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Laura Coates Live

Graham Platner's Senate Campaign Rocked By Rape Allegation; Team USA Knocked Out Of The World Cup; White House Says Smithsonian Isn't Getting Its History Right. Aired 11p-12a ET

Aired July 06, 2026 - 23:00   ET

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

[23:00:00]

YEMISI EGBEWOLE, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF AND ADVISER, BIDEN WHITE HOUSE PRESS OFFICE: Yes.

PETE SEAT, FORMER WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN FOR FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: It rhymes. It's easy to remember.

ABBY PHILLIP, CNN ANCHOR AND SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Very interesting. Yes.

EGBEWOLE: Are you running for office?

SEAT: I did, and I lost.

PHILLIP: So, we got Billy Binion --

(CROSSTALK)

BILLY BINION, REPORTER, REASON MAGAZINE: -- name, yes, or a habit name. Take your pick.

PHILLIP: All right. One more for some good names. Lastly, can we find bipartisan agreement that Xochitl Hinojosa has the coolest name. Xochitl in 2028. OK.

XOCHITL HINOJOSA, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, FORMER COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR FOR DNC: Latino on the ticket in 2028 will not be new, though.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIP: All right, everyone, thanks for watching "NewsNight." "Laura Coates Live" starts right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNY RACICOT, GRAHAM PLATNER ACCUSER: I'm just here to tell my story, to give a clearer picture of who he is and the type of past that he has.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA COATES, CNN HOST AND SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Tonight, Graham Platner's Senate campaign rocked now by an allegation of rape. Democrats now abandoning ship and calling for him to step down. We've got some fresh reaction tonight from voters in Maine. Also breaking tonight, Team USA knocked out of the World Cup. The loss now fueling new life into the backlash over President Trump's call to FIFA. And later, America now entering its 251st year with a White House that says the Smithsonian isn't getting its history right. That's tonight on "Laura Coates Live."

Well, tonight, Democrats are rapidly abandoning a candidate they had hoped would help them retake the Senate. Their nominee in Maine, Graham Platner, facing an allegation of rape. Now, he says it's false.

Platner is running against Republican Senator Susan Collins in a race that Democrats saw as one of their best chances to flip a seat. But tonight, the crisis inside his campaign is quickly overtaking the race itself. Some of the biggest names in the party are saying he needs to withdraw. That includes several who had stood by him through earlier controversies over his past conduct, offensive online posts, and a Nazi-linked tattoo that he later covered up.

But this allegation, it has now become the breaking point. The woman making the allegation is Jenny Racicot. She says it happened in 2021, two years after she and Platner began casually dating. She told CNN's Jake Tapper that Platner showed up drunk at her house after she asked him not to come, and that he did not listen when she said no.

Now, I'm going to play some of that interview for you tonight, but I will give you this warning: It does include details of an alleged sexual assault, which may be deeply disturbing and triggering for sexual assault survivors.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACICOT: He came in, and I realized, OK, he didn't listen, he's in my home. And I was lying on the couch. It was probably pretty late at night, and I was getting -- I was already ready for bed, I just wasn't in bed.

And so, he had kind of like jumped on top of me and indicated that he had intentions that were sexual in nature. And I remember just at first being like, hey, I'm not into this. Like, don't, I'm not in the mood. Like, don't, whatever. And it got to the point where I was like, OK, I feel like I've said these enough times. Like, he's not listening to me or he's not hearing me.

And I looked at him, and I remember this very specific look in his eyes. And I could smell alcohol. And I was like, this is different. He is heavily intoxicated. And that blank stare was kind of like a photographic memory that -- that I still have of that night. And his -- that was me recognizing what the situation was.

And this wasn't just like, oh, hey, somebody showed up, and I'm going to tell him to go home. Like, he was heavily intoxicated, had intentions with me, and wasn't listening when I said no.

The house that I live in has like this antique sewing kit that I kept beside the couch, and that got knocked over. He like backed into it or something was maybe pushed into it by me or something happened in that moment, and that thing got spilled.

JAKE TAPPER, CNN LEAD WASHINGTON ANCHOR: Do you remember pushing him away?

RACICOT: I remember potentially pushing away with my legs like -- and then, as he backed into it, it spilt, and all of the sewing needles and tape and yarn and everything went everywhere. Everything had fallen onto the floor. And in that moment, I evaluated my safety, like, a drunk person who is blackout drunk is in my home, has these intentions with me, you know, has already caused this amount of destruction and not listening to me.

