. tonig, senator dianne feinstein sits down to us to talk about the saudi crisis and kavanaugh and why she isi seekig fth term. mail pipe bombs rock the world as mid termsan approachd lat-minute scramble for votes. one journalist scathing critique who changed the world while pserving the status quo. hello. welcome. we begin with the u.s. senate race. senator dianne feinstein is thee longest fem senator and seeking another term. feinstein raent made headlines for hur role in the kavanaugh supreme court hearings. now in the wake of journalist

khashog khashoggi's death she joins three other senators in a letter to president trump on tuesday denouncing his handling o saudi crisis. at 85 s years oldhe says she has much to accomplishcl witate change and gun safety still on her agenda. as part of our election verage, kqed politics scott schaefer sat down withan d feinstein earlier and we want to give full disclosure. senator feinstein and her husband are past donors to kqed. >> senator ffeinstein, thanks fr coming yn. are asking the voters for another six-year term. whatitould you like to do your time? >> i want to be conservative and helpful to our state, to our nation and california, today, is either the fifth or sixth largest economic power on eart i would like to see that economic power properly elivered to make the world a better placefor people.

are you on the intelligence committee. you're privy to all kindsfoof ation about things that are happening wour and our alli. i want to ask you about saudi arabia, the apparent murder o khashoggi has put attention on saudi arabia. what do you think the u.s.o shouldith regard to punishing or responding to what has happened? >> wel i can tell you what i won't do. i will not vote for saudi arm sales. i'm concerned about how they are conducting the war in yemen. school buses they have hit and children they have killed and i'm really surprised that this was enabled by the monarchy to take place and it had to have been that way. i think we all know enough of the story now to know that this jus didn't happen. it was planned. people were sent to carry it out. this is not anyone's way, let alone the american way. >> sot you douy the president's line we can't give

up 110 billion dollar arms dea >> no. that's not what we stand for. we are not a countryat resolves around arm sales. we are a country that revolves around american values and human rights values. and that ishat has made this country so desirable all over the world. it's not arm sales. it's what we are as a pple and what we believe and it's our sense of what is right and what is wrong, and the ability to fight for ght. and right now, we have a fight for right with saudi arabia. >> i want to ask you about the brett kugh hearings. you're the ranking dog and ini you got a letter from christine blasey fordnd criticism for holding onto it longer than the -- >> i would probablyo it differently. the letter in three places sa this is confirmation. when i talked to her, she was

not in shape to come forwar let me say that. that was my judgment. it was not a short phone cal and i agreed to keep it confidential. she didn't want -- what all changed is when she came forward and when she agreed to testify nd then i gave it to t committee. >> what would you do differently? >> well, it's a very rd question, scott. it took this woman a long time and this testimony was not easy for her. so terrible things happen to women and this woman was 15 years o when it happened. >> do you have any regrets about the way it was handled? >> no. to handle it that way. and i think i know how it came d out i learned a lesson there because i believe it came out from another colleague andha was a surprise. another senator >> yes. >> can you you say who? >> no. i would never do that. i hope i'm wrong

>> yeah. i want to ask you about your re-election. you're 85 years old and this week, joe biden, who i think is 75, said rat if hens for president in 2020, age is a irrelevant issue and bernie sanders said the same thing. i think he is 77 or will be do you think it's a relevant issue in this race? >> sure. it's a considerateon. ife want somebody younger, they have somebody younger. i really believe that mize history has given me certain abities to do certain things and if people don't agree with that, then vote another way. but my health is good. i can go the distance. i enjoy it. and aod part of my life is wrapped around helping ople. it's just for me, there is satisfaction. and can i tell you individual stories, but it makes my life worthwhile too and i can give to

people. >> you were mayor of san francisco for many years. yes, sir. >> and there is a measure on a san francisco ballot, measure c would tax the wealthiest companies in san francisco and genete about 3 million dollars a year for homelessness. he ceo of sales force is for it and the mayorand others are against. what is your position? >> i'm forit. >>y? >> because we have to help. we don't have a choice. when you see someone lying, and i just do a sidewalk sleeping wi nothing, ths not the united states of america. and particularly if they happen to be an addict, an alcoholic oc mely ill. >> the measure says it will cost jobs and it will influx too much money, that they don't have a plan for -- >> look. i'm going to vote for virtually almost any homeless plan. i just am.

because this is my country, this is my city. i grew up in san francisco. people weren't homeless. a lot of people looked at t it, well,his will last for five years and then it will pass. it hasn't. it's gotten worse. it's involved more families, more youngsters. >>i think it's been about my math is right, 30 years since you've been mayor of sn francisco. >> that's about right. >> i'm wondering the city now is so different. and especially economy. the tech industry is to prevalent now. 'm wondering like what do you see as the upside and the downside of those changes? >> the upside is jobs. and the upside is producing a whole new generational competitive work force based on new instruments, which is technology,dnwhich exist those 30 years ago. and it's kind of fascining to

watch. history is going to show us wheter it's worthwhr not. >> what do you see as the down side? >> to be very candid, i don't see tech as very civically involved and i think they have to be. and i think the ceo like, when i was mayor, the ce of the big banks, i could go in and ask them to help with a civic cause. cross my heart, i never got a no. >> why do you thinkeosoday are in the tech industry are less receptive to that? >> i can't -- i don't understand it, to be honest with you. it's a much more rerved rld, sort of a world apart to some extent to meet with tech leaders and i guess they are like any other group of ople. there's some that want to be helpful and there's some that don't. >> senator dianne feinstein, o much for coming in >> thank you, scott. >> thank you. >> thank you.

now continuing with politics. more than a dozen pipe bombs were mailed to pominent democrats and critics of president trump, including several california recipients. today, suspicious packages were found in sacramento and burlingame addressed toarris and tom stier. a florida suspect is now in custody. president trump is reportedly considering shutting down the u.s./mexico border in response to the caravan from honduras. more o key hou races with bay area volunteers campaigning in the central vall. joining us to discuss all of these issues is hoover institution fellow lonnie cn and shawn walsh, a republican strategy gift. nice to have all of you back. we learni more about the pipe bomb scare and the suspect. many targets are democra and some of them the sharpest critics of president trump and n in cali as we are learning

today. how is this affecting the tone on capitol hill? >> to the extent it's making thi tone morel it's a temporary change. i think our politics have becoma very coars the level of discourse is not what it's been at points in the past. obviously, in this situation a few issues to highlight. oneows remarkably quickly law enforcement was able to figureut what was going on and a lot of this capacity was devoped post-9/11 our ability to get to the bottom of these sorts of things has improved dramatically the last several years. i think politicians have tried to stay above this and try take the tone and elevate it. but politics in the u.s. has become such that it'svery difficult to stay there. tthink, unfortunately, see this last a few days an it's back to business as usual. >> the fact we are still seeing inflammatory language in response to the bombs the president about call for unity but then shortly thereafter he posts tweets attacking the media and saying the pipe bombs are

slowing down republican momentum so republicans get out and voteh impact will this have on the run-up to the midterm electionow >> i don't the impact on the elections but as lonnie said, where this will be a temporary break. remember after the shooting on the baball field a year ago it was like this is horrible, people opening fire on members ofn ess. we all -- everybody is like this is terrible for about, what? a week? so i don't know how it affects e mid terms. i think that, at this point of the game, around a week before election day everybody is locked in their positions' races own a few percentage points of people who are undecided or in the middle so i n't know if affects that at all. >> looking ahead, shawn, what will it tak to pressthe reset button and bring the hostile its down and stop this inflammatory langua and diciveness? >> what they did criticize president trump and a lot of

republicans just rolled their eyes. nearly a dozen fire bombings and republican campaign offices across the country, graffiti, including the mr. mfiarthy's own that had stones thrown through there. it's an ugly period and continue to be. democrats are really across the board doing the same thing and everybody needs to grow up, they really tdo. >> ink the president should be held to a higher standard. he is the president. he isus representing all of i think he should be representing us at the highest level possible. he should be setting the tone here. >> i agree, joe. hecondemn the president's rhetoric butthe democratic establishment says it's a resistance movement,et in the face and anti-maxy or car a se kerosene maxine. they will do bad things to administration staff and members of the congress on both sides of the aisle.

this stuff is out of control anb i thinkause of the social media dynamic. people just can't turn it off. all day lo, it's hate, hate, ha. >> we are seeing that some of right?round the caravan, there has been social media comments how maybe george soros backed it and claim that middle easte easterners are part of the pact. the white house is also planning to send additional u.s. troops to assist in border security operations. lonnie, does this amount to stoking american anxieties aout immigration? something we saw worked to his advantage, president trump's advantage in 2016. is that strategy now working for him also heing into the midterms? >> immigration has been an issue

that voters in california and around the cntry cared about a number of years. the underlying dynamic where america, a lot of america feels that immigration is an issue that represents a feeling of uneasiness. so i think he is channeling that. i think certainly there is no question that motivating voters ahead of the midterm election is crucially important for both parties. immigration is an issue that motiates republicans and a has been. and to the extent that the president is using it in that way, i think he sees it as an opportunity to boost republican turnout for the election this november. we can talk l about theg-term implications of using immigration in that way but fundamentally, we can't forget where we are in the election cycle and this is an issue that gets people to the polls. >> how is it playing out in the central valley? joe, you were there andg talk to people. jeff bennett the incumbent from the desto area and his

democratic challenger josh ha er. >> folks there aren't tuned into the stuff that is going on in washington or even the caravan for that matter. immigration there is very personal issue. everybody knows somebody who is affected by it. even the farmers who may not have a relatively who facing some sort of immigration is ue, that labor. it's a labor issue, too. and it's very much -- that issue -- thatace down ther is playing out in the bay area. spff denham is running and calls josh carter whot a few years in the bay area an a venture capitalist bay area harder. if he wins he will support bay area values to the central valley. harter says that deadham has not well ented the valley enough on issues like impra immigration and healte. he is getting a lot of money from the bay area. he has a million dollars from

bay area people and hundreds have donated thousands of hours to hign camp last weekend when i was there, 369 people cming to canvass for josh harter and many of them were from the bay area because n there is race here. they have all of thiuenergy as pointed out. where are they going? barbara lee'ss districtot in jeopardy. >> what is interesting to me about that race deadham is moderate on immigration issues. so is the fling here tha trump is so unpopular in california? that that is eventually what is going to kill him? >> y andno. popular is unpopular in california but more popular in that district where 43% of the po people approve of what he has been doing. they say deadham tried on issues but faile he tried last year again. he supported a pathwa to legalization before.

and sha and citizenship and he has failed. >> if voters are more enthusiastic than usual, is it showing up in ear voting, shawn? >> it is. it is showing up in early voting not just in across the country. just entering the studio i talked to the caairman of the ifornia republican party and he said if the vote was held today, the california delegation would retain 13 of the 14 seats and that is early. we will see. >> early voters are usually white and republican and >> there are 3% to 4% higher in their turnout than what they aniscipate will be in t turnout. i think the republicans have a strong tai wind. tep care they have a strong economy. we had some mistakes again with hillary clinton coming out and boating a trialloon and people say should it matter? it does to a lot of republicans.

it's motivating republican voters in these sdricketdistric come out and also in michigan and new hampshire. >> i think the shape of the election has altered fundamentally the past several weeks. i think republicans were facing serious head winds into the kavanaugh hearings and i think che last couple of weenged it to where the republicans, barring a change are going to have control of the u.s. senate and may pick youru mis and montana and north dakota where the president performed very s well soate candidates are running ahead. they are defending seats in nevada and arizona where they are doing verwell. on the house side i think a lot of people would be surprised whe democrat a net of more than 30 seats if even capturing the majority now. i think that is in question.li repns have definitely come lastfrom that from the couple of weeks. >> 15 seconds. >> it's not going to be a blue wave. there may be blue tornadoes th hit a few district but the

dynamic has changed. >> all right. we are going to leave it there. i know joe is looking like he disagrees. we will have to -- >> i will oppose my feelings on twitter! >> we will look for your tweet! thank you. us. k you all for joining >> thank you. >> now a criticsi of fill an thop philanthropic. author and journalist contends the rich and powerful are f willing toight for justice and equality butnly if it doesn't threaten their positions at the top of the socite order. his book is winners take all. the charade of changing the ward. pleasure to have you in the studio. >> great to be here. >> in yourok you tackle the world of philanthropy.

we hear win win make a difference spot leaet you say that instead of making the world better, they are enabling inequality. how so? >> it's an amazing thinge that do live in this age where billionaires are giving money away in the city right now. two billionaires ae having an ument the best way to help homeless people and every time you go to mall is there a tote bags that will change the erld. young person i meet on campus has a social media enterprise idea about recycling poop in rwanda. the most unequal time in america the last hundred years. last year the top 4% of the salaries gre faster in the bottom 98% and all new wealth e very same people who talk about giving bac and talk in

silicon valley about disruption and starting companies that are going to save the world, those very same people arep moizing progress in america. >> they are arguing for fixes but fixes within the current roken system as opposed to trying to fix the system totally. >> when the winners of our age get inrested and involved in social change, they change change. they are rarely content toite a check and support an organization they think is doing good work. they shape the narrative. they write books about their tho theorys ofchange. silicon valley disruption becomes change and higher taxes, not change. >> that doesn't benefit them? >> it hurts them. a charter school they can get envolved on and put their name on and mr a few black kids and boast they got them into stanford is the change they like. equally funded public schools for all ando pto doesn't

get better schools they are not interested in. telling women to lean you can do that for free. they like that. >> is it a matter of cognitive dissidence or a moral lapse or ev i intent? 's a mix. i found this wonderful email from 2007 ong the goldman sachs leadership. they say in the email g we to pitch this reporter on our gs gives philanthropy. i think they are wanting to make the world a better place. who, efore, are totally blind to those situations in

which what is good for them actually gerdiverges from what good for theworld. facebook is the first company in american history to perhaps comprise and tip a federal election, presidential election. there is no accident as far as i see it t cat these verypanies that are so idealistic and talking about making the world beer is building a winner take ry economy that works for v few people -- them. >> yout doelieve market base philanthropy works. are you arguing for higher taxes? >> yes, among other things.ld and we sh stop being so ashamed ofgsthose th taxes is the price of civili rtion. i thich people in this country probably need to pay a lot more than they are saying to get intoine wit most of the other rich countries. apple has 285 billion dollars

offshore while we have 74999 homeless people in the city of san francisco. the city of san francisco, we are a county. five county area francisco, we are a country. you have the ninth highest populationf billionaires among countries. and, yet, it's hard to walk down the street without encountering homeless people. >> talk about an issue frontnd center for the trump administration and alleged killing ojaal khashoggi and put the attention on silicon money. how is this like what you talk book? in your >> i have spent the last few years trying to rert on th phony idealism of rich people and silicon valley is the epi center of that. never didpo i come a clear example of that phoniness than the fact rhevelation recently that billions of dollars in saudi government money has found its way into siliconvalley. they have become one of the

biggest players in the valley. they own a huge stake of uber a in wag and door dash and slack where everybody has chats all day long. it's hard to think about something tt is so quickly pierces thesi il that silicon valley is anything other than a money making machine. it doesn't mean it's horrible. justeans that the specialness that tried to cull vat for itself. this notion it's here to make the world better and idealism is phony. this regime in saudi arabia is among the worse on earth. that money is among the dirtiest on earth and it is money causing clate change and used to force degradation of women and what is insaudi arabia a kingdom what isis looks like if it had conquered a nation state. >> it's noted for humats ri abuses. >> 48 beheadings in the comuf

th first couple of months of this year. >> do you think they see it as something else? >> if they don't reverse course, silicon valley will known as riyadh west soon. theyant detect incoming information about their hypocrisy and so impervious to criticism. the reality this khashoggi thing has shined a lht on frankly a relationship america should have changed a long time ago. i don't mean to put it only oni con valley. washington has a corrupt relationship with them and citigroup had a big saudi stake but silicon valley clms it's different. >> is this a case a moment of reckoning for silicon valley? some people questioning this relationship between what tey are tryido, innovate and where they are getting that money from? >> a lot of the youer folks who work in these countries and a lot of women and people of color work in these companies and people have a different take

than the silicon valley bro thing are come up with a awareness of power in the world that a lot of that founding generation didn't and i think they will change these companies for the better. >> very inkeresting. thou for joining us. your new book is the winners take all theheliteade of changing the world. pleasure to have you. >> thank you so much for having me. that wi it for us. as always, for more of our coverage, go kqed.org/newsroom. thank you for joining us.

robert: terrory mail in fear on the campaign trail. i'm robert costa. president trump's sharp words are under scrutiny as the mid terms near tonight on "washington week." >> this is a different definition of terrorism.s this i political terrorism. >> suspected mail bomb sent to political figures, cnn and others. >> this is a multiple investigation involving multiple people cst to coast. president trump: i'm here to inform you that lawnforcement has apprehended the suspect and taken him into custody. these terrorizing acts are despicable and have no place in our country. robert: but a president also critical of the press. president trump: the media also