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>> Chris: WE ARE NOW LESS THAN
A YEAR AWAY FROM THE IOWA
CAUCUSES IN THE FIELD OF
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES LOOKING TO
MAKE DONALD TRUMP A ONE TERM
PRESIDENT IS TAKING SHAPE.
WE HOPE TO TALK WITH THEM AT
LENGTH SO YOU GET A BETTER SENSE
OF WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY
WOULD TAKE THE COUNTRY.
JOINING US NOW FOR OUR FIRST
"FOX NEWS SUNDAY" SITDOWN,
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE P
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE T
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE E
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE B
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE T
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE I
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE G
SOUTH BEND MAYOR PEOPLE .
WELCOME TO FOX SUNDAY.
TODAY KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND
OFFICIALLY ENTER THE RACE, MORE
THAN A DOZEN CANDIDATES
OFFICIALLY IN THE RACE, THE ONLY
ONE WHO STILL HAS AN EXPLORATORY
COMMITTEE.
WHAT ARE YOU EXPLORING AND WHAT
ARE YOU GOING TO DECIDE WHEN TO
GET A?
>> Pete: WOULD PUT TOGETHER
THE COMMITTEE AND ROLLED IT OUT
IN JANUARY TO SEE WHAT THE
RESPONSE WOULD BE TO THE IDEA OF
A MIDWESTERN MILLENNIAL
MAYOR ENTERING THE CONVERSATION
FOR PRESIDENT, WOULD ANYBODY
TAKE NOTE?
HOW WOULD THE FUND-RAISING GO?
WITH THERE BE A LEVEL OF
INTEREST IN THE EARLY STATES?
NOW WE ARE SEEING ALL OF THOSE
THINGS BUT BECAUSE I'M NOT
HIGHLY FAMOUS AND NOT PERSONALLY
WEALTHY IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT TO
GET THE ORGANIZATION IN PLACE
FOR A LAUNCH.
YOU ONLY GET TO LAUNCH ONE'S AND
ABOUT TO TELL YOU, I'M NOT GOING
TO MAKE ANY NEWS THIS MORNING,
BUT ALL OF THE SIGNS ARE
POINTING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
AND WHEN WE DO COME OUT IT'S
GOING TO BE A BIG ONE.
>> Chris: PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO
MAKE SENSE OF THIS HUGE
SPRAWLING FIELD.
YOUNG VERSUS OLD, FURTHER LEFT
VERSUS MORE MODERATE, WHICH
APPLY?
>> Pete: I THINK EVERYBODY
WANTS TO FIT YOU WANT AN
IDEOLOGICAL SPECTRUM, WHICH I
THINK HAS NEVER BEEN LESS
RELEVANT.
I THINK MORE AND MORE PEOPLE
JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR
IDEAS ARE AND WHETHER THEY MAKE
ANY SENSE.
AND PART OF HOW WE WERE ABLE TO
SUCCEED IN SOUTH BEND,
GOVERNING, I BELIEVE IN
ACCORDANCE WITH PROGRESSIVE
VALUES BUT ALSO EARNING A LOT OF
SUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS AND
INDEPENDENT PARLORS.
IT WAS BY TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT
THING.
I VIEW MYSELF AS A PROGRESSIVE
BUT THESE LABELS ARE BECOMING
LESS AND LESS USEFUL.
>> Chris: WILL GET INTO
SPECIFIC ISSUES IN A MOMENT.
ONE MORE SORT OF POLITICAL
QUESTION.
ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH YOU
STAND OUT IS THAT YOUR 37 AND IF
ELECTED HE WOULD BE THE YOUNGEST
PRESIDENT EVER.
TO SOME DEGREE, PEOPLE TALK
ABOUT YOU AS THE BRIGHT, SHINY
THING IN THE FIELD.
THE QUESTION IS, NOW THAT BETO
O'ROURKE IS IN IT, SOME PEOPLE
IN THE GRASS ROOTS SAY HE'S
BRIGHTER SHINIER THING.
HOW DO YOU COMBAT HIM AND LIKE
HIM, WERE YOU BORN TO BE IN THIS
RACE?
>> I THINK I WAS BORN TO MAKE
MYSELF USEFUL.
I'M NOT COMBATING ANYBODY.
