WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW."

JOINING ME TONIGHT IS THE FORMER "SUPER MAYOR" OF NEWARK AND THE

CURRENT JUNIOR SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY.

PLEASE WELCOME, SENATOR CORY BOOKER!

SENATOR, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

>> STEPHEN, IT'S GREAT TO BE ON WITH YOU AGAIN.

>> Stephen: WE'RE COMING UP ON TWO WEEKS, WE'RE 12 DAYS SINCE

THE ATTACK ON THE CAPITOL BY THE MAGA MOB.

D.C. HAS TURNED INTO A FORTRESS, OR AT LEAST PARTS OF IT HAVE.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

>> I'M DOING WELL.

I THINK -- HONESTLY, I THINK MOST OF US ARE FEELING A LOT OF

HURT AND A LOT OF GRIEF TO SEE WHAT OUR COUNTRY HAS BECOME.

THE CAPITOL NOW, ALL THE STRENGTH AND THE MILITARY AND

THE PRESENCE, THAT'S NOT A SIGN OF SUCCESS AS A NATION, THAT'S A

SIGN OF WEAKNESS AS A NATION.

AND BEING ON THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE WHEN WE

WERE UNDER SIEGE AND WATCHING COLLEAGUES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE

AISLE HAVE TO FLEE THE SEAT OF POWER IN THE MOST POWERFUL

NATION IN THE WORLD, TO SEE ITS ELECTED LEADERS, ITS FIRST

BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT TO HAVE TO FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES IS REALLY A

DEFEAT FOR OUR NATION, AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT ALL OF

US SHOULD TAKE VERY PERSONALLY.

>> Stephen: YOU WERE IN THE SENATE WITH ALL THE SENATORS FOR

THE CERTIFICATION ON JAN JANUARY 6th.

WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE IN THAT BUILDING THAT DAY?

UM, IT WAS -- I THINK, FOR SO MANY FOLKS -- I STILL REMEMBER

ON THE FLOOR SEEING STAFF MEMBERS BREAK OUT IN TEARS AND

SEEING THIS SORT OF HAPHAZARD SORT OF LOCKING DOWN OF THAT

ROOM, I THINK THAT A LOT OF FOLKS HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED

SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHERE THEY FELT THEIR LIFE UNDER THREAT,

AND I WILL NEVER FORGET GOING OUT, AND I TRIED TO LEAVE LAST,

KNOWING THAT THERE WERE SENATORS WHO ARE OLDER THAN I WAS, AND AS

I WAS COMING OUT THE REAR, JUST SEEING POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAD

BEEN INJURED, ALREADY.

AND THEN I THINK THE THING THAT WAS MOST PAINFUL TO ME, STEPHEN,

THAT WAS AT THAT POINT SOMETHING IN ME REALLY BROKE IS SEEING THE

CONFEDERATE FLAG BEING WAVED.

I SIT IN THE BACK OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE BY THE DOOR, AND

TO KNOW THAT THAT CONFEDERATE FLAG WAS WAVING THERE JUST FEET

FROM ME AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE NEVER LOST THAT FEELING OF GOING

ON THE SENATE FLOOR AND HOW SPECIAL THAT IS, BUT I HAVE A

FAMILY, A BLACK FAMILY THAT TOLD ME AS THE FOURTH BLACK PERSON

ELECTED PROPERLY TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE, ALL THE STRUGGLE

AND SACRIFICE THAT HAD TO HAPPEN IN THIS COUNTRY AND THE DEATH

AND BRUTALITY THAT HAD TO BE FACED IN ORDER TO BE ON THAT

FLOOR, AND TO HAVE -- IT WOULD BE JANUARY 1, 1861 THAT

JEFFERSON DAVIS GAVE HIS FAREWELL AND SUCCEEDED WITH

OTHER STRAITS TO TRY TO AFFIRM WHIERMINGTSY, SLAVERY AND

REBELLION AGAINST THIS NATION AND TO HAVE THAT FLAG WAVED

TRIUMPHANTLY ON THAT CIVIC, SACRED SPACE IS SOMETHING THAT

DEEPENS MY CONVICTION MORE THAN EVER TO DEAL WITH THIS SCOURGE

WE HAVE IN THIS NATION, THIS VIOLENT SCOURGE OF WHITE

SUPREMACY, WHICH I'VE WATCHED TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS

TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS THAT THE GREATEST TERRORIST THREAT IN

THIS NATION KILLING MORE THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF TERRORISM

SINCE 9/11 IS RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY

FROM A BLACK CHURCH IN NORTHCAROLINA TO A CHURCH IN

PITTSBURGH, THAT AMERICANS DON'T REALIZE THE URGENCY MEET WHAT WE

SAW TAKE OVER THE CAPITOL THAT DAY.

>> Stephen: TO SEE THAT FLAG BE CARRIED IN A VIOLENT ATTACK

ON THE U.S. CAPITOL, I THINK ONCE AND FOREVER BURIES THE OLD

LIE THAT IT'S ABOUT CULTURAL OR REGIONAL HERITAGE.

IT'S JUST ABOUT HATE.

>> YES, AND IT IS THIS FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE NOT JUST THE HATRED

AND THE BIGOTRY, BUT A FAIRLY TO RECOGNIZE WHAT WE COULD BE AS A

PEOPLE, A MULTI-RACIAL DEMOCRACY, SPEAKING NOT TOWARDS

A SPECIFIC CULTURE OR RACE, BUT SPEAKING TOWARDS THE HIGHEST

IDEALS OF HUMANITY THAT US DIFFERENCES OF DIVERSITY OR YET

OUR INTERCONNECTION TO CREATE A MORE BELOVED COMMUNITY, THAT

SHOULD EXCITE EVERY AMERICAN.