[23:05:00]

And so, I basically felt safe as just complying.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Platner is vigorously denying the allegation. He posted a video online.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GRAHAM PLATNER, MAINE SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: I wanted to directly address the troubling, serious, and false allegation against me. Any accusation of non-consensual behavior is categorically false. Regardless of the inaccuracy of the reporting, but mindful of political reality it will inflict, we are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward for the state that I love, the people that I love, the movement I belong to, and the goal of defeating Susan Collins.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Now, Platner says the allegation is politically motivated. Racicot says that's not true, and that she even supports his policies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: There are going to be people, maybe even his campaign, certainly his supporters, who say this is politically motivated. What would you say to that?

RACICOT: I couldn't disagree more. That was actually one of the reasons that I didn't come out.

TAPPER: Because you agree with his politics?

RACICOT: I do. I really agree with his politics. I think we need somebody with those political stances and who are willing to do the work. And, you know, I see his political videos. They get me fired up as well.

I understand why people want someone like him in office, you know. And I felt like me coming forward would essentially -- potentially take that away. And I felt really uncomfortable with the responsibility of -- and the weight of my story and what that might do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Platner has not said whether he will stay in the race or not. But you know the reality is the clock is ticking. He has until July 13th, that's next week, to decide. And that is the deadline for general election candidates in Maine to actually withdraw. And then Democrats would have two weeks after that to the name of replacement if he chooses.

To help us understand how this is playing out in Maine, Bangor Daily News reporter Michael Shepherd joins us now. Michael, you and I have talked throughout this campaign. What are you hearing from Maine voters tonight?

MICHAEL SHEPHERD, REPORTER, BANGOR DAILY NEWS: Yes. I mean, we're mostly hearing what we're hearing from the Democratic, you know, kind of operative politician class. And it's not pretty for Graham Platner. I mean, I see him as having just about as close to no support as a politician who has had lots of support, right? Over the past few months having.

So, it's a pretty dire situation for his campaign. I don't see any path forward for this campaign. You know, the national party has come out. The state party has come out. The state party would have to hold, you know, essentially a convention or some other nominating process. So, this is really a period of absolute chaos and with a lot more chaos to come.

COATES: That chaos, I mean, you mentioned you've got people withdrawing their endorsements at the national level, at a local level. Obviously, there must be some pressure to have him step aside, and yet he has not definitively said that he would yet. Is there some insight into the campaign that they believe this is something similar to the prior, you know, scandals that obviously are different substance of the nature? But he is no stranger to those.

SHEPHERD: Yes. I mean, I don't -- I don't think so. I think this campaign and certainly his supporters see this is much more serious and much more, you know, of a mortal blow to the campaign. So, we've seen a little bit of reporting from "The New York Times." I've heard a little bit from some of my sources that he seems to be trying to get some leverage over the nomination process. However, that sort of manifests itself right over the next days and weeks.

We know that there are a few people rooting around this race, probably most notably Senate President Troy Jackson, who was an early Platner supporter. There may be some danger in that being so connected to Platner. But he's someone who can kind of straddle that labor democratic line that Platner has kind of carried here.

So, he's not going to be the only one. There's a lot more. But I think that there's a sense of all of his, you know, very hardcore supporters I've talked to today are at the very least extremely rattled by this news.

COATES: Indeed. Michael Shepherd, thank you so much.

I want to turn to former Republican senator from Arizona, Jeff Flake, former communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris, Ashley Etienne, and CNN political commentator and Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton. All right, let's talk about this because there has been a number of scandals that have happened. This is extremely serious as an allegation. He does deny it.

But Ashley, "The New York Times" reports that Platner, and he was alluding to this just now, has yet to make decision on whether to drop out of the race officially.

[23:09:57]

But a person familiar with the campaign discussion says that he will only drop out if the party guarantees his replacement will carry on the agenda that he and his voters have voted for in the past. Does he have that leverage to even make such a demand?

ASHLEY ETIENNE, FORMER COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS, FORMER SENIOR ADVISOR TO SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: No. I mean, I actually think it's -- it's quite ridiculous that he would even be making a demand. I was talking to a couple of Democrats on the ground there in Maryland, and they think that he's going to actually step down within a matter of days. So, I don't think this is going on -- this is going to go on much longer.

But the reality is there's a lot of blame to go around, first with Platner, the second with his entire campaign apparatus. If you recall, his wife over a year ago, almost a year ago at this point, gave them evidence of sexually explicit text messages between him and several women. And she gave it to them because she thought this was going to be a vulnerability for the campaign and for his race.

