menendez. we are following breaking news out of louisville, kentucky. nbc news has confirmed reports of a shooting incident that broke out where dueling demonstrations over the death of breonna taylor are taking place. nbc's cal perry is on the ground in louisville. cal, what is the latest on this shooting? >> hey, alicia. police saying at least three

people shot. they say it was the nfac militia. that is the group here behind me that has organized themselves, here, in the middle of the street. the leadership of the group is up on the stairs here. this is the courthouse in downtown louisville. they've been here, now, for a few hours. all of this as been building, throughout the day. police have separated this city, into two parts. on the other side of this militia, you have a right-wing, white, armed militia. the 3%ers. they are, also, out in force. they are, also, in full tactical gear and are heavily armed. this city has been living with this since march, since breonna taylor was killed. and there has been this growing feeling that, especially in the western part of the city, in the place where more african-americans live, that police are obviously much more violent. that there are live bullets flying. you'll remember it was about a month and a half after breonna taylor was killed when david mcatee was killed in a firefight

by military guardsmen. this is an atlanta-based militia. yeah, no problem. no worries. you got it. this black militia is based in atlanta. they first came out here july 4th. again, there is a growing feeling that there is a community that is being treated differently in this city. it is, of course, part of this national movement we are seeing. but certainly, this is a real moment, i think, in both louisville and america, where you have this now show of force. and again, heavily armed militias facing off against each over with police in the middle. certainly, there is concern there will be more shootings like the one we saw today. alicia. >> well, cal, to that point, when you talk to demonstrators there, is there any concern that they are going to begin seeing some of what we're seeing out of portland? >> i think there, absolutely, is that concern. and the concern is even more so, when you have a show of force like this. that the president could get involved. that he could start talking about louisville. but again, you have to remember, when david mcatee was shot and

killed, sort of at the end of may, that was by national guardsmen. the governor pulled the national guard out of this city, it brought tensions way down. and now you have this slow ratcheting up again, i think mostly because you have weapons out here, you have different militias. there's no curfew in this city. there was a few months ago. again, violence broke out. so certainly, in talking to people, they will tell you that is the concern. louisville's a violent city to begin with, but all the more violent now with everything that's going on, alicia. >> cal, before i let you go, i don't want to lose track of why you are there and why they are there. what is the late objest in breo taylor's case? >> still, under federal investigation. i think the federal investigation allows people not to comment. that's certainly what we've seep but a growing call from not people just here in louisville, around the country. we saw lebron james before the nba game, just a few nights ago,

saying he wanted the police arrested. keep in mind, the police went into that apartment, not announcing their presence. they were not in uniforms. and since then, the city has declared those raids, those, quote, no-knock raids, illegal. but for the crowds here, it's still act, and you talk to them, they'll tell you. it's about arresting those police officers which, still, has not happened, alicia. >> cal, thank you so much. now, to portland where the 57th night of protests began peacefully, with a number of black lives matter groups forming. including this one, with grandparents. what's being called awe wall of vets. as well as a group of women who call themselves a wall of moms wearing bike helmets and goggles, standing face to face with officers. despite all that, the early-morning hours of today turned to clashes. multiple fireworks were set off toward the courthouse. and federal agents unleashed tear gas on protestors. let's bring in nbc's maura. maura, what is happening there

on the ground today? >> as we go from day to night here in portland, there is a very heavy contrast. you can see in the park behind me, there are outdoor kitchens set up. riot ribs, where peaceful protestors can go get food and clothes via donation. they play music. and people just kind of hang out. but that sits just across the street from the federal courthouse, where federal agents were deploying tear gas last night. firing less lethal munitions. you can kind of see the fence has been completely bent towards -- over the sus pepent barriers here. so those clashes typically come after midnight and has been going on for more than a week now. but i want to point out, when you talk about those coalitions coming out to support the protestors and keep them safe. there is this growing anger towards the federal agents being here, in the first place. during the day yesterday, that coalition of grandmothers came out during the day to peacefully protest because they want to be

