Lawrence: Biden defends legacy after getting more from NATO allies than Trump ever did

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell Episode Title: Lawrence: Biden Defends Legacy After Getting More from NATO Allies Than Trump Ever Did
Release Date: January 14, 2025

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Introduction and President Biden’s Foreign Policy Speech

Timestamp: [00:39] – [03:09]

Lawrence O'Donnell opens the episode by introducing President Joe Biden at the State Department. Biden delivers a comprehensive 28-minute foreign policy address, emphasizing the interconnectedness of domestic and international policies—a hallmark of his administration.

Notable Quote:

Joe Biden [02:19]: "During my presidency, I've increased America's power at every dimension... America is more capable and I would argue, better prepared than we've been in a long, long time."

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Strengthening NATO and Countering Adversaries

Timestamp: [03:09] – [11:18]

Biden highlights significant advancements in U.S. foreign policy, particularly in strengthening alliances and countering global adversaries.

• NATO Alliances: Biden asserts that under his leadership, more NATO allies have increased their defense spending, surpassing efforts made during the Trump administration.

  Notable Quote:

  Joe Biden [04:19]: "Before I took office, nine NATO allies are spending 2% of their GDP on defense. Now 23 are spending 2%."

• Countering Russia and China: He discusses successful strategies to weaken adversaries like Russia and China, emphasizing partnerships that challenge China's aggressive behaviors and rebalance regional power dynamics.

  Notable Quote:

  Joe Biden [04:36]: "As a new administration begins, the United States is in a fundamentally stronger position with respect to these countries than we were four years ago."

• Ukraine Conflict: Biden details the U.S. role in supporting Ukraine against Putin's invasion, noting the failure of adversaries to achieve strategic objectives and the sustained unity of NATO.

  Notable Quote:

  Joe Biden [05:39]: "Today, Ukraine is still a free independent country with the potential for a bright future."

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Investment in American Infrastructure and Clean Energy

Timestamp: [03:18] – [09:09]

Biden underscores massive investments in American infrastructure, technology, and clean energy, positioning the U.S. as a leader in future-oriented industries.

• Infrastructure Projects: Significant investments in roads, bridges, ports, airports, clean water systems, and high-speed internet.

• Technology and Economy: Leadership in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, fostering a dynamic, bottom-up economy.

  Notable Quote:

  Joe Biden [02:19]: "We increased our economic power, building the most dynamic economy in the world from the bottom up and the middle out, not the top down."

• Climate and Clean Energy: Biden boasts the largest investment in climate and clean energy globally, attracting nearly $500 billion in private sector investment.

  Notable Quote:

  Joe Biden [03:18]: "We made the largest investment in climate and clean energy ever, anywhere on earth in the history of the world."

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Discussion with Ambassador Wendy Sherman

Timestamp: [12:06] – [19:10]

Lawrence O'Donnell engages in an in-depth conversation with Ambassador Wendy Sherman, former Deputy Secretary of State, discussing Biden's foreign policy achievements.

• Strengthening Alliances: Sherman commends Biden's efforts in fortifying alliances and diminishing the influence of adversarial states like Russia, Iran, and China.

  Notable Quote:

  Wendy Sherman [13:23]: "President Biden is handing President Elect Trump a very strong hand. Zelensky... wants peace that preserves his country and... security guarantees."

• Integration of Domestic and Foreign Policy: Sherman emphasizes Biden's strategy of intertwining domestic investments with foreign policy objectives, ensuring the U.S. remains resilient against global challenges.

  Notable Quote:

  Wendy Sherman [16:46]: "He understood that if we didn't invest in America... then we were going to be at the mercy of the Chinas of the world."

• Revitalizing the State Department: Under Biden, the State Department has regained its stature and effectiveness, overcoming previous administration challenges and the pandemic's impact.

  Notable Quote:

  Wendy Sherman [18:03]: "They're now back. They are robust because the president and Secretary Blinken believed in them."

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Senate Confirmation Hearings: Challenges and Critiques

Timestamp: [19:10] – [27:48]

The episode shifts focus to upcoming Senate confirmation hearings for President Trump’s cabinet nominees, highlighting unprecedented challenges and political tensions.

• Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense: Hegseth faces scrutiny over a past rape accusation and a subsequent settlement, marking the first instance where a nominee is questioned about settlements related to such allegations.