AND, SO, I JUST FIND MYSELF -- YOU KNOW, MARTIN LUTHER KING

SAID I CAN'T LEGISLATE YOU TO LOVE ME BUT I CAN LEGISLATE

STOPPING LYNCHING.

I KNOW AS A LEGISLATOR, THERE ARE THINGS WE DO.

WHEN WE ARE AT OUR BEST IS WHEN WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

>> Stephen: I WANT TO TALK TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE ON CAPITOL

HILL WHO CERTAINLY GIVE COMFORT TO SEDITIONISTS BY THE LIES THAT

THEY TELL BECAUSE NO FASCIST UPRISING EVER HAPPENS WITHOUT AN

ELITE WHO PROVIDES LEGITIMACY AND COVER FOR THE GRIEVANCES OF

THOSE WHO ARE STORMING THE BUILDINGS.

HAVE YOU SEEN "THE NEW YORKER" FOOTAGE THAT WAS RECENTLY

RELEASED THIS WEEK OF PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE SENATE,

RIFLING THROUGH TED CRUZ'S DESK AND SAYING JOSH HAWLEY AND TED

CRUZ WOULD BE FINE WITH THIS?

YOU SAID DONALD TRUMP IS BEING AIDED AND ABET BID A GROUP OF

REPUBLICAN HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS, THIS IS ON THEM AS

WELL.

WE MUST RISE FROM THIS SHAME, REPAIR OUR DEMOCRACY, WE MUST

HEAL OUR NATION.

I KNOW, AS I'VE SAID TO OTHER SENATE, IT'S THE MOST

DELIBERATIVE BODY IN THE WORLD, FAMOUSLY, BUT WHAT IS AN

APPROPRIATE CONSEQUENCE FOR HAVING AIDED AND ABETTING THESE

PEOPLE AND INSPIRING THEM WITH THE BIG LIE?

>> YEAH, SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT, AS YOU SAID,

IT'S NOT THE MAD KING.

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MAD PEOPLE LIKE THAT.

IT IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SANE WHO CONSCIOUSLY, DELIBERATIVELY

FORWARD THE MADNESS.

>> Stephen: BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY CAN RIDE THE TIGER.

>> YES, AND THIS CANCER BEGAN BEFORE THE ELECTION EVEN

HAPPENED.

WE HAD A PRESIDENT SAYING I WILL NOT COMMIT TO A PEACEFUL

TRANSFER OF POWER, IF I LOSE THIS WAS RIGGED.

AND WHEN THE ELECTION HAPPENED AND YOU HAD LOCAL REPUBLICAN

OFFICIALS, GOVERNORS, SECRETARIES OF STATE, WHEN YOU

HAD MEMBERS OF HIS OWN CABINET, WHEN YOU HAD THE FORMER ATTORNEY

GENERAL SAYING THESE ARE LIES, THIS WAS A FAIR ELECTION, AND

YET YOU HAVE SENATORS STILL PERPETUATING THAT LIE, THERE HAS

TO BE SOME KIND OF ACCOUNTABILITY BECAUSE WE CANNOT

HAVE A REDEMPTION, WE CANNOT HAVE HEALING WITHOUT

ACCOUNTABILITY, WITHOUT THE TRUTH BEING TOLD, WITHOUT

RESPONSIBILITY BEING ACCEPTED.

AND, SO, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FORMAL PROCEDURES WE HAVE IN A

NARROWLY DIVIDED SENATE, BUT THERE IS THIS -- THIS IS A

MOMENT OF RECKONING FOR US AS A NATION.

IF WE WANT TO HEAL, WE'VE GOT TO START TELLING THE TRUTH.

AND WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THIS COUNTRY, UNFORTUNATELY, IS BURY

A LOT OF OUR TROOPS OVER WITH CONVENIENT DISNEYLAND VERSIONS

OF AMERICA THAT HAS NOT SPOKEN TO THE WRETCHED NESDZ, THE MASS

KILLINGS THAT HAVE GONE ON FROM CINCINNATI TO LOUISIANA TO THE

COAL FAX MASSACRE TO BLACK WALL STREET, THERE HAVE BEEN SO

IN INSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE SAY LET'S TURN THE PAGE AND MOVE ON,

BUT THOSE WOUNDS FESTER.

I JUST REALLY WANT US TO HAVE MORE OF A RECKONING IN THIS

COUNTRY IS TO SPEAK TO THE WRETCHEDNESS THAT HAPPENS.

OUR NATION'S CAPITOL IS UNDER SIEGE AND ATTACK.

THIS WASN'T JUST A BUNCH OF FOLKS THAT GOT UP IN THE MORNING

AND SAID LET'S TAKE THE CAPITOL.

NO, THEY WERE FED.

THIS LIE WAS PUSHED ON THEM BY PEOPLE IN THE MEDIA WHO SAT ON

NETWORKS AND REPEATED THE LIE AND GAVE OPPORTUNITY ON IT,

POLITICAL OPPORTUNISTS WHO SEIZED ON THIS FOR THEMSELVES.

IF THERE CAN'T BE SOME KIND OF REDEMPTIVE MOMENT, THIS PROBLEM

WILL BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH, WE WILL HAVE A LOT

MORE WORK TO DO AS A NATION.

>> Stephen: WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A QUICK BREAK.

STICK AROUND.

I'M GOING TO ASK THE SENATOR A QUESTION THAT I'M GOING TO GUESS

YOU WON'T SEE COMING.