IF THERE ARE GOING TO BE
COMPETITORS MORE THAN OPPONENTS
I THINK AMONG THE DEMOCRATS AND
THAT'S A GOOD THING.
BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT I'M NOT
LIKE THE OTHERS.
I BELONG TO A DIFFERENT
GENERATIONS THAN MOST OF THE
OTHERS.
MINE WAS THE GENERATION THAT WAS
IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN SCHOOL
SHOOTINGS STARTED TO BE THE NORM
WITH A GENERATION THAT'S GOING
TO BE ON THE BUSINESS END OF THE
CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE'RE ALSO THE GENERATION THAT'S
ON TRACK TO BE THE FIRST IN
AMERICAN HISTORY TO MAKE LESS
THAN OUR PARENTS IF NOTHING IS
DONE TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF
OUR ECONOMY.
I THINK HAVING A VOICE FROM THAT
GENERATION, HAVING A VOICE WITH
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP.
AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, I KNOW
ON THE YOUNG FACE IN THIS
CONVERSATION BUT NOT ONLY TO
HAVE MORE YEARS OF GOVERNMENT
EXPERIENCE UNDER MY BELT OF THE
PRESIDENT, BUT I'VE GOT MORE
YEARS OF EXECUTIVE GOVERNMENT
EXPERIENCE UNDER MY BELT AND THE
VICE PRESIDENT.
I THINK THAT'S RELEVANT AND I
THINK COMING FROM THE INDUSTRIAL
MIDWEST, A PLACE WHERE,
UNFORTUNATELY, MY PARTY REALLY
LOST TOUCH WITH A LOT OF VOTERS,
ESPECIALLY IN 2016.
IT'S A COMBINATION OF
ATTRIBUTES, NOT TO MENTION THE
MILITARY SERVICE THAT I BRING TO
THE TABLE, THAT IS SIMPLY
DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO COMPETING.
>> Chris: LET'S DO A LIGHTNING
ROUND, QUICK LET GO MY
QUESTIONS, QUICK ANSWERS.
TO THE DEGREE THAT YOU THINK YOU
HAVE ONE, WHAT'S YOUR BIG IDEA?
WHAT YOUR CORE MESSAGE?
>> Chris: A SLIGHTLY WORK
BECAUSE YOU GOT TO BE QUICK.
>> Pete: I THINK GENERATIONAL
CHANGE, LIBERTY, DEMOCRACY AND
SECURITY.
WHEN YOU UNPACK EACH OF THOSE
IDEAS THEY POINT OUT A SPECIFIC
DIRECTION WITH THE POLICY BEHIND
IT, MAYBE THE REST OF THE LIGHT
AND MARBLE HELP US GET THERE.
>> Chris: WE ARE.
LET'S TURN TO WHAT SOME OF THE
OTHER DEMOCRATS ARE TALKING
ABOUT, WHAT'S ON THE IDEOLOGICAL
AGENDA RIGHT NOW.
A LOT OF DEMOCRATS PUSHING THE
GREEN NEW DEAL.
YOU HAVE SAID THAT IT'S MORE OF
A GOAL THAN A PLAN.
EXPLAIN.
>> COME ASKED ME TO IF HANDFUL
OF PAGES LAYING NOTABLE FOR US
TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS FOR
THEIR LEAD TO CHANGES THAT
REALLY DESTROY OUR ECONOMY AND
ANY PROSPECT FOR PEOPLE IN MY
GENERATION TO DO WELL.
I'M THINKING ABOUT WHAT THE
WORLD IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN
2054 WHEN I GET TO THE CURRENT
AGE OF THE CURRENT PRESIDENT AND
IF WE DON'T ACT AGGRESSIVELY AND
IMMEDIATELY ON CLIMATE, IT'S NOT
GOING TO BE A PRETTY PICTURE.
>> Chris: ARE YOU SAYING FOR
INSTANCE THAT SOME OF THE TALK
ABOUT RETROFITTING EVERY
BUILDING IN AMERICA, OR TRYING
TO MAKE THE COUNTRY CARBON FREE
BY 2030, THAT THAT'S JUST
UNREALISTIC?
>> Pete: WERE GOING TO HAVE TO
DO IT.
IF WE CAN TO CARBON FREE THAN WE
WILL DO NOT CARBON FREE WHICH
MEANS THAT WE ARE TAKING OUT AS
MUCH AS WE ARE PUTTING IN.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS,
SCIENTIFICALLY THE RIGHT YEAR TO
DO THAT WAS YESTERDAY.