weary of their health during this pandemic. i spoke with susan haywood, it was the first time she left her home in over four months because of how important she feels this moment is. take a listen. >> i think it's meant to distract. i think this is the way of distracting from the covid emergency, which we're not meeting. and i think it's -- i think it's a way to distract from black lives matter, for this administration. they want to make it about law and order, and pretend that they look good. by putting up that fence, they're egging people on. and in fact, they stand behind that fence and egg people on. >> so, again, there's just this anger at the presence of federal agents here. to see what will go on tonight. i want to note there was a stabbing last night and that's currently under investigation, alicia. >> maura, thank you. >> well, the $600 a week unemployment boost is set to

expire as early as next week. leaving millions of americans in limbo. in north carolina, governor roy cooper has pleaded to congress to extend the deadline saying unemployed residents see the federal aid as a lifeline during time of uncertainty. jordan, millions of people in north carolina have lost their jobs. without this aid from the federal government, what are you hearing from residents? >> yeah, alicia. you know, i am hearing so many different things, from different people. but it really just comes down to those individual situations. but the main, common concern is just this sense of not knowing what comes next. i spoke to a director of a career center, here, earlier today. who summed up just a lot of the fears that he is hearing from community members, here, in greensboro. take a listen to what he told me. >> i think that there was a level of comfort that they had that income coming in, and they did not have to worry about, will i be able to put food on my table? will i be able to keep a house

or a roof over my head? can i provide for my family? the anxiety is, now, if that's pulled away, how am i going to sustain that if i cannot get back into employment? >> now, this director told me that he is seeing more people come to him, not for help applying for unemployment benefits but, for help finding a job in this economy. which, in this area, is just becoming harder and harder. alicia. >> all right. jordan, thank you. americans, this weekend, continue to mourn the death and celebrate the extraordinary life of civil rights hero john lewis. who died last week, following a battle with cancer. today, mourners gathered in lewis's birth state of alabama as his body lay in reposed for a six-day celebration. pri priscilla thompson is in troy, alabama. priscilla, what is happening with today's memorial events? >> well, alicia, those services here in troy wrapped up a little while ago.

it began with the celebration of life. and then, the congressman was in repose here, and people were able to swing by to pay their respects. but now, his remains are journeying on to selma, alabama, where services will get underway there in just a few hours. but, here, in troy, people traveled from far and wide to be here. i actually met one man, bruce griggs, who stayed up all night making a giant sympathy card for the congressman. and then, he drove that in a u-haul van two and a half hours from atlanta to here. and he sat outside in the 90-degree heat and the sun earlier, to make sure that everyone had an opportunity to sign that. and so, i went over to him and i asked him, you know, why did he do all of this? and he told me that he runs a youth group and when they went to visit representative lewis in washington, d.c., the congressman took the time to meet with his students and even ordered them food.

and really made them feel special. so he wanted to do something to honor him today. and i want you to take a listen to how mr. griggs described john lewis. listen in. >> if you went anywhere with him, it was going to take you at least three hours or more because he would take a picture with everyone that asked. he would talk to everyone that even came up to him. so they don't use dictionaries anymore, but if they did, under the word humble should be his picture. >> and clearly, just so much respect and love here for the congressman. and mr. griggs is actually going to be taking that card to selma, alabama, where he will have folks sign it there. and then, he is planning to drive to washington, d.c., as well. and back to atlanta to have everyone who sort of encountered representative lewis, along this final journey, be able to pay their respects. and then, he hopes to actually donate that card to the national museum of african-american history. alicia.

>> priscilla, amazing, as we have listened to people's tributes, how many people the congressman made feel so very special. >> we have breaking news to report today from the entertainment world. reg regis philbin, has passed away. his family says he died of natural causes. he was 88 years old. philbin began his iconic career in 1988 while hosting live with regis and kathy lee. also, host of the very popular game show who wants to be a millionaire from 1999 to 2002. survived by daughters jj and joanna philbin. more sad news from the music world. peter green, co-founder of the legendary rock band fleetwood mac has died.

fleetwood mac was inducted into the hall of fame. green was named one of the top guitarists of all time by rolling stone magazine. a lawyer for the family says he died peacefully, in his sleep. peter green was 73 years old. portland is bracing for another night of clashes between protestors and federal officers. local leaders in the city say they want the federal forces out and they are taking legal action to stop them. we'll talk about the president's law-and-order strategy next. plus, inside the president's scramble to face the reality of his failed pandemic response. r his failed pandemic response ♪

we see you. looking out...for all of us. and though you may have lost sight of your own well-being, aetna never did. we're always here to help you focus on your health. because it's always, time for care.

maria had to do everything for me. [maria] she had these awful blisters on her back. i don't want shingles when i'm your age. [camera man] actually, if you're 50 or older, you're at increased risk. [maria] that's life, nothing you can do... [camera man] uh, shingles can be prevented. [maria & theresa] shingles can be whaaaat? [camera man] prevented. you can get vaccinated. [maria] where? [camera man] at your pharmacy, at your doctor's. [maria] hold on! [maria] don't want to go through that! [theresa] hija. [camera man] talk to your doctor or pharmacist about getting vaccinated. [camera man] talk to your doctor or pharmacist yeah. this moving thing never gets any easier. well, xfinity makes moving super easy. i can transfer my internet and tv service in about a minute. wow, that is easy. almost as easy as having those guys help you move. we are those guys. that's you? the truck adds 10 pounds. in the arms. -okay... transfer your service online in a few easy steps. now that's simple, easy, awesome. transfer your service in minutes, making moving

with xfinity a breeze. visit xfinity.com/moving today.

as president trump's use of federal force against protestors in portland has drawn criticism, lawsuits and investigations from leaders on both sides of the aisle, he is pushing to send troops into more u.s. cities. former secretary of homeland security, under president george w. bush said it's very

problematic, legally, as well as morally. house democrats called for leading -- let's bring in editor at large of newsweek and author how to catch a russian spy. and sergio amos, covering portland. navid, what legal grounding is the president using? does he have the legal authority to send troops into u.s. cities? >> so, troops, no. i mean, that would require a finding of insurrection, and he can't do that. in fact, you know, we saw in washington, d.c., that is really what, in my opinion, he wanted to do. he wanted to send in armed soldiers. look. that's been done in l.a. after the l.a. riots after rodney king. so there is a legal basis for that to happen. that's not here. this is not an insurrection. this is primarily a protest. so my opinion, again, he chose the next best thing, in his mind, which was heavily armed, camouflaged federal agents.

and, alicia, to be very clear. look. federal agents have the right to enforce the law, anywhere within the united states. now, there is a question of legality. there's, also, a question of morality and ethics here. and while this might be legally permissible, in -- in perhaps an extreme manner. it certainly brings a lot of ethical and moral questions here. >> but, navid, whose job is it to answer those moral and ethical questions? >> yeah, that's a great question. look. the reality, alicia, is the reason that we have local police departments is because they engage with the communities that they police. in fact, that's one of the major calls for defund the police, and really that's come out of george floyd and breonna taylor. all these movements. local police have a connection to the community that they police. federal agents, simply, don't. and it's not -- it's not a slight on them. they just do not have connection. that's not their job. they don't do community policing so these federal agents might be in portland today. and two days later, they might be in chicago. they don't care about the

community. they don't have any connections to the community. they're heavy handed. it's the wrong agents to be put in there and i think they do, in fact, have a moral and ethical duty to produce this in a manner that doesn't result in escalation, which is frankly what they are doing. >> sergio, you have seen these federal officers in portland. tell us more about their tactics and what it is that you've witnessed. >> the federal officers are wearing camo. the ones everyone's talking about. there is an i.c.e. facility here. but the ones in camo, who initially had no insignias on their uniforms, those are the on ones, at about 2:00 in the morning, they grabbed mark petibon. he didn't know who they were and said it's okay, it's okay. and grabbed him and threw him into a van. so after that, after local

npr -- opb broke that story, the -- the fear on the street of -- of local, everyday portland citizens is that federal officers are going to do something like that to them. >> naveed, here is chicago's mayor responding to president trump's plan to send troops into her city. take a listen. >> having these armed, camouflage individuals, with no insignia on, no nameplates, grabbing people off the street. that's unconstitutional so our democracy is at stake. and i'll be darned if i am going to let anybody, even if their name is mr. president, bring those kind of troops to our city. and try to take off our residents. we're not going to have tyranny in the city of chicago. it's just not going to happen. >> naveed, what do you make of the clash between local leaders and president trump? >> i mean, this is -- look -- this is something that's been going on since 2016. since the president's taken

office. and he's clearly ratcheted up. just the fact that we are calling these federal agents troops, i think is an important point here. look. as sergio pointed out, these are people dressed in camouflage. they are wearing heavy weapons. they are not what the average american this nks of as a polic officer. sergio mentioned the young individual who was grabbed. when i talked to customs and border patrol, they told me this was a, in fact, a legal terry stop. a terry stop is police practice to actually question someone. in this case, they questioned him by detaining him and moving him to a separate site. it does not go in line with what we expect from local police and that's a huge, huge problem. only going to result in escalation. >> sergio, the president calls these protestors anarchists. who have you actually seen on the ground this, in these protests? >> i mean, sure, there's probably some anarchists in the

crowd. that's not the vast majority of people there. i mean, what you saw last night is a coalition of protestors. some of which might have not been out there at the beginning of the black lives matter movement. but now, you have like the moms in helmets linking arms. you had the wall of veterans last night. the other night, i met a grandfather out there who said it was his first night out there. he is from olympia, washington. he did not like what he said federal troops are doing on city streets. and he went out and bought a leaf blower that he said was supercharged. and he said it's past my bedtime, but i am going to stay out here. so that kind of thing is unprecedented, you know, in recent portland history. i mean, the protests here have made national headlines for different reasons. what we are seeing now is something we haven't seen, in a long time. >> naveed, it's easy to forget that dhs is an organization that has only been created in the last 20 years.

what you are watching in portland. does that call into question, the dubious mission, the dubious assignment of dhs? >> 100%. i mean, yes. the short answer is, absolutely. dhs has struggled to find a mission, to find a clear mandate, long before this. there is ample reason that this would, you know, justify breaking up dhs, returning cbp, and i.c.e., putting them back into what we know as ins, pre-dhs. look. the new dhs mission basically takes all these organizations, put them under one roof. and now, we have someone who is acting secretary who's not controlling them. it's just not what this is meant to be and you see the damage it's causing. >> all right. naveed and sergio, thank you both. up next, four months into this pandemic, president trump finally wearing a mask. and cancelling big portions of the gop convention. but will any of this actually change the administration's response to the pandemic? later in the hour, we'll

discuss the president's record on transgender rights. i will talk to someone still fighting fighting to serve his country, three years after the transgender military ban. ender . proof i can fight psoriatic arthritis... ...with humira. proof of less joint pain... ...and clearer skin in psa. humira targets and blocks a source of inflammation that contributes to joint pain and irreversible damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections. serious and sometimes fatal infections, including tuberculosis, and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened, as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. humira is proven to help stop further joint damage. want more proof? ask your rheumatologist about humira citrate-free.

if you can't afford your medicine, abbvie may be able to help. in a highly capable lexus suv. at the golden opportunity sales event. get zero percent financing on all 2020 lexus models. experience amazing at your lexus dealer. on all 2020 lexus models. bibill assumed his mayo was the best choice. assume nothing. just like the leading brand, kraft real mayo is made with high quality ingredients at a price you can feel good about. no wonder kraft is so good. my father my grandmother my brothers and sisters my friends for going back to school the bbq the lake the beach my place for my neighbors my community my people my country my home for him for her for them for you. ♪

hold on one second... sure. okay... okay! safe drivers save 40%!!! guys! guys! check it out. safe drivers save 40%!!! safe drivers save 40%! safe drivers save 40%!!! that's safe drivers save 40%. it is, that's safe drivers save 40%. - he's right there. - it's him! he's here. he's right here. - hi! - hi. hey! - that's totally him. - it's him! that's totally the guy. safe drivers do save 40%. click or call for a quote today.

