why wouldn't he condemn the ku klux klan?here is no room in the conservative movement and there is no room in the republican party for members of the ku klux klan or for racists like david duke. [ cheers and applause ] >> joining us now, tavis smiley, host of "tavis smiley" on pbs. also with us tom davis, former congressman from virginia where he's the state chairman for john kasich's presidential campaign. tavis, this is the kind of weekend where when i'm watching this stuff unfold i'm just wondering what tavis is thinking. just take the ball, my friend. i don't have a question. i just want to get your reaction to what we've been watching. >> first of all, i salute you, lawrence, for that first segment, which is getting at the truth that america needs to hear about donald trump. to my mind donald trump either suffers from a severe form of chronic amnesia or he's a serial liar. now, i'm not a physician, nor am i a psychoanalyst. so i can't tell you which one. what i can tell you is that the mainstream media keeps letting him

why wouldn't he condemn the ku klux klan? [ applause ] there is no room in the conservative movement and there is no room in the republican party for members of the ku klux klan or for racists like david duke. >> reporter: marco rubio essentially saying donald trump not electable, really kind of feeding into this trump movement. conservatives and republicans saying they will never vote for donald trump and john kiss sick is going off on this as well. they believe this makes him unelectable and helps their argument as they head into super tuesday but i'm been surveying rival campaigns throughout the day today, my question, do you think this will actually have any impact on the votes tomorrow across the board? don, the answer, no. >> thank you very much, phil mattingly in jenks, oklahoma. hugh hewitt is joining many he from the hugh hewitt show. thank you for joining me. do you think this is going to have any impact on his campaign? >> oh, absolutely. i'm a big believer in momentum in sports and politics. i'm wearing my browns

why would a protester walk into a room with a ku klux klan outfit on? >> it looked like he was wearing an american flag right there. but does that justify violence? >> if you would have seen him just before he went up the stairs, him and his partner, one of them was wearing a ku klux klan outfit. >> so you won't condemn the protester who kicked and punched that person? >> we don't condone violence. angd i say it. and we have very little violence. very, very little violence at the rallies. we had 21,000 people in phoenix. nobody stood up and tried to disrupt. the disrupters. they're really stopping our first amendment rights. if you think about it, george. they blocked a road. they put their cars in front of a road. we had thousands and thousands of people wanting to come. they were delayed for an hour because of the protesters. at what point do people blame the protesters? these are people that are professional agitators. >> so you're blaming the protesters, not the person who punched and kicked the protester? >> no, i'm saying this. these are professio

course, we are still witnessing the legacy of the ku klux klan today.hich is not to say that the ku klux klan has and put to rest. that organization still exist. the two clubs clan evokes the racist, terrorist, violent with the eraiated following slavery up to the presesent. to be anot seem to me question whether one would disavow the ku klux klan. but of course, the extent to which donald trump was beating , seemingly, in an effort not to alienate those who might support the klan today is a an indication -- amy: and it was right before super tuesday which had a number of southern state. when he came out in the debate to say he was disavow and, that was after super tuesday. angela: it is interesting that those states below the mason dixon line that have been historically associated with that kind of violent racism. amy: let's go from the republicans to the democrats. during a recent private hillary clinton fundraiser in charleston, south carolina before the primary, a black lives matter act to vest named ashley wililliams held up a banr reading "we have

, ka-ka-ka, ku-ku ka, ku, ku-ku, ka and it becomes um-bop, ba-boom ba-boom, boom, boom, bep, bu-boom,om ba-boom boom boom jazz. funding for "overheard" with evan smith is provided in part by: mfi foundation, improving the quality of life within our community. also, by hillco partners, a texas government affairs consultancy. and, by the alice kleberg reynolds foundation.

i don't careow bad t earpies, ku kl klan cos through pretty clearly. am in geora, a gro of out 30 bck valdoa state udents s they we ejected om a dond trump lly mond nighby a sect servicagent who saidrump ask for theto be roved. e studen had beestanding silent at the p of the bleacher enters outside, they said they just wanted to watch the rally. >> i think we got kicked out because we are a group of black people. i guess what is going on in america, they are afraid we're going to say something or do some thing that we just wanted to watch the rally. to get kicked out because we are group of black people is frigid us. how racist our own school is that we cannot even go to our own school. amy: university, a white only campus until 1963. earlier in the day at a campaign rally in virginia, trump was disrupted by protesters, including some from the black lives matter movement. trump mocked the demonstrators, asking one of them "are you from mexico?" here, please.t of get them out. get th out. are you from mexico? are you from mexico? are you from mexico? am

>> i'm just talking about david duke and the ku klux klan. know david, i don't duke. i don't believe i have ever met him. amy: it's super tuesday, one most important days of voting in primaries and caucuses in the 2016 presidential race as republicans and democrats each go to the polls in 11 states. donald trump's lead comes as his campaign is under increasing fire after he initially refused to disavow an endorsement from david duke.leader we will speak with the nation writer mychal denzel smith about his these "trump's racism didn't scare me. now it does." and with zaid jilani, whose latest report "neoconservatives declare war on donald trump." then president clinton's labor secretary robert reich has officially endorsed bernie sanders for president. >> i think the biggest issue in this campaign is the increasing concentration of income and wealth and political power, which goes with income or wealth, at the very top which is undermining our democracy and making a very difficult for us to get anything done, whether you're talking about climate change or helping the p

>> well, first the ku klux klan. second, the -- he said trump.id he would bomb the bee ge gees -- bee gejesus out of them. >> as long as you have the right to vote, i think you have the obligation to use it in a way that you think is going to be best for the country. and i don't see any way, as successful as mr. trump has been, i don't see any way that he could be a great force for the country. >> william bogert, bill as you said, thank you for coming on. i appreciate it. >> thank you for having me. i'm very flattered when we come right back, the gop was a house divided in 1964, but are things even worse today? ♪ when it's go, the new choice privileges gets you there faster. and now, stay two times and you can earn a free night. book now at choicehotels.com yeah, i was just talking uhabout yourico?... emergency roadside service and how it's available 24/7 and then our car overheated... what are the chances? can you send a tow truck please? uh, the location? you're not going to believe this but it's um... it's in a tree. i wish i was joking, mate,

it's not going to be ku klux crispies or ku kluxof course, clump had an answer >> i'm sitting in a house in florida with a very bad earpiece that they gave me. and could you he was saying. but what i heard was various groups, i have a lousy earpiece that is provided by them. >> stephen: yes, he blames this one on the earpiece, though i think he should take some for the mouth piece. also, maybe the hair piece. (cheers and applause) youking of racial (laughter) i was up late last nighthow, which went pases 11:30, i don't know how anybody watches tv that late. it's crazy.ews, i won my offices (cheers and applause). >> stephen: because, because i'm filling it out right now, okay.ght" no one else had that one. i also had a good feel being down chris rock for best host. now i want to congratulate all of last night's winners, especially leo. i calland applause). >> stephen: i agree. you did it, leo! and i call him leo because i saw him on tv last night., buddy. i'm going to watch "the beach." (laughter) this has been a long time coming for leo. he was first nominated for what's eating gilbertea

. >> i mean the equipment the ku klux klan. breathtaking. that is disqualifying right there. to say you do not know about a ku klux klan. >> you could hardly hear what he was saying. >> he blamed it on a bad earpiece. i do not care how bad it is, ku klux klan comes through pretty clearly. >> he is everything i taught my children not to do in kindergarten. >> trunk, 49. little marco rubio 16. lying ted cruz 15. john: so mark, that is quite a tour. as the long predicted republican meltdown, civil war come to pass? and can ever put themselves back together in time for the election? >> things are worse now than they ever were. in the middle, there are many prominent republicans who are telling reporters rightly and saying to each other i will never vote for donald trump. maybe they will try to get away with never saying that publicly. but the donald trump, not just because of this latest slot because of david duke and the ku klux klan, he is dividing the party. he is possibly going to sleep tomorrow and a star to uni -- and start to unify, but i have never seen this in my whole c

cloud to make people and organizations safer. >>> a lot of americans would like to believe that the ku klux klan is a thing of the past. they would like to believe that but as we have seen in this presidential campaign the reality is a lot different. hello to you. van is back with us. it's 2016. we're arguing about the kkk's role in the presidential election. would you have ever thought, imagined that? >> with the direction the republican party's been going for the last few years, absolutely. >> why do you say that? >> the republican party -- if the republican party is a gumbo, the rue of that is the republican party and the core of that is the ku klux klan. >> the leaders of the republican party are disavowing anything to do with the ku klux klan. are they saying that because they have to? or do you think that they believe that? couldn't you give them some credit for that, at least? >> because they're also thinking about starting a new party. i feel like they're saying i fell like they're saying there's nothing we can do other than reconvene somewhere else. >> is this a surprise to th

that got me is the whole idea that this somehow has to do with ideology, with the democrats and the kun. i didn't understand what that has to did with anything. >> it's unfortunate because there's a small part of the right that has revisionist history that wants to say everything that ever happened was the left, hitler was a leftist, the klan is a leftist. >> wrong is wrong it, doesn't matter if it's left or right. >> exactly. >> there's horrible people on the right and horrible people on the left, why are we having this conversation? the question is right now the klan is not endorsing hillary clinton, the klan is not endorsing bernie sanders, it's endorsing donald trump. it's an opportunity for donald trump to do what reagan did. when the klan tried to endorse reagan, reagan took them to the wood shed. you're expecting that from trump and instead you get, i disavow. that to me is a very sad moment. if the klan is a leftist organization, they'd be endorsing bernie sanders. why are we having that conversation? the question is not just why is trump not pushing away hard from this group,

it's not going to be ku klux crispies or ku klux crunchwrap. for why he hesitated. >> i'm sitting in a house in florida with a very bad earpiece that they gave me. and could you hardly hear what he was saying. but what i heard was various groups, i have a lousy earpiece that is provided by them. >> stephen: yes, he blames this one on the earpiece, though i think he should take some responsibility for the mouth piece. also, maybe the hair piece. (cheers and applause) you know, speaking of racial tensions, the oscars. (laughter) i was up late last night watching the whole show, which went pases 11:30, i don't know how anybody watches tv that late. it's crazy. (laughter) the good news, i won my offices carpool! (cheers and applause). >> stephen: because, because i'm filling it out right now, okay. "spoltlight" no one else had that one. mark mangini for best sound editing. and i will put down chris rock for best host. w i want to congratulate all ofofast n nght's winners,s, especially leo. i call him (cheers and applause). >> stephen: i agree. you

dodging a question about whether he will reject the support of former ku klux klan grand wizard david duke. >> would you just say, unequivocally, you condemn them and you don't want their support? >> well, i have to look at the group. i mean, i don't know what group you're talking about. >> i mean, i'm just talking about david duke and the ku klux klan here. but -- >> i don't know -- honestly, i don't know david duke. i don't believe i've ever met him. i'm pretty sure i didn't meet him. i just don't know anything about him. >> reporter: today, trump under fire, saying he didn't understand the question. >> so, let me tell you, i'm sitting in a house in florida with a very bad ear piece that they gave me. and you could hardly hear what he was saying. >> reporter: but trump clearly knows who david duke is. listen to what he said in 2000. >> david duke just joined, a bigot, a racist, a problem. i mean, this is not exactly the people you want in your party. >> reporter: and friday, trump said this. >> i didn't even know he endorsed me. david duke endorsed me? okay, all right. i disavow, ok

and dominating the headlines today, donald trump and his refusal on sunday to condemn the ku klux klan. it started last week when former klan grand wizard and white supremacist david duke said he supported trump's candidacy. at first, mr. trump disavowed dave duke's support but then yesterday trump was asked about it again on cnn, and this time he declined to condemn duke claiming he didn't know who david duke was. in moments, we will be joined on this by former republican presidential candidate, governor mike huckabee, and republican new york congressman peter king. but we begin tonight with trace gallagher who has the very latest. trace? >> reporter: and megyn, to be clear, david duke has not endorsed donald trump but on his radio show duke did say supporting someone other than trump is, quote, really treason to your heritage. for those unfamiliar with duke, not only is he the former grand wizard of the ku klux klan, he was also a one term republican state representative in louisiana, has unsuccessfully run for u.s. congress, the u.s. senate, and has three times run for president as

>> well, first the ku klux klan. second, the -- he said trump. trump said that he would bomb the bejesus out of isis. well, goldwater never said he would bomb the bejesus out of russia, but the implication was always there. >> you say in the ad if you unite behind a man you don't believe in, it's a lie. >> what a great line. i wish i had written it. >> do you think that's something that the republican delegates should consider now? >> you betcha', my golly. >> everyone is saying i'm still going to vote for, no matter who our nominee is. >> wrong! >> why is that wrong? >> because the country is more important than either party. and you have to, as long as you have the right to vote, i think you have the obligation to use it in a way that you think is going to be best for the country. and i don't see any way, as successful as mr. trump has been, i don't see any way that he could be a great force for the country. >> william bogert, bill as you said, thank you for coming on. i appreciate it. >> thank you for having me. i'm very flattered. >> when we

all of this followed trump's responses to support he is getting wanted or not from the ku klux klan to. day, mitt romney said trump has been disqualified. here is dean reynolds. >> reporter: campaigning in virginia today, donald trump was boasting again. >> we have amazing endorsements, people that really mean, we have hundreds of people now that want to endorse. >> reporter: praise from david duke, former grand wizard of the ku klux klan may test his following more than ever. >> voting for these people, voting against donald trump at this point is treason to your heritage. >> reporter: last friday, trump seemed to say no thanks. >> i disavow. >> sunday he declined to renounce the k.k.k., duke or his support. david duke, okay. i don't know anything about what you are talking about with white supremacy or supremacists. i don't know. trump tried to clear up any confusion. >> i disavowed david duke all week long on facebook on twitter. he said a bad earpiece made it hard to hear the question about the kkk sunday though he used the same one for several interviews. in any case it is clear s

no mention of that or of the controversy sparked by these comments about his indorsement from former ku klux klan wizard, david duke. >> would you say you don't want they are support? >> well, i have to look that group. >> trump later explained he didn't hear the question, noting he had disavowed duke but it isn't stopping his attacks. >> i don't care how bad the ear piece is, ku klux klan comes through pretty clearly. . >> we should all be united in saying the klan is reprehensible and has no place in politics. >> trump supported by 49% of gop voters going into super tuesday, the biggest day of the campaign so far with 12 states and more than 1600 delegates at stake. democratic frontrunner, hillary clinton now targeting trump. >> i don't think america has ever stopped being great. what we need to do now is make america poll. >> reporter: senator ted cruz is counting on his constituents to bring him a much needed win. >> abc news has special coverage begins tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. you can catch tomorrow evening's episodes beginning at 210:00 here at abc 7. so, set your dvr. >>> can you re

avhundds pele n n thawanto en >> reporter:utise om dadad duke, former grgnd wizard ofofhe ku klux klan, may test his following mo than ever. >> repepter: last iday tru ed the say no thanks. i disow. . >>or but s sday hehe ined to renounce the kkk, dudu _r hihisupport. >> i don't k kw anything about david duke. okay. i don'know anything about t at you're even nblking ababa with ite prememy y hi so i don't k kw. >> r rorter: truru entually trietolear up any confn. >> i disavowedavid duke e l weekend longngngngcebook a twitter. >> repororr: he said a bad earpieceade hard to hear the question a gut t t kkk on sundnd, even though he used the sa one for seral interviuws. in any casasit'slear somehearr right groups liki#what they'rep heararg from him. he's'son the backing of ththneo- nazi web site "theheaily stormer," for ple, and the american national super pac is mamang calls i isuper tuesday states.epepter:r:he s#utherer povey lalacevter, , ich h acks hate groros,ays that super pacwaarby the wte susuemt amer freedom party. rk pokokf f f f f l.l. sd trump's rhic ia cod al tracist >> the ia

coded appeal to >> the idea that any mildly educated person in this country could not know what the ku klux klan was is perhaps one of the most ludicrous statements we have heard in mainstream politics in many years. >> reporter: the super pac backing marco rubio put it this way. >> trump refuses to denounce the kkk. think about that? for president.

no mention of that or of the controversy sparked by these comments about his indorsement from former ku klux klan wizard, david duke. >> would you say you don't want they are support? >> well, i have to look that group. >> trump later explained he didn't hear the question, noting he had disavowed duke but it isn't stopping his attacks. >> i don't care how bad the ear piece is, ku klux klan comes through pretty clearly. . >> we should all be united in saying the klan is reprehensible and has no place in politics. >> trump supported by 49% of gop voters going into super tuesday, the biggest day of the campaign so far with 12 states and more than 1600 delegates at stake. democratic frontrunner, hillary clinton now targeting trump. >> i don't think america has ever stopped being great. what we need to do now is make america poll. >> reporter: senator ted cruz is counting on his constituents to bring him a much needed win. >> abc news has special coverage begins tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. you can catch tomorrow evening's episodes beginning at 210:00 here at abc 7. so, set your dvr. >>> can you re

why wouldn't he condemn the ku klux klan? there is no room in the conservative movement and no room in the republican party for members of the ku klux klan or racist like david duke. >> i joke there had are not many iron ruled in politics. one you can count on 100% of the time, kkk, always bad. nazis. bad, bad, bad. it seems that donald missed that briefing. >> donald trump says he was slow to repudiate the kkkleader because he could not hear jake tapper clearly. >> i'm sitting here with a bad ear piece. what i heard was various groups. i don't mind disavowing anybody. i disavow david duke and i disavowed him the day before at a major news conference. >> marco rubio's best chances to win today may be in colorado and minnesota according to the new york times. christine romans, the problems with that analysis, colorado is not having a presidential preference poll today because of the rules. marco rubio trying to rack up enough second place finishes to move forward. >> the truth is today donald trump leads in many polls and won

this followed trump's various responses to the support that he is getting, wanted or not, from the ku klux klan. today, mitt romney said trump has been disqualified. here's dean reynolds. >> reporter: campaigning in virginia today, donald trump was boasting again.ma >> we have amazing endorsements, and the people that really mean... we have hundreds of people now that want to endorse. >> reporter: but praise from david duke, former grand wizard of the ku klux klan, may test >> reporter: last friday trump seemed to say "no thanks." >> i disavow. okay. >> reporter: but sunday he declined to renounce the kkk, duke or his support. >> i don't know anything about david duke. okay. i don't know anything about what you're even talking about with white supremacy or white supremacists. so i don't know. >> reporter: trump eventually tried to clear up any confusion. >> i disavowed david duke all weekend long on facebook and twitter. >> reporter: he said a bad earpiece made it hard to hear the question about the kkk on sunday, even though he used the same one for several interviews. in any case it

this time it's about former ku klux klan grand wizard david duke. duke, a white supremacist, not at trump's request, but he endorsed trump. last week when asked about that support, trump said. this. >> mr. trump, how do you feel about the recent endorsement from david duke? >> i didn't even know he endorsed me. david duke endorsed me? okay. all right. i disavow, okay? >> but yesterday when asked the same thing, trump said. this. >> will you, unequivocally condemn david duke and say you don't want his vote or that of other white supremacists in this election? >> well, just so you understand, i don't know anything about david duke. >> would just say unequivocally you condemn them and you don't want their support. >> well, i have to look at the group. i don't know what group you are are talking about. you wouldn't want me to condemn a group that i know nothing about. >> just talking about david duke and the ku klux klan here. >> honestly i don't know david i don't believe i ever met him. i'm pretty sure i didn't meet him and i just don't know anything