Ivory Tower
Ivory Tower 20th Anniversary
Season 19 Episode 12 | 56m 52sVideo has Closed Captions
Ivory Tower 20th Anniversary
In a special hour-long episode, Ivory Tower celebrates its 20th anniversary. Host David Chantry sits down with current panelists to discuss religion in the US; the death of Queen Elizabeth; abortion rights; and universal income. Then, Barbara Fought talks with some of the original panelists of the show about their favorite moments.
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Ivory Tower is a local public television program presented by WCNY
Ivory Tower
Ivory Tower 20th Anniversary
Season 19 Episode 12 | 56m 52sVideo has Closed Captions
In a special hour-long episode, Ivory Tower celebrates its 20th anniversary. Host David Chantry sits down with current panelists to discuss religion in the US; the death of Queen Elizabeth; abortion rights; and universal income. Then, Barbara Fought talks with some of the original panelists of the show about their favorite moments.
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How to Watch Ivory Tower
Ivory Tower is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipIT'S OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY!
STAY TUNED FOR A LIVE, HOUR-LONG IVORY TOWER, NEXT.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING.
WELCOME TO A SPECIAL HOUR-LONG, LIVE, 20TH ANNIVERSARY IVORY TOWER.
I'M DAVID CHANATRY FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.
WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE TONIGHT-JOINING ME ON THE PANEL ARE KRISTI ANDERSEN FROM THE MAXWELL SCHOOL AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, TY SID-JULIE FROM HAMILTON COLLEGE, TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BEN BAUGHMAN FROM GANNON UNIVERSITY, ANIRBAN ACHARYA FROM LEMOYNE COLLEGE, CHAD SPARBER FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, MICHAEL TILLOTSON FROM SUNY CORTLAND, AND RICK FENNER FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.
WE'LL ALSO BE CHECKING IN WITH SOME OF THE ORIGINAL IVORY TOWER PANELISTS A LITTLE LATER IN THE SHOW.
A NEW REPORT FROM THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER SAYS CHRISTIANS COULD MAKE UP LESS THAN HALF THE U.S. POPULATION IN 50 YEARS, POSSIBLY SOONER THAN THAT.
CHRISTIANS OF VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN LEAVING THE FAITH IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN OTHERS ARE JOINING.
THE FASTEST GROWING GROUP IN AMERICA IS NOW THE "NONES," PEOPLE WITH NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE COUNTRY?
>> WELL, I THINK IT MEANS THAT WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING IS MORE WEAKER ATTACHMENTS TO THE CHRISTIAN ESTABLISHMENT AND TO RELIGIOSITY MORE SO THAN CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES BUT LESS CONTEXTUALIZE THAN WHAT YOU JUST SAID AND POINT OUT THAT 64% OF AMERICANS STILL IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIANS.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT, AS FAR AS SELF-IDENTIFICATION GOES, IT'S STILL A CHRISTIANS.
SO I THINK IT'S NOT ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS.
BUT ABOUT FOLKS CHANGING THEIR MINDS.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS HAPPENING HERE IS THAT THIS IS REALLY, IN MANY WAYS, A PECULIARLY AMERICAN THING IN THE SENSE THAT OTHER WESTERN DEMOCRACIES, STILL HAVE HIGHER PERCENTAGES AS FOLKS CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIAN.
I WOULD SAY ALSO IT'S PRIMARILY A PROTESTANT THING.
AND A MORE RECENT THING.
AND THE LAST POINT BECAUSE I KNOW CHAD IS GOING TO DIG INTO THIS A BIT DEEPER.
I THINK SOME OF IT IS ABOUT REJECTING WHAT CHRISTIANITY HAS COME TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS BEING ABOUT ABORTION AND ANTIGAY RIGHTS AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER STUFF.
>> SO THAT TIES INTO POLITICS AND CHAD, WHAT IS RELIGION NOT GIVING TO PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER STAYING WITH THE FAITH?
>> I'M REMINDED OF A TALK I WENT TO WITH A GUY NAMED TIM BYRNES, I THINK YOU HAVE HEARD OF HIM.
HE SAID IN THE 1970s, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MADE AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO BROAD N THE BASE BY ATTRACTING EVANGELICALS, CATHOLICS AND OTHER CHRISTIAN GROUPS AND IT WAS A FAUSTIAN BARGAIN.
CHRISTIANS GOT SOME OF THE POLICIES THEY WANTED BUT AT WHAT COST?
SO I THINK WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT THE RIGHT NOW HAS A NEAR MONOPOLY OF ACTIVE CHRISTIANITY, AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDABLY TURNED OFF BY SOME OF THE, WHAT THEY SEE AS HYPOCRISY, WHETHER IT'S BOMBING IRAQ UNDER FALSE PRETENSES, THE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE SCANDAL IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WHEN THE CENTRAL, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPLE OF CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT LOVE BUT ONE LAST POINT.
AND I SAY WITH SOME IRONY, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE, BAPTIST WERE HUGE PROPONENTS OF THAT BECAUSE THEY FEARED THE WAY GOVERNMENT COULD CORRUPT RELIGION AND THAT'S A LOST IDEA.
WE ARE SEEING IT NOW.
>> BRINGING THE COURT AND I SUSPECT THAT JUSTICE ALITO WOULD SAY THAT CHRISTIANITY IS UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW.
KRISTI, WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM.
ARE RIS CHUNS JUSTIFIED IN FEELING THAT THERE IS A THREAT.
>> CHRISTIANS ARE NOT JUSTIFIED IN FEELING THAT WE ARE A CHRISTIAN NATION IN ANY REAL SENSE.
YES, THAT HAS BEEN THE MAJORITIES OF RELIGIOUS PEOPLE HAVE CALLED THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS, ALTHOUGH, AS YOU SAID, THIS IS DECREASING AND I HAVE TO SAY TO NINA, IT'S DECREASING WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AS WELL.
FOR EXAMPLE, GREAT BRITAIN, THE NUN-- THE NONES OUTGREW OR BECAME MORE PERVASIVE THAN THE PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY WERE CHRISTIANS IN 2009.
BUT WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WERE EXTREMELY DETERMINED THAT WE WERE NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION; THAT WE WERE SEPARATING POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE FROM CHRISTIANITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT-- AND CHAD IS KIND OF SAYING THIS-- THIS IS THE LACK OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S ABILITY TO DO THIS HAS TURNED A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF FROM CHRISTIANITY, I THINK.
>> AND TARA, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS CHANGE IN THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE?
>> WELL, I WOULD PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID BECAUSE WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WANTED THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, MOST OF THESE FOUNDING FATHERS, IF YOU WOULD ASK THEM WOULD HAVE IDENTIFIED AS CHRISTIAN AND DID ATTEND CHURCH REGULARLY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PARADOXES OF AMERICA.
IS THAT WE ON THE ONE HAND ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS THE REALITY OF PEOPLE'S LIVES FOR MANY GENERATIONS, IT STARTED REALLY CHANGING IN THE LATE 60s AND ON INTO THE 70s, THE REALITY WAS THAT MOST AMERICANS WENT TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND THE OTHER REALITY IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BASIS OF MUCH OF IT, IT'S BASED ON THE 10 COMMANDMENTS WHICH COMES FROM THE BIBLE FROM GOD, ET CETERA.
AND SO THERE IS WHAT WE PURPORT IN TERMS OF THE CONSTITUTION, BUT THERE WAS ALSO HOW WE LIVED OUR LIVES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS RECENT REPORT WAS THE FACT THAT IF YOU HAVE CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION, THAT TENDS TO DEVOLVE IN TERMS OF YOUR OWN CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, ET CETERA, INTO CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION.
SO AS RELIGIOSITY HAS DECREASED, CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION HAS DECREASED AND SO, OF COURSE, WE ARE GOING TO EVENTUALLY BECOME A NATION WHERE CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION IS LESS THAN THE NONES.
>> AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY THING TO REMEMBER, THAT ON THE ONE HAND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHURCH AND STATE AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES IN THAT VERSUS JUST WHAT THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
AND KRISTI, I WANT TO SAY THE U.K. IS AT THE LOW END OF CHRISTIANITY, BUT THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER SHOWED THAT GERMANY, SWEDEN, SPAIN, ITALY AND IRELAND ALL HAVE MUCH HIGHER MEASURES OF RELIGIOSITY THAN THE U.S.
SO AS I SAID, THE DATA SHOWS IT'S AMERICA... >> IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE MEASURE OF CHURCH ATTENDANCE SHOWS.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT CHURCH ATTENDANCE AND ALSO REGULAR PRAYER, THOSE ARE LOWER.
BUT AGAIN, AMERICA IS MUCH LOWER THAN THE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT I MENTIONED.
>> OKAY.
NOW, AFTER 70 YEARS OF ROYAL STABILITY, THE DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH IS RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MONARCHY'S FUTURE, AND ITS PAST.
HER LOYAL SUBJECTS MAY BE MOURNING, BUT SOON ENOUGH SOME ARE LIKELY TO QUESTION THE COST AND THE POINT OF MAINTAINING A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY.
IS IT TIME FOR IT TO GO?
IS IT TIME FOR THE MONARCHY TO GO?
AND, AS WE CONSIDER QUEEN ELIZABETH'S LEGACY, WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DOES SHE BEAR FOR THE BRUTALITY OF COLONIAL OCCUPATION?
AND THE HISTORY OF COLONIALISM?
>> I WILL START OFF WITH NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GO AWAY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT'S REALLY UP TO THE BRITISH SOCIETY THAT HAS COME OUT IN DROVES IN SUPPORT FOR WHAT THE QUEEN REPRESENTS, WHAT THE MONARCH HAS DONE AND CONTINUES TO DO.
SHE DID RULE QUIETLY BEHIND THE SCENES AND NOT POLITICALLY IN FRONT OF EVERYTHING.
I THINK SHE WAS VERY SUBTLE WITH THAT APPROACH.
SHE PRESENTED A SERVANT LEADER AND A PART OF THAT FABRIC OF BRITAIN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE WITH THE KING.
>> AND, WELL, YOU SAID RULE, AND I'M WONDERING, TY, I MEAN SHE IS THE HEAD OF STATE BUT SHE IS NOT THE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT, RIGHT?
DOES SHE EVEN RULE?
>> NO, SHE DOESN'T RULE.
BUT YOU GOT TO GIVE HER HER PROPS.
HERE IS SOMEONE WHO SAID SO LITTLE SO OFTEN FOR SO LONG.
AND SHE DID IT MAGNIFICENTLY.
HAVE YOU EVER MET A MORE DISCIPLINED PERSON TO SAY NOTHING FOR 70 YEARS.
IT'S REMARKABLE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE WILL EVER HAVE THAT AGAIN.
SHE MADE 250 FOREIGN STATE VISITS.
SHE WAS REMARKABLE.
HAVING SAID THAT, AS AN AMERICAN, I'M SURE GLAD WE ARE NOT BASING OUR LEADERS ON DNA.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MONARCHY.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THE NEXT GENERATION, THE GENERATION AFTER THAT WILL DEAL WITH THE HORRORS OF COLONIALISM, THE HORRORS OF SLAVERY, AND THE TERRIBLE INSTABS INSTANCES THAT THE BRITISH EMPIRE PUT ON SO MUCH OF THE WORLD.
>> ANIRBAN, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE PICKING UP JUST ON THAT POINT THAT TY IS MAKING?
>> RIGHT, I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO THE BRITISH, I MEAN WITH BEN, IT IS UP WITH THE BRITISH WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
A TONGUE IN CHEEK ANSWER WOULD BE THEY COULD TAKE A HINT FROM THE FRENCH.
BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YES, SMILING AND PARADING CORGIS IS NOT GOING TO WIPE AWAY CENTURIES OF HORRIBLE MASS ATROCITIES YOU CAN THINK OF.
THE ROYAL FAMILY STOOD FOR IT AND IN SOME CASES COVERED IT UP.
THE MOST RECENT BEING WITHIN HER OWN RULE IN KENYA WHERE THEY WENT AND BASICALLY CREATED A SORT OF CONCENTRATION CAMP KIND OF GENOCIDE ON KENYANS.
NOW I THINK PERSONALLY THAT HISTORY IS NEITHER ABOUT EXCUSES, NEITHER ABOUT REVENGE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FORGIVE BUT NOT FORGET.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THE BRITISH, WHAT THEY NEED IS A SOCIETY WIDE ATONEMENT FOR THE HORRIBLE SINS THAT THEY PERPETRATED AND HAVE NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR IT AT ALL.
YOU KNOW, THEY ABOLISH ISSUED SLAVERY BUT THE BRITISH PEOPLE WERE PAYING OFF THE SLAVE HOLDERS MONEY UNTIL 2015.
SO YOU KNOW, I LIKE HOW THE BRITISH MONARCHY HAS A GOOD P.R.
SYSTEM GOING ON.
BUT IT DOESN'T CUT WITH POST COLONIAL SCHOLARS.
>> A COUPLE THINGS REAL QUICK.
SHE DIDN'T TALK A LOT.
SHE DIDN'T GIVE INTERVIEWS BUT SHE DID LEAD WITH A LOT OF ACTIONS.
THE MONARCH, OF COURSE, DID TERRIBLE THINGS IN ITS HISTORY.
IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE DONE TERRIBLE THINGS IN THIS COUNTRY F. WE START SCRATCHING AT HISTORY, IT'S GOING TO BLEED.
>> MICHAEL, THAT POINT ABOUT HISTORY BLEEDING.
WHERE DO YOU COME DOWN?
>> WHETHER IT BLEEDS OR NOT, AFTER WE GET PAST THE SENSATIONALISM, MEDIA, ANECDOTAL CONJECTURE, THERE IS A REALITY IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD.
YOU COME OUT OF THE CENTRAL DISTRICT, YOU MOVE AND GO TO SOUTH LONDON AND YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE FROM THE CARE LEAN BASIN, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT FROM FOR EM, THIS FAIRY TALE WAS A NIGHTMARE MADE ON THE BACKS OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS.
THERE IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT TONE AND TENOR.
I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK IN 1972, I THINK ABOUT THE NEWER SCHOLARSHIPS LIKE LETITIA KNIGHTSHIP WHO TALKS ABOUT TROUBLING FREEDOM, THE ACT OF SUCCESSION BY BARBADOS.
TALK OF REPARATIONS BY BLACK BRITS.
A LOT OF AMERICANS THINK THAT THE ONLY TIME REPARATIONS IS MENTIONED IS IN THE BLACK AMERICAN CONTEXT.
I GOT NEWS FOR YOU.
BRAK BRITS HAVE TALKED ABOUT REPARATIONS FOR QUITE SOMETIMEIONG LF JOHN CONYERS TALKED ABOUT IT IN 1980 IN AMERICA.
SO IT HAS DEEP ROOTS IN THE U.K. AS WELL SO STAY TUNED BECAUSE IN SOME QUARTERS, THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DEVILNESS OF THE MONARCHY IS NO THE A NEW CONVERSATION.
>> SO I READ AN ARTICLE WHICH SAID IT WAS QUOTING SOMEBODY IN A FORMER COLONY WHICH SAID, TO US COLONIALISM IS NOW.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING FROM... >> AND THAT IS CORRECT.
AS MY COLLEAGUE MICHAEL IS POINTING OUT.
HUNDREDS OF PAGES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HORRORS OF THE EMPIRE.
AND IT IS HAPPENING NOW.
IT IS HAPPENING NOW IN THE SENSE OF THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WEALTH THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED AWAY AND YOU KNOW, REPARATIONS CAN BE TOKENNISH.
ONE PROPOSAL WAS THAT THEY SHOULD PAY SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES $2 PER YEAR-- £2 FOR THE NEXT 200 YEARS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO, RIGHT?
YOU REMEMBER HISTORY WILLIE BRANDT, THIS GERMAN CHANCELLOR WENT AND GENUFLECTED IN THE WARSAW GHETTO TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE HOLOCAUST.
I WANT TO PUT IT IN TERMS THAT I GUESS AMERICAN COLLEAGUES CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND.
THAT TO PRAISE THE QUEEN AND THE MONARCHY AND TO EXPECT PEOPLE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, COLONIAL SUBJECTS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS TO PEEL ANY KIND OF RE-- TO FEEL ANY REMORSE IS FOR EXAMPLE, TO BE LIKE PRAISING HITLER.
SO I'M JUST PUTTING IT IN AMERICAN TERMS.
>> TO DEAL WITH HISTORY IS TO MAKE PEOPLE A MORE EMPATHETIC AND BETTER CITIZENS IS IF WE DEAL WITH OUR HISTORY.
TRUE FOR AMERICANS, TRUE FOR THE BRITISH AND THE GERMANS HAVE DONE IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE HAS DONE OVER THE LAST 60 YEARS AND HAS MADE THEM A BETTER MORE EMPATHETIC COUNTRY AND THEY BROUGHT IN A MILLION SERBIAN REFUGEES.