  Notable Quote:

  Ron Wyden [23:24]: "Chutzpah is not always good... I think that's the case here."

• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services: Kennedy’s controversial views on vaccines and public health policies are a focal point, with Senator Ron Wyden preparing to challenge his positions.

  Notable Quote:

  Ron Wyden [24:07]: "He's got these statements, these outlandish statements on the record. That's where he's going to put his attention."

• Senator Wyden’s Perspective: Wyden discusses the potential implications of these nominations on progressive change and the importance of addressing issues that directly affect Americans, such as medical bills and housing.

  Notable Quote:

  Ron Wyden [27:00]: "We've got to get back to focusing on issues where the second word is bill... medical bill, housing bill, gas bill."

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Hunter Biden Investigation Report Analysis

Timestamp: [27:48] – [34:26]

The discussion moves to the Justice Department’s release of a special prosecutor's report on Hunter Biden, with guest Andrew Weissman providing critical analysis.

• Summary of the Report: The 27-page document addresses the investigation into Hunter Biden's financial and legal troubles, particularly focusing on tax misdemeanors and a diverted gun charge.

  Notable Quote:

  Andrew Weissman [30:32]: "The Biden administration allowed a special counsel to be appointed to bring a criminal case against the son of the sitting president."

• Critiques of the Report: Weissman points out inconsistencies and unanswered questions in the report, such as the abrupt change from proposing misdemeanors to more severe charges, and the pursuit of debunked conspiracy theories.

  Notable Quote:

  Andrew Weissman [34:03]: "Just the facts are what the facts are and you have to live with those."

• Implications for Public Trust: The report and its reception raise concerns about the politicization of the Department of Justice and its impact on public confidence in the criminal justice system.

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Coverage of Los Angeles Wildfires

Timestamp: [34:27] – [41:49]

Lawrence O'Donnell shifts to a pressing local issue: the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, exacerbated by high winds.

• Current Situation: With over 24 confirmed deaths and more than 20 people missing, the fires have overwhelmed local firefighting resources.

  Notable Quote:

  Brent Pasqua [39:05]: "Have that go bag ready, have that emergency plan ready. Make sure all of your family knows what it is."

• Firefighting Challenges: Fire Chief Brent Pasqua explains the logistical nightmare of deploying sufficient resources, highlighting the insufficiency of fire engines and the strain on water systems.

  Notable Quote:

  Lawrence O'Donnell [38:31]: "We think we've lost 8,000 structures... that requires 26,000 fire engines. I don't think the state of California has 26,000 fire engines."

• Preventative Measures: Emphasis on preparedness, emergency planning, and community vigilance to mitigate the impact of recurring fire threats.

  Notable Quote:

  Brent Pasqua [39:38]: "This is just another example of why we need to be prepared with our families to have that emergency plan."

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Closing Remarks

Timestamp: [41:49] – [End]

Lawrence O'Donnell wraps up the episode by reiterating the critical nature of the ongoing wildfire threats in Los Angeles and the need for public preparedness, while briefly mentioning auto insurance as a segue to advertisements.

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Conclusion: This episode of The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell offers a comprehensive look at President Biden's foreign policy achievements, the complexities of Senate confirmation hearings for key nominees, the contentious investigation into Hunter Biden, and urgent local issues like the Los Angeles wildfires. Through detailed discussions with experts and firsthand accounts, the podcast provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of current political and social challenges.

Transcript

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

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[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Well, today, to an audience at the State Department, Secretary of State Antony Blinken introduced the President of the United States for the last time. Simply put, it's been the privilege of my lifetime to work for you, to work with you, to work with this extraordinary team that you've assembled. And it's the honor of a lifetime to be able to introduce one more time the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden.

[Joe Biden]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Please. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It's good to be back at the State Department.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

President Biden gave a 28 minute speech today that was a foreign policy assessment of where the United States stands now in the world at the end of the Biden presidency. But because it was a Biden speech, it began with domestic policy. Because more than any other president of our lifetimes, Joe Biden has always presented foreign policy and domestic policy as related, as two sides of the same coin.

[Joe Biden]

During my presidency, I've increased America's power at every dimension. We increased our diplomatic power, creating more allies than the United States has ever had in the history of our nation. We've increased our military power, making the most significant investments in the defense industrial base in decades. We've increased the technology power, taking the lead in artificial intelligence and other technologies of the future. And we've increased the economic power, building the most dynamic economy in the world from the bottom up and the middle out, not the top down. In short, Kamal and I took office, our nation had become stronger at home, are stronger in the world, and now America is more capable and I would argue, better prepared than we've been in a long, long time.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

That was the essence of the assessment that President Biden then went on to deliver with more detail.

[Joe Biden]

We have made the most significant investments in America and the American workers since the new Deal to rebuild our roads and bridges, our ports and airports, clean water systems, affordable high speed Internet and so much more. To build American manufacturing to make advanced semiconductors, which we invented here at home. We made the largest investment in climate and clean energy ever, anywhere on earth in the history of the world, spurring nearly $500 billion in private sector investment. Today, I can report to the American people our alliances are stronger than they've been in decades. NATO is more capable than it's ever been, and many more of our allies are paying their fair share. Before I took office, nine NATO allies are spending 2% of their GDP on defense. Now 23 are spending 2%.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

That's right. Joe Biden, the president who did not threaten our NATO allies to increase their defense spending, got many more of our NATO allies to increase defense spending than Donald Trump ever did.

[Joe Biden]

We made partnerships stronger and created new partnerships to challenge China's aggressive behavior and to rebalance power in the region. Today I can report to the American people our adversaries are weaker than were when we came into this job four years ago. Just consider Russia. When Putin invaded Ukraine, he thought he'd conquer Kyiv in a matter of days. The truth is, since that war began, I'm the only one that stood in the center of Kyiv, not him. Putin never has. Think about it. It was a long train ride, but I'm the only commander in chief to visit a war zone not controlled by U.S. forces. We help Ukrainians stop Putin. And now, nearly three, three years later, Putin has failed to achieve any of his strategic objectives. He has failed thus far to subjugate Ukraine, failed to break the unity of NATO, and failed to make large territorial gains. As I saw it, when Putin launched his invasion, I had two jobs. One to rally the world to defend Ukraine, and the other is to avoid war between two nuclear powers. We did both those things. Today, Ukraine is still free independent country with the potential, the potential for a bright future.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

President Biden described how much weaker Iran is in the Middle east now and how the alliances of the dictator states prove their weakness.

[Joe Biden]

Now major authoritarian states are aligning more closely with one another. Iran, Russia, China, North Korea. But that's more out of weakness than out of strength. So as a new administration begins, the United States is in a fundamentally stronger position with respect to these countries than we were four years ago.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

The President made a definitive prediction about China's economic competition with the United States.

[Joe Biden]

Today I can report to the American people we're in a better strategic position in the long term competition with China than we were When I took office, you all recall and the experts believe we're predicting it was inevitable that China's economy would surpass ours. According to many predictions, that would happen by the year 2030 or shortly thereafter. But we in this room said no. If we make the investments in ourselves, we protect our workers and technologies. That will not happen now. According to the latest predictions on China's current course, they will never surpass us. Period.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

On Afghanistan, President Biden said, in my.

[Joe Biden]

View, it was time to end the war and bring our troops home. And we did. I commend the courage of all those who served in Afghanistan. We grieve all 2,461Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in the longest war in American history. And I grieve those brave service members whose lives were lost during the withdrawal. We also thank those inside and outside of government who have done so much to help thousands of Afghan families resettle in the United States. Remember, critics said if we entered the war it would damage our alliances and create threats to our homeland from foreign directed terrorism out of a safe haven in Afghanistan. Neither has occurred. Neither has occurred and our alliance has stayed strong. There is nothing I can tell you from my conversation with both Xi and Putin. Nothing our adversaries and competitors like Russia and China would have liked more than seeing us to continue to be tied down in Afghanistan for another decade. For all those reasons, ending the war was the right thing to do. And I believe history will reflect that.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

President Biden described his efforts to counter China's influence in the world, particularly in Africa.

[Joe Biden]

As an example. I was recently in Angola to see a major project being built with the help of American public funding, which brought in even more private investment. We're building the first ever transcontinental railroad across Africa. Will significantly improve the economies of the region, will help farmers transport crops in new global markets, transport critical minerals that would that need that are needed for electric vehicles and semiconductors China used to control the supply chains and these materials. But not for long.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

The President suggested that a cease fire and return the hostages deal that he has been trying to broker for months might finally be coming together on the.

