
Women Thought Leaders: Amy Siskind
7/9/2018 | 25m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
Siskind talks about Trump and why she says we are moving to an authoritarian government
We continue our Women Thought Leaders series with Amy Siskind. In her recent book The List, Siskind details President Trump's actions throughout his presidency. She says she worries about the U.S. going from a democracy to an authoritarian leadership.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Funding for TO THE CONTRARY is provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Park Foundation and the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation.

Women Thought Leaders: Amy Siskind
7/9/2018 | 25m 40sVideo has Closed Captions
We continue our Women Thought Leaders series with Amy Siskind. In her recent book The List, Siskind details President Trump's actions throughout his presidency. She says she worries about the U.S. going from a democracy to an authoritarian leadership.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch To The Contrary
To The Contrary 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 sponsorship>> BONNIE: PARTICULARLY WITH WOMEN'S PROGRESS IS IT ALL ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING TO GET REALLY ANGRY AT BEFORE YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD?
>> AMY: THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, WHAT FUELS PROGRESS WHEN YOU HAVE -- YOU WANT TO ATTAIN SOMETHING OR WHEN SOMETHING IS SUPER BAD AND IT HAPPENS IN REACTION TO.
>> BONNIE ERBE: HELLO, I'M BONNIE ERBE.
WELCOME TO TO THE CONTRARY.
THIS WEEK WE CONTINUE OUR SERIES ON WOMEN THOUGHT LEADERS, AND TODAY WE SPEAK WITH AMY SISKIND, PRESIDENT OF THE NEW AGENDA AND AUTHOR OF THE LIST.
WELCOME, AMY.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
>> AMY SISKIND: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, BONNIE.
>> BONNIE ERBE: AND WE MISS HAVING YOU ON THE SHOW.
SO TELL ME ABOUT THE LIST, WHAT IS THIS?
>> AMY SISKIND: SO, THIS IS A LIST OF THINGS THAT IS ATYPICAL FOR A DEMOCRACY.
SO IT'S NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE BATTLES BETWEEN DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN.
THE CONSTRUCTS ARE THINGS THAT ARE DEMOCRACY VERSUS AUTHORITARIAN STATE.
THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE FROM THE BEGINNING, SHORTLY AFTER THE ELECTION THAT ARE NOT TYPICAL OR NORMAL IN OUR COUNTRY, STARTING WITH THE FIRST WEEK WITH TWEETING INSULTS AT THE CAST OF SNL AND HAMILTON.
STARTING WITH THE FIRST WEEK WHEN THERE WAS A NUMBER OF, A RISE IN SPIKE IN HATE CRIMES AND TRUMP SAYING WE SHOULD GRANT ACCEPTANCE TO OTHERS AS OPPOSED TO CONDEMNING.
SO THESE ARE THINGS I CAPTURED AS THE WEEKS GO ON, SORT OF AS A WAY FOR US EVENTUALLY TO FIND OUR TRAIL BACK TO NORMALCY AND DEMOCRACY.
>> BONNIE: HOW DO MOST PEOPLE RECEIVE IT BECAUSE HE DID WIN THE ELECTION, EVEN THOUGH SHE WON THE POPULAR VOTE.
AND THEY'RE STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE.
HE'S STILL GOT 42% APPROVAL AND IT'S GOING UP RECENTLY.
YOU KNOW, RECENTLY.
>> AMY: SO THE THINGS I'M CAP PURRING ARE NOT OPINION.
THEY'RE JUST THINGS THAT ARE ATYPICAL AND JUST NOTED IN A VERY SORT OF FLAT FACTUAL KIND OF WAY WITH FOOTNOTES FOR EACH ITEM.
FOR EXAMPLE, INFORMATION ON BREAST CANCER WAS WIPED OFF A WEBSITE AND THAT'S A COMMON THEME THROUGHOUT THE WEEKS.
HE MAKES INFORMATION DISAPPEAR AND THEN WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE INFORMATION, YOU CAN THEN TAKE AWAY REGULATIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT OR RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND WOMEN BECAUSE YOU'RE MAKING THEM INVISIBLE.
>> BONNIE: TELL ME HOW THE AFFECT OF HIS ADMINISTRATION, WHAT'S IT HAVING ON POOR WOMEN, ON WOMEN OF COLOR, ON THE LGBT COMMUNITY, ALL THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY?
>> AMY: IT'S IMPACTED EVERYBODY WHO IS NOT WHITE, STRAIGHT, CHRISTIAN AND MALE.