CAN YOU IMAGINE US BRINGING FOUR MILLION SYRIANS INTO THIS COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO DEAL WITH OUR HISTORY AND THE BRITISH WOULD DO WELL TO DEAL WITH THEIRS, TOO.
>> CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION?
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE, AND I ACCEPT EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE HAS SAID SO FAR.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE THAT THE QUEEN REPRESENTS A UNIFYING FORCE; THAT SHE REPRESENTS TRADITION AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE COULD VERY MUCH USE HERE IN THE U.S. >> THAT IS WHAT THEY SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE MID-- AROUND 2011.
IT'S THEIR JOB TO BE THE HEAD OF STATE AND TO DO THE TRADITIONS AND GIVE STABILITY TO THE COUNTRY.
>> I DON'T WANT TO PICK SOMEBODY BASED ON BLOOD LINE.
>> AND MICHAEL, QUICK POINT ON THAT AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
>> AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW THE MONARCHY IS CHALLENGED, THERE ARE STILL WHO APPLAUD IT.
THERE IS A STORY WRITTEN A FEW YEARS AGO CALLED COLONIALISM IS BACK AND NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON, EXTOLLING THE VIRTUES OF REVISITING SOUTH AFRICA FOR COMPANY COCOA BATTLE COBALS.
NOW THAT ROE V WADE HAS BEEN OVERTURNED BY THE SUPREME COURT, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM HAS INTRODUCED A BILL TO BAN ABORTION AFTER 15 WEEKS, WITH EXCEPTIONS IN CASES OF RAPE, INCEST OR TO PROTECT THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.
HIS SENATE COLLEAGUES SEEM TO WISH HE HADN'T.
HE'S GETTING HAMMERED ON THE POLITICS OF THE MOVE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POLICY.
IS 15 WEEKS A SENSIBLE COMPROMISE BETWEEN PRO-LIFE AND PRO-CHOICE?
>> MAYBE.
BUT I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT FOR ONE THING, HE SAID HIMSELF RIGHT AFTER THE DOBBS DECISION, THE ISSUE WILL NOW BE DECIDED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE STATES, WHICH IS WHAT THE REST OF MY SENATE COLLEAGUES WANT.
SO THEY WERE GOING TO LEAVE IT TO THE STATES.
HASN'T HE SEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED, THOUGH?
I MEAN KANSAS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THE POLLING THAT SAYS THAT MOST AMERICANS DO SUPPORT ABORTION, AT LEAST EITHER ALL OR SOME OF THE TIME AND THAT MOST AMERICANS DISAPPROVE OF THE DOBBS DECISION AND THAT I THINK-- I WAS... >> IF MOST AMERICANS SUPPORT THAT RIGHT, THAT CAN STILL BE-- HE IS STILL ALLOWING FOR THAT WITHIN THAT PERIOD.
>> I HAVE A HARD TIME CALLING THIS A COMPROMISE.
HIS PROPOSAL WILL ALLOW STATES TO IMPOSE STRICTER LIMITS ON ABORTION, INCLUDING BANNING IT OUTRIGHT WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE OR INCEST.
WHAT HIS PROPOSAL DOES THOUGH IS IT PROHIBITS STATES FROM IMPOSING LOOSER RESTRICTIONS.
SO THIS IS NOT A COMPROMISE.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAID THAT SENATE COLLEAGUES WERE UPSET WITH THIS, I WOULD THINK YOU NEED TO SAY HIS REPUBLICAN SENATE COLLEAGUES.
THE DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES ARE OVERJOYED BECAUSE I THINK HE HAS JUST MADE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE REPUBLICANS TO HOLD THE SENATE BECAUSE AS KRISTI SAID, THE POLLS CLEARLY SHOW THAT ABOUT 60% OF AMERICANS THINK THAT OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE WAS A MISTAKE.
AND MANY OF THOSE REPUBLICAN SENATORS IN CLOSE STATES THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FLIP NOW WERE TRYING TO KEEP AWAY FROM MENTIONING ABORTION.
NOW HE JUST BROUGHT IT BACK ON TO THE FRONT PAGE.
>> SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU MENTION THE DEMOCRATS BEING OVERJOYED BY THAT, THAT'S POLITICS AGAIN AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ELECTORAL CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ARE.
TAR TARA, I'M STILL TRYING TO COME BACK TO THE IDEA OF THE POLICY.
I MEAN IS HE PURELY BEING CYNICAL HERE OR DOES HE HAVE A LEGITIMATE POSITION THAT HE IS TRYING TO PUT FORWARD?
>> HE HAS A LEGITIMATE POSITION, BUT IT'S A POSITION THAT HE HELD, BASICALLY, PRE-DOBBS AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT HE AND OTHER REPUBLICANS HAVE WATCHED AS THE DOBBS DECISION HAS MADE IT MUCH HARDER FOR THE REPUBLICANS TO TAKE BACK THE SENATE.
AND SO HE CALLS HIMSELF SHIFTING BACK TO A POSITION THAT WAS, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, REFLECTIVE OF WHAT POLLS WERE SAYING MOST AMERICANS WOULD ACCEPT; THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT THE RIGHT TO AN ABORTION THROUGH THE FIRST 15 WEEKS, POSSIBLY 20 WEEKS AND THEN AFTER THAT, ONLY IF IN THE CASES OF RAPE, INCEST, ET CETERA.
AND HAD HE MADE THAT OFFER SO TO SPEAK, IN TERMS OF LEGISLATION, PRIOR TO DOBBS, THE REPUBLICANS ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON SOMETHING.
BUT WITH THE DOBBS DECISION AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT MOVEMENT, THE RESTRICTIONS BY THE VARIOUS STATES THAT HAVE OCCURRED AND ARE ONGOING, BASICALLY THAT ARGUMENT HAS BEEN UNDERCUT.
AND THEN WHEN HE ADDED THE FACT THAT NOTHING IN HIS PIECE OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THOSE STATES THAT HAVE ALREADY RESTRICTED ABORTION EVEN FURTHER OR ARE MAKING IT ILLEGAL OUTRIGHT, BASICALLY HE UNDERCUT HIMSELF AND THE OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THEY LOOK SILLY BECAUSE OKAY, DOESN'T YOUR PARTY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PICK A POSITION AND STAY WITH IT?
>> SO, MOST AMERICANS ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE ON ABORTION.
SO WHY WOULDN'T A NATIONAL LAW THAT ALLOWS WHAT ARE THE VAST MAJORITY OF ABORTIONS WE SEE, WHY ISN'T THAT AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE, NINA?
>> I THINK I'LL SPEAK IN A MOMENT TO WHY THAT MIGHT NOT BE AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE, BECAUSE I THINK HERE COMPROMISE IS JUST IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE WHAT THE DOBBS DECISION BASICALLY DID WAS DENATIONALIZE ABORTION RIGHTS WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
SO IT'S SAID TO STATES, WE WILL LEAVE IT ENTIRELY TO YOU TO BALANCE TWO COMPETING INTERESTS THE COMPELLING INTEREST IN SAVING THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN, AND THE OTHER COMPELLING INTEREST IN RESPECTING THE RIGHT OF PRIVACY OF THE WOMAN.
AND THAT, IN TURN, HINGED ON THE QUESTION OF VIABILITY AS TO WHEN THOSE COMPELLING INTERESTS CAME INTO PLAY.
AND EVEN SCIENTISTS DON'T AGREE ON WHAT THE POINT OF VIABILITY IS.
SOME SAY, YOU KNOW, LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION.
SCIENTISTS NOW, AND THEN HAVE YOU FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO I THINK THE ONLY REAL RESOLUTION HERE IS PERHAPS A FEDERAL LAW.
CONGRESS HAS ARTICLE 3 POWERS THAT WOULD ENABLE IT TO CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE COURT TO STRIP SOME OF THE COURT'S APPELLATE JURISDICTION THE OTHER OPTION IS A CONSTITUTIONAL REVERSAL.
HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GET AT SOMETHING THAT KRISTI MENTIONED WHENS TO PERSUADE A MAJORITY TO COME AROUND TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AND I SAY GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
>> MICHAEL, I WANT TO GET YOU IN ON THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE POSSIBLE.
NINA SAYS NO.
>> I'M NOT HERE AS A MAN TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS AT ALL FOR WHAT WOMEN DO WITH THEIR BODIES ON ANY LEVEL BUT I WILL SAY THE ABORTION ISSUE UNDERSCORES THE HALLMARK OF DUPLICITY AND HYPOCRISY ON THE RIGHT, THE SO CALLED ESTABLISHMENT AS WELL.
THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE FOR PERSONAL FREEDOM BUT THEY WANT TO CONTROL WHAT WOMEN DO WITH THEIR BODY.
THEY SAY THEY'RE FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY BUT WANT TO DESTABILIZE AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS THEY SAY THEY'RE AGAINST CENSORSHIP BUT BAN BOOKS IN SCHOOLS.
THEY SAY THEY'RE AGAINST CANCEL CULTURE.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
ABORTION HIGHLIGHTS THE DUPLICITY AND HYPOCRISY OF THE RIGHT.
>> WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS WHEN LIFE BEGINS?
THAT'S PART OF THE EMOTIONAL DECISION THE COURT MADE WITHOUT SAYING IT AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT I THINK THEY SHOWED WHEN THEY ALSO RULED TO TAKE THE STATES RIGHT AWAY FROM CONTROLLING GUNS.
>> WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED ON THIS PROGRAM THAT UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME, THE IDEA SEEMS TO BE CATCHING ON.
48 PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN STARTED IN THE U.S.
SINCE 2020, INCLUDING A PILOT PROGRAM IN LOS ANGELES, WHICH IS GIVING $3200 PEOPLE A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH FOR A YEAR SOME CRITICS SUGGEST IT BREAKS THE SOCIAL CONTRACT TO REDISTRIBUTE MONEY THIS WAY.
OTHERS SAY A BETTER APPROACH TO ALLEVIATING POVERTY IS TO EXPAND EXISTING GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS LIKE THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.
DO THESE PROGRAMS WORK?
ARE THEY GOOD POLICY?
FIRST OF ALL WE USE THESE TERMS GUARANTEED INCOME AND BASIC INCOME AND NOT ALL THE PROGRAMS ARE THE SAME.
FOR INSTANCE, ANDREW YANG SUGGESTED GIVING EVERY ADULT AMERICAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH SO THAT PROGRAM WOULD HAVE BEEN INDEPENDENT OF NEED.
BUT MOST OF THE PROGRAMS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ARE TARGETING LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT THESE PROGRAMS AND THESE IDEAS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'RE NOT THE PRODUCT OF SOME DEMOCRAT SOCIALIST PLOT: MILTON FRIEDMAN IN 1960 WAS CHAMPIONING THE NEGATIVE INCOME TAX WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A GUARANTEED INCOME PLAN.
DO THESE PROGRAMS WORK?
I THINK WE SAW DURING THE PANDEMIC THEY DO WORK BECAUSE WE HAD THE EXPANSION OF THE CHILD TAX CREDIT AND THE CENSUS BUREAU WHICH WAS A GUARANTEED FLOOR FOR ALL FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, WE FOUND THE POVERTY RATE FOR CHILDREN FELL FROM 9.7% TO 5.2% AND THEY ARE GIVING MOST OF THE CREDIT TO THAT ONE PROGRAM.
SO IN THIS CASE, GUARANTEED INCOME HAS HELPED LOWER THE POVERTY RATE.
>> AND CHAD, SO RICK SAID IT'S NOT A DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PLOT.
THAT'S YOUR LEAD-IN.
>> AWESOME.
SO I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE FIRST THING THAT HE SAID WHICH IS THAT THE UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME IS A MISNOMER.
IF THERE IS ANY SORT OF CRAWL BACK FOR HIGH INCOME PEOPLE OR FUNDED BY A PROGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM, IT'S NOT UNIVERSAL.
AND THE U.S. HAS TWO UNIVERSAL INCOME PROGRAMS, THEY'RE BOTH SMALL AND RUN BY GOVERNMENT OWNED KIND OF AGENCIES.
BUT I'M ACTUALLY SYMPATHETIC TO THE REST WHAT HAVE HE SAID AND LOOK, EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT EXPANSION UNDER THE CLINTON REDUCED CHILD POVERTY FROM 28% IN 1993 TO 11% TODAY.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WAS POPULAR WITH REAGAN.
IT'S POPULAR WITH PAUL RYAN.
IT'S SUCCESSFUL.
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THIS IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING LIKE UBI?
TWO REASONS I GIVE YOU.
ONE IS THAT THERE IS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN ABOUT AUTOMATION AND ROBOTS TAKING JOBS AWAY FROM PEOPLE AND PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND WORK IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN THE SECOND REASON IS THAT IT PENALIZES PARENTS WHO WANT TO WORK MORE BECAUSE IF YOU WORK MORE, YOU EARN MORE INCOME AND YOU GET LESS GOVERNMENT BENEFIT AND THAT'S WHY ONE OF THE REASONS THAT MITT ROMNEY IS ACTUALLY COME ON RECORD ON SAYING HE WANTS A UNIVERSAL CHILD BENEFIT OF ABOUT $300 A MONTH.
THAT'S PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT RICK WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE BIDEN POLICY.
I DON'T GIVE BIDEN A LOT OF ECONOMIC CREDIT BUT HE IS RIGHT.
>> ANIRBAN, I MEAN EVEN IF THE PROGRAMS ARE EFFECTIVE, CAN SOMETHING LIKE THAT SUSTAIN ITS SCALE?
>> I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND THIS IS WHY.
LET ME BREAK IT UP.
UNIVERSAL MEANS EVERYONE GETS IT.
IT'S NOT MEANS TESTED.
BASIC MEANS IT HAS TO COVER YOUR BASIC NEEDS.
SO EDUCATION, HEALTH, SHELTER, CLOTHING, BLAH BLAH BLAH AND IT'S INCOME IN THE SENSE THAT IT HAS TO BE A REAL INCOME SO IT HAS TO BE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION AND SO ON, RIGHT?
SO NOW WHAT IT PRESUPPOSES THEN IS THAT THE SOCIETY IS ALREADY DOING THE NECESSARY WORK TO PROVIDE THOSE BASIC NEEDS.
WHAT IS IF THE SOCIETY WITH NOT PROVIDE THE BASIC NEEDS?
HOW DO WE COORDINATE THAT?
IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THEN WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT PRICES WILL RISE AND WILL YOU NOT GET THE SAME INCOME, IT WILL NOT GO THAT FAR.
SO I DO THINK THAT UBI, LOGICALLY DECEPTIVE IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC SENSE THAT I CAN KIND OF PARSE OUT AND THINK OF, BECAUSE IT KIND OF PREPOSES THAT THE SOCIETY WOULD CONTINUOUSLY, WITHOUT ANY COORDINATION FAILURE, KEEP PROVIDING THE NECESSARY MEANS OF OUR SOCIAL EXISTENCE AND THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM IN THAT PARTICULAR WAY.
SO I THINK I'LL TAKE YOUR IDEA THAT IT'S HELPING CHILDREN, TO SOME BASIC INCOME IS A MUCH BETTER MOVE.
THIS SEEMS LOGICALLY FLAWED TO ME.
>> TY.
>> I JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW THREE ECONOMISTS AND I'M AN HISTORIAN SO THIS IS SCARY BUT I'M GOING TO TRY ANYWAY.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT, AND I GO BACK TO PROGRESSIVE ERA WHEN WE HAD THE LABORATORY OF DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE WERE TRYING LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY, TO ALLEVIATE THE DISPARITY OF LIFE WEALTH THAT CAME FROM THE GILDED AGE.
I LOVE WHAT L.A. AND DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA IS DOING.
GIVING A BASIC INCOME TO FELONS AS THEY GET OUT OF JAIL.
TO TRY THE PROGRAMS, SEE WHAT WORKS AND IF WE DO SOME OF THESE, WE CAN GET RID OF BUREAUCRACY ON ONE HAND AND ALLEVIATE POVERTY ON THE OTHER.
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SNAP COULD BE DONE TO GIVE PEOPLE MONEY INSTEAD OF BUREAUCRACY TELLING THEM HOW TO DO IT.
GIVE IT TO THE STATES AND CITIES AND LOCALES, LABORATORIES OF DEMOCRACY AND SEE IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND LOWER BUREAUCRACY.
>> DAVID, YOU ASKED A QUESTION.
>> QUICKLY, CHAD.
>> PAPER BY HILARY LYONS AND JEFFREY ROTHSTEIN, CHECK IT OUT.
IT IS GOOD BUT ENORMOUSLY EXPENSIVE AND REDWRBT WEALTH FROM POOR PEOPLE TO THE MIDDLE-CLASS.
