MADISON, THANKS VERY MUCH.
MADISON AL WORTH FOLLOWING HOW
AVERAGE FOLKS FEEL ABOUT THIS.
HOW DOES A PROMINENT U.S.
SENATOR REACT TO THIS.
JOHN THUNE, THE U.S. SENATE
MINORITY WHIP.
SENATOR, WHAT DO YOU THINK
PRESIDENT THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO
DO?
I HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF HOUSE
MEMBERS THAT THINK IT’S NOT EVEN
LEGAL.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> THE BIDEN INFLATION HITS
KEEPS COMING.
HE COMES UP WITH NEW WAYS TO
INCREASE INFLATION.
THIS WILL DO THAT.
IT WILL INCREASE THE COST OF
COLLEGE EDUCATION BECAUSE
TUITION COSTS WILL GO UP AND ADD
TO INFLATION.
PUMPING MORE MONEY OUT INTO THE
ECONOMY AT A TIME WHEN WE’VE HAD
RECORD 40-YEAR HIGH INFLATION.
IS HERE’S THE PROBLEM WITH THIS.
YOU HAVE 87% OF THE PEOPLE IN
COUNTRY DON’T HAVE STUDENT DEBT.
SO THEY’LL SUBSIDIZE THE 13%
THAT DO AND THE 87% THAT DON’T
HAVE STUDENT LOAN DEBT WILL PAY
FOR IT IN THE FORM OF MAKE
HIGHER TAXES DOWN THE ROAD.
THEY’RE PUTTING IT ON THE DEBT
RIGHT NOW AND WILL PAY FOR IT IN
THE FORM OF HIGHER INFLATION.
I THINK THIS IS A HUGE ATTEMPT
BY DEMOCRATS TO TRY IN A VERY
TRANSPARENT WAY TO GET VOTES
WITH YOUNGER PEOPLE GOING TO THE
MID-TERM ELECTION.
>> Neil: WHAT IF IT DOES JUST
THAT, SENATOR?
THERE ARE ALREADY SOME EARLY
SURPRISES IN SURVEYS AND EVEN
MID-TERM PRIMARY RESULTS
INCLUDING THE SURPRISING WHIP BY
A DEMOCRAT IN A FLIPPED REGION
WORKING ON THE WHOLE ROE V. WADE
FALLOUT THAT MAYBE DEMOCRATS
FIND IT -- FINALLY HIT A SWEET
SPOT HERE?
DOES THIS WORRY YOU?
>> WELL, LOOK, I THINK THAT THE
POLITICS ARE VERY CLEAR, NEIL.
THEY ARE.
THIS IS AN TEMPT TO BUY VOTES.
DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING NOT TO TALK
ABOUT INFLATION AND THE BROKEN
BORDER AND ENERGY COSTS AND
CRIME IN OUR STREETS.
THEY’RE TRYING TO SHIFT IT TO
MORE FAVORABLE GROUND TO THEM.
THE WAY THEY DO THAT, THEY BUY
IT.
DEMOCRATS SPEND MONEY, THEY
RAISE TAXES, THEY GO AND EXPAND
GOVERNMENT.
THAT’S WHAT THEY DO.
IN THIS CASE AT LEAST, $300
BILLION -- THINK ABOUT THAT.
JUST LIKE THAT.
THE DEMOCRATS DROP $300 BILLION
AND HOPES AGAIN THAT IT HAS SOME
POSITIVE POLITICAL BENEFIT.
GOOD.
IN THE LONG RUN, THIS HURTS THE
ECONOMY, ADDS -- CONTRIBUTES TO
INFLATION AND MORE IMPORTANTLY
AS HAS POINTED OUT BY YOUR
REPORTERS, THIS SENDS A REALLY
WRONG MESSAGE TO PEOPLE IN THIS
COUNTRY, THIS IS A COUNTRY THAT
WAS BUILT UPON A PRINCIPLE OF
PERSONAL INDIVIDUAL
RESPONSIBILITY.
WHAT YOU’RE SAYING TO A LOT OF
PEOPLE IS GO AHEAD, TAKE OUT
LOOPS, DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.
WE’LL WRITE IT OFF WHEN THE TIME
COMES.
AGAIN, THAT MAY MAKE A FEW
PEOPLE HAPPY IN THE NEAR TERM
BUT THIS WILL HAVE LONG-TERM
CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE VERY I
WOULD SAY DEVASTATING TO THE
WHOLE PRINCIPLE AND ETHIC THAT
UNDERGIRDS THE AMERICAN
EXPERIMENT.
IN THE NEAR TERM, IT WILL HAVE A
NEGATIVE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCE AS
WELL.
IT WILL ADD TO THE COST OF
TUITION TO GO TO COLLEGE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
>> Neil: WE HEARD OF A NUMBER OF
FORMER CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
OFFICIALS AND OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION SAYING THE SAME.
SENATOR, IF I COULD SWITCH GEARS
A LITTLE BIT.
NOT TOO LONG AGO, MITCH
McCONNELL HAD BEMOANED ELECTION
PROS RESPECTS FOR REPUBLICANS IN
THE SENATE, THAT THEY MIGHT WIN
THE HOUSE.
THE SENATE WILL BE DICEYER.
HE TALKED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF
THE CANDIDATES.
I’M WONDERING IF HE WAS MAKING A
REFERENCE TO SOME OF THE
TRUMP-BACKED CANDIDATES WHO SOME
IN YOUR PARTY ARE CONCERNED
MIGHT BE ABLE TO WIN A PRIMARY,
BUT NOT THE GENERAL ELECTION.
DO YOU SHARE THAT?
>> LOOK, I THINK WHAT -- I THINK
WHAT HE’S TRYING TO DO IS SEND A
MESSAGE THAT WE CAN’T TAKE THIS
FOR GRANTED.
IT WAS A BIT OF A WAKE-UP CALL
TO A LOT OF PEOPLE FOR TAKING
FOR GRANTED THE FACT THAT WE
SHOULD GET THE SENATE BACK.
THE SENATE IS IN PLAY.
I THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT
PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY, IF THEY
WANT TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION
HOFF THE COUNTRY HAVE TO GET OUT
AND VOTE.
DOESN’T MATTER THE STATE OR THE
CANDIDATE, THIS IS A SIMPLE
BINARY CHOICE FOR PEOPLE.
YOU’LL BE FOR THE BIDEN AGENDA,
A VOTE FOR THAT OR A VOTE
AGAINST IT AND HOPEFULLY FOR A
REPUBLICAN MAJORITY THAT CAN BE
A CHECK AND BALANCE.
>> Neil: I HATE -- I THINK MITCH
McCONNELL WAS SAYING THE
OPPOSITE.
HE WAS HOLDING OUT THE PROSPECT
THAT IT MIGHT BE A BINARY CHOICE
BUT IT’S COMPLICATED BY SOME OF
THE REPUBLICAN CHOICES IN THESE
STATES.
DO YOU BUY THAT?
>> WELL, I THINK REPUBLICANS
AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE WEIGHED
IN.
WE NOW HAVE OUR SLATE OF
CANDIDATES AND OUR JOB NOW IS TO
TRY AND GET REPUBLICANS ELECTED
TO THE SENATE BECAUSE THE VERY
SIMPLY REALITY OF THIS, NEIL,
WHOEVER CONTROLS THE SENATE
CONTROLS THE AGENDA.
RIGHT NOW THAT IS CONTROLLED BY
CHUCK SCHUMER AND THE DEMOCRATS
AND A BIDEN ADMINISTRATION THAT
HAS A RECKLESS AND RADICAL
AGENDA.
SAME THING IS TRUE IN THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THEY RUN THE WHOLE OF
GOVERNMENT.
THEY HAVE UNIFIED CONTROL RIGHT
NOW.
WE NEED A CHECK AND A BALANCE.
I THINK THAT IRRESPECTIVE OF WHO
THE NOMINEES ARE TO THE
PRIMARIES, THE RESPECTS IN THESE
STATES HAVE VOTED.
IT’S NOW UP TO US TO DO OUR BEST
TO HELP THEM SUCCEED.
I THINK SENATOR McCONNELL AND
OUR TEAM, REPUBLICAN TEAM, WILL
BE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
ENSURE THAT A LOT OF THOSE
CANDIDATES AND THOSE COMPETITIVE
RACES GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE
ON ELECTION DAY.
>> Neil: SENATOR, I TALKED TO
ANTHONY FAUCI BEFORE HE STEPS
DOWN.
THE ISSUE IS RAISED WHETHER HE
WAS DOING THIS TO TIME WITH
POTENTIAL RESPECT PROBES IN TO
HOW HE HANDLED COVID.
THIS IS FROM DR. FAUCI
YESTERDAY.
>> WASN’T A WAY TO AVOID
REPUBLICAN INVESTIGATIONS IF
THEY TAKE OVER THE HOUSE AND/OR
THE SENATE?
>> NO, NEIL, NOT AT ALL.
NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE.
I CAN DEFEND EVERYTHING I’VE
DONE AND EVERY DECISION I’VE
MADE.
SO THAT DIDN’T COME IN AS A
MINOR CONSIDERATION.
>> Neil: IF HE’S CALLED TO
CONGRESS, HE WILL TESTIFY.
DEPENDS ON THE SENATE SIDE AND
WHO IS IN CONTROL.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?
>> OVERSIGHT IS AN IMPORTANT
ROLE OF CONGRESS.
THAT’S WHY THE FOUNDERS CREATED
THE THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACCOUNTABLE.
THERE’S BEEN AS HAS BEEN
ACKNOWLEDGED, THE CDC CAME OUT
AND ACKNOWLEDGED A LOT OF
MISTAKES WITH RESPECT TO COVID.
IF AND WHEN WE WERE TO GET THE
MAJORITIES BACK, THAT THAT’S A
FUNDAMENTAL PART OF OUR
RESPONSIBILITY AS MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS.
THAT IS TO HOLD FEDERAL AGENCIES
AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
EMPLOYEES ACCOUNTABLE TO THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC.
WOULD THERE BE OVERSIGHT?
YES.
THE HARD QUESTIONS NEED TO BE
ASKED.
PEOPLE NEED TO ASK QUESTIONS
ABOUT POLICIES AND DECISIONS
MADE THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC AND
I THINK THAT AGAIN IS A
FUNDAMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY THAT
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE.
THAT IS TO DO THE OVER SIGHTSIGH
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THAT OUR
FOUNDERS INTENDED US TO DO.
>> Neil: SENATOR, PETER DOOCY
CAUGHT UP WITH SECRETARY CARDONA
ON THE MONIES AND EFFORTS BEING
MADE TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT FOR
KIDS THAT MISSED SO MUCH SCHOOL
DOING IT REMOTELY SAYING WE HAVE
TO ADDRESS THAT AND HELP THEM
OUT.
DR. FAUCI SAID NOBODY HAS BEEN
HARMED BY THESE YEARS OUT OF
SCHOOL.
SO WHO IS RIGHT?
>> I DON’T KNOW WHAT HE’S
LOOKING AT, BUT I CAN TELL YOU
FROM TALKING TO PEOPLE ACROSS MY
STATE AND I’M SURE YOU HEAR IN
FROM OTHER PLACES AROUND THE
COUNTRY, THE IMPACT THIS HAS HAD
ON STUDENTS AND THEIR KIDS AND
THE ABILITY TO LEARN AT THE
FASTEST RATE POSSIBLE.
YOU WANT TO OPTIMIZE YOUR
CHILDREN’S OPPORTUNITIES TO
LEARN.
I HAVE A COUPLE OF GRANDKIDS
STARTING SCHOOL THIS YEAR.
I CAN’T IMAGINE EDUCATING THEM
AT HOME VIRTUALLY.
THE FACT THAT -- THE STATISTICS
BEAR OUT THAT THERE WERE SOME
SERIOUS HARM DONE TO OUR
CHILDREN WHO WEREN’T ABLE TO BE
IN THE CLASSROOM AND GET THE
BENEFIT OF EVERYTHING THAT COMES
WITH THAT.
THERE’S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
SO I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU CAN MAKE
A STATEMENT LIKE THAT, A BLANKET
STATEMENT LIKE THAT.
I DON’T THINK IT’S SQUARES WITH
THE FACTS.
CERTAINLY DOESN’T SQUARE WITH
THE EXPERIENCE THAT PARENTS AND
KIDS IN THIS COUNTRY HAD DURING
THE COURSE OF THE PANDEMIC.
>> Neil: I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS
MORE NEWS WORTHY THERE, WHAT YOU
JUST SAID OR YOU’RE YOUNGER THAN
MEN AND YOUR A GRANDPARENT.
I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT DURING
THE BREAK.
SENATOR, VERY GOOD SEEING YOU.
>> I DON’T LOOK YOUNGER THAN
YOU, NEIL.
THAT’S A GOOD THING FOR YOU.
>> Neil: OH, PLEASE.
THAT BUMS ME OUT.