March 12, 2023 - PBS News Weekend full episode

JOHN YANG: Tonight on "PBS News Weekend," with battles in Congress looming, we talk with Senator Jon Tester about the debt, immigration and America's political divisions.

JON TESTER, Montana Senator: We have an incredible system of free speech and free religion, Second Amendment rights you can.

And we've got folks out there that want to destroy that.

And I don't think they really think they're destroying it, but in fact they are.

JOHN YANG: Then as Russia's crackdown on independent media within its borders continues, a conversation with a journalist living and reporting in exile, and a look back at the life of Hollywood screenwriter Frances Marion, who helped pave the way for women in the industry.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: Good evening, I'm John Yang.

Former Vice President Mike Pence has delivered his sharpest criticism yet of Donald Trump for his role in the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In an annual white tie dinner thrown by Washington journalists last night, Pence said President Trump was wrong.

I had no right to overturn the election.

His reckless words endangered my family and everyone at the Capitol that day.

I know that history will hold Donald Trump accountable.

The comments at the event where cameras were barred widens the rift between the former running mates as Pence considers his own run for the presidency.

Tomorrow, former President Trump campaigns in Iowa.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says there will be no federal bailout of California's failed Silicon Valley Bank the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history and the largest since the 2008 financial crisis.

Yellen said banking regulators are trying to meet the needs of depositors whose accounts exceeded the $250,000 limit on Federal Deposit Insurance.

Most of the bank's deposit accounts are larger than the limit.

Two migrant smuggling boats carrying nearly two dozen people capsized in the surf late last night off the San Diego coast, killing eight people seven more are missing.

Officials said it's one of the deadliest migrant smuggling incidents ever for that area.

Illegal border crossings have reached record highs under the Biden administration.

Crossing the border by sea has long been a risky alternative.

And in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed three armed Palestinians this morning.

Israel claims the militants opened fire first.

Already this year Israeli forces have killed at Palestinians as Israel has stepped up its raids in the West Bank.

Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv last night for the 10th consecutive week massive protests over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has planned to allow lawmakers to be able to overturn Supreme Court decisions.

Opponents of that measure say it would eliminate the checks and balances in the Israeli government.

Still to come on "PBS News Weekend," how one journalist left Russia so he could freely report on his own country.

And looking back at the life of screenwriter Francis Marion, a trailblazer for women in Hollywood.

(BREAK) JOHN YANG: The battle lines are being drawn for the 2024 presidential campaign with Republicans leaning in on education and social issues.

And Democrats focusing on abortion rights and Medicare.

Lisa Desjardins spoke with Montana's Democratic Senator Jon Tester about some of the looming fights ahead.

LISA DESJARDINS: Critical junctures are fast approaching on spending the national debt, the military and the next national election.

And playing a role in all of them is the senior senator from Montana Democrat Jon Tester.

Senator Tester, thanks for joining us.

Let's start with the nation's money problem.

Just this week, a key Republican on Budget Matters said that the market should be ready for a possible plunge this summer because of a potential standoff over the national debt.

You're an appropriator?

What's your level of concern about this?

JON TESTER: Well, look, when you start talking about the debt, and I'm and I'm very concerned, because that's really playing with fire and could drive our economy into depression really, really quickly if we don't pay our debts.

Look, the debt is very serious business.

And we should sit down and have a bipartisan group, with government and non-government folks get together and put forth some recommendations after they study the topic about how we can get our debt under control, using common sense, rather than political talking points.

And I think if we're able to do that, we can set the country on a very secure path for economic growth and get our debt under control.

But if we're going to continue to use the debt as a political football, depending on who's in power, and when they're in power, I don't think we'll ever come to a solution on the issue.

I think it can be done.

But we have to remove politics from this equation.

LISA DESJARDINS: As for specific ideas, Republicans when spending cuts, and you are one of the people who controls the purse strings, do you think Congress should cut federal budget this year?

And in particular, on defense, which is the subcommittee you oversee?

JON TESTER: Look, I think everybody should be open to take a look at their own shop and make a determination whether there are things we can cut, but the fact of the matter is this.

What are you going to cut, and how you're going to cut it?

We know that China is a pacing threat.

We've seen what militarily and economically.

We've seen what Russia has done with Ukraine.

We know that Iran and North Korea are bad actors out there that want to do us harm.

And so from a military standpoint, what do you want to cut?

Because the truth is, is that I think making sure we have a strong military is really important.

LISA DESJARDINS: Another long term problem is the border.

And you put out this tweet, saying that you are sick and tired of lip service and President Biden must do more.

What do you want to happen?

JON TESTER: So I think President Biden must do more, I think Congress must do more too.

I don't think it's all on the administration or the administration plays a big role.

From my perspective, it's more technology, it's more manpower, guess what?

Those both cost money.

And if we're going to do it, that's what it takes.

If we're going to secure a border, that is what it's going to take.

We got some great technology companies out there that can determine what's happening on our, on our borders, they can determine what's coming across in our ports.

But those technologies cost money.

And it costs money to share and distribute the information that comes off of those technologies.

And everybody knows we need more manpower on the southern border.

And I would say the northern border, too, as far as that goes.

And so those are the solutions, I do think it is a serious problem.

And the administration needs to do more.

LISA DESJARDINS: And I'd hear Republicans are still pushing is that have some kind of border barrier?

Sometimes they call it a wall?

Do you think that Congress should fund more border barriers?

JON TESTER: I think there are points on the southern border where a physical barrier makes perfect sense.

I think a wall from sea to shining sea is not a very smart idea.

I think it's a gross waste of money.

And I don't think it will last the test of time.

But there are some points in our border, where a physical barrier absolutely can provide some protection.

And those are the areas we should look at.

LISA DESJARDINS: You're saying you want more than we have now?

JON TESTER: Yes, I mean, look, I would say that but I would leave that to the professionals that were on the border to make that determination, where it's most effective.

LISA DESJARDINS: But they know that you are in charge of the funding.

JON TESTER: Yes, that's right.

But they have to make the presentation and say this is what we need.

This is why we need it.

And then I can make the decision whether we need to find it or not.

LISA DESJARDINS: You are also pushing hard to correct what you see as a major problem for some veterans.

A group of combat veterans who were retired because of their injuries in the military now cannot receive both disability and their retirement pay.

You want to change that why?

JON TESTER: So this is called the Major Richard Star Act.

And this is a situation where a personal surgeon or military gets injured while they're on the job in the military and it forces them to retire because of their disability.

I think it's only fair that those folks get retirement and disability pay.

Their ability to earn income has been severely altered and they've been forced out of the military because of their injury.

I just think it's the right thing to do.

We have an all volunteer military.

We want folks to sign up.

We have to live up to our end of the agreement.

And I think passing the Major Richard Star Act, would live up to our end of the agreement where when people get hurt in their service to this country, and are forced to retire out of the military, that they get concurrent receipts goes, disability, and retirement.

LISA DESJARDINS: This country is still so divided.

And this week, of course, we saw a lot of news and discussion about January 6.

I want to ask you, where do you think we are in terms of the tension around falsehoods and just as a country in this divided time.

JON TESTER: I think the country is incredibly divided right now.

I think that that division puts our democracy at risk like we've never seen it before.

In my lifetime, at least, I was here on January 6, I saw what happened.

I didn't even fully understand what was happening while I was watching people storming the Capitol.

But in the end, it was about our elections, which are fundamental to our democracy.

And if we've got folks out there that can overthrow our elections based on false information, we got big problems.

We have an incredible system of free speech and free religion and Second Amendment rights.

And we've got folks out there that want to destroy that.

And I don't think they really think they're destroying it.

But in fact, they are.

Because when you undermine our elections, you're undermining our democracy, and you're putting it at risk.

LISA DESJARDINS: During this exact time, is when you have decided to run for reelection, even though you have a huge political target on your back.

Republicans want your seat.

There will be a lot of attack ads against you.

And I know, you'd probably rather be on your farm than with those ads.

Why are you running again and did other senators like say Senator Schumer asked you to do it?

JON TESTER: Look, Lisa, I am a farmer here exactly right.

I bring that dirt under your fingernails perspective to Washington, DC, and Montana common sense.

And I just think we need that in Washington, DC.

We need somebody who's going to fight for rural America.

We need somebody who's going to fight for our veterans, for a strong defense for main street businesses.

And I think I bring that skill set to the table.

I had a number of my colleagues that I like, and they like me asked me to come back.

But the truth is a decision was really made by my family by my wife, my kids, my grandkids, and for the good of the country, quite frankly.

I think that the division also had an impact on my decision.

I think it's important we try to bring this country together.

And it's important that we move on so our kids and our grandkids can have a great quality of life and the same kind of opportunities that my parents and grandparents gave me.

LISA DESJARDINS: Senator Jon Tester Montana, thank you.

JON TESTER: Appreciate the visit with the Lisa, thank you.

JOHN YANG: Since Russia invaded Ukraine last year, Moscow has continued its clamped down on independent media within its borders, many Russian journalists fled rather than risk imprisonment for not toeing the government's line.

One of them is journalist Mikhail Zygar, whose book "War and Punishment: Putin, Zelenskyy, and the Path to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine" is coming out in July.

Thanks so much for joining us.

MIKHAIL ZYGAR, Former Editor-In-Chief, TV Rain: Thank you for having me.

JOHN YANG: You left Moscow for Berlin on February 27, 2022.

That was three days after the invasion.

You said it was clear you had to leave why?

MIKHAIL ZYGAR: I felt like it was my moral obligation.

I knew that you cannot live in a fascist country.

And if your country invades another independent country, you have to fight against it.

I was like the first hours after the invasion.

I've written an open letter that was co-signed by Russia's prominent writers, filmmakers.

And then afterwards, it was reposted and signed by millions of Russians.

But that was obvious that we -- I could not stay inside the country because I might have been imprisoned immediately for spreading fakes about Russian Army.

JOHN YANG: Has anyone in your circle of journalistic friends or colleagues remained in Russia and what are you hearing from them?

MIKHAIL ZYGAR: Some of my friends are so bold and brave and crazy, I would say so they deliberately stay.

They know how much risk is that but still - - but they chose that super risky way to say Moscow.

They live expecting the police or someone - - some security forces to come to interrogate or to search in their apartments every single day, every single morning.

But they are still working, they are blogging, they are having their YouTube channels.

It's hard.

The country is really depressed.

Those journalists who continue working as independent journalist inside the country, they are very depressed with that illusionary atmosphere that nothing has changed.

JOHN YANG: And are they able to post their work on YouTube on the internet?

MIKHAIL ZYGAR: YouTube is still not blocked in Russia.

And you might know that YouTube has a very, really important role in Russia, because all the traditional TV channels are propaganda.

So YouTube is being watched as proper television by those Russians who oppose this war and YouTube is still working, and it's still very important.

JOHN YANG: Are you able to continue your work in exile?

MIKHAIL ZYGAR: Absolutely.

All Russian journalists who have fled continue working.

And I will say that we didn't have any political process for many years.

There are no opposition politicians in Russia.

So news media, independent journalists are probably the most important political figures, political activists in today's Russian society, because Russian society is everywhere now.

Berlin, Riga, Tel Aviv, Dubai, numerous city, many cities of America, there is the new huge wave of Russian emigration up to 1 million people who oppose Putin's war, and not -- there is nothing that unifies them, except for independent media.

JOHN YANG: Can you foresee any circumstances under which you would want to return to Russia?

MIKHAIL ZYGAR: I know that it's impossible until Vladimir Putin is still president of this country.

I hope that when he's not a life, the situation can get better.

I'm sure that the war against Ukraine will be stopped the moment when he's dead.

And that's absolutely 100 percent the condition of any possible future for Russia.

First, Ukraine should win this war.

And then we'll start to deal with our problems for me Russians that number one -- priority number one is the victory for Ukraine.

JOHN YANG: But you seem to be saying nothing's really going to change.

Nothing's going to get better until Vladimir Putin is out of the way.

MIKHAIL ZYGAR: I'm afraid so, yes.

And, you know, and I'm not really -- I'm not optimistic about his departure as well, because I'm not sure that when he's gone, the system would collapse.

As we know, after Stalin's death Soviet Union existed for almost 40 more years.

JOHN YANG: Mikhail Zygar, thank you very much.

MIKHAIL ZYGAR: Thank you.

JOHN YANG: Emi Kiyota is an internationally recognized leader on healthy aging.

Inspired by her grandmother's experience, Kiyota helps create elder communities with spaces that accommodate everyone.

Tonight, Kiyota shares her Brief But Spectacular take on designing better lives for all.

EMI KIYOTA, Global Brain Health Institute: I was born and raised in a small farm in the countryside of Japan.

My mother's side of grandmother who really looked after me for a long time decided that she had to go to nursing home because her memory was slipping.

Six months later, I visited her.

And I asked at the nursing home with her name, and no one knew.

I just had to do something about this situation.

What the environmental gerontologist do is to study about how environment impact on people's behaviors being around older person was really part of my life growing up.

I think it's a different phase of life that they're going through.

But when I see them, what they see their strengths and what they see is a spirit.

Aging is very different because you're going to grow into so when we have ageism issues to others, we are actually discriminating against ourselves.

My interest of the design for nursing home was coming from my grandmother's experience.

She was not able to go out from the room.

Everything was locked from outside.

And I felt like the design was not based on the trust of what other person can do.

My approach of Designing Spaces is really tried to see the point of view of the users how can we create the space to accommodate everybody's needs to create socially integrated and sustainable community that value older person rather than looking after older person.

What we try to do is to change the narrative.

Too often, you know, our elders are cut off from the daily life of our society, we want to change that by really working with older person from the beginning.

We construct with elders to find the space where they can find contributions to the community, rather than they go in and being looked after.

We have to ask other people how they want to live, although people are the experts actually have their own life and why not ask them.

One thing I cannot reconcile is that if I were to be able to do this for my grandmother who already passed, she could have had a better life.

That is something that I cannot really let go.

I'm sure my grandmother will be happy if I help others, but I just wish I could help her to.

My name is Emi Kiyota.

This is my Brief But Spectacular take on designing better life for us.

JOHN YANG: On this Oscars Sunday, during Women's History Month, we highlight another story of achievement that has faded over time.

Tonight, a pioneer in the film industry, whose storied career made her one of the most prolific and respected writers over time.

Frances Marion may not have been a household name, but the actors who starred in the movie she wrote were.

Mary Pickford, Marie Dressler, Greta Garbo, Marion Davies, Wallace Berry, Lionel Barrymore, Mary and wrote the scenes that define their careers.

She worked in every facet of film production training under director and producer Lois Weber, another early Hollywood female pioneer.

As a screenwriter, Marion built a reputation for highlighting actors strengths and creating original characters.

From 1915 to 1946 spanning the silent and sound eras, Marion wrote more than 300 screenplays, she was among the highest paid screenwriters in the world male or female, and directed two films.

For The Big House in 1930, Marion became the first woman to win an Academy Award for writing.

She won another in 1932 for the Champ.

During World War I, Marion took a hiatus from the film industry and was a war correspondent.

After her Hollywood career ended, she taught script writing at the University of Southern California and wrote a number of books including a memoir "Off With Their Heads," which was published in 1972.

And that is PBS News Weekend for this Sunday.

I'm John Yang.

For all of my colleagues, thanks for joining us.

Have a good week.