COATES: Those were purportedly consensual, though. So, she viewed those as a way to get ahead of that story? ETIENNE: Well, listen, every woman knows their husband better than their husband knows themselves. So, she clearly knew this was going to be --

SHERMICHAEL SINGLETON, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: That's true.

ETIENNE: Thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

She clearly knew that this was going to be a problem. And there was probably a lot more to this. There's also reports that they did not do an exhaustive vetting process of him, which I just find all of these incredibly troublesome, especially after the wife said this is going to be a vulnerability for the campaign. So, there's a lot of blame to go around. I think for that reason, the campaign and Platner has no ground to make any sort of demand. COATES: The big question, what was known and when was it known? Presumably, an allegation of rape has not been known, that we were aware of. But the allegations surrounding other controversies and this candidate has continued to haunt this campaign. And yet some of these things were known, rape allegation aside completely, some were known prior to voters still saying, we want him.

SINGLETON: Yes.

COATES: And I have to wonder, Shermichael, whether he steps aside or not, given what Ashley has described. Is this a fatal blow to a Democrat's chances in Maine?

SINGLETON: Oh, absolutely at this point. I mean, when you look at "The New York Times" expose that came out, I guess, about a month ago now, when you talk to voters in Maine, you looked at the internal and even some of the external polling that I saw from different groups that had interest in the state, and Democrats winning, showed him at least maybe a point or two ahead of Collins. But within the margin of error, you slowly started to see that lead diminish with Collins slowly picking up her advantage.

At this point, whether he makes demands or not, whether Democrats can find an alternative, I statistically don't think it's going to make much of a difference now. I think you've probably weakened a lot of the support and excitement among Democratic voters there. You have to question what does that do to your volunteers who were enthusiastic about potentially defeating Susan Collins. I think all of those advantages that they once had have effectively been eliminated as a result of this controversy.

COATES: Senator, let me bring you in here because Jake Tapper asked Jenny Racicot how she feels about -- about Democrats who may believe her allegation, but still feel compelled to vote for Platner in order to regain the Senate majority. Listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RACICOT: I -- I have friends who feel that way, and that has been a hard pill to swallow. And I guess I need to not ask, potentially. Maybe I need to not ask in order to not care what they do. I understand -- I understand that the state of our political environment is so much so that we need a lot of change, and he's offering that change. And, you know, I'm not mad at anyone who has voted for him all along. If he wasn't who he was, I would be voting for him as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: Senator, we've long heard about the compartmentalization of voters for a variety of different candidates. You have long warned, though, that the GOP's win at all cost strategy has long-term consequences. So, what is your message to voters who say defeating President Trump's agenda or Senator Collins is more important right now to justify a compartmentalization?

JEFF FLAKE, FORMER ARIZONA SENATOR: Now, when you put policy over character, you're going to come up on the short end. And I think a lot of voters will look at the -- not just the establishment, but the progressive and other voices who are saying vote for him at all costs, let's put this aside. And they'll say, we don't want to be burned twice here, we're going to go for somebody else.

It's just you shouldn't elevate policy over character. Republicans back -- when I was still in the Senate and Roy Moore from Alabama was the nominee, Republicans at that time did the right thing. Even some of them endorsed. I certainly did. The Democrat, Doug Jones, saying that that was better than dealing with somebody with that poor character.

[23:15:02]

And, in the end, it was the best thing for Republicans. I would argue that even if Democrats say we're going to vote for the Republican, that's a better option than putting in somebody with bad character. And I would think that, you know, Republicans ought to take this lesson in Texas as well given that the primaries have already happened there.

COATES: Interesting point, Ashley, given even with the Roy Moore conversations, there was always a discussion about Democrats. The moral high ground constantly came up. Remember, that time, there are so many different candidates and incumbents who were facing the wrath of those who wanted to be the ones to hold that moral high ground, and they've been criticized afterwards and now since.

But there were a lot of high-profile Democrats. You've got people like Congressman Ro Khanna. You've got senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. They went all in for Platner. Does -- did their credibility now take a hit?

ETIENNE: No, because they didn't know what they didn't know. So, fair to them. You know, they -- they -- they deserve some level of grace because I don't think that they need the extent to which he was morally compromised.

But I'm glad that the party is showing some courage and cutting their losses very quickly and -- and -- and encouraging the local Democrats to move forward with the process. I'm hearing that there likely be some sort of a mini-convention and it gets -- to Shermichael's point, which is that that can be a really messy, complicated process that actually does more harm than any good.

