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Don Lemon Tonight

Trump Wants Law and Order; Sen. Rand Paul Heckled; Division Used as Tool to Power; Truth Unveiled Over Jacob Blake's Shooting; Chadwick Boseman Dies at 43; Robocall Trying to Scare Voters. Aired 10-11p ET

Aired August 28, 2020 - 22:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[22:00:00]

DON LEMON, CNN HOST: This is CNN Tonight. I'm Don Lemon.

For those of you who believe in reality, pay close attention. For those of you who may not, pay closer attention. I've got a lot to say. It's Donald Trump's America. And it's an angry America, an America where protesters are shot in the street, an America where more than 180,000 people have died in a pandemic where the death toll could pass 300,000 by December.

These are facts. I hope you're listening.

An America where the White House, the people's house, is turned into the backdrop for a partisan political convention, with all the trappings of a dear leader-style celebration, that is Donald Trump's America.

Yet, the president wants you to think that all of this is somehow Joe Biden's fault. Joe Biden? I shouldn't have to, but I will point out, is not the president. But Donald Trump, who is the president, and has been so for nearly four years, just keeps blaming Democrats. And incredibly, floating the idea tonight of declaring insurrection so federal forces can enter Democratic-run cities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're not supposed to be involved unless we are invited in by the people that run -- these are all Democrat cities, just so you understand, including D.C. So we are not supposed to go in, unless we call it an insurrection. But that's a big statement. That's a big statement. No reason for it. But you know what we are going to do? We are going to have to look at it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Even last night when teleprompter Trump made his speech, the tone may have been different, but the message was the same, blaming everyone but himself. Blaming the Democrats for what is happening on his watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We must never allow mob rule. We can never allow mob rule.

(APPLAUSE)

TRUMP: In the strongest possible terms, the Republican Party condemns the rioting, looting, arson, and violence we have seen in Democrat-run cities, all, like Kenosha, Minneapolis, Portland, Chicago, and New York and many others, Democrat-run. There is violence and danger in the streets of many Democrat-run cities throughout America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: It's like a wheel. The Democrat-run -- Democrat by the way, I keep telling you grammatically incorrect, Democratic or Democratically run. He is just trying to scare you, plain and simple, trying to scare you, trying to stoke anger and division in America, talking about mob rule at the same time ignoring the violence against black and brown people by police.

Now, I want you to compare that to what we are hearing tonight from the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. This is a lengthy statement that she writes. Like so many of you, I'm exhausted and frustrated right now. It is a weight that I know black and brown people all across the country are shouldering once again. And we're so often left wondering how things will get better.

She's right. And she goes on to say this. These protests and actions will not make Jacob Blake walk again. They will not erase the trauma from those children. And they will not bring back anyone who has been taken from us. But they will do something. They already are opening eyes. Rattling conscience -- consciences and reminding people of all backgrounds that this problem wasn't solved earlier this summer, and it won't be any time soon unless we all make a change.

Again, the former first lady is absolutely right. But we also have to look really closely at the reality of the violence in our streets. We have to take a good, hard look at what's really happening in Donald Trump's America. Because what this president is telling you is not the truth.

I want to be absolutely clear here. I oppose violence. You've heard me say it before. Do not get it twisted. It's indefensible.

[22:05:07]

So, I have to say this, again, indefensible. Don't think anyone should be harassed or attacked. But if you are opposed to scenes like this, OK, Senator Rand Paul and his wife surrounded by a crowd of protesters at the president's acceptance speech last night -- if you are opposed to scenes like that, if you are opposed to that, then you cannot turn a blind eye to the deaths of protesters in Kenosha.

You can't be opposed to that and make excuses for an underage person who shouldn't have a gun. You can't. Who is out on the streets, and who allegedly killed people. There is no way to rationalize that.

This president is running on law and order even though the chaos in our streets is happening on his watch. What he's telling you about Joe Biden and the Democrats, hypothetical. He's blaming the left. He's blaming Democrats. He's ignoring the right-wing counter-protesters. Look it up.

Again, facts, ignoring the right-wing counter-protesters, making America's political divide increasingly violent.

The Washington Post talked to the police chief in Weatherford, Texas, where a peaceful rally by Democrats was stormed by conservative counter-protesters, some armed. The chief there, his name is Lance Arnold, telling the Post what he calls a bunch of ordinary citizens are being mobilized online by inflammatory, false information and are physically confronting protesters if they disagree with their politics.

And, yes, I'm speaking slowly because I want you to understand, and I want to be clear to everyone. OK? They are making it worse, vigilantism, upset because they oppose people's politics. So, they are going in and they are exacerbating the violence and attacking people. It's happening all across the country.

And here's the reality of the violence that is going on. OK? Here's an example. Pay attention to your screen, and to my words. Remember umbrella man? The man dressed in black caught on a live stream smashing in windows of an auto zone. This was in Minneapolis in the middle of protests over the police killing of George Floyd. Remember umbrella man?

It turns out umbrella man was no protester. That was the gingham of the violence and the lawlessness in Minneapolis. Police now say he's associated with a prison gang, one the Anti-Defamation League identifies as white supremacist. They believe that he helped instigate the riots and the destruction. Do not fall for the OK-doke.

The Washington Post, thank goodness for them, did a deep dive into 27 deaths linked to recent protests and found that suspects or perpetrators were almost never protesters. The most recent example, the deaths of two protesters in the streets of Kenosha just this week.

Social media profiles believed to belong to the suspect, a white, 17- year-old, Kyle Rittenhouse, show a teenager with an affinity for guns, a teenager who is pro-police, a teenager who is a supporter of the president. He attended a Trump rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, on January 30th, and posted a short video from the front row to his social media.

[22:10:02]

And there are more examples. There is federal protective services officer David Underwood. The president tried to blame his death on May 29th on protesters. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: In California, an African American enforcement hero was shot and killed. These are not acts of peaceful protests. These are acts of domestic terror.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Yes. That officer was allegedly shot by an air force staff sergeant associated with the so-called Boogaloo movement, which wants to spark a civil war. Italia Kelly was shot on June 1st in Davenport, Iowa, while she was attending a protest. But her family says the alleged shooter had previously made threats against her, and the shooting was apparently unrelated to the protest.

Sean Monterrosa was shot and killed by police after he was stopped near a protest. That was on June 2nd in Viejo, California. He was carrying a tool that an officer mistook for a gun. His family has filed suit. Garrett Foster was shot and killed by Daniel Perry. Daniel Perry is an army sergeant on July 25th in Austin. Perry alleges he fired at Foster, who was also armed, in self-defense.

But when the president tweeted in June about potential protesters at his rally in Tulsa, perry replied, send them to Texas. We will show them why we say don't mess with Texas. Perry has not been arrested and on and on and on.

The scary America that the president is talking about is happening right now. I'm here. This is reality. I'm speaking to you, not from the future, but from the now. Right now, it is happening under President Donald J. Trump. Is it really any surprise? Is it? Let me take you down memory lane, just for a second. Remember, this is the president who encouraged police to rough up suspects. Play it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I said, please don't be too nice. Like, when you guys put somebody in the car and you are protecting their head, you know, the way you put your hand over -- like, don't hit their head, and they have just killed somebody, don't hit their head. I said you can take the hand away. OK?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Nice. This is a man, who during the last campaign, repeatedly encouraged violence against protesters at his own rallies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: I love the old days. You know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They would be carried out on a stretcher, folks.

The guards are gentle with him. He is walking out big high fives, smiling, laughing. I would like to punch him in the face. I tell you.

Knock the crap out of him. Would you? Seriously. OK? Just knock the hell -- I promise you, I will pay for the legal fees.

Get him out. Try not to hurt him. If you do, I'll defend you in court. Don't worry about it. Part of the problem, and part of the reason it takes so long is nobody

wants to hurt each other anymore. There are no consequences to protesting anymore. There used to be consequences.

I would have out there fighting, folks. I don't know if I would have done well, but I would have been boom, boom, beat that --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Do you believe that? Any wonder there's violence? I never heard Barack Obama say anything like that, peaceful man, classy, presidential. Trump? Not so much.

But back to this president, he wants you to ignore everything that is happening on his watch. He wants you to believe that it is Joe Biden's America that is scary, when it, in reality, it's Donald Trump's America.

[22:15:02]

Vote for me, and I'll fix everything that's gone wrong on my watch. It would be funny if it weren't so dangerous. Make America great again? He has had almost four years. What's he waiting for?

In the middle of all this chaos on his watch, the president stoking more division tonight. Historian Jon Meacham -- I'm going to ask him if he has ever seen anything like this, after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The president pushing an alternate reality at his campaign rally in New Hampshire tonight claiming without any evidence that no one will be safe in Joe Biden's America. But last time I checked; Donald Trump is president. So, what about what's happening on his watch?