HE CERTAINLY IS GOING AFTER IMMIGRANTS THE HARDEST AND NOT TRYING TO GET RID OF IMMIGRANTS, TRYING TO BLOCK REFUGEES AND VERY SUCCESSFULLY SO UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT THE MUSLIM BAN WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS HE DID.
THE TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN, WYOMING THE LGBTQ OUT OF THE CENSUS AND WITH WOMEN ONE WAS SWIFT VERSION OF THE GLOBAL GAG RULE.
HE HAS LESS WOMEN IN HIS ADMINISTRATION THAN IN ANY TIME SINCE REAGAN AND PAYS THEM LESS THAN EVEN BEFORE REAGAN.
SO I THINK -- >> BONNIE: WHAT DOWN MEAN PAYS THEM?
>> AMY: HIS EMPLOYEE, 63 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR.
THE WOMEN THAT WORK IN HIS WHITE HOUSE VERSUS THE MEN.
WHAT HE BASICALLY DOES AND THIS IS THE WAY HE WON THE ELECTION HE USES PICKING ON OTHERS OR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND WOMEN AS SORT OF A FUEL TO KEEP HIS BASE TOGETHER.
ANY TIME HE SEES TO BE FLOATING OFF NOT CONTROLLING THE NARRATIVE, ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'LL HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE NFL ANTHEM, OR THE TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAND.
SORT OF INVENTS THESE SHINY COINS AS A WAY TO KEEP HIS BASE ENGAGED AGAINST THE OTHERS.
IT'S A WAY OF UNITING HIS BASE WHICH IS WHAT AUTHORITARIANS DO AND SORT OF THE RISE OF WHITE NATIONALISTS.
THEY SORT OF TARGET EVERYBODY ELSE AND USE THAT AS A FUEL THAT HATRED IS A FUEL TO KEEP THEMSELVES IN POWER WHICH IS ONE OF THE TWO THINGS HE'S TRYING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STAY IN POWER AND THEN THE SECOND THING MAKE MONEY .
>> BONNIE: ARE WE LIVING IN AN AUTHORITARIAN STATE RIGHT NOW?
>> AMY: WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS THAT RAPIDLY.
THE BOOK IS WEEK ONE THROUGH 52 BUT I CONTINUE TO TRACK IT AT THE WEEKLY LIST .ORG.
WEEK 67 THERE WAS A SHIFT AND WHERE HE BASICALLY HAS BECOME SHACKLED AND IT IS TRULY SEIZING POWER.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IS WHAT HAPPENING NOW, HE'S GOING AFTER AMAZON BECAUSE HE FEELS LIKE IT.
HE WANTS TO GO AFTER THE "WASHINGTON POST" AND HIS FRIENDS IN REAL ESTATE DON'T LIKE THAT THEIR MALLS AREN'T DOING WELL.
THE WEEK BEFORE IT WAS CHINA TARIFFS AND THEN IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THERE IS STILL A THIRD OF KEY ROLE THAT HAVE NO NOM KNEE.
AND HIS INNER CIRCLE HAS HAD MORE TURNOVER THAN ANY ADMINISTRATION IN ITS FIRST 14 MONTHS AND MORE RECENTLY HE DOESN'T SEEM PARTICULARLY TO CARE ABOUT REPLACING THEM.
HE'S EVEN TALKING ABOUT BECOMING HIS OWN CHIEF OF STAFF.
>> BONNIE: HE'S TALKED OF THAT?
>> AMY: YEAH.
HIS FRIENDS HAVE TOLD HIM HE CAN DO A FINE JOB.
HE'S FEELING VERY CONFIDENT NOW.
HE'S STILL GOT THE ANGER BUT HE'S GOT A CERTAIN SELFISH ORDINANCE NOW AND THERE IS NO CHECKS OR BALANCES.
I THINK THE ONE THING THAT WE HAVE LEARNED AS A COMPANY IN HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY YOU LEARN THAT THERE ARE CHECKS AN BALANCES IN OUR GOVERNMENT AND THOSE ARE MORE NORMS RATHER THAN LAWS BECAUSE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS DOING NOTHING TO PUT HIM IN CHECK.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW, WEEK-BY-WEEK HE'S THROWING UP STUFF UNTIL TRADITIONAL DAYS REPUBLICANS IF OBAMA HAD PUT TARIFFS ON CHINA OR HE WOULD MEET WITH KIM JONG-UN, THERE WOULD BE A REPUBLICAN AT EVERY MIC ON CAPITOL HILL SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER AND TRUMP DOES IT AND NOTHING.