But we are where we are now. I'm just impressed that the Democrats have quickly circled up and all created this chorus. They're all singing from the same hymnal, which is that this guy has got to go, it has gone too far, it's too much damage, and we've got to cut our losses.

COATES: Some would criticize them for not having done so soon with other controversies, however. But senator --

ETIENNE: I thought he should have been eliminated with the Nazi tattoo. I mean -- but also, it's a symbol of where we are in terms of our politics. The local party was so desperate to have a working class. You know, progressive on the ticket that they were willing to overlook all of these character flaws, to quote the senator. And that's the problem and that's how we found ourselves in this position, to the senator's problem. When you put policy over desire, over character, you're going to be on the losing end.

COATES: Senator, I want to get you back in here because Senator Susan Collins is saying tonight that it's not up to her to choose the Democratic nominee. I mean, obviously, she's a famously disciplined campaigner, though, as well. But how should her campaign handle this?

FLAKE: Well, exactly how she's handling it. I would step back and say this is my issue. I'm going to run on the platform that I put forward. She ought to go forward with that. So, I wouldn't say two words about this other than the Democrats did the right thing. So, yes, I don't think she has to do a thing.

COATES: Senator Flake, thank you. Shermichael, Ashley, please, stand by. And remember, you all -- you're a part of this show, and I want to hear from you. So, text me your questions, your comments at 818-972- 7272. We'll answer them as we do in every show later in the hour. Just make sure you include a first name and your city or state.

Up next, the breaking news out of the World Cup. It is over for Team USA. And how Belgium beats them on their home turf, 4-1, even with the star, Balogun, on the field? So, what does this do to the debate over Trump's call to FIFA to get him reinstated? Former soccer player Jules Boykoff and Jemele Hill with me on the loss and the controversy, next.

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[23:20:00]

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COATES: Breaking tonight, a crushing loss for Team USA and fans all across the country who dream of a first World Cup title and on American soil will just have to wait. Belgium defeating the United States 4-1 in tonight's match for a top spot in the quarterfinals against Spain.

And the loss comes despite the star player, Folarin Balogun, being allowed to play tonight after a whole lot of drama these last two days when his red card was overturned following a phone call between the president and FIFA.

I want to bring in CNN Sports anchor Coy Wire who is live in Seattle where the match just wrapped up. Coy, oh, my God, there was so much promise. Where did things go wrong?

(LAUGHTER)

COY WIRE, CNN SPORTS ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Just about everywhere for the U.S. Just like that, America's World Cup dream is over, Laura, after that round of 16 loss to Belgium. And within just days, all three host nations now, U.S., Canada, and Mexico, all knocked out. But what a ride for the U.S. This place was rocking. Fans probably should have had a seatbelt on. From the opening whistle, pure pandemonium.

Breakout star Flo Balogun returning after FIFA overturned his suspension. But Belgium struck first. Charles De Ketelaere burying a goal in the ninth minute.

The U.S. would answer right back, though. Malik Tillman, penalty shot terminator, hammering home another rocket. Second straight match for him with a goal, making it one-all.

But before fans could even finish celebrating, it seemed, Belgium punched back. Sixty seconds later, De Ketelaere again becoming the first Belgian since detailed records began in 1966 to be involved in three goals in a single World Cup match. He had two goals and one assist. But then came the dagger, Hans Vanaken, capitalizing after a costly giveaway, putting Belgium in command. Final score, 4-1. Belgium marches on to the quarterfinals to face Spain.

[23:25:01]

America's magical run comes to an end. We caught up with some of the dejected fans. We're still yet feeling inspired leaving the stadium. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNKNOWN: It's amazing, man. We're so proud of United States. Man, let's go. Next time, we got it.

UNKNOWN: I think more than anything else, it's bringing the nation together. Not just the nation, but the world. And having so many different people out here. And, for me, actually being proud to be an American for the first time in a while.

UNKNOWN: United States of America, Mexico, Canada, all host countries losing. And people still staying here to celebrate the World Cup. It's like the most mind-blowing experience you could ever think of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WIRE: All right. So, the scoreboard says Belgium advances. But this tournament may have done something bigger for the U.S., showing America how beautiful this game can be, Laura, bringing the nation together in these divisive times, a nation that once hoped soccer would matter, now expects it, too, and that may be this team's greatest victory of the entire tournament.

I wish you were here, Laura Coates. I played a couple games in there in my NFL days, and it was way louder than I ever remember.

(LAUGHTER)

It was pretty special to see.

COATES: I would have loved to see you play live. I always watched you as a fan. Coy Wire, thank you so much.