THAT'S NOT SO GOOD.
>> THAT'S WHY THE HISTORIANS ALWAYS GO LAST.
GOING TO GET THE LAST WORD.
>> HE TRICKED YOU.
>> WE HAVE TO GO TO OUR As AND FS.
KRISTI YOUR F. >> MY FINAL F IS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL NOT BELIEVING IN CLIMATE CHANGE.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
IT'S THE CASE THAT IN THE PUBLIC, CLIMATE DENIALISM IS DECREASING, BUT A RECENT ANALYSIS FOUND THAT 139 REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO STILL DO NOT ACCEPT THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT HUMANS ARE CAUSING DELETERIOUS CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> NINA.
>> MY F TO THE HISTORIC DROP IN STUDENTS TEST SCORES FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC CLOSURES.
ACCORDING TO THE FIRST NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE REPORT THAT LOOKS AT BEFORE AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC, BOTH MATH AND READING SCORES SAW THE LARGEST DIP IN 30 YEARS.
ON TOP OF THIS FALLOFF ARE OTHER PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED BY THE WASHINGTON POST, BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, ABSENTEEISM AND, OF COURSE, TEACHER SHORTAGES.
THE RESULT IS WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO CATCH UP.
>> AND TY, YOUR F. >> TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS FOR STILL ALLOWING INDIVIDUAL STOCK TRADES AMONG MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
THEY SHOULD ALSO, ONE THING I REALIZE REALLY, THEY HAVE NOT HAD A PAY RAISE IN 13 YEARS.
THEY DON'T GET A HOUSING ALLOWANCE.
MANY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SLEEP IN THEIR OFFICES AND THEIR STAFFS, 15% OF THEIR STAFFS EARN LESS THAN $40,000 A YEAR AND LIVE IN D.C.
SO GIVE THEMSELVES A RAISE BUT THEN STOP WITH THE STOCK TRADING.
>> OKAY.
AND TARA YOUR F. >> TO THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE USE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN ACTORS TO PLAY AERIAL IN THE LITTLE MERMAID AND LORD OF THE RINGS FILMS.
WE ARE ALMOST 60 YEARS SINCE THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND THESE CHARACTERS ARE NOT EVEN REAL PEOPLE.
ISN'T IT TIME TO ACCEPT THAT WE NO LONGER LIVE IN A WHITES ONLY WORLD?
>> BEN, YOUR F, PLEASE?
>> MY F IS GOING TO BE GOING TO USING ALLIGATORS AS SUPPORT ANIMALS.
WALLY IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA IS A SUPPORT ALLIGATOR.
SEVEN YEARS OLD.
HE IS A BIG DEAL ON TIKTOK BUT I REMEMBER THESE MAGICIANS IN LAS VEGAS WHO RAISED TIGERS AND ONE OF THEM TURNED ON THEM.
>> TY TOOK MY F. IT WAS GOING TO THE CONGRESS MEMBERS WHO USE THEIR INFORMATION FROM COMMITTEES WHERE, YOU KNOW, DOING STOCK TRADES THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS OUT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY BUT WHENEVER I'M IN DOUBT, I JUST GIVE AN F TO THE BRITISH MONARCHY.
>> OKAY.
CHAD, HAVE YOU TO FOLLOW THAT.
YOUR F. >> FINE, I HAVE PREVIOUSLY RAILED AGAINST WORK FROM HOME POLICIES BECAUSE THEY'RE BAD FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND I WORRY THAT THEY'RE FACILITATING OFFSHORING BUT NOW I HAVE A NEW REASON TO BE UPSET AND THAT'S GENTRIFICATION.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT IN ROUTERS THIS WEEK REPORTING ON WAVES OF REMOTE WORKERS FROM THE U.S. POURING INTO MEXICO CITY, AIR BASKETBALLS, THE SO CALLED DIGITAL NOMADS ARE DISPLACING LOCAL RESIDENTS, RAISING PRICES AND WIDENING LOCAL INCOME DISPARITIES SO WORK FROM HOME, ANOTHER F. >> MICHAEL, YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO THE CONTINUED SHE SHENANIGANS OF JUBLG IN FLORIDA WHO HAS NO SHAME IN HER FEALTY TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT AS SHE TRIES TO CONTINUE TO TWIST AND CONTORT THE LANGER WINNING OF THE JEW DISHRY IN TRUMP'S FAVOR.
>> TO THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION.
ROBERT STIVER BILLIONAIRE OWNER OF THE PHOENIX SUNS GUILTY OF MISOGYNY, RACISM, BULLYING HIS EMPLOYEES AND GIVEN A SLAP ON THE WRIST, ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION AND 10 MILLION-DOLLAR FINE.
THE NBA LIKES TO CALL ITSELF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE OF SPORTS LEAGUES.
BUT I THINK HOW THEY HANDLED THIS CASE SUGGESTS OTHERWISE.
>> NOW LET'S QUICKLY GO THROUGH THE As.
KRISTI.
>> MY A TO THE NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF VICE MAYOR CONSERVATION TRYING TO DO THINGS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, SPECIFICALLY I'M GIVING THE A TO THEIR PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP CITIZEN SCIENTISTS; FOR EXAMPLE, C SLAP, THE LAKE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM HAS HELPED PROTECT WATER RESOURCES SINCE 1985.
THERE ARE MANY PROGRAMS TO TEACH CITIZENS HOW TO RORD AND-- RECORD AND MONITOR SPECIES OF WILDLIFE AND MONITOR THE EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> THE FIRST IS TO THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT FOR GIVING $2 BILLION TO FOOD PROGRAMS.
THE OTHER IS TO MY SOON TO BE FORMER COLLEAGUE KRISTI, WHO HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MENTOR AND WHO HAS SET THE BAR FOR ALL OF US AND PUSHES US TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY.
>> TY.
>> MY A GOES TO THE CDC AND THE SCIENTISTS WHO CAME UP WITH THE NEW OMICRON SUBVARIANT VACCINE THAT I CAN'T WAIT TO GET JABBED WITH HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND REMEMBER THAT VACCINES, ALONG WITH CLEAN WATER AND SOAP, HAVE DOUBLED THE HUMAN LIFESPAN IN LESS THAN 100 YEARS.
EVERYBODY SHOULD GET ONE.
>> TARA.
>> MY A ALSO GOES TO KRISTI ANDERSON.
WHILE KRISTI IS WELL KNOWN FOR HER PROWESS AS AN ACADEMIC, KRISTI HAS BEEN CIVICALLY ENGAGED THROUGHOUT HER ACADEMIC CAREER.
TO NAME A FEW OF HER ACTIVITIES, SHE SERVED ON THE MORRISVILLE STATE COLLEGE COUPLE, A MEMBER OF NUMEROUS BOARDS, INCLUDING THE CAZENOVIA LIBRARY BOARD AND SHE WAS ELECTED TO SEVERAL TERMS AS THE CAZENOVIA TOWN BOARD, AS PART OF THE BOARD AND OVERSAW EVERYTHING FROM DISTRICT COMBINATION SERVICES TO DIGITIZATION OF THE TOWN RECORDS.
>> KRISTI-- BEN, YOUR A PLEASE.
>> MY A IS GOING TO GO TO WIVES WHO PICK OUT SMART WATCHES FOR THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS.
I READ IN GOOD NEWS NETWORK THIS WEEK THAT A MAN WAS SAVED BY HIS SMART WATCH, WHICH I USUALLY DON'T LIKE AS AN ADDITIONAL THING TRACKING BUT YOU BUT IT WAS TRACKING HIS HEART BEAT AND IDENTIFIED SOME HEART ISSUES HE HAD.
HE WOULD HAVE DIED OTHERWISE.
>> ANIRBAN.
>> WELL, I THINK PEOPLE ARE LISTENING ON MY As AND FS THIS SESSION.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE UNITED STATES 18 YEARS AGO, I WAS AGOING WE CANS SIGHTMENT TO SEE ONE OF MY PROFESSORS ON TV AND THAT WAS KRISTI ANDERSON.
I DIDN'T KNOW 17 YEARS LATER THAT WOULD I JOIN HER IN THIS WONDERFUL SHOW, SO HEART FELT A TO "IVORY TOWER" AND OUR AUDIENCES AND MY COLLEAGUES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
CHAD.
>> I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BUILD ON THE TOPIC FROM LAST WEEK.
DID YOU KNOW THAT AS A RESULT OF COVID, WE HAVE TWO MILLION FEWER IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY THAN WE OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE?
AND THAT THE SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY WITH THE BIGGEST JOB VACANCIES ARE THE SECTORS THAT IMMIGRANTS SPECIALIZE IN.
SO IN THAT SPIRIT, WOULD I LIKE TO EXTEND AN A FOR SOUTHERN GOVERNORS FOR BUSING THEIR MIGRANTS NORTHWARD.
FOR THE MIGRANTS SETTLING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> MICHAEL.
>> TO PRESIDENT BIDEN WHO QUIETLY ON JULY 15 WHEN NO ONE WAS WATCHING, WORKED THROUGH THE RAILROAD CRISIS THAT HE TO SOME DEGREE PUT A STOP TO YESTERDAY.
>> AND RICK, YOUR A.
>> MY A GOES TO ROGER FEDERER WHO RETIRED THIS WEEK AS A PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER.
HE'S GOING TO BE KNOWN MOSTLY AS THE MOST GRACEFUL AND CLASSY TENNIS PLAYER EVER.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR AS.
NOW, REGULAR VIEWERS OF IVORY TOWER HAVE NO DOUBT NOTICED OUR PANEL HAS HAD QUITE A MAKEOVER IN RECENT YEARS.
LOTS OF NEW FACES.
NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN THE PROGRAM OVER TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINNING TO TALK WITH SOME OF THE ORIGINALS.
BARBARA?
[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, DAVID.
IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT THE SHOW HAS BEEN ON FOR 20 YEARS AND IT HAS BEEN DELIGHTFUL AND YOU MENTIONED THE ORIGINALS.
TWO OF THE ORIGINAL PANELISTS ARE ALREADY FOLKS YOU HAVE MET TONIGHT AND THAT'S TARA ROSS AND KRISTI ANDERSON.
AND WE STARTED OFF WITH FIVE PANELISTS AND A COUPLE OF THE OTHER ONES AND SOME OF THE EARLY PANELISTS ARE GOING TO JOIN US NOW ON ZOOM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST INTRODUCE DAVID RUBIN MANY OF YOU WATCHED FOR YEARS WAS THE FIRST MODERATOR OF THE SHOW.
WE KNOW YOU ARE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING.
I THINK YOU ARE ON MUTE, DAVID.
>> NATURALLY.
NOW I'M NOT ON MUTE.
[LAUGHTER] >> YOU NEVER WERE ON MUTE HERE.
>> NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
WE LIVE IN SUMMERVILLE, THE SWEET TEA CAPITOL OF AMERICA AND AZALEA CAPITAL OF AMERICA.
WE ARE AWASH IN BLOOMS IN AZALEA SEASON, AND I'M SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE DOOR DORCHESTER DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
I THINK THE BEST THING I CAN DO WITH MY FREE TIME IN RETIREMENT IS TRY TO UP END THE REPUBLICAN HAMMER LOCK ON POLITICS IN THIS STATE.
SO I'M WORKING WITH CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING FOR STATE ASSEMBLY AND FOR OUR LOCAL COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M WRITING FOR THEM.
I'M HELPING TO SHAPE THEIR MESSAGES.
, RAISING MONEY, SENDING POSTCARDS, ANYTHING WE CAN DO ALONG WITH MY WIFE TINA TO GET DEMOCRATS AT LEAST A TOE HOLD IN THIS RED STATE.
>> I'M NOT SURPRISED YOU ARE STILL THAT ACTIVE.
LET ME WELCOME BOB GREENE FROM CAZENOVIA.
GOOD EVENING, BOB.
>> GOOD EVENING, BARBARA, HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M DOING WELL.
YOU ARE STILL AT CAZENOVIA TEACHING.
>> I AM.
TEACHING UNTIL DECEMBER WHEN I'M GOING TO RETIRE AND I'M GOING TO PRUNE THE ROSE BUSHES IN THE BACKYARD AND DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WRITING HERE IN CHITTENANGO.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN A FOUNDATION AT CAZ AND I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO MISS YOU.
FROM WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA, SAY HELLO TO BOB SPITZER.
>> HELLO.
LOVELY TO BE WITH YOU.
>> WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO, BOB?
>> THIS AND THAT.
WE MOVED TO WILLIAMSBURG LAST FALL AFTER OUR I RETIRED FROM SUNY CORTLAND.
I CONTINUE TO BE ACTIVE IN STUDYING GUN POLICY AND POLITICS.
AND I DO HAVE TO ADD THAT DAVID CHANATRY DID A MASTERY JOB WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A FULL COMPLEMENT OF A BASEBALL TEAM ON THE SET TONIGHT SO I WANT TO SEE YOUR BOX SCORES NEXT SEASON, GUYS, ALL RIGHT?
AND WE ARE DOING FINE.
WE ARE NEAR OUR DAUGHTER AND IT'S A LOVELY PLACE TO LIVE, WITH LESS SNOW.
>> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
AND THE FIFTH PERSON ON THE PANEL WAS GLEN ALTSCHULER FROM CORNELL WHO IS NO THE WITH US TONIGHT.
AFTER A KOWAL OF YEARS, THE PANELISTS COMING EVERY FRIDAY MORNING DOING THE SHOW GOT DIFFICULT SO WE ADDED OTHER PANELISTS AND ONE WAS TIM BYRNES.
HELLO, TIM.
>> HI, BARB, HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M DOING WELL.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
YOU ARE STILL TEACHING AT COLGATE?
>> I CERTAINLY AM.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR ME EXCEPT THAT I'M NOT ON "IVORY TOWER."
>> AND WE MISS YOU.
WE REALLY DO.
>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MY DAUGHTER ERIN DOESN'T MISS ME BECAUSE SHE CAN GO TO WEGMANS WITHOUT HER FATHER BEING RECOGNIZED.
THE PUBLIC HAS COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME IN NO TIME.
>> I DOUBT THAT'S TRUE BECAUSE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE TONIGHT ASKED ABOUT YOU, TIM.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO DAVID.
YOU WERE THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW AND I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU THINK OVER THE 20 YEARS HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF "IVORY TOWER"?
>> WELL, WHAT I MOST APPRECIATED WAS THE CHANCE FOR US TO DISCUSS LOCAL ISSUES.
THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WERE DISCUSSING NATIONAL ISSUES, AND I GUESS IT WAS USEFUL NOW AND THEN.
BUT IT WAS ON LOCAL ISSUES WHERE I THINK WE REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE AND I'M THINKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO BUILD DESTINY USA AND TO GIVE THE MALL THE TAX BREAKS.
AND WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE DOWN I-81.
AND WE WERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES A LONG TIME BEFORE MOST OF THE LOCAL MEDIA IN SYRACUSE WERE.
AND I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE HELPED PUSH ALONG THAT CONVERSATION AND >> WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, ABSOLUTELY THE PEOPLE.
I MEAN YOU COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER GROUP OF PEOPLE TO WORK WITH ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IN TERMS OF INTERACTING AND I LEARNED FROM EACH ONE EVERY TIME WE COME AND DO A SHOW, AND SO IT'S BEEN THE INTERACTION FOR ME.
>> GREAT.
BOB GREENE, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE SHOW?
WHAT HAS BEEN MEANINGFUL FOR YOU?
>> WELL, THE MOST MEANINGFUL THING IS THAT I THINK WE ARE TEACHERS BY TRADE.
BOB SPITZER JUST SAID THAT YOU ALL LOOK LIKE A BASEBALL TEAM OUT THERE.
I THOUGHT YOU LOOKED LIKE A JURY SITTING OUT THERE, ALL THOSE CHAIRS.
BUT WE ARE ALL TEACHERS AND WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH ON TELEVISION.
WHAT DO I REMEMBER MOST?
REMEMBER THAT OLD STUDIO OUT ON OLD LIVERPOOL ROAD, THE DAY THAT WE WENT IN THERE AND FOUND THAT BEES NEST?
IT WAS WAY UP AND CHASED US OUT OF THE STUDIO?
I THINK WE WERE LIVE WHEN IT HAPPENED.
>> I WASN'T THERE THAT DAY BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE STORIES THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT.
KRISTI, WHAT IS YOUR SENSE ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE SHOW HAS BEEN?
>> I AGREE WITH DAVID RUBIN.
I THINK THAT HAVING GOOD REASONABLY EDUCATED SENSES OF HUMOR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT LOCAL POLITICS AND BY LOCAL I DON'T MEAN SYRACUSE.
I MEAN NEW YORK STATE POLITICS AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS, HAS BEEN GOOD FOR ALL OF US.