[Joe Biden]

War between Israel and Hamas. We're in the brink of a proposal that I laid out in detail months ago finally coming to fruition. I have learned in many years of public service to never, never, never ever give up. So I spoke to Prime Minister Vigil yesterday. I spoke to Amir Khotr today. I look forward to speaking with President Sisi soon. We're pressing hard to close this, the deal we have a structure would free the hostages, halt the fighting, provide security to Israel, and allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians who suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started. The Palestinian people deserve peace and the right to determine their own futures. Israel deserves peace and real security, and the hostages and their families deserve to be reunited. And so we're working urgently to close this deal.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

President Biden summarized his foreign policy record and America's posture in the world this way.

[Joe Biden]

It's clear my administration is leaving the next administration with a very strong hand to play. And we're leaving them an America with more friends and stronger alliances whose adversaries are weaker and under pressure, an America that once again is leading uniting countries, setting the agenda, bringing others together behind our plans and visions in America, which is no longer war, which has made historic investments in American workers, American energies, many American factories generated the strongest economy in the world, which is now in a much better position to win the future against any competitor.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Leading off our discussion tonight here in Washington is Ambassador Wendy Sherman, former deputy Secretary of State in the Biden administration. Thank you very much for joining us tonight after this important speech. There was one line I want to go to right away, because it's one of those images that is so vivid when talking about Ukraine and Kyiv. He said about Vladimir Putin, I'm the only one who stood in the center of Kyiv, not him. Putin never has think about that. And when I did think about it, I was just thinking, who among us out here, not knowing Joe Biden, not knowing all the details of the region, would have predicted that Joe Biden would stand in the center of Kyiv and Vladimir Putin would never get there, say, in the first week of this war.

[Wendy Sherman]

Absolutely. I was very fortunate to be at that speech today and be in the front row listening to the president. This was the moment where everyone both giggled and applauded because it was quite extraordinary. And as the president pointed out, he wasn't being secured by his own military because we don't have American troops there.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

A war zone that was not controlled by American forces.

[Wendy Sherman]

Yes. You know, Lawrence, one of the most extraordinary meetings I got to attend was the extraordinary NATO meeting where all 30 countries came together to listen to Russia about how they weren't going into Ukraine and how they had a right to to this year. This was right right before about maybe two weeks before the invasion into Ukraine in January, so maybe a month, maybe a little bit more than that. But nonetheless, every One of those 30 NATO countries said the same thing. And the president understood this sovereignty Territorial integrity, the right of a country to make its own political choices. The United States and 50 countries around the world have contributed to support Ukraine. And I think one of the things that was clear today is President Biden is handing President Elect Trump a very strong hand. Zelensky, the president of Ukraine certainly wants peace. Think of the destruction in that country. Think of the communities that have been lost in that country. He certainly wants peace, but he wants peace that preserves his country and a peace where Putin can't come in two months later, a year later, five years later, that there are some security guarantees for him. There is a way forward. I think President Biden was right today, too. Putin is weaker, Russia is weaker, Iran is weaker, China is weaker. And America stands stronger today than when he came into office.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

I want to go to a place you know a lot about Iran. You were part of John Kerry's team when he was Secretary of State. You were under secretary of State negotiating that Iran deal, which was one of the most extraordinary diplomatic breakthroughs of my lifetime. That was then junked by Donald Trump. The president talked today about Iran being weaker now at the end of his presidency than at the beginning.

[Wendy Sherman]

There's no doubt about that. Look at what has happened. Hamas has been pushed back. Hezbollah has been pushed back. Assad had to flee Syria. All of the proxies of Iran, all of the proxies, quite frankly, of Russia as well, because they had stakes in all of these areas are weaker today. And so Iran is weaker. Their economy is staggering. They try to attack Israel. Israel was well defended in thanks to the United States from all of our support for their defensive systems. And as a result, I think the negotiating table is set if Donald Trump wants to use it. And ironically, the foreign minister of Iran is Abbas Arachi, who was my counterpart during those negotiations. He knows this deal quite well. He knows what is possible. He speaks perfect English and he's a very tough negotiator.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

The president combines, whenever he talks about it publicly, to US Domestic policy with foreign policy. He never talks about foreign policy without, as I pointed out in this speech, beginning with domestic policy, more so than any president I've ever listened to in my lifetime. He doesn't seem to compartmentalize these two things.

[Wendy Sherman]

He does not. He understood that if we didn't invest in America, if we didn't build our infrastructure, if we didn't build our own supply chain with ourselves and with our allies and partners, then we were going to be at the mercy of the Chinas of the world, because China is the pacing challenge it is the only country with the wherewithal to really counter what we want to do, the values we want to preserve. So he always moved forward in ensuring that we went there. You know, Lawrence, I want to go to the end of his speech where he said there are two very big challenges, climate and the clean energy future and AI artificial intelligence, which can change the economy dramatically and make people very, very scared about the future. He's taken leadership in both of these areas in really profound ways with the help with fantastic team and a lot of help from the Congress, quite frankly. And it will be critical to our future.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Even that line that he tossed away at the beginning, it's good to be back at the State Department. This respect for what the State Department is, what it was when Thomas Jefferson was secretary of state to where it is now is not something that continues in the next government in the Trump administration.

[Wendy Sherman]

I have to tell you, Lawrence, when I came in as deputy secretary of state, it was after, during the pandemic still, but it was after the State Department had really been disrespected. People had not been hired. New foreign service officers hadn't been brought in. People really kept their heads down. They were afraid to take risks. They were afraid to do their jobs. For all they had been through both the Trump administration and the pandemic, they are now back. They are robust because the president of the United States and Secretary Blinken believed in them, understood. They're not the deep state. They're patriots. They're the people who, day in, day out, make sure that American citizens are safe abroad day in and day out, make sure people have their passports day in, day out, make sure American business can do business abroad and export our goods and create jobs for Americans. President Biden, Secretary Blinken understood that, and it was really wonderful to be there today and see that affirmed.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Ambassador Wendy Sherman, thank you very much for joining us here tonight.

[Wendy Sherman]

Thank you, Lawrence.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Appreciate it. And coming up tomorrow, the strangest Senate confirmation season in history gets underway with the most unqualified nominee for secretary of defense in history, Pete Hegseth in the witness chair. He will be the first nominee in history who will be asked, how much money did you pay the woman who accused you of rape? Senator Ron Wyden joins us next.

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[Lawrence O'Donnell]

The very strangest Senate confirmation hearings in history are about to begin tomorrow for some of the most unqualified Cabinet nominees in history. The Senate Armed Services Committee will become the first Senate committee in history to be considering the nomination of a cabinet member who is an accused rapist. Donald Trump's choice for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, paid a settlement to an unnamed woman who accused him of rape in a statement to the police department in Monterey, California, in 2017. No Senate confirmation in history has included the question, how much did you pay to the woman who accused you of rape? That's where the Trump confirmation hearings begin tomorrow. Some Cabinet nominees have to have Senate confirmation hearings in more than one Senate committee because more than one committee has jurisdiction over the department that the nominee will run. The Senate Finance Committee has jurisdiction over most of what the Department of Health and Human Services does because the Senate Finance Committee has jurisdiction over the biggest health care programs in America, Medicare and Medicaid. The Senate Health, Education, labor and Pensions Committee also has some jurisdiction over the Health and Human Services Department. And so Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Will have to go through two Senate confirmation hearings as Donald Trump's choice for secretary of Health and Human Services. The top Democrat former chairman on the Senate Finance committee said, quote, Mr. Kennedy's outlandish views on basic scientific facts are disturbing and should worry all parents who expect schools and other public spaces to be safe for their children. When Mr. Kennedy comes before the Finance Committee, it's going to be very clear what Americans stand to lose under Trump and Republicans in Congress. And joining us now is Oregon Democratic Senator Ron Wyden. He is the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee. He's also a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Budget Committee. And he is the author of the new book It Takes Chutzpah, how to Fight Fearlessly for Progressive Change, which goes on sale tomorrow, most importantly in the Strand Bookstore in Manhattan, the oldest bookstore in New York. He will be there tomorrow.

[Ron Wyden]

I'll be there signing the Strand and Powell's in Portland, Oregon. They're the two greats.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Ah, yes. Okay. And you can get this signed at the Strand tomorrow. What is it? I mean, it takes. It's the perfect title for what's going on with these nominees. I mean, what does it take to nominate someone like Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense?

[Ron Wyden]

Well, you gotta really be reaching. I mean, chutzpah is not always good. It's inherently good, but it can be misappropriated to do things that are harmful to the American people. I think that's the case here.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

And you have Robert Kennedy coming before you in the Finance Committee. He'll also be in front of the Senate Health, Educational, Labor Committee. What are you going to be focusing on with him in the Finance Committee?

[Ron Wyden]

Well, what I always talk about is, you know, bringing the receipts. And we've been looking at the tapes and the material. I mean, he said point blank, there is no vaccine that has been effective. Now, you say that to parents, for example, in Oregon or any part of the country, and they're going to say, but we've had two or three generations vaccinated and we've been healthy.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

You're going to have to have the videotape ready to roll. Because what he does we've seen this is when you confront him with his actual words. He says he didn't say that.

[Ron Wyden]

Well. And he always says something along the lines of, not only did he not say it, but he's going to study it in the future. That's what he said repeatedly with respect to vaccines. But the reality is the past is prelude. I mean, he's got these statements, these outlandish statements on the record. That's where he's going to put his attention.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

What is at stake for Americans when you have a Secretary of Health and Human Services who knows nothing about the subject, knows nothing about the massive health care delivery systems, Medicare Medicaid that that department is in charge of.

[Ron Wyden]

Well, what have is a situation where you can have real political demagoguery. I mean, he won't know a whole lot about the substance. He'll take some phrases that sound good. Certainly that's been part of the whole Trump approach. And people in America will get hurt.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Senate Intelligence Committee. You're also a member. One of the top members of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Tulsi Gabbard, will eventually, I guess, if she can get her paperwork done, be in front of your committee. What are you focusing on there?

[Ron Wyden]

Well, we're trying to figure out what her real positions are. For example, she took positions, for example, where she was unhappy with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Now she's done an about face. So we're trying to sort out what she really stands for.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

And how do you do that? These nominees are going to be slipping away, trying to slip away from every question you have.

[Ron Wyden]

Well, what you have to do is pin them down on specifics. For example, on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance act. What we're going to say is, why did you change your mind? What were the facts that were relevant? Because she took very strong positions that she was opposed to it initially. Now her Republican sponsors don't like that she's making changes. We'll have to figure out why.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Legislatively, the Senate Finance Committee might be the only place where Donald Trump actually gets anything done, because that's where the Trump tax cut will be written, and that is the one thing he was able to achieve last time. What are you anticipating this year?

[Ron Wyden]

Well, let's understand the distillation of the Trump economic agenda. It's all about giving tax breaks to the people at the very top and having cuts in Medicaid and hunger programs to pay for it. That's what it's all about. We saw something else come out in just the last day or so. It's all about helping the people at the very top.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

What do we find out in this book about, as you put it, fighting fearlessly for progressive change? That's the thing people are wondering about right now. How does it go forward?

[Ron Wyden]

Well, what we're going to talk about is hustle and grit and being willing to be bold and to focus on the issues where the second word is bill, it's going to be medical bill, it's going to be housing bill, it's going to be gas bill. Clearly we lost sight of that in the last campaign. We've got to get it back.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Senator Ron Wyden, who I knew way back when he was Congressman Ron Wyden.

[Ron Wyden]

Alum of the Finance Committee right back.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

In the 20th century. This is a great one. Again, the Strand Bookstore tomorrow night in Manhattan. It takes Chutzpah. How to fight fearlessly for progressive change. You will be fighting fearlessly for truth in these confirmation hearings. Thank you very much.