WIRE: Thanks, Laura. COATES: I'm joined now by a former professional soccer player, Jules Boykoff. He's the author of the book, "Red Card: The 2026 World Cup, Sportswashing, and the FIFA Greed Machine." Hell, that's apropos. Also with me is contributing writer at "The Atlantic" and host of the podcast "Spolitics," live. Jemele Hill is here. Glad to have both of you here.

All right, Jules, you were very prescient. Name of the book alone, Team USA falling short of getting to the quarterfinals despite a whole lot of hype this year and hope. How disappointing is this?

JULES BOYKOFF, AUTHOR, FORMER PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYER: Oh, the United States must be disappointed. I mean, it experienced the Trump curse in technicolor. It's sort of the reversed Midas touch. It got saddled by President Trump with his karma that he brought to the event by interjecting himself in the proceedings for the rescinded red card heard around the world.

That really affected the tenor of this match. You could even see at the end when Belgium scored their fourth goal. It appears that in their celebration, they might have been doing a mocking Trump dance. So, Trump's shadow overshadowed everything that happened at this event tonight and may well have contributed to the U.S.'s loss.

COATES: Well, Jemele, another aptly-titled podcast, "Spolitics." It's the intersection perfectly of what we're talking about, sports and politics. I mean, listen to what Trump said jokingly about the prospect of Belgium winning. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We're going to have a full team and Belgium is going to have a full team. And you know what? If they beat us, then they can be really proud. The other way, if they beat us, we'll say it was -- I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020. But I won't get into that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COATES: But he did. Let's get into the fact that now that the U.S. has lost, does that dull the criticism somehow about his involvement and calling? He says, you know, it wasn't his final call, it was a committee, but he wanted to inquire. Does it dull it?

JEMELE HILL, PODCAST HOST, CONTRIBUTING WRITER FOR THE ATLANTIC: I'm going to say something, Laura, I never expected to say about Donald Trump. I actually do not have a problem with him and the administration exerting the influence that they did. The only reason why I say that is like, to me, in many ways, that this is corruption on corruption crime. It's like Donald Trump's administration is corrupt, FIFA is corrupt, and it is sort of like, am I supposed to feel bad that corruption meets corruption? I actually don't.

I mean, I think the genesis of all of this was the fact that many people knew that the red card against Flo was dicey at best. So, if it was one of those things where it was like an egregious this should have happened, I think people might feel a little bit differently.

Strangely enough, Donald Trump actually used his powers of corruption somewhat for good. We have to keep in mind that before this even took place, heading into the World Cup, there were multiple players that had their red cards and suspensions. Cristiano Ronaldo being one that then couldn't be overlooked so that -- or postponed so that he could play in the World Cup because a lot of people knew that this was probably Ronaldo's last World Cup. So, we're dealing with the organization that, throughout their history, is known for not being very transparent, is known for corruption.

And so, it was wildly a thing where Trump's penchant for inserting himself actually was something that a lot of Americans didn't mind because I think that people were so rooting for this team and wanted them to do better.

[23:29:58]

Now, clearly, it didn't matter because the other side of that is that it really pissed Belgium off because they felt like, hey, you guys are trying to pull a fast one, we are more determined than ever to beat you and to humble you and to show you that your influence in all those things don't work, and that's what happened. I mean, I think Belgium was just the better team. We've had these middling results in soccer for a reason. Belgium was the better team. But I think, actually, Donald Trump wasn't entirely off base by pulling the fast one and trying to exert his influence over FIFA.

COATES: Well, Jules, what's your response to that? And I should note, of course, that there are -- there are many Americans and soccer fans who took issue not only with FIFA more broadly, but also the call itself. But what's your reaction to what Jemele has so astutely pointed out?

BOYKOFF: Well, Laura, first, I love being surprised in life, and that take from Jemele Hill absolutely surprises me. I'm going to have a friendly disagreement with that in the sense that, yes, President Trump did intervene, and yes, it was political interference, but there's a lot of countries around the world that have engaged in political interference when it comes to FIFA, and they've actually been suspended from competition. I'm talking about Kenya, I'm talking about Pakistan, I'm talking about Chad.

So, yes, absolutely, I agree that FIFA is a massively corrupt organization. I mean, the FIFA greed machine is in the subtitle of my book. I'm with you on that. And I'm with you on the fact that the United States offered a middling opportunity today. They were not good in their shoes on the field today, and it definitely led to this result.

COATES: But?

