GEOFF BENNETT: Good evening. I'm Geoff Bennett. AMNA NAWAZ: And I'm Amna Nawaz. On the "NewsHour" tonight: Congressional leaders
meet President Biden to negotiate a spending deal and try to avoid a government shutdown
in days. GEOFF BENNETT: Michigan Democrats wonder how
many will vote uncommitted in the state's presidential primary tonight to protest President
Biden's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. AMNA NAWAZ: And outrage over the alleged murder
of a university student by a Venezuelan migran
t fans the flames of immigration politics. CHARIS KUBRIN, University of California, Irvine:
We need to pay attention to broader factors that contribute to this kind of senseless
violence, rather than simply aiming our targets at immigrants. (BREAK) AMNA NAWAZ: Welcome to the "NewsHour." The top four leaders in Congress met with
President Biden in the Oval Office today to discuss how to fund the government and what
should happen next for U.S. support of Ukraine. GEOFF BENNETT: Congress faces a nu
mber of
crises this week, as leaders race to meet deadlines, including one that could spark
a partial government shutdown. Funding runs out for parts of the government
late Friday. And, as we have been reporting, Ukrainians
say, without more U.S. support, they will lose the war. Lisa Desjardins has been following it all
and joins us now. So, Lisa, this meeting was significant, especially
for House Speaker Johnson, who, of all the people in that room in the Oval Office, is
likely the one who dete
rmines how things progress. Give us a sense of what happened. LISA DESJARDINS: Well, it was significant. You're right. And what happened here was a meeting that
was serious. We know all the leaders came out. They said it was positive discussion, but
it was in some ways intense. It wasn't a classical meeting, in the sense
that it was a little bit lopsided. You have the Democrats in that meeting, including
the president, and Senate leader for the Republicans, McConnell, almost on the same page, th
at they
want a quick funding solution this week, and they also want to fund Ukraine. On the other side is Speaker Johnson, who,
whatever he personally thinks, has a problem that his conference hasn't decided what they
want to do in the House. So, you could hear that optimism, but also
complicated tone as the leaders walked out. SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): The meeting on Ukraine
was one of the most intense I have ever encountered in my many meetings in the Oval Office. The overwhelming sentiment i
n that meeting
is, we have got to do Ukraine now. There are other issues, including border,
which we should address, but not now. We want a fixed border. But it was also clear the speaker did not
make -- didn't give a reason why you had to do one before you did the other. REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): The other big priority
for our country, of course, is the funding of our government. And we have been working in good faith around
the clock every single day for months and weeks and over the last seve
ral days, quite
literally around the clock, to get that job done. We're very optimistic. I hope that the other leaders came out here
and told you the same. LISA DESJARDINS: You can hear in that that
they're sort of testing each other. These are new relationships. But one thing they have that they're going
up against is the history here. Let's look at the last year with the funding
problems. Here's what's happened just in September. In September, they passed seven weeks of funding
in Congress. No
vember, they split up the bill, so nine-
and 11-week extensions, and then, in January, some more, five- and six-weeks extensions
that brought us to here. While there may be hope that these leaders
can pass through bills this week to avoid that Friday deadline. I don't know. By my count, they don't have enough time. They have to pass a short-term resolution,
or we will have a partial shutdown. GEOFF BENNETT: Well, what is preventing Speaker
Johnson from moving more quickly? Is this all tied to pr
essure from Donald Trump
and the MAGA wing of the Republican Party? LISA DESJARDINS: Absolutely. It is not just Trump, but it is Trump, along
with the hard-line conservatives, and the fractured nature, not just divided, of House
Republicans. They are in several groups. We talk about House Speaker Johnson, who's
just trying to keep his speakership going, could be ousted by any member bringing up
a resolution to the floor. He has the trust and integrity portions with
his conference, but they are n
ot united. Let me show you what I mean and what he's
up against in terms of the different demands of House Republicans right now in this current
negotiation. There are some House Republicans, Freedom
Caucus members especially, who want border changes in any deal this week. There are others who oppose any short-term
funding patch. There are still others -- listen to this,
Geoff -- who oppose the opposite. They don't want full funding bills, because,
without those, maybe there will be an automatic
cut. And there are some that I have spoken to who
do want a shutdown. They think that is good leverage for them. House Speaker Johnson is trying to negotiate
all of this, but he's got to make a decision in the end. GEOFF BENNETT: We heard the Senate majority
leader, Chuck Schumer, say that the exchange over Ukraine aid was one of the most intense
scenes he's ever witnessed in the Oval Office. Where do things stand there, Lisa? LISA DESJARDINS: Yes, and he's a New Yorker. GEOFF BENNETT: Right. (
LAUGHTER) LISA DESJARDINS: So I have a feeling that
that tells us a lot. House Speaker Johnson, when he came out said
essentially that Ukraine is not his priority. He may agree in theory that it needs to happen. But he has said, America first, we need to
deal with our problems first. That is a problem for Ukraine specifically. But there are some in the House trying to
work around him. Specifically, I want to look at these two
representatives, Jared Golden, a Democrat of Maine, and then also Bria
n Fitzpatrick,
Republican of Pennsylvania. They are right now working on a work-around
to get a bill that would have about $50 billion in aid to Ukraine in it. They believe it has the two-thirds support
needed, but they would probably have to do that and go around Speaker Johnson. The question is, would that topple his speakership
or not? They say they're serious. When is Johnson going to take action on Ukraine? He said they will move in a timely manner. I had to look that up in the dictionary b
ecause
who knows what that means. It means not now. GEOFF BENNETT: Yes. Well, finally, Lisa, we expected action this
week in the impeachment trial of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. At one point, the plan was for the Senate
to get the articles of impeachment delivered. They have to be walked over from the House
chamber to the Senate chamber. That didn't happen. Where do things stand? LISA DESJARDINS: This is another thread tied
in with everything else. House Republicans are pushi
ng that back, because
they could have a partial shutdown this week. They think an impeachment of an officer of
the United States, Cabinet officer, would not look good. However, there are some Senate Republicans
saying they want to make sure there will be a trial. Here's the number two Senate Republican, John
Thune, today. SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): I believe the Senate needs
to hold a trial. I think this is such a miscarriage of the
law. And it is important that the United States
senators sit and h
ear and the American people hear about this incredible crisis at our southern
border. LISA DESJARDINS: Now, you hear him saying
this is about the crisis at the border. Mayorkas and Democrats say he has done nothing
wrong, that there is a crisis. But the issue here is, I think Democrats,
my reporting is, want to move to not have a trial. They do not think there's reason for one. We're going to check in with that maybe next
week, maybe the following weeks after we get past the other crises. GEOFF
BENNETT: All right, Lisa Desjardins,
following it all for us, thanks so much. LISA DESJARDINS: You're welcome. AMNA NAWAZ: In the day's other headlines:
The people of Michigan took their turn weighing in on this year's presidential field. They cast ballots in the last primaries before
the Super Tuesday contests next week. President Biden and former President Trump
were expected to win again. Still, the president faced a protest vote
over the war in Gaza, and Mr. Trump faced questions about broad
ening his base. Israel and Hamas cast doubt today on President
Biden's suggestion that a Gaza cease-fire deal could be reached by Monday. Israeli officials said the remarks came as
a surprise. Hamas insisted it has not backed off its demands. But, at the White House, national security
spokesman John Kirby defended the president's statement. JOHN KIRBY, NSC Coordinator For Strategic
Communications: He certainly shared with you his optimism that we can get there in hopefully
a short order. But he
also said it's not all done yet. And you don't have a deal until you have a
deal. We don't have one right now. But we believe that we are getting closer. And while we don't want to sound too sanguine
or Pollyannish about it, we do think that there's been some serious negotiations. AMNA NAWAZ: Meanwhile, more food, medical
supplies and other relief were airdropped into Gaza. The packages floated down to the Mediterranean
shore as crowds of Palestinians ran along the beach to grab them. Communitie
s across Israel held local elections
today, despite the ongoing war. Voters chose mayors and city council members
in most places. But evacuated towns near Gaza and Lebanon
had to postpone their elections until November. In Ukraine, the military has retreated from
more territory in the east after intense battles overnight. Government troops withdrew from two villages
outside of Avdiivka, a larger city captured by Russian forces earlier this month. The Russians have stepped up their push as
Ukrain
e runs short of weapons and ammunition. A veteran human rights activist in Russia
was sentenced today to 2.5 years in prison for criticizing the war in Ukraine. Oleg Orlov co-chaired the Nobel Peace Prize-winning
group Memorial. In his closing statement, he said he did not
regret speaking out against the Kremlin and he denounced the war again before being led
away. OLEG ORLOV, Russian Human Rights Activist
(through translator): We live in the 21st century. Those guys are going backwards to 20th,
17th
and even 16th. Unfortunately, they are dragging our country
with them, but we will win anyway. AMNA NAWAZ: Orlov's sentence is the latest
in Russia's efforts to quash dissent over the war. Back in this country, a federal jury in New
York convicted two men of murdering hip-hop deejay Jam Master Jay 22 years ago. Born Jason Mizell, Jay helped propel the group
Run-D.M.C. to stardom and into the pop music mainstream in the 1980s. He was shot and killed in his music studio
in 2002. Prosecutor s
aid the motive was a drug deal
gone bad. San Francisco's Board of Supervisors apologized
today to Black residents and their descendants for racist laws and policies over the years. It was seen as a first step in the process
of considering financial reparations. San Francisco joins Boston in apologizing
for its past treatment of Black citizens. And on Wall Street, stocks mostly searched
for direction. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 96 points
to close at 38972. The Nasdaq rose 59 points and
the S&P 500
added eight. Still to come on the "NewsHour": an IDF soldier's
video diaries offer a unique perspective on Israel's war in Gaza; skepticism grows over
tech billionaires' plans to ease the Bay Area's housing crunch by building a new city; the
story of an African American woman who helped take down one of America's most notorious
mob bosses; plus much more. GEOFF BENNETT: Today, voters in Michigan are
casting their votes in that state's presidential primary. And some Democratic activi
sts say they are
hoping to send a message to President Biden by voting uncommitted. It follows growing frustration among some
Muslim and Arab Americans over the administration's handling of the war in Gaza. MARIAM MOHSEN, Michigan Voter: Four years
ago, I voted for Joe Biden. It was important that we vote to get Trump
out of office. And, today, I feel very disappointed in Joe
Biden, and I don't feel like I did the right thing last election. GEOFF BENNETT: For more, we're joined now
by Michigan D
emocratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes. Welcome to the "NewsHour." LAVORA BARNES, Chair, Michigan Democratic
Party: Great to be here. Thank you so much, Geoff. GEOFF BENNETT: So, this push by some Democratic
activists to urge voters to vote uncommitted in this primary, this has really picked up
steam since it was launched earlier this month, to the point where now even Michigan Governor
Gretchen Whitmer is saying that she expects, in her words, a sizable number of protest
votes against President Bi
den's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Do you agree with that? And what's your level of concern? LAVORA BARNES: I am so thrilled that so many
folks are participating in this process. We fought hard to be an early state and to
have our voices heard early in this primary process. And that's exactly what's happening. Over a million folks grabbed ballots early
on and voted. And I am happy that these folks are reaching
for the Democratic ballot and participating in this process. And I'm looking forw
ard to taking this enthusiasm
and interest in the process into November, where the question is Joe Biden versus Donald
Trump. And we know the answer is Joe Biden. GEOFF BENNETT: They might be taking the Democratic
ballot, but they're not voting for the Democratic candidate. LAVORA BARNES: They're making their voices
heard, Geoff. And I am pleased that they're able to do that. That's part of this process. We have a big tent. And part of the reason we built this tent
and part of the reason we want
ed to be part of this process was to make sure that the
voices of Michiganders were part of the overall conversation. And that's exactly what's happening right
now. And this president's listening. We're listening. You heard the president yesterday say that
he's expecting to have some news about a cease-fire probably as early as next week. That's great news. And that's a sign that he's been listening
to these folks here in Michigan. And that's what we wanted. GEOFF BENNETT: Well, as you said, Mic
higan
Democrats pushed for the state's primary to be earlier this year to give the state a greater
voice in the overall electoral calendar and to really highlight President Biden's perceived
areas of strength, with Black voters around Detroit, with union workers. But there's a survey from Detroit News and
WDIV-TV last month that showed President Biden really has weak support from nearly all of
the Democrats' key constituencies. That's Black voters, voters between the ages
of 18 and 29, and those
holding college degrees. How is the party aiming to turn that around? LAVORA BARNES: So, that's -- you have exactly
described my job, right? I am organizing our team, our volunteers,
our staff, and our leaders across the state. We have been talking to voters and we will
continue talking to voters at their doors, on their phones, wherever we can find them,
even in their social media, to make sure we're telling the story of the Biden/Harris administration
and what they have done on behalf of Amer
icans and Michiganders. Think about the manufacturing jobs they have
brought back to this state, the good union paying jobs that have come here, and, of course,
the protection of reproductive rights. We're going to continue to have that conversation
and also talk about the contrast between the choice which they will have in November, which
is either Joe Biden or turning back the clock to Donald Trump. And Donald Trump's been very clear about who
he is, what he's done. We're going to tell the sto
ry of his record. We're going to tell the facts of who he is,
what he has said he will do. The man wants to be a dictator. He calls people of color poison. He is not good for America and absolutely
not good for Michiganders. GEOFF BENNETT: Can President Biden win Michigan
without the support of those Arab American and Muslim Americans who say they are profoundly
unhappy and disappointed with what they see as his unwavering support of Israel? LAVORA BARNES: We're going to continue having
those co
nversations. The president's going to keep listening to
folks. And we're going to win in November, building
that coalition that we have had in place for several cycles now and making sure that folks
turn out and support the president, recognizing that otherwise we may end up with Donald Trump,
which is unacceptable to these communities. GEOFF BENNETT: Lavora Barnes is the Democratic
Party chair for the state of Michigan. Thanks for your time. LAVORA BARNES: Thanks for having me. AMNA NAWAZ: The
murder of a college student
in Georgia and the immigration status of her alleged killer have thrown new fuel into the
heated debate over the U.S. southern border and the government's policies. At the University of Georgia, grief hangs
in the air after last week's death of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Hope Riley. Students, including her sorority sisters,
gathered yesterday to remember Riley. CHLOE MULLIS, President, Alpha Chi Omega:
She showed incredible wisdom throughout her friendships. Ma
ny sisters have shared that she was the
best listener. She would allow you to ramble on about how
your day was or how your life had been lately. And she soaked it up intently. Her wisdom flowed throughout all aspects of
her life, and she had an eye for those who were secretly struggling. AMNA NAWAZ: Riley's body was found in this
wooded area on campus last Thursday. Her roommate had reported her missing after
she failed to return from a mourning jog; 26-year-old Venezuelan citizen Jose Antonio
I
barra was charged with her murder. Immigration officials say, in September of
2022, Ibarra was detained in Texas after illegally entering the U.S. from Mexico, but then released
for further processing. Students returned to classes this week, but
the community has been shaken to its core. Riley's death is believed to be the school's
first homicide in nearly 30 years. BETHANY BATEMAN MCDONALD, University of Georgia:
I'm a mom. And as a mom, I couldn't imagine, I couldn't
imagine something like thi
s happening to my children. AMNA NAWAZ: Beyond campus... JESSE WATTERS, FOX News Anchor: A dangerous
foreign national broke the law and suffered no consequences because of fringe policies
the far left claims are compassionate. THOMAS HOMAN, Former Acting Director, U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement: This is another senseless, preventable death because
of this open border. AMNA NAWAZ: Conservatives and right-wing media
link the Biden administration's immigration approach with Riley's death.
GOV. BRIAN KEMP (R-GA): Laken's death is a direct
result of failed policies on the federal level. AMNA NAWAZ: Georgia's Republican Governor
Brian Kemp pointed to record high numbers at the U.S. southern border. GOV. BRIAN KEMP: It is an understatement to say
that this is a major crisis. And because of the White House's failures,
every state, as I have said repeatedly, is now a border state. And Laken Riley's murder is just the latest
proof of that. AMNA NAWAZ: On social media, former President
Trump said -- quote -- "Biden's border invasion is destroying our country and killing our
citizens." And he reiterated his campaign pledge to -- quote
-- "seal the border and deport illegal criminals." The White House has expressed condolences
to Riley's family, but has not responded directly to the Republican accusations, all this as
both Biden and Trump plan dueling border visits to Texas on Thursday of this week. And to help with some context around these
questions around immigration and crim
e, I'm joined now by Charis Kubrin. She's a professor of criminology, law, and
society at the University of California, Irvine, and co-author of the book "Immigration and
Crime: Taking Stock." Professor, let's begin with the obvious here. Our thoughts are obviously with the family
of Laken Riley and her friends, the senseless loss of a young woman's life. Authorities also today just revealed her death
was due to blunt-force trauma. And the man, we know, accused here is an undocumented
immigrant.
Those are all facts. What do you make of the larger conversation
around those facts right now? CHARIS KUBRIN, University of California, Irvine:
When I heard about this tragic event, my heart went out immediately. That is, of course, the first reaction I had. But the second one is, uh-oh, I hope that
this is not used as -- this awful event is not used for political advantage. And it appears that that is what is essentially
happening. We see a tragic event become a sparking point
for really restr
ictive policies aimed at immigrants. AMNA NAWAZ: So, I know in your work and in
your book, you look exactly at this issue going back even to the early 1900s about the
intersection of crime and immigration. Broadly speaking, what have you learned? CHARIS KUBRIN: So, there's been so much research
that's been done on how immigration and crime are related, both among immigrants, are immigrants
more or less crime-prone than their native-born counterparts, and does immigration to an area
cause crime t
o go up or down? And more recently, there's been an explosion
of research in this area because of public perception and interest. And what's pretty amazing is, across all this
research, by and large, we find that immigrants do not engage in more crime than native-born
counterparts, and immigration actually can cause crime to go down, rather than up, so
quite contrary to public perception. AMNA NAWAZ: And does any of your research
examine any differences between an undocumented immigrant and thos
e who are legally here in
the United States? CHARIS KUBRIN: Right. That's become an increasingly important question
that we have sought to answer. There are a handful of studies that have begun
to do this using pretty sophisticated estimation techniques to identify the number of undocumented
individuals. And what those studies find is, similar to
the research in general, there is no criminogenic impact among undocumented immigrants. In other words, undocumented immigrants are
not engaging in mor
e crime, contrary to public perception. And the presence of undocumented immigrants
in an area does not correlate with higher crime, particularly violence. AMNA NAWAZ: Professor, I'm sure you have heard
this argument before. We're hearing this again, which is that if
this man had not been allowed to enter into the United States, if he'd not been allowed
to stay, he couldn't have committed this crime, and this young woman would still be alive
today. Are people making that argument wrong? CHARIS K
UBRIN: Well, it's not that argument's
wrong, because, essentially, that is true, but I think it's misplaced, because, at the
end of the day, if we really do want to cut down on crime in general, absent this one
horrific incident, making restrictive, exclusionary and harsh policies aimed at immigrants is
really not going to yield the benefits of reductions in crime that many people believe,
largely because, as I just mentioned, immigrants are not the ones engaging in crime. I would point out also
that there's been a
lot of instances of violence on campus with young individuals getting killed, tragic events,
most of which are occurring by native-born Americans. And so I think we need to pay attention to
broader factors that contribute to this kind of senseless violence, rather than simply
aiming our targets at immigrants. AMNA NAWAZ: So that leap from the crime of
one person catalyzing to fear of an entire group or population, we don't really see that,
as you mentioned, with native-born
Americans or white Americans more broadly. Is that something unique to immigrant populations? CHARIS KUBRIN: So that's the interesting thing. I have never seen a headline, not once in
my life, that has read native-born American has engaged in this crime or that crime. And so what happens is most of the stories
identify a person's immigrant status and link it with crime in headlines, in social media,
in the news. That essentially reinforces the public perception
that both go hand in hand, when in
fact the data show just the opposite. So it's an uphill battle in terms of public
perception. AMNA NAWAZ: What should we expect to see in
the months ahead? We are in an election year. Immigration is a top issue for voters around
the country. Do you expect this conversation to continue
at this kind of heated level? CHARIS KUBRIN: I think it will, unfortunately,
for the exact reasons I mentioned early on, which is that this is an opportunity, an awful
opportunity, to seize on a political advantag
e. What I hope happens is that we identify places
where we can improve things when it comes to immigration, but also do so in a way that
makes smart policy, policy that will help things more broadly, rather than simply use
a scapegoat moment to make more restrictive policies that are not going to do much in
the end for crime. AMNA NAWAZ: Professor Charis Kubrin from the
University of California, Irvine, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it. CHARIS KUBRIN: Thank you. GEOFF BENNETT: N
ow for a rare view of the
Israel-Hamas war from an Israeli infantryman. Sam Sank is a British Israeli whose period
of service has just ended. In normal life, he works in information technology. For his months of fighting in Gaza, he carried
a small video camera. And special correspondent Malcolm Brabant
sat down with him in London. MALCOLM BRABANT: This is the video diary of
the soldier behind the officer on point. MASTER SGT. SAM SANK, Israeli Defense Forces Reservist:
Together, with my brother
s in arms, we're part of history. This will probably be a very significant event
in the history of the Middle East, let alone Israel. MALCOLM BRABANT: Master sergeant Sam Sank. MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: It's also good for the world to
see as well, and it shows the true experience of a soldier on the front line, and maybe
shows a different side to what one sees through propaganda or social media as soldiers. And, actually, as you can see now, I'm a real
person with real emotion and real thoughts. Yes
, yesterday was awful. This place stinks, smell of dead bodies everywhere. Not a great start. MALCOLM BRABANT: Sam Sank went to war on October
the 7th, immediately after the terrorist attack by Hamas. After training in Northern Israel with his
company, or pluga, Sank entered Gaza several weeks into the conflict... MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: We have just entered Gaza. MALCOLM BRABANT: ... and spent nearly two
months there. MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: Here we go. Here we go. Yesterday was a really, really ba
d day. Two guys from our pluga got injured, one quite
seriously, was in a helicopter to the hospital. Both were shot in the back. Man, two secs. Just going to check out this pier. MALCOLM BRABANT: As second in command of his
platoon, Sank ventures forward to examine the entrance of a Hamas tunnel beneath Khan
Yunis, once home to a quarter-of-a-million Palestinians. MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: Gaza is arguably one of the most
dense places in the world, and Hamas has decided to use that as a battlefield
and to use human
shields to protect themselves and to put all the civilians above the ground and all their
ammunition and terrorists below the ground. A few Israeli soldiers were killed at that
specific spot, so after weeks of fighting, we were able to locate the tunnel entrances. MALCOLM BRABANT: People who are watching that
might think that you are cheering Palestinians' homes being blown up. MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: So, the context of that video is
the tunnel being destroyed. And, for us, it wa
s a sense of achievement,
knowing that we had killed Hamas terrorists that were still hiding underneath, and we
had eliminated a big threat to our soldiers' lives. We're in Central Khan Yunis, Eastern-Central
Khan Yunis, in a new house, sitting here on guard duty with my main man, Leshem. Here, you can see close to big a mosque, very
urban area. This is going to be our new home for the next
few days, but feeling good, liking the new area. MALCOLM BRABANT: Sank's war is over. He's returned to his
civilian job in I.T.
and now has time to reflect. How can you justify all those thousands of
women and children being killed during this conflict? MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: I don't think I can justify the
numbers, but I can explain why that's happened. We are dealing with an organization that has
decided to put civilians at the forefront of their bases, of their battlefield. Welcome to Southern Khan Yunis. We're in a house. Look at the lovely Jerusalem -- Jerusalem
decorations on the wall. Arrived
here yesterday. Crazy, crazy dissonance coming into a more
urban area like this. It was insane, honestly, at night, seeing
-- going through the city, seeing destroyed buildings. MALCOLM BRABANT: Do you think there might
have been a better way of fighting this war to really more accurately target those people
who were responsible for starting it? MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: I think, if there was a better way
of doing it, then it would have been done, because I trust in the strategic command of
the IDF
in Israel to make the best decision to protect its soldiers and to protect the
Palestinian civilians as much as possible. MALCOLM BRABANT: Do you feel as though Israel
has fallen into a trap created by Hamas, because they knew that Israel would come in and, in
the end, if it kept going, would end up perhaps losing world opinion? MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: Yes, for sure. Hamas set the trap up. It's the ploy that Hamas and other terrorist
Palestinian organizations have been using for many years. Unfort
unately, Israel doesn't have a choice
and has to move into that trap, because if, again, we want to defeat the enemy, destroy
the terrorists and bring our people back, we have to go into Gaza. The world, as I see it, will always be against
Israel in this conflict. There is an underlying antisemitism that exists. This is just our generation's persecution
of Jews. Hopefully, it will be a couple quiet days
before we're eventually supposed to leave, final Shabbat in Gaza. Can't wait to go home. Can'
t believe how long it's been. I'm just counting down the hours, literally. Everyone's making fun of me, but I'm counting
down the hours. But I'm desperate for this all to be over. I just want to get back to normal life. MALCOLM BRABANT: Do you think you could ever
live side by side with Palestinians? MASTER SGT. SAM SANK: A hundred percent. You look at conflicts that have existed over
the history of the world, people that hated each other with a passion and are now living
together in peace. Whet
her I think it will be a happy peace,
maybe not. But even a cold peace is better than what
exists today. And, yes, I truly believe that it can happen. And if the Palestinians love their children
more than they hate ours, there will be peace. If they start celebrating life, rather than
celebrating death, there will be peace. MALCOLM BRABANT: For now, such a peace remains
in the realm of dreams, despite suggestions that progress is being made. For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Malcolm Brabant. AMNA NAWA
Z: Cities worldwide are overcrowded,
overpriced and a source of global warming. The dream? Build a livable, affordable, eco-friendly
community. Paul Solman went to California to see the
plans for one of those big dreams. But there's plenty of skepticism about that
vision and the developers behind it. NARRATOR: The Line will be home to nine million
residents. PAUL SOLMAN: Want a brand-new dream city built? How about The Line in Saudi Arabia? NARRATOR: The Line is 500' meters tall, 200'
meters wid
e. PAUL SOLMAN: No cars, no carbon emissions,
designed to host a population of nine million. Well, maybe someday, maybe not. But a lot closer to home and perhaps to reality,
there's now California Forever, a planned cutting-edge community that has gobbled up
60,000 acres of farmland in Solano County, an hour north of San Francisco. JAN SRAMEK, CEO, California Forever: We're
building a new community in the Bay Area. PAUL SOLMAN: CEO Jan Sramek. JAN SRAMEK: That's going to make it possible
for a n
ew generation of Californians to realize the California dream, the way that prior generations
have been able to do it. RONALD KOTT, Mayor of Rio Vista, California:
This is the footprint that they're presenting. PAUL SOLMAN: Here's how the new community
depicts itself in the plans it showed Ronald Kott, mayor of Rio Vista, population 10,000,
which borders the 60,000 acres. RONALD KOTT: Surrounding communities kind
of come here, do other restaurants and shopping and that kind of thing and... PAUL
SOLMAN: Pedestrians. RONALD KOTT: Pedestrian, but everything is
walkable. PAUL SOLMAN: Housing for 50,000 to start,
as many as 400,000 people eventually, with condos a lot cheaper than anything you can
get in and around San Francisco, 18,000 acres for the town, another 21,000 for a solar farm
to power it with energy to spare. BRONSON JOHNSON California Forever: We're
in the heart of the new community. This will be medium density, urban form blocks
of housing and our downtown will be just a littl
e bit this way from where we're standing
today. PAUL SOLMAN: Bronson Johnson of California
Forever. BRONSON JOHNSON: When you're starting from
scratch and you're building new water recovery plants and new energy plants, this can be
entirely renewable and a sustainable model for the rest of the world to follow. PAUL SOLMAN: In order to expand the project
eventually, the group has made a series of legally binding promises, to create 15,000
new jobs, spend $30 million to protect local ecosystems, a
nd allocate $400 million for
housing assistance. JAN SRAMEK: Homes that families can afford
in safe and walkable neighborhoods. PAUL SOLMAN: Moreover: PRINCESS PALMER, Real Estate Agent: It gives
people a chance to build generational wealth. PAUL SOLMAN: A historical problem for Black
people, says local real estate agent Princess Palmer. PRINCESS PALMER: A lot of times, it's the
down payment and the closing costs that prevent people from being able to buy here in California. So that would be an
amazing opportunity that
you just don't see right now in California. PAUL SOLMAN: Another local, Alix Pate, likes
the project for a different reason. ALIX PATE, Solano County, California, Resident:
I have small children, a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old, and I have these concerns of,
where will they live and is there going to be housing for them when they are ready to
buy? PAUL SOLMAN: So, the project seems pretty
unobjectionable, right? Well, of course not. There have been objections galore, like
at
this town hall meeting. MAN: How do you expect anyone in this room
or the county to believe what you're saying? PAUL SOLMAN: For years, a firm known only
as Flannery Associates quietly amassed tens of thousands of acres in Solano County, and
no one knew why. Only last August did The New York Times report
that Flannery was backed by Silicon Valley billionaires, which CEO SRAMEK now acknowledges. JAN SRAMEK: Our main investors are a group
of Californians who have decided to double down on the s
tate. They include Laurene Powell Jobs, John Doerr,
Michael Moritz, Marc Andreessen, and the venture fund Andreessen Horowitz. PAUL SOLMAN: And Sramek only first appeared
before locals in November. Locals didn't like the secrecy and also worried
about the strains that come with development, like water depletion. CATHERINE MOY, Mayor of Fairfield, California:
Every drop of water in this county is taken. PAUL SOLMAN: Catherine Moy, mayor of Fairfield,
abutting the project: CATHERINE MOY: They do h
ave some water that
they have from the land that they bought, OK? It's not enough for a city. It's not enough for that. So they say they're going to buy water from
elsewhere. OK, well, I bet they might. But I don't think it's going to be enough. PAUL SOLMAN: But, says CEO Sramek: JAN SRAMEK: We have a water guarantee for
every single building we build, whether it's an office building or a manufacturing facility
or a home. We have to prove that we have enough water
for many, many decades, includi
ng through drought periods. KATHLEEN THRELFALL, Solano County, California,
Resident: This is my grandfather and one of his pals. PAUL SOLMAN: A little ways down the highway,
rancher Kathleen Threlfall now tends the property purchased by her great-grandparents. KATHLEEN THRELFALL: When I come down the road,
it's what everybody in the world wants. It's like the whole relaxation experience. I'm home and this is my place. PAUL SOLMAN: And how long are you going to
stay here? KATHLEEN THRELFALL: Prob
ably until I drop
off the tractor or something. (LAUGHTER) PAUL SOLMAN: So offers to buy her 243 acres,
starting at $2 million, now up to 4.5, were nonstarters. KATHLEEN THRELFALL: They have tried to buy
my land. I have said no. PAUL SOLMAN: Why? KATHLEEN THRELFALL: Why? PAUL SOLMAN: Yes. (LAUGHTER) KATHLEEN THRELFALL: This is my spot. PAUL SOLMAN: There's the phrase we all know,
NIMBY, not in my backyard. KATHLEEN THRELFALL: Right. God, I hate the idea of being a NIMBY. I really do. PAUL SOLMAN
: Well, but that's what you are,
no? KATHLEEN THRELFALL: But that's what I am. That's what I am in this case. PAUL SOLMAN: Yes. KATHLEEN THRELFALL: I mean, this case, I'm
saying, this is not a good idea in this particular place at this time. CATHERINE MOY: I don't like being called a
NIMBY either. PAUL SOLMAN: Again, Mayor Moy. CATHERINE MOY: I'm just a person who grew
up here, love this area, and this is upending all of that. PAUL SOLMAN: There's one other big issue,
the lawsuit. IAN ANDERSON,
Solano County, California, Resident:
We have spent more on this lawsuit than what it would cost to get our kids through school. PAUL SOLMAN: That's a half-a-billion dollar
suit against landowners who refuse to sell, claiming they colluded to inflate the price. Ian and Margaret Anderson and even their distant
family members have been forced to defend themselves. MARGARET ANDERSON, Solano County, California,
Resident: They just pulled those family members in as well, I think just as a strong-arm t
actic
to frighten people to sell their land. PAUL SOLMAN: The CEO's version: JAN SRAMEK: We made an offer to the Andersons. They made a counteroffer where they asked
for a very high price. We said, no thank you. We don't want to buy the property at that
price. And the lawsuit alleges that, after that,
they organized this price-fixing conspiracy in order to force us to pay the higher price. PAUL SOLMAN: So have you guys been colluding
with other people to jack up the price? IAN ANDERSON: I have b
een a farmer in this
area for 67 years, and I have never done any colluding in that realm any way, shape or
form. PAUL SOLMAN: As to the discussion of selling,
given the cost of the suit, it was and remains a painful one. MARGARET ANDERSON: It's amazing what a person
considers doing when they are being asphyxiated. And that's what we felt was happening. There were many discussions between us about
what's the right thing to do. Do we do what's right for us and plant our
heels? Or do we think abou
t the possibility to provide
for our son in the future? PAUL SOLMAN: And to keep the tradition going? MARGARET ANDERSON: Keep the family operation
going. PAUL SOLMAN: But there must be a price at
which you would sell, no? IAN ANDERSON: I will take a little bit of
offense to that, because I wake up each morning looking forward to the farm day growing crops. RONALD KOTT: I think there are some opportunities
for our city. There are some warning signs for our city
too. PAUL SOLMAN: As mayor, Kott is
in favor of
economic growth, as a resident who treasures where he lives, not so sure. But in November, he and his fellow citizens
of Solano County will have to vote on preserving their backyard as is or opening it up to others. For the "PBS NewsHour," Paul Solman. GEOFF BENNETT: And we will be back shortly
for the story of a woman who helped take down one of America's most notorious mob bosses. AMNA NAWAZ: But, first, take a moment to hear
from your local PBS station. It's a chance to offer you
r support, which
helps keep programs like ours on the air. GEOFF BENNETT: For those of you staying with
us: In the 2,000 years since the Chinese invented paper and paper cutting, artists around the
world have developed their own unique styles. Earlier this year, special correspondent Cat
Wise visited an artist whose work is inspired by the natural beauty and people of the Pacific
Northwest. CAT WISE: Every morning, artist and author
Nikki McClure takes a long walk in the woods surrounding her ho
me in Olympia, Washington. She feeds the birds and wildlife that dwell
here, and spends some time on the beach just steps from her front door. Inspiration for her art is everywhere. NIKKI MCCLURE, Author and Artist: By the time
I have taken that walk, an idea or a story will have shown itself to me. And then I sit down and work. CAT WISE: McClure begins with a sketch, which
she transfers to black paper, and then begins to work her magic with her knife. Cut by tiny cut for nearly 30 years, McClur
e
has revealed the world she sees and the creatures in it. NIKKI MCCLURE: My work is usually all one
piece. It's all connected, because we all are connected. CAT WISE: McClure is the author and illustrator
of 15 books, and she has collaborated on several more, including The New York Times' bestseller
"All in a Day" with author Cynthia Rylant. She also sells her original paper cut art,
prints, and a yearly calendar. McClure's deep connection to nature and her
surroundings can be traced to her ear
ly years in Olympia, when she studied natural history
at the Evergreen State College. NIKKI MCCLURE: I just kept drawing and drawing
and drawing and drawing every stick, every leaf, every insect, every bird. It focused and trained my eye to see details,
and then trained my hand to draw those details. CAT WISE: After graduating in 1991, she began
working at the Washington Department of Ecology and was immersed in Olympia's vibrant music
and art scene. NIKKI MCCLURE: We all lived downtown, and
the
se apartment buildings kind of all together, it was so spontaneous and alive. And the way that you communicated was through
song or through art. CAT WISE: For a time, McClure also wrote and
performed music and lived next to one of the most famous musicians to come out of Olympia
during that era, Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana. NIKKI MCCLURE: So, I moved into this house,
and Kurt lived behind, and I shared the wall, and I could hear him play his songs through
the wall. Seeing them play, there wa
s this strong connection
in this house. CAT WISE: After deciding to become a full-time
artist, McClure began experimenting with paper cutting. She self-publishing her first book, "Apple"
for children in 1996. NIKKI MCCLURE: I found that making art was
a more calming way to communicate. I am singing my songs still, but there is
a child in a lap, in a home, and it's ultimately like, that's where I want to sing my songs. They call these X-Acto, knives, but they're
not really exact. They have this a
mind of their own sometimes. CAT WISE: On a recent morning, I joined McClure
at her desk as she worked on a piece that might end up in a future calendar. NIKKI MCCLURE: This was this one morning where
I was swimming, and I had my arms in front of me. The way that the water was making my arms
was that they were all squiggled. They were no longer solid, even though I knew
they were solid. CAT WISE: How do you know where to cut to
make the image reveal itself? NIKKI MCCLURE: I don't. You just have
to trust it. What I really like about this process is that
there are so many mistakes made. CAT WISE: Really? NIKKI MCCLURE: And that you are making mistakes
over time, in the sense of like, oh, that, I don't quite work out. But you just keep going. And, really, it's just a piece of paper. CAT WISE: But, oh, what she can do with a
piece of paper. Many of her works are focused on her experiences
as a mother and raising her son, Finn, with her husband, Jay T. Scott, a woodworker in
Olympia. NIKKI
MCCLURE: It is such a remarkable gift
to participate in this life as it developed and formed and grew and started asking questions
like, "Mama, is it summer yet? Mama, is it summer yet? Not yet little one, but the buds are swelling. Soon, new leaves will unfold. Mama, is it summer yet? Not yet, little one, but the squirrel is building
her nest. Soon, her babies will be born." CAT WISE: In "What Will These Hands Make?" released in 2020, McClure highlights a family
and their community as they pre
pare for a celebration. NIKKI MCCLURE: This is the center map spread
from the book "What Will These Hands Make?" And it basically tells a story of this family,
and here they are right here. They are going from grandma's house -- there's
grandma baking -- all the way across town to this cake, because there's going to be
a big party at grandma's house later. CAT WISE: The community, filled with people
who make things with their hands... NIKKI MCCLURE: Here's my friend Mariela's
(ph) pottery studio
. CAT WISE: .. is fictional, but many of the
characters and businesses are inspired by our mutual hometown, Olympia. NIKKI MCCLURE: Sometimes, I would row into
town, and I would row over and go to the Browsers bookstores here. CAT WISE: The real Browsers Bookshop is one
of the local businesses McClure hand-delivers her calendars to each year. NIKKI MCCLURE: Hey, Andrea. I brought you more calendars. Andrea Griffith is the store's owner. ANDREA GRIFFITH, Owner, Browsers Bookshop:
Nikki's work, it
feels like Olympia. It's so tied to the natural world and she's
-- I think she teaches us how to see things here. CAT WISE: Like many in Olympia, Griffith says
she feels a connection to McClure and the life experiences she reveals through her art. ANDREA GRIFFITH: Last month's calendar was
an image of her son's boat sailing kind of away because her son was going to college. He's leaving, so I think we're all a little
sad. NIKKI MCCLURE: I guess what I want people
to come away with or to feel wh
en they look at my work is a sense of place and to calm
down and slow down and to just take a moment. Our lives are so fast. Everything's just, you know, now, now, now,
now, now that we forget even what time of season it is. The picture can transport them to a quiet,
slow, still moment just for a brief second. CAT WISE: McClure has been working on illustrations
for a new book, which will be released in March. For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Cat Wise in Olympia,
Washington. AMNA NAWAZ: And now to the
story of an African
American woman who helped take down one of America's most notorious mob bosses. John Yang has this report that originally
aired on "PBS News Weekend" as part of our Black History Month series "Hidden Histories." JOHN YANG: Eunice Carter always understood
the power of public service. When she was 7 years old, her parents, both
social activists, fled the South after the 1906 Atlanta race riots, moving the family
to Brooklyn, New York. SHAKALA ALVARANGA, Director of Public Prog
rams,
The Mob Museum: She was ahead of her time. JOHN YANG: Shakala Alvaranga is the director
of public programs at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas. SHAKALA ALVARANGA: Her father, William Hunton
Sr., he founded the black division of the YMCA. And her mother was a social worker, an activist,
and a political organizer. And she also worked for the YMCA's war efforts
during World War I. And she was one of the women assigned to work with about 200,000
segregated black troops who were stationed in France
at the time. So her family history holds a lot of depth
and a lot of history when it comes to civil rights. JERMAINE FOWLER, Author, "The Humanity Archive":
So, this is the example that Carter is growing up in, and this is who she looks to for inspiration. JOHN YANG: Jermaine Fowler is the author of
The Humanity Archive, which highlights the achievements of black Americans that history
books have long ignored. Her family also made sure she got a good education. JERMAINE FOWLER: She went to Smith
College. She was only the second black woman to receive
a bachelor and a master's degree in four years in 1921. And then she entered Fordham Law School as
the first black woman to graduate from that school. JOHN YANG: She became an assistant district
attorney, mostly working at what was then called Women's Court, prosecuting sex workers. Her talents came to the attention of Thomas
E. Dewey, then beginning his rise to national prominence as a New York State special prosecutor
going after organiz
ed crime. Carter joined his otherwise all white, all
male team. SHAKALA ALVARANGA: They, you know, kind of
had this unconventional relationship, but Dewey clearly knew how talented and how educated
Eunice Carter was. She was out in the community, and a lot of
people were talking to her, and they may have not felt as comfortable talking to the men
about, you know, what they were doing. JOHN YANG: She was paid less than her male
counterparts and passed over for promotions. But her experience in wo
men's court gave her
knowledge they didn't have. JERMAINE FOWLER: She noticed that women being
arrested for prostitution from all over New York City were being represented by the same
lawyers and the same bails bondsman. JOHN YANG: She meticulously followed the connections
back to the reigning boss of mafia bosses, Charles "Lucky" Luciano. JERMAINE FOWLER: Luciano is this very savvy
businessman, but he's also a ruthless mafia also. And what we know of as the mafia today was
started by Luciano, w
ho consolidated these blood feuding gangster families during the
Prohibition era into one centrally supervised criminal syndicate. SHAKALA ALVARANGA: After months of interviewing
and wiretapping, Carter and her colleague at the time, they convinced Dewey that organized
crime essentially controlled the brothels. They would pocket about $40 of their $200
weekly earnings. And in contrast, Luciano earned millions every
year. JOHN YANG: Carter spearheaded an investigation
that included raids on broth
els across New York City. The evidence gathered led to Luciano's 1936
conviction on more than 60 counts of forced prostitution. He was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison. This episode really helped establish Thomas
Dewey nationwide ran for political office. He was a presidential candidate. How much credit did Eunice Carter get in all
of this? JERMAINE FOWLER: We kind of see her overlooked,
and it's really just within the last few years that we're recovering her legacy and her contributions
to
this case and this grant end place that she holds in American history in terms of
prosecution and going against organized crime. JOHN YANG: After leaving the government, Carter
entered private practice. She was active in the YWCA, the NAACP, and
was an adviser to the United Nations. But it was her work in the Luciano case, helping
get justice for the women he abused that cemented Carter's legacy and earned her the title Lady
Racketbuster. SHAKALA ALVARANGA: She was able to really
hone in and re
ally put this case together in a way that only she could do. GEOFF BENNETT: And join us again here tomorrow
night, when we will have a look at how some governors are trying to solve their states'
problems at a time of intense political polarization. And that is the "NewsHour" for tonight. I'm Geoff Bennett. AMNA NAWAZ: And I'm Amna Nawaz. On behalf of the entire "NewsHour" team, thank
you for joining us.
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