Transcripts For MSNBC Alex Witt Reports 20240902 : vimarsana

Reduced workloads. In moments, unpacking Donald Trumps everchanging position on abortion, plus the false information he keeps on spreading. Good day to all of you from Msnbc World headquarters here in New York. Welcome, everyone, to Alex Witt Reports we begin this hour with a charge of Breaking News right now. Protests are erupting over israel six hamas hostages found in gaza. Including the families of those hostages blaming prime Minister Benjamin not due for stonewalling a Ceasefire Deal that mightve saved their lives. This past hour, Vice President harris said he spoke with the parents of Israeli American Hostage Hersh Goldbergpolin and expressed her condolences. The other five hostages are all now identified. An israeli source tells Nbc News if forensic examinations are correct, they were shot shortly before they could be rescued. Their bodies were found in a tunnel in gaza and returned to israel. Several democratic lawmakers have renewed calls for cease fire. We have several reporters in place ready to go through all these new developments. Up next is Nbcs Matt Bradley in Tel Aviv. Matt, lets talk about the scene for the protests. They were loud and boisterous the last hour. How about now . Still out, still playing drums, still yelling every once in a while, chanting. You have been seeing on the screen the faces of those six young people, who as you mentioned, were killed by hamas right before they were found, their corpses were found by the idf in a Tunnel Underneath Rafah just on the edge of the Gaza Strip. It was the way in which that happened that has really driven home to israelis just how difficult the situation is going to be getting these hostages back if they dont get a hostage deal. That was just last week. One hostage was rescued alive. This was one of the very few. That is why Benjamin Netanyahus constant parade of Military Pressure on hamas has continued the incursion into the Gaza Strip has been the best way to release the remaining hostages. It is falling on deaf ears here, especially with this crowd. They you want to have some sort of Ceasefire Deal. As you mentioned, they are laying the blame squarely on the Prime Minister. Here is what we heard. What happened yesterday, we got six people, one alive a few days ago, then i think the nation was awoken we cant do it, we cant go on with this anymore. Reporter do you blame netanyahu for the deaths of the six young people . Yes, i do. I do. Reporter what you think he carries the blank . If they would do the agreement with hamas for the withdrawal, it was very good and this would not have happened. Reporter alex, this boisterous crowd guys, we are definitely having some trouble hearing matt. Matt, if you can hear me, we appreciate your narration there but we have been watching this unfold several hours. It is just past 9 00 p. M. In israel. It is a very loud, loud crowd with thousands packed in. All morning, the death of those six young people that were killed in that tunnel in rafah, underneath rafah, right near the edge of the Gaza Order as matt was describing. Again, there is a lot of anger directly toward Benjamin Netanyahu as a result. We will try to get matt straighten out and check in with him next hour, as well. Lets go to Gabe Gutierrez at the White House. How is the administration reacting to the death of these hostages . Reporter hello, alex, good afternoon. Both President Biden and Vice President harris said they have spoken to Hersh Goldberg polins parents, the Vice President posting on Social Media, my heart breaks for their Pain And Anguish as they mourn this terrible, terrible loss. They are not alone. Our nation mourns with them. President biden overnight saying he is devastated and outraged. In a written statement, he said the news is as tragic as it is reprehensible. Make no mistake, hamas leaders will pay for these crimes. We will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the remaining hostages release. Jake sullivan is set to hope hold a virtual meeting with the parents. Let me ask you about the new fallout, as well, over Donald Trumps appearance at Arlington National Cemetery last week. What are we hearing for the White House and i . Reporter Vice President harris called Arlington National Cemetery a solemn place and not the place for politics. That was yesterday. She went on to say, let me be clear the former president disrespected sacred ground in the sake of a political stunt after the Trump Campaign posted that Highlight Video on tiktok showing the former president. Posing with some of the family members. When he met with Nbc News this past week, the former president said he knew nothing about the video. He said he did not use it for political motivations. He was asked about the controversy this weekend. Here was President Bidens response. Reporter what about esther trumps behavior at Arlington Cemetery with the fallen soldiers . I dont want