GOOD MORNING TO YOU THANKS FOR
JOINING US.
I AM JOSH MCELVEEN.
WHILE ELECTION NIGHT FOCUSED ON
THE WHITE HOUSE RACE AND THE
TUG-OF-WAR FOR KELLY AYOTTE'S
SENATE SEAT, CONGRESSMAN ANNIE
KUSTER BECAME THE FIRST DEMOCRAT
TO WIN THREE CONSECUTIVE TERMS
IN CONGRESS, REPRESENTING NEW
HAMPSHIRE.
I DO NOT THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
KNEW THAT.
REP. KUSTER: THE SECOND DISTRICT
HAS BEEN A REPUBLICAN DISTRICT
FOR MOST OF MY LIFETIME.
WHEN WE LOOK INTO IT, YOU GO ALL
THE WAY BACK TO 1853, AND A
DEMOCRAT HAD NOT WON THREE
TERMS.
SO I AM PROUD OF IT.
IT IS A PURPLE DISTRICT.
I ALWAYS SAY I BRING PEOPLE
TOGETHER TO GET THINGS DONE.
JOSH: DID YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF
MOMENTS OF STRESS ELECTION
NIGHT?
IF THERE WAS ONE RACE PEOPLE
SAID WAS A LOCK, IT WAS YOURS.
REP. KUSTER: IT IS JUST FUNNY
THOUGH WAY THE TOWN'S REPORT.
IT TURNS OUT IT WAS HANOVER,
KEENE, AND NASHUA THAT HAD NOT
REPORTED.
SO IT LOOKED CLOSER THAN WE
WOULD HAVE WANTED HERE BUT RIGHT
ABOUT THAT TIME, I GOT WORD WE
WOULD HAVE A HEALTHY WIN WITH
15,000 VOTES.
SO I DID NOT STRESS TOO MUCH.
BUT IT WAS VOLATILE AT THE TOP
OF THE TICKET.
I THINK THAT IMPACTED -- YOU
MENTIONED THE AYOTTE-HASSAN RACE
WAS VERY CLOSE.
I AM THRILLED FOR MAGGIE HASSAN
AND NEW HAMPSHIRE THAT SHE MAKES
IT TO THE SENATE, BUT IT WAS
CLOSE ALL DAY AND A LOT OF
LASERS.
VERY HIGH TURNOUT.
AND IT TURNS OUT BOTH SIDES WERE
TURNING OUT.
JOSH WE HAVE HAD A COUPLE OF
WEEKS TO ABSORB EVERYTHING GOING
ON.
DONALD TRUMP IS UNDER CONSTANT
SCRUTINY NOW AS HE MAKES THE
SELECTION FOR HIS CABINET.
DO YOU THINK HE IS GETTING A
FAIR SHAKE?
REP. KUSTER: I THINK HE IS.
WE ARE IN UNCHARTERED TERRITORY.
THE WORD I KEEP THINKING IS
"UNPREDICTABILITY."
ELECTION NIGHT, I THINK HE GAVE
A GRACIOUS SPEECH.
THEN THE VERY NEXT THING, HE
APPOINTS STEVE BANNON, WHO WEARS
ASSOCIATED WITH WHITE
SUPREMACISTS AND NATIONALISTS A
HEARTBEAT FROM THE OVAL OFFICE.
I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF
UNCERTAINTY FOR EVERYONE.
I TALKED TO PLENTY OF
REPUBLICANS WHO ARE WONDERING.
NOW, HE HA ANNOUNCED THERE IS
NO LEGAL OBLIGATION TO SEPARATE
HIS HIS HIS INTERESTS FROM THE
PRESIDENCY.
-- HIS BUSINES INTERESTS FROM
THE PRESIDENCY.
THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED.
EVERY PRESIDENT HAS NOT EVEN
BEEN INVOLVED IN THEIR MUTUAL
FUNDS, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE
BUSINESS DOWN THE STREET.
JOSH: DO YOU SEE IT AS HIM
TRYING TO MAKE MORE MONEY OR
BEING A CONTROL FREAK?
REP. KUSTER: I THINK HE IS
MAKING MONEY OFF OF THIS.
HE OPENE A RAN YOU HOTEL A
BLOCK FROM THE WHITE HOUSE.
YOU HAVE TO FIGURE EVERY TIME
SOMEONE COMES IN TO SEE HIM IN
THE OVAL OFFICE, HE WILL SAY,
"HOW WAS YOUR ROOM?"
HE WILL MAKE MONEY OFF THE
PRESIDENCY.
THAT IS UNPRECEDENTED AND
TROUBLING.
JOSH AS WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH
THIS CAMPAIGN, SO MANY PEOPLE
ARE WILLING TO FORGIVE DONALD
TRUMP FOR THE BAGUETTES HE
BROUGHT, THE THINGS HE SAYS, THE
PEOPLE HE HAS OFFENDED -- FOR
TH BAGGAGE HE BROUGHT, THE
THINGS HE SAYS, THE PEOPLE HE
HAS OFFENDED.
MITT ROMNEY, FOR INSTANCE.
WE ARE TAPING THIS BEFORE
THANKSGIVING, BUT UNDER
CONSIDERATION FOR SECRETARY OF
STATE.
DO YOU THINK THAT WILL ADD
LEGITIMACY TO THE ADMINISTRATION
IN TERMS OF TAKING CARE OF THE
COUNTRY?
REP. KUSTER: I DO.
ANY TIME HE CAN PICK SOMEONE WHO
HAS A STRONG POLICY BACKGROUND,
THAT HAS A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH
-- I THINK NIKKI HALEY AT THE
U.N.
I DO NOT AGREE WITH THESE PEOPLE
IN PUBLIC POLICY.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT US GETTING
INTO WARS AND FOREIGN POLICY,
ROLLING BACK OUR RIGHTS,
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, OR
PRIVATIZATION OF SOCIAL
SECURITY, BUT AT LEAST I KNOW
THESE ARE PEOPLE YOU CAN HAVE AN
HONEST DEBATE AND DISCUSSION
WITH.
THERE ARE OTHERS -- GIULIANI
SEEMS TO HAVE GONE OFF THE RAILS
THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
SO I AM TROUBLED WHEN HE BRINGS
THESE PEOPLE IN THAT ARE
FIREBRANDS THAT WANT TO BLOW THE
PLACE UP.
BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE IT TIME.
IN MY OWN PERSONAL POINT OF
VIEW, I DID NOT SUPPORT HIM AND
I AM SKEPTICAL, BUT I WILL LOOK
FOR COMMON GROUND.
OPIATES.
HIS FAMILY TALKED ABOUT PAID
FAMILY LEAVE.
THAT IS A BIG PRIORITY OF MINE.
INFRASTRUCTURE, A BAKED PRIORITY
OF MINE.
BUT THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.
AND I WILL BE CALLING HIM OU.
MY PHONES RANG OFF THE HOOK WITH
THE STEVE BANNON APPOINTMENT,
AND I MEDIALLY GOT A LETTER OUT
-- AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT A
LETTER OUT TO OBJECT TO THAT
APPOINTMENT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE TO MOVE THE
COUNTRY FORWARD AND NOT BE SO
DIVISIVE.
JOSH: SOME GOOD NEWS GOVERNOR
ELECT SUNUNU WAS WHEN HE MET
WITH VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT MIKE
PENCE.
TALKING ABOUT THE OPIATE CRISIS.
THE GOVERNOR ELECT FELT GOOD
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE
ADMISSION NATION SAID THEY WOULD
HAND OUT BLOCK GRANTS TO THE
STATES AND LET THE STATES DEAL
WITH IT.
REP. KUSTER: IT IS A BIL CALLED
21ST CENTURY CURES.
TOTALLY BIPARTISAN.
THIS IS THE TASK FORCE I STARTED
WITH MR. GUINTA.
WE WILL MOVE FORWARD IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY.
IT IS ABOUT SUBSTANTIAL FUNDING.
WE ARE TALKING NUMBERS AS HIGH
AS $1 BILLION IN FUNDING BACK TO
THE STATES.
THE STATES WILL MAKE THE
DECISION AROUND LAW ENFORCEMENT,
EDUCATION PREVENTIO, TREATMENT,
AND LONG-TERM RECOVERY.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF GREAT IDEAS
HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SITTING DOWN
WITH GOVERNOR SUNUNU ON POLICIES
AND PROGRAMS AROUND THE STATE.
BUT WE HAVE TO GET A HANDLE ON
THIS.
JOSH: A LOT OF NUMBERS THROWING
AROUND -- THROWN AROUND, BUT THE
MONEY IS NOT DELIVERED.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?
REP. KUSTER: PAUL RYAN IS ON
BOARD TO IT.
SENATOR SHAHEEN IS INVOLVED IN
THE SENATE SIDE.
THAT WILL SHOW UP IN THE BUDGET.
THE APPROPRIATION WOULD BE MARCH
OF 2017.
SO A COUPLE MONTHS FROM NOW.
BUT USING THAT MECHANISM OF
GETTING THE MONEY BACK TO THE
STATES IS MUCH QUICKER.
AND THE STATES HAVE THREE OR
FOUR MONTHS TO PLAN HOW THEY
WOULD USE THAT FUNDING.
AND NEW HAMPSHIRE WILL BE WELL
SITUATED.
THIS IS A SAD SILVER LINING, BUT
THE MONEY WILL BE PARCELED OUT
TO THOSE STATES MOST IN NEED,
BASED ON THE DATA.
AND SADLY, GIVEN THE HIGH RATE
OF HEROIN AND OPIATE ADDICTION
AND THE HIGH RATE OF DEATHS, I
THINK WE WILL BE AT THE FRONT OF
THE LINE TO GET THE FUNDS WE
NEED.
JOSH: A SAD SILVER LINING, BUT
PERHAPS WE CAN BE A NATIONAL
MODEL.
REP. KUSTER: ABSOLUTELY.
AND NEW HAMPSHIRE IS A SMALL
ENOUGH PLACE, WE KNOW EACH
OTHER, WE KNOW WHO THE ACTIVISTS
ARE, WE HAVE OUR DEEP BROUGHT TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT ENGAGED WITH THE
MEDICAL COMMUNITY AND LEADERSHIP
ACROSS THE STATE TO WE HAVE
MAYORS, COMMITTEES.
WE WILL BE READY TO GO.
AND I ALWAYS SAY TO MY
COLLEAGUES, HEROIN DOES NOT
CHOOSE R'S AND D'S.
JOSH: ANOTHER PIECE OF HISTORY.
ALL FEMALE DELEGATION DOWN
THERE.
MAGG HASSAN, JEANNE SHAHEEN,
AND CAROL SHEA-PORTER.
HAVE YOU BEEN IN TOUCH WITH
EVERYONE?
REP. KUSTER: ABSOLUTELY.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED.
I HAVE MADE THIS COMMENT BEFORE,
BUT WILL BE -- WH WE HAVE IN
COMMON IS IF YOU HAVE RAISED
TODDLERS AND TEENAGERS, WE KNOW
HOW TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THE WORK
WE CAN DO FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE.
I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SENATOR
SHAHEEN ABOUT RESUMING MONTHLY
BREAKFAST MEETING SO WE CAN
COORDINATE EFFORTS.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF CHALLENGES
OUT THERE.
I WILL BE FOCUSED ON VETERANS,
HEROIN, MY WORK ON THE
AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE.
CARO AND JEANNE SHAHEEN HAVE
WORKED ON THE ARM SERVICES
COMMITTEE.
EVERYONE WILL BRING A PIECE OF
IT AND TACKLE IT TO BRING
FEDERAL FUNDING BACK HERE TO NEW
HAMPSHIRE.
ROADS, BRIDGES, HIGHWAYS,
SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES.
AND ALSO TO BE COORDINAT WHEN
THE NEW REPUBLICAN
ADMINISTRATION GOES OFF THE
RAILS.
WE WANT TO BE THERE TO SPEAK UP
FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE.
JOSH: IF.
LET'S BE OFTEN MISSED IT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY.
SITTING WITH BERNIE SANDERS
EARLIER THIS WEEK.
HE CANNOT HELP BUT LAMENT AND
WONDER WHAT THE FUTURE WOULD
HAVE BEEN IN A DIFFERENT
DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT DID NOT
HAVE SUPERDELEGATES
PRE-DELIVERING --
REP. KUSTER: WE CALL IT COULDA,
WOULDA, SHOULDA.
JOSH BUT YOU CANNOT HELP
WONDERING.
DO YOU THINK THE RULES SHOULD BE
CHANGED WITHIN THE DNC?
REP. KUSTE I AM TOTALLY OPEN
TO THAT.
BUT I WILL SAY BARACK OBAMA WAS
A GRASSROOTS CANDIDATES, AND HE
ALSO GOT THE SUPPORT THROUGH A
LOT OF EFFOR OF THE
SUPERDELEGATES.
SO I DO NOT THINK IT IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO NAVIGATE.
I THINK IT TURNS OUT BERNIE
SANDERS DID NOT CHOOSE THAT
APPROACH.
NO ONE EVER CAME TO ASK FOR MY
VOTES.
AND I WAS SURPRISED AT THAT.
SO I THINK THE SYSTEM CAN WORK,
AND BARACK OBAMA IS LIVING
PROOF, BUT I AM OPEN TO A
DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
I AM NOT WEDDED TO IT.
JUST LIKE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
YOU SEE HILLARY CLINTON GETTING
OVER 2 MILLION MORE VOTES IN THE
POPULAR VOTE THAN THE
PRESIDENT-ELECT.
YOU HAVE TO STOP AND WONDER, ARE
WE USING THE BEST METHODOLOGY
FOR EVERY PERSON, EVERY VOTE,
COUNTING TOWARDS THE PRESIDENCY?
SO I THINK ALL OF THESE THINGS
ARE OPEN FOR DISCUSSION.
JOSH: QUICKLY, I WANT TO PLAY
DEVIL'S ADVOCATE.
A POPULAR VOTE WOULD COMPLETELY
CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE IF THEY
WANT STRICTLY -- IT WENT
STRICTLY THUMBS UP, THUMBS DOWN.
WE WOULD NOT ENJOY THE RETAIL
POLITICS, BUT IT ALSO IS THE
CANDIDATES THAT ARE.
REP. KUSTER: BUT IMAGINE YOU
LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AND YOUR VOTE
COUNTS FOR NOTHING.
THIS IS NOT BUSH V. GORE WITH A
COUPLE HUNDRED HERE OR THERE.
2 MILLION AMERICANS -- 2 MILLION
IS A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF
AMERICANS WHO HAVE NOT BEEN
COUNTED.
AND I UNDERSTAND CHAIRMAN
BUCKLEY -- WHO IS UNDER
CONSIDERATION FOR EMC CHAIR --
HAS A PROPOSAL -- FOR DNC CHAIR
--HAS A PROPOSAL FOR A TRIGGER
MECHANISM.
JOSH: SO LOOKING FORWARD, DO YOU
FEEL OPTIMISTIC?
NOTHING IS GUARANTEED AND PEOPLE
WANT TO SEE DIFFERENCE.
REP. KUSTER: ABSOLUTELY.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
THAT IS WHAT THIS BIPARTISAN
TASK FORCE TO COMBAT THE HEROIN
EPIDEMIC IS ABOUT.
I WILL CONTINUE MY WORK FOR
VETERANS.
I WILL PROTECT SENIORS.
I AM CONCERNED ABOUT
PRIVATIZATION DISCUSSIONS.
WE HAVE PLENTY OF WORK OUT
THERE.
WE WILL FIND COMMON GROUND WHEN
WE CAN AND HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE
IF THINGS RUN AMOK.
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