>>> IT WAS REALLY THE YEAR OF THE WOMEN AND IMAGE IT'S CONNECTED TO THE ME TOO MOVEMENT, THE TIME'S UP MOVEMENT, IT'S CONNECTED TO HAVING SOMEONE LIKE DONALD TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

ALL OF IT STARTED WITH THE WOMEN'S MARCH.

>> HOW DO YOU KEEP IT ENERGIZED?

>> IT WAS ENERGIZED FROM 2016.

>> HELLO, I'M BONNIE.

WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY.

THIS WEEK WE WELCOME POLITICAL ACTIVIST KARINE JEAN-PIERRE.

SHE CURRENTLY SERVES AS THE SENIOR ADVISER AND NATIONAL SPOKESWOMAN FOR MOVEON.ORG AS WELL AS A FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR ON MSNBC.

SHE WAS PREVIOUSLY THE DEPUTY CAMPAIGN MANAGER FOR BARACK OBAMA AND A PART OF HIS ADMINISTRATION.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, KARINE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME BONNIE.

IT'S AN HONOR.

>> IT'S RECIPROCAL.

THANK YOU.

SO WHAT GOT YOU INTO POLITICS?

YOU'RE THE DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS FROM NEW YORK CITY.

HOW DID YOU GET CONNECTED WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL?

>> THAT'S SUCH A -- I DON'T KNOW EVEN IF IT'S A LOADED QUESTION OR A LONG STORY BUT IT'S SOMETHING.

SO, YEAH, DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS AS YOU JUST MENTIONED.

BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE FROM HAITI, HATIAN IMMIGRANTS.

I'M AN IMMIGRANT MYSELF AND CAME HERE WITH MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS JUST A TODDLER.

GROWING UP IN THAT HOUSEHOLD YOU -- I WAS -- YOU'RE TOLD AND I THINK A LOT OF IMMIGRANTS WHO MAY BE WATCHING MAY -- WILL FEEL THIS WAY TOO.

YOU'RE TOLD YOU'RE GOING TO BE A DOCTOR, A LAWYER OR ENGINEER.

I GREW UP IN NEW YORK.

THAT WAS THE THINKING WHEN I WAS IN MY YOUNG YEARS.

I THOUGHT -- AND I HAD PICKED DOCTOR.

I WAS LIKE I'M GOING TO BE A DOCTOR.

THAT'S WHAT MY PARENTS WANT ME TO DO, THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

WENT THROUGH COLLEGE PRE-MED AND AFTER COLLEGE I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THAT'S NOT WHEY WANT TO DO.

I WAS APPLYING TO MEDICAL SCHOOL AND TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT.

I THOUGHT THIS IS NOT IT.

CLEARLY THIS PATH ISN'T WORKING FOR ME.

THIS ISN'T WHAT I WANT TO DO.

MY PARENTS WERE VERY DISAPPOINTED AND THEY DIDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO NEXT.

I PROMISED THEM THAT I WOULD GO BACK TO SCHOOL, I WOULD FIGURE IT OUT.

AND I DID.

I SPENT ABOUT A YEAR OR TWO WORKING FOR A NOT FOR PROFIT, FIGURING IT ALL OUT LIKE I SAID.

>> IN THE HEALTH AREA, NOT FOR PROFIT?

>> NO AT ALL.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND WORKED FOR A NOT FOR PROFIT THAT FOCUSED ON KIND OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND EDUCATION, ALL OF IT LUMPED IN.

I WORKED ON A PROJECT WITH YOUNG GIRLS WHO ARE LIVING IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND REALLY BRINGING IN SCIENCE.

THERE WAS A STUDY THAT SHOWED THAT WHEN YOUNG GIRLS REACH I THINK 12 YEARS OLD, 7TH GRADE, THEY LOSE INTEREST IN MATH AND SCIENCE.

SO THIS PROGRAM USING THE ENVIRONMENT HOPEFULLY THE HOPE WAS TO GET THEM INTERESTED OR KEEP THEM INTERESTED IN SCIENCE.

