september, 2024. and in many arenas, health insurance companies have followed medicare in setting price. so, we expect, and we really do hope, that this will not just be a price for medicare, but that it will be a price that ensures use as well. >> neera tanden, they should come to. that come back anytime. that is all in on this tuesday, alex wagner tonight, starts right now. with canada's ali velshi. thanks for asking. >> on toward those snapping. there are loved it. >> a couple people comment, nikki haley, i think it's called a communist. but if it rains tomorrow also be a communist. cathy mcmorris rodgers calls it socialist pricing. i'm glad you pointed out, it's a negotiation on the drugmaker, you are forming a price. i don't like it. we'll negotiate, or i won't say the drug. you know to me, it's the caution is not communism. >> it how everything happens.

everything happens that way. >> it's how everybody was buying power utilizes they're buying power so there's a little bit of sense coming into this conversation, thank you for your coverage of this. >> thank, you. elie >> thanks to at-home for joining us tonight. it is official, donald trump's legal battles and republican parties primary or on a collision course, headed for impact. take a look at the counter. the first nominating contests, the iowa caucus, is currently scheduled to take place on january the 15th. the same day donald trump is scheduled to be in court for his second civil defamation trial. versus author, e. jean carroll. the first one didn't go so well. if you recall. on march 4th, trump is due back in court for the start of his criminal trial over alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election. the very next, day march, fifth super tuesday, 15 states are gonna hold their primaries and caucuses for the republican nomination, which means, the majority of the delegates in that republican primary will have already been awarded one day after trump's very first

criminal trial gets underway. assuming that holds. less than three weeks later, march 25th, trump's second criminal trial, the one in manhattan, is set to begin. followed by his third criminal trial, the one about the mar-a-lago documents. that's just two months later. all three of those trials are currently set to happen before the republican national convention in july, when the republican party will have to decide, once and for all, whether to make donald trump their candidate in november. now, none of this, other than the election date, is set in stone. trial dates can change, and political things can change. donald trump is already complaining that the calendar is part of some conspiracy against his candidacy. in fact, yesterday, he posted a social media site, quote, a biased trump hating judge, gave me only a two-month extension, just what our corrupt government wanted. super tuesday. i will appeal. well, unfortunate for trump,

you cannot appeal a judge's ruling in this matter. his lawyers had a chance to raise the issue yesterday in court. in fact, they raised all sorts of issues. they did not mention the trials proximity to super tuesday in their arguments. so, instead, trump's allies in congress have come up with a plan. yesterday, the republican congressman andrew clyde introduced two measures that would, quote, prohibit the use of federal funding for the prosecution of any major presidential candidate prior to the upcoming presidential election on november 5th, 2024. and quote. that is one highly specific piece of legislation. this, of course, comes as house speaker kevin mccarthy is signaling that he plans to launch an impeachment inquiry into president biden, when congress returns next month. those plans can work? to what the impact of trump's multiple criminal trials? let's talk about with mary mccord, former united states attorney, for washington d.c.. and a former senior justice department official, she's also

co-host of the fantastic and imported, prosecuting donald trump. also with, us symone sanders-townsend, former senior adviser to president biden's 2020 campaign, in the host of symone on msnbc. i'm so grateful to both of you for being with us this evening. mary mccord, let's start with you. the legal stuff, for a lot of reasons, is not set in stone. there are a lot of reasons why a trial could be the lead, the bottom line, is donald trump's attorney asked for the trial the january 6th trial, to be in 2026. and the judge said, you're not getting two years on this. you get a couple months. >> she also invited him to suggest other dates earlier than 2026. he repeatedly refused, suggesting that anything that made him mr. trump go to trial before the 2024 election would've been a violation of due process, and what did not have been told him to a fair trial. the fact that this trial date ended up the day before super

tuesday, as you indicated near opening, he could've suggested different dates. as you also indicated, there are certainly things, that he possibly could delay. that there are motions, so motions, depending on where mr. trump brings, potentially could be appealable, even on an interlocutory basis. ordinary, criminal defendant has a hold on to all the potential objections, and then appeal after there's been a conviction. but there are some exceptions to that. there could also be other things that legitimately, because of actual reasons, or legal reasons, could cause short delays, like some inability of a witness to be available or something like that. but those, i think, would be minimal. i do think, even if there were some sort of interlocutory appeals, we see the courts moving very quickly. we've seen the move very quickly in past issues involving mr. trump. this is so important to our democracy. i think we would see that again.

