>>> THE GOVERNOR OF TEXAS IS MARSHALING HIS OWN STATE'S RESOURCES TYKE CONTROL OF WHAT HE CALLS A FAILED FEDERAL
RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS AT THE BORDER. HE'S BEEN CRITICIZED FOR PLAYING POLITICS WITH IMMIGRATION, BUT
HE'S DOUBLING DOWN ON RAZOR WIRE, SOLDIERS, AND TOUGH NEW LAWS. WHAT GIVES YOU THE AUTHORITY TO
TELL THE U.S. BORDER PATROL WHAT TO DO? >> THIS LAND WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW WAS USED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO FURTHER ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. AND I WANT TO PUT A STOP TO IT. >>> THERE WERE MORE THAN 3,000
BOOK BANS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS LAST YEAR. 1,000 MORE THAN THE YEAR BEFORE. WE WENT TO ONE CONSERVATIVE
SOUTHERN TOWN TO HEAR HOW THEY'RE TURNING THE PAGE. >> PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHAT THEIR CHILDREN
ARE TAUGHT AND WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO READ. BUT WHEN WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH IS PARENTS THAT WANT TO
DETERMINE WHAT OTHER PARENTS' RIGHTS ARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO READ WHAT THEY WANT. >>> ELON MUSK AND JEFF BEZOS,
TWO OF THE RICHEST MEN IN THE WORLD, ARE IN A RACE TO HELP NASA PUT ASTRONAUTS BACK ON THE MOON AND THEN ON TO MARS.
>> AND LIFTOFF OF ARTEMIS I. >> IT'S NOT SCIENCE FICTION, BUT IT'S ALSO NOT EASY. AND THAT'S OUR STORY TONIGHT.
>>> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WLIT KERR. >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI.
>> I'M JON WERTHEIM. >> I'M CECILIA VEGA. >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES A
>>> THIS PAST WEEK, BOTH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP VISITED THE SOUTHERN BORDER IN TEXAS.
THERE'S NO DENYING IMMIGRATION HAS BECOME ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IN THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN,
AND THERE'S NO BETTER EXAMPLE OF THAT THAN THE HIGH-STAKES FIGHT BETWEEN THE STATE OF TEXAS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THREE YEARS AGO, TEXAS GOVERNOR GREGG ABBOTT LAUNCHED OPERATION LONE STAR, DEPLOYING THOUSANDS OF POLICE AND SOLDIERS AND MILES
OF BARRIERS TO DETER RECORD NUMBERS OF ILLEGAL CROSSINGS. THE SUPREME COURT HAS REPEATEDLY RULED THAT IMMIGRATION IS THE
JOB OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT RARELY HAS A STATE SO AGGRESSIVELY CHALLENGED THAT AUTHORITY.
IN JANUARY, GOVERNOR ABBOTT ORDERED HIS STATE NATIONAL GUARD TO BLOCK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BORDER PATROL FROM
SHELBY PARK, A DUSTY STRETCH OF BORDER ALONG THE RIO GRANDE IN EAGLE PASS, TEXAS. TO UNDERSTAND WHY, YOU NEED TO
SEE WHAT HAPPENED THERE IN DECEMBER. WE WERE ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER BEFORE DAWN, WITH SOLDIERS
FROM THE TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD. WE HEARD THE CRIES OF PEOPLE BEFORE WE COULD SEE THEIR FACES. IT WASN'T UNTIL WE MOVED CLOSER
THAT WE REALIZED HOW MANY PEOPLE HAD JUST CROSSED FROM MEXICO. THE SOLDIERS TOLD THEM IT WAS DANGEROUS TO CROSS HERE.
HELP US, THEY BEGGED. SOME OF THE WOMEN CRIED, WE HAVE CHILDREN. >> AHH!
>> WE HEARD GROANS AND FOUND THIS YOUNG MAN TWISTING IN THE WIRE. HE KEPT GOING.
STAY CALM, THEY TOLD EACH OTHER, AS FAMILIES PUSHED THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH. NEARLY EVERYONE WE SAW MADE IT
ACROSS AND INTO THE UNITED STATES. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE A DAY CROSSED HERE IN LATE DECEMBER, A
RECORD FOR THIS SECTION OF THE TEXAS BORDER. THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE, THE U.S. BORDER PATROL HAD TO
TRANSFORM SHELBY PARK INTO AN OPEN AIR HOLDING CENTER. WEEKS LATER, ONCE THE SURGE DIED DOWN, GOVERNOR ABBOTT ORDERED
HIS TEXAS NATIONAL GUARD TO BLOCK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S BORDER PATROL FROM ENTERING THE PARK WITHOUT PERMISSION.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT ARGUED THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD FAILED TO FULFILL ITS OBLIGATION TO THE STATES AND IN THAT, SOME HEARD
ECHOS OF TEXAS' HISTORY OF REBELLION AND THREATS OF SECESSION. >> I CAN'T BELIEVE, GOVERNOR,
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THIS QUESTION, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK YOU. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT TEXAS HAS
THE RIGHT TO SECEDE? IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE? >> THOSE ARE FALSE NARRATIVES.
WHAT TEXAS AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO, AND THAT'S TO ENFORCE THE LAW. >> YOU HEARD THE ARGUMENT
AGAINST WHAT YOU'RE DOING OUT HERE. EACH STATE CAN'T CONTROL ITS OWN BORDER POLICY.
YOU'RE LOOKING AT A COMPLETELY CHAOTIC SYSTEM. THAT'S THE JOB OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
>> WE'RE NOT IMPOSING A TEXAS BORDER POLICY, TEXAS VERY SIMPLY IS ENFORCING THE LAWS THAT ARE THE POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS. >> WHAT GIVES YOU THE AUTHORITY TO TELL THE U.S. BORDER PATROL WHAT TO DO?
>> FOR ONE, AS GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, I HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO CONTROL INGRESS AND EGRESS TO ANY LAND IN THE STATE
OF TEXAS. FOR ANOTHER, THIS LAND WE'RE ON RIGHT NOW WAS USED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO FURTHER
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY. AND I WANTED TO PUT A STOP TO IT. >> WE WENT BEHIND THE GUARDED
GATS OF SHELBY PARK IN JANUARY, SHORTLY AFTER GOVERNOR ABBOTT HAD TAKEN CONTROL. >> THIS IS CALLED AN ANTI-CLIMB
BARRIER. >> Reporter: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHOWED US WHERE STATE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WERE
INSTALLING FRESH RAZOR WIRE BARRIERS ALONG THE RIVER. >> HELP ME UNDERSTAND AT THE HEART OF THIS WHY TEXAS HAS A
PROBLEM WITH THE BORDER PATROL COMING IN TO PROCESS MIGRANTS IN THIS PARK? >> THE ISSUE IS TRYING TO
PREVENT ANOTHER INFLUX, BECAUSE WHEN BORDER PATROL IS HERE, SETTING UP A PROCESSING CENTER, IT'S GOING TO ATTRACT, IT'S
GOING TO ENCOURAGE MORE MIGRANTS TO CROSS THE RIVER, BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHERE TO GO. >> Reporter: IT'S ONE OF MANY
SPOTS ALONG THE TEXAS BORDER WHERE COILS OF SHARP WIRE HAVE BEEN GOING UP EVER SINCE GOVERNOR ABBOTT LAUNCHED
OPERATION LONE STAR IN 2021. SINCE THEN, THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED AND DETAINED ON TRESPASSING CHARGES.
>> HEY, STOP! >> Reporter: STATE TROOPERS HAVE CRACKED DOWN ON HUMAN SMUGGLING RINGS.
AND THE STATE HAS SPENT MORE THAN $150 MILLION SENDING MIGRANTS ON BUSES TO CITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND CHICAGO, TURNING
THE TROUBLE AT THE BORDER INTO A POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL HEADACHE FOR DEMOCRATIC MAYORS. ONCE THE SITE OF BALL GAMES AND
FLEE MARKETS, SHELBY PARK IS NOW GOVERNOR ABBOTT'S MODEL OF WHAT THE TEXAS BORDER CAN BE. >> WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, THERE
USED TO BE 3,000 OR 4,000 PEOPLE CROSSING ILLEGALLY A DAY. FOR THE PAST THREE DAYS, THERE'S AN AVERAGE OF JUST THREE PEOPLE
CROSSING THE BORDER ILLEGALLY. >> YOU DON'T JUST PLANT A FLAG JUST TO PLANT A FLAG. IT'S GOT TO BE STRATEGIC AND
MAKE SENSE. >> Reporter: RAUL ORTIZ SERVED AS CHIEF OF THE U.S. BORDER PATROL UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN AND
DEPUTY CHIEF UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP. HE RETIRED LAST YEAR. >> WHEN AGENCIES ARE MAKING A
DECISION, BASED UPON POLITICS OR WHETHER THEY'RE GOING TO GET MEDIA COVERAGE, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO PUT ALL OF OUR PERSONNEL IN
THIS TWO-MILE STRETCH, WLHAT ABOUT THE OTHER 200 MILES. >> Reporter: IN OUR INTERVIEW, HE CRITICIZED GRN ABBOTT FOR NOT
COOPERATING WITH BORDER PATROL AND PLAYING POLITICS WITH IMMIGRATION, BUT ALSO EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH PRESIDENT
BIDEN. >> I'VE NEVER HAD ONE CONVERSATION WITH THE PRESIDENT OR THE VICE PRESIDENT, FOR THAT
MATTER, AND SO I WAS THE CHIEF OF THE BORDER PATROL. I COMMANDED 21,000 PEOPLE. THAT'S A PROBLEM.
>> I JUST SAW 50 PEOPLE TODAY WHO HAD JUST CROSSED THE BORDER ILLEGALLY. SO, SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING.
>> WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, MEXICO, THAT THOSE REGIONS UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU PAY A
SMUGGLER AND YOU CROSS IN BETWEEN THE PORTS OF ENTRY AND YOU DO NOT HAVE A LEGITIMATE CLAIM TO SOME SORT OF ASYLUM
BENEFIT, YOU'RE GOING TO BE SENT BACK. >> DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE WHITE HOUSE HAS SENT MIXED MESSAGES TO
MIGRANTS? >> YEAH, MOST DEFINITELY. >> Reporter: WE SPOKE WITH ORTIZ IN AN AREA JUST FOUR MILES SOUTH
OF SHELBY PARK. THE GROUND WAS LITTERED WITH WET CLOTHES THAT MIGRANTS HAD CHANGED OUT OF AND LEFT BEHIND
AFTER CROSSING THE RIVER. >> DOES ALL OF THIS TELL YOU THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL CROSSING THIS RIVER RIGHT HERE?
>> OH, YEAH, THE GUIDES OR THE SMUGGLERS WILL BRING THE MIGRANTS OVER. THIS IS ALL VERY CLALCULATED BY
THE CARTELS THAT CONTROL THESE AREAS ON THE MEXICAN SIDE. >> ABOUT SEVEN MILES NORTH OF SHELBY PARK, WE CAME UPON THIS
GROUP OF MIGRANTS THAT JUST CROSSED THE RIO GRANDE AND WERE BEING PICKED UP BY BORDER PATROL.
THIS MOTHER AND HER TWO SONS TOOK BUSES FROM EL SALVADOR. SHE TOLD US THE SOLDIERS ON THE U.S. SIDE OF THE BORDER WEREN'T
MUCH OF A DETERRENT. SHE FEARED THE CARTELS IN MEXICO MORE. SOMETIMES THEY KIDNAP YOU AND
EXPECT PAYMENT, SHE SAID. THE REALITY IS, PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO FIND WAY TO GET IN, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MANPOWER YOU
HAVE AND HOW MUCH WIRE YOU PUT UP. >> YEAH, BECAUSE IN TEXAS, ANYWAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE
BARRICADING EVERY AREA WHERE PEOPLE ARE CROSSING UNTIL WE GET EVERY AREA TO HAVE LIKE THIS AREA IS RIGHT NOW.
>> TEXAS IS GOING TO BARRICADE EVERY AREA. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? >> EVERY AREA WHERE THE CARTELS
USE AS A CROSSING, WE INTEND TO BE BARRICADING. >> THE BORDER WILL LOOK LIKE A WAR ZONE.
>> IT IS A WAR ZONE. >> OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS CARRIED OUT 4 MILLION EXPULSIONS
AND DEPORTATION, MORE THAN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. BUT IT HAS ALSO ALLOWED A RECORD 3 MILLION PEOPLE TO REMAIN IN
THE COUNTRY FOR YEARS, WHILE THEIR IMMIGRATION CASES ARE HEARD. AND THE BORDER PATROL ESTIMATES
ANOTHER 1.6 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE ENTERED THE PEOPLE ILLEGALLY WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT. THIS PAST WEEK, FORMER PRESIDENT
TRUMP VISITED SHELBY PARK WITH GOVERNOR ABBOTT. ON THE SAME DAY, PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS ALSO AT THE TEXAS BORDER IN
BROWNSVILLE. >> INSTEAD OF PLAYING POLITICS WITH YOU, WHY DON'T WE JUST GET TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE?
>> Reporter: PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS IF REPUBLICANS WERE SERIOUS ABOUT SECURING THE BORDER, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE REJECTED A
BIPARTISAN IMMIGRATION DEAL IN THE SENATE LAST MONTH, AFTER FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP OPPOSED IT.