BOYKOFF: But I don't think just because FIFA is an extraordinarily corrupt organization and because Donald Trump is an extraordinarily corrupt individual, that it allows Trump to move in there and just engage in corruption to sort of out corrupt FIFA. I actually think that what happened was pretty extraordinary.

Yes, there's the predecessor of Cristiano Ronaldo, but that's not exactly one to look up to either. I'm not the biggest fan of Cristiano Ronaldo. There's a reason why he hasn't been in the United States since 2017 until recently when he attended the Mohammed bin Salman state dinner at the White House. That's because he has credible rape allegations against him, and he hasn't been willing to come into the country. But he knew Trump would protect him.

So, I don't even think that's a great precedent to bring into the table. I actually think that karma saddled the United States today. Even Eddie Vedder being in the crowd, a Seattle legend, couldn't overcome the Trump curse today.

COATES: Well, I'll just be the lawyer in the room while you all banter on and just say, of course, that Ronaldo has denied the allegations against him and his reasons for coming in the country are not -- certainly are his own. But I hear both of you in your conversation. You know what? The debate you're having right now is exactly what is going to continue to have. Lost to Belgium or not, this will go down in the history books as the great debate around the World Cup and FIFA. We'll see what happens next. Can't wait to read your book. Jemele, listen to your podcast. Thanks both.

BOYKOFF: Thank you.

COATES: And hey, still ahead, a massive escalation in Trump's war on history with a new attack on the Smithsonian. Is it a sign of a new crackdown to come? Next.

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[23:35:00]

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COATES: President Trump is now escalating his war against the Smithsonian. He likely missed the 162-page report that was released on the fourth of July. But in it, the White House claims the world's largest museum is an activist institution captured by woke ideologues. It claims visitors at the National Museum of American History will find no exhibits dedicated to the founding fathers or the Second Continental Congress. Instead, it argues the museum teaches anti- white, illegal alien, and transgender activism. The report even says the museum should include a disclaimer. Warning, the exhibits in this museum are prepared by people who don't want you to love your country.

Now, in response to that report, the museum says -- quote -- "For more than 180 years, the Smithsonian has served the American public with nonpartisan and independent scholarship, and we remain committed to doing so."

Let's bring in history professor at the University of Texas and founding director for the Center of the Study of Race and Democracy, Peniel Joseph. Thank you for joining us. Professor, the White House is describing the Smithsonian -- the Smithsonian as an activist organization working to subvert the country. Now, I know you take issue with that assessment, but tell me why specifically.

PENIEL JOSEPH, PROFESSOR OF HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN: Well, the Smithsonian is really a Hollywood institution and really tells the story of America with its warts and all. So, it tells a story that is both inspirational, but one that is also critical of things like slavery, of sexism, of -- abrogated during the 18th, 19th, and 20th century. So, when we think about the Smithsonian, it's really an institution that is -- it's not wokeness. It's just American history.

[23:40:00]

And American history has to tell the hard parts of our history and the inspirational parts simultaneously. So, America has always been more than one thing. It's never just a negative history and it's never just a positive history. And this idea of the Smithsonian being captured by woke ideology is just a continuation of the playbook of the president since really 2017. In the second term, they've amplified that playbook.

COATES: And yet the report claims that the tone of the Smithsonian exhibits changed after 2020 and became more critical of the United States. But the Smithsonian, I mean, they have hosted politically charged exhibits in the past. I mean, realistically, what has changed at the Smithsonian?

JOSEPH: Well, I think that this is an attack, certainly, on Lonnie Bunch being the Smithsonian's first African-American head, who's a fine historian, who is a patriot, who loves the country very much, but who also is curating an inclusive Smithsonian.

So, I think when we think about the Smithsonian as a cultural touchstone and the attack on American history, the attack on Black history, yes. But Black history is also American history. And so, when we have an attack on Black history, that's an attack on American history. And the history of queer folks and trans folks and women and immigrants is also a part of American history.

So, all these are attacks on really a reconstructionist view of American history. We had these kinds of attacks after the first reconstruction. This is a backlash amidst what I've called the third reconstruction.

COATES: Well, you mentioned Lonnie Bunch, who is, of course, secretary of the Smithsonian, and he says that it is the museum's job to confront hard questions and sort of the warts and all. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LONNIE BUNCH, SECRETARY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION: Many people want simple answers to complex questions. Our job is to sometimes do that but, more importantly, give you questions and answers that will make you understand the complexity of who we are as a nation.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COATES: That describes education and the Smithsonian, what it's trying to do. I mean, how do museums, though, balance telling these stories, the ones of adversity and accomplishment, essentially telling you what is, not just what you hope to present to the world?

