WELCOME BACK!

SAY HI TO JON BATISTE.

♪ ♪

>> Jon: HEY!

>> Stephen: I LIKE THAT BUMPER WE JUST SAW.

IT WAS LIKE HERB ALBERT AND THE TIJUANA BRASS.

>> Jon: I CAN'T WAIT TO GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN.

LET'S GET UP AND OUT OF HERE.

>> Stephen: WE'RE ON THE ROAD HERE MET FORCALLY THIS THURSDAY.

ANOTHER LIVE SHOW, JON.

>> Jon: YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT TO GET IT, MAN.

>> Stephen: THAT'S WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD.

SEPARATES THE MEN FROM THE BOYS, THE WOMEN FROM THE GIRLS.

>> Jon: COME ON, YES.

>> Stephen: AND SHOWTIME WE'LL BE LIVE LIKE ELECTION NIGHT.

BUILDING BACK AMERICA GREAT AGAIN 2020, THAT'S HALF THE SHOW

JUST SAYING THE TITLE.

IT'S GOING TO BE SO EASY, JON.

>> Jon: I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIT IT ON TWO

SCREENS.

THAT'S A LONG TITLE.

>> Stephen: HOW ABOUT A LITTLE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD MUSIC?

>> Jon: YES, INDEED.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

( BOOGIE-WOOGIE ) ♪

>> Stephen: JON BATISTE.

THANK YOU, JON.

>> Jon: HELLO!

>> Stephen: MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS A

TONIGHT IS A POLITICAL ANALYST, AUTHOR, AND THE HOST OF "THE

REIDOUT" ON MSNBC.

PLEASE WELCOME, JOY REID.

JOY, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE, STEPHEN, HELLO.

>> Stephen: YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING VERY FEW PEOPLE HAVE

DONE.

YOU HAVE LAUNCHED A NEW TELEVISION SHOW IN THE MIDDLE OF

THE PANDEMIC.

>> YEAH.

>> Stephen: SO YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO ORGANIZE STAFF AND

EVERYTHING REMOTELY.

IS THIS A CHALLENGE?

>> LUCKILY, I LIKE BEING AT HOME.

I WENT FOR THE OPENING OF THE SHOW INTO THE STUDIO FOR 30

ROCK.

IT WAS DESERTED, SO WE DID A DESERTED OPENING SHOOT.

OTHER THAN THAT, WE LAUNCHED IT IN MY BASEMENT WHICH IS FINE

WITH ME BECAUSE AFTERWARDS I CAN GO UPSTAIRS AND GO TO BED.

>> YOU AND JOE BIDEN, BOTH WINNING FROM THE BASEMENT.

>> THAT'S HOW WE DO IT.

>> Stephen: 2020, I'LL SEE YOU IN THE BASEMENT.

NOW, OKAY, SO WHAT HAS BEEN -- THIS IS KIND OF AN OBVIOUS

QUESTION HERE, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY STORIES GOING ON AT ONCE.

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL STORY FOR YOU RIGHT NOW?

I KNOW WE'RE IN AN ELECTION BUT WHAT IS THE STORY THAT CANNOT BE

IGNORED?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I FEEL LIKE, FOR A LOT OF REASONS, YOU KNOW,

"BLACK LIVES MATTER" HAS BEEN SUCH A HUGE CHANGE IN THE WAY

THAT EVERYONE, EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY, THINKS

ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT RACE AND CIVIL JUSTICE, BUT EVEN AS HUGE

AS THAT STORY IS, AND I THINK THAT IS VERY CLOSE TO BEING THE

BIGGEST STORY, I THINK THERE'S NOTHING THAT CAN OVERTAKE THE

PANDEMIC.

THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC HAS CHANGED THE ENTIRE WORLD, IT'S CHANGED

THE WAY YOU'RE DOING YOUR SHOW HERE.

WE ARE DOING THIS REMOTELY.

IT CHANGED THE WAY WE WORK, THE WAY WE LIVE.

IT HAS CHANGED AND DESTABILIZED EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR LIVES, EVEN

THE WAY WE PROTEST.

SO EVEN IF YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ONLINE RELATED MOVEMENTS

HAVE BEEN MOVED INTO THE STREET, THEY MOVE BACK ONLINE, AND IN A

LOT OF WAYS, JUST BEING OUTSIDE, JUST BEING OUT IN PUBLIC IS SORT

OF EITHER THIS REVOLUTIONARY ACT OR SORT OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACT.

JUST BEING OUTDOORS HAS BECOME A POLITICAL ACT IN AND OF ITSELF.

