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  • -You talk a lot,

  • not just in the book but also on your podcast,

  • about the elections in November.

  • How much confidence do you think the American people can have

  • in a fair election right now?

  • And I do think, you know, sometimes we talk about it,

  • it's a little dangerous, because obviously

  • the Trump administration, based on the outcome,

  • will also speak to the idea that it was not fair.

  • So, how do you frame it so that it just doesn't become

  • a thing that everyone can sort of use

  • for their own best interests? -Yeah.

  • I mean, everyone is going to claim that it's rigged.

  • That was the little trick they pulled in 2016

  • by, you know, Trump constantly saying it was rigged.

  • It forced the Democrats into this position

  • where they're like, "It can't be rigged."

  • And then, when it was, in some respects rigged,

  • they really had nothing to say.

  • What they should be doing is pushing

  • for election transparency and integrity early.

  • They should be pushing for vote by mail,

  • because of the coronavirus,

  • because of the dangers we are being put in

  • by having physical voting.

  • I've been worried about the integrity of this election

  • for a long time, before the virus came around.

  • I've been worried about domestic voter suppression,

  • foreign interference, insecure machines,

  • and Trump simply refusing to leave.

  • My new worry is that perhaps the election will be delayed

  • or kind of indefinitely postponed.

  • Usually, even autocrats love elections.

  • You know, they like to have a fake election

  • so that they can brag about the people's love.

  • And I didn't think that Trump would turn down

  • an opportunity to do that.

  • But given this unprecedented public-health crisis,

  • it's uncertain what direction he'll go.

  • -Don't take this the wrong way.

  • There is a core pessimism to a lot of what you write about.

  • But do you feel as though there might be a chance

  • to come through this on the other side

  • with a changed perspective from the American people?

  • And where do you find optimism?

  • -Yeah, I mean, I don't think about it so much

  • in terms of optimism or pessimism

  • or hope or hopelessness.

  • I just try to do the right thing.

  • You know, when you have so much chaos,

  • when you have so much instability,

  • you really have to look at your morals

  • and your principles and how you treat people

  • and the kind of life that you want to lead.

  • And so I just try to do the right thing.

  • I do try to make suggestions

  • that are helpful in that respect.

  • But I'm not going to have blind faith

  • in eroding institutions that we've already seen fail.

  • You know, what Americans, I think, have recognized by now,

  • the institutions are only as good

  • as the people who are willing to uphold them.

  • And sometimes they have to uphold those institutions

  • in the face of profound and unprecedented threats.

  • And so far, that has not really happened.

  • That doesn't mean it's too late.

  • It doesn't mean that we're doomed.

  • It does mean we're in for a rough ride

  • and that we really have to get our bearings

  • and focus always on telling the truth and treating people right.

  • -Thank you so much, Sarah, for making time for us again.

  • Obviously, I wish this would be in the studio.

  • And hopefully, next time, it'll be in person.

  • Please check out Sarah's new book "Hiding in Plain Sight."

  • We've got a couple of copies. [ Laughs ]

  • And we'll be right back with more "Late Night."

  • Thanks, Sarah.

-You talk a lot,

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