PBS NewsHour; November 15, 2017 6:00pm-7:01pm PST

Captioning sponsored by NEWSHOUR PRODUCTIONS, LLC

>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING. I'M HARI SREENIVASAN. JUDY WOODRUFF IS AWAY. ON THE NEWSHOUR TONIGHT: A POLITICAL GAMBLE. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS PUSH TO REPEAL A KEY PART OF OBAMACARE IN THEIR TAX REFORM PLAN. ALSO AHEAD, POLITICAL TURMOIL IN ZIMBABWE. MILITARY LEADERS STAGE A COUP TO REMOVE PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE FROM POWER. PLUS, DOWN TO EARTH. ASTRONAUT SCOTT KELLY REFLECTS ON LIFE AFTER SPENDING A YEAR IN SPACE.

>> IT'S SOMETHING YOU THINK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE THOSE FLASHES AND YOU REALIZE, "HEY, THAT COSMIC RAY DIDN'T JUST GO THROUGH MY EYE. IT WENT THROUGH MY BRAIN."

>> Sreenivasan: ALL THAT AND MORE, ON TONIGHT'S PBS NEWSHOUR.

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>> Sreenivasan: THE REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATE IN ALABAMA, ROY MOORE, TRIED TODAY TO GO ON THE OFFENSIVE. FIVE WOMEN SAY HE SEXUALLY MOLESTED OR PURSUED THEM WHEN THEY WERE TEENAGERS, AND MOORE WAS A PROSECUTOR, IN THE 1970s. IN BIRMINGHAM TODAY, CAMPAIGN OFFICIALS SUGGESTED ONE ACCUSER MAY HAVE FALSIFIED EVIDENCE, AND THEY REJECTED ALL OF THE CLAIMS.

>> I'VE TRAVELED WITH JUDGE MOORE ALL OVER THE STATE, DIFFERENT STATES, ACROSS THE NATION. I'VE BEEN WITH HIM IN PROBABLY OVER 100 DIFFERENT MEETINGS, I'VE PROBABLY BEEN AROUND IN EXCESS OF 100,000 LADIES IN JUDGE MOORE'S PRESENCE. AND NOT ONE TIME HAVE I EVER SEEN HIM ACT EVEN REMOTELY INAPPROPRIATELY AGAINST ANY WOMAN.

>> Sreenivasan: A NUMBER OF SENATE REPUBLICANS AND PARTY LEADERS ARE PRESSING MOORE TO QUIT THE RACE, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP IGNORED SHOUTED QUESTIONS ON THE ISSUE TODAY. THE FIRST DIRECTOR OF THE CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU HAS ANNOUNCED HE'S RESIGNING AFTER FIVE YEARS ON THE JOB. DEMOCRAT RICHARD CORDRAY SAYS HE'LL RETURN TO OHIO TO RUN FOR GOVERNOR. UNDER CORDRAY, THE AGENCY AGGRESSIVELY IMPOSED NEW RULES ON BANKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INDUSTRIES. AMERICA'S TOP DIPLOMAT CALLED TODAY FOR AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF MYANMAR'S CRACKDOWN ON ROHINGYA MUSLIMS. HE SPOKE AFTER MEETING WITH THE BUDDHIST NATION'S MILITARY AND CIVILIAN LEADERS.

>> THE KEY TEST OF ANY DEMOCRACY IS HOW IT TREATS ITS MOST VULNERABLE AND MARGINALIZED POPULATION.

>> Sreenivasan: SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON CAME TO MYANMAR WITH AN APPEAL TO STOP THE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE ROHINGYAS.

>> IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS SECURITY FORCES TO PROTECT AND RESPECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PERSONS WITHIN ITS BORDERS AND TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THOSE WHO FAIL TO DO SO.

>> Sreenivasan: MORE THAN 600,000 ROHINGYA HAVE FLED INTO NEIGHBORING BANGLADESH SINCE AUGUST. THAT'S WHEN GOVERNMENT FORCES BEGAN ATTACKING THEIR VILLAGES IN MYANMAR'S NORTHERN RAKHINE STATE. MANY OF THE REFUGEES ARE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, WALKING FOR DAYS THROUGH MUDDY RICE FIELDS. THEY TELL OF VILLAGES BEING BURNED, AND PEOPLE BEING TORTURED, RAPED AND KILLED BY SOLDIERS AND BUDDHIST MILITANTS. THE UNITED NATIONS CALLS IT "A TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE OF ETHNIC CLEANSING." APPEARING WITH TILLERSON, CIVILIAN LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI, A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE, WHO IS BARRED FROM ANY MILITARY OVERSIGHT. SHE INSISTED TODAY SHE HAS NOT BEEN SILENT, BUT SHE DID NOT CONDEMN THE ARMED FORCES.

>> EVERYBODY SHOULD UNDERSTAND, IT'S BEST TO PROTECT PEACE AND STABILITY, NOT TO PUNISH PEOPLE.

>> Sreenivasan: TILLERSON MET SEPARATELY WITH THE COUNTRY'S MILITARY CHIEF. HE SAYS HIS FORCES ARE ONLY RESPONDING TO ATTACKS BY ISLAMIST INSURGENTS. IN WESTERN IRAN, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WAITED AGAIN FOR HUMANITARIAN AID, THREE DAYS AFTER A DEADLY EARTHQUAKE. AY NIGHT'S TREMOR KILLED MORE THAN 530 PEOPLE, AND INJURED THOUSANDS. SURVIVORS ARE LIVING IN THE RUBBLE OF THEIR HOMES, IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES. OFFICIALS ARE PROMISING MORE AID, BUT SOME FAMILIES MADE THEIR OWN MAKESHIFT SHELTERS OUT OF REEDS. THERE'S WORD THAT OPIUM PRODUCTION IN AFGHANISTAN HAS NEARLY DOUBLED THIS YEAR. THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE AFGHAN GOVERNMENT REPORT PRODUCTION IS UP 87% FROM 2016. AGHANISTAN IS THE WORLD'S TOP GROWER OF POPPIES USED TO MAKE OPIUM AND HEROIN. SUPPORTERS OF GAY MARRIAGE IN AUSTRALIA CELEBRATED TODAY. NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF VOTERS IN A POSTAL SURVEY SAID THEY FAVOR ALLOWING SAME-SEX UNIONS. THE VOTE ENSURES THAT AUSTRALIA'S PARLIAMENT WILL CONSIDER A BILL LEGALIZING THE PRACTICE IN SOME FORM BEFORE THE YEAR IS OUT. BACK IN THIS COUNTRY, POLICE IN TAMPA, FLORIDA ARE HUNTING A POSSIBLE SERIAL KILLER AFTER FOUR MURDERS IN ONE NEIGHBORHOOD SINCE OCTOBER. RONALD FELTON WAS SHOT AND KILLED EARLY YESTERDAY. OFFICIALS TODAY RELEASED SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE OF A MAN SPOTTED NEAR THE SCENE OF FELTON'S KILLING, AND A PREVIOUS MURDER.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT BOTH VIDEOS FROM OCTOBER 9 AND YESTERDAY, IT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PERSON. I DON'T BELIEVE IN COINCIDENCE, THAT THE SAME PERSON WAS AROUND AT THE SAME TIME THE TWO PEOPLE WERE MURDERED. I'M PRETTY CONVINCED, WHOEVER IT IS, IT'S PROBABLY THE SAME PERSON, AND IF THEY DIDN'T DO IT, THEY KNOW SOMETHING.

>> Sreenivasan: THE EARLIER VICTIMS WERE KILLED OVER A TEN-DAY PERIOD IN OCTOBER. A LOUISIANA MAN WALKED OUT OF PRISON TODAY, AFTER SERVING NEARLY 50 YEARS FOR A RAPE CONVICTION THAT'S NOW BEEN THROWN OUT. WILBERT JONES WAS RELEASED TO HIS FAMILY IN EAST BATON ROUGE. A JUDGE RULED THE CASE AGAINST HIM WAS BASED SOLELY ON A SHAKY IDENTIFICATION BY THE VICTIM. JONES IS NOW 65. PROSECUTORS SAY THEY DO NOT PLAN TO RETRY HIM. SIGN-UPS FOR HEALTH PLANS UNDER OBAMACARE ARE UP 45%, SO FAR, OVER LAST YEAR. THAT WORD COMES TODAY AS REPUBLICANS ARE PUSHING TO PAY FOR TAX CUTS BY REPEALING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT'S INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. THE ENROLLMENT PERIOD OPENED NOVEMBER 1 AND RUNS THROUGH DECEMBER 15. PRESIDENT TRUMP VOWED TODAY TO WHITTLE DOWN HUGE TRADE DEFICITS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. HE SAID HE MADE THAT POINT TO LEADERS HE MET IN ASIA. MEANWHILE, WALL STREET TOOK A DIVE TODAY. THE DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE LOST 138 POINTS TO CLOSE AT 23,271. THE NASDAQ FELL 31 POINTS, AND THE S&P 500 SLID 14. STILL TO COME ON THE NEWSHOUR: REPUBLICANS CUT A KEY TO OBAMACARE IN THEIR LATEST TAX PLAN. A COUP IN ZIMBABWE, AS MILITARY LEADERS SEIZE CONTROL FROM THE PRESIDENT. I SIT DOWN WITH THE CREATOR OF THE VIRAL "ME TOO" MOVEMENT. AND, MUCH MORE.

>> Sreenivasan: DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TURNED THE HEAT UP TODAY AS THEY BATTLED OVER PLANS FOR A SWEEPING TAX OVERHAUL. IT COMES AS REPUBLICANS ARE GROWING MORE CONFIDENT THEY CAN PUSH THEIR PLAN THROUGH QUICKLY, AND ARE MAKING AN EVEN BIGGER BET ON WHAT WILL BE PART OF THE NEW LAW. OUR LISA DESJARDINS HAS THE LATEST.

>> Reporter: TO THE HIGHLY COMPLEX OVERHAULING THE U.S. TAX SYSTEM, SENATE REPUBLICANS NOW ARE ADDING THE INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED: THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE.

>> KEEPING INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TAX IN PLACE IS KEEPING THE STATUS QUO, WHICH ISN'T WORKING TOO WELL.

>> Reporter: TOP REPUBLICANS LIKE FINANCE CHAIRMAN ORRIN HATCH NOW HAVE WOVEN A REPEAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE, OR THE REQUIREMENT TO BUY INURANCE, INTO THE SENATE TAX CUT BILL. WHY? REPEAL THE MANDATE AND FEWER AMERICANS SIGN UP FOR SUBSIDIZED PLANS AND FOR MEDICAID, SAVING THE GOVERNMENT OVER $300 BILLION WHICH G.O.P. SENATORS WANT TO USE FOR MORE TAX CUTS.

>> WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS, WE ARE CUTTING TAXES FOR LOW-INCOME EARNERS WHO ARE BEING HIT HARDEST BY THE MANDATE TAX, AND THEN PROVIDING ADDITIONAL TAX RELIEF THROUGH AN EXPANDED PER-CHILD TAX CREDIT AND LOWER RATES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INCOME TAX STRUCTURE, SO THAT MIDDLE INCOME FAMILIES ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE MOST.

>> Reporter: DEMOCRATS ARE ERUPTING WITH OBJECTIONS.

>> THIS TAX BILL IS NOW OFFICIALLY A HEALTHCARE BILL. AN ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT HEALTHCARE BILL WITH CONSEQUENCES FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS.

>> BY TRYING TO USE A BACKDOOR APPROACH TO REPEALING THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, THIS BILL WOULD CAUSE 13 MILLION PEOPLE TO LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE AND PREMIUMS TO GO UP 10% EACH YEAR.

>> Reporter: THOSE ARE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE FIGURES. REPUBLICANS ARGUE THAT THOSE WITHOUT INSURANCE SHOULD GET THE CHOICE TO TURN IT DOWN. HOUSE LEADERS ARE CONSIDERING ADDING A MANDATE REPEAL AS WELL.

>> THE RULE PROVIDES FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. ONE-- THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT.

>> Reporter: EVEN AS RULES CHAIRMAN PETE SESSIONS AND OTHERS PREPARE FOR A FULL HOUSE VOTE ON THEIR TAX CUT BILL TOMORROW, ARGUING LOWER TAXES FOR PEOPLE AND CORPORATIONS WILL SPARK GROWTH.

>> I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THIS BOOM, THIS BIG OPPORTUNITY UNDERWAY TO CONTINUE.

>> Reporter: BUT YESTERDAY, IN FRONT OF TRUMP ECONOMIC ADVISOR GARY COHN, SOME TOP C.E.O.s WERE LESS ENTHUSIASTIC.

>> IF THE TAX BILL GOES THROUGH, DO YOU PLAN TO INCREASE INVESTMENT, YOUR COMPANY'S CAPITAL INVESTMENT? JUST A SHOW OF HANDS, IF TAX REFORM GOES THROUGH?

>> Reporter: FEW HANDS WENT UP.

>> WHY AREN'T THE OTHER HANDS UP?

>> Reporter: OF COURSE, THE RAISED HANDS THAT MATTER NEXT ARE THOSE IN CONGRESS, WHERE REPUBLICANS IN BOTH CHAMBERS ARE MOVING QUICKLY ON WHAT COULD BE AN UNPRECEDENTED SWEEPING TAX AND HEALTH BILL.

>> Sreenivasan: EVEN AS THE HOUSE MOVES TOWARD PASSING ITS BILL, THERE ARE STILL MAJOR ISSUES AFFECTING PEOPLE'S POCKETBOOKS THAT HAVE TO BE RESOLVED BEFORE A TAX OVERHAUL BECOMES LAW. HEALTH CARE IS, OF COURSE, VERY MUCH PART OF THAT MIX. LISA DESJARDINS IS HERE WITH US NOW, ALONG WITH SARAH KLIFF OF VOX. SO, LISA, LET'S START WITH WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO DO.

>> OKAY, SO SENATE REPUBLICANS WANTED MORE MONEY SO THEY COULD PASS MORE TAX CUTS AS PART OF THEIR PLAN, PUTTING THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE REPEAL IN THEIR BILL GIVES THEM MORE MONEY. BUT THE PROBLEM, HARI, IS IT ALWAYS AUSTRALIA COULD CAUSE SOME DESTABILIZATION IN THE INDIVIDUAL HEALTH CARE MARKETS. SO THERE'S ACTUALLY A PART TWO OF THIS DEAL. SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE ALSO SAYING THEY WILL HAVE A SEPARATE VOTE ON A BILL THAT WOULD STABILIZE THE MARKET SOME. THAT'S THE MARIE ALEXANDER BILL WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IN THE PAST, THAT WOULD PAY FOR THOSE COST-SHARING SUBSIDIES THAT THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE WANTED TO END AND CONGRESS HAD TO DEAL WITH. REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN HOLDING ON TO THAT BILL. THEY SAY NOW THEY'LL PASS IT, BUT IT'S PART OF THIS PACKAGE WHERE THEY WOULD ALSO REPEAL THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. THOSE ARE SOME THINGS THAT COULD HAVE CROSS-EFFECTS, BUT THIS IS WHAT REPUBLICANS ARE DOING, ESSENTIALLY, TO TRY TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THEIR TAX CUT BILL AND SAY THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING ON OBAMACARE.

>> Sreenivasan: SARA, THERE ARE ALREADY PEOPLE LINED UP SAYING THEY HAVE CONCERN ABOUT REPEALING THE MA MANDATE.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF WORRY IT WOULD DESTABILIZE THE INSURANCE MARKETS. WE SAW VERY QUICKLY YESTERDAY A JOINT LETTER FROM THE HOSPITALS, THE INSURANCE COMPANIES, THE DORKZ SAYING, WE DON'T WANT YOU TO DO THIS. WE THINK THIS WOULD BE BAD FOR PEOPLE." IT'S ABOUT TWO THINGS. FIRST IS PEOPLE LOSING COVERAGE. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES 13 MILLION WILL LOSE COVERAGE IF THE MANDATE WENT AWAY AND THE SECOND IS ABOUT RISING PREMIUMS. IF THERE IS NOT A REQUIREMENT TO BUY INSURANCE, THE EXPECTATION IS A LOT OF YOUNG, HEALTHY PEOPLE WOULD SIT OUT THE MARKET AND IT WOULD RAISE PREMIUMS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. IF WE GO BACK TO THE CBO, THEY ESTIMATE A 20% TO 25% INCREASE IN THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET.

>> Sreenivasan: THERE ARE ALSO PEOPLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ESTIMATES THEMSELVES AND WHETHER WE CAN BELIEVE THAT, WHETHER IT'S OVERLY OPTIMISTIC, OR WHETHER, YOU KNOW, THE MANDATE HAS THE SORT OF MAGICAL SOLUTION TO THIS ALL.

>> YEAH, THIS IS SOMETHING REPUBLICANS HAVE RAISED REALLY SINCE THE REPEAL DEBATE EARLIER THIS YEAR, WHERE THEY ARGUE THAT THE C.B.O. OVERESTIMATES THE EFFECT OF THE MANDATE. THEY THINK THIS FINE REALLY ISN'T THE REASON PEOPLE BUY INSURANCES. THAT THERE ARE SUBSIDIES, THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANT HEALTH CARE. IT'S AN ISSUE THE CRITICISM B.O. TAKES SERIOUSLY.

>> Sreenivasan: SO PUTTING THE MANDATE ASIDE JUST FOR A SECOND, THERE'S STILL A LOT TO BE HASHED OUT IN THE TAX PLAN. THERE'S MORTGAGE DEDUCTION, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES THAT STILL HAVE TO BE SORTED OUT.

>> THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S JUST THE BEGINNING OF IT. THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES RIGHT NOW THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE TO WORK OUT-- STATE AND LOCAL TAX DEDUCTIONS THAT MANY AMERICANS GET. NOT JUST MANY AMERICANS. IT'S ACTUALLY THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS WHO MAKE OVER $50,000, AND EVEN 10% WHO MAKE UNDER, TAKE WHAT THEY PAY IN THEIR STATE AND LOCAL TAXES, THEY GET A TAX BREAK ON IT, ON THE FEDERAL. THE SENATE DEAL WOULD END ALL OF THAT. BUT THERE ARE SOME SENATORS WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT HOW THAT AFFECTS THEIR STATES. AND, OF COURSE, IN THE HOUSE, THERE ARE MANY HOUSE REPUBLICANS WHO CAN'T SUPPORT THAT GOES THAT FAR. IN THE HOUSE THEY WOULD ALLOW A $10,000 DEDUCTION ON PROPERTY TAXES. WE WILL SEE IF THESE TWO VERSIONS COME TOGETHER. BUT AS WE TALK ABOUT THE HEALTH CARE ISSUE, THAT'S ONE ISSUE THAT CONCERNS A FEW REPUBLICANS, AND THEN THERE'S THE SEPARATE ONE STATE AND LOCAL TAXES THAT IS STILL VERY MUCH IN THE MIX.

>> Sreenivasan: GIVEN ALL OF THESE COSTS, SARAH, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE GOES FORWARD OR NOT, IT SEEMS THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME TRIGGERS, MANDATORY CUTS THAT HAPPEN IF THEY CROSS OVER THE AMOUNT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SPEND

>> THIS IS ANOTHER THEY THINK CAME UP THIS WEEK IN A GROWING PILE OF OBSTACLES TO TAX REFORMS. THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PUT OUT A LETTER SAYING THIS WOULD TRIGGER MANDATORY CUTS, THAT THE TAX CUTS ARE BIGGER THAN THE SPENDING CUTS. AND THEY ESTIMATE THIS WOULD AMOUNT TO A $25 BILLION CUT PER YEAR TO MEDICARE. NOW, REPUBLICAN SENATORS, PEOPLE WE ARE TALKING TO SAY THIS ISN'T THE FINAL BILL. WE'RE STILL WORKING ON IT. WE'RE TRYING TO SORT THIS OUT. THIS IS WHY WE ADDED INDIVIDUAL MANDATE REPEAL. BUT IT CERTAINLY IS KIND OF A SPECTER HANGING OUT THERE, AND SOMETHING I DON'T THINK REPUBLICANS WANT TO SEE THIS BILL BRANDED AS A BIG MEDICARE CUT.

>> Sreenivasan: ONE OF THE-- GO AHEAD, SORRY.

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S RIGHT. AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE SEEING KIND OF SOME DOUBTS. AND THEY ALSO SAY THEY COULD JUST SORT OF VOTE TO REMOVE THAT REQUIREMENT IN LATER YEARS. WE'LL SEE.

>> Sreenivasan: ONE OF THE CONCERNS HAS BEEN THAT THIS IS A LARGE WEALTH TRANSFER FROM MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS TO CORPORATIONS. I MEAN, THAT MIGHT BE OVERLY SIMPLISTIC BUT YOU CAN HEAR THAT RESINATING.

>> IT'S NOTABLE THAT IN THE SENATE BILL WHAT, THEY DID WITH THIS EXTRA MONEY FROM THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE IS THEY EXTENDED THE CORPORATE TAX CUT SO THAT THEY'RE PERMANENT BUT NOT THE INDIVIDUAL TAX CUTS. THOSE WOULD EXPIRE IN THE SENATE BILL IN 2025. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE GET SOMETHING CRITICISM FOR.

>> Sreenivasan: OKAY, LET'S TALK ABOUT JUST THE POLITICS OF IT. DO THEY HAVE THE VOTES? HOW LIKELY IS THIS?

>> IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU TALK TO. THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE VOTES TO INCLUDE THIS INDIVIDUAL MANDATE REPEAL. THAT SEEMS TO BE FULL STEAM AHEAD IN THE SENATE. BUT FOR THE ENTIRE BILL, THERE WAS ONE BIG RUT-ROH, AND JOHNSON SAID HE COULD NOT VOTE FOR IT OR ANY OF THE ISSUES YET, AND HOW IT HANDLES THE SMALLER BUSINESSES, BASICALLY OWNER-OPERATE BUSINESSES. HE SAYS THEY WOULDN'T GET THE SAME TAX CUT AS CORPORATIONS. HE CAN'T VOTE FOR THIS BILL. THAT'S ONE VOTE NOW. THAT MEANS THEY CAN'T LOSE BUT ONE MORE, AND WE HAVE PEOPLE WITH PROBLEMS WITH THE DEFICIT, PEOPLE WORRYING CONCERNS, LIEB THE STATE AND LOCAL TAXES. IT MEANS IT'S VERY CLOSE IN THE SENATE RIGHT NOW.

>> Sreenivasan: SARAH, WHAT ABOUT ALL THE CONCERNS THE LEGISLATURE HAD WHEN HEALTH CARE CAME AROUND FIRST TIME AROUND? ARE ANY OF THOSE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS GOING TO STICK TO THEIR GUNS ON THE ISSUES THEY FELT WERE FAULTY ABOUT THIS OR SAY THE TAX IS TOO BIG FOR TO US GIVE UP AND WE ARE GOING TO VOTE?

>> I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE WAITING TO SEE. A LOT OF THE CONCERNS WERE ABOUT PROCESS. IF WE SAW JOHN McCAIN FROM ARIZONA, HE WAS LESS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE BILL AND THAT IS WAS SO RUSHED. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A WEEK TO CONSIDER THE BILL INSTEAD OF A FEW HOURS. I THINK SOMEONE ELSE TO WATCH WOULD BE SOMEONE LIKE SUSAN COLLINS FROM MAINE WHO VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT THE LOZ OF INSURANCE COVERAGE. SHE IS STUDYING THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE SITUATION PRETTY CLOSELY. I DON'T KNOW. IF SHE'S OKAY WITH THE LOSS OF COVERAGE OF 13 MILLION PEOPLE, THE C.B.O.'S ESTIMATE.

>> Sreenivasan: ALL RIGHT, SARAH KLIFF, AND LISA DESJARDINS, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> Sreenivasan: THE RUTHLESS RULE OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST HEAD OF STATE APPEARS TO BE COMING TO AN END. ZIMBABWE'S 93-YEAR-OLD PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE IS THE ONLY LEADER HIS NATION HAS KNOWN SINCE ITS INDEPENDENCE FROM BRITAIN IN 1980. AND, TONIGHT, HE IS UNDER HOUSE ARREST IN HIS GILDED MANSION, DETAINED BY ELEMENTS OF HIS OWN MILITARY. WE BEGIN WITH A REPORT FROM MARTIN GEISSLER OF INDEPENDENT TELEVISION NEWS IN THE CAPITAL, HARARE.

>> Reporter: THERE IS A NEW AUTHORITY IN ZIMBABWE TODAY, AND IT WEARS MILITARY FATIGUES. THE GENERALS SAY THIS IS NOT A COUP, BUT WITH SOLDIERS ON THE STREETS IN HARARE AND ARMY HARDWARE STATIONED AT THE JUNCTIONS, IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE ONE.

>> WE WISH TO MAKE IT ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT A MILITARY TAKEOVER OF GOVERNMENT. WHAT THE ZIMBABWE DEFENSE FORCES IS DOING IS TO PACIFY A DEGENERATING POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SITUATION IN OUR COUNTRY, WHICH IF NOT ADDRESSED, MAY DISSOLVE IN A VIOLENT CONFLICT.

>> Reporter: THE OTHER MESSAGE THE MILITARY WANTED TO BROADCAST TODAY WAS THAT PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE IS SAFE. THE MAN WHO'S RULED ZIMBABWE WITH AN IRON GRIP FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS IS NOW UNDER HOUSE ARREST, BUT EVIDENTLY STILL ABLE TO CONTACT HIS FRIENDS AND ALLIES ABROAD.

>> I'VE ALSO CONTACTED HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT MUGABE, WHOM I HAD TIME TO TALK TO, AND HE IS FINE, BUT CONFINED IN HIS HOME.

>> Reporter: MUGABE'S GOVERNMENT HAS TURNED THIS ONCE-RICH COUNTRY INTO A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE QUEUE OUTSIDE THE BANKS TO COLLECT ENOUGH CASH TO BUY BREAD. INCREASINGLY FRAIL, THE DICTATOR WANTED TO HAND THE PRESIDENCY TO HIS WIFE, GRACE. BUT THE EVENTS OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS COULD SEE MUGABE REPLACED INSTEAD BY EMERSON MNANGAGWA, THE DEPUTY HE SACKED EARLIER THIS MONTH. LONG-STANDING MUGABE ALLIES NOW SPEAK OUT AGAINST HIM.

>> WHAT ZIMBABWE'S BEEN SLIDING INTO WAS A STATE OF CHAOS. AND FOR THAT REASON, WAR VETERANS HERE DO STAND WITH ZIMBABWE'S DEFENSE FORCES.

>> Reporter: AS THE ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS ROLL ALONG ZIMBABWE'S ROADS, THE MILITARY HAS CALLED FOR CALM BUT NOTHING IS CERTAIN HERE, NOT YET. THE ATMOSPHERE IN HARARE IS SUBDUED. IT'S NOT OPPRESSIVE, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT CELEBRATORY. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE UNDERSTANDABLY CAUTIOUS. THEY'RE JUST WAITING AND WATCHING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT. THERE WAS GUNFIRE IN HARARE OVERNIGHT. SOME ELEMENTS OF THE SECURITY FORCES, SEEMINGLY STILL LOYAL TO THE PRESIDENT. BUT MANY OF THE MEN WHO USED TO DO HIS BIDDING ARE NOW TRYING TO PUSH THIS CRIPPLED COUNTRY INTO A NEW ERA.

>> Sreenivasan: SINCE MARTIN GEISSLER FILED THAT REPORT, THERE ARE REPORTS THAT GOVERNMENT MINISTERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, AND OTHERS ARE FLEEING THEIR HOMES. IN ADDITION, THE POLICE HAVE REPORTEDLY BEEN SHUT DOWN, AND THEIR COMMISSIONER DETAINED. FOR MORE ON THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND, AND THE WIDER COUNTRY, I SPOKE EARLIER AGO VIA SKYPE WITH FREELANCE JOURNALIST TATIRA ZWINOIRA. I BEGAN BY ASKING HIM WHAT THE GENERAL MOOD WAS THERE.

>> BELIEVE IT OR NOT, PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY HAPPY. THEY SAY IT'S A MILITARY TAKEOVER, BUT IN ACTUAL ESSENCE, IT'S A COUP, BECAUSE PRESIDENT MUGABE IS AN ELECTED PRESIDENT. SO PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO USE WORD, BUT THEN BY DEFINITION OF THE ACTION, IT'S A COUP. BUT PEOPLE ARE NOT UPSET. PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY HAPPY. ACTUALLY, SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERVIEWED BY SOME OF THE LOCAL MEDIA HOUSES WERE ACTUALLY SAYING THAT THIS WAS ACTUALLY TOO LONG, IT TOOK TOO LONG, MILITARY INTERVENTION. SO PEOPLE WERE ACTUALLY HAPPY. BUSINESSES CARRIED ON AS USUAL. ALTHOUGH, BANKS CLOSED, AND OTHER COMPANIES CLOSED AROUND 1:00 DURING THE DAY.

>> Sreenivasan: ARE THE PEOPLE THAT TOOK OVER FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN POWER NOW?

>> WELL, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING USED BY THE GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ZANU-PF PARTY, THE RULING PARTY HEADED BY PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE. THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING USED TO KIND OF CONTROL THE ECONOMY, CONTROL THE GOVERNMENT, AND CONTROL THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY. SO YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF THEN ARE THEY GOING TO BRING ANYTHING DIFFERENT AT THE END OF THE DAY? I MEAN, IF THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING USED, WHAT CAN THEY BRING WHICH IS DIFFERENT?

>> Sreenivasan: WHAT CAN NEIGHBORING NATIONS, SAY SOUTH AFRICA, OR EVEN THE AFRICAN UNION, DO ABOUT THIS OR WHAT ARE THEY INTERESTED IN DOING ABOUT THIS?

>> WELL, THAT'S ANOTHER REASON-- BEFORE I ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THIS POINT. THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY THEY'RE NOT CALLING IT A COUP BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF THE A.U., AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY COMING IN. IF THEY CALL IT A COUP, THEN THEY'LL HAVE PRECEDENCE TO COME INTO ZIMBABWE AND SAY, "LOOK, HOLD ON. THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ZIMBABWE. WE SHOULD COME IN. OF NOW COMING BACK TO YOU QUESTION, A.U. SEEMS TO BE SAYING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS MILITARY INTERVENTION IS NOT WANTED. IT'S UNWARRANTED. THE THINGS MUST RETURN BACK TO NORMAL. THINGS MUST REMAIN CALM. PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA OF SOUTH AFRICA ACTUALLY CALLED FOR CALM AND ACTUALLY PROMISED TO SEND TWO ENENJOYS TO TRY TO MEDIATE BETWEEN THE ARMY AND THE GOVERNMENT. WE WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE. BUT GENERALLY, THEY DON'T WANT THIS MILITARY INTERVENTION.

>> Sreenivasan: ALL RIGHT, TATIRA ZWINOIRA JOINING US VIA SKYPE FROM JUST OUTSIDE HARARE, THANKS SO MUCH.

>> ALL

>> Sreenivasan: STAY WITH US. COMING UP ON THE NEWSHOUR: ASTRONAUT SCOTT KELLY TALKS ABOUT RETURNING TO EARTH AFTER SPENDING A YEAR IN SPACE. BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL AISLE WEIGH IN ON THE FALLOUT OVER SENATE CANDIDATE ROY MOORE. AND, COMEDIAN TIG NOTARO TALKS ABOUT FINDING THE HUMOR IN LIFE'S UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENTS. BUT FIRST, IN RECENT WEEKS, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE TAKEN TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHARE THEIR PERSONAL STORIES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT, USING THE HASHTAG #METOO. THE WOMAN BEHIND THE ORIGINAL "ME TOO" CAMPAIGN WANTS TO MAKE SURE MARGINALIZED VOICES AREN'T LOST IN THE CURRENT CONVERSATION. TARANA BURKE CREATED "JUST BE, INC." MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. IT'S A NON-PROFIT FOCUSED ON GIVING RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR GRAPPLING WITH SEXUAL TRAUMA AND HARASSMENT. TARANA BURKE, WELCOME.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FIRST, WHY DID YOU START THIS 10 YEARS AGO? WHAT WAS BEHIND IT?

>> WELL, I'M A SURVIVOR OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND I WAS WORKING WITH YOUNG WOMEN WHO WERE DISCLOSING THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE. AND MY FRIEND AND I STARTED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED JUST BE INC. TO WORK WITH YOUNG GIRLS, AND WE REALIZED WE NEEDED TO SHIFT AND START DEALING WITH THE ISSUE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY WE WERE IN.

>> Sreenivasan: WAS THERE A PARTICULAR CASE THAT SPOKE TO YOU?

>> WELL, THERE WERE SEVERAL CASES BUT, YOU KNOW, SOME YEARS BEFORE WE STARTED THIS WORK, THERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD COME TO ME WITH HER STORY AT A TIME IN MY LIFE WHEN I REALLY WASN'T EQUIPPED TO HANDLE IT. AND I FELT A REAL DEBT TO HER IN WANTING TO DO SOME WORK THAT WOULD COVER THE WORK THAT I DIDN'T DO AT THAT TIME.

>> Sreenivasan: YOU DIDN'T SAY, "ME, TOO" TO HER AT THAT TIME.

>> I DIDN'T.

>> Sreenivasan: THIS IS AN OFFSHOOT OF THAT. WHEN YOU SAW THIS CONVERSATION GO NATIONAL, GO VIRAL IN THIS WAY, WHAT CAME TO MIND?

>> FIRST I WONDERED HOW OUR WORK WOULD BE UPLIFTED IN THAT MOMENT, RIGHT? AND I REALIZED THAT I NEEDED TO INSERT MYSELF IN THE CONVERSATION FOR A FEW REASONS. ONE, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MARGINALIZED VOICES I REPRESENT WEREN'T ERASED. BUT, ALSO, TO PROVIDE PEOPLE SOME CONTEXT FOR THE USE OF "ME TOO." WE HAVE A THEORY CALLED EMPOWERMENTAL EMPATHY, AND I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO GROUND THE CONVERSATION IN A BODY OF WORK.

>> Sreenivasan: YOU'VE SAID BEFORE THAT SEXUAL VIOLENCE DOESN'T SEE RACE OR CLASS, BUT THE RESPONSE TO IT DOES. TELL ME WHAT THAT MEANS.

>> THAT MEANS WHEN WE SEE THINGS LIKE HARVEY WEINSTEIN HAVING DOZENS AND DOZENS OF ACCUSERS, AND THE ONLY PERSON HE RESPONDS TO IS LUPITA NYONG'O, AND THE BLACK WOMEN MEANS SOMETHING. IT ALSO MEANS WHEN YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE POWERFUL, RICH, WEALTHY MEN WHO ARE WHITE AND ATTACKING-- OR VICTIMIZING WHITE WOMEN, GETS ALL OF THIS ATTENTION, BUT YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE R. KELLY, A KNOWN SEXUAL PREDATOR FOR TWO DECADES, BUT HIS VICTIMS ARE ALL BLACK GIRLS.

>> Sreenivasan: WHY DO YOU THINK THAT DISPARITY EXISTS?

>> WELL I THINK IT'S ROOTED IN THE OPPRESSION THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR FACE IN THIS COUNTRY. I ALSO THINK IT'S ROOTED IN THE WAY WE'RE SOCIALIZED TO THINK ABOUT BLACK GIRLS AND WOMEN OF COLOR. WE'RE SOCIALIZED TO NOT BELIEVE BLACK WOMEN. WE'RE SOCIALIZED TO BELIEVE WE ARE FAST AND SEXUALLY PROMISCUOUS, AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. SO WHEN PEOPLE LOOKALITY R. KELLY'S VICTIMS, THEY DON'T SEE GIRLS, LITTLE CHILDREN. THEY SEE WOMEN.

>> Sreenivasan: SO WHAT COMES NEXT IN THIS CONVERSATION? HOW DO YOU TAKE IT FROM A HASHTAG TO THE REAL WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE?

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I ASSERTED MYSELF, RIGHT. THE WORK WAS ALREADY BEING DONE AND WE WANT TO EXPAND ON THAT. I THINK WHAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST MONTH IS MASS DISCLOSURE ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA, AND AS MUCH AS THAT IS EMPOWERING, IT IS ALSO PROBLEMATIC IN SOME WAYS. PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO PROCESS. PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A WAY TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THEY DISCLOSE THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH SEXUAL VIOLENCE. AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO DO IS REALLY SUPPORT SURVIVORS. WE WANT TO FIND WAYS TO GIVE RESOURCES TO PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T HAVE RESOURCES. AND WE ALSO WANT TO ACTIVATE FOLKS WHO ARE READY TO DO THE WORK OF ENDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE.

>> Sreenivasan: YOU HAVE ALSO SAID THAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE STRUCTURAL KIND OF INEQUITIES, DIMINISH DEFICIENCIES, NOT JUST THE EDGE CASES. LET'S NOT JUST FOCUS ON HARVEY WEINSTEIN, BUT THE FORCES AT WORK BEHIND IT.

>> RIGHT. I THINK THAT IT'S A MISTAKE FOR US TO KEEP CREATING BOGEYMEN. EVERY DAY, LITERALLY, THERE'S A NEW BETTER THAN PRN THAT COMES OUT, AND EVERYBODY HAS SHOCK AND AWE, "OH, MY GOD, I CAN'T BELIEVE SO-AND-SO DID THIS." AND THE REALITY IS THAT THOSE PEOPLE OPERATE WITHIN SYSTEMS THAT ALLOW THEM TO FLOURISH. WHEN WE LOOK AT PATRIARCHY, WHEN WE LOOK AT CAPITALISM, THESE ARE SYSTEMS IN PLACE THAT ALLOW HARVEY WEINSTEIN, BILL COSBY, AND EVEN R.ES CAN SPELL TOW EXIST BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MORE INVESTED IN THOSE SYSTEMS THAN IN HUMAN DIGNITY I THINK MEN NEED TO BE PROACTIVE. I THINK THEY DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR WOMEN TO LEAD THE WAY. THIS IS REALLY IT'S THING THAT TROUBLES ME OFTENTIMES MEN SAY, "I WANT TO BE BETTER BECAUSE I HAVE A DAUGHTER, BECAUSE I HAVE A WIFE." AND, REALLY TSHOULD BE, "I WANT TO BE BETTER BECAUSE I'M A HUMAN BEING AND I RECOGNIZE THAT WOMEN ARE HUMAN BEINGS AND I SHOULD BE HONORING THEIR DIGNITY AND HUMANITY, AND NOT JUST BECAUSE I'M CONNECTED, HAVE A FAMILIAR CONNECTION." MEN NEED TO BE PROACTIVE, NEED TO DO RESEARCH. THERE ARE TONS OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELP MEN UNDERSTAND PATRIARCHY AND PRIVILEGE AND THEY NEED TO START DISMANTLING THOSE THINGS.

>> Sreenivasan: THERE'S A PIECE OF LEGISLATION ON CAPITOL HILL RIGHT NOW THAT HAS THE TITLE "ME TOO" IN THE TITLE. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE BEHIND?

>> NO, I'M NOT BEHIND IT. AND I DON'T EYE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF IT. SO THERE WAS A "ME TOO" CONGRESS HASHTAG THAT CAME ABOUT, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS POWERFUL THAT PEOPLE IN CONGRESS WERE STEPPING FORWARD AND TALKING ABOUT THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT THAT THEY FACE IN CONGRESS. BUT THE WAY THIS BILL IS BEING FRAMED, I THINK PEOPLE ARE THINKING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE ACROSS THE BOARD WHEN IT'S NOT. JUST USING THE NAME "ME TOO" FEELS LIKE IT'S TRADING ON THE POPULARITY OF THE MOMENT, WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S DOING THAT. BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO BE MORE CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT A BILL THAT'S GOING TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE. IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORK ON CAPITOL HILL.

>> Sreenivasan: DO YOU THINK ALL OF THIS ATTENTION IS AN ACTUAL TIPPING POINT, OR ARE WE GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE NEXT MOVEMENT, THE TRENDS?

>> IT'S DEFINITELY A VIRAL MOMENT, AND I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, AND THAT'S FINE. I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY CAUGHT UP IN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, IS THIS GOING TO BE A VIRAL MOMENT? WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IS WHAT WE ALLOW TO HAPPEN. THE WORK ALREADY EXISTED. THE WORK WILL CONTINUE. AND I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A TIPPING POINT. THIS IS A PLACE WHERE-- THIS IS A CULTURAL SHIFT. AND I'M GOING TO DO THE BEST I CAN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND CONTINUE THIS WORK FAR BEYOND THE HASHTAG.

>> Sreenivasan: ALL RIGHT, TARANA BURKE, THE CREATOR OF THE "ME TOO" MOVEMENT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Sreenivasan: IT'S A DREAM MANY HAVE HAD: TRAVELING INTO SPACE, AND THEN, EVEN LIVING IN SPACE FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME. JUST A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE ON THE PLANET HAVE DONE IT FOR GREAT LENGTHS OF TIME. THAT INCLUDES AMERICAN ASTRONAUT SCOTT KELLY. NATURALLY, OUR MILES O'BRIEN HAD LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HUMAN BODY, AND TO THE PERSON, ONCE BACK ON EARTH. IT'S PART OF OUR WEEKLY SERIES ABOUT THE "LEADING EDGE" OF SCIENCE.

>> Reporter: A YEAR IN SPACE IS NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. SCOTT KELLY FOUND THAT OUT ABOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FROM MARCH 2015 UNTIL MARCH 2016. NOW THAT HE IS FIRMLY ANCHORED ON TERRA FIRMA, HE'S OUT WITH A MEMOIR, "ENDURANCE," AND A SEQUEL TO THE PBS FILM "A YEAR IN SPACE," APTLY TITLED "BEYOND A YEAR IN SPACE." BOTH BOOK AND FILM DETAIL HIS SLOW, DIZZY PAINFUL RETURN TO THE PULL OF GRAVITY. DID YOU GET THE SENSE THAT YOU'RE HURTING YOURSELF?

>> AT TIMES, YES. ESPECIALLY WHEN I GOT BACK AND I DIDN'T FEEL GREAT AND YOUR BODY IS REACTING TO GRAVITY AGAIN, IT'S SOMETHING I THINK ALL ASTRONAUTS ARE AWARE OF. THERE'S RISK INVOLVED. FROM BEING IN SPACE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

>> Reporter: ASTRONAUTS RETURNING FROM LONG DURATION SPACE FLIGHTS ROUTINELY COMPLAIN OF BEING ACHY, CONFUSED AND DELIRIOUS; FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS. THEIR FEET ARE TENDER FROM LACK OF USE, AND FOR THE SAME REASON, THEIR BONES ARE WEAKER TOO. TWO ASTRONAUTS WHO SPENT LONG STINTS ON THE STATION BROKE THEIR HIPS NOT LONG AFTER LANDING. AND FOR REASONS NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD, THEIR VISION IS IMPACTED TOO. FOR SOME, PERMANENTLY. RIGHT NOW, WHAT'S YOUR VISION LIKE? IS IT THE WAY IT WAS, HAS IT GOTTEN WORSE, WHAT HAPPENED?

>> IT'S BACK TO WHERE IT WAS BEFORE I FLEW. YOU KNOW, IN SPACE, MY VISION IS AFFECTED BECAUSE I THINK OF THE FLUID SHIFT. YOUR EYEBALL CHANGES A LITTLE BIT OF SHAPE, WHEN YOUR HEAD IS MORE FULL OF FLUID. I THINK THE FLUID SHIFTS EXPERIMENT, HOWEVER, WAS TO LOOK AT KIND OF LONG-TERM EFFECTS AND DAMAGE THAT OCCURS TO THE STRUCTURES IN OUR EYES.

>> Reporter: DID YOU REALLY VOLUNTEER TO HAVE AN IMPLANT PUT IN YOUR HEAD TO MEASURE THIS?

>> I ACTUALLY DID. I PUSHED FOR IT, BUT I ALSO KNOW HOW CONSERVATIVE NASA COULD BE. SO--

>> Reporter: SO, YOU KNEW THEY'D SAY NO? IT WAS EASY TO VOLUNTEER ON THIS ONE.

>> I WOULD HAVE DONE IT. I WAS A WILLING PARTICIPANT, BUT I KNEW THE ODDS OF THEM ACTUALLY TAKING A DRILL TO MY SKULL. IT WAS VERY UNLIKELY.

>> Reporter: NASA DID TAKE HIM UP ON ANOTHER OFFER IN THE GUINEA PIG CATEGORY. HE AND HIS TWIN BROTHER MARK, A FORMER ASTRONAUT HIMSELF, AGREED TO BE CONSTANTLY TESTED BEFORE DURING AND AFTER THE MISSION. THEIR NEARLY IDENTICAL GENOMES OFFERED SCIENTISTS A WAY TO CONTROL STUDIES ON HOW SPACE TRAVEL AFFECTS THE HUMAN BODY. "BEYOND A YEAR IN SPACE" TAKES US INSIDE HIS REUNION WITH HIS BROTHER AND HIS FIANCÉE, AMIKO KAUDERER.

>> WELCOME HOME! BACK TO EARTH.

>> YOU KNOW, I'VE SERVED THE GOVERNMENT FOR 30 YEARS.

>> WELL, I HAVE A TOWEL.

>> AND I FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT SPACE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. I WOULD NEVER RULE OUT FLYING IN SPACE AGAIN, BUT I THINK IT'S PROBABLY UNLIKELY.

>> Reporter: AND IT GIVES US A GLIMPSE INTO THE NON-GLAMOROUS SIDE OF THESE TWIN ASTRONAUTS AS LAB RATS.

>> YOU KNOW, WE FIGURED OUT I'VE SPENT 40 HOURS IN THAT MACHINE.

>> I'VE GOT TO GO DO SOME SCIENCE IN THE BATHROOM. I'LL BE RIGHT BACK. THEY HAVE MORE GENETIC INFORMATION ON MY BROTHER AND I THAN THEY DO OF ANY OTHER PEOPLE. EVER.

>> YEAH, YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE A COUPLE POUNDS HERE.

>> Reporter: OUR ATMOSPHERE AND MAGNETIC FIELD PROTECT US FROM THE HIGH LEVELS OF RADIATION FOUND IN SPACE. SO EXPOSURE TO RADIATION IS ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS FOR ASTRONAUTS HEADED TO MARS. IN HIS BOOK, KELLY WRITES ABOUT CLOSING HIS EYES AT NIGHT AND SEEING FLASHES FROM RADIOACTIVE IONS. YOU DO TAKE A HEALTHY DOSE UP OF RADIATION WHEN YOU ARE UP THERE, DON'T YOU?

>> SO, YOU KNOW IT'S SOMETHING YOU THINK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE THOSE FLASHES AND YOU REALIZE, "HEY, THAT COSMIC RAY DIDN'T JUST GO THROUGH MY EYE. IT WENT THROUGH MY BRAIN."

>> Reporter: I FORGOT WHAT YOU SAY, IT WAS SEVERAL CHEST X-RAYS A DAY.

>> YEAH, TEN, SOMETIMES NEAR 20. IT VARIES. I THINK IT VARIES BASED ON THE SOLAR MAX, SOLAR MIN, THE SIZE OF THE ATMOSPHERE, THE MAGNETIC FIELD.

>> Reporter: A BOMBARDMENT OF RADIATION INCREASES THE CHANCES HUMAN CELLS AND D.N.A. WILL FORM ABNORMALITIES THAT CAN LEAD TO CANCER. AND SCOTT KELLY IS ALREADY A CANCER SURVIVOR. AS A CANCER SURVIVOR, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THEM REALLY LONG AND HARD. TELL ME HOW THAT PLAYED IN.

>> I DON'T THINK IT DID. YOU KNOW, I KIND OF LOOK AT MYSELF AS A GUY WHOSE PROSTATE HAD CANCER, AND THEN THE PROSTATE WAS REMOVED.

>> Reporter: AND YOU'VE BEEN CANCER FREE FOR HOW LONG?

>> ALMOST TEN YEARS NOW.

>> Reporter: CONGRATULATIONS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Reporter: THE AIR ABOARD THE STATION CONTAINS RELATIVELY HIGH LEVELS OF CARBON DIOXIDE. THE DEVICES ON THE STATION THAT REMOVE C.O.2 GENERATED BY HUMAN RESPIRATION ARE QUIRKY, HARD TO REPAIR, AND AS A RESULT, NASA DOES NOT RUN THEM AT FULL BLAST. IS IT UNCOMFORTABLE TO BE UP THERE FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE OF THIS?

>> I COULD ACTUALLY TELL WHAT THE C.O.2 WAS WITHOUT THE JUST BASED ON MY SYMPTOMS. I WOULD ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, AT TIMES, GET IRRITATED. AMIKO, MY FIANCÉ, SHE COULD TELL BY THE TONE OF MY VOICE AND MY MOOD WHAT THE C.O.2 WAS LIKE AT TIMES, AND SHE WOULD EVEN SAY TO ME, "SO, IS THE C.O.2 TOO HIGH TODAY?" AND I WOULD SAY, "YEAH, HOW'D YOU KNOW?" AND SHE SAID, "WELL, I COULD TELL IT BY THE WAY YOU SOUND."

>> Reporter: DESIGNING A WAY FOR HUMANS TO NOT JUST SURVIVE, BUT THRIVE, ON A MISSION TO MARS IS WHAT KELLY'S MISSION WAS ALL ABOUT. AND IT TURNS OUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RIGORS ARE AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER. DO YOU WALK AWAY FROM THIS REASONABLY OPTIMISTIC THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE WELL-ADAPTED TO DO THAT PART OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RIGORS?

>> I THINK SOME OF THEM ARE, BUT I'VE FLOWN IN SPACE WITH PEOPLE, THAT I DON'T THINK SHOULD BE SOMEONE THAT SPENDS A REALLY LONG TIME IN SPACE. I THINK IT'S FOR A CERTAIN TYPE OF PERSON. THERE IS-- YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY, MAYBE MILLIONS, THAT HAVE THE ABILITY, AND THE TOUGHNESS, IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT THAT, THE ENDURANCE TO DO A MISSION IN MARS SOMEDAY, ABSOLUTELY.

>> Reporter: BUT YOU DO MISS HOME A LOT, DON'T YOU?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, YEAH. YOU KNOW, MOST EVERYTHING IS ON EARTH. IT'S GOT A LOT TO OFFER.

>> Reporter: WOULD YOU GO TO MARS IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE?

>> AS LONG AS I HAVE THE RETURN TICKET. I WOULDN'T BE ONE OF THESE MARS ONE GUYS. ONE-WAY IS NOT FOR ME.

>> Reporter: A NEW GENERATION OF ASTRONAUTS ARE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF TRAINING FOR A ROUNDTRIP MISSION THAT WOULD LAST AT LEAST 500 DAYS. THEY HAVE ALREADY LEARNED SOME KEY LESSONS OF ENDURANCE FROM A SPACEFARER WHO'S WRITTEN THE BOOK ON IT. FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR, I'M MILES O'BRIEN, IN BOSTON.

>> Sreenivasan: AND THAT SPECIAL ABOUT SCOTT KELLY, "BEYOND A YEAR IN SPACE," AIRS TONIGHT ON MANY PBS STATIONS.

>> Sreenivasan: WE RETURN NOW TO THE POLITICAL NEWS OF THE WEEK. JOHN YANG GETS TWO DIFFERENT VIEWS.

>> Yang: FOR THAT, WE ARE JOINED BY KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, SENIOR ADVISER TO MoveOn.org, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR TO THE ONLINE WOMEN'S MAGAZINE BUSTLE, AND A VETERAN OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. AND, MATT SCHLAPP, CHAIRMAN OF THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION AND A WHITE HOUSE POLITICAL DIRECTOR FOR PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH. MATT, KARINE, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> MATT LET ME START WITH YOU AND THE RACE IN ALABAMA, THE SENATE RACE IN ALABAMA. TONIGHT THERE IS A NEWSPAPER GROUP IN ALABAMA REPORTING THERE IS NOW A SIXTH WOMAN WHO CLAIMS INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR BY ROY MOORE. THERE ARE A LOT OF LEADERS IN CONGRESS, REPUBLICAN LEADERS WHO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THEY REALLY DON'T WANT ROY MOORE TO BE A COLLEAGUE. WHAT CAN THEY DO? WHAT CAN NATIONAL REPUBLICANS DO? WHAT SHOULD THEY DO?

>> WELL, THE PROBLEM FOR THEM IS THEY DIDN'T WANT ROY MOORE TO BE THEIR COLLEAGUE, EVEN BEFORE THESE ALLEGATIONS. SO THERE'S ALWAYS GREAT ANIMOSITY BETWEEN REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE AND ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS AND ROY MOORE. LOOK, IF THESE CHARGES ARE TRUE, HE SHOULDN'T BE GOING TO THE SENATE. HE SHOULD BE GOING TO PRISON FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. I HAVE MY 14-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER HERE WITH ME HERE TONIGHT COINCIDENTALLY, AND THESE CHARGES ARE INCREDIBLY SERIOUS. I WOULD SAY IT'S HARD TO LOOK AT THIS THROUGH A POLITICAL LENS, BUT IT'S A POLITICAL RACE. AND I WOULD SIMPLY SAY THAT IT'S FOR ALABAMA REPUBLICANS TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO. AND THE MORE IT LOOKS LIKE D.C. REPUBLICANS ARE FORCING THEIR POINT OF VIEW ON THE RACE, I THINK IT WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT THAT THEY WANT. AND I THINK, ACTUAL HE, ACTUALLY REPUBLICANS-- MEN AND WOMEN IN ALABA-- ARE WRESTLING WITH ALLEGATIONS WHETHER THEY THINK THEY'RE CREDIBLE-- I CERTAINLY THINK THEY SOUND CREDIBLE-- AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO GOING FORWARD. NO MATTER WHAT ROY MOORE DOES, HIS NAME IS ON THE BALLOT ON ELECTION DAY. SO THIS IS A REALLY STRANGE SITUATION.

>> MATT YOU TALKED ABOUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO LOOK AT THIS THROUGH A POLITICAL LENS, BUT MO BROOKS AIR, REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN FROM ALABAMA, WHO LOST IN THE PRIMARY, WAS ONE OF THE THREE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES, WAS CHASED THROUGH ONE OF THE HOUSE OFFICE BUILDINGS YESTERDAY BY AN ABC NEWS REPORTER. AND WHEN THE REPORTER FINALLY GOT TO HIM, ASKED HIM WHETHER HE STILL SUPPORTED ROY MOORE, HE SAID, "I BELIEVE THAT THE DEMOCRATS WILL DO GREAT DAMAGE TO OUR COUNTRY ON A MYRIAD OF ISSUES." HE SEEMED TO BE SAYING THAT HE'D RATHER HAVE ROY MOORE THERE THAN A DEMOCRAT. WHAT'S THE-- I MEAN, HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THAT THROUGH-- HOW SHOULD REPUBLICANS BE LOOKING AT THAT?

>> IF THESE CHARGES ARE TRUE, IF I WERE A VOTER IN ALABAMA, I COULDN'T VOTE FOR HIM. IT WOULDN'T MATTER WHO RUNS THE SENATE. IT JUST-- THIS IS A-- THIS IS SO MANY BRIDGES TOO FAR. THE QUESTION THAT EACH VOTER WHAT TO WRESTLE WITH-- AND I DON'T WANT TO DO IT FOR THEM, THE VOTERS IN ALABAMA HAVE TO WRESTLE FOR THIS-- AND IT'S NOT FOR DEMOCRATIC VOTERS -- THE REPUBLICANS HAVE TO SAY DO-- YOU KNOW, "HOW I DO HANDLE THE FACT THAT THESE CHARGES SEEM TO BE CREDIBLE. IT'S MULTIPLE WOMEN. IT'S A NEW VICTIM A DAY." AND I THINK THAT ROY MOORE SHOULD GET OUT OF THE RACE. BUT EVEN WHEN HE GETS OUT OF THE RACE, HIS NAME'S ON THE BALLOT, SO THE TRICKINESS FOR THE REPUBLICANS ARE, IN ORDER TO COUNTER THAT AND NOT HAVE THE DEMOCRATS WIN-- WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT HAPPEN IF YOU'RE A PARTISAN REPUBLICAN-- IT'S COALESCING AROUND ANOTHER NAME. JEFF SESSIONS WAS RAISED. THEY WOULD HAVE TO COALESCE AROUND ANOTHER NAME AND HAVE A WRITE-IN, UNLESS LUTHER STRANGE WERE SOSOMEHOW RESIGN, THE GOVERNOR MAKE A NEW PICK TO THE SENATE, AND MAYBE WE COULD PUSH THIS ELECTION OFF UNTIL THE NEXT CYCLE.

>> KARINE, WE'VE HEARD FROM THE LEADERS IN THE SENATE, FROM MITCH McCONNELL, AND ALSO IN THE HOUSE, PAUL RYAN, SAYING THEY FIND THESE WOMEN CREDIBLE. THEY BELIEVE THESE WOMEN. TODAY, IVANKA TRUMP TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, "THERE'S A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL FOR PEOPLE WHO PREY ON CHILDREN. I'VE YET TO SEE A VALID EXPLANATION, AND I HAVE NO REASON TO DOUBT THE VICTIMS' ACCOUNTS."

>> RIGHT.

>> WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HER FATHER. SHOULD THE PRESIDENT, AS THE TOP REPUBLICAN, BE SPEAK OUT?

>> CAN I FIRST SAY, JOHN, HOW TROUBLING IT IS TO HEAR FROM A CONGRESSMAN THAT HE'D RATHER PICK A PEDOPHILE OVER A DEMOCRAT. AND TAKING POLITICS ASIDE, DOUG JONES IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERED A HERO. HE TOOK DOWN KLANSMEN WHEN A CASE WAS COLD THAT A-- A THEY SAY FROM YEARS AGO ABOUT THESE FOUR LITTLE GIRLS THAT WERE KILLED BY KLANSMEN DURING A BOMBING AT A CHURCH, AT A BAPTIST CHURCH. SO I THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY TROUBLING THAT A SITTING CONGRESSMAN IS SAYING THAT. THAT'S FIRST OF ALL. SECONDLY, ON YOUR QUESTION, JOHN, I DON'T THINK THIS PRESIDENT HAS ANY CREDIBILITY, IF EVEN IF HE WERE TO COME OUT. THIS IS A MAN THAT WAS CAUGHT ON TAPE, THE "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" TAPE JUST ABOUT A YEAR AGO THAT BRAGGED ABOUT SEXUALLY ASSAULTING WOMEN, SAYING THAT AS A STAR, THAT HE CAN DO THAT. AND THEN, RIGHT AFTER THAT, 16 WOMEN CAME OUT AND ACCUSED HIM OF DOING JUST THAT. AND REPUBLICANS DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM. BUT, YET, THEY, BECAUSE IT'S POLITICALLY, I GUESS, ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THEM NOW, NOW THEY'RE BELIEVING THIS STORY-- AS THEY SHOULD. BUT IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT REPUBLICANS ARE HAVING A HARD TIME BECAUSE THEIR PRESIDENT IS, AS FAR AS I CAN SEE, A SEXUAL PREDATOR.

>> IS THERE A WORRY, OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO BELIEVE THESE WOMEN, SOME SAY WHAT ABOUT THE WOMEN WHO BROUGHT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND THE WAY THAT THE CLINTON-- THE CLINTONS-- AND EVEN MASSACHUSETTS CLINTON TO A CERTAIN EXTENT-- CRITICIZED THOSE WOMEN?

>> HERE'S WHAT I SAY TO THAT. IF ANYTHING WE'VE LEARNED THIS PAST YEAR IS WE BELIEVE THE WOMEN, PERIOD. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BILL CLINTON. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP, WHO IS CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. BUT, YES, I THINK YOU SHOULD BELIEVE THE WOMEN.

>> WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT A CANDIDATE IN ALABAMA.

>> RIGHT, BUT I WAS JUST ASKED ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP SO THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT.

>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, DO WE TRUST VOTERS OF ALABAMA TO DO RIGHT THING ON THIS? AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE.

>> LET'S MOVE ON TO THE TAX BILL, WHICH IS GOING TO GET BIG VOTES TOMORROW ON THE HILL. THEY'RE NOW ROLLING IN-- OR IT LOOKS LIKE BOTH THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE ARE GOING TO ROLE IN A REPEAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. IS THAT A GOOD IDEA, MATT?

>> WELL, YES, OF COURSE, I'M AGAINST OBAMACARE, AND I'M AGAINST FEDERAL MANDATES AND I'M AGAINST ALL THE TAXES AND THE FINES AND FEES THAT WENT ALONG WITH THIS MANDATE. WHAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO DO NOW IN THIS TAX PLAN IS TO GET TO 50 VOTES. WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED ON OBAMACARE. THEY GOT CLOSE TO 50, BUT THEY COULDN'T QUITE GET THERE. THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT REPLAY AGAIN. THAT WOULD BE DISASTROUS. SO THEY'RE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO GET TO THE 50 VOTES. SO IF THAT REPEAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE STICKS IN THE BILL, IT'S BECAUSE IT ACTUALLY GETS THEM THE SUPPORT. AS YOU SEE CHANGES MADE TO THIS BILL-- FOR INSTANCE, RON JOHNSON, THE SENATOR FROM WISCONSIN, A REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE CAME OUT AGAINST THE BILL-- THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE SOME CHANGES TO GET HIM BACK ON BOARD. IT'S ALL ABOUT GETTING TO 50 WITH MIKE PENCE BREAKING THE TIE.

>> HE SAID HE'S AGAINST THE BILL BECAUSE HE THINKS IT WEIGHS TOO HEAVILY-- THE BENEFITS ARE TOO MUCH FOR BIG CORPORATIONS. ISN'T THAT SOMETHING THE DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN SAYING?

>> YEAH, WELL, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SMORGASBORD. RON JOHNSON IS FINE ARE WEPEELING THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. HIS CONCERN IS THE BEST PART OF THIS BILL-- AND I COMPLETELY SUPPORT IT-- IS MAKING AMERICA MORE COMPETITIVE WITH THEIR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITORS ON OUR CORPORATE TAX RATE. SO IT'S REALLY SMART TO TAKE THIS RATE BACK DOWN TO 20%. WHAT SMALL-BUSINESS ADVOCATES ARE ALSO SAYING IS BIG AMERICAN COMPANIES COMPETE WITH SMALL AMERICAN COMPANIES AND THEY SHOULD BE TAXED IN A SIMILAR WAY.

>> KARINE?

>> LOOK, I THINK REPUBLICANS ARE TRYING SO DEMS RATTILY TO PASS SOMETHING, TO SO THAT THEY CAN GOVERN BECAUSE THEY REALLY HAVE NOT SHOWN THAT AT ALL, THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PASS AN OUTRAGEOUS, SHAMEFUL PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT'S GOING TO HURT THE MIDDLE CLASS. ONE IN THREE MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS WILL BE HURT. THEIR TAXES WILL GO UP. YOU HAVE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT ARE GOING TO LOSE THEIR HEALTH CARE BECAUSE OF TAKING AWAY THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE. AND NOT ONLY THAT, THEY'RE TRYING TO GIVE BIG TAX CUTS, ESSENTIALLY, TO BIG CORPORATIONS AND MILLIONAIRES AND BILLIONAIRES, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT BY CUTTING ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS BIKER CUTTING EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND IT'S ALL TO HAVE A WIN. AND, ALSO, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THEIR BIG DONORS. AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW.

>> A TAX CUT FOR CORPORATIONS, A TAX INCREASE FOR MIDDLE AMERICS, MATT?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK IF THERE WAS ANY FLAW IN THESE BILLS, IT'S THAT THERE ACTUALLY ARE AMERICANS WHO WILL HAVE THEIR TAX GOES UP, WHICH AS A CONSERVATIVE, I DON'T BELIEVE IN. THE DIFFERENCE IS THOSE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE WHO MAKE $250,000 AND ABOVE. IN THE HOUSE BILL, THERE'S EVEN, LIKE, THIS MILLIONAIRE SURCHARGE, WHICH TAKES THE TOP RATE UP TO SOMETHING LIKE 46%. SO IT'S ACTUALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING WELL IN THE ECONOMY WHO SEE THEIR TAXES INCREASE IN THESE VERSIONS. NOW, WHAT WILL COME OUT OF THE CONFERENCE? I DON'T KNOW. I THINK IT'S AN UNFAIR CHARGE TO SAY THAT MIDDLE-CLASS AMERICANS ARE HAVING THEIR TAXES INCREASED, UNLESS YOU THINK SOMEONE WHO MAKES $1 MILLION IS MIDDLE CLASS, WHICH IS A PRETTY BIG STRETCH, RIGHT.

>> WELL, INDEPENDENT, NONPARTISAN GROUPS CENTER SAID MOST MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES WILL SEE THEIR TAXES GO UP. AND THE THING ABOUT IT-- MY FAVORITE STORY IS GARY COHEN YESTERDAY WHO DID A TOWN HALL WITH C.E.O.s AND HE ASKED THEM, "HEY, BY GIVING YOU GUYS A TAX CUT, WILL THAT GO DOWN TO YOUR EMPLOYEES?" AND VIRTUALLY NO ONE RAISED THEIR HANDS. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH HERE ON THE TAX PLAN.

>> I THINK THE TAX RATES ON CORPORATIONS, THAT REDUCTION IS TO HAVE BETTER AMERICAN COMPETITION WITH OUR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITORS.

>> THAT'S LAST WORD. MATT SCHLAPP, KARINE JEAN-PIERRE, THANKS A LOT.

>> THANKS, JOHN.

>> Sreenivasan: FINALLY TONIGHT: DAILY LIFE, DEADLY DISEASE, AND MORE. JEFFREY BROWN LOOKS AT A COMEDIAN SHAPING HER LIFE AND WORK.

>> I AM ACTUALLY A PROFESSIONAL COMEDIAN. AND IT'S USUALLY A VERY GOOD SIGN, WHEN A COMEDIAN HAS TO ANNOUNCE THAT.

>> Brown: TIG NOTARO, IN A RECENT PERFORMANCE AT THE BENTZEN BALL COMEDY FESTIVAL AT THE LINCOLN THEATER IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AFTERWARDS, I ASKED NOTARO HOW MUCH OF HER ROUTINE THAT NIGHT HAD BEEN WORKED THROUGH.

>> I JOTTED DOWN A FEW NOTES OF WHAT I WANTED TO GO OVER, BUT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW WAS ACTUALLY LAUGHING AT ME IN THE CAR RIDE DOWN FROM NEW YORK TODAY, BECAUSE I SAID WHEN WE WERE PULLING INTO D.C., "I WONDER WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY TONIGHT?" AND SHE WAS LIKE, "WHAT?" WHETHER I'M AT A PARTY OR A BAR THAT'S VERY CROWDED, I ALSO LOVE TO ACT LIKE I'VE LOST A VERY SMALL DOG. AND, THAT IS A REAL JOY, TO SEE PEOPLE LOOK FOR A DOG THAT'S NOT THERE.

>> Brown: BUT THE PERFORMANCE BECOMES ABOUT ALMOST EVERY-DAY LIFE, RIGHT?

>> DEFINITELY. IT COULDE ANYTHING. I LIKE TO GIVE MYSELF THE FREEDOM TO DO A JOKE, OR TELL A STORY, OR IMPROV, OR DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL. JUST WHATEVER STRIKES ME IN THE MOMENT.

>> Brown: FIVE YEARS AGO, NOTARO WAS ON HER WAY UP, PERFORMING STAND-UP AND APPEARING ON LATE- NIGHT TV, WHEN SHE WAS HIT WITH A SERIES OF TRAUMAS. SHE CONTRACTED AN INTESTINAL BACTERIA THAT CAN BE DEADLY. SHORTLY AFTER, HER MOTHER DIED FROM A FALL AT HER HOME. AND, THAT SUMMER, SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BILATERAL BREAST CANCER, AND UNDERWENT A DOUBLE MASTECTOMY. AT FIRST, SHE KEPT IT ALL PRIVATE, BUT THEN DECIDED TO TAKE HER COMEDY INTO THIS VERY NEW AND DARK PLACE. A PERFORMANCE IN LOS ANGELES, RECORDED ON AUDIO, WENT VIRAL.

>> GOOD EVENING. HELLO. I HAVE CANCER. HOW ARE YOU? HI, HOW ARE YOU? IS EVERYBODY HAVING A GOOD TIME? I HAVE CANCER. HOW ARE YOU? I SHARED MY STORY, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I COULD HAVE DONE FOR MYSELF, BECAUSE IT OPENED ME IN A WAY I HADN'T BEEN BEFORE.

>> Brown: AND SHE'S STILL USING THE STORY OF HER CANCER IN HER COMEDY.

>> I MEAN, IT TRULY REACHED A POINT WHERE I FELT BAD GIVING HER NEWS. I WAS ALWAYS LIKE, HOW AM I GOING TO TELL JENNY? AND THIS NEXT TIME I WAS LIKE, "JENNY, I HAVE INVASIVE CANCER. I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL EVER BE ABLE TO HAVE TEA AGAIN."

>> Brown: I WONDER, WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO THOSE DARK PLACES IN A PUBLIC WAY, ARE YOU DOING IT IN A WAY TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL COMFORTABLE, OR IS THE DISCOMFORT THE POINT?

>> I THINK I PROBABLY TRY AND DO BOTH, IF POSSIBLE. I LIKE UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENTS, BUT I ALSO WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN TRUST ME.

>> Brown: HER CAREER TOOK OFF. IN RECENT YEARS, NOTARO HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY, AND AN HBO STAND-UP SPECIAL. HER MEMOIR, "I'M JUST A PERSON," BECAME A "NEW YORK TIMES" BEST-SELLER LAST YEAR.

>> I'M HAPPILY MARRIED, FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN. ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) I TAKE OFFENSE TO THE CHEERING. IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE THRILLED THAT I'M OFF THE MARKET.

>> Brown: NOTARO IS HEALTHY NOW, AND HAS TWIN BOYS WITH HER WIFE, ACTRESS STEPHANIE ALLYNNE.

>> I FEEL LIKE WE'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. BUT THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW MOMENTS WHERE SOMEBODY COULD HAVE LEGITIMATELY CALLED CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. ( LAUGHS ) I WAS ONLY TELLING DARK STORIES AND JOKES AND MATERIAL BECAUSE I WAS IN A DARK PLACE. BUT I THINK AFTER LOSING EVERYTHING, AND THEN FINDING THE JOY AND LOVE AND BEING HEALTHY FINALLY, I MEAN, I CAN HAVE A BAD DAY OR BE IRRITATED OR TIRED BUT I REALLY DON'T HAVE A COMPLAINT.

>> Brown: SHE'S ALSO HAD SUCCESS WITH HER AMAZON SERIES, "ONE MISSISSIPPI", WHICH CO-STARS ALLYNNE. IT'S A SLIGHTLY FICTIONALIZED LOOK AT HER LIFE AFTER HER RETURN HOME TO THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST, FOLLOWING HER MOTHER'S DEATH. IT'S A COMEDY, BUT ONE THAT CONFRONTS SERIOUS SUBJECTS, INCLUDING HOMOPHOBIA:

>> IT IS POSSIBLE TO PRAY THE GAY AWAY.

>> WHAT IF I WANT TO PRAY THE GAY TO STAY?

>> Brown: THE JUST-FINISHED SECOND SEASON, WRITTEN BEFORE THE HARVEY WEINSTEIN SCANDAL BROKE, TOOK ON THE SUBJECT OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE. ONE MUCH DISCUSSED SCENE CAPTURES A WOMAN'S GROWING DISCOMFORT AT HER BOSS'S SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, DURING A MEETING. IT'S A SCENE THAT MIRRORS BEHAVIOR BY COMEDIAN LOUIS C.K. DETAILED IN A "NEW YORK TIMES" STORY LAST WEEK. C.K. IS LISTED AS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON "ONE MISSISSIPPI." NOTARO TOLD THE "TIMES," "SADLY, I'VE COME TO LEARN THAT HIS VICTIMS ARE NOT ONLY REAL, BUT MANY ARE ACTUAL FRIENDS OF MINE WITHIN THE COMEDY COMMUNITY." OUR TALK WITH NOTARO CAME BEFORE THE "TIMES" STORY, AND SHE DECLINED TO ADDRESS RUMORS ABOUT C.K. BUT SHE HAD THIS TO SAY ABOUT TACKLING SEXUAL HARASSMENT ISSUES ON HER SHOW.

>> THE ENTIRE WRITER'S ROOM OF "ONE MISSISSIPPI" IS ALL FEMALE, AND EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM HAD BEEN HARASSED, ABUSED, ASSAULTED IN SOME WAY. AND WE JUST THOUGHT IT FELT VERY TIMELY, HAVING TRUMP IN OFFICE, AND WHAT HE HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF, AND THE INDUSTRY WE WERE IN, AND THE EXPERIENCES WE HAD JUST HAD IN LIFE. IT JUST FELT LIKE WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IT.

>> Brown: SO WHEN YOU'RE SITTING AROUND IN A ROOM OF COMEDY WRITERS THINKING ABOUT THIS VERY SERIOUS SUBJECT, WHAT'S THE DISCUSSION LIKE?

>> IT'S VERY EMOTIONAL, IT'S VERY OPEN, IT'S VERY-- IT'S KIND OF ONE BIG GROUP THERAPY SESSION IN THE WRITER'S ROOM. EVERYBODY'S KIND OF WILLING TO SHARE IT ALL.

>> Brown: FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR, I'M JEFFREY BROWN IN WASHINGTON,

>> Sreenivasan: ON THE NEWSHOUR ONLINE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE INTRODUCING A NEW PROJECT, "LET'S FIX IT." WE PROPOSE A PROBLEM EVERY WEEK. YOU SHARE YOUR SOLUTIONS. TOGETHER, WE MIGHT DO SOME GOOD. THIS WEEK, WE'RE ASKING HOW TO CLEAN UP FROM A FLOOD. LEARN MORE AND CHIME IN ON OUR WEBSITE, www.pbs.org/newshour.

>> LIVE NATIONS C.E.O. MICHAEL LAPINO WILL BE ON CHARLIE ROSE TONIGHT. AND THAT'S THE NEWSHOUR FOR TONIGHT. I'M HARI SREENIVASAN. JOIN US ONLINE, AND AGAIN HERE TOMORROW EVENING. FOR ALL OF US AT THE PBS NEWSHOUR, THANK YOU, AND SEE YOU SOON.

>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR THE PBS NEWSHOUR HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY:

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>> COLLETTE.

>> SUPPORTED BY THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION. PROMOTING THE WELLBEING OF HUMANITY AROUND THE WORLD, BY BUILDING RESILIENCE AND INCLUSIVE ECONOMIES. MORE AT www.rockefellerfoundation.org.

>> AND WITH THE ONGOING SUPPORT OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS.

>> THIS PROGRAM WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING. AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU. THANK YOU. Captioning sponsored by NEWSHOUR PRODUCTIONS, LLC Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org

>> YOU'RE WATCHING PBS.

>> Narrator: Warm. Cozy. Delicious. Breakfast is my favorite meal. I could eat it all day. In Oaxaca, I visit an art school where magical creatures are being created. And a hearty breakfast is served to all. In my kitchen, I'm whipping up an Oaxacan breakfast for my crew.

>> The satisfaction of fresh-made bread at home is so gigantic.

>> Narrator: Fluffy, puffy pan de yema. Satisfying refried beans, Oaxaca style. Scrumptious eggs in salsa martajada. This breakfast is the best reason to get out of bed.

>> Is it your favorite meal?

>> Depends what it is, if it's stuff like this,