Sen. Mazie Hirono and 'Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter'

[MUSIC] >>BONNIE ERBE: HELLO.

I'M BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO, TO THE CONTRARY, A WEEKLY DISCUSSION OF NEWS AND TRENDS FROM DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.

TODAY, OUR WOMAN THOUGHT LEADER IS A FORCE OF NATURE OR AS SOME SHE HAS BEEN MAKING HER VOICE HEARD IN WASHINGTON SINCE 2006 WOULD CALL HER A FIREBRAND.

AND 2013 IN THE US SENATE.

SHE'S THE JUNIOR SENATOR FROM HAWAII, MAZIE HIRONO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, SENATOR HIRONO, AND WELCOME.

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: THANK YOU.

ALOHA, BONNIE.

IT'S GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.

BONNIE ERBE: ALOHA TO YOU.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES YES.

VERY GRATEFUL.

INCREDIBLY GORGEOUS IN TERMS OF GEOGRAPHY AND OH MY GOD, UNBELIEVABLE VISTAS.

BUT VERY AWAY FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., WHICH YOU HAVE TO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH ALL THE TIME.

YOU HAVE A NEW BOOK OUT CALLED HEART OF FIRE AN IMMIGRANT'S STORY.

NOW, FIRST OF ALL, WHY DID YOU WRITE IT NOW AND WHY DID YOU CALL IT THAT?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: PART OF IT VERY MUCH REFERS TO MY MOTHER'S COURAGE IN BRINGING HER CHILDREN TO THIS COUNTRY SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE.

SO I WROTE THIS BOOK BECAUSE MY MOTHER HAD SUFFERED TWO STROKES WHAT A STATE TO BE FROM, HUH?

WHICH IS REALLY AMAZING.

IT IS AN HOMAGE TO MY MOM, WHO I LOST THIS YEAR.

BONNIE ERBE: OH, I'M SO SORRY TO HEAR THAT.

THANK YOU.

BUT SHE JUST CREATED A LIFE FOR ME.

BONNIE ERBE: RIGHT, EXACTLY.

IT SOUNDS LIKE AN AMAZING LIFE FOR HER CHILDREN.

AND I WANTED TO TELL HER STORY, TURNED YOU INTO A FIREBRAND, PARTICULARLY ON THE ISSUE OF HEALTH CARE.

YOU WERE IN THE SENATE IN 2017 WHEN OBAMA WAS OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND DONALD TRUMP WAS IT TRYING TO GET RID OF HEALTH CARE ALONG WITH OTHER REPUBLICANS.

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?

WHAT ABOUT YOUR MOTHER MADE YOU HANG IN THERE?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: WELL, OF COURSE MY MOM, WHEN SHE BROUGHT US TO THIS COUNTRY, WE HAD NOTHING AND SHE WERE TO VERY LOW WAGE JOBS, WHICH HAD ABSOLUTELY NO BENEFITS, INCLUDING HEALTH CARE.

AND SO MY GREATEST FEAR GROWING UP AS A CHILD IN THIS COUNTRY WAS THAT MY MOM WOULD GET SICK AND IF SHE GOT SICK, SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GO TO WORK.

NO WORK, NO PAY, NO FOOD.

TELL ME ABOUT WHAT ABOUT HER AND SO I KNEW HOW VULNERABLE WE WERE TO ANY KIND OF MAJOR ILLNESS SITTING IN THE SENATE.

AND EVEN BEFORE THEN, BECAUSE I WAS IN THE U.S. HOUSE WHEN WE PASSED THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WHICH ENABLED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO UP TO THAT POINT HAD ABSOLUTELY NO HEALTH CARE TO GET HEALTH CARE.

IT WAS VERY BASIC.

DOZENS OF TIMES TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IN 2017.

LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT I WOULD BE CONFRONTED WITH A MAJOR HEALTH DIAGNOSIS MYSELF.

AND ONCE AGAIN, I WAS REMINDED HOW IMPORTANT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE IS FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

AND HERE, THE REPUBLICANS TRIED OF STAGE FOUR KIDNEY CANCER AGAIN, IT REALLY BROUGHT HOME TO ME HOW VULNERABLE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WOULD BE IF THEY DID NOT HAVE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TO RELY ON.

SO YOU CAN BET THAT I WAS FIGHTING AGAINST THE REPEAL OF IT TOOTH AND NAIL ALL THE TIME.

AND ONE OF THE SPEECHES THAT I GAVE ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE WAS IT WAS REALLY MEANINGFUL TO ME BECAUSE I ALSO, FOR THE FIRST TIME TALKED ABOUT MY SISTER, WHO DIED IN JAPAN, IN MY VIEW, FOR LACK OF ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE.

>>BONNIE ERBE: HOW DID THAT HAPPEN IN JAPAN, I THOUGHT THEY HAD A GOOD HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, NOT IN THE COUNTRY AREA THAT I LIVED IN.

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: I'M ONE OF THE FEW SENATORS THAT WAS NOT BORN IN A HOSPITAL.

SO ALL OF MY MOTHER'S CHILDREN WERE BORN AT HOME.

I LIVED IN A PART OF JAPAN THAT WAS VERY RURAL, VERY COUNTRY.

AND SO MY BABY SISTER CONTRACTED PNEUMONIA AND SHE WAS NOT HOSPITALIZED.

AND I REMEMBER SHE SHE PASSED AND SO WHEN I GOT MY DIAGNOSIS I DO THINK THAT IF SHE HAD HAD ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE, THEN PERHAPS SHE COULD HAVE SURVIVED.

SO THAT WAS JUST ONE EXAMPLE.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, GROWING UP NOT HAVING ANY HEALTH CARE COVERAGE AT ALL AND THEN MYSELF BEING DIAGNOSED WITH KIDNEY CANCER AND HAVING MAJOR OPERATIONS AND THE COST OF THOSE OPERATIONS.

THIS IS WHY BONNIE, BEFORE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WAS PASSED, MOST A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE PERSONAL BANKRUPTCIES WERE AS A RESULT OF UNEXPECTED MASSIVE HEALTH CARE COSTS THAT WERE AWAY.

AND EVEN IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE HEALTH CARE AND YOUR YOUR HEALTH CARE COSTS BY THE THOUSANDS AND TO GET AN OPERATION, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LITERALLY COULDN'T AFFORD IT AND THEY DECLARE BANKRUPTCY.

AND AFTER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT PASSED, MILLIONS OF MORE PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO GET HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

AND LITERALLY, I WOULD SAY ,THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, SAVED LIVES.

BONNIE ERBE: SO YOU'RE YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT THAT THAT EVEN BANKRUPTCY IS RELATED TO HEALTH CARE COSTS, THAT BUSINESSES ARE MORE LIKELY TO GO BANKRUPT?

I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: NO, I'M SAYING INDIVIDUALS WHO FACE HEALTH CARE COSTS, BECAUSE IF YOU WERE FACING THOUSANDS OF CONFRONTING PEOPLE.

UNEXPECTED HEALTH CARE BILLS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY COVERAGE INSURANCE COVERAGE, YOU WOULD DECLARE BANKRUPTCY.

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO DID NOT HAVE HEALTH CARE.

AND THAT'S THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, AND IT PROVIDED MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT HEALTH CARE, HEALTH CARE.

BONNIE ERBE: AND IS THAT WHAT GOT YOU INTO BEING A REAL, SOCIALLY ACTIVE ADVOCATE?

UHM FOR HEALTH CARE FOR OBAMACARE.

>>SPEAKER: I KNEW HOW IMPORTANT HEALTH CARE WAS BECAUSE IT WAS.

AS I SAID WHEN WE FIRST CAME TO THIS COUNTRY, WE HAD NO HEALTH CARE.

I WAS REALLY SCARED THAT MOM WOULD GET SICK.

WE WOULD HAVE NO HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

SO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THE PEOPLE GET HEALTH CARE.

AND I COME FROM A STATE WHERE WE HAVE PREPAID SOMETHING CALLED PREPAID HEALTH CARE.

WE HAVE PROBABLY THE BEST HEALTH A LOT OF PEOPLE DID.

SO I WAS VERY AWARE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HAWAII COULD RELY ON THEIR EMPLOYERS, REGARDLESS OF CARE COVERAGE OF ANY STATE.

PROVIDE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

THAT IS WHAT THE STATE LAW PROVIDED.

THAT WAS NOT THE CASE IN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

BUT BONNIE, I'VE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WHO HOW MANY EMPLOYEES THERE WERE TO I SAY THAT IN PUBLIC.

I SAY THAT TO THE PRESS.

IN OUR COUNTRY, PEOPLE ARE SCREWED EVERY SECOND, MINUTE, HOUR OF THE DAY BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT HAVE HEALTH CARE, THEY MAY NOT HAVE EMPLOYED EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS, ALL OF THAT.

AND I LIVED THAT KIND OF LIFE GROWING UP AS AN IMMIGRANT.

AND SO I WAS VERY INTENT ON BEING IN A POSITION.

IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS IN ELECTED OFFICE WHERE I COULD FIGHT FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE GETTING SCREWED IN OUR COUNTRY, AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT I GET TO DO THAT NOW.

>>BONNIE ERBE: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR ASIAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE.

HOW IS THAT HELP MAKE YOU ARE LITERALLY ARE GETTING SCREWED.

AND TELL ME ABOUT HOW, IF AT ALL, YOU'VE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE WHO YOU ARE?

VIOLENCE THAT WE'VE SEEN?

>>SPEAKER: WAVE OF ASIAN HATE THAT AND LONG I CAN REMEMBER, HAVE BEEN ALWAYS AS THE OTHER, THE PERPETUAL FOREIGNER.

AND THIS IS WHY WE HAVE LAWS LIKE THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT AND THE INTERNMENT OF JAPANESE-AMERICANS DURING WORLD WAR TWO, THAT THE ASIAN AMERICANS ARE THE PERPETUAL OUTSIDERS TO BE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST.

AND IT'S NOT JUST ASIANS, IT'S THE MUSLIMS AND OTHERS.

JEWS, MINORITY PEOPLES HAVE BEEN DISCRIMINATED IN OUR COUNTRY AND FRANKLY, RACISM IS NEVER FAR BELOW THE SURFACE IN OUR COUNTRY.

AND SO WE MUST BE EVER VIGILANT ASIANS, FOUR, FOUR, OH, HOWEVER HEAD, WHICH IT DOES ON A SADLY PRETTY REGULAR BASIS IN OUR WHEN RACE RACISM REARS ITS UGLY AND OF COURSE, DURING THE PANDEMIC, YOU HAD A HUGE INCREASE IN HATE CRIMES AGAINST ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS, AND WE ALL SAW THE VIDEOS OF ASIANS GETTING BEATEN UP IN PUBLIC AND PEOPLE, BYSTANDERS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP.

AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS THAT I REALLY PUSHED FOR COUNTRY.

WHICH WAS FINALLY VOTED ON IN A BIPARTISAN WAY AND ONLY ONE REPUBLICAN VOTED AGAINST IT.

THAT WAS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ASIANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THESE KINDS OF TERRIBLE DISCRIMINATION AND HATE CRIMES COULD REPORT IT TO HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GET INVOLVED AND ENGAGED, AND TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, AS WELL AS LOCAL ADVOCACY ADVOCACY GROUPS TO SUPPORT THE REPORTING AND LITERALLY THE PROSECUTION OF THESE KINDS OF HATE CRIMES THAT REALLY TOOK A SPIKE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AS WE ALL KNOW, WE HAD A PRESIDENT WHO CALLED THE PANDEMIC THE CHINA CHINA VIRUS, CHINA FLU.

WE HAVE MEMBERS OF HIS ADMINISTRATION CALLING IT THE THE KUNG FLU AND ALL OF THAT.

THE COVID 19 HATE CRIMES BILL, MY VIEW, RACIST CRIMES TARGETING ASIAN-AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS.

>>BONNIE ERBE: SO YOU BLAME TRUMP.

YOU THINK THERE'S A DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT HE SAID IN PUBLIC AND AND THESE?

WAS IT A SPURT OF VIOLENCE THAT HAPPENED OR DOES IT HAPPEN ALL THAT ALL LED TO THE KIND OF, IN MEDIA COVERAGE?

00:12:34:05 SEN. MAZIE HIRONO: I THINK IT WHEN I SAID THAT RACISM IS NEVER FAR BELOW THE SURFACE OF LET'S FACE IT BONNIE, OUR COUNTRY HAS NEVER REALLY DEALT WITH A WITH RACISM AGAINST BLACKS SLAVERY.

AND THAT IS A HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY.

WE HAVE NOT DEALT WITH WHAT HAPPENED, WHAT OUR COUNTRY DID TO THE AMERICAN INDIANS AND TO THE NATIVE HAWAIIANS.

THE TIME AND IT JUST DOESN'T GET THE SURFACE, AND WE NEED TO BE EVER WATCHFUL WHEN IT REARS ITS UGLY HEAD.

AND SO ASIANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SEEN AS THE OTHER AND OUTSIDERS PROFESSIONAL FOREIGNERS.

AND THIS IS WHY DISCRIMINATORY LAWS LIKE THE CHINESE HATING EXCLUSION ACT WAS PASSED WHERE CHINESE WERE EXCLUDED FROM EVEN COMING INTO OUR COUNTRY AT ONE AND SO RACISM IS NEVER FAR BELOW DECISION TO INCARCERATE 120,000 JAPANESE-AMERICANS DURING WORLD WAR TWO JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE POINT AND THE OTHER TERRIBLE SO THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY IN THESE CASES IS IS REALLY TERRIBLE.

AND SO WHEN IT WHEN IT RAISES ITS HEAD AND INCLUDING, I HAVE TO INCLUDE DURING THE PANDEMIC, THERE WERE ALSO DISCRIMINATION AND TERRIBLE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST JEWS.

AND WHEN TRUMP FIRST GOT ELECTED, HE HAD THE MUSLIM BAN.

SO I'M NOT BLAMING TRUMP.

THIS IS WHAT HE DID WAS TAP INTO JAPANESE-AMERICANS.

THE KIND OF RACIAL, THE RACIAL COUNTRY AS A AS AN AMERICAN JEW CULTURAL DO.

>>BONNIE ERBE: I FOLLOW THAT MORE CLOSELY AND THAT BUT THAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.

THERE HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THINGS WRITTEN ON SUBWAY WALLS AND EVEN ON THE WALL OF A PROFESSOR AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, MY ALMA MATER.

SO THAT KIND OF STUFF IS HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVEN BEFORE TRUMP.

BUT AS YOU SAW?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: YES, RIGHT?

YES.

>>BONNIE ERBE: ANYWAY, IS HEALTH CARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TO YOU?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: IT'S VERY FUNDAMENTAL THAT THAT PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE HEALTH CARE.

I CONSIDER HEALTH CARE A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE.

I ALSO THINK THAT VOTING IS A RIGHT, NOT A PRIVILEGE.

AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW BONNIE THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BILLS BEING CONSIDERED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO BASICALLY STEAL OUR VOTES.

VOTER SUPPRESSION IS ALIVE AND WELL IN OUR COUNTRY, AND IT'S BLATANT.

AND THIS IS WHY CONGRESS SHOULD ENACT A VOTER PROTECTION ANIMUS THAT EXISTS IN OUR BONNIE ERBE: DID THE DEMOCRATS HAVE AS A HARDER TIME?

GETTING ASIAN AMERICANS OUT TO VOTE AS THEY DO.

HISPANIC AMERICANS AND BLACK AMERICANS AND YOUNG PEOPLE OF ALL COLORS.

>>SPEAKER: WITH A VOTER SUPPRESSION GOING ON, ALL OF THE GROUPS THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE GOING TO HAVE A MUCH HARDER TIME VOTING, EXERCISING THEIR VOTE BECAUSE THE HOURS OF VOTING IS BEING LIMITED.

THE PLACES WHERE THEY CAN VOTE IS BEING LIMITED.

THERE ARE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS BEFORE THEY CAN VOTE.

SO ALL OF THESE GROUPS ARE TARGETS.

WHY?

BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS HAVE DECIDED THAT THESE ARE GROUPS THAT TEND TO VOTE DEMOCRATIC AND THEY'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE IT MUCH TOUGHER LEGISLATION.

IN FACT, GEORGIA'S LAW MAKES IT A CRIME TO EVEN PROVIDE FOOD AND WATER TO PEOPLE WHO ARE WAITING IN LINE TO VOTE.

WE ALL SAW THOSE LONG LINES IN GEORGIA AND OTHER PLACES, SO THEY HAVE NOW ENACTED A LAW THAT MAKES IT ILLEGAL FOR GOOD HEARTED PEOPLE TO PROVIDE THEM FOOD AND WATER AS THEY ARE WAITING IN LINE.

THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE KINDS OF LAWS THAT GEORGIA HAS ENACTED AND THE KIND OF LAWS THAT ARE TO VOTE.

COUNTRY TO SUPPRESS VOTES, BASICALLY TO STEAL THE VOTES OF YOUNG PEOPLE, MINORITY PEOPLE, BEING PASSED ALL ACROSS THE ASIAN-AMERICANS.

>>BONNIE ERBE WELL, AND ON TOP OF THAT, THERE WAS RECENTLY AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES ABOUT HOW REPUBLICANS HAVE SET BLACKS, HISPANICS, ALL THE SECRETARY OF STATE OFFICES IN THE IN THE KEY IT UP FOR THEMSELVES TO CONTROL PURPLE, NOT BLUE, NOT RED.

HOW HOW IS THAT MOVING FORWARD GOING TO IMPACT VOTING FOR STATES, WHICH ARE, YOU KNOW, >>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE CAN DO IS TO PASS VOTER PROTECTION LAWS SUCH AS THE JOHN LEWIS VOTER PROTECTION LAW, WHICH WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO TO BASICALLY PREVENT THESE KINDS OF VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS FROM BEING ENACTED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BUT BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT, IN A VERY IMPORTANT CASE, ELIMINATED THAT KIND OF PROTECTION, THE STATES ARE VERY BUSY ENACTING HUNDREDS OR DOZENS OF VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS AND CONSIDERING HUNDREDS OF OTHER VOTER SUPPRESSION LAWS PASSED.

EVERYBODY?

THINGS BEING PASSED IS, FOR EXAMPLE, IN GEORGIA, ANY VOTER CAN CHALLENGE ANY OTHER VOTER.

SO ONE OF THE REALLY NEFARIOUS CAN CHALLENGE ANOTHER VOTER FOR FRAUD.

AND THEN IT IS UP TO THE PERSON SO IF I WERE A GEORGIA VOTER, I TO TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVEN'T COMMITTED ANY KIND OF VOTER FRAUD.

THAT IS HOW BAD IT IS.

AND THERE ARE ALSO GROUPS THAT BEING CHALLENGED TO PREVENT THAT VOLUNTEERS TO CHALLENGE OTHER VOTERS ANY NUMBER OF TIMES.

>>SPEAKER: AND THEN YOU TALKED ABOUT CONTROLLING THOSE STATE ELECTIONS.

WHETHER YOU'RE A GEORGIA LAW ALSO ENABLES THE STATE LEGISLATURE CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS TO CONTROL THEIR ELECTION BOARD BY CONTROLLING THREE OF THE FIVE SEATS.

SO THESE ARE JUST BLATANT THEY'RE NOT EVEN ATTEMPTS.

THESE ARE THESE ARE BLATANT LAWS THAT MAKE IT MUCH, MUCH TOUGHER TO VOTE IN THESE STATES.

>>SPEAKER: YOU SEE A FUTURE WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE MUCH HARDER FOR STATEWIDE CANDIDATES OR EVEN ARE ALREADY SIGNING UP HOUSE TO GET ELECTED BECAUSE OF THE PREDOMINANCE OF REPUBLICAN SECRETARIES OF STATE, MANY OF WHOM ARE TRUMP AFFILIATES.

>>SPEAKER: THEY'RE TRYING TO CONTROL WHO THE SECRETARIES OF STATES ARE, AND IF THEY RUN FOR OFFICE, THEY IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR CANDIDATES.

SO THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN DOING HAVE BEEN PLANNING FOR THIS KIND OF TAKE OVER FOR DECADES.

THEY ALSO CAN RELY ON A LOT OF DARK MONEY TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE THESE ENDS.

THAT'S WHY CAMPAIGN SPENDING REFORM ALSO NEEDS TO HAPPEN.

THE DISCLOSURE OF ALL THESE CONTRIBUTORS OF DARK MONEY SHOULD ALSO HAPPEN, BUT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO INCENTIVE AND NO INTEREST TO HELP US ENACT ANY OF THESE KINDS OF REFORM MEASURES.

>>BONNIE ERBE: DO YOU THINK DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO RUN AGAIN?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: HE SAYS SO.

BUT WHATEVER THE CASE, THE DAMAGE IS ALREADY BEING DONE ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY WITH THESE BOTH STEALING LAWS, AS THOUGH ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BE TRUMP JUNIOR ARE MANY CHUMPS.

THEY'RE VERY BUSY GETTING DISTRICT CANDIDATES FOR THE BONNIE ERBE: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT A SECOND, AN INDEPENDENT, ACTUALLY REPUBLICAN LIKE LYNNE CHENEY RUNNING AGAINST HIM TO THEMSELVES ON THE BALLOT.

STILL EXIST IN THE POPULOUS, EVEN IF THEY DON'T EXIST MUCH IN THE HOUSE OR SENATE TO RUN GIVE MODERATE REPUBLICANS WHO ENOUGH VOTES TO WIN THE ELECTS TO VOTE FOR FOR THE DEMOCRATS TO WIN THE ELECTION.

>>SPEAKER: I WOULD LOVE FOR A SANE PERSON TO CHALLENGE DONALD TRUMP IF IN FACT HE RUNS.

BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, YOU CAN'T EVEN CALL IT A REPUBLICAN PARTY.

IT'S A TRUMP PARTY AS A TRUMP INSURRECTION, RIOTERS.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TEXAS LAW, FOR EXAMPLE, BOUNTY HUNTERS, THAT'S WHAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS.

>>BONNIE ERBE: ARE DEMOCRATS GOING TO TURN AROUND AND TRY TO USE IF THE SUPREME COURT APPROVES THE TEXAS LAW ANTIABORTION LAW, WHICH OF COURSE, ALLOWS CITIZENS TO MAKE COMPLAINTS, NOT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AGAINST CLINICS OR DOCTORS OR WHAT HAVE YOU WHO ARE PROVIDING ABORTION?

ARE THE DEMOCRATS GOING TO TRY AGAINST TRUMP AND DRAIN OFF OF GUN VIOLENCE CAN SUE THE PERSON WHO SHOT THEM AND AND THE GUN MANUFACTURER, FOR EXAMPLE, TO USE THAT, SAY TO ANY VICTIM SAME KIND OF POWER?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: I WOULD THINK THAT THE DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED STATE LEGISLATURES WOULD CONTEMPLATE SUCH A THING.

AND WHY NOT?

IF TEXAS THINKS THAT IT CAN GET AWAY WITH BASICALLY GOING AGAINST THE CONSTITUTIONAL ROE V WADE DECISION, AND EVEN IF ANY STATE CAN GET AROUND A SUPREME COURT DICTATE LIKE THAT LAW PROTECTION, THEN WHY NOT FOR EVERY OTHER ISSUES SUCH AS YOU MENTIONED, AND THAT IS WHY THE SUPREME COURT IS NOT STEPPING UP AND SAYING THAT WE ARE GOING TO PREVENT TEXAS FROM IMPLEMENTING THIS LAW.

UNTIL WE SEE THE SUPREME COURT DECIDES WHETHER OR NOT TO ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO USE THAT SUPREME COURT SHOULD HAVE DONE, BUT NOT THIS SUPREME COURT.

DONALD TRUMP SAID THAT HE WAS GOING TO NOMINATE TO THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES WHO WOULD OVERTURN ROE V WADE IS WHAT THE THREE JUSTICES ON THE SUPREME COURT.

>>BONNIE ERBE: BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF TALK.

OVERTURN ROE V WADE, AND HE HAS LATE EIGHTIES AND THROUGH THE EARLY MID NINETIES, AND THEY ALWAYS THE TALK AMONG JOURNALISTS BACK THEN WAS THAT THE REHNQUIST COURT WOULD NOT, I COVERED THE COURT FROM IN THE WOULD NOT OVERTURN ROE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY HOLES IN ROE.

AS IT STANDS, IT'S NOT THE SAME LAW THAT THE SUPREME COURT APPROVED IN THE EARLY SEVENTIES.

AND SO WHY?

OR EVEN IF IT HAD THE VOTES, IMPETUS TO START BIG MARCHES AND THEN A WHOLE SOCIAL MOVEMENT AGAINST REPUBLICANS AND LOSE WOMEN'S VOTES FOREVER OR THE THE VAST MAJORITY OF WOMEN'S VOTES AND JUST DO SOMETHING THAT LOOKS ON PAPER SIMILAR TO OVERTURNING ROE, BUT NOT QUITE OVERTURNING WHY GIVE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS THE SO DEMOCRATS DEMOCRATS COULD NOT USE THAT ISSUE AGAINST REPUBLICANS.

DO YOU THINK THEY MAY DO THAT?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: THEY MAY.

BUT IF THE EFFECT OF WHATEVER THE SUPREME COURT DOES, THAT VASTLY LIMITS A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO AN ABORTION, A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO ROE.

BODY, I'D SAY THAT WE SHOULD SEE THROUGH THAT KIND OF A PLOY ON THE PART OF THE SUPREME COURT AND AND THE WOMEN IN THIS COUNTRY WHO WILL CONTINUE TO MARCH AND CONTINUE TO STAND UP FOR THEIR RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN BODY.

THAT IS MY HOPE.

WOMEN ARE BECOMING MOBILIZED ALL EXERCISE CONTROL OVER HER OWN AND REACTION TO WHAT TEXAS HAS DONE AND BY THE WAY, WHAT MANY OTHER STATES ARE DOING TO TOTALLY RESTRICT A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO ABORTION.

>>BONNIE ERBE WHAT MESSAGE?

WHAT TAKEAWAY DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO HAVE AFTER THEY READ YOUR BOOK?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: I HOPE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN RESPONSE WOMEN CAN FIND, SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN RELATE TO.

I KNOW VERY FEW WOMEN WHO HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIVES THAT YOU CAN'T DO THIS.

YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

YOU'RE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE.

ALL OF THAT.

I I DON'T KNOW A SINGLE WOMAN WHO HAS NOT BEEN TOLD THOSE THINGS.

AND SO I HOPE WOMEN WILL SAY THAT'S RIGHT AND GET THOSE VOICES OUT OF OUR HEADS AND CHART OUR OWN COURSE.

ANOTHER THING THAT I HOPE PEOPLE CAN RELATE TO IS THAT ALL OF US AT SOME POINT HAVE FACED MAJOR HEALTH ISSUES AND THAT I HOPE WOMEN CAN RELATE TO THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE AS A RIGHT, NOT A THAT THEY CAN FIND, ESPECIALLY I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL BEGIN TO, ESPECIALLY WOMEN WILL USE THEIR VOICES TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES BECAUSE IT'S BEEN PRIVILEGE.

BECOME THE OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE THAT I AM TO STAND UP AGAINST BULLIES LIKE TRUMP.

WE SHOULD TAKE RISKS AND GET OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONE.

USE OUR VOICES.

SPEAK UP FOR THE THINGS THAT WE CARE ABOUT.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU'VE NEVER GOTTEN INVOLVED IN SOME CAUSE, QUITE THE JOURNEY FOR ME TO OR IF YOU'VE NEVER MARCHED FOR ANYTHING AND DO IT, YOU KNOW, JUST GET OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONE.

IF YOU'VE NEVER SPOKEN UP AGAINST A BULLY, DO IT.

BONNIE ERBE: AS A MEMBER OF THE US SENATE AND PRIOR TO THAT, A HOUSE MEMBER.

DID YOU EVER FACE DISCRIMINATION BY SOMEONE WHO, YOU KNOW, A STAFF MEMBER OR A SENATOR OR WHAT HAVE YOU SOMEBODY WHO DIDN'T PROBABLY RECOGNIZE WHO YOU WERE?

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: AS I SAID, ALL THROUGH MY POLITICAL TIME, AS I'VE GONE THROUGH MY EXPERIENCES, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SO MANY TIMES WHEN USUALLY MEN UNASKED FOR WOULD COME AND TELL ME THAT I WASN'T READY FOR THIS RACE OR THAT RACE, OR THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO WIN AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME.

SO THOSE ARE COMMON EXPERIENCES THAT WOMEN HAVE, NOT JUST THOSE OF US WHO RUN FOR OFFICE, BUT ANYBODY WHO IN BUSINESS, ANY ANY WALK OF LIFE.

I'D SAY WOMEN HAVE HAD THOSE KIND OF EXPERIENCES.

SO YES, ALL OF US, I THINK, HAVE EXPERIENCED DISCRIMINATION OF THAT SORT.

I'D DESCRIBE THAT AS DISCRIMINATION.

OH, IT'S UP TO US.

AND IN THOSE KINDS OF WAYS AND WOMEN HAVE TO, WE HAVE TO USE OUR VOICES AND STAND UP FOR OURSELVES.

IT'S GOOD WHEN WE DO IT THEN DO IT.

>>BONNIE ERBE: IT'S AMAZING THAT THEY WOULD COME TO YOU WITHOUT YOU HAVING ASKED THEIR OPINION.

>>SEN.

MAZIE HIRONO: THIS IS EARLIER ON IN MY POLITICAL LIFE WHERE THE MEN THOUGHT THEY THEY COULD GIVE ME ADVICE LIKE THAT UNASKED FOR, AS I SAID, IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET THOSE VOICES OUT OF MY HEAD TOGETHER.

>>BONNIE ERBE: TERRIFIC, THANK YOU SO MUCH, SENATOR MAZIE HIRONO, THE JUNIOR, THE JUNIOR SENATOR FROM HAWAII, A DEMOCRAT AND AUTHOR OF THE BOOK HEARTS OF FIRE AN IMMIGRANT'S STORY.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION.

AND TO LISTEN TO MY OWN VOICES.

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