I MEAN I ECHO EVERYBODY BY SAYING IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO BRING WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO MY TEACHING AND THINKING ABOUT HOW TO TEACH STUDENTS.
AND MOST OF ALL, IT'S JUST BEEN GREAT MEETING ALL THE PEOPLE AT WEGMANS I HAVE TO SAY.
I'M LIKE TIM, AND I CAN RARELY GO TO WEGMANS WITHOUT HAVING A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH A CUSTOMER OR MANY WEGMANS EMPLOYEES.
I HAVE TO SAY THEY'RE FOLLOWERS OF "IVORY TOWER" AND THAT'S BEEN NICE, TO FEEL LIKE WE ARE CREATING A COMMUNITY WIDE DISCUSSION AND THAT PEOPLE APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THAT IS GREAT.
WE HEAR ABOUT THAT IN SOME OF THE LETTERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE MEET.
BOB SPITZER, HOW ABOUT YOU?
WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF THE SHOW FOR YOU?
>> WELL, I WANT TO BUILD ON THE POINT THAT KRISTI WAS MAKING, WHICH IS THIS: EVEN THOUGH OUR SHOW BEGAN AS A WELL KEPT SECRET ON WCNY, PEOPLE STARTED TO WATCH.
AND IN THE SPACE OF X NUMBER OF YEARS, PRIMARILY THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH, WE BUILT A REMARKABLY LARGE WEEKLY VIEWERSHIP.
IN FACT INCREDIBLY LARGE, IF YOU WERE TO PITCH THIS IDEA OF A PROGRAM TO SOME TV PRODUCER, WELL, WE ARE GOING TO PUT FIVE ACADEMICS AT A TABLE TALKING ABOUT THE NEWS OF THE WEEK AND GIVING As AND Fs, YOU WOULD PROBABLY EXPECT THE VIEWERSHIP OF THE RELATIVES, SOME OF THE RELATIVES OF THE PARTICIPANTS AND THAT WOULD BE IT.
BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
IN MANY WEEKS, AS DOUG WILL TELL YOU, OUR MASTERFUL MAN BEHIND THE SCENES, DOUG MOREAU WR, SUNY CORTLAND GRADUATE, PEOPLE WATCHED IN RECORDS.
WE WERE BEATING OUT MOST OF THE COMPETITION ON MOST OF THE CHANNELS AND I'M SURE THE VIEWERSHIP IS STILL HIGH.
IT TOOK A DIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC, OF COURSE.
BUT WE KEPT THE SHOW GOING REMOTELY AND THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WATCHED THAT IS REMARKABLE.
>> IT IS REMARKABLE.
I MEAN IT WAS HARD WITH BEING ON ZOOM THERE BUT I REALLY GIVE THE STATION DREAD CREDIT FOR SAYING YES THEY STILL WANTED THE PROGRAM AND FOR ALL THE PANELISTS STILL PARTICIPATING IN THAT WAY.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME FUNNY STORIES AND SOME BEHIND THE SCENES THINGS.
DAVID, I WASN'T THERE, BUT ONE OF THE STORIES I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IS THE SHOW ON WHICH YOU PULLED A JOKE ON TIM.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> I'M SURE TIM KNOWS WHAT IS COMING.
TIM IS A VERY SMART GUY.
AND I LOVE DEBATING WITH HIM AND I USUALLY LOST.
BUT I GOT EVEN ONE DAY.
TIM WAS OPINING ON SOME SUBJECT, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.
I HAD IN MY EAR PIECE DOUG TELL ME THAT WE WERE GROWING TO HAVE-- WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO STOP THE SHOW SOMETIME WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM, I THINK WITH EITHER THE SOUND HE WAS GETTING OR THE TAPING.
AND ONLY I KNEW THIS.
SO I TURNED TO TIM AS HE WAS MID SENTENCE.
AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND I SAID, TIM, THAT IS THE STUPIDEST THING I EVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY.
AND TIM WAS-- I THINK SHE WENT A LITTLE BIT WHITE.
MAYBE HE CAN SPEAK FOR HIMSELF.
BUT HE WAS SHOCKED THAT I HAD SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE AIR.
AND THEN OF COURSE I STARTED TO LAUGH.
I TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I THINK IT TOOK HIM A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO RECOVER.
BUT I GOT ENORMOUS SATISFACTION, WHEN HE THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE AIR THAT IT WAS THE SOUPEDDEST THING I EVER HEARD HIM SAY.
>> TIM, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT?
>> I REMEMBER IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING MOMENTS OF MY LIFE TRULY.
I THOUGHT HE WAS SAYING IT ON TELEVISION.
I ALSO THINK IN RETROSPECT THAT IT WAS UNFAIR, DAVID, TO HAVE BEEN UNKIND TO ME AT THAT MOMENT BECAUSE I SAVED HIM FROM MAJOR EMBARRASSMENT IN ANOTHER BIG MOMENT, THE WORST SHOW IN THE HISTORY OF THE "IVORY TOWER," WE WERE DOING IT LIVE FROM THE STATE FAIR.
AND WE COULDN'T HEAR OURSELVES THINK BECAUSE BRIDGE STREET ON CHANNEL 9 WAS FLEX DOOR WITH LOUD MUSIC AND DAVID AND I WENT OVER TO ASK THEM KINDLY TO TURN THE MUSIC DOWN.
WHEN THEY DIDN'T RESPOND RESPECTFULLY TO DAVID'S QUESTION, I HAD WHO TOLD HIM BY THE WAIST TO PREVENT HIM FROM JUMPING UP ON THE STAGE AND TURNING THE MUSIC DOWN HIMSELF.
>> I REMEMBER... >> I SAVED HIM FROM EMBARRASSMENT AND HE CAUSED ME EMBARRASSMENT ON THE SHOW.
>> I REMEMBER THAT FAIR SHOW.
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER WE DID DO SOME TRAVELING AROUND.
THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST SHOW I WAS EVER A PART OF.
>> THE WORST SHOW IN THE HISTORY OF THE SHOW.
>> BECAUSE THE PANEL, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET THEM TALKING AND I WOULD ASK A QUESTION, THE BAND WAS GOING SO LOUD, THEY COULDN'T HEAR MY QUESTION SO IT WAS LIKE DEAD SILENCE, RIGHT?
AND THEN SOMEBODY WOULD FINALLY TALK AND I COULD SEE THEIR MOUTH MOVING BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY SAID AND I COULDN'T ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION AND I THINK BEHIND ME I HEARD EVERYBODY SHAKING THEIR HEADS.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET THAT SHOW.
OTHER MEMORIES, TARA YOU DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES OR BEHIND THE SCENES THINGS OR MEANINGFUL MOMENTS FROM THE SHOW?
>> WELL, I THINK ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS, AND THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES.
LISA DOLAK, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING ON ZOOM, LISA WOULD COME IN AND SHE WOULD COME IN AND SOMETIMES WE WOULD BE ON THE SET AND SHE WOULD SAY JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO START ANYTHING, DON'T ASK ME TOO MUCH BECAUSE I'M NOT PREPARED.
SO WHEN INEVITABLY THE HOST, EITHER ONE OF THE TWO DAVIDS WOULD GO TO LISA, LISA WOULD JUST EXPOUND ON WHATEVER TOPIC IT WAS AND WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT HER LIKE SHE SAID SHE WASN'T PREPARED.
>> WE NEVER BELIEVED HER.
BOB GREENE.
A MEMORABLE MOMENT FOR YOU?
>> WELL, IT'S NOT SO MUCH ONE MOMENT, BUT HOW WELCOME OUR FAMILIES WERE AND HOW WELCOME THE CHILDREN WERE.
TIM'S DAUGHTER, BOB'S DAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER.
WE BROUGHT STUDENTS IN ALL THE TIME.
SHARED EVERYTHING FROM THE SHOW AND IT WAS SUCH AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND IT WAS SO WONDERFUL.
WE REALLY GOT VERY, VERY CLOSE AS A GROUP, ALMOST AS CLOSE AS A FAMILY WHEN WE WEREN'T FIGHTING ON THE AIR OVER SOMETHING.
>> RIGHT.
I MEAN YOU THINK ABOUT BEING FOR AN HOUR WITH THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY FRIDAY MORNING AND YOU DO BECOME CLOSE.
AND I'VE ALWAYS TOLD PEOPLE, I THINK IT'S LIKE, I HOPE, THE AUDIENCE IS JUST SITTING IN ON A LIVING ROOM CONVERSATION, HOPEFULLY SOME INTELLIGENT AND INSIGHTFUL THINGS AND I KNOW I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING, EVERY SINGLE SHOW FROM SOMEBODY, SOMETHING I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY BRING TO THE SHOW.
BOB SPITZER, HOW ABOUT A MEMORY FROM YOU?
>> EL WITH, I REMEMBER-- WELL, I REMEMBER QUITE DISTINCTLY GIVING AN F TO RESTORATION HARD WARE BECAUSE THEY USED TO SEND OUT BIG FAT CATALOGS, I LOVE GOING THROUGH CATALOGS BUT ONE YEAR THEY SENT OUT A STACK OF CATALOGS, IT MUST BE A FOOT THICK, THAT HEAVY GLOSSY PAPER.
CAME IN THE MAIL.
I MEAN THE THING MUST HAVE WEIGHED TWRENT POUNDS.
SO I BROUGHT THE WHOLE STACK OF CATALOGS IN AND I GAVE MY F TO RESTORATION CATALOG FOR, YOU KNOW, MAILING THESE THINGS OUT.
THINK ABOUT THE POOR POSTAL SERVICE AND I CONCLUDED BY HAULING THE STACK UP AND THUMPING IT ON THE TABLE AND SAID THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A COFFEE TABLE, DON'T BUY IT FROM RESTORATION HARDWARE, USE THEIR CATALOGS AS A COFFEE TABLE AND DAVID RUBIN THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME, ALTHOUGH HE PROBABLY DOESN'T REMEMBER IT.
>> DAVID, I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU.
WHAT WAS YOUR VISION AND GOAL FOR THE SHOW AND HAVE WE ACHIEVED IT?
>> WELL, IT'S TRUE, I THINK I SAID TO MY ASSISTANT AT THE TIME FROM THE NEWHOUSE SCHOOL, I FIGURED WE WOULD BE ON SIX WEEKS AND THAT WOULD BE IT.
SO IF YOU ARE ASKING WHAT MY HOPES WERE, I JUST HOPED THAT WE DIDN'T EMBARRASS OURSELVES AND THAT WE WOULD DO A CREDIBLE JOB THAT WOULD LEAVE US ON THE AIR FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND WE WOULD BE GONE.
SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE PICKED THE RIGHT PANELISTS AT THE START THERE.
WAS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
EVERYBODY WAS ADAPTABLE.
EVERYBODY PITCHED IN.
EVERYBODY GOT IT.
EVERYBODY REALIZED IT'S NOT A CLASSROOM, ALTHOUGH BOB GREENE IS RIGHT, WE ARE TEACHING BUT IT'S NOT A CLASSROOM.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT SHORT, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT PUNCHY.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE INTERESTED.
WE LEARNED TO MIX IT UP.
AND WE ROLLED WITH THE PUNCHES.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT OVER THE YEARS WE ACTUALLY TURNED INTO REASONABLY GOOD TV PEOPLE WITH AN APPRECIATION OF THE ART FORM AND HOW TOUGH IT IS AND I WILL SAY DOWN HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, I MISS IT GREATLY.
AND TO HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE AIR FOR THE DEVELOPMENTS SINCE JANUARY 6, BUT SINCE THE ELECTION OF TRUMP IN 2016, HAS BEEN REALLY PAINFUL TO ME AND YOU ARE ALL REALLY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS PLATFORM AT THIS INCREDIBLE PERIOD IN HISTORY.
>> TIM BYRNES, ONE LAST COMMENT FROM YOU.
>> I WOULD SAY MY LAST COMMENT IS HOW MUCH FUN IT WAS.
WHEN I STARTED DAVID ASKED ME, THE SHOW HAD BEEN ON FOR A YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WOULD BE ANY GOOD AT IT OR IF I COULD LOOK IN THE CAM ARE AND TALK AND I REALIZED PRETTY QUICKLY HOW MUCH FUN IT WAS.
FUN IN THE GREEN ROOM BEFORE THE SHOW, FUN IN TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING INTERESTING IN A CONCISE WAY, FUN IN HAVING PEOPLE REACT TO IT ON AND OFF THE AIR IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I DID 15 YEARS.
I THOUGHT I'VE HAD MY SAY.
BUT IT REALLY WAS A LOT OF FUN AND I HOPE THE PEOPLE ARE DOING IT NOW ARE ENJOYING IT AS MUCH AS I DID.
>> I THINK THEY ARE.
TY WROTE US AFTER THE FIRST SHOW AND SAID HOW COME NOBODY TOLD ME THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN.
AS WE MOVE TO CLOSING, YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF PANELISTSES THAT WE ARE GOING TO HONOR SOMEBODY TONIGHT.
AND THAT IS KRISTI.
THIS IS KRISTI'S LAST SHOW AND SO WE HAVE A PLAQUE FOR YOU THAT SAYS YOU ARE AN ORIGINAL PANELIST AND THANK YOU FOR 20 YEARS ON "IVORY TOWER."
I KNOW I APPRECIATE I COULD ALWAYS TURN TO YOU FOR SOMETHING ABOUT NEW YORK STATE POLITICS.
YOU WERE REALLY GOOD ON WIMTION RIGHTS, WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND BRINGING POLLING TO US AND IT HAS BEEN A JOY TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU, BARB.
>> GO AHEAD, I'M SURE YOU WANT TO SAY A GOODBYE.
>> I DO.
I WANT TO SAY GOODBYE TO DAVE, TIM, BOB GREENE AND BOB SPITZER.
IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO LEARN FROM ALL THOSE PEOPLE.
I FEEL LIKE, AND TO INCORPORATE IT, NOT ONLY INTO MY DISCUSSIONS HERE BUT WITH MY CLASSES FOR ALL THESE YEARS.
THAT'S BEEN TERRIFIC.
AND FEELING LIKE WE HAVE KIND OF CREATED THIS, I'M REPEATING MYSELF BUT WE CREATED THIS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN POLITICS, WATCH THE SHOW, AT LEAST OCCASIONALLY, AND ARE WILLING TO STEP UP AND TALK TO US WHEREVER THEY SEE US, WHICH IS REALLY FUN.
>> AND I REALLY LIKE THE THING ABOUT YOU ARE ABLE TO MATCH IT WITH THINGS IN THE CLASSROOM.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THAT IT DOES COME FULL CIRCLE FOR US.
AND IT KEEPS US ON OUR TOES, KEEPING UP WITH LOTS OF INFORMATION.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN FOR ME.
>> IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO GO FROM, WE HEARD SOME STUFF ABOUT THE OLD STUDIO, THE BEES AND THE OTHER ISSUES WITH THAT STUDIO.
IT WAS NEVER MADE TO BE A STUDIO.
AND JUST FOLLOWING THE MOVE HERE AND THIS WONDERFUL STUDIO AND LEARNING FROM DOUG AND ALL OF HIS... >> I WANT TO THANK DOUG AND THE CREW AND WCNY AND LET ME TOSS IT BACK TO DAVE FOR OUR CLOSE.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING FOR OUR SPECIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY.
FOR COMMENTS YOU CAN WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN YOU CAN VIEW IT ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG.
I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FOR ALL OF US AT IVORY TOWER, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
IT'S OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY!
STAY TUNED FOR A LIVE, HOUR-LONG IVORY TOWER, NEXT.
♪ ♪ GOOD EVENING.
WELCOME TO A SPECIAL HOUR-LONG, LIVE, 20TH ANNIVERSARY IVORY TOWER.
I'M DAVID CHANATRY FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.
WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE TONIGHT-JOINING ME ON THE PANEL ARE KRISTI ANDERSEN FROM THE MAXWELL SCHOOL AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, TY SID-JULIE FROM HAMILTON COLLEGE, TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, BEN BAUGHMAN FROM GANNON UNIVERSITY, ANIRBAN ACHARYA FROM LEMOYNE COLLEGE, CHAD SPARBER FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, MICHAEL TILLOTSON FROM SUNY CORTLAND, AND RICK FENNER FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.
WE'LL ALSO BE CHECKING IN WITH SOME OF THE ORIGINAL IVORY TOWER PANELISTS A LITTLE LATER IN THE SHOW.
A NEW REPORT FROM THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER SAYS CHRISTIANS COULD MAKE UP LESS THAN HALF THE U.S. POPULATION IN 50 YEARS, POSSIBLY SOONER THAN THAT.
CHRISTIANS OF VARIOUS DENOMINATIONS HAVE BEEN LEAVING THE FAITH IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN OTHERS ARE JOINING.
