[solemn music]
- Nathan: In the summer of 2004,
Aaron Perry watched an Ironman competition in Madison
and it changed his life.
- I remember looking and watching
and I thought, you know,
"I wish I wasn't diabetic," 'cause I wanted to do it.
- Nathan: Perry has diabetes,
something that he shares with about 13% of Black Americans.
In fact, Black Americans are 60% more likely
to be diagnosed with diabetes than white Americans.
Black men are nearly twice as likely to die from diabetes
than white men, and are two and a half times
more likely to be hospitalized.
But diabetes isn't the only health issue facing Black men.
- You know, we face 'em from A to Z.
We're everywhere in that, you know, hypertension,
diabetes, heart disease, stroke.
We're starting to see a lot of lung cancer
and prostate cancer.
- Nathan: Black men also have the
second-lowest life expectancy of any group in America,
at about 67 years.
To take back control of his own health,
Perry found a running group to help him train
for the grueling race, which includes a 2.4-mile swim,
112-mile bicycle ride, and a marathon 26-mile run.
- Aaron: And one of my mentors, Dino Lucas,
said to me, he said, "Aaron, join our running club.
We'll get you to the finish line."
- Nathan: d it started right here, so we're proud of that.
e e e e should be able o to walk out your front door
and see health in your community.
- Nathan: While Perry is working on seeing health
in Dane County communities,
he says he's given advice to people all over the country,
including places like Maryland, California,
and Washington, D.C.
- This model has been replicated
all across the United States, you know,
and it started right here, so we're proud of that.
- Nathan: For Here & Now, I'm Nathan Denzin.
[solemn music]
- Nathan: In the summer of 2004,
(SOLEMN MUSIC.
>> IN THE SUMMER OF 2004, AARON
PERRY WATCHED AN IRONMAN
COMPETITION IN MADISON AND IT
CHANGED HIS LIFE.
>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
>> LOOK.
WE NEED TO MOVE BEYOND THE
ELECTION OF 2024 SHOULD NOT BE
ABOUT WHAT OCCURRED IN 2020.
>> REPUBLICANS DELIVER MIXED
MESSAGES AS CALLS CONTINUE FOR A
TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL TO BE
IMPEACHED.
OFF-YEAR ELECTIONS PLUS G.O.P.
DEBATE FORESHADOW MORE OF WHAT'S
TO COME IN 2024.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE & NOW," THE
ELECTIONS COMMISSION CHAIR WITH
HIS VIEWS ON THE POLITICAL
ATTACKS AGAINST THE COMMISSION'S
ADMINISTRATOR.
A REPORT ON WISCONSIN FAMILIES
WITH CLOSE CONNECTIONS TO THE
WAR IN GAZA.
RESULTS FROM THE LATEST
MARQUETTE LAWSUIT.
>> THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS A
PBS WISCONSIN ORIGINAL
PRODUCTION.
>> LOOK.
WE NEED TO MOVE ON.
THE ELECTION IN 2024 SHOULD NOT
BE ABOUT WHAT OCCURRED IN 2020.
>> REPUBLICANS DELIVER MIXED
MESSAGES AS CALLS CONTINUE FOR A
TOP ELECTION OFFICIAL TO BE
IMPEACHED.
AND OFF-YEAR ELECTIONS.
PLUS, A G.O.P. DEBATE FORESHADOW
MORE OF WHAT'S TO COME IN 2024.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE & NOW," THE
ELECTIONS COMMISSION CHAIR WITH
HIS VIEWS ON THE POLITICAL
ATTACKS AGAINST THE COMMISSION'S
ADMINISTRATOR.
A REPORT ON WISCONSIN FAMILIES
WITH CLOSE CONNECTIONS TO THE
WAR IN GAZA.
RESULTS FROM THE LATEST
MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL.
AND THE NEXT FROM WISCONSIN IN
BLACK AND WHITE: HEALTH DIVIDES.
IT'S "HERE & NOW" FOR NOVEMBER
10th.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE & NOW" IS
PROVIDED BY THE FOCUS FUND FOR
JOURNALISM AND FRIENDS OF PBS
WISCONSIN.
?
>> ASSEMBLY SPEAKER ROBIN VOS
SAYS WE SHOULD STOP OBSESSING
ABOUT MEAGAN WOLFE.
THAT'S EVEN AS FELLOW
REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE
CONTINUE TO RAMP UP CALLS TO
IMPEACH HER.
THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION CHAIR,
REPUBLICAN DON MILLIS, IS
CALLING ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HER
A PACK OF LIES AND HE'S ANGRY
THAT THEY ARE MAKING MONEY OFF
THOSE LIES.
DON MILLIS JOINS US.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> MY PLEASURE.
>> LET'S HEAR A FEW SECONDS OF
THAT AD.
IT'S FROM AN ELECTION DENIER WHO
RAN AGAINST ROBIN VOS.
>> I AM VERY WORRIED ABOUT THE
FAIRNESS AND SECURITY OF OUR
ELECTIONS IF MEAGAN WOLFE
REMAINS IN CHARGE OF THEM.
>> SO THE AD HIGHLIGHTS WHAT IT
SAYS WAS HER APPROVAL OF ILLEGAL
DROP BOXES, BALLOT HARVESTING
AND SO CALLED ZUCKER-BUCKS.
MR. MILLIS, WHY DO YOU CALL
THESE ALLEGATIONS OUT AS
DEMONSTRABLY FALSE?
>> WELL, WITH RESPECT TO THE
FIRST TWO ITEMS, IT WASN'T HER
CHOICE.
THE ELECTION COMMISSION,
UNANIMOUS BIPARTISAN VOTE,
APPROVED THE UNSTAFFED DROP
BOXES AND ALSO TO THE EXTENT
THAT BALLOT HARVESTING WAS
PERMITTED, IT WAS PART OF THE
SAME THING.
ADMINISTRATOR WOLFE WAS JUST
CARRYING OUT THOSE PLANS.
WITH RESPECT TO THE SO CALLED
ZUCKER-BUCKS, THERE'S NOTHING
THAT STATE GOVERNMENT COULD DO
BECAUSE THE COURTS HAVE SINCE
DETERMINED THAT THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS ACCEPTING THOSE
FUNDS WERE PERFECTLY LEGAL.
THERE WAS A LAWSUIT.
THE COMMISSION PART OF MY --
BEING ON THE COMMISSION VOTED TO
DISMISS THAT COMPLAINT AND THAT
WAS CONFIRMED.
WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THE
LEGISLATURE IS NOW TRYING TO
AMEND THE CONSTITUTION TO
PROHIBIT THE USE OF SUCH PRIVATE
FUNDS, AND I THINK THERE'S SOME
MERIT TO THAT, BUT BLAMING
ADMINISTRATOR WOLFE MAKES NO
SENSE BECAUSE IT WASN'T HER
CALL.
>> SO WHEN YOU FIRST SAW THIS
AD, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION?
>> WELL, I WAS SURPRISED.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT AID
JOURNALIST, I DO HAVE A
JOURNALISM DEGREE, BUT WHEN I
WAS IN JOURNALISM SCHOOL A LONG
TIME AGO, NEWSPAPERS LIKE
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL, IT WAS CALLED
THE JOURNAL THEN, WERE PARAGONS
OF VIRTUE.
THEY NEVER WOULD HAVE ACCEPTED
ADS LIKE THIS.
WE'VE SINCE SEEN THAT THE MEDIA,
WHEN WE HAVE ELECTION DENIERS
AND WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS
MADE STATEMENTS THAT THE MEDIA
BELIEVES ARE LIES, THEY WILL RUN
CHIRONS UNDER HIS SPEECHES, AND
SO IT SEEMS TO BE VERY
HYPOCRITICAL THAT THE MEDIA
WOULD ACCEPT MONEY AND IT'S
CERTAINLY IN THE CASE OF JOURNAL
SENTINEL, RUN ADS THAT THEY KNOW
ARE FALSE BECAUSE A MONTH BEFORE
THEY RAN THE AD, THEY HAD AN
ARTICLE THAT POINTED OUT THAT
THE ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN
THAT AD WERE FALSE.
>> HMM.
SO MEANWHILE, THE SAGA OF TRYING
TO IMPEACH MEAGAN WOLFE ROLLS ON
AND RAMPS UP.
DO YOU WANT HER TO LEAVE HER
POST?
>> I THINK AT THIS POINT, YOU
KNOW, WE'RE GETTING ON THE EVE
OF A VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY
CONTESTED ELECTION.
I THINK THAT SPEAKER VOS HAS IT
RIGHT THAT THIS IS NOT THE TIME
TO BE DEBATING THESE ISSUES.
WE HAVE SO MANY MORE IMPORTANT
ISSUES.
THE THING THAT'S FRUSTRATING TO
ME IS TUESDAY, THE ASSEMBLY HAD
A VERY GOOD DAY.
