TONIGHT ON "GREATER BOSTON", I AM ADAM REILLY IN FOR JIM BRAUDE, AS THE COUNTRY SO-CALLED "FOREVER WAR" IN AFGHANISTAN FINALLY STARTS TO DRAW TO A CLOSE, WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN PLANNING TO BRING TROOPS HOME OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS WHAT HAVE WE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE PAST 20 YEARS?

WHAT HAVE WE LOST?

AND IS THE PRESIDENT MAKING THE RIGHT CALL?

I AM JOINED BAY FORMER ARMY RANGER AND BRONZE STAR WINNER WHO SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN, ERIC EDSTROM.

>> AND THEN ACTING MAYOR KIM IS THE FIRST EVER WOMAN AND PERSON OF COLOR TO LEAD BOSTON AT LENGTH BUT I WILL A TALK TO TWO LOCAL LEADERS WITH TWO DISTINCT APPROACHES AIMED AT ENSURING CITY'S NEXT MAYOR REPRESENTS PEOPLE OF COLOR.

SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN WAS IN AFGHANISTAN TODAY MEETING WITH PRESIDENT ASHRAF GHANI AND OTHER LEADERS JUST HOURS AFTER PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED PLANS TO WITHDRAW ALL U.S.

TROOPS FROM THAT COUNTRY NEARLY TWO DECADES AFTER AMERICAN BOOTS FIRST STEPPED ON TO AFGHAN SOIL.

>> WE WENT TO AFGHANISTAN BECAUSE OF A HORRIFIC ATTACK THAT HAPPENED 20 YEARS AGO.

THAT CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY WE SHOULD REMAIN THERE IN 2021.

IT'S TIME TO END AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR.

>> Reilly: BIDEN SAID TROOPS WILL START TO PULL OUT OF THE COUNTRY NEXT MONTH WITH PLANS TO BE FULLY OUT BY SEPTEMBER 11.

AND HE ARGUES THE U.S. HAS LONG SINCE ACCOMPLISHED CAN WHAT GEORGE W. BUSH FIRST SET OUT TO DO.

>> I BELIEVED THAT OUR PRESENCE IN AFGHANISTAN A SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE REASON WE WENT IN THE FIRST PLACE, TO ENSURE AFGHANISTAN WOULD NOT BE USED AS A A BASE FROM WHICH TO ATTACK OUR HOMELAND.

WE ACCOMPLISHED THAT OBJECTIVE.

WE DELIVERED JUSTICE TO BIN LADEN A DECADE AGO, AND WE HAVE STAYED IN AFGHANISTAN FOR A DECADE SINCE.

BUT SECRETARY BLINKEN HAS SIGNALED TO AFGHAN LEADERS THIS DOESN'T MEAN THE U.S. WILL FOREGO ALL RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE COUNTRY WE OCCUPIED SINCE 2001.

>> LET ME BE CLEAR, EVEN WITH OUR TROOPS HOME, WE AS AN ALLIANCE AND THE UNITED STATES AS A COUNTRY WILL CONTINUE TO INVEST IN AND SUPPORT THE AFGHAN PEOPLE AND THEIR CHOSEN LEADERS.

WE WILL ALSO REMAIN VIGILANT AGAINST ANY POSSIBILITY THAT THE THREAT OF TERRORISM REEMERGES IN AFGHANISTAN.

>> WE WILL REORGANIZE OUR ANTI-TERRORISM CAPABILITIES TO STAY ON TOP OF THAT.

WE WILL ALSO HOLD THE TALIBAN ACCOUNTABLE TO ITS COMMITMENTS TO KEEP AL QAEDA OR ANY TERRORIST ORGANIZATION FROM USING AFGHANISTAN AS A BASE FOR ATTACKS AGAINST US.

>> MEANWHILE, TOP REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST BIDEN'S DECISION URGING HIM TO RECONSIDER.

>> I BEG YOU PRESIDENT BIDEN, REEVALUATE THIS, DON'T LOCK YOURSELF IN.

THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE QUICK ANY AFGHANISTAN FOR THE WORSE.

AL QAEDA AND ISIS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT VERY QUICKLY FROM THIS DECISION.

>> THE ADMINISTRATION DECIDED TO ABANDON U.S. EFFORTS IN AFGHANISTAN WHICH HAVE HELPED KEEP RADICAL ISLAMIC TERRORISM IN CHECK.

AND BIZARRELY, THEY HAVE DECIDED TO DO SO BY SEPTEMBER 11TH.

APPARENTLY, WE ARE TO HELP OUR ADVERSARIES RING IN THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 ATTACKS BY GIFT WRAPPING THE COUNTRY AND HANDING IT RIGHT BACK TOO THEM.