to answer it. I would tell you what i think. Reporter the president not taking the bait there. Former president trump, meanwhile, posted on Social Media a series of videos of families of those who were killed in afghanistan criticizing the harris administration. Yeah, he sure did. Gabe gutierrez, thank you for that. Lets go to the scene in Tel Aviv right now. Joining me now is joel rubin, former Assistant Secretary of state and democratic strategist. Joal, we are showing people live pictures right now, 9 06 p. M. In Tel Aviv. Tell me about how the news of the murder of these six hostages complicate efforts for hostages Ceasefire Deal between israel and hamas . Reporter it is great to be with you on this horrible, horrible day. There is no were seen in the execution of an innocent hostage. That is what we are now seeing them respond to. The anger israel. It complicates negotiations from the perspective of making it more urgent. If anything, now making it harder. You know, all of israel, i think, right now, is in deep mourning, we are reaching out to those involved in the hostage efforts, they are devastated. Hersh goldbergpolin, as an american, adds another level of pain in the united states. I think this is a strategic moment for the Prime Minister to decide how he wants to accelerate, that is, Advances War going forward. It is really a fork in the road with key decisions. The crowd, like we are seeing right now, is likely to grow with this. Yeah, 100 . You know, it feels like there is a visceral reaction to this from people around the world. I have gotten a number of communiquis from people, i should say, but it is almost as if these young people, the six, these survivors of 11 months in likely deplorable conditions, only to be killed shortly before the idf was able to rescue them. We do not know the circumstances but we do believe, according to reporting, they were shot. There is something about that. These kids were survivors for this long, only to end so tragically in these tunnels under offer. Reporter yeah, alex, it is a horrible story. The whole war is a horrible story but this episode, this is terrific. According to reporting and people i am talking to, not only did these six young people survive underground, living in hell more than 10 months after being kidnapped from a peace festival, they were murdered and idf went underground so the level of evil that hamas demonstrates in this is clear. That should also be part of the calculation. It is clear hamas does not have any military leverage in these ceasefire negotiations. They are devastated and decimated. Gaza has been bereft, quite frankly. Tt they are willing to execute the hostages in Cold Blood. It looks like the israeli defense forces were about to free them. This is a real moment, a real moment for the Prime Minister, who looked squarely in the eye of the israeli people and say what his priorities are. Will he get these hostages released . We know what the alternative is as we just saw with these horrific executions. Well, that is what he should do, but do you believe he will do that, joel . I asked the question and i will say it with somewhat cynical a nature. The reality is, many have suggested if Benjamin Netanyahu keeps this war going, he maintains power. Win this war ends, god willing as soon as possible, that most israelis want him out of office. Will he communicate directly and honestly with the israeli people on his plans and what he intends to do to bring about the end of the war, bring a ceasefire about and bring the rest of these hostages home, dead and alive . Reporter yeah, alex, i more than forgive you for being cynical on this question. As we heard from the interview, it is pretty evident that prime Minister Netanyahu is afraid of losing power, not only because he would lose power but it would set in a process where he it would go forward and if the wheels of Justice Move in their case against him and put him at risk. He has two impediments to keep him from moving forward on a domestic perspective. First, just as these cases of justice corruption, he is holding his right flank together to keep him in power and the right flank is opposed to a deal. They believe any arrangement with hamas would empower hamas. That is not where the israeli defense forces are. There was a scene a couple days ago, apparently in a Cabinet Meeting where there was an argument with netanyahu in front of the cabinet that they needed to move forward on a deal and that the hostages , they did not and he was shouted down and defeated in a small vote in the cabinet by the right wing minister. You know, netanyahu is holding on for his life. The question is, Will Israeli Democracy force him and other ministers to say enough is enough. Again, i do want to go back to the point that this is hamas at its worst. This is what we know about hamas. This is really a question of netanyahus position, based on the reality, the gravity and the savages of hamas. That