SO I THINK THE PANDEMIC IS THE STORY IF NOT OF THE DECADE, AT

LEAST OF THE YEAR.

>> Stephen: WELL, YOU'RE A POLITICAL ANALYST.

HOW DO YOU ANALYZE THIS MOMENT POLITICALLY?

HOW DOES COVID CHANGE OUR POLITICS?

>> WELL, IF YOU THINK ABOUT DONALD TRUMP'S REELECTION, HE'S

IN A SORT OF FRANTIC END STAGE, PEOPLE CALL IT END STAGE

TRUMPISM WHERE HE'S GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY SORT OF FREAKING OUT

ABOUT MASKS AND DOWNING JOE BIDEN FOR LISTENING TO

SCIENTISTS, ET CETERA.

GO BACK AND RE-THINK TO A WORLD IN JANUARY WHERE DONALD TRUMP

GOT THAT BRIEFING, WHERE HE IS TOLD COVID IS AIRBORNE, THAT

IT'S DEADLY STUFF AS HE TOLD BOB WOODWARD.

HE CALLED WOODWARD.

WOODWARD DIDN'T CALL HIM.

HE SAID THIS STUFF IS DEADLY.

THINK ABOUT A DIFFERENT WORLD WHERE DONALD TRUMP HAD ACTED

IMMEDIATELY.

HE HAS A HOLD OVER 60 MILLION PEOPLE.

THEY'LL DO WHATEVER HE SAYS.

THEY'LL TAKE ON WHATEVER CAUSE HE GIVES THEM.

IF HE HAD SAID THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU'RE A REAL MAN IS IF YOU PUT

ON A MASK.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO PUT ONE ON.

IF HE HAD HANDLED THE PANDEMIC AS IF IT WERE A WAR AND HAD GONE

TO WAR AGAINST THE PANDEMIC, HE WOULD NOW BE GOING INTO

REELECTION WITH HIGH RATINGS ON THAT ISSUE, WHICH IS THE ISSUE

IN THE WORLD FOR EVERYBODY.

EVERYBODY WHO CAN'T SEE THEIR GRANDMA, THIS IS THE ISSUE.

HE WOULD BE GOING INTO IT WITH AN ECONOMY THAT WAS A COMPLETE

AND UTTER DISASTER.

THINK ABOUT WHAT DEMOCRATS WOULD HAVE TO BE RUNNING AGAINST IF HE

HAD BEEN STRONG ONT THAT ISSUE.

IT'S RUINED HIS PRESIDENCY.

IT'S OPENED UP ALL HIS OTHER FLAWS AND MADE THEM EVEN MORE

SORT OF EXACERBATED IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

IT'S RUINED HIS POLITICAL FORTUNES, AND IT'S RUINED THE

REPUBLICAN PARTY'S POLITICAL FORTUNES.

THIS PANDEMIC IS ALSO THE BIGGEST POLITICAL STORY OF THE

YEAR.

>> Stephen: OKAY, SO I BUY ALL OF THAT, EXCEPT THAT DOESN'T

DONALD TRUMP'S SUCCESS IN 2016 KIND OF THROW UP IN THE AIR OUR

ABILITY TO EXACTLY KNOW WHAT THE POLITICAL EFFECT OF A PERSON'S

BEHAVIOR IS?

BECAUSE BIDEN'S LOOKING GREAT, THINGS ARE LOOKING -- YOU KNOW,

KNOCK ON EVERYTHING, BIDEN IS LOOKING GREAT, BUT A LOT OF

PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE JOE BIDEN TO WIN ARE FEELING BURNED BY

2016.

I DON'T HAVE TO TELL YOU.

CAN WE KNOW WHAT THE POLITICAL REALITY IS RIGHT NOW, GIVEN HOW

WRONG PEOPLE WERE IN 2016?

>> SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE,

BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS PTSD FROM 2016, I HAVE PTSD FROM 2016, BUT

THE REALITY IS POLLS ARE ONLY GIVING YOU A SNAPSHOT IN TIME,

AND THEY'RE GIVING YOU A GENERAL SENSE OF WHERE THINGS ARE GOING.

HILLARY CLINTON ACTUALLY DID WIN BY ABOUT WHAT THE NATIONAL POLLS

SAID SHE'D WIN BY.

PEOPLE COULDN'T ANTICIPATE A JUMP BALL ELECTION.

A JUMP BALL ELECTION IS HARDER TO CALL BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE

TO POWERS OF INCUMBENCY LEANING AGAINST IT, YOU DON'T HAVE THE

ACTUAL FACT OF A PRESIDENT'S PERFORMANCE AGAINST IT.

IT'S LITERALLY A JUMP BALL.

YOU THROW BOTH IN THE AIR AND MEASURE THEM BY THEIR FLAWS MORE

OR LESS EASILY.

THIS ISN'T A JUMP BALL RACE.

THIS IS AN INCUMBENT RUNNING FOR ELECTION.

HE IS THE THING AT ISSUE, IT'S NOT HIS OPPONENT.

IT'S NOT A REFERENDUM ON JOE BIDEN, IT'S A REFERENDUM ON

TRUMP, AND ON THE ONE JOB HE HAD, KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.

LET PEOPLE SEE THEIR 80-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER, ALLOW PEOPLE TO

FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING TO A RESTAURANT, LIVING NORMAL LIVES,

LET THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL.

HE HAD ONE JOB AS PRESIDENT, HE FAILED, AND THAT MEANS THIS IS

AN ELECTION ABOUT HIM.

THEN YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING ELSE ABOUT HIT.

HE'S THERE NOW.

HE DIDN'T HANDLE THE ECONOMY WELL WHEN IT CAME TO THE

PANDEMIC.

ONE-QUARTER OF BUSINESSES FAILED.

20 MILLION PEOPLE ON UNEMPLOYMENT, 8 MILLION CAN'T

PAY THEIR RENT.

HIS FOREIGN POLICY IS POOR.

WE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF THINGS IN THE WORLD, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN

ENRAGED, ANGRY ABOUT THE IRAQ WAR, WE'RE NOW A SUBJECT OF PITY

ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

WE HAVE FEW FRIENDS AND THE FRIENDS WE HAVE ARE LIKE KIM

JONG UN AND PUTIN.

EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM IS MAGNIFIED BY THAT FAILURE, SO,

NO, I THINK THE DATA IS RIGHT, BUT THE X FACTOR HERE IS

CHEATING.

IT'S WHETHER OR NOT REPUBLICANS WILL TRY TO STEAL AN ELECTION

THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S JOE BIDEN TO WIN.

THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT AND

( VOTING ) VOTE, MAKE IT A BIG MARGIN SOUTH

HARDER TO CHEAT.

>> Stephen: WHEN YOU SAY CHEAT YOU MEAN SUPPRESS THE VOTE OR

STEAL BALLOTS, CHANGE RESULTS?

>> THERE'S THE OLD, YOU KNOW, 1960, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE

THINK PEOPLE WILL GO IN -- YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A LOT OF

REPUBLICANS TO THIS DAY DON'T BELIEVE JOHN F. KENNEDY WON THE

RACE.

THAT'S NOT THE CHEATING NORMALLY WORKS.

ONE WAY TO CHEAT IS TO GO AFTER THE VOTER ROLE.

TO TAKE PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE, YOU GO IN, SAY, I'M

STEPHEN COLBERT AND THEY SAY SORRY, YOU'RE NOT ON THE ROLLS.

>> Stephen: WHAT HAPPENED IN GEORGIA.

>> EXACTLY.

AND YOU CAN LITERALLY DO THAT.

SOME PEOPLE -- STEALING BALLOTS IS A VERY SMALL PART OF IT.

THE SECOND WAY TO DO IT IS TO INTIMIDATE PEOPLE INTO NOT GOING

AT ALL, MAKE PEOPLE THINK IT'S FUTILE, TURN THEM AWAY.

WE KNOW THERE'S AN OPERATION PUT IN PLACE BY REPUBLICANS IN 2016

DESIGNED TO DETER PEOPLE FROM VOTING.

THEY THROUGH FAKE INFORMATION, RUSSIA, HILLARY CLINTON SAYING

DON'T VOTE FOR HER, JUST STAY AT HOME.

THE THIRD WAY IS THE SCARY WAY WHICH IS TO SAY BIDEN WINS

PENNSYLVANIA AND THEN THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN PENNSYLVANIA SAYS

WE DON'T BELIEVE BIDEN WON PENNSYLVANIA BECAUSE THERE WAS

SOME ABSENTEE WHROTTING.

WE'VE LOOKED AT THIS AND IN OUR OPINION AS THE STATE LEGISLATOR,

WE'RE GOING TO SET ASIDE THE ELECTION AND GIVE THE

ELECTORATES TO TRUMP.

THAT'S THE SCARY WAY.

ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME WITH

RUSSIA'S HELP.

>> Stephen: WHEN WE COME BACK, I'LL ASK JOY HER THOUGHTS ABOUT

WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE UPCOMING TRUMP-BIDEN DEBATE ON THURSDAY.

STICK AROUND.