>> Reilly: I AM JOINED NOW BY ERIC ED STRONL, FORMER ARMY RANGER AND BRONTS STAR WINNER WHO SERVED AS AN INFANTRY PLATOON LEADER IN AFGHANISTAN.

HE IS ALSO THE AWE FOR OF UNAMERICAN, A SOLDIER'S ROCK KINK OPEN OUR LONG HE HER.

>> LONGEST WAR.

>> CONGRATULATE TO SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN.

>> THE SAME.

LET ME START OFF BY ASKING YOU.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT PRESIDENT BIDEN'S DECISION TO MAKE THIS A COMPLETE PULL-OUT?

>> I HEARD ABOUT IT JUST DURING THE WORKDAY AND ONE OF MY FRIENDS WAS MESSAGING ME AND SAID, HEY, HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

AND IT IS HARD TO REALLY CAPTURE THE EMOTION THAT YOU FEEL WHEN YOU SEE THAT AND SO ABRUPTLY AND YOU KNOW, OVERALL I WAS FILLED WITH POSITIVE FEELINGS.

>> Reilly: YOU SAY OVERALL YOU ARE FILLED WITH POSITIVE FEELINGS.

I JUST WANT TO GET THIS STRAIGHT SO VIEWERS KNOW.

HOW MUCH TIME DID YOU SPEND IN AFGHANISTAN IN THE COURSE OF YOUR MILITARY SERVICE?

>> I WAS THERE FOR ABOUT A YEAR BETWEEN 2009 AND 2010 JUST PRESURGE IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE WHICH AT THE TIME WAS ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT DISTRICTS AND PROVINCE MRS.

THE AREA.

>> Reilly: WHEN YOU SAY THAT AS A WHOLE, YOUR FEELINGS WERE POSITIVE WE WILL TALK MORE ABOUT YOUR TAKE ON WHAT AFGHANISTAN HAS TO TEACH US ABOUT AMERICAN MILTARISM, THE WAY SOCIETY HAS A, AS A WHOLE IN THIS COUNTRY RELATES TO THE MILITARY AS AN INSTITUTION BUT I AM WONDERING, AND I DON'T MEAN TO EMPHASIZE NEGATIVE, IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT LEAVENED THAT POSITIVE PETITION MY ASSUMPTION IS, I MEAN VERY LITTLE TO DO THE WORK YOU DID BUT MY ASSUMPTION IS YOU FORGED TIES AND GOT TO KNOW AFGHANI PEOPLE IN YOUR TIME THERE WHOSE LIVES MAY BE ALTERED FOR THE WORSE BY THIS DECISION, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN IT IS THE WRONG ONE.

WAS THERE SOME OF THAT?

DID YOU FIND YOURSELF THINKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO YOU SPENT TIME WITH AND WONDERING HOW THIS MIGHT IMPACT THEM?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE GROUPS WHICH IS RELATIVELY FORGOTTEN AND MARGINALIZED IS ACTUALLY THE GROUP OF INTERPRETERS, SO I STILL HAVE AND, AN INTERPRETER WHO HAS BEEN IN THE QUEUE WAITING ABOUT FIVE YEARS WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO FINISH THE VERY LAST GATEWAY TO HOPEFULLY RECEIVE WHAT IS AN SIV OR SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA TO COME 0 THE UNITED STATES.

HE SERVED US HONORABLY AND I DO WORRY ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO HIM AND HIS AMENDMENT NEXT.

>> YOUR WORLD VIEW CHANGED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT BETWEEN THE TIME THAT YOU ENLISTED, WHICH YOU DID AT A VERY YOUNG AGE AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH AND THE TIME YOU WERE HONORABLY DISCHARGED.

I AM WONDERING, GIVEN YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE, THE WAY YOUR MINDSET CHANGED, WHY DO YOU THINK IT TOOK SO LONG FOR OUR COUNTRY AS A WHOLE, AND OBVIOUSLY THERE IS PLENTY OF DISSENT AS WE INDICATED, WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR AMERICA AS A WHOLE TO DECIDE, OKAY, THIS WAR THAT WE HAVE DEVOTED SO MANY RESOURCES TO ON SO OPINION LEVELS, IT IS TIME TO END THIS THING NOW?

>> I THINK IT IS AN ISSUE THAT IS CULTURAL, AND IT IS ALSO AN ISSUE THAT RELATES TO GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP SPECIFICALLY IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

TACKLING THE FIRST ISSUE ABOUT CULTURE IS THAT AMERICA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PRIDE IN ITS MILITARY.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THE 20TH CENTURY, WE HAVE COME OUT OFTENTIMES ASSORT OF THE WINNER AT AT THE END OF THE CONFLICTS AND MUCH OF THE FIGHTING IS DONE ON OTHER SOIL SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY FULLY EXPERIENCE THE BRUNT AND THE HARDSHIPS AND COSTS OF WAR THAT OTHER COUNTRIES ENDURE BY HAVING THE FIGHTING TAKE PLACE ON THEIR DOORSTEP.

SO WE HAVE A VERY DISTANCED VIEW OF WHAT IT IS TO BE AT WAR AND THAT IS ONE PORTION OF IT.

BUT THROUGHOUT THE TIME THAT WE HAVE BEEN IN AFGHANISTAN, WE HAVE BEEN GETTING DRIP FEED INFORMATION FROM REPORTS, THERE IS THE AFGHANISTAN PAPERS AND MANY, MANY MORE WHICH HAS BASICALLY OUTLINED HOW MUCH OF A FIASCO AND CIRCULAR LOOP FIGHTING THE CAN COMBAT HAS BEEN AND THE LACK OF PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE.

SO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS AROUND IT INVOLVE WAS IT REALLY AN ISSUE OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC NOT HAVING ENOUGH SKIN IN THE GAME SO TO SPEAK?

DID THEY NOT PEEL THE WAR PERSONALLY?

BECAUSE FOR MANY, I MEAN IT IS A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE THAT IS IN THE MILITARY AND OF THAT PERCENTAGE AND AN EVEN SMALLER PERCENTAGE THAT ACTUALLY ARE IN DIRECT COMBAT IN SORT OF A TOOTH TO TAIL RATIO SORT OF PERSPECTIVE.

SO VERY FEW PEOPLE REALLY COME BACK WITH THOSE COMBAT STORIES AND IN OBJECTIVE TERMS WHEN YOU LOOK AT PAST WARS THE NUMBER OF TOTAL SOLDIERS KILLED IS FAR FEWER AND YOU ARE NOT FEELING IT IN YOUR WALLET BECAUSE IT HAS ALL BEEN LEVERAGED IN DEBT AGAINST FUTURE PROCESS ENTER AT THIS OF FUTURE CITIZENS A AND TO THINK VIETNAM I THINK TODAY'S DOLLARS IS SOMETHING LIKE 700 BILLION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND NOW WE ARE LOOKING AT 6.4 TRILLION OF AM MORE DIVED COSTS TO SERVICE THAT DEBT ..

SO THERE IS THAT ASPECT AS WELL AND I THINK ON THE CULTURAL SIDE, THERE IS A GREATER ISSUE OF PEOPLE SEEING BUT PERHAPS FEELING A SENSE OF CIVIC HELPLESSNESS 0 OR THIS SYMPTOMS OF WHAT I DESCRIBED AS LA GOTTIZED PATRIOTISM IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE PATRIOTISM HERE DIFFERS VASTLY FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND WHAT IT MEANS IN AMERICA IS BIGGER AND BETTER, MORE OSTENTATIOUS PRESENTATIONS OF FLAGS AND SORT OF PAGEANTRY, BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT ALWAYS OR AT LEAST AFTER COMBAT SEEMS BEFUDDLING THAT PEOPLE WOULD PAT THESE SOLDIERS ON THE BACK AND SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, KNOWING THAT THE WAR THAT THEY ARE BEING SENT TO PERHAPS OR THEIR FOURTH YEARLONG DEPLOYMENT IS SELF-DEFEATING, AND TO ME THAT ISN'T, IN FACT, PATRIOTISM, THAT IS MORE LIKE BETRAYAL, AND TO TALK ABOUT THE SECOND ISSUE WHICH YOU MENTIONED OR THAT I BROUGHT UP IS ABOUT GOVERNANCE AND THE LEADERSHIP ISSUES OF CONGRESS BASICALLY NOT DOING THEIR JOB WHEN IT COMES TO THE WAR POWERS.

THEY ARE CONSTITUTIONALLY TO GIVEN THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DECLARE WAR AND YET WHAT WE HAVE IS AN AMUF THAT NEEDS TO BE REPEALED WHICH IS ALL ENCOMPASSING TO FIGHT ANYWHERE AT ANY TIME FOR ANY DURATION WITHOUT SOME -- SUNSET CLAUSES OR ANYWAY TO VOTE OUT CONGRESSMEN WHO ARE VOTING THE WRONG WAY SO-SO THERE IS NO SORT OF FEEDBACK LOOP, ADAM.

>> Reilly: I CAN'T HELP THINK BUT THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF US HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PERSONAL CONNECT CAN SHUN TO MILITARY SERVICE IS A LARGE PART OF IT.

FORGIVE ME IF YOU ALREADY MENTIONED THAT.

BUT THE ONLY PEOPLE I KNOW WHO HAVE SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN A OR IRAQ ARE PEOPLE WHO WHO I HAVE MET THROUGH WORK IN TERMS OF MY OWN FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, IT JUST WASN'T A THING.

AND I AM NOT PROUD TO SAY THAT BUT IT DRIVES HOME YOUR POINT ABOUT HOW THE RISKS OF SERVING ARE RESTRICTED TO A VERY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO BEAR THIS INCREDIBLE BURDEN AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN WHILE A LOT OF US DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT A IT AND MAYBE GIVE A THUMBS UP IF WE SEE THEM IN UNIFORM.

DO YOU THINK AS YOU LOOK BACK ON YOUR TIME THERE, AND ON THE U.S.'S TIME THERE, DID WE ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING 0 CONCRETE IN AFGHANISTAN?

THE PRESIDENT SAYS WE DID, THAT WE ACHIEVED WHAT GEORGE W. BUSH SET TOUT ACHIEVE.

HOW DO YOU READ IT?

>> UNDER ANY SORT OF OBJECTIVE METRIC, IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE A TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY WHERE MORE HAS BEEN SPENT ACCOMPLISHING LESS, AND IF DA, IF YOU SERIOUSLY PLUM THE DEPTH, I ENCOURAGE LOOKING FOR ANSWERS.

HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TIME WHERE WE SPENT MORE MONEY ACHIEVING LESS?

AND TO MAKE THE WORLD LESS SAFE.

IT HAS NOT BENEFITED THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS.

YOU KNOW, THERE IS MORE THAN TWO 9/11'S WORTH OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO HAVE KILLED THEMSELVES FROM SUICIDE SINCE THE WARS HAVE BEGUN AND ANOTHER SORT OF TWO, 9/11S OR THEREABOUTS FOR NUMBER OF SOLDIERS KILLED IN COMBAT.

SO THE SOLDIERS ARE NOT BENEFITING.

THEY SPENT YEARS AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILY.

THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER IS NOT BENEFITING BECAUSE ALL OF THIS DEBT, THESE TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DEBT IS BEING LEVERAGED AGAINST THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF AMERICAN CITIZENS AND THE PERSON PUBLIC CERTAINLY ISN'T BENEFITING BECAUSE THERE IS FAR LARGER FISH TO FRY AND EVERY DOLLAR SPENT WASTED IN WARS IN THE GREATER MIDDLE EAST IS ACTUALLY, IN FACT, A A REINVESTMENT IN FUTURE WARS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT DEALT WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS, FOR INSTANCE AND WE ALL HAVE ACT A KNOWLEDGED IN THE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS A LARGE DESTABILIZING FORCE, SO BY BEING IN THE MIDDLE EAST YOU ARE ACTUALLY INVESTING IN MORE MOHR WAR IN THE FUTURE.

>> WE HAVE FOUR 45 SECONDS LEFT.

ARE THERE PEOPLE YOU SERVED WITH WHO ARE RELUCTANT TO GO AS FAR AS YOU DO IN SAYING THIS WAR WAS A WASTED VENTURE BECAUSE WHAT THIS DOES THIS RETROSPECT INVALIDATE ALL OF THESE SACK ICES THAT THEY HAD TO MAKE TO BE THERE.

YOU HAVE GOT ABOUT HALF A MINUTE TO TACKLE THAT HUGE QUESTION.

>> DISAGREE.

I THINK THAT IT IS A TRAGIC LOSS, BUT IT IS NOT ENTIRELY WASTED.

THE NOTION OF -- ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT HOW SOMEONE ELSE DESCRIBES WAR IS INCREDIBLY INDIVIDUALISTIC, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO AS A COUNTRY IS LEARN AND ENSURE THAT DO WE NOT DO IT AGAIN.

>> Reilly: ERIC EDSTROM, THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO TALK WITH ME AND I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS OUTCOME, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON BEING A PART OF A PUSH THAT HAS LED TO THIS INCREDIBLY LONG WAR FINALLY COMING TO A CLOSE.

BOSTON'S ACTING MAYOR KIM JANEY HAS BEEN IN THAT JOB FOR LESS THAN A MONTH BUT RIGHT NOW HER PROSPECTS OF LEADING THE CITY ON A PERMANENT BASIS LOOK PRETTY GOOD A NEW POLL SHOWS JANIE MERE THE TOP OF THE MAYORAL FIELD ALONG WITH AT LARGE CITY COUNCILOR MICHELLE WU, 19 PERCENT OF REGISTERED BOSTON VOTERS SAY THEY ARE MOST LIKELY TO SUPPORT WU AND 18 PERCENT SAY JANIE, MAKING THE RACE A VIRTUAL DEAD HEAT.

COMING IN THIRD ANN A ANN, ANNISSA ESSAIBI GEORGE WHO IS AT SIX PERCENT, OF COURSE IT IS STILL EARLY AND 46 PERCENT OF VOTERS SAY THEY ARE UNDECIDED.

ALL OF WHICH RAISES SOME QUESTIONS FOR A CAMPAIGN TO MAKE SURE THE NEXT MAYOR IS A BLACK BOSTONIAN, FOR WEEKS WHAT LED BY FORMER STATE SENATOR DIANNE WILKERSON HAS BEEN PLANNING TO GET THE CITY'S BLACK VOTERS TO COALESCE BEHIND ONE CANDIDATE, AND IT BEGAN BEFORE JANIE ANNOUNCED THAT SHE IS RUNNING.

MEANWHILE THERE IS ANOTHER SEPARATE PUSH TO MAKE SURE BOSTON'S NEXT MAYOR, WHOEVER THEY ARE, IS RESPONSIVE TO THE CONCERNS OF PEOPLE OF COLOR BROADLY SPEAKING.

SO WHERE DO JANIE AND WU'S STRONG EARLY SHOWING BELIEF ANDREA CAROL OR JOHN BARROS AND WHAT ABOUT OTHER COUNCILORS OF COLOR LIKE ANNISSA ESSAIBI GEORGE AND JOHN SAN DIEGO.

>> COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WHO IS WORKING ON THAT PUSH TO MAKE SURE THE NEXT MAYOR EFFECTIVELY REPRESENTS BOSTON'S COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND DIANNE WILKERSON, THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

>> PLEASURE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> DIANE, LET ME START WITH YOU, FOR VIEWERS WHO MIGHT NEED A REFRESHER, HOW HAS RECENT HISTORY OR EVEN NOT SO RECENT HISTORY INFORMED THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES ARE DOING RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE RECENT HISTORY BEING 2013, WHEN THERE WAS I THINK PRETTY MUCH UNIVERSAL DISAPPOINTMENT AMONG THE BLACK COMMUNITY, ANYWAY, THAT WE NEVER GOT TO A POINT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO EXECUTE A PROCESS TO PICK ONE CANDIDATE, AND SO THE MOST RECENT HISTORY IN 2018 WHEN FACED WITH THAT PROCESS AGAIN, THAT PROSPECT AGAIN, WE DID HAVE A PROCESS VERY QUIETLY BUT THAT HAD ALL THREE OF THE BLACK CANDIDATES FOR THEN THE OPEN DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S SEAT REQUEST, AND SO THAT IS WHY THIS WILL COUNT AS TWO BECAUSE THE FIRST WILL COUNT AS 2018, WE WENT THROUGH A PROCESS, WE BROUGHT PEOPLE IN, WE HAD MEETINGS, LARGE MEETINGS WHICH WE CAN'T DO NOW, AT LEAST IN PERSON OF CANDIDATES QUESTIONNAIRE, INTERVIEWS AND A FINAL DECISION THAT RESULTED IN A PRETTY, ALMOST UNANIMOUS VOTE THAT RACHEL ROLLINS WOULD BE THE CANDIDATE THAT WE SUPPORTED.

>> Reilly: AND HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU, AS YOU SAY, THERE IS THIS HUGE KAF ACCURATE THAT WE ARE LIVING THROUGH A HOPEFULLY ONCE IN A LIFETIME PANDEMIC, HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU IN YOUR PROCESS FOR WAKANDA II, HAVE YOU SENT OUT A QUESTIONNAIRE TO CANDIDATES?

>> THE QUESTIONNAIRE WILL COME OU TOMORROW.

IT WAS DONE.

IT WAS PRETTY TORTUOUS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT IS A WHOLE LOT MORE EXPANSIVE THAN A DISTRICT ATTORNEY WHICH TENDS TO BE ONE FOCUSED, BUT IT IS VERY, VERY DETAILED.

THE QUESTION THE QUESTIONS WILL GO OUT TO ALL OF THE CANDIDATES THAT HAVE ANNOUNCED FOR MAYOR TOMORROW, AND THEY WILL HAVE TWO WEEKS TO GET THEM BACK.

THE PLAN RIGHT NOW IS TO GET THE INTERVIEWS DONE, THE THREE BLACK ANNOUNCED CANDIDATES BY THE FIRST -- THE FIRST TEN DAYS IN MAY.

THAT IS THE SCHEDULE.

EVERYBODY WILL HAVE TWO WEEKS.

WE THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO GET THE ANSWERS FROM ALL OF THE CANDIDATE WHOSE WANT TO BE MAYOR AS TO THE RESPONSE TO ISSUES, PARTICULARLY ISSUES THAT ARE POSED ON -- THROUGH I SAY THE RACIAL EQUITY LENS OF BLACK BOSTONIANS.

>> ERIC ESTEVES, WHY ARE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES TAKING THE APPROACH THAT YOU ARE TAKING, POSING ON AGENDA AS OPPOSED TO PICKING ONE INDIVIDUAL AND FOCUSING, IF I UNDERSTAND IT CORRECTLY AND TELL ME IF I AM WRONG, TAILORED TO BOSTONIANS OF 0 COLOR BROADLY SPEAKING AS OPPOSED TO ONE PARTICULAR RACIAL OR ETHNIC GROUP?

>> YEAH, FIRST, THANKS FOR HAVING ME ADAM.

>> Reilly: THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> IT IS NOT ACTUALLY SEPARATE, IT IS MORE I WOULD SAY IN ALIGNMENT SO THIS GROUP ESSENTIALLY IS A BUY POX KIND OF ACTION FOCUS LIKE A VOTING BLOCK, SO IT IS VERY ALIGNED IN THAT IT IS FOCUSED ON THE ISSUES AND POLICIES VERSUS THE POLITICS.

SO IT IS CENTERED AROUND THE ISSUES THAT IMPORTANT TO BOSTONIANS AS A WHOLE, AS OPPOSED TO SAVORING BEING A POPULARITY CONTEST.

SO THERE WAS A SIMILAR PROCESS ACTUALLY IN 2013, TO A SMALL SCALE, AFTER THE PRELIMINARY ELECTION, AND ALSO SIMILAR SIMILARLY IN 2018 WITH THE DA RACE.

IT IS A BROADER LOOP, I AM ACTUALLY A PART OF BOTH GROUPS BECAUSE I IDENTIFY AS BLACK AND LATINO AND JUST PART OF A BROADER COALITION, SO IF YOU THINK OF THAT CONCEPT OF BELOVED COMMUNITY IT IS KIND OF THE BROADER SET OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN BOSTON THAT ARE THE MAJORITY OF THE CITY.

>> Reilly: FULLY TAKE YOUR POINT ABOUT IT BEING COMPLIMENTARY AS OPPOSED TO IN SOME WAY -- WHEN I SAID SEPARATE I MEANT TO SUGGEST DISTINCT BUT I APOLOGIZE IF I SUGGESTED ANTAGONISM OR WORKING WORKING AT CROSS PURPOSES.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE, ERIC, SOME OF THE -- SOME OF THE POLICY 0 PROPOSALS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CANDIDATES WHOEVER THEY ARE, IN THIS MAYORAL FIELD MAKING IN AREAS OF CONCERN TO THE GROUPS THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?

>> OKAY, I DON'T THINK I WILL BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT WITH SPECIFICS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, I HAVE MY SPECIFIC OPINION AND THE GROUP THAT I AM HELPING TO FACILITATE AND CONVENE REPRESENTS THE BROAD COALITION OF BOTH 5013 C NONPROFITS AND 5013 C 4 SO NONPROFITS CAN GET INVOLVED IN THE ELECTIONEERING BUT SOME CAN DEPENDING ON THE STATUS.

IT IS -- SOME OF THEM ALREADY HAVE BUILT IN PROCESSES IN PLACE AND PLATFORMS, SO FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHTS OF THE 504 C ORGANIZATION I REALLY THIS IS WHERE IT CAME YOU OUT OF THAT GROUP BUT IT WANTED TO BROADEN THE TABLE SO IT HELPED IMMIGRANT SUBPOPULATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS BUT REALLY THE THINGS BEYOND THE SURFACE IS HOUSING, INCLUDES EDUCATION AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, WHEN, NOT IF, BUT WHEN WILL THE COMMITTEE BECOME ELECTED OR AT LEAST HYBRID IN SOME FORM VERSUS THE CURRENT APPOINTED SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE WE DOING AROUND HOUSING, PROTECTIONS, ALLOWING EVICTIONS AND MORATORIUMS?

THOSE ARE THE KEY ISSUES THAT ARE RISING TO THE TOP BUT IT IS CERTAINLY A SUBSET OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM AND WHAT ARE WE DOING TO CONTINUE ON 0 SOME OF THE REFORMS THAT DA ROLLINS HAS ENACTED, BUT THERE CERTAINLY IS A STEP THE UTTER THAT THE CITY CAN DO.

>> Reilly: SO I GUESS GETS IN A WAY BACK TO DIANA'S POINT ABOUT WHAT AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF ISSUES THERE ARE TO CONSIDER FOR ANYONE DOING THE KIND OF WORK YOU TWO ARE DOING.

DIANE, LET ME GO BACK TO YOU, WHEN I SAW THAT MASS, INK, POLL I THOUGHT MYSELF WELL, IF THE GOAL HERE FOR SOME PEOPLE IS TO ELECT BOSTON'S FIRST BLACK MAYOR, RIGHT NOW KIM JANEY LOOKS LIKE THE SMART CHOICE BECAUSE SHE HAS GOT THIS GOOD STANDING THIS THE POLLS AND SHE HAS THE POWER OF IF NOT EXACTING, EXACT INCUMBENCY BECAUSE SHE AN ACTING MAYOR SOMETHING CLOSE DO FULL INCUMBENCY BUT OF COURSE WE IN THE YESTERDAY LOVE TO RUSH TO JUDGMENT AND OVER SIMPLIFY THINGS, IS THAT THE WAY YOU ARE LOOKING AT IT OR NOT?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

I WOULD SAY IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT WE HAVE LEARNED I AM GOING START BACK AD TO 2016, IT IS HOW COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE POLLS ARE, ESPECIALLY THIS EARLY IN THE PROCESS.

YOU KNOW, THERE IS A WHOLE UNIVERSE OF PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THAT THE POLLS NEVER TOUCH.

THAT IS THE CASE LIKE I COULDN'T TELL YOU ONE PERSON THAT WAS ASKED IN THE POLLS.

I THINK THERE IS ABSOLUTELY A POWER IN INCUMBENCY BUT I ALSO KNOW HOW BOSTON WORKS IN THIS KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE SCORCHED EARTH POLITICS THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE A WHOLE LOT SAID AND DONE TO TEST AND CHALLENGE EVERY SINGLE DECISION THAT SHE MAKES BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS A. I MEAN, I SAW FIRST -- WHAT I WOULD CALL, THE FIRST I CAN RECALL STATEMENT AND PRESS CONFERENCE BY ALL OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES ASKING THE INCUMBENT MAYOR TO RELEASE RECORDS FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOR EXAMPLE.

I DON'T RECALL THAT EVER HAPPENING SIX MONTHS AGO AND IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

SO WE ALL KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING, BUT HERE IS THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT -- I WILL TELL YOU WHY I THINK THAT THE FOCUS ON THE ISSUES OF CONCERNS OF BLACK PEOPLE ARE THE MEASURE, BECAUSE I AM ALSO CONVINCED, I THINK WE ARE CONVINCED TO THE EXTENT WE ARE ABLE TO GET TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN REMEDY SOME OF THE MOST TOUGH -- SOME OF THE TOUGHEST SOCIAL ISSUES OF THE DAY FOR BLACK BOSTON, EVERYONE ELSE VOTES GET LISTED THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS AND WE KNOW THAT.

SO THIS IS NOT AN EXCLUSIONARY PROCESS OR THAT'S NOT THE VISION.

THE VISION IS THAT WE CAN FIX THIS.

I THINK IT IS ALSO SAFE TO SAY THAT IF THE -- IT IS THE ECONOMICS, IF THE ECONOMICS STATUS IS ANY MEASURE, THEN STARTING WITH WHAT WE DO TO SIX FIX WHAT IS WRONG WITH BLACK BUSINESS AND YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE ASSETS, LIQUID ASSETS OF BLACK PEOPLE, WHICH SHOULD SHAME ALL OF US, RIGHT?

ALL OF US SHOULD BE CONCERNED.

>> Reilly: YES.

>> AND WE ARE CONVINCED IF WE CAN FIX THAT, WE FIX IT FOR EVERYBODY.

>> Reilly: I WANT TO ASK YOU A TECHNICAL QUESTION, BECAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO SIT DOWN SOON WITH THE THREE BLACK CANDIDATES IN THE RACE, ACTING MAYOR KIM JANEY, CITY COUNCILMEMBER ANDREWS-SULLIVAN, ANDREA CAMPBELL AND ANNISSA ESSAIBI GEORGE, IS IT POSSIBLE WHEN YOUR PROCESS RUNS ITS COURSE YOUR GROUP COULD DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS WITH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE, BUT IN FACT, WE WANT TO THROW OUR WEIGHT BEHIND A CANDIDATE THAT IS LATINO OR ASIAN AMERICAN, BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THAT CANDIDATE ON THE ISSUE THAT MATTER A LOT TO US IS ACTUALLY THE BEST ONE IN THE RACE?

>> SO I WOULD SAY THIS, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS PROCESS -- THIS PROCESS IS VERY FOCUSED ON WHAT WE INTEND TO DO, AND THAT IS TO PICK WHAT WE THINK IS THE BEST BLACK CANDIDATE, OUR GOAL MERELY, ADAM, IS NOT TO HAVE FOUR OR FIVE IN A RACE, RIGHT?

IT IS TO GET THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR US TO HAVE ANY SHOT OF VICTORY IN THE BIG PICTURE.

AND SO IF, IN FACT, THAT HAPPENS , WE WILL HAVE A CANDIDATE THAT IS CHOSEN AS THE BEST CANDIDATE OF THE THREE THAT ARE ALREADY IN.

WE KNOW WE CAN'T WIN WITH THREE IN THE RACE.

WE KNOW THAT.

THAT'S WHY WE ARE DOING THIS PROCESS.

WE KNEW THAT IN 2018, AND RECOGNIZE THAT AS PART OF THE MATURATION OF A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE SAY, HEY, I LIKE HER BUT IF YOU HAVE MORE PEOPLE SUPPORTING THIS ONE, THEN THIS IS WHAT WE DO.

ONCE THAT IS -- ONE THE TEAM OR AT LEAST WHAT THAT FIELD LOOKS LIKE IS GELLED WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN SEPTEMBER?

WE ARE GOING TO BE PREPARED NO MATTER WHAT, HAVING IDENTIFIED THE POST PRESSING ISSUES OF THE DAY, IRONICALLY, MAYBE NOT IRONICALLY, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT ERIC SAID, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS PEOPLE WANT TO PUT ON THE TABLE IS A RETURN OF AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE, THERE IS A BELIEF THAT WHAT BEGAN REALLY A DOWNWARD SPIRAL IN BUILDING AN ACHIEVEMENT GAP, YOU KNOW, WITH BLACK CHILDREN AND CERTAINLY NOW THEY HAVE BEEN OUT OF FORMAL LEARNING AS A GROUP, RIGHT?

FOR TWO YEARS NOW.

TWO SCHOOL SEASONS.

THERE IS A BIT OF PANIC SETTING IN, SO THERE IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT ISSUE TO US.

>> Reilly: ERIC ESTEVES I WANT TO GIVE YOU TO LAST WORK HERE AND WAY TONIGHT GIVE YOU ABOUT A MINUTE TO ANSWER THIS GARGANTUAN QUESTION, AS YOU TO THE WORK YOU ARE DOING WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES, TO WHAT EXTENT DO YOU GET THE SENSE THAT THE POLICY INTERESTS, BOSTON'S VARIOUS COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, AND YOU MENTIONED YOU BEND INTO A COUPLE OF THEM, TO WHAT EXTENT INTERESTS IDENTICAL OR SHARED, AND TO WHAT INTERCEPT SOME CASES ARE THERE DIVERGENCES BETWEEN DIFFERENT GROUPS?

>> I THINK THERE ARE MANY MORE SHARED INTERESTS THAN THERE ARE DIFFICULT VERY SCENT ONES.

MY GROUP, THE GROUP I AM HELPING TO CONVENE THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO BUILD POWER IN THE CITY AND DEVELOP A STRONGER LEVEL OF COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION AMONGST PEOPLE OF COLOR, BECAUSE YOU KNOW, AT LEAST YOU KNOW, YOU SEE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, IN PARTICULAR WHITE BOSTONIANS ARE -- WHAT I REFER TO AS CAMP -- BUILDING POWER NEEDS THE FOLKS -- HEALTH ARE SHOWING, ARE IMPROVING FOR ALL BOSTONIANS, BECAUSE WHEN YOU BUILD SYSTEMS FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE THEN EVERYONE BENEFITS, IS WHAT DIANA MENTIONED EARLIER, SO I THINK THERE ARE MANY SHARED INTERESTS AROUND MORE PROGRESSIVE POLICIES AROUND HOUSING, EDUCATION, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, CRIMINAL JUSTICE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE MINUTE OF COLOR IN BOSTON IS ALIGNED WITH AND UNDER -- ALTHOUGH THERE ARE DIFFERENT SUBSETS OF IMMIGRANT POPULATION THAT TYPICALLY MAY VARY ON VERY SPECIFIC ISSUES, I THINK VENUE THERE IS STRONG ALIGNMENT IN TERMS OF WHAT POST COULD BE.

>> WE HAVE GOT TO LEAVE IT THERE BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU MAKING TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS REALLY INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT AREA.

ERIC ESTEVES AND DIANNE WILKERSON, THANK YOU BOTH AND GOOD LUCK IN WHAT YOU DOING.

>> THANK YOU.

ALWAYS.

>> THANK YOU.

BYE BYE.

>> Reilly: THAT'S IT FOR TONIGHT BUT DO COME BACK TOMORROW FOR BEAT THE YES, SIR WITH EMILY ROONEY AND THANKS FOR WATCHING.

>> Captioned by Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org