about security advisor Jake Sullivan meeting virtually together with the families of the hostages held in gaza. Spoke with Jeremy Bash in the last hour who said there was a confirmation of the seven remaining. Three are dead but four are still alive, at least that is what they have intelligence to believe at this point. It last weekend, rachel, the mother of american israeli Hersh Goldbergpolin, who was among the six hostages found dead, spoke with msnbc about their frustration over the lack of info given to hostage families. Take a listen, joel. We kind of live in this parallel universe that many People Cant begin to imagine, we ourselves cant begin to imagine and we are in that universe. Our only son has been missing for these 344 days and we have had one time that we have seen him and that was a two Minute Video where he was reading a script. It is really a very torturous and anxiety riddled existence. I cant imagine. What more can the united states do to get the hostages home, joel . Reporter you know, alex, i first want to comment, my daughter is in college. I go a couple hours and reach out, i cant even begin to contemplate how horrible that is for the families. There is no way to express words of empathy for them. What the u. S. Can do is to continue to pressure, as we are doing, publicly, to push our error of allies to sit on hamas and to do what the president and Vice President are doing, which is constantly calling for a ceasefire, for a hostage deal. There is an ongoing negotiation. They are always a failure until the day they succeed. That has to be the vision. This is a moment also for the israeli public to do what it is doing, which is to step up. The united states, we can leverage that, put Public Pressure on israel, i believe, to continue to make the case to the Prime Minister that it is in his personal and political interest, as well, to achieve a ceasefire. That pressure is essential. The united states plays a key role in that regard. Joel rubin, glad to have you on the show. Hope to see you again soon. Hopefully under more pleasant circumstances. Lets go to decision 2024 was 65 days to Election Day. On the campaign trail today, governor Tim Walz was pressing the flesh at the Minnesota State fair. A Poll Shows Vice President harris lightly leading Donald Trump with a new margin of error among registered voters and a larger lead among likely voters. Even with the slight Polling Edge in a lnn ks÷v■ stretch to the underdogs. The New York times og characterizes as a wink. Surrogates from both sides turned their attention to Harris And Walz interview. She is showing she is trying to move away her record, move away from her positions and how that contradicts the positions and statement she is making now that she is the democratic nominee. Lets compare a situation where someone changes their position and they changed it four years ago to Donald Trump, who has changed his position four times on abortion in the last 48 hours. Tomorrow Vp Harris will attend Labor Day celebrations in detroit and President Biden o will join her for a Campaign Event in pittsburgh, gn pennsylvania. Tuesday democrats kickoff for reproductive Freedom Bus Tour in battleground states but starts in palm beach, florida, trumps hometown. The president has been very clear he does not support a nationwide Abortion Law. President trump has been consistent. There is not to be ena nationwi Abortion Law while he is president. We embark on this Bus Tour on tuesday in florida and travel 50 states because reproductive Freedom And Autonomy over our own bodies and making sure that women dont continue to have that torn away is absolutely essential. Later on this hour, we will talk about all these developments and some interesting perspective on the looming debate with our strategists. And also unpack what is fueling the momentum. Again later, more, more, more. The new calls for Kamala Harris to make a date with the Sunday Talk shows. We are back in 90 seconds. Seconds. Evan, my guy youre helping them with savings, right . i wish i had someone like evan when i started. Somebody just got their first Debit Card Ice creaon you . Ooo, tacos i got you. Wait hold on, dont you owe me money . What . your money is a part of your community, so your bank should be too. Like, chase heres to getting better with age. Heres to beating these two every thursday. Help Fuel Today with boost high protein, complete nutrition you need, and the flavor you love. So, heres to now. Now available Boost Max Arearn Saint Jude they gave it 110 every time. And for kenadie to get treatment here without having to pay anything was amazing. New Reaction Today from lawmakers over the tragic deaths of six hostages in gaza. Members of congress on opposite sides of the Aisle Sparring over the Policy Decisions they said led to the hostages deaths, some blaming the failure to strike a Ceasefire Deal, others say in the biden administrations restraints on israel has prevented t