IN RECENT DAYS. SO HOW ALARMED ARE PEOPLE?
LET’S BRING IN MICHAEL STEEL, A
FORMER SPOKESPERSON FOR HOUSE
SPEAKER JOHN BOEHNER AND KNOWS
EXACTLY HOW THOSE FOLKS ON
CAPITOL HILL THINK.
HE WAS SENIOR ADVISOR TO JEB
BUSH IN 2016.
THE PANEL IS HERE.
MICHAEL, I’LL START WITH YOU.
HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE
MOOD BEHIND THE SCENES AND SORT
OF ON CAPITOL HILL THERE ON THAT
SIDE OF PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE WITH
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OHIO 12 AND
JUST SUDDENLY THE KOCH BROTHERS
FEUD THIS TRUMP?
I GET THE SENSE THAT FOLKS ARE
SUDDENLY GOING, WAIT A MINUTE,
THIS IS THE WRONG TIME OF THE
YEAR FOR THESE FIGHTS TO BREAK
OPEN LIKE THIS.
>> I WOULD DESCRIBE THE MOOD AS
DETERMINED AND RESOLUTE.
EVERYONE KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO
BE A VERY TOUGH YEAR.
EVERYONE KNEW WE WERE FACING
HISTORIC HEADWINDS.
HISTORIC HEADWINDS. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP CAN TWEET OR SAY THINGS
THAT AREN’T ALWAYS HELPFUL AT
TIMES THAT AREN’T ALWAYS
HELPFUL.
HELPFUL. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OHIO 12, I
THINK THE POLLS ARE A LAGGING
INDICATOR
INDICATOR INDICATOR.
INDICATOR. I THINK THE PRESIDENT’S VISIT
WILL GOOSE THE SUPPORT AMONG
REPUBLICANS IN THAT DISTRICT.
AND I THINK THAT YOUR MSNBC
COLLEAGUE, CHRIS MATTHEWS, DID A
TREMENDOUS SERVICE BY GETTING
O’CONNOR TO ADMIT WHAT EVERYONE
KNOWS, THAT HE WILL VOTE FOR
NANCY PELOSI FOR SPEAKER AND
YOU’RE GOING TO START SEEING ADS
REMINDING THE PEOPLE OF OHIO 12
ABOUT THAT TODAY.
>> I NOTICE THERE’S ALSO AN AD
SAYING IS MR. BAULTDLDERSON GOIN
SUPPORT JIM JORDAN FOR SPEAKER.
BEING IN COLUMBUS OHIO, OHIO
STATE, NOW THEY HAVE MULTIPLE
SPORTS SCANDALS RIGHT NOW, BUT
HAVING TO DO WITH JIM JORDAN.
LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
ARE WE LEARNING NOW, THE OLD
AXIOM USED TO BE THE POLITICAL
PARTY THAT WAS IN POWER, WHEN
THEY WERE IN TROUBLE, THE GOAL
WAS DON’T NATIONALIZE A RACE, WE
CAN RUN LOCALLY.
THE ONLY WAY FOR THESE RACES --
FOR THESE REPUBLICANS TO SURVIVE
IT APPEARS IS TO NATIONALIZE IT.
>> I THINK THERE’S ACTUALLY KIND
OF A DISCONNECT HERE.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE DISTRICTS
WHERE YOU HAVE A HIGHER COLLEGE
EDUCATED POPULATION, YOU HAVE A
MORE MODERATE ELECTORATE, THINGS
THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN
BATTLEGROUNDS.
BATTLEGROUNDS. CURBELO’S SEAT IN FLORIDA,
KAUFFMAN IN COLORADO, WHERE THE
PRESIDENT IS NOT HELPFUL.
BUT THOSE ARE PLACES WHERE THE
INDIVIDUAL MEMBER HAS DONE A
GREAT JOB WORKING THEIR
DISTRICT, WORKING THEIR
INDIVIDUAL ISSUES, MAKING A
CONNECTION WITH VOTERS IN THEIR
OWN BRAND AND IDENTITY.
IT’S THE MORE GENERIC REPUBLICAN
SEATS, SEATS LIKE THIS ONE OR
GEORGIA 6 WHERE THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF IS A HUGE ASSET.
>> THE KOCH BROTHERS ISSUE,
SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF
UNCOMFORTABLE REPUBLICANS ON
CAPITOL HILL GOING, WAIT A
MINUTE.
