exactly. it could have been just about anything. but yeah. so far, we don't know what's going to happen. i don't want to alarm you but i definitely heard a sound behind me. >> you are not alarming. give me a sense it could be something, it could be nothing, as well. but let me quickly ask about the iron dome. that is certainly being in effect. if something were to get through, how extraordinary

would that be? >> we have seen this happen in the past. >> reporter: there was a strike on tel aviv just a couple weeks ago but we don't know whether or not the hezbollah said one of the reasons why they sent a swarm of drones was to try to overload some of these anti-air systems. that is something that s. hezbollah claimed they did. we heard from him that he claimed that he overwhelmed the anti-air defenses of the israelis have been putting up. a the israelis have said that they did not have any success in hitting any of the targets that hezbollah had struck, but it's still unclear exactly what is going to happen from here on out. like i said, there is still iran. does the fact that they mentioned early on in your introduction, lloyd austin has ordered not one but two carrier strike groups to the region and they have ordered them just today to remain there, despite that it looked like both sides had claim victory in both sides said that they were no longer going to be doing anything.

they were no longer going to be making any strikes. all of this is still kind of up in the air, but right now, this does look like the pressure valve on the middle east has been released ever so slightly and even though there's still pessimism around this negotiation that are sort of ti ongoing. it doesn't look as go -- it was going to be a month ago or even 24 hours ago. matt, thank you so much for the conference of reporting there. do me a favor, if you investigate and find out something has happened, we will be right back on and let us know what it was. thank you, matt. later on, i will speak with -- about what this could all mean for the region and what -- to further revenge. but let's go now to decision 2024. just 12 days to go before the start of early voting. there's 16 days to the first presidential debate and 72 days until the election. the fight for the battleground states intensifies this week. former president donald trump campaigning in michigan in wisconsin and pennsylvania while vice president kamala am harris -- in georgia.

surrogates for the vp today, very optimistic that she can pick up independent and an republican votes. >> she's come to the middle, she's pragmatic, she's a tough leader, she's a leader we need for the future. while she may have in the past -- just as president trump ran on single-payer healthcare years ago and has moved away from that, kamala harris did support things that she has now moderated. she's going to be a president for all the american people. that again, shum surrogates -- trump surrogates remain skeptical. >> americans are not joyful when they go to the gas station and fill up their car. d they are not joyful when they make their mortgage payment. they are not joyful when they go to the grocery store. people are hurting and this whole joy lovefest doesn't exist in the real world. >> some new reaction today to rfk jr.'s endorsement of donald trump. here is the sister of rfk jr., kerry kennedy

>> i think if my dad were alive today, the real robert kennedy would have detested almost everything donald trump represents. his lying, his selfishness, his rage, his cynicism, hatred, racism, fascist sympathies. we have a number of correspondents ready to go through all of the days headlines for us. we are going to start with aaron gilchrist at the white house once again. what will this week look like for the harris campaign, aaron? >> reporter: it's going to be busy. the phrase in the campaign use, alex is we are not taking our foot off the gas. that's how they say it after the convention last week in chicago that really was something that the campaign described as energizing for people who have been already supportive of vice president

harris and her running mate, tim walz, the governor of minnesota but also for people who have newly come to the campaign. we learned this morning that the campaign managed to raise about $540 million since vice president harris took over the top of the ticket. a 2 million of that just last week alone during the democratic national convention. that's both for the harris campaign, the democratic national committee and some of the affiliated organizations, as well. a ton of money to speak of at this point as we enter what really is the heart of the campaign season. we are now postconvention, going into labor day, the final two months or so of the campaign season here and we know that the campaign intends to take that momentum that it feels it got from the convention. the momentum that comes with raising that big of an amount of money as well as the number of people who have now attached themselves to the harris-walz effort. by way of volunteers who lvhave signed up for some nearly 200,000 shifts. according to the harris presidential campaign. we did hear from one of the

campaign co-chairs a bit earlier today about how they are looking at the weeks and months ahead, leading up to the election on november 5th. listen. >> we are going to get out there, the vice president, and of course, governor walz is crisscrossing the country. there are thousands of volunteers and getting out there to knock on doors. you can't take anything for u granted but it's like building blocks. we really think we have a chance to win and we will compete in a big way. they will make him defend every ounce of america. >> now that reference to georgia really speaks to that bus tour that we are going to see in the southern part of georgia sort of in the savannah area wednesday and thursday of this week. with both vice president harris and governor walz, the first time together, they have been to the state of georgia, the last battleground state for them to seed together since the two of them became the nominees here and part of the thinking with that part of georgia is that they will be able to reach out to an urban center or two

in that area, they will talk to some rural folks, as well. they think there's a significant portion of george's black population that is focused in that part of the state and it's all people that they want to make sure they are reaching out to in a swing state that narrowly went for president biden last time around. there were people about they were part of the coalition that helped president biden win that area and so they harris-walz campaign is focusing there in o georgia, as well. it's worth noting, too, alex, that after labor day, the campaign will really ramp up some of the travel and so will the touch points with the different constituencies that they want to help, they want to have a part of their coalition in addition to a lot of the advertising that the campaign plans to do. they spent hundreds of millions of dollars reserving ad time on television and in digital spaces trying to flood the zone to sort of block out any available time from going to the trump-vance campaign. alex? >> that the good strategy for them. thank you very much, aaron gilchrist. the trump campaign is also gearing up for a swing to the battleground states this week. nbc campaign jake trailer is joining right now on this and

apparently, jake, trump is doubling down that his primary focus is not, let me repeat, not to get out the vote. what is behind that? >> look, alex, sowing doubt in election integrity is certainly not something new that we are w seeing from the former president. this is something he's done consistently since 2020. that is still certainly notable, we are also turning our eyes to the upcoming november election and on a few occasions over the past few weeks, we have heard similar skepticism. taking you back quickly to the cnn debate in june. he was pressed on if he would accept the results of the 2024 l election and trump would not ti directly answer the question the first two times, asked by a moderator and on the third attempt, he responded by saying he would if it was a fair and legal and good election. he quickly jump back into allegations of voter fraud when he lost back in 2020. last week in north carolina, trump had his eyes on november and he said his primary focus is, as you say, not to get out the vote. it's to make sure that they will cheat. we will have all the votes we

will need. his vp pick, j.d. vance, joined meet the press nc this morning and he was asked about his recent remarks on getting out the vote. take a listen to that. >> just in the last week, one in arizona and one in pennsylvania, there were major record winds that make our ballot process more secure and more effective. i think that's what donald trump is talking about. >> you have faith of the 2024 election will be free and fair? >> i do. i think it would be free and fair and we are going to do everything to make sure it happens. we will pursue every pathway to make sure, again, legal balance get counted -- legal ballots get counted. >> if it is fair and legal and good is certainly notable by all legal accounts in the 2020 election was all of those things. and he chose still to not accept those election results.

we will specifically be focused on the weeks ahead as we inch toward election day. how or if mr. trump attempts to so any doubt in november's democratic process, alex? >> and in 2020, that's what led us to january 6. i want to remember that. jake traylor, thank you. joni mitchell said they once -- pay paradise and put up a parking lot. that appears to be a plan by florida governor ron desantis and even some members of his own party e aren't on board. that story later on this hour. in the meantime, we are back in 90 seconds. seconds. this is how business goes further with t-mobile for business. ok limu! you set it, and as i spike it, i'll tell them how liberty mutual customizes car insurance, so they only pay for what they need. got it? [squawks] did you get that? only pay for what you need. ♪liberty, liberty,♪ ♪liberty, liberty.♪ meet the jennifers. jen x. jen y. and jen z. each planning their future through the chase mobile app. jen x is planning a summer in portugal with some help from j.p. morgan wealth plan. let's go whiskers.

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vice president kamala harris returning to the campaign trail this week after spending the weekend at home in d.c. on wednesday, the vice president and her running may, governor tim walz will be in georgia for the first campaign stop following the exuberant dnc, which helped to their campaign raised tens of millions of dollars. joining me now, nbc political -- staff writer for the olympic and author of thank you for your servitude, doldrums washington and the price of submission. good to see you, my friend, let's get into this. you spoke to a lot of people at the dnc. these conventions are always exciting, but does this one feel different to you and how long will the campaign be able to ride this convention high? well, i think it's certainly part of the continuum of a high or kind of a sense of release that began pretty much when president biden stepped aside. there is been a great deal of momentum, that's propelled the kamala harris team forward and the whole party going forward

for the first election. tim walz and certainly last week in chicago and i mean, look, there's no sign. i mean obviously a convention with a combination but it's sort of incumbent upon democrats to keep this going and there are a lot of forces moving forward through november. so yeah. it was certainly a good convention. certainly contrast really well with one that republicans did but also what this might look like if joe biden were still on the ticket. so i've spoken with a number of democrats this weekend who see this years dnc as an overwhelming success, but then there's your new article, which describes it as a big smiling mess. how so? >> well, i mean, first of all, this was, this was, this was an incomplete look. it was kind of a slice of the moment. at the moment, -- the biden situation does remain kind of messy. kind of an awkward situation with giving his speech, skipping town. there was a goodbye, farewell, thank you, but also -- to that and that was the opportunity.

there was obviously a lot of lingering -- but also starting tuesday after the story ran, i mean, the convention was pretty flawless and i think most people remember the goodwill and certainly a lot of speeches from them. >> there's a new report in politico that highlights the unique -- and they are calling her campaign, mark, a chance or a new chance forward and harris is a leader of a political movement. do you think that the vice president could end up being a transformative political figure? >> yeah, i think so. obviously, a good job here, by definition, she would be a transformative political figure, as any president is, especially given the historic nature of what she represents both as a woman, a woman of

color, but also the opportunity to really end the donald trump era. of course, we said this before, but i do think in november, it would probably be the last we see of donald trump in american politics. famous last words, i know, but that itself would be transformational and yes, obviously the democratic coalition is very, very, rich and it's very energized at this point and you could do a lot with that and also i think if trump loses, there's would be a lot of turmoil, a lot of redefinition, a lot of sort of tumult within that party. it could be working in another direction. >> do you think, based on what you just said, the republican party, do you think he will be able to retrieve or find their souls that they seem to have lost to donald trump? i mean will it come back as it was before? that the conversation i have all the time with people. >> yeah. i wrote a whole book about it. it's been a sidebar do everything we spoke about here. to some degree, maybe. i think it's -- until he gets off the stage. not only is he centerstage for

their publican party, he's the entire state for the republican party. we're talking about the democratic convenon all these stars and the obama's and the clintons. tim walz and kamala harris and so forth. other than donald trump himself at the republican convention, who is there to talk about? i mean, hulk hogan? don jr.? baron trump? it continues to be a one-man show there and yeah, it's been the case for many years now. >> yeah. so vice president harris is facing two big criticisms. one being her lack of press interviews and the second providing only a somewhat broad look at her policy ideas. are these critiques valid and will they be silenced when she does a one on one down interview, which according to her timeline, should happen sometime this week? >> yeah, i mean look, speaking as a journalist, i'm very pro- her talking to as many people as possible. preferably me and atlantic reporters and so forth. but yeah, no, that should

happen. i think it must but also if you want to be realistic about this, there are a lot of voters out there who say i was going to vote for kamala harris, but because she hasn't given any interviews to x, y, or z, i'm going to stay home. i think she's on a great run and i don't think they want to mess with that. >> okay. they don't want to mess with you, either. you bring it, mark leibovich. thank you, my friend. good to see you. what we know about israel strikes on lebanon, next. nex. order now in the subway app. hi! need new glasses? buy one pair, get one free at visionworks! how can you see me squinting? i can't! i'm just telling everyone!...hey! buy one pair, get one free for back to school. visionworks. see the difference.

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polymeropoulos. and we see national security and intelligence analyst. i'm glad to have you here, and i don't know if you're watching a few minutes ago. he thought he heard an explosion. we thought -- we can confirm that the hamas launch explosion. it doesn't appear overtly to have done any damage, but if anyone was wondering about that, we did confirm that was the thing that originated at the hands of hamas and is considered fairly routine. it is what it is, as if anybody can get used to that kind of thing. the latest round of violence, mark, what does it mean for a region that's already on the edge? >> well, i think we have averted a bit of a disaster. in the middle the night, with msnbc and we really weren't sure if the ball was going to drop, but let me say that is really intelligence really save the day here and by obtaining this really exquisite intelligence, which was in essence, the time and place of what hezbollah would launch was 5:00 a.m. the israeli air force was unable to launch a preemptive attack and in many ways, the

role of the intelligence and the israeli preemptive attack was the esco tour because alex, what do we avoid? we avoided a mass casualty, which would have kicked everything off. it seems now that things have settled down, both sides are kind of stepping back. they certainly won the day in their mind and they believe probably that they did enough to satisfy their desmith of the domestic constituency. i think we are lucky. they are very good and, as you noted, just at the beginning of the program, amazingly enough after 12 hours ago, we are focused on the north, now all eyes are in cairo on the talks in terms of gaza. kind of a ping-pong all of the region right now. >> but those talks, we are just confirming that hamas has left the table. granted, they were never at the table, but they have a presence there in cairo and speaking with the mediators that were there at the table. they have headed home. they are done. do you think what happened last night may have prompted or contributed to the problems? is there a relation there?

>> i will give you the answer that every intelligence officer would give you in that it depends. is not helpful all the time, but here, one thought would be sure. escalation or the events in lebanon might cause the two parties to back off but then there's the other side of it, as well in that just because we averted a major regional crisis, maybe there's more pressure from the united states, from the egyptians on all sides to get like look, look sort of the israelis. and the reports coming out of the region are that the two sides do not come to an agreement, but there's still talking. really, the big question on that, alex is, does benjamin netanyahu want to come through a deal and, at this point, they are still talking, that's a good sign. do i give it a high percentage chance of success? no. we been down this road many times. this is kind of a sisyphean tax -- task. the alternative is a war that goes on in gaza, hostages who

are suffering in tunnels, and then the possibility again for more escalation in the north. >> what you mention about has blood, you believe what they did last night, despite not being successful with reaching any other goals, saying they had targets in the military installations. you think that it has satiated the demands of us constituency? what makes you think they are not going to try again? >> i think that hezbollah has a lot to lose here. at the end of the day, it's an organization that is a political entity in lebanon. a war, like we saw in 2006 it certainly is not in hezbollah's interest at all and you know, at the end of the day, we just have to show their domestic population, you know, those who support hezbollah that they stood up to the israelis. what i think is most interesting and frankly what is come back to israel is what these defense officials are saying. my contacts in the region, they say very clearly this is the time.

this is not the time for a war in lebanon, but they say not the time just for now because the situation is untenable. there are so many israelis that can't go home to their houses in the north. the idf is tired from gaza. the israeli economy cannot sustain another war. reserves would have to be called up so this is not the time but it's still something that many is really national security thinkers say have to be dealt with and i think that was certainly after whatever happens in gaza. >> last question. does the campaign for u.s. president november's election, does that change the calculus for any of the actors in the region? >> what a great question. certainly, you have to look right at the israeli domestic political situation. you know, prime minister netanyahu was certainly hoping for a victory by trump. you know, that doesn't seem as, you know, as much of a foregone conclusion now. perhaps the israelis are thinking they actually do have

to come to some type of a deal because it's not going to get any better under the harrison ministration. the bottom line -- when i tell my friends who kind of complaint, there has been -- that i've seen in my lifetime than joe biden. you have, real-time support -- at the end of the day, you know, does the u.s. domestic -- perhaps. but i think that prime minister netanyahu looks much more to his own -- and i think that ultimately, if he decides to go for it, a lot of us would look forward to it. >>'s defense secretary lloyd often said -- they are staying in the region. they are not leaving anytime.

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former president donald trump taking to social media in an effort to rebrand himself as more moderate when it comes to abortion rights. his friday post provoking outrage among some of his more hard-core antiabortion followers.

this comes just after the dnc were democrats made reproductive rights a central focus. here is j.d. vance this morning on a potential nationwide abortion ban, should trump win a second term. >> i think to be very clear he would not support a. >> yeah. >> so he would veto a federal abortion ban. >> i think he would, he said that explicitly, that he would. >> joining us now is political analyst -- she's also the dean of the clinton school of public service at the university of arkansas. good to see you, my friend. okay, fold the bouncing ball, victoria, because this is now a departure from the former president who five days ago that he has no regrets about overturning roe v wade. so what is prompting this response and should anyone believe he's done an about-face on the issue? >> he is going to try to -- it's not an about-face, but the nuance of it here. so really, very much in right in the middle.

one of the truisms of politics. you try to run to the middle during the general election. this is what donald trump is trying to do. he knows that this is the achilles' heel of the republican party so he wants to take it to by saying hey, look, i was able to overturn roe v wade, but with that middle -- but wait. i would not sign a federal abortion ban. you know? i think the question is who's going to believe him? are the democrats in the middle going to believe that or are the folks on the right going to assume that he is abandoning them. i think it comes down to that that one of the folks in the middle are not totally believing in terms of not vetoing. >> yeah. senator elizabeth warner was on meet the press this morning and she reacted to the trump's vice president nominee j.d. vance thing that donald trump would veto a federal abortion ban. here's what she said. >> you don't like it because of

