PBS NewsHour; Friday, April 29, 2022, 3:00pm-4:00pm PDT

♪ JUDY: GOOD EVENING. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT, THE WAR CONTINUES AS UKRAINIAN FORCES HOLD OFF RUSSIAN ADVANCES IN THE EAST, A MASSIVE EFFORT BY WESTERN ALLIES TO ARM UKRAINE. THEN, 30 YEARS LER, LOS ANGELES REFLECTS ON THE UPRISING THAT FOLLOWED THE BRUTAL POLICE BEATING OF RODNEY KING AND ITS IMPACT ON POLICING. >> ALL THE BASIC MEASURES OF ECONOMIC WELL-BEING ACROSS THE DIFFERENT RACI AND ETHNIC GROUPS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY LITTLE PROGRESS SINCE 1992 AND IN SOME CASES, WE'VE GONE BACKWARDS. JUDY: AND IT'S FRIDAY. DAVID BROOKS AND JONATHAN CAPEHART WEIGH IN ON NEW POLLING THAT SHOWS DEMOCRATS LOSING GROUND TO REPUBLICANS AS THE PARTIES GEAR UP FOR MIDTERM ELECTIONS. ALL THAT AND MORE ON TONIGHT'S "PBS NEWSHOUR."

♪ >> MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY -- >> THE LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED. AND NOT FOR THE LAST TIME. ♪ THE RULES OF BUSINESS ARE BEING REINVENTED, WITH A MORE FLEXIBLE WORKFORCE, BY EMBRACING INNOVATION, BY LOOKING NOT ONLY AT CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES, BUT AHEAD TO FUTURE ONES. RESILIENCE IS THE ABILITY TO PIVOT AGAIN AND AGAIN FOR WHATEVER HAPPENS NEXT. >> PEOPLE WHO KNOW, KNOW BDO. ♪ >> PEDIATRIC SURGEON. VOLUNTEER. TOPIARY ARTIST. A RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL ADVISOR TAYLOR'S ADVICE TO HELP YOLIVE YOUR LIFE. LIFE WELL-PLANNED. ♪ >> THE JOHN S AND JAMES L NIGHT

FOUNDATION, FOSTERING INFORMED AND ENGAGED COMMUNITIES. MORE AT KF.ORG. >> AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS. AND FRIENDS OF THE NEWSHOUR. THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROMIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. JUDY: DESPERATE ITEMS TO EVACUATE THE BESIEGED CITY OF -- ATTEMPTS TO EVACUATE THE BESIEGED CITY OF MARIUPOL CONTINUE TODAY, WITH THE UNITED NATIONS TRYING TSTRIKE A DEAL WITH RUSSIAN FORCES THAT WOULD ALLOW MORE THAN 100,000 CIVILIANS TO LEAVE THE PORT CITY. FIGHTING RAGED ELSEWHERE IN

UKRAINE'S EAST. AND IN THE CAPITAL OF KYIV, RESCUERS TOOK STOCK OF A DEADLY MISSILE STRIKE THAT HIT AS THE U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL VISITED LAST NIGHT. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT WILLEM MARX REPORTS. [GUNFIRE] WILLEM: IN UKRAINE'S EAST, THE ROAR OF ARTILLERY REMAINS RELENTLESS. SWIRLS OF SMOKE STAIN THE SKY IN THE CITY OF LYMAN, NOW A PART OF THE LANDSCAPE. AT A NEARBY HOSPITAL, TATIANA RECEIVES TREATMENT FOR HER INJURIES. SHE SAYS A MISSILE STRUCK HER DAUGHTER'S HOME. THE TWO OF THEM SURVIVED, BUT HER GRANDSON DID NOT AND SHE BURIED HIM WITH HER OWN HANDS. >> IT'S ONE THING TO BURY A CHILD, BUT ANOTHER THING TO BURY YOUR GRANDSON. HE WAS ONLY 14 YEARS OLD. HE ASKED ME, "GRANDMA, WILL I LIVE?" I SAID THAT HE WOULD LIVE. BUT I BETRAYED HIM. I WILL NEVER FORGIVE MYSELF FOR IT. WILLEM: TO THE SOUTH, IN MARIUPOL, MORE THAN 100,000

TRAPPED RESIDENTS UNLIKELY TO FORGIVE THEIR OCCUPIER'S ONSLAUGHT. UKRAINE SAID TODAY IT PLANNED FRESH EVACUATIONS FROM THE AZOVSTAL STEEL PLANT, THE CITY'S LAST UKRAINE-HELD REDOUBT. INSIDE THE PLANT, A UKRAINIAN COMMANDER SAID HE'S NOW HOPEFUL HIS TROOPS CAN SURVIVE THE SIEGE. >> I REALLY BELIEVE THAT ALL THE DEFENDERS OF MARIUPOL, THE TROOPS THAT REMAINED HERE, THE WOUNDED AND THOSE ALIVE, THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO SAVE THE LIVES OF THESE HEROES. I HAVE HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET AS MANY GUYS OUT OF HERE ALIVE. WILLEM: BUT THERE ARE FEW SIGNS OF LIFE ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY. THE LOCAL HISTORY MUSEUM REDUCED TO RUBBLE. IT SURVIVED THE SECOND WORLD WAR, BUT NOW STANDS AS A GRIM REMINDER OF PUTIN'S INVASION. THE U.S. SAYS THE KREMLIN SEEKS TO SURROUND UKRAINIAN FORCES IN THE DONBAS REGION, ADVANCING NORTH FROM MARIUPOL, AND SOUTH FROM IZYUM. BUT ONE SENIOR U.S. DEFENSE OFFICIAL TODAY SAID THEY BELIEVE THAT RUSSIAN ADVANCE IS NOW DAYS

BEHIND SCHEDULE. IN UKRAINE'S CAPITAL MEANWHILE, MISSILES YESTERDAY DEMOLISHED MORE HOMES. >> THEY KILLED SO MANY PEOPLE, IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT. WILLEM: AMONG THE REMNANTS, RESCUE WORKERS CARRIED OUT THE BODY OF JOURNALIST VIRA HYRYCH. SHE WORKED FOR THE U.S. FUNDED BROADCASTER RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY. IN IRPIN JUST TO KYIV'S NORTHWEST, DRONE VIDEO ABOVE BLOCK AFTER BLOCK OF DEVASTATION. ONCE HOME TO 62,000 RESIDENTS, THE FORMER BATTLEFIELD NOW A GHOST TOWN AFTER RUSSIAN FORCES WITHDREW IN LATE MARCH. THOSE MISSILES IN KYIV, JUDY, A REMINDER THAT STRIKES CAN STILL HAPPEN ANYWHERE, ANYTIME INSIDE UKRAINE. BUT AS OUR TEAM HAS EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS,Y FAR THE HEAVIEST FIREPOWER IS TRAINED ON THE COUNTRY'S SOUTH AND EAST. 2 HOURS DRIVE SOUTHEAST FROM HERE IN DNIPRO, THE TOWN WAS ROCKED BY DOZENS OF EXPLOSIONS

EVERY HOUR. THREE HOURS DUE EAST OF HERE WE MET UKRAINIAN INJURED IN AN ARTILLERY STRIKE WHO TOLD US IT WAS JUST ONE OF 100 SHELLS TO DARKEN THE SKY OVER HIS SINGLE UNIT. JUDY: WILLEM MARX IN UKRAINE, WE THANK YOU. A REMINDER THAT THE NEWSHOUR'S COVERAGE OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE IS SUPPORTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PULITZER CENTER. WITH THE WAR RAGING IN EASTERN UKRAINE, THERE IS A DIVIDE BETWEEN THE WAR AIMS THE RUSSIAN HIGH COMMAND IN MOSCOW HAS DECLARED, AND THE REALITY OF THE WAR ON THE GROUND. AMNA NAWAZ HAS THAT. AMNA: FOR MORE ON THE STATE OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE WE TURN ONCE AGAIN TO DMITRI ALPEROVITCH. HE'S CO-FOUNDER OF THE SILVERADO POLICY ACCELERATOR, A WASHINGTON-BASED THINK TANK. WELCOME BACK TO THE NEWSHOUR. AND FOR JOINING US. LET'S START WITH YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THAT RUSSIAN WAR EFFORT ON THE GROUND. I SPOKE EARLIER WITH THE PENTAGON SPOKESMAN JOHN KIRBY. HE SAID RUSSIA IS LEARNING FROM EARLIER MISSTEPS, THEY ARE

