>>> WE INTEND TO WORK ACROSS
PARTY LINES.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES, THE
CRISES THAT ARE FRONT AND CENTER
IN OUR NATION DON’T SEE PARTY
LINES.
AND IF WE ARE TRULY LEADERS EACH
OF US IN THESE POSITIONS, WE’VE
GOT TO FIND A WAY TO WORK
TOGETHER.
>> NEW REPORTING FROM "THE
WASHINGTON POST" TODAY SAYS
TRUMP IS LEAVING BEHIND A MESS
AND UNDERMINING JOE BIDEN AS HE
PREPARES TO TAKE OFFICE.
"THE POST" PUTS IT THIS WAY.
IN HIS FINAL WEEKS IN OFFICE
TRUMP IS MAKING A SERIES OF
MOVES AIMED AT CEMENTING HIS
LEGACY AND HANDICAPPING BIDEN’S
PRESIDENCY.
FROM ABRUPTLY PULLING TROOPS
FROM WAR ZONES TO CRACKING DOWN
ON IRAN TO ENCOURAGING THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO
INVESTIGATE HIS POLITICAL
ENEMIES.
BACK WITH US AGAIN TONIGHT
SAM STEIN, VETERAN JOURNALIST,
POLITICS EDITOR OVER AT THE
DAILY BEAST.
AND RICK WILSON, LONG TIME
REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST WHO’S
SINCE LEFT THE PARTY, ALSO
AUTHOR AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE
LINCOLN PROJECT AGAINST TRUMP
AND TRUMPISM.
RICK, I’D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH
YOU.
WHAT KIND OF BURDEN DOES THIS
PUT ON BIDEN?
HOW REAL DAMAGE IS GOING ON
RIGHT NOW?
AND IS IT JUST A MATTER OF RON
KLAIN KEEPING A LIST OF WHICH
WILDLIFE AREAS TO SHUT BACK DOWN
TO DRILLING AND EXPLORATION IN
THE WEST, WHICH COMMITTEES TO
GET CORY LEWANDOWSKI OFF OF, ET
CETERA?
>> YEAH, I THINK A LOT OF THIS
IS ADMINISTERIAL FUNCTION YOU
COULD ADDRESS A LOT OF IT IN A
FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD WAY.
BUT THERE WILL BE THINGS THEY
LEAVE BEHIND, THE DAMAGE THEY
WILL HAVE DONE THAT WILL LEAD TO
THESE KNOCK ON LITIGATION AGAINST VARIOUS THINGS -- LIKE
AGAINST VARIOUS THINGS -- LIKE
SOME OF THE WILDLIFE AREAS, FOR
INSTANCE.
SO SOME OF IT’S ADMINISTERIAL,
BUT IT’S ALL MALICIOUS.
AND IT’S ALL GOING TO HAVE AS I
SAID A SORT OF KNOCK-ON EFFECT
THAT WILL NOT BE PRETTY.
>> SAM, FOR THE FOLKS WATCHING
WHO INTELLECTUALLY KNOW BETTER
BUT WANT THEIR FEARS DOUSED, CAN
YOU GUARANTEE EVERYONE WATCHING
THAT JANUARY 6th WILL COME AND
GO WITH ONLY THE CERTIFICATION
OF THE RESULT OF THE ELECTORS,
AND JANUARY 20th WILL COME AND
GO AND WE WILL WITNESS JOE BIDEN
ONE HAND IN THE AIR, THE OTHER
ON A BIBLE QUICKLY MOVING ONTO
MOVE INTO THE WHITE HOUSE?
>> YOU CAN’T GUARANTEE ANYTHING,
BUT I THINK IT’S ALMOST ASSURED
THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE HOUSE IS
RUN BY DEMOCRATS.
JUST TONIGHT YOU HAVE SENATE
REPUBLICANS INCLUDING THE NUMBER
TWO SENATE REPUBLICAN SAYING
THIS HAS NO CHANCE IN THEIR
CHAMBER, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN
THIS IS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE OR
THAT IT’S NOT SCARY.
CERTAINLY THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF
THIS THAT WILL HAVE PROFOUND
LINGERING IMPACTS ON OUR
DEMOCRACY FOR GENERATIONS TO
COME.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT IF
YOU’RE A SENATE REPUBLICAN WHY
WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO EVEN HAVE
TO TAKE THIS VOTE IN THE FIRST
PLACE?
I MEAN, YOU’RE BEING ASKED TO
CHOOSE ESSENTIALLY WHETHER TO
CROSS DONALD TRUMP OR SUPPORT
HIS EFFORTS AT BASICALLY
OVERTURNING THE DEMOCRATIC
ELECTIONS IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND IT’S NOT REALLY A PLACE
WHERE YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF A
GOOD IN BETWEEN ROUTE.
IT’S EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER.
SO THERE’S GREAT DAMAGE THAT
WILL BE INFLICTED I THINK
REPUTATIONALLY BUT ALSO TO THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY IF IT DOES GET
ITS HEARING JANUARY 6th.
BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK WE’LL END