THAT DEAL WOULD HAVE INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE BORDER PATROL AND REQUIRED THE PRESIDENT TO EXPEL ALL MIGRANTS CROSSING
ILLEGALLY DURING SURGES LIKE THE ONE AT SHELBY PARK IN DECEMBER. THE LATEST BATTLE BETWEEN TEXAS AND WASHINGTON CONCERNS A NEW
LAW THAT GOVERNOR ABBOTT SIGNED AUTHORIZING TEXAS' MORE THAN 2,700 LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ARREST MIGRANTS FOR ILLEGALLY
CROSSING THE BORDER. TEXAS JUDGES COULD THEN ORDER MIGRANTS TO RETURN TO MEXICO OR SERVE TIME, BYPASSING THE
FEDERAL IMMIGRATION SYSTEM ENTIRELY. CRITICS OF THE LAW SAY IT IS SO BROADLY WRITTEN, IT FAILS TO
DEFINE WHEN AUTHORITIES CAN STOP SOMEONE. WE ASKED LIEUTENANT ORLEVARES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
OR DPS ABOUT THE CONCERN THAT IMMIGRANTS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR COULD BE SUBJECTED TO RACIAL PROFILING.
>> I CAN TELL YOU MY TROOPERS AND I COULD BE STOPPING CARS AND CHECKING IMMIGRATION STATUS, THEY'RE NOT.
>> BUT THIS LAW IS NOT JUST WRITTEN FOR DPS. >> THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S A TEXAS LAW.
>> SO THIS IS GOING TO BE CARRIED OUT FAR FROM THE BORDER. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> COULDN'T YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN
IT? YOU'RE LATINA? COULDN'T I GET CAUGHT UP IN IT. >> THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
YOU CAN'T GO INTERVIEW EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THAT CAR, ASK THEM FOR IMMIGRATION STATUS. BUT OF COURSE, YEAH, THERE COULD
BE SOME ISSUES WHERE MAYBE SOME OTHER AGENCY OUTSIDE OF A BORDER AREA COULD TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
>> DOES THAT MAKE YOU NERVOUS? >> IT'S PROBABLE, BECAUSE A LOT OF AGENCIES HERE IN TEXAS OPERATE, BUT I WOULD THINK THAT
EVERY CHIEF AT A POLICE AGENCY WOULD HAVE TO IMPLEMENT SOME TYPE OF POLICY AND PROCEDURE TO ACTUALLY ENFORCE THIS NEW LAW.
>> THIS PAST WEEK, A FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY STOPPED THE NEW LAW FROM TAKING EFFECT WHILE IT'S BEING CHALLENGED IN COURT.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION ARE SUING TEXAS, ARGUING THE LAW INTERFERES WITH THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S AUTHORITY OVER IMMIGRATION. BUT GOVERNOR ABBOTT ARGUES, TEXAS IS BEING INVADED AND HAS
THE RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF. THAT IDEA HAS RESONATED WITH MILITIAS AND GROUPS OPPOSED TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.
SOME JOINED A CONVOY LAST MONTH AND DESCENDED ON THE EAGLE PASS AREA. >> EVERY ONE, I THINK, AGREES
THAT THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM RIGHT NOW IS COMPLETELY BROKEN AND THERE'S A LOT OF BLAME TO GO AROUND.
BUT DO YOU REALLY, TRULY BELIEVE THAT INVASION IS THE RIGHT WORD TO BE USING HERE? >> INVASION IS THE WORD THAT'S
USED IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. INVASION OR IMMINENT DANGER. I USE THEM BOTH.
AND WE ARE IN IMMINENT DANGER, BECAUSE OF WHAT THE DRUG CARTELS DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. BECAUSE OF THE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN
TERRORISTS WHO CROSS EVERY SINGLE DAY. >> SO THE CONVOYS AND MILITIA HAVE HEARD THE LANGUAGE AND
THEY'VE STARTED TO COME TO THE POINT THAT MIGRANTS HAVE HAD TO BE RELOCATED FROM SOME LOCATIONS FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY.
ARE YOU NOT CONCERNED ABOUT VIOLENCE HAPPENING BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE LIKE THE WORD "INVASION"?
>> THERE'S NO WORD THAT WOULD SPUR VIOLENCE. BUT I'LL BE CLEAR ABOUT THIS. WE DON'T WANT VIOLENCE OF ANY
TYPE. >> HOW DOES THIS END? >> IT ENDS VERY SIMPLY, AND THAT'S WITH A PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES WHO WILL ACTUALLY FULFILL HIS OATH OF OFFICE AND ENFORCE THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THAT
MEANS DENYING ILLEGAL ENTRY INTO OUR COUNTRY. >> DO YOU WANT TO BE TRUMP'S RUNNING MATE?
>> NO. >> WHAT IF HE ASKS YOU? >> LISTEN, I LOVE BEING GOVERNOR OF TEXAS.
I CAN BEST AID HIM IN MY ROLE BY BEING A GREAT GOVERNOR OF TEXAS. >> Reporter: SO FAR, THE GOVERNOR HAS COMMITTED MORE THAN
$11 BILLION TO OPERATION LONE STAR. OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS, THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE ENTERING
TEXAS ILLEGALLY HAS DROPPED WHILE RISING IN OTHER BORDER STATES. ALABAMA BOTTOM
ABBOTT'S CRITICS SAY THAT HAS MORE TO DO WITH OTHER FACTORS LIKE CRACKDOWNS ON IMMIGRATION IN PARTS OF MEXICO.
THERE IS STILL MORE THAN A MILLION ILLEGAL BORDER CROSSINGS IN TEXAS EVERY YEAR. THERE ARE ALSO AT LEAST A DOZEN
LAWSUITS BEING FOUGHT OVER TEXAS AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER IMMIGRATION ISSUES. ALL OF THAT WORRIES CHIEF RAUL
ORTIZ. >> THE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN, EVEN TO SOME DEGREE THE BORDER PATROL AGENTS HAVE BECOME PAWNS IN THIS
POLITICAL GAME BETWEEN TWO SIDES. >> WHO'S WINNING? >>, THE CARTELS, THE CRIMINAL
ORGANIZATIONS, THAT'S WHO'S WINNING IN ALL OF THIS. THEY'RE SITTING BACK AND REAPING ALL THE BENEFITS, WHILE THEY
WATCH THE STATE OF TEXAS AND WASHINGTON DX GO AT IT. >> PATROLLING THE BORDER WITH A TEXAS STATE TROOPER.
>> IT'S JUST SUCH A CRISIS RIGHT NOW AND WE FEEL SO >>> WITH ELECTION SEASON UPON US, THE FORCES OF POLITICS ARE
PULLING US APART. AND AMONG THE SHARPEST BATTLES RECENTLY IS A CAMPAIGN TO BAN CERTAIN BOOKS FROM PUBLIC
SCHOOLS. THERE WERE MORE THAN 3,000 BOOK BANS IN SCHOOLS LAST YEAR, A THOUSAND MORE THAN THE YEAR
BEFORE. THAT RISE IS INSPIRED IN PART BY MOMS FOR LIBERTY, A FLORIDA-BASED CONSERVATIVE GROUP
THAT SAYS THAT IT IS FIGHTING FOR THE SURVIVAL OF AMERICA. YOU MIGHT EXPECT A SYMPATHETIC EAR IN BUFORD, SOUTH CAROLINA.
THE COUNTY VOTES REPUBLICAN AND IS HOME TO MANY VETERANS WHO DID FIGHT FOR AMERICA, BUT WHEN TWO PEOPLE DEMANDED THE BANNING OF
97 BOOKS, BUFORD FOUND ITSELF IN A BATTLE OVER THE TRUE MEANING OF LIBERTY. BUFORD HAS A HISTORY IN
LITERATURE AND LEARNING. IT'S THE HOMETOWN OF THE LATE NOVEL ITSELF PRINCE CONRAD, AND IN 1862, IT OPENED AMONG THE
FIRST SCHOOLS IN THE SOUTH FOR FORMER SLAVES. TODAY, BUFORD COUNTY HAS 21,000 STUDENTS AND DICK GEIER IS VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE SCHOOL BOARD. >> WE HAVE TREMENDOUS WEALTH IN HILTON HEAD AND OTHER GATED COMMUNITIES HERE, AND WE HAVE
TREMENDOUS POVERTY. HALF OF OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING FREE AND REDUCED LUNCHES, BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE
QUALIFIED AS BEING IN POVERTY. >> GEIER IS A RETIRED ARMY COLONEL, A REPUBLICAN, WHO FOCUSED ON IMPROVING MATH AND
READING UNTIL 2022. >> WHAT WAS THE VERY FIRST NOTION THAT YOU HAD A STORM COMING?
>> WE GOT AN EMAIL FROM A CITIZEN, SAYING THAT THESE, THE 97 BOOKS THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT ONLINE, THAT SHOULD BE BANNED IN
A SCHOOL, HOW MANY OF THOSE BOOKS DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR SCHOOL? SO WE CHECKED, WE HAD VIRTUALLY
ALL OF THOSE BOOKS IN THE SCHOOL. >> THEY'RE MOSTLY YOUNG ADULT NOVELS WITH MINORITY, GAY,
LESBIAN, OR TRANSGENDER CHARACTERS. SOME DEPICT SEX AND VIOLENCE. MOST WERE IN HIGH SCHOOL
LIBRARIES, FOUR WERE IN CLASSROOM CURRICULA. REASONABLE PEOPLE DISAGREE ABOUT BOOKS, AND THAT'S WHY BEAUFORT
ALREADY GAVE THE LAST WORD TO PARENTS. KAREN GARRIS IS A HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARIAN AFTER 27 YEARS IN THE
NAVY. >> SO THE PROCEDURE WOULD BE THAT IT'S A CONVERSATION BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE PARENT.
AND IF THEY DON'T LIKE THE BOOK, THEY HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO SAY THAT THEIR CHILD CAN'T CHECK THAT BOOK OUT.
>> AND HOW OFTEN DOES A PARENT DO THAT? >> I HAVE NEVER HAD A PARENT COME AND COMPLAIN.
>> NEVER? >> TO ME PERSONALLY ABOUT A BOOK, NO. >> Reporter: GARRIS ALSO POINTED
TO THIS OPT-OUT FORM. "DO NOT ALLOW MY CHILD TO CHECK OUT ANY SCHOOL LIBRARY MATERIALS WITHOUT MY APPROVAL."
>> PARENTS HAVE THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE WHAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT AND WHAT THEY'RE ALLOWED TO READ.
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. BUT WHAT WE'RE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH IS PARENTS THAT WANT TO DETERMINE WHAT OTHER PARENTS'
RIGHTS ARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO READ WHAT THEY WANT. >> PLEASE BE SEATED. >> Reporter: THE BOARD WANTED TO
FOLLOW ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES, BUT A FEW ACTIVISTS, AGITATED BY CONSPIRACY THEORIES, THREATENED LIBRARIANS AND BOARD MEMBERS,
CALLING THEM GROOMERS, EXTREME RIGHT-WING HATE SPEECH, MEANT TO BRAND OPPONENTS AS MOLESTERS GROOMING CHILDREN FOR SEX.
>> WE'VE HAD A PARENT COME IN AND TELL A LIBRARIAN THAT YOU ARE VIOLATING A STATE STATUTE BY PROVIDING PORNOGRAPHY TO A
MINOR. I'M GOING TO THE SHERIFF -- I'M GOING TO HAVE YOU ARRESTED. AND STORM OUT.
NOW, THAT'S NOT JUST HAPPENED ONCE, THAT'S HAPPENED MULTITIMES MULTIMULTIPLE TIMES, AT MULTIPLE SCHOOLS.
THE SHERIFF SAID "NO," THE SOLICITOR SAID "NO," I'M GOING TO THE FBI. >> SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT FRANK
RODRIGUEZ FEARED VIOLENCE, SO HE PULLED THE BOOKS. >> FROM SOMEONE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, IT'S ALMOST OBVIOUS, THAT
MOST OF THE BOOKS HADN'T BEEN READ PRIOR TO BEING CHALLENGED. THAT SOME OTHER SOURCE WAS USED TO GATHER THESE THINGS TOGETHER.
SO WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I WAS LIKE, OKAY, I KNEW WE WERE IN FOR A ROUGH ROAD. >> THAT ROAD BEGAN HERE.
A BOOK REVIEW WEBSITE CALLED BOOK LOOKS, FOUNDED TWO YEARS AGO BY A FLORIDA NURSE. SHE DECLINED AN INTERVIEW, BUT
TOLD US HER BOOK REVIEWS ARE WRITTEN BY VOLUNTEERS, USING BOOK LOOK'S OWN STANDARDS. AND THIS IS WHERE BEAUFORT'S
EXPERIENCE BECOMES A NATIONAL STORY. ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BOOK BANS ARE BEING DEMANDED BASED ON BOOK
LOOK'S AMATEUR VOLUNTEER REEVE REVIEWS, OFTEN IN THE HANDS OF MOMS FOR LIBERTY. >> IF SOMEONE IS DEMONSTRABLY
HARMING OUR CHILDREN, WE'RE GOING TO COME TOGETHER TO FIGHT TO PROTECT THEM. >> Reporter: MOMS FOR LIBERTY
HELD A NATIONAL CONVENTION LAST SUMMER, WHICH ATTRACTED MAJOR REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.
IT HAD BEEN ONLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS SINCE MOMS WAS FOUNDED AS A REACTION AGAINST COVID MANDATES.
ITS FOUNDERS INCLUDE TWO FLORIDA WOMEN WITH SCHOOL BOARD EXPERIENCE, TIFFANY JUSTICE AND TINA DUSKOVICH.
>> THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT TINA AND ARE DISRUPTING THE BALANCE OF POWER IN AMERICAN EDUCATION.
OUR MOMS, OVER 100,000 MEMBERS, ACROSS THIS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ARE DISRUPTING THE BALANCE OF POWER IN PUBLIC
EDUCATION. FOR TOO LONG, UNIONS HAVE HAD AN UNDUE INFLUENCE IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS,
HAPPENING IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, AND WE SEE WHERE THAT HAS GOTTEN US. A SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS ITSELF
AND OFTENTIMES LEAVES THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS BEHIND. AND THAT HAS TO CHANGE. >> MOMS!
>> CONSERVATIVE, ANTI-TEACHER UNIONS, MOMS FOR LIBERTY IS PART OF THE PUSHBACK AGAINST THE DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
MOVEMENT. MOMS SUPPORTS NEW FLORIDA LAWS THAT LIMIT LESSONS ON RACE AND FORBID LESSONS ON SEXUAL
ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. >> WE LOVE TEACHERS. MY CHILDREN HAVE HAD THE BEST
TEACHERS. I'VE HAD THE GREATEST TEACHERS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED AND IMPACTED ME, BUT THERE ARE ROGUE
TEACHERS IN AMERICA'S CLASSROOMS RIGHT NOW. >> ROGUE TEACHERS? >> TREEROGUE TEACHERS.
>> PARENTS SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO BE EDUCATED, NOT INDOCTRINATED INTO IDEOLOGY. >> WHAT IDEOLOGY ARE THEY BEING
INDOCTRINATED INTO? >> LET'S JUST SAY, CHILDREN IN AMERICA CANNOT READ. >> THEY OFTEN DODGED QUESTIONS
WITH TALKING POINTS. >> YOU'RE BEING EVASIVE -- WHAT IDEOLOGY -- >> 20% --
>> WHAT IDEOLOGY ARE THE CHILDREN BEING INDOCTRINATED INTO. WHAT IS YOUR FEAR?
>> I THINK PARENTS' FEARS ARE REALIZED. THEY'RE LOOKING AT THESE BOOKS WHERE SEXUAL DISCUSSIONS ARE
HAPPENING WITH THEIR CHILDREN AT YOUNGER AND YOUNGER AGES. >> Reporter: TIFFANY JUSTICE READ FROM SEXUALLY EXPLICIT
BOOKS WRITTEN FOR OLDER TEENS, BUT FOUND IN A FEW LOWER SCHOOLS. MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T WANT THEM
IN A LOWER SCHOOL, BUT IN A TACTIC OF OUTRAGE POLITICS, MOMS FOR LIBERTY TAKES A KERNEL OF TRUTH AND CONCLUDES THESE
EXAMPLES ARE NOT RARE MISTAKES, BUT A PLOT TO SEXUALIZE CHILDREN. >> YOUR CRITICS SAY THAT YOU
HAVE AN ANTI-GAY IDEOLOGY. >> THAT IS FALSE. THAT IS FALSE. >> NOTHING COULD BE FURTHER FROM
THE TRUTH. WE HAVE GAY MEMBERS. I THINK IT'S AN EFFORT TO REALLY TRY TO MARGINALIZE US AS AN
ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE PARENTS ARE COMING TOGETHER, ACROSS RACIAL LINES OR ACROSS RELIGIOUS LINES, ACROSS ALL OF THESE
DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE SEE AMERICANS BEING DIVIDED SO OFTEN. >> I WANT TO THANK YOU --
>> BUT VOTERS HAVE NOT COME TOGETHER FOR MOMS FOR LIBERTY. LAST YEAR, MOMS ENDORSED 166 SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES,
TWO-THIRDS WERE DEFEATED. ACCORDING TO THE NON-PARTISAN BROOKINGS INSTITUTION. >> MOMS ALSO FACES QUESTIONS
ABOUT ITS THIRD CO-FOUNDER, CONSERVATIVE EDUCATION ACTIVIST, BRIDGET ZIEGLER. SHE LEFT MOMS FOR LIBERTY, AND
NOW SHE'S BEING ASKED TO RESIGN FROM THE SARASOTA SCHOOL BOARD. LAST YEAR, SHE TOLD POLICE THAT SHE HAD THREE-WAY SEX WITH HER
HUSBAND AND A WOMAN. HER HUSBAND, CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER, HAD BEEN ACCUSED OF RAPE IN ANOTHER INCIDENT.
INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDED THAT ALLEGED ATTACK WAS, QUOTE, LIKELY CONSENSUAL. BUT CHRISTIAN ZIEGLER WAS FORCED
OUT AS CHAIR OF THE FLORIDA REPUBLICAN PARTY. WE WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MESSAGES ON MOMS' "X" ACCOUNT,
WHICH ADOPTS THE EXTREMIST SMEAR WITH, IF THEY DON'T LIKE BEING CALLED GROOMERS, THEY SHOULD STOP TRYING TO GROOM OUR KIDS.
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY? >> WELL, I'M GOING TO SAY THAT IF -- WE WOULD HAVE TO SEE THE EXACT TWEET.
TIFFANY MANAGES OUR TWITTER ACCOUNT. >> SO WE READ MORE EXACT TWEETS FROM THEIR ACCOUNT.
THIS TARGETS A LIBRARIAN. YOU WANT TO GROOM OUR CHILDREN AND WE'RE SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU LOVE?
AGAIN, JUSTICE AND DUSKOVICH WENT TO THEIR TALKING POINTS. >> I'M ASKING, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY GROOMING? >> PARENTS WANT TO PARTNER WITH THEIR CHILDREN'S SCHOOLS, BUT WE DO NOT CO-PARENT WITH THE
GOVERNMENT. >> GROOMING DOES NOT SEEM LIKE A WORD YOU WANT TO TAKE ON? >> WE DID SOME POLLING AND WE
ASKED, WE REALLY WANTED TO KNOW, WHERE ARE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ON THIS ISSUE OF PARENTAL RIGHTS AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR
SCHOOLS? >> DODGING QUESTIONS LIKE THAT WAS NOT AN OPTION BACK IN BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA.
CRITICS OF THE BOOK BAN SAID THEY KNEW WHAT GROOMER MEANT AND THEY SAW IT A AS A THREAT TO PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THE LGBTQ
COMMUNITY. >> YOU DON'T DO THAT TO THESE KIDS. THEY HAVE THE INTERNET, THEY'RE
GOING TO GET TO IT ANYWAYS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME. YOU'RE ONLY TRYING TO MAKE
PEOPLE FEEL BAD ABOUT THEMSELVES AND I'M PAST THE TIME WHERE I'M GOING TO ALLOW ANYBODY TO MAKE ME FEEL BAD ABOUT MYSELF.
>> GO TO THE LEFT AND AROUND THE CURVE -- >> ULTIMATELY, BEAUFORT CONFRONTED FEAR AND IGNORANCE
WITH CIVILITY AND KNOWLEDGE. THE TOWN ASKED VOLUNTEERS TO ACTUALLY READ THE BOOKS. IN MEETINGS THAT LOOKED LIKE
BOOK CLUBS, OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR, 146 COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS, PLUS TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS, DISCUSSED, DELIBERATED, AND
VOTED. RUTH NAOMI JAMES VOLUNTEERED TO JUDGE THE BOOKS. SHE WORKS FOR THE SCHOOLS AND
HAS A 16-YEAR-OLD STUDENT. >> HOW MANY OF THE FOUR BOOKS HAVE YOU REVIEWED THAT YOU FELT SHOULD NOT BE IN THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM? >> NONE. >> SHE'S NOT A MOM FOR LIBERTY, BUT STILL, A LIBERTY-MINED MOM.
>> I'M A COMBAT VETERAN. THERE'S NO WAY I WENT TO IRAQ THINKING THAT WHEN I MOVED BACK HOME, I WOULD HAVE TO DO THIS TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE FREEDOM THAT WE FIGHT FOR IN THIS COUNTRY IS TAKEN OUT OF THE HANDS OF STUDENTS.
AND PARENTS. >> THE FINAL VOTES CAME THIS PAST DECEMBER, FIVE BOOKS WERE JUDGED TOO GRAPHIC IN SEX OR
VIOLENCE, BUT 92 RETURNED TO THE SCHOOLS. DICK GEIER SAYS THIS LESSON REACHES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.
>> DIVERSEITY BREEDS TOLERANCE. THE MORE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK, AND REALIZE THAT WHAT THEY SAY IS IMPORTANT,
BUT WHO THEY ARE, WHAT THEIR STORY, WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND IS, THE MORE YOU KNOW THAT, THE MORE YOU SEE THE POWER OF DIVERSITY,
AND THEN BE KIND AND BE UNDERSTANDING AND DON'T MAKE JUDGMENTS, BECAUSE YOU HAVEN'T LIVED THEIR STORY.
THEY HAVE. >> IN THE CITY THAT'S LIVED A STORY OF LETTERS AND LEARNING, ONE BOOK THAT WAS BANNED AND
RESTORED WAS THE FIXER. A NOVEL OF ANTI-SEMITISM THAT WON THE PULITZER PRIZE. IN ITS PAGES, THE BOOK'S HERO
EXPRESSES THIS OPINION. THERE ARE NO WRONG BOOKS. WHAT'S WRONG IS THE FEAR OF THEM.
>>> A SMALL ROBOTIC LANDER BUILT BY A PRIVATE COMPANY AND CARRYING A SCIENTIFIC PAYLOAD FOR NASA TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE
SOUTH POLE OF THE MOON 11 DAYS AGO AND PROMPTLY TIPPED OVER ON ITS SIDE. EVEN SO, IT'S THE FIRST AMERICAN
SPACECRAFT TO LAND ON THE MOON IN MORE THAN 50 YEARS. NASA HAS A MUCH MORE AMBITIOUS LUNAR PROGRAM CALLED ARTEMIS,
WHICH AIMS TO SEND PEOPLE BACK TO THE MOON TO ESTABLISH AN OUTPOST AT THE SOUTH POLE AND TO PUSH ON FROM THERE TO MARS.
WE PREVIEWED ARTEMIS HERE IN 2021, BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS NOW ABOUT THE PROGRAM'S COST AND ITS
TIMETABLE. IN JANUARY, NASA ANNOUNCED ITS NEW TARGET FOR A MANNED LANDING, LATE 2026.
A YEAR LATER THAN PLANNED. BUT AS WE DISCOVERED, EVEN THAT MAY BE UNREALISTIC. >> AND LIFTOFF OF ARTEMIS I.
>> WHEN ARTEMIS I SOARED INTO SPACE IN NOVEMBER OF 2022, IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A NEARLY FLAWLESS MISSION.
IN ITS FIRST TEST FLIGHT, NASA'S NEW SPACE FLIGHT ROCKET SENT AN EMPTY ORION CREW CAPSULE ON A 1.4 MILLION MILE FLYBY OF THE
MOON BEFORE A PICTURE-PERFECT RETURN TO EARTH. >> SPLASHDOWN. >> THE NEXT FLIGHT, ARTEMIS II,
MEANT TO CARRY FOUR ASTRONAUTS ON A LUNAR FLYBY, WAS SUPPOSED TO LAUNCH THIS YEAR, AND THEN A YEAR LATER, ARTEMIS III WOULD
LAND THE FIRST WOMAN AND FIRST PERSON OF COLOR ON THE MOON. IT'S NOT WORKING OUT QUITE THAT WAY.
>> I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY, WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN COSTS, BETTER COST CONTROLS, BETTER PLANNING, THIS ARTEMIS
PROGRAM ON ITS CURRENT TRAJECTORY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE. >> GEORGE SCOTT IS NASA'S ACTING INSPECTOR GENERAL.
DON'T BE MISLED BY THE "ACTING." HE'S BEEN A TOP AGENCY WATCHDOG FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS. WHILE NASA'S ENGINEERS HAVE
THEIR HEADS IN THE STARS, IT'S HIS JOB TO BRING THEM BACK TO EARTH, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO COSTS.
>> RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ESTIMATING THAT PER LAUNCH, THE ARTEMIS CAMPAIGN WILL COST $4.2 BILLION PER LAUNCH.
>> PER LAUNCH? >> PER LAUNCH. THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MONEY, PER LAUNCH.
A LOT OF THAT HARDWARE JUST GOING END TO UP IN THE OCEAN NEVER TO BE USED AGAIN. >> THE INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR
NASA SAYS THAT THE COSTS FOR THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM ARE SIMPLY UNSUSTAINABLE. IS HE WRONG?
>> WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THEIR CONCLUSIONS. WE FEEL LIKE WE'VE TAKEN AN AFFORDABLE PATH TO DO THESE
MISSIONS. >> Reporter: JIM FREE IS NASA'S ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR AND DIRECTLY IN CHARGE OF ARTEMIS.
WE MET HIM AT HISTORIC LAUNCH PAD 39B, FROM WHICH BOTH APOLLO AND ARTEMIS ROCKETS HAVE FLOWN. >> WE BELIEVE THAT THE ROCKET WE
HAVE IS BEST MATCHED FOR THE MISSION AND FRANKLY, THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD THAT CAN TAKE CREWS TO THE MOON.
>> CONFIRMATION THAT THE SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS HAVE SEPARATED. >> Reporter: BUT AS GEORGE SCOTT SAID, MOST COMPONENTS OF THAT
SLS ROCKET END UP IN THE OCEAN. THEY'RE NOT REUSABLE. AND WITH THE GOAL OF BUILDING AN OUTPOST ON THE MOON, ARTEMIS
WILL NEED A LOT OF THOSE $4.2 BILLION ROCKETS. >> IT'S GOING TO TAKE LAUNCH AFTER LAUNCH AFTER LAUNCH TO GET
ALL OF THAT STUFF UP THERE. >> YES. >> SO THE NUMBER OF LAUNCHES IS DAUNTING.
