>>THIS MORNING AN ANSWER CERTAIN TO ECHO AROUND DONALD TRUMP'S ORBIT
VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE.
NOSAYING YES BUT NOT SAYING NO TO ANSWERING JANUARY 6th
COMMITTEE QUESTIONS. >> IF THEY WERE TO CALL YOU TO
THE COMMITTEE, TO COME AND TESTIFY, WOULD YOU BE AGREEABLE?
>> I WOULD -- IF THERE WAS AN INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE, I
WOULD CONSIDER IT. YOU'VE HEARD ME MENTION THE
CONSTITUTION A FEW TIMES THIS MORNING.
IN THE CONSTITUTION WE HAVE THREE CO-EQUAL BRANCHS.
ANY INVITATION BEING DIRECTED TO ME, I WOULD HAVE TO REFLECT ON
THE UNIQUE ROLE I'M SERVING IN AS VICE PRESIDENT.
IT WOULD BE UNPRECEDENTED IN HISTORY TO BE SUMMONED TO
TESTIFY ON CAPITOL HILL, AS I SAID, I DON'T WANT TO PREJUDGE.
IF EVER ANY FORMAL INVITATION RENDERED TO US, WE WOULD DUE
CONSIDERATION. >> IS THAT A NEWLY COOPERATIVE
SURE? OR IS IT I'M BEING POLITE BUT
YOU GOT MY CHIEF OF STAFF, MY CHIEF COUNSEL, WE'RE GHEERD?
>> YES. THAT'S A VERY LONG, VERY CAREFUL
WAY TO SAY "NO THANKS." >> NO THANKS.
>> THE WHOLE END OF HIS ANSWER ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION, UMM,
WE'RE TOLD IT IS -- AH, THE PART OF THAT ANSWER TO LOOK AND
LISTEN TO. THERE IS NO CHANGE IN HIS
STANCE. HE DOES NOT FEEL THE NEED TO
TESTIFY AT THIS TIME, ACCORDING TO SOMEBODY CLOSE TO HIM.
>> AND CLASSIC MIKE PENCE, BY THE WAY.
A LOT OF WORDS BUT YOU ACTUALLY SAY NOTHING.
IT'S A CLASSIC TECHNIQUE HE USES.
>> YEAH. AND, YOU KNOW, HE SAID, SURE,
I'LL CONSIDER IT. THE BUT PART WAS LONGER THAN,
YOU KNOW, THE IDEA HE WOULD CONSIDER IT.
>> BUT THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT WORDS, ESPECIALLY AT THIS MOMENT
WHEN YOU HAVE THREATS AGAINST FBI AGENTS, THREATS AGAINST THE
FEDERAL JUDGE WHO SIGNED OFF ON THE SEARCH WARRANT AT
MAR-A-LAGO, YOU HAVE TRUMP SUPPORTERS TALKING ABOUT WAR,
YOU HAVE MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE IN FCONGRESS SAYING DEFUND THE
FBI. YOU HAD AN ATTACK IN CINCINNATI.
A MAN ARRESTED IN PENNSYLVANIA FOR THREATS ON THE FBI.
MIKE PENCE SAID EVERYBODY CALM DOWN AND WATCH YOUR WORDS.
>> I WANT TO REMIND MY FELLOW REPUBLICANS, WE CAN HOLD THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE DECISION HE MADE WITHOUT
ATTACKING RANK AND FILE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL AT THE
FBI. THESE ATTACKS ON THE FBI MUST
STOP. CALLS TO DEFUND THE FBI ARE JUST
AS WRONG AS CALLS TO DEFUND THE POLICE.
>> THOSE ARE IMPORTANT WORDS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE MOMENT AND
THE THREAT AGAINST HARD WORKING, HONEST PEOPLE.
WILL REPUBLICANS HEED THEM? >> MAYBE OR MAYBE NOT.
THE FACT HE PLANTED THAT FLAG INTENTIONALLY IN A SPEECH IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE WHERE IT IS A PLACE WHERE HE MIGHT BE VISITING A LOT
MORE, IF HE DECIDES TO RUN AND POTENTIALLY CHALLENGE HIS FORMER
BOSS. HE'S TAKIE STAKING OUT A PLACE
WHERE YOU TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK ABOUT THE NONTRUMP
REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE PARTY HAS BEEN AND SHOULD BE, IF THEY'RE
STICKING TO THEIR IDEALS AND THEIR FLPHILOSOPHY ABOUT LAW
ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING.