SO I DID THAT TYPE OF WORK FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

AND THEN I APPLIED TO COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS, WENT THERE AND I THOUGHT I WOULD GET A MASTERS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION WHICH I DID BUT I WAS INTRODUCED TO POLITICS IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

DAVID DENKINS WHO IS A PROFESSOR THERE.

>> FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR.

>> FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY WAS THERE.

I HAD A GREAT WONDERFUL MENTOR AS WELL IN PROFESSOREST -- PROFESER FUKES.

REALLY WONDERFUL MENTOR.

LIKE I MENTIONED, DAVID DENKINS.

THEY INTRODUCED ME INTO THE WORLD OF POLITICS.

AND THEY ENCOURAGED ME TO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE OR THERE'S ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE WHICH IS GOING INTO PUBLIC POLICY.

AT THIS POINT JUST TO AGE MYSELF IN 2001 IS WHEN I WENT TO COLUMBIA TO START MY FIRST YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG WAS RUNNING FOR MAYOR SO ESTER FUKES WAS A SENIOR ADVISER TO HIM.

SO THERE WAS A LOT OF MAYORIAL POLITICS WAS GOING ON.

9/11 HAPPENED THE FIRST WEEK I STARTED.

SO IT WAS REALLY PROMINENT IN MY LIFE AT THE TIME.

AND SO I THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED IN MY LAST YEAR OF COLUMBIA IN THIS PROGRAM IS I WENT TO HAITI FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I HAD NEVER BEEN TO HAITI.

AND SO I WAS SO -- SO I WAS KIND OF INSPIRED TO REALLY WANTING TO GO BACK TO AMERICA AFTER THAT TRIP, A PLACE THAT I CALL HOME.

I'M A CITIZEN CLEARLY.

I WENT TO SCHOOL HERE.

MY FAMILY IS HERE.

I WANTED TO REALLY FIGURE OUT HOW I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE UNDERSERVED, WHO WERE MARGINALIZED.

>> THE EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS.

>> YEAH.

SO I WANTED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.

SO I DID.

I WENT INTO POLITICS.

I DID LOCAL POLITICS, NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL, RAN MY FIRST CAMPAIGN NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL FOR A COUNCIL MEMBER THAT I WAS WORKING WITH AT THE TIME.

THEN I WENT TO WORK FOR WAL-MART WATCH.

I WANTED TO DO NATIONAL POLITICS.

SO I CAME TO DC FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LIKE 2005, WORKED FOR WAL-MART WATCH.

IN 2007 I MOVED TO NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL, WENT TO WORK FOR JOHN EDWARDS FOR HIS PRESIDENTIAL.

THAT'S KIND OF THE TRACK.

THEN ENDED UP IN THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION IN 2008 AND THEN IN THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE.

IT'S BEEN -- I'VE BEEN A VERY LUCKY PERSON BUT IT'S BEEN THROUGH HARD WORK AND JUST FOCUS AND REALLY DETERMINATION AND WANTING TO DO GOOD AND WANTING TO DO BETTER AND WANTING TO BE AN ACTIVIST.

>> AND NOW MOVEON.ORG.

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

>> SO WE ARE WORKING ON SO MANY THINGS.

I HAVE TO TELL YOU, SO WE HAVE MORE THAN 5 MILLION MEMBERS OF MOVE ON.

MOVE ON HAS BEEN AROUND -- >> THAT'S AS BIG AS THE NRA.

>> WELL, YEAH.

AND THEIR TROUBLES.

YES, HATE TO COMPARE OURSELVES TO THE NRA BUT WE ARE A MASSIVE ORGANIZATION, BEEN AROUND FOR 20 YEARS.

PROGRESSIVE, INDEPENDENT PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATION, IS THE LARGEST ONE IN THE COUNTRY.

SINCE 2016, NOVEMBER 2016 THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP OUR MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLY ENGAGED.

THEY HAVE BEEN ALL IN, VERY FOCUSED.

AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP WITH THAT ENERGY TO PUSH FORTH REALLY SOME GREAT VICTORIES I THINK WE FEEL.

AND IT ALL -- WOMEN'S MARCH WAS A GREAT PIVOTAL POINT AS WELL WITH THE ENERGY THERE.