Author and historian Jon Meacham is here. His new book is titled "His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope." I can't wait to read that. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. "His Truth is Marching On." Thank you so much, sir.

[22:20:07]

So, listen, this has been a crazy week. You have the president warning of chaos, but it's happening on his watch. How alarmed are you about what you are seeing in the moment, this moment in history? Because we have an issue with the truth in this country, a really big issue.

JON MEACHAM, HISTORIAN & AUTHOR: I'm deeply worried. You asked a moment ago, have we ever seen anything like this, and not really. This is the fullest manifestation of many of the worst and darkest forces in American life. This is as if George Wallace had become president in 1968, or as if Strom Thurmond had become president in 1948.

And the war on fact, the war on the evidence of our eyes, and the workings of reason, which was one of the founding principles of the country, however imperfect, part of the point of the republic was that we would give reason a chance to take a stand against passion and emotion and tribalism, nativism, ultimately isolationism, racism, extremism.

We are supposed to use our brains and react to changing circumstance because those things have the capacity to shed light instead of simply generating heat. And we have a president who has decided that the generation of heat is the best means by which he can hold onto power.

LEMON: What does this mean for our republic, do you think? Is the democracy -- the republic holding together by a string now, a tenuous string?

MEACHAM: It is tenuous. It's -- you know, I would argue we are about 55 years old in terms of the republic that you and I know. It was founded in many ways in the period between 1963 and 1965. Today is the anniversary of the March on Washington. I think of John Lewis as a founding father of the America we know because the founders in the late 18th century articulated an ideal of liberty.

John Lewis and others insisted a half century ago that we live up to that ideal. And you look at the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, the Immigration Act in 1965, that created the polity that we have now.

Think about this. Nineteen sixteen eight was the first presidential election in American history that was not conducted under apartheid. Only a half century ago. And so -- even then, that's being pretty generous about 1968 and the access to the ballot.

And so, the greatest form of non-violent protest and I do believe our greatest hope to saving the republic which I do believe is worth the effort and worth the fight is to vote, as you were saying, to insist on truth. John Adams said facts are stubborn things. And I think we have to follow those facts.

LEMON: Yes. Listen, you mentioned the March on Washington, and thousands gathered today at the Lincoln Memorial, 57th anniversary of the March on Washington. You are out with a new book on John Lewis. Because I butchered it in the open your new book is titled "His Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope." How would he see this week?

MEACHAM: He would see it not unlike the way he saw that week 57 years ago. He was the young radical. The Kennedy administration had put two advance men behind the memorial with a power switch to cut the mic if John Lewis seemed to become too revolutionary. He believed and said then, we're tired of being beaten by police. We're tired of going to jail. We're tired of being told to be patient. We want freedom now.

Cut to June in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. What was the last time -- the last occasion where we saw John Lewis in public? He was standing at black lives matter plaza across from the White House.

LEMON: Yes. MEACHAM: And there -- there is a line between those struggles. And what John Lewis would say -- and he did say at the very ends of his life -- is that if you don't think America can change, come walk in my shoes. But he also knew that we have to use those shoes and we have to keep moving.

LEMON: Jon, I love you as a commentator and a person who comes on and discusses these issues. But I think I love you more as an author. And so, I thank you for coming on this evening. Again, the book is, "Hs Truth is Marching On: John Lewis and the Power of Hope." Come back, and we'll spend more time when there is less news. We'll see when that happens, though, Jon. Jon Meacham, thanks so much.

The police association in Kenosha releasing their version of the Jacob Blake shooting including details of an open warrant against Blake. The latest information and the mayor of Kenosha, next.

[22:25:04]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, we have a lot going on this evening, including new developments tonight in the police shooting of Jacob Blake, who has been in the hospital since he was shot in the back seven times this past Sunday.

Let's discuss now. CNN's Omar Jimenez is in Kenosha. He joins us live. He has been covering this.

Omar, I should say, among the new developments, before we get to you, is that the president is making his first comments about the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, saying it was not a good sight when asked if he thought the officer was shot -- who shot Blake was justified. Trump says I am looking into it, the shooting, very strongly.

So, the president making his first public comments about that. In the meantime, Omar, the police union is responding, giving their side of the story. What are they saying? And how is the Blake family responding?

[22:30:06]

OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, among their claims, they are saying that officers knew that Jacob Blake had an open warrant for sexual assault before they arrived. They are saying that Jacob Blake was violent with them, that they were wrestling, that he even put an officer in a headlock.

They are also saying he was not unarmed, that he had a knife that officers did not initially see until they were on the passenger side of the vehicle. Their overall point is they claim that the narratives that many of the narratives that have come out so far are inaccurate and their account of the shooting is what really happened.

Now Jacob Blake's family as you can imagine says that it's completely garbage and they were insulted by those states. And their attorneys say what's come out by the association is completely overblown. They say specifically by the association's logic that if there was a knife anywhere in the vicinity then it gives an officer potentially the green light to use potentially deadly force.

Now one witness did say he did hear officers say 'drop the knife' but he also says he never saw the knife and he backed up the defense attorney's claims by saying that he never saw Jacob Blake be violent with these officers.

LEMON: OK. Thank you. I am not sure -- it was an allegation, as I understand, of assault. I'm not sure that has to do with what happened last Sunday. But thank you, Omar. I appreciate it.

I want to get now to the mayor of Kenosha, John Antaramian. Thank you so much, Mayor. I appreciate you joining us.

Did you hear about what I said about the president making his first statements tonight saying that he's looking into the shooting as he, you know, his, one of his sayings that he says a lot, very strongly. I'm looking into it very strongly. I will be getting reports and certainly let you know pretty soon. That was to a CNN affiliate WMUR in New Hampshire. What do you think of the president's statement?

MAYOR JOHN ANTARAMIAN, KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: I think the president should be staying out of an issue dealing with this. I think the investigation has to happen. In Wisconsin if a situation like this occurs and a police officer involved shooting the municipality immediately remove from the investigation. It immediately goes to the state and the attorney general then takes over the investigation.

They go through the investigation, gather the information, and then give the material to the district attorney, who then will file charges. And I think that it's important for people to allow that process to go forward so we get all the information out, and all the truth, and that we can then deal with the issue accordingly.

It always worries me when people say I am going to look into this or I am going to do something or another. He needs to stay out of it and allow the state to do their job and then the district attorney to do his.

LEMON: Let's talk about how the police are defending their actions. This is the police union, defending actions. You heard some of what they said, again, allegations. It would appear, just from a layman or anyone objectively watching this that they are trying to somehow tarnish their reputation. I'm not sure what one has to do with the other.

But the Wisconsin state attorney general is responding to the police union statement. And they say that they are conducting a fair investigation. Are you confident in that investigation?

ANTARAMIAN: I believe that the attorney general is a good guy, and he will do the right thing. And so, I believe that we will get a fair analysis from him as to the investigation. I have every hope and faith in him that that will occur. LEMON: So, listen, there are a lot of questions that are being asked

about local law enforcement's action over the past week, Mayor. I want you to take a look at this video posted to a Milwaukee-based right- wing web site. It shows a group of armed men being given water by local law enforcement. Among them is Kyle Rittenhouse a man seen on numerous other videos firing at people with his long gun and now charged with killing two people.

Was it appropriate for these officers to give these armed vigilantes water and thank them for being there with assault-style weapons?

ANTARAMIAN: Regrettably, I have not seen this video that you are playing. But I know it. I have seen it in the past. From my perspective is very simple. I do not want militia, an armed militia in my community. They don't belong there. I don't want them there. They are a hindrance to law enforcement. They are a hindrance to everything that goes on to keep people safe.

Protesters are individuals who have a right to protest, they have a right to be in my community. As long as they are not doing damage to a property there is no reason any militia should be there. And if there is issue, that is up to my police and fire -- police and sheriff's department, and in this case, the National Guard to deal with.

[22:35:04]

So, we should not be involved with them at all. And they should not be there.

LEMON: Mayor, I am up against the clock here. But I've got to ask you, when you see the video, and you know it's out there, of Kyle Rittenhouse, allegedly, it's him walking with a weapon in sight towards police officers, hands up, admitting that he shot people, and people yelling 'he just shot someone, or just killed someone,' he is able to cross state lines, go home and then turn himself in the next day. Was that a failure in local law enforcement?

ANTARAMIAN: I think that that's one of those issues that we still need to make sure we understand what happened. In fairness to the officers, there is pandemonium that was going on that evening in other places and they were trying to deal with a lot of things.

However, to answer your question, from my perspective, it should not have happened. But I don't have all the details. And that's -- it's not fair to everyone else when we look at that.

LEMON: Mayor, I understand that. But in all fairness, there was a curfew, this man is walking towards police officers with a weapon, a long gun, an assault-style weapon, in plain sight.

ANTARAMIAN: Yes. I am not going to argue with you at all on that aspect. We should -- it should not have happened. But I don't have all the facts, in fairness to everyone else. But, no, do not want them in the community. And in all honesty, it is regrettable -- not regrettable. It's sad that anyone lost their lives because of this.

LEMON: Mayor, we thank you so much. And we appreciate you coming on. Please come back and update us. Take care.

ANTARAMIAN: OK. Thank you.

LEMON: Thank you. Thousands of people marching in Washington, demanding racial equality. This is 57 years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s I have a dream speech at that very spot. Martin Luther King III joins me. He's next.

[22:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: There is a massive peaceful outpouring in Washington today following this week's police shooting of Jacob Blake. It is 57 years to the day since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to at -- the original March on Washington. Dr. King's son, Martin Luther King III spoke at the event today and he joins me now.

Martin, thank you so much. It's so good to see you. I really appreciate you joining us.

MARTIN LUTHER KING III, MARTIN LUTHER KING'S SON: Thank you.

LEMON: Such serious times. Listen, I just want the play something that you said today that I thought very profound. You said it better than I actually could say it. Here it is, at the Lincoln Memorial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING III: There's a knee upon the neck of democracy, and our nation can only live so long without the oxygen of freedom. The strength must be exercised by more than rhetoric and more than marching. The simple challenge before us is that everyone can cast a ballot, and everyone who can must cast a ballot. And that ballot that is cast must be counted.

So, if you are looking for a savior, get up and find a mirror. We must become the heroes of the history we are making. And us means all of us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: There is so much in there. Because you have only yourself at this time to do what you can do within yourself, right? That's the power that most people have. And the other thing is, when so many people are looking for a strong man or an authoritarian figure to save them, I just thought what you said was so profound. If you are looking for someone who save you, look in the mirror.

KING III: Yes. I mean, that was very poignant and exactly what we wanted to say. That it is -- the responsibility is incumbent upon all of us. All of us can't do everything, but all of us can do something. And so, we are not waiting on a messiah is what I hope is the conveyed message. We don't need a messiah.

We -- if we do what we are supposed to do, particularly as it relates to just going out and voting, we will make a difference in this nation.

Don, you may know this, but out of 170 democracies or over 170, the United States votes at 139, 138 countries vote at a higher level than us. So, as a start, voting is one of the first things that we've got to do. And at this time, the way the climate is, the commander in chief wants to divide people every day, wants to exhibit racism, we have no choice. And that's really all of us.

LEMON: And to suppress the vote. As I always say, don't fall for the OK-doke. Let's talk about the former first lady, Michelle Obama, saying that she is devastated by the shootings in Kenosha. And she also says this, that these past few months I have been thinking a lot about what our kids are seeing every day in this country, the lack of empathy, the divisions stoked in times of crisis, the age old and systemic racism that's been so prominent this summer. Sometimes they see it on the news. Sometimes they see it from the White House Rose Garden and sometimes they see it from the back seat of a car.

Like so many of you I am exhausted and frustrated right now. It is a weight that I know black and brown people all across the country are shouldering once again. And we're so often left wondering how things will get better.

What do you say to people who are exhausted and frustrated with what's happening in this country?

KING III: I think the first thing is I don't know that we really have the luxury of being exhausted. We -- sometimes you have to take a moment to step away from the fight. But you have to find a way to get revived and exhilarated and come back. But we just have to take a break. I think medication. I think prayer.

[22:45:03]

There are a lot of things that we have to do. Most importantly, I would like to see young people -- since at 21 you can go and be a commander in the ROTC once you graduate from college, you are leading troops, if you are a lieutenant.

I'd like to see young people, if you can lead troops then can't you run for office as a city council person or a school board member or a state legislative position? Most of those jobs are part-time jobs. So, we need young people to get engaged. And that's where we are going to see a lot more changes made, I think.

LEMON: Martin, thank you. Listen, our time is short. But I think you understand why when I report this next news. So, I just say thank you and prayers up to the Boseman family. You will understand why when I finish. Thanks again.

KING III: Thank you, Don.

LEMON: So, I have sad news to report to you tonight. The sad news that I am reporting to you tonight is the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman. A statement from his publicist says Boseman had been battling colon cancer for the fast four years. You will recognize his face. Boseman was the star of the blockbuster and ground breaking film "Black Panther" among many others. Our thoughts are with his family. We'll be right back.