THE FASTEST GROWING GROUP IN AMERICA IS NOW THE "NONES," PEOPLE WITH NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE COUNTRY?
>> WELL, I THINK IT MEANS THAT WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY SEEING IS MORE WEAKER ATTACHMENTS TO THE CHRISTIAN ESTABLISHMENT AND TO RELIGIOSITY MORE SO THAN CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES BUT LESS CONTEXTUALIZE THAN WHAT YOU JUST SAID AND POINT OUT THAT 64% OF AMERICANS STILL IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIANS.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT, AS FAR AS SELF-IDENTIFICATION GOES, IT'S STILL A CHRISTIANS.
SO I THINK IT'S NOT ABOUT DEMOGRAPHICS.
BUT ABOUT FOLKS CHANGING THEIR MINDS.
I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS HAPPENING HERE IS THAT THIS IS REALLY, IN MANY WAYS, A PECULIARLY AMERICAN THING IN THE SENSE THAT OTHER WESTERN DEMOCRACIES, STILL HAVE HIGHER PERCENTAGES AS FOLKS CONTINUE TO IDENTIFY AS CHRISTIAN.
I WOULD SAY ALSO IT'S PRIMARILY A PROTESTANT THING.
AND A MORE RECENT THING.
AND THE LAST POINT BECAUSE I KNOW CHAD IS GOING TO DIG INTO THIS A BIT DEEPER.
I THINK SOME OF IT IS ABOUT REJECTING WHAT CHRISTIANITY HAS COME TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS BEING ABOUT ABORTION AND ANTIGAY RIGHTS AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER STUFF.
>> SO THAT TIES INTO POLITICS AND CHAD, WHAT IS RELIGION NOT GIVING TO PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER STAYING WITH THE FAITH?
>> I'M REMINDED OF A TALK I WENT TO WITH A GUY NAMED TIM BYRNES, I THINK YOU HAVE HEARD OF HIM.
HE SAID IN THE 1970s, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MADE AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT TO BROAD N THE BASE BY ATTRACTING EVANGELICALS, CATHOLICS AND OTHER CHRISTIAN GROUPS AND IT WAS A FAUSTIAN BARGAIN.
CHRISTIANS GOT SOME OF THE POLICIES THEY WANTED BUT AT WHAT COST?
SO I THINK WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT THE RIGHT NOW HAS A NEAR MONOPOLY OF ACTIVE CHRISTIANITY, AND YOUNG PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDABLY TURNED OFF BY SOME OF THE, WHAT THEY SEE AS HYPOCRISY, WHETHER IT'S BOMBING IRAQ UNDER FALSE PRETENSES, THE CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE SCANDAL IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WHEN THE CENTRAL, YOU KNOW, PRINCIPLE OF CHRISTIANITY IS ABOUT LOVE BUT ONE LAST POINT.
AND I SAY WITH SOME IRONY, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IF YOU GO BACK TO THE FOUNDING OF OUR COUNTRY AND THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE, BAPTIST WERE HUGE PROPONENTS OF THAT BECAUSE THEY FEARED THE WAY GOVERNMENT COULD CORRUPT RELIGION AND THAT'S A LOST IDEA.
WE ARE SEEING IT NOW.
>> BRINGING THE COURT AND I SUSPECT THAT JUSTICE ALITO WOULD SAY THAT CHRISTIANITY IS UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW.
KRISTI, WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM.
ARE RIS CHUNS JUSTIFIED IN FEELING THAT THERE IS A THREAT.
>> CHRISTIANS ARE NOT JUSTIFIED IN FEELING THAT WE ARE A CHRISTIAN NATION IN ANY REAL SENSE.
YES, THAT HAS BEEN THE MAJORITIES OF RELIGIOUS PEOPLE HAVE CALLED THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS, ALTHOUGH, AS YOU SAID, THIS IS DECREASING AND I HAVE TO SAY TO NINA, IT'S DECREASING WESTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AS WELL.
FOR EXAMPLE, GREAT BRITAIN, THE NUN-- THE NONES OUTGREW OR BECAME MORE PERVASIVE THAN THE PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY WERE CHRISTIANS IN 2009.
BUT WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WERE EXTREMELY DETERMINED THAT WE WERE NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION; THAT WE WERE SEPARATING POLITICS AND GOVERNANCE FROM CHRISTIANITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT-- AND CHAD IS KIND OF SAYING THIS-- THIS IS THE LACK OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S ABILITY TO DO THIS HAS TURNED A LOT OF PEOPLE OFF FROM CHRISTIANITY, I THINK.
>> AND TARA, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS CHANGE IN THE RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE?
>> WELL, I WOULD PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF WHAT HAS BEEN SAID BECAUSE WHILE IT'S TRUE THAT THE FOUNDING FATHERS WANTED THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, MOST OF THESE FOUNDING FATHERS, IF YOU WOULD ASK THEM WOULD HAVE IDENTIFIED AS CHRISTIAN AND DID ATTEND CHURCH REGULARLY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PARADOXES OF AMERICA.
IS THAT WE ON THE ONE HAND ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE, BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT WAS THE REALITY OF PEOPLE'S LIVES FOR MANY GENERATIONS, IT STARTED REALLY CHANGING IN THE LATE 60s AND ON INTO THE 70s, THE REALITY WAS THAT MOST AMERICANS WENT TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND THE OTHER REALITY IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, IF YOU LOOK AT THE VERY BASIS OF MUCH OF IT, IT'S BASED ON THE 10 COMMANDMENTS WHICH COMES FROM THE BIBLE FROM GOD, ET CETERA.
AND SO THERE IS WHAT WE PURPORT IN TERMS OF THE CONSTITUTION, BUT THERE WAS ALSO HOW WE LIVED OUR LIVES.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS RECENT REPORT WAS THE FACT THAT IF YOU HAVE CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION, THAT TENDS TO DEVOLVE IN TERMS OF YOUR OWN CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, ET CETERA, INTO CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION.
SO AS RELIGIOSITY HAS DECREASED, CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION HAS DECREASED AND SO, OF COURSE, WE ARE GOING TO EVENTUALLY BECOME A NATION WHERE CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION IS LESS THAN THE NONES.
>> AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY THING TO REMEMBER, THAT ON THE ONE HAND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHURCH AND STATE AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES IN THAT VERSUS JUST WHAT THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE POLITICAL PROCESS.
AND KRISTI, I WANT TO SAY THE U.K. IS AT THE LOW END OF CHRISTIANITY, BUT THE PEW RESEARCH CENTER SHOWED THAT GERMANY, SWEDEN, SPAIN, ITALY AND IRELAND ALL HAVE MUCH HIGHER MEASURES OF RELIGIOSITY THAN THE U.S.
SO AS I SAID, THE DATA SHOWS IT'S AMERICA... >> IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT THE MEASURE OF CHURCH ATTENDANCE SHOWS.
>> IF YOU LOOK AT CHURCH ATTENDANCE AND ALSO REGULAR PRAYER, THOSE ARE LOWER.
BUT AGAIN, AMERICA IS MUCH LOWER THAN THE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT I MENTIONED.
>> OKAY.
NOW, AFTER 70 YEARS OF ROYAL STABILITY, THE DEATH OF QUEEN ELIZABETH IS RAISING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MONARCHY'S FUTURE, AND ITS PAST.
HER LOYAL SUBJECTS MAY BE MOURNING, BUT SOON ENOUGH SOME ARE LIKELY TO QUESTION THE COST AND THE POINT OF MAINTAINING A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY.
IS IT TIME FOR IT TO GO?
IS IT TIME FOR THE MONARCHY TO GO?
AND, AS WE CONSIDER QUEEN ELIZABETH'S LEGACY, WHAT RESPONSIBILITY DOES SHE BEAR FOR THE BRUTALITY OF COLONIAL OCCUPATION?
AND THE HISTORY OF COLONIALISM?
>> I WILL START OFF WITH NO, I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GO AWAY.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.
IT'S REALLY UP TO THE BRITISH SOCIETY THAT HAS COME OUT IN DROVES IN SUPPORT FOR WHAT THE QUEEN REPRESENTS, WHAT THE MONARCH HAS DONE AND CONTINUES TO DO.
SHE DID RULE QUIETLY BEHIND THE SCENES AND NOT POLITICALLY IN FRONT OF EVERYTHING.
I THINK SHE WAS VERY SUBTLE WITH THAT APPROACH.
SHE PRESENTED A SERVANT LEADER AND A PART OF THAT FABRIC OF BRITAIN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE WITH THE KING.
>> AND, WELL, YOU SAID RULE, AND I'M WONDERING, TY, I MEAN SHE IS THE HEAD OF STATE BUT SHE IS NOT THE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT, RIGHT?
DOES SHE EVEN RULE?
>> NO, SHE DOESN'T RULE.
BUT YOU GOT TO GIVE HER HER PROPS.
HERE IS SOMEONE WHO SAID SO LITTLE SO OFTEN FOR SO LONG.
AND SHE DID IT MAGNIFICENTLY.
HAVE YOU EVER MET A MORE DISCIPLINED PERSON TO SAY NOTHING FOR 70 YEARS.
IT'S REMARKABLE.
AND I DON'T THINK THAT WE WILL EVER HAVE THAT AGAIN.
SHE MADE 250 FOREIGN STATE VISITS.
SHE WAS REMARKABLE.
HAVING SAID THAT, AS AN AMERICAN, I'M SURE GLAD WE ARE NOT BASING OUR LEADERS ON DNA.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MONARCHY.
AND I DO HOPE THAT THE NEXT GENERATION, THE GENERATION AFTER THAT WILL DEAL WITH THE HORRORS OF COLONIALISM, THE HORRORS OF SLAVERY, AND THE TERRIBLE INSTABS INSTANCES THAT THE BRITISH EMPIRE PUT ON SO MUCH OF THE WORLD.
>> ANIRBAN, WHAT IS YOUR TAKE PICKING UP JUST ON THAT POINT THAT TY IS MAKING?
>> RIGHT, I AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S UP TO THE BRITISH, I MEAN WITH BEN, IT IS UP WITH THE BRITISH WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO.
A TONGUE IN CHEEK ANSWER WOULD BE THEY COULD TAKE A HINT FROM THE FRENCH.
BUT YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, YES, SMILING AND PARADING CORGIS IS NOT GOING TO WIPE AWAY CENTURIES OF HORRIBLE MASS ATROCITIES YOU CAN THINK OF.
THE ROYAL FAMILY STOOD FOR IT AND IN SOME CASES COVERED IT UP.
THE MOST RECENT BEING WITHIN HER OWN RULE IN KENYA WHERE THEY WENT AND BASICALLY CREATED A SORT OF CONCENTRATION CAMP KIND OF GENOCIDE ON KENYANS.
NOW I THINK PERSONALLY THAT HISTORY IS NEITHER ABOUT EXCUSES, NEITHER ABOUT REVENGE.
AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO FORGIVE BUT NOT FORGET.
SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT THE BRITISH, WHAT THEY NEED IS A SOCIETY WIDE ATONEMENT FOR THE HORRIBLE SINS THAT THEY PERPETRATED AND HAVE NEVER APOLOGIZED FOR IT AT ALL.
YOU KNOW, THEY ABOLISH ISSUED SLAVERY BUT THE BRITISH PEOPLE WERE PAYING OFF THE SLAVE HOLDERS MONEY UNTIL 2015.
SO YOU KNOW, I LIKE HOW THE BRITISH MONARCHY HAS A GOOD P.R.
SYSTEM GOING ON.
BUT IT DOESN'T CUT WITH POST COLONIAL SCHOLARS.
>> A COUPLE THINGS REAL QUICK.
SHE DIDN'T TALK A LOT.
SHE DIDN'T GIVE INTERVIEWS BUT SHE DID LEAD WITH A LOT OF ACTIONS.
THE MONARCH, OF COURSE, DID TERRIBLE THINGS IN ITS HISTORY.
IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.
WE HAVE DONE TERRIBLE THINGS IN THIS COUNTRY F. WE START SCRATCHING AT HISTORY, IT'S GOING TO BLEED.
>> MICHAEL, THAT POINT ABOUT HISTORY BLEEDING.
WHERE DO YOU COME DOWN?
>> WHETHER IT BLEEDS OR NOT, AFTER WE GET PAST THE SENSATIONALISM, MEDIA, ANECDOTAL CONJECTURE, THERE IS A REALITY IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD.
YOU COME OUT OF THE CENTRAL DISTRICT, YOU MOVE AND GO TO SOUTH LONDON AND YOU TALK TO THE PEOPLE FROM THE CARE LEAN BASIN, THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT FROM FOR EM, THIS FAIRY TALE WAS A NIGHTMARE MADE ON THE BACKS OF ENSLAVED AFRICANS.
THERE IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT TONE AND TENOR.
I THINK ABOUT THE BOOK IN 1972, I THINK ABOUT THE NEWER SCHOLARSHIPS LIKE LETITIA KNIGHTSHIP WHO TALKS ABOUT TROUBLING FREEDOM, THE ACT OF SUCCESSION BY BARBADOS.
TALK OF REPARATIONS BY BLACK BRITS.
A LOT OF AMERICANS THINK THAT THE ONLY TIME REPARATIONS IS MENTIONED IS IN THE BLACK AMERICAN CONTEXT.
I GOT NEWS FOR YOU.
BRAK BRITS HAVE TALKED ABOUT REPARATIONS FOR QUITE SOMETIMEIONG LF JOHN CONYERS TALKED ABOUT IT IN 1980 IN AMERICA.
SO IT HAS DEEP ROOTS IN THE U.K. AS WELL SO STAY TUNED BECAUSE IN SOME QUARTERS, THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT THE DEVILNESS OF THE MONARCHY IS NO THE A NEW CONVERSATION.
>> SO I READ AN ARTICLE WHICH SAID IT WAS QUOTING SOMEBODY IN A FORMER COLONY WHICH SAID, TO US COLONIALISM IS NOW.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING FROM... >> AND THAT IS CORRECT.
AS MY COLLEAGUE MICHAEL IS POINTING OUT.
HUNDREDS OF PAGES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE HORRORS OF THE EMPIRE.
AND IT IS HAPPENING NOW.
IT IS HAPPENING NOW IN THE SENSE OF THE TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WEALTH THAT HAVE BEEN MOVED AWAY AND YOU KNOW, REPARATIONS CAN BE TOKENNISH.
ONE PROPOSAL WAS THAT THEY SHOULD PAY SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES $2 PER YEAR-- £2 FOR THE NEXT 200 YEARS.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO, RIGHT?
YOU REMEMBER HISTORY WILLIE BRANDT, THIS GERMAN CHANCELLOR WENT AND GENUFLECTED IN THE WARSAW GHETTO TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE HOLOCAUST.
I WANT TO PUT IT IN TERMS THAT I GUESS AMERICAN COLLEAGUES CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND.
THAT TO PRAISE THE QUEEN AND THE MONARCHY AND TO EXPECT PEOPLE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, COLONIAL SUBJECTS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS TO PEEL ANY KIND OF RE-- TO FEEL ANY REMORSE IS FOR EXAMPLE, TO BE LIKE PRAISING HITLER.
SO I'M JUST PUTTING IT IN AMERICAN TERMS.
>> TO DEAL WITH HISTORY IS TO MAKE PEOPLE A MORE EMPATHETIC AND BETTER CITIZENS IS IF WE DEAL WITH OUR HISTORY.
TRUE FOR AMERICANS, TRUE FOR THE BRITISH AND THE GERMANS HAVE DONE IT BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE HAS DONE OVER THE LAST 60 YEARS AND HAS MADE THEM A BETTER MORE EMPATHETIC COUNTRY AND THEY BROUGHT IN A MILLION SERBIAN REFUGEES.
CAN YOU IMAGINE US BRINGING FOUR MILLION SYRIANS INTO THIS COUNTRY.
WE NEED TO DEAL WITH OUR HISTORY AND THE BRITISH WOULD DO WELL TO DEAL WITH THEIRS, TOO.
>> CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION?
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE, AND I ACCEPT EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE HAS SAID SO FAR.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE THAT THE QUEEN REPRESENTS A UNIFYING FORCE; THAT SHE REPRESENTS TRADITION AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE COULD VERY MUCH USE HERE IN THE U.S. >> THAT IS WHAT THEY SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE MID-- AROUND 2011.
IT'S THEIR JOB TO BE THE HEAD OF STATE AND TO DO THE TRADITIONS AND GIVE STABILITY TO THE COUNTRY.
>> I DON'T WANT TO PICK SOMEBODY BASED ON BLOOD LINE.
>> AND MICHAEL, QUICK POINT ON THAT AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON.
>> AS WE TALK ABOUT HOW THE MONARCHY IS CHALLENGED, THERE ARE STILL WHO APPLAUD IT.
