ANNOUNCER: THIS IS A WMUR COMMITMENT 2020 SPECIAL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS, "CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE."
TONIGHT, MONTANA GOVERNOR STEVE BULLOCK.
[CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY.
VISIT NCICAP.ORG] ADAM: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO OUR "CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE" SERIES.
I’M ADAM SEXTON.
OUR GUEST THIS EVENING IS MONTANA GOVERNOR STEVE BULLOCK.
TONIGHT, WE’LL BE GETTING TO KNOW THE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE AND WHERE HE STANDS ON KEY ISSUES.
AT THE START OF OUR SHOW, I’LL BE ASKING GOVERNOR BULLOCK SOME QUESTIONS.
AND THEN, AFTER A BREAK, WE’LL HAVE OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE ASK THEIR QUESTIONS IN A TOWN HALL FORMAT.
BUT, BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET’S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THE CANDIDATE’S BIOGRAPHY.
>> STEVE BULLOCK WAS BORN IN 1966 IN MISSOULA, MONTANA, AND GREW UP IN HELENA, WHERE HE GRADUATED FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
HE HAS AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA, AND A LAW DEGREE FROM COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL.
BULLOCK WAS THEN A LABOR ATTORNEY AND LED A SUCCESSFUL CITIZENS INITIATIVE IN MONTANA TO RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE.
IN 2008, HE WAS ELECTED AS A DEMOCRAT TO BE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF HIS STATE.
AS THE STATE AG, BULLOCK CHALLENGED THE CITIZENS UNITED CAMPAIGN FINANCE DECISION UP TO THE SUPREME COURT.
HE WON ELECTION AS GOVERNOR IN 2012, AND WAS REELECTED IN 2016, WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP WON THE STATE BY 20 POINTS.
AS GOVERNOR, BULLOCK EXPANDED MEDICAID, FROZE COLLEGE TUITION, AND WORKED TO PRESERVE NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.
HE HAS ALSO VETOED MORE BILLS THAN ANY GOVERNOR IN MONTANA HISTORY.
GOVERNOR BULLOCK IS MARRIED, HAS THREE CHILDREN, AND STILL LIVES IN HIS HOMETOWN.
ADAM: GOVERNOR, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON WM "CONVERSATION W THE CANDIDATE." YOU WILL NOT BE ON THE DEBATE STAGE TONIGHT, ONE OF THE FEW DEMOCRATS WHO DID NOT MAKE THE
CUT.
DO YOU THINK THAT WAS A FAIR DECISION BY THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE?
GOV. BULLOCK: I ONLY GOT INTO THIS FIVE WEEKS AGO.
MY LEGISLATURE JUST ENDED.
I HAD TO GET MEDICAID EXPANSION REAUTHORIZED.
IF I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CHASING DONORS AND SECURING HEALTH CARE, EASIEST DECISION OF MY LIFE.
EVEN THOUGH I’M NOT ON THAT DEBATE STAGE, I’M IN THE FIRST IN THE NATION PRIMARY.
I’M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
ADAM: WE SEE A LOT OF ATTENTION BEING PLACED ON PRESIDENT TRUMP.
SOME VOTERS HAVE TOLD US, FOR THEM, IT’S ABOUT DEFEATING THE PRESIDENT.
DO YOU THINK THAT SHOULD BE THE MAIN FOCUS?
GOV. BULLOCK: HE TOOK MONTANA BY 20.
WE HAVE TO WIN BACK SOME OF THOSE PLACES WE LOST.
IT HAS TO BE MORE THAN JUST AGAINST HIM.
WE HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE REASON TO BELIEVE -- A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS, THIS ECONOMY DOES NOT WORK FOR THEM.
THEY ARE MAKING LESS MONEY.
THEY ARE LIKE, WHY NOT?
IT DOESN’T WORK FOR THEM.
WE HAVE TO NOT ONLY TALK ABOUT WHERE DONALD TRUMP IS FAILING BUT GIVE THEM REASON TO BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER.
ADAM: TENSIONS ARE INCREASING WITH IRAN.