BUT IT'S HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO THE MOON. >> WHEN AMERICA SENT NEIL ARMSTRONG AND 11 MORE ASTRONAUTS
TO THE MOON A HALF CENTURY AGO -- >> THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. >> THEY GOT TO THE LUNAR SURFACE
ABOARD LANDERS. >> WE LEAVE IT AS WE CAME AND GOD WILLING, AS WE SHALL RETURN. >> OWNED AND OPERATED BY NASA.
>> YOU'RE TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH THIS TIME THAN WITH APOLLO. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE THIS TIME?
>> THE DIFFERENCE IS WE'RE BUYING IT AS A SERVICE. WE'RE PAYING SOMEONE TO TAKE OUR CREWS DOWN AND TAKE THEM UP.
>> IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE YEAR ZPLSH . >> THAT SOMEONE IS ELON MUSK.
IN 2021, NASA SIGNED A NEARLY $3 BILLION CONTRACT WITH HIS SPACEX TO USE ITS NEW STARSHIP MEGAROCKET AS THE LUNAR LANDER
FOR THE FIRST ARTEMIS ASTRONAUTS. >> IT IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST FLYING OBJECT EVER MADE.
>> SPACEX IS PREPARING FOR ITS THIRD STARSHIP LAUNCH ATOP ITS ENORMOUS SUPER HEAVY BOOSTER. THE FIRST TWO LAUNCHES BOTH
ENDED IN ROUGHLY THE SAME WAY. >> AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SUPER HEAVY BOOSTER HAS JUST EXPERIENCED A RAPID UNSCHEDULED
DISASSEMBLY. >> Reporter: RAPID UNSCHEDULED DISASSEMBLY IS SPACEX SPEAK FOR OUR STARSHIP ROCKET JUST BLEW
UP, AGAIN. >> AND NOW, YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THE PERILS OF RELYING ON SPACEX. >> WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THEY'VE HAD ON STAR SHIP. WE NEED THEM TO LAUNCH SEVERAL TIMES TO GIVE US THE CONFIDENCE
THAT WE CAN PUT OUR CREWS ON THERE. >> BUT RIGHT NOW, AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, YOU HAVE NO WAY OF
GETTING THE ASTRONAUTS TO THE SURFACE OF THE MOON, BECAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS THAT SPACEX HAS FACED.
>> BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T HIT THE TECHNICAL MILESTONES. >> SPACEX'S STATED PLAN IS TO FIRST PUT ITS STARSHIP LANDER
INTO LOW EARTH ORBIT. THEN LAUNCH TEN MORE STAR SHIP TANKERS TO PUMP ROCKET FUEL INTO THE LANDER, IN SPACE.
>> MAKE SCI-FI REAL. >> Reporter: BEFORE SENDING IT ONWARD TO MEET ASTRONAUTS IN LUNAR ORBIT.
>> AND THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE? >> THERE'S BEEN SMALL SCALE TRANSFERS IN ORBIT, BUT NOT OF
THIS MAGNITUDE. >> IT JUST SOUNDS INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED. >> IT IS COMPLICATED.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. YOU JUST LAUNCH TEN TIMES KUIND OF ON A WHIM. >> IF IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE
BEFORE, CHANCES ARE IT'S GOING TYKE LONGER THAN YOU THINK TO DO IT AND DO IT SUCCESSFULLY AND PROVE THAT TECHNOLOGY BEFORE WE
TRUST PUTTING HUMANS ON IT. THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO. >> NASA'S CONTRACT WITH SPACEX REQUIRES THE COMPANY TO MAKE AN
UNMANNED LUNAR LANDING WITH STARSHIP BEFORE TRYING ONE WITH ASTRONAUTS ONBOARD. BUT NASA STILL SAYS THAT THE
MANNED MISSION CAN HAPPEN IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS. >> THAT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE TIME FRAME WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, THE
END OF 2026 SEEMS AMBITIOUS, TO SAY THE LEAST. >> WHAT WE'RE DOING IS A AMBITIOUS, BUT IT'S A GREAT DEAL
GOAL TO HAVE. >> IS THAT GOAL REALISTIC? >> I BELIEVE IT IS. I BELIEVE IT IS.
>> JIM FREE'S OPTIMISM IS BASED ON SPACEX'S TRACK RECORD WITH ITS SMALLER FALCON ROCKET. >> WOW.
>> ONCE IT GET THE FALCON UP AND RUNNING, IT DEMONSTRATED IT CAN LAUNCH A LOT, 96 TIMES LAST YEAR ALONE, WITH BOTH COMMERCIAL AND
GOVERNMENT PAYLOADS, BUT SO FAR, STARSHIP HAS YET TO REACH ORBIT EVEN ONCE. >> DOES THAT CONCERN YOU, THAT
THAT'S GOING TO KEEP PUSHING THAT TIMELINE BACK FURTHER? >> OF COURSE, IT ABSOLUTELY CONCERNS ME.
BECAUSE WE NEED THEM TO LAUNCH MULTIPLE TIMES. >> SPACEX IGNORED OUR MULTIPLE REQUESTS FOR AN INTERVIEW OR
COMMENT, BUT IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DAILY WIRE IN JANUARY, ELON MUSK SAID THIS. >> WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE THE
FIRST HUMANS ON THE MOON IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS. >> MY VIEW OF THAT IS, WE HAVE A CONTRACT WITH SPACEX, THAT SAYS
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO LAUNCH OUR CREW IN THE END OF 2026. >> WHY DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHEN WE GET BACK TO THE MOON?
HERE'S WHY. CHINA HAS SAID THAT IT PLANS TO SEND ITS TYCONAUTS TO THE MOON BY THE END OF THE DECADE AND
BILL NELSON HAS PUBLICLY EXPRESSED CONCERN. >> NATURALLY, I DON'T WANT CHINA TO GET TO THE SOUTH POLE FIRST,
WITH HUMANS, AND THEN SAY, THIS IS OURS, STAY OUT. >> TO ENSURE THAT THE U.S. WILL PLANT ITS FLAG FIRST, NASA
SIGNED A NEW $3 BILLION CONTRACT LAST YEAR WITH BLUE ORIGIN, THE SPACE COMPANY OWNED BY BILLIONAIRE JEFF BEZOS, TO BUILD
ANOTHER THE LUNAR LANDER, AND JIM FREE IS CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT HE SEES IT AS AN OPTION IF SPACEX STARSHIPS KEEP BLOWING
UP. >> IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ONE, WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER ONE TO RELY ON.
IF WE HAVE A DEPENDENCY ON A PARTICULAR ASPECT IN SPACEX OR BLUE ORIGIN AND IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER LANDER
THAT CAN TAKE OUR CREWS. >> IN THIS BATTLE OF THE STAR-GAZING BILLIONAIRES, BEZOS' BLUE ORIGIN HAS FAR FEWER
LAUNCHES THAN MUSK'S SPACEX AND HAS BEEN FAR QUIETER ABOUT ITS AMBITIONS, UNTIL NOW. >> SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO
IS NOT ONLY GET TO THE MOON AND BACK, BUT MAKE IT RELIABLE AND REPEATABLE AND LOW-COST. >> JOHN COLORIS TITLE AT BLUE
ORIGIN IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF LUNAR PERMANENCE, AND IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE COMPANY'S AMBITION.
>> THE LANDERS AT BLUE ORIGINS ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING ARE REUSABLE. WE'LL LAUNCH THEM TO LUNAR ORBIT
AND LEAVE THEM THERE. AND WE'LL REFUEL THEM IN ORBIT, SO THAT MULTIPLE ASTRONAUTS CAN USE THE SAME VEHICLE BACK AND
FORTH. >> OUR CAMERAS WERE AMONG THE FIRST TO BE ALLOWED INSIDE BLUE ORIGIN'S HUGE COMPLEX IN
FLORIDA, JUST NEXT TO KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. >> SO THIS IS WHERE THE FUTURE IS BEING BUILT.
>> THAT'S RIGHT. THIS IS THE MAIN FACTORY FLOOR FOR THE NEW GLENN ROCKET. >> NEW GLENN IS BLUE ORIGIN'S
FIRST HEAVY LIFT ROCKET. ITS MAIDEN LAUNCH WILL BE SOME TIME THIS YEAR. >> SO YOU CAN SEE OVER HERE, WE
HAVE THREE DIFFERENT SECOND STAGES ALREADY IN BUILD HERE. >> THE FIRST NEW GLENN IS ALREADY OUT AT BLUE ORIGIN'S
LAUNCH COMPLEX. IT'S DESIGNED TO CARRY ALL SORTS OF PAYLOADS, INCLUDING THE LUNAR LANDER BEING BUILD FOR NASA.
>> SO THIS IS THE MARK 1 LANDER. WE CALL THIS OUR SMALL LANDER. >> THIS IS THE SMALL ONE? >> YES.
>> IT'S ACTUALLY A MOCK-UP OF THEIR CARGO LANDER IN BLUE ORIGIN'S FLORIDA LOBBY. JOHN COOLORES USED TO WORK AT
SPACEX AND CAME OVER TO BLUE TO HELP SPEED THINGS UP. IS THERE A BIT OF A SPACE RACE BETWEEN YOU AND SPACEX?
>> SO THE COUNTRY NEEDS COMPETITION. WE NEED OPTIONS. COMPETITION BRINGS INNOVATION.
>> BUT YOU HAVEN'T HAD ANYTHING CLOSE TO THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT SPACEX HAS HAD AT THIS POINT, HAVE YOU?
>> SPACEX HAVE DONE SOME AMAZING THINGS AND CHANGED THE NARRATIVE WITH ACCESS TO SPACE AND BLUE ORIGIN IS LOOKING TO DO THE
SAME. THIS LANDER, WE'RE EXPECTING TO LAND ON THE MOON BETWEEN 12 AND 16 MONTHS FROM TODAY.
>> 12 AND 16 MONTHS FROM TODAY. >> YES. YES. AND UNDERSTAND, I'M SAYING THAT
PUBLICLY, BUT THAT'S WHAT OUR TEAM IS AIMING TOWARDS. >> THAT'S FOR THE CARGO LANDER. WHAT ABOUT HUMANS?
>> FOR HUMANS, WE'RE WORKING WITH NASA ON THE ARTEMIS V MISSION. THAT'S PLANNED FOR 2029.
>> THAT'S NOT SO DIFFERENT FROM ELON MUSK'S FORECAST OF WHEN SPACEX CAN LAND HUMANS BACK ON THE MOON, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T
MATCH NASA'S. LIKE THE STARSHIP, BLUE ORIGIN'S LANDER WILL REQUIRE IN-SPACE REFUELING.
BUT COULURIS HOPES THAT IT WILL HELP TRIM COSTS. >> OUR NEW VEHICLE WILL BE A REUSABLE VEHICLE FROM ITS FIRST
MISSION. THAT LANDER THE FOR THE ASTRONAUTS IS A REUSABLE LANDER. SO NOW YOU'RE NOT JUST TAKING
THE EQUIPMENT AND THROWING IT AWAY. YOU'RE RE-USING IT FOR THE NEXT MISSION.
>> YOU DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. IS THAT WHERE THE COST SAVINGS COMES IN?
>> EXACTLY. WE ARE NOW BUILDING WITH NASA THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ENSURE LUNAR PERMANENCY.
>> YOU HAVE SAID THAT THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM IS THE BEGINNING, NOT THE END. TELL ME, WHAT IS THE FUTURE YOU
SEE? >> I SEE US LANDING ON MARS. ABSOLUTELY SEE US LANDING ON MARS.
BUT WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE MOON TO GET TO MARS. >> THESE ARE MAGNIFICENT GOALS, GOING BACK TO THE MOON, GOING TO
MARS, DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT WE'RE DREAMING OF DOING? >> YOU KNOW, THIS IS NASA, RIGHT?
THIS AGENCY IS DESTINED TO CONTINUE TO DO GREAT THINGS. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. WHAT WE'RE TELLING THE AGENCY
IS, JUST BE MORE REALISTIC. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH BEING OPTIMISTIC. IN FACT, IT'S REQUIRED.
IN THIS BUSINESS, OPTIMISM IS REQUIRED. THE QUESTION IS, CAN YOU ALSO BE MORE REALISTIC?
>> Announcer: THE LAST MINUTE OF "60 MINUTES" IS SPONSORED BY UNITED HEALTH CARE, THERE FOR WHAT MATTERS.
IS >> NOW AN UPDATE OF A STORY BILL WHITAKER REPORTED SIX YEARS AGO. IN THE YEAR '79, MT. SE SOOUF
JUST ERUPTED, AT ONE VILLA, A LIBRARY'S NEARLY 2,000 SCROLLS TURNED INTO BRITTLE CARBONIZED LUMPS.
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY'S BRENT SEALS HAS SPENT YEARS TRYING TO UNLOCK THE SCROLL'S SECRETS.
>> THE HISTORY OF THE UNWRAPPING OF THE SCROLLS IS LITTERED WITH FAILURES. EVERYONE WHO HAD TRIALED TO OPEN
THE CONTROLS HAD LEFT BEHIND A HIDEOUS TRAIL OF FRAGMENTARY RESULT. >> PROFESSOR SEALES HOSTED A
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION TO READ THE SCROLLS. NOW THREE STUDENTS USING SALEES DATA AND TECHNIQUES HAVE
SUCCEEDED INDY SEEFRING ONE, A PHILOSOPHICAL WORK ON PLEASURE.