MINUTE. ARE YOU REALLY GOING TO FIGHT
THIS WAY?
THIS WAY? HOW SERIOUS DO YOU TAKE IT?
>> I THINK IT COULD BE A REAL
ISSUE.
ISSUE. I THINK THE KOCH NETWORK HAS
DONE AN EXTRAORDINARY JOB
EXPANDING AND PROMOTING THEIR
VISION FOR A BETTER AMERICA.
I THINK THAT MANY OF THEIR
PASSIONATE POSITIONS ARE
DIFFERENT THAN THOSE OF THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. AND THEY’RE OFTEN IN THE PLACES
WHERE THE PRESIDENT DISAGREES
WITH THE REST OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY.
PARTY. THE PRESIDENT IS NOT
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING A
REPUBLICAN AND ON AREAS LIKE
TRADE, HE IS SHARPLY OPPOSED BY
THE BULK OF THE REST OF THE
PARTY.
PARTY. >> MARIA, WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON
IN THE TRUMP/KOCH FEUD?
>> IT’S REALLY, REALLY TOUGH.
IT’S TOUGH ONLY BECAUSE THE KOCH
BROTHERS RARE DOING -- THEY’RE
LITERALLY TAKING THE KARL ROVE
PLAYBOOK AND SIPHONING OFF --
WE’RE LOOKING INTO SOCIAL
JUSTICE ISSUES, CRIMINAL JUSTICE
REFORM AND GOING INTO THESE
COMMUNITIES AND SAYING WE DON’T
NEED ALL OF THOSE VOTERS, WE
JUST NEED A COUPLE OF THEM.
SO IT’S TOUGH.
THEY’RE ALSO LOOKING AT
INVESTING IN SOME DEMOCRATIC
RACES POSSIBLY.
RACES POSSIBLY. IT’S REALLY -- I THINK THE
DEMOCRATS THEMSELVES ARE KIND OF
LIKE OH, SHOOT, WHAT DO WE DO
NEXT?
NEXT? >> THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
EITHER.
EITHER. >> DO WE WANT IT?
>> LOOK, I’VE HAD MY DIFFERENCES
WITH THE KOCHS OVER THE YEARS.
THEY’RE AT THE OPPOSITE END OF
THE SPECTRUM ON FOREIGN POLICY,
FOR EXAMPLE, BUT THEY BELIEVE IN
CERTAIN THINGS.
CERTAIN THINGS. THEY’RE FREE TRADERS, FREE
MARKET PEOPLE.
MARKET PEOPLE. THEY ARE PRO MODERATE LIBERAL
VIEWS ON IMMIGRATION, CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM AND SO THEY HAVE
THEIR PRINCIPLES.
THEIR PRINCIPLES. THEY WANT TO SUPPORT PEOPLE WHO
AGREE WITH THEM.
AND I ADMIRE THAT.
I THINK THAT’S FINE.
WHAT’S STRIKING IS THE TRUMP AND
TRUMP LACKEY RESPONSE.
OKAY, WE DISAGREE ON SOME
ISSUES.
ISSUES. THE RNC, WHICH HAS BECOME --
>> LISTEN TO THIS.
STEVE BANNON, LISTEN TO WHAT
STEVE BANNON SAID THE ABOUT THE
KOCHS.
KOCHS. >> YOU TAKE KOCH MONEY, IT’S
GOING TO BE TOXIC.
IF YOU TAKE KOCH MONEY THERE’S A
PUNISHMENT.
PUNISHMENT. IF YOU TAKE MONEY FROM PEOPLE
AGAINST THE PRESIDENT AND
LOOKING TO PUT A KNIFE IN THE
BACK OF THE PRESIDENT, YOU ARE
GOING TO PAY, REALLY?
>> THE OFFICIAL REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL COMMITTEE, WHICH IS
SUPPOSED TO SPEAK FOR THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY, NOT FOR ONE
GUY IN THE WHITE HOUSE, ATTACKED
THE KOCH BROTHERS AND WARNED
OTHER DONORS ABOUT GOING DOWN
THAT PATH.
THAT PATH. DONORS TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY,
YOU CANNOT HAVE YOUR OWN VIEWS.
YOU CANNOT CHOOSE TO SUPPORT
MORE FREE TRADE REPUBLICANS.
WHAT KIND OF PARTY IS THIS NOW?
IS THIS PURE DONALD TRUMP CULT
PERSONALITY?
PERSONALITY? THAT’S WHAT THE RNC IS NOW
ABOUT?
ABOUT? >> IT SPEAKS TO THESE
FUNDAMENTAL FISSURES IN THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY.
REPUBLICAN PARTY. THEY’RE REALLY BREAKING OPEN,
WHETHER IT’S ON TRADE,
IMMIGRATION, SOME OF THESE
ISSUES WHERE WE’VE KNOWN THIS
STUFF EXISTS.
STUFF EXISTS. THE QUESTION IS HOW DO YOU RUN
IN A COMPETITIVE DISTRICT, HOW
DO YOU RUN A RACE WHERE YOU WANT
TO KIND OF FORGE YOUR OWN
PATHWAY BUT DOING SO PUTS YOU AT
ODDS WITH THE PRESIDENT AND THE
EXPIRE REPUBLICAN APPARATUS.
THAT’S A BIG PROBLEM.
>> MICHAEL STEEL, LOOK, THERE IS
A PENALTY FOR OPPOSING THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. I GUESS THAT’S WHAT THE RNC IS
TRYING TO WARN OTHER DONORS.
IS THAT WHY THEY TOOK A SHOT AT
THE KOCHS?
THE KOCHS? >> WELL, THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS
PUTS A FIRM IMPRINTING ON THE
RNC OR DNC, WHICHEVER PARTY
THEY’RE IN.
THEY’RE IN. I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY UNWISE.
I THINK THAT A SUCCESSFUL
COALITION, A SUCCESSFUL
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE
AND THE SENATE --
>> YOU SAY THESE THINGS IN SUCH
AN UNDERSTATED WAY, MICHAEL.
I THINK IT’S PROBABLY UNWISE.
IT’S LIKE, DUDE!
I THINK THE WORD "UNWISE" IS AN
UNDERSTATEMENT, BUT GO AHEAD.
>> I THINK THAT WE NEED ALL --
WE NEED SUPPORT FROM EVERYONE WE
CAN GET ACROSS THE SPECTRUM TO
MAINTAIN THE REPUBLICAN
MAJORITIES IN THE HOUSE AND
SENATE AND THAT SHOULD BE OUR
HIGHEST PRIORITY THIS YEAR, NOT
DISAGREEMENTS.
DISAGREEMENTS. >> MARIA, YOU WOULD WORK WNGT
KOCH BROTHERS ON CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM AND IMMIGRATION
REFORM.
REFORM. ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH -- YOU
HAVE YOUR OWN INTERESTS AND OWN
GROUP THAT YOU LEAD.
HOW ARE YOU --
>> I ACTUALLY THINK IT’S VERY
DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY ARE
ALSO -- THE KOCH BROTHERS ARE
ALSO BEHIND A LOT OF THE VOTER
SUPPRESSION.
SUPPRESSION. >> SO YOU WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM
WITH IT.
WITH IT. >> I WOULD HAVE A VERY HARD TIME
WITH IT.
WITH IT. I BELIEVE THAT THEIR LONG-TERM
STRATEGY IS ACTUALLY TO DIVIDE
THE DEMOCRATIC PROGRESSIVE BASE
BY SIPHONING OFF PROGRESSIVE
VOTERS AND NOT BECAUSE THEY’RE
WELL INTENTIONED.
WELL INTENTIONED. FOR MOST FOLKS PEOPLE WOULD SAY
THEY’RE MORE LIBERTARIAN AND
THEY’RE LIKE WE’RE LIBERTARIAN
BUT WE DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT’S
HAPPENING IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
THIS IS A COMPLETE DICHOTOMY FOR
THEM.
THEM. >> FOR ME IT’S THE RNC TRYING TO
INTIMIDATE OTHER DONORS FROM
HAVING THEIR OWN OPINIONS.
I WONDER HOW OTHER DONORS WILL
REACT TO THAT.
>> AND CANDIDATES.
>> THAT’S UNDEMOCRATIC AND MOST
DONORS THAT I KNOW AREN’T GOING
TO TAKE THAT.
THEY ACTUALLY THINK THAT THEY’RE
PRETTY SMART, THAT’S WHY THEY
HAVE MONEY, RIGHT?
>> A LOT OF THESE CANDIDATES,