OF COURSE, ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, DONALD TRUMP IS HEAVILY
FAVORED TO WIN TONIGHT'S PRIMARY.
NEW YORK IS HIS HOME TOWN, AND HE'S BEEN MARRIED TO MANY OF
ITS VOTERS.
( LAUGHTER ) BUT TRUMP'S VICTORY MAY NOT BE
ENOUGH TO AVOID A CONTESTED CONVENTION.
THAT IS WHERE NO CANDIDATE HAS NO MAJORITY OF DELEGATES,
FREEING UP THOSE DELEGATES TO VOTE FOR ANYONE THEY THINK WOULD
BE MOST APPEALING TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.
SO THE NEXT G.O.P. PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE COULD BE A "GILMORE
GIRLS" REBOOT.
BUT THE HOT NAME ON A LOT OF REPUBLICAN LIPS RIGHT NOW IS
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, PAUL RYAN.
THEY BELIEVE-- ONE PERSON CLAPPING, YES.
THEY BELIEVE HE WOULD BE A BETTER ALTERNATIVE TO TRUMP AND
CRUZ, MORE LIKELY TO ATTRACT MODERATE.
VOTERS AND LESS LIKELY TO HAUNT YOUR ROBITUSSIN-INDUCED
NIGHTMARES.
( APPLAUSE ) GOOD, HANDSOME MAN.
HE'S A HANDSOME MAN.
BUT RYAN KEEPS INSISTING HE WILL NOT RUN.
>> SO LET ME BE CLEAR.
I DO NOT WANT, NOR WILL I ACCEPT THE NOMINATION FOR OUR PARTY.
COUNT ME OUT.
I SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED, PERIOD, END OF STORY.
>> Stephen: OKAY, END OF STORY, FOR MORE ON THE STORY, LET'S GO
LIVE VIA SATELLITE TO "LATE SHOW" SPEAKER PAUL RYAN EXPERT,
SPEAKER PAUL RYAN.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) SPEAKER RYAN, THANKS SO MUCH FOR
JOINING ME.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, STEPHEN.
GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
>> Stephen: I'M I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THIS IS YOUR FIRST
APPEARANCE ON A LATE NIGHT SHOW.
>> IT IS.
>> Stephen: I'M HONORED.
THAT'S WHAT WE CALL IN OUR BUSINESS EXCLUSIVELY.
>> HAPPY TO PROVIDE ONE.
>> Stephen: FAIR WARNING, WE CALL EVERYTHING AN EXCLUSIVE,
THOUGH.
THERE HAS BEEN MUCH SPECULATION AS TO WHETHER YOU WOULD ACCEPT
THE NOMINATION A CONTESTED REPUBLICAN CONVENTION.
YOU HAVE SAID NO, AND I ACCEPT THAT.
WHAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT TODAY IS YOUR AGENDA FOR HOUSE
REPUBLICANS IN 2016.
HOW DOES YOUR MESSAGE DIFFER AS THE SPEAKER FROM WHAT WE'RE
HEARING FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES?
>> WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE BUILDING HERE IN THE HOUSE
REPUBLICANS IS WE'RE OFFERING AN AGENDA TO THE COUNTRY FOR HOW WE
FIX OUR COUNTRY'S BIG PROBLEMS.
71% OF AMERICANS DON'T LIKE THE DIRECTION THE COUNTRY IS HEADED.
WE THINK WE OWE OUR FELLOW CITIZENS A BETTER WAY FORWARD,
SO WE'RE GOING TO TACKLE THE ISSUES-- ECONOMIC GROWTH,
PATIENT-CENTERED HEALTH CARE, HOW DO YOU MOVE PEOPLE FROM
WELFARE TO WORK, HOW DO YOU SECURE NATIONAL SECURITY,
RESTORE SELF-GOVERNMENT?
WE WANT TO GIVE THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY A VERY COHERENT
CHOICE BY DPIFG THEM AN AGENDA THAT GETS THIS COUNTRY BACK ON
TRACK, AND WE WANT TO TAKE THIS AGENDA TO THE COUNTRY TO ASK FOR
A MANDATE TO PUT THESE THINGS IN PLACE IN 2017.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON HERE.
WE WANT TO HAVE AN IDEAS CAMPAIGN, NOT A PERSONALITY
CONTEST.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE THINK HERE IN THE HOUSE WE CAN COAND PROVIDE
TO OUR FELLOW CITIZENS.
>> Stephen: THAT'S A POWERFUL MESSAGE, A MESSAGE THAT THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL CERTAINLY RESPOND TO IF IT COMES FROM THE
MOUTH OF THE FUTURE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE.
YES OR NO-- WOULD YOU ACCEPT THE NOMINATION?
>> NO, STEPHEN, I HAVE SAID I DO NOT WANT, NOR WOULD I ACCEPT,
THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION.
>> Stephen: GOT IT.
SO YOU'RE CONSIDERING THE NOMINATION.
( LAUGHTER ).
>> NO, NO I'M NOT.
>> Stephen: ANOTHER I'LL GIVE YOU SOME TIME TO MULL THIS ONE
OVER?
( LAUGHTER ) HOW ABOUT NOW?
>> STILL NO.
>> Stephen: SO THAT'S A MAYBE?
>> NO, IT'S A NO.
>> Stephen: LIKE A NO-NO?
OR ONE OF THOSE NO, I DON'T WANT TO BE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BUT
I'LL ACCEPT IT IF YOU JUST GIVE IT TO ME NOS.
>> IT'S A NO-NO.
>> Stephen: AND TWO NO-NOS MAKE A YES?
>> NO, THEY MAKE A FIRMER NO.
PERIOD.
>> Stephen: OKAY PERIOD.
BUT IF I ADD TWO MORE PERIODS, IT BECOMES AN ELLIPSES, SO
POSSIBLY?
>> SO, NO.
LET ME SAY IT IN CLEAR ENGLISH.
NO.
>> Stephen: OKAY, HOW ABOUT CLEAR GERMAN?
>> NEIN.
>> Stephen: CLEAR RUSSIAN.
>> NYET.
>> Stephen: WOW, YOU SEEM TO KNOW A LOT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES.
THAT KIND OF INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE WILL REALLY COME IN
HANDY IF YOU DECIDE TO ACCEPT THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION, SIR.
>> STEPHEN.
>> HAVE SAID THIS REPEATEDLY.
THE NOMINATION SHOULD GO TO SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY CAMPAIGNED
FOR IT.
FOR ME, THAT DOOR IS CLOSED.
>> Stephen: GOT IT.
BUT IS THE DOOR LOCKED?
( LAUGHTER ) >> IT IS BOLTED SHUT.
>> Stephen: I SEE.
IS THERE A KEY UNDER THE MAT, BY ANY CHANCE?
( LAUGHTER ).
>> NO, THERE'S NOT.
AND OBSERVER YOU ASK, THERE ISN'T ONE OF THOSE LITTLE
WINDOWS ON THE DOOR YOU CAN PUNCH THROUGH AND TURN THE
HANDLE LIKE A BURGLAR IN THOSE HOME SECURITY ADS.
>> Stephen: GOT IT.
OKAY, I APOLOGIZE.
MAYBE "DOOR" WAS A BAD METAPHOR?
HAS THE SHIP SAILED?
>> YES, IT HAS SAILED.
>> Stephen: AND WAS THAT SHIP THE SS"YES "ON THE WAY TO
NOMINATION HARBOR?
>> NO IT WAS THE H.M.S. "NOT GONNA HAPPEN TO A ONE-WAY VOYAGE
TO HOW COULD I BE ANY CLEARER IN?
>> Stephen: WELL, SIR, IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO BE CLEARER, I
DON'T.
I KNOW IT'S A BIG DECISION UPON YOU SHOULD PROBABLY PRAY ON IT
AND TALK ABOUT IT WITH YOUR FAMILY.
IN THE MEANTIME, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND I HOPE TO HAVE
YOU BACK ON THE SHOW SOON.
>> PUT ME DOWN FOR A STRONG MAYBE ON THAT.
>> Stephen: PAUL RYAN, EVERYBODY, THE REPUBLICAN NOP
ME.
( APPLAUSE ) ♪ ♪ ♪