[22:50:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So, officials in Michigan and Illinois say a racially charged robocall has been targeting voters with misinformation about mail-in voting. The call falsely claiming that mail-in voters will have their personal information shared with law enforcement to track down old warrants and be added to mandatory vaccine lists. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VOICE CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't be convinced into giving your private information to the man. Stay safe, and beware of vote by mail.

(END VOICE CLIP)

LEMON: Awful that is happening. The recording was tweeted out by Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, who joins me now. So, Secretary Benson, thank you so much. What did you think when you heard these racist and misleading robocalls?

JOCELYN BENSON (D), MICHIGAN SECRETARY OF STATE: If you see something, say something. You know, I wanted to get it out to the public and dispel it right away. I didn't want a single voter in Detroit to choose not to vote by mail out of a fear that, you know, one of the -- one of the, you know, warnings or false statements that was in that robocall would actually lead them to not vote. So, we call it what it was, voter suppression, an attempted voter suppression and we wanted to get the word out so that voters do not believe it.

LEMON: And this is, this is what we need in the moment, is for people to call out injustice whenever they see it. So, I commend you for doing it and I thank you very much. How many people do you think got this call, secretary?

BENSON: We don't know. I mean, I'm grateful for the citizen who did reach out to WWJ, a local news outlet here who pass it along to us. And it enabled us to say to anyone, hey, if you heard this or anything else, you know, contact us, let us know, share it at electionsatmichigan.gov so that we can be vigilant alongside voters at cutting through the misinformation and rhetoric that we know is just likely going to escalate in the weeks ahead.

LEMON: Listen, in general, it is misinformation as you said. But is this all about intimidating minority voters suppressing turnout?

BENSON: Well, it certainly seems that this is targeted, especially at a time when more citizens want to vote by mail than ever before in Michigan and in Detroit. When there's a lot of uncertainty, it's a new system for a lot of voters, many will be voting by mail for the first time. So, it's particularly unconscionable and blatantly racist to target Detroit voters at this moment with that misinformation to scare them away from voting my mail at a time when many of them may not feel safe voting in person.

LEMON: The president continues to spread lies, misinformation about mail-in voting, falsely says that there is widespread voter fraud. Why do you think he's so worried about it?

BENSON: Well, look, I can't -- I don't think any of us can imagine, you know, what's going on inside the head of the president, but what I can say is that our elections are safe and secure and voting by mail in Michigan is safe and secure and is a right that every one of our citizens has.

And my job will be, to make sure they know that their right to vote my mail is something that's accessible and secure and that they should have faith in. And to just, again, cut through the rhetoric and misinformation that I believe, regardless of who is spreading it is design to confuse voters or make them feel uncertain about casting their vote or fearful of doing so at a time when they should have a certainty and clarity about how to make sure their vote is counted and their voices are heard.

LEMON: I must ask you then, considering what is happening the misinformation that's out there, how important will mail-in and early voting be this election cycle? Also, obviously, given the pandemic.

BENSON: Yes. I mean, look, we're in this historic pandemic at a historic time where citizens particularly in the black community in Detroit have been hit hard and disproportionately by the pandemic in a state like hours where they have a right to vote by mail, it's critical to know that they simply know they have the choice to vote from home, to vote by mail or to vote early.

We will also have all our precincts open and so safe in-person voting will be available in Detroit as well throughout our state. And in the three elections we've held this year we've been able to have all those choices available to voters, no crowds, no lines at our in-person locations in part because so many people have voted by mail.

LEMON: And just for clarification too. If someone wanted a mail-in ballot, voters can request that right now, correct?

[22:54:58]

BENSON: Correct. They can go to michigan.gov/vote in our state and many other states to find out how to request that ballot be mailed to them. But the vast majority of voters across the country will be able to vote by mail this fall and have that choice.

So, it's important that they look up the rules, contact their local election officials and find out exactly how to request their ballot and when to expect it and how to return it safely.

LEMON: And I just want to clarify, in the short, very short time that we have left, to do what is said they're going to do in this robocall would be illegal.

BENSON: Correct. It is a blatant attempt to interfere with a citizen's right to vote and intimidate someone from exercising their right to vote. So as soon as we got this, we handed it over to the attorney general and we are supporting that investigation and we'll get to the bottom of this and seek justice.

LEMON: Secretary Benson, you be safe. Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

BENSON: Thanks.

LEMON: The RNC has wrapped up and the president is out on the campaign trail, he's out on the campaign trail in New Hampshire. And this was the scene there when people were told to put on their masks because it's a state law.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please wear your masks.

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