captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc d >> woodruff: gening. i'm judy woodruff. on the newshour tonight: cie department of justice charges a russiazen with conspiring to interfere in american electthns, including year's midterms. then, health care on the ballot in idaho. will voters approve an expansion of medicaid? >> we're already providing it at the most costly way possible, and it's about just solving that solution in a way that's conservative. and, it's friday. mark shields and david brooksek analyze the news, as president trump campaigns across the country, warning off consequencesmocrats win seats in congress.fa and, the lates film, "beautiful boy." a family struggles in thface

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>> woodruff: they are the first criminal charges alleging foreign meddli in next month's midterm elections. the u.s. justice department today disclosed the complaint against a russian citizen. a woman there is accf managing finances for a social dia campaign to spread distrust about american policy debates and candidates. for mo details on our top story, let's tn to nina jankowicz of the wiln center, a non-partisan political think tank in washington, d.c. welcome back to the program. so we've heard again and again the russians interfered in, succeeded in ierfering in 2016, they're still at it. what's new in this complaint? >> we have hard evidence they're interfering on all sid of the political spectrum and that's important for americans to know going ine elections in two weeks, that this is an issue about attacking our democracy

and clearly the justice department wanted to put that out there before we go to the polls. >> woodruff: this can be confus ig. we were to2016 what the russians were up to and the people indicted by the special counsel soar, robert mueller, have people who seem to be working on behalf of esident trump. but this has people, as you say, on all sides of some of these issues. >> we've seen pro robert mueller tweets and anti-robert mueller tweets. we have seen things that say voter fraud is a felony, we have also seen organization of rallies that the russians have supported where resistance folks would turn out in front of a white house for a flsh mob on july 4th. so these are on all sides of th political spectrum and this is exactly the tactic russia has used time and time again not only in the united states but across eastern europe. >> as an example, we have a graphic of voter fraud. this is a tweet about voter fraud. this is a felony, hold themco

table, fight, fight, fight, ande thn donald trump potus. that's an argument people hear fr the public. >> the desire to sow chaos and dismay ira tried and tue russian tactic and the idea is to turn us inward, to get us to fight amongst each other so that we're less focused on wha russia is doing on the international stage. >> woodruff: there ire ining information in here, nina jankowicz, about the financing. this woman appears to be an accountant in russia. doesn't appear they will ever be able to extradite her to the united states to face these charges. >> right. it's extremely interesting to know that over three years they've spent at least $35 million on advertising, on domains and proxies, on the payment of actual activists,s again, whicha staggering statistic, and if you look at what, for instance, the global engagement center, the center teated to fight this

information at t state department, they budgeted $60 million for a single year, hard for theate department to get thain hands on, for -- to get their hands on, for countering statewide >> woodruff: you mentioned the flash mob. people showed up for that. >> absolutely. this isn't the first time we've seen activist showed up to russian organized or supported events liningthis but i think it's important to know this is not just an abstract social media campaign, this is changing people discourse surrounding the election. >> woodruff: and you were telling me what you noted here is how much it says the special counsel and his office now know about this. >> absolutely, yeah, yeah. it's a staggering level of detail. i don't know what that the future, but i think it's an important issue for our democracy heading into the mid transportion. it's n a partisan issue, and i would hope that politicians on all sides of theinisle bego understand that and advocate for

solutions that are nonpartisan to it, as well. w odruff: nina jankowicz with the wilson center, we thank you. >> thanks for having me.>> oodruff: in the day's other news, president trump says it is still too early to r determine a u.ponse in the disappearance of saudi journalist and dissident jamal khashoggi. in scottsdale, arizona, the president suggested today that it could involve sanctions against saudi arabia, if the kingdom were responsible. but he said he wants to consult congress. >> i'm going to have very much congress involved in determining what to do.we ave $450 billion worth of things ordered from a very rich country, saudi arabia. 600,000 jobs, maybe more than that. and it would be very hurtful to this country if we sd, "oh, we're not going to sell it to you." >> woodruff: meanwhile, secrety of state mike pompeo denied a report that he has heard recordings of khashoggi being murdered at the saudi

consulate in turkey. the u.s. and south korean militaries today susoinded a second military drill this year. pentagon officials said they hoped that the move aids s with northrogr korea. e north has long protest the annual exercises, insisting that they are dr reality s rehearsals for invading north korea. in afghanistan, officials have postponed parliamentary elections in kdahar province for a week. that is after a security guard killed an influential police chief and the local headf intelligence yesterday. the u.s. military commander in afghanistan, general scott miller, escaped without injury. he told an afghan news agency

today that he does not believe he was the target. >> what happened down there was an attack on the security forces, but i'll tell you, we still remain with the security forces. the messages we had from the kandahar people were unity, and peace, and confidence in the security forces, ver specifically in preparation for the upcoming elections. >> woodruff: a u.s. official confirms to the newshour that miller pulled his gun during the attack. the taliban has claimed responsibility, and said that it had targeted both the police chief and general miller. the group has vowed to disruptto rrow's elections in the rest of afghanistan. in the gaza strip, the health ministry says israeli soldiers shot and wounded 130 palestinian protesters today. 10,000 palestinian demonstrators gathered along the israeli border. b some threwurned tires and explosive deacces at troops ross the fence.

egypt is trying to broker a new cease-fire. 3 so00 migrants streamed through a border town in guatemala today,osttempting to north into mexico. they moved toward a border bridge and tore down a metal gate. about 50 got through bore mexican police intervened.n the caras been traveling mostly on foot since the journey began in honduras last week. u.s. secretary of state pompeo voiced concern when he with his mexican counterpart today in mexico city. >> we are quickly reaching a point whh appears to be a moment of crisis-- record numbers of migrants. foreign secretary videgaray and i spoke about the importance of stopping this flow bef reaches the u.s. border. we are deeply aware that the way that mexico will handle this, the way you will hdle this, is your sovereign decision. >> woodruff: president trump had threatened to send the u.s. military to the mexican border, but later today, he thanked mexico for its efforts to stop

the caravan. china reported today that its economic growth has slowed to the lowest level since 2009.li ited to an annual rate of 6.5% in the third quarter. the chinese economy was already slowing under government-imposed credit controls before trade onnsions heated up with the u.s. stocks were mixeall street today. the dow jones industrial average gained 65 points to close at 25,444. the nasdaq fell 36, and the s&p 500 dropped a point. and, the mega millions lottery jackpot climbed to $billion today, making it the second- largest in u.s. history. ile odds of winning remain at about one in 302 mlion, but that didn't stop many from testing their luck. the semi-weekly drawings have yet to pick a winner, since june 24. if no one claims tonight's prize, next week's jackpot will

grow to $1.6 billion. still to come on the newshour: u.s. interior secretary ryan zinke under scrutiny for misuse of taxpayer dollars. how healthcare is playing in the midterm election race in republican idaho. spain overtakes italy as the main entry point for undocumented migrants coming to europe. and, much more. >> woodruff: another member of president trump's cabinet has come under scrutiny for alleged ethical lapses. interior secretary ryan zinke is being investigated on several fronts, and as william brangham reports, they include misusing taxpayer funds for family trav, and using his office t further his and others' business interests. >> brangham: that's right, judy. the interi secretary is currently under at least four different investigations by thee

depa's inspector general. according to the "washington post," report concerns allegations that zinke tried to secure free travel for his wife in government vehicles. any non-government employee is supposed to reimburse th government for those kinds of luips, but zinke allegedly tried to get his wife a eer job at the department so she could travel with him for free. zinke has repeatedly dany wrongdoing. the secretary is also being investigated separately for a few different matters, including: his involvement in a land deal in montana that coulde fit zinke and his wife; zinke's reversal of a decision to grant a casino in connecticut-- after meeting with lobbyists from a different casino operator; and his decision to redraw t boundaries of two national monuments. for more on these questions, i'm joined by the "washington post's" juliet eilperin.

juliet, welcome back to the "newshour". you are one of the reporters who helped break the most recent story about the questions over zinke's wife's travel. there have been other questio about zinke's travel and use of taxpayer money. can you explain how ts all fits together? >> sure. secretary zinke has come under scrutiny from the early months to hre the administration how he spent taxpayer funds and theye dealt with a range of different issues from the fact that he has combined political appearances from some of his official travel, the fact tha for example, his unarmed security detail accompanied him on vacation last summer to turkey and greece which cos taxpayers more than $25,000, and the fact that his wife has come with him, as well as some of hi associat official trips and that that, too, has translated, at times, into additional taxpayer expense. so all of those issues have raised potential flags and prompted some of these inquiries. >> as i mentioned, there were

several other investigationsnt going onsome of his activities including the blocking to have theasino in connecticut, the redrawing of two national monuments, but also the land deal in whiitesh, montana. can you explain a little bit about what that question is about? >> sure there's a development in white fish called 95caro which volves the chairman of halliburton, a major oil services firm, potentially affected by interior decisions as well as a local developer, and thzinckies because the land they both donated to the eown as well aadjacent property they own could affected by the development doctor zinke, who stepped down as president from the foundation and handed to reins to his wife, has been involved in discussions and a meeting with davidzar, his ton and this developer while in washington and t is now a subject of an inspector general

probe. >> stepping back from the questions, can you remind us out the impt zinke has had on the interior department, what lnd of poicies he's has been enactings. >> hhas been an active proponent of energy development offland and onshore. he reversed several snificant rules that were put in place by ba bck obama and haseen making more energy development available for private int on public lands and public waters. we've seen him change ou draft recommendations which have uments national mon protected areas out west, and we're seeing an array of activities, whether itto do with scientific findings, how the department considers, for example, findings of its own researchers to ofwifshord development and the other area. so no question he's a ry

active member of the president's cabinet. >> brangham: utility utility utility -- juliet eilperin of "the washington post." thanks as always. >> woodruff: the midterm elections are little more than two weeks away, and national polls show that health care is the top issue for voteil. in four herepublican states-- idaho, montana, utah and nebraska-- the ballots wilti include inits on expanding medicaid under the affordable care act. john yang goes to idaho for a report, produced in partnership with politic >> yang: nichole stull's life in suburban boise, idaho, is overflowing. four bouncing daughters, ages four to 14, and a baby on the way. with her husband, jared, she runs a start-up that produce videos for local companies. but, she also finds herself in a

dangerous gap. they make too much money to qualify for traditional medicaid in idaho, but not enough to qualify for help to pay for premiums under the affordable care act. so for three years now, while the kids have been covered by medicaid, mom and dad have gone without health insurance. it weighs on her mind as the years go by. >> i always joke that we have had the "hope for the best" plan, you know? which is okay when you're in your 20s, and you're healthy. we don't smoke, drink, drug. but, as you get older, thatwo doesn't forever. >> yang: both stull's mother and sister have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and she herself carries the brca-2 gene, which is linked to breast cancer rk. >> they say when you find the brca-1 or the brca-2, it's not a matter of if you get cancer, but when. so, i would love to be able to

get the care i need now, so that i can move forward without this ever-hanging psence and weight that possibly could happen. >> yang: while she's pregnant, ull has temporary medica coverage. but she can't have the preventive surgery that he doctor recommends for her while she's expecting, and she'll lose medicaid short after giving birth. in the 17 states that have not expanded medicaid coverage under the affordable care act, more than two million people have the same trouble getting insurance. in idaho, if a family of four earns more than about $5,200 aar they don't qualify for traditional medicaid, but if they make less than $24,600, they don't get help with obamacare insurance premiums. they fall into what's known as the medicaid coverage gap. nichole stull is among the estimated 62,000 people here in idaho who fall into that gap.

on election day, idaho voters could do something that idahoer lawmhaven't done-- give those people health insurance by expanding medicaid >> can we count on youort to vote yes for proposition 2? >> yang: backers collected more than 74,000 signaturest the issue on this fall's ballot, slter efforts in the republican- dominated state leure went nowhere. polls indicate it has a good shot at passing. for people like robyn page, it's more than just aolitical question. >> i wouldn't have to worry about letting a prescription run out for a couple weeks until ine got the moy to get it. >> yang: and you do that now? >> yeah. >> yang: page is a substitute school teacher who spends most of her days caring for her quadriplegic son, jothan. she has diabetes, high cholesterol, chronic kidney disease, and a slew of other conditions that require daily

medications. et's take a listen... >> yang: page and tens of thousands of other uninsured patients in idaho rely on icmmunity health center cl for reduced-cost primary care. but when it comes to specialty care, they're usually on their own. donna scranton hasset worked for ral years, since shortlye after gan having mysterious seizure-like spasms. she sees a primary care physiciaat a community health center, but hasn't been able to see a specialist, so her condition has gone undiagnosed and untreated. uninsured patients often end up in the emergency room, costingf the state tensllions of dollars each year. >> we're already pro it at the most, most costly way possle, and it's about just solving that solution in a way that's conservative. >> yang: that's why christy perry-- a conservative, republican state lawmaker-- is co-chairing the medicaid expansion campaign. under the affordable care act, the federal government pays at

least 90% of the costs of expansion. perry doesn't care that it's part of a law unpopular in idaho. she says it's the fiscally responsible way to provide needed insurance cover >> this doesn't have anything to do with the affordable care act in the way that they look at it. they're relating it to "obamacare i think what it is, medicaid'sbe around since the 1960s. that is how we pay for indigent care, in not only our state, but in this nation. >> yang: fred birnbaum disagrees. he is vice president of the libertarian idaho freedom foundation, which poses expansion. argues, it would shift funding from the truly needy to e at he describes as able- bodied, working-ults. >> one of the reasons it's been hard to repeal obamacare is that states have been--iven this def you expand medicaid, the federal government will pick up 90% of the costs, the states

10%. we're at a fork in the road.ut if idaho, an, and montana, nebraska, and other states expand medicaid, it will be harder for congress to reverse that. >> yang: nationwide, democrats are focusing on healcare as they try to win back the house and senate. according to the wesleyan media project, nearly 55% of all midterm democratic campaign ad have talked about it. >> pre-existing conditions has become a huge issue. >> yang: paul demko covers health care for politico. >> they have really been back on their heels for the last four election cycles, getting bludgeoned by republicans because of the shortcomings of obamacare. and now the tables are kind of reversed, and they are, the law,

the popularity of the law amongv voters, has im. especially as some of the popular provisions have been at risk of being taken away. >>ang: democrat paulette jordan believes the issue is boosting her uphill campaign to beco the first female and th anrst native american to govern this deeply republtate. >> in rural idaho, most of our folks are concerned with accessibility, or even justy, affordabilf health care. so now, we have this opportunity to expand medicaid.ry that would be elpful not only to counter the indigent care cost, but you know, allve folks to be d. and then on top of that, would sa our state money. >> yang: lieutenant governor brad lite-- the republican candidate, who is heavily favored-- has pledged to implement mecaid expansion if it passes, but hasn't said how he'll vote on the ballot initiative. we met little, who is campaigning on the state booming economy, at a boise manufacturing plant where he serves on the board. >> we have to address these

people in the gap, and i'm very committed to doing that. the question is: do we just do the categorical medicaid expansion like the other statese or do o something else? >> yang: little argues that the a.c.a. is responsible for driving up insurance costs, despite state efforts to make it work. idaho was the only deep red state to create and still runne its own onxchange to help customers buy insurance under the affordable care act. during next month's open enrollment, there will be at least three insurers offering plans. many parts of the country willha just one. state officials estimate premiums have sen so much that as many as 40% of those seeking insurance on the individual market can't afford it. >> some of us haveallen through the cracks on iis whole healnsurance, health care, and i'm one of them. >> yang: among those priced-out: semele freeman-hall.

the money she earns as a hair stylist in boise and from selling realstate is too much to qualify for either expanded medicaid or help with premiums under the a.c.a.-- but too ttle to afford them on her own. >> i made a decision between paying for hlth insurance, or buying food. it was basically what it came down to. >> yang: the premiums would be that high? >> yes, yes. i think if they would come up with affordable plans, they probably wouldn't have to expand medicaid. >> yang: nichole stull and her husband, both independents with conservative leanings, are eager to vote for medicaid expansion. but, they're also taking a hard look at their options if it fas. >> i was actually thinking about the stuff in odr house, and we e two old cars. d i thought, okay, if we sl of our possessions, we could afford health insurance for wout a year. and that's it, forle year.

>> yang: on election day, they'll be heading to the polls, and holding their breath. for the pbs newshour, i'm john yang in boise, idaho. >> woodruff: stay with us. comi up on the newshour: mark shields and david brooks on the week's political news. and, "fall films." a family copes with the strain of addiction in "beautiful boy." it turns out that spain has become the main point of arrival

over italy for illegal migrants heading to europe from africa. spain has been more welcoming than italy where a new rightwi government has adopted strong anti-immigrant measures. spain has taken in nearly 34,000 migrants this year, which is 43% of all those crossing the mediterranean. as part of our continuing series "desperate journey," with the help of the pulitzer center, special correspondent malcolm brabant reports. >> reporte traveler with the right documents, the journey between africa and europe could not be more agreeable. 50 bucks buys ticket from the moroccan port of tangier to southern spain on a hydrofoil, crossing one of the world's busiest shipping lanes in just over halan hour. but this is reality fomigrants who dream of europe, and that most of europe wants to keep out-- a $1,000 place on diaky plastic hies that sometimeshe make it to tpanish holiday beaches. this is one of several landings captured on video by tourists this summer. the migrants' beac g is the rock raltar. according to the u.n.'s international organization for migratn, so far this year, nearly 400 people have drowned aiming for these beaches.

in the mediterranean as a whole, the number is around 1,800. this spanish coast guard video highlights the perils. this trio from congo arrived in spain a few days ago and have ventured out from a red cross hostel in the town of algeciras. they fled congo because of recurring violence. 42-year-old pauli asked us to mask her face as she discussed the traumatic crossing. >> ( translated ): the moroccans are bad, and as a result, people get on these small boats.th many o die in the water, and it's all because of the suffering in their own countries. those little boats! it's so difficult to get to spain.'s and itnly thanks to god that i got here. >> reporter: some local politicians had warned that tourist resorts risked being swamped by africans. but pro-immigrant campaign groups say the newcomers oayy stay a fewin the south, and after being processed, are shipped out to other parts of

spain. but not everyone leaves.o yacob fromhas stayed in the south, and is working as a plumber in the town of la lineap he asked us tect his identity.at >> ( tran ): my advice would be: i am not god, but i'd say that if you are able to achieve everything you want in your country, stay there. sometimes when you are there, you build expectations, like europe being a paradise or aca place where yoget everything you want without suffering. but when you get here, things are different. if you are not lucky, it wilbe difficult for you to be free in europe. >> reporter: dr. saida ayala is a lecturer in migration studies, who is also actively involved in helping thnewcomers. she argues that spain needs to do more. >> ( translated ): i believe the situation is so tough that europe should open borders and open doors and help every person. it is not just italy, it's all

of europe. we should open doors and receive and host. spain has the capacity to accept people.hr >> reporter: years into this crisis, and europe remains as divided as ever. more countries are becomingly increasiardline in their attitudes against migrants. italy stands out in particular, seving closed its ports to migrants rescued a but spain is an exception. its stance has softened since a socialist-led administration took control this summer but the socialists have the most fragile government since democracy returned to spain 40nd years ago,ny misstep could lead to its demise, so this kind approach is not necessarily set in stone. these two far-right politicians are working to bend europe to their vision of the future-- italian deputy prime minister maeo salvini, and austria' vice chancellor heinz christian strache. >> ( transled ): generally, i would like to state that one cannot agree with any deliberations to make migration a human right. that is contrary to all our

principles, and the princies of democratic states. of course, every state must be able to safe-guard their own sovereignty. >> ( translated ): it is our goal to secure the outer borders of the european union. and looking to the coming year, we want to change europe completely and exclude all socialists from the european >> reporter: but in a recent interview with the reuters news agency, the spanish sociist prime minister pedro sanchez made it clear that he wants to be a bulwark against the rise of the right in europe. >> of course it's importantke indeed to hat control of frontiers. but course you also need to see globally what the migration policy means. it means, first of all, to enforce and strengthen theth cooperation andialogue with the countries of origin and the countries of transit. and this isomething that we are delivering as the spanish government. >> reporter: overlooki gibraltar is a man on the immigration front-line. jose villahoz is president of algeciras welcomes, a non-profit

that works to protect, educate and integrate newcomers. he's skeptical about the new government's promises to be more generous to migrants, but is more worried about tn the right ng. >> ( tranated ): what usually brings racist or xenophobic reactions is the speeches of the spanish ght-wing forces. this causes an unjustified g arm, because we are all seeing that there is nothecial going on here, and most of the people that arrive here on a boat will not stay in spain, and therefore it won't be a problem for spain. what they give is a false veion. frightening people will ultimately result in xenophobic reactions. >> reporter: in algeciras, many immigrants gravitate towards are picturesque sqear the port. it contains numerous ethnic cafes and shops. at nighttime, there is somepr titution. as has been well documented, many african women are forced to become sex workers to pay for the journey to europe. the changing demographics ma

former ship's captain enrique feel uncomfortable. he says he rarely ventures out with his dog after dark. ( translated ): because we have been on the street this year to defend our pensions inn, spnd then these people come and, for the mple act of coming here, they are earning more than a retired rson. i personally don't like that. >> reporter: with libya being such a dgerous place for grants, the trail to europe via morocco and spain will ease in significance. the european union has decided to establish an international boer force to protect thes and other beaches, but it won't be rea for two years. in the interim, the tide will continue to irresistible. for the pbs newshour, i'm malcolm brabant in southern spain. >> woodruff: and now, to the analysis of shields and brooks. that is syndicated columnist

mark shields, d "new york times" columnist david brooks, joining us in this evening from los angeles. and welcome to both of you. midterm eleions, we can just feel it. they're just a bit over two weeks away. the president has been out on the campaign trail, he's been lking up republican candidates. his language, the rhetoric is getting more coative. i want you both to listen to something he said. he was in montast night talking about the terrible things that will happen if democrats are elected, mob rule, and so forth, but he went out of his way to praise montana congressman greg ji gianforte convicted two years ago of misdemeanor assault on a news reporter. here's what the president had the say last night. >> greg is smart. dy the way, never wrestle him. do you unerstand? never. any guy that can do a body am, he's my candidate!

(cheers and applause) he's my guy! >> woodruff: so he's been talking, he's beeparts u david, but now the language is getting tougher, more combative. what do we make of this? >> well, a couple of things, one, it's appalling. anybody who assaults a johenalist for doing tir job has done something appalling, anybody whpraises that is doing something appalling. second, he's a showman. so he tries to offend and, when he offends, his people go crazy and they like . so, i sort of think it is appalling. i sometimes wder if we should ignore it because it sets off a cultural drama were one group of people gets upset and the other group are delighted the group got upset and it creates a drama that benefits trump and he's not stupid about that kind of thing. >> woodruff: so we're amping it up by talking about it, mark? >> i think we have to talk about it, judy.we there's k in which the

disappearance of mr. khashoggi,r the muf a journalist, "the washington post" journalistfor what he was writing, apparently, has been front and cenr, and the president is not unaware of this because he's been a central figure in disparaging the investigation and taking up the cause of those who are allegedl involvedt. so, you know, this is esirresponsible, it's rec and it's really cheap in the liberal sense of it. this is a recess act of an irresponsible man, and i don't th--k i can go t can go unremarked upon. >> woodruff: are there consequences, david >> i think the major damage nald trump is doing to the country is weakening the normals of deenlsy and si viflt and without that it's dog eat dog.

i don't underestimate the harm, but when he went after carly eoorina about the way she looked and the pple -- the worldwide wrestling association ethos has been the ethos he's played on the campaign trail. the desire to offend is part of the fun of the thing. i totally get mark's point.yo have to try to maintain standards of how publical offiare supposed to act with integrity but sometimes i feel manipulated when i react wbecause thatat donald trump wants. >> i want david to trust his own instincts, which are good, but david tumped on what i think is the central ement of the campaign, are we going to have guardrails and establish guardrails in this country as to establish what is right ad wrong and i think that to as great degreeat this election is about.

gianforte hibmself pulic pli aapologized and accepted the court's judgment. >> woodruff: meantime, hard-fought congressional races around the country and dozens of hard-fought senate races. i was honored to be asked to be part to part of moderate ago det last night in st. louis, missouri. what came out of that discussioni think, loud and clear is that healthcare really is an issue i a lot of these races. i want to play a bit for the two of you of what harley and senator caskill had to say about that. >> we need to fix the problems in obmacare, not thrt out. and his lawsuit is so reckless's because the no backup here, there's no backup plan for pre-existing conditions if he's

success. if he believes we have been protect pre-existing conditions he should ask for the tocase dismissed. >> the bottom line, senator mccaskill will not support any plan to cover people with pre-existing conditions that isn't obama care. you would have to have obamacare to get thisoverage, supposedly and that's what she based the ca.paign >> woodruff: obamacare of the affordable care act was working against deocrats. now they're trying to use it to their advantage. do you think it's working? >> i think a bit. you know, i you ask americans ehat is the top issue you car about, healthcare comes out first, the economy slightly scond, guns and immigration. so healthcare doem to be the dominant issue and it is an traditat wants an entitlement and a benefit from the federal program is instituted becomes pretty sacred urity,icare, social sec and republicans fight it for a while and give in, that's what dwight dwight -- dwight

eisenhower did to the new deal. democrats think it's working because 55% of the conongres and gubernatorial level ads are healthcare so they're making that issue frnt and center. i think theorms, as mark and i have been discussing, what trump is toing tohe political culture is more of an issue and vulnerability and i wonr if democrats would win over more swing vote interests they focused on that becauselohere are of pretty conservative people that think what's happening to the country is pretty awful. >> woodruff: at about that mark and what about whether healthcare is working to decrats' advantage or no? >> well, democrats past the affordable care act. it took courage on the part of a lot of democrats who voed for it, who knew they were staring in the political abyss. in congress as a result of it, nancy pelosi deserats gre credit. but it's been unpopular.

donald trump has made it popular and the republicans made it popular. they keep within one vote of repealing the entire affordable care act, which includes pre-existing conditions, i wou remind attorney general hawley, he signed the suit that seeks to repeal the entire a have it thrown out as being illegal, which would take away the affordable care act 1.1 million mavssouriansa prix existing condition, andey ould be denied or left to the mercy of the insurance companies, and we know their record, prior to the enactment to have the affordable care act. so, -- prior to the enactment of the affordable care act. so this is ae ral issue for real people and it is total hoax to say i have a plan. 80 years, they've tried to pa limited national healthcare, they finally did it in 2010

and, you know, the idea that we're going to magically do do , and but for the one vote of t late senator john mccain, it would be repealed and we wouldn't even be talking about pre-existing conditions or the affordable care act in any way today. >> woodruff: it's some kind of turnaround if it turns out this is something that works to help. democr david, mark brought up the jamal khashoggi disaputarance a min ago, the saudi journalist. we have been hearing about that now for veral weks and just tonight the saudi government isa ng they are firing people, asking people to step down, they are detaining others in all this. s ll don't have a clear picture of what the trump administration is into do. how do you see -- can thees ent walk a middle line here? on the one hand, say, yes, it was a terrible thing, but we n't want, in a serious way, change our relationship with the

>> well, that's what's going to happen. in the middle east, people understand you go through briods where people tend mad at you and go back to normal affairs and i suspect that's what the trukdz ill do in saudi arabia. the prior problem is whoever made the decision in saudi arabia to do this didn't worry about donald trump or america and if the u.s. withdraws its normal role as the enforcer of some sort of international decency, then the people like president putin and those n sa arabia and north korea are instinctively consciously going to go, well, i can get away with this, untiltou get acion. it's the power of american power and standing that seems to the core problem. ais happens every time the trump administratiiance themselves with the bad person. y e bad person does something bad. thy not to react because they like the bad person, then public opinion drags them into a grudging, meaningless acknowledgment and that seems to

be the pattern here. woodruff: does the administration have to take the tough line or can they get away with walking the middle ground here? >> i don't think there is a middle ground. dy, michael hayden, the former c.i.a. director under president bush and n.s.a. director as wl under president abama, made, i thought, penetrating observation. he said, president trump has close personal relathns wit three heads of state who have on their hands the murder of a citizen in another country. kim jong un,. putin and now the saudi royal family. i yow ifou're accused of mud slinging if you quote the president, but i do want to quote the president. some of his udent spporters say he shouldn't be quoted because he doe't always mean it, but he has said, am i supposed to dislike them, udis?ing of the i like them very much.

they make me rich. they make me millions and hundreds of millions. i make a lot of money with them. and this is about his values, and these are now the united states values. that's what he's embyi and represents. i just think it is absolutely rrifying for the united states foreign policy and who we are and what we believe in the world. >> does this have long-lastingnc conseq, david? >> well, we'll see. i guess this is why i'm a little mystified that the demrats ar not going after this issue, why they're going after healthcare and other policy issues. to me, this is the big issue of the election that, frankly, if hthe republicans keep thuse and the senate, then donald trump will feel unleashed, he'll feel this style of politics and foreign policy and definition of our moral order has been totally vindicated by the american people. me, that's the core issue. how do we see ourselves in this

country, what kind of country do we say we are? are we strictly a money country? we sometimes look like ato outsiders. i don't think it's true, but that's the ethos president tmp is embodying in quite an embarrassed way. >> woomouff: can deats do something? >> are democrats willing tod stand up say this is a matter of national strength, aracter, national values? when pat roberson become the moral theologian of thpu ican party and say going after saudi arabia for a journalist who disappeed is not worth risking one dollar billion worth of ar sales, does that tell you about y ral leadership? that's reae proposition that's been presented by this president to the country. the democrats, do they have the courage, decency and integrity i mean, these are the people running a civil war in yemen and murdering children by the thousands,nd we have been essentially mute and supportive of that enterprise. >> woodruff: and on that note, y

i'll tha both, mark shields, david brooks, thank you. >> woodruff: film that premiered at the toronto international film festivalis earlier th fall is now set to open nationwide. and, as jeffrey brown reports, it takes on a harrowing subjecta affecting lies across the country.he >> brown: in tilm, "beautiful boy," a young man enters the hell of drug addiction; a father struggles to understand what's happened to his little boy; and thtwo go through cycles of recovery and relapse-- a seemingly never-ending world of heartbreak. it's a tough subject.on alsovery much in the psyche of a nation in the throes of an opioid addiction crisis. >> it's the reason i chose the movie.

>> brown: it is? >> yeah. i felt that it was about t most timely thing you could choose to make a film about. >> brown: steve carelllays the father, david sheff, a northern california freelance journalist whose life ces crashing down. >> my son is missing. has he been in? i have a 14- and a 17-year-old, and every night i'd go home and i'd look at them and i'd hug them, and it's, you know, it sounds like a cliche but, you can't help but have stuff like this get inside of you as you're doing it. >> brown: timothee chalamet g nic sheff, living a secret life that spins out of control. in his case, from addito methamphetamines. >> dad, i'm really sorry. i

today, we lia really confusing world, and this is an out, in many ways. >> this is a story about family, and about a deep love and connection between ts father and son specifically. and that's how i approached it. i didn't approach it as an "addiction drama" or a "recovery drama." i thought of it as a compelling story. >> brown: the film is based on a a trount-- two accounts, in fact. the real-life david and nicsh sheff each pub a memoir of his experience, offering director felix van groeningen a kind of duet of voices,

sometimes in sync, other times sailing st one another. w the things they talked about were the same, btten in a different way and seen from a different point of view. balancing those two points of view, and understanding the two of them, even as it leads toal st a tragic breakup, and understanding those two points reof view, i thought it waly powerful. >> brown: steve carell is known as a brilliant and versatile comedian, perhaps still most of all for his role on the tv series, "the office." >> that's what she said! (laughter) >> brown: but he's now taken on a number of dramatic roles, including the 2014 "foxcatcher." >> brown: timothee chalamet, already a veteran actoat just 22, burst into larger public awareness with last year's "call me by your name."

♪ ♪nk >> you that you have this under control, and i understand how scared you are. > >> brown: in "bee tiful boy," o are comfortably together and horribly apart. sometimes, at the same time. >> they both keep trying in their own way to reach the other, but it's almost like one of them is underwater, and one t m is on a boat, and they're trying to talk to each other. >> by the nature of playing the symptoms of meth addiction, there's a spontaneity to that. and steve is like a major improv legend, and i could see we were, >> brown: but does your improv experience come into play in a >> not so much in the context of improvising dialogue, but as

mtimothy was saying, it we the physicality of improv, the trying to suss out where the other character is within the scene. i don't know, i have such a hard time talking about acting. >> brown: you do? >> i do. i really do. >> brown: because? >> i always sound so incredibly pretentious, talking about, to talk about "craft." i don't know, sometimes it works and sometimes doesn't, and think so much of it is just who your partner is, who you're working with. ed>> brown: no one's surpro see you doing these serious films anymore, i don't think. are you? is this what you've wanted to do? >> to be pretentious? yeah. >> brown: to have people like me asking you about this serious film. >> you know, i've finally made it to pbs. that was it. >> brown: congratulations. >> thank you. there's no specific career trajectory that i was looking for. >> brown: do you have one? because you're just starting

out. people are getting to know you, and know you big-time, suddenly. >> there's no roadmap. i feel that i just want to work on the good things and keepd working with gople and people i can learn from. and it's a new world in many ways. i think it's a beautiful thing for creatives, period. there's a great raw new energy. >> brown: "beautiful boy" opens nationwide october 19. for the pbs newshour, i'm jeffrey brown at the t international film festival. >> woodruff: ler on "washington week," a closer look at the challenges and choices president trump is facing as the worlwatches his response to the death of a saudi journalist. plus, a midterm preview. you can join robert costa later tonight on "washington week."sh on pbs nr weekend saturday, doctors in congo battle an ebola outbreak in the conflict zone. that tomorrow on pbs newshou weekend.

and we will be back, right here, on monday, as the two-weekhe countdown toidterm elections begins. that's the newour for tonight. i'm judy woodruff. have a great weekend. thank you, and we'll see you soon. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: >> kevin. >> kevin! >> kevin? >> advice for life. life well-planned. learn more at raymondjames.com. >> bnsf railway. >> consumer cellular. >> supporting social entrepreneurs and their solutions to the world's most pressing problems-- skollfoundation.org. >> the william and flo hewlett foundation. for more than 50 years, advancing ideas and supporting institutions to promote a better world.

at www.hewlett.org. >> and with the ongoing support of these institutions and friends of the newshour. og >> this m 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

hello, everyone, and welcome hello, everyone, and welcome to "amanpour & co." here's what's coming up. as president trump gets debriefed on the latest from saudi arabia, fallout grows over the disappearance of journalist jamal khashoggi. was the west too quick to brand saudi crown prince mohammed bin salman a reformer? "new york times" columnist tom friedman gives us his first tv interview as anarly mbs supporter. he also struggled with salman's growing authoritarian stre. and julian castro, former san antonio mayor, has the resume and personal story to help the democrats out of the doldrums. could his party have a latino problem? plus, an african-an high school student trapped be