>> simone, i'm so glad you, here i really wanted you hear, it was kind of stupid why when you hear. you've actually had experience on president campaigns, i want to get your read on this except this presidential campaign is gonna be nothing like anything you've ever worked on. to the extent that donald trump is juggling to calendars, his election calendar, his primary counter, you know, he doesn't have much of a threat. that debate last week was the one opportunity for somebody to show themselves as a part of donald trump. that really didn't materialize. >> yeah, well, ali, january 15th is when the iowa caucus will take place for the republican primary. if you look at state polling, there is been a little movement in iowa, there's been some movement in new hampshire. i think that's why debates are important. also, these other things, like the legal challenges of former president trump is facing, are very critical and key. let me say this about the calendar when it comes to the primary. yes, march 5th is, in fact,

super tuesday. often it's called the s.e.c. primary, because that's what a number of the states in the south, not exclusively states in the south, there are some other states that are voting on that day, that's when they hold their primaries. yes, that is march 5th. march 4th, donald trump's trial will commence. his trial will be jury selection. prior to march 4th, ali, there are four states, at least three key states, that are gonna vote. iowa, new hampshire, and south carolina. and the republican party primary, there is something called winner takes all. the democratic presidential primary is called proportional representation, thanks to jesse jackson after 1984. proportional representation means that, okay, somebody gets 60% of the vote, somebody gets 30% of, somebody gets ten. and then the rest is divided between other folks. everyone will win some percent of delegates. that's the democrats. the republicans do not have proportional representation. that, means whoever wins the majority of votes in that state,

whether they went 40% or whatever, they get the delegates. this is a delegates game. so, there is a scenario, if, in fact, donald trump's campaign is doing well, that he has amassed just almost enough delegates to, whereby super tuesday, if he does well on super tuesday in a number of states, he could be what we call the presumptive nominee. >> wow. mary mccord, obviously, donald trump has made the argument that this is all election interference, ever is coming in a way of his campaign. judge chutkan said, when it was a defendant needs to be defended. you have other things you have to clear counter. however, let's talk about what simone just laid out. if that actually happens, the closer donald trump gets to actually being the nominee, does his argument strengthen? can he, as he becomes the nominee, put in some sort of emergency request to say, i'm the nominee. i'm gonna be republican nominee for president. this trial can't continue.

>> i, mean he can put in any request he wants. i don't think that would be a good legal argument. he declared his candidacy, even while he knew that he was under investigation. he has proceeded with his candidacy well he has been indicted. he's trying to create a conflict, so he can make an argument like that. so we can claim that the department of justice is persecuting him, and interfering in the election. remember, these investigations have been going on for a long time now. and there is probable cause, based on the grand jury's return of indictments for all four of the current prosecutions, so, he can try to make some sort of selective prosecution argument, but i think it's gonna fail. there's no basis for. if the timing were different, if he declared a candidacy, and was a front runner, and then the department of justice launched a new investigation, brought charges, he could have

some arguments about selective prosecution, or vindictive prosecution. but he just doesn't have that here. this investigation, whatever delays the department of justice may have had and really honing in on mr. trump and appointing jack smith, they've been investigating january 6th an election fraud since january 6th, or really, jenner 20, with because mr. trump was still president from january 6th to january 20th. i think that effort would fill. >> symone, the snow that's going on in congress, the andrew clyde stuff. the impeachment of joe biden. even impeachment of joe biden. a whole lot of republicans who don't want that baggage. they don't want that albatross. they might think it's interesting that the far-right republicans talked about this all the time. when it comes down to an actual impeachment trial, and voting for impeachment, that's problematic. do you think there's any muscle in any of this nonsense of the trying to do in congress, to try to counter donald trump's actual legal woes? >> you know, i feel like maybe

the house republicans think that they're some strategic, you know, they are there, to what they're doing that is in fact going to help donald trump or the republican to general defeat the democrats come the general election. it's important for us to remember, the folks who really want, for example, the impeachments, if you will, of president biden or the far-right members of the house of representatives in the republican caucus, there's a very small group. they have a large microphone. there are 18 republicans, ali, who currently sit in districts that joe biden won in 2020. those are swing districts. those are districts like new york 19. in the district like nebraska to. don bacon. don bacon does not want to vote for impeachment. i can guarantee you. >> you too are wonderful, thank you so much for your analysis tonight. mary mccord in simone sanders-townsend, whose own show airs every weekend on saturday and sunday at four pm

eastern, right here on msnbc. it is much watched. thanks for a time tonight. catch up on all four indictment against donald trump, you can. you can preorder the trump indictments, it contains all the charging document against donald trump and his codefendants, complete and unabridged. the book is edited and introduced by me, and it will be out on september the 25th, if you can't wait till the book is, out you can listen to me read the trump indictments on mary's podcast. prosecuting donald trump. right, now you need to scan that q r code on your screen. lots more coming up for you, including new reporting on one of ron desantis's pet project in his war on woke. first, why republicans and congress are practically silent about a major new win for their constituents. the high stakes of the gop's extreme partisanship is next. ip is next ♪ did you know 80% of women are struggling with hair damage? dryness and frizz that keeps coming back, could be damaged hair that can't retain moisture.

you need pantene's miracle rescue deep conditioner. it's filled with pro-vitamins to help hair lock in moisture, visibly repairing six months of damage in just one use, with no weigh-down. guaranteed, or your money back. for hair that looks healthy and stays healthy. if you know, you know it's pantene. as americans, there's one thing we can all agree on. the promise of our constitution and the hope that liberty and justice is for all people. but here's the truth. attacks on our constitutional rights, yours and mine are greater than they've ever been. the right for all to vote. reproductive rights. the rights of immigrant families. the right to

equal justice for black, brown and lgbtq+ folks. the time to act to protect our rights is now. that's why i'm hoping you'll join me today in supporting the american civil liberties union. it's easy to make a difference. just call or go online now and become an aclu guardian of liberty. all it takes is just $19 a month. only $0.63 a day. your monthly support will make you part of the movement to protect the rights of all people, including the fundamental right to vote. states are passing laws that would suppress the right to vote. we are going backwards. but the aclu can't do this important work without the support of people like you. you can help ensure liberty and justice for all and make sure that every vote is counted. so please call the aclu now or go to my aclu.org and join us. when you use your credit card, you'll receive this special we the people t-shirt and much more. to show you're a part of the movement

to protect the rights guaranteed to all of us by the us constitution. we protect everyone's rights, the freedom of religion, the freedom of expression, racial justice, lgbtq rights, the rights of the disabled. we are here for everyone. it is more important than ever to take a stand. so please join us today. because we the people means all the people, including you. so call now or go online to my aclu.org to become a guardian of liberty. today is the start of a new

deal for patience, for big pharma doesn't just get a blank check at your expense, and the expense of the american people. on my watch, health care should be a, write not a privilege in this country. >> that's president joe biden today, after his administration released this list of ten prescription drugs chosen for medicare's first ever price negotiations with manufacturers to lower costs for millions of people. now, these drugs are used to treat a number of illnesses, including, the most common

illnesses in america, or conditions, cancer and diabetes in autoimmune diseases. if the drug manufacturers refused to negotiate with medicare, or would agree on a quote, maximum fair price, they will now face a significant tax or be forced to withdraw from medicare and medicaid. medicare's ability to negotiate directly with drug manufacturers is a new power, granted by the inflation reduction act. that landmark law that passed with zero votes from a publicans, who've been trying to dismantle it ever since. joining us now, california congressman, ro khanna, member of the affordable drug pricing task force. congressman, good to see. you got a big smile on your face. about this. this is a simple matter that, to most people, should've been sorted out more than two decades ago. the idea that medicare is allowed to negotiate for the price of the drugs, not free, drugs nobody's getting it free, nobody forcing anybody to sell anything in the government's not taking over the manufacture of anything. this is the right to negotiate because you're a bulk buyer.

>> absolutely. ali, for all the republican rhetoric on inflation, this administration is actually taking action to save americans money. here's what it's gonna mean. for the ten most expensive drugs, for drugs to tackle diabetes, blood thinners, americans now are going to pay less. there's a cap of $2,000 a year on their out of pocket costs. and, by the, way this is gonna reduce the deficit, all the republican rhetoric on deficits, they haven't done anything. this president has. medicare is about 800 billion dollars of spending. of that 20%, pharmaceutical expenditure, it's out of control. the pharmaceutical industry has made billions of dollars of profits, most of it on stock buybacks, ali. by the, way the spending more on stock buybacks in the last ten years than on research and development. so, it's a red herring that this money is going to innovation. this president is lowering the cost, lowering the deficit, helping the american public. he's delivering. >> you make an interesting

point. this is not just possibly and ultimately a saving to people who buy and use those drugs. if i use none of those drugs, the saving, timmy, is part of the taxpayer, saving right? the 50 billion dollars plus over ten years? that's at a minimum. that's at the beginning of this list. that's the starting gate for negotiations. >> absolutely. look, from paul ryan, the republicans have been railing against the cost of, medicare the cost of deficits. they've done nothing about it. joe biden is the first president who says, okay. let's reduce the cost of medicare. you know how you reduce the cost? you go after the excessive fees. one of the excessive costs is pharmaceuticals. they're making billions of dollars of profits. it's going to stop buybacks and shareholders. the american people are getting fleeced. and president biden is saying, no. organist up. it we're gonna negotiate. we're gonna have americans pay the same price as places other countries around the world pay. you know who is for, this?

actually donald trump. what's the difference? joe biden actually delivered, donald trump was talking about. >> interesting, an entire trump administration, a few ideas he had a, like you knew something about? that this was one of the one seed into anything about. the drug companies don't like this idea. they don't have the ability to say outright, they're not gonna participate. because they're penalties. if a drug maker doesn't negotiate, doesn't participate in good faith in the negotiations, they may have to withdraw all of their drugs from medicare. doesn't mean they can't sell them. the concern in the open market. but if you want to sell through medicare, you're gonna have to negotiate. >> you know, what calls me about the big drug companies, they spend 300 and $70 million, ali, on lobbying. there are more lobbyists in congress and there were congresspeople. they still failed to kill this legislation. the democratic process worked. they tried their hardest to stop the democratic process. now, they're complaining, after

their lobbyist failed for legislation that simply said, the government wants to negotiate for a fair price for the american people? so they can't rip off the american people and add to our deficits and in which their stock holders? this is why people are so frustrated with the rigged economy. exhibit a, big pharma. and this president is at the guts to take them on, and when he gets former, years he's gonna expand the number of drugs. it actually tackle inflation, actually tackle our deficit. >> here's the interesting thing. in most of the world where there is a level of universality of health, care which doesn't exist in america, america is the only developed country that doesn't actually have certain levels of universality across health care. in many of those countries, brought it by conservatives. not by liberals. because it's just more economically efficient. we've got nikki haley out there calling this communism. we've got kathy mcmorris rogers calling it socialist price setting. clear this up for us. nobody's price setting anything. there's no common is, of the

government isn't controlling anything. it's a negotiation. the same way if you buy lots of paper for your office, you negotiated price. >> absolutely. this is just the government, which is a large volume buyer saying, give me a good deal. we do this all the time in how we buy things as consumers. the more important point, ali, the health care costs are 20% of our gdp. it's killing us. it's killing working peoples wages. it's making it harder to manufacture here. it's pro economic growth to actually reduce these costs and give everyone health care, and to be for medicare for all, which i've supported. i actually think it's good economic policy. >> it is good economic policy. you actually read that. thank you sir, good to see you. as always, congressman ro khanna, we appreciate your time today. >> still to, come allegra tonight cameras head back to new college of florida. to see what changes await returning students after their beloved schools make over, courtesy of florida governor, ron desantis. that's next.

's next. more shopping? you should watch your spending honey. i'm saving with liberty mutual, mom. they customize your car insurance so you only pay for what you need. check it out, you could save $700 dollars just by switching. ooooh, i'll look into that.

let me put a reminder on my phone. save $700 dollars. pick up dad from airport? ohhhhhh. only pay for what you need. ♪ liberty. liberty. liberty. liberty. ♪ ♪inspiring music♪ ♪ start your day with nature made. the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand. looking for a bladder leak pad that keeps you dry? all of the things that you're looking for in a pad, that is always discreet. look at how it absorbs all of the liquid. and locking it right on in! you feel no wetness. - oh my gosh! - totally absorbed!

i got to get some always discreet! (dad) we got our subaru forester wilderness - oh my gosh! - totally absorbed! to discover all of the places that make us feel something more. (vo) subaru is the national park foundation's largest corporate donor, helping expand access for all. my a1c was up here; now, it's down with rybelsus®. his a1c? it's down with rybelsus®. my doctor told me rybelsus® lowered a1c better than a leading branded pill and that people taking rybelsus® lost more weight. i got to my a1c goal and lost some weight too. rybelsus® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes.

don't take rybelsus® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop rybelsus® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. gallbladder problems may occur. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking rybelsus® with a sulfonylurea or insulin increases low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. need to get your a1c down? you may pay as little as $10 per prescription. new college of florida was

david: i'm david goldberg, a bilingual elementary school teacher and president of the california teachers association. as we start a new school year, there's something new happening in california's public schools. jessie: they're called community schools. david: where parents and families, students and educators are making decisions as one. damien: it's a real sense of community. leslie: we saw double-digit gains in math, in english, and reading scores. david: it's an innovation that's transforming our public schools. narrator: california's community schools: reimagining public education. founded in the civil rights era with a mission. to become an institution inclusive of students, regardless of race, religion, national origin, or cultural status. this by that history, or maybe because of it, florida governor, ron desantis, has targeted the public liberal arts honors

college as part of his war on wokeism. his words, i don't use the word woke. he started by appointing six conservative loyalists who to new college board of trustees. that board then fired the college as president, and installed a desantis ally in her place. the governor said the takeover was necessary, because new college had been lacking in true academics. >> it hasn't been successful in the enrollments down so much because i think people want to see true academics and they want to get rid of some of the political window dressing that seems to accompany all this. >> so, the new board and administration made enrollment priority number one. as of yesterday, the first day of the fall semester, they have exceeded their enrollment goal by bringing in 300 new students this fall. they did it largely by turning to athletics. new college has only ever had intramural sports. now, they have six brand new intercollegiate teams, accounting for more than a

third of their new students. they even adopted a new mascot for the college, turning the ban in tree, for which the campuses known, into one that new college says is a fierce looking and flexing. the new focus on sports is only one of the, changes at the new school year gets underway. alex wagner tonight traveled to new college earlier this year, just as governor desantis's plans were starting to come into focus. earlier this month, we went back for a progress report. >> daniel do pray used to recruit students to new college of florida. until this summer. >> the new leadership, unfortunately created a toxic work environment for myself and my colleagues. my friends. that's led me to the point of quitting without prospect of a job. >> as part of the push to transform new college, he says admission standards were lowered. >> there's a lot of ethically dubious things i was asked to do. one of them was to admit

students who are far below our typical acceptance range. it got to the, point i was denying students for good reason, we send that off to a committee. and then their committee, with a higher ups, i would be overruled. >> this year, a large part of the freshman class at new college is comprised of student athletes. many of them baseball players, who are arriving at a school that doesn't have a baseball field for them to play on. but there have been other incentives that have brought a record breaking number of incoming students to the small liberal arts school. though many colleges offer perks to prospective students, he thinks new college has gone too far. >> those students were promised the best housing available, brand-new laptops, as well as a 10,000 dollar scholarship if they would come to the college. to, me that's more like bribery than it is incentives. >> i'm a teacher. i'm looking forward to seeing them, and to helping them realize their goals.

but it's also fairly clear, from my conversations with students, and from conversations that other faculty members of had, that some of the incoming class think that they can study things that they cannot. something they can take all their courses online. so, i am concerned that some of the students that have been recruited have been given misleading information about what's possible. >> mary otto jimenez, the new head baseball coach, helped recruit a large number of these incoming students. we asked him why did desirable dorm rooms, usually reserved for college seniors, were being given to incoming athletes. >> we wanted our kids to stay, together we have to practice in the mornings. early. because of the, we want our kids to be able to get up at 5:30 in the morning. and have the time to be able to put their blenders on at 5:30. >> it's very common for athletes to board together at all universities across the country. >> well the incoming class is one of the largest new college

has ever seen, students who were already enrolled here have been leaving in droves. ellen benedict is one of them. >> you know, we've talked about you going in doing school somewhere else. at your choice, obviously. also brought you to matter what you do. >> i met ellen and her parents the spring. as they protested the sudden and dramatic changes to new college. ellen had been studying marine biology, but this year, she says she was forced to leave. >> she logged into your classes, her classes were all gone. there was not one class for marine bio that was being offered. she called the school, and the response was, oh, we don't have the teachers on staff to teach those classes anymore. just go pick something else. i'm, like what? what? when michael stick? i have no advisor. i have no classes. >> a new board of trustees,

approved by governor ron desantis, took over new college in january. since then, nearly 40 faculty members have left the school. including many tenured professors. a new college representative told us, many of those professors had been planning to leave. before the board instituted any changes at the school. these are faculty who teach in programs, all across the college, in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. it's going to be hard for the college to continue. without the dedication and expertise and investment of time and energy. . of our tenured faculty members. >> i'm very. sorry >> professor amy reid has taught a new college for 28 years. she helped interdisciplinary camp in gender studies, starting in 1985. shortly after governor desantis's takeover, reed told me she was worried. >> are you concerned about the

future of the gender studies program i expect or gender studies program to be axed. . >> this, month at a board of trustees meeting, the process began. >> the motion is to direct the president staff to take the necessary, proper steps, to turn into gender studies program. >> that's one of the only people in this room with an academic training in gender studies. i beg to differ. >> board member christopher -- as been behind many of the changes at new college, despite the fact that he has no formal background in education. he was installed on the board of trustees by governor desantis. as part of his mission to stop woke in florida schools. it, may desantis's visited news college to sign three controversial education bills. he was met with protests. >> all of this shows rhonda scientists who knew colleges, and why we care about what we care about. >> students and president -- was one of the leaders of those protests. >> we don't show you the people

