The Last Word with Lawrence O' Donnell Season 2018 Episode 31 February 13, 2018

On February 13, 2018, Lawrence O' Donnell presented a new episode of his political show, The Last Word. As always, the show aimed at providing insightful commentary on the news of the day and the latest developments in American politics.

In this particular episode, Lawrence dedicated a significant portion of his show to discussing the latest developments in the Russia Investigation. He started the show by covering the news of the day which included the crucial testimony from Rick Gates, former Trump campaign aide, in the ongoing trial of Paul Manafort. The testimony was said to be damaging for Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, who was facing a total of 18 criminal charges for, among other things, conspiracy against the United States and bank fraud. Lawrence, as always, provided a thorough analysis of the testimony and why it was so important for the investigation.

The show then moved on to discuss the broader picture of the Russia Investigation. Lawrence expertly broke down the multiple ways in which Russia had interfered in the 2016 election and questioned why the Trump administration was not doing more to prevent further foreign interference in future elections. He discussed the recent news that the Department of Homeland Security had not been given permission to review state election systems to ensure their security in the upcoming midterms. Lawrence did not shy away from pointing out potential connections between these decisions and potential collusion or corruption on the part of Trump and his team.

In addition to covering the Russia Investigation, Lawrence also looked at other important areas of American politics. He discussed the recent immigration debate and highlighted the ongoing issue of children being separated from their families at the border. He questioned the morality of these actions and explored potential solutions that could be put in place to prevent such cruelty from continuing in the future.

Lawrence also covered the ongoing healthcare debate, in particular, the Trump administration's efforts to roll back protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. Lawrence pointed out the risks of these changes and highlighted the potential impact it could have on millions of Americans.

Throughout the show, Lawrence interviewed a number of experts in various fields, including politics, healthcare, and immigration. These interviews allowed for a deeper exploration of the issues from a range of different perspectives. Lawrence asked insightful questions and allowed his guests to provide nuanced and in-depth answers.

The show also included Lawrence's regular segment, "The Closer," in which Lawrence highlighted a particularly important or interesting news story from the week. This week, Lawrence focused on the ongoing conversation around gun control in the wake of the tragic shooting in Parkland, Florida. He explored the different sides of the debate and questioned why meaningful action had not yet been taken to prevent such senseless violence.

Overall, the February 13, 2018 episode of The Last Word was a thought-provoking and insightful exploration of some of the most pressing political issues facing America today. Lawrence demonstrated his expertise and passion for the issues, and provided his audience with a nuanced and informed analysis.