THERE IS A STORY WRITTEN A FEW YEARS AGO CALLED COLONIALISM IS BACK AND NOT A MOMENT TOO SOON, EXTOLLING THE VIRTUES OF REVISITING SOUTH AFRICA FOR COMPANY COCOA BATTLE COBALS.
NOW THAT ROE V WADE HAS BEEN OVERTURNED BY THE SUPREME COURT, SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM HAS INTRODUCED A BILL TO BAN ABORTION AFTER 15 WEEKS, WITH EXCEPTIONS IN CASES OF RAPE, INCEST OR TO PROTECT THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.
HIS SENATE COLLEAGUES SEEM TO WISH HE HADN'T.
HE'S GETTING HAMMERED ON THE POLITICS OF THE MOVE, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POLICY.
IS 15 WEEKS A SENSIBLE COMPROMISE BETWEEN PRO-LIFE AND PRO-CHOICE?
>> MAYBE.
BUT I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT FOR ONE THING, HE SAID HIMSELF RIGHT AFTER THE DOBBS DECISION, THE ISSUE WILL NOW BE DECIDED BY ELECTED OFFICIALS IN THE STATES, WHICH IS WHAT THE REST OF MY SENATE COLLEAGUES WANT.
SO THEY WERE GOING TO LEAVE IT TO THE STATES.
HASN'T HE SEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED, THOUGH?
I MEAN KANSAS, FOR EXAMPLE, AND THE POLLING THAT SAYS THAT MOST AMERICANS DO SUPPORT ABORTION, AT LEAST EITHER ALL OR SOME OF THE TIME AND THAT MOST AMERICANS DISAPPROVE OF THE DOBBS DECISION AND THAT I THINK-- I WAS... >> IF MOST AMERICANS SUPPORT THAT RIGHT, THAT CAN STILL BE-- HE IS STILL ALLOWING FOR THAT WITHIN THAT PERIOD.
>> I HAVE A HARD TIME CALLING THIS A COMPROMISE.
HIS PROPOSAL WILL ALLOW STATES TO IMPOSE STRICTER LIMITS ON ABORTION, INCLUDING BANNING IT OUTRIGHT WITHOUT ANY EXCEPTIONS FOR RAPE OR INCEST.
WHAT HIS PROPOSAL DOES THOUGH IS IT PROHIBITS STATES FROM IMPOSING LOOSER RESTRICTIONS.
SO THIS IS NOT A COMPROMISE.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SAID THAT SENATE COLLEAGUES WERE UPSET WITH THIS, I WOULD THINK YOU NEED TO SAY HIS REPUBLICAN SENATE COLLEAGUES.
THE DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES ARE OVERJOYED BECAUSE I THINK HE HAS JUST MADE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE REPUBLICANS TO HOLD THE SENATE BECAUSE AS KRISTI SAID, THE POLLS CLEARLY SHOW THAT ABOUT 60% OF AMERICANS THINK THAT OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE WAS A MISTAKE.
AND MANY OF THOSE REPUBLICAN SENATORS IN CLOSE STATES THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO FLIP NOW WERE TRYING TO KEEP AWAY FROM MENTIONING ABORTION.
NOW HE JUST BROUGHT IT BACK ON TO THE FRONT PAGE.
>> SO AGAIN, WHEN YOU MENTION THE DEMOCRATS BEING OVERJOYED BY THAT, THAT'S POLITICS AGAIN AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE ELECTORAL CONSEQUENCES OF THAT ARE.
TAR TARA, I'M STILL TRYING TO COME BACK TO THE IDEA OF THE POLICY.
I MEAN IS HE PURELY BEING CYNICAL HERE OR DOES HE HAVE A LEGITIMATE POSITION THAT HE IS TRYING TO PUT FORWARD?
>> HE HAS A LEGITIMATE POSITION, BUT IT'S A POSITION THAT HE HELD, BASICALLY, PRE-DOBBS AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED IS THAT HE AND OTHER REPUBLICANS HAVE WATCHED AS THE DOBBS DECISION HAS MADE IT MUCH HARDER FOR THE REPUBLICANS TO TAKE BACK THE SENATE.
AND SO HE CALLS HIMSELF SHIFTING BACK TO A POSITION THAT WAS, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, REFLECTIVE OF WHAT POLLS WERE SAYING MOST AMERICANS WOULD ACCEPT; THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT THE RIGHT TO AN ABORTION THROUGH THE FIRST 15 WEEKS, POSSIBLY 20 WEEKS AND THEN AFTER THAT, ONLY IF IN THE CASES OF RAPE, INCEST, ET CETERA.
AND HAD HE MADE THAT OFFER SO TO SPEAK, IN TERMS OF LEGISLATION, PRIOR TO DOBBS, THE REPUBLICANS ACTUALLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ON SOMETHING.
BUT WITH THE DOBBS DECISION AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT MOVEMENT, THE RESTRICTIONS BY THE VARIOUS STATES THAT HAVE OCCURRED AND ARE ONGOING, BASICALLY THAT ARGUMENT HAS BEEN UNDERCUT.
AND THEN WHEN HE ADDED THE FACT THAT NOTHING IN HIS PIECE OF PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE ANY IMPACT ON THOSE STATES THAT HAVE ALREADY RESTRICTED ABORTION EVEN FURTHER OR ARE MAKING IT ILLEGAL OUTRIGHT, BASICALLY HE UNDERCUT HIMSELF AND THE OTHER REPUBLICANS ARE, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, THEY LOOK SILLY BECAUSE OKAY, DOESN'T YOUR PARTY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PICK A POSITION AND STAY WITH IT?
>> SO, MOST AMERICANS ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE ON ABORTION.
SO WHY WOULDN'T A NATIONAL LAW THAT ALLOWS WHAT ARE THE VAST MAJORITY OF ABORTIONS WE SEE, WHY ISN'T THAT AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE, NINA?
>> I THINK I'LL SPEAK IN A MOMENT TO WHY THAT MIGHT NOT BE AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE, BECAUSE I THINK HERE COMPROMISE IS JUST IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE WHAT THE DOBBS DECISION BASICALLY DID WAS DENATIONALIZE ABORTION RIGHTS WHICH WERE PREVIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
SO IT'S SAID TO STATES, WE WILL LEAVE IT ENTIRELY TO YOU TO BALANCE TWO COMPETING INTERESTS THE COMPELLING INTEREST IN SAVING THE LIFE OF THE UNBORN, AND THE OTHER COMPELLING INTEREST IN RESPECTING THE RIGHT OF PRIVACY OF THE WOMAN.
AND THAT, IN TURN, HINGED ON THE QUESTION OF VIABILITY AS TO WHEN THOSE COMPELLING INTERESTS CAME INTO PLAY.
AND EVEN SCIENTISTS DON'T AGREE ON WHAT THE POINT OF VIABILITY IS.
SOME SAY, YOU KNOW, LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION.
SCIENTISTS NOW, AND THEN HAVE YOU FOLKS ON THE OTHER SIDE.
SO I THINK THE ONLY REAL RESOLUTION HERE IS PERHAPS A FEDERAL LAW.
CONGRESS HAS ARTICLE 3 POWERS THAT WOULD ENABLE IT TO CHANGE THE SIZE OF THE COURT TO STRIP SOME OF THE COURT'S APPELLATE JURISDICTION THE OTHER OPTION IS A CONSTITUTIONAL REVERSAL.
HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GET AT SOMETHING THAT KRISTI MENTIONED WHENS TO PERSUADE A MAJORITY TO COME AROUND TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER AND I SAY GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
>> MICHAEL, I WANT TO GET YOU IN ON THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISE POSSIBLE.
NINA SAYS NO.
>> I'M NOT HERE AS A MAN TO MAKE ANY DECISIONS AT ALL FOR WHAT WOMEN DO WITH THEIR BODIES ON ANY LEVEL BUT I WILL SAY THE ABORTION ISSUE UNDERSCORES THE HALLMARK OF DUPLICITY AND HYPOCRISY ON THE RIGHT, THE SO CALLED ESTABLISHMENT AS WELL.
THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE FOR PERSONAL FREEDOM BUT THEY WANT TO CONTROL WHAT WOMEN DO WITH THEIR BODY.
THEY SAY THEY'RE FOR LOVE OF COUNTRY BUT WANT TO DESTABILIZE AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS THEY SAY THEY'RE AGAINST CENSORSHIP BUT BAN BOOKS IN SCHOOLS.
THEY SAY THEY'RE AGAINST CANCEL CULTURE.
THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
ABORTION HIGHLIGHTS THE DUPLICITY AND HYPOCRISY OF THE RIGHT.
>> WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO IS WHEN LIFE BEGINS?
THAT'S PART OF THE EMOTIONAL DECISION THE COURT MADE WITHOUT SAYING IT AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT I THINK THEY SHOWED WHEN THEY ALSO RULED TO TAKE THE STATES RIGHT AWAY FROM CONTROLLING GUNS.
>> WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED ON THIS PROGRAM THAT UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME, THE IDEA SEEMS TO BE CATCHING ON.
48 PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN STARTED IN THE U.S.
SINCE 2020, INCLUDING A PILOT PROGRAM IN LOS ANGELES, WHICH IS GIVING $3200 PEOPLE A THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH FOR A YEAR SOME CRITICS SUGGEST IT BREAKS THE SOCIAL CONTRACT TO REDISTRIBUTE MONEY THIS WAY.
OTHERS SAY A BETTER APPROACH TO ALLEVIATING POVERTY IS TO EXPAND EXISTING GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS LIKE THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT.
DO THESE PROGRAMS WORK?
ARE THEY GOOD POLICY?
FIRST OF ALL WE USE THESE TERMS GUARANTEED INCOME AND BASIC INCOME AND NOT ALL THE PROGRAMS ARE THE SAME.
FOR INSTANCE, ANDREW YANG SUGGESTED GIVING EVERY ADULT AMERICAN ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS A MONTH SO THAT PROGRAM WOULD HAVE BEEN INDEPENDENT OF NEED.
BUT MOST OF THE PROGRAMS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT ARE TARGETING LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
THE SECOND THING IS THAT THESE PROGRAMS AND THESE IDEAS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME AND THEY'RE NOT THE PRODUCT OF SOME DEMOCRAT SOCIALIST PLOT: MILTON FRIEDMAN IN 1960 WAS CHAMPIONING THE NEGATIVE INCOME TAX WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A GUARANTEED INCOME PLAN.
DO THESE PROGRAMS WORK?
I THINK WE SAW DURING THE PANDEMIC THEY DO WORK BECAUSE WE HAD THE EXPANSION OF THE CHILD TAX CREDIT AND THE CENSUS BUREAU WHICH WAS A GUARANTEED FLOOR FOR ALL FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN, WE FOUND THE POVERTY RATE FOR CHILDREN FELL FROM 9.7% TO 5.2% AND THEY ARE GIVING MOST OF THE CREDIT TO THAT ONE PROGRAM.
SO IN THIS CASE, GUARANTEED INCOME HAS HELPED LOWER THE POVERTY RATE.
>> AND CHAD, SO RICK SAID IT'S NOT A DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PLOT.
THAT'S YOUR LEAD-IN.
>> AWESOME.
SO I'M GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE FIRST THING THAT HE SAID WHICH IS THAT THE UNIVERSAL BASIC INCOME IS A MISNOMER.
IF THERE IS ANY SORT OF CRAWL BACK FOR HIGH INCOME PEOPLE OR FUNDED BY A PROGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM, IT'S NOT UNIVERSAL.
AND THE U.S. HAS TWO UNIVERSAL INCOME PROGRAMS, THEY'RE BOTH SMALL AND RUN BY GOVERNMENT OWNED KIND OF AGENCIES.
BUT I'M ACTUALLY SYMPATHETIC TO THE REST WHAT HAVE HE SAID AND LOOK, EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT EXPANSION UNDER THE CLINTON REDUCED CHILD POVERTY FROM 28% IN 1993 TO 11% TODAY.
IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WAS POPULAR WITH REAGAN.
IT'S POPULAR WITH PAUL RYAN.
IT'S SUCCESSFUL.
WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GET RID OF THIS IN FAVOR OF SOMETHING LIKE UBI?
TWO REASONS I GIVE YOU.
ONE IS THAT THERE IS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN ABOUT AUTOMATION AND ROBOTS TAKING JOBS AWAY FROM PEOPLE AND PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND WORK IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN THE SECOND REASON IS THAT IT PENALIZES PARENTS WHO WANT TO WORK MORE BECAUSE IF YOU WORK MORE, YOU EARN MORE INCOME AND YOU GET LESS GOVERNMENT BENEFIT AND THAT'S WHY ONE OF THE REASONS THAT MITT ROMNEY IS ACTUALLY COME ON RECORD ON SAYING HE WANTS A UNIVERSAL CHILD BENEFIT OF ABOUT $300 A MONTH.
THAT'S PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHAT RICK WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE BIDEN POLICY.
I DON'T GIVE BIDEN A LOT OF ECONOMIC CREDIT BUT HE IS RIGHT.
>> ANIRBAN, I MEAN EVEN IF THE PROGRAMS ARE EFFECTIVE, CAN SOMETHING LIKE THAT SUSTAIN ITS SCALE?
>> I DON'T THINK IT WILL BE ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND THIS IS WHY.
LET ME BREAK IT UP.
UNIVERSAL MEANS EVERYONE GETS IT.
IT'S NOT MEANS TESTED.
BASIC MEANS IT HAS TO COVER YOUR BASIC NEEDS.
SO EDUCATION, HEALTH, SHELTER, CLOTHING, BLAH BLAH BLAH AND IT'S INCOME IN THE SENSE THAT IT HAS TO BE A REAL INCOME SO IT HAS TO BE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION AND SO ON, RIGHT?
SO NOW WHAT IT PRESUPPOSES THEN IS THAT THE SOCIETY IS ALREADY DOING THE NECESSARY WORK TO PROVIDE THOSE BASIC NEEDS.
WHAT IS IF THE SOCIETY WITH NOT PROVIDE THE BASIC NEEDS?
HOW DO WE COORDINATE THAT?
IF IT DOESN'T HAPPEN THEN WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THAT PRICES WILL RISE AND WILL YOU NOT GET THE SAME INCOME, IT WILL NOT GO THAT FAR.
SO I DO THINK THAT UBI, LOGICALLY DECEPTIVE IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC SENSE THAT I CAN KIND OF PARSE OUT AND THINK OF, BECAUSE IT KIND OF PREPOSES THAT THE SOCIETY WOULD CONTINUOUSLY, WITHOUT ANY COORDINATION FAILURE, KEEP PROVIDING THE NECESSARY MEANS OF OUR SOCIAL EXISTENCE AND THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WITHIN THE CAPITALIST SYSTEM IN THAT PARTICULAR WAY.
SO I THINK I'LL TAKE YOUR IDEA THAT IT'S HELPING CHILDREN, TO SOME BASIC INCOME IS A MUCH BETTER MOVE.
THIS SEEMS LOGICALLY FLAWED TO ME.
>> TY.
>> I JUST HAVE TO FOLLOW THREE ECONOMISTS AND I'M AN HISTORIAN SO THIS IS SCARY BUT I'M GOING TO TRY ANYWAY.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT IT, AND I GO BACK TO PROGRESSIVE ERA WHEN WE HAD THE LABORATORY OF DEMOCRACY AND PEOPLE WERE TRYING LOTS OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY, TO ALLEVIATE THE DISPARITY OF LIFE WEALTH THAT CAME FROM THE GILDED AGE.
I LOVE WHAT L.A. AND DURHAM NORTH CAROLINA IS DOING.
GIVING A BASIC INCOME TO FELONS AS THEY GET OUT OF JAIL.
TO TRY THE PROGRAMS, SEE WHAT WORKS AND IF WE DO SOME OF THESE, WE CAN GET RID OF BUREAUCRACY ON ONE HAND AND ALLEVIATE POVERTY ON THE OTHER.
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, SNAP COULD BE DONE TO GIVE PEOPLE MONEY INSTEAD OF BUREAUCRACY TELLING THEM HOW TO DO IT.
GIVE IT TO THE STATES AND CITIES AND LOCALES, LABORATORIES OF DEMOCRACY AND SEE IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT A BETTER WAY TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND LOWER BUREAUCRACY.
>> DAVID, YOU ASKED A QUESTION.
>> QUICKLY, CHAD.
>> PAPER BY HILARY LYONS AND JEFFREY ROTHSTEIN, CHECK IT OUT.
IT IS GOOD BUT ENORMOUSLY EXPENSIVE AND REDWRBT WEALTH FROM POOR PEOPLE TO THE MIDDLE-CLASS.
THAT'S NOT SO GOOD.
>> THAT'S WHY THE HISTORIANS ALWAYS GO LAST.
GOING TO GET THE LAST WORD.
>> HE TRICKED YOU.
>> WE HAVE TO GO TO OUR As AND FS.
KRISTI YOUR F. >> MY FINAL F IS TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL NOT BELIEVING IN CLIMATE CHANGE.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS.
IT'S THE CASE THAT IN THE PUBLIC, CLIMATE DENIALISM IS DECREASING, BUT A RECENT ANALYSIS FOUND THAT 139 REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO STILL DO NOT ACCEPT THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT HUMANS ARE CAUSING DELETERIOUS CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> NINA.
>> MY F TO THE HISTORIC DROP IN STUDENTS TEST SCORES FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC CLOSURES.
ACCORDING TO THE FIRST NATIONALLY REPRESENTATIVE REPORT THAT LOOKS AT BEFORE AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC, BOTH MATH AND READING SCORES SAW THE LARGEST DIP IN 30 YEARS.
ON TOP OF THIS FALLOFF ARE OTHER PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED BY THE WASHINGTON POST, BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS, ABSENTEEISM AND, OF COURSE, TEACHER SHORTAGES.
THE RESULT IS WE REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO CATCH UP.
>> AND TY, YOUR F. >> TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS FOR STILL ALLOWING INDIVIDUAL STOCK TRADES AMONG MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
THEY SHOULD ALSO, ONE THING I REALIZE REALLY, THEY HAVE NOT HAD A PAY RAISE IN 13 YEARS.
THEY DON'T GET A HOUSING ALLOWANCE.
MANY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SLEEP IN THEIR OFFICES AND THEIR STAFFS, 15% OF THEIR STAFFS EARN LESS THAN $40,000 A YEAR AND LIVE IN D.C.
SO GIVE THEMSELVES A RAISE BUT THEN STOP WITH THE STOCK TRADING.
>> OKAY.
AND TARA YOUR F. >> TO THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE USE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN ACTORS TO PLAY AERIAL IN THE LITTLE MERMAID AND LORD OF THE RINGS FILMS.
WE ARE ALMOST 60 YEARS SINCE THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON AND THESE CHARACTERS ARE NOT EVEN REAL PEOPLE.
ISN'T IT TIME TO ACCEPT THAT WE NO LONGER LIVE IN A WHITES ONLY WORLD?
>> BEN, YOUR F, PLEASE?
>> MY F IS GOING TO BE GOING TO USING ALLIGATORS AS SUPPORT ANIMALS.
WALLY IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA IS A SUPPORT ALLIGATOR.
SEVEN YEARS OLD.
HE IS A BIG DEAL ON TIKTOK BUT I REMEMBER THESE MAGICIANS IN LAS VEGAS WHO RAISED TIGERS AND ONE OF THEM TURNED ON THEM.
>> TY TOOK MY F. IT WAS GOING TO THE CONGRESS MEMBERS WHO USE THEIR INFORMATION FROM COMMITTEES WHERE, YOU KNOW, DOING STOCK TRADES THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, HELPING THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS OUT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY BUT WHENEVER I'M IN DOUBT, I JUST GIVE AN F TO THE BRITISH MONARCHY.
>> OKAY.
CHAD, HAVE YOU TO FOLLOW THAT.
YOUR F. >> FINE, I HAVE PREVIOUSLY RAILED AGAINST WORK FROM HOME POLICIES BECAUSE THEY'RE BAD FOR PRODUCTIVITY AND I WORRY THAT THEY'RE FACILITATING OFFSHORING BUT NOW I HAVE A NEW REASON TO BE UPSET AND THAT'S GENTRIFICATION.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT CAME OUT IN ROUTERS THIS WEEK REPORTING ON WAVES OF REMOTE WORKERS FROM THE U.S. POURING INTO MEXICO CITY, AIR BASKETBALLS, THE SO CALLED DIGITAL NOMADS ARE DISPLACING LOCAL RESIDENTS, RAISING PRICES AND WIDENING LOCAL INCOME DISPARITIES SO WORK FROM HOME, ANOTHER F. >> MICHAEL, YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO THE CONTINUED SHE SHENANIGANS OF JUBLG IN FLORIDA WHO HAS NO SHAME IN HER FEALTY TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT AS SHE TRIES TO CONTINUE TO TWIST AND CONTORT THE LANGER WINNING OF THE JEW DISHRY IN TRUMP'S FAVOR.
>> TO THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION.
ROBERT STIVER BILLIONAIRE OWNER OF THE PHOENIX SUNS GUILTY OF MISOGYNY, RACISM, BULLYING HIS EMPLOYEES AND GIVEN A SLAP ON THE WRIST, ONE-YEAR SUSPENSION AND 10 MILLION-DOLLAR FINE.
THE NBA LIKES TO CALL ITSELF THE MOST PROGRESSIVE OF SPORTS LEAGUES.
BUT I THINK HOW THEY HANDLED THIS CASE SUGGESTS OTHERWISE.
>> NOW LET'S QUICKLY GO THROUGH THE As.
KRISTI.
>> MY A TO THE NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF VICE MAYOR CONSERVATION TRYING TO DO THINGS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, SPECIFICALLY I'M GIVING THE A TO THEIR PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP CITIZEN SCIENTISTS; FOR EXAMPLE, C SLAP, THE LAKE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM HAS HELPED PROTECT WATER RESOURCES SINCE 1985.
THERE ARE MANY PROGRAMS TO TEACH CITIZENS HOW TO RORD AND-- RECORD AND MONITOR SPECIES OF WILDLIFE AND MONITOR THE EFFECT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
>> THE FIRST IS TO THE AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT FOR GIVING $2 BILLION TO FOOD PROGRAMS.
THE OTHER IS TO MY SOON TO BE FORMER COLLEAGUE KRISTI, WHO HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MENTOR AND WHO HAS SET THE BAR FOR ALL OF US AND PUSHES US TO THINK VERY CAREFULLY.
>> TY.
>> MY A GOES TO THE CDC AND THE SCIENTISTS WHO CAME UP WITH THE NEW OMICRON SUBVARIANT VACCINE THAT I CAN'T WAIT TO GET JABBED WITH HERE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND REMEMBER THAT VACCINES, ALONG WITH CLEAN WATER AND SOAP, HAVE DOUBLED THE HUMAN LIFESPAN IN LESS THAN 100 YEARS.
EVERYBODY SHOULD GET ONE.
>> TARA.
>> MY A ALSO GOES TO KRISTI ANDERSON.
WHILE KRISTI IS WELL KNOWN FOR HER PROWESS AS AN ACADEMIC, KRISTI HAS BEEN CIVICALLY ENGAGED THROUGHOUT HER ACADEMIC CAREER.
TO NAME A FEW OF HER ACTIVITIES, SHE SERVED ON THE MORRISVILLE STATE COLLEGE COUPLE, A MEMBER OF NUMEROUS BOARDS, INCLUDING THE CAZENOVIA LIBRARY BOARD AND SHE WAS ELECTED TO SEVERAL TERMS AS THE CAZENOVIA TOWN BOARD, AS PART OF THE BOARD AND OVERSAW EVERYTHING FROM DISTRICT COMBINATION SERVICES TO DIGITIZATION OF THE TOWN RECORDS.
>> KRISTI-- BEN, YOUR A PLEASE.
>> MY A IS GOING TO GO TO WIVES WHO PICK OUT SMART WATCHES FOR THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHERS.
I READ IN GOOD NEWS NETWORK THIS WEEK THAT A MAN WAS SAVED BY HIS SMART WATCH, WHICH I USUALLY DON'T LIKE AS AN ADDITIONAL THING TRACKING BUT YOU BUT IT WAS TRACKING HIS HEART BEAT AND IDENTIFIED SOME HEART ISSUES HE HAD.
HE WOULD HAVE DIED OTHERWISE.
>> ANIRBAN.
>> WELL, I THINK PEOPLE ARE LISTENING ON MY As AND FS THIS SESSION.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE UNITED STATES 18 YEARS AGO, I WAS AGOING WE CANS SIGHTMENT TO SEE ONE OF MY PROFESSORS ON TV AND THAT WAS KRISTI ANDERSON.
I DIDN'T KNOW 17 YEARS LATER THAT WOULD I JOIN HER IN THIS WONDERFUL SHOW, SO HEART FELT A TO "IVORY TOWER" AND OUR AUDIENCES AND MY COLLEAGUES.
>> ALL RIGHT.
CHAD.
>> I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BUILD ON THE TOPIC FROM LAST WEEK.
DID YOU KNOW THAT AS A RESULT OF COVID, WE HAVE TWO MILLION FEWER IMMIGRANTS LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY THAN WE OTHERWISE WOULD HAVE?
AND THAT THE SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY WITH THE BIGGEST JOB VACANCIES ARE THE SECTORS THAT IMMIGRANTS SPECIALIZE IN.
SO IN THAT SPIRIT, WOULD I LIKE TO EXTEND AN A FOR SOUTHERN GOVERNORS FOR BUSING THEIR MIGRANTS NORTHWARD.
FOR THE MIGRANTS SETTLING IN CENTRAL NEW YORK, WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> MICHAEL.
>> TO PRESIDENT BIDEN WHO QUIETLY ON JULY 15 WHEN NO ONE WAS WATCHING, WORKED THROUGH THE RAILROAD CRISIS THAT HE TO SOME DEGREE PUT A STOP TO YESTERDAY.
>> AND RICK, YOUR A.
>> MY A GOES TO ROGER FEDERER WHO RETIRED THIS WEEK AS A PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER.
HE'S GOING TO BE KNOWN MOSTLY AS THE MOST GRACEFUL AND CLASSY TENNIS PLAYER EVER.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR AS.
NOW, REGULAR VIEWERS OF IVORY TOWER HAVE NO DOUBT NOTICED OUR PANEL HAS HAD QUITE A MAKEOVER IN RECENT YEARS.
LOTS OF NEW FACES.
NOW I'D LIKE TO TURN THE PROGRAM OVER TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN HERE FROM THE BEGINNING TO TALK WITH SOME OF THE ORIGINALS.
BARBARA?
[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU, DAVID.
IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT THE SHOW HAS BEEN ON FOR 20 YEARS AND IT HAS BEEN DELIGHTFUL AND YOU MENTIONED THE ORIGINALS.
TWO OF THE ORIGINAL PANELISTS ARE ALREADY FOLKS YOU HAVE MET TONIGHT AND THAT'S TARA ROSS AND KRISTI ANDERSON.
AND WE STARTED OFF WITH FIVE PANELISTS AND A COUPLE OF THE OTHER ONES AND SOME OF THE EARLY PANELISTS ARE GOING TO JOIN US NOW ON ZOOM.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST INTRODUCE DAVID RUBIN MANY OF YOU WATCHED FOR YEARS WAS THE FIRST MODERATOR OF THE SHOW.
WE KNOW YOU ARE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING.
I THINK YOU ARE ON MUTE, DAVID.
>> NATURALLY.
NOW I'M NOT ON MUTE.
[LAUGHTER] >> YOU NEVER WERE ON MUTE HERE.
>> NO, THAT'S RIGHT.
WE LIVE IN SUMMERVILLE, THE SWEET TEA CAPITOL OF AMERICA AND AZALEA CAPITAL OF AMERICA.
WE ARE AWASH IN BLOOMS IN AZALEA SEASON, AND I'M SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH THE DOOR DORCHESTER DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
I THINK THE BEST THING I CAN DO WITH MY FREE TIME IN RETIREMENT IS TRY TO UP END THE REPUBLICAN HAMMER LOCK ON POLITICS IN THIS STATE.
SO I'M WORKING WITH CANDIDATES WHO ARE RUNNING FOR STATE ASSEMBLY AND FOR OUR LOCAL COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M WRITING FOR THEM.
I'M HELPING TO SHAPE THEIR MESSAGES.
, RAISING MONEY, SENDING POSTCARDS, ANYTHING WE CAN DO ALONG WITH MY WIFE TINA TO GET DEMOCRATS AT LEAST A TOE HOLD IN THIS RED STATE.
>> I'M NOT SURPRISED YOU ARE STILL THAT ACTIVE.
LET ME WELCOME BOB GREENE FROM CAZENOVIA.
GOOD EVENING, BOB.
>> GOOD EVENING, BARBARA, HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M DOING WELL.
YOU ARE STILL AT CAZENOVIA TEACHING.
>> I AM.
TEACHING UNTIL DECEMBER WHEN I'M GOING TO RETIRE AND I'M GOING TO PRUNE THE ROSE BUSHES IN THE BACKYARD AND DO A LITTLE BIT MORE WRITING HERE IN CHITTENANGO.
>> YOU HAVE BEEN A FOUNDATION AT CAZ AND I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO MISS YOU.
FROM WILLIAMSBURG, VIRGINIA, SAY HELLO TO BOB SPITZER.
>> HELLO.
LOVELY TO BE WITH YOU.
>> WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO, BOB?
>> THIS AND THAT.
WE MOVED TO WILLIAMSBURG LAST FALL AFTER OUR I RETIRED FROM SUNY CORTLAND.
I CONTINUE TO BE ACTIVE IN STUDYING GUN POLICY AND POLITICS.
AND I DO HAVE TO ADD THAT DAVID CHANATRY DID A MASTERY JOB WITH WHAT LOOKS LIKE A FULL COMPLEMENT OF A BASEBALL TEAM ON THE SET TONIGHT SO I WANT TO SEE YOUR BOX SCORES NEXT SEASON, GUYS, ALL RIGHT?
AND WE ARE DOING FINE.
WE ARE NEAR OUR DAUGHTER AND IT'S A LOVELY PLACE TO LIVE, WITH LESS SNOW.
>> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.
AND THE FIFTH PERSON ON THE PANEL WAS GLEN ALTSCHULER FROM CORNELL WHO IS NO THE WITH US TONIGHT.
AFTER A KOWAL OF YEARS, THE PANELISTS COMING EVERY FRIDAY MORNING DOING THE SHOW GOT DIFFICULT SO WE ADDED OTHER PANELISTS AND ONE WAS TIM BYRNES.
HELLO, TIM.
>> HI, BARB, HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M DOING WELL.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
YOU ARE STILL TEACHING AT COLGATE?
>> I CERTAINLY AM.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR ME EXCEPT THAT I'M NOT ON "IVORY TOWER."
>> AND WE MISS YOU.
WE REALLY DO.
>> I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MY DAUGHTER ERIN DOESN'T MISS ME BECAUSE SHE CAN GO TO WEGMANS WITHOUT HER FATHER BEING RECOGNIZED.
THE PUBLIC HAS COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME IN NO TIME.
>> I DOUBT THAT'S TRUE BECAUSE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE IN THIS AUDIENCE TONIGHT ASKED ABOUT YOU, TIM.
I WANT TO GO BACK TO DAVID.
YOU WERE THERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SHOW AND I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU THINK OVER THE 20 YEARS HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF "IVORY TOWER"?
>> WELL, WHAT I MOST APPRECIATED WAS THE CHANCE FOR US TO DISCUSS LOCAL ISSUES.
THERE WERE PLENTY OF PEOPLE WHO WERE DISCUSSING NATIONAL ISSUES, AND I GUESS IT WAS USEFUL NOW AND THEN.
BUT IT WAS ON LOCAL ISSUES WHERE I THINK WE REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE AND I'M THINKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO BUILD DESTINY USA AND TO GIVE THE MALL THE TAX BREAKS.
AND WHETHER OR NOT TO TAKE DOWN I-81.
AND WE WERE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF BOTH OF THOSE ISSUES A LONG TIME BEFORE MOST OF THE LOCAL MEDIA IN SYRACUSE WERE.
AND I LIKE TO THINK THAT WE HELPED PUSH ALONG THAT CONVERSATION AND >> WELL, FIRST AND FOREMOST, ABSOLUTELY THE PEOPLE.
I MEAN YOU COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR A BETTER GROUP OF PEOPLE TO WORK WITH ALL THE WAY THROUGH.
WE HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM IN TERMS OF INTERACTING AND I LEARNED FROM EACH ONE EVERY TIME WE COME AND DO A SHOW, AND SO IT'S BEEN THE INTERACTION FOR ME.
>> GREAT.
BOB GREENE, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THE SHOW?
WHAT HAS BEEN MEANINGFUL FOR YOU?
>> WELL, THE MOST MEANINGFUL THING IS THAT I THINK WE ARE TEACHERS BY TRADE.
BOB SPITZER JUST SAID THAT YOU ALL LOOK LIKE A BASEBALL TEAM OUT THERE.
I THOUGHT YOU LOOKED LIKE A JURY SITTING OUT THERE, ALL THOSE CHAIRS.
BUT WE ARE ALL TEACHERS AND WE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH ON TELEVISION.
WHAT DO I REMEMBER MOST?
REMEMBER THAT OLD STUDIO OUT ON OLD LIVERPOOL ROAD, THE DAY THAT WE WENT IN THERE AND FOUND THAT BEES NEST?
