PBS NewsHour; January 14, 2021, 6:00pm-7:00pm PST

"Some homework here" [Upbeat music] [Beep] [Fanfare] Good evening, I'm Judy Woodruff on the NewsHour tonight. Chaos and consequences, more arrests as investigations and calls for justice intensify in the wake of the Capitol Riot that led to the president's second impeachment. Then, willful neglect: the former governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, is charged with criminally mishandling the deadly and destructive Flint water crisis. And, cutting ties: a growing number of businesses distanced themselves from the president and the Republican Party following last week's violent insurrection. "This is significant that so many corporations would do this. Especially corporations even when you look at their history, are donating three to one, five to one, six to one to Republicans." All that and more on tonight's PBS NewsHour. [Sweeping orchestral music]

"Major funding for the PBS NewsHour has been provided by..." [Background office noises] [Phone ringing] Before we talk about your investments, what's new? "Audrey's expecting!" Twins! ["Everybody Wants to Rule the World" plays] "We'll be closer to the twins." Changing plans. "At Fidelity, a change in plans is always part of the plan." [Music] Consumer Cellular. [Piano swells] Johnson and Johnson. [Strings swell] Financial Services firm, Raymond James. BNSF Railway. [French horns swell] The Candida Fund: committed to advancing restorative justice and meaningful work through investments in transformative leaders and ideas. More at CandidaFund.org. Carnegie Corporation of New York: supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement,

and the advancement of international peace and security at Carnegie.org. And with the ongoing support of these individuals and institutions. [French horns swell] [Music continues] This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you. Thank you. [Music fades out] "It is hard to keep track of all the twists and turns in Washington right now. It feels that each day brings a new historic moment, and the coming week does not appear to be any different. To help us make sense of it all, our Yamiche Alcindor and Lisa Desjardins join me now.

So Yamiche, I am going to start with you. After this terrible, terrible attack on the Capitol last week, a lot of people are wondering about security, of course, for the inauguration. What more can you tell us about the plans and ab- not only here in Washington, but in cities around the country? "Well, federal officials are working very, very hard to ensure a safe inauguration, but they are tracking a number of threats both to the Capitol in Washington D.C., as well as to other cities and state capitals. Today, Vice President Pence visited the FEMA headquarters, and there he met with a number of high-ranking national security officials, including the head of the Secret Service, the head of Homeland Security, as well as the head of the depart- FBI director, rather. And what Vice President Pence said was that he is really pushing all of these agencies to make sure that they're confident that they can find a safe way to have an inauguration for President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris.

And he said, specifically, Americans deserve a safe inauguration. He also said, at some point, that this inauguration was going to be in keeping with our history and tradition. That's really notable, given the last few days and weeks that we've lived through here with President Trump, of course, upending all sorts of tradition in this country. Another thing to note is that the FBI director, who said that he was confident that the FBI would be able to find anyone who was threatening and the inauguration or other cities, he has been warning police officials around the country to be vigilant and to be in contact with the FBI if they see any threats. He's saying that they're tracking a number of things, including threats to Congress members' homes, as well as threats to different buildings and state capitals. One other thing: I spoke to a source who was familiar with the inauguration planning, and they told me that the family members of both Vice President-elect Harris and President -elect Biden are being warned specifically to stay in their hotel rooms in D.C. unless they're going to the inauguration. That is a difference from the past inaugurations. They were, of course, gonna be told not to go too far because of the pandemic, but now they're being told, unless you're going

to the inauguration, stay in place: especially, as we know, the National Mall is shut down for most of the public. So this is really D.C. becoming a fortress and federal officials trying their best to track threats while also keeping people safe. "So different, so very different, Yamiche, from previous presidential inaugurations. But as a reminder of just how much the incoming president has on his plate, he's not waiting in one respect, Yamiche. We know that tonight he is going to make remarks. He's going to roll out his proposal for dealing with both the economic and some of the health aspects of the COVID pandemic. What do we know about what he's going to disclose?" That's right, amid all of these security threats, President-elect Biden said he's very focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, making that his top priority. Tonight, he's going to lay out a $1.9 trillion plan for COVID relief, if we can put up for people.

It's called the American Rescue Plan, and it includes $400 billion to fight COVID: that's to mount a national vaccine program, as well as containing and beating the virus. One trillion dollars in direct relief to Americans, that's workers and families who are struggling, including people who are most impacted by existing inequality, as well as $440 billion in relief to communities and businesses. Now, the Biden team says that they don't have a specific timeline for Congress, but they say that the need is urgent to pass this. Of course, they're going to have to juggle that with impeachment and the impeachment trial. But the Biden team is really focusing on that. Another thing that they're focusing on, when you look even more into this plan is they want to take on COVID. They want to specifically focus on ramping up testing. They want to ramp up vaccines, and they also want to try to get schools open; that's what part of this money is going to. They're also going to have $1,400 checks to individuals. That's increasing the stimulus checks to $2,000 overall, because $600 were passed last time. And there's $400 in unemployment insurance, supplemental, supplement there, and that is adding $100 to $300 that was enacted.

And what Biden is saying tonight, and what he is going to say tonight, is that this is the most pressing concern, even though we've lived to the siege on the Capitol and all the other things that are going on. He sets [inaudible] are focused on the pandemic that is, of course, killing some 4,000 people a day. [Sigh] "It's something that is on the minds of everyone right now. And to you now, Lisa, as Yamiche mentioned, this, of course, has to pass the Congress. He can't just wave a magic wand, but Congress has a lot on its plate. As we've mentioned, whether or not there's going to be an impeachment trial, what does it look like right now for the Biden COVID package and everything else they have to deal with?" Well, the first thing we have to talk about is the timing of this look, this Senate impeachment trial. And here's how that would work, Judy. Really, how Speaker Pelosi will set that timing as soon as she transmits the article of impeachment to the Senate. By the Senate's rules, it must hold the trial the next day that it meets.

So, [cat meows] the next day that the Senate right now is scheduled to meet is January 19th, the day before inauguration. If the speaker would transmit the article that day, then the actual impeachment trial could and would by Senate rules have to start [cat howls] the day of inauguration. This is an idea that Senator McConnell, I've confirmed, has sent around to hou- Senate Republicans. But it really remains with Speaker Pelosi to decide the timing. And there is also another option that Republicans and Democrats in the Senate could agree on a different timeline for the trial, but that doesn't look likely. Now, all of that, we expect the trial soon. We don't know the exact date. But all of that, as well, there's another concern at the Capitol brewing: growing cases of the coronavirus again, and some of them seem [page turning] to be directly linked to last week's riots. I want to show a picture of four members of the House who have contracted, who are COVID positive.

And three of these were in seclusion together with unmasked Republicans, and a fourth may have been as well. We're still waiting for details. [Cat meows] "Well, so much to follow. Lisa, it's the health of the members, as well as what they have to do in their jobs. But Lisa Desjardins, Yamiche Alcindor reporting on it all. Thank you both. Both. Thank you. [Mid-tempo music] "I'm Stephanie Sy with NewsHour West, who'll return to Judy Woodruff and the full show after these headlines. Updating our top story, President-elect Joe Biden has given the speech that Yamiche previewed earlier. Included in his stimulus plan is raising the national minimum wage to $15, which Democrats have been advocating for years. The federal hourly minimum is currently $7.25. Coronavirus deaths in the U.S. are nearing 390,000 tonight: that includes another 3,900 deaths reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, investigators from the World Health Organization arrived in Wuhan, China today, where the outbreak began. The lead scientist cautioned this week that their work will take time." [Shuffling] There's after this initial mission, but we will be on the way and hopefully in the coming months that will be completed by additional missions, additional studies. "Beijing has still not said if the WHO investigators will be allowed to gather evidence. Two former state health officials in Michigan were charged with involuntary manslaughter today in the Flint water crisis. It involves nine people who died of Legionnaires' disease from contaminated water. Former governor Rick Snyder is facing misdemeanor counts of willful neglect. We'll get details after the news summary. New York state sued New York City's police today, charging excessive use of force on racial justice protesters last spring.

State Attorney General Leticia James said it's a long-standing problem." The NYPD has continuously engaged in similar, unlawful, excessive force and false arrests practices while policing large-scale protest. And even though the NYP knew this, they still failed to put policies and procedures in place and to discipline officers to correct these egregious actions. "Mayor Bill DeBlasio said he agrees on the need for reforms, but that a lawsuit is not the answer. In Uganda, a presidential election went ahead today after widespread violence aimed at the opposition. Military forces patrolled [clicking] polling stations in Kampala, but voters [background chatter] waited in long lines and with little social distancing, [many voices talking] despite the pandemic. President Yoweri Museveni has held power since 1986 and is running for re-election. Back in this country, President-elect Biden tapped David Norquist to be acting defense secretary on a temporary basis.

He is now Deputy Secretary. The Associated Press reports Norquist will serve until retired General Lloyd Austin is confirmed as Defense Secretary by the U.S. Senate. Austin first needs a congressional waiver, because he's been retired from the Army less than seven years. [Papers shuffling] The Trump administration is loosening more environmental protections in its final days. The Fish and Wildlife Service said today that millions of acres of Pacific Northwest forest will be open to timber harvesting; that's more than a third of the spotted owls' habitat. The Labor Department reports growing economic damage from the surge in COVID infections. Some 965,000 people filed unemployment claims last week, the most since August. But in an online form today, the chair of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, said industrial output may recover soon." The key thing there is maybe we'll be able to avoid a lot of the damage to people's lives, you know what we call labor market scarring, but what it really amounts to is people losing

the life they've made in the workforce. "Also said again that the Fed does not expect to raise interest rates anytime soon. [Papers shuffling] It looks as though 2020 has essentially tied 2016 for the hottest year on record. NASA reports worldwide temperatures kept rising in 2020: that was despite the fact that greenhouse gas emissions dropped due to the pandemic. And, Joanne Rogers, widow of Fred Rogers, has died. She was a concert pianist in addition to being wife of 50 years to the host of the enduring PBS show 'Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.' Joanne Rogers was 92 years old. Still to come on the News Hour with [Bright music] Judy Woodruff: The former governor of Michigan is charged with mishandling the Flint water crisis. Many businesses distance themselves from the president and the Republican Party. The Capitol riot raises questions about the future of the GOP and much more." [Music continues and swells] This is the PBS NewsHour from WETA Studios in Washington and in the West from the Walter

Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. [Music fades] "Let's get the details now on the Flint, Michigan story where today, state prosecutors file charges against a number of high-ranking government officials. John Yang has our report." [Water rushing] It's one of the worst public health failures in recent history. The contamination of Flint, Michigan's drinking water, blamed for at least a [Water gets louder] dozen deaths and health problems for countless others. [Water stops] Today, nearly seven years after the Flint water crisis first emerged, prosecutors announced 41 criminal charges against nine former state and city officials. Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud. "We may never know all the names of those who had their lives and livelihoods destroyed by this man-made crisis. And although the criminal justice system alone cannot remedy all the suffering that every

person endured, we took our part [Audio breaks up] seriously and we hope others will do the same to ensure that this never, ever happens again." [Crashing] Among those charged: former governor Rick Snyder. He pleaded not guilty this morning to two misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty. Each count carries up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. His attorney called the charges wholly without merit. "Any comment on the charges governor?" Two others, including former state health director Nick Lyon, were each charged with nine counts of involuntary manslaughter: felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Both pleaded not guilty to all counts. [Water rushing] The indictments say they failed to protect the public health after state appointed officials switched the city's water supply in 2014 from Lake Huron [Machinery operating] to the Flint River in a cost-cutting move.

The more corrosive river water damaged the city's aging pipes, [background chatter] causing lead to leach into the drinking water. ?Ariana Hawkson? suffered from blisters and skin rashes. [Woman talking] [Child talking] [Plastic bag rustling] When we visited her home in 2019, she told us the lingering effects included a loss of trust. Are you angry? "Oh, yeah. Of course I'm angry. I'm more upset and hurt than anger. It's hurting because these are people who we trust every day. [Child yells] These are people who say that this was okay." [Water rushing] Test today show Flint's water is safe to drink, but work [Machinery operating] to replace the city's damaged pipes is still incomplete. Flint activist Melissa Mays. "It seems like we have been forgotten, and y'know, nobody's sitting in jail. If I poisoned you, I would be in jail. We're coming up on seven years of being in a prison [Woman yells "Girls!"] where we can't even be safe in our own homes. And then, of course, under COVID, we've all been locked indoors and we're stuck using this water." Compounding a situation that still dominates life in this majority black city. [Birds chirping] In November, the Michigan Attorney General announced a $600 million fund for families in

Flint to settle civil lawsuits from the water crisis. Approval of that plan is pending from a federal judge. Sandra Jones is the executive director of the RL Jones Community Outreach Center in Flint. It's based at the Greater Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, where her husband is a pastor. Sandra, what was your reaction when you heard the news today about the criminal charges against these former officials, including the former governor? "Long time overdue. And this time, I hope and pray that it sticks." Two of the people, including the former health director for the state of Michigan, were charged with involuntary manslaughter: nine counts each. "It is what it is. And I mean, so many people were actually affected. These were lives. We're not talking about property. We're talking about human life.

And so I applaud her for what it is that she's doing. She has my support." I have to [Garbled background chatter] ask you, there's some lawyers who know more about this than I do, who say that it may be tough to get convictions in some of these cases, particularly against the former governor, Rick Snyder, because it's been so long. It's been seven years since the- his action or inaction that he's charged for. Have you thought about what it might feel like, how you might feel, if the former governor and if some of these other officials are acquitted in court? Or do you think it's enough that they've got to stand up and face these charges in court? "No, it isn't enough that they have to face the charges in court. That's just not enough. How could that be enough when you look at right now today, children at five and six years old, that have cognitive scale problems?

Children whose parents have not been able to potty train them at the age of three. How is it enough when you have adults who had lesions all over their bodies, and now they have different kinds of allergies that they've got to live with the rest of their lives? And we really don't know what the long term effects that lead actually has, because after 28 days and you've congested it, some of us don't even actually know if it affected us a lot. So, no, I really don't have: I don't feel sorry for them. I just hope that she has enough information to be able to bring these charges and to have these charges to stick." So you're not going to be satisfied until there, you get some convictions out of this. "Some form of penalty needs to be made. And I'm not talking about monetary. I think that when you know something that will create a physical condition in a human

body and you have the ability to do something about that where you put money above human life? Oh yeah, you need to pay for that. I can't tell you what the penalty should be because I'm not proficient in that area. I can only tell you as a human being who has worked in the cold, in the heat, in the snow, in the rain, in all types of weather at 73 years old. When I started this, I was in my 60s and I'm 73 and today was our water and food distribution day. When you have residents still lined up over a mile and a half just to get four or five [Rustling] cases of water because either they have been affected by the water or they don't trust

the water, [Laughing] someone needs to take accountability. [Background chatter] Michigan has had other cities, since our water crises, to have been affected. One way or the other, but their water has been affected. Guess what? Those cities have been cleaned up, cleared up, and everybody is on their way. We're the only one still limping." You talk about the children, the long term effects, your church still giving out water and food every week. Can you envision a day when this is just a unpleasant [Glass clinking] incident in the history of Flint rather than a here and now problem? "No. I cannot envision that day and I'm going to share with you why. Because when these people come through the line, they come in all kinds of conditions. They start lining up at our church at 4.30 a.m. in the morning. Until I see all of the

pipes in this city changed out, until I see the residents and our lines start getting shorter and shorter and shorter, then maybe I can look up and feel that things are going to get better, but I don't see it today." Sandra Jones from the Greater Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in Flint, Michigan talking about the ongoing problems there. Sandra, thank you very much. "And thank you very much for checking with us today and still caring about the problems that we're facing in Flint, Michigan. Much appreciated." [Mid-tempo music] Since last week's riot at the Capitol, more and more companies are cutting ties with Donald Trump.

Also in a matter of days, dozens of corporations suspended political contributions to the 147 members of Congress who refused to certify the election of Joe Biden. Paul ?Salman? looks at what's been happening behind the scenes. It's part of his ongoing reporting from making sense. [Papers rustling] "Judd Legum writes a political newsletter called Popular Information." And we do a lot of work about corporate accountability. "When Republican senators said they'd challenge the electoral college results," we started pulling all of the FVC records to see what corporate tax had been donating to that group. [Loud chants of "USA!"] "And then, along came the riots. [Yelling and chanting] So we wrote to 144 companies to ask if they would continue to donate to the eight senators who supported President Trump's election fraud claims: supported them even after the Capitol had been breached." Because all of the 144 companies had supported one or more of those senators in the 2020 election cycle.

"Results?" We got at first a trickle of people. "Blue Cross Blue Shield, Commerce Bank, the Marriott Hotel chain, announcing they were suspending donations not just to the eight senators, but to all 147 members of Congress who voted against certifying the election." And I thought, well this is significant, especially corporations, even when you look at their history, are donating three to one, five to one, six to one to Republicans. But really, it was Marriott, who I think kind of shook the corporate world. And then it just snowballed and avalanched and now people that we never even contacted are getting in touch and they want to make a statement. "When the trickle became a snowball, what did you think?" As someone who follows how these corporations operate, I really couldn't have conceived last week that so many corporations would do this. "Happy New Year!" [Upbeat music] Companies like Hallmark, maker rough greeting cards and schmaltzy movies. "I had done things this month that I never would have imagined." One of four dozen companies suspending all political donations.

But Hallmark, says Legum, "demanded a refund from their home state senator, Josh Hawley. It's a powerful signal from one of the largest employers in Kansas City saying, your senator is no longer acceptable to us. We don't want anything to do with him." Given the sometimes anodyne statements that you see inside Hallmark greeting cards [chuckle] to come out so eloquently and so pointedly against the administration, I thought was very courageous. [Applause] "Tom Glocer, the former CEO of Thomson Reuters, met with a group of CEOs last week and again yesterday." The mood, even in a week, had gotten much firmer that the right thing to do was [Trump talking in the background] to impeach and remove Trump even with a few days remaining, and that business had an important voice. [Faint yelling] "Company after company has now broken publicly with the president. Deutsche Bank, his biggest long time lender, PGA of America," Sprite, the payment processor

says, you're not going to allow our private service to be used to buy, let's say, Trump paraphernalia. Ditto Shopify, which provides the e-commerce foundations for a lot of those organizations. "I feel betrayed." Even Ken Langone of Home Depot, a Trump supporter for years, denounced him yesterday. "Last Wednesday was a disgrace. It should never have happened in this country. And if it doesn't break every American's heart, something's wrong. It breaks my heart. For sure, I didn't sign up for that." Hello, I'm Mike Lindell, inventor of My Pillow. "With the exception of perhaps Mr. Pillow, I would be surprised if any company exec now thought that the best thing for [Wind whooshing] his or her company was to support this administration." This is so unprecedented. "And says ?Sheila Crumholz,? who researches money and politics," For some members of Congress, this ban on corporate PAC support will really hit them in the wallet.

It will be a very meaningful loss. [Wind whooshing] "If the ban lasts, that is. But right now, it's fallow season for electioneering." This is January of the off-election year in a midterm election cycle. But in 2022, when primaries are underway and the November election looms, these companies will be asked for support. "So is it all just a PR move, companies seeming to have a conscience, till they need legislators once more? No, says ex-CEO Gloser, there's a deeper motivation." Businesses generally don't like to bring politics into their companies. [Background chatter] Partly, they don't want to antagonize customers or even their own employee base. But when the attacks go to the heart of the social fabric [Chatter gets more intense] of the democratic norms of the country, which would make it impossible to run a business, then I think business people reluctantly do show up.

"Last question for ?Sheila Crumholz,? do you think this could be a bad thing, in the end, by making corporations more political?" Corporations are already political. They will be seeking access and influence with members of Congress, including these objectors, as long as they have jurisdiction through their committee assignments. On the other hand, they're seeking to retain customers who might be in a mood to punish them if they go back on their pledge and begin supporting these members again. "For the PBS NewsHour, ?Paul Salman?" [Mid-tempo music] [Papers rustling] The events at the Capitol in the past week, beginning with a violent mob and ending with the second impeachment of President Trump, have exposed deep rifts within the Republican Party. With Mr. Trump set to leave office next week, we discuss what's next for the GOP with Lanhee Chen.

He's a fellow at the Hoover Institution. He's also advised several Republican presidential candidates, including Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio. And Gary Abernathy: he's an Ohio-based writer and contributing columnist to the Washington Post. Hello to both of you. Good to see you and welcome back to the NewsHour. Let me ask you first, before we talk about the future of the party; Lanhee Chen, about what happened last week. The assault on the Capitol, and then just yesterday, the impeachment of the President. What's your reaction? "Well, it's been such a tumultuous and heart-wrenching last week. I mean, I think you had a clip earlier of Ken Langone who said that any American who looks at that and doesn't find themselves affected in an emotional way, it's hard to fathom that. And I do think that that is really driven some of the changes we've seen in opinion, even within the Republican Party, even amongst elected officials who we thought were going to be loyal with Donald Trump to the end, that has really forced a change in thinking, even among some whom we never expected to see that from.

So the events of the last week truly have been consequential and important, not just for this moment that we're in Judy, but also for what is to come for the Republican Party in the months and years ahead." Well, let me try you, Gary Abernathy, what's your reaction to what happened last week, the assault on the Capitol and then the impeachment of the President, second impeachment? "Well, it was a sad day. It was frightening to watch. You know, I think a lot of Trump's supporters are kind of torn right now because they almost feel like they've stood by him for four years and so they have to keep standing by him. And I think that's the wrong attitude. I'm glad Donald Trump was President for four years. But since he lost the election, I'm very unhappy with his behavior since then. I've called on him from the day the race was called for Joe Biden to admit defeat, to accept it, to participate in the transition, and he's just done none of that.

So you know, my dividing line with Trump is from the day the election was held and the voters said we're going to do a different direction, and he needed to accept that. And so instead, he's played this whole, you know, the election was stolen, and there's been fraud, and none of these things have been proven true. And then you had thousands, tens of thousands of people in Washington who are big supporters of his and instead of calming them, you know, he helped incite what happened. I'm not laying it all at his feet. People who storm the Capitol are to blame for storming the Capitol. But Donald Trump as President, I think, had a responsibility to calm those waters and he went the opposite way. And so, you know, he'll pay a political price for that, as I think he should." And Lanhee Chen, and now that he's impeached, we're waiting to see what happens in the Senate. How much difference will it make for the party for him? Clearly if he's tried and convicted, even after he's left office, that's a huge change in his stature.

But what does it mean that he even has to go through this? "Well, I think the critical question is whether, in fact, he can be convicted and then subsequently if there are a majority of senators who wish to bar him from future office. That would be an event of great consequence, obviously. I do think, at some level, Donald Trump is going to continue to have influence. I think that influence will diminish as his time in the presidency, as we get further from that time, and as people are able to reflect on just how chaotic not just this post-election period was, but really the entire term of his presidency. And thinking about what the lasting impacts of that are on the conservative movement, on the Republican Party: I do expect that support to erode as time goes on. And there's still going to be some percentage of Republican voters, there's no question about it, who adhere to President Trump, who believe that he is the right messenger. But certainly, if the Senate does indeed vote to convict and subsequently to bar him from office, that would be a major blow, not just to Donald Trump's political fortunes,

but also to his personal future, his ability to continue to monetize his time in the presidency, and everything else that he might have wished to do after he left office." Gary Abernathy, what about that? I mean, how much, how much clout will Donald Trump continue to have, and obviously some, to some degree, or maybe a large degree, that depends on what the Senate does? "I think that's true. Now I'm in the camp that agrees with scholars who say, look, the whole idea of impeachment is to remove a president from office. And so he's going to be removed from office by the voters in just a few days. I don't believe you can have an impeachment trial. I think I don't blame the House for impeaching him. I mean, what happened was horrible, but I think there's an emotional impeachment going on right now. I don't think you can convict him after he's no longer in office. There's no point in that. But let me tell you something:

he still has tremendous support in the Republican Party. Someone asked me, gee, are we going to end up with a Democrat Party, a Republican Party, and a Trump Party? And I said, well, you could, but the Republican Party is going to be pretty small, because when you look at the polls and see 80-85 percent support still in the Republican Party for Donald Trump, that's pretty impressive." Lanhee Chen, what does the Republican Party look like with that much support still? I know you're both saying he may lose some of that support. But the numbers Gary's citing are pretty, pretty impressive. I mean, what does that, where does that leave the Republican Party? "Yeah, they are impressive today. I don't know how durable that support is when the man is no longer in office. Fundamentally, I think the challenge for the Republican Party now is this. For the last several years, it has been a party, essentially supportive of whatever the president and his administration did. And that now leaves them in a position, of course, without power in the executive branch, without power in either branch of Congress.

And I think the Republican Party has to return to the question of what it's for. What exactly the vision of governance is for conservatives looking ahead? And I think that has to be the basis of any electoral renaissance we're going to see for the Republican Party moving ahead. And I tend to think that Donald Trump's appeal with the passage of time, with space from the presidency and everything that we've seen, I think some of that supported roads. I think that happens naturally for a lot of politicians who are out of the spotlight in the way that a president is constantly in the spotlight. So I suppose that what we see today, I don't believe will be a reflection, necessarily, of where the party stands. Let's say, a year or two years from now, when we're in the wake of yet another midterm election." And just in literally 15 seconds, Gary Abernathy, Republican Party in some trouble in the months, weeks, months and years ahead, because of this? "Yeah, but I do think it's important to remember this; the things that Donald Trump, the things that brought him his support, those aren't going away.

I don't think Trump will be the messenger for the party four years from now, but I think a lot of things he stood for will be. And it'll just be someone else carrying that, that mantle." Gary Abernathy, Lanhee Chen, thank you both very much. Good to see you. "Thank you, Judy." Thank you. [Mid-tempo music] As the days dwindle in the Trump administration, they are still issuing rules and regulations, sanctions and designations that could have impact both abroad and at home, beyond the end of the administration. Here now, William Bram. "Thanks, Judy. It is somewhat customary for a president at the end of their term to issue a slew of orders. And Mr. Trump is no different. But from Iran to Yemen, from China to Cuba, and on the environment, this administration is issuing orders that could have deep, long-lasting impacts.

Our Nick ?Schifrin? is here to help me unpack some of these. Nick, before we get into the specifics, when you look at the overall sweep of what the Trump administration is doing, is this just normal diplomatic business that happens at the end of every administration, or is this different?" Long-time diplomats call the slew, as you just called it, of ?Moves William? somewhat unusual, because most administrations do hold off on major policy decisions as they're heading out the door. Senior Trump administration officials insist to me that they have been pushing these policies for months, if not years, and are making them publicly with the hopes that they survive the transition. But William, they do have political side effects. They can hamstring the Biden team, and allow politicians from the Trump administration to criticize Biden if he changes their policies. "So, let's walk through some of those major ones. Let's start with China." Yeah, perhaps the most significant moves have been on China. Just this week, the Department of Homeland Security banned all cotton and tomato from

Xinjiang. This is the ostensibly autonomous region where Beijing systematically persecutes the leader Muslim minority, including what the U.S. calls widespread forced labor. Earlier today, I spoke to Customs and Border Protection Executive Assistant Commissioner Brenda Smith. "We've worked over the last really almost two years to identify specific entities that use forced labor. Now, we believe it's at a scale that the entire region is really implicated or at high risk of using forced labor in those production processes." Now, because of complicated supply chains, it is nearly impossible to actually enforce this action. But by doing so, it is forcing companies to examine and change their supply chains. And that means that this decision could affect 20% of the world's cotton. Now, there are also White House moves, including executive orders that would restrict Americans from investing in certain Chinese businesses and bans on Chinese apps. And then there's Taiwan.

For decades, the White House has restricted bilateral meetings and the status of its diplomats that work on Taiwan as part of its relationship with Beijing. But last weekend, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared any restrictions, quote, null and void. The Trump administration, frankly, had already been pushing the boundaries on those restrictions, but the State Department basically decided to blow them up, rather than rewrite them. The implication, Pompeo, of course, gets to criticize the Biden team for being soft on China if they go back to the old restrictions and the Biden officials who I've talked to have said that they will respect traditional guidelines on Taiwan, although William, I should say, that members of that team have long promised to confront Beijing and support Taiwan. "So, a lot of moves on that front alone, but let's also shift to the Middle East. We know that Iran has been a preoccupation of the Trump administration, and since the election, it sounds like that has not changed a bit." Yeah, the Trump administration has sanctioned more than two dozen Iranian entities since the election.

That's on top of 1,500 sanctions since 2017. The most significant rhetorical flourish was Pompeo tying Iran to Al Qaeda." "Al-Qaeda has centralized its leadership inside of Tehran." Now, that is an analytical conclusion that former intelligence officials tell me is more of an opinion than a provable fact. But perhaps the most controversial decision made has been about Yemen, where a war has killed hundreds of thousands of people. A Saudi-led coalition have been trying to unseat Houthi rebels who took control of the capital back in 2014. They are backed by Iran. Now, this weekend, Pompeo declared the Houthis a terrorist organization. That decision was quickly and widely condemned by humanitarians, who say it will only make the world's worst humanitarian crisis worse. Take a listen; just this morning, to world food program head and former Republican governor, David Beasley, briefing the security council. "It's going to be catastrophic. It literally is going to be a death sentence to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of innocent people in Yemen.

It needs to be re-evaluated and, quite frankly, it needs to be reversed." All of this has been happening as Iran has taken major steps to advance its nuclear program just in the last few weeks, including enriching uranium to 20%. Now, critics of these moves, William, once again describe them as an attempt to tie Biden's hands ahead of promised diplomacy with Iran. Administration officials say they're finally making policy decisions they've been pushing for months. "Nick, the Secretary of State also put Cuba back on the list of state sponsors of terrorism. What's the rationale for that, and what does that mean for the Biden administration?" Yeah, you'll recall Obama visited Havana, normalized relations, and removed Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The Trump administration spent four years undoing that effort, leading to last weekend's announcement. The State Department cited Cuba's harboring of rebel leaders from Colombia, as well as some American fugitives, and its support for Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.

But the administration had already imposed many of the restrictions on Cuba that come with being a state sponsor of terrorism, William, so there's no large practical impact. Critics say, once again, it's designed to be a bit of a spoiler for the Biden administration. "And these changes, these last-minute changes, also echo what the Trump administration has been doing on the environmental front, as well." Yeah, very quickly, William, we've seen a lot of push on environmental regulations from the Trump administration. In the last four years, these new regulations follow that pattern, governing everything from greenhouse gas emissions, safety of chemicals, migratory birds, who gets the profit of federal lands. And not only are some of these last-minute moves controversial, of course, the Arctic drilling, but also critics say that the way some of these moves have been made will make them very difficult for the Biden administration to undo. "Nick ?Schifrin,? thanks for keeping us abreast of all this." Thank you. [Mid-tempo music] "Finally, tonight, we turn to civil rights activist Ruby Bridges, who writes her own

story in a new children's book, hoping adult ears will listen too in these fractured times. Telling her story is special correspondent Charlene Hunter-Gault, who followed in Bridges' footsteps when 60 years ago this past weekend, Charlene, along with Hamilton Holmes, desegregated the University of Georgia. This is part of our Race Matters Solution series and our arts and culture series, Canvas. "If it hadn't been for you guys, I might not be here and we wouldn't be looking at this together." Ruby Bridges' name is synonymous with civil rights trailblazing. Immortalized in this Norman Rockwell painting entitled, The Problem We All Live With, Bridges' historic moment came when she became the first black child to desegregate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans at six years old.

She had to be escorted by federal marshals as she walked past loud and unruly protesters and into the William France Elementary School. Now, 60 years later, Bridges has written to and for children the same age of her younger self. She describes it as a call to action and contains historical photos of her pioneering time. Pioneering history is still being made and remembered, including a photo illustration that went viral after the election of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris walking alongside the shadow of Ruby Bridges. Ruby Bridges: on behalf of my generation of civil rights pioneers, let me just say thank you for paving our way. Now, you've written other books, but this one is specifically aimed at readers who may be as young as you were when you first took those historic steps when you were six years old into the elementary school there.

Why did you do this book and do you see similarities between then and now, in some ways? "Absolutely. You know, back in March, I was sitting in front of my television on lockdown because of the virus, like everybody else, and witnessed this young man's brutal death, Mr. Floyd, right in front of my face, like so many people did. And I was so disturbed by it and didn't know how to react or what to do. I felt like, you know, I've been spending so many years talking to kids across the country and I knew that they were watching this as well and probably wondering what was going on. The majority of my time, I've talked to kids and explained to them that racism has no place in the minds and hearts of our kids across the country [Yelling] and yet [Chanting] they were witnessing this.

I was very moved by what I saw after his death. [Police sirens] I saw young people take to the street and I felt like the torch had been passed and that now they had a cause to get behind. [Crowd chattering] When Dr. King was assassinated, I felt like we should have picked that torch up and kept it moving. Even my own experience after going into the school, it was something that happened. No one talked about it in my community and my neighborhood, it was swept under the rug, and life went on. I'm happy now to see that all of a sudden activism is cool again, you know, and it should have been from 1960 until today. We didn't do a very good job of passing those lessons on to that generation. [Girls chanting "I can't breathe"] Let's talk about teenagers and others in their 20s, the big demonstrations that are going on, multi-racial, multi-generational, led by a lot of young people. But their deep divisions from politics, even to wearing masks, their divisions: how do

you explain that? We cannot be a hopeless people, we have to be hopeful, and we do have a lot of work to do. I mean, we all saw that. This last election showed us just how divided this country really is. After President Obama was elected, it seemed that racism really raised its ugly head again. I think having a black man elected as president just [Crowd chanting] riled that element up all over again. I will believe they felt like, oh, we cannot have this happen and yet it did. So all we needed is for someone to come along and, you know, add fuel to that fire. And I think that that's why we are so divided today. "One of the things that you say in the book is you believe that racism is, let me read this, a grown-up disease, you're talking to the children now, the young people.

You say, we adults must stop using you, our kids, to spread it. It's we adults who pass racism on in so many ways. I hear people all the time saying, well, I want to do something about this, but I don't know what to do." We all know that none of our kids are born, knowing anything about this, liking the child sitting next to them. Our babies don't come into the world knowing anything about racism or disliking someone because of the color of their skin. It is learned behavior. And I believe that if it can be taught, it can be taught not to be that way. "You mentioned your children. You had four black boys and your eldest was involved in an unsolved murder. What is your advice to mothers like yourself and also to those protesting the murders of black men, especially, but also black women?" That is a parent's worst nightmare. My son's murder was never solved.

We do know that the people that actually took his life looked exactly like him. You know, there's so many parents out there, like myself, who have lost children my son's age or, you know, even babies by gun violence, which is very, very disheartening. That is an issue that we have to deal with as well. Whether it's the murders, like the murder that happened with my son or murders like George Floyd. If you are passionate about that, then you need to do something about it. "I'm very impressed with your passion and moved by it, and I imagine there may be a part of your book that is a favorite of yours. Is there any place that you could share with us?" Yes. I have it right here. I will definitely do that. When I think about how great this country could be; America, land of the free home of the brave, I think about what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said about being great.

Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. You only need a heart full of grace. Really, it is that love and grace for one another that will heal this world. "Well, Ruby Bridges, it's been such a pleasure to see you once again. You're a hero for all time, in the best of times, and it will always be your time. Thank you for joining us." Thank you, it's such a pleasure to see you again. "Thank you, Ruby Bridges. And thank you, Charlene, words to live by. As we just heard about young people being key to the future, we have a special inauguration event planned tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern. We The Young People is a PBS NewsHour student reporting labs event focusing on the issues that Gen Z cares about and how they view this very contentious moment in America. It's hosted by our Amna Nawaz and features students, teachers, teen fact checkers, also

our Yamiche Alcindor. Here's a preview. [Piano playing] "More Americans voted in a 2020 election than ever before." But the aftermath magnified how deeply divided our country is. "Our democracy is being severely tested." [Crowd talking] Stormed the capital building, they are marching for now. [Crowd yelling] "We are saying the very real and deadly consequences of misinformation" And distrust in our institutions. "We are learning that we can't take our democracy for granted." Despite the violence, our government continues to do its work. "And now, we want to see our country heal." I voted because people I care about are in danger. "I voted because I want to make a better future for the next generation and my children." As we continue to confront the pandemic, racial injustice, and economic crisis, we must remember what is important to us. "We, the people." We, the young people "of the United States," want a better future "together." [Music ends] That's 7 o'clock Eastern on our website and on YouTube.

And that's a NewsHour for tonight. I'm Judy Woodruff. [Upbeat music] Join us online. And again, here tomorrow evening, for all of us at the PBS NewsHour. Thank you. Please stay safe. And we'll see you soon. "Major funding for the PBS NewsHour has been provided by..." [Music transitions] Architect. V.Keyburn. "Beekeeper." Mentor. "A Raymond James financial advisor tailors advice to help you live your life. Life well planned. [Rock music] "For 25 years, Consumer Cellular's goal has been to provide wireless service that helps people communicate and connect. We offer a variety of no-contract plans and our U.S.-based customer service team can help find one that fits you. To learn more, visit ConsumerCellular.tv" [Mid-tempo music] Johnson and Johnson. BNSF Railway. [Horns swell] The Ford Foundation: working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide.

["Everybody Wants to Rule the World" plays] [Piano music] "The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, driven by the promise of great ideas." [Mid-tempo music] And with the ongoing support of these institutions. And Friends of the NewsHour. [Horns swell] This program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you. Thank you. [Music fades] [Music starts] [Harp strums] This is PBS NewsHour West from W.E.T.A. Studios in Washington and from our bureau at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. [Music ends] [Piano music]

"Meet six extraordinary women who forged their own answers to a profound question." As a black woman, how does it feel to be free? "Lena Horn. Abby Lincoln." They blazed such a trail. "Nina Simone." Voice of the civil rights movement. "Cicely Tyson." Accepted for her talent alone. "Diane Carroll." We're at a new crossroad. "Pam Greer." First female action hero in American film. "Look for How It Feels to be Free." We'll see what happens here. On American Masters. "Artists Who Reshaped Our Culture: Monday night at 9." [Music transitions] Fasten your seatbelt. Go on a wild journey. "I'm scared." This is the point where you reveal I'm not even human." [Laughing] Wow. "Oh my goodness." With Henry Lewis Gage Jr. as he guides them through a history. "It's a miracle that we're having this conversation." It's a miracle that I'm here. "That they have longed to learn." I feel this because this is connected to my DNA and the whole of this country. "An exciting new season of Finding Your Roots starts Tuesday night at 8 on KQED 9." [Music transitions]

Here's tonight's lineup on KQED made possible by your support. [Calm music] [Mid-tempo music] "This month in Passport on the PBS video app, your on demand library for the best of PBS." Where did it all start for you? Wanting to be a vet. "I developed a real love for the animals." You've got a dream. You've got to chase it. "One family. Countless faces. Meet the primates. ["A Whole New World" plays] [Music transitions] These and other shows from your PBS station are available with Passport on the PBS video app. Download it today." [Electronic music] [Tense string music] [Crowd talking] The siege of the Capitol fueled by the president's own words.

"You'll never take back our country with weakness." [Crowd yelling] The roots of rage run deep. "We could see it coming." But how did we get here, and how do we repair what's been lost? American Reckoning, a PBS NewsHour special report. "Friday night at 8 on KQED. [Music transitions] [Marimbas play] KQED thanks our members and community partners for their support. [Music transitions] "For more than 50 years, Mancini Sleeproll has been helping Bay Area families experience quality sleep and comfort. At Mancini's, we understand that one size does not fit all, which is why we recommend trying a mattress before buying it. With 34 locations and hundreds of mattresses to choose from, Mancini's has a mattress to fit any need, including memory foam, adjustable comfort, and more. We offer next-day delivery, set up and removal of your old mattress. Mancini Sleeproll, visit sleepworld.com." [Music transitions]

Exfinity home includes professionally monitored home security, so customers can keep an eye on things. [Car door shuts] [Sigh] "We found the tent." Mhmm! "Even when the family is away." [Sigh] Exfinity home, learn more at Exfinity.com. [Music transitions] "If you love to shop for the freshest food with the widest selection, when in Budapest, head straight for this central market built in 1897. It's easy to spot because it's the largest indoor market in the city, and I'm here today to look for inspiration for creating a Hungarian-inspired menu. [Calm guitar music] I've never shopped or cooked in Hungary, so I'm meeting my friend Joseph, who's a local Hungarian chef. Where should we start?" [Music transitions] I love to travel the globe in search of new food and wine discoveries. For me, it's about more than returning home with a handful of new recipes. It's about taking the spirit of Austria, of Italy, of Greece, and of the Danube River, and injecting some of their magic into our everyday lives.

It has a unique ability.