HEATHER SHARON AND NICK BLUMBERG REPORTING FROM MILWAUKEE AS WELL AND OF IN A KEYS.

STILL INSIDE MILWAUKEE'S PFIZER FOR HIM AND HERE IN THE STUDIO.

JOINING US AGAIN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY'S ERIK NISBET.

SO HEATHER, LET'S START WITH YOU, PLEASE TONIGHT, CLOSING IT OUT.

WAS CHICAGO PASTOR COREY BROOKS MAKING AN APPEARANCE AT THE RNC DELIVERING THE CLOSING PRAYER.

WHY WAS HE CHOSEN FOR THIS ROLE?

WELL, HE'S EXACTLY THE TYPE OF PERSON THAT REPUBLICANS ARE ATTEMPTING TO APPEAL TO.

HE'S BLACK.

HE'S FROM PRIMARILY DEMOCRATIC CITY AND HE'S SOMEBODY WHO WAS REJECTED, SORT OF THAT GOVERNING EAST FOES.

HE'S ALSO SOMEBODY WHO SAYS THAT, YOU KNOW, BLACK PEOPLE WHO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS OFTEN DO SO UNTHINKINGLY.

AND THAT IS BECAUSE SOMETHING THEY HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT SORT OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

HE SEES SORT OF CHICAGO'S BLACK COMMUNITY AS MORE CONSERVATIVE THAN YOU WOULD THINK.

HE'S ALSO SOMEBODY WHO SAYS HE'S BEEN SORT OF TARGETED FOR HIS POLITICAL BELIEFS.

HE'S BUILDING A MASSIVE COMMUNITY CENTER AND WOODLAWN.

HE IS ASKED THE CITY FOR HELP BUILDING THAT FACILITY AND HE HAS NOT GOTTEN.

HE SAYS ANY HELP FROM THE CITY AND HE BELIEVES THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S NOT A DEMOCRAT.

AND THAT IS EXACTLY IN LINE WITH SORT OF THIS NARRATIVE OF SORT OF, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING TARGETED BY THE POLITICAL ELITE THAT DONALD TRUMP REALLY SORT AND EMBRACES.

AND THAT IS WHY COREY BROOKS GOT SUCH A HUGE SPOTLIGHT TODAY.

I'M SURE THAT HE HOPES THAT IT WILL TRANSLATE INTO ADDITIONAL DOLLARS THAT HE CAN USE TO HELP THE PEOPLE THAT HE SERVES IN ONE OF CHICAGO'S MOST VIOLENT NEIGHBORHOODS.

BUT BERG, TODAY'S MAJOR THEMES, OF COURSE, THE CONVENTION, SAFETY AND HOW ARE REPUBLICANS APPROACHING THIS ISSUE AT THE DNC AND RNC EXCUSE ME?

IT DON'T RUSH US.

WE'LL GET TO NO, I MEAN, I THINK YOU YOU AND PROFESSOR THAT, YOU KNOW THIS.

BUT RIGHT ON THE MONEY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS WAS SO HEAVILY FOCUSED ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW THE BIDEN HARRIS ADMINISTRATION HAS OPENED THE BORDERS.

IN FACT, YOU KNOW, EARLIER THIS YEAR THERE WAS A MOVE TO YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO ASYLUM SEEKERS IN A SORT OF PUTTING PERHAPS I'M PUTTING THE LIE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, OFFERING SOME IMPORTANT CONTEXT TO THAT NOTION OF JUST WIDE OPEN BORDERS.

THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF REFERENCES TO VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS'S ROLE AS A QUOTE, UNQUOTE BORDER CZAR.

NOW, CERTAINLY THE DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENT VICE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF HEAT AT THE RNC, BUT ONE HAS TO WONDER AS WELL, GIVEN ALL THE SPECULATION ABOUT WHETHER PRESIDENT BIDEN'S REELECTION BID WILL CONTINUE IF THEY WANTED TO PUT A LOT OF FOCUS ON KAMALA HARRIS AND TRY TO LAY THE BLAME FOR SOME OF THE BILLS THAT CONSERVATIVES SEE, AS YOU KNOW, COMING FROM IMMIGRATION AT THE FEET OF HARRIS.

AND THEN ALSO TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE POINT.

THERE WERE SOME EFFORTS TO TIE IMMIGRATION TO VIOLENT CRIME.

AND TO SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, BLACK AMERICANS HAVE SUFFERED.

WE HEARD FROM MADELEINE BRAND TALKING ABOUT THE LOSS OF HER SON.

AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I WAS LIED TO.

I WAS DECEIVED.

WE ALSO HEARD FROM, YOU KNOW, AMBASSADOR NIKKI HALEY TALKING ABOUT WE NEED TO EXPAND THE PARTY, YOU KNOW, SO THERE WERE SOME OVERTURES THERE TO BRING IN MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

BUT REALLY IT WAS A HEAVY FOCUS ON IMMIGRATION.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS YOU MENTIONED, THOSE EVERYDAY AMERICANS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM RAN THROUGH A BIT OF A LAUNDRY LIST OF, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THAT VERY MOVING STORY ABOUT FENTANYL.

BUT, YOU KNOW, 10 CITIES BEING CHASED DOWN THE STREET.

ALL THESE SORTS OF THINGS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, OFTEN APPEAR IN CONSERVATIVE CRITIQUES OF DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLED AREAS.

BUT YEAH, FOR YOU KNOW WHAT A NIGHT THAT WAS ABOUT SAFETY.

IT WAS VERY MUCH ABOUT SAFETY AT THE BORDER, BUT CERTAINLY AS THIS PARTY HAS ALIGNED ITSELF WITH TRUMP THAT VERY MUCH ALIGNS ITSELF WITH ONE OF TRUMP'S BIG PRIORITIES HAVING THAT BORDER WALL BUILT AND RESTRICTING IMMIGRATION RIGHT IN ON SAFETY NIGHT.

I THINK ALL OF US WERE EXPECTING THERE TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE NAME CHECKING OF CHICAGO.

I THINK WE'RE PREPARED FOR IT.

I'M WORRIED.

NICK, HEATHER, WERE EITHER OF YOU SURPRISED THAT?

YOU KNOW, WE CHICAGO DIDN'T COME UP BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN PUNCHING BAG WHERE THE PRESIDENT THE PAST.

YEAH, I I THINK IT'S BECAUSE THE DATA HAS COMPLICATED THIS NARRATIVE OF CRIME IN CHICAGO IS DOWN DOUBLE DIGITS THIS YEAR AS COMPARED WITH LAST YEAR.

DESPITE THE ARRIVAL OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS, MANY FROM VENEZUELA, ANY SORT OF FLEEING ECONOMIC COLLAPSE AND TRYING TO MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR THEIR FAMILIES IN CHICAGO.

BUT SIMPLY PUT THAT IF, YOU KNOW, THE MIGRANTS WERE BRINGING BRINGING CRIME AND THAT YOU KNOW, DEMOCRATICALLY CONTROLLED CITIES WERE UNABLE TO START COPE WITH THAT PRESSURE, WE WOULD NOT SEE DOUBLE-DIGIT CRIME DROPS.

AND THAT MEANS THAT THIS NARRATIVE IS MORE COMPLICATED, WHICH IS WHY YOU REALLY HEARD ANECDOTAL INDIVIDUAL STORIES BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT IF THE DATA WAS MOVING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE INCREASES WE SAW DURING THE PANDEMIC YEARS.

THE REPUBLICANS WOULD NOT HESITATE TO MAKE THAT CASE, BUT THEY SIMPLY CAN'T.

AND I THINK THE PROFESSOR'S POINT WAS WELL TAKEN THAT THIS IS A NARRATIVE THAT RELIES ON TRULY RACIST NOTIONS PEOPLE WHO ARE LATINO MOSTLY COMING INTO AMERICA.

IT ALSO SEARCH SEARCH TO SORT YOU KNOW, EXPOSED THAT TENSION BETWEEN BLACK CHICAGOANS IN PARTICULAR AND LATINO CHICAGOANS WATCHING COGGINS FEEL VERY ANGRY THAT THEY HAVE SUFFERED FOR DECADES OF DISINVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE WOOD LINE WHERE COREY BROOKS SERVES THE COMMUNITY.

THAT IS SORT OF THE POLITICS BEHIND THIS.

BUT OF COURSE, THERE ARE REAL PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE I ALSO THINK WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE INFLUX OF, YOU KNOW, MANY THOUSANDS OF NEW ARRIVALS COMING INTO CHICAGO AND TO OTHER DEMOCRATICALLY CONTROLLED CITIES THAT'S DRIVEN BY THE DECISION REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT OF TEXAS TO BUST THOSE MIGRANTS INTO THOSE CITIES ESSENTIALLY TO, YOU KNOW, TRY TO PUT THE HEAT ON DEMOCRATIC LEADERS AND SAY, HEY, YOU WANT TO BE A SANCTUARY CITY, YOU WANT TO SANCTUARY STATE.

OKAY.

WE'RE GOING TO SEND THESE FOLKS UP NORTH TO WHERE YOU LIVE.

SO I THINK THAT ALSO IS PART OF THE REASON WHY YOU'RE SEEING SO MUCH FOCUS ON IMMIGRATION AT THE RNC.

IT SORT DOVETAILS WITH THAT REPUBLICAN EFFORT TO CREATE A POLITICAL CRISIS WHEN IT COMES TO NEW ARRIVALS.

SO, OK, I WANT TO GET HIM AND IN HERE BECAUSE THEY'RE DOING SOME FUN STUFF WITH THE INSIDE FISERV FORUM THERE.

AMANDA BUT ON THAT FLOOR EARLIER TODAY, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEEMAN FOR ILLINOIS, RICHARD PORTER HAD AN ALTERCATION WITH MATT GAETZ.

LET'S TAKE A LISTEN.

THAT STAGE YOU WOULD GET OFF THE WHAT HAPPENED.

SO WHAT YOU HAVE THERE THE FORMER SPEAKER BEING INTERVIEWED AND THEN REPRESENTATIVE GAETZ, WHO, OF COURSE, WAS REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OUSTING INTERRUPTED, SAID YOU'RE GOING TO GET FOOD AND THEN MCCARTHY'S LONG TIME.

GOOD FRIEND.

THAT'S ILLINOIS.

REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIRMAN RICHARD PORTER.

WELL, YOU AND HE HIT.

I TALKED WITH HIM LATER JUST A BIT AGO, IN FACT, AND HE SAID, PARDON MY LANGUAGE.

BUT I'M NOT SORRY AT ALL.

FOR WHAT I SAID.

HE SAID THAT REPRESENTIVE GATES WAS ACTING LIKE A SCHOOLYARD BULLY AND THAT THAT SORT OF BEHAVIOR IS INAPPROPRIATE.

YOU SHOULDN'T ACT LIKE A HE WAS STANDING UP FOR HIS FRIEND, BUT HE WOULD HAVE SET THAT SORT COMMENTARY THAT HE HEARD IT FROM ANYBODY BECAUSE THAT IS INAPPROPRIATE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY MADE THE ROUNDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA NOT JUST IN ILLINOIS.

PORTER SAID THAT HE WAS GETTING TEXTS FROM PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE NATION.

SOME OF WHOM SAID, HEY, YOU SHOULD IMPACT THE THE NEXT AS HOUSE SPEAKER.

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT?

THIS IS MORE OF ALL OF WHAT WE NEED.

PEOPLE CALLING LIKE IT IS.

THIS DOES, HOWEVER, THINK BELIE SOME OF THIS TALK THAT WE KEEP ON HEARING HIS REFRAIN IN TERMS UNITY, UNI UNI AND OF COURSE, THE APPEARANCES OF TRUMP'S PRIMARY CHALLENGERS BECAUSE YOU SEE RIGHT THERE GATES AND REALLY THAT TRUE CONSERVATIVE WING THE MEGA FOLKS ARE NOT PERHAPS FULLY WILLING TO ACCEPT THOSE WHO AREN'T 100% ON BOARD.

BY THE WAY, HAPPENED TO CATCH UP MCCARTHY IN THE HALLWAYS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER RIGHT AFTER THIS CONFRONTATION AFTER THIS KERFUFFLE IN, HE DOES MAINTAIN THAT PARTY IS UNIFIED AND THAT HE IS FULLY BEHIND TRUMP.

I'M ERIK NISBET.

I WANT TO GET YOU IN HERE BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALSO SAW TONIGHT THAT I THOUGHT WAS INTERESTING IS FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP SHOWING UP FOR THE SECOND NIGHT AND SITTING IN THE AUDIENCE.

IT'S KIND LIKE THE KING WATCHING HIS OWN CORONATION.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF THAT?

IS IT STRANGE?

I WELL, I THINK IT'S VERY TRUMP.

FIRST OF ALL, BEING SERVED IMPERIAL WHERE YOU SAW THAT HIS MAIN RIVALS FOR THE RECENT PRIMARY AND FORMAL RIVALS FROM THE PRIMARY BEFORE THAT IN 2016 COMING ENDORSING HIM SORT OF PRESENTING THEMSELVES TO THE I ALSO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE OF THIS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT THAT HE SHOWS UP PHYSICALLY.

HE SHOWS UP THAT HE'S IN GOOD HEALTH.

HE'S ROBUST.

HE'S SMILING.

HE'S HEALTHY AGAIN, TRYING TO SHOW CONFIDENCE AND BECAUSE OF THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AND TRYING TO SHOW A CONTRAST.

THE COUPLE SECONDS TOMORROW IS MAKE AMERICA STRONG AGAIN.

WHAT DO WE THINK THAT NIGHT IS ABOUT?

PROBABLY ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY.

I WOULD ASSUME WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE.

THEY HAD SOME MILITARY CANDIDATES ON TONIGHT TALKING ABOUT THAT AND IT TO OPEN WITH THE DIALOGUE THERE.

TRAIN PRESENT BIDEN AS WEAK BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD.

SO WE'LL SEE THE DO MORE OF THAT TOMORROW.

OKAY.

TOMORROW, BE FUN.

WILL ALL BE MOST OF US WILL BE HERE TO TALK ABOUT NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR ERIC