Allowed individuals sleeping outside to be prosecuted even when no other shelter was available the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals called this cruel and unusual punishment and a violation of the Constitution a number of communities trying to deal with their own homelessness problems had urged the Supreme Court to take up the case which it has declined to do leaving the fate of other anti homeless laws in doubt Pam Fessler n.p.r. News Washington awakes being held today in New Jersey for the police detective killed in last week's shooting in Jersey City N.P.R.'s Jeff Brady says the detective was killed at a cemetery by 2 armed suspects who killed 3 other people at a kosher grocery store Jersey City police detective Joseph seals is being remembered for his work trying to get illegal guns off the streets tomorrow a procession is planned from the funeral home to a local church over the weekend a memorial service was held for Douglas Rodriquez an employee of the market he'll be buried this week in his native Ecuador N.P.R.'s Jeff Brady authorities are calling the shootings domestic terrorism the u.s. Envoy to North Korea is urging that country to restart denuclearization talks on boy Stephen began is rejecting North Korea's demand of an end of the year deadline to make concessions install nuclear negotiations begin says the u.s. Has put forward many constructive ideas and says North Korea does not need to resort to hostilities North Korea says it conducted another test over the weekend that one of its satellite launch sites on Wall Street the Dow is up 171 points this is n.p.r. . The f.b.i. Says officials in Houston have arrested in 1000 year old man in connection with mercury spills on Sunday dozens of people were decontaminated in 3 Houston locations yesterday the f.b.i. Says Christopher Meldrum has been arrested and charged with burglary unlawful disposal of hazardous material and outstanding drug. Laurent the World Health Organization reports more than a 3rd of the world's low income countries are suffering from both under nutrition and obesity at the same time he says flying reports from Geneva the report finds this epidemic of underage Christian and overweight is leading to an increase in deaths and disease from both communicable and noncommunicable diseases the lead author of the report Francesco Braga blames this largely on highly processed food you have about 103 families who have and take child and an overweight mothers it's a paradox the quality of the food is absolutely poor so not enough freedom and minerals and and cheap. Food high in fat sugar and salt w.h.o. Estimates nearly 2300000000 children and adults are overweight and more than 150000000 children a stunted for n.p.r. 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Census even a relatively small undercount could cause a stir can saw billions of federal dollars coming up on issues that matter a discussion on what groups in the state are doing to ensure the most accurate count possible that's Tuesday night 7 till 8 issues that banner a project of the central Arkansas library system a League of Women Voters and k u a r 89 point one. This is one a I'm Joshua Johnson in Washington hosting this program has been an unforgettable experience but before I move on to my next adventure we wanted to look back on some of my favorite shows one a is all about the national conversation that means talking and listening to people from across the political spectrum every year we've gone to see Pac the Conservative Political Action Conference We're going again next year but we wanted to look back at our trip to see Pac from last year this program aired right after Michael Steele who was the 1st black man to be the chair of the Republican National Committee attended the conference he was not expecting to make headlines but then even Walters who's a spokesman for the group that produced a c Pac said this from the conferences Mainstage Walters was reminiscing about the time right after Barack Obama was elected president we were somewhat lost as a. As a group we had just elected the 1st African-American president and that was a big deal. And that was killed that we got over and it was something that we were all proud of and we weren't sure what to do. And a little bit of cynicism what do we do this is a terrible thing we elected my seal to be the artist and sure this is a black eye this is the wrong thing to do Michael Steele was among the black conservatives who were outraged. At those comments and who said that they were proof that the Republican Party still struggles with race the conversation you're about to hear initially aired right after Walters made those comments back in early 2018 Our guests include Jill Upson a former West Virginia State Delegate she was also the 1st black Republican woman elected to West Virginia's house of delegates but she was defeated by a Democrat in last year's primaries Leah Wright rigor who's a professor at Harvard and the author of the loneliness of the black Republican and Caldwell who's a Republican strategist and a Fox News analyst let's start with some of the reaction to Ian Walters his comments Michael Steele hosts a show on Sirius x.m. Satellite radio on Saturday he spoke with match Lapp who is the chairman of the American Conservative Union the group that produced the c Pac Mr slap seem to defend the substance if not the actual words of Mr Walsh as a mulch as his comments Mr Steele is a guest on the program rather Let's listen to that exchange the 1st voice you'll hear is match lap of the American Conservative Union he feels that there are criticisms of how you were chairman that can you accept that fact could be no coming out and not a raise you know I get all due respect come at me What the hell is that my race have to do with any of that at the end of the day what does the color of my skin have to do with anything you just said those are Michael Steele and match laps speaking on Sirius x.m. Satellite radio before I work our way around the penalty get your reactions to all of this we should note that we invited in Walters or anyone else with the pack of the American Conservative Union to come on board today we were told they could not make it because of scheduling conflicts Michael Steele was also invited we did not hear back but all of those offers still stand General Caldwell let me start with you would you make of all this I thought it was very unfortunate and perpetuates a narrative with the new g.o.p. That generally speaking the Republican Party doesn't understand race in America and I know that's not true for. All of work with many members of the Republican Party I know that there are some that are very sensitive or put it in a way this closely relevant now very walk when it comes to issues of race however there are some who still don't get it and I felt a bit. Disappointed with some of the responses of her post the comment being made I know in apologize and he spoke with the former Chairman Steele about this issue but I was a fairly disappointed with the with the response of hey you've been critical of President Trump So this is almost to be expected if I may paraphrase so that Carol rhetoric I think is fairly disappointing and I know this is something that really should be a larger conversation on race and politics in general which is something that we continue to discuss especially with President Trump in office is something that comes up on a regular consistent basis and personally want to reason why I am a black Republican which is one of the toughest things to do and I know our professor can tell us about the loneliness of the black Republican as I've lived it for many years and. This is a conversation that needed to be had and is one that should be accepted or at least listened to with some open ears and eyes I mean that's how I feel about it at this point before I come to you Professor delegate Upson What do you think of all this well I'm really disappointed in hearing a person of color in Walters make comments like this Michael Steele is he's educated he's talented he's accomplished and to say here's someone just outright say that he was only hired because he's a black guy and it's just so disappointing in that kind of language it needs to be strongly condemned I think match lab was wrong to come out and try to defend the comments of Ian Walters you know you. He may like him as an individual but those comments were completely inappropriate and they should be condemned Professor rigger What is your thought on this particularly given that the Republican Party has had a very checkered history to say the least in terms of its dealings with African-Americans particularly in a contemporary sense where do you think this latest controversy rates in terms of the r. And C's ongoing issues with race so the interesting thing about about your comment is that it opens up this really complicated and messy can of worms and to John's point it is something that the party has had to deal with for a very long time but has largely avoided dealing with so here we are again trying to make sense of this you know of some of the statement you know the interest I think that one of the interesting things about this is that when when Mike Steele is 1st initially elected you hear not just gossip and rumors that you know they just wanted their own version of you know they wanted a conservative version of Barack Obama but you hear people out right say that on both the left and the right and so I think what this does is it brings us back to this moment where people are really agonizing over and really talking over and discussing what race and what the race of a figure like Michael Steele means in this moment the one other thing I'll say with with match up is that his comments introduce I think a dangerous dangerous equivocation which is to say that he is essentially saying that if it's fair game to bring up someone's race if you disagree with Trump and so that and you know kudos to Michael Steele for pushing back on and saying absolutely not this is about race this is a solo about race this is not about where I stand on Donald Trump because otherwise that opens you know that's a slippery a very very slippery slope so I think. Ultimately what this does is it brings us back to this larger and longer history of contention between African-Americans in the Republican Party over issues of race we are speaking to Harvard professor Leo Wright rigueur West Virginia State Delegate Jill Upson and Republican strategist John o. Caldwell also a Fox News political analyst about the comments made regarding Michael Steele's tenure as the chairman of the Republican Party a number of you have been commenting on in Walter's his remarks and kind of playing devil's advocate in a way David who's here in Washington writes No rational person believes the r. And c. Hired Michael Steele simply because of his race opponents of affirmative action often claim this but Republicans didn't go out on the street and find someone black Steele had qualifications including long time Party activism and service as Maryland's lieutenant governor but it's also foolish to think Steele's race had nothing to do with his hiring how better to show the party welcomes people of color to deny race is the sole criteria on it rarely is doesn't make it completely irrelevant to this or other jobs and Rick emailed although it took 6 times to elect Steele to head the r. And c. Meaning 6 ballot cycles the only reason they elected him was in response to the election of President Obama after the speaker at c Pac stated Steele was r. And c. Chair because he was black no one in the Republican leadership spoke out to support Steele General Caldwell what about that is it possible that absent Barack Obama the 1st biracial black president the r. And c. Might never have had a black chairman. Well I don't think that's something any of us can speak to honestly speaking. We just saw Ok cause James take over the Heritage Foundation and I believe she is the 1st woman and 1st person of color to leave the organization and President Obama is no longer the president of these here United States so that's not something I think that we can really dove into what we can say is really speaking Ian's comments when he said it was a terrible decision and I think to some degree being critical of his tenure as r. And c. Chair which I found to be fairly odd because I recall back in 2008 where a Republican member of Congress said that the Republican brand was dog food because there was such a shellacking of the g.o.p. During a time when President Obama ran for office and as you know everything flipped there was a supermajority in the Senate a majority in the House and Democrats would lead to big sickly be able to do whatever they want to do especially after you know it's a disappointing year with George w. Bush but let's talk about what the are as he chairman did and 2010 midterms brought g.o.p. Controlled the House with a $63.00 c. Pickup plus 6 seats in the Senate and a $600.00 plus. Seat pick up in state legislatures across the country so just to criticize him on his tenure of r. And c. Chair when he legitimately was the head of the organization put Republicans back in the majority which continue to be in the majority today and still lead in a number of state legislatures across the country his Again I think intellectually dishonest so at this point you wonder why would somebody make a statement like that when you look at the results the ramifications of the actions of Michael Steele and you see that they were fairly positive for Republicans hold that thought right we got it we're going to break us I'm so sorry to interrupt you Jennifer we've got to hit a brick. Continue this conversation in just a moment with John o. Caldwell Leah Wright rigor and chill of sin as we go to break here's a song performed by Ian Walters the guy who made that comment about Michael Steele turns out he also sings blues music including the song with an apropos lyric don't ever drive a stranger from your door I'm Joshua Johnson You're listening to one a from w. Am you and n.p.r. . Has. 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This is one a I'm Joshua Johnson We're listening back to some of my favorite conversations from my time hosting this program and today that includes this discussion of what it means to be black and Republican it aired right after a visit to see Pac the Conservative Political Action Conference back in 20 teen Our guests are Jill Upson who's a former state delegate in West Virginia and the 1st black woman elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates as a Republican leader right rigor a professor at Harvard and the author of the loneliness of the black Republican and Fox News analyst and Republican strategist John Caldwell Karisma tweeted hopefully you talk about race and the Democratic Party as well since their track record isn't any better good point conversation for another day but good point the Ana wrote to us about Michael Steele's response fussy on a wrote on our Facebook page he should keep speaking out the Republicans are becoming more and more radical and if centrists don't have a place in the party than they need to speak up Andy who's here in Washington writes I was never impressed with Michael Steele and now cannot even some in the slightest pity as he learns the ugly truth about the Republican Party I can only shake my head in disgust at people of color women or gays who join that reprehensible lot completely blind to reality they weakly naive Li and foolishly believe that the Republican Party is open and welcoming truth is they will eat you 1st and if you don't realize this by now Shame on you. Professor Or what about that is should Michael Steele have known that this was coming I mean I have to admit when I heard his reaction I understand his anger completely but shock really. I don't necessarily know that shock is how I would describe it maybe shocked that it was done in such a such a public place or such a public platform although even the idea that it would be shocking that it happened at Sea-Tac particularly in light of the fact that that sea pack never tracks very many black people let alone black Republicans but I don't know if I'd characterize his reaction as shock instead I think what we saw was a very careful response carefully controlled response as he tried to figure out what he could say publicly about how he felt in his reaction to this and a lot of ways I think Michael Steele has come to expect this or understand this I mean immediately afterwards he mentioned several times that he hadn't been invited to the seat pack Republican black Republican trailblazer Award and was very upset about that but also said it had a manners as though he understood what was happening but I also think one of the things that this reveals is that for black Republicans who are critical of the party and who have long been critical of the party they are caught between a rock and a hard place because as long as they remain Republicans there's no material benefit to them speaking out or lashing out or criticizing the party because they don't get anything in return from say the left or from the Democrats and they don't get anything in return from their own party the Republican Party and so this is something I think you've. Seen increasingly as people wrestle with so you see a lot of private conversations the public conversations the tone of th