEST.

AND YOU KNOW, WE ARE LIVING AT A TIME OF TRAUMA AND IT'S NOT JUST MY FAMILY.

800,000 FAMILIES ARE MOURNING PEOPLE LOST TO COVID-19 AND COMPARABLE NUMBERS WHO HAVE LOST MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILY IN THE OPIOID CRISIS AND GUN VIOLENCE YOU NAME IT WE HAVE THE PLAGUES ON THE LAND AND I TALKED A LOT ABOUT TRAUMA IN MY BOOK.

BECAUSE WE EXPERIENCED, YOU KNOW, A BIG TRAUMA IN OUR FAMILY AND TRAUMA CAN STEAL FROM YOU EVERYTHING THAT IS MOST PRECIOUS AND BELOVED AND IMPORTANT.

BUT IF YOU ARE WILLING TO STICK WITH IT, TRAUMA CAN ALSO CONNECT YOU TO OTHER PEOPLE IN A WAY FAR MORE PROFOUND THAN EVER YOU KNEW BEFORE, AND YOU CAN FEEL OTHER PEOPLE'S PAIN AND LOSS AND WE'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH THAT IN AMERICA TO GET THROUGH THIS TERRIBLE PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY AND TO GET BACK TO A KIND OF FUTURE THAT IS WORTHY OF OUR KIDS.

>> THIS IS THE ESSENCE, ALSO OF THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION.

YOU HAVE BEEN GIVING YOUR RENDERERRING OF IT WHEN I THOUGHT WAS WONDERFUL, YOU TALKED ABOUT WELFARE.

THE GENERAL WELFARE.

AND WE'VE LOST SIGHT OF WHAT THAT WORD MEANS AS WELL.

WELFARE MEANS WELL-BEING.

IT DOESN'T MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOMEBODY LIVING OFF THE STATE AND HANDOUTS.

WHERE I GREW UP IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND, IN COAL MINING COUNTRY, THE MINERS OF THE DURHAM MINERS ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS ONE OF THE FOR BEARERS OF THE NATIONAL MINE WORKERS, ESTABLISHED WELFARE SOCIETIES.

AND THOSE WELFARE SOCIETIES WERE FOR MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, MUTUAL AID AID.

IF PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS, THEY NEEDED.

>> WELFARE MEANT COLLECTIVE SELF HELP.

>> EXACTLY AND THEY HAD ALL KINDS OF SOCIETIES.

FOOTBALL TEAMS, SOCCER TEAMS, MY GRAND PAIRCHTS ACTUALLY HELPED SET UP ON-- GRANDPARENTS ACTUALLY HELPED SET UP.

EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING AFTER EACH OTHER, THEY WERE HELPING SET UP COLLECTIVE LEISURE PURSUITS BUT THEY WERE ALL LOOKING OUT FOR EACH OTHER AND AT A TIME OF TRAUMA AND THERE WAS ALWAYS GREAT TRAUMA IN THE COAL FIELDS, HORRIBLE MINING ACCIDENTS AND PEOPLE LOSING THEIR LIVES ALSO FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL KINDS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND THE PANDEMIC, EVERYBODY WOULD LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO BRING BACK, THE SENSE OF WHAT WELFARE MEANS AND PUT WELL-BEING BACK IN THE CENTER.

THE IDEA THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT FORWARD THAT WE REALLY HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER AND HAVE I TO SAY AGAIN, I HAVE LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES MORE THAN FOR MUCH LONGER THAN I LIVED IN THE U.K.

BUT I STILL CAN'T GET MY HEAD AROUND THE RESISTANCE IN THE UNITED STATES TO A MORE BROAD-BASED HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.

THERE IS REALLY BASED ON THE WHOLE IDEA OF WELFARE AND WELL-BEING.

[ APPLAUSE ] I MEAN THE U.K., WE LOVE OUR NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE AND THE NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE ISN'T PERFECT BY ANY STRETCH BUT IT CO-EXISTS ALONGSIDE PRIVATE SECTOR.

IT NEVER WENT AWAY BUT THE WHOLE IDEA AFTER WORLD WAR II AND WE HAVE ALL BEEN THROUGH THE SAME TRAUMA AT THE END OF THE PANDEMIC, WORLD WAR II REVEALED THAT THERE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION AND UNEMPLOYMENT AND NATIONAL WAS MEANT TO LIBERATE THE PEOPLE FROM BEING STUCK AT THEIR WORKPLACES BECAUSE MINERS LIKE MY FATHER WOULD ALWAYS LOSELY JOB BUT THEY WOULD ALWAYS HAVE TO GO OUT AND LOOK FOR SOMETHING ELSE BUT THEY WOULD HAVE BASIC HEALTHCARE.