THEY VOTED ON A NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT WOULD APPEAL TO THE BASE,
THAT WOULD APPEAL TO THE
INDEPENDENTS, AND THE HEADLINES
WERE ABOUT IMPEACHING MEAGAN
WOLFE, WHEN THERE'S NO CLANS
THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN
BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THERE ARE
ENOUGH VOTES IN EITHER HOUSE TO
ACCOMPLISH THAT.
AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME IT'S A
FOOL'S ERRAND TO GO DOWN THAT
ROAD BECAUSE THERE ARE SIMPLY
NOT THE VOTES TO DO THAT, IN MY
OPINION.
>> WOULD YOU REPLACE HER IF IT
WERE NOT A FOOL'S ERRAND?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE
HAVE TO THINK ABOUT -- POLITICS,
I KNOW THAT THERE ARE FOUR VOTES
ON THE COMMISSION TO KEEP HER,
AND SO THE ONLY THING THAT THE
COMMISSION COULD DO RIGHT NOW,
BASED ON THE COURT DECISIONS, IS
THAT THE COMMISSION COULD VOTE
TO REMOVE HER.
THERE ARE NOT FOUR VOTES TO DO
THAT.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO DO
THAT.
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO CHANGE
AN ADMINISTRATOR AND GO
SEARCHING FOR A NEW
ADMINISTRATOR WHEN, IN 362 DAYS
OR 361 DAYS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
AN ELECTION THAT'S GOING TO BE
PRETTY HOTLY CONTESTED IN
WISCONSIN.
>> IF THAT VOTE WERE TO COME TO
PASS ON THE COMMISSION, WOULD
YOU VOTE?
WOULD YOU VOTE TO REPLACE HER?
>> I WOULDN'T VOTE TO REPLACE
HER RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DON'T
THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO DO SO.
>> BUT YOU MIGHT IN THE FUTURE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD
DISCUSSIONS WITH ADMINISTRATOR
WOLFE ABOUT A VARIETY OF THINGS.
I THINK SHE'S GENERALLY DOING A
GOOD JOB.
I THINK THE THINGS THAT SHE HAS
DONE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN SAID ABOUT HER ARE TOTALLY
FALSE, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO
PREDICT HOW THINGS GO IN THE
FUTURE.
A LOT OF THIS HAS TO DO WITH
PERSONAL DECISIONS THAT SHE HAS
TO MAKE AND THE FUTURE OF THE
STAFF AND HOW DO WE BUILD IN A
SUCCESSOR.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT IN
ANY AGENCY, LIKE THIS THAT YOU
HAVE A PLAN FOR SUCCESSION.
I'VE HAD SOME PRIVATE
CONVERSATIONS WITH HER ABOUT
THAT.
I'M NOT GOING TO DIVULGE THOSE,
BUT RIGHT NOW, IT MAKES NO SENSE
TO TALK ABOUT REPLACING HER.
>> VERY BRIEFLY, HOW DO YOU FEEL
ABOUT DONALD TRUMP REPORTEDLY
PRESSURING ROBIN VOS TO IMPEACH
MEAGAN WOLFE?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I
THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE MISLED.
IF YOU REALLY THINK THAT MEAGAN
WOLFE WAS THE REASON WHY DONALD
TRUMP LOST WISCONSIN, THEN
THAT'S JUST -- THAT'S JUST --
IT'S JUST FALSE.
THAT'S NOT THE REASON WHY HE
DIDN'T PREVAIL HERE.
IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HER.
AND SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
I THINK MY GUESS IS THAT HE'S
TRYING TO APPEAL TO A BASE SO
THAT HE CAN CONTINUE TO BE IN
THE NEWS.
>> DON MILLIS, THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> JUST OVER A MONTH SINCE THE
HAMAS TERRORIST ATTACK ON
ISRAEL, GOVERNOR TONY EVERS
CALLED ON CONGRESS TO INCREASE
FUNDS FOR SECURING PLACES OF
WORSHIP AS THREATS SURGE AGAINST
JEWISH AND MUSLIM COMMUNITIES.
AS "HERE & NOW" REPORTER ADITI
DEBNATH TELLS US, THE WAR IS
PERSONAL AND PAINFUL FOR THE
WISCONSIN FAMILIES YOU'RE ABOUT
TO HEAR FROM.
>> EVERY DAY THEY'RE RUNNING
INTO THE BOMB SHELTER.
>> THEY SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE,
"WE'RE STILL ALIVE," AND THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH -- THAT'S ALL WE CAN
ASK FOR AT THIS POINT.
>> THESE WISCONSIN FAMILIES HAVE
CLOSE CONNECTIONS TO THE WAR.
LIKE MIRYAM ROSENZWEIG, WHOSE
PREGNANT SISTER AND NIECE LIVE
IN ISRAEL.
I ASKED HER, HOW IS THE
2-YEAR-OLD DOING IS THIS SHE
HEARS A SIREN.
SHE KNOWS THEY'RE GOING INTO THE
BOMB SHELTER.
>> YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE NEWS
EVERY DAY.
HASHIM ZAIBAK FOLLOWS THE NEWS
EVERY DAY.
AS A NATIVE OF GAZA, HOME TO
HAMAS, HE HAS TO MAKE SURE HIS
SISTER AND OTHER FAMILY ARE
THERE ALIVE.
ZAIBAK OWNS HYATT PHARMACY IN
MILWAUKEE AND FEARING
ANTIPALESTINIAN BACKLASH, HIRED
A SECURITY GUARD TO PATROL HIS
BUSINESS.
FOR ROSEN DWEEG, WHERE THE OF
THE MILWAUKEE JEWISH FEDERATION,
THE VITRIOL CUTS BOTH WAYS.
>> THE HATE THAT HAS BEEN SPEWED
IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS TOWARDS
JEWISH COMMUNITY, BOTH AS A
COMMUNITY, INDIVIDUAL, IN OUR
SCHOOLS, ON OUR CAMPUSES HAS
BEEN HORRIFIC TO WATCH.
AND THE SILENCE OF THE
CONDEMNATION OF IT IS DEAFENING.
>> HAMAS RAINED DOWN HORROR ON
ISRAELIS BUT STILL, ROSENZWEIG
SAYS SUPPORT FOR PALESTINIAN
CIVILIANS IS CLEAR AMONG MEMBERS
OF HER ORGANIZATION.
>> OVERWHELMINGLY, THEY BELIEVE
IN THE RIGHT OF PALESTINIAN
SELF-DETERMINATION.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE MISUNDERSTANDING
IS THAT THE FIGHT ISN'T WITH THE
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE.
THIS WAR IS ABOUT NEUTRALIZING
HAMAS.
>> BUT IT'S ABOUT MORE THAN
THAT, SAYS UW-MADISON PROFESSOR
SAMER.
>> IT'S AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS
THAT IS GENOCIDAL.
>> HE IS A GEOPOLITICAL EXPERT
OF THE REGION AND A NATIVE OF
PALESTINE.
>> AND IT'S ABOUT ETHNIC
CLEANSING AND TEASE ABOUT
STEALING LAND.
>> HE SAYS MASS MEDIA
PERPETUATES THE IDEA THAT THE
CONFLICT IS ABOUT RELIGION
INSTEAD OF ABOUT THE LAND, AND
THAT IDEA HAS DANGEROUS ECHOES
IN HISTORY.
>> THE MEDIA SOMETIMES PORTRAYS
PALESTINIANS AS THE BAD GUYS.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS TO
THE JEWS BEFORE WORLD WAR II.
>> ZAIBAK IS NOT THE FIRST ONE
TO LIKEN THE SITUATION TO WORLD
WAR II.
AS SHE VISITS THE HISTORY
MUSEUM, EID UP-TEMPO IDIE PUMP SAYS THE
CONFLICT IS NOT ABOUT RELIGIOUS
DIFFERENCES.
AS A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, SHE
REMEMBERS HER FAMILY HIDING IN
UZBEKISTAN.
>> IT WAS A MUSLIM COMMUNITY AND
THEY WERE PROTECTIVE OF THE
JEWS.
I HAD A MUSLIM MIDWIFE DELIVERED
ME.
WHEN I WAS SICK, A MUSLIM
MIDWIFE TOOK CARE OF ME, AND
THEY PROTECTED MY PARENTS.
>> STILL, THE HAMAS CHARTER,
WRITTEN IN 1988, CALLS FOR THE
END OF ISRAEL AND ITS JEWISH
POPULATION.
PUMP COMPARES THE TERROR OF
HAMAS TO NAZI GERMANY.
>> JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN
THE HOLOCAUST.
>> Reporter: HAMAS IS
DESIGNATED BY THE U.S. AS A
TERRORIST ORGANIZATION AND
GOVERNS OVER THE GAZA STRIP.
