>>> Tonight, a special treat. Former California governor and action star Arnold schwarzenegger sat down with Dana bash to talk about how he's combatted rising antisemitism and hate crimes in America. Dana, I'm envious.
What a privilege you've had. I've been in his company before. He is really interesting.
>> No question about it. And especially on this topic. He invited me here to los Angeles to usc.
He has schwarzenegger institute set up there to focus on public policy. And broadly, about bringing people together. His focus lately has been about combatting hate.
He called this forum a terminating hate. I'm sure you get that. And the whole idea was to bring people together like a former skin head, which he did, and a rabbi was there, to have a conversation across lines, among people that don't normally have [9:36:37 PM] people that don't normally have these conversations, and his personal connection to this was fascinating.
>> You have worn so many hats in your lifetime. A body builder, movie star, governor of California. You're using this chapter of your life to speak out against hate.
Against antisemitism in particular. Why? >> Well, it's not this particular -- it's like anything that I see that really bothers me, I get involved with it.
If it is the fight against fossil fuels, a cleaner environment, motivating people to get up and become successful, or if it is prejudice and hatred that I've seen over the years rise. So it became kind of alarming to me. You don't have to just sit there and watch this whole thing.
I think that you can get involved and use your platform to speak out about it because of [9:37:39 PM] to speak out about it because of my history. I come from a country that was part of the second World War. Austria, hitler himself was part Austrian.
And it is all because we let this grow. This antisemitism and this hatred. So I come from a place that has been done once before.
And I don't want that to happen again. >> You stood up at this forum and you said -- >> And I was born with a father that was a Nazi. Think about that.
>> The air went out of the room. I've heard you talk about your father but not like that. What made you say it that way?
>> You have to understand, when I improvise a speech, I don't think about how I say something [9:38:40 PM] think about how I say something or what I say. >> You used the story of your father to try to reach people who are getting sucked into groups that propagate hate. Talk about making that connection?
>> My father was, and so many other millions of men were sucked into a hate system through lies and deceits, and so we have seen where that leads. I've seen firsthand how broken those men were. The kind of atrocities happened.
How many millions of people had to die and then they ended up losers. The confederacy loses. They say, oh, this just doesn't work.
Let's just go and get along and love is more powerful than hate. [9:39:42 PM] love is more powerful than hate. >> In this video that did you last month -- >> I want to talk today about the rising hate and anti-semitism we've seen all over the world.
>> Reporter: Which was incredibly powerful and has been seen how many times now? >> Apparently, at least 100 million people saw it. And billions of impressions.
>> You drew this parallel between participating in Nazi hate during World War II and hateful ideology that is growing in the U. S. Now.
Is that the path America is on right now? >> I don't know if it is the path that we're on but I notice the danger. >> You put out another video after January 6th, 2021, and you compared the storming of the capitol to crystal night when Nazis burned synagogues, jewish businesses and homes.
About 30,000 jewish men were [9:40:42 PM] About 30,000 jewish men were taken. That was the beginning of it. What did you mean by that?
What did you see on January 6th that reminded you of the beginning of years of hatred and killing in Germany and Austria? >> The first thing that came to my mind when I saw the insurrection that this is very dangerous. It is a wake-up call to let people know, you have to take this seriously.
Not just like let's get those right wingers, put them to jail. No. This is much more than that.
What creates something like that? And sadly, I have to say, that no one really has covered it well. The insurrection.
Because they only said what they did was wrong and they have to go to jail and punish them. But no one really has gotten into why was it that way? [9:41:43 PM] into why was it that way?
What powers do people have that are really upset and angry with government? >> Part of it is that they were told the election in 2020 was stolen. >> But remember that it is always kind of the straw that breaks the camel's back.
So it's not that that would drive anyone to Washington. I think it was an unbelievable dissatisfaction. There is so much anger.
>> You said history shouldn't repeat itself. Donald Trump is now the front runner to be the nominee of your party, the Republican party. Given everything you said, does that concern you?
>> Absolutely not. Being the front runner of one party and letting them dig this hole deeper and deeper is going to make it easy for the Democrats to win. [9:42:45 PM] Democrats to win.
It is sad to see that. That they couldn't come up with a new talent, a new face that is a reasonable, smart, intelligent person that can lead this country in a Republican way. >> Do you think there's no way he would win again?
>> No. >> What if he did? >> What a question.
I can guarantee you that he will go maybe get the Republican nomination. Then when it come down to the actual election. There are too many people now that have seen what he did as president.
I think when it comes to the majority on election day, I think they will see the difference between one or the other. That believe me, I'm not the first one to say, this is really great to have Biden back as president. No.
There's no better option, the way it looks like now. >> Connecting this back to January 6th. [9:43:45 PM] January 6th.
You say the country, you were leader, the governor of a very big state. How do you reach those people when they are listening to the lies of the 2020 election and a leader who is perpetuating that still? >> They will be buying into it because they want to.
Even when you hear the evidence. For instance, fox, with tucker Carlson being fired, by spreading the wrong news, and fox going to court because they've lied intentionally. Not mistakenly, intentionally.
Over and over again about this. People hear that but it doesn't mean anything because they just want to believe the election was stolen. Because trump is their man.
>> And that relates to the hate that you're trying to stop and the, kind of the temperature you're trying to help bring down in this country. How do you do that? >> It's not just that.
[9:44:47 PM] >> It's not just that. Prejudice and hate goes in so many directions. It is not if you believe the trump election was stolen or not.
It has nothing to do with trump. It has to do with just in general, all over the world, we have this problem now that there is this hate and prejudice.