ONE OF THE FIRST ORGANIC I WOULD SAY PROTESTS THAT HAPPENED WAS WHEN THE MUSLIM BAN, THE FIRST MUSLIM BAN AND PEOPLE SHOWED UP AT THE AIRPORTS AND REALLY WANTS TO -- MONEYS OH -- HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND PROTESTING AND WANTED TO HELP AND JUST SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE ADMINISTRATION.

SO HELPING TO KIND OF GARNER THAT ENERGY AND THEN WITH THE SPECIAL ELECTIONS THAT CAME AFTER THAT OFF YEAR ELECTIONS IN 2017, THE ALABAMA SENATE RACE THAT HAPPENED, THAT SPECIAL ELECTION, OUR MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ALL IN REALLY ENGAGED, VOLUNTEERING AND GETTING OUT THERE, GETTING PEOPLE TO VOTE.

AND IT LED UP TO THIS BIG WIN FOR MID-TERM ELECTIONS AS WE ALL KNOW IN NOVEMBER WHERE IT WAS HISTORICAL IN MANY WAYS.

>> TELL ME EXACTLY.

SO YOU'RE REALLY AN ORGANIZATION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS.

>> YEAH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS, MEMBERS ON THE GROUND TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT.

KNOCKING ON DOORS.

WE HAVE A TEXT PROGRAM WHERE PEOPLE WERE DOING PEER TO PEER TEXT MESSAGES WHERE WE REACHED TENS AND TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE, GETTING THEM TO GO OUT THERE AND VOLUNTEER.

WE HAVE AN E-MAIL LIST THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RAISE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, OVER A MILLION DOLLAR FOR SOMEONE LIKE STACEY ABRAHAMS WHO RAN A VERY POWERFUL STRONG RACE IN GEORGIA AND HELPED SOMEONE LIKE LUCY McBATH WIN WHO TOOK BACK A -- WELL, WHO WON IN A VERY RED CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, A DISTRICT THAT BELONGED TO YEARS AGO TO NEWT GINGRICH.

SO WINS LIKE THAT.

WE ENDORSE MORE THAN 200 CANDIDATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, 100 OF THEM WERE HOUSE MEMBERS, 100 OF THEM WERE DOWN BALLOT MEMBERS.

WAS ABLE TO RAISE OVER $5 MILLION FOR HOUSE MEMBERS DIRECTLY CANDIDATES, FOR EXAMPLE.

SO WE WERE ABLE TO BE A POWER HOUSE FINANCIALLY GETTING THOSE SMALL DOLLAR DONATIONS TO HELP CANDIDATES, GETTING OUR MEMBERS TO GO OUT THERE AND VOLUNTEER AND CALL PEOPLE AND TEXT PEOPLE AND REMIND THEM OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ELECTION.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE JUST CAME OUT OF DOING RECENTLY.

>> A NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN QUESTIONING THE STRENGTH OF THE ME TOO MOVEMENT.

IS IT FADING?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

>> HOW DO YOU KNOW?

HOW CAN YOU MEASURE THAT?

>> I THINK ONE WAY TO MEASURE THAT IS JUST LOOKING AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS MID-TERM ELECTION, THE AMOUNT OF WOMEN THAT GOT ELECTED, IT WAS A PINK WAVE IF YOU WILL.

RIGHT.

WOMEN WHO WE -- WE NOW HAVE A HISTORIC NUMBER OF WOMEN COMING INTO CONGRESS.

WE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE SO WELL IN THIS MID-TERM ELECTION IF IT WASN'T FOR WOMEN, WOMEN OF COLOR, BLACK WOMEN WHO CAME OUT, EVEN IN THESE DISTRICTS.

IT WAS SUBURBAN WOMEN WHO WERE REPUBLICAN WHO CROSSED OVER AND VOTED FOR DEMOCRATS.

SO YOU SAW THE POWER OF THE WOMAN.