INNOCENT PALESTINIANS ARE CAUGHT
IN THE CROSSFIRE.
>> IS HAMAS PALESTINE?
NO.
BUT IS THE P.N.A., THE PALESTINE
AUTHORITY PALESTINE?
NO.
>> IT'S A COMPLEX HISTORY
INFLAMED BY CURRENT BLOODSHED,
AND ACCORDING TO MIRYAM
ROSENZWEIG, SOCIAL MEDIA CAN
DISTORT THE TRUTH.
>> PEOPLE SHOULD STOP GETTING
THEIR INFORMATION FROM SOCIAL
MEDIA.
IF YOU COULD FIT IN A TEXT OR
POST, IT'S NOT A THOUGHTFUL
ARGUMENT.
>> BUT ZAIBAK SAYS HE THINKS
SOCIAL MEDIA CAN HELP KEEP
PEOPLE UP TO DATE AND IT'S OFTEN
YOUNGER PEOPLE DISSEMINATING IT.
>> I FEEL IT'S A DIFFERENT
GENERATION.
I FEEL THAT THE GEN Zers HERE
IN THE UNITED STATES ARE VERY
EMPATHETIC WITH THE PALESTINIAN
CAUSE.
>> EDUCATION IS THE KEY.
LEARN ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.
LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN PEOPLE AND ACCEPT
PEOPLE'S DIFFERENCES.
>> THROUGH IT ALL, HASHIM ZAIBAK
AWAITS A DAILY TEXT MESSAGE FROM
HIS FAMILY TELLING HIM THEY'RE
ALIVE AND MIRYAM
'S NIECE RUNS TO
THE BOMB SHELTER.
I'M ADITI DEBNATH FOR "HERE &
NOW."
>> IT'S A YEAR OUT FROM THE 2024
GENERAL ELECTIONS AND WISCONSIN
REPUBLICAN VOTERS ARE SHOWING
SIGNS OF INCREASED SUPPORT FOR
DONALD TRUMP, BUT ALSO FOR NIKKI
HALEY.
THE LATEST MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
POLL TOOK THE POLITICAL PULSE OF
THE STATE ELECTORATE.
CHARLES FRANKLIN IS HERE TO TELL
US ABOUT THE NUMBERS.
WITH THIS WEEK'S REPUBLICAN
DEBATE AND DONALD TRUMP'S HIGHLY
VISIBLE COURT CASES, VOTERS HAVE
THEIR EYES ON THE PRESIDENTIAL
RACE.
IN YOUR POLL THAT WAS IN THE
FIELD LAST WEEK, IT SHOWS THAT
BIDEN TOPS TRUMP BY TWO POINTS
RIGHT NOW IN WISCONSIN, BUT IF
TRUMP WERE OUT OF THE MIX,
INTERESTINGLY, IT SHOWS THAT RON
DeSANTIS TOPS JOE BIDEN BY 2
POINTS AND THEN EVEN MORE
INTERESTINGLY, IT SHOWS THAT
NIKKI HALEY TOPS BIDEN BY NINE
POINTS.
SO WHAT IS THAT ABOUT IN A STATE
AND IN ALL THE STATES WHERE
TRUMP HAS THIS HUGE LEAD AGAINST
BOTH THOSE PEOPLE?
>> WELL, IN THE PRIMARY, TRUMP'S
LEAD IS HUGE, IT'S 20 POINTS IN
OUR POLL THIS TIME FOR
REPUBLICANS, BUT THE TWO-POINT
MARGINS FOR TRUMP OR FOR
DESCENDANTS, MARGIN OF ERROR IS
FOUR POINTS, SO THOSE ARE
TOSS-UPS, BUT YOU CAN SAY
DESCENDANTS IS DOING A LITTLE
BETTER THAN TRUMP DOES WHEN
PAIRED AGAINST BIDEN.
WHAT'S INTERESTING, AS YOU SAY,
IS THE NIKKI HALEY PERFORMANCE,
PLUS NINE LEAD FOR HER, THAT'S
PHENOMENAL AND NOT REALISTIC IF
WE WERE IN A GENERAL ELECTION.
BUT WHAT WE SEE IN THE DATA IS,
FIRST, ABOUT A THIRD OF THE
PUBLIC SAY THEY DON'T KNOW MUCH
ABOUT NIKKI HALEY.
AND WHEN SHE'S PAIRED AGAINST
BIDEN, I THINK THAT LACK OF
KNOWLEDGE AND THE FACT THAT
SHE'S IN THE CLOSELY IDENTIFIED
WITH THE TRUMP WING OF THE
PARTY, ALLOWS INDEPENDENTS AND
SOME DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE
RESERVATIONS ABOUT BIDEN FOR
VARIOUS REASONS, THE ECONOMY,
HIS AGE AND SO ON, IT ALLOWS
THEM TO SAY THAT THEY WOULD VOTE
FOR THAT REPUBLICAN WHO IS NOT
FROM THE TRUMP-Y WING OF THE
PARTY.
CONVERSELY, PEOPLE'S OPINIONS OF
TRUMP AND BIDEN ARE SO SET IN
STONE THAT WE "DUP" WITH THIS
NEAR TIE THERE AND, INDEED,
INDEPENDENTS SPLIT EVENLY
BETWEEN TRUMP AND BIDEN, BUT
INDEPENDENTS GIVE 58% OF THEIR
VOTE TO NIKKI HALEY.
>> SO COULD YOU HAVE CONCEIVED A
RACE WHERE THE FRONTRUNNER, THAT
BEING DONALD TRUMP, JUST DOESN'T
DO DEBATES, NOT TO MENTION HE'S
UNDER INDICTMENT AND IS STILL
GAINING IN THE POLLS?
>> YEAH.
HIS HOLD ON THE PARTY IS VERY
STRONG TO BEGIN WITH, BUT NOT AS
STRONG AS MAYBE MYTH WOULD HAVE
IT.
WE FIND ABOUT 70% OF REPUBLICANS
WITH A FAVORABLE VIEW OF TRUMP
AND ABOUT 30 WITH AN UNFAVORABLE
VIEW OF HIM AMONG REPUBLICANS.
THAT 30% ALMOST NONE OF THEM
SUPPORT TRUMP IN THE PRIMARY,
BUT THEY HAVEN'T COALESCED
AROUND ANYBODY ELSE.
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR,
DESCENDANTS WAS ACTUALLY DRAWING
ABOUT 30% OF THE VOTE AMONG
PEOPLE WHO LIKED TRUMP, AMONG
REPUBLICANS WHO LIKED TRUMP, BUT
THAT HAS PLUMMETED SINCE THEN.
SO THE PRO-TRUMP WING OF THE
PARTY REALLY HAS COALESCED
AROUND HIM AND ABANDONED
THINKING ABOUT DESCENDANTS, BUT
NONE OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES
HAVE REALLY COALESCED THAT 30%
OR SO THAT DON'T LIKE TRUMP, AND
SO IT'S SCATTERED BETWEEN
DESCENDANTS AND HAYLEY AND VERY
SMALL PERCENTAGES FOR EVERYBODY
ELSE.
>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT
YOUR SURVEY FOUND IN THE STATE
OF WISCONSIN.
POLL SHOWS THAT TONY EVERS IS
RIGHT SIDE UP WITH APPROVAL
RATINGS WHILE THE LEGISLATURE IS
WAY UPSIDE DOWN, AND THE STATE
SUPREME COURT IS ALSO ENJOYING
SOME FIRM APPROVAL.
WHAT DO THESE NUMBERS TELL YOU?
>> TONY EVERS FELL JUST BELOW
50% APPROVAL BEFORE HE WAS
RE-ELECTED LAST NOVEMBER.
HE BUMPED UP IN JUNE AND HAS
COME DOWN ABOUT THREE POINTS
NOW, BUT HE'S A NET POSITIVE.
THE LEGISLATURE, ON THE OTHER
HAND, WHEN WE LAST ASKED, WHICH
WAS BACK IN 2022, HAD BEEN
PRETTY CLOSE TO EVEN, SO THEY
SEEMED TO HAVE SLIPPED
CONSIDERABLY IN THE MEANTIME AND
WE HAVEN'T ASKED ABOUT THE STATE
SUPREME COURT BEFORE, THIS IS
OUR FIRST TIME, THEY'RE AT 51%
APPROVAL, WHICH IS FINE, BUT,
YOU KNOW, THE COURT WILL BE IN
THE NEWS IN COMING MONTHS AND
WE'LL SEE HOW THE PUBLIC REACTS
TO THAT AS THE COURT BECOMES
MORE VISIBLE IN THE NEWS.
>> I FOUND YOUR SURVEY RESULTS
ON THE REDISTRICTING
INTERESTING.