IT WAS WAY UP AND CHASED US OUT OF THE STUDIO?
I THINK WE WERE LIVE WHEN IT HAPPENED.
>> I WASN'T THERE THAT DAY BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE STORIES THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT.
KRISTI, WHAT IS YOUR SENSE ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE SHOW HAS BEEN?
>> I AGREE WITH DAVID RUBIN.
I THINK THAT HAVING GOOD REASONABLY EDUCATED SENSES OF HUMOR DISCUSSIONS ABOUT LOCAL POLITICS AND BY LOCAL I DON'T MEAN SYRACUSE.
I MEAN NEW YORK STATE POLITICS AS WELL.
IN ADDITION TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS, HAS BEEN GOOD FOR ALL OF US.
I MEAN I ECHO EVERYBODY BY SAYING IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO BRING WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO MY TEACHING AND THINKING ABOUT HOW TO TEACH STUDENTS.
AND MOST OF ALL, IT'S JUST BEEN GREAT MEETING ALL THE PEOPLE AT WEGMANS I HAVE TO SAY.
I'M LIKE TIM, AND I CAN RARELY GO TO WEGMANS WITHOUT HAVING A GOOD CONVERSATION WITH A CUSTOMER OR MANY WEGMANS EMPLOYEES.
I HAVE TO SAY THEY'RE FOLLOWERS OF "IVORY TOWER" AND THAT'S BEEN NICE, TO FEEL LIKE WE ARE CREATING A COMMUNITY WIDE DISCUSSION AND THAT PEOPLE APPRECIATE THAT.
>> THAT IS GREAT.
WE HEAR ABOUT THAT IN SOME OF THE LETTERS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE MEET.
BOB SPITZER, HOW ABOUT YOU?
WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF THE SHOW FOR YOU?
>> WELL, I WANT TO BUILD ON THE POINT THAT KRISTI WAS MAKING, WHICH IS THIS: EVEN THOUGH OUR SHOW BEGAN AS A WELL KEPT SECRET ON WCNY, PEOPLE STARTED TO WATCH.
AND IN THE SPACE OF X NUMBER OF YEARS, PRIMARILY THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH, WE BUILT A REMARKABLY LARGE WEEKLY VIEWERSHIP.
IN FACT INCREDIBLY LARGE, IF YOU WERE TO PITCH THIS IDEA OF A PROGRAM TO SOME TV PRODUCER, WELL, WE ARE GOING TO PUT FIVE ACADEMICS AT A TABLE TALKING ABOUT THE NEWS OF THE WEEK AND GIVING As AND Fs, YOU WOULD PROBABLY EXPECT THE VIEWERSHIP OF THE RELATIVES, SOME OF THE RELATIVES OF THE PARTICIPANTS AND THAT WOULD BE IT.
BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
IN MANY WEEKS, AS DOUG WILL TELL YOU, OUR MASTERFUL MAN BEHIND THE SCENES, DOUG MOREAU WR, SUNY CORTLAND GRADUATE, PEOPLE WATCHED IN RECORDS.
WE WERE BEATING OUT MOST OF THE COMPETITION ON MOST OF THE CHANNELS AND I'M SURE THE VIEWERSHIP IS STILL HIGH.
IT TOOK A DIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC, OF COURSE.
BUT WE KEPT THE SHOW GOING REMOTELY AND THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WATCHED THAT IS REMARKABLE.
>> IT IS REMARKABLE.
I MEAN IT WAS HARD WITH BEING ON ZOOM THERE BUT I REALLY GIVE THE STATION DREAD CREDIT FOR SAYING YES THEY STILL WANTED THE PROGRAM AND FOR ALL THE PANELISTS STILL PARTICIPATING IN THAT WAY.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME FUNNY STORIES AND SOME BEHIND THE SCENES THINGS.
DAVID, I WASN'T THERE, BUT ONE OF THE STORIES I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT IS THE SHOW ON WHICH YOU PULLED A JOKE ON TIM.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> I'M SURE TIM KNOWS WHAT IS COMING.
TIM IS A VERY SMART GUY.
AND I LOVE DEBATING WITH HIM AND I USUALLY LOST.
BUT I GOT EVEN ONE DAY.
TIM WAS OPINING ON SOME SUBJECT, I DON'T REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS.
I HAD IN MY EAR PIECE DOUG TELL ME THAT WE WERE GROWING TO HAVE-- WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO STOP THE SHOW SOMETIME WITHIN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES BECAUSE THERE WAS A PROBLEM, I THINK WITH EITHER THE SOUND HE WAS GETTING OR THE TAPING.
AND ONLY I KNEW THIS.
SO I TURNED TO TIM AS HE WAS MID SENTENCE.
AND I LOOKED AT HIM AND I SAID, TIM, THAT IS THE STUPIDEST THING I EVER HEARD ANYBODY SAY.
AND TIM WAS-- I THINK SHE WENT A LITTLE BIT WHITE.
MAYBE HE CAN SPEAK FOR HIMSELF.
BUT HE WAS SHOCKED THAT I HAD SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE AIR.
AND THEN OF COURSE I STARTED TO LAUGH.
I TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND I THINK IT TOOK HIM A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO RECOVER.
BUT I GOT ENORMOUS SATISFACTION, WHEN HE THOUGHT WE WERE ON THE AIR THAT IT WAS THE SOUPEDDEST THING I EVER HEARD HIM SAY.
>> TIM, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT?
>> I REMEMBER IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SHOCKING MOMENTS OF MY LIFE TRULY.
I THOUGHT HE WAS SAYING IT ON TELEVISION.
I ALSO THINK IN RETROSPECT THAT IT WAS UNFAIR, DAVID, TO HAVE BEEN UNKIND TO ME AT THAT MOMENT BECAUSE I SAVED HIM FROM MAJOR EMBARRASSMENT IN ANOTHER BIG MOMENT, THE WORST SHOW IN THE HISTORY OF THE "IVORY TOWER," WE WERE DOING IT LIVE FROM THE STATE FAIR.
AND WE COULDN'T HEAR OURSELVES THINK BECAUSE BRIDGE STREET ON CHANNEL 9 WAS FLEX DOOR WITH LOUD MUSIC AND DAVID AND I WENT OVER TO ASK THEM KINDLY TO TURN THE MUSIC DOWN.
WHEN THEY DIDN'T RESPOND RESPECTFULLY TO DAVID'S QUESTION, I HAD WHO TOLD HIM BY THE WAIST TO PREVENT HIM FROM JUMPING UP ON THE STAGE AND TURNING THE MUSIC DOWN HIMSELF.
>> I REMEMBER... >> I SAVED HIM FROM EMBARRASSMENT AND HE CAUSED ME EMBARRASSMENT ON THE SHOW.
>> I REMEMBER THAT FAIR SHOW.
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER WE DID DO SOME TRAVELING AROUND.
THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY THE WORST SHOW I WAS EVER A PART OF.
>> THE WORST SHOW IN THE HISTORY OF THE SHOW.
>> BECAUSE THE PANEL, YOU CAN ALWAYS GET THEM TALKING AND I WOULD ASK A QUESTION, THE BAND WAS GOING SO LOUD, THEY COULDN'T HEAR MY QUESTION SO IT WAS LIKE DEAD SILENCE, RIGHT?
AND THEN SOMEBODY WOULD FINALLY TALK AND I COULD SEE THEIR MOUTH MOVING BUT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THEY SAID AND I COULDN'T ASK A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION AND I THINK BEHIND ME I HEARD EVERYBODY SHAKING THEIR HEADS.
WE WILL NEVER FORGET THAT SHOW.
OTHER MEMORIES, TARA YOU DO YOU HAVE ANY MEMORIES OR BEHIND THE SCENES THINGS OR MEANINGFUL MOMENTS FROM THE SHOW?
>> WELL, I THINK ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS, AND THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES.
LISA DOLAK, WHO COULDN'T BE HERE WITH US THIS EVENING ON ZOOM, LISA WOULD COME IN AND SHE WOULD COME IN AND SOMETIMES WE WOULD BE ON THE SET AND SHE WOULD SAY JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO START ANYTHING, DON'T ASK ME TOO MUCH BECAUSE I'M NOT PREPARED.
SO WHEN INEVITABLY THE HOST, EITHER ONE OF THE TWO DAVIDS WOULD GO TO LISA, LISA WOULD JUST EXPOUND ON WHATEVER TOPIC IT WAS AND WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT HER LIKE SHE SAID SHE WASN'T PREPARED.
>> WE NEVER BELIEVED HER.
BOB GREENE.
A MEMORABLE MOMENT FOR YOU?
>> WELL, IT'S NOT SO MUCH ONE MOMENT, BUT HOW WELCOME OUR FAMILIES WERE AND HOW WELCOME THE CHILDREN WERE.
TIM'S DAUGHTER, BOB'S DAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER.
WE BROUGHT STUDENTS IN ALL THE TIME.
SHARED EVERYTHING FROM THE SHOW AND IT WAS SUCH AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND IT WAS SO WONDERFUL.
WE REALLY GOT VERY, VERY CLOSE AS A GROUP, ALMOST AS CLOSE AS A FAMILY WHEN WE WEREN'T FIGHTING ON THE AIR OVER SOMETHING.
>> RIGHT.
I MEAN YOU THINK ABOUT BEING FOR AN HOUR WITH THE SAME PEOPLE EVERY FRIDAY MORNING AND YOU DO BECOME CLOSE.
AND I'VE ALWAYS TOLD PEOPLE, I THINK IT'S LIKE, I HOPE, THE AUDIENCE IS JUST SITTING IN ON A LIVING ROOM CONVERSATION, HOPEFULLY SOME INTELLIGENT AND INSIGHTFUL THINGS AND I KNOW I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING, EVERY SINGLE SHOW FROM SOMEBODY, SOMETHING I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY BRING TO THE SHOW.
BOB SPITZER, HOW ABOUT A MEMORY FROM YOU?
>> EL WITH, I REMEMBER-- WELL, I REMEMBER QUITE DISTINCTLY GIVING AN F TO RESTORATION HARD WARE BECAUSE THEY USED TO SEND OUT BIG FAT CATALOGS, I LOVE GOING THROUGH CATALOGS BUT ONE YEAR THEY SENT OUT A STACK OF CATALOGS, IT MUST BE A FOOT THICK, THAT HEAVY GLOSSY PAPER.
CAME IN THE MAIL.
I MEAN THE THING MUST HAVE WEIGHED TWRENT POUNDS.
SO I BROUGHT THE WHOLE STACK OF CATALOGS IN AND I GAVE MY F TO RESTORATION CATALOG FOR, YOU KNOW, MAILING THESE THINGS OUT.
THINK ABOUT THE POOR POSTAL SERVICE AND I CONCLUDED BY HAULING THE STACK UP AND THUMPING IT ON THE TABLE AND SAID THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A COFFEE TABLE, DON'T BUY IT FROM RESTORATION HARDWARE, USE THEIR CATALOGS AS A COFFEE TABLE AND DAVID RUBIN THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY AT THE TIME, ALTHOUGH HE PROBABLY DOESN'T REMEMBER IT.
>> DAVID, I WANT TO GO BACK TO YOU.
WHAT WAS YOUR VISION AND GOAL FOR THE SHOW AND HAVE WE ACHIEVED IT?
>> WELL, IT'S TRUE, I THINK I SAID TO MY ASSISTANT AT THE TIME FROM THE NEWHOUSE SCHOOL, I FIGURED WE WOULD BE ON SIX WEEKS AND THAT WOULD BE IT.
SO IF YOU ARE ASKING WHAT MY HOPES WERE, I JUST HOPED THAT WE DIDN'T EMBARRASS OURSELVES AND THAT WE WOULD DO A CREDIBLE JOB THAT WOULD LEAVE US ON THE AIR FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND WE WOULD BE GONE.
SO I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE PICKED THE RIGHT PANELISTS AT THE START THERE.
WAS NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
EVERYBODY WAS ADAPTABLE.
EVERYBODY PITCHED IN.
EVERYBODY GOT IT.
EVERYBODY REALIZED IT'S NOT A CLASSROOM, ALTHOUGH BOB GREENE IS RIGHT, WE ARE TEACHING BUT IT'S NOT A CLASSROOM.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT SHORT, YOU HAVE TO KEEP IT PUNCHY.
YOU HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE INTERESTED.
WE LEARNED TO MIX IT UP.
AND WE ROLLED WITH THE PUNCHES.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT OVER THE YEARS WE ACTUALLY TURNED INTO REASONABLY GOOD TV PEOPLE WITH AN APPRECIATION OF THE ART FORM AND HOW TOUGH IT IS AND I WILL SAY DOWN HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, I MISS IT GREATLY.
AND TO HAVE NOT BEEN ON THE AIR FOR THE DEVELOPMENTS SINCE JANUARY 6, BUT SINCE THE ELECTION OF TRUMP IN 2016, HAS BEEN REALLY PAINFUL TO ME AND YOU ARE ALL REALLY LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS PLATFORM AT THIS INCREDIBLE PERIOD IN HISTORY.
>> TIM BYRNES, ONE LAST COMMENT FROM YOU.
>> I WOULD SAY MY LAST COMMENT IS HOW MUCH FUN IT WAS.
WHEN I STARTED DAVID ASKED ME, THE SHOW HAD BEEN ON FOR A YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO YEARS.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WOULD BE ANY GOOD AT IT OR IF I COULD LOOK IN THE CAM ARE AND TALK AND I REALIZED PRETTY QUICKLY HOW MUCH FUN IT WAS.
FUN IN THE GREEN ROOM BEFORE THE SHOW, FUN IN TRYING TO SAY SOMETHING INTERESTING IN A CONCISE WAY, FUN IN HAVING PEOPLE REACT TO IT ON AND OFF THE AIR IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I DID 15 YEARS.
I THOUGHT I'VE HAD MY SAY.
BUT IT REALLY WAS A LOT OF FUN AND I HOPE THE PEOPLE ARE DOING IT NOW ARE ENJOYING IT AS MUCH AS I DID.
>> I THINK THEY ARE.
TY WROTE US AFTER THE FIRST SHOW AND SAID HOW COME NOBODY TOLD ME THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN.
AS WE MOVE TO CLOSING, YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD FROM A COUPLE OF PANELISTSES THAT WE ARE GOING TO HONOR SOMEBODY TONIGHT.
AND THAT IS KRISTI.
THIS IS KRISTI'S LAST SHOW AND SO WE HAVE A PLAQUE FOR YOU THAT SAYS YOU ARE AN ORIGINAL PANELIST AND THANK YOU FOR 20 YEARS ON "IVORY TOWER."
I KNOW I APPRECIATE I COULD ALWAYS TURN TO YOU FOR SOMETHING ABOUT NEW YORK STATE POLITICS.
YOU WERE REALLY GOOD ON WIMTION RIGHTS, WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND BRINGING POLLING TO US AND IT HAS BEEN A JOY TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU, BARB.
>> GO AHEAD, I'M SURE YOU WANT TO SAY A GOODBYE.
>> I DO.
I WANT TO SAY GOODBYE TO DAVE, TIM, BOB GREENE AND BOB SPITZER.
IT HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO LEARN FROM ALL THOSE PEOPLE.
I FEEL LIKE, AND TO INCORPORATE IT, NOT ONLY INTO MY DISCUSSIONS HERE BUT WITH MY CLASSES FOR ALL THESE YEARS.
THAT'S BEEN TERRIFIC.
AND FEELING LIKE WE HAVE KIND OF CREATED THIS, I'M REPEATING MYSELF BUT WE CREATED THIS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN POLITICS, WATCH THE SHOW, AT LEAST OCCASIONALLY, AND ARE WILLING TO STEP UP AND TALK TO US WHEREVER THEY SEE US, WHICH IS REALLY FUN.
>> AND I REALLY LIKE THE THING ABOUT YOU ARE ABLE TO MATCH IT WITH THINGS IN THE CLASSROOM.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THAT IT DOES COME FULL CIRCLE FOR US.
AND IT KEEPS US ON OUR TOES, KEEPING UP WITH LOTS OF INFORMATION.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN FOR ME.
>> IT'S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING TO GO FROM, WE HEARD SOME STUFF ABOUT THE OLD STUDIO, THE BEES AND THE OTHER ISSUES WITH THAT STUDIO.
IT WAS NEVER MADE TO BE A STUDIO.
AND JUST FOLLOWING THE MOVE HERE AND THIS WONDERFUL STUDIO AND LEARNING FROM DOUG AND ALL OF HIS... >> I WANT TO THANK DOUG AND THE CREW AND WCNY AND LET ME TOSS IT BACK TO DAVE FOR OUR CLOSE.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING FOR OUR SPECIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY.
FOR COMMENTS YOU CAN WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN YOU CAN VIEW IT ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG.
I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FOR ALL OF US AT IVORY TOWER, HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.
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