>> WELCOME BACK.
FORMER MARYLAND GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY ONCE DEMOCRATS TO CANCEL THE PITY PARTY OVER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND FACE THE FUTURE.
HE’S HERE TO TALK ABOUT 2018.
MAYBE 2020 AND BEYOND.
IN YOUR SPEECH SHOULD THE NEW ENGLAND CANCEL IT TALKED ABOUT THE EROSION OF TRUST THAT HAS GONE ON IN THIS COUNTRY.
HOW DOES A CANDIDATE RESTORE THIS TRUST AND AT THE SAME TIME SATISFY THIS RAVENOUS NEED ON THE DEMOCRATIC BASE TO TAKE THE FIGHT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP IN THE WAY HE HAS BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST
DEMOCRATS.
>> I TRAVELED TO 20 DIFFERENT STATES RUNNING IN SPECIAL ELECTIONS FOR STATE HOUSE AND SENATE.
ONE OF THE VERY INTERESTING THINGS THEY HAVE TOLD ME IS THEY LEARNED NEVER TO BRING UP DONALD TRUMP. THE PEOPLE ARE SICK OF TALKING ABOUT DONALD TRUMP.
THEY ARE SICK OF THE 24/7 COVERAGE OF DONALD TRUMP.
I KNOW THAT HE HAS TO BE COVERED.
HE’S THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHAT THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING FOR IS SOMEONE WHO’S GOING TO LISTEN TO THEM AND BE ON THEIR SIDE.
UNDERSTAND THAT THEIR ANXIETIES AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE ABOUT THEIR KIDS FUTURE ARE VERY REAL.
OUR CANDIDATES ARE BRINGING THE MESSAGE BACK TO THE MESSAGE OF US RATHER THAN THE MESSAGE OF DONALD TRUMP.
YOU MIGHT THINK OF HIM AS THE DARK BACKDROP AGAINST WHICH THEIR BREAD OR OF THE FUTURE CAN BE PAINTED.
THEY ARE NOT PROMISING TO MAKE THE WHOLE WORLD OF PERFECT PLACE BUT PEOPLE DO BELIEVE THEY CAN MAKE THEIR OWN STATE BETTER AND THERE’S A YEARNING AMONG THE VOTERS TO RESTORE SOME AMERICAN
EQUILIBRIUM DECENCY AND GOODNESS IN OUR PUBLIC DISCOURSE.
>> AS YOU ARE LOOKING AT THESE SPECIAL ELECTIONS ARE PEOPLE BEING DRAWN OUT BY THE PRESIDENT OR IS IT THE DEMOCRATS PULLING THEM OUT HERE AND ON TOP OF THAT DO YOU SEE THE DEMOCRATS TAKE
BACK CONGRESS?
>> DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE RECRUITMENT TOOLS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS HAD IN A LONG TIME FOR RECRUITING REALLY GOOD PEOPLE OF AND DOWN THE BALLOT.
NOT JUST FOR CONGRESS BUT FOR STATE HOUSE, STATE SENATE.
THE OTHER THING HIS PRESIDENCY HAS DONE HAS REALLY ENERGIZED OUR BASE AND CRYSTALLIZE THE OPINIONS OF THE FUTURE OF AMERICA.
THAT IS YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER 25.
I DON’T THINK YOU’LL EVER SEE THEM SIT ON THE SIDELINES WAITING FOR THE PERFECT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AGAIN.
THE MOTIVATING FACTOR I BELIEVE FOR OUR CANDIDATES -- WE ARE SEEING A SWING OF ABOUT 15 TO 20 POINTS BETTER THAN ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT.
YOU HAVE SEEN THAT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
REALLY THE MESSAGES AND ECONOMIC MESSAGE.
IT IS A KITCHEN TABLE MESSAGE.
I BELIEVE THAT WE DO HAVE A CHANCE AT WINNING BACK THE HOUSE.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A CHANCE OF WINNING BACK THE SENATE.
BUT WE HAVE TO NOT LOSE SIGHT OF IS A PAR IS THAT STATES MATTER.
THE STATES DRIVE ENERGY POLICY.
STATES DETERMINE WHETHER YOU ARE MAKING COLLEGE MORE AFFORDABLE OR MORE EXPENSIVE.
STATES DRIVE A LOT OF HEALTH CARE POLICY.
STATES ARE IMPORTANT AND WE CAN’T REALLY SAVE THE UNITED STATES UNLESS WE CAN WIN BACK MORE OF OUR STATES.
>> IF DEMOCRATS DO REGAIN LEGISLATIVE POWER ON CAPITOL HILL WHAT SHOULD THEY DO FIRST?
>> THE FIRST THING HAS TO BE ABOUT THE ECONOMY.
MAKING INVESTMENTS IN THE SKILLS OF OUR PEOPLE AND THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR COUNTRY.
NO PEOPLE EVER MADE THEIR CHILDREN WINNERS IN A CHANGING ECONOMY BY MAKING THEIR COUNTRY WEAKER OR BY PROVIDING THEIR WORKERS WITH A LOWER LEVEL OF TRAINING AND SKILLS.
THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY.
WE ARE STUMBLING BACKWARDS INTO THE THIRD INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION.
WE SHOULD BE WINNING BUT INSTEAD WE ARE CLINGING TO THE PAST ALMOST MORE FEARFUL OF THE FUTURE THAN WE ARE HOPEFUL ABOUT CAPTURING THAT CHANGE AND HARNESSING IT FOR GREATER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR OURSELVES AND OUR KIDS.
>> YOU TRIED VERY HARD IN 2015 AND 16 TO MAKE THE CONVERSATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC RIEMER HE THAT WHAT ABOUT GUNS?
YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE JOHN PAUL STEVENS SAYING REPEAL THE SECOND AMENDMENT.
IS THAT WERE THIS DEBATE IS EVENTUALLY HEADED?
>> THE JUSTICE IS FREE TO HAVE HIS OWN OPINIONS.
IN MY OWN STATE WE FOUND A WAY TO PUT TOGETHER THE CONSENSUS HERE AND IT WASN’T EASY BUT WE PUT TOGETHER THE CONSENSUS TO PASS A BILL THAT ACTUALLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT
AND THE SUPREME COURT SAID THIS DOESN’T KNOW VIOLATION TO THE SECOND AMENDMENT AND IT IS IN FACT LEGAL TO BAN THE SALE OF COMBAT ASSAULT WEAPONS.
IT IS IN FACT LEGAL TO REQUIRE TRAINING AND LICENSING IN ORDER TO PURCHASE A GUN AND IT IS LEGAL TO BAN THE SALE OF MAGAZINES WITH MORE THAN 10 ROUNDS.
WE DID ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND WE DID NOT TAKE AWAY A SINGLE HUNTERS HUNTING PRIVILEGES.
RATHER THAN VILIFYING HUNTERS WE SAID THIS BILL IS ABOUT COMBAT ASSAULT WEAPONS.
WE NEED YOU TO MAINTAIN YOUR HUNTING TRADITIONS.
ALL OF US AGREE THAT THE LOSS AND YOUNG LIVES IN OUR COUNTRY IN SCHOOL SETTINGS AND OTHER SETTINGS IS APPALLING.
NO OTHER DEVELOPED NATION ON THE PLANET ALLOWS ITS WOULD BE MASS MURDERERS TO BE SO HEAVILY ARMED SO READILY AND SO EASILY IN OUR COUNTRY AND WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.
I THINK OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WILL MOTIVATE US TO DO BETTER.
THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES, I WAS THERE WITH MY SON.
THERE WAS A LOT OF DECENCY AND GOODNESS.
A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY BEING VOICED BY THOSE KIDS.
>> DO YOU THINK THOSE TEENS ARE IMMUNE FROM CRITICISM?
>> APPARENTLY NOT.
THEY SEEM TO BE WELL-EQUIPPED TO PUNCH BACK.
I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IN THE WAKE OF DONALD TRUMP SELECTION A VERY ACTIVE COHORT OF YOUNG AMERICANS GETTING INVOLVED IN POLITICS THAT PERHAPS WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED BEFORE.
I THINK IT’S GOOD FRANKLY.
I HAVE A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY.
I ASKED HIM ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS A LOT AND HE SAID, OF COURSE.
WHENEVER THIS HAPPENS WE THINK ABOUT IT.
THAT’S NO WAY FOR OUR KIDS TO GROW UP.
WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP AS OF TUESDAY WAS TALKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SENDING THE U.S.
MILITARY TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER TO SECURE THE BORDER.
WE HAD JEFF FLAKE ON A FEW WEEKS BACK AND HE WAS SAYING REPUBLICANS HAVE A PHRASE.
THERE’S TUESDAY TRUMP, THURSDAY TRUMP.
YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT HE’S GOING TO SAY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS NOTION OF SENDING THE MILITARY TO SECURE THE SUDDEN BORDER?
>> ONE WONDERS EXACTLY WHAT HE’S TRYING TO SECURE IT FROM.
LAST YEAR MORE PEOPLE LEFT THE UNITED STATES FOR MEXICO THAN LEFT MEXICO FOR THE UNITED STATES.
A BETTER USE OF OUR COUNTRIES MIGHT AND POWER WOULD BE TO PARTNER WITH FAILING STATES IN MANY CASES IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND EL SALVADOR AND QUITE A MALL.
70% -- THEY SAID MARTIN PROBABLY 70% OF OUR BUSINESS OWNERS PAY MORE IN EXTORTION MONEY TO DRUG GANGS THAN THEY DO IN TAXES TO OUR OWN COUNTRY.
IT’S THE LAWLESSNESS THAT CAUSED THE REFUG SPIKE THAT WE SAW A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
MOSTLY YOUNG PEOPLE.
WE DON’T REALLY HAVE PEOPLE POURING OVER THE BORDERS IN MEXICO.
I’M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT HE’S LOOKING TO DO EXCEPT TO DISTRACT AND CREATE SCAPEGOATS AND FALSE ENEMIES.
>> YOU ARE FOCUSED ON 2018.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TURN THE PAGE ON THAT MONTH AND WE ARE LOOKING AT 2020?
DO YOU SEE YOURSELF RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT?
>> I AM KEEPING AN OPEN HEART AND AN OPEN MIN TO RUNNING AGAIN.
RIGHT NOW I’M PUTTING MY SHOULDER INTO HELPING OTHERS.
I BELIEVE THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE THE UNITED STATES IS FOR US TO WIN BACK OUR STATES.
WE NEED TO SAVE OUR DEMOCRACY.
WHAT WE’VE DONE IN TERMS OF PARTISAN REDISTRICTING, GERRYMANDERING, THE INFLUENCE OF BIG MONEY IN CAMPAIGNS.
IT’S NO WONDER A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THEIR VOTE DOESN’T MATTER.
WE NEED TO MAKE YOUR DECISION SO OUR KIDS CAN BE WINNERS IN THIS CHANGING ECONOMY.
I WILL MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER I RUN AGAIN.
HAVING DONE IT ONCE I THINK I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT TAKES THAN MOST PEOPLE.
I THINK YOU WILL SEE THE PARTY FIELDING A PRETTY LARGE FIELD AND I THINK THE PUBLIC IS LOOKING FOR A NEW LEADER WHO CAN BRING US TOGETHE AND HAVE US FACE A FAST-CHANGING ECONOMIC
FUTURE AND MAKE IT BETTER FOR OUR KIDS.
>> GOVERNOR MA