this week, resumed his public briefings on the coronavirus response. urging people to wear masks, and socially distance. this, as -- comes as the nation's death toll approaches 150,000, with several states breaking daily records this week. and as the president sees his poll numbers falling in several key battleground states, including michigan, minnesota, and pennsylvania. also, comes as congress tries to hammer out a deal to avoid the looming unemployment crisis, with benefits set to run out in the next several days. joining me now, senior writer for rolling stone. staff writer for the atlantic. and katherine lucy, "wall street journal" white house reporter. katherine, six months into this

crisis, almost six months into this crisis, president trump finally agreeing to wear a mask. you say a lot of this came after a meeting that was held inside the white house. tell us more. >> yes. our reporting shows that this had been -- this sort of change in rhetoric and style, this week, had been building for some time. but there was a meeting earlier this week at the white house, where key campaign aides, advisers, pollsters, went over some of the polling data with the president. and one of the things they talked about was that there is widespread public approval for wearing masks. and so, aides really did talk to him about this idea and they had been for some time. that encouraging mask wearing was patriotic. and there was a sense, we heard from a lot of people, you know, sort of inside and outside the white house, that the president's focus on economic reopening throughout this process. his, you know, sort of downplaying wearing a mask, downplaying some of the risks just was not in step with the way the general public feels. and the numbers reflected that. i mean, we see that. the polling shows widespread

disapproval of his handling of the virus. and so, there was a sense -- and so we saw, this week, a series of briefings that, by the president's standard, they were careful. they were quite somber. he talked about things getting, you know, worse before they get better. he cancelled the bulk of the republican national convention in jacksonville. saying he felt like he needed to set an example. so this was a shift. i think things we need to talk about when we talk about a shift is one of two questions. one, can the president sustain this rhetoric? does this continue? but also, how is it received? at this point, the public is unhappy. you know, is unhappy with his response, and doesn't necessarily trust what he is saying. so i think we have to see now, is sort of how this is taken by the public. >> adam, to katherine's point, this is about poll numbers. that's what all of the rofrtiepg shows. we also know people get frustrated when they hear about a quote/unquote change in tone, a shift in tone. when what people really want to

see is an organized, national response to this crisis, how do you think americans watching this at home are going to respond to the president? >> look. the only way to improve the president's poll numbers is to contain the virus. and the administration has devoted almost all of its resources, not to containing the virus but, to spinning the news about what is happening with the virus. whether that's compelling people to reopen. when that's downplaying the number of death -- deaths. whether it's downplaying the possibility of transmission. and so, until they actually solve the public health problem, there's really no way to shift public opinion about the president's handling of the virus, which is what would actually help him, politically. >> part of the news this week around the president and his response to this virus, of course, is deciding not to pursue the republican national convention in jacksonville, florida. this comes after there was pushback from the governor of north carolina about holding the

repunl republican convention there and what i wondered while i watched all that unfold is, will there be political consequences to all this back and forth over the convention? or are republican voters willing to let the president off the hook? >> i mean, i don't think, really, voters are concerned with conventions right now. i mean, we have a ban on evictions that -- that just expired on friday. i mean, there is a $600 credit towards unemployment, that is about to expire on friday. i mean, people are about to be in a much worse situation, than they were, you know, already. and we have 4 million cases of coronavirus, already. more than 140,000 dead. 1,100 dying, per day. honestly, i don't think people are really worried about watching the president give a very long speech on television and accepting a nomination. i think people are worried about where -- you know, if they get sick, are they actually going to be able to fit into a hospital? are they going to be able to get to a hospital bed?

if they get sick with something else, are they going to be able to see a doctor? i think, honestly, our system is at a breaking point right now. and i think the -- the people are worried about, not just are they going to be able to survive but, also, are they even going to be able to vote effectively in november for a leader to handle this problem? >> and i do want to loop back to you with that question. but first, katherine, i want you to pick up. i mean, there is a health crisis looming in this country but there is also a major financial crisis looming. evictions, as jameel said. lots of people not sure what they are going to do in the absence of federal relief, where do negotiations stand right now? >> certainly, yes. this has long been both health and an economic crisis. and we know that negotiations are continuing. between lawmakers and the white house on another round of stimulus. but that hit some roadblocks at

the end of the week. we were expecting to see full details on a plan from senate republicans wherefo republicans before the end of the week. that was held up. we know some of the things that are sort of being worked on include -- have to do with unemployment benefits, you know, the $600 that was going to people is set to expire. there's been a lot of back and forth about what exactly to do there. democrats would like to maintain it. republicans have been looking at a variety of options. percentage of benefit. they have not reached a compromise there and there are complications with how you then proceed with that at the state level. how you actually get that out to people. and so, they are continuing. mitch mcconnell did say at the end of the week that it may take some time to do this which is worrying a lot of people because these benefits are about to run out. so i think there is a lot of pressure, on both sides, to do something. >> adam, there is a lot of pressure, and there also seems

to be one thing that there is some agreement around, which is the desire for this not to be a short-term response. for this to be a plan that gets them through to january. mitch mcconnell has a lot of fractions within his own caucus trying to figure this out. i'm wondering where you think things land. >> well, look. this problem was visible months ago. i mean, it was april when mitch mcconnell said, oh, i think we are going to press the pause button on aid. what happened was that the people who give campaign contributions to the republican party. they were all taken care of in the trillions of dollars that got spent on businesses. but now, we have a situation where there aren't actually enough jobs for all the people who need jobs. and for some reason, congress is thinking act cutti thinking about cutting back on aid for people who desperately need it because those aren't the people who have sway in congress. it's an insane way to run the country and it's going to result in a lot of people suffering that don't have to because of

indifference of a congressional leadership that is not concerned about their wellbeing. >> today, one of several memorial services for john lewis, the boy from troy, returns home. there are going to be a lot of people talking about john lewis's legacy. what is your belief about the best way for congress to honor congressman lewis's legacy? >> i think, worry less about renaming the fix for the voting rights act, for john lewis. and make sure it gets, actually, passed. make sure that we can actually have an election in november, without the kinds of problems that we saw with primary elections throughout these states. make sure that we can have elections in these states, without the kinds of intimidation that we're seeing threatened by this president and this administration. with the kind of tactics that he's threatening with, sending troops into cities to, allegedly, help, you know, with local crime.

this is not too help wi help wi crime. this seems to be a dry run, you know, for election intimidation. if -- if -- you know, a lot of peoples's fears are borne out. so i think what we need to do is make sure the congress gets active in protecting the people and protecting the vote. >> all right. jameel, adam, and katherine. thank you. we are 101 days away from the november election and there are still a lot of concerns about how americans will vote this fall. i will talk to a candidate for congress in texas, about access to the ballot in her district. h. no uh uh, no way come on, no no n-n-n-no-no only discover has no annual fee on any card.

liberty mutual customizes your car insurance, so you only pay for what you need. i wish i could shake your hand. granted. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪

[♪] when you have diabetes, managing your blood sugar is crucial. try boost glucose control. the patented blend is clinically shown to help manage blood sugar levels. it provides 60% more protein than the leading diabetes nutrition shake. try boost glucose control.

as we hit nearly 100 days until what's shaping up to be one of the most important presidential elections of our lifetime, in the middle of a pandemic that has taken nearly 150,000 american lives. and left millions unemployed. there is just as much at stake in congressional elections. in texas, democrat candace is fighting for a seat that's been urn under republican control since 2004 and wants to use her platform to continue the late congressman john lewis's fight. and that includes passing a 21st century voting rights act. she won the democratic primary run off for congressional district. candace, congress, the body of which you are aspiring to be a

part, is going to head into negotiations, where they are going to decide what type of relief americans need. a lot of these issues, very personal for you. what do you want to see in that relief package? >> we need to see relief, first and foremost, for our families. we have had lots and lots of conversations about safeguarding our corporations. but meanwhile, in my neighborhood, in my district, families are going hungry. people are having a hard time seeing their way past covid-19. we're losing our small businesses. they've been major economic drivers and, now, they are not going to exist after some have been here for decades. and our localities, our cities, our school districts are struggling to keep afloat because they are losing revenue. so i hope that this deal is going to be working hard to take care of families and communities, first. >> candace, one of the big questions happening right now is when, how, if, to reopen