affordable not run away. let it show you that the people of florida will rise up. >> we saw some of the protesters out there, i was a little disappointed, i was hoping for more. you know. >> they were chanting things like, we live here. this is our home. let us learn what we want. later that day, the event closes, and christopher ruffo comes out, with an entourage of police officers surrounding him. and he engages with the crowd. i made my way to the front of the crowd in order to show my face as a representative of the new college population. to show that we were, anger the show that this wasn't okay for him to do. as a former protest, i spent on the ground. that's the alleged time in which some of that spittle may or may not have hit the shoe of christopher ruffo. >> ruffo filed criminal charges against harrity. facing arrest and mounting

legal bills, harrity had a difficult choice to make. >> so, the agreement that was made between myself and christopher ruffo, by way of our legal counsel, was that i would voluntarily withdraw from the school, never to return, and he would drop the charges as filed by the district attorney. >> when asked about the agreement, ruffo said, we are establishing a new standard of civil discourse at new college, and there will be no tolerance for politically motivated violence on campus. harrity is now enrolled in a different college, more than 1000 miles from her home in florida. >> this entire situation has turned my life upside down. been incredibly traumatic. i have been forcibly removed from the place that has been more my home than any other place in the entire world. a place that i've dedicated my entire heart and soul to. for two years. i am emotionally distraught,

devastated, >> whose school? >> our school. >> while the changes at new college of driven many students to leave, plenty of them don't have that option. those who still need aid will likely have to whether the changes at new college, whatever happens. for her part, tracy farrow is still showing up at board meetings. >> stop with the finger snapping. >> we're allowed to clap and snap. >> no, we're not allowed. >> from who? you? >> she says she standing up for the students who remain at new college. even though her own child has already left. >> i wanted to go on, record that the chair of this board -- >> i, mean i walked out to a student who shall remain nameless, crying saying, i just want to kill myself. i'm, like no. this isn't worth it. there are other places. and they can't go anywhere because of financially, they

can't. so, they're kind of stuck here. >> they want to silence people. and then they only want them to hear what they want them to hear. i'm not gonna give up. here's the deal, these parents want their kids back alive. and mentally intact. okay? and if they are not, we're gonna hold every single one of them responsible for that. >> when reached for comment, new college of florida did not respond to any of our questions about specific criticisms, instead, they said the school is, quote, reclaiming it stature among students and families that value rigorous academics that are firmly grounded in the liberal arts. and quote. they also want to give a shout out to the sarasota herald tribune, which was instrumental in unspeakable to report on this story. when we come back, we're gonna talk to somebody who's found herself at the very center of the fight against education, if either republicans are waging,

not just in florida, but all across the country. nicole hannah jones joins me next. my cpa told me i wouldn't qualify for the erc tax refund, so i called innovation refunds. their team of independent tax attorneys will work with your cpa to determine if your company is eligible. [whip sound] take the first step to see if your small business qualifies. - [female narrator] they line up by the thousands. each one with a story that breaks your heart. like ravette... every step, brought her pain. their only hope: mercy ships. the largest floating civilian hospital in the world. bringing free surgeries to people who have no other hope. $19 a month will help provide urgently needed surgery for so many still suffering. so don't wait, call the number on your screen.

or donate at mercyships.org.

♪ chevy silverado has what it takes to do it all. with up to 13 camera views. and the z71 off-road package. ♪ you ok? yeah. any truck can help you make a living. this one helps you build a life. chevy silverado.

listen, your deodorant just has to work. i use secret aluminum free. just swipe and it lasts all day. secret helps eliminate odor, instead of just masking it. and hours later, i still smell fresh. secret works! ohhh yesss. ♪♪ across the country, right-wing conservatives have been attacking the american education system. they've targeted something they inaccurately call critical race theory, or crt, which is now right-wing code for any mention of race and racism in america. governor ron desantis has turned florida into the model

anti crt battleground. in january, his administration rejected a high school advanced placement course on african american studies, citing historical inaccuracies along with the inclusion of queer theory and security. today, the miami herald reports on florida's other objections. state officials claim that the course contained lessons on slavery that, quote, may lead to a viewpoint of an oppressor verse oppressed based solely on race or ethnicity. and quote. they are also worried the course, quote, may only present one side of this issue, and may not offer any opposing viewpoints, and, quote of chattel slavery. that's just one example of one states contribution to this nationwide movement to water down the truth of our nation's history and pick up steam. joining us now, not -- a pulitzer prize-winning reporter covering racial injustice for the new york times magazine, and howard university's night chair in

race in journalism. also the creator of the landmark project, the 16 19 project. which is also been banned from most florida classrooms. nicole has been personally targeted by this conservative, so-called, war on woke. nicole, my friend, good to see you again. >> so good to say, wow, what a powerful and devastating report on what's happening with new college. >> it's just one example, right? your own work with the 16 19 project placed the contributions of black americans, for instance, at the center of the country's story. and many conservatives, including the then president of the united states, donald trump, attack you very specifically for your work. you received personal threats, a major career opportunity for you was snatched away, although you've done quite well as a result. why? i remember talking to a about this years ago. i don't get mad, i was so amazed at the information you gave me. why does this stuff make people so angry? >> you, know it's such an

important question. and watching that report on new college, it just made me think about how segregation is responded to integration. that they would rather destroy public institutions than except a single black child into a college or an elementary school that they thought belonged to white americans. now, we're seeing, i really think the inheritors of that legacy doing the same thing because they want and believe in this stingy, selfish, small view of america. and want to control how our children think about the society that were in. you know, you cannot teach the 1619 project in florida, it's been prohibited by that same department of education. but you can teach videos from craig or you. the differences, of, course the 16 19 project was actually written mostly by academic historians. so, when you ask why, it's because teaching black american

history is political by definition. what they fear is that if we honestly grapple with the fact that we were founded as a slave holding republic, that many of our founders, believed in ideals of liberty for white men and the enslavement of black people, they're pretty clear when they say we learn the history of people learned to hate america. i don't believe that. i think it's very revealing. they think the truth of this country will make people think poorly of this country. so, they don't want our children to get that understanding. now, you and i, know if you learned about the black freedom struggle, you find this is an extremely patriotic struggle. to perfect or country where their own ancestors were in slavery. these were people who don't want our children to think they don't want our children to have empathy. and they really want to enact their very sad vision of america and force it upon all of us. >> so many things that happened in the last few years, including the 16 19 project.

and a very invisible killing of george floyd that have brought us to this moment of social progress and reckoning. after such moments, in history, in america, we've seen a backlash. we saw backlash against reconstruction. we saw, as you mentioned, the backlash at the integration of public schools. the passage of the civil rights act, and the election of the first black president. is this going to be another key moment of backlash? i thought this was a passing thing. it's not. it seems to be getting worse with each day. >> absolutely. what we know, progress, forward progress, progressive progress, racial progress, in this country, it's always fought. and that those moments are very fleeting, and then we see a racist. . ron desantis in florida. we can look at sarah huckabee in arkansas, also now. beginning the teaching of african american ap saying it teaches children hit america. we can look at the supreme

court, basically, ignoring the fact that black americans are still on the bottom of every -- when it ruled against affirmative action. we're certainly in this period of what i fear. is going to be an extended backlash. and that we, as americans, have to decide what country are going to be. and what are we going to -- in our name. dark one thing doctor king, said those who wish i still seemed to use time, much more efficiently than those who wish as well. so, this is, you know, we just had the march on washington. on the day that they marked that, there was a white supremacist massacre that occurred in jacksonville. so, we've always had these two opposing selves in america. what dr. king also called a schizophrenia about our country. i think we're gonna have to decide who were gonna be. >> is there a correlation that's easy for you to make between the demonization of

black history that we're going through this whitewashing of america's history. and the domestic extremism and the racist killing that we saw in jacksonville? do these things, does one give credit permission structure for the other? >> absolutely. now, to be clear, even before these attacks on teaching accurate american history occur, we were still always seeing racist violence in this country. but certainly, this idea that a white americans are under attack, that something is being taken from them, that they are being replaced. feeds into an ideology that can become very dangerous. then people think that, you know, they have to take up arms to protect something that they're losing. so, i don't think you can discount that this rhetoric is very dangerous. we got into journalism because we know the power of words. and rhetoric can move people to act. it can shape a really false

vision of america that leads people to think, it's okay if i kill. because i don't, they're gonna kill me. they're gonna take something for me. i think we're in a very dangerous time right now. >> you are at the forefront of, it nicole, thank you for your bravery. thanks for making us all a lot smarter. there are many more of us who are deeply grateful for the work that you've done. then who oppose. you nikole hannah-jones, will it appreciate him. >> thank you so much. >> nicole, by the way, it was the first featured guest on the velshi banned book club, and will be -- velshi banned book club podcast. where we talk about the 16 19 project, and why her work is part of the book banning epidemic across this country. the first two episodes of the podcast or out now. you can scan that q r code on your screen. or listen wherever you -- get your podcasts. still, ahead there's a major storm moving towards florida tonight, latest on where and when hurricane idalia is expected to, hit that's next. cted to, hit that's next

wait in line. see the mona lisa. smaller than you expected. check in. see your room. bigger than you expected. join one key, where gold and platinum members get travel perks, like room upgrades. every day, more dog people are deciding it's time for a fresh approach to pet food. developed with vets. made from real meat and veggies. portioned for your dog. and delivered right to your door. it's smarter, healthier pet food. [music “this little light of mine”]

in the world's poorest places, children with cleft conditions live in darkness and shame. they're shunned, outcast, living in pain. you can reach out and change the life of a suffering child right now. a surgery that take as little as forty five minutes and your act of love can change a child's life forever. please call, scan or go online to give a new smile. thousands of children are waiting. uncomfortable with your period protection? you need period underwear from knix.

featuring built-in absorbency that washes easily in the machine. they're great for periods and light bladder leaks. so make the switch at knix.com we always had questions. who do we belong to? who are our ancestors? i know we have them. oh my god, here it is. when i found that immigration record on ancestry®, it was amazing. everything was there. the u.s. was in dire need of nurses during world war ii. tía amalia as a nurse in el salvador decided to answer that call. it's a lot of excitement finding something new. i feel like a time traveler. claudia starts calling me. it's a party every time. ♪ nice footwork.

man, you're lucky, itwatching live sportse. never used to be this easy. now you can stream all your games like it's nothing. yes! [ cheers ] yeah! woho! running up and down that field looks tough. it's a pitch. get way more into what you're into >> less than 12 hours, when you stream on the xfinity 10g network.

hurricane delia is expected to make landfall along florida's gulf coast. one day after idalia caused massive flooding in power outages in cuba as a tropical storm. florida residents are bracing for intense wind speeds and state officials warn the storm surge could be life-threatening. most floridians are under storm warnings and evacuation orders have been issued. 67 counties after barreling through northern florida, hurricane idalia is expected to hit southwest georgia and the eastern carolinas. nbc news meteorologist bill karen's has the latest. given, bill. good evening. all these storms are different, and this one is, a powerful storm heading for an area that's never been hit by a storm of this magnitude. we are watching a storm surge in areas far from landfall. even though people aren't going to get the strong winds, there are still areas that get a lot of water.

here's the latest from the hurricane center. winds of 205 miles per hour, this confirms that it's gone -- undergone rapid intensification since 5 am this or morning. definition of that is the storm that increases 35 miles per hour in 24 hours. this did it in roughly 15 hours. pretty quickly. that means this thing is still going to get stronger as we go throughout this evening. the hurricane center has this moving onshore sometime right around 6 to 8 a.m. in the morning. right now, we are targeting an area between tallahassee and cross city. it's located right here in the middle as perry, florida, population of 7000. we don't want anyone to go through the eye of this. it's going to look like a tornado hit. even though you are inland, it looks like a tornado hit with the damaged trees, buildings, and everything else. that's one of the centers we have to watch. it'll be a tropical storm through the south carolina areas in through georgia during the day tomorrow. as far as things we are watching, storm surge is number one, we continue to track the forecast models.

this 10 to 15 foot storm surge will be coming in, starting at four a.m., until 10 am. that's going to be the -- tampa area around 4 to 6 feet high tide around 40 8 am, key time for tampa area. isolated tornadoes, heavy rain, and gusty winds. we are going to have our hands full with this throughout the overnight hours, especially tomorrow morning. >> a long several hours, bill. thank you very much, as always. stay with msnbc as we continue to monitor the hurricane throughout the night with live coverage as it approaches. that is our show for tonight. it is time for the last word with lawrence o'donnell. good evening, lawrence. >> good evening. you have a great deal of experience with the way these kinds of storms hit the coast. there is a lot to worry about tomorrow morning. >> there is, and it's that storm surge that people don't think about, because it's not as dramatic. this will be a lot of wind. there's going to be a lot of people dealing with more water than they expected, and our thoughts are with them. i hope they stay safe tonight. >> thank you, ali, thank you.

>> thank you, lawrence. have a good show. >> one big question looming over donald trump's current defense strategy and criminal cases against him in washington, d.c., and georgia, is how drunk does your lawyer have to be before you stop following his advice? new reporting tonight says the special prosecutor jack smith's investigators asked gradually witnesses in washington d.c. how drunk rudolph giuliani was when he was advising donald trump? it is a crucial, legal question for the trump defense team who have already said they intend to use and advice of counsel defense blaming everything donald trump did on the advice he got from lawyers including the one who, to me, looked and sounded drunk every time he spoke publicly about the presidential election in 2020, and on january 6th. we will discuss the ne