ALSO WHEN WE HAD THE KAVANAUGH CONFIRMATION, WHEN WE LOST THAT FIGHT I REMEMBER BEING OUT THERE IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING SPEAKING TO THE WOMEN THAT ARE OUT THERE OR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT THERE AND THEY WERE UPSET, THEY WERE CRYING THE DAY -- THAT SATURDAY, THE DAY HE ACTUALLY GOT CONFIRMED.

THEY WERE UPSET BUT THEY WERE ENERGIZED AND THEY WERE READY TO GO.

SO IT'S NOT -- IT'S A MEASUREMENT THAT I LOOK AT THAT I THINK, YEAH, I THINK THAT MATTERS.

I THINK IT WAS REALLY THE YEAR OF THE WOMEN THIS YEAR.

I THINK IT'S CONNECTED TO THE ME TOO MOVEMENT, THE TIME'S UP MOVEMENT, IT'S CONNECT TODAY HAVING -- CONNECTED TO HAVING SOMEONE LIKE DONALD TRUMP IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

ALL OF IT STARTED WITH THE WOMEN'S MARCH THAT, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF WOMEN CAME OUT JUST RIGHT HERE IN WASHINGTON DC AND IT CONTINUED.

>> HOW DO YOU KEEP IT ENERGIZED UNTIL 2020?

>> SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S REAL INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS ENERGIZED FROM 2016 ALL THE WAY TO 2018.

SO WHEN PEOPLE SAY TO ME, HOW DO YOU KEEP THE ENERGY GOING, IT WAS GOING ORGANICALLY ON ITS OWN.

>> IS IT BECAUSE OF DONALD TRUMP?

>> IT IS.

DONALD TRUMP HAS REALLY TAPPED INTO SOMETHING REALLY HORRIFIC REALLY, THE THINGS HE'S DONE TO LIKE I SAID MARGINALIZE COMMUNITIES, VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES, WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR, LGBTQ COMMUNITIES THAT FOLKS ARE SAYING NO WAY.

THE CORRUPTNESS OF IT AS WELL IS REALLY JUST -- IT'S JUST UNREAL.

>> 40% SUPPORT.

>> I WISH -- BONNIE I WISH -- >> PRESIDENT NIXON WHEN HE LEFT BECAUSE OF WATER GATE, HE HAD 27% SUPPORT.

>> I WISH I COULD EXPLAIN THAT.

YOU'RE RIGHT, BONNIE.

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

HE HAS 80 TO 90% SUPPORT OF REPUBLICANS LEADING INTO THE MID-TERMS AND IT'S UNREAL.

A LOT OF IT IS BECAUSE WHILE HE IS SAYING A LOT OF TERRIBLE RHETORIC AND DOING BAD THINGS THERE ARE THINGS THAT BASE REALLY LOVES THAT HE'S DOING, THE DEREGULATION, THE PUTTING KAVANAUGH ON THE BENCH, HAVING ACTUALLY TWO SCO TIS PICKS AND THE TAX OUT CUTS FOR THE WEALTHY.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT HIS BASE REALLY LOVED.

BUT HE'S ALSO HURTING A LOT OF PEOPLE IN HIS BASE BUT THEY ARE BLINDLY LOYAL.

I MEAN, THE FARMERS WITH THIS TRADE WAR.

HE'S HURTING PEOPLE IN IOWA, IN NORTH DAKOTA AND OHIO WHO SUPPORTED HIM.

>> AND STILL SUPPORT HIM.

>> STILL SUPPORTING HIM.

THAT I CANNOT EXPLAIN THE BLIND LOYALTY BUT I CAN EXPLAIN THAT THE ENERGY IS STILL THERE AND IT WILL CONTINUE.

THERE WERE TWO OTHER THINGS THAT REALLY I THINK PLAYED INTO THE ENERGY THAT WE SAW THE LAST TWO YEARS WAS THE FAMILIES BEING SEPARATED AT THE BORDER.

CHILDREN BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR PARENTS.

WE HAD THE FAMILIES BELONG TOGETHER RALLY RIGHT HERE IN DC WHERE, YOU KNOW, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND IT WAS 96 DEGREE WEATHER AND THAT -- AFTER THAT SPEAKING OF WOMEN HE -- WOMEN STARTED SPRINTING AWAY FROM HIM.

THE NUMBERS.

HE REALLY WENT SOUTH WITH THE SUPPORT OF WOMEN.

WE SAW SOME OF HIS LOWEST APPROVAL RATINGS.

IT WAS LIKE AT 36, 37% AT THAT POINT.

SO THERE'S THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE PEOPLE HAVE REALLY SHUN HIM AND SAID NO WAY, THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF COUNTRY WE WANT TO BE.

HEALTHCARE FOR ANOTHER EXAMPLE AS WELL.

>> DO YOU AS A WOMAN OF COLOR FEEL LIKE PREJUDICE HAS GOTTEN WORSE?

>> I THINK IT WAS -- >> I MEAN PERSONALLY.

HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED IT?

>> YOU KNOW, I -- IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS I THINK WHEN YOU'RE A PERSON OF COLOR, WHEN YOU'RE A BLACK WOMAN YOU EXPERIENCE IT EVERY DAY.

IT DOESN'T GO AWAY.

>> HOW?

>> IT'S AS SIMPLE AS WALKING INTO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TELL THEIR STORY WALKING INTO A STORE AND PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU'VE -- AT YOU AND WONDER DO YOU BELONG IN THIS STORE.

IT'S AS SIMPLE AS A CAB NOT WANTING TO PULL OVER BECAUSE YOU'RE A PERSON OF COLOR OR A BLACK WOMAN OR A BLACK MAN.

IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY.

I THINK THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS IT'S BEEN AROUND.

I WANT TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BLAME DONALD TRUMP FOR RACISM.

IT'S BEEN AROUND WAY BEFORE HE'S BEEN AROUND.

I THINK THAT WHAT HE HAS DONE IS HE HAS MADE IT BLATENTLY OVERT ABOUT IT.

WE SAW CANDIDATES IN THIS LAST ELECTION WHO WERE PROUD TO BE WHITE SUPREMIST, WHITE NATIONALIST TALKING ABOUT PURGING AND WE NEED A WHITE POWER AND A WHITE AMERICA.

THAT'S WHAT WE WERE HEARING FROM SOME CANDIDATES THAT WERE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DID DENOUNCE THESE AN -- THESE CANDIDATES BUT WE SAW THEM.

WE SAW THEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE HAD NOT SEEN THAT IN A VERY LONG TIME.

SO, YEAH, I MEAN IT'S REALLY -- YOU LOOK AT WHAT IS GOING ON AND YOU'RE THINKING, WOW, HE'S TAKING US BACK TO LIKE SOME JIM CROW ERA WHICH IS REALLY SAD AND SCARY FOR MANY PEOPLE.

MANY PEOPLE.

>> DO YOU SUFFER MORE OR I SHOULD SAY ARE YOU THE TARGET OF -- BECAUSE I DON'T THINK YOU ALLOW IT YOURSELF TO SUFFER, YOU FIGHT BACK.

>> OH, I FIGHT BACK AT EVERY TURN.

>> ARE YOU TARGETED MORE FOR RACE BIAS OR GENDER BIAS?

WHAT IS WORSE?

>> I GET THE RACE STUFF VERY -- YOU KNOW, IT'S EASY FOR FOLKS TO, YOU KNOW, A HIT ON TV OR SEE ME SPEAKING FROM FRONT OF THE SCO TIS BUILDING IN FRONT OF JUSTICE KAVANAUGH SO IT'S RACE AND THEN GENDER.

THAT'S KIND OF THE HATRED THAT I GET.

>> DID YOU GET IT AS MUCH WHEN YOU WERE WORKING IN THE OBAMA WHITE HOUSE?

>> NOT AT ALL.

I ALSO WASN'T AS PUBLIC TO BE FAIR.

IT IS NOW THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS THAT I'M VERY PUBLIC.

I'M ONE OF THE VOICES OF MOVE ON AND I'M OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME SPEAKING UP.

AND THERE'S A REAL FIGHT THAT IS BEING HAD THAT WE ARE HAVING RIGHT NOW AND I FEEL LIKE WE CAN'T BE SILENT, I CAN'T BE SILENT.

>> DO YOU GET DEATH THREATS?

>> WELL, NO, NOT REALLY.

I MEAN, I GOT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO THERE WAS A THREAT BUT NO, IT'S MOSTLY RACIST, YOU KNOW, SEXIST STUFF I GET.

>> THE INTERNET IS THE WILD WEST.

>> YEAH, IT'S THE WILD, WILD WEST.

A LOT OF HATRED.

>> DO YOU EVER THINK THAT PART OF TRUMP'S SUCCESS WAS WHITES FEELING THREATENED BY A BLACK PRESIDENT?

>> I DO.

SO I WORKED IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AS YOU MENTIONED THE FIRST TWO YEARS.

I WORKED IN HIS -- I WORKED IN HIS FIRST ELECTION IN 2008 AND HIS RE-ELECTION.

I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS ON TV BEFORE.

I'VE SAID BASICALLY THAT WHEN HE GOT ELECTED I THINK PEOPLE THOUGHT WE WERE IN A POST-RACIAL AMERICA AND WE WERE NOT.

I THINK WHAT WE LEARNED IS THAT RACISM WAS VERY MUCH REAL AND STILL VERY MUCH AROUND.

AND THE OBSTRUCTION THAT HE SAW, THE HORRIBLE RACIST RHETORIC OF HAVING A BLACK FAMILY IN THE WHITE HOUSE WAS VERY CLEAR.

YOU FELT THE HATE AND YOU SAW THE HATE.

AND I THINK WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS -- >> YET HE WAS RE-ELECTED.

>> HE WAS RE-ELECTED, YES, HE WAS.

AND I THINK BECAUSE THAT SPEAKS TO THE TYPE OF CANDIDATE AND THE TYPE OF PERSON HE IS AND THE TYPE OF MESSAGE THAT HE HAD FOR THIS COUNTRY.

AND WE -- I THINK WE HAD THE BEST CANDIDATE.

DONALD TRUMP TOUCHED ON SOMETHING THAT WAS HAPPENING IN 2011 WHICH WAS THE BIRTHERISM.

THAT WAS HIS FIRST ENTREE INTO PUBLIC POLITICS, INTO THE POLITICAL ARENA.

HE BECAME THE GRAND WIZARD OF BIRTHERISM BECAUSE HE TOOK THAT MANTLE AND WAS A BULL HORN FOR IT AND QUESTIONED THE PRESIDENT, THEN PRESIDENT OBAMA'S BIRTH -- WAS HE BORN HERE, IS HE EVEN AMERICAN.

>> AND HE RAN AS THE -- YOU KNOW, AS ANTI-IMMIGRANT.

>> ESSENTIALLY THAT WAS THE FIRST THING THAT HE SAID AFTER HE CAME DOWN THE ESCALATORS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MADE ME SO ANGRY BACK THEN IN 2011 IS PRESIDENT OBAMA HAD TO PUT FORTH HIS LONG FORM BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

WHAT OTHER PRESIDENT HAS EVER HAD TO DO THAT BEFORE?

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DONALD TRUMP TAPPED INTO AND HE SAW.

HE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A PART OF AMERICA THAT WAS REALLY ANGRY ABOUT HAVING A BLACK PRESIDENT.

AND THAT'S JUST A REALITY AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT REAL CONVERSATION ABOUT RACE.

>> DO YOU THINK IN A SENSE THAT -- I MEAN, YOU WORKED WITH A WHOLE LOT OF DEMOCRATS, YOU WORKED FOR DAVID AXELROD, DO YOU THINK IT WAS TOO SOON?

DO YOU THINK OBAMA WAS PUSHED AS A CANDIDATE BEFORE -- THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE THIS -- >> HONESTLY, BONNIE, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS EVER A RIGHT TIME.

I THINK THAT -- I THINK IT WAS HIS MOMENT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK HE TOOK HIS MOMENT AND IT WAS FOR ME -- FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME, FOR FOEBLKS LIKE ME, IT WAS AN AMAZING TIME.

IT WAS INSPIRATIONAL.

YOU FELT LIKE YOU HAD A PLACE IN THE WORLD BECAUSE YOU HAD SOMEONE NAMED BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA WHO WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AND HAD SOMEONE LIKE MICHELLE OBAMA AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

EACH OF THEM, MICHELLE AND OBAMA HAVE THEIR REALLY DEEP WONDERFUL HISTORY WITH THIS COUNTRY.

AND THAT SPOKE FOR MANY OF US.

AND I DON'T REGRET IT, I DON'T THINK HE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.

I THINK IT WAS HIS MOMENT AND HE TOOK IT.

I JUST THINK THAT AMERICA HAS A REALLY -- A BIG PROBLEM WITH RACE AND IT'S VERY REAL AND WE HAVE YET TO DEAL WITH IT.

BECAUSE IT'S AN UGLY, DIFFICULT, HARD DISCUSSION TO HAVE.

>> I'LL SAY.

AND WHEN WILL IT END?

I MEAN, SOMETIMES -- I'VE DONE A LOT OF READING ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR AND IN SOME WAYS THE SOUTH REALLY NEVER GAVE UP.

>> NO.

>> AFTER IT LOST.

>> NO, NO.

>> IT MAY HAVE LOST THE WAR BUT IT WON THE BATTLE.

THERE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN BOOKS WRITTEN ABOUT THAT, THAT SEGREGATION, THE TREATMENT OF BLACKS.

DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE TREATMENT OF BLACK AMERICANS WHO HAD NO ECONOMIC POWER IN THE SOUTH OR IN THE NORTH BUT IT WAS BETTER IN THE NORTH THAN THE SOUTH.

>> YEAH.

>> BLOCKED TO -- YOU KNOW, THEY COULDN'T GET EDUCATED, THEY COULDN'T VOTE, THEY -- ALL THEIR ECONOMIC POWERS WERE RESTRICTED ON PURPOSE IN THE SOUTH FOR -- UNTIL THE 60s, 100 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, MARTIN LUTHER KING.

FOR 100 YEARS THAT WENT ON IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH.

WHAT YOU HAVE NOW IS STILL, I THINK, MORE POOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS PERCENTAGE WISE IN THE SOUTH THAN IN THE NORTH AND -- BUT WHAT IS GOING TO -- CAN WE EVER GET BEYOND IT?

>> I THINK THAT'S THE -- HONESTLY WE HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE.

THAT'S THE POWER OF THE VOTE, THE POWER OF GETTING OUT THERE, THE POWER OF SPEAKING UP.

AND WE SAW THAT THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WE SAW WHAT IT LOOKED AND WHAT IT MEANT LIKE WHEN WE TOOK THAT TO THE BALLOT BOX.

BUT I SAY THAT AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 100-YEAR CIVIL WAR AND IT REMINDS ME THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT FORMS OF JIM CROW HAPPENING.

WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT THAT GOT GUTTED IN 2013 AND WHAT SPROUTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE THESE BILLS, THESE LEGISLATIONS THAT HAS MADE IT REALLY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR, BLACK PEOPLE, NOW NATIVE AMERICANS IF YOU LOOK AT NORTH DAKOTA AND WHAT HAPPENED TO GO OUT AND VOTE.

>> OR NORTH CAROLINA.

>> OR NORTH CAROLINA.

EXACTLY.

>> FORCING, YOU KNOW, PURCHASING UNFILLED IN ABSENTEE BALLOTS FROM OLDER AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

>> SO THAT'S THE SCARY PART.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO FIGHT AGAINST.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YES VOTING IS REALLY POWERFUL BUT WILL PEOPLE WILL ABLE TO VOTE, CAN THEY GO OUT AND VOTE.

AND SO WE ARE FIGHTING DIFFERENT FIGHTS ON SO MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS.

AND, YES, SO VOTING IS IMPORTANT.

GETTING OUT THERE, CHANGING THE TIDE, CHANGING THE REPRESENTATION.

WE SAW THAT.

WE SAW GREAT VICTORIES IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

WE HAVE TO FIGHT THIS AWFUL VOTER SUPPRESSION LAW.

IT IS RACISM.

WE HAVE TO CALL IT WHAT IT IS.

IT JUST CONTINUES AND CONTINUES BUT THAT'S WHY I HAVE HOPE.

ONE OF THE REASONS I HAVE HOPE IS NOT JUST THAT WE TOOK BACK THE HOUSE IS THAT WE ALSO SWITCHED OVER SOME STATE CHAMBERS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WE WON ABOUT SEVEN GOVERNORSHIPS, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WE MEANING DEMOCRATS.

SO THAT IS GOING TO PLAY INTO THE TYPE OF LEGISLATIONS THAT WE SEE IN THESE STATES AND BEING ABLE TO REALLY LOOK AT 2020 AND WINNING BACK THE WHITE HOUSE AS WELL.

>> FOR 2020 DO YOU HAVE GREAT HOPES OR ARE YOU NERVOUS?

>> I HAVE ALL OF IT.

I HAVE HOPE, I'M NERVOUS.

YOU KNOW, SPEAKING ABOUT HOPE, SO I STARTED OFF MY CAREER IN POLITICS BECAUSE I'M AN IMMIGRANT, I GREW UP WITH MY PARENTS THAT ARE IMMIGRANT, I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GROW UP IN THIS COUNTRY AND NOT HAVE MUCH BUT WANTING THE AMERICAN DREAM AND WANTING THE BEST FOR YOURSELF.

AND NOW I HAVE A 4-YEAR-OLD I TALK TO ABOUT THAT EARLIER BEFORE WE STARTED THIS INTERVIEW.

THAT MATTERS TO ME.

HAVING A YOUNG GIRL WHO I'M RAISING, A YOUNG GIRL OF COLOR AND WHAT TYPE OF COUNTRY AM I GOING TO LEAVE FOR HER.

ALSO I WONDER WHEN SHE GETS TO A PLACE AND SHE LEARNS ABOUT HER HISTORY AND SHE LEARNS ABOUT THE DONALD TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, IF SHE ASKS ME WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHEN DONALD TRUMP WAS YOU KNOW DOING ALL OF THESE HORRIBLE THINGS AS PRESIDENT IN THE WHITE HOUSE, I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY TO HER THAT I FOUGHT, I DID EVERYTHING I COULD AND WORKED FOR MOVE ON AND ALL THE THINGS WE WERE ABLE TO DO AS A COUNTRY TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST THE -- KIND OF THE OPPRESSION, THE MOVEMENT, THE FROM PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT.

THAT'S WHY I HAVE HOPE IS BECAUSE OF HER AND I HAVE TO OR ELSE IT'S GOING TO BE HARD TO DO THIS WORK IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY HOPE.

>> SO YOU'VE SAY -- YOU SAY REGISTERING TO VOTE -- >> REGISTERING TO VOTE.

>> THE VERY FIRST BILL IN THE HOUSE IS ALL ABOUT UNDOING VOTER SUPPRESSION.

OF -- >> EXACTLY.

GOING AFTER VOTING RIGHTS.

>> THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY THE WAY TO EQUALITY.

>> YEAH.

I THINK IT'S REALLY -- I MEAN, THAT'S THE -- THAT'S ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, RIGHT, IS TO BE ABLE TO VOTE AND IF YOU TAKE THAT AWAY FROM PEOPLE THEN, YEAH, THAT IS TAKING AWAY EQUALITY.

THAT IS TAKING AWAY PEOPLE'S VOICES.

AND SO THERE'S A REASON AS YOU MENTIONED WHY THE HOUSE DEMOCRATS DECIDED THAT'S GOING TO BE THE FIRST PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.

BECAUSE IT IS RACISM TO SUPPRESS PEOPLE'S VOTE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT PEOPLE OF COLOR IN PARTICULAR AND MAKING SURE THEY ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE OR THEY CANNOT VOTE OR THEIR VOTE IS STOLEN.

SO, YES, THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS TO DO IS TO GO OUT AND MAKE SURE THAT WE REGISTER PEOPLE TO VOTE.

THAT'S KEY IN 2020.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

IT'S BEEN SUCH AN HONOR.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

>> I APPRECIATE IT.

>> BEST OF LUCK TO YOU AND ALL YOUR WORK.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF TOOTH CONTRARY.

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