>> BONNIE: YOU SAY IN THE BOOK THAT YOU HAD TO HIRE AN ARMED GUARD TO STAY AT YOUR HOUSE.
DO YOU STILL HAVE THAT PERSON THERE?
>> AMY: ONE THING THAT CAME WITH THIS LIST WAS MUCH MORE VISIBILITY AND NOW I HAVE A QUARTER MILLION TWITTER FOLLOWERS AND THE WEEK AFTER CHARLOTTESVILLE WHEN THE DAILY STORMER WROTE A PARTICULARLY HORRIBLE ARTICLE ABOUT THE MARTYR WHO HAD BEEN KILLED IN THAT -- THE PROTEST, HEATHER HEYER.
I WROTE SOMETHING TO THE WEB POSTING COMPANY OF THE DAILY STORMER SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD BE TAKEN DOWN, AND GO DADDY RESPONDED TO ME AND IT WENT VIRAL, THEY RESPONDED AND TOOK DOWN THEIR WEBSITE AND GRADUALLY ALL THE OTHER WEB POSTING COMPANIES TOOK DOWN THEIR WEBSITE.
AND, SO, THEY POSTED MY HOME ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER SO THAT WEEK I DID HAVE -- YEAH, I STARTED GETTING CALLS AND -- >> BONNIE: I MEAN, HOW -- YOU KNOW, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, 42% APPROVAL RATING.
THAT'S PRETTY HIGH.
>> AMY: WELL, FOR HIM IT'S HIGH.
>> BONNIE: WELL, YEAH.
IT SEEMS LIKE A BIGGER NUMBER THAN ONE WOULD THINK.
>> AMY: YES.
>> BONNIE: SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE REACTION YOU GET FROM THE ALT RIGHT?
TELL ME -- DO THEY THREATEN YOUR LIFE?
>> AMY: NO.
NO.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OUT OF THAT 42% THERE IS PROBABLY A FAIR AMOUNT OF JUST COMPLACENCY AND NORMALIZATION, YOU KNOW, WHICH HAPPENS IN AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES.
YOU DON'T -- THE RISE OF HITLER OR THE RISE OF AUTHORITARIAN -- MOST OF THE COUNTRY JUST KIND OF WANTS EVERYTHING TO BE OKAY, SO I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN VERY PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY WHAT IS NOW THE RESISTANCE, HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BECOME ENGAGED THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY POLITICALLY INVOLVED PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST UPSET ABOUT THE FABRIC OF OUR COUNTRY CHANGING AND PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED AND THEY'RE DOING VARIOUS ACTS, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT BE, TO FIGHT FOR OUR DEMOCRACY.
BECAUSE THIS ISN'T REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRAT.
THIS IS A FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY AND OUR VALUES.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN WOMEN'S RIGHTS FOR A LONG TIME.
I'M USED TO HAVING PEOPLE COME AFTER ME FOR WHATEVER REASON.
I'M A GAY WOMAN SO I'M PRETTY THICK SKINNED.
BUT, NO, I'M ACTUALLY HEARTENED.
PEOPLE ARE TWEETING ME THAT ARE CONSERVATIVE SAYING THEY ARE BUYING THE BOOK BECAUSE ITS' HISTORY.
LIKE THERE'S NOT OPINIONS IN THERE.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE IN THE CHAOS IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP TRACK.
>> BONNIE: HAS TRUMP GIVEN UP FIGHTING BACK AGAINST HILLARY, WHOM HE OBVIOUSLY BEAT IN AN ELECTION A YEAR AND A HALF AGO?
>> AMY: HE'S STILL ATTACKING HER.
[LAUGHTER] STILL CALLING HER CROOKED HILLARY IN A PRESS CONFERENCE JUST NOW.
AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME YOU HAVE THESE FLAGS THAT YOU FLY THAT YOU THEN SHOOT DOWN TO KEEP YOUR PEOPLE ENGAGED.
>> BONNIE: IT WAS PUBLICIZED DURING THE CAMPAIGN HIS FIRST WIFE WHEN THEY DIVORCED IN DIVORCE PAPERS SAID THAT HE KEPT A COPY OF MEIN KAMPF BY HIS BED AND READ IT EVERY NIGHT.
IS HE DOING THIS ON PURPOSE, DO DO YOU THINK IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS SO OFTEN DESCRIBED THESE DAYS AS CHAOTIC.
