american democracy, republican gerrymandering could be the biggest of all and could decide not just the results of the midterms but the next presidential election as well. i'll explain how. plus former president trump is holding his own court. we'll get to the what and why with mary trum's attorney. and finally, a south asian super hero. i'll speak to acclaimed comedian actor and now muscle bound star. good evening. i'm mehdi hasan. we are a little over a year away from crucial midterm elections in this country. if republicans win back the house they could block not just joe biden's entire agenda but also the certification of the next presidential election in 2024. for that, they need to flip five just five democratic seats next november. now, what if i told you that republicans could win back the

house next year without winning a single extra vote. how you ask? because republicans right now are taking advantage of the once every decade post census redistricting process to redraw congressional maps in a way that gives them a partisan political advantage. it all goes back to signer of the declaration who in 1812 as governor of massachusetts signed a bill that created a misshapen district that stretched from boston to the new hampshire border before hooking around again to the coast and looked like a salamander and, hence, gerrymander. over the decades both parties have gerrymandered seats but on the republican side right now and in recent years it has been intense and brazen. just listen to this republican state legislator from north carolina. >> we want to make clear that to the extent are going to use

political data in drawing this map. it is to gain partisan advantage on the map. >> then there's the racism. take texas. you heard the phrase democracy dies in darkness, right? well, as political journalist aary berman points out that is exactly what happened in the overnight hours of last wednesday morning when around 3:30 a.m. republicans in the texas house voted to redraw the state house map in a way that dilutes the voting power of growing communities of color. white people make up 40% of the population but would control 59% of the newly drawn proposed districts. hispanics 39% of the population would control 20% of the new districts. less than half of their population. black people 12% of the texas population, a mere 2.7% of districts, less than one-quarter of their population, because the gop controls the state house there that they get to redraw the congressional districts in texas, too. those are the state house ones. they can also do the congressional ones in the dallas

suburbs. take a look at how many hispanics are in the current 33rd congressional district. all of that district was drawn a decade ago under the voting rights act to protect people of color. but now that the supreme court has gutted the voting rights act back in the shelby decision legislators no longer have to worry about proving to the justice department that they aren't trying to dilute the voting power of minorities. they have free rein to do whatever they want. republicans are now extending a ridiculous finger of the texas sixth district which is rural and mostly white up into dallas county and now the hispanic voters will be a minority once more. it is outrageous. white voters have been a minority in texas for the better part of two decades and yet republicans managed to insulate themselves against the diversity starting at the state level where the maps are drawn. under the gop's proposed map for the state senate in texas 20 of 31 districts would have white majorities. the number of pro trump districts increases from 16 to 19. it's not just in texas but also

happening in georgia where republicans are looking to target the district held by democrat lucy mcbath. in missouri even the veteran congressman himself says his district could be drawn into extinction. republicans point to illinois which on friday released new district maps that might give the democrats control over two gop held congressional seats including adam kinzinger's. so yes, both sides gerrymander. wouldn't you if that were the only hand you were dealt? but a, it is just a fact democrats don't do it on the level that republicans do and have done even in illinois. they could have gone much bigger in the gerrymandering in illinois some might argue. and, b, the democratic party is almost unanimously behind the freedom to vote act which bans extreme partisan gerrymandering while republicans including adam kinzinger seem unanimously opposed to it. let's see what happens wednesday when it is up for a crucial vote in the senate. there are three big threats to american democracy right now.

gerrymandering, election sub version, and voter suppression. in my view gerrymandering is the worst of the lot because you don't need to suppress the votes of your opponents if there aren't enough of them in your district to make a difference thanks to gerrymandering. you don't need to subvert the result of an election if it is already a foregone conclusion thanks to gerrymandering. just listen to the late gop strategist who was credited with being the gop's map making genius over the past decade. here he is talking about redistricting. when he says redistricting he really means gerrymandering. >> of course redistricting is democracy at work. redistricting is like an election in reverse. it's a great event. usually the voters get to pick the politicians. in redistricting the politicians get to pick the voters. >> that is not how democracy is supposed to work. it's not how other democracies in the western world operate. if we lose the ability to choose our own politicians, our own

representatives and leaders, then we no longer have a right to call ourselves a functioning democracy. we simply don't. for more let's turn now to the president of the national democratic redistricting committee, the group founded by former attorney general eric holder. thanks so much for joining me tonight. what the republicans are doing in terms of gerrymandering right now is clearly wrong, clearly partisan. but do democrats have credibility on this issue when the maps being proposed in illinois for example are among the most gerrymandered in the country, too? >> well, thanks for having me and for covering this with such a comprehensive intro there. i think you are exactly right to cover what's happening right now with redistricting in the context of this larger fight for our democracy. because what you have right now is one party the republican party that is willing to go to extreme lengths to subvert our democracy, to redistrict themselves into power for the decade, which is their words,

their goal for this redistricting process in order to protect their power artificially. and what you see from democrats both in the states where we are redistricting and also with the support of the freedom to vote act is a real belief in our democracy and how the system should work. we want the elections to be fair. we do want voters to be the ones who determine the outcome of these elections contrary to what thomas hofler said in your intro and we want them redrawn fairly in a way that reflect the will of the voters. in illinois you are seeing the very first draft of a map out on friday. i think you'll see many drafts over the weeks that will go on in illinois and some people are saying there's not enough seats in illinois for democrats right now. some people are saying there are too many. that is par for the course and the process itself. i think the really important thing to remember when we're thinking about redistricting is why we redistrict. we redistrict so we reset the maps so they reflect what is happening in the country and how the demographic and the

geographic realities have changed over the course of the decade. you use the census data as a road map and that is how you know the maps are fair and reflecting what the voters want in that state. >> as i mentioned anti-trump republican adam kinzinger would be remapped into a left leaning congressional district in illinois under those maps. have a listen to what he had to say today about why he voted against the john lewis voting rights act. >> the voting rights act in the mid '60s came out with a temporary provision called preclearance which required certain states to get clearance for any changes to any election system that they did. that went on into perpetuity. it was intended to be temporary. in 2013 the u.s. supreme court threw that provision out and said history changes. we can't keep pretending it is 1965. >> but don't we need preclearance still when we look at how republicans are redrawing the maps in texas? it is starting to look like 1965, is it not? >> we absolutely do need preclearance which is why what

you're seeing from democrats in congress is a very intense and intentional effort to restore the preclearance provision in the voting rights act and not only pass the freedom to vote act but you saw the house passed the john lewis voting rights advancement act. i will tell you congressman kinzinger voted against that bill. right now republicans in congress have the opportunity to restore the voting rights act. they have the opportunity to stand by the protections in our constitution particularly to protect the vote of communities of color and they are actively choosing not to do that. as you noted they have an opportunity to vote for the freedom to vote act to protect these provisions in our democracy to ban partisan gerrymandering and to make sure our democracy works the way it should which is to have the power in the hands of the people. that is what we want and what we're fighting for. >> the kinzingers and cheneys of this world talk a good game when it comes to protecting democracy but they don't vote to protect democracy which is a problem.

then you have the white house, joe biden saying jim crow on steroids, voter suppression is bad. yet the white house continues to be under fire for downplaying the threat to small d american democracy when it comes to legislation, to getting stuff done. earlier this summer voting rights advocates were told by the white house reportedly that democrats would simply have to out organize the other side. but organizing doesn't work against a gerrymander locked in a republican majority. it doesn't matter how many people you turn out in a seat if there's already not enough of them. why don't enough top democrats including democrats in the white house seem to get that? >> i think they do get it. i think the white house knows first hand what we know and what our chairman attorney general eric holder knows you can't out organize gerrymandering. as you noted you can't out organize districts designed to work against the voter. by definition the gerrymandering we are seeing by the republicans in the state is intended to predetermine the outcome of the

election. so that regardless of what the voters want the elections are predetermined by the lines and you see republicans hold on to power artificially regardless of what the voters want. i think the white house understands that. we certainly understand that. democrats in congress understand that. and democrats in the state understand that as well which is why you're seeing a really strong intent by democrats in the state to push for commissions, push for public hearings, public testimony so that we're hearing from the public during the process on what they want to see reflected in the map so they reflect and protect the communities of this country. >> and of course as you point out this is happening right now. this is not some future threat. redistricting, gerrymandering is happening as we speak. we need legislation to protect democracy. let's see what happens on wednesday. appreciate your time tonight. thank you. >> good to be with you. still to come, actor, writer, and producer

kumail nanjiani is here. we'll speak to him about being one of the most visible and influential south asian people in hollywood. plus how he thinks joe biden is doing as president. up next another day, another seemingly frivolous lawsuit filed by donald j. trump. i'll speak to mary trump's lawyer, next. ♪ there are beautiful ideas that remain in the dark. but with our new multi-cloud experience, you have the flexibility you need to unveil them to the world. ♪ people with moderate to severe psoriasis, or psoriatic arthritis, are rethinking the choices they make like the splash they create the way they exaggerate the surprises they initiate. otezla. it's a choice you can make. otezla is not an injection or a cream

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>> it seems to me we've been talking about climate as a future problem. it is a crisis right now. you'll be shocked to hear that donald trump remains embroiled in a mountain of legal battles, and there are reports the former president is struggling to get lawyers to represent him. you can understand why they'd want to steer clear. first of all there's january 6th as trump desperately tries to shield former members of his administration and his entourage from the house select committee's probe. then there is his tantrum over his twitter ban. he filed a lawsuit in florida earlier this month to try to get himself reinstated. he misses it.

he just lost a suit against a former employee over false claims she violated an nda. that failed three-year legal battle is set to cost trump in the millions. of course the manhattan district attorney is conducting a criminal investigation of the trump organization for pervasive tax fraud. if all that wasn't enough, billable hours, there is the fact he is suing his own niece. his own flesh and blood. donald trump filed a hundred million dollars lawsuit against mary trump and against the "new york times" claiming she breached a nondisclosure agreement by sharing his tax records with "the times" and called it an insidious not. she called him a loser. joining me now to discuss all this is the renowned first amendment lawyer and attorney for mary trump. ted, thank you so much for coming on the show. you called this lawsuit frivolous. this isn't the first time your client mary trump has been accused of violating the nda she had with her family. they tried to get an injunction

against the release of her book. that failed. she did admit in the book she gave the tax records to "the times." does trump have any case here? >> he doesn't, mehdi. the problem in the first case when they tried to block the book the judge said that the interpretation of the nondisclosure agreement to apply to mary's book made no sense. it was overbroad. he gave it a very narrow interpretation. that is the first thing. the second thing is donald trump has brought this lawsuit against his niece mary for what she wrote in her book, too much and never enough, and for what the "new york times" published in pulitzer prize winning article that exposed fraudulent business and tax schemes by donald trump and his siblings and father. donald trump's lawsuit against mary trump is lengthy but does not challenge one word of mary trump's book, not one word of the "new york times" -- he basically admitted all of that was true and it was an extraordinarily important story.

the third thing is mary trump has her own lawsuit pending against donald trump in new york seeking tens of millions of dollars that donald trump and his siblings ripped off from her and she is challenging the very agreement he is trying to enforce as having been procured by fraud. so this is a really weak case, it's frivolous. we look forward to moving to dismiss it very soon. >> so, ted, talk to me about the bigger picture here. trump appears to be throwing everything at the wall and hoping something sticks. he is no stranger to litigation i think it is fair to say. is this all just a distraction? is it self-promotion? is it vindictiveness? what is the point of all of this noise? it is costing him a lot of money. he doesn't appear to be winning the cases he is already fighting. you've suggested this is a kind of legal intimidation by the former president. >> i think you touched on all of the facets of why donald trump would bring a suit. vindictiveness. retaliation from mary trump's lawsuit against him.

distraction. trying to distract the public, and also i think self-promotion in the sense that he can say he has sued the "new york times," he sued mary trump. i guess that is a badge of honor in some circles. the other thing is the last point you made, mehdi, is chilling, the chilling effect, intimidation effect lawsuits can have even baseless lawsuits. it can be for a journalist or mary trump an author, costly to fight the lawsuits. that causes future journalists to hesitate in criticizing people who are powerful. i think it is a toxic mixture of all those things. >> so, i mentioned in the intro trump has a bunch of things going on here. i just wonder, you as a lawyer, just looking at the whole picture, should he be busy going around suing people or should he be a little more defensive in his legal operations right now given the 1/6 committee that seems to be coming closer and closer to him, given the manhattan da going after the

trump organization on tax fraud, given fulton county, georgia looking into possible election interference by the president who of course rang up brad raffensberger and said find me 11,000 votes. it is unprecedented for a former president to be any kind of legal trouble. what kind of trouble do you think he is in across the board? >> he is facing an array of these serious inquiries, lawsuits, investigations, lawsuits by others, other civil suits pending against him. if i'm -- i'm not his lawyer and not giving him legal advice but i would be telling him to lay low. stay on the golf course. stop talking. stop promoting a big lie that caused an insurrection. it is baffling and just, you know, an improper lawsuit, but it is mind boggling that he would file it. >> i mean, normally donald trump doesn't need advice or encouragement to stay on the golf course but i think at this point he really should perhaps take you up on that. just before i let you go, ted, on a broader point, your

expertise is the first amendment. do you believe america is in the midst of a free speech crisis right now? it is what we keep hearing about in our media and politics and culture. right wingers keep complaining about wokism going mad on the left. political correctness on campus. cancel culture. then you have the right, the republicans themselves, also passing actual laws to ban the teaching of history or racism in schools. where do you stand on this whole debate over free speech in america? how bad is it and what is driving it? >> we are in a world of hurt i think to a certain extent in large part because of donald trump. he waged a war on media. the press. he undermined the public confidence in the greatest news organizations in the world. at the same time he conducted a disinformation campaign from the white house with misinformation, disinformation. to this day he is still doing it. then you have a misunderstanding by government officials, by the

public about what the first amendment and freedom of speech is supposed to do. it is supposed to let the citizens get the information they need to govern themselves and make sensible decisions and you have people attacking journalists, free speech, and i think the attacks on so-called wokism and cancel culture is over blown i think but i do think that rather than trying to -- this throw people out of society we need to have more speech. explain why people are wrong. i think we have problems. i think all these lawsuits are a problem. so i think we just need to keep fighting and also just talking to the public about what the first amendment is all about. >> yeah. talking to the public but also to republican legislators who often say things like, that's not the first amendment applied to private corporations or what not. they don't seem to understand what actually applies. i find it amusing when you see members of congress going on about the first amendment but they don't quite get it. i'm glad you made that point and

also interested to hear you talk about it being overblown the attacks on cancel culture, a view i share and i wish we had more time to get into. we have to leave it there. thank you so much for are time tonight. >> thanks for having me. coming up, my rant on how joe biden's scotus commission has completely capitulated to mitch mcconnell. plus i'll speak to the eternal star about his new movie and why he felt a certain responsibility while creating his character. first, richard lui is here with the headlines. >> some stories this hour, former president bill clinton was released from the hospital in southern california. he was admitted tuesday for a ewer logical infection that spread to his blood stream. the former president's medical team saying they were, quote, honored to have treated him and will continue to monitor his progress. the chicago sky defeating the phoenix mercury to win the franchise's first wnba championship sunday. the sky fighting back from several deficits to win the

game, 80-74. ali quigley led chicago scoring with 26 points. congrats. hollywood workers avoid the biggest industry strike since world war ii. a tentative deal was reached on saturday for the international alliance of theatrical stage employees. the three-year contract includes improved working conditions, higher wages, expanded benefits. more of the mehdi hasan show after this break. just think, he'll be driving for real soon. every new chevy equinox comes standard with chevy safety assist, including automatic emergency braking. find new peace of mind. find new roads. chevrolet. derriere discomfort. we try to soothe it with this. cool it with this. and relieve it with this. but new preparation h soothing relief spray

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welcome back. it is time now for what i call the 60 second rant. joe biden's commission on the supreme court has put out discussion material you might as well call a unilateral surrender to mitch mcconnell and the gop basically admitting that despite six months of work they have no proposal to fix a totally broken supreme court. certainly not expanding the court which according to them would quote undermine rather than enhance the supreme court's legitimacy. this supreme court is right now

has a 6-3 conservative majority. it includes another justice confirmed in the middle of an election after 60 million americans already voted but apparently joe biden's scotus commission thinks if we expand the court it would make it look partisan. why are democrats so bad at politics? if republicans were in charge and wanted to expand the court they'd have just done it. if democrats don't expand the court their agenda is done, finished, over. more importantly so is our democracy. next, hollywood star explains why it is so important for kids to watch a blockbuster movie these days and say hey that could be me. stick around. the "eternal" star is next. aroud the "eternal" star is next relief... voltaren

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you probably know my next guest for playing a computer geek for six seasons on hbo's "silicon valley" or maybe from a 1920 film where he played an uber driver around dave batista. he has made a clear out of playing, well, nerds. throughout his time in hollywood those are the roles he found himself asked to audition for but not anymore. because this november he is playing the first ever south

asian super hero and first ever pakistani american super hero in marvel studio's "eternals." i cannot wait. i am talking about my guest, comedian, actor, producer, and delighted to welcome him back to the show. thanks so much for coming on. congratulations on the new movie. >> thank you. thank you for having me. >> when i was growing up in the uk the only south asians you would see in hollywood were either playing i.t. guys a role you played pril yantly on "silicon valley" or terrorists. i never would have believed we'd have a marvel super hero played by a pakistani immigrant. what is the role of kingo in "enernls" mean to you personally? >> it was personally an incredible opportunity and then with regards to the kind of representation that our people have seen in main stream hollywood pop culture it also felt like a responsibility because of that i just wanted to

portray someone who was very, very different from the kinds of roles that people who look like us have previously played in american tv shows and movies. for me creating this character i looked at the things you're seeing. either nerds or terrorists. either fixing computers or planning something nefarious. i wanted to have kingo be someone who was the exact opposite of the kinds of things that i had seen people who look like us play and the kinds of things that i had played before. >> now you're saving the world not doing things that are nefarious. kumail, were you a marvel comic book fan growing up as a kid in pakistan? >> oh, yeah massive. i loved spider-man. i loved batman. i think i can say that. i was a huge comic book fan. definitely like the biggest nerd, biggest geek out of all of

my friends. comic books, video games, movies. you know, at the end of summer all my friends, i would see them at school and everybody's skin had gotten darker because they had been out in the sun. my skin had gotten lighter because i had been at home reading comic books. >> little did you know where it would lead you. i like the little d.c. reference. maybe we'll see you join the justice league now or maybe you can multi task. i personal liam not the biggest of d.c. fans in movie terms. i love the m.c. when it comes to movies, the original avengers movie but it was looking back very white for ironman, captain america, black widow, hulk, all white. hulk is green on the inside but white guy on the inside. and now you have nearly a decade later marvel's eternals where it is you, selma hayek, is that in your view a conscious if belated effort by marvel, hollywood as a

whole, to recognize the importance of representation of diversity on screen even in super hero movies? did you feel that on the set? >> you know, i actually did not feel that on the set. i think it was important for chloe for very rational reasons. she said this is a global super hero team it should look like the globe. as you said, traditionally super heroes in american pop culture have looked very, very not like the world. right? they look very, very specific. for chloe, you know, obviously representation is important to her but more than that she was like these people were sent to earth to blend in with earth not to blend in with america so they should look like the world. you know? to her, that was more important than anything was that obviously the diversity and representation is so important. we want kids to be able to see themselves when they, you know, watch a movie.

but more than that for chloe it was like, this is how it should be. you know, that is what felt very -- it was surprising to me in making this movie. it did not feel like we were trying to fix something. it didn't feel like she was trying to fix something. she was just like, presenting it as if this is how it should have always been. >> some people get surprised when i say i love marvel movies, the fast and furious movies. they think i am a very serious person. i don't know where they get that from. this is what you do in your down time? i don't watch high brow movies or documentaries simply because the world is so messed up. it is what i do for a living. i need escapism. do you think that is why people love super hero movies in this current climate? people don't follow the rules. they use their special powers and save the world. in the real world it is joe manchin every week screwing us over and in super hero world that doesn't happen. >> i mean, i think that might be part of it. you know? there are a lot of problems in

the world and we are not powerful enough to fix them so then watching problems and movies a little simpler to fix. you know? where the good guys and bad guys may be a little bit more purely delineated based on your perspective. and seeing super power people fix those problems, i think that is probably very cathartic. that said, it is interesting you bring that up because traditionally in comic book movies good and bad have been very clearly defined. and it is interesting. "eternals" is philosophically a little vague. morally it is a little complex. like chloe wanted to make sure that, yeah, it is really interesting. to her she wanted to show sort of different perspectives on ethics and morality and so this movie has a lot of gray area in

it. on top of that it still has, that is what is so cool about it, it still has the big, fun popcorn, like it is funny. it's fun. it's thrilling. it's got romance. it's got philosophical stuff, too. >> on that note, it does look like a lot of finance and i do look forward to watching it with my daughter. i can't wait to see you doing a bali wood dance routine as part of your character. a lot of people including every brown guy i know as well as your costar selma hayek who joked on jimmy kimmel with you the other night have noticed your new physique. hard not to. you amazingly got seriously ripped for this marvel movie but you've said in recent interviews you wish nobody would ever talk about your body again. i apologize for doing that. but i have to ask do you feel that way because you think you've been body ashamed by some people online? i see some folks suggesting race played a part in this because you in your no longer muscular

phase no longer fit the stereotype of what some people think a brown south asian man should look like. is that your view? >> well, it is hard for me to parce through all of that and understand people's motivations. there are a lot of complex things at play. for me the frustration has been that the last year and a half, you know, i have had this body transformation and that is the only thing people have known of me in the last year and a half. so of course i am excited for this movie to come out because people get to see why i did it. people get to see my actual performance. what i actually do for a living. i'm not like known for being a buff guy. i'm known for being funny or whatever it is. and i want to go back to that. you know? the conversation used to be is he fun oir not? a good actor not? how it's changed and i want to go back to that. that is the reason i got into

this. >> before we run out of time, last time we spoke a year ago before the election you were making the case for why trump had to go, why people should vote for joe biden and the democrats especially naturalized citizens, immigrant communities. a year on how are you feeling about biden and the dems especially on the issue of immigration which i know you care about. politico is reporting this weekend a group of immigration activists staged a virtual walk out at a meeting with top biden officials yesterday they are so frustrated. you see cbc officers on horse back corralling black and brown immigrants at the border, haitian immigrants deported in the thousands. what is your view of the biden administration a year on especially on this issue? >> well, you know, obviously immigration issues are so important. my entire family, we're all immigrants. it is interesting because there are two aspects. one, it is a symbolic victory where you don't have a president who is actively espousing

anti-immigration rhetoric. that is actually a massive, massive improvement and makes a big difference. however, those pictures you talk about are absolutely horrific. it is not rhetoric, not the only thing that matters. obviously we need a lot of immigration reform and to me the reason that this conversation becomes so heated is that nobody ever thinks of these people as people really. it's always numbers. even when you look at those horrific pictures. you know? it's what is devastating about it is that those pictures dehumanize these people who have put everything on the line to move here. you know, to fight for better lives for themselves and their families and to see them go through getting emotional talking about it but i think that is what needs to change. we just don't approach this problem as a human problem.

we approach it as a numbers problem. which is, you know, i think something that i think biden could do better with. >> well said. on that very passionate and eloquent point we're going to have to leave it there. we are out of time. appreciate you for joining us on this show to talk movies and politics. as ever, eternals premieres november 5th. congratulations on the new film. my daughter and i cannot wait to see it. >> thank you for having me. the movie is amazing. what has a texas school district, the republican party, and the holocaust got in common? you'll really need to hear this for yourself. that's next. don't go away. ♪ there are beautiful ideas that remain in the dark. but with our new multi-cloud experience, you have the flexibility you need

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the right has launched an all out hysterical campaign against the teaching of critical race theory in school own though it isn't actually being taught

in school. republicans in places like texas have passed laws to stop this imaginary threat to basically make sure the teaching of race and history isn't too negative. of all the ridiculous, dumb, and frankly dangerous things out of this hysteria check out what happened last week in south lake, the bill that orders teachers who discussion controversial issues of public policy or social affairs to explore those issues from diverse and contending perspectives. >> just try to remember the concepts of 39-79 and make sure that if you have a book on the holocaust that you have one that has opposing -- that has other perspectives. >> how do you oppose the holocaust? >> believe me, that's come up. >> how do uh-oh pose the holocaust? what books do you put in your school library for balance on that? to be fair, this texas bill wasn't designed with the holocaust in mind. after that audio leaked,

republican senator said this, school administrators should know the difference between factual historical events and fiction. no legislation is suggesting the action that administrator is promoting. the legislation supposed to give a pass to anti-semitism, no, just a good old fashioned antiblack racism. it wasn't the teaching of the holocaust they were targeting. it was the targeting of slavery and america's horrific treatment of black people. how many republicans spoke out when two weeks ago, the same board voted to reprimand a peach who are had an antiracist book in her classroom. racist laws end up targeting jews too. and lest we forget while we're on the subject, this is how the defacto leader of the republican party reacted when white supremacists took the streets for a unite the white rally. >> jews will not replace us. jews will not replace us.

>> you also had people that were very fine people on both sides. >> so, when you hear some republicans now very defensively saying this law isn't working the way it was supposed to, that it was never supposed to mix fact and fiction, that there are no both sides to the holocaust. they're right. of course there are no both sides to the teaching of the holocaust. republicans, while i've got your attention, there are no both sides to the teaching of slavery or jim crow either. it's almost the top of the hour, which means it's time for eamon tonight with his sunday night panel, who will control congress and how it will control the supreme court. stick around. more next. nd more next. dignity. it demands that we can still do the simple things. so it demands life-changing technology, to relieve chronic pain. ♪ ♪ as someone who resembles someone else... i appreciate that liberty mutual to relieve chronic pain.

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thank you for watching. we'll be right back here next sunday at 8:00 p.m. eastern. you can catch me monday through thursday on "the choice" on nbc's streaming channel peacock. now it's time to hand it over to ayman william dean. ayman, good evening. jon stewart made noise this morning, criticizing the media. have a listen. >> i think the media does a terrible job at deescalation. >> yeah. >> and deescalation is the anecdote to all this nonsense. and i don't mean civility, and i don't mean non-partisanship. i mean focusing on things that are more urgent and elemental in

people's lives and really hammering away at those things. >> ayman, i adore jon stewart. i used to worship "the daily show" when he hosted it. but isn't he falling into the trap of referring to the media as if it's a monolith, the media, when he really means right wing media. i've spent this year focusing this show on elemental issues, democracy, climate, economy, covid. fox has spent it on critical race theory and dr. seuss. why should i be lumped in with them? >> you're absolutely right, i think. i'm with you. i love jon stewart. i think he brings a lot of valid points to the discussion. media is not above criticism, that is for sure. to say all broadcast media should be lumped into this category of december-escalation is false. as you mentioned, right wing media and fox news in specific, they're talking about vaccine hesitancy. they're out there every night hammering home talking about mask mandates being a violation

of our freedom. so, you have to wonder whether or not that statement really is fair. and i think it brings up another interesting point that i want to ask you about which is -- i know it's something you've also spoken about, which is the role of media in this conversation about the build back better agenda and whether or not we as journalists are supposed to be out there selling the democratic agenda to the american public. is it their messaging that's bad or is the media at fault here in not doing a good job of explaining it? >> it's a great question. does it have to be either/or, right? i think the democratic messaging has been bad, undoubtedly so. bernie sanders has done more to sell the biden bill than most quote/unquote biden democrats. >> yeah. >> but i do think we in the media could do more to convey the policy side of things. i think we assume -- look, you said. the media is not above criticism. our industry wrongly assumes that people don't want policy. they want to hear about who's up, who's down, who's winning,

who's losing. i did a 60 minute summary of what's in the build back better program. it went viral online, which tells me people want to hear details. i don't think we should so quickly get into the escalation, de-escalation game without doing substance. i think we could all improve. no doubt about that. >> listen, let's not forget, at the end of the day it's the responsibility of every citizen to go out and there and get that information. i'm convinced if you're an engaged citizen who wants to know what's in the build back better program, you can take the initiative and you can find out whether it's watching your show, going to the website of the white house, going to primary sources for the information. it is out there. you just have to want it. mend hi, enjoy your night off, my friend. good evening to everyone. and welcome to ayman. texas legislators are locked into last-minute negotiations that would give republicans an overwhelming edge over democrats. critics say it will silence black and hispanic voters.

i'm going to discuss gerrymandering, voting rights and the supreme court's role naul of this in just a moment. some democrats are blaming the media for not selling their policies to the american people. that's not really our job though, folks. i'm going to ask my sunday night panel about that and the breakdown in messaging over that $3.5 trillion spending bill over ten years. that's the key point in all of this. plus transportation secretary pete buttigieg has some choice words for those criticizing his paternity leave. turns out dads actually do more than babysit. who knew? i'm ayman mohyeldin, let's get started. so, a redistricting frenzy is underway across the country. we are following the developments in texas where they are inching closer to determining new maps that could determine the partisan make-up of that state