YOUR POLL SHOWS THAT 51% WANT TO
KEEP THE CURRENT MAPS UNTIL
2031.
NOW, THOSE MAPS ARE THE OBJECT
OF SO MUCH VOCAL DISFAVOR.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THESE
RESULTS?
>> TWO THINGS.
FIRST, WE DID NOT MENTION
GERRYMANDERING OR PARTISAN
DISTRICTING IN THE QUESTION.
THAT WAS DELIBERATE.
WE WANT TO KNOW, IF YOU JUST
DESCRIBE THE SITUATION BEFORE
THE COURT AND WHAT THE OPTION OF
PUTTING OFF REDISTRICTING UNTIL
2031 IS, WHAT DO PEOPLE RESPOND
TO THAT?
HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT?
WHEN WE'VE PREVIOUSLY ASKED
ABOUT NON-PARTISAN SAN
REDISTRICTING A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, IT WAS VERY POPULAR, AND SO
THE POINT HERE IS REPUBLICANS,
ABOUT 75%, SAY THEY DON'T WANT
TO REDISTRICT.
ABOUT 72% OF DEMOCRATS SAY THEY
DO.
INDEPENDENTS, A LITTLE MORE
DON'T.
BUT THE MESSAGING ON
REDISTRICTING SIMPLY HAS NOT
PENETRATED TO THE PUBLIC SO THAT
WITH A NEUTRAL QUESTION, THEY
AUTOMATICALLY THINK OF IT IN
TERMS OF PARTISANSHIP AND
GERRYMANDERING.
IF THEY DID, WE'D PROBABLY SEE
MORE REPUBLICAN OPPOSED, BUT
WE'D ALSO SEE MORE DEMOCRATS AND
INDEPENDENTS OPPOSED.
THAT MESSAGING JUST HASN'T
GOTTEN THROUGH YET.
>> WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE
WITH A BIG TOPIC THAT IS
ABORTION.
DOES THIS TOPIC CONTINUE TO SAY
RESONANT?
>> I THINK IT DOES.
WHAT WE SEE IS ABOUT 57% FAVOR
ABORTION RIGHTS, ABOUT 35
OPPOSED.
THAT'S THE DEEP PARTISAN DIVIDE
AND ALSO THE PARTY DIVIDE IF YOU
THINK ABOUT THE LEGISLATURE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
CHARLES FRANKLIN, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WE TURN NOW TO OUR SERIES OF
SPECIAL REPORTS ON RACE WITH
WISCONSIN IN BLACK AND WHITE, IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEHEMIAH
CENTER FOR URBAN LEADERSHIP
DEVELOPMENT.
LAST WEEK, REPORTER NATHAN
DENZIN EXAMINED WHY THERE IS A
LARGE GAP IN MATERNAL AND INFANT
HEALTH.
TONIGHT, WE TAKE A LOOK AT BLACK
MEN'S HEALTH AND ONE MAN'S
JOURNEY TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR
AS MANY PEOPLE AS HE CAN.
HERE'S THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF
WISCONSIN IN BLACK AND WHITE:
HEALTH DIVIDES.
- Nathan: In the summer of 2004,
Aaron Perry watched an Ironman competition in Madison
and it changed his life.
- I remember looking and watching
and I thought, you know,
"I wish I wasn't diabetic," 'cause I wanted to do it.
- Nathan: Perry has diabetes,
something that he shares with about 13% of Black Americans.
In fact, Black Americans are 60% more likely
to be diagnosed with diabetes than white Americans.
Black men are nearly twice as likely to die from diabetes
than white men, and are two and a half times
more likely to be hospitalized.
But diabetes isn't the only health issue facing Black men.
- You know, we face 'em from A to Z.
We're everywhere in that, you know, hypertension,
diabetes, heart disease, stroke.
We're starting to see a lot of lung cancer
and prostate cancer.
- Nathan: Black men also have the
second-lowest life expectancy of any group in America,
at about 67 years.
To take back control of his own health,
Perry found a running group to help him train
for the grueling race, which includes a 2.4-mile swim,
112-mile bicycle ride, and a marathon 26-mile run.
- Aaron: And one of my mentors, Dino Lucas,
said to me, he said, "Aaron, join our running club.
We'll get you to the finish line."
- Nathan: By the time race day had come,
Perry felt better than ever.
- I remember thinking as I'm getting ready
to get in the water, "Aaron, you have taken yourself
"from poor control of your diabetes
"and within 360-plus days, you've transformed yourself
into one of the fittest athletes in the world."