BETTER AT COMBINING THEIR AIR AND GROUND CAPABILITIES, BUT THEIR PROGRESS HAS BEEN SLOW AND UNEVEN. WHAT IS YOUR READ ON HOW THEY ARE DOING? DMITRI: THAT IS RIGHT. THE RUSSIANS HAVE LEARNED FROM THEIR MISTAKES AND THEY ARE SHELLING INDISCRIMINATELY UKRAINIAN POSITIONS, KILLING MANY CIVILIANS IN THE PROCESS, BUT THEY ARE STILL MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS BECAUSE THEY ARE UP AGAINST WELL ARMED UKRAINIANS. THEY ARE ENTRENCHED IN THEIR DEFENSIVE POSITIONS. THAT IS MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE RUSSIANS. AMNA: ADMIRAL KIRBY MENTIONED THE ROLE OF CONSCRIPTS IN THIS CASE, THAT THEY ARE BEING INUNDATED WITH PROPAGANDA BACK HOME ABOUT HOW WELL THE EFFORT IS GOING AND GET ON THE GROUND AND FIND A DIFFERENT SITUATION. THEY SAY THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO RUSSIA'S LACK OF SUCCESS. DMITRI: THE MORALE IS VERY LOW. THE MAJORITY OF THE FIGHTING FORCES ARE GETTING PAID, CONTRACTORS AND THE RUSSIAN MILITARY, BUT WE HAVE SEEN

CONSCRIPTS PUT INTO THIS FIGHT. THE DIFFERENCE SOMETIME IS IN THE NAME. A LOT OF THESE CONSCRIPTS ARE FORCED INTO SIGNING CONTRACTS ONCE THEY ARE TRYING TO GET OUT. WE SEE NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO FIGHT IN UKRAINE. THEY ARE MAKING LITTLE PROGRESS AS A RESULT. AMNA: WHAT ABOUT THE UKRAINIAN RESPONSE? THEY ARE GETNG SUPPLIES OF HEAVIER WEAPONRY FROM THE U.S. AND NATO. ADMIRAL KIRBY SAID THEY GET IT IN AND THE UKRAINIANS HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MOVE IT WHERE IT NEEDS TO GO. ARE THEY ABLE TO GET THAT WEAPONRY TO THE PLACES THEY NEED IT? DMITRI: THEY ARE RELYING ON RAIL. THE RUSSIANS THIS WEEK HAVE STARTED TO TARGET RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND A NUMBER OF SUBSTATIONS IN WESTERN UKRAINE TO SHUT DOWN RAIL. THEY ONLY COST ABOUT TWO HOURS OF OUTAGE IN SOME OF THESE LOCATIONS. THE UKRAINIANS ARE STILL ABLE TO RESUPPLY. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE SEEING THE RUSSIANS MAKE SUCH A PUSH IN THE DONBAS BEFORE THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEND ALL THE REINFORCEMENTS INTO THIS FIGHT, WHICH DOCTRINE WOULD DICTATE

THEY SHOULD. AS A RESULT, THEY ARE RUSHING BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CUT OFF SUPPLIES FROM COMING INTO THE DONBAS REGION. AMNA: TELL ME WHAT IS AT STAKE IN THE DONBAS AND THE MARIUPOL TARGET THAT WOULD GIVE THEM A CRUCIAL LAND BRIDGE CONNECTING THE TERRITORIES THEY WOULD CONTROL. WHAT IS AT STAKE BEYOND THE MILITARY PLAY? DMITRI: AT THIS POINT IT IS PRESTIGE, THE ABILITY TO SAY WE WON THIS FIGHT, ALTHOUGH IN THE INITIAL OBJECTIVE OF TAKING KYIV DID NOT PAN OUT. THEY SAID WE DID NOT WANT THAT ANYWAY, THIS IS OF ABOUT -- THIS IS ABOUT PROTECTING THE DONBAS. IF THEY CAN TAKE THE OLD BOUNDARIES THAT THEY CREATED, IF THEY CANNOT SAY THEY HAVE A LAND BORDER TRICK CRIMEA, PRESIDENT PUTIN CAN -- TO CRIMEA, PRESIDENT PUTIN CAN CLAIM VICTORY POLITICALLY. EVEN IF THEY -- THE BLACK SEA I BLOCKADED BY THE RUSSIANS.

THAT MEANS ALL THE FORCES THE UKRAINIANS HAVE ARE NOT FUNCTIONING IN THE BLACK SEA. OVER 135 MILLION TONS A YEAR WOULD GO THROUGH THOSE PORTS. NOW THEY ARE HOPING TO GET ABOUT ONE MILLION TONS A MONTH THROUGH THE RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE DOWN INTO POLAND AND ROMANIA. JUST ABOUT 1/10 OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY NEED. THAT IS 40% OF THEIR GDP. THE UKRAINE ECONOMY HAS BEEN STARVED TO DEATH BY THE RUSSIANS. AMNA: DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT VICTORY LOOKS LIKE FOR UKRAINIANS AT THIS POINT? DMITRI: OBVIOUSLYHEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PRESERVE THEIR GOVERNMENT, BUT CAN THEY PRESERVE THEIR ECONOMY? THAT IS THE QUESTION. THEY REQUIRE $5 BILLION TO $7 BILLION IN AID A MONTH. THE U.S. IS SUPPORTING THEM, BUT CAN IT GO FOR DECADES? THEY NEED TO GET THEIR ECONOMY UP AND RUNNING, THEIR EXPORTS

BACK THROUGH THE MARITIME PORTS. IF WE CAN'T BREAK THE BLOCKADE THAT THE RUSSIANS ARE INSTITUTING IN THE PLEXI, -- THE BLACK SEA, IT WILL BE TOUGH TO DO. AMNA: DMITRI, THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. DMITRI: THANK YOU. ♪ JUDY: IN THE DAY'S OTHER NEWS, A WALL STREET ROUT ENDED A MONTH MARKED BY ITS WORST LOSSES IN DECADES. WORRIES OVER INFLATION AND INTEREST RATES DROVE THE SELL-OFF. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE LOST 939 POINTS. THE NASDAQ FELL 537. THE S&P 500 GAVE UP 155. ALL TOLD, THE S&P LOST NEARLY 9% IN APRIL. IT'S DOWN 13% SINCE JANUARY, ITS WORST START TO A YEAR SINCE 1939. THE NASDAQ FELL 13% THIS MONTH,

THE MOST SINCE 2008. AND THE DOW LOST NEARLY 5%. A CLOSELY WATCHED GAUGE OF INFLATION UNDERSCORED TODAY WHAT U.S. CONSUMERS SEE FOR THEMSELVES. THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT REPORTED PRICES JUMPED 6.6% IN MARCH, COMPARED WITH A YEAR AGO. AS WITH OTHER RECENT INFLATION MEASURES, THAT'S THE HIGHEST IN 40 YEARS. CONSUMER SPENDING ROSE JUST OVER 1%, DUE MOSTLY TO HIGHER PRICES. IN CHINA, PRESIDENT XI JINPING AND THE COMMUNIST PARTY'S RULING POLITBURO HAVE REAFFIRMED A "ZERO-COVID" STRATEGY. THE STATEMENT TODAY CAME AMID GROWING OUTBREAKS IN BEIJING AND SHANGHAI. BUT OFFICIALS SAID THE POLICY IS PREVENTING NEEDLESS DEATHS. >> CHINA IS A COUNTRY WITH UNEVEN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INSUFFICIENT MEDICAL RESOURCES. IF THE COVID-19 RESPONSE LOOSENS TO LET THE VIRUS RUN FREE, IT WILL DEFINITELY LEAD TO A HUGE NUMBER OF INFECTIONS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND A LARGE NUMBER OF SEVERE AND MORTAL

CASES. MEDICAL RESOURCES WILL RISK BEING DEPLETED. JUDY: MEANWHILE, BEIJING CONDUCTED A THIRD ROUND OF MASS TESTING. AND FOOD HAD TO BE DELIVERED THROUGH FENCES IN ONE BLOCKED OFF NEIGHBORHOOD. A POWERFUL BOMB EXPLODED AT A MOSQUE IN AFGHANISTAN'S CAPITAL TODAY. THE ADER OF THE MOSQUE IN KABUL SAID AT LEAST 50 PEOPLE WERE KILLED. THTALIBAN GOVERNMENT PUT THE OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL AT 10. TALIBAN OFFICIALS ARRIVED, AND AMBULANCES EVACUATED DOZENS OF WOUNDED. SHAKEN SURVIVORS TOLD OF A BLAST THAT TORE THROUGH WORSHIPPERS. >> A NUMBER OF TALIBAN MEMBERS WERE INSIDE THE MOSQUE TOO. AND WHILE WE WERE WORSHIPING AND STANDING TO FINISH OUR SERVICE, THE EXPLOSION ERUPTED. AND I WAS COVERED WITH SMALL PIECES OF VICTIMS' BODY PARTS. JUDY: THIS WAS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF MOSQUE ATTACKS, MANY OF THEM CLAIMANT -- CLAIMED BY THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP. IN ISRAEL, THERE'S BEEN MORE

VIOLENCE AT JERUSALEM'S AL-AQSA MOSQUE COMPOUND. EARLY TODAY, PALESTINIAN YOUTHS STARTED THROWING STONES INSIDE THE COMPLEX. ISRAELI POLICE THEN MOVED IN, FIRING RUBBER BULLETS. PALESTINIAN MEDICS SAID DOZENS WERE WOUNDED. BY MIDDAY, CALM RETURNED AND FRIDAY PRAYERS WERE PEACEFUL, AS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MUSLIMS MARKED THE LAST FRIDAY OF RAMADAN. BACK IN THIS COUNTRY, A FEDERAL COURT IN VIRGINIA SENTENCED ISLAMIC STATE MEMBER ALEXANDA KOTEY TO LIFE IN PRISON IN THE MURDERS OF FOUR AMERICANS IN SYRIA IN 2014 AND 2015. KOTEY'S TERROR CELL WAS KNOWN AS "THE BEATLES" FOR THEIR BRITISH ACCENTS. THEIR VICTIMS INCLUDED JOURNALISTS JAMES FOLEY AND STEVEN SOTLOFF, AND AID WORKERS KAYLA MUELLER AND PETER KASSIG. THREE OF THE FOUR WERE BEHEADED. MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SUSPENDED LOS ANGELES DODGERS PITCHER TREVOR BAUER TODAY FOR TWO SEASONS. A SAN DIEGO WOMAN ALLEGES THAT

BAUER BEAT AND SEXUALLY ABUSED HER. HE DENIES IT, AND LOS ANGELES PROSECUTORS HAVE SAID THERE'S NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO PURSUE CHARGES. BAUER SAID HE WILL APPEAL THE SUSPENSION. IN LONDON, FORMER TENNIS GREAT BORIS BECKER WAS SENTENCED TO 2.5 YEARS IN PRISON FOR HIDING PERSONAL WEALTH. THE 54-YEAR-OLD GERMAN DECLARED BANKRUPTCY IN 2017. LATER, A BRITISH COURT FOUND THAT HE ILLICITLY TRANSFERRED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN ASSETS. STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR, NEW POLLING DATA SUGGESTS A STRUGGLE F DEMOCRATS IN THE UPCOMING MIDTERM ELECTIONS. DAVID BROOKS AND JONATHAN CAHART BREAK DOWN THE WEEK'S POLITICAL HEADLINES. A NEW NOVEL IMAGINES A WORLD IN WHICH OUR MEMORIES CAN BE ACCESSED AND REVIEWED BY OURSELVES, AND BY OTHERS. PLUS, MUCH MORE. ♪ >> 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. JUDY: ANTISEMITIC INCIDENTS HIT A RECORD HIGH LAST YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES. WILLIAM BRANGHAM HAS MORE ON WHAT IS BEHIND THE RISE IN HATE. WILLIAM: THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, WHICH TRACKS ANTI-SEMITIC BEHAVIOR NATIONWIDE, FOUND 2717 INCIDENTS IN 2021. THAT'S A 34% INCREASE FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. THAT AVERAGES TO MORE THAN SEVEN ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS PER DAY. JONATHAN GREENBLATT IS THE CEO OF THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE AND AUTHOR OF THE RECENT BOOK "IT COULD HAPPEN HERE: WHY AMERICA IS TIPPING FROM HATE TO THE UNTHINKABLE AND HOW WE CAN STOP IT." JONATHAN GREENBLATT, GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK ON THEEWSHOUR. THIS REPORT DOCUMENTS THE MOST ANTI-SEMITIC ATTACKS IN THE U. S. SINCE THE ADL STARTED RECORDING THESE EVENTS BACK IN THE 1970'S. CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND, HOW SHOULD WE INTERPRET WHAT YOU FOUND?

JONATHAN: I THINK THE DATA UNFORTUNATELY SPEAKS FOR ITSELF IN SOME WAYS. AS YOU POINTED OUT, THIS IS THE HIGHEST TOTAL WE'VE EVER TRACKED IN MORE THAN 40 YEARS OF DOING THIS WORK. AND WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT ANTI-SEMITIC ACTS WERE GOING DOWN IN THE UNITED STATES FOR ALMOST 15 YEARS, AND THEN IN 2016, THEY STARTED TO MOVE UP. AND WE'RE NOW AT THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE NEARLY TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS TODAY THAT WE DID IN 2015. I MEAN, IN THE PAST YEAR ALONE, ASSAULTS INCREASED 167%. AND WE SAW EXAMPLES OF VANDALISM ON THE RISE. HARASSMENT ON THE RISE. SO I THINK ANTI-SEMITISM REALLY ISN'T JUST, I WOULD SUGGEST A JEWISH PROBLEM. IT'S AN AMERICAN PROBLEM. IT'TYPICALLY THE CANARY IN THE COAL MINE. AND SO AS THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO UNRAVEL MORE BROADLY, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IS OFTEN THE TARGET OF SCAPEGOATING AND VICTIMIZED IN THAT WAY. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE.

WILLIAM: YOUR REPORT POINTS OU A TIMELINE COINCIDENCE THAT A LOT OF THESE ATTACKS REALLY SURGED RIGHT AROUND THE 2021 OLENCE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS IN GAZA. AND SIMILARLY, AS YOU'RE MENTIONING, THERE WERE ALSO A SIMILAR NUMBER OF ATTACKS ON ARAB-AMERICANS AND MUSLIM-AMERICANS. WHY DO YOU THINK THOSE EVENTS WERE SUCH A TRIGGER? JONATHAN: I CAN'T SPEAK TO THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS ON ARAB-AMERICANS DURING THAT TIME. I'M NOT REALLY AWARE. OR MUSLIM-AMERICANS. BUT I CAN TELL YOU SPECIFICALLY THAT IN THE PERIOD OF MAY DURING THE CONFLICT, WE SAW NEARLY 150% INCREASE OF ANTI-SEMITIC ACTS OVER THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME IN 2020. NOW, BE HONEST. YOU OFTEN SEE WITH INCIDENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST OR CONFLICT, THINGS CAN BE TRIGGERED HE AT HOME. BUT WE'VE NEVER SEEN A SITUATION LIKE THIS BEFORE. YOU HAD JEWS BEING BEATEN AND BRUTALIZED IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, SAY, IN E MIDDLE OF TIMES SQUARE OR LOS ANGELES OR THE

STRIP IN LAS VEGAS, WHERE PEOPLE WHO WERE SIMPLY IDENTIFIED AS JEWISH, YOU KNOW, CAME UNDER ASSAULT, AN ATTACK. THAT WAS NEW. AND I THINK WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IS A KIND OF NORMALIZATION OF ANTI-SEMITISM AND EXTRISM. AND TO PUT THIS IN SOME DEGREE OF CONTEXT. WE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WHEN WE SAW ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY AFTER THE OUTBREAK OF COVID DENIGRATING CHINA, ATTACKING ITS POLICIES, MAKING WILD CLAIMS ABOUT THEIR INTENTIONALITY OF THE REGIME IN BEIJING TO SPREADING COVID AROUND THE WORLD, WE SAW ATTACKS ON ASIAN-AMERICANS HERE AT HOME. BY THE SAME TOKEN, WHEN YOU HAD PEOPLE MAKE WILD CLAIMS ABOUT THE JEWISH STATE, MAKE UNHINGED ACCUSATIONS. MAYBE IT SHOULDN'T SURPRISE US THAT THEN PEOPLE ATTACKED JEWISH AMERICANS HERE AT HOME. SO I THINK WE NEED PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY TO KIND OF DIAL DOWN THE RHETORIC, TO REALIZE THAT WORDS HAVE

CONSEQUENCES AND TO BE A BIT MORE RESPONSIBLE. WILLIAM: ADDRESSING HATRED IN ANY ONE INDIVIDUAL IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO. YOU TALKED ABOUT LOWERING THE TEMPERATURE, BUT ARE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE OF GOODWILL , THAT THAT SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES, THAT OTHER POLICYMAKERS COULD DO TO REDUCE THIS HATRED AND BIGOTRY? JONATHAN: CERTAINLY THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE. NUMBER ONE, I THININDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE FEEL EMPOWERED TO INTERRUPT INTOLERANCE WHEN IT HAPPENS. CALL OUT HATE WHEN YOU HEAR IT, WHETHER IT'S DIRECTED AT JEWISH PEOPLE OR, BY THE WAY, ANYONE ELSE. AND IN OUR POLARIZED SOCIETY, WE OFTEN DON'T WANT TO. WE POINT TO THE OTHER SIDE. BUT WE NEED TO CALL IT OUT WHEN IT HAPPENS AMONG OUR OWN. CONSERVATIVES CALLING IT OUT WHEN CONSERVATIVES DO IT. LIBERALS CALLING IT OUT WHEN LIBERALS DO IT. THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I THINK THE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES COULD PLAY A HUGE ROLE. THEIR ALGORITH DON'T NEED TO AMPLIFY INTOLERANCE AND ANTI-SEMITISM JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE. A LITTLE BIT MORE DISCRETION BY THE COMPANIES COULD DIAL DOWN THE DRAMA DRAMATICALLY. AND THEN FINALLY, I'D LIKE TO SEE POLICYMAKERS BRING ANTI-BIAS

EDUCATION INTO CLASSROOMS, BRING COMMUNITIES TOGETHER. THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT COULD BE DONE. WILLIAM: JONATHAN GREENBLATT OF THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. JONATHAN: THANK YOU. ♪ JUDY: 30 YEARS AGO TODAY, PARTS OF LOS ANGELES ERUPTED IN UNREST AFTER A JURY ACQUITTED FOUR WHITE LOS ANGELES POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE VIDEOTAPED BEATING OF RODNEY KING, A BLACK MOTORIST. ON THIS ANNIVERSARY, STEPHANIE SY REVISITS THE FALLOUT FROM THE RODNEY KING BEATING AND EXAMINES WHAT HAS AND HAS NOT CHANGED. STEPHANIE: FOR MANY LONG-TIME ANGELENOS, THE SIGHTS AND SMELLS OF APRIL 29, 1992 ARE STILL EASILY CONJURED. SMOKE SPREAD ACROSS LA AS BUILDINGS WERE SET ON FIRE, IMAGES OF LOOTING FILLED TELEVISION SCREENS, AND LESS VISIBLE, THE HURT EXPRESSED THROUGH PEACEFUL PROTEST.

>> YOU HEAR THE VERDICTS AND YOU HEAR THE ONE NOT GUILTY AFTER ANOTHER. I WAS ANGRY. THERE'S NO OTHER WAY FOR ME TO SAY IT, I WAS JUST FURIOUS AT THE JUSTICE SYSTEM. >> WHEN PEOPLE HAD EXPECTED SOME TYPE OF JUSTICE, WHEN IT DID NOT HAPPEN, IT WAS LIKE ANOTHER BLOW. IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW, BLACK LIVES DON'T REALLY MATTER. >> I PICKED UP THE PHONE AND I TOLD MY STAFF, GO GET YOUR KIDS, GO HOME, DON'T LEAVE YOUR HOUSES. THE CITY IS GOING TO BLOW. STEPHANIE: SOUTH LOS ANGELES, WHERE MUCH OF THE UNREST UNFOLDED, HAD BEEN HOME TO THE CITY'S LARGEST BLACK POPULATION FOR DECADES. RHONDA MITCHELL'S FAMILY, LIKE MANY, HAD SETTLED IN LA'S CRENSHAW DISTRICT AFTER LEAVING THE SOUTH DURING THE GREAT MIGRATION. >> IT WAS JUST THE PLACE TO BE. CRENSHAW WAS ALIVE. IT CRACKLED. STEPHANIE: BUT IN MANY PARTS OF LA, TENSIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND THE LAPD HAD BEEN SIMMERING SINCE THE LAST BOUT OF UNREST IN 1965. MITCHELL'S FATHER, WHO LIVED THROUGH THE WATTS UPRISING, WORRIED HISTORY WAS REPEATING

ITSELF AFTER THE RODNEY KING VERDICT CAME DOWN. >> DURING THE RIOTS I CALLED HIM AND I ASKED HIM HOW HE WAS DOING. HE WAS WEARY. HE WAS SAD ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. >> THERE WAS A LOT OF PRESSURE AND A LOT OF KINDLING, AND IT JUST TOOK ONE SPARK. STEPHANIE: CONNIE RICE WAS AN ATTORNEY FOR THE NAACP'S LEGAL DEFENSE FUND AT THE TIME. >> AFRICAN-AMERICANS WERE FURIOUS AT LAPD FOR THE HUMILIATION, FOR THE GRATUITOUSLY CRUEL POLICING, FOR THE CONSTANT HARASSMENT. STEPHANIE: FOR NEARLY A WEEK AFTER THE ACQUITTALS, LONG-FRUSTRATED ANGELENOS TOOK TO THE STREETS. NEARLY 10,000 MILITARY TROOPS WERE DEPLOYED TO RESTORE ORDER. I THE END, MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE WERE DEAD. POLICE MADE OVER 10,000 ARRESTS, AND PEOPLE HAD BURNED AND VANDALIZED $1 BILLION WORTH OF PROPERTY. >> IT'S LIKE MARTIN LUTHER KING

SAID A LONG TIME AGO, YOU KNOW, THESE TYPES OF EVENTS ARE THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS. STEPHANIE: DARNELL HUNT IS THE DEAN OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AT UCLA. IN 1992, HE WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT AND A DDING SOCIAL SCIENTIST OBSERVING AND DOCUMENTING THE EVENTS. >> I HAD MY CAMCORDER AND I WAS WALKING AROUND TOWN TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND HOW IT COMPARED TO WHAT I WAS SEEING ON TELEVISION NEWS. AND I RAN INTO THIS OLD MAN WHO JUST GESTURED ME OVER AND HE POINTED TO A STORE OVER HERE AND HE SAID, SEE THAT, THAT'S MY RECORD STORE. AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SACRIFICE THAT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR VOICES ARE HEARD. STEPHANIE: SOME PEOPLE WOULD HEAR THAT AND SAY, BUT THEY WERE -- THESE WERE THEIR BUSINESSES. >> HE EXPERIENCED WHAT INJUSTICE COULD BE AND HE WAS WILLING TO MAKE THAT SACRIFICE STEPHANIE: MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE TIME FOCUSED ON THE LOOTING, BURNING AND VIOLENCE WITHOUT MUCH CONTEXT FOR THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISPARITIES AND POLICE TREATMENT OF PEOPLE OF COLOR THAT HAD BEEN FOMENTING RESENTMENT IN LOS ANGELES SINCE THE 1960S.

ON THAT FRONT, PROGRESS HAS BEEN MIXED. MOST NEWS REPORTERS DIDN'T CAPTURE THE NUANCE, SAYS DARNELL HUNT, WHO'S WRITTEN BOOKS ABOUT MEDIA AND RACE. >> OVERLOOKING THE UNDERLYING CAUSES, TO STRUCTURAL CAUSES LIKE INEQUALITY, RACISM, RACIAL PROFILING, ECONOMIC INSECURITY, LACK OF EMPLOYMENT, DISINVESTMENT IN INNER CITIES, ALL THE THINGS THAT CREATED STRESS THAT LED TO THE EXPLOSION THAT WAS TRIGGERED BY THE RODNEY KING BEATING VERDICTS. STEPHANIE: RHONDA MITCHELL WAS A 911 OPERATOR FOR THE LAPD AT THE TIME AND WITNESSED THE CHAOS ERUPTING THROUGH THE EMERGENCY PHONE LINES. >> WE WERE NOT ANSWERING CALLS UNLESS IT WAS REALLY ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH. STEPHANIE: SHE HAD TAKEN THE JOB FOR THE PAY AND SECURITY, BUT IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE VERDICT, HER LOYALTIES WERE DIVIDED. >> IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO WORK FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND HEAR WHAT WENT ON AND HEAR THE DEROGATORY REMARKS ABOUT PEOPLE OF COLOR.

STEPHANIE: YOU WOULD HEAR RACIST COMMENTS? >> YEAH. AND THAT'S WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE MUDDLED FOR ME BECAUSE WE WANT THE POLICE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. WE DON'T WANT DRUG DEALERS ALL OVER THE PLACE. BUT THE POLICE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO INTERACT WITH US. THE TRUST HAD ALREADY BEEN LOST THERE BETWEEN US AND THE POLICE. STEPHANIE: THE PROBLEMS AT LAPD WERE PARTLY ADDRESSED WITH DIVERSITY RECRUITMENT. THE FORCE IS NOW MAJORITY PEOPLE OF COLOR. BUT POLICE KILLINGS OF BLACK AND BROWN ANGELENOS ARE STILL OFTEN IN THE HEADLINES, AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS RARE. 30 YEARS LATER, CONNIE RICE IS STILL TRYING TO HELP REFORM THE POLICE. SHE PARTNERED WITH THE LAPD TO HELP CREATE THE COMMUNITY SAFETY PARTNERSHIP, WITH A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE MISTRUST STILL RUNS DEEP. >> THE TRANSITION HAS TO BE FROM SEARCH AND DESTROY, MASS INCARCERATION, SHOCK AND AWE POLICING, TO WRAP AROUND SAFETY, HEAL AND BUILD.

GUARDIAN POLICE. GLADIATOR TO GUARDIAN. THAT'S THE CULTURE CHANGE, BUT YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT CHANGE WITHOUT ALL OF THE OTHER SECTORS CHANGING TOO, CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS, THE RESIDENTS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. WE ASK COPS TO DO TOO MUCH. STEPHANIE: RICE SAYS SHE HAS FOUND LIKE-MINDED POLICE CHIEFS WITH THE SAME GOALS, BUT THAT THE MESSAGE HASN'T TRICKLED DOWN TO THE RANK AND FILE. >> IF YOU STICK PEOPLE IN A HELLHOLE AND YOU SEND COPS IN TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT'S IN THAT GHETTO STAYS THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET WHAT WE GET, WHICH IS RIOTS, REBELLIONS, UPRISINGS THAT ARE TRIGGERED BY A BAD SHOOTING, A BAD STOP. WE'RE ONE MORE VIDEO AWAY FROM THAT KIND OF EXPLOSION AGAIN. STEPHANIE: REALLY? YOU THINK IT IS STILL POSSIBLE? >> I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO DEVOLVE AGAIN TO A LEVEL OF FRUSTRATION BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ENOUGH CHANGE. THE POLITICAL MOMENTUM HAS

SLOWED. THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION STALLED. SO WHILE YOU'VE SEEN A HUGE CHANGE IN THE CULTURE AND THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT HAS GONE GLOBAL. BUT IT HASN'T TOUCHED THE DNA OF AMERICAN POLICING. STEPHANIE: HAVE THE UNDERLYING PROBLEMS THAT EXISTED 30 YEARS AGO IN SOUTH LOS ANGELES BEEN ADDRESSED? >> ALL THE BASIC MEASURES OF ECONOMIC WELL-BEING ACROSS THE DIFFERENT RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS HAS BEEN VERY, VERY LITTLE PROGRESS SINCE 1992 AND IN SOME CASES, WE'VE GONE BACKWARDS. STEPHANIE: SO 1992 REALLY DID CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE? >> OH, 1992 CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR ME. SOUTH LA COULD FEEL LIKE CUCKOO AND WITH THE SHOP SPIRIT-- COCOON WITHIN THOSE SHOPS. THOSE SHOPS DID NOT EXIST ANYMORE AFTER 1992, THEY WERE BURNED DOWN. THE WORLD WASN'T LIKE IT USED TO BE IN 1992. IT SHIFTED. SO THAT'S WHY I WEAR THIS NECKLACE. STEPHANIE: IN RHONDA'S OLD

NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOUTH LA, A NEW METRO LINE IS BEING BUILT, THE CENTER OF A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR REVITALIZATION PROJECT THAT AIMS TO BRING OPPORTUNITY WHILE CELEBRATING THE LEGACY OF BLACK LA. A LEGACY OF CREATIVITY, STRENGTH, AND CONTINUING STRUGGLE. FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR, I'M STEPHANIE SY IN LOS ANGELES. ♪ JUDY: A NEW PBS NEWSHOUR NPR MARIST POLL IS OUT TODAY AND IT HAS GOOD NEWS FOR REPUBLICANS, BUT INDICATES A ROCKY ROAD AHEAD FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN AND DEMOCRATS AS THE MIDTERM ELECTION SEASON SWINGS INTO GEAR. TO HELP US BREAK IT ALL DOWN, I'M JOINED BY OUR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT, LISA DESJARDINS. SO, HELLO. FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS IN HERE ABOUT HOW PRESIDENT BIDEN IS DOING? LISA: THERE IS A MARGIN OF ERROR

HERE, ABOUT 3% OR 4% DEPENDING ON THE CATEGORY. LET'S LOOK AT THE PRESIDENT'S APPROVAL RATING OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. IT GOT LOWER IN MARCH. IT HAS INCREASED A LITTLE BIT, 41%. GIVEN THAT MARGIN OF ERROR, IT'S ABOUT STATIC. IT HAS NOT CHANGED MUCH. IT IS TECHNICALLY HIGHER THAN THE APPROVAL RATING AT THE LOWEST POINT FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP, BUT THAT IS NOT A COMPARISON IMMIGRANTS WANT. SOME GOOD NEWS -- DEMOCRATS WANT. THIS DOESN'T INDICATE THE FATE OF A PRESIDENT, HOWEVER IT IS A PROBLEM FOR DEMOCRATS ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER. I WANT TO DRILL DOWN INTO SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT MAY ALARM THEM. LET'S LOOK AT THEIR BASE. IF YOU ASK PEOPLE THAT WE SURVEYED IF THEY STRONGLY APPROVE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN, LET'S SEE WHO STRONGLY APPROVES. ONLY 43% OF DEMOCRATS STRONGLY APPROVE OF THE PRESIDENT. THAT IS THE BASE HE WANT TO GET

OUT. 3% OF REPUBLICANS, NO SURPRISE. INDEPENDENTS, ONLY 9% OF INDEPENDENTS STRONGLY APPROVE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN. THAT IS A BIG EHUSIASM PROBLEM FOR DEMOCRATS THAT THEY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT. JUDY: YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT DEMOCRATS BROADLY. YOU DID LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THAT. WHAT DOES THIS SUGGEST THAT DEMOCRATS NEED TO THINK ABOUT FOR NOVEMBER? LISA: THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT ISSUES IN WHICH DEMOCRATS SEE A LARGER GAP FORMING BETWEEN THEM AND REPUBLICANS IN PUBLIC OPINION. THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE RIGHT NOW SEEMS TO BE THE ECONOMY, OF COURSE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ECONOMY, THE BLUE LINE INDICATES PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE DEMOCRATS WOULD DO BETTER WITH THE ECONOMY. THE RED LINE, THAT MUCH LARGER LINE, PEOPLE WHO LEAVE REPUBLICANS WOULD DO BETTER WITH THE ECONOMY. WE ALSO SAW IN THIS SURVEY THAT MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE, MORE AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT PUBLICANS WOULD DO BETTER ON CRIME.

LOOK AT THAT IMMIGRATION FIGURE, BY A NARROW AMOUNT MORE AMERICANS BELIEVE REPUBLICANS WOULD DO A BETTER JOB HANDLING IMMIGRATION THAN DEMOCRATS. WHERE DO DEMOCRATS DO WELL? ON THE CORONAVIRUS, MORE AMERICANS BELIEVE DEMOCRATS WOULD DO BETTER ON THAT THAN REPUBLICANS. THOSE ARE MAJOR ISSUES RIGHT NOW. DEMOCRATS ARE FALLING BEHIND. DEMOCRATS STILL DO WELL WITH THINGS LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE. BUT TALKING TO OUR POLLSTER ON THIS, HE SAID IT IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THE FRONT OF MIND ISSUE ARE WHERE DEMOCRATS ARE LOSING GROUND. >> RIGHT NOW THE ISSUES OF GREATEST SIGNIFICANCE FOR THE VOTERS TEND TO BE FAVORING THE REPUBLICANS. THAT IS ALSO DRIVING THESE NUMBERS OF WHY RUBLICANS ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. ONE CAVEAT IS WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BE ON PEOPLE'S MINDS IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER. WHAT WE CLEARLY HAVE LEARNED IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO IS THE ISSUES COME AND GO IN FAST FASHION.

LISA: ONE ISSUE HE MENTIONED, ABORTION AND THE SUPREME COURT DECISION WE EXPECT SOON. JUDY: THERE IS ANOTHER ISSUE REPUBLICANS HAVE SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME EMPHASIZING THIS YEAR. IT IS EDUCATION. YET DEMOCRATS SEEM TO DO WELL WITH THAT. LISA: THERE IS SOMETHING INTERESTING WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW PEOPLE FEEL ON EDUCATION. LET'S LOOK AT THE DATA. YOU ASK VOTERS WHO DOES A BETTER JOB AND EDUCATION, OVERALL MORE AMERICANS BELIEVE DEMOCRATS WOULD DO BETTER ON EDUCATION. BUT IF YOU ASK PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN SCHOOLS, THEY BELIEVE REPUBLICANS BY A NARROW AMOUNT WOULD DO A BETTER JOB. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE SEEING THIS PROBLEM AT SCHOOL BOARDS AND MEETINGS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THOSE PARENTS ARE STARTING TO TRUST REPUBLICANS MORE THAN DEMOCRATS, THOUGH IT IS CLOSE. JUDY: NO DOUBTA CONNECTION TO COVID. YOU ALSO LOOKED AT SOME PARTICULAR VOTER GROUPS, INCLUDING LATINOS. WHAT DID YOU FIND?

LISA: WE HAVE SEEN IN MANY CYCLES THAT THIS IS A VOTING GROUP THAT IS NOT CHOSEN REPUBLICANS. LATINOS ARE NOT MONOLITHIC. I WANT TO LOOK AT WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST FEW YEARS IN TERMS OF BIG SURVEYS. THIS IS WHERE THE PERCENT OF LATINOS THAT TOLD EXIT POLARS IN -- POLLERS IN 2020 THAT THEY VOTED FOR BIDEN. IN OUR SURVEY, THIS IS THE PERCENT THAT SAID THEY WOULD SUPPORT A DEMOCRAT IN NOVEMBER. 39%. 52% VOTING REPUBLICAN. AND THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE IN SOME STATES WITH SOME CLOSE ELECTIONS LIKE TEXAS AND LARGE LATINO POPULATIONS. IT IS A POPULATION THAT WHEN I TALKED TO LATINO LEADERS, THEY FEEL DEMOCRATS HAVE NOT DONE ENOUGH TO REACH OUT. JUDY: IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ISSUES MATTER MOST. LISA: WE WILL HAVE MORE POLLS AHEAD. JUDY: LISA, THANK YOU. ♪

JUDY: AS YOU JUST HEARD, OUR PBS NEWS HOUR-NPR-MARIST POLL GIVES US SOME INSIGHTS INTO WHAT VOTERS ARE THINKING RIGHT NOW. PLUS THE PRESIDENT HAS ASKED CONGRESS FOR A BIG INCREASE IN ASSISTANCE TO UKRAINE. AND THE GOP IS BRUSHING ASIDE AUDIOTAPES THAT CAPTURED PARTY LEADERS CRITICIZING THEIR OWN. WE TURN NOW TO THE ANALYSIS OF BROOKS AND CAPEHART. THAT'S NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST DAVID BROOKS, AND JONATHAN CAPEHART, ASSOCIATE EDITOR FOR THE WASHINGTON POST. IT IS GREAT TO SEE THE TWO OF YOU ON THIS FRIDAY NIGHT. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. LET'S PICK UP WITH THAT POLL. REALLY INTERESTING ANALYSIS BY LISA. WHAT DID YOU SEE? WHAT STOOD OUT TO YOU? DAVID: TWO THINGS THAT LISA MENTIONED LEAPT OUT AT ME. THE LATINO VOTE, 52% FAVORING

REPUBLICANS. THIS SHOULD BE ALARM BELLS FOR DEMOCRATS. LATINOS HAVE NOT BEEN SHIFTING OVER THE REPUBLICANS. DONALD TRUMP DID RECENTLY WELL WITH REPUBLICANS BUT LATINOS OVERWHELMINGLY IDENTIFY WITH DEMOCRATS BUT ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING. THE SECOND ISSUE IS EDUCATION. PEW RESEARCH CENTER DOES THESE POLLS CONSTANTLY, WHICH PARTY DO YOU TRUST MORE ON EDUCATION? OVER THE DECADES, DEMOCRATS USUALLY HAVE A 20 POINT ADVANTAGE, SOMETHING PRETTY BIG. THAT IS DOWN TO BASICALLY ZERO. I THINK THAT IS PARTLY THE SCHOOLS CLOSING AT THE TEACHERS UNION BEHEST, IT IS AN EFFORT TO GET RID OF MAGNET SCHOOLS AND GIFTED PROGRAMS. IT IS A SENSE THAT AGGRESSIVE'S ARE TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH ABOUT EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS. THIS IS ACROSS-THE-BOARD PRETTY

GRIM FOR DEMOCRATS. JUDY: HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, JONATHAN? JONATHAN: DAVID WAS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE LATINO NUMBERS. I WENT TO THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN NUMBERS BECAUSE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTE IS THE BASE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. IT IS THE BASE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN. THAT IS WHY HE IS PRESIDENT, YET HIS STANDING AMONG BLACK VOTERS, HIS APPROVAL RATING IS 64%. THAT SHOULD RAISE ALARM BELLS IN THE WHITE HOUSE, IF IT HASN'T ALREADY. I THINK IT IS BECAUSE OF NO MOVEMENT ON VOTING RIGHTS, NO MOVEMENT ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. WHO KNOWS WHAT PEOPLE WILL CARE ABOUT IN OCTOBER? MAY BE PRESIDENT WILL GET A BUMP UP WHEN JUSTICE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE FOR THE SUPREME COURT. TO MIMIC DAVID, A SECOND THING LEAPT OUT AT ME, THE INFLATION NUMBERS, CRIME NUMBERS, AND NATIONAL SECURITY NUMBERS, ALL

NOT IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S FAVOR, PARTICULARLY INFLATION AND CRIME ARE "EMOTIONAL ISSUES." PEOPLE GO TO THE BALLOT BOX. MY EARPIECE JUST FELL OUT, EVERYONE. [LAUGHTER] IF THE ADMINISTRATION CANNOT TALK TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CONVINCINGLY THAT THEY HAVE CRIME AND INFLATION UNDER CONTROL, THEY WILL BE IN TROUBLE. JUDY: ARE THESE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE THE ABILITY OVER THE NEXT EIGHT MONTHS TO CHANGE VOTERS' THINKING? ARE THESE ISSUES THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY ENTRENCHED RIGHT NOW? DAVID: NOT ENTRENCHED, BUT SUPERHARD TO CHANGE. THE WHOLE ZEITGEIST OF THE COUNTRY HAS DETERIORATED OVER THE LAST YEAR. I WOULD SAY IT HAS BEEN A THREAT OF DISORDER ON MANY FRONTS. DISORDER INTERNATIONALLY WITH UKRAINE, DISORDER AT HOME, CRIME, CRIME IN NEW YORK IS SURGING BY 30% YEAR OVER YEAR. SOME ROBBERY AND BURGLARY UP TO

40%. INFLATION IS A FORM OF ECONOMIC DISORDER. PEOPLE FEEL THE WORLD HAS BECOME LESS SAFE ON A WHOLE VARIETY OF FRONTS. TRADITIONALLY REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN THE PARTY OF ORDER. DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN THE PARTY OF FAIRNESS AND JUSTICE. SO THERE HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY AN ATTEMPT TO TURN TO REPUBLICANS WHEN YOU FEEL UNSAFE. SO DEMOCRATS HAVE TO TURN THAT AROUND. THEY HAVE TURNED IT AROUND IN THE PAST IN THE 1990'S, TONY BLAIR AND BILL CLINTON. TONY BLAIR HAD A PHRASE, TOUGH ON CRIME AND ON THE CRIES -- TOUGH ON CRIME AND TOUGH ON THE CAUSES OF CRIME. IT CAN BE DONE, BUT IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME AND PERSUASION. I'M NOT SURE THERE'S ENOUGH TIME TO DO IT BEFORE THE MIDTERMS. JUDY: DO YOU SEE THERE IS A CHANCE -- WHERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR DEMOCRATS HERE? JONATHAN: I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY COMES IN ANOTHER SET

OF NUMBERS I LOOKED AT. THE POLL POINTS OUT TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING. DONALD TRUMP'S APPROVAL RATING WAS AT 39%, HIS DISAPPROVAL IS AT 56%. NOT DISSIMILAR TO PRESIDENT BIDEN'S, BUT IF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT RUNNING AGAINST CANDIDATES WHO HAVE BEEN ENDORSED BY DONALD TRUMP OR HAVE NOT RUN AWAY BY DONALD TRUMP, THAT GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO RUN ON. IN THE END, THOSE CANDIDATES ONLY HAVE THEIR FEALTY TO TRUMP TO RUN ON WHERE IS DEMOCRATS HAVE SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO, REAL PLANS. CORRESPONDENT: DAVID: CAN I DISAGREE WITH JONATHAN? I THINK RUNNING AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IS A GIGANTIC MISTAKE. THAT IS WHAT WE SAW IN THE RACE IN VIRGINIA. I THINK PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES IN FRONT OF THEIR FACE, THE GAS PRICES AND THINGS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY CLOSE TO HOME. I JUST DON'T THINK THERE HAS

BEEN THAT MUCH EVIDENCE THAT RUNNING AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IS SUPER EFFECTIVE AT GETTING VOTERS WILLING TO SWING BACK AND FORTH. JONATHAN: THAT IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THAT IF A DEMOCRAT IS RUNNING AGAINST A TRUMPER, THAT DEMOCRAT WILL BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THOSE ISSUES THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO ABOUT INFLATION, JOBS, CRIME, WHEREAS THE OTHER CANDIDATE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT THOSE VOTERS DON'T CARE ABOUT. JUDY: OKAY. [LAUGHTER] WE MOVE -- DAVID: WE ACHIEVED CLARITY. JUDY: ONE OF YOU MENTIONED NATIONAL SECURITY. THIS POINT ON UKRAINE, WHICH IS IN THE NEWS EVERY NIGHT. WE ARE WATCHING THAT TERRIBLE WAR GRIND ON, THE REPUBLICANS IN GENERAL -- YES THEY SAY PRESIDENT BIDEN SHOULD HAVE MOVED SOONER -- BUT THEY SEEM TO BE ON BOARD WITH A PROVEN THE ADDITIONAL AID, MILITARY, ECONOMIC AND HUMANITARIAN HE IS ASKING FOR UKRNE.

WE DON'T SEE ANY OF THAT WORKING TO THE PRESIDENT'S BENEFIT. IS THAT HOW YOU SEE IT? DAVID: IT IS STUNNING THAT IF YOU GET A 49% DISAPPROVAL ON BIPARTISAN POLICY THAT IS EXTREMELY POPULAR, IT SHOWS HOW BAD MOOD THE COUNTRY IS IN. GREAT NEWS FOR THE PRESIDENT, BUT HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ON UKRAINE. THIS AID PACKAGE HE OUTLINED HIS SUPER AGGRESSIVE, BIG. THE WAR IS CHANGING AS IT MOVES TO THE EAST. THERE IS LESS MANEUVERABILITY FOR THE UKRAINIANS. THERE IS MUCH MORE WIDE OPEN SPACES AND THE RUSSIAN TANKS WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE. SO UKRAINE NEEDS A LOT MORE HEAVY EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING TANKS. BIDEN HAS RISEN WITH SOME LONG-RANGE ARTILLERY. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS RISEN TO THE OCCASION. I WOULD SAY TO HIM THIS IS NOT A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT HOW THIS IS PULLING, THIS IS A MOMENT -- POLLING, THIS IS A MOMENT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE WORLD.

JUDY: HOW DO YOU SEE WITH THE PROSPECTS ARE FORGETTING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT? -- FOR GETTING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT? JONATHAN: I AGREE WITH DAVID'S ASSESSMENT OF THE PRESIDENT'S LEADERSHIP. I THINK CONGRESS WILL REMAIN ON BOARD AND WILL PASS THESE BUDGET REQUESTS FROM THE PRESIDENT. THE QUESTION I HAVE, AND I KNOW THE QUESTION BEING PONDERED IN THE WHITE HOUSE IS HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO LAST? WHEN -- WHAT IS THE APPETITE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SEE EVERY COUPLE WEEKS MULTIBILLION DOLLAR PACKAGES GOING OVERSEAS WHEN THERE ARE DOMESTIC ISSUES AND DOMESTIC PRIORITIES THAT ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED SO QUICKLY, I.E. LOTS OF PEOPLE CARE ABOUT STUDENT DEBT. PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW WHERE IS THE CHILD TAX CREDIT. THERE IS LOTS OF THINGS THAT COULD BE FUNDED, BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT RUSSIA'S WAR ON UKRAINE ISN'T JUST AN INVASION

OF ONE COUNTRY OVER ANOTHER, IT IS DEMOCRACY VERSUS AUTOCRACY. THAT IS WHAT IS GUIDING THE PRESIDENT. I AGREE WITH DAVID, THE PRESIDENT DOES NOT CARE ABOUT HOW THIS POLLS, THIS IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TAKING PLACE ON THE EUROPEAN CONTINENT. JUDY: HE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE GETTING ANY CREDIT FOR THE PUBLIC FOR WHAT HE IS DOING. DAVID, I WANT TO COME BACK TO THIS QUESTION OF AID FOR UKRAINE. IT IS, WHAT, $33 BILLION THIS TIME, SEVERAL BILLION THE MONTH BEFORE THAT. THIS WAR LOOKS LIKE IT WILL GO ON FOR A LONG TIME. IS THERE A LIMIT TO WHAT AMERICANS ARE GOING TO BE PREPARED TO DO FOR UKRAINE? DAVID: SO FAR WE HAVE NOT SEEN ANY EVIDENCE OF IT. IF YOU LOOK AT EUROPE, THEY ARE WILLING TO CUT OFF ENERGY SUPPLIES FROM RUSSIA. THAT I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXPECTED. IF THERE IS ANY MOMENTUM IN THE WESTERN ALLIANCE'S WILLINGNESS

TO SACRIFICE FOR THIS, IT SEEMS TO BE INCREASING, NOT DECREASING. WITH COVID WE GOT USED $1.9 TRILLION BILLS, SO $35 BILLION DOES NOT SEEM THAT BIG ANYMORE. [LAUGHTER] JUDY: YOU ARE RIGHT, PUTTING IT IN PERSPECTIVE. IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES WE HAVE, I WANT TO COME BACK TO SOMETHING THAT FIRST SURFACED LAST WEEK. MORE AUDIOTAPES FROM THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY. THE ONES THAT EMERGED THIS WEEK HAVE HIM EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT MEMBERS OF THE FAR RIGHT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND HOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND SAYING COULD LEAD TO EVEN MORE TERRIBLE THINGS HAPPENING. THIS IS AFTER JANUARY 6. HERE WE ARE ALL THESE MONTHS LATER, KEVIN MCCARTHY BRUSHES IT OFF. DO WE JUST FORGET IT? JONATHAN:E CAN'T FORGET IT. WE NEED TO LISTEN TO KEVIN MCCARTHY IN REAL-TIME THE A TRUE

LEADER -- BEING A TRUE LEADER, EXPRESSING HORROR OVER WHAT HAPPENED, THEN CONTRAST THAT TO WHERE HE IS TODAY, WHICH IS THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. WHAT IT SAYS TO ME IS THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE REPUBLICAN CAUCUS IN THE HOUSE AND HOUSE MINORITY LEADER ARE WILLING TO LIE ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE AND SAID ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF WINNING BACK THE MAJORITY IN THE MIDTERMS. THAT LEADS TO AN EVEN BIGGER QUESTION FOR ME, IF THE HOUSE MINORITY LEADER IS WILLING TO LIE, WHEN WE CAN READ AND HEAR THE WORDS WITH OUR OWN EARS, WHAT DOES A SPEAKER MCCARTHY DO? HOW CAN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TRUST WHAT HE SAYS? HOW DID THE AMERICAN PRESS TRUST WHAT HE SAYS? THAT IS THE BIGGER PROBLEM FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT THEN IT COULD BE A BIGGER PROBLEM FOR THE COUNTRY. JUDY: HOW DO YOU ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS, DAVID? DAVID: WHEN I STARTED

DOING THIS JOB AND PEOPLE WOULD IE -- WOULD LIE IN INTERVIEWS, I WAS SHOCKED, BUT NOW I AM USED TO IT. KEVIN MCCARTHY IS A NICE GUY. HE DOES NOT PARTICULARLY HAVE CONVICTIONS. HE HAS BLOWN WITH THE WIND. WHAT IS INTERESTING IS, IS THERE A SCANDAL? IT IS ONLY A SCANDAL IF DONALD TRUMP SAYS IT IS A SCANDAL. DONALD TRUMP DECIDES INTELLIGENTLY IT IS NOT A SCANDAL. HE NOW OWNS KEVIN MCCARTHY BECAUSE HE'S GOT SOMETHING ON HIM. THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD MANEUVER FOR DONALD TRUMP. JUDY: WITH THAT, WE ARE GOING TO THANK BOTH OF YOU, DAVID BROOKS, JONATHAN CAPEHART. JONATHAN: THANKS, JUDY. ♪ JUDY: A NEW NOVEL IMAGINES A WORLD IN WHICH OUR MEMORIES CAN

BE ACCESSED AND REVIEWED BY OURSELVES AND BY OTHERS. JEFFREY BROWN TALKS TO PULITIZER-PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR JENNIFER EGAN AT HER HOME IN BROOKLYN ABOUT HER LATEST WORK OF FICTION. IT'S PART OF OUR ARTS AND CULTURE SERIES, CANVAS. JEFFREY: IMAGINE A BEAUTIFUL CUBE, IN WHICH YOU CAN STORE ALL YOUR MEMORIES, ALLOWING ACCESS TO THEM WHENEVER YOU WANT. CALL IT, OWN YOUR UNCONSCIOUS. BUT THERE IS A TRADE-OFF, OTHERS CAN ACCESS IT, OR IN A SENSE, YOU. NOVELIST JENNIFER EGAN HAS DREAMED UP THIS SO-FAR NON-EXISTENT TECHNOLOGY. SHE MAY STILL WRITE BY HAND IN THE OFFICE OF HER BROOKLYN HOME. BUT, LIKE MOST OF US, SHE FINDS MUCH OF HER OWN LIFE BOUND UP IN THE DIGITAL WORLD. JENNIFER: I FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE GREAT STORY I'VE WITNESSED IN MY LIFE.TI THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS REALM. THE MEDIA REALM, IS SO FAST THAT

I FEEL LIKE I CONTINUALLY REVISIT THE QUESTION OF HOW THAT AFFECTS US INTERNALLY. JEFFREY: AND WHY DOES THAT INTEREST YOU AS A NOVELIST? JENNIFER: BECAUSE THE NOVEL IS THE STRUMENT TO EXAMINE INSIDE PEOPLE'S MINDS. I MEAN, THAT'S AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, THAT'S THE UNIQUE THING THAT NOVELS DO THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN DO. JEFFREY: EGAN'S NEW NOVEL, THE CANDY HOUSE, LOOKS INTO HER CHARACTERS' MINDS AND ALSO PLAYS WITH LITERARY FORMS, SOMETHING SHE HAS DONE IN SIX PREVIOUS WORKS, EACH DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST. THE NEW ONE DRAWS ON CHARACTERS AND STORYLINES FROM HER 2010 PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING "A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD." AND EACH CHAPTER IS WRITTEN IN A DIFFERENT VOICE OR PERSPECTIVE AND USES DIFFERENT STYLES, INCLUDING AN EMAIL EXCHANGE AND A FUTURISTIC SPY STORY. JENNIFER: IN A WAY WHAT THE BOOK DOES IS SIMULATE THIS EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN A COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS AND MOVING IN AND OUT OF WORLDS AND PEOPLE'S MINDS. JEFFREY: A FRAGMENTED WORLD. JENNIFER: RIGHT.

A FRAGMENTED EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS VERY MUCH WHAT ONLINE EXPERIENCE OFTEN IS. IMAGINE TRYING TO TELL THAT STORY, YOU KNOW, CONVENTIONALLY. MY LAST NOVEL WAS A HISTORICAL NOVEL. I TOLD IT IN A VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY, IT COULDN'T HAVE LIVED IN A FORM LIKE THIS. BUT ONE WAY TO KEEP THINGS FRESH AND TO KEEP MYSELF DOING THINGS I HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE ISO TRY TO USE NEW WAYS OF DOING THEM, BECAUSE THAT WILL REQUIRE THAT I TELL A STORY I'VE NEV TOLD. I JUST LOVE BEING NEAR THE WATER . JEFFREY: ON ONE OF HER FAVORITE WALKS, ALONG THE EAST RIVER, SHE SAID THAT WHILE IDEAS GET HER GOING, IT'S THE CHARACTERS WHO TAKE OVER,EGINNING IN THIS CASE WITH BIX, A WORLD-FAMOUS SOCIAL MEDIA ENTREPRENEU DREAMING UP THE NEXT BIG THING. CHAPTER BY CHAPTER, WE MEET OTHERS EMBRACING OR ALIENATED BY THIS NEW WORLD. ARE YOU A TECHIE YOURSELF? I MEAN, IS THIYOUR WORLD? JENNIFER: NO. [LAUGHTER] I'M A LATE AND INCOMPETENT

ADOPTER. JEFFREY: BUT SOMEHOW THAT MADE YOU WANT TO EXPLORE IT IN A WAY. JENNIFER: WELL, I'M INTERESTED IN IT BECAUSE IT INTERESTS OTHER PEOPLE. YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT IMPACTS THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE AND THINK IS SO FASCINATING TO ME, AND ESPECIALLY SOMETHING NEW, BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED IN CHANGE. I MEAN, IN A WAY, AT'S WHAT FICTION IS ALL ABOUT, SORT OF WATCHING THINGS CHANGE OVER SOME UNIT OF TIME. JEFFREY: GEORGE ORWELL'S 1984, SHE THINKS, GOT IT HALF RIGHT: SCREENS ARE EVERYWHERE IN OUR LIVES, BUT WE INVITE THEM IN. ARE YOU AFRAID THAT WE'RE LOSING OUR SENSE OF PRIVACY AND OUR SENSE OF AUTHENTICITY? JENNIFER: YOU KNOW, I HAVE VARIOUS THOUGHTS ABOUT IT AS A CIVILIAN. BUT WHAT I FEEL AS A FICTION WRITER IS JUST TOTAL CURIOSITY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS OF ALL OF THIS ARE. AND ANY THOUGHT I HAVE HAS TO BE PUT IN THE CONTEXT OF MY AGE AND MY GENERATION. MY CHILDREN WILL TELL YOU I'M ANTI-SCREEN AND DEPRIVE THEM OF IMPORTANT CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

BY NOT LETTING THEM PLAY ENOUGH VIDEO GAMES. BUT THE TRUTH IS, I DON'T KNOW. I FEEL A KIND OF DREAD AS A HUMAN THAT I HOPE DOESN'T SEEP TOO MUCH INTO MY FICTION , BECAUSE IN A WAY, IT'S INAPPROPRIATE. AS A FICTION WRITER, MY JOB IS TO TRANSCEND THAT AND JUST ENTER THE REALM OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE WITHOUT JUDGMENTS. FOR ME, FICTION IS WHERE I ASK QUESTIONS AND WHERE I GO TO ASK QUESTIONS AS A READER. JEFFREY: I CAN'T HELP THINK THAT ALL THESE THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE THEMES YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE -- THEMES YOU'RE ADDRESSING, THE EXPERIMENTATION WITH FORM, THEY'RE ALL KIND OF TIED TO LARGER QUESTIONS OF LITERARY FICTION TODAY. WHO'S IT FOR? JENNIFER: TO ME, THE REASON FICTION STILL EXISTS IS THAT IT IS STILL RELEVANT, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A CURIOSITY TO BE INSIDE THE MINDS OF OTHER PEOPLE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN NEVER ACTUALLY DO IN REAL LIFE, IT WON'T HAPPEN.

JEFFREY: SO FAR. [LAUGHTER] JENNIFER: I MADE UP THE MACHINE. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BRAIN ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY DO IT. BUT THERE IS ONE SLIGHT PROBLEM, WHICH IS THAT WE ARE SO IMAGE-FIXATED AS A CULTURE NOW, AND THE SCREENS REINFORCE THAT EVERY MOMENT. AND WE ARE SO USED TO SKITTING AROUND AND NOT FOCUSING THAT LONG ON ANY ONE THING, THAT THE MUSCLES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO ACTUALLY READ A BOOK CAN FEEL A LITTLE FLABBY. I JUST WANT TO KEEP PEOPLE, KEEP PEOPLE'S IMAGINATIONS STRONG AND NIMBLE ENOUGH TO HAVE THOSE EXPERIENCES. JEFFREY: SO YOU'RE WORRIED A BIT, BUT YOU'RE A TRUE BELIEVER IN FICTION'S POWER. JENNIFER I'M A TRUE BELIEVER IN FICTION'S ABILITY TO OFFER SOMETHING IN THE FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT THAT NOTHING ELSE IS QUITE DOING. SO, YES, I THINK IT IS STILL RELEVANT AND I HOPE PEOPLE WILL KEEP READING IT. JEFFREY: ALRIGHT, THE BOOK IS THE CANDY HOUSE. JENNIFER EGAN, THANK YOU VERY

MUCH. JENNIFER: THANK YOU. JUDY: GOT TO KEEP UP THOSE REGION MUSCLES. THAT IS THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. I'M JUDY WOODRUFF. PLEASE STAY SAFE AND WE WILL SEE YOU SOON. >> MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY -- ♪ >> MOVING OUR ECONOMY FOR 160 YEARS, BNSF, THE ENGINE THAT CAN ACCESS. --- THAT CONNECTS US. >> THE WILLIAM AND FLORA HEWLETT FOUNDATION, ADVANCING IDEAS AND SUPPORTING INSTITUTIONS TO SUPPORT BETTER WORLD, AT HEW LETT.ORG.

>> SUPPORTING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS TO THE WORLD'S MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS. SKOLLFOUNDATION.ORG. >> AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS. ♪ AND FRIENDS OF THE NEWSHOUR. ♪ THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. ♪ >> . >>> HELLO, EVERYONE AND WELCOME

TO "AMANPOUR & COMPANY." HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP. >>> DESPITE THE DISTURBING RHETORIC COMING OUT OF THE KREMLIN, THE FACTS ARE PLAIN FOR EVERYBODY TO SEE. WE'RE NOT ATTACKING RUSSIA. WE'RE HELPI UKRAINE DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION. >> AS RUSSIA STEPS UP ITS OFFENSIVE IN EASTERN UKRAINE, WE EXAMINE AMERICA'S CHANGING REACTION WITH NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERT EVELYN FARKAS AND EVE ODALDA. AND -- A DISTURBING REPORT ON HOW SOME RUSSIAN SOLDIERS ARE USING RAPE AS A WEAPON OF WAR IN UKRAINE. THEN -- >> Translator: PUTIN ONLY UNDERSTANDS FORCE