PBS News Hour

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Tonight on PBS News Weekend, with Trump's commanding when on Super Tuesday, we look at the present and future of the Republican Party.

Then, as the SAT goes digital what the change means for accessibility and the role of the test in college admissions.

WOMAN: By making it shorter, making it digital, even making it adaptive, or always to make it more attractive to students.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: And the daughter of Somali immigrants gives her Brief But Spectacular take on caring for refugees and immigrants who have survived violence.

(BREAK) LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Good evening.

I'm Laura Barron-Lopez.

John Yang is away.

Tonight on the eve of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting hundreds of thousands of Gazans are on the brink of famine, according to U.N. officials.

Gazans scrambled for food air dropped by the U.S. and Jordan today, while hundreds of miles north a ship loaded with 200 metric tons of food is set to sail from the island of Cyprus.

The voyage will test a new maritime corridor for aid and should reach Gaza in the next few days.

Meanwhile, attacks continued both inside Gaza and in the wider region.

Israel destroyed a large residential tower in Rafah, it says was being used by Hamas, displacing hundreds of Palestinian civilians, and the U.S. military and coalition partners down dozens of drones launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen that threatened U.S. destroyers and a cargo ship in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The largest Houthi attack in months.

President Biden signed six spending bills into law today that will fund less than half of the federal government through the fall.

It averts the threat of a partial government shutdown but only for two weeks.

The rest of the government must be funded by March 22.

As the general election fight begins, President Biden and former President Trump will hold dueling rallies tonight in Georgia.

Two National Guardsmen and a border patrol agent were killed in a helicopter crash in Texas yesterday afternoon along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Another soldier on board was injured.

They were flying a border security mission when their UH-72 Lakota helicopter went down near Rio Grande City north of McAllen.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

If you've ever spotted an unidentified object in the sky, a new Pentagon report says you can probably rule out aliens, the congressionally mandated investigation examined reports of UFO sightings dating back to the end of World War II.

And although it acknowledged a small number of cases with potentially anomalous or concerning characteristics, it found no evidence of extraterrestrial activity and said there's no alien cover up within the government.

A second volume of the report is expected later this year.

And Iowa's Caitlin Clark has added yet another record to her resume.

This time breaking the NCAA Division I record for three pointers made in a single season.

She sunk her 163-three pointer during last night's big 10 quarterfinal win over Penn State.

With the bucket she passed Liberty University's Darius McKee and Golden State Warriors and former Davidson star Steph Curry.

Still to come on PBS News Weekend, what the new SAT means for college admissions, and a Brief But Spectacular take on caring for survivors of violence.

(BREAK) LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Starting today, the SAT, the Standardized College Admissions Test is going fully digital.

The test once known for its number two pencils and fill in the bubble answer sheets will no longer be offered on paper.

It's part of a larger redesign meant to make the test more accessible and fair, even as colleges and universities around the country have increasingly made the test optional for applicants.

The change is renewing debate over the role that tests should play and admissions.

Nadra Nittle, Education reporter for the 19th News joins me to discuss.

Nadra, thanks so much for talking to us.

What exactly is changing for students who are taking the test today?

NADRA NITTLE, The 19TH News: So as you mentioned, the SAT is going digital in the United States for the first time, it actually went digital internationally last year, but for U.S. students, this will be a new experience.

The test will also be about an hour shorter than the pencil and paper version.

And it will be adaptive meaning that the question students get answered, depend on how well they do at the outset.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Why did the College Board the nonprofit that runs sa t programs make this change?

NADRA NITTLE: Well, I think one of the reasons is just, you know, young people today, teenagers, they're digital natives.

So this will be very familiar to a lot of them changing this format, and the paper version was considered outdated.

Some of my sources told me that they also think this is a way to make the test more attractive as colleges and universities increasingly make it an optional admissions requirement.

So by making it shorter, making it digital, even making it adaptive, or always to make it more attractive to students.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Do these changes do anything to address some of the long standing complaints about the SAT that it plays into inequities, especially for girls, students of color and low income students?

NADRA NITTLE: So I've heard some mixed responses from my sources about this topic, there really is nothing necessarily in the test in terms of the questions you would get asked that would make it, I guess, easier or narrow the gaps for some students in terms of their performance, but some people think even just by making it shorter, that might help students with learning differences.

Even by making it adaptive, you know, some of my sources think that can make students less anxious, and that can improve their scores.

In terms of gender, race, and you know, some of the other gaps, we just don't know, my expert sources are waiting to get data, which they probably won't have enough of until next year to really look at the subgroups and how subgroups performed on the test.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: So overall, are your sources telling you that this digital tests may give some students a leg up or may be a disadvantage to others?

NADRA NITTLE: So some are saying, you know, especially with students for learning differences, just by making it shorter, just by having adaptive, you know, questions, instead of giving everyone the same questions that that could be helpful.

But some of my other sources who have been long term critics of the SAT don't think this test is really going to do anything different.

They think it's the same test, it's just a little shorter, and now it's digital instead of on paper.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Disadvantage, low income students may not be able to afford extracurriculars, or coaching on college essays, things that could help them overall boost their college admission applications.

And so is there a concern that with making the SAT optional, which some universities have done that that could hurt those low income students?

NADRA NITTLE: Some of the SAT supporters are arguing that, hey, if a student from an, you know, socio economically disadvantaged background happens to take the SATs, and does really well on it, that student might qualify for scholarships.

They also might qualify for admission at an elite institution that maybe just by grades alone, they wouldn't have been admitted to.

So there's an attitude of, you know, why not just take the test, see if you do well on it, and if you do submit the scores.

The other thing is during the pandemic, when the test optional movement really started to gain ground.

A lot of students who were applying to Ivy League institutions and other elite institutions were still turning in their test scores anyway.

So by making it now a requirement again, some of my sources believe they actually are leveling the playing field.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: The SAT as you know, used to be mandatory for first year applications.

That number dropped during the pandemic and now schools are returning to that requirement.

And but others aren't.

So, is the SATs still an important part of college admissions?

NADRA NITTLE: I definitely think it's still an important part especially for those, you know, the top tier students who are really trying to get into the best schools in the country at the same time.

According to one advocacy group called fair test, only 20 percent of colleges are requiring the SAT, so more than 80 percent of colleges and universities still do not have it as a requirement.

It's test optional and they think that the test optional movement is here to stay.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Nadra Nittle of the 19th News.

Thank you for joining.

NADRA NITTLE: Thanks for having me.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Donald Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee for president after a near sweep on Super Tuesday.

But when his last major opponent standing, Nikki Haley dropped out this week, she didn't throw her support behind Trump.

Despite calling on Haley voters to support him, Trump made clear he doesn't want anyone critical of him in the party.

DONALD TRUMP, U.S. Republican Presidential Candidate: The greatest movement in the history of our country, and they say always tried to demean.

Well, MAGA really represents 48 percent of the Republican Party.

No.

It represents 96 percent than maybe 100 percent.

We're getting rid of the Romney's of the world.

We want to get Romney's in those out.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Exit polls tell a slightly different story.

A third of Republican primary voters in North Carolina and Virginia said they would not vote Republican in November regardless of the nominee.

Tuesday's elections did more than just decide the Republican nomination.

They reflected a deep schism in the party dividing some lifelong Republicans from Trump's MAGA faction.

To discuss this.

I'm joined today by two Republicans, former congressman Denver Riggleman from Virginia and strategist Barrett Marson, who's based in Phoenix.

Denver and Barrett, thank you so much for joining.

Denver.

I want to start with you.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell endorsed Trump within 24 hours after his Super Tuesday wins.

That's the same man, Mitch McConnell, who called Trump morally and practically responsible for the January 6 insurrection.

Does McConnell's attempt at Unity reflect the reality for voters?

FORMER REP. DEMVER RIGGLEMAN (R) Virginia: Yeah, I think it does.

You know, I mean, if you look at the economy, it's no different than what McCarthy did after January 6, when he rolled over and showed his belly and went to Mar-a-Lago after he blamed Trump for January 6.

You see all these individuals coming home.

And I think a lot of that has to do with what I call leash politics.

It's like my leash.

I will do with that will ask me do, you know, something like that.

It's just absolutely unbelievable to me.

But, again, what did Trump get about 75 percent of the vote?

No, a lot of people said there were individuals that would not vote for Trump and things of that nature.

But most people do come home.

I remember, in my little convention in a church, you know, everybody's saying Denver will never, you know, vote for this guy.

He's awful.

But they did.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Barrett, Denver says that Republicans will come home but a majority of Haley voters in both North Carolina and Virginia said that if Trump is convicted of a crime that he's unfit to be president, as a lifelong Republican yourself, do you think that the former president is unfit for office?

BARRETT MARSON, Marson Media: You know, it's going to be up to voters to decide whether Trump is unfit.

But he is certainly wrong.

And he's wrong for this time.

There's no doubt Nikki Haley would trounce Joe Biden, certainly in Arizona, it would not be a competitive state.

But because Donald Trump and all his many faults are going to be presented to us voters here in Arizona, across the country, it's going to be a very competitive race because of that.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Barrett, why do you think that he's wrong?

BARRETT MARSON: Well, look, he has got so many faults, if not for January 6, certainly.

This campaign and most of his time and out of office has shown he is much more interested in settling scores and going after his political enemies than actually doing anything.

And I don't think that's where most Americans are.

I don't I think they want a much a rosier outlook on life.

They don't want grievance politics.

And that's truly what Trump is all about for the last, you know, four, three and a half years while he's been out of office.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Denver, I'd like to drill down a little bit to the state results in Super Tuesday contests in Texas, specifically, GOP congressman Tony Gonzalez is facing a run off now from the right because of the fact that he was supportive of bipartisan gun safety legislation.

He's supportive of gay marriage.

What do you think, I mean, he may still very well win that contest in the general but what's your takeaway from that?

DENVER RIGGLEMAN: Well, you know what happened to me when I officiated a same sex wedding more I got Senator, you know, by the local Republican Party.

So it wasn't great, you know, winning bipartisan gun legislation.

The fact that I was pro-immigration for H2A's were in a rural agricultural district, that pretty much got me drummed out in the Republican Party ran away from me in this district as fast as they could, you know, based on those topics, which seemed to be moderate and sane.

I think when you heard Trump talking about pushing out everybody that's like Romney, that's really pushing out people like me, too.

You're talking about the moderate and the sane people try to compromise really what the Constitution was all about, on the founder set up, you know, this incredible experiment that we have in the United States of America.

I think what we have is the sane and the moderate are being run out of the party.

It's either Trump, you know, his way or it's the highway.

BARRETT MARSON: I want to echo something that Denver said, you know, elections are about bringing in the biggest amount of voters you can get, the most amount of people, the biggest 10.

And continually we hear from Donald Trump, and people like Kari Lake that they don't want moderate Republicans to vote for them.

They you want to excise them from the party.

Well, you know, they are without a home.

Those voters, like myself and Denver are sort of without a home.

So it's either don't vote for Trump and don't vote for Biden, or maybe cast your vote for Biden because at least he wants my vote.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Barrett, speaking of Kari Lake, Senator Kyrsten Sinema said that she is not going to run for reelection in your home state of Arizona.

And establishment Republican figures like Senator John Thune have thrown their support behind Kari Lake who's running in the Republican primary for that Senate seat.

How would you compare, you know, Kari Lake is an election denier, and she's was considered a more extreme candidate in 2022.

How would you compare the state's Republican Party in Arizona to the larger Republican Party?

BARRETT MARSON: Well, look, there is absolutely no doubt we are a MAGA base.

Kari Lake will do well in the primary.

She has a primary opponent.

She will do well on the primary here.

There's no doubt about that, because this is a MAGA base, but it will be very difficult for her to win over independents and moderate Republicans who are needed to win a general election.

And the probably the only thing she has going for her is Ruben Gallego, her likely Democratic opponent is a fairly liberal, he's a progressive liberal Democrat.

And he may be too liberal for a lot of independents and right leaning Republicans to actually fill in the ballot for.

So.

you know, it's long ways.

Seven, eight months still till Election Day, but Keri Lake is going to have a real hard problem moderating her positions compared to 2022.

Keri Lake for 2020 for her worst enemy is Keri Lake from two years ago.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Denver, North Carolina Trump endorsed Mark Robinson won the GOP nomination for the governor's race there.

Robinson has called LGBTQ people quote, filth, he has quoted Hitler, he has cast doubt on the Holocaust.

And a recent Huff Post report revealed that in 2020, Robinson even said he wanted to turn back time on women's rights.

DENVER RIGGLEMAN: I was like jump turn endorsing Carrie Lake, you know, and it's like this, you know, crazy cat, North Carolina.

It's like Republicans are voting for people that believe that Lord of the Rings is a documentary.

You know, and I love the fact that, you know, both was think, you know, we don't have a home.

I think we do.

I think at some point, you got to make a decision, you know, how you're going to vote, whether it's for this country or its foreign sanity.

And you would look at Mark, you know, Robinson, you know, look at North Carolina, the fact that he got the votes that he did should shock anybody, you know, with an IQ above moron.

But I do believe, you know, as the election gets closer, if Joe Biden were to win, I think it's a couple issues.

I think it's Dobbs.

I think women are going to come in hard.

But I also think it's, you know, people screaming and carrying the rhino flag, I think that might overcome the MAGA flag.

Right.

When you see people that are center right independence or even, you know, I would say people who thought they were Trumpian going into this election cycle, and I also believe those independents and Senator right who just can't stomach the insanity of Donald Trump or the Kerry lakes or the mark Robinson from North Carolina.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Denver Riggleman, former congressman from Virginia and Barrett Marson of Arizona, thank you so much for your time.

BARRETT MARSON: Thank you, Laura.

DENVER RIGGLEMAN: Thank you.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: Lul Mohamud is the executive director of a nonprofit organization that supports survivors of domestic violence.

The daughter of Somali immigrants focuses her work on helping those from the African immigrant and refugee community around Washington DC.

Tonight, she shares her Brief But Spectacular take on the power and promise of person centered care.

LUL MOHAMUD, The Person Center: For our survivors who are often retelling stories of violence of times that they don't want to reflect on, they don't want to repeat.

It's already exhausting to do that.

Then imagine having to worry about the feelings of the one who is listening to you.

It makes it that much harder to disclose violence, it makes it much harder to reach for help.

I was blessed to be born into the Somali immigrant community here in the DC area.

My siblings and I, we were very service oriented at a really young age.

Domestic violence is a long continuing global pandemic.

I actually volunteered for The Person Center after my first year of college, and I met the founder and executive director then Amelia Missieledies.

The Person Center is a small community based nonprofit that serves African immigrant survivors of domestic violence in the DC area.

What she wanted for me to do was to learn a really important skill, which is the power of listening, we had to call the survivors and talk to them about their experience.

And all she said was your goal here is just to listen.

And it was the hardest thing to do.

We are too often judging, policing and dictating how others emote, and live their lives, instead of putting the responsibility on us to listen accurately, and to listen empathetically, and if we're unable to listen, then we're unable to care for the people who need us most.

After that summer, I knew that my focus needs to be on those who are most desperate to be heard, and who deserve to be heard.

And I tell our community all the time that as an organization made by them, our priority is to make sure that they are part of the process from beginning to the end.

And in order to decolonize domestic violence response, we have to center and value and trust the voices of survivors from the very community that we say we want to serve.

Violence in the context of families and interpersonal relationships has existed since the dawn of time.

The experiences that our survivors have had to hold on to the challenges they experience in receiving care are challenges that I recognize and I experience in my own life.

Because I come from the same background, same community, when leaders, policymakers, researchers don't come from that community, and don't have a personal tie to the challenges that the survivors are experiencing, it's very unlikely that they'll be able to find the solution.

My name is Lul Mohamud.

And this is my Brief But Spectacular take on the power and promise of person centered care.

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: And that is PBS News Weekend for this Saturday.

I'm Laura Barron Lopez.

For all of my colleagues, thanks for joining us.

See you tomorrow.