HAVE A BIG CHALLENGE IN OUR
COUNTRY.
NEIL: ALL RIGHT.
IT’S A BIG CHALLENGE WHERE
NEITHER SIDE IS EVEN REMOTELY
APPROACHING OR EVEN TALKING TO
THE OTHER SIDE.
THAT IS POSSIBLE, GIVEN MY NEXT
GUEST HERE.
JOHN BOEHNER FORMER SPEAKER OF
THE HOUSE.
JACKROLLLY, FORMER DEMOCRATIC
CAUCUS CHAIR.
THEY JOINED ON NUMBER OF FRONTS.
PROVING YOU CAN GET THINGS DONE,
MOVE THE BALL FORWARD IF YOU GET
PAST A LOT OF POLITICAL AGITA
ALL OF THAT.
JOHN BOEHNER, GOOD TO HAVE YOU.
JOE CROWLEY THE SAME.
>> THANK YOU, NEIL.
>> GOOD TO BE WITH YOU, NEIL.
NEIL: THANK YOU, GUYS,
JOHN BOEHNER I WANT TO GO TO YOU
FIRST BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE TO
WAIT UNTIL YOU GET YOUR SPRING
ON THE HOUSE, A WASHINGTON
MEMOIR, BUT MAY I SAY, SIR,
BASED ON THE COVER ALONE, THIS
IS GOING TO BE ANY POLITICAL
TOME OR OTHERWISE.
THE COVER IS A MIX OF AUSTIN
POWERS, AND DARE I SAY, BARRY
WHITE.
BRILLIANT, TOUCHE.
WHAT’S INSIDE IT?
I GUESS THAT IS IMPORTANT TOO?
>> WELL, NEIL, IT HAS BEEN A FUN
PROJECT PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
IT IS NOT SOME AGENCY POLITICAL
MEMOIR.
IT TELLS MY WHOLE STORY BUTS
DOES IT IN A VERY INTERESTING
WAY.
I WOULD SAY A VERY ENTERTAINING
WAY.
NEIL: WHAT I WOULD LIKE ABOUT
IT, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKER BEFORE
THAT A RISING REPUBLICAN STAR,
YOU HAD A BRUSQUE MANNER, I
GUESS SOME WOULD LOOK AT IT THIS
WAY.
YOU NEVER TOOK YOURSELF TOO
SERIOUSLY, YOU WOULD ALWAYS
THROW A ZINGER HERE AND THERE
INCLUDING MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN
PARTY.
IS IT SAFE TO SAY, SPEAKER, THIS
AND THAT COVER WILL BE
ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE APPROACH
YOU’RE TAKING?
>> I THINK, NEIL, YOU KNOW ME
PRETTY WELL, BUT WHAT IS AND THE
IS ME.
I WROTE EVERY WORD IN THE BOOK.
AND TRUST ME, YOU WILL GET THE
WHOLE STORY AND I WON’T BE ANY
DIFFERENT THAN I HAVE EVER BEEN.
NEIL: ALL RIGHT.
BECAUSE IT HAS A "MAD MEN" FEEL
TO IT.
RARELY DOES A BOOK GENERATE THIS
KIND OF EXCITEMENT, SIGHT
UNSEEN.
JOE CROWLEY, THAT WILL PUT
ENORMOUS PRESSURE ON YOU WHEN
YOUR BOOK COMES OUT.
IT IS NOT TOO LONG.
YOU WILL HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
LIKE THIS.
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU GET A
SIMILAR CHAIR OR BACKDROP BUT
THAT IS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW.
JOE, LET ME ALL SERIOUSNESS
BEGIN ON THIS NOTION, SOME OF
YOUR FELLOW DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS
HAVE BEEN HONING IN ON THIS
NOMINATION, THE PRESIDENT IS ON
THE VERGE OF MAKING OF THE
SUPREME COURT ON SATURDAY,
SAYING STOP AT ALL COSTS.
WE HAVE OTHER ARROWS IN OUR
QUIVER TO QUOTE NANCY PELOSI,
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ SAYS WE
MUST DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING
WE CAN TO STOP THIS.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF ALL THAT?
>> BEFORE I DO THAT LET ME JUST
PAY TRIBUTE TO MY FRIEND, FORMER
COLLEAGUE JOHN BOEHNER T WAS A
PLEASURE WORKING WITH HIM IN THE
HOUSE AND A SPECIAL GIFT OF
GETTING TO WORK WITH HIM IN MY
POSTHOUSE CAREER [INAUDIBLE].
HE IS A GREAT AMERICAN.
WHEN IT COMES TO THIS PARTICULAR
ISSUE IT IS AT THE HEARTSTRINGS
OF ALL AMERICANS AND I DON’T
KNOW WHAT THOSE ARROWS ARE IN
THE QUIVER.
WHAT I DO BELIEVE IS THAT THERE
SHOULD BE NO CONFIRMMATION
BEFORE INAUGURATION AND I JUST
THINK OUT OF, GENERAL SENSE OF
AMERICAN FAIRNESS THAT, THAT BE
THE CASE.
NEIL: YOU KNOW, JOHN BOEHNER,
MAYBE MITCH McCONNELL PLANTED
THE SEEDS FOR THIS BY NOT TAKING
UP THE MERRICK GARLAND
NOMINATION FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN
BARACK OBAMA STILL HAD 10 MONTHS
LEFT OF HIS PRESIDENCY, SO THIS
IS A TIT-FOR-TAT ON PART OF
DEMOCRATS, YOU DID THAT, WE WILL
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SAME RULES YOU
DID THEN.
DEMOCRATS HAVE SAID IN THE PAST
IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA TO DO IT
IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ELECTION
YEAR.
OF COURSE HERE WE ARE.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS GOES?
>> WELL, NEIL, THE CONSTITUTION
IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT THE
PRESIDENT WILL NOMINATE SOMEONE
AND, