November 3, 2024 - PBS News Weekend full episode

JOHN: TONIGHT ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND, THE EFFECT STATE RESTRICTIONS ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE HAVING ON ABORTION AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES.

THEN, VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES ARE WORKING TO BOOST THEIR ACCESSIBILITY AND VISIBILITY IN THIS YEAR'S ELECTION.

>> ULTIMATELY, YOUR VOTE NEEDS TO CONVERT INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT YOUR CANDIDATE TO DO.

JOHN: AND HOW FAITH IS SHAPING EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS' VIEWS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.

JOHN: GOOD EVENING.

I'M JOHN YANG.

THE FINAL PRE-ELECTION POLLS RELEASED TODAY SHOW FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS DEADLOCKED AS THE RACE GOES DOWN TO THE WIRE.

BUT THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT SOME LATE DECIDERS MAY BE BREAKING FOR THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE.

75 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE ALREADY CAST THEIR BALLOTS, AND WITH THE RACE SO CLOSE AND SO COMPETITIVE, BOTH CANDIDATES WERE OUT TODAY APPEALING TO THOSE WHO HAVE YET TO VOTE.

ALI ROGIN HAS THE STORY.

VP HARRIS: I SEE A NATION DETERMINED TO TURN THE PAGE ON HATRED AND DIVISION AND CHART A NEW WAY FORWARD.

ALI: AT A BLACK CHURCH IN DETROIT, KAMALA HARRIS SPOKE OF A FUTURE BEYOND TUESDAY'S ELECTION.

VP HARRIS: EACH OF US HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IN THIS MOMENT WE FACE A REAL QUESTION -- WHAT KIND OF COUNTRY DO WE WANT TO LIVE IN?

ALI: HARRIS NEEDS HIGH VOTER TURNOUT HERE IN MICHIGAN AND IN OTHER BLUE WALL STATES LIKE WISCONSIN AND PENNSYLVANIA.

IN A SURPRISE APPEARANCE ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, SHE POKED FUN AT HERSELF WITH HER DOPPELGÄNGER.

>> I'LL TELL YOU SOMETHING.

I'M GONNA VOTE FOR US.

VP HARRIS: GREAT!

ANY CHANCE YOU ARE REGISTERED IN PENNSYLVANIA?

>> NOPE I AM NOT.

VP HARRIS: WELL, IT WAS WORTH A SHOT.

ALI: DONALD TRUMP IS ALSO FOCUSED ON PENNSYLVANIA, WHERE HE HAS CLOSED IN ON HARRIS IN THE POLLS.

MR. TRUMP FROM: AND YOU HAVE A CHANCE IN TWO DAYS.

AND IF YOU DON'T VOTE, YOU'RE STUPID.

YOU ARE STUPID.

ALI: BUT HE HAD A STARKLY DIFFERENT TONE.

HE DUMPED HIS PREPARED SPEECH IN FAVOR OF RAMBLING REMARKS, OFTEN QUESTIONING THE INTEGRITY OF THE VOTING PROCESS.

MR. TRUMP FROM: THEY SPEND ALL THIS MONEY, ALL THIS MONEY ON MACHINES, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SAY WE MAY TAKE AN EXTRA 12 DAYS TO DETERMINE -- AND WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS DURING THAT 12 DAYS?

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS?

ALI: AND RAILING AGAINST EARLY VOTING.

MR. TRUMP FROM: THEY ARE FIGHTING SO HARD TO STEAL THIS DAMN THING.

LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON.

LOOK AT WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR STATE.

EVERY DAY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING HOURS AND WHOEVER HEARD OF THIS STUFF?

ALI: HARRIS URGED VOTERS TO BE WARY.

VP HARRIS: I WOULD ASK IN PARTICULAR PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT YET VOTED TO NOT FALL FOR HIS TACTIC.

IT IS MEANT TO DISTRACT FROM THE FACT THAT WE HAVE AND SUPPORT FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IN OUR COUNTRY.

ALI: VOTING WILL END TUESDAY, BUT THE FINAL TALLY WON'T COME FOR DAYS.

FOR PBS NEWS WEEKEND, I'M ALI ROGIN.

JOHN: ISRAEL SAID TODAY IT HAD SEIZED A SYRIAN CITIZEN DURING A GROUND OPERATION THERE.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT DIDN'T SAY WHEN IT TOOK PLACE AND SAID THE MAN WAS AN IRANIAN OPERATIVE GATHERING INTELLIGENCE ON ISRAELI TROOPS IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS.

ACROSS GAZA TODAY,ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES KILLED AT LEAST 31 PALESTINIANS.

IT'S PART OF A MONTH-LONG OFFENSIVE THAT ISRAEL SAYS IS AIMED AT PREVENTING HAMAS MILITANTS FROM REGROUPING.

PALESTINIANS CALL IT ETHNIC CLEANSING.

AN ATTACK ON KHAN YOUNIS IN THE SOUTH KILLED EIGHT PEOPLE, INCLUDING FOUR CHILDREN.

MEANWHILE, IN ISRAEL'S WAR AGAINST HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON, AIRSTRIKES ON SIDON LEFT ONLY THE SHELL OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING.

IN THE LAST 24 HOURS, 18 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED.

IN IRAN TODAY, LARGE RALLIES COMMEMORATED THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STORMING OF THE U.S. EMBASSY IN TEHRAN -- THE BEGINNING OF THE 444-DAY HOSTAGE CRISIS.

PEOPLE BURNED U.S. AND ISRAELI FLAGS AND THE COMMANDER OF IRAN'S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD TOLD THE CROWDS THAT THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL WERE BEHAVING LIKE COLLAPSING REGIMES.

IT CAME AS THE STATE DEPARTMENT ACKNOWLEDGED AN IRANIAN-AMERICAN JOURNALIST IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN DETAINED IN IRAN FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

UNTIL 2022, REZA VALIZADEH WORKED FOR RADIO FARDA, WHICH IS PART OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S AGENCY FOR GLOBAL MEDIA.

IN SPAIN, RAGE OVER THE GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE TO LAST WEEK'S DEVASTATING FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES LED TO SOME LITERAL MUD SLINGING.

ANGRY CROWDS PELTED SPANISH KING FELIPE THE SIXTH WITH MUD AND SHOUTED "GET OUT" AND "KILLERS".

THE OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL STANDS AT 217, WITH MANY MORE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR.

AND A STRING OF LATE-SEASON SEVERE STORMS AND TORNADOES TORE THROUGH THE OKLAHOMA CITY AREA OVERNIGHT.

THE STORMS RIPPED THE ROOFS OFF HOMES, FLIPPED CARS AND BROUGHT DOWN POWER LINES, LEAVING CLOSE TWO 100,000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES WITHOUT ELECTRICITY.

AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE WERE INJURED.

STILL TWO, ON PBS NEWS WEEKEND, WHAT'S HAPPENED TO ABORTION AND INFANT MORTALITY RATES AFTER ROE?

AND THE SPIRITUAL CONNECTION BETWEEN EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS AND DONALD TRUMP.

JOHN: REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ARE FRONT AND CENTER AS THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN ENTERS THE HOME STRETCH MORE THAN TWO YEARS AFTER ANTI-ABORTION FORCES ACHIEVED THEIR LONG-HELD GOAL OF OVERTURNING ROE V. WADE.

DESPITE THE STATE BANS THAT FOLLOWED THE SUPREME COURT RULING, THE NUMBER OF ABORTIONS HAS ACTUALLY GONE UP, EVEN IN STATES WITH THE STRICTEST BANS.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE HAS BEEN RISING.

SHEFALI LUTHRA IS REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH REPORTER AT THE 19TH, WHICH COVERS GENDER, POLITICS AND POLICY.

SHE'S ALSO THE AUTHOR OF "UNDUE BURDEN: LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS IN POST-ROE AMERICA."

I WANT TO START BY TALKING ABOUT THE ISSUE OF ABORTION.

THE SOCIETY FOR FAMILY PLANNING, WHICH ADVOCATES FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, TRACKS THIS WITH A PROJECT CALLED WE COUNT.

THEY SAY SINCE MARCH 2023 THERE HAS BEEN A SMALL BUT STEADY INCREASE IN ABORTIONS INCLUDING IN 10 OF THE 13 STATES WITH THE STRICTEST LAWS.

SO WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

>> WHAT'S HAPPENING IS VERY INTERESTING AND IN SOME WAYS NOT SURPRISING FOR THOSE OF US WHO'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THE DATA SINCE ROE V. WADE WAS OVERTURNED.

AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS THIS PATCHWORK NETWORK HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO HELP PEOPLE GET AROUND ABORTION BANS IN THEIR STATE.

THE TWO WAYS THAT WE'RE PRINCIPALLY SEEING PEOPLE USE TO GET AROUND THESE BANS ARE, ONE, TRAVELING OUT OF STATE.

SO MAYBE DRIVING, MAYBE FLYING , MAYBE TAKING ON SOME CREDIT CARD DEBT, TAKING ON IMMENSE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP TO TRAVEL FROM A PLACE LIKE TEXAS TO KANSAS OR ILLINOIS OR NEW YORK TO GET AN ABORTION.

BUT THE OTHER TREND THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS THE RISE OF TELEHEALTH.

AND SO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS DOCTORS, LARGELY IN STATES WITH ABORTION RIGHTS PROTECTIONS AND THESE LAWS CALLED SHIELD LAWS, STATES LIKE NEW YORK, MASSACHUSETTS, CALIFORNIA, MAINE , ARE PRESCRIBING AND MAILING ABORTION PILLS TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN STATES WITH ABORTION BANS.

IT IS VERY MEDICALLY SAFE, VERY EFFECTIVE.

YOU CAN TAKE THESE PILLS AT HOME AND TERMINATE YOUR PREGNANCY, AND THE DOCTORS ARE PROTECTED AS LONG AS THEY STAY IN THEIR HOME STATES.

JOHN: JUST AS THERE ARE LIMITS ON WHO CAN TRAVEL OUT OF STATE, WHO HAS THE MONEY, THE RESOURCES, THE ABILITY TO TAKE TIME OFF OF WORK, ARE THERE LIMITS TO TELEHEALTH AS WELL?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THERE ARE ISSUES AROUND WHO HAS ACCESS TO THE INTERNET AND CAN FIND THESE WEBSITES.

WHO KNOWS ABOUT WEBSITES THAT WILL CONNECT YOU TO A DOCTOR THAT WILL PRESCRIBE PILLS AND MAIL THEM TO YOU.

DO YOU HAVE AN INDEPENDENT BANK ACCOUNT THAT YOU CAN USE TO PAY FOR MEDICATION?

A LOT OF MINORS MIGHT NOT HAVE THAT RESOURCE.

WE ARE SEEING ABORTIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE, BUT WE ARE ALSO SEEING INEQUALITIES AMPLIFY AND SOME PEOPLE ARE FINDING WAYS TO AND TO CONTINUE TO ACCESS CARE.

AND OTHERS ARE BEING LEFT BEHIND.

AND THE INEQUALITIES THAT ALWAYS EXISTED ARE IN FACT GETTING BIGGER AND DEEPER.

JOHN: YOU MENTIONED SHIELD LAWS.

EXPLAIN WHAT THOSE ARE.

>> THESE ARE A RELATIVELY NEW LEGAL APPROACH.

THEY'RE VERY INTERESTING.

AND SO THEY EXIST IN A FEW OF THESE MORE ABORTION FRIENDLY STATES.

THEY PROTECT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN THESE STATES.

AND THEY SAY IF YOU ARE IN OUR STATE AND YOU PRACTICE HEALTH CARE THAT IS LEGAL HERE, FOR ININANCE PROVIDING ABORTIONS, EVEN IF IT IS FOR PEOPLE IN OTHER STATES, WE WILL PROTECT YOU FROM OUT OF STATE PROSECUTION.

WE WILL NOT COMPLY WITH EFFORTS TO TRY AND BRING YOU TO COURT, BRING YOU TO TRIAL.

THESE HAVE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE SO FAR BECAUSE WE SEE DOCTORS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SHIELD LAWS TO PRESCRIBE AND MAIL ABORTION PILLS TO PEOPLE IN STATES WITH BANS.

BUT THEY ALSO ARE RELATIVELY NEW.

AND THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT WILL THEY STAND UP IF THEY EVER MEET A LEGAL CHALLENGE.

IF A DOCTOR WHO HAS RELIED ON A SHIELD LAW IN MASSACHUSETTS AT SOME POINT TRAVELS TO TEXAS, THE PROTECTIONS DON'T APPLY ONCE THEY'VE LEFT THEIR HOME STATE.

SO THERE IS A LEGAL RISK THAT I'VE HEARD SOME DOCTORS QUITE WORRIED ABOUT SOMEDAY AFFECTING THEM.

JOHN: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE INFANT MORTALITY ISSUE.

THERE HAVE BEEN TWO PAPERS RECENTLY IN JAMA PEDIATRICS THAT LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE.

THEY SAY THE INFANT MORTALITY RATE HAS BEEN RISING SINCE THE SUPREME COURT DECISION, WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN BABIES WITH CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OR BIRTH DEFECTS.

WHAT DOES THIS TELL US?

>> THIS ALSO SHOWS US SOMETHING THAT I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, WHICH IS THAT EVEN AS PEOPLE ARE GETTING AROUND ABORTION BANS, MANY ARE NOT AND THEY ARE BEING FORCED TO CARRY PREGNANCIES TO TERM THAT IN A DIFFERENT WORLD WOULD HAVE BEEN TERMINATED.

AND WITH CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES IN PARTICULAR, MANY STATES WITH ABORTION BANS DON'T HAVE EXCEPTIONS FOR FETAL ABNORMALITIES.

EVEN THOSE THAT DO ARE QUITE NARROW.

THEY ONLY ALLOW ABORTIONS FOR VERY, VERY OBVIOUSLY LETHAL CASES.

AND SO AS A RESULT, WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS PEOPLE BEING FORCED TO CARRY PREGNANCIES TO TERM WHERE THEY KNOW THAT THEY CANNOT GIVE BIRTH TO A BABY WHO WILL LIVE.

WE ARE SEEING PEOPLE HAVE TO GIVE BIRTH AND WATCH THEIR CHILDREN DIE IN FRONT OF THEM BECAUSE OF AN ABORTION BAN.

AND SO IN FLORIDA, FOR INSTANCE, I'VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF DOCTORS THERE ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.

THERE WAS A 15 WEEK BAN IN FLORIDA.

THEY MORE RECENTLY SWITCHED TO A SIX WEEK BAN.

AND UNDER BOTH SCENARIOS, THEY SAW PATIENTS DEVELOP THESE FETAL ABNORMALITIES AND NOT BE ABLE TO RECEIVE ABORTIONS IN THEIR STATES AND INSTEAD HAVE TO TRAVEL FROM FLORIDA TO THE CLOSEST OPTION, VIRGINIA, FOR AN ABORTION, IF THAT IS WHAT THEY CHOOSE.

JOHN: TAKING THESE TWO TRENDS TOGETHER, WHAT DOES IT TELL US ABOUT POST-ROE AMERICA, NOT ONLY IN HEALTH CARE, BUT IN POLITICS?

BECAUSE IN FLORIDA, FOR INSTANCE, THE ABORTION BAN IS ON THE BALLOT.

>> WHAT THIS SHOWS US IS HOW PERSONAL AND HOW ESSENTIAL ABORTION AS AN ISSUE IS FOR A LOT OF AMERICAN VOTERS, AND ESPECIALLY A LOT OF WOMEN AND PEOPLE WHO CAN GET PREGNANT.

THE DATA SHOWING THAT ABORTIONS WENT UP UNDERSCORES THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REMARKABLE LENGTHS TO TRY AND GET ABORTIONS.

THE DATA AROUND INFANT MORTALITY SHOWS THAT PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GET AROUND THESE BANDS -- BANS ARE SUFFERING REALLY INTENSE, EMOTIONAL AND IN SOME CASES FINANCIAL HARM AS WELL, BECAUSE SOME OF THEM ACTUALLY HAVE MEDICAL DEBT AFTER THEY GIVE BIRTH.

AND THEY HELP US UNDERSTAND, I THINK, WHY THIS IS SUCH A CRITICAL ISSUE FOR SO MANY AMERICANS.

IT IS SO PERSONAL, SO UBIQUITOUS AND SO ESSENTIAL AS WE THINK ABOUT WHERE THE ELECTION WILL TAKE US.

JOHN: [16:45:38]SHEFALI LUTHRA, THE 19, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

♪ JOHN: BY ONE ESTIMATE, MORE THAN 40 MILLION AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN THIS ELECTION.

BUT SOME SAY THEY FEEL EXCLUDED FROM THE PROCESS.

IT'S NOT JUST HURDLES AT POLLING PLACES THAT KEEP THEM FROM VOTING INDEPENDENTLY AND PRIVATELY.

MANY SAY CANDIDATES DON'T ADDRESS THEIR NEEDS AND CONCERNS.

BLAIR WALTMAN-ALEXIN OF AUSTIN PBS LOOKS AT ONE GROUP TRYING TO BOOST BOTH ACCESSIBILTY AND VISIBILITY.

BLAIR: THIS VOTER RALLY IN CENTRAL AUSTIN LOOKS A LOT LIKE MANY OTHERS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE AROUND THE COUNTRY.

ATTENDEES ENJOY SNACKS, EXPERTS FIELD QUESTIONS ABOUT THE VOTING PROCESS.

>> WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE?

BLAIR: AND JUST GENERALLY TRY TO GET PEOPLE EXCITED ABOUT THE ELECTION.

BUT THIS GROUP ALSO FACES SOME VERY SPECIFIC CHALLENGES AND THEY HAVE PARTICULAR ISSUES THAT THEY WANT LAWMAKERS TO ADDRESS.

>> YOU GO TO VOTE AT A POLLING SITE AND YOU BRING A PERSON OF YOUR CHOOSING TO SERVE AS AN ASSISTANT, AND YOU'RE TURNED AWAY, WHAT DO YOU DO?

BLAIR: THIS RALLY IS BEING HOSTED BY REV UP TEXAS, A NONPARTISAN COALITION THAT AIMS TO EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN ELECTORAL POLITICS.

BOB KAFKA IS A LONGTIME ADVOCATE WITH ADAPT, A LOCAL DISABILITIES RIGHTS GROUP.

>> WE WENT FROM THE STREET PROTESTING THE LEGISLATION, THE PASSAGE OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

AND NOW WE ARE STARTING TO MOVE TO BE MUCH MORE VISIBLE AT THE BALLOT BOX.

BLAIR: SINCE THEN, IT HAS GROWN.

THERE ARE OVER 20 STATE COALITIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

BUT THERE'S ALSO BEEN AN INCREASE IN BALLOT ACCESS OBSTACLES.

ACCORDING TO THE BRENNAN CENTER, AT LEAST 30 STATES HAVE PASSED VOTING RESTRICTION LAWS SINCE THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

MANY OF THOSE LAWS CURTAIL MAIL-IN AND ABSENTEE VOTING, LIKE A TEXAS LAW THAT LIMITS COUNTIES TO A SINGLE DROP-OFF LOCATION FOR BALLOTS.

BUT REACHING THAT LOCATION CAN BE AN ALL-DAY JOURNEY FOR VOTERS LIKE NANCY CROWTHER.

>> IT TOOK ME OVER THREE HOURS.

IT WAS SEVERAL BUSES.

I DON'T THINK THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS WHAT A BURDEN IT IS.

BUT I HAVE TO TRUST THAT MY VOTE WAS COUNTED BECAUSE THAT'S THE WHOLE GOAL.

BLAIR: KAFKA SAYS THAT FEDERAL LAWS HAVE IMPROVED BALLOT ACCESS OVERALL, BUT IT'S HARD TO MAKE SURE THE LAWS ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED STATEWIDE.

>> IN TEXAS THERE ARE 254 COUNTIES AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO KNOW, ARE ALL THE COUNTIES ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING TO THE LETTER THE HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT?

PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE DIFFICULTY IN TERMS OF POLLING PLACES THAT MAY NOT BE PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE OR THEY MAY BE QUESTIONED.

- - QUESTIONED IF YOU BRING AN INTERPRETER.

WE HAVE SEEN ADVANCES IN THAT AREA.

BY NO MEANS HAVE WE SOLVED ALL THOSE THINGS.

BLAIR: WHILE BALLOT ACCESS IS IMPORTANT, IT ISN'T THE ONLY THING KAFKA AND REV UP ARE FIGHTING FOR.

>> WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT AND WHAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TODAY IS USE YOUR POWER.

BLAIR: HE WANTS CANDIDATES AND OTHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO SEE THEMSELVES AS A POWERFUL VOTING BLOC.

>> THE BIGGER ISSUE WHERE WE'RE EVOLVING IS TO BE THOUGHT OF AS AN INTEREST GROUP THAT CAN INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME OF PUBLIC POLICY, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, YOUR VOTE NEEDS TO CONVERT INTO SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT YOUR CANDIDATE TO DO.

BLAIR: I 2022 STUDY BY RUTGERS UNIVERSITY FOUND THAT THERE WERE OVER 15 MILLION VOTERS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

IF THEY VOTED AT THE SAME RATE AS THE OVERALL POPULATION, THAT COULD EQUAL ABOUT 2 MILLION VOTES.

ENOUGH, KAFKA POINTS OUT, TO MAKE A MAJOR IMPACT.

>> THINK ABOUT THAT.

GEORGIA LAST ELECTION WAS WON BY LESS THAN 12,000 VOTES.

IF THE DISABILITY COMMUNITY WOULD VOTE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, IT COULD SWING THAT STATE.

ARE THE CANDIDATES LOOKING AT THAT?

NOT YET.

BLAIR: KAFKA SAYS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT DISABLED VOTERS CARE ABOUT, INCLUDING MEDICAID EXPANSION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

BUT ANOTHER MAJOR ISSUE IS COMMUNITY INTEGRATION.

>> THAT MEANS LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT BE FORCED TO GO INTO A NURSING HOME.

BLAIR: A MAJOR FACTOR IN WHETHER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES CAN STAY IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES IS HAVING ASSISTANCE FROM CAREGIVERS.

THEY PROVIDE ESSENTIAL SERVICES, BUT THE WAGES ARE LOW, ACCORDING TO ADVOCATE AND CAREGIVER CATHY CRANSTON.

>> UNDER MEDICAID FUNDED PROGRAMS, IT IS SO LOW.

THEY START US AT $10.60 AN HOUR AND WE CAN IN NO WAY COMPETE IN THE FREE MARKET.

THEY'RE PAYING $20 OR MORE AN HOUR.

YOU NEED TO BE MINDFUL WHEN ALL OF THESE DECISIONS THAT YOU'RE MAKING, YOU'RE MAKING ABOUT MY LIFE, ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT I SERVE.

ALL THESE DIFFERENT ISSUES ARE INTERCONNECTED.

YOU CAN'T SEPARATE IT.

BLAIR: BACK AT THE RALLY, GROUPS JOIN VIRTUALLY FROM ACROSS THE STATE.

EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY FACE OBSTACLES, THEY'RE EXCITED TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD IN THE SELECTION AND THE NEXT.

>> BY MAKING THE DISABILITY VOTE A POWERFUL TOOL, IT WILL HELP CHANGE WHAT'S GOING ON.

BLAIR: FOR PBS NEWS WEEKEND, I'M BLAIR WALTMAN ALEXIN IN AUSTIN.

JOHN: DONALD TRUMP HAS LONG CULTIVATED HIS STRONG SUPPORT AMONG CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVES.

HE GOT ABOUT 80% OF THE WHITE EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN VOTE IN 2016 AND 2020 AND APPEARS TO BE ON TRACK FOR A SIMILAR RESULT THIS YEAR.

BUT IT TOOK ON A NEW TONE AFTER THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN JULY.

MR. TRUMP: I WAS KNOCKED TO THE GROUND, ESSENTIALLY, BY WHAT SEEMED LIKE A SUPERNATURAL HAND, AND I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT GOD SAVED ME FOR A PURPOSE, AND THAT'S TO MAKE OUR COUNTRY GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE.

JOHN: IT'S A THOUGHT SHARED BY MANY OF HIS SUPPORTERS.

>> I THINK THAT GOD SPARED HIS LIFE FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS.

I REALLY BELIEVE THAT IT'S A MIRACLE THAT TOOK PLACE.

JOHN: NOW, IN THE CLOSING DAYS OF THE CAMPAIGN, SOME OF HIS SUPPORTERS HAVE CHARACTERIZED KAMALA HARRIS IN BIBLICAL TERMS.

>> SHE IS THE DEVIL, WHOEVER SCREAMED THAT OUT.

SHE IS THE ANTICHRIST.

JOHN: HOW DID EVANGELICALS COME TO HOLD SUCH STRONG VIEWS ABOUT KRISTIN KOBESS DUMAY IS A HISTORY PROFESSOR AT CALVIN UNIVERSITY IN MICHIGAN.

HER WORK FOCUSES ON THE INTERSECTION OF GENDER, RELIGION AND POLITICS.

LET'S START BY TALKING ABOUT THE VIEW THAT CHRISTIAN EVANGELICALS HOLD ABOUT DONALD TRUMP AND THE TERMS THEY USE TO DESCRIBE HIM AND WHETHER THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT HAD ANY EFFECT ON THAT.

>> IT'S VERY POPULAR IN EVANGELICAL SPACES TO HEAR LANGUAGE OF GOD'S ANOINTED, GOD'S CHOSEN WHEN DONALD TRUMP ONES COMES UP, AND THIS IS VERY CONVENIENT LANGUAGE BECAUSE OF COURSE ON THE SURFACE, DONALD TRUMP DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A CHRISTIAN.

HE DOES NOT APPEAR TO EXEMPLIFY CHRISTIAN VIRTUE.

BUT THE IDEA THAT GOD HAS SELECTED HIM, NEVERTHELESS, HAS SELECTED HIM PERHAPS EVEN BECAUSE HE DOESN'T EXEMPLIFY TRADITIONAL CHRISTIAN VIRTUE, TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THIS PARTICULARLY PERILOUS MOMENT.

AND SO THEY LOVE USING LANGUAGE LIKE "DONALD TRUMP IS A KING CYRUS, SELECTED BY GOD IN ORDER TO PROTECT GOD'S SPECIAL PEOPLE AND RESTORE CHRISTIAN AMERICA."

JOHN: PROTECTING GOD'S SPECIAL PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, IN THIS CAMPAIGN, HE'S TALKED ABOUT RETRIBUTION, ABOUT REVENGE, AND FIGHTING ENEMIES FROM WITHIN.

DOES THAT APPEAL TO EVANGELICAL VOTERS AS WELL?

>> IT DOES, VERY MUCH SO.

WITHIN CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALISM FOR A LONG TIME, THEIR LEADERS HAVE REALLY LEANED INTO A KIND OF US VERSUS THEM FRAMING.

SO WE ARE GOD'S PEOPLE, GOD IS ON OUR SIDE.

AND THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST US POLITICALLY, THEOLOGICALLY, ARE THEREFORE AGAINST GOD.

SO THIS IS THE KIND OF FRAMING THAT REALLY LEAVES NO SPACE FOR COMPROMISE, AND IT OPENS ONE UP TO DEMONIZING ONE'S OPPONENTS SOMETIMES QUITE LITERALLY.

AND SO THIS LANGUAGE -- THERE'S ALREADY A LONG HISTORY OF THAT WITHIN CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICAL CIRCLES, AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT TRUMP HIMSELF EMBRACES.

AND THEN HE TAKES IT UP A LEVEL EVEN WHEN HE'S TALKING ABOUT RETRIBUTION.

WHEN HE'S TALKING ABOUT REVENGE AGAINST HIS ENEMIES.

THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS RHETORIC AND WITHIN CONSERVATIVE EVANGELICALISM, THERE IS A THEOLOGICAL PERMISSION STRUCTURE THAT ACTUALLY LEANS INTO THAT RATHER THAN OFFERING SOME RESTRAINT.

JOHN: YOU TALK ABOUT DEMONIZING.

AND YOU HEARD THAT A GENTLEMAN AT THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN RALLY CALL HER THE ANTICHRIST.

THIS MORNING, TRUMP AT A RALLY CALLED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY A DEMONIC PARTY.

TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT SORT OF PERSONALIZATION ON KAMALA HARRIS OF THESE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.

>> YEAH, THAT KIND OF RHETORIC IS NOT RARE IN THESE SPACES, AGAIN TO SEE ONE'S POLITICAL ENEMIES AS ENEMIES OF GOD AND THEREFORE, AS ALLIED WITH THE DEVIL.

TO HEAR THAT LANGUAGE AGAINST KAMALA HARRIS IS THEREFORE NOT SURPRISING, UH, AND SOMETIMES YOU WILL HEAR IN DIFFERENT VERSIONS.

ANTICHRIST IS ONE VARIANT.

DEMONIC OR JEZEBEL, CHANNELING THE JEZEBEL SPIRIT.

JEZEBEL WAS AN OLD TESTAMENT FIGURE WHO WAS AN ENEMY OF GOD.

AN ENEMY OF GOD'S PEOPLE AND MET A VIOLENT END, THROWN OUT OF A WINDOW AND EATEN BY DOGS, AND THIS KIND OF LANGUAGE PRESENTS HER AS THE POLITICAL ENEMY, BUT ALSO AS A SPIRITUAL ENEMY.

AND SO IT REALLY UPS THE STAKES, AND IT ALSO IS DEHUMANIZING.

DEHUMANIZING HER AS NOT A POLITICAL OPPONENT, NOT A MEMBER OF AN OPPOSING PARTY, BUT AS DEMONIC OR AS AN ENEMY OF GOD.

THIS KIND OF RHETORIC, KIND OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE RHETORIC NEED NOT LEAD TO ACTUAL VIOLENCE, BUT IN HISTORIC CASES, IT OFTEN DOES.

JOHN: ALONG THOSE LINES, IF DONALD TRUMP WERE TO LOSE AND KAMALA HARRIS WIN NEXT WEEK, HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT EVANGELICALS' WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THAT OUTCOME?

>> IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE CONCERNING, BECAUSE IF EVANGELICALS ARE CONVINCED THAT IT IS GOD'S WILL THAT DONALD TRUMP BECOME THE NEXT PRESIDENT AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, THEN THAT WILL BE A CRISIS MOMENT.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST, IN 2020, WE KIND OF HAVE A PREVIEW OF THIS BECAUSE THERE TOO, THERE WERE PROPHECIES THAT TRUMP WAS GOD'S ANOINTED, WAS GOD'S CHOSEN, AND THAT HE WAS GOING TO WIN THE ELECTION.

AND THEN HE DID NOT.

BUT IN THESE CHARISMATIC SPACES, THEY CONTINUE TO INSIST THAT HE WAS IN FACT GOD'S CHOSEN ONE, AND THAT GOD WAS GOING TO MAKE A Y.

MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WERE AT THE CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6TH, THINKING THAT GOD WOULD MAKE A WAY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND WHAT THIS DOES, IT JUST UPS THE STAKES OF THE ELECTION TO A KIND OF SPIRITUAL ENDGAME.

JOHN: KRISTIN OF CALVIN UNIVERSITY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

NOW ONLINE, 13 WOMEN OLDER THAN 70 WHO HAVE SEEN REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES IN GENDER EQUALITY IN THEIR LIFETIMES REFLECT ON KAMALA HARRIS' RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY.

ALL THAT AND MORE IS ON OUR WEB SIGHT, PBS.ORG/NEWS HOUR.

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 WEEKEND.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE.