Amanpour and Company

>> HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR & COMPANY", HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

IRAN VOWS RETALIATION AFTER THE U. S. SEIZES ONE OF ITS SHIPS AS UNCERTAINTY HANGS OVER PEACE TALKS.

WE WILL BRING YOU THE VERY LATEST.

AND A LOOK AT LEBANON.

I SPEAK WITH A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT ABOUT ISRAEL'S UNPRECEDENTED ATTACKS AND WHETHER THE SHAKY CEASE-FIRE WILL HOLD.

> >> THEN, THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

ATLANTA'S FORMER MAYOR, KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS JOINS US ON HER NEW MEMOIR AND HER RUN FOR GEORGIA GOVERNOR PLUS -- >> MICHELLE MARTIN HEARS FROM COLLEGE STUDENTS ABOUT THE DISCONNECT THEY SEE BETWEEN GEN Z AND WASHINGTON, D. C.

> >> "AMANPOUR & COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE ANDERSON FAMILY ENDOWMENT, JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS, CANDACE KING WEIR, THE SYLVIA A AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTISEMITISM , THE STRAUS FAMILY FOUNDATION.

THE PETER G PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND , CHARLES ROSENBLUM, MONIQUE SCHOEN WARSHAW, KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATIONS FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

> >> A WARM WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, I AM PAULA NEWTON IN NEW YORK SITTING IN FOR CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR.

THE CLOCK IT'S TAKING DOWN TO THE END OF THAT TWO WEEK IRAN CEASE-FIRE.

CONFUSION REIGNS.

EVERY DAY, IT SEEMS A DIFFERENT ANSWER TO THE VERY CRITICAL QUESTIONS, OUR PEACE TALKS HAPPENING IN PAKISTAN, WHEN MAYBE HAPPENING, IS THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ CLOSED, OR OPEN.

MEANTIME, IRAN SAYS IT WILL RETALIATE AFTER THE U. S. NAVY FIRED ON AND SEES AN IRANIAN FLAG CARGO SHIPS THAT TRY TO BYPASS ITS BLOCKADE IN THE GULF OF , A HELICOPTER HOVERING OVER THE SHIP, AND MARINES REPELLING DOWN.

U. S. CENTRAL COMMAND SAID THE SHIPS CREW FAILED TO COMPLY WITH WARNING SO HE TOLD THEM TO VACATE THEIR ENGINE ROOM BEFORE OPENING FIRE.

I WANT TO GO NOW TO OUR, SHE'S A SENIOR POLICY FELLOW AT THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS AND I WELCOME YOU TO THE PROGRAM .

EVEN NOW, WE ARE STILL TRYING TO PARSE EXACTLY WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING IN THE NEXT 48, 72 HOURS.

IT'S BEEN A WEEKEND OF WHIPLASH, THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ BRIEFLY OPENED THEN CLOSED AGAIN.

THE U. S. SEIZING AS WE JUST SHOWED AN IRANIAN SHIP AND TIBURON NOW WAVERING ON WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL EVEN ATTEND PEACE TALKS IN PAKISTAN, AND JD VANCE, WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'S GOING OR NOT GOING, WE KEEP SEEING DIFFERENT THINGS, ALL OF THIS CONFUSION, WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT'S ACTUALLY DAMAGING, COMPROMISING THE DIPLOMATIC TRACK RIGHT NOW?

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW.

LOOK, ON FRIDAY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE WERE SEEING GLIMPSES OF HOPE, THAT THERE WOULD BE RENEWED TALKS IN PAKISTAN BUT FOR SOME REASON, AND IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN, PRESIDENT TRUMP CREATED THIS MAXIMUM PRESSURE MOVED TO SAY THAT THE BLOCKADE OF IRANIAN SHIPPING WOULD CONTINUE DESPITE THE FACT THAT WE HAD THESE DE-ESCALATION MOVES AND THE SHAKY CEASE-FIRE BUT THERE WAS STILL SOME MOVEMENT TOWARDS PROGRESS AND WE ALSO HAVE THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DECLARE THAT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ WOULD BE OPEN FOR MORE FREE SHIPPING BUT THEN THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THE BLOCKADE ON IRAN WHICH MADE EVERYTHING GO SOUTH.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WANTED TO TAKE ANOTHER MOVE OF MAXIMUM PRESSURE TO TRY TO MAKE IRAN CAPITULATE TO THE U. S. DEMANDS BUT INSTEAD HE'S CAUGHT MAXIMUM CONFUSION ABOUT WHETHER THE PEACE TALKS WILL HAPPEN OR NOT.

>> WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US THEN, YOU KNOW YOU'VE SEEN IN THE PRESS THAT SOME PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT THIS BLOCKADE IS A GOOD THING, THE U. S. IS MAINTAINING THE BLOCKADE, FIRING ON AND BOARDING IRANIAN VESSELS BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY ARE PUSHING FOR THAT DIPLOMATIC SOLUTION.

CAN THOSE TWO TRACKS REALLY SUCCEED IN BRINGING PEACE AND BRINGING THOSE MUCH-NEEDED NEGOTIATIONS?

>> THIS IS AN OLD TRIED AND TESTED U. S. POLICY OF MAXIMUM PRESSURE ON IRAN THAT YOU COULD ARGUE HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 40 YEARS NOW.

BUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN AS A RESULT OF THE MAXIMUM PRESSURE IS WHERE WE ARE TODAY WHICH IS, THIS PROFOUND WAR CONFLICT THAT IS CAUSING GLOBAL RIPPLE EFFECTS, DAMAGING ONE'S ACROSS THE WORLD'S ECONOMY AND IRAN HAS SHOWN THAT IN RESPONSE TO MAXIMUM PRESSURE , IT'LL ALWAYS RESPOND WITH MAXIMUM RESISTANCE.

SO MY SENSE IS THAT PAKISTAN HAS BEEN WORKING THE PHONES OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS, SINCE THE U. S. ORDERED THIS IRANIAN CARGO VESSEL TO TRY TO FIND DE- ESCALATION MOVES.

IN MY INTERPRETATION IS IRAN WILL ONLY SHOW OFF TO PAKISTAN IF THE U. S. MAKES SOME SORT OF A SIGNALING MODE -- MOVE THAT IT'S WILLING TO DE-ESCALATE, THAT COULD INVOLVE THINGS LIKE RELEASING THE CREW OF THE TANKER TO OPEN THE WAY FOR THE PEACE TALKS TO HAPPEN.

>> THAT WOULD SEEM LIKE MINIMAL MOVES OF TRUST.

I KNOW IRAN CONTINUALLY SAYS WE BEEN AT THE BARGAINING TABLE WITH THE UNITED STATES TWICE AND THEY FEEL BETRAYED BY THE NEGOTIATIONS.

I WANT TO ASK, THERE'S NO AGREEMENT BEFORE THE CEASE-FIRE EXPIRES, WHAT COULD WE BE LOOKING AT?

DO YOU THINK A RETURN TO FULL SCALE WAR IS POSSIBLE, OR, DO YOU BELIEVE IT'S MORE LOCALIZED CONFLICT?

>> THIS CEASE-FIRE, WHAT IT WAS INTENDED TO ESTABLISH WITH SOME DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE THAT THE TWO SIDES WOULD ADHERE TO THEIR WORDS THAT TRUMP WOULD IMPLEMENT THE U. S. SIDE AND THE IRANIANS WOULD IMPLEMENT THE IRANIAN SIDE DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE SENIOR LEADERSHIP HAD BEEN ASSASSINATED DURING THE COURSE OF THE WAR.

IF WE GET TO TODAY'S TIME AND THE TWO SIDES CANNOT EXTEND THE CEASE-FIRE, AND I DO THINK AN EXTENSION IS NECESSARY BECAUSE I DON'T SEE THEM MAKING THE MASSIVE POLITICAL BREAKTHROUGHS THAT ARE NECESSARY FOR A BIG DEAL IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS, THEN I REALLY DO THINK IT'S POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO GO BACK TO FULL SCALE CONFLICT AND PERHAPS EVEN WORSE THAN WHAT WE SAW BEFORE THE CEASE-FIRE.

>> EVEN WORSE, A CHILLING WORD BUT EVERYONE IN THE REGION UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS A RISK.

PAKISTAN UNDERSTANDS IT'S A RISK.

IT HAS EMERGED AS A KEY INTERMEDIARY, TRYING TO SHAPE THESE TALKS AND REALLY, THEY'VE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND.

WHAT EXPLAINS PAKISTAN'S INFLUENCE HERE?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD SAY THAT THERE'S NEVER BEEN A SHORTFALL OF MEDIATORS IN THE LAST FEW DECADES, BUT, IN THE COURSE OF THIS WORK, A LOT OF THOSE TRADITIONAL MEDIATORS LIKE OMAN, QATAR, WERE DIRECTLY CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE, SO THEY COULDN'T STEP IN, SO WE NEEDED SOME NEW, PAKISTAN HAS EMERGED, EGYPT IS ANOTHER ONE, TURKEY IS ANOTHER ONE, AND IT'S THESE PARTIES THAT ARE POSITIONED ON IRAN'S BORDERS, AND THEY ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT INSTABILITY WITH THE SIZE OF IRAN MIGHT MEAN FOR THEM DIRECTLY, BUT IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAVE DIRECT LINES TO BOTH TRUMP AND TEHRAN, AND THAT IS KEY RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO DO THE TYPE OF DIPLOMACY NECESSARY TO BRING THE TWO SIDES TO FACE-TO- FACE NEGOTIATIONS, WE SOME HAVE A REAL BREAKTHROUGH.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT PAKISTAN'S INFLUENCE, WHAT ABOUT CHINA, HOW DO YOU SEE THEIR INFLUENCE, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT IT IS INTERVENING WITH IRAN MORE THAN WE SEE, MORE THAN WE SEE TRANSPARENTLY, ANYWAY, OR DOES CHINA HAVE MORE TO GAIN IF THIS PLAYS OUT A LITTLE LONGER?

>> I THINK ABSOLUTELY BEHIND THE SCENES, BEIJING IS PRESENT, BOTH IN TERMS OF ITS RELATIONSHIP, VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH PAKISTAN, TO TRY AND HAVE PAKISTAN AS THIS FOREFRONT OF THE MEDIATIONS AT A TIME WHERE FRANKLY, BEIJING CANNOT PLAY THAT ROLE GIVEN ITS SENSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE U. S. BUT, ALSO, GIVEN THAT CHINA HAS VERY IMPORTANT ENERGY INTEREST IN THE MIDDLE EAST , A PROLONGED WAR BETWEEN THE U. S. AND IRAN WILL NOT SERVE CHINESE ENERGY INTERESTS, BUT ALSO, IT WILL NOT SERVE GLOBAL ENERGY INTERESTS AS WELL, INCLUDING THE PUMP STATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES BUT I THINK THERE IS AN INTEREST FOR BOTH THE USA AND CHINA, AHEAD OF THIS GRAND SUMMIT THAT IS BEING PLANNED FOR THIS WAR TO WIND DOWN AND I THINK PRESIDENT TRUMP UNDERSTANDS THE NEED FOR THAT.

>> AND THE CONCLUSION AND IRAN GET IN THE WAY, THOUGH, THERE ARE CONTRADICTORY SIGNALS COMING OUT OF TEHRAN, DIPLOMATS SUGGESTING OPENNESS TO TALKS, MILITARY VOICES TAKING A HARDER LINE.

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN VIEWING THAT, IN THE LAST FEW DAYS?

>> SO, FOR ME AS A WATCHER OF IRAN AND U. S. RELATIONS, I HAVE FOUND THE UNITED STATES DYNAMICS MORE CONFUSING IN THE WAR, TO READ BETWEEN THE LINES OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA POST, AND THE ACTIONS OF THE U. S. VERSUS THE STATEMENTS OF THE PRESIDENT, BUT YOU ARE RIGHT, LOOK, IRAN HAS FACED AN UNPRECEDENTED WAR AGAINST THE U. S. , AGAINST ISRAEL.

IT'S HAD ITS SENIOR COMMAND OF CONTROL WIPED OUT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'VE BEEN VERY QUICK IN THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES TO ESTABLISH SOME DEGREE OF AUTHORITY.

THEY DID COME TO CONSENSUS TO ENGAGE JD VANCE IN DIRECT DIPLOMACY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE 1979 REVOLUTION, AND WE SHOULD EXPECT THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE DIVISIONS, EVEN THOUGH WE CURRENTLY HAVE THE MOST HARDLINE, MOST SECURITIZE ESTABLISHMENT CONTROLLING TEHRAN AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS OF THE MILITARY.

WE DO SEE SOME DIVISIONS AND HOW THEY WANT TO SEE THE CONTINUED RESPONSES TO THE U. S. , SOMEWHAT MORE CONFRONTATION BECAUSE THEY THINK THE U. S. ONLY UNDERSTAND HARD POWER, OTHERS REALIZE THAT THERE HAS BEEN PERHAPS OVER $200 BILLION WORTH OF ECONOMIC DAMAGE DONE TO IRAN'S ECONOMY AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS WAR AND THE SOONER IT ENDS, THE QUICKER THEY COULD GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF RECONSTRUCTION AND GIVING SOME HOPE TO THE PEOPLE OF IRAN THAT DESPERATELY NEED IT.

>> YEAH, AND IT IS INDEED A HUMANITARIAN PROBLEM IN SO MANY PLACES, NOT JUST IN IRAN BUT OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL.

ELLIE GERANMAYEH, THANKS FOR BRINGING SOME CLARITY TO THIS ISSUE, I APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

> >> NOW, AFTER LEBANON AND ISRAEL, SEPARATELY REACHED A TEMPORARY CEASE-FIRE, SOME DISPLACED LEBANESE ARE RETURNING TO THEIR HOMES, ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY'VE BEEN REDUCED TO RUBBLE.

>> A LIFETIME OF HISTORY IN THIS HOUSE.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE STONE, IF WE BUILD IT BETTER OR UGLIER, IT'S ABOUT OUR SPACE, THE SPACE THAT IS OURS, THE PLACE THAT HELD US.

THE CONSTRUCTION DOESN'T MATTER, THE APPEARANCE DOESN'T MATTER, THE OUTER THOUGHT DOESN'T MATTER.

WHAT'S MISSING IS THE SPIRIT INSIDE AND THAT'S WHAT HURTS.

TO COME BACK TO FIND IT THIS WAY.

>> SO DESPITE THE CEASE-FIRE, AS YOU HEARD THERE, THE VIOLENCE CONTINUES, AND SO DO THE HUMANITARIAN REPERCUSSIONS.

ISRAEL SAID IT STRUCK A WEAPON SITE OVERNIGHT AND TWO ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE KILLED IN SOUTHERN LEBANON OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS.

FRANCE SAID ONE OF ITS UN PEACEKEEPING SOLDIERS WAS KILLED SATURDAY BY HEZBOLLAH.

AND IT'S BEEN A DEVASTATING SIX WEEKS FOR LEBANON, WHERE MORE THAN 2000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN REPORTED KILLED IN ISRAEL'S UNPRECEDENTED BOMBING CAMPAIGN.

OFFICIALS SAY THERE WILL BE A SECOND ROUND OF DIRECT TALKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON IN WASHINGTON, D. C. ON THURSDAY.

JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS, A LEBANESE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT AND A FORMER DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM.

I WANT TO GET FIRST TO THAT CEASE-FIRE.

IT'S FRAGILE BUT IT'S BEEN HOLDING FOR A FEW DAYS.

BUT LET'S GIVE EVERYONE THE STATE OF PLAY.

THERE ARE FIVE ISRAELI DIVISIONS INSIDE YOUR COUNTRY, STILL, A SECURITY ZONE THAT STRETCHES UP THE RIVER AND FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T SEEN A MAP, IT'S SIGNIFICANT, THAT'S THE WHOLE SOUTHERN PORTION OF LEBANON, BLOCKADED THERE.

MANY VILLAGES IN THE SOUTH HAVE BEEN HIT AND I DON'T HAVE TO REMIND YOU, WE ARE SHOWING YOU A MAP OF IT NOW.

SOME PEOPLE TENTATIVELY WANT TO RETURN TO THE SOUTH, AND YOUR GOVERNMENT IS RIGHT NOW, AS WE JUST MENTIONED, IN DIRECT NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISRAEL AND THIS IS SIGNIFICANT.

THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1983, WHERE DO YOU SIT, WHERE DO YOU STAND IN THIS MOMENT THAT IS EQUALLY ONE OF BOTH DANGER AND OPPORTUNITY?

>> ABSOLUTELY, WE NEED TO GRAB THIS OPPORTUNITY.

LET'S START BY CLEARLY SAYING THE STATE OF LEBANON WAS AND IS NOT AT WAR WITH THE ISRAELI SIDE.

THEY ARE AT WAR WITH HEZBOLLAH, AND THEY DRAGGED THE POPULATION INTO THE WAR THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH LEBANON INITIALLY, IN SUPPORT OF IRAN, THE MAIN SPONSOR OF HEZBOLLAH.

THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT BROUGHT THE ISRAELIS INTO LEBANESE TERRITORY FURTHER.

AFTER THE WAR THAT HAPPENED MORE THAN 15 MONTHS AGO, THE ISRAELIS WERE PRESENT IN ABOUT FIVE POINTS ALONG THE BORDER OF LEBANON.

AFTER THIS SIX WEEK WAR, THEY ARE WHERE YOU'VE SHOWN IN THE MAP, SEVERAL KILOMETERS INTO LEBANESE TERRITORY, DUE TO THE INTERVENTION OF HEZBOLLAH AND BRINGING LEBANON INTO THIS CONFRONTATION, THAT MOST LEBANESE PEOPLE DID NOT WANT IN FACT ALL LEBANESE PEOPLE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

IT COST MORE THAN 1 MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED.

IT DESTROYED TENS OF TOWNS, REACHING AREAS ACROSS LEBANON IN TERMS OF DESTRUCTION WHERE HEZBOLLAH IS OPERATING, AND NOT REACHING ANY CONCLUSION.

NOW THE CEASE-FIRE IS A NEW WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY, THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT IS NEGOTIATING TO TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A WITHDRAWAL AND THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE LEBANESE ARMED FORCES AND IN SOME KIND OF A COMMITMENT TO PREVENT HEZBOLLAH -- >> RIGHT, BUT --OKAY, BUT YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO HOW DIFFICULT MEETING THOSE PARAMETERS WILL BE, AND THERE IS A VALID QUESTION HERE AND IT'S A QUESTION MANY HAVE ASKED FOR A GENERATION AND LEBANON, WHOSE REALLY CALLING THE SHOTS HERE?

.

I WANT TO PLAY SOME SOUND FROM THE LEBANESE PRESIDENT WHO SAID LEBANON IS NEGOTIATING FOR ITSELF, LISTEN.

>> I'M READY TO BEAR THE FULL RESPONSIBILITY OF THESE CHOICES.

I'M READY TO GO WHEREVER NECESSARY TO LIBERATE MY LAND, PROTECT MY PEOPLE AND SAVE MY COUNTRY.

TODAY, WE NEGOTIATE FOR OURSELVES AND DECIDE FOR OURSELVES.

WE ARE NO LONGER A CARD IN ANYONE'S GAME NOR AN ARENA FOR ANYONE'S WARS, AND WE NEVER WILL BE AGAIN.

>> I UNDERSTAND THE WORDS, BUT, THE REALITY ON THE GROUND IS MUCH DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, THE REPORTING SUGGESTS EVEN THE CEASE-FIRE WAS SHAPED SIGNIFICANTLY BY IRAN, THAT HEZBOLLAH'S ON TV STATION ANNOUNCED THAT EVEN BEFORE PRESIDENT TRUMP DID, TEHRAN, TOOK PUBLIC CREDIT AND BRIEFLY OPENED THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AS A SIGNAL, SO, HELP US UNDERSTAND HERE, HOW DID THIS CEASE-FIRE ACTUALLY COME TOGETHER?

AND WHO NEGOTIATED IT?

>> DEFINITELY THE LEBANESE STATE WILL IS TO HAVE A SEPARATE PATH OF NEGOTIATIONS.

DEFINITELY, THERE'S A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN IRAN AND HEZBOLLAH BUT NOT BETWEEN IRAN AND THE LEBANESE STATE.

SO IT WAS IRAN THAT BASICALLY PULLED THE SHOTS WHEN HEZBOLLAH SHOT SIX MISSILES ON ISRAEL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE URANIAN WAR, AND FOR SURE, THERE IS A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THE URANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD AND HEZBOLLAH AND LEBANON, BUT WITH WHATEVER CAPACITY THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT CAN MANAGE, THE PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO NEGOTIATE TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT AND SUPPORTING THEM ON THE GROUND WHICH WOULD REQUIRE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT , GIVEN THAT IN THE PAST 15, 16 MONTHS, IT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO FULLY DISMANTLE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF HEZBOLLAH FIRING --FOLLOWING THE FIRST CEASE-FIRE.

KNOWING THAT HEZBOLLAH COULD AT ANY POINT REINITIATE AN ENGAGEMENT AT THE DIRECTIVE AND THE ORDER FROM IRAN, AND THAT'S A POSSIBILITY THAT'S ALWAYS THERE.

ALL OF THESE MAKE THE SITUATION COMPLEX.

THE GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATING WITHOUT HAVING FREE CAPACITY TO CONTROL THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND -- >> BUT, BUT, I DO WANT TO GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER, WHAT CHANGES THAT EQUATION?

WHAT WILL ACTUALLY DISARM HEZBOLLAH AND GET THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT NEGOTIATING WITH ISRAEL?

>> DISARMING HEZBOLLAH REQUIRES A MULTIPLE STEP APPROACH IT REQUIRES THEM BEING CUT OFF FROM THEIR SPONSOR IRAN TO START WITH, CUT OFF FROM THEIR ILLICIT ACTIVITIES TO THE DEEP STATE IN LEBANON, THAT STILL FUNDS OR SUPPORT THEM SYNTHESIZES WITH THEM.

IT DOES REQUIRE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TO PERFORM THAT TASK BUT ALSO IN TURN THE LEBANESE WILL, TO CURB THE CAPACITY OF THE DEEP STATE THAT MAY STILL BE SUPPORTING THE ACTIVITIES OF HEZBOLLAH, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT IS BASICALLY WORKING ON, THE CURRENT PRESIDENT IS WORKING ON, BUT, THIS CANNOT HAPPEN WITHOUT COMMITMENT AND SUPPORT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, THE FRIENDS OF LEBANON, BOTH IN SUPPORTING THE ARMED FORCES BUT ALSO IN SUPPORTING THE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT THAT MAY STILL ALLOW HEZBOLLAH TO BE LINKED TO IRAN AND TO BE HELPED BY IRAN.

THERE IS A LINK THAT CANNOT BE FULLY DECOUPLED BUT IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS, THE LEBANESE STATE IS ACTUALLY MAKING THE DECISIONS AND MAKING THE COMMITMENTS FOR THE HELP TO COME.

>> I UNDERSTAND YOU SAY IT CANNOT BE FULLY DECOUPLED BUT IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY STATEMENT ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE ISRAEL.

LAST MONTH, HEZBOLLAH, YOU CALLED THEIR DECISION TO REENTER THE WAR AND HE RESTATED AT THE TOP OF THE INTERVIEW THAT IT WAS A SUICIDE ACTION TO DRAG ALL OF LEBANON INTO THE UNKNOWN BUT SINCE MARCH 2nd, YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN STEPS THAT IT'S NEVER DONE BEFORE.

IT HAS OUTLINED -- IRGC, BUT AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IF YOU ARE ISRAEL, AND YOU WANT TO STOP THE ROCKET FIRE THAT HAS BESIEGED YOUR NORTHERN TERRITORY FOR AS I SAID, WELL OVER A GENERATION, DECADES, IN FACT, WHERE DO WE COME TO A MEETING OF THE MINDS HERE?

>> NO, ABSOLUTELY, THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN MULTIPLE STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT HEZBOLLAH CANNOT OPERATE FREELY WITHIN THE STATE BUT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT HEZBOLLAH HAS BEEN BUILDING ITS CAPACITY, UNCHECKED, FOR THE LAST 40+ YEARS IN LEBANON, AND, THEY'VE CREATED A PARALLEL STATE TO THE SOVEREIGN STATE AND THE STATE OF LEBANON HAS BEEN MADE VERY FRAGILE, SO THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT WOULD CONTINUE TO ACT YES, IT'S TAKEN UNPRECEDENTED STEPS, THIS GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ADVANCE STEPS TO CURB THE ACTIONS OF HEZBOLLAH ON THE GROUND, BUT THIS HASN'T PROVEN TO BE ENOUGH, YET, SO, FOR US TO PREPARE FOR A LONG-LASTING STABILITY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BORDERS OF LEBANON WITH ISRAEL, SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE, FOR THE 1949 ARMISTICE, FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE PALESTINIAN FACTIONS STARTED ATTACKING ISRAEL FROM LEBANESE TERRITORY AND FOLLOWING THAT, HEZBOLLAH, THEY STARTED DOING THE SAME THING, SO, OVER THIS PERIOD OF DECADES, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOMEBODY ON LEBANESE TERRITORY ATTACKING ISRAEL, OUTSIDE THE LEBANESE STATE.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR THE LEBANESE STATE TO TAKE CONTROL, TO STOP HEZBOLLAH, BUT GIVEN THAT THIS ENTITY HAS BEEN LEFT UNCHECKED FOR SO MANY YEARS, THIS DOES REQUIRE INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AND DOES REQUIRE A FULL UNDERSTANDING FROM THE ISRAELI SIDE TO CREATE A COLLABORATIVE MODEL WITH THE LEBANESE GOVERNMENT WHICH IS NOW WE HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY UNDER U. S. SUPPORT.

>> UNDERSTOOD AND I HEAR YOU, IT IS QUITE AN OPPORTUNITY.

YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN AND PMI HAVE BEEN VIRAL IMAGES OF AN ISRAELI SOLDIER WHO TOOK A SLEDGEHAMMER TO A STATUE OF JESUS AND WE POINT OUT, IT'S UNDER ISRAELI OCCUPATION, I MEAN, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU CONDEMNED IT.

I'M WONDERING, YOUR REACTION, ESPECIALLY, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE A LEBANESE CHRISTIAN RIGHT NOW, CAUGHT IN BETWEEN ALL OF THIS?

>> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

OF COURSE, ACTS LIKE THIS DO NOT HELP STABILIZE THE SITUATION.

DO NOT HELP THOSE WHO ARE PUSHING AGAINST HEZBOLLAH, CARRYING WEAPONS OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT AND LEBANON.

BUT, LET'S NOT FORGET ALSO THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIAN TOWNS WHERE IT'S PEOPLE HAVE NOT LEFT THE SOUTH, THEY INSISTED ON STAYING IN THE SOUTH, AND THEY ARE KIND OF ISOLATED FROM THE DESTRUCTION THAT'S HAPPENING BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT ALLOWED HEZBOLLAH TO OPERATE FROM THEIR TOWNS.

WE SUPPORT THEM, AND WE HOPE THEY COULD CONTINUE TO DO SO, WHICH WOULD PROVE ALSO THAT ANYONE WHO IS NOT ACTING OUTSIDE THE WILL OF THE STATE, OF LEBANON TO CREATE WARS, WOULD REMAIN ALSO IN TAX.

I HOPE THIS MESSAGE IS VERY CLEAR TO EVERYONE INVOLVED, AND WE CONTINUE TO HOPE THAT THE CURRENT TALKS WILL ACTUALLY LEAVE NOT JUST, IT'S NOT ABOUT SUNNIS OR CHRISTIANS IN LEBANON.

IT'S ABOUT THOSE WHO WANT THE STATE TO BE A SOVEREIGN STATE, WITH EVERYONE ABIDING BY THE LAW AND THE CONSTITUTION AND THOSE WHO WANT TO ACT SEPARATELY WITH RESPECT TO ORDERS FROM IRAN, USING LEBANESE TERRITORY AND LEBANESE PEOPLE AND LEBANESE ASSETS TO CAUSE WARS THAT MOST LEBANESE PEOPLE IF NOT ALL, DO NOT WANT.

>> WE WILL WAIT TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS ON THURSDAY.

GHASSAN HASBANI , THANKS FOR BEING WITH US, WE APPRECIATE IT.

> >> AND HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, WHERE THE DEMOCRATS ARE WORKING TO STRENGTHEN THEIR PARTY'S FUTURE AS THEY AIM TO FLIP SEATS AND TURN ENTIRE STATES BLUE IN THE NOVEMBER MIDTERMS.

OUR NEXT GUEST WANTS TO HELP LEAD THE CHARGE, FORMER ATLANTA MAYOR, KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS IS RUNNING TO BECOME GEORGIA'S NEXT GOVERNOR .

THE POLITICS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN INFLUENCED BY BEING A DAUGHTER OF THE SOUTH AS WELL.

BY GROWING UP AS THE DAUGHTER OF AN R&B SINGER, MAJOR LANCE.

HER CANDID NEW MEMOIR, THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, DETAILS THE EXPERIENCES THAT SHAPE THE WOMAN SHE HAS BECOME TODAY, AND KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS JOINS US NOW.

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE MEMOIR AND WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>> IT IS REALLY GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE , AS YOU REVEAL THE MEMOIR.

I WANT TO START WITH WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE TWO TOTEMS OF THE MEMOIR, REALLY, THE FIRST WE HAVE TO START WITH THAT PICTURE ON THE FRONT COVER.

THE VIEWERS ARE SEEING IT NOW.

YOUR POSTURE BETRAYS YOUR SASS, AND THAT IS THE WAY MOST PICTURE YOU BUT THEN THERE IS THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, RIGHT, THE TITLE, THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, BY THE BARNES FAMILY.

I WANT TO PLAY A FEW SECONDS OF IT, LISTEN.

ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN >> YOU KNOW, I HAD TO PLAY THAT WHEN I WAS READING YOUR MEMOIR, BECAUSE I THOUGHT, IT IS PRETTY MUCH THE SOUNDTRACK THROUGH THIS WHOLE BOOK, IT'S AN INSPIRATIONAL GOSPEL SONG AND IT'S ALL GROOVE AND GOD.

HOW ARE BOTH, BOTH THAT PICTURE OF YOU, AND THIS SONG, THIS GOSPEL SONG, EMBLEMATIC OF YOUR LIFE TODAY?

>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PLAYING THAT AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ACTUALLY READ THE BOOK.

IT BRINGS BACK GREAT MEMORIES.

MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO PLAY IT IN HER KITCHEN, AS SHE COOKED, SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.

YOU KNOW, THAT PICTURE WAS TAKEN WHEN MY PARENTS WERE STILL TOGETHER AND WE HAD JUST MOVED BACK FROM LONDON, ENGLAND WHERE MY DAD HAD A RESURGENCE AS AN R&B SINGER AND HE GAVE THIS UNKNOWN GUY NAMED ELTON JOHN, HIS START IN MUSIC, AND THAT PICTURE COMPLETELY CAPTURES MY PERSONALITY AT THAT TIME, BUT I ALSO WRITE ABOUT MY DAD GOING TO PRISON, AND HOW, IN AN INSTANT, IT WAS LIKE A LIGHT SWITCH WENT OFF.

MY DAD WAS ARRESTED BEFORE ME, I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL ONE DAY AND SAW HIM BEING LED AWAY IN HANDCUFFS, AND IT CHANGED EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR LIVES.

AND I OFTEN, YOU KNOW, REFLECT ON THAT TIME, YOU THINK THAT YOU WANT LIFE TO BE REALLY EASY BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I'VE REALLY COME TO SEE THAT IT REALLY IS THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN THAT GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO HOLD ONTO, ARETHA FRANKLIN SAID IT BEST.

SO, FOR ME, IT HAS BEEN THIS FULL CIRCLE MOMENT.

FINDING THAT COURAGE, THAT LITTLE GIRL HAD, AND OWNING IT, PUTTING AWAY IMPOSTER SYNDROME, AND FEELING FREE JUST TO BE AUTHENTIC AND WHO I AM, AND KNOWING THAT I AM IN IMPERFECTION, THERE IS A CONNECTION WITH PEOPLE, AND FOR SO MANY OF US WHO ARE CLIMBING THE PROFESSIONAL LADDER, WE OFTEN THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HIDE THOSE PARTS OF OURSELVES, THOSE THINGS ABOUT OUR FAMILY MEMBERS THAT MAY NOT BE AS PRISTINE AS WE WANT THE WORLD TO SEE, BUT I'M SO GLAD THAT I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL OF THE TOTALITY OF WHO MY DAD WAS.

HE WAS A WONDERFUL, FLAWED MAN, WHO LOVED ME, DEEPLY, LOVED OUR FAMILY DEEPLY .

AND I'M JUST HONORED THAT I GET TO TELL OUR STORY, AND I KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO RESONATE WITH SO MANY PEOPLE.

>> AND WHY NOW?

WHY DECIDE TO DELVE INTO THIS FAMILY TRAUMA NOW?

>> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING, IT'S NOT AT ALL HOW I PLANNED IT.

I STARTED WORKING ON THIS BOOK WHEN I LEFT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND THE INTENTION WAS TO HAVE IT OUT A LONG TIME AGO.

AT THAT TIME I DIDN'T EVEN PLAN ON RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

WHEN I WENT TO WORK IN THE WHITE HOUSE AS SENIOR ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT BOTTOM --BIDEN, WE HAD TO GO PINS DOWN, AND WHEN I LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE, WE HAD TO PICK IT BACK UP.

IT'S NOT HOW I WOULD HAVE PLANNED IT BUT I'M GRATEFUL THAT THE STORIES BEING TOLD, AND I SAID, WHEN I WROTE IT, THAT, IF NOBODY ELSE READ IT BUT MY FAMILY, I'D BE HAPPY BUT I DO HOPE OTHER PEOPLE WILL READ IT AND SEE THEMSELVES IN OUR STORY.

>> IT IS VERY MUCH A TRIBUTE TO YOUR FAMILY.

I MEAN, IN FACT, YOU REMAIN CLOSE TO YOUR FATHER UNTIL HE DIED IN 1994.

IT WAS WEEKS BEFORE YOUR WEDDING.

I WANT TO TELL VIEWERS SOMETHING YOU WROTE IN THE BOOK ABOUT HOW YOU DESCRIBED HIM AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP.

YOU DESCRIBE IT AS THE MAN WHO TAUGHT ME THAT NO MATTER WHAT LEVEL OF CHAOS OR MISERY HAD A HOLD ON MY LIFE, I NEEDED TO STEP OUTSIDE LOOKING LIKE I HAD IT ALL TOGETHER.

THE MAN WHO SHOWED ME WHAT REACHING FOR A DREAM AND GRABBING IT LOOKS LIKE, WHO INSISTED THAT I DESERVED EVERYTHING I WANTED AND HAD NOTHING TO LOSE BY JUST ASKING.

YOU KNOW, WHETHER IN FACT, IT WAS LAW SCHOOL, MOTHERHOOD, YOU KNOW, POLITICS, WHETHER IT WAS JOY, OR TRAUMA, HOW DID HE SHAPE, AND THOSE COMMENTS ABOUT HIM, HOW DID HE SHAPE YOUR ASPIRATIONS?

>> IT'S BEEN A BLESSING AND A CURSE, BECAUSE HE DID TEACH ME THAT I ALWAYS HAD TO GO OUT LOOKING LIKE EVERYTHING WAS OKAY, EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT OKAY.

THE BLESSING WAS THE STRENGTH THAT I FOUND IN THAT, BUT THE CURSE IS THE BAGGAGE THAT YOU CARRY WITH THAT.

THERE IS A GREAT POEM BY PAUL LAWRENCE DUNBAR, WE WEAR THE MASKS THAT GRINS AND LIES AND WHEN YOU KEEP SO MUCH ON THE INSIDE, IT CAN BECOME ISOLATED, AND YOU FEEL AS IF YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE, THAT YOUR FAMILY IS THE ONLY ONE GOING THROUGH A VERY DIFFICULT TIME.

SO EVEN WHEN MY MOM WAS WORKING THREE JOBS, AND REALLY STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET, WE STILL HAD TO GET UP AND LOOK LIKE EVERYTHING WAS JUST FINE, EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT.

AND ONE THING I CAN SAY ESPECIALLY ABOUT GENERATIONS WHO COME AFTER ME, I REALLY RESPECT THE OPENNESS THAT PEOPLE HAVE IN TALKING ABOUT SO MANY ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S ABOUT STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH, OR JUST OPENLY DISCUSSING WHAT THEIR CHALLENGES ARE, I WROTE I WROTE IN THE BOOK ABOUT MY STRUGGLES WITH INFERTILITY, MY EATING DISORDER, I WRITE ABOUT BEING IN A PROPERLY TOUCHED BY A NEIGHBOR, MANY OF THESE THINGS I HAD NEVER SPOKEN ABOUT PUBLICLY AND HAD NOT SHARED WITH MANY PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY.

>> YEAH, YOU WRITE VERY POIGNANTLY, AND AS YOU SAID, WITH CLARITY AND YOU ARE VERY REVEALING ABOUT THE STRUGGLES IN YOUR LIFE, MANY UNFORTUNATELY, THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO.

AND YOU ALSO SPEAK OF YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR CITY, ATLANTA, YOU WRITE THE CITY IS BOTH A MEMORY OF WHAT AMERICA USED TO BE, AND WHAT IT CAN BECOME.

HE BECAME MAYOR WITH GREAT AMBITIONS FOR YOUR CITY , BUT EVEN AS YOU WRITE, IT WAS ROUGH GOING, CYBER ATTACK, COVID, THE GEORGE FLOYD PROTEST, TWO OF COURSE, PAINFUL INCIDENTS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT HAPPENED UNDER YOUR WATCH, AND FURTHER TRAUMATIZED THE CITY.

YOU KNOW, YOU WALKED AWAY AFTER ONE TERM TO GET A BREATHER AND I THINK MANY PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHY RUN FOR GOVERNOR NOW?

AND LOOK, YOU'VE HEARD THE CRITICISM, NO MATTER WHO SAYS IT TO YOU OR WHEN, YOU WILL HEAR IT AGAIN, SOME PEOPLE SAY YOU AREN'T UP TO THE JOB OF MAYOR AND THAT'S WHY YOU WALKED AWAY SO WHY DO YOU WANT TO RUN FOR ANOTHER?

>> WELL, WHEN I MADE THE DECISION NOT TO SEEK A SECOND TERM AS MAYOR, MY APPROVAL RATINGS WERE AT 68%, AND I KNOW THAT IF I FELT THAT I HAD SOMETHING TO PROVE, I WOULD HAVE STAYED FOR A SECOND TERM.

BUT I MADE THAT DECISION FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH, NOT WEAKNESS.

WHEN I REFLECT UPON THAT TIME, I WRITE ABOUT MY DAD PASSING SUDDENLY AT 55, AND WHEN I TURNED 50, I WAS 51 WHEN I MADE THAT DECISION NOT TO SEEK A SECOND TERM.

I THOUGHT ABOUT THE FOUR YEARS THAT MY DAD HAD LEFT WHEN HE TURNED 51, AND I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT I WANTED THOSE FOUR YEARS TO BE .

I MADE THE BEST DECISION FOR MYSELF AND FOR MY FAMILY, AND I DON'T REGRET IT AT ALL.

MY KIDS WERE MUCH YOUNGER, WE HAD BEEN THROUGH A TRYING TIME AS A CITY, AS A COUNTRY, QUITE FRANKLY, AND I WAS VERY PROUD OF ALL WE HAD ACCOMPLISHED WITH LEAVING MONEY IN THE BANK, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE BANK, CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BALANCING THE BUDGET FOR FOUR YEARS, NOT RAISING PROPERTY TAXES, ALL THE THINGS THAT ANY ELECTED OFFICIAL WANTS TO ACCOMPLISH BUT IT WAS REALLY AN EXAMINATION OF WHAT I WANTED THOSE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO BE, AND FOR ANYONE WHO'S EVER LOST A PARENT, ESPECIALLY A PARENT AT A YOUNG AGE, THE POINT OF THEIR DEATH IS A MARKING POINT.

I THINK, LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, 2020 HELPED MANY OF US PRIORITIZE AND REASSESS WHAT WE WANTED IN THAT MOMENT.

>> I WANT TO GIVE OUR VIEWERS A SENSE OF HOW DIFFICULT YOU KNOW, THINGS WERE WHEN YOUR TENURE WAS AT MAYOR, ONE WAS A TIPPING POINT AT A PROTEST THAT HAPPENED DOWNTOWN, CLOSE TO CNN, AND A SPEECH THAT YOU GAVE, LISTEN.

>> THIS IS NOT A PROTEST.

THIS IS NOT IN THE SPIRIT OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

, THIS IS CHAOS, A PROTEST HAS PURPOSE, WHEN DR.

KING WAS ASSASSINATED, WE DIDN'T DO THIS TO OUR CITY.

SO, IF YOU LOVE THIS CITY, THIS CITY THAT HAS HAD A LEGACY OF BLACK MAYORS AND BLACK POLICE CHIEFS AND PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THIS CITY, WHERE MORE THAN 50% OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS AND METRO ATLANTA ARE MINORITY BUSINESS OWNERS, IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE CITY, THEN GO HOME .

>> YOU KNOW, WHAT ALSO GOT ME ABOUT THAT MOMENT AND THE WAY YOU WROTE ABOUT IT, YOU WERE VERY, VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT YOUR SON SAID TO YOU AT THE TIME AND HE SAID, MOM, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A BLACK MAN IN AMERICA.

THAT GOT ME AS A MOTHER, IT CLEARLY GOT YOU AS A MOTHER BUT YOU WERE ALSO THE MAYOR, AND YOU ALSO WRITE CANDIDLY IN YOUR MEMOIR THAT YOU ARE NOT SURE THAT THINGS, IN TERMS OF THINGS DIVIDING ATLANTA OR GEORGIA ALONG RACIAL LINES OR THE COUNTRY FOR THAT MATTER, THINGS HAVEN'T NECESSARILY GOTTEN BETTER.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE GOING FORWARD, WHETHER YOU HAVE SUCCESS IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE OR NOT?

>> AND YOU ASKED THE QUESTION WHY AM I SEEKING THE OFFICE NOW, AND IT'S BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SERVE AS A LEADER UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

AND I KNOW WHAT SOLID LEADERSHIP MEANS TO OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND IN THIS MOMENT, I REFLECT ON THE WORDS OF NELSON MANDELA WHO SAID, EACH GENERATION HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

AND FOR ME, IT IS ABOUT WHAT I'M CALLED TO DO IN THIS SEASON AND WHAT WILL MY LEADERSHIP MEAN TO THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA .

I CAN'T SAY THAT I HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS AND I'LL BE ABLE TO FIX ALL OF THE PROBLEMS, BUT I DO KNOW HOW TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR PEOPLE.

I DO KNOW HOW TO MAKE DECISIONS IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS.

I DO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO WORKING FAMILIES.

I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO PEOPLE WITH KIDS, THAT YOU ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A BETTER FUTURE.

SO, I REALLY HOPE THAT ACROSS THIS NATION, EARLY VOTING IN GEORGIA BEGINS APRIL 27th BUT I HOPE ACROSS AMERICA, PEOPLE WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALLOW THEIR VOICES TO BE HEARD THROUGH THEIR VOTES.

I AM A DAUGHTER OF THE SOUTH, CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS WAS MY CONGRESSPERSON.

SO I KNOW WE ARE NOT THE FIRST GENERATION THAT HAS FACED DIFFICULT TIMES BUT I KNOW THAT EACH GENERATION HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO WHAT IT CAN TO MAKE LIFE BETTER AND THAT'S WHY I'M RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

>> KEISHA LANCE BOTTOMS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING ON THE PROGRAM AGAIN, CONGRATULATIONS ON THE MEMOIR, THE ROUGH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.

THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

> >> WHAT IS WASHINGTON GETTING WRONG ABOUT GEN Z?

THAT'S THE CENTRAL QUESTION OF A NEW GROUP OF ESSAYS PUBLISHED BY PERSPECTIVE, INVESTIGATING THE GROWING DIVISION BETWEEN THE US GOVERNMENT AND THE COUNTRY'S YOUNG PEOPLE.

CRUCIALLY, THE PROJECT ONLY ACCEPTED PIECES FROM THOSE WITH A PERSONAL CONNECTION TO THIS ISSUE.

AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS.

THOSE PERSPECTIVES EDITOR RICHARD JUST AND TWO STUDENT CONTRIBUTORS JOIN MICHEL MARTIN TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERGENERATIONAL MESSAGING.

>> THANKS PAULA, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> RICHARD, YOU LEAD SOMETHING CALLED THE PERSPECTIVES FORUM, IT'S BASED AT A WASHINGTON- BASED NEWSROOM.

>> WE ARE THE OPINIONS SECTION OF A WASHINGTON-BASED PUBLICATION CALLED NOTICE, WE PUBLISH ESSAYS, LONGFORM NARRATIVES AND WE PUBLISH FORMS WHERE WE ASK A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WRITERS TO WEIGH IN ON ONE QUESTION.

>> YOU HAVE THE IDEA, INSTEAD OF REPORTING ON YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU ASKED 22 STUDENT JOURNALIST FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO WRITE ABOUT WHAT WASHINGTON GETS WRONG ABOUT THEM, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THAT IDEA?

>> WE WERE INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC OF HEARING FROM, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE DISCONNECT WAS BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND YOUNG PEOPLE AND I FEEL LIKE THERE'S THIS D. C. OR NEW YORK MEDIA INSTINCT WHERE YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT A GROUP OF PEOPLE THINK ABOUT SOMETHING YOU SEND A REPORTER TO FIND OUT AND WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WE WANTED TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM THOSE VOICES AND WE THOUGHT THIS WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE COUNTRY IS FULL OF AMAZING COLLEGE JOURNALISTS, WHO ARE THE EXPERTS ON THIS TOPIC AND WHO WE THOUGHT WOULD HAVE INTERESTING ARGUMENTS TO MAKE.

SO, WE REACHED OUT TO A TON OF COLLEGE JOURNALS AND PROFESSORS AND WE ASK THEM TO RECOMMEND SOME OF THEIR BEST STUDENTS, AND THEY DID AND WE ENDED UP WITH 22 GREAT WRITERS.

>> THE ESSAYS ARE INTERESTING.

YOU ARE A SENIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND IN YOUR ESSAY YOU WROTE THAT GEN Z IS USED TO THINGS MOVING FAST.

WASHINGTON'S PACE IS UNBEARABLY SLOW.

I COSIGN THAT .

AND YOU ALSO SAY, FOR MY GENERATION, A CONSTANT ADRENALINE FUELED NEED FOR SPEED ISN'T THE PREFERENCE, IT'S THE NORM.

GROCERIES ARRIVE IN 30 MINUTES, BREAKING NEWS VIBRATES IN OUR POCKETS THE MOMENT SOMETHING HAPPENS.

WASHINGTON IS THE OPPOSITE.

IT'S BEEN BUILT TO OPERATE ON A RHYTHM FROM A DIFFERENT ERA, SOMETHING THAT FOR MINES USED TO INSTANT GRATIFICATION IS HARD TO GRASP OR ACCEPTS.

I THAT IS SO FASCINATING AS AN OBSERVATION AND I SAID YEAH, THAT SOUNDS RIGHT.

HOW DID YOU COME TO THAT CONCLUSION, WHAT DID YOU SEE THAT SPARKED THAT?

>> THIS SUMMER I WAS ABLE TO BE IN D. C. FROM MAY THROUGH AUGUST THROUGH A PROGRAM FROM OU AND BEING UP THERE, I FEEL LIKE I GOT MORE OF AN INSIDER LOOK ON WHAT OTHER PEOPLE FROM MY GENERATION SEE.

AND SO, WELL, YES, THERE IS A SUBSTANCE PART OF WHY PEOPLE FROM MY GENERATION ARE UPSET, WHETHER THAT BE POLICIES OR OTHER THINGS IN WASHINGTON, WHAT I ALSO SAW WAS THERE WAS THIS DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE UNDERSTANDING OF ISSUES THAT HAVE GONE ON FOR DECADES, WHY THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO BE COMPLETELY FIXED EVEN, BUT EVEN JUST PARTIALLY RESOLVED OR EVEN DONE WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF GRIDLOCK.

>> DID YOU HAVE A EUREKA MOMENT WHERE YOU THOUGHT WOW, THIS IS REALLY SLOW?

>> I WAS ABLE TO BE THERE FOR OF COURSE, THERE WAS A BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL THAT WAS PASSED, AND JUST INSTANCES LIKE THAT WHERE I WAS ABLE TO HEAR THE PEOPLE FROM MY GENERATION RESPOND TO THINGS LIKE THAT.

WE WERE BORN INTO A GENERATION WHERE WE ARE USED TO POLITICS ALMOST BEING A POP-CULTURE ELEMENT RATHER THAN MORE OF A PROCEDURAL , FORMAL ELEMENT IN OUR LIFE AND THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, THE MORE THAT IT MADE SENSE WELL, I'M SO USED TO THINGS HAPPENING SO QUICKLY, AND I'M GETTING TEXT ALERTS WHILE BILLS ARE BEING PASSED AND EVERYTHING IS HAPPENING AND MY BRAIN IS WIRED TO REALLY QUESTION WHY ARE THINGS SO DIFFICULT TO GET THROUGH IN WASHINGTON, AND WHY ARE THINGS SO, ALMOST GRIDLOCKED, ALL THE TIME.