[Ron Wyden]

Thank you tonight.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Thank you. And coming up, as we await the possible release of Jack Smith's report, the Justice Department released another special prosecutor's report today, the one on Hunter Biden. Andrew Weissman joins us next as we await the possible release of Special Consul Jack Smith's report to Attorney General Merrick Garland. Today, the Justice Department released the report of another special counsel, David Weiss, who spent six years investigating and prosecuting Hunter Biden, or seven, depending on how you counted. The seven year investigation was summarized in a 27 page report, short one for a special counsel, which reserves the last two pages to object to language used by President Biden when pardoning Hunter Biden last year. The report says only after Hunter Biden's guilt had been fully and fairly adjudicated did the president claim that this prosecution was the result of raw politics and that no reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter's cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son. Politicians who attack the decisions of career prosecutors as politically motivated when they disagree with the outcome of a case undermine the public's confidence in our criminal justice system. Attorney Abby Lowell, defense counsel for Hunter Biden, wrote, like all his court Filings, David Weiss 27 page report continues to ignore some of the major mysteries of his seven year investigation. Mr. Weiss conveniently omits his proposal to resolve this investigation in 2023 with a pair of misdemeanors and a diverted gun charge recommended by career prosecutors. Mr. Weiss also fails to explain why, why he reneged on his own agreement, a reversal that came at the 11th hour in court as he and his office faced blistering attacks from Republicans and his then filing and unprecedented charges. His then filing unprecedented charges for someone with no aggravating gun factors, who had paid his taxes in full years before the charges were filed. Finally, and most curious, Mr. Weiss fails to clarify why he and his prosecutors pursued wild and debunked conspiracies about Hunter Biden by a Russian agent that prolonged this investigation and ultimately cost taxpayers millions of dollars. Joining our discussion now is Andrew Weissman, former FBI general counsel and an MSNBC legal analyst. Andrew, how do you sort out these dueling statements today?

[Andrew Weissman]

Well, I think the first and most important thing for people to understand is that the Biden administration allowed a special counsel to be appointed to bring a criminal case against the son of the sitting president. You know this, that is, if you're sort of thinking about is the department weaponizing against enemies? Well, this is a Department of justice that brought a case against the son of the sitting president. And there's also day question that the tax offenses and the gun offenses were committed and that Hunter Biden is guilty of that. The argument that Abby Lowell, his counsel, is making is that it's sort of only because he was the son of the sitting president did the special counsel go forward. In other words, he was sort of singled out for that reason and other people similarly situated would not have been prosecuted. I'm somewhat sympathetic to that idea. And the filing that I've now read up one side and down the other is completely silent as to why David Weiss, the special counsel, was willing to first agree to just two tax misdemeanors and then completely changed his mind. It just doesn't explain why he was willing to do the two tax misdemeanors. And it uses pretty slippery language. If you didn't know the law, you would actually think that he was he had actually only offered two felony counts, but that's not what happened. So, you know, Abby Lowell has a complaint here that there really this isn't the most, I want to say candid, but not the most fulsome report in recounting exactly what happened here.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Yeah, President Biden's comments on it. What he is saying is that if this was anyone else in Delaware who was not his son, who didn't have the kind of prominence that would then attract a special prosecutor, but someone who did these things, didn't pay taxes for a period, and then also said something that was untrue about his drug status on an application for a gun permit, that that person would not be prosecuted this way and might not be prosecuted at all given that by the time he was prosecuted he paid his taxes. And that people can't find another instance of a federal prosecution of someone who said something about his drug status on a gun application that wasn't true.

[Andrew Weissman]

Well, I certainly had not ever experienced that. I was a Prosecutor for over 20 years. And to give you an example of why I don't think the report is really what you expect out of the out of the special counsel's report. He says, well, you know, this kind of charge is the second most common charge brought for federal firearms offenses. What he doesn't say is the first firearm offense that is the Most common is 80% of the cases. The second most is 5%. So to say it's within the 5%, it's like just say that. But to pretend, oh, it's the second most important is really not the kind of candor and forthrightness that you expect in a report. Just, you know, the facts are what the facts are and you have to live with those.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

And the other detail people always want to know about this is okay, but how many of these cases was that the only gun charge? And that's what Abby Lowell means by there was no aggravating issues here. If the gun had been used in some way, that's an aggravating issue that adds to the importance of lying on the on that form. Andrew Weissman, thank you very much for joining us us tonight. Really appreciate it.

[Ron Wyden]

Welcome.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Thank you. And coming up tonight, Los Angeles is living under exactly the same fire warning that was issued last Monday night before the worst fires in Los Angeles history started Tuesday morning. The only places not in danger of suffering from major fire tomorrow because of high winds are their neighborhoods that have already burned to the ground. That's next.

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[Mel Robbins]

The next 48 hours, as we will hear, are very critical.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

The winds are going to pick up with wind gusts that may reach as.

[Wendy Sherman]

Much as 70 miles per hour.

[Mel Robbins]

And so this is the time that.

[Joe Biden]

Everyone must be vigilant.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Follow whatever orders you are receiving from your local authorities.

[Mel Robbins]

If you are in any area where you may be called to evacuate, collect.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Your belongings that you would want to.

[Mel Robbins]

Take in the tragic event that you have to evacuate.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

And please be ready and prepared. Vice President Harris has, of course, lived in California almost all of her life, and she knows the drill. One week ago tonight, at this very hour, California officials issued a red flag warning indicating that hurricane force winds on Tuesday of last week would create the most dangerous fire environment possible in the Los Angeles area. And tonight they are issuing the exact same warning again, saying that winds could again hit 70 mph on Tuesday and Wednesday in Los Angeles, where Now at least 24 people have been announced to be dead. More than 20 other people are missing. On 60 Minutes last night, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Maroney told Bill Whitaker what fire officials were up against. So the water system was stretched. Metropolitan water systems are not designed to sustain a firefight like this. Your viewers can't expect a municipal water system to supply enough firefighting water to extinguish every one of these houses. That's unrealistic.

[Joe Biden]

Did you have enough resources?

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Did you have enough firefighters?

[Joe Biden]

Did you have enough fire engines?

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

No. And there's, there's not enough fire engines for this. Ordinarily for one house like this, you.

[Brent Pasqua]

Might have three or four.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Three or four fire engines. We think we've lost 8,000 structures. So times three fire engines each, that that requires 26,000 fire engines. I don't think the state of California has 26,000 fire engines that could be at one place right now. Joining us now by phone from the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles is Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brent Pasqua. Chief, what is the situation there tonight?

[Brent Pasqua]

Yeah, the situation out here tonight is we have all the crews mopping up extensively, working around the clock to make sure we put this fire as much to bed as we can before these winds surface.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

And I know people tonight who have gotten this new warning in California about the next two days who are feeling just as afraid as they have as they felt all of last week after just experiencing a couple of days of relief. Right?

[Brent Pasqua]

Yeah. This is just another example of why we need to be prepared with our families to have that emergency plan, that go bag ready for times like this when there's not going to be a lot of time to get ready and evacuate. So I strongly urge residents, be diligent, be firewise, don't do anything that could create a spark. One less spark is one less wildfire for us. But also have that go bag ready, have that emergency plan ready. Make sure all of your family knows what it is.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Is there any area of Los Angeles tomorrow that can feel safe as these winds approach again starting around 4:00am you.

[Brent Pasqua]

Know, I haven't had a chance to look at the whole LA metropolitan forecast. I've just been really focused on our fire here in the Palisades. And you know, we're doing everything we can to make sure we have extra resources on every side of this fire in case there were to be an ember that would jump the fire line.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Which sides of the fire could be active now because so much when I look at it, I see areas of the Palisades burnt all the way down to the ocean. So it can't possibly go in a westward direction.

[Brent Pasqua]

That's correct. You're absolutely correct. And that's why we've focused our surges of engines into the Encino area and Brentwood area of this fire. We want to be able to have almost be able to put an engine at every house should the need arise.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

How do you deploy? Will you be deploying engines before there is a specific fire need in that spot?

[Brent Pasqua]

Great question. And yes, we have. As we've gotten reinforcements throughout last week, we just put them out there in the area, either at the house or just down the street ready to go in case something happens. And now even more so, especially with these winds coming, we have engines out there at the houses on the streets. Pre planned, pre positioned, ready to go.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brent Pasqua, thank you very much for joining us again tonight.

[Brent Pasqua]

You're welcome.

[Lawrence O'Donnell]

And for those who were following my coverage last week, I can tell you that my house is still there. It is inside the evacuation zone. So no one has been allowed to. No one who lives on my street or near my street has been allowed back to their houses there. Those people are all very much living on edge because they are. We are literally our houses are on the edge of what is the dangerous fire zone. Those people had a couple of days of feeling like it might be over, but it's not over. That is tonight's last word. Auto insurance can all seem the same until it comes time to use it. So don't get stuck paying more for less coverage. Switch to USA Auto insurance and you could start saving money in no time. Get a quote today. Restrictions apply.