america's public schools. it is complicated. and it is complicated, in a number of ways. caring about the health and safety of children, of educators, of staff members inside of those buildings. for you, having served an education board. for you, part of your own story, really realizing the role of school as a safe place for so many young people, where do you weigh in on this debate? >> you got that right. those are the multiple lenses i come -- come at this from. i am a mother. i have a young, 5-year-old boy. he was supposed to be starting kindergarten. it was one of those lazy dreams i had. i say lazy because i didn't think that, you know, i dreamed to maybe, one day, go to antarctica was something kind of out of reach. but walking my kid to his first day of kindergarten was not something i thought would be in danger. but, here we are, in 2020. and i understand, acutely, what

families are going through. especially, those that have depended so much on the services that are provided, the care that is provided, the stability that is provided by our public schools. but in texas particularly, and across the country, we're not seeing an emphasis on testing, on tracing, on treating covid-19. on making sure that, if people do go out and they mingle with each other. that they're not going to spread this disease. kids are messy. they get all over each other. we're not in a position to adequately social distance them. we're not in a position to control the spread of covid-19 because there is no effort happening, particularly at the level of my state. there's been minimal effort. we see it in our numbers. and so, if we want to talk about taking care of our families, taking care of our small businesses, we need to emphasize, again, investing in

them. making sure that they can stay home and stay safe. while we are making sure that we are -- are making every effort to cure and control covid-19. but we're not seeing that effort. we shouldn't put this effort -- this -- this burden on families. >> candace, we have seen issues with voting in primaries across the country. we have certainly seen it out of your home state of texas. what needs to happen, between now and election day? 101 days to make sure that every texan who wants to vote has the ability to vote. >> we've been fighting, here, in texas for the ability to vote, safely, and vote by mail. and our government has been very resistant because they don't want voting to be accessible here. it's the last thing they want because they understand the numbers. they understand that the current power structure would not exist. we would better be representing, again, texans and families than we are right now. so, what we need to do, you know, and i want to applaud

what's going on at the county level. at the county level, they've made every effort to make sure that their team is equipped with ppe. their team has hand sanitizers. they have single-use pens. voting in this primary runoff, we saw record turnout and people were able to do that safely. so i am applauding our local effort. but on the state and federal level, we need to provide even more ppe. we need to provide even bigger facilities, so that when we do have the impact of november, we're not seeing an uptick in covid-19 again. >> all right. candace, thank you. it has been three years since the president said transgender americans were no longer welcome in the military. up next, i'll talk to someone who wants to serve his country, and he is suing to put an end to the ban. to put an end to the ban.

i'm a performer. -always have been. -and always will be. never letting anything get in my way. not the doubts, distractions, or voice in my head. and certainly not arthritis. new voltaren provides powerful arthritis pain relief to help me keep moving. and it can help you too. feel the joy of movement with voltaren.

three-year anniversary since president donald trump announced on twitter that transgender

individuals can no longer serve in the military. immediately after the announcement was made, the pentagon began to scramble, with no plan put in place or structure, years later transgender americans continue the legal fight to ensure their right to serve their country. joining me is nicholas talbot, with one of the plaintiffs in the suit. three years, april marked the year since the ban. take me back when you realized that your dream of serving in the military was going to have to be placed on hold. >> absolutely. it's very hard to believe it's been three years already. my life was completely upended made by a series of tweets made the president of the united states eacceptsly tellissential

everything i had been working for and dreamed of as a little kid was no longer possible for me. >> the ban also ceased transition-related medical costs. what has that meant for your peers serving in the military? >> i think people should have access to any of the medical needs or any needs in general. by denying a specific group of service members access to any to type of care that should be accessible to them or anybody else is detrimental to the military as a whole. we want our military members to be able to perform at 100% all of the time and denying any of them anything that they may need do that is just an absolute disservice to our military. >> nick, the trump administration has a history of pushing policies to repeal protections for the lgbtq community. i wonder what you ever make of that pattern. >> you know, it's difficult to say. i really don't try to get into

politics too much. i just know that this ban in particular has had an immense effect on me, on many people in my life and there is no reason for it. transgender people are just like any other person out there. we just want to be treated equally with dignity and respect and to be allowed to live our lives. >> and yet you are suing the trump administration. tell us where your case stands. >> usually the specific questions are a bit of a better question for the attorneys. i know we atrying to move my ca trial probably before the end of the year. >> and do you continue wanting to serve? >> i absolutely continue to want to serve. >> we are 101 days from november's election. i know you said that you don't like to get political and yet we're getting very close to that election. i wonder from your perspective what hangs in the balance.

>> that's a big question. i think we have a lot going on in the world right now. politics is always a huge part of that, on a national and a global scale and i encourage every single person to get out there and use your voice and vote for what you believe in. >> you clearly feel very passionately about this. take me back, why do you want to serve in the first place? >> i have always had the desire to serve my country, ever since i was a small child. some of my earliest memories are playing army with my friends on the playground, all the way up through college, when i realized that my absolute passion in life is counterterrorism and global security. and it was pointed out to me by a professor that one of the best ways that i could possibly become involved in that field and really serve my country would be to put on that military uniform and utilize my skills in

that way. and i think that it's doing a huge disservice not only to me as an individual and to my education but to our military, our country and our global security as a whole by denying people like me who have the drive and the qualifications and the education from being able to get in there and give everything that we have to offer. >> all right. nick, thanks so much. we'll continue to follow your case. 77 years later, an original rosie the riveter has switched gears to fight covid-19. katie beck has that story. >> may helped build warplanes to save lives. today her hands still work at factory speed for the very same reason. >> how did you get the idea to do this? >> it was funny, i gave up my gun for a sewing machine. >> she's making masks for the

masses for about eight hoursy day, the red polka dot pattern deep into the fabric, once herself a rosie riveter. >> it's a symbol for what the american women did. >> she made a few for family and friends, now a thousand pending orders. strangers across the country saluting women's service, while fighting america's new war against a viruvirus. she even finds time to mow her own grass. >> i'm hoping my little mask will save a life at least. >> a thousand pending orders, i love it. that wraps it up for this hour, i'm alicia menendez.

al sharpton is up next with "politicsnation." h "politicsnation. here's another cleaning tip from mr. clean. cleaning tough bathroom and kitchen messes with sprays and wipes can be a struggle. there's an easier way. try mr. clean magic eraser. just wet, squeeze and erase tough messes like bathtub soap scum... and caked-on grease from oven doors. now mr. clean magic eraser comes in disposable sheets. they're perfect for icky messes on stovetops... in microwaves... and all over the house. for an amazing clean, try mr. clean magic eraser, and mr. clean magic eraser sheets.

♪ ♪all strength ♪we ain't stoppin' believe me♪ ♪go straight till the morning look like we♪ ♪won't wait♪ ♪we're taking everything we wanted♪ ♪we can do it ♪all strength, no sweat verizon knows how to build unlimited right. you start with the network j.d. power has named the most awarded for network quality 25 times in a row. this network is one less thing i have to worry about. then, give people more plans to mix and match, so you only pay for what you need. that is so cool! include the best in entertainment, and offer it all starting at $35. with the iphone everyone wants. iphone 11 pro on us, when you buy one. because everyone deserves the best. this is unlimited built right. only on verizon.

my age-related macular degenso today i made a plan with my doctor, which includes preservision... because he said a multi- vitamin alone may not be enough. and it's my vision, my morning walk, my sunday drive, my grandson's beautiful face. only preservision areds2 contains the exact nutrient formula recommended by the national eye institute to help reduce the risk of moderate to advanced amd progression. it's how i see my life. because it's my vision... preservision.

good evening and welcome to "politicsnation." tonight's lead, one of the nation's truly greatest leaders lies in repose. the