MARK: I AM MARK LEVIN.
THIS IS "LIFE, LIBERTY AND
LEVIN," WE HAVE A GREAT GUEST,
STEVE SCALISE.
>> I AM DOING GREAT.
MARK: MAJORITY WHIP, SOON TO BE
MONEY
MINORITY, I WANT TO COVER TWO
AREAS, ONE IS WHAT HAPPENED.
AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED.
REALLY UNITED AROUND YOU, WHEN
YOU WERE ALMOST MORTALLY WOUNDED
AND ALSO POLICY QUESTIONS.
WHAT HAPPENED IN CONGRESS, AND
HOUSE.
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
FIRST, HAVE YOU A NEW BOOK.
"BACK IN THE GAME."
WE KNOW THE BASICS.
LET ME ASK YOU, THIS GUY FIRES
OFF A ROUND.
BULLETS.
>> 762 CALIBER.
MARK: A BIG BULLET.
YOU ARE HIT.
WHAT GOES THROUGH, THE MOMENT
YOU ARE HIT, WHAT WAS GOING
THROUGH YOUR MIND?
>> INITIALLY, I WAS STUNNED.
WE’RE ON A BASEBALL FIELD, YOU
ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT GUNFIRE,
I WAS HIT, I WENT DOWN MY LEGS
GAVE OUT, I HEARD MORE GUNFIRE,
I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT
YOU ARE STILL TRYING TO PROCESS,
I NEVER SAW THE SHOOTER, BUT I
COULD HEAR, IT WAS THIRD BASE, I
WAS ON SECOND BASE, I STARTED
CRAWLING TO OUT FIELD.
MARK: IN PAIN?
>> ALMOST A NUMBNESS, I AM NOT
FEELING TRUE PAIN I SHOULD HAVE
KNOWING THE BULLET DID MASSIVE
INTERNAL DAMAGE, I DID NOT QUITE
FEEL, THAT I AM IN A NUMBNESS
GETTING AWAY.
I CRAWLED PROBABLY 20 FEET.
AND THEN MY ARMS GAVE OUT, IN
BOOK WE HAVE A PICTURE OF A
BLOOD TRAIL, THAT SOMEBODY TOOK.
THAT SHOWS HOW FAR I CRAWLED
BEFORE MY ARMS GAVE OUT, I JUST,
STARTED TO PRY.
FIRST THING -- PRAY, PUT IT IN
GOD A HANDS, BELIEVE ME GOD
PERFORMED MIRACLES THAT DAY, HE
GAVE ME AN UNBELIEVABLE SENSE OF
CALM, ONCE I START PRAYING, AT
MOST LIKE EVERYTHING WENT INTO A
BACKGROUND NOISE, I WAS ON A
ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION WITH GOD
AT THAT POINT.
MARK: YOU FOUND PEACE.
>> TRUE PEACE.
MARK: HOW DID YOU GET FROM
BASEBALL FIELD TO TRANSPORT TO
GET YOU TO HOSPITAL.
WERE YOU CONSCIOUS.
>> AFTER THE SHOOTER WITHIN
DOWN, TO ME IT SEEMED LIKE AN
HOUR, IT MAY HAVE BEEN 7 MINUTE
U.
BRAD WENSTRUP, COLLEAGUE OF MINE
FROM OHIO, HE SAY DOCTOR, HE WAS BRAD WENSTRUP, COLLEAGUE OF MINE
FROM OHIO, HE SAY DOCTOR, HE WAS
ALSO A COMBAT SURGEON IN IRAQ,
HE WAS WATCHING ME, HE CAME
OVER, AND LOOKED AT WHERE DAMAGE
WAS, PUT A -- TOURNIQUET TO STOP OVER, AND LOOKED AT WHERE DAMAGE
WAS, PUT A -- TOURNIQUET TO STOP
THE BLEEDING, IN THE HOSPITAL,
THEY SAID I WOULD NOT MADE IT,
IF NOT FOR THAT.
A TRANSFERRED ME ON AN
AMBULANCE, THAT IS WHEN I
STARTED TO FADE OUT, AT SOME
POINT, AMBULANCE IS LEAVING,
SEES A HELICOPTER COMING, 7:30
IN MORNING, IN VIRGINIA, I WOULD
NEVER HAVE MADE IT, I WOULD HAVE IN MORNING, IN VIRGINIA, I WOULD
NEVER HAVE MADE IT, I WOULD HAVE
BLED OUT, THEY GO TO WHERE THE
HELICOPTER IS LANDING ON BALL
FIELD, IT COME TO TRANSPORT ME
AWAY, THEY PUT ME ON THE
HELICOPTER, 4 MINUTES LATER, I
AM IN EMERGENCY ROOM.
I KIND WAS OUT AND UNCONSCIOUS
BY THE TIME I GOT ON HELICOPTER,
I WAS STARTING TO FADE PRIOR TO
THAT UWONDERRING AM I GOING TO
MAKE IT.
MARK: HOW MANY OPERATIONS?
>> NINE.
NINE WERE MAJOR, LIKELY, THEY
ARE OVER AND SUCCESSFUL, IT WAS
A LOT.
INITIALLY GOING IN TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE THE DAMAGE WAS, I HAD
MASSIVE INTERNAL BLEEDING, I
SHOWED UP AT HOSPITAL WITH ZERO
BLOOD PRESSURE, RARELY DOES
ANYONE MAKE IT OUT, THEY HAD TO
PUT 20 PINTS OF BLOOD, HUMAN
BODY TAKES ABOUT 9, PINTS, I WAS
-- THERE WERE SO MANY ARTERIES
THAT WERE SHREDDED THEY SEWED ME
INDIVIDUALLY, AND THEY PUT ME
BACKING IN.
MARK: WHEN DID YOU COME TO?
>> THREE DAYS LATER, FOR ALL I
KNEW IT WAS A FEW HOURS, HIS NO
IDEA HOW BAD OFF I WAS, I
REMEMBER, WHEN I CAME TO, I WAS
SHOT, I ASKED FOR MY WIFE, AND
JENNIFER SHE HAD FLOWN IN THAT
NIGHT.
SHE WAS THERE.
AND SHE SEES ME, I HAVE TUBES IN
MY THROAT, AND OTHER THINGS
HOOKED UP, I COULD NOT TALK.
I AM TRYING TO MAKE VERBAL
SIGNALS.
LUCKILY SHE KNEW WHAT I WAS
MOTIONING, WHAT I FINED ON FIND
OUT, WHAT MY CAPITAL POLICE
SECURITY DETAIL OFFICERS WITH
ME, THEY WERE SHOT.
I KNEW THAT, YOU TALK ABOUT REAL
HEROES.
I IDENTIFY IN BOOK A LOT OF
MIRACLING BUT ALSO HEROES THAT
PLAYED A ROLES IN SAVING ME,
THEY WERE BOTH SHOT AT, AND
EXCEPT GOING AFTER THE SHOOTER,
TOOL THEY TOOK HIM DOWN, I DID
NOT KNOW IF THEY MADE IT I KNEW
THEY WERE HIT.
WHEN JENNIFER TOLD ME THEY WERE
OKAY, THAT WAS JUST, A HUGE
SENSE OF RELIEF.
MARK: WERE YOU A MAN OF FAITH
BEFORE, AS WELL AS AFTER?
>> I DIDN’T EXPRESS IF A LOT,
EVERY NIGHT, I GO TO SLEEP, I
HAD A HABIT OF PRAYING TO GOD.
I JUST, TALK TO HIM ABOUT THINGS
THAT HAPPENED.
THANK HIM FOR THINGS THAT
HAPPENED THAT WERE GOOD, MIGHT
BE SOMETHING YOU WANT OR TRYING
TO ACHIEVE, DOWN THE ROAD, AND
SO, YOU KNOW, I PRAY FOR THOSE.
BUT I WOULD TRY TO REMEMBER TO
PRAY AND THANK HIM FOR THINGS
THAT HE DID THAT WERE GOOD THAT
DAY, ALWAYS A REMINDER EVERY DAY
IN LIFE SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENS
AND SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS, DON’T
JUST FOCUS ON NEGATIVE.
AND I SAY A QUIET PRIVATE
PRAYER, I SAID HEAVY PRAYERS
THAT DAY ON THE BAIL FIELDS.
-- BALL FIELD, HE DELIVERED.
>> DO YOU STILL GO THROUGH A LOT
OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, I IMAGINE?
>> I DO.
I GO A FEW DAYS A WEEK,
PRIMARILY TO BUILD UP THE
STRENGTH IN MY LEFT LEG.
THE BULLET WENT IN HERE, THE
NERVES AND MUSCLES, TOOK THE
MOST DAMAGE.
SO I’M STILL BUILDING THOSE
MUSCLES BACK, I AM DOWN TO ONE
CRUTCH.
I WAS INITIALLY ON A SCOOTER,
THIN TWO CRUTCHES, AND BUILT
ENOUGH TO ONE CRUTCH, MY NEXT
GOAL TO WALK WITHOUT CRUTCHES.
MARK: DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE
A RENEWED PURPOSE BECAUSE YOU
ARE A MAN WHO SHOULD NOT BE
HERE?
A BULLET THAT BIG, CUTTING
THROUGH YOUR BODY LIKE THAT ALL
THOSE ORGANS?
IN A PLACE WHERE IT IS DIFFICULT
TO GET TO A HOSPITAL?
DO YOU FEEL LIKE HAVE YOU A
RENEWED PURPOSE, RENEWED LIFE?
>> YOU KNOW, I KNOW HOW CLOSE I
WAS, TO NOT BEING HERE, MARK.
MY TRAUMA SURGEON, A FEW --
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER,
SHOOTING, I WAS STILL IN THE
HOSPITAL, WELL ENOUGH TO WHERE I
WAS ON ROAD TO RECOVERY, BUT
STILL A LOT OF DAMAGE, AND I
ASKED HIM HOW BAD IT WAS.
HE WALKED ME THROUGH, HE SAID,
REALLY THAT FIRST NIGHT, THERE
WERE TWO DIFFERENT TIMES HE WAS
NOT SURE, I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT
I KNOW I AM LUCKY TO BE ALIVE.
IF ANYTHING IT PUTS A REAL
RENEWED FOCUS ON WHAT IS PURPOSE
IN
RENEWED FOCUS ON WHAT IS PURPOSE
IMPORTANT IN LIFE, WE ALL DO
THINGS OF DAY, WE FOLLOW SOMEONE
EM’S SCHEDULE, THEN THINGS YOU
REALLY TOP DO, I HAVE TRIED TO
REMOVE SOME OF THE CLUTTER IN MY
LIFE, AND FOCUS ON THINGS THAT
REALLY MATTER TO ME, MY FAITH,
FAMILY AND THINGS THAT I LOVE
DOING, I LOVE THIS JOB, I --
>> YOU WERE ALMOST ASSASSINATED,
A POLITICAL TARGET, ON A LIST,
THIS WOULD-BE KILLER WAS A
RADICAL.
HE CAME TO WASHINGTON WITH HIS
LOS ANGELES
LIST TO SHOOT ALL OF YOU.
YET WHEN YOU ARE SHOT, THE
NATION, I AM SURE YOU KNOW NOW,
EVERYTHING WAS STUNNED.
-- EVERYONE WAS STUNNED.
THEN A WEEK AGO GOES BY, TWO
WEEKS, A YEAR GOES BY, WE’RE AT
IT AGAIN, WE’RE AT EACH OTHERY
THROAT.
THE TONE, BUT YOU CALL SOMEONE
THINGS SAID ABOUT THE PRESIDENT,
THINGS ARE SAID, YOU WONDER WITH
4EU9LER
HITLER AND RACIST AND NASY IS
THAT NOT PAYING ABOUT FIRE.
>> I THINK THAT RHETORIC HES TOO
COME TOWN -- NEEDS TO COME DOWN, >> I THINK THAT RHETORIC HES TOO
COME TOWN -- NEEDS TO COME DOWN,
WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DISAGREE,
WHERE WE HAVE A POLITICAL
DEBATE, FIGHT FOR THE THINGS YOU
BELIEVE IN AND RESPECT THAT
SOMEONE ELSE HAS A DIFFERENT
VIEW POINT, DOES NOT MEAN THEY
ARE EVIL OR HAVE
ARE EVIL OR HAVAL -- ALTERIOR
MOTIVES, THEY JUST SEE THE WORLD
DIFFERENTLY.
IT HAS RATCHETED TO A POINT WE
NEED TO TRY TO CALM IT DOWN.
MARK: SEEMS TO ME, WHEN SOMEONE
CALLS SOMEONE HITLER, WE KNOW
WHAT HITLER WAS.
A RACIST.
IT IS NOT JUST I DISAGREE WITH
THAT GUY.
BUT YOU USE CHARACTERIZATION,
THAT YOU INTEND TO BE
PROVOCATIVE.
AFTER THIS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
ON YOU, THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO AFTER THIS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
ON YOU, THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO
ME.
I AM TELLING YOU CONGRESSMAN, I
TURN ON TV, I SEE IT ALL OF THE
TIME, YOU SEE IT TOOK RIGHT?
>> RIGHT, LIKE YOU SAID, HITLER
LITERALLY KILLED MILLIONS OF
JEWS BASED ON FACT HE WANTED TOT
JEWS BASED ON FACT HE WANTED TOO
ANNIHILATE THEM OFF OF THE FACE
OF THE EARTH.
WE ALL SHOULD STAND UP AGAINST
THAT, SAYING IF WE DISAGREE,
LET’S BE HONEST ABOUT WHY WE DIS
AGREE.
MAKE A BETTER ARGUMENT.
MARGARET THATCHER SAID, FIRST --
THESE DAYS, COP-OUT IS SAYING
SOMETHING SO I HAVE
SOMETHING SO.
>> IT IS SAME ON COLLEGE
CAMPUSES, SOME YOU SAY, GO
EDUCATE YOURSELF, LET’S HEAR ALL
VIEW POINTS AND HAVE ENOUGH
CONFIDENCE IN YOUR ARGUMENT WILL
WIN THE DAY, BUT YOU ARE SO
AFRAID OF OTHER ARGUMENT, YOU
WANT TO CALL THEM NAMES WHERE
YOU HAVE ALREADY LOST.
YOU SHUT THEM DOWN, I THINK THAT
MARK: DID BERNIE SANDERS EVER
CALL YOU.
>> HE REACHED OUT TO MY OFFICE,
I THINK WE MAY HAVE SPOKEN IN
FIRST FEW DAYS, WHEN I WAS IN A
FOG, HE DID.
MARK: OKAY.
YOU --
>> I DON’T HOLD HIM --
RESPONSIBLE.
WHEN THIS GUY DID WAS DERANGED,
THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION.
MARK: YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN
MONEYTY
MINORITY NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT
NOW, A MAJORITY BUT IT IS A LAME
DUCK SESSION.
BUT THINGS CAN STILL GET DONE?
>> YES. YES, THEY.
>> WE’RE IN A BATTLE RIGHT NOW
OVER PROPER FUNDING WITH THE
BORDER WALL, I WAS IN A MIGHTING
WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP A FEW DAYS
AGO, THIS IS A BIG PRIORITY OF
HIS AND OF MINE.
YOU LOOK AT THIS CARAVAN COMING
ACROSS, HAVE YOU IN THIS CARAVAN
OF PEOPLE, WHO SAY WE’RE GOING
TO IGNORE YOUR LAWS, THERE ARE
ALREADY OVER 600 KNOWN CONVICT
CRIMINAL CONVICTS IN THE
CARAVAN, YOU SEE THEM USING
WOMEN AS HUMAN SHIELDS, THAT IS
THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARAVAN, IT
IS IMPORTANT WE SECURE THE
BORDER, I APPLAUD FOR PRESIDENT
TRUMP FOR BEING WILLING TO DO
IT, EVERY DAY, AT LEAST 10 KNOWN
TERRORISTS ARE CAPTURED TRYING
TO CROSS INTO AMERICA THROUGH
THE BORDER.
WHY DO WE TOP
WHY DO WE WE WANT TO SECURE THE
BORDER IT IS TO KEEP AMERICA
SAFE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID, EVEN IF
YOU WANT TO SEEK ASYLUM, SEEK IT
LEGAL WAY, BUT IF YOU WANT TO
BREAK THE LAWS COME OVER, THE
PRESIDENT IS FIGHTING TOO KEEP
THE COUNTRY SAFE, THERE ARE BAD
PEOPLE THAT TRY TO COME HERE.
MARK: I WANT TO ASK YOU TWO
FOLLOW-UPS ON THAT.
IF 10 -- TERRORISTS CAPTURED OF
DAY, WHY WOULDN’T THE DEMOCRAT
PARTY WANT TO DO MORE TO HELP
SECURE THE BORDER.
IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE
DEMOCRATS OR AMONG REPUBLICANS
TO GET THIS DONE, WHEN WE COME
BECOME.
>> MOST WEEK NIGHT YOU HAVE
WATCH ME LEVIN TV, CRTV.COM/MARK