IS HE CREATING CHAOS ON PURPOSE?
DOES HE HAVE A PLAN, OR IS IT JUST OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD?
>> AMY: CAMBRIDGE AN LIT CAPITOL HILL WHEN THEY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT OUR ELECTION AND BANNON AND MERCER STARTED TO ORGANIZE AND THEY TESTED CERTAIN WORDS AND IDEAS AND ONE WAS DEEP STATE AND ONE WAS AN AUTHORITARIAN STRONGMAN, HOW WOULD THAT TEST WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?
AND THEN THEY SORT OF WENT OUT TO TRY TO CAST THAT ROLE AND THEY TRIED WITH CRUZ FIRST AND THEN WHEN HE DIDN'T WORK OUT, TRUMP HIRED CAMBRIDGE AN LIT CAPITOL HILL AND THAT IS A DIFFERENT TOPIC.
BUT, SO I DO THINK THERE WAS SORT OF A MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE ASPECT TO IT THAT OUR COUNTRY WAS RIPE FOR A STRONGMAN TO COME IN BECAUSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISSATISFACTION IN OUR COUNTRY, A LOT OF PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY THAT FEEL IGNORED OR MARGINALIZED.
SO OUR COUNTRY WAS RIPE FOR IT.
AND HE STEPPED RIGHT INTO THAT ROLE AND KNEW WHAT NOTES TO PLAY, EVEN IF SUBTLETY, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S THE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND IMMIGRANTS THAT ARE COMING IN TO TAKE YOUR JOB.
IT'S THE WOMEN THAT ARE TAKING YOUR JOB.
LET'S TAKE AMERICA BACK TO THE 1950S' WHEN WHITE, STRAIGHT MALE, CHRISTIAN MALES, COULD HAVE A JOB AND A GOOD FAMILY INCOME.
SO THAT'S THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE THAT WORKED.
BUT I THINK NATURALLY FROM THE TIME HE TOOK OFFICE IN THE BOOK, IN THE FIRST WEEK -- YOU WON'T REMEMBER THIS BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW IF HE WAS GOING TO BE PART OF NATO ANYMORE.
YOU REMEMBER THAT, YOU KNOW.
AND HE'S STILL SUBSEQUENTLY, LIKE WHEN MERKEL WAS IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND HE WOULDN'T SHAKE HER HAND.
ALL OF OUR TRADITIONAL ALLIES.
HE CALLED TURNBUL IN AUSTRALIA AND STARTED SCREAMING AT HIM BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE REFUGEES.
ALLY BY ALLY HE'S ALIENATED OUR ALLIES AND, MEANWHILE, HE'S HAD AN OPEN DOOR POLICY FOR TURKEY'S ERGODEN TO COME TO THE WHITE HOUSE, TO EGYPT'S EL CICI.
HE LIKES THE WAY DUERTE IS DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB WITH THE DRUG WAR.
WE SHOULD TRY THAT HERE, HAVE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND, OF COURSE, PUTIN.
SO HE DEFINITELY HAS AN AFFINITY FOR STRONGMEN.
THOSE ARE HIS COMPATRIOTS.
>> BONNIE: POLLED.
POLAND.
I THINK WAS THE FIRST PLACE HE VISITED IN EUROPE.
>> AMY: YES.
BECAUSE HE WAS SUPPOSED TO GO TO THE U.K. AND THEY WERE GONNA HAVE PROTESTS -- ACTUALLY, THAT'S IN THE BOOK.
IN POLAND, THEY AGREED TO BUS PEOPLE IN SO HIS RALLIES WOULD BE FULL.
AND THEN HE GAVE ONE OF HIS DYSTOPIAN SPEECHES ABOUT THE REFUGEES COMING IN AND STEALING OUR COUNTRIES AND, YOU KNOW, THE SAME ONE HE GIVES HERE.
>> BONNIE: HOW MUCH CULTURAL IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE -- DOES THIS ADMINISTRATION HAVE, PARTICULARLY ON LITTLE GIRLS, OF ALL COLORS?
>> AMY: I WORRY ABOUT WHAT OUR KIDS ARE INGESTING.
I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEWS AND WHAT WE'RE NORMALIZING AWAY FROM ALL THE POLITICAL >> BONNIE: ARE THE MEDIA NORM ALIZING IT?
>> AMY: YES.
>> BONNIE: HOW WOULD YOU HAVE IT BE DIFFERENT, HOW WOULD YOU HAVE THE MEDIA TREAT HIM IF YOU WERE TSARINA OF AMERICA?
>> AMY: THEY ARE IMPROVING IN THE EARLY FEW MONTHS OF HIS REGIME.
ANY TIME HE WOULD DO SOMETHING NORMAL IT WOULD BE LIKE, NOW HE'S BECOME PRESIDENTIAL.
HE WOULD READ A SPEECH OFF A TELL PROMPTER AND THEY WOULD BE LIKE, OH, HE'S FINALLY COME TO THE OTHER SIDE.
WHAT I WOULD WANT TO TELL THE MEDIA IS FROM THE FIRST WEEK OF THE LIST UNTIL TODAY, HE'S DOING THE SAME EXACT THINGS.
THIS MAN HAS NOT CHANGED.
HE'S NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
HE DOESN'T HAVE GOOD INTENTIONS FOR OUR COUNTRY.
HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT NORMS.
HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT OUR DEMOCRACY.
AND HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT VOTED FOR HIM.
SO COVER WHAT HE'S DOING IN THE CONTEXT OF IT NOT BEING NORMAL.
YOU DON'T CALL FORMER PRESIDENTS CHEATING.
SO I THINK OUR MEDIA HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HOLD HIM IN INTO ACCOUNT.
AND I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE DOING AND WHAT HE'S CAUSING THEM TO DO BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS IF HE KEEPS THROWING THESE SHINY COINS AND CHANGING THE SUBJECT, THEY CAN'T COVER WHAT HE'S ACTUALLY DOING.
BUT WHAT I THINK THE LIST IS SO VALUABLE, IN PART, AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA READ IT BECAUSE THEY'LL BE WEEKS IN THE LIST WHERE THERE'S A 150 ITEMS AND 20 TO 30 HAVE GATHERED 80 % OF THE ATTENTION FROM THE MEDIA.
AND THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER STORIES.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE KIDS THAT ARE IMPACTING THE FABRIC OF THE -- OF OUR COUNTRY THAT ARE GETTING NO COVERAGE OR JUST ONE STORY LOCAL COVERAGE.
>> AMY: GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING B THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN WIDELY COVERED BUT ARE REALLY HURTING PEOPLE BECAUSE OF OUR PARTICULAR INTERESTS, WOMEN.
I MEAN, HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BEEN THROWN OFF FEDERAL PROGRAMS?
AND THEY'RE LOSING THEIR FOOD STAMPS OR THEY'RE LOSING THEIR SECTION 8 HOUSING, WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ALL THAT?
>> AMY: ONE OF HIS FIRST WHACKS HE TOOK OFFICE, HIS SECOND EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS A GLOBAL GAG ORDER, AN EXTREME VERSION OF IT SIGNED INTERIM ALL WHITE MEN AND ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION THE THINGS THAT HE AND HIS REGIME HAVE DONE HAVE BEEN THOUGHT OUT BY AND COMPLETE BY A GROUP OF WHITE MEN -- >> BONNIE: BUT THEY WERE GOING AFTER PLANNED PARENTHOOD BIG TIME.
>> AMY: THAT'S A REPUBLICAN THING.
>> BONNIE: AND HE LOST ON THAT.
THEY'RE STILL FULLY FUNDED IN THE FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.
>> AMY: YES.
I VIEW -- WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WOMEN THERE IS A LOT OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS ABOUT IT BUT I BELIEVE IN THE IMPORTANCE OF OF -- BECAUSE OF THE WORK I DO, WOMEN'S FACES, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF GIRLS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WOMEN IN THE DECISION MAKING OF HEALTH CARE -- LIKE YOU HAD THESE ROOMS OF ALL WHITE MEN WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THEIR HEALTH CARE BILL AND WHAT SHOULD BE IN THE ONE THAT PASSED IN THE HOUSE ABOUT MATERNITY LEAVE, ABOUT WHAT PART OF CHILDBIRTH SHOULD BE REIMBURSED, THAT DECISION MAKING IS FLAWED.
SO THE FACT THAT HE HAS SO FEW WOMEN IN RANKS OF POWER IS SHOCKINGLY, YOU KNOW -- IT'S SHOCK.
>> BONNIE: IT SEEMS TO ME LIKE THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG AND NOW THAT THEY'RE NEW TESTAMENT IN THEIR 20' AND 30', THEY WERE TOLD THAT THEY COULD DO ANYTHING, THEY WERE TOLD THE WORLD WAS THEIR OYSTER AND THEY WERE FULLY EMPOWERED.
