You're running for president, obviously.
I want to ask what the limits
that you think
you would have as president.
The former president keeps claiming
that he can't be prosecuted for
anything that happened
while he was in office
because he has presidential immunity.
If you are the nominee
and if you're elected president,
do you think you would have blanket
presidential immunity?
Well, look,
I mean, I'm going to
you take an oath to support
and defend the Constitution.
I did it
when I commissioned as an officer.
Anyone that serves in
the military does it.
I took an oath as governor.
As president,
you're taking an oath to take care
that the laws are faithfully executed
and to preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution
of the United States.
So I'm going to wield my authority
with that obligation in mind.
And if I don't think
something is constitutional,
I am duty bound to oppose it.
That's just the nature of the job.
And so I make constitutional judgments
all the time.
Doesn't mean
a court always agrees with it,
but I'm going through that analysis.
So, for example,
if Congress sends me
a piece of legislation
that I think violates the Constitution,
even if I think it's a good idea
policy wise, I am duty bound to veto it.
And I will do that.
So you're going to see
an energetic executive.
I'm going to wield Article
two power
to the fullest extent
to be able to advance
the agenda that I'm running on.
And we're going to be able
to deliver big victories.
But that oath means something to me,
and I will satisfy that oath of office.
And by the way,
you know,
you think about what's going on now.
Joe Biden took an oath to take care
that the laws be faithfully executed.
Is there anybody in this room
that thinks he is satisfying that oath
when it comes to our southern border?
I don't think so.
But what about Blanket
presidential immunity
that a president can do
whatever they want?
Do you agree with that?
If you
if you're abiding by the Constitution,
none of that is going to matter
at that point.
So follow the law,
follow the Constitution.
This stuff gets into the weeds
legally about what
can happen to a president
when they leave office
based on conduct
that may or may not have been official.
It's not for me to adjudicate that.
I can just tell you this.
If you nominate me,
I'll get elected, I'll serve,
and we won't even be discussing
these issues.
We'll be discussing your issues.
You're not going to be
have to worry about my conduct.
I'll conduct myself
in a way you can be proud of.
I'll conduct myself in a way
you can tell your kids, you know,
that's somebody that you should emulate
and we will have success
as a result of that.
A lot of
clear references, obviously,
to the former president.
You have said that you believe
his indictments have distorted
the primary.
Do you think that he's leading
in this race because of his indictment?
So, look,
I mean, you know,
there's things that happen
when you're running.
There's things you can control.
You know,
I can control how
I answer your questions.
I can control how hard I'm going to work
like I've chosen to do the 99 counties.
Other candidates haven't.
There's other things you can't control,
how these things happen,
how they're played in the media,
all this other stuff.
Clearly, it's had an impact.
But what I would tell primary voters is
whatever may be beneficial
in the primary doesn't mean it's
beneficial in the general election.
And I think a 2024 election
where the Democrats
get to run against a candidate
that is going through all this stuff,
that is going to give the Democrats
an advantage.
Don't have to agree
with any of the stuff that was done.
That's just the reality.
And we end up in a situation
where we're putting the future
of the Republican Party
and the future of the nation,
perhaps in the hands of 12 jurors
in heavily
Democrat D.C.,
which is likely to be a very stacked left
wing jury,
that if they somehow convict,
then the Democrats
are going to win the election.
Why do we want to even go down that road?
Don't let's focus on your issues.
Let's focus on Biden's failures.
Let's focus on how we're going to be able
to turn this country around.
I'll be somebody that's focused on that.
But then, even more importantly,
as president,
I'll be disciplined and determined
to deliver on all those things.
It's not going to be about me
when I'm not out there doing the job.
I've got young kids.
My wife and I will be back home.
You know,
we'll be doing stuff, raising our family.
That's going to be
the extent of what we're doing.
We are going to be laser
focused on your issues.