REAR END OUT. >> THAT WAS CONGRESSMAN AND 2020
HOPEFUL TIM RYAN’S ADVICE ON HOW
TO UNSEAT MITCH McCONNELL NEXT
YEAR.
YEAR. TO DO THAT THE PARTY FIRST NEEDS
A CANDIDATE.
A CANDIDATE. AND THIS MORNING, THEY MAY HAVE
FOUND ONE.
FOUND ONE. IN A MOMENT WE’LL BE JOINED BY
THAT CANDIDATE.
THAT CANDIDATE. BUT FIRST, HERE IS THE PREMIER
OF HER LAUNCH TO UNSEAT MAJORITY
LEADER MITCH McCONNELL IN 2020.
♪
>> I WAS 13 YEARS OLD. I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED TO
DO WITH MY LIFE.
I SAT AT THIS TABLE AND I WROTE
A LETTER TO MY SENATOR.
TELLING HIM I WANTED TO FLY
FIGHTER JETS IN COMBAT, TO FIGHT
MORE MY COUNTRY AND THAT WOMEN
SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
HE NEVER WROTE BACK.
I’M AMY McGRATH.
I WONDERED HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE
DID MITCH McCONNELL NEVER TAKE
THE TIME TO WRITE BACK OR EVEN
THINK ABOUT?
THINK ABOUT? A SECOND GENERATION STEELWORKER
WHO FOUND OUT HIS MILL WAS
SHUTTING DOWN, LEAVING NO JOBS
BEHIND.
BEHIND. A WOMAN SUFFERING FROM DIABETES
WHO FEARS LOSING HER HEALTH CARE
AND COVERAGE FOR HER
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION.
PRE-EXISTING CONDITION. A COAL MINER FORCED TO RETIRE BY
BLACK LUNG DISEASE WHO’S LOOKING
FOR SOMEONE TO OFFER MORE THAN
WORDS.
WORDS. A STUDENT WHO CAN ONLY AFFORD
COLLEGE AS LONG AS SHE CAN GET
HER FEDERAL LOANS.
AND HAS NO IDEA HOW SHE’LL PAY
OFF THE DEBT.
EVERYTHING THAT’S WRONG IN
WASHINGTON HAD TO START SOME
PLACE.
PLACE. HOW DID IT COME TO THIS?
THAT EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN
FAMILIES WE CAN’T TALK TO EACH
OTHER ABOUT THE LEADERS OF OUR
COUNTRY ANYMORE, WITHOUT ANGER
AND BLAME.
AND BLAME. WELL, IT STARTED WITH THIS MAN
WHO WAS ELECTED A LIFETIME AGO
AND WHO HAS BIT BY BIT, YEAR BY
YEAR TURNED WASHINGTON INTO
SOMETHING WE ALL DESPISE.
WHERE DYSFUNCTION AND CHAOS ARE
POLITICAL WEAPONS.
POLITICAL WEAPONS. WHERE BUDGETS AND HEALTH CARE
AND THE SUPREME COURT ARE HELD
HOSTAGE.
HOSTAGE. A PLACE WHERE IDEALS GO TO DIE.
I’M RUNNING FOR SENATE BECAUSE
IT SHOULDN’T BE LIKE THIS.
I LEARNED AS A DAUGHTER, A MOM,
A MARINE, AND A FIGHTER PILOT
THAT THE MISSION CAN NEVER BE
FORGOTTEN.
FORGOTTEN. THAT PROTECTING OUR DEMOCRACY
REQUIRES COURAGE.
REQUIRES COURAGE. THAT OUR FREEDOMS ARE NEVER
ASSURED.
ASSURED. AND THE BEST WAY TO LIFT SOMEONE
UP IS A JOB.
THE CHALLENGE OF TODAY IS INSIDE
EACH OF US.
HOW DO WE RECONCILE OUR BELIEF
IN BASIC HUMAN DECENCY WITH OUR
ANGER AT THOSE WHO BLOCK
PROGRESS AT ALL COSTS.