AND THAT'S ESSENTIALLY HOW THEY'VE BEEN LIVING THEIR LIVES.
IS THAT GOING TO CHANGE WITH E NEXT GENERATION?
>> AMY: YEAH.
I THINK WHAT HAPPENED IN THE BEGINNING OF HIS REGIME THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH OF THIS STUFF HAPPENING THAT THERE WAS AN IMPLOSION WHICH WAS THE ME TOO MOVEMENT AND THE EARLY -- ACTS -- >> BONNIE: DO YOU THINK HE DIRECTLY CAUSED THAT?
>> AMY: I DO.
I CREDIT HIM -- PEOPLE ASK ME THEYED HE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING GOOD IN HIS FIRST YEAR AND I THINK HE UNLEASHED A MOVEMENT THOSE OF US THAT HAVE BEEN IN ADVOCACY FOR WOMEN FOR DECADES IT HAS BEEN A SLOW PROCESS AND NOW IT CASES BOOM AND ULTIMATELY IT COULD BE WHAT BRINGS HIM DOWN.
NOT STORMY DANIELS AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT PER SE BUT THE PAYMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND THE COVERUP OR THE OTHER WOMEN COMING FORWARD.
BUT I THINK WITHIN A NUMBER OF INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IN POLITICS, BUT IN STARTING IN HOLLYWOOD, THERE IS THIS NEW AWARENESS THAT THIS IS NOT OKAY.
AND I THINK IT WAS SO BAD WITH HIM IN THOSE EARLY MONTHS.
WOMEN WERE DISRESPECTED AND NOT INCLUDED THAT IT WAS JUST LIKE LIGHTING A STICK OF DYNAMITE.
>> AMY: DO YOU THINK THAT THE GUN CONTROL MOVEMENT WILL MORPH INTO ACTUAL GUN CONTROL LAWS BEING APPROVED?
>> AMY: YEAH, I DO.
YOU SOMETIMES TO HAVE TAKE A STEP BACK IN PROGRESS AND HAVE THINGS GET TO WHERE THEY ARE NOW WHERE WE'RE REVISITING HALF A DECADE -- HALF A CENTURY AGO TO SORT OF CATAPULT FORWARD.
I BELIEVE BOTH OF THESE MOVEMENTS ARE HISTORICAL IN NATURE.
THE MARCHES, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SHOWING UP.
TWICE FOR THE WOMEN'S MARCH AND THEN FOR THE KIDS, IN D.C.
BUT AS WELL THE WALKOUTS THAT THEY DID AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL.
MY SON LED ONE OF THOSE AND IT WAS 1200 PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT SIGNED UP ON HIS FACEBOOK PAGE.
I MEAN, THESE WERE HUGE.
SO THESE KIDS ARE GOING TO VOTE.
SO IT IS GOING TO PROFILE CHANGE.
BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE GROWING UP.
THEY NEVER UNDERSTOOD THERE BEING ANYTHING WRONG WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE GAY OR TRANSGENDER.
YOU SEE SUCH A DISCHARGE MEANT BETWEEN OLDER PEOPLE'S VOTING PATTERNS AND YOUNGER.
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A CHANGE IN OUR VOTING PATTERNS FOR A WHILE.
>> AMY: WHAT DO YOU FORESEE IN NOVEMBER?
>> AMY: ANOTHER BLOODBATH.
>> BONNIE: A BLUE WAVE.
A REALLY STRONG ONE.
>> AMY: YEAH.
AND I THINK IT'S UNDERESTIMATED BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER OF 2017 BECAUSE OUR MEDIA REFUSES TO COVER WHAT HAS BECOME THE RESISTANCE, WHICH ARE PEOPLE AT ARE NOT POLITICALLY VOLVED.
WHO ARE NOW INVOLVED.
>> BONNIE: YOU SAY THE MEDIA ISN'T COVERING THE RESISTANCE.
>> AMY: WELL, THE TEA PARTY.
THE WORD TEA PARTY WAS USED IN THE MEDIA.
IF YOU HAD 20 WHITE GUYS SHOW UP IN A ROOM, IT WAS FRONT PAGE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES.
IF YOU HAD A MILLION WOMEN SHOW UP TO MARCH FOR A SECOND TIME, IT'S STILL NOT CALLED THE RESISTANCE.
IT WILL BE KNOWN AS THE RESISTANCE BUT THERE IS NO EQUIVALENT RESISTANCE.
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE MEDIA TOTALLY MISSED WHAT HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER OF 2017 AND THAT WAS LARGELY WOMEN COMING OUT TO VOTE WHO ARE NOT -- THEY CALLED THEM COLLEGE SUBURBAN WOMEN.
BUT THESE ARE WOMEN AND I KNOW MANY OF THEM WHO NEVER SHOW UP FOR ELECTIONS TO VOTE AND NOW SHOWED UP BECAUSE THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY MORE BROADLY.
THEY CARE ABOUT WHAT OUR CHILDREN ARE EXPOSED TO.
SO IT'S NOT -- THAT'S WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE SIDELINES POLITICALLY WHO ARE GOING TO BE A PART OF POLITICS.
>> BONNIE: PARTICULARLY WITH WOMEN'S PROGRESS, IS IT ALL ABOUT HAVING SOMETHING TO GET REALLY ANGRY AT BEFORE YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD, GET THE MOMENTUM TOGETHER TO MOVE FORWARD?
>> AMY: THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
I MEAN, WHAT FUELS PROGRESS, WHEN YOU WANT TO ATTAIN SOMETHING OR WHEN SOMETHING IS SUPER BAD AND IT HAPPENS IN REACTION TO -- AND BOTH OF THE MOVEMENTS NOW, I BELIEVE, ARE IN REACTION TO PEOPLE SHOWING UP TO MARCH AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN POLITICALLY INVOLVED ARE SHOWING UP BECAUSE OF THEIR CONCERN FOR OUR COUNTRY.
AND, YOU KNOW -- SO I THINK IT'S A REACTION TO, WHICH IS FINE.
I MEAN, OUR COUNTRY PROGRESS ISN'T REALLY LINEAR.
WE JUMP BACKWARDS AND TAKE TWO STEPS FORWARD AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW.
>> BONNIE: ARE YOU SURPRISED THERE WASN'T -- THEY'RE WEREN'T RIOTS IN THE STREETS, YOU KNOW -- PARTICULARITY AROUND WOMEN -- TO HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO'S SAID THE THINGS HE'S SAID ABOUT WOMEN, THE BILLY BUSH TAPE, AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS HE'S DONE?
>> AMY: YEAH.
I'M CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WE'VE NORMALIZED, BECAUSE THIS IS ON 60 MINUTES, WHICH IS SUNDAY AT 7:00 WHEN PEOPLE'S KIDS ARE STILL AWAKE AND THEY HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT A PERSON WHO IS SITTING IN THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEIR KIDS, -- IT'S UNAVOIDABLE WITH THE AMOUNT OF VIEWERSHIP SO IT'S HARD TO NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT OUR CHILDREN ARE INGESTING OR WHAT THEY SEE IN SCHOOL.
THE STUFF YOU HEAR ANECDOTALLY ABOUT KIDS BEING CALLED POCAHONTAS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE INDIAN AMERICANS, OR WHATEVER THE INSULTS GOING BACK, THERE'S -- IT'S IN THE LIST WEEK AFTER WEEK, THE AMOUNT OF HATE CRIMES ARE UP SIGNIFICANTLY.
THE ANTI-SEMITISM, THE XENOPHOBIA, THE BIGOTRY.
SO HOW COULD IT NOT IMPACT OUR COUNTRY?
IT'S -- WE'RE IN A VERY DIRE TIME.
LIKE WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE HOPEFUL PARTS, WHICH ARE THE ME TOO MOVEMENTS AND THE TEENS.
BUT WHERE WE SIT TODAY, WE ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE OF LOSING OUR DEMOCRACY AS WE KNOW IT.
THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT.
HE'S REALLY -- >> BONNIE: AND PEOPLE WHO WOULD SAY TO YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A WAY OVERREACTION.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THEM?
THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
>> AMY: THEY'RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A NATURAL DESIRE FOR THINGS TO BE OKAY AND THOSE ARE PERHAPS THE SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE JOINED IN THE 42%, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AWAKENED AND INVOLVED AND OUTRAGED AND NOT SLEEPING AT NIGHT AND HAVING PANIC ATTACKS LIKE YOU WAKE UP EVERY MORNING LIKE WHAT'S HE GOING TO TWEET TODAY?
WHAT'S HE GOING TO TAKE AWAY TODAY?
WHAT'S HE GOING TO DO?
>> BONNIE: BUT THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT PEOPLE BEING MORE UPSET, UNDER PEOPLE WHO PAID ATTENTION TO THE NEWS FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF BEING MORE DEPRESSED, BEING MORE UPSET, ANXIETY, ET CETERA.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
>> AMY: YEAH.
WELL, I THINK TRUMP HASN'T CHANGED BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE CHANGED BECAUSE WE'VE HAD TO DIGEST WHAT'S HAPPENED IN OUR COUNTRY DAY IN AND DAY OUT AND SORT OF LIKE EVERYDAY.
WHETHER IT'S PRUITT OR DEVOS, THERE'S SCANDALS WITHIN HIS REGIME WEEK BY WEEK AND THEY JUST GET AWAY WITH IT.
KUSHNER'S RAISING MONEY OVERSEAS.
DONALD, JR.'S GOING OVER TO INDIA BECAUSE THEY ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH A REAL ESTATE DEAL AND HE'S A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE U.S. IVANKA AND JARED ARE USING THEIR PERSONAL EMAIL AND PUTTING THEM ON THE TRUMP.ORG SERVER.
SO THESE THINGS, LIKE, HAPPEN.
COMEY GETS FIRED.
LIKE THAT'S THE END BUT IT'S NEVER THE END, AND THE NEXT DAY THERE'S FIVE MORE.
SO I THINK OUR COUNTRY, A LOT OF OUR COUNTRY WHO'S PAYING ATTENTION -- AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION -- ARE LIVING IN A STATE.
AN INTERESTING ANECDOTE WAS PEOPLE, PSYCHOLOGISTS SAY NOT SINCE 911 HAVE SO MANY PATIENTS COME IN TO TALK ABOUT ONE TOPIC.
AND IT'S CONSERVATIVES AS WELL BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE IN THEIR FAMILY IF THEY VOTED FOR TRUMP THEN THEY ARE GETTING SCORNED FOR THAT.
BUT IT'S MOSTLY PEOPLE THAT ARE WORRIED.
THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT OUR COUNTRY.
THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEMSELVES.
>> BONNIE: HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK TRUMP'S ELECTION WAS A REACTION AGAINST EIGHT YEARS OF OBAMA?
>> AMY: WELL HE RAN ON THE BIRTHER IDEA AND THE FACT THAT A BLACK MAN COULD BE IN POWER AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A WOMAN IN POWER.
THERE'S A BASE OF OUR COUNTRY -- MAYBE HIS 35% THAT'S GOING TO BE WITH HIM NO MATTER WHAT BECAUSE HE'S FUELED THEM ON THE BASES OF WE WANT THE OLD AMERICA BACK, WHICH IS WHITE, STRAIGHT, CHRISTIAN MALE AMERICA, AND EVERYBODY ELSE IS SORT OF ON THE OUTSIDE.
THEY DON'T LIKE THE FACT THAT GAY PEOPLE CAN GET MARRIED, OR THAT THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION IS DIVERSE.
SO THERE'S A BACKLASH TO THAT AND HE PLAYS OFF IT NONSTOP.
HE KNOWS THAT IT GOT THEM TO WHERE HE IS NOW, LEGITIMATELY OR NOT, AND THAT'S WHAT HE KEEPS FANNING.
EACH WEEK THERE IS THIS NEW SHINY COIN.
IF YOU READ THE BOOK IT'S THESE UNUSUAL THINGS.
HE'LL BE HAVING A BAD WEEK AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS HE'S TWEETING ABOUT A TRANSGENDER MILITARY BAN.
NO RHYME OR REASON -- OR BURNING THE AMERICAN FLAG.
THAT'S ONE OF THE EARLY WEEKS OF THE LIST.
NO RHYME OR REASON.
JUST WANTED TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT.
>> BONNIE: WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMIE.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ENLIGHTENING CONVERSATION AND ANYBODY WHO CAN GET THROUGH THIS VERY THICK BOOK WILL LEARN A LOT WHEN THEY READ IT.
THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION.
PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE, WEB AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK TO THE CONTRARY, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
FOR A TRANSCRIPT OR TO SEE AN ONLINE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE OF TO THE CONTRARY, PLEASE VISIT OUR PBS WEBSITE AT PBS.ORG/TO
- News and Public Affairs
Top journalists deliver compelling original analysis of the hour's headlines.
- News and Public Affairs
FRONTLINE is investigative journalism that questions, explains and changes our world.
Support for PBS provided by:
Funding for TO THE CONTRARY is provided by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, the Park Foundation and the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation.