AND ONE OF THE REPUBLICANS WHO
IS DEFENDING TRUMP'S VIVEK
RAMASWAMY.
AND TODAY, A MEMO FROM RON
DESANTIS'S SUPER PAC LAID OUT
SOME ADVICE FOR THE FLORIDA
GOVERNOR AHEAD OF NEXT WEEK'S
DEBATE.
AMONG THE SUGGESTIONS, DEFEND
DONALD TRUMP BUT, QUOTE, TAKE A
SLEDGEHAMMER TO RAMASWAMY.
AND JOINING ME NOW IS THE
CANDIDATE MENTIONED IN THAT
MEMO, VIVEK RAMASWAMY.
HE'S GIVING A SPEECH AT THE
NIXON LIBRARY TONIGHT.
WELCOME, MISTER RAMASWAMY.
APPRECIATE YOU JOINING US.
>> IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU, JIM,
HOW ARE YOU?
>> I'M GOOD, LET'S GET RIGHT
TO.
THERE'S A PRO DESANTIS SUPER
PAC, I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN THIS,
HAS POSTED DOCUMENTS ONLINE
THAT SHOWED DESANTIS'S UPCOMING
DEBATE STRATEGY.
THAT INCLUDES NOT ONLY ATTACKS
ON PRESIDENT BIDEN AS WELL AS
MEDIA, BUT INSTRUCTIONS TO,
QUOTE, HAMMER RAMASWAMY.
ARE YOU PREPARING TO BE
HAMMERED?
>> YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PREPARED
FOR THAT FOR A LOT OF MY LIFE.
AND I'M PREPARED TO TAKE THAT
ON.
THE TRUTH IS, I AM AN OUTSIDER
IN THIS RACE.
AND I THINK THAT IS THREATENING
A LOT OF THE PROFESSIONAL
POLITICIANS, UNDERSTANDABLY.
A GUY LIKE ME IS NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE IN THIS RACE ACCORDING TO
THEIR BOOK.
I'M APPROACHING MY DEBATE
STRATEGY A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENTLY.
I THINK, MANY TIMES, IF YOU
DON'T HAVE A MESSAGE, YOU LOOK
TO ATTACK OTHER CANDIDATES.
I'M PREFERRING TO STAND FOR MY
OWN MESSAGE, ASKING THE
QUESTION, WHAT ARE WE RUNNING
TO?
AND I THINK WERE GUIDED BY THAT
PURPOSE, THE ATTACKS FROM THE
OTHER CANDIDATES ARE NOT GONNA
STOP ME.
>> AND THE LATEST FOX POLLING
SHOWS YOU BEEN GAINING GROUND,
MORE BROWN SINCE JUNE THAN ANY
OTHER CANDIDATE.
WHY ARE YOU GAINING GROUND BALL
CANDIDATES LIKE RON DESANTIS
ARE STRUGGLING TO CATCH ON?
>> I THINK THE REALITY IS I AM
UNCONSTRAINED SPEAKING THE
TRUTH.
THERE ARE MANY FORCES AT WORK
IN BOTH POLITICAL PARTIES.
IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE
DEMOCRAT PARTY, AND THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY ALIKE.
THAT CONSTRAINS WHAT CANDIDATES
CAN ACTUALLY SAY.
A LOT OF THAT COMES FROM THE
DONOR CLASS.
IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, YOU
HAVE A LOT OF SUPER PAC PUPPETS,
I'M NOT ONE OF THEM.
I'M A PATRIOT WHO SPEAKS THE
TRUTH.
I'M INDEPENDENT.
I'M PUTTING MY OWN MONEY INTO
THIS CAMPAIGN PRECISELY TO
AVOID TAKING A TIN CAN WITH A
HAT IN HAND.
ASKING A BUNCH OF DONORS FOR
PERMISSION TO RUN.
AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY
DIFFERENT MODEL FOR MANY
PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS IN
THIS RACE.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS, VOTERS
ACROSS OUR COUNTRY, IN OUR BASE,
THEY CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SOMEBODY WHO'S ACTUALLY
SHARING THEIR OWN CONVICTIONS
VERSUS SOMEBODY WHO'S PARROTING
OF TALKING POINTS SERVED UP TO
THEM 15 MINUTES, OR 15 DAYS
BEFORE, A DEBATE.
I THINK THE REALITY IS ALSO THE
MESSAGE OF MY CAMPAIGN IS
RESONATING.
SHUT DOWN THE ADMINISTRATIVE
STATE.
DECLARE INDEPENDENCE FROM
CHINA.
GROW THE ECONOMY.
REVIVE NATIONAL PRIDE.
REVIVE OUR NATIONAL IDENTITY
ITSELF.
WE, AS CONSERVATIVES, WE CAN'T
BE COMPLACENT WITH CRITICIZING
THE RADICAL BIDEN AGENDA.
THAT'S BORING, IT'S TRITE AT A
CERTAIN POINT IN TIME.
WE HAVE TO STAND FOR A VISION
OF OUR OWN.
AND I THINK I'M THE ONLY
CANDIDATE THAT'S ACTUALLY
OFFERING THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A BIG PART OF
WHY WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT CHINA.
YOU TALKED ABOUT CHINA.
YOU PROPOSED TO RADIO HOST HUGH
HEWITT THAT THE U.S. SHOULD
HELP TAIWAN DETER A CHINESE
INVASION.
UNTIL THE U.S. HAS A CHIEF
QUOTE, SEMICONDUCTOR
INDEPENDENTS.
DOES IT SUPPORT OUR INTEREST TO
SUPPORT A COUNTRY'S TERRITORIAL
INTEGRITY AND TOLD HIM NO
LONGER USEFUL TO US?
>> I THINK THAT MOVING FROM
STRATEGIC AMBIGUITY TO
STRATEGIC CLARITY IS ACTUALLY A
GOOD THING FROM THE UNITED
STATES TO ADVANCE OUR INTERESTS
AND TO AVOID WAR, AS WELL AS TO
BE A MORE TRUSTED PARTNER.
I DON'T THINK IT'S CREDIBLE
WHERE WE MAKE HOLLOW
PROCLAMATIONS TO DEFEND
DEMOCRACY OR TO DEFEND
TERRITORIAL SOVEREIGNTY AS A
PRINCIPLE, WHEN IN FACT, WE
CHOOSE THAT PRINCIPLE
SELECTIVELY ANYWAY.
I THINK IT'S FAR MORE CREDIBLE
FOR US TO BE HONEST.
DO YOU SAY THAT I WILL, AS THE
NEXT U.S. PRESIDENT, I STAND
FOR ADVANCING AMERICAN
INTERESTS, PERIOD.
THAT ALLOWS OTHER NATIONS TO
TRUST US, JUST AS WE CAN TRUST
THEM TO FOLLOW THEIR SELF
INTEREST, THEY CAN TRUST US TO
FOLLOW HOURS.
THIS NEW --
NEW CONSIDERATE CHISHOLM --
>> ARE YOU SENDING A SIGNAL
THAT AN ALLY DEMOCRACY COULD BE
TAKEN OVER BY A POWER JUST
BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LONGER
TAKING SOMETHING THAT WE NEED?
>> LET'S GET REAL, JIM.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT
OUR CURRENT POSTURE TOWARDS
TAIWAN IS THAT THE U.S.
EMBRACES THE ONE CHINA PILE SEE
IN THE STATUS QUO.
THE STANDARD PROTOCOL IS A U.S.
PRESIDENT ISN'T EVEN SUPPOSED
TO PICK UP A PHONE CALL FROM
THE LEADER OF TAIWAN.
IN FACT, WHEN TRUMP DID IT,
THEY LAUGHED AT IT AS THOUGH HE
WAS AN OUTSIDER ROUTE.
THE REALITY IS THAT THAT LINE
OF REASONING THAT YOU'RE GONNA
CALL THEM AN ALLIED NATION TO
PUSH BACK ON MY STRATEGIC
VISION OF CLARITY, IS A FARCE
AND BETRAYS WHAT OUR POSTURE IS
IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WHAT I'LL BRING TO OUR FOREIGN
POLICY IS HONESTY THAT WILL
ADVANCE OUR INTERESTS.
I'M MOVING FOR STRATEGIC
AMBIGUITY TO BE VERY CLEAR,
THAT WE WILL DEFEND TAIWAN
UNTIL WE ACHIEVE SEMICONDUCTOR
INDEPENDENTS.
I EXPECT THAT TO HAPPEN BY THE
END OF MY FIRST TERM IN 2028.
--
NECESSARILY WILL CHANGE.
TO BE CLEAR, AFTER THAT, BY
BEING CLEAR, WHAT THAT REALLY
MEANS IS TAIWAN BETWEEN NOW AND
THEN CAN ACTUALLY SPEND WHAT IT
SHOULD BE SPENDING ON NATIONAL
DEFENSE.
TAIWAN SPENDS LESS THAN 2% OF
GDP ON ITS MILITARY.
THAT IS SHAMEFUL.
TAIWAN NEEDS TO BE SPENDING
OVER 4% OF ITS GDP.
BUT BY BEING STRATEGICALLY
CLEAR, WE GIVE TAIWAN A CHANCE
TO BUILD UP ITS OWN DEFENSE
CAPABILITIES AND CHINA WILL
ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS ABSOLUTELY
NOT IN CHINA'S INTEREST, NOT
ANY RATIONAL ACTOR IN CHINA
WOULD WANT TO MAKE THAT MOVE
OVER 2028.
IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT AM I
GONNA DO?
ACHIEVE SEMICONDUCTOR
INDEPENDENTS FOR OUR NATION,
AND ALSO BUILD UP OUR OWN
HOMELAND DEFENSE CAPABILITIES.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT'S BADLY
LACKING.
SUPER EMP DEFENSES, CYBER
DEFENSES, NUCLEAR MISSILE
DEFENSES.
BUT IF WE'RE AT THAT POINT BY
2028 ALONG WITH SEMICONDUCTOR
INDEPENDENTS, THEN NO, I DON'T
EXPECT TO WANT TO SEND MY SONS,
OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, TO
FIGHT AND DIE OVER SOMEBODY
ELSE'S TERRITORIAL DISPUTE.
I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
THIS CHINA CIVIL WAR DATING
BACK TO 1999 IS ABOUT.
THERE ARE TWO REASONS CHINA
MICHAEL AFTER TAIWAN.
ONE IS TOWARD AFTER AN ECONOMIC
GUN OVER THE UNITED STATES.
I REFUSE TO LET THAT HAPPEN.
BUT A SECOND IS SORTING OUT
BUSINESS DATING BACK TO 1949 --
THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M
GOING TO SEND OUR SONS AND
DAUGHTERS TO SETTLE.
>> AND YOU'VE ALSO SUGGESTED
THAT VLADIMIR PUTIN BE ALLOWED
TO KEEP PARTS OF UKRAINE AS
PART OF A WAY TO SOLVE THAT
CONFLICT.
WHAT IF HE WANTS PARTS OF
POLAND THEN?
WHAT IF HE WANTS MORE OF
UKRAINE NEXT?
AREN'T YOU LETTING SOMEBODY --
>> FAR FROM IT.
I THINK THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION IS SO STUBBORNLY
ATTACHED TO THE IDEA OF GETTING
JINPING TO DROP DELAMERE PUTIN.
WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO BE
DOING IS GET VLADIMIR PUTIN TO
DROP SHEEN PAYING.
JUST LIKE NEXT AND WENT TO
CHINA IN 1972, I THINK PUTIN IS
LIKE THE NUMERAL.
I WILL VISIT MOSCOW, AND I WILL
PULL RUSSIA OUT OF ITS MILITARY
ALLIANCE WITH CHINA.
THE RUSSIA CHINA MILITARY
ALLIANCE IS THE SINGLE GREATEST
MILITARY THREAT THAT WE FACE
TODAY.
HYPERSONIC MILITARY
CAPABILITIES, NUCLEAR
CAPABILITIES AND RUSSIA, FAR
AHEAD OF US OR CHINA.
AND NAVAL CAPACITY IN CHINA
AHEAD OF OURS, COMBINED WITH AN
ECONOMY THAT WE DEPEND ON FOR A
MODERN WAY OF LIFE.
THOSE TWO NATIONS ARE IN A
MILITARY ALLIANCE WITH ONE
ANOTHER, AND NOBODY IN EITHER
POLITICAL PARTY IS TALKING
ABOUT IT.
WORST OF ALL, OUR ENGAGEMENT IN
UKRAINE IS FURTHER DRIVING
RUSSIA INTO CHINA'S ARMS.
SO MY FOREIGN POLICY CENTERS ON
WEAKENING THAT ALLIANCE.
THAT IS --
>> YOU WOULD LIKE TO KNOW PARTS
OF UKRAINE?
>> SECURE PEACE.
I WOULD FREEZE THE CURRENT
LINES OF CONTROL, AND THAT
WOULD LEAVE PARTS OF THE DONBAS
REGION WITH RUSSIA.
I WOULD ALSO FURTHER MAKE A
COMMITMENT THAT NATO WILL NOT
ADMIT UKRAINE TO NATO.
BUT THERE ARE EVEN GREATER WINS
THAT I WOULD --
A TOP OF THE LIST.
OUR GOAL SHOULD NOT BE FOR
PUTIN TO LOSE.
OUR GOAL SHOULD BE FOR AMERICA
TO WIN.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN
IN THIS COUNTRY, IS THAT
DRIVING RUSSIA INTO THE GROUND
IS NOT A STRATEGIC GOAL FOR
U.S..
A U.S. STRATEGIC GOAL IS TO
SECURE PEACE AND PROSPERITY FOR
AMERICANS.
AND SO, YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK
MANY OF THOSE MILITARY YOU
RESOURCES BEING USED TO PROTECT
AGAINST INNOVATION WITH
SOMEBODY ELSE'S BORDER HAVE
ACROSS THE WORLD SHOULD BE USED
ON OUR SOUTHERN BORDER RIGHT
HERE AT HOME.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, YES, WE
NEED TO PULL RUSSIA APART FROM
CHINA, INSTEAD OF DRIVING
RUSSIA FURTHER INTO CHINA'S
HANDS.
AND I THINK WE HAVE A FOREIGN
POLICY ESTABLISHMENT, IN BOTH
PARTIES, FRANKLY, REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND DEMOCRATIC PARTY
ALIKE, THAT BEHAVES WERE STILL
IN THE COLD WAR OF THE LAST
CENTURY.
FORGETTING THAT THE USSR
DOESN'T EXIST ANYMORE AND THAT
THE REAL THREAT WE FACE TODAY
IS COMMUNIST CHINA, WHICH IS
THAT MUCH STRONGER WHEN
VLADIMIR PUTIN IS IN JUDGING
THINGS CAMP.
>> ALL RIGHT, THEN MACRON THIS
ONE MAY.
WE'LL HAVE TO LEAVE IT THERE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME.
WE APPRECIATE IT.