>>> WELCOME BACK. MORE ON THE HOWARD SCHULTZ
INDEPENDENT BID FOR THE WHITE
HOUSE.
HOUSE. THAT HAS A LOT OF PEOPLE IN
POLITICAL CIRCLES BUZZING AND AS
YOU JUST HEARD, PLENTY OF
DEMOCRATS STEAMING.
DEMOCRATS STEAMING. JOINING ME NOW IN HIS FIRST TV
INTERVIEW SINCE SIGNING UP FOR
THIS GIG, BILL BURNER, FORMER
ADVISER AND PRESS SECRETARY AND
NOW ADVISER TO MR. SCHULTZ.
>> THANKS, CHUCK.
GOOD TO TALK TO YOU.
>> LET ME START WITH WHAT
PROBABLY EVERY ONE OF YOUR
FORMER COLLEAGUES ARE ASKING,
NUMBER ONE, ARE YOU A DEMOCRAT
AND WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
>> I AM A DEMOCRAT, BEEN ONE MY
WHOLE LIFE AND WILL CONTINUE TO
BE ONE.
BE ONE. I AM DOING IT BECAUSE HOWARD IS
A GREAT GUY.
HE LOVES HIS FAMILY, THIS
COUNTRY, HE WANTS TO MAKE
AMERICA A BETTER PLACE.
BEING WITH HIM ON THE JOURNEY AS
HE FIGURES OUT WHETHER OR NOT TO
RUN FOR PRESIDENT IS EXCITING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT’S GREAT
ABOUT IT, I HAVE BEEN IN
POLITICS A LONG TIME AS YOU CAN
TELL FROM THE GRAY HAIR ON MY
HEAD, THE THING THAT’S COOL IS
THERE ARE DEMOCRATS,
REPUBLICANS, PEOPLE IN THE
FORMER MILITARY, FORMER
JOURNALISTS, A PEOPLE OF
DIVERSITY I NEVER EXPERIENCED.
FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AND WORK
ON THIS HAS BEEN AN EXPERIENCE.
>> YOU KNOW THE WAY TWITTER AND
SOCIAL MEDIA WORKS.
THERE’S AN OP-ED YOU WROTE IN
2016 MAKING THE ROUNDS NORFOR.
WHY SHOULD YOU NOT EAT THOSE
WORDS TODAY?
WORDS TODAY? >> COUPLE OF THINGS.
NUMBER ONE, HOWARD SCHULTZ IS
NOT JILL STEIN.
SHE WAS IN THAT RACE BECAUSE SHE
THOUGHT TWO CANDIDATES WERE TOO
CLOSE TOGETHER.
CLOSE TOGETHER. WHAT HOWARD SCHULTZ THINKS IS
THE POLAR OPPOSITES OF THE
PARTIES ARE SO FAR APART BUT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE CLOSE
TOGETHER.
TOGETHER. MAYBE WHAT WE NEED IS A CHOICE
FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO
CHOOSE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, A
DIFFERENT PATH, A DIFFERENT
KINDS OF OUTCOME, DIFFERENT KIND
OF POLITICS IN AMERICA.
SECONDLY, I THINK THAT FIRST OF
ALL HE HASN’T MADE THE DECISION
TO RUN, BUT IF HE DID, I THINK
WE CAN AGREE IT WOULD BE A MORE
SERIOUS EFFORT THAN JILL STEIN
PUT TOGETHER.
PUT TOGETHER. >> FAIR ENOUGH.
WE STILL DON’T KNOW HOW MUCH
JILL STEIN HAD FROM OUTSIDE
ACTORS GIVEN WHERE SHE SPENT
DECEMBER OF 2015.
LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
OBVIOUSLY YOU’RE USING THE BOOK
TOUR TO LAUNCH AN EXPLORATORY
BID AS WELL AS ANY BOOK TOUR
LAUNCH FOR PRESIDENTIAL BID AS I
HAVE SEEN IN A WHILE.
IT IS CLEAR YOU WANT THIS TO BE
THE FRONT.
THE FRONT. WHY?
WHY? WHAT I’M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS
I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY HE WANTS
TO RUN OTHER THAN HE IS NOT THEM
AND NOT THEM.
WHAT IS THE BIG IDEA BEYOND NOT
A REPUBLICAN AND NOT A DEMOCRAT?
>> WELL, THE BOOK TOUR, HE WROTE
THE BOOK WHETHER HE WAS GOING TO
THINK OF THIS OR NOT, HE HAS A
STORY TO TELL AND WANTED TO GET
IT OUT THERE.
HE IS A GUY THAT GREW UP IN THE
PROJECTS AND WAS SELF MADE.
HE WORKED HIS WAY THROUGH
COLLEGE, HE WENT ON TO BUILD A
GREAT COMPANY THAT DID THE RIGHT
THING BY THE FOLKS THAT WORKED
FOR IT, AND NOW HE WANTS TO
CONTINUE TO SERVE.
IN TERMS OF WHAT HIS BIG IDEA
IS, IT IS THAT POLITICS IS
BROKEN.
BROKEN. AND MAYBE WE NEED A SOLUTION
THAT RISKS THE IMAGINATION OF A
NEW KIND OF POSSIBILITY.
>> WHAT HAS HE DONE, I AM
CURIOUS, TO TRY TO FIX POLITICS
IN HIS OWN WAY.
HAS HE DONE BALLOT INITIATIVES
TO TRY TO CHANGE GERRYMANDERING
LAWS, TRIED BALLOT INITIATIVES
ON CAMPAIGN MONEY, IS THERE A
PLATFORM HE HAS BEEN WORKING ON
ON THIS REFORM FRONT OR NO?
>> LOOK, THE WAY HE CONDUCTED AS
CEO OF STARBUCKS WAS VERY
FORWARD.
FORWARD. ALL THE WORKERS, INCLUDING
PART-TIME WORKERS WHICH NOBODY
ELSE HAD DONE, GIVEN THEM A
CHANCE TO INVEST IN STOCK OR
ACCESS TO COLLEGE EDUCATION THEY
MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE HAD, IT
WAS TRYING TO START
CONVERSATIONS ON BRINGING FOLKS
TOGETHER, ABOUT RACE, ABOUT A
WHOLE SET OF DIFFERENT ISSUES
WHICH HE USED HIS TIME AS CEO TO
DO.
DO. >> IS THERE A DEFINING ISSUE?
ROSS PEROT RAN BECAUSE HE
THOUGHT NEITHER PARTY WAS
TALKING OF THE ISSUE OF
OUTSOURCING OF JOBS AND IT WAS
TRUE, OKAY, AND HE FORCED A
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. WHAT IS THE CONVERSATION HOWARD
SCHULTZ CAN FORCE THE TWO
PARTIES TO HAVE THAT THEY’RE NOT
HAVING NOW?
HAVING NOW? >> I THINK HE CAN FORCE A
CONVERSATION THAT IS MORE
ALIGNED WITH WHERE THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE ARE.
PEOPLE ARE. YOU TAKE AN ISSUE LIKE
IMMIGRATION, ON THE FAR RIGHT
YOU’VE GOT PRESIDENT TRUMP WHO
WANTS TO BUILD A WALL.
ON THE FAR LEFT, YOU HAVE
DEMOCRATS THAT WANT TO ELIMINATE
I.C.E.
I.C.E. IT DOESN’T NEED TO BE ON THE
FURTHEST OUTREACH OF THE
CONVERSATION.
CONVERSATION. MOST AMERICANS AGREE THERE
SHOULD BE A PATH FOR DREAMERS
AND SOME PROTECTIVE BARRIERS
THAT ARE ON THE BORDER IN PLACES
IT MATTERS.
IT MATTERS. WE SHOULDN’T HAVE INTERNMENT
CAMPS FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES.
IT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE WAY
WASHINGTON IS OPERATING, THERE’S
NO PATH TO GETTING A BETTER
OUTCOME.
OUTCOME. WE’RE STUCK IN THE PLACE THE
COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR YET ANOTHER
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. THERE’S A BETTER WAY AND HOWARD
SCHULTZ IS TALKING TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE TO SEE IF THE
SOLUTION COULD BE A THIRD PARTY
CANDIDACY.
CANDIDACY. >> HE SPENT A LOT OF TIME
BEATING UP DEMOCRATS AND NOT
REPUBLICANS.
REPUBLICANS. SOUNDS LIKE HE IS MORE
COMFORTABLE IN THE LEFT LANE.
MAYBE HE WANTS TO HUG THE
CENTER, BUT HE IS MORE
COMFORTABLE IN THE LEFT LANE OR
RIGHT LANE.
RIGHT LANE. IS THAT FAIR?
>> I WOULDN’T CHARACTERIZE IT AS
THAT.
THAT. WHEN HE CAME OUT AND SAID HE WAS
THINKING OF RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT, IT IS CENTERED IN THE
FACT THAT DONALD TRUMP IS UNFIT
FOR THE OFFICE, AND ANYTHING HE
SAYS OR DOES IS IN THE EFFORT TO
MAKE SURE HE DOESN’T GET A
SECOND TERM.
SECOND TERM. I WOULD SAY THAT AS A LIFELONG
DEMOCRAT, HE LOOKED AT THE RACE
THIS TIME AND THOUGHT MAYBE
THERE’S A DIFFERENT PATH.
MAYBE THE ANSWER ISN’T JUST TO
HAVE THIS FIGHT IN A HANDFUL OF
BATTLEGROUND STATES AND
DISTRICTS, MAYBE IT IS ALL 50
STATES AND EVERY VOTER GETTING
IN THE GAME.
>> WHY IS HE SURE THE DEMOCRATS
WILL NOMINATE SOMEBODY THAT
CAN’T WIN?
CAN’T WIN? >> HE IS NOT SURE WHO THE
DEMOCRATS WILL NOMINATE.
WHAT HE IS SURE OF IS THE WAY WE
HAVE BEEN DOING THINGS IS
FUNDAMENTALLY BROKEN.
FUNDAMENTALLY BROKEN. >> SO IF THEY NOMINATE MICHAEL
BLOOMBURG, DOES HE STAY IN THE
RACE OR GET OUT?
>> LOOK, HE WILL LOOK AT A LOT
OF DIFFERENT FACTORS WHEN IT
GETS TO THE END OF PERIOD OF
EXPLORATION, THEN HE WILL MAKE A
DECISION.
DECISION. >> WHY DOES HE THINK HE KNOWS
SOMETHING MICHAEL BLOOMBURG
DOESN’T.
DOESN’T. AS YOU AND I KNOW, HE WANTED TO
WIN THE PRESIDENCY WITHOUT A
MAJOR POLITICAL PARTY, AND IF HE
THOUGHT THERE WAS A PATH, HE
WOULD HAVE DONE IT.
>> I THINK 2016 WAS A DIFFERENT
YEAR, BUT I THINK IT IS TOO LAZY
TO LOOK AT A POLL 4 YEARS AGO, 8
YEARS AGO, 12 YEARS AGO AND MAKE
A STATEMENT ABOUT WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN POLITICS TODAY.
THIS IS DIFFERENT.
IT IS A DIFFERENT TIME.
I THINK IT IS A TIME WHEN HOWARD
SCHULTZ SHOULD BE ASKING THIS
QUESTION.
QUESTION. HE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO GO
TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND SAY
MAYBE WE SHOULD DO THIS
DIFFERENTLY.
DIFFERENTLY. >> BY THE WAY, HE COULD DO BOTH.
RUN AS DEMOCRAT AND SEE IF HE
COULD GET TRACTION IN IOWA AND
THEN RUN INDEPENDENT, HAS HE
THOUGHT OF THAT BEFORE RULING
OUT THE DEMOCRAT PARTY?
>> THERE’S A LOT OF PATHS HE
COULD TAKE.
COULD TAKE. AS SOMEONE NOT WIDELY KNOWN IN
THE UNITED STATES, HAVING A
MOMENT TO GO AROUND THE COUNTRY,
TALK ABOUT YOUR IDEAS, TELL YOUR
STORY, TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE FOR
OUR NATION IS THE RIGHT THING TO
DO RIGHT NOW, AND IF YOU’RE
THINKING ABOUT DOING IT AS AN
INDEPENDENT, NOW IS THE TIME TO
DO IT.
DO IT. >> DOES HE KNOW THIS IS A 1%
CHANCE HISTORICALLY?
CHANCE HISTORICALLY? I JUST SAY THAT.
I MEAN, IS HE BEING GIVEN HONEST
ASSESSMENTS LIKE HEY, YOU KNOW,
YOU CAN SPEND ALL THE MONEY IN
THE WORLD, ROSS PEROT OUTSPENT
BOTH OPPONENTS AND STILL
FINISHED VERY FAR BEHIND.
>> WHEN DONALD TRUMP RAN FOR
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
AND HAD ONE OPPONENT, HE WON.
AND STAKES ARE TOO HIGH FOR US
TO LOOK AT THIS RACE AND ASSUME
WE GET A DIFFERENT OUTCOME
BECAUSE WE NEED TO STAY IN OLD
CONSTRUCT OF THE WAY THINGS HAVE
BEEN DONE.
BEEN DONE. I THINK WHAT WE OUGHT TO DO IS
NOT LET CONVENTIONAL WISDOM AND
PUNDITS THAT SAID DONALD TRUMP
COULDN’T WIN DECIDE THE ELECTION
BEFORE IT HAS BEGUN.
>> BILL BURTON, THANK YOU FOR