- Nathan: Just over 16 and a half hours later,
Perry became the first African-American diabetic
to complete an Ironman.
After the race,
he started to get questions from diabetics around the world
asking for health advice.
That's when Perry started to get serious
about his peers' health
and founded the Rebalanced-Life Wellness Association.
- When I started doing this work here
in Madison and Dane County,
the average age of death was 51 years of age for Black men,
and if that's not a crisis, I don't know what it is.
- Nathan: Around 2009, Perry had the idea
to put free health clinics in Black barbershops
to catch men for a quick screening as they came
and went for their cuts.
- Aaron: I did the research and back in the early 1900s,
the barbershop was everything.
The barbershop was where the pharmacist was at.
That was where the doctor was at,
and so I looked at that and I thought,
"How can we bring that full circle?"
- Nathan: Perry says cancellation rates
for barbershop appointments is less than 1%,
a far cry from the high cancellation rates
clinics see from Black men.
- The fact that we're not treated the same
when we go to the doctor,
we don't receive the same level of care.
- Nathan: Reggie Jackson educates people about diversity.
He says that Black men can be reluctant to see a doctor
because of experiences where medical professionals
didn't take their concerns seriously.
- A lot of doctors assume that, well,
if I give this Black person a specific protocol to follow
because of this condition they have, well,
they're not gonna follow it anyway,
so I'm not gonna even put them into that space.
- Nathan: A barbershop, on the other hand.
- Aaron: All of these guys, they trust their barbers.
They trust them with their life,
they trust them with their kids' lives.
- Nathan: So he started writing grants
to the state government,
asking for seed money to jumpstart the idea,
but that idea took time to catch on.
- Keep in mind, I'm a former cop.
I came into the barbershop saying,
"I want to help you get healthy."
You know, that was not well-received.
It took me quite a few years.
- Nathan: Then in 2016,
after being denied another round of state grants,
SSM Health decided to give Perry's idea a shot.
The first barbershop to get a clinic:
JP Hair Design in Madison.
His idea was simple.
In the extra office space JP had available,
Perry would set up and catch men as they finished their haircut.
Guys could get blood pressure screenings, flu shots,
diabetes, glucose, and cholesterol testing,
all for free.
- Aaron: So we literally have changed the culture
in the barbershops on how the conversations go.
It's no longer sports and politics;
it's health, sports, and politics.
- Nathan: Perry now has clinics
in four Madison-area barbershops,
which he says reaches about 30% of the Black men
in Dane County.
- Erin Hall: The initiative that we're working on
is to try to bring health care to as many people as possible.
- Nathan: Erin Hall owns Resilient Hair Designs
and says he's dedicated to Perry's vision for health care.
- It's bringing health care back into the community.
We're taking it away from the clinic and hospital walls,
and we're bringing it back into the community where it belongs.
- Nathan: Along with the barbershops,
Perry started his own health center next to JP Hair Design
that can do more for patients than a small clinic could.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Appreciate it.
- Nathan: The clinic's trained nurses
work with men to get them healthy.
- What we tell them right up front, as of today,
whatever's going on with you, we're gonna stabilize you.
You will not get worse.
You're going to get better from this point on.
If it's a concern with housing, we wanna help them have housing.
If a concern with, you know, whether it's you know,
relationships, we are gonna have them connected
with a mental health counselor.
- Nathan: Even with the clinics and barbershops
and his standalone health center,
Perry wants to take his idea further.
The next step, opening a clinic
in Madison's Second Baptist Church.
- Aaron: The culture with the Black community, you know,
we are naturally, you know, a faith-based people, you know,
and the majority go to church.
- Nathan: The clinic opens in the fall of 2023
to serve the community on Sundays,
though Perry says more days may be added as needed.
- We want these neighborhoods to be health villages.
We want them to be places
where low income and uninsured people
can still have access to care,
and by bringing this back into the community
such as churches, barbershops, and free clinics,
that is what we're hoping to achieve.
- Nathan: By combining all three,
Perry is launching what he calls Brother Care Health,
a health care model designed to operate
in underserved neighborhoods.
- When you walk out your front door,
you should be able to walk out your front door
and see health in your community.
- Nathan: While Perry is working on seeing health
in Dane County communities,
he says he's given advice to people all over the country,
including places like Maryland, California,
and Washington, D.C.
- This model has been replicated
all across the United States, you know,
and it started right here, so we're proud of that.
- Nathan: For Here & Now, I'm Nathan Denzin.
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