THE PRESIDENT SAYS HE CALLED OFF A STRIKE, BUT IMPOSED NEW SANCTIONS ON SOME OF THE REGIME’S LEADERSHIP.
DO YOU AGREE WITH HIS APPROACH?
GOV. BULLOCK: I DO NOT.
WE ARE AT A DANGEROUS POINT.
I RAN AS THAT IRAN -- IRAN IS A THREAT TO THE REGION.
SIX MAXIMUM -- THIS MAXIMUM PRESSURE IDEA, WE NEED THE ALLIES TO BE STEP-BY-STEP WITH US, WE REJECTED THEIR EFFORTS, THEY PUT TOGETHER N THE NUCLEAR AGREEMENT AND WE ARE GOING IT
ALONE.
AMERICA FIRST IS AMERICA ALONE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE MILITARY FORCE, BUT THERE’S NO REASON WE SHOULD GET THERE.
ADAM: PUT THE IRAN DEAL BACK TOGETHER WORD FOR WORD?
GOV. BULLOCK: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.
UNTIL RECENTLY, IRAN HAD COMPLIED WITH THE NUCLEAR AGREEMENT.
THERE WASN’T ANY FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
WE ARE NOW ESCALATING TO A POINT OF GREAT DANGER.
IRAN IS NOT A GREAT ACTOR.
THE WAY WE’VE DEALT WITH THIS IN THE PAST UP UNTIL THIS POINT, WE BROUGHT IN ALLIES AND EVEN ADVERSARIES TO CHECK IN ON IRAN.
NOW, OUR ALLIES DON’T TRUST US AS FAR AS WHAT DIRECTION WE ARE GOING TO TAKE.
ADAM NOW, THE FOCUS IS ON THE TREATMENT OF SOME OF THE CHILD MIGRANTS WHO’VE REACHED THE BORDER SEEKING ASYLUM.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ARGUED THAT IT IS NOT OBLIGATED TO PROVIDE THE CHILDREN IT DETAINS WITH SOAP, TOOTHBRUSHES, OR SLEEP.
IN RESPONSE, AN AMERICAN WHO HAD BEEN HELD HOSTAGE IN AFRICA TWEETED THAT EVEN SOMALIAN PIRATES GAVE HIM TOOTHPASTE AND SOAP.
WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?
GOV. BULLOCK: IT IS HORRIFIC.
NO ONE AT OUR BORDERS SHOULD BE TREATED LIKE ANIMALS.
THEY ARE BEING OVERWHELMED, BUT THIS IS A HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
THIS IS NOT A CRISIS THAT SHOULD BE DIVIDING US AS A PEOPLE OR AS A NATION.
WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO HELP FAMILIES AND KIDS THAT COME TO THE BORDER.
WE SHOULDN’T BE RIPPING THOSE FAMILIES APART.
WE ARE APPROPRIATING A THIRD OF THE EIGHT TO THE CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES -- AID TO THE CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES THAT WE WERE FOUR YEARS AGO.
ONCE THEY GET THERE, ONCE THEY GET TO THE BORDER, WE ARE TREATING THEM SO INHUMANELY -- THAT DOESN’T MEAN THEY GET TO STAY IN AMERICA, BUT WITH THE HUMAN DECENCY WE WOULD TREAT
SOMEONE IN OUR OWN FAMILY.
YOU HAVE 400 IMMIGRATION JUDGES FOR A CASELOAD OF 80,000 -- ADAM: IF THERE ARE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS GOING ON, WHO SHOULD FACE THE LEGAL CONSEQUENCES?
GOV. BULLOCK: THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
EVEN MORE THAN SAYING WHO ARE WE GOING TO SCREAM AT.
WE HAVE TO FIX THIS NOW.
YOU HAVE KIDS NOT GETTING MATTRESSES.
WE ALL SAW THAT PICTURE OF THAT FATHER AND DAUGHTER YESTERDAY.
THERE’S GOT TO BE A WAY THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO SEE THOSE PICTURES OF PEOPLE LITERALLY DYING BECAUSE OF OUR SYSTEM.
ADAM: THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
THE TOUGHER QUESTIONS AWAIT, THOUGH.
COMING UP AFTER