HE IS TRYING TO MAKE IT EASIER
TO FEND OFF A PROGRESSIVE
CHALLENGER.
>> Dana: LET’S BRING IN REINCE
PRIEBUS
PRIEBUS.
YOU DEALT WITH THIS.
YOU HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT A LOT.
WHAT IS YOUR TOP LINE?
>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT
IN -- THROUGH THE LENSES OF THE
DEMOCRAT CANDIDATES LIKE WE DO
ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE.
IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THAT LENS
WHO DOES IT HELP AND WHO DOES IT
HURT?
IT HURTS PETE BUTTIGIEG, GAVIN
NEWSOM AND BERNIE SANDERS AND IT
HELPS JOE BIDEN.
IT HURTS WHITE LIBERAL FORTIES
AND IT HELPS DIVERSE
CONSERVATIVE VOTERS IN THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
NUMBER ONE IT TELLS ME JOE BIDEN
IS RUNNING.
I WILL TELL YOU WHY.
I’VE BEEN ON THE OTHER END ON
THE REPUBLICAN SIDE IN TRYING TO
REWRITTEN THESE RULES TWICE.
IT IS A HUGE EFFORT TO NOT JUST
GET THE RULES COMMITTEE ON
BOARD, THE FIRST STEP.
THEY NEED TO GET THE ENTIRE DNC
ON BOARD TO PASS THIS REMOVE.
THEY WOULD NOT BE DOING THIS --
JOE BIDEN WOULD NOT BE DOING
THIS UNLESS HE WAS RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT.
AND SO TO ME, THAT IS EXACTLY
WHAT THIS IS.
IT’S A PURE POLITICAL SHELL
GAME.
WE PLAYED ON OUR SIDE OF THE
AISLE EVERY FOUR YEARS BUT THIS
TIME JOE BIDEN WON THIS BATTLE
AND HE IS GOING TO DO IT THROUGH
SHEER FORCE.
>> Dana: I WAS THINKING ABOUT
SOUTH CAROLINA BECAUSE NOW THAT
SOUTH CAROLINA WOULD BE THIRD.
IN THE PAST SOUTH CAROLINA HAS
BEEN THE DECIDER, RIGHT?
THAT’S WHERE EVERYBODY RACES TO
SOUTH CAROLINA.
YOU THINK ABOUT GEORGE W. BUSH
WHEN HE WON HIS WAY TO THE
NOMINATION.
BIDEN LAST TIME AROUND WHERE HE
SEALED THE DEAL.
THEY REJECTED BERNIE SANDERS AND
THE OTHER TYPES YOU MENTIONED.
SO IS THERE BENEFIT TO BEING
FIRST IF YOU ARE SOUTH CAROLINA?
OR WOULD YOU PREFER TO BE THE
DECIDER?
>> WELL, I MEAN, I’M SURE THE
FOLKS IN SOUTH CAROLINA LIKE IT.
OBVIOUSLY IT PUTS THEM IN A
GREATER POSITION.
MAYBE THEY’LL STILL BE THE
DECIDER EVEN IF THEY’RE FIRST.
THE BIGGER QUESTION FROM MY
STANDPOINT WOULD BE WHAT DOES
IOWA DO?
UNDER STATE LAW THEY HAVE TO BE
FIRST.
NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS TO BE FIRST.
YET ON THE CALENDAR SO EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS, THE FIRST PRIMARY
GENERALLY CANNOT BE HELD IN A
YEAR OTHER THAN THE YEAR OF THE
NATIONAL CONVENTION, WHICH PUTS
IT AT 2024, WHICH MEANS IOWA
WILL HAVE A HARD TIME BECAUSE
THEY WOULD HAVE TO JUMP INTO A
DATE WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BRING
THEM PENALTIES FOR DELEGATES.
SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, THE
ELECTION FOR THE -- THE NOMINEE
FOR THESE PARTIES, THESE ARE
PRIVATE POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS
AND DELEGATES, MEMBERS OF THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS, CHOOSE THE
NOMINEES.
THEY ARE NOT CHOSEN BY THE
PRIMARY VOTERS.
EVERYONE THINKS THAT’S WHAT
HAPPENS.
NO, PRIMARY VOTERS VOTE AND
CAUCUSES OR ELECTIONS AND THOSE
DELEGATES GO TO CONVENTIONS AND
GENERALLY VOTE TO REFLECT THE
OUTCOME OF THAT ELECTION.
SO THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE
THAT INVOLVES SECRETARY OF
STATE, GOVERNORS, A LOT OF
PEOPLE IN GRASSROOTS IN THE
STATES.
>> Dana: THANK YOU.
HOLD MY HAND THROUGH ALL OF
THIS.
A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS AS WE GO
THROUGH.
VERY INTERESTING.
>> Bill: GREAT GUEST ON ALL THAT
STUFF.
WE’LL GO EVERY WHERE, I GUESS.
BEFORE THIS IS SETTLED YOU KNOW
THAT IOWA AND NEW HAMPSHIRE
STILL HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT
IT.
>> Dana: YES, WHAT REINCE IS
SAYING IN THEIR LAWS ON THE
BOOKS THAT THEY HAVE TO BE
FIRST.
SO THEN IF YOU WERE HOPING THAT
AMERICAN ELECTION CYCLES WOULD
SHRINK, THAT’S NOT HAPPENING IN