the -- about the -- about you are operating behind the scenes or both? >> i don't appreciate people making -- without your consent. >> and give it out as it -- giving it out as a gift. i'm not amused by that. >> okay. >> ashley, guys, i think it was the wrong tape, but with guard to his comments, i'm curious about your reaction. you heard what he said to kristen welker. so you can comment on that. >> okay. let's just assume that a federal abortion ban -- and then let them -- vetoes them. all right. what we know is that an executive has a lot of power beyond what congress -- in terms of the executive branch, in terms of the bureaucracy. as we know from project 2025, the idea of overhauling the

fda, of appointing a new fda director and a lot can be done there. one conversation is about ending medication abortion -- bureaucratic route. so assuming what donald trump says is true and abortion does happen. there's still a lot that can be done to have access to abortion throughout the country with a veto. >> and look, in november, you have voters in 10 states will be asked whether they want to establish a right to abortion in the state constitution?. what all does it state there in those 10 states? >> well, fundamentally, the reproductive health of women and their families in the states, but then zooming out and then at the electoral level, alex, it's really looking at the mobilizing potential of these ballot measures. you know? we have seen in several elections over the last two years that this is an issue that does not -- for

conservatives and be mobilizing -- it mobilizes folks to get out. this is potentially a strong suit for the democrats and that's why you see donald trump and these -- and the republican concern about that. >> you have some republican lawmakers also antiabortion groups, they've tried to cast new rules that make it just harder to add measures to the ballot. has that strategy been effective in keeping abortion -related measures off the ballot? >> here in arkansas, we can actually see that. and it is effective in the short term in terms of legal hurdles that are put in front of these measures, but ultimately, i think i do believe in our grassroots. i do believe the voice of the people and when you do see that desire to get something on the ballot, you are eventually going to be able to maneuver all those bureaucratic obstacles that are put in your way. >> okay. it's always good to see you. thank you.

it was a moment that made millions tara. gus waltzed seeing his dad on the dnc. but for some reason, it led them to social media to say some really mean things. we are going to talk about this next. next. so you can get back to your monster to-do list. -really? -get a quote at progresivecommercial.com. i have active psoriatic arthritis. but with skyrizi to treat my skin and joints, count me in. along with clearer skin, skyrizi helps me move with less joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. and is just 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses. serious allergic reactions and an increased risk of infections or a lower ability to fight them may occur. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms, had a vaccine, or plan to. there's nothing like clearer skin and better movement and that means everything! ask your doctor about skyrizi today. learn how abbvie could help you save.

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-- for attacked republicans. this video shows 17-year-old gus walz, was a learning disability overwhelmed with emotion as his dad accepts the vice presidential nomination. well, within hours of this video going viral, it was described as weird and embarrassing by several far right pundits. joining me now, pennsylvania state congresswoman jessica benham. jessica, i'm glad that here -- you are here. you're the first openly neuro- divergent how state representative. i'm curious about your reaction to all the negative attention that gus walz got for simply expressing how proud he is of his dad. >> look, i think that anyone who is criticizing someone for showing that much joy at their dad accepting a nomination for the vice presidency, that is weird. you are weird for doing that.

>> very good point. the flipside, here's something that might make you feel good because i'm curious how you felt when you saw so many people jumping to gus's defense. that includes michelle obama, even a number of republicans did. >> absolutely. i think supporting the right of people with disabilities to exist in public to show their emotions in public, that should not be a partisan issue. >> yeah, no. and because of the high-profile nature of this incident, there are millions upon millions, 20 million or so that were watching this night. many people are coming forward with their own personal experiences. let's take a look at some of these headlines together. here is a new york times op-ed which reads my son and gus walz to serve a champion like tim walz. that's walz and people like my daughter deserved better than bullying and distract -- then actor jeremy london sees his grandson in gus walz and he called out online beliefs . i'm

curious what this moment has done from a bigger picture for neuro- divergent visibility in this country. how do you see it? >> is really wonderful to see people like my parents, who have always supported me, be represented by folks like governor walz and his family, who are also, in public celebrating their neuro- divergent son. to see that level of joy represented on essentially a global scale and the support from the family, that's wonderful. i grew up almost always being bullied from a very young age so i am used to dealing with it and i am sure that the walz family supported their son to that possibility. to see people come around them as a family and support that, as well, it means a lot to me. >> you know, i've got to think about those girls, those guys that bullied you. you are pennsylvania state representative. i hope you wear that very

proudly all the time. that deserves applause. let me ask you what people are hope people will take away from what we have just witnessed at the dnc? what is a teachable moment on how we treat and advocate for people who live with disabilities? >> look, i think that my neurology makes me a better state representative. as the governor recently signed one of my bills into law. but just like i am good at being a stay rep, i'm also good at dealing with bullies. but what needs to happen here is that we need to keep weirdos who would bully folks like gus walz out-of-court and that means picking a pennsylvania house blue. the folks want to do that can join me in doing so at my website. >> that's a good point. can i just quickly ask you,

even though i said it was the last question, how are things feeling right there in pennsylvania with regard to the election? are you feeling a surge of energy that kamala harris and tim walz had been able to enjoy since the dnc? >> absolutely. i think that the focus on the issue is impacting real people in pennsylvania. these kitchen table issues are so much energy there. we are certainly feeling on the ground. there still work to be done when talking to voters every single day and making sure that people know that democrats are fighting for them. >> okay. jessica benham, i bet your parents are super proud of you. thank you so much for the interview. coming up next, the outrage in florida about a move governor ron desantis is making that tens of thousands of residents do not want . osion a. i think that this product is a gamechanger for my patients. try pronamel mouthwash.

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powering smarter savings. powering possibilities. on this day in 1916, president woodrow wilson signed the act creating the national park service to preserve and protect the nation's resources and beauty for all to enjoy.

more than 100 years later, governor ron desantis is proposing a sweeping plan to build hotels, golf courses, and other amenities and nine different state parks, prompting widespread concern about how that could impact nature and the environment. joining me now is my friend, jeff corwin, wildlife conservationist and host of wildlife nation with jeff corwin. explain, jeff, why does desantis proposal is seeing, by the way, bipartisan concern. let's take the politics out of it. what part of it worries you most? >> well, the state parks in florida are incredibly precious places of wild treasures that are unique to florida. let me say this, alex. no one does a state park like florida. as far as i'm concerned, i'm a little prejudiced here, but florida has some of the best state parks in the united states.

state parks are critical because not only are they important places for outdoor recreation and connecting with nature, not only are they places that help buffer the state of florida from forever impacting and unpredictable environmental events like hurricanes and natural disasters, these state parks protect the imperiled and endangered species of wildlife that are endemic from nowhere else in florida. a number of these parks, for example, jonathan dickinson state park, is the last surviving refuge for a number of species like the red cockaded woodpecker. and the florida scrub jay. these species could be extinct if it wasn't for these parks. and to go in there and carve out this ecosystem, to put in a golf course, it has me flummoxed because already, florida has over 1200 golf courses. in martin county alone, alex, where jonathan dixon's and -- dickinson state park, that park, that region as 30 world- class golf courses within 15

minutes of each other. so why does this park need a golf course? >> that's a big question. by the way, i think they are at 93,000 people who have signed on to petition asking the same thing. this is something we are very much opposed to. because of all this backlash, plan in person meetings to discuss the proposal, they have been pushed to accommodate more people. they had about six days or so to review the plans. the former state parks director said that the desantis administration has skirted the legal process for one thing, they should have informed advisory committee, that would include state agencies and state park employees. so what is your best guess as to why they are keeping this secret and do you think they are going to get away with it? >> i was supposed to head to florida on tuesday to testify and that got postponed. i just want to say, i don't get into the sticky -- of regional politics. i'm a conservationist. i'm a wildlife -- i'm an

adventure and my opinion is to work with the thousands of people and you are right, alex, people from all sides of the fences, of diverse political views, turkey hunters, partnering up with the birdwatchers to save these incredibly important resources for the next generation. that, for me, is the focus point. i also have faith because i believe better hearts will prevail here. the department of environmental protection for florida, the florida wildlife conservation commission, the florida state parks organization. it is filled with professionals and experts that are passionate about nature, that are dedicated. just looking at scrub jays right there. these birds only exist in these certain places. if we don't protect them, they will disappear. so i have hope that we will prevail. this is a powerful reminder, that you can't take your eyes

off the proverbial ball or we could just lose this place altogether. florida already -- huge threats in the last 15 years, alex, florida has lost over a quarter of its spaces to development and in the next three decades, it's predicted that florida is going to lose an area the size of vermont and wild spaces and wilderness. that is why these state parts are so critical. they belong to all of us. not only to the people today but the next generation. we have to do is be resilient that's what i am so excited because this issue has galvanized everyone to ensure that the park survive. >> i hope they reschedule that public discussion period and let you get there and make your plea right there again. that would be great. jeff corwin, thank you so much. i know you're going to go scuba diving and you are hoping to put it off but --