HE WAS SEPARATING HIMSELF FROM DPLUMP -- DONALD TRUMP IN A
DELIBERATE WAY. >> AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE HE
DIDN'T SEPARATE HIMSELF FROM THE TRUMP SUPPORTERS WHO ARE WERE
OUTRAGED ABOUT THE SEARCH. THAT WAS THE LINE ABOUT MERRICK
GARLAND AND SAYING YOU CAN HOLD THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
ACCOUNTABLE. YOU CAN DEMAND FULL
TRANSPARENCY. I'M WITH YOU.
BUT NOT WHEN YOU GO SO FAR RIGHT TO THREATEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
LITERALLY ENDANGER PEOPLE. THERE'S BEEN VIOLENCE FROM THIS
KIND OF RHETORIC. HE'S HAVING NONE OF THAT AND
TRYING TO STEER THE PARTY BACK. SO WE'LL SEE IF IT'S AN
IMPOSSIBLE TASK OR POSSIBLE TASK.
HIS TASK HERE IS TO TRY TO BRIDGE THE DIVIDE AND TRY TO BE
A LITTLE SOMETHING. >> YEAH.
IF IN SO MANY WAYS, HE'S LIKE WALKING A TIGHT ROPE IN HIGH
HEELS. I MEAN, THIS IS JUST A
PRECARIOUS AND NUANCED POSITION HE IS TRYING TO STAKE OUT
AGAINST SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, AGAINST THE BASE OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY THAT ISN'T ABOUT NUANCE.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT THE EXTREMES.
IT'S ABOUT PASSION. IT'S ABOUT EMOTION.
THERE YOU HAVE MIKE PENCE TRYING TO SOUND RATIONAL AND TRYING TO
SOUND LIKE A STATESMAN. >> REMEMBER, HE SERVED IN THE
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE. THERE WAS STORIES IN RECENT DAYS
ABOUT HOW METICULOUS TEAM PENCE WAS IN COLLECTING DOCUMENTS,
LABELLING DOCUMENTS, MAKING SURE THE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS GOT
BACK TO THE RIGHT PLACES. IS THERE A SWEET SPOT?
A MIDDLE GROUND FOR MIKE PENCE? THIS IS HIS TAKE, AGAIN.
MERRICK GARLAND, WE WANT ANSWERS.
LISTEN TO HOW CAREFUL THIS IS. >> CALL ON ATTORNEY GENERAL
GARLAND TO GIVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE A FULL ACCOUNTING OF THE
REASONS WHY THIS ACTION WAS NECESSARY.
WE NEVER BEFORE IN AMERICAN HISTORY -- AS A FORMER PRESIDENT
BEEN SUBJECT TO A SEARCH WARRANT.
>> HE'S RIGHT ON THE LAST PART. IT'S UNPRECEDENTED.
HE CALLED FOR A FULL ACCOUNTING. HE DIDN'T SAY IT'S A
WEAPONIZATION OF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.
HE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE GETS STAFF POE LIKE MANY OTHERS.
>> HE'S TRYING TO BE RESPONSIBLE.
AS I WAS LISTENING, I WAS THINKING ABOUT ONE KEY CHALLENGE
HE HAS THAT NO OTHER POTENTIAL 2024 CANDIDATE HAS, WHICH IS
THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT ONLY THERE ON JANUARY 6th, BUT
ACTUALLY BELIEVE WHAT DONALD TRUMP SAYS, THINK HE'S
RESPONSIBLE FOR DONALD TRUMP LOSING.
HE'S SINGULARLY RESPONSIBLE FOR DONALD TRUMP NOT BEING ABLE TO
GET BACK INTO THE WHITE HOUSE. THAT'S A BIG CHALLENGE THAT HE
HAS. >> YEAH.
IT'S TOTALLY MISLEADING. IT'S NOT TRUE.
THERE'S NO FACTUAL BASIS. IT'S A PERCEPTION THAT THE
FORMER PRESIDENT IS STILL -- >> RIGHT.
HE'S ON THE BATTLE FIELD FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE THAN LIZ CHENEY.
NEEDS TO CHANGE A LOT OF MINDS TO GET ANY TRACTION.
>> RIGHT. IN LOOKING AT MIKE PENCE, HE'S
SUCH A POLITICIAN, RIGHT. HE'S AN OLD-SCHOOL POLITICIAN.
REMINDING YOU OF REAGAN IN HIS MANNERISMS AND THE WAY HE TALKS.
IN SO MANY WAYS, POLITICS IS SORT OF BEYOND THAT APPROACH TO
BEING A POLITICAL FIGURE. BUT, LISTEN, HE'S GOING GIVE IT
A WHIRL. HE OWES MUCH OF HIS STANDING TO
DONALD TRUMP. AT THE SAME TIME, HE'S GOT TO
TRY TO SEPARATE HIM. IT'S A TALL ORDER.
>> HE WAS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. HE HEADS TO IOWA IN THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS TO BE AT THE STATE FAIR.
OBVIOUSLY WE'LL SEE A LOT MORE FROM MIKE PENCE.
>> YEAH. HE'S KEEPING HIS OPTIONS OPEN.
>> RENATO, I WANT TO TURN TO JANUARY 6th AND THE
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION TODAY.
WE JUST HEARD FROM FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE.
HE SAID HE WOULD CONSIDER TESTIFYING IN NT FFRONT OF THE
JANUARY 6th COMMITTEE. TODAY AFTER EIGHT HEARINGS I
BELIEVE DO YOU BELIEVE HE WOULD BE THEIR BIGGEST STAR WITNESS IF
HE DID AGREE TO TESTIFY? >> I THINK THERE'S NO QUESTION.
THERE'S A REALLY LARGE WEIGHT THAT COMES WITH THE OFFICE THAT
HE HELD AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND LET'S
FACE IT. HE WAS ELECTED AS PART OF THE
TICKET WITH DONALD TRUMP. HIS NAME WAS ON THE POSTER AND
ON THE BUMPER STICKERS WITH DONALD TRUMP, TRUMP/PENCE.
THERE'S NO QUESTION IT WOULD BE A BIG MOMENT AND HIS TESTIMONY
COULD BE POTENTIALLY QUITE IMPORTANT.
I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SOME IMPLICATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
DRAWN REGARDING WHETHER HIS LIFE WAS THREATENED, IF HE FELT
THREATENED, AND WHAT HIS CONVERSATIONS WERE WITH THE
FORMER PRESIDENT. IN OTHER WORDS, AS PRESIDENT
TRUMP WAS TALKING TO HIM ABOUT POTENTIALLY, YOU KNOW, CASTING
ASIDE ELECTORS OR TRYING TO SEND THE ELECTION BACK TO THE STATES,
WHAT EXACTLY DID THE PRESIDENT SAY?
HOW DID HE TRY TO PRESSURE MIKE PENCE TO ENGAGE IN UNLAWFUL
ACTIONS. I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT
EVIDENCE AND IT WOULD BE MUST-SEE TV AND POTENTIALLY VERY
LEGALLY IMPORTANT. >> WE'RE A LONG WAY FROM HIM
ACTUALLY DOING IT BUT SAYING HE'S CONSIDERING IT IS NOTABLE.
WE ALSO HEARD PENCE TODAY CRITICIZING REPUBLICANS FOR
ATTACKING FBI AGENTS, AND THOSE CALLS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM SOME
TO DEFUND THE FBI. HE COMPARED IT TO THE CALLS BY
DEMOCRATS TO DEFUND THE POLICE. I'M SURE THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO
SOME OF YOUR FORMER COLLEAGUES IN THE PAST WEEK.
HAS THE BUREAU BEEN RATTLED BY WHAT WE'RE HEARING, WHAT WE'RE
BEING TOLD ARE UNPRECEDENTED THREATS?
>> THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF THREATS AGAINST
THE BUREAU AND AGAINST BUREAU PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY, SPEAKING OF
COURSE OF THE CASE AGENTS INVOLVED IN THE SEARCH AT
MAR-A-LAGO LAST WEEK, THOSE THINGS AFFECT BUREAU PEOPLE
DEEPLY, AS WELL THEY SHOULD AND NOT JUST THE EMPLOYEES BUT THEIR
FAMILIES AS WELL. THIS IS A VERY TOUGH TIME TO BE
DOING YOUR JOB AS YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO, BUT HAPPEN TO BE
INVOLVED IN CASES THAT ARE HIGH-PROFILE AND PROVOKING THESE
SORT OF ATTACKS. I WILL SAY THAT VICE PRESIDENT
PENCE HAS DONE EXACTLY WHAT MOST POLITICAL LEADERS SHOULD BE
DOING TODAY. HE STEPPED FORWARD AND LAID DOWN
A VERY REASONABLE AND OBVIOUS DEFENSE OF THE FBI, AND TRIED TO
GET PEOPLE TO START THINKING THE OTHER WAY, THAT IS BACKING AWAY
FROM THESE CLAIMS OF VIOLENCE AND CIVIL WAR AND EVERYTHING
ELSE AND TO START BEHAVING A LITTLE MORE REASONABLY AND I
APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT HE MADE THOSE REMARKS.