THERE IS A PATH TO RESETTING OUR
COUNTRY’S MORAL COMPASS.
WHERE EACH OF US IS HEARD.
AND WE CAN BECOME ONCE AGAIN THE
MORAL AND ECONOMIC LEADER OF A
WORLD IN DISARRAY, BUT TO DO
THAT WE HAVE TO WIN THIS.
>> AND JOINING US NOW NEWLY ANNOUNCED DEMOCRATIC KENTUCKY
SENATE CANDIDATE RETIRED MARINE
COLONEL AMY McGRATH.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON THE SHOW.
THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE ROLLOUT,
BUT HOW DO YOU GET THE PEOPLE OF
KENTUCKY TO HEAR THAT MESSAGE?
>> WELL, IT’S GOOD TO BE HERE.
AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A
MESSAGE THAT KENTUCKIANS ARE
READY FOR, YOU KNOW?
I NEVER SET OUT TO BE SOME
POLITICIAN.
POLITICIAN. ALL I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE
WAS FLY FIGHTER JETS, SERVE MY
COUNTRY AND BE A UNITED STATES
MARINE AND I DID THAT.
AND ALONG THE WAY, I MET MY
HUSBAND, WE HAVE THREE AMAZING
CHILDREN RIGHT NOW.
BUT LIKE A LOT OF AMERICANS AND
A LOT OF KENTUCKIANS WE LOOK AT
EACH OTHER AND WE SAY, YOU KNOW,
WE’RE WORRIED ABOUT OUR COUNTRY.
WE’RE WORRIED ABOUT KENTUCKY.
WE’RE WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE.
AND MANY KENTUCKIANS ARE WORRIED
ALONG WITH US AND SO, YOU KNOW,
FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME WHO’S
ALWAYS STEPPED UP THE PLATE, WHO
HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMEBODY THAT
WANTED TO SERVE MY COUNTRY FELT
LIKE THIS WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO
STAND UP AND I THINK MANY
KENTUCKIANS WILL BE READY FOR
THAT.
THAT. >> AMY, IT’S WILLIE GEIST.
CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING INTO
THE RACE.
THE RACE. WELCOME TO THE SHOW, GOOD TO
HAVE YOU HERE THIS MORNING.
THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE OVER THE
YEARS WHO HAVE COME AT MITCH
McCONNELL, WHO BELIEVE THEY --
HE OR SHE WERE THE CANDIDATE
THAT WERE GOING TO FINALLY TAKE
HIM OUT POLITICALLY.
HE HAS PERSEVERED.
HE’S BEEN A RESELL YENT
POLITICIAN THROUGH THE YEARS.
WHY DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE
DIFFERENT?
DIFFERENT? >> WELL, HE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR
34 YEARS AND I THINK THIS IS
DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT. THIS IS A DIFFERENT RACE BECAUSE
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, KENTUCKY
VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY FOR DONALD
TRUMP AND YOU CAN SAY KENTUCKY
IS A VERY RED STATE BUT IT’S A
VERY PRO TRUMP STATE.
IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHY
KENTUCKIANS VOTED FOR TRUMP,
THEY WANTED TO DRAIN THE SWAMP
AND TRUMP SAID HE WAS GOING TO
DO THAT.
DO THAT. HE PROMISED TO BRING BACK JOBS
AND PROMISED TO LOWER DRUG
PRICES FOR SO MANY KENTUCKIANS
AND THAT’S IMPORTANT.
WHAT STOPS THEM ALONG THE WAY?
WHO STOPS THE PRESIDENT FROM
DOING THESE THINGS?
WELL, MITCH McCONNELL.
I THINK THAT’S REALLY IMPORTANT
AND THAT’S GOING TO BE, YOU
KNOW, MY MESSAGE, THAT THE
THINGS THAT KENTUCKIANS VOTED
FOR TRUMP FOR ARE NOT BEING
DONE.
DONE. HE’S NOT ABLE TO GET IT DONE
BECAUSE OF MITCH McCONNELL.
>> HI, AMY, I’M STEVE RATTNER.
THE PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS COME
IN A VARIETY OF COLORS AND
FLAVORS IF YOU WILL ON ISSUES.
AND JUST LIKE I WOULD LIKE TO
ASK YOU HOW YOU’LL POSITION
YOURSELF ON THE ISSUES LIKE
MEDICARE FOR ALL.
LIKE THE GREEN NEW DEAL, LIKE
FREE COLLEGE TUITION.
HOW DO YOU RUN ON THOSE ISSUES
IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW,
WHEN I WATCHED THE DEMOCRATIC
DEBATES WITH MY HUSBAND AND MY
FAMILY AND, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF
TIMES MY HUSBAND IS A REGISTERED
REPUBLICAN AND I’M A DEMOCRAT,
BUT I WAS AN INDEPENDENT FOR
MANY YEARS AND THERE WERE TIMES
WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN MY HUSBAND
AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER
DURING THE DEBATES AND WE WERE
CONCERNED THAT MANY OF THE
CANDIDATES WERE PULLING A LITTLE
TOO FAR LEFT FROM WHERE WE ARE.
BECAUSE WE’RE BOTH MODERATES.
YOU KNOW, WE’RE LIKE MOST
AMERICANS.
AMERICANS. WE GET ALONG AND WE WANT
REASONABLE SOLUTIONS FOR SOME OF
THESE THINGS.
THESE THINGS. YOU KNOW, SO I DIFFER FROM SOME
OF THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I’M NOT FOR
TAKING AWAY PRIVATE HEALTH
INSURANCE AS AN EXAMPLE.
I DON’T THINK WE SHOULD UPEND
THE ENTIRE SYSTEM FOR MEDICARE
FOR ALL.
FOR ALL. BUT WE SHOULD BE FIXING THE
SYSTEM.
SYSTEM. I’M NOT FOR THINGS LIKE
SUBSIDIZING HEALTH INSURANCE FOR
IMMIGRANTS.
IMMIGRANTS. WE NEED TO FIX THAT FIRST.
>> THIS IS EDDIE GLAUDE FROM
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY. LET ME ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT GETTING RID
OF MITCH McCONNELL.
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT YOUR MODERATE
AGENDA.
AGENDA. BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING OR HOW
ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO THE
BLOCKING AND TACKLING?
THE GROUND GAME.
WHAT’S YOUR APPROACH TO TURNING
OUT A RANGE OF VOTERS IN ORDER
TO UPSET MITCH McCONNELL IN THIS
ELECTION?
ELECTION? >> WELL, I THINK AS I MENTIONED,
YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
VERY PRO TRUMP AND THE KEY IS TO
GET OUT AND TALK TO EVERYBODY.
TO REMIND THEM, HEY, YOU KNOW,
WE HAVE HAD THIS SENATOR HERE
FOR 34 YEARS.
AND IN KENTUCKY, THERE’S A LOT
OF PEOPLE THAT JUST AREN’T
FEELING THE BEN FITS OF THIS
ECONOMY.
ECONOMY. HE’S ALLOWED TOBACCO AND COAL TO
DECLINE FOR DECADES.
AND NOT HAD A PLAN AND WE HAVE
LEFT ENTIRE REGIONS OF OUR STATE
TO ECONOMIC PERIL.
WE HAVE ONE OF THE LOWEST WAGE
RATES IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE AN OPIOID CRISIS THAT’S
TWO TIMES THE RATE IN TERMS OF
DEATHS AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE THE HIGHEST CANCER RATES
IN THE COUNTRY AND MEANWHILE,
ALL OF THIS TIME WE HAVE A
SENATE THEIR IS NOT ONLY NOT
PRIORITIZING THESE THINGS
BECAUSE HE’S PRIORITIZING THE
INTERESTS OF SPECIAL INTERESTS,
BUT HE’S ACTIVELY WORKING
AGAINST KENTUCKIANS WHEN HE’S
TRYING TO TAKE AWAY HEALTH CARE
AND THAT SORT OF THING OVER AND
OVER AGAIN.
OVER AGAIN. I THINK THAT’S THE KEY.
AND JUST REMINDING PEOPLE, HEY,
SENATOR McCONNELL HAS BEEN IN
OFFICE.
OFFICE. HE HAS BEEN SOMEBODY WHO HIS
PARTY HAD THE POWER OF THE
HOUSE, THE PRESIDENCY, AND THE
SENATE FOR TWO YEARS.
THE ONLY MAJOR PIECE OF
LEGISLATION THAT HE WAS ABLE TO
PASS BECAUSE THAT WAS HIS
PRIORITY WAS THIS TAX WIND FALL
FOR CORPORATIONS AND WEALTHIEST
AMERICANS JUST LIKE HIM.
>> SO AMY, BASICALLY, YOU’RE
GOING TO GO ACROSS YOUR STATE
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS
TALKING ABOUT A BIG CON THAT’S
BEEN ENFORCED UPON THE PEOPLE OF
KENTUCKY AND OTHER PLACES.
NOW, WE ALL SAT HERE AND WATCHED
YOUR ROLLOUT COMMERCIAL WHICH IS
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.
INCREDIBLY POWERFUL. AND ONE OF THE WAYS YOU CAN GET
PEOPLE TO VOTE OBVIOUSLY IS
BASED ON EMOTION BEFORE YOU EVEN
GET TO THE CON THAT THEY’RE
LIVING UNDER.
LIVING UNDER. SO LET’S CUT TO THE CHASE.
WHAT’S YOUR WEBSITE?
BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO SAW THAT
COMMERCIAL ARE GOING TO WANT TO
DONATE TO YOU.
WHAT’S YOUR WEBSITE?
>> MY WEBSITE IS AMY
McGRATH.COM.
McGRATH.COM. AND YOU’RE RIGHT TO SAY IT IS
ABOUT EMOTION.
ABOUT EMOTION. I’M NOT DOING THIS BECAUSE LIKE
I SAY I WANT TO BE SOME
POLITICIAN.
POLITICIAN. I’M DOING THIS BECAUSE I CARE
ABOUT OUR COUNTRY AND I CARE
ABOUT KENTUCKY.
ABOUT KENTUCKY. AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED PEOPLE
WITH COURAGE TO STEP UP AND WE
NEED THE ENTIRE NATION IN THIS
FIGHT.
FIGHT. FOR KENTUCKY.
FOR KENTUCKY. >> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, RETIRED
MARINE LIEUTENANT COLONEL AMY
McGRATH.
McGRATH. WE GREATLY APPRECIATE IT AND
CERTAINLY WHEN MITCH McCONNELL
COMES ON OUR SHOW, WE WILL ALSO
MENTION HIS WEBSITE.
BUT JUST FOR THE RECORD, HER
WEBSITE AGAIN AMY McGRATH.COM.
>> GOOD LUCK.
>> THAT’S AMY McGRATH.COM.
IF YOU’RE OUTSIDE OF KENTUCKY,
AMY McGRATH.COM.
AMY McGRATH.COM. >> ALL RIGHT.
>> AND LIKE I SAID, WHEN MITCH
COMES ON WE’LL DO THE SAME
THING.
THING. >> SURE.
>> SURE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> STILL TO COME THIS MORNING,
YESTERDAY WE SHOWED YOU THE NEW
"WASHINGTON POST"/ABC NEWS POLL
THAT HAS DONALD TRUMP’S APPROVAL
RATING ON THE RISE PARTICULARLY
FOR HIS HANDLING OF THE ECONOMY.
CAN DEMOCRATS MAKE THEIR CASE