THEY WOULD HAVE BASIC WELFARE TO LOOK AFTER THEIR WEALTH BEING AND IT WAS CARE.

IT WASN'T AMAZING INTERVENTIONS TO KEEP AWE LIVE IN THE MOST EXTREME AND DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.

IT WAS MORE FOCUSED ON THE PRIMARY CARE.

>> FAMILY DOCTOR WE CAN GET BACK TO THAT.

>> COVID-19, THE NIGHTMARE OF THIS PLAGUE SHOULD TEACH US IF NOTHING ELSE THAT EVERYBODY'S HEALTHCARE IS CONNECTED TO EVERYBODY EASELS' HEALTHCARE AND SO IT'S IN OUR INTEREST THAT EVERYBODY HAS THE ABILITY TO GO TO A DOCTOR MAYBE IT WILL LEAD TO A MORE CARING SOCIETY IF WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

BUT WE HAVE TO GET OVER THIS IDEA THAT IT IS FINE FOR 30 OR 40 MILLION PEOPLE NOT TO BE INSURED AND HEALTHCARE SHOULD BE PRIMARILY A FOR-PROFIT ENTERPRISE INSTEAD OF AN EFFORT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE.

LOOK, THE GOVERNMENT IN OUR SOCIETY, IF YOU FOLLOW THE PREAMBLE, THE CONSTITUTION, THE GOVERNMENT IS AN INSTRUMENT FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE AND WE'VE GOT TO RECOVER THAT BASIC IDEA.

IF YOU GO OUT THERE, YOU TRASH THE GOVERNMENT YOU MUTILATE THE GOVERNMENT, YOU BEAT UP OUR POLICE OFFICERS, YOU TRY TO TEAR DOWN OUR INSTITUTIONS, YOU ARE TEARING DOWN YOUR OWN DEMOCRACY.

THIS IS OUR DEMOCRACY AND WE GOT TO MAKE IT WORK.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.

I THINK FOR BOTH OF US COMING DOWN TO KENTUCKY, SEEING THE KIND OF VIBRANCY OF CIVIC LIFE HERE, THE KENTUCKY OFFICE FORMS, SO MANY PEOPLE COMING OUT FOR THE CONVERSATION, THIS IS WHERE IT ALL HAPPENS.

IT HAPPENS AT THE MUNICIPAL AND THE LOCAL LEVEL IT HANS AT THE REGIONAL, STATE LEVEL.

I MEAN THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES.

THERE IS WHERE PEOPLE MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

SO IT'S A MIXTURE OF THE NATIONAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AT THE TOP, BUT IT'S REALLY WE THE PEOPLE AND ALL OF OUR PLACES AND OUR COMMUNITIES, OUR PLACES OF WORK-- >> IT ABSOLUTELY IS.

>> THIS IS WHERE WE MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

>> SO I MEAN, I WOULD LIKE TO CLOSE JUST BY MAKING A PLEA FOR REMEMBERING THAT DEMOCRACY BELONGS TO ALL OF US, WE DON'T HAVE TO THINK IN PARTISAN TERMS ABOUT EVERYTHING.

WE CAN THINK IN CIVIC TERMS.

ONE OF MY FRIENDS WHO LEFT CONGRESS A FEW YEARS AGO SAID TO ME ON THE WAY OUT THE PROBLEM WITH YOU, RASKIN, IS THAT YOU ARE A LIBERAL.

I SAID YOU ARE DAMN RIGHT I'M A LIBERAL.

THE BART OF THAT WORD IS LIBERTY, AND A PROGRESSIVE PART OF THE WORD IS PROGRESS AND CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE I WANT TO CONSERVE THE LAND, THE AIR, THE WATER, THE CLIMATE SYSTEM, THE CONSTITUTION, THE BILL OF RIGHTS, SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICAID MEDICAID, CIVIL RIGHTS ACT VOTING RIGHTS ACT.

ALL OF SIT, WE HAVE TO STAND UP FOR CIVILIZATION RIGHT NOW IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BECOMING AN AMERICAN AND BEING A GREAT AMERICAN.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR REALLY BEING A TRUE REPRESENTATIVE.

I MEAN IT'S NOT JUST THAT YOU ARE MY REPRESENTATIVE, BUT THE EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF MARYLAND, WHICH WE ARE ALL VERY PROUD TO HAVE JAMIE RASKIN AS OUR CONGRESSMAN.

BUT YOU ARE ALSO REPRESENTING ALL OF US RIGHT NOW BY YOUR WORK ON THE COMMITTEE.

[ APPLAUSE ]