JOSEPH: Well, when you think about American history, I think two snapshots. I'm a native New Yorker. The Knicks just won the NBA championship for the first time in 53 years. That is a big deal. Another big deal is the viral photo that's going around of a Black woman on a train in D.C. when there are -- these authoritarians and these white supremacists on the train with her, and that tells another story. A museum has to feature both. You have to feature the good times, right? I gave a sports analogy right there. And you've got to feature that photo at the same time.

And what's so interesting, Laura, is the president putting his thumb on the scales for FIFA is what authoritarians do because instead of talking about that picture, we talk about the president as some kind of gangster and mob boss and wannabe who's forcing the American player back on the field after the red card, right?

So, what authoritarians do in the authoritarian playbook is really death of our democracy by a thousand cuts. So, instead of talking about the things that the government is actually doing that are negative and are against civil rights and civil liberties and human rights, we're just talking about the president putting his thumb on the scales for FIFA and all these other things, including thousands of Black women and men getting fired by the federal government.

What the president has done and the Department of Defense has done in terms of Black folks in the military being denied promotions and fleeing the military and so much other negative things are swept under the rug because what authoritarians do is they try to destroy democracy by throwing the kitchen sink at democracy, every single thing but the kitchen sink.

So, our legal institutions, our cultural institutions, our political institutions are being attacked. And, at the same time, there's a bait and switch by doing something like calling the head of FIFA and saying, hey, you better pull this red card. And there were all these memes about a Trump card overcoming the red card. But now that the U.S. has lost, maybe some attention will come back to the most pressing issues, which is really the fate and future of our democracy.

[23:45:00]

COATES: Peniel Joseph, thank you. That ought to be an exhibit in and of itself. Thank you so much.

Up next, your turn at home to drive the conversation. Text us your questions, your comments. Ashley and Shermichael are back with me to help answer them. That's next.

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COATES: It's our favorite time of the night. We get to answer your questions. Remember, you can always text me, 818-972-7272. If you want to take part, just answer. Give me your first name and city or state. We got Ashley Etienne and Shermichael back with me as well.

All right, Mike from Tempe from Arizona has a response to what Jeff Flake said earlier about Graham Platner. Jeff Flake just being hypocritical again. "When you put policy over character, you lose" -- unquote. Wrong. The Republicans have been doing that for years and look what that's won for them. Shermichael, what is your response?

[23:50:00]

SINGLETON: I think that's very shortsighted. I think the senator is correct. I've made this point for a long time now. It yields temporary, immediate victories, but not in the long run. My party in the country is not better off when there is dissension and chaos among Americans. That's not healthy for the political system as a whole. So, yes, we won an election. What in the hell does that mean for my kid and your daughter and your kids over the next 25, 30, 50 years? That's what I think the real problem is that the senator was speaking to.

ETIENNE: So much we could add to that. We --

COATES: I don't know -- I don't know --

(CROSSTALK)

SINGLETON: No. I mean, the temporary.

ETIENNE: No, no, no. I mean, the point that the senator is making is you've got a gentleman in the White House who's morally compromised, and look what you've gotten out of that deal. He prioritizes FIFA over, you know, trying to solve, you know, gas prices and electricity prices.

SINGLETON: And look at the impact on the party in the midterms.

ETIENNE: That's what I'm saying. Absolutely.

SINGLETON: Yes.

COATES: Let's go to Florida. Derek from West Palm Beach asks, could the parties just do some kind of background checks or interviews before backing people? Ashley?

ETIENNE: Absolutely. They should have. And that's what I said earlier in the show. His staff is -- the campaign staff is to blame for this. They did not do -- admittedly did not do a thorough vetting of him. And, again, after his wife alerted them to these vulnerabilities, they still didn't do anything about it. So, they owe the voters, in my opinion, the voters of Maine an apology for such a failure.

SINGLETON: And you typically do an op-ed book on the candidate. I used to be an opposition researcher. When someone's spouse brings that type of information when you've already began the process of the op-ed on the candidate themselves so that you're aware of anything that may come from the opposition. The fact they didn't do that is a bit alarming.

ETIENNE: Well, part of it was they said it was too expensive, $20,000.

COATES: And, as far as we know, what -- the vulnerabilities that she described to the campaign had to do with sexually explicit text messages in consensual settings. But we will see what else was known.

Gigi in Portland, Maine asks, if the Democratic Party decides to choose a new candidate to replace Platner, would another primary election take place in the state of Maine? Well, actually, according to the secretary of state, Maine law does not dictate how a party replaces a nominee if they step aside before the election. The Democratic Party in Maine actually has decided how to move forward, but the clock is ticking.

We've got Mike in Chicago. Do character flaws really matter in today's politics still?

ETIENNE: Exactly --

COATES: A simple question. Shermichael? And Ashley, listen.

SINGLETON: I think so. I mean, I think people want to win. But I'm also finding, when you look at surveys and political engagement, that people do want a level of normalcy again. I really believe that. I mean, for example, you look at just how close everything is with my side. With the House, we're probably going to lose. Look at the Senate. Maybe we'll keep it by very, very slim margins.

If we were doing exceptionally well, you would see increases in those victories because we were delivering on the policies to the American people that benefit them. And, as a result, we're not seeing that. So, I think, again, temporary victories don't promote long-term, sustainable wins.

ETIENNE: I think the one thing we may be overlooking here is that the American people are prioritizing their own economics over some of these character issues. As you look at Donald Trump, he made an argument. That's why Donald Trump ran as a populist. I mean, he was on a populist agenda. People voted for him. They overlooked all of his scandals, all of this stuff was quite known, because they were voting with their pocketbooks.

That's what we're seeing happening right now even with Platner. It was less about his indiscretions but more about what's going to be in my interest for my pocketbook.

COATES: I have one more. Jackie from Albany, Georgia, asked this question. If Platner isn't guilty, why drop out? Strategist, tell me why.

ETIENNE: Too much baggage, you know. I mean, I think, now, you've got the entire Democratic apparatus, the leadership, the local state party now saying he needs to drop out. I think that's probably going to be weighing heavily on him.

SINGLETON: Will spend millions hitting him over and over again.

ETIENNE: Here is the other issue, who knows that this is the end? This may not be the last one. Again, this is a pattern. This is something -- you know, this is not the only woman that has come out. Again, his wife has also asserted that this is a challenge for him. So, t0his may not be the end.

SINGLETON: And you don't want morale to go down, down ballot also. So, you want to get rid of this guy.

ETIENNE: Exactly.

COATES: Ashley, Shermichael, thank you so much, and to all of you for joining in as well. We'll be right back with a story that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about relaxation. What's that?

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[23:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COATES: It's almost midnight here on the East Coast. Let's get ready to toss things over to the West Coast. Hi, Elex. How are you doing?

ELEX MICHAELSON, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Laura. Good to see you.

COATES: Good to see you. I just read this article about whether leisure makes us happy. And it points to a study that found that people, get this, are most satisfied with their day when they socialize for one or two hours, exercise, and then get this, do up to six hours of work. And, apparently, having more leisure time is not associated with being happier, to which I say nobody asked me.

(LAUGHTER)

How about you?

MICHAELSON: But don't -- but don't you think, and I don't know if it's about work, but I think where people often feel really happy is when they have purpose.

COATES: Yes.

MICHAELSON: Right? So that work, maybe that's your purpose. Maybe it's volunteering. Maybe it's doing something with your kids. But that idea of having something to do that makes you feel fulfilled really gives you that feeling. But then more than six hours is more than enough. Could you imagine working a six-hour shift? I don't even know what that is.

COATES: You mean, can you work so much longer? Is that what you mean?

MICHAELSON: Yes. COATES: Yes. I got to tell you, I like my downtime and escapism, and I feel like my fulfillment would be things like watching movies constantly. But listen, anyone who follows your social media, by the way, knows that you were out and about in the field on weekends covering huge stories. But I have to ask you, what is your favorite thing to do when you're not working, whenever that might be, Elex Michelson?

MICHAELSON: My happy place is the beach.

COATES: You were there on the fourth?

MICHAELSON: I was there on the fourth.

[00:00:00]

I found a way to make my work being at the beach.

(LAUGHTER)

So, I was out there and literally did live shot from the ocean to get myself in the water on July 4th. But, yes, that's where -- that's where I feel the best. What about you? Where's your happy place?

COATES: Movie theater. I love it. It's like --

MICHAELSON: Movie theater?

COATES: It's like the beginning of -- you know, when Annie -- when it's like, let's go to the movies. I sing that in my head. It's true. I'm corny. Love you. Have a great show, Elex.

MICHAELSON: Well, here -- to quote Annie, I'll see you tomorrow.

(LAUGHTER)

COATES: The sun will come out. It's coming out.

(LAUGHTER)

MICHAELSON: Tomorrow.

COATES: Bye.

MICHAELSON: All right, Laura. Have a good night.