WE HAVE GOT TO DO THIS.
IF THIS TIMETABLE ISN'T BEING
SET IN CONGRESS.
IT'S BEING SET BY REALITY.
IT'S BEING SET BY SCIENCE AND
IT'S GOING TO HIT THOSE
DEADLINES IN OUR CLIMATE WITH OR
WITHOUT US SO WE HAVE TO ASK.
WITH THE GREEN NEW DEAL GETS
RIGHT IS IT RECOGNIZES THERE'S
ALSO A LACK OF ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY.
RETROFITTING BUILDING MEANS A
HUGE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR THE
BUILDING TRADES IN THIS COUNTRY.
I VIEW THAT AS A GOOD THING.
>> Chris: WE ARE WAY OVER THE
LIGHTNING ROUND.
MEDICARE FOR ALL, YOU SAY IT
SHOULD BE MEDICARE FOR ALL WHO
WANTED.
EXPLAIN.
>> Pete: I DO BELIEVE A
SINGLE-PAYER ENVIRONMENT IS
PROBABLY THE RIGHT ANSWER IN THE
LONG TERM BUT I THINK ANY
POLITICIAN WHO THROWS AROUND
PHRASES LIKE MEDICARE FOR ALL
HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO EXPLAIN
HOW WE WOULD GET THERE.
IN MY VIEW, WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
IS YOU TAKE SOMETHING LIKE
MEDICARE, YOU PUT IT ON THE
EXCHANGES AS A KIND OF PUBLIC
OPTION AND IF PEOPLE LIKE ME ARE
RIGHT THAT THAT IS BOTH GOOD
COVERAGE AND MORE COST
EFFICIENT, THEN MORE AND MORE
PEOPLE WILL BUY IN AND IT WILL
BE A VERY NATURAL GLIDE PATH
TOWARDS THE SINGLE-PAYER
ENVIRONMENT.
>> Chris: SO IS HARRIS WRONG
WHEN SHE TALKED ABOUT
ILLUMINATING PRIVATE INSURANCE?
>> Pete: I VIEW IT
DIFFERENTLY.
THINK ABOUT MEDICARE ITSELF, YOU
STILL HAVE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE
IMPLANTS AROUND THAT, EVEN
COUNTRY WAS LIKE U.K. WITH
NATIONALIZED MEDICINE STILL HAVE
A ROLE FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR SO
I THINK THERE WILL BE A ROLE FOR
THE PRIVATE SECTOR BUT A VERY
DIFFERENT ONE THAT WE HAVE IN
THE CORPORATE SYSTEM TODAY.
>> Chris: THE SUPREME COURT,
YOU TALK ABOUT POSSIBLY
EXPANDING THE COURT FROM NINE
JUSTICES TO 15.
>> Pete: IS NOT JUST ABOUT
THROWING MORE JUSTICES ON THE
COURT.
WHAT I THINK WE NEED TO DO IT
SOME KIND OF STRUCTURAL REFORM
THAT MAKES THE COURT LESS
POLITICAL.
WE CAN'T GO ON LIKE THIS FOR
EVERY TIME THERE'S A VACANCY
THERE'S THIS APOCALYPTIC
IDEOLOGICAL BATTLE.
SO THE IDEA -- ONE IDEA THAT I
THINK IS INTERESTING AS YOU HAVE
15 MEMBERS BUT ONLY TEN OF THEM
ARE POINTED IN THE POLITICAL
FASHION.
FIVE OF THEM CAN ONLY BE SEATED
BY UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT OF THE
OTHER TEN.
THERE ARE OTHER IDEAS THAT HAVE
BEEN FLOATED TOO ABOUT TERM
LIMITS OR ABOUT ROTATING
JUSTICES UP FROM THE APPELLATE
BENCH.
I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE A
NATIONAL DEBATE ABOUT WHAT'S
APPROPRIATE, ESPECIALLY WITHIN
THE FRAMEWORK OF THE
CONSTITUTION, BUT THE BOTTOM
LINE IS, WITH GOT TO MAKE SOME
KIND OF STRUCTURAL FORM TO
DEPOLITICIZE THE SUPREME COURT.
>> Chris: AFTER DONALD TRUMP'S
VICTORY IN 2016, YOU WROTE AN
ESSAY IN WHICH YOU SAID -- I
THINK IT WAS CALLED SOMETHING
FROM FLYOVER COUNTRY.
YOU SAID DEMOCRATS HAVE LARGELY
ENTER THEIR VERY MUCH LOCKS,
THEIR COSTS HAVE IGNORED THE
INDUSTRIAL MIDWEST.
HOW WOULD YOU TAKE ON
DONALD TRUMP?
AND SPECIFICALLY HOW DO YOU BEAT
HIM IN MICHIGAN AND OHIO AND
WISCONSIN?
THAT UPPER RUST BELT THAT HE
TOOK AWAY FROM THE DEMOCRATS?
>> Pete: COMING FROM A FORMER
AUTO MANUFACTURING TOWN IN THE
NORTHERN OF INDIANA, THIS IS MY
HOME AND I UNDERSTAND WHY OUR
PARTY LARGELY LOST TOUCH BUT I
DON'T THINK IT'S JUST ABOUT
DONALD TRUMP.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, I THINK IN
MANY WAYS HE IS SYMPTOM RATHER
THAN A CAUSE.
WHERE I COME FROM, THERE ARE A
LOT OF PEOPLE AND I THINK ARE A
LOT OF EUROS ON THIS NETWORK
WERE UNDER NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT
THE CHARACTER OF THE PRESIDENT
BUT VOTED THIS WAY IN ORDER TO
MAKE A STATEMENT.
SOME PEOPLE THINK VOTED TO BURN
THE HOUSE TONE BECAUSE THEY'VE
SEEN HOW, FOR YEARS, DEMOCRATIC
AND REPUBLICAN PRESIDENCIES
PRODUCED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL AND
POLITICAL RESULTS THAT LET THEM
DOWN.
WITH GOT TO BE SPEAKING TO --
>> Chris: OKAY, THAT SEEMS A
LITTLE GAUZY.
SO HOW DO YOU SAY TO THE PEOPLE
IN THOSE STATES THAT FEEL THAT
THEY'VE BEEN LEFT BEHIND BY
GLOBALISM, THINGS LIKE THAT,
GLOBALIZATION.
I'VE GOT A BETTER ANSWER THAN
DONALD TRUMP.
DONALD TRUMP TALKS ABOUT JOBS.
HE TALKS ABOUT THE ON
APPOINTMENT RATE IS AT A RECORD
LOW, OF RESTORING MANUFACTURING
JOBS.
>> Pete: WE'VE BEEN RESTORING
MANUFACTURING JOBS IN OUR
COMMUNITY TOO BUT WE ARE
REALISTIC ABOUT THE FACT THAT
WITH AUTOMATION IT'S NOT GOING
TO LOOK LIKE THE OLD ECONOMY.
THE PRESIDENT'S PROMISE IS TO
TURN BACK THE CLOCK, THAT WE CAN
SOMEHOW JUST GO BACK TO THE
1950s, AND IT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
THE ECONOMY IS CHANGING, THE
PACE OF CHANGE IS ACCELERATING
AND WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS
MASTER THOSE CHANGES IN ORDER TO
MAKE THEM WORK FOR US.
IF THERE ARE SOME VERY SPECIFIC
POLICY WAS TO DO THAT,
EVERYTHING FROM MAKING SURE THAT
EVERYBODY HAS HEALTH CARE TO
INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE, TO
DELIVERING PORTABLE BENEFITS SO
THAT WHEN YOU GET DISRUPTED FROM
YOUR JOB IT'S NOT SUCH A
DISRUPTION IN THE REST OF YOUR
LIFE.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN AND
MUST DO TO MAKE SURE THAT AS WE
CHANGE -- AS THESE CHANGES COME,
AND AGAIN, THEY WILL WITHOUT US,
THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY SUCCEED,
ESPECIALLY AN ECONOMICALLY
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES LIKE
WHERE I COME FROM.
>> Chris: LET'S TALK ABOUT
YOUR RECORD BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN
THE MAYOR OF SOUTH BEND SINCE
2012.
LET'S PUT IT UP ON THE SCREEN.
MORE THAN $800 MILLION IN
PRIVATE INVESTMENT, INCLUDING A
RESURGENCE OF DOWNTOWN, MORE
THAN 4,000 JOBS CREATED, MORE
THAN A THOUSAND ABANDONED HOMES
DEMOLISHED OR REPAIRED IN YOUR
FIRST TERM BUT CRITICS POINT OUT
THE VIOLENT CRIME RATE IN
SOUTH BEND WENT UP TO LAST YEAR
AND YOU HAD A CONTINUING PROBLEM
WITH HOMELESSNESS AND I CHECKED
IT OUT YESTERDAY, THE
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF SOUTH BEND
IS HIGHER THAN THE UNEMPLOYMENT
RATE FOR THE STATE OF INDIANA AS
A WHOLE.
SO PLUSES AND MINUSES, YES?
>> Pete: IT IS TRUE THAT I
HAVE NOT PERSONALLY RESOLVE THE
PROBLEM OF VIOLENCE IN US, NOR
THE PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS BUT
IT WAS THAT WE ARE DOING MORE ON
HOMELESSNESS AND I HAPPENED IN
OUR COMMUNITY IN 30 YEARS AND I
THINK THAT CHARACTERIZATION OF
THE VIOLENT CRIME RATE ISN'T
QUITE FAIR EITHER.
WHEN I WAS A KID IT WAS NOT
UNUSUAL TO HAVE MORE THAN 20
HOMICIDES IN SOUTH BEND.
LAST YEAR WE HAD NINE.
THAT IS HONESTLY TOO MANY.
>> Chris: YOU LOOK AT YOUR
TERM AS MAYOR COME INTO GHANA.
>> Pete: IT WAS UP AND DOWN
FROM YOUR TO YOUR WIFE YOU LOOK
AT SOMETHING LIKE THE HOMICIDE
RATE.
I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN FIGHTING
GUN VIOLENCE AND HOMICIDE IN OUR
COMMUNITY WITH ONE HAND TIED
BEHIND MY BACK BUT I AM PROUD
ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE
DONE AS A COMMUNITY TO COME
TOGETHER --
BY THE WAY, A LOW INCOME
COMMUNITY.
OUR PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME
JUST WENT OVER $20,000 A YEAR.
SO YEAH, WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH
ECONOMIC GROWTH.
WE HAVE CHALLENGES WITH
HOMELESSNESS, BUT THE WAY OUR
MUNICH, COMMUNITY HAS RISEN TO
MEET THE CHALLENGES IS SOMETHING
I'M VERY PROUD OF.
>> Chris: WHY ARE YOU IN SUCH
A HURRY?
WHY NOT WAIT A FEW YEARS, GET
SOME MORE EXPERIENCE, BUILD A
BIGGER RECORD, GET BETTER KNOWN
AND RUN FOR PRESIDENT SAY AT THE
RIPE OLD AGE OF 41?
>> Pete: IT'S NOT ABOUT
BECOMING PRESIDENT.
>> Chris: RUNNING FOR
PRESIDENT IS BECOME --
>> Pete: IT'S ABOUT AMERICA
AND WHAT AMERICA NEEDS.
ALL THE DECISIONS I'VE MADE TO
RUN FOR OFFICE AND ALL THE
DECISIONS I'VE MADE TO NOT RUN
FOR OFFICE OR ABOUT THE MOMENT,
WHAT IS CALLED FOR AND WHAT I
BRING TO THE TABLE.
I SEE THIS VERY UNUSUAL MOMENT.
LOOK, IT'S UNUSUAL FOR IT TO
EVEN BE POSSIBLE THAT A
37-YEAR-OLD MIDWESTERN MAYOR IS
GIVING NATIONAL INTERVIEWS ABOUT
A POSSIBLE CANDIDACY FOR
PRESIDENT BUT THERE'S SOMETHING
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW THAT CALLS
FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE BEEN
SEEING.
GENERATIONALLY DIFFERENT,
REGIONALLY DIFFERENT, SOMETHING
WITH A DIFFERENT LIFE STORY IN A
DIFFERENT BACKGROUND AND TO THE
SURPRISE OF MANY, INCLUDING
MYSELF, THIS MOMENT COULD BE THE
ONLY MOMENT.
OVER THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS OR
THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS WHEN IT'S
APPROPRIATE FOR SOMEBODY LIKE ME
TO BE IN THIS CONVERSATION, BUT
I WILL TELL YOU, WITH THAT
MOMENT SHAPING UP, I'M NOT GOING