13th.
AND WE CONTINUE WITH OUR
POLITICAL BOOKS TV SERIES.
JOINING US NOW, FORMER HOUSE
SPEAKER, JOHN BOEHNER.
HE’S THE AUTHOR OF THE NEW MUCH
TALKED ABOUT MEMOIR ENTITLED,
"ON THE HOUSE."
I LOVE THE TITLE.
IT’S GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE
SHOW, MR. SPEAKER.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN BY --
>> GOOD MORNING.
>> GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING.
I WOULD LOVE TO BEGIN BY ASKING
YOU ABOUT SOME COMMENTS YOU’VE
MADE IN YOUR INTERVIEWS ABOUT
THIS BOOK ABOUT THE
INSURRECTION. AND HOW YOU FEEL THAT PRESIDENT
AND HOW YOU FEEL THAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP REALLY VIOLATED AND BACK
TO THE BOOK WHICH WE’LL DIVE
INTO.
BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU IS IF YOU
WERE SERVING IN THE SENATE NOW,
WOULD YOU HAVE THE CONVICTION TO
SAY THOSE SAME THINGS?
WE’RE ASKING, BECAUSE WE’RE
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND SOME
MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
WHO STILL STAND BY HIM ON THAT.
>> WELL, LISTEN, I’M NOT GOING
TO CRITICIZE THOSE WHO ARE IN
OFFICE.
GOVERNING TODAY IS VERY
DIFFICULT AS IT IS.
THERE’S NO REASON FOR ME TO MAKE
IT MORE DIFFICULT.
BUT I WATCHED THE MONTHS LEADING
UP TO THE ELECTION, WHEN THE
PRESIDENT CONTINUED TO TELL THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE THAT THE
ELECTION WAS GOING TO BE STOLEN.
AND THEN WE GOT TO ELECTION DAY,
AND FRANKLY, IT WAS CLOSER THAN
MOST ANYBODY THOUGHT.
BUT THE PRESIDENT THEN WENT ON
TO SAY THE ELECTION WAS BEING
STOLEN, BUT NEVER PUT ANY
EVIDENCE OUT THERE.
AND IT WENT ON FOR MONTHS.
AND FRANKLY, I THINK THE
PRESIDENT ABUSED THE LOYALTY AND
TRUST OF THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED
FOR HIM BY SPEWING THAT NONSENSE
WITHOUT EVER PUTTING ANY FACTS
OUT THERE.
IT WAS A SAD SPECTACLE AND
FRANKLY INCITED A LOT OF PEOPLE
TO SHOW UP IN WASHINGTON ON
JANUARY 6th UNDER FALSE
PRESENCES.
IT WAS A SAD MOMENT IN AMERICAN
HISTORY.
>> YEAH, YOU -- AND I MEANT TO
SAY THE HOUSE, BUT YOU -- WOULD
YOU HAVE ADVICE FOR MEMBERS OF
THE HOUSE NOW STRUGGLING WITH
THIS POLITICAL LANDSCAPE AND
THIS ISSUE?
>> WELL, AS I SAY IN MY BOOK,
ONE OF WHAT MY STAFF USED TO
CALL BOEHNERISMS, IF YOU DO THE
RIGHT THINGS FOR THE RIGHT
REASONS, THE RIGHT THINGS WILL
HAPPEN.
JUST DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
THAT’S THE KEY TO GETTING THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY BACK ON TRACK.
IS ACTING LIKE REPUBLICANS,
DOING THINGS THAT REPUBLICANS
BELIEVE IN, AND GETTING THE
NOISE AND SOME OF THE
PERSONALITIES OUT OF THE WAY.
>> SPEAKER BOEHNER, IT’S WILLIE
GEIST.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS
MORNING.
>> WILLIE, NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> YOU AS WELL.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE CONDUCT
AND BEHAVIOR OF PEOPLE YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE WHO YOU ARE FRIENDS,
PEOPLE YOU HAVE WORKED WITH A
LONG TIME, AROUND JANUARY 6th.
I’M THINKING OF KEVIN McCARTHY
WHO CONTINUED TO PERPETUATE THIS
LIE THAT DROVE PEOPLE TO THE
CAPITOL ON JANUARY 6th.
HOW WOULD YOU EXPLAIN THEIR
BEHAVIOR?
HAVE YOU TALKED TO ANY OF THEM
AND WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM
NOW IF YOU HAVE NOT TO YET.
>> I HAVE NOT TALKED TO THEM AND
THERE’S NO QUESTION FOR ME TO
QUESTION THEIR BEHAVIOR.
THEY’RE IN OFFICE.
THEY’VE GOT A TOUGH JOB TO DO.
MY BOOK WAS NOT INTENDED TO BE
CRITICAL OF -- WELL, A FEW
PEOPLE, BUT NOT MANY.
AND LISTEN, WHEN I WAS LEADER, I
HAD PEOPLE SHOOTING AT ME EVERY
DAY AND IT MADE MY JOB HARDER.
>> YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT
LEGISLATIVE FIGHTS AND FAIRNESS.
BUT WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IS
THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION.
WHEN YOU HAD THE LEADERSHIP OF
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ALL THE WAY
UP TO THE PRESIDENT SAYING THAT
JOE BIDEN WAS AN ILLEGITIMATELY
ELECTED PRESIDENT.
MANY OF THEM STILL SAY THAT
TODAY.
SO WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT JOE BIDEN
WAS FAIRLY ELECTED?
>> I’VE NOT SEEN ANY FACTS THAT WOULD SUPPORT THAT POSITION.
WOULD SUPPORT THAT POSITION.
I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE FACT S
BHOOERNS
WE’RE AMERICANS.
THE MOST TRANSPARENT COUNTRY IN
THE WORLD.
THERE ARE NO SECRETS.
THEY ALL SHOW UP.
AND YET, THERE ARE NO FACTS.
COURTS WOULD HAVE HEARD CASES IF
THEY WOULD HAVE PRESENTED SOME
FACTS.
THEY WOULD HAVE HAD NO CHOICE TO
TAKE UP THOSE CASES AND
DELIBERATE ON THEM IF IN FACT
THERE WAS ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO
SUPPORT THOSE CLAIMS, BUT THERE
WASN’T ANY EVIDENCE.
I WAS LOOKING FOR IT MYSELF.
NEVER FOUND IT.
>> SO YOU BELIEVE JOE BIDEN IS
THE FAIRLY ELECTED PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES?
>> I SAID THAT PRETTY CLEARLY
AFTER THE ELECTION AND BELIEVE
IT TODAY.
>> HEY, MR. SPEAKER, IT’S SO
GOOD TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN.
>> MY OLD BUDDY JOE.
I REMEMBER JOE, WHEN YOU WERE A
FRESHMAN MEMBER OF CONGRESS.
>> AHH.
>> I WASN’T YOUR BUDDY THEN.
I WASN’T YOUR BUDDY THEN.
>> YOU WERE --
>> I WAS DIFFICULT.
>> YOU WERE A PAIN IN THE ASS,
IS WHAT YOU WERE.
>> HE STILL IS!
>> YES, I WAS.
WHICH IS INTERESTING, BECAUSE
THAT’S WHAT LEADERSHIP WOULD SAY
ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU FIRST GOT TO
CONGRESS.
THEN YOU MOVED INTO LEADERSHIP.
YOU BECAME SPEAKER.
AND IT’S INTERESTING, HERE YOU
ARE NOW, ALL OF THESE YEARS
LATER, SORT OF -- I’M NOT GOING
TO SAY ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING
IN, BUT LOOKING AT THE
LEADERSHIP, LOOKING AT THE
PARTY.
AND ONCE AGAIN ASKING, WHAT THE
HELL IS GOING ON.
IS THERE A FUTURE FOR THIS
REPUBLICAN PARTY?
IF SO, HOW DOES IT BEGIN MOVING
TO A POSITION THAT, YOU KNOW, A
PARTY THAT DOESN’T CHASE
CONSPIRACY THEORIES.
>> WELL, I THINK IT’S ABOUT
ACTING LIKE A REPUBLICAN.
I’M A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN.
I BELIEVE IN FISCAL DISCIPLINE.
I BELIEVE IN A STRONG NATIONAL
DEFENSE.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PRINCIPLES
THAT UNITE REPUBLICANS AND I
THINK WHAT THE PARTY NEEDS TO DO
IS GO BACK TO THOSE PRINCIPLES.
IT’S NOT ABOUT WHO’S THE
CRAZIEST CANDIDATE OUT THERE,
WHO’S THE LOUDEST CANDIDATE.
IT’S ABOUT ACTING LIKE A
REPUBLICAN.
AND I THINK THAT MITCH McCONNELL
HAS BEEN DRIVING HIS POINT,
FRANKLY, PRETTY CONSISTENTLY.
AND I THINK THAT EVENTUALLY,
WE’LL GET AROUND TO BEING
REPUBLICANS AGAIN.
BUT RIGHT NOW, THE PARTY’S A BIT
SPLIT.
OF COURSE, YOU SEE THE SAME KIND
OF SPLIT GOING ON IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
YOU HAVE A TRADITIONAL DEMOCRAT
LIKE JOE BIDEN BEING PUSHED TO
NO END BY THE PROGRESSIVES IN
HIS OWN PARTY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE SKIRMISH HAS
BEEN GOING ON, WELL, LONG BEFORE
ELECTION DAY, BUT AFTER THE
ELECTION, THIS SKIRMISH HAS BEEN
GOING ON, IT’S BEEN THERE, BUT
NOT REAL VISIBLE TO MOST PEOPLE.
UH I THINK THE SKIRMISH IN THEIR
PARTY IS GOING TO WIDEN
CONSIDERABLY, AS THEY RYETRY TO
MOVE THIS INFRASTRUCTURE BILL
THROUGH THE CONGRESS.
>> JOHN, YOU WRITE ABOUT MARK
MEADOWS.
SOMEBODY THAT I’VE KNOWN,
SOMEBODY WHO I HAVE CONSIDERED A
FRIEND IN THE PAST, AND SOMEBODY
WHOSE ALASKAS, ONCE HE GETS OUT
OF SIGHT, SEEMS UNRECOGNIZABLE.
HE DARTS ALL AROUND.
WE’VE SEEN IT TIME AND AGAIN,
ESPECIALLY DURING TRUMP’S
ILLNESS.
AND TOWARDS THE END, HIS
RECKLESSNESS DURING THE COVID
CRISIS, MOCKING REPORTERS FOR
WEARING MASKS.
YOU HAD QUITE A RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIM AS WELL AND YOU TALK
ABOUT A TIME WHERE HE GOT ON HIS
KNEES AND STARTED BEGGING YOU
FOR FORGIVENESS.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> WELL, IT WAS A COUPLE OF
MONTHS AFTER HE WAS ELECTED AND
SWORN IN.
HIS FIRST DAY IN THE CONGRESS IN
JANUARY OF 2013.
HE VOTED AGAINST ME TO BE
SPEAKER.
I WENT ON TO WIN AND A COUPLE OF
MONTHS LATER, MY STAFF CAME TO
ME AND SAID, MARK MEADOWS WANTS
TO COME IN TO SEE YOU.
SURE, I HAD AN OPEN DOOR POLICY.
ANY MEMBER WHO WANTED TO SEE ME,
I WOULD SEE THEM.
SO MEADOWS COMES IN AND HE LOOKS
A LITTLE NERVOUS.
AND HE’S SITTING ON THIS LOW
COUCH ACROSS FROM THIS CHAIR I
USED TO SIT IN.
AND BEFORE I COULD REALLY SAY
MUCH, HE SLID OFF OF THE COUCH,
ON TO HIS KNEES AND PUT HIS
HANDS IN A PRAYER POSITION AND
LOOKED AT ME AND SAID, MR.
SPEAKER, WOULD YOU FORGIVE ME.
AND I SAID, FOR WHAT?
I FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE FACT THAT
HE HAD VOTED AGAINST ME.
AFTER THE 2014 ELECTION, HE
VOTED AGAINST ME AGAIN TO BE
SPEAKER.
AND THEN TWO MONTHS LATER, WROTE
ME THIS GLOWING LETTER.
LISTEN, HE’S A NICE MAN, BUT A
BIT SCHIZOPHRENIC.
>> YEAH.
WERE YOU DISAPPOINTED IN HIS
PERFORMANCE AS CHIEF OF STAFF AT
THE WHITE HOUSE?
>> WELL, I DON’T KNOW HOW
ANYBODY COULD SUCCEED AS TRUMP’S
CHIEF OF STAFF, BECAUSE HE
DIDN’T WANT A CHIEF OF STAFF.
HE WANTED TO BE THE CHIEF OF
STAFF.
AND SO EVERYBODY WHO WAS IN THAT
POSITION WAS IN AN IMPOSSIBLE
POSITION.
>> YEAH, IN YOUR BOOK, IT’S
INTERESTING, YOU WRITE ABOUT
BILL CLINTON’S IMPEACHMENT.
AND LOOKING BACK, I’VE THOUGHT
TIME AND AGAIN THAT WE -- THAT I
MADE A MISTAKE.
I VOTED FOR TWO OF THE FOUR
ARTICLES OF IMPEACHMENT AND
THOUGHT WE SHOULD HAVE JUST
CENSURED HIM.
BUT YOU ALSO, OVER TIME, CAME TO
THAT SAME CONCLUSION.
EXPLAIN.
>> WELL, IT REALLY DIDN’T TAKE
ME LONG TO FIGURE OUT THAT WE
PROBABLY SHOULDN’T HAVE GONE
DOWN THAT PATH.
THERE’S NO QUESTION TO ME THAT
BILL CLINTON COMMITTED PERJURY.
AND YOU KNOW, FOR THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES TO VIOLATE
THE LAW IS AN IMPEACHABLE
OFFENSE.
BUT LYING ABOUT SEX IS NOT AN
IMPEACHABLE OFFENSE, ACCORDING
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
AND I THINK IT GOT JUDGED
COMPLETELY WRONG AND SHOULDN’T
HAVE HAPPENED.
>> YEAH.
>> I AGREE.
>> WHEN WE GET BACK, MR.
SPEAKER, WE’RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT DON YOUNG AND A BLADE PUT