>> SHEA, YOU ARE A SENIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH, BY THE WAY.

YOU WRITE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT DISAPPEARING FROM PUBLIC LIFE, WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR A POLITICAL SYSTEM WORTH SHOWING UP FOR.

YOU GO ON TO SAY THAT WHILE SOME LEADERS MAY SEE LOW VOTER TURNOUT OR LOW PARTY REGISTRATION , THEY ARE MISREADING THIS.

IT'S A SILENT PROTEST AGAINST THE SYSTEM AND ABSENCE FROM A POLITICAL GAME THAT YOUNG PEOPLE SEE AS RIGGED.

FROM WHAT YOU SEE ON CAMPUS AND AMONG YOUR PEERS, THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED EMMA, HOW DOES THAT SILENT PROTEST KIND OF SHOW UP IN REAL LIFE?

>> IT STEMMED FROM YOU KNOW, THE 2020 AND 2024 ELECTION.

A LOT OF WHAT I WAS SEEING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHAT MY PEERS WERE SAYING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR THIS PERSON BECAUSE THEY ARE THE LESSER EVIL, QUOTE UNQUOTE, THEN THE OTHER CANDIDATE.

AND THAT JUST DIDN'T REALLY RESONATE WITH ME AT THE TIME.

I KNOW IT DIDN'T RESONATE FOR A LOT OF MY FELLOW STUDENTS AS WELL.

SO, I THINK THIS IDEA THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY ARE SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN SOMEONE ELSE, IT'S JUST NOT WORKING FOR A LOT OF YOUNG AMERICANS.

AND THEY CAN'T JUST KEEP ON GIVING US THE SAME OLD, SAME OLD, LINE OR SCRIPT WELL, XYZ IS THE ENEMY AND WE HAVE TO DEFEAT THEM OR WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO DEFEAT THIS CANDIDATE BECAUSE IT'LL BE WORSE IN THE LONG RUN, OKAY, BUT WHAT AFTER THAT?

AND SO, WHEN I SEE A LOT OF POLITICIANS USING THAT AS THEIR ANCHOR OF WE NEED TO BE WITH THIS CANDIDATE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NECESSARY INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT ACTUAL POLICIES OR HOW, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE YOUNG AMERICANS LIVES BETTER, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A REAL DISCONNECT FOR ME AND I THINK A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE .

SO, YEAH, I THINK THE SILENT PROTEST IS US DEMANDING MORE OF OUR POLITICIANS AND EXPECTING MORE.

>> DID YOU SEE A COMMON THEME AMONG ALL OF THE ESSAYS?

>> PARTLY IT WAS JUST THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED IN OPTICS.

THERE'S AN UGLY STEREOTYPE , THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE DISCONNECTED AND THEY'VE GIVEN UP ON POLITICS, CERTAINLY OUR GROUP WAS SELF-SELECTING AND WE WENT TO COLLEGE JOURNALISTS WHO ARE MORE PREDISPOSED TO BEING INTERESTED IN POLITICS THAN THE AVERAGE POPULATION BUT COLLECTIVELY THEY MADE A CONVINCING CASE THAT THIS IS A GENERATION THAT IS ENGAGED THAT DOES EXPECT MORE FROM THE POLITICIANS AND THEY WANT THE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TO BE A BETTER PLACE, BUT, TO THE POINT THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, THIS GENERATION IS FRUSTRATED BY WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND FRUSTRATED BY THE WAY THAT POLITICIANS ARE CARRYING THAT OUT.

THERE IS ENGAGEMENT, IDEALISM, THERE IS A DESIRE FOR THINGS TO BE BETTER AND THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS COME THROUGH.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU POINTED OUT, IS TONE MATTERS, LIKE WASHINGTON DOESN'T ALWAYS GET THE TONE RIGHT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE FOR MESSAGING TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND IN FACT, SOME OF THE WAYS THAT THEY SEE POLITICIANS TRY TO CONNECT WITH THEM IS LIKE, CRINGE, CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF THAT?

>> CHIEF EXAMPLE PROBABLY ON THE ONE THAT WAS AT THE FOREFRONT OF MANY OF OUR MINDS AND SOMEONE WROTE A GOOD PIECE ABOUT IT WAS ABOUT 67, BY THE TIME POLITICIANS AS THEY HAVE, STARTED INVOKING 67 IN THEIR POSTS AND SPEECHES, IT WAS PAST THE POINT WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE WANTED TO HEAR THAT AND IT HAD ALREADY BECOME CRINGE, I THINK THE LARGER POINT IS YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE CONDESCENDED TO AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE TALKED DOWN TO AND POLITICIANS ARE SAYING 67, IN THAT SUPERFICIAL WAY, IT FEELS CONDESCENDING.

>> YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT THIS IDEA OF BEING TOLD THAT YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS.

CAN YOU SORT OF SAY MORE ABOUT THAT?

I MEAN, I AM IN WASHINGTON, I'VE BEEN COVERING POLITICS FOR A LONG TIME AND THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IS THE REASON THAT NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNING PROCESS IS THAT IT WORKS.

IS PEOPLE RESPONDING TO IT?

>> IT'S A TURNOFF BECAUSE THERE'S NO REAL POLICY BASIS BEHIND THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND AS STUDENTS AND AS EMMA POINTED OUT, WE ARE DEALING WITH SO MANY THINGS WHETHER THAT IS THE GROWING CLIMATE CRISIS, STUDENT LOANS, WHETHER WE CAN AFFORD TO BUY A HOUSE IN THIS LIFETIME, SO, WHEN THESE ARE REAL TANGIBLE ISSUES THAT ARE ON THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS, WHEN POLITICIANS ARE TELLING US THAT WE HAVE TO VOTE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE THE BEST CHOICE, BUT THEY ARE NOT SHOWING US WHY THEY ARE THE BEST CHOICE, I THINK IT FALLS ON DEAF EARS, AND I NOTICE A LOT WITHIN YOU KNOW, 2024 ELECTION ESPECIALLY, WHEN A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE WERE WANTING TO VOTE THIRD PARTY OR NOT EVEN VOTE AT ALL BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CANDIDATE THERE TO REALLY REPRESENT YOUNG ISSUES.

NOW, THERE WERE CANDIDATES THAT WERE PANDERING TO OUR SOCIAL MEDIA, TO POP CULTURE AND EVENTS BUT NOT REALLY TALKING TO US LIKE WE ARE INFORMED PEOPLE, WHO WANT TO LIVE AS BEST LIVES AS WE CAN.

AND SO, WHEN WE SEE THAT CONSTANTLY IN THE NEWS, I THINK, AS YOUNG PEOPLE AND TALKING TO MY PEERS, WE JUST NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND WE NEED CANDIDATES WHO ARE ACTUALLY TREATING US LIKE WE ARE ADULTS, LIKE WE UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES, LIKE THESE ISSUES AFFECT US IN REAL TIME.

>> RICHARD I'M GOING TO BRING SOME DATA IN HERE, ACCORDING TO A GALLUP REPORT PUBLISHED IN JANUARY, 56% OF GEN Z IDENTIFY AS POLITICALLY INDEPENDENT.

BUT WE ALSO KEEP HEARING YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SHIFTING RIGHT OR AT LEAST THEY WERE.

CAN BOTH OF THOSE THINGS BE TRUE OR IS ONE OF THEM OFF THE MARK?

HOW DO YOU SEE THIS, BASED ON THE REPORTING THAT YOU'VE DONE?

>> ONE OF THE THROUGH LINES OF THE PIECE WAS THERE'S A COMPLEXITY TO THE WAY YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THINKING ABOUT POLITICS THAT DEFIES OUR OLD IDEAS ABOUT THE LEFT RIGHT SPECTRUM.

WE HAVE SOMEONE ARGUE I THINK CORRECTLY THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE TURNED OFF BY CENTRIST POLITICS AND FIND THEMSELVES GRAVITATING TOWARD FURTHER LEFT HER FURTHER RIGHT, SOMEBODY ELSE ARGUED THAT YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T REALLY CARE ABOUT PARTY LABELS AND THEY ARE NOT AS INTERESTED IN THE OLD PARTISAN, CALLING THEMSELVES REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS, WHAT THEY'RE INTERESTED IN IS PARTICULAR ISSUES AND ISSUES DON'T NECESSARILY ALIGN WITH THE CLASSIC DEFINITIONS OF WHERE THE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC PARTIES ARE.

I THINK THERE'S A COMPLEXITY THAT MAY DEFY SOME OF THE OLD IDEAS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT LEFT AND RIGHT.

>> BOTH OF YOU LIVE IN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE IDENTIFY AS CONSERVATIVE.

TELL ME ABOUT THIS SHIFT RIGHT THING.

DOES THAT RESONATE?

>> I THINK THAT AS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MOVES FURTHER RIGHT, SO DOES THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR A LOT OF YOUNG AMERICANS WHO MIGHT BE MORE MODERATE, MIGHT BE LESS FURTHER RIGHT OR FURTHER LEFT TO IDENTIFY WITH EITHER PARTY BECAUSE THEY ARE TWO EXTREMES AT THE END OF THE DAY, PARTICULARLY WHEN I THINK OF POLITICS AND REALLY AFFECT THE POLITICIANS, I THINK OF MAYOR MAMDANI IN NEW YORK I THINK WHAT MADE HIM EFFECTIVE WAS YES, HE UTILIZED SOCIAL MEDIA AND YES, HE UTILIZED HIS RESOURCES AND YES, HE HAD A GOOD CAMPAIGN STRATEGY BUT HE WAS MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY WERE AT, WHETHER THAT BE GOING TO LOCAL BOROUGHS, GOING TO GROCERY STORES, GOING TO RESTAURANTS AND TALKING TO PEOPLE, WHETHER THAT BE HAVING REAL, TANGIBLE POLICIES THAT WILL MAKE AND IMPROVE NEW YORK CITY.

>> FREE BUSES, TRYING TO MAKE CHILDCARE FREE UP TO A CERTAIN AGE, YOU KNOW, GROCERY STORES THAT ARE RUN BY THE CITY TO CREATE AN AFFORDABLE OPTION.

>> I THINK THAT RESONATED WITH A LOT OF MY PEERS AND I THINK WHETHER YOU ARE A 23-YEAR-OLD LIVING IN NEW YORK CITY OR A 20- YEAR-OLD IN IDAHO.

SEEING HIS WIN AND SEEING HOW HE CAMPAIGNED AND SEEING THE POLICIES THAT HE STOOD UP FOR AND SEEING HOW THEY ARE SLOWLY BUT SURELY COMING TO FRUITION, I THINK THAT'S INSPIRING FOR A LOT OF US YOUNG PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THE MORE THAT POLITICIANS ADOPT THAT STRATEGY, THE MORE THEY WILL SEE YOUNG PEOPLE WANTING TO FIGHT FOR THEM AND ROOT FOR THEM AND BE IN THEIR CORNER BECAUSE WE ALL WANT SOMEONE THAT IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

AND I THINK IF POLITICIANS WANT OUR VOTE, THEY HAVE TO EARN IT.

>> EMMA, WHAT DO YOU THINK, ON THE ONE HAND WE SEEING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED AS INDEPENDENT BUT WE SEE THERE'S A SHIFT TO THE RIGHT, WHAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU?

>> I THINK WHAT I'VE NOTICED IS, THERE SEEMS TO BE A FRUSTRATION WITH ALMOST THE BLAME GAME, AND ESPECIALLY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE SEE A LOT OF GEN Z SPECIFICALLY IN THE COMMENTS, RESPONDING, YES WE UNDERSTAND, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE TWO SIDES TO POLITICAL ISSUES BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN IS IT GOING TO BE THE CASE WHERE ONE SIDE IS NOT BLAMING THE OTHER AND THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF METAL.

I FEEL LIKE GEN Z AS A GROUP THINKS INDEPENDENTLY, I DO THINK THERE IS A SHIFT TOWARDS THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO YOU RESONATE WITH AND WHO REALLY DO SHOW UP FOR WHAT WE WANT, WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS, FOR REALLY, THOSE PERSONAL ISSUES THAT CAN REALLY BE SEEN AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN A, RATHER THAN JUST STANDING THERE AND BLAMING THE OTHER SIDE.

I THINK THAT IS A VERY COMMON THING THAT WE SEE.

WHEN IT COMES TO POLITICS, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE ALL TAUGHT THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME TYPE OF METAL AND ESPECIALLY WITH THIS GENERATION, THERE'S A YEARNING FOR SEEING SOME TYPE OF COMPROMISE.

>> ACCORDING TO THE HARVARD INSTITUTE OF POLITICS, YOU KNOW THEY DO THIS YOUTH PULL EVERY YEAR, ONLY 13% OF YOUNG AMERICANS SAY THE COUNTRY IS HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT TO YOU?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT IT DOES SOUND RIGHT TO ME.

>> HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HEAR THAT?

>> THERE SEEMS TO BE A FEELING OF, THAT THAT IS JUST THE WAY IT IS.

BUT I DO THINK THAT WHILE THERE IS ALMOST LIKE OKAY, DOES EVERYONE FEEL LIKE THIS WHEN THEY FIRST GET INTO UNDERSTANDING POLITICS, WHEN THEY GET OUT OF COLLEGE, AND A LOT OF THE STUFF STARTS APPLYING TO YOU, OKAY, IS THERE REALLY A CONCERN TO WEAR A LOT OF THIS DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT TO US AND A LOT OF THIS DOES SEEM LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF HEAVY BLOCKAGE ALMOST, WHEN IT COMES TO WASHINGTON WORKING TOGETHER AND GETTING A LOT OF THIS STUFF DONE TO WHERE WE CAN FEEL ASSURED THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> YOU MENTIONED HOPEFULNESS.

IS THERE ANYTHING GIVING YOU HOPE RIGHT NOW OTHER THAN THE GRADUATION IN YOUR SITE?

>> YEAH, I THINK LIKE EMMA SAID, I THINK OUR GENERATION IS VERY POWERFUL AND MAYBE THAT'S WITH THE RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA BUT THE ABILITY FOR US TO ORGANIZE AND COME TOGETHER AS A NATION, IT'S JUST REALLY BEAUTIFUL TO SEE, AND I REALLY THINK BACK TO WHEN MY LOCAL COMMUNITY WAS DOING A PROTEST AND THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO WAS YOU KNOW, THE CENTER AND YOUNG PEOPLE ORGANIZED IT AND PUT OUT SIGNS IN ALL OF THESE THINGS AND WE ARE MARCHING AROUND CAMPUS AND THE CITY AND THAT WAS JUST A REALLY BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE THAT YOU KNOW, YES, THERE IS MAYBE SOME APATHY FROM SOME FOLKS, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS A GENERATION, WE WANT OUR NATION TO BE BETTER AND AS A GENERATION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR PEACE AND EQUALITY AND JUSTICE AND ALL OF THESE THINGS.

IT MAKES ME FEEL A HUGE SENSE OF PRIDE KNOWING THAT, A LOT OF THESE THINGS THAT WE ARE SEEING THAT ARE CHANGING, ALL THE POSITIVE CHANGES ARE COMING OUT BECAUSE WE DEMANDED FOR THEM.

I THINK AS WE GROW AND AS WE CONTINUE TO GET OLDER, YOU KNOW, I HOPE AND PRAY THAT OUR ZEAL AND OUR FIGHT DOESN'T LEAVE US, BUT EVEN IF IT DOES, THAT WE WILL HAVE THE NEXT GENERATION TO PICK THAT BACKUP FOR US.

>> WHAT GAVE ME HOPE IS THAT THERE WERE 22 AWESOME STUDENT JOURNALISTS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, DOING THIS AMAZING WORK.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> FINALLY FOR US, A CENTURIES OLD FOLK TRADITION BREATHES NEW LIFE INTO AN INDIAN VILLAGE NEAR MUMBAI IN THE ANNUAL COLORFUL, CELEBRATION, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY COMPETE TO ERECT HUGE DECORATED BAMBOO POLES TO HONOR THEIR LOCAL GODDESS.

FROM THOSE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SCALE THE CEREMONIAL CREATIONS TO THOSE CELEBRATING DOWN ON THE STREET, THE FESTIVAL CREATES A WELCOME SEA OF COLOR THROUGHOUT THE VILLAGE.

THAT'S IT FOR OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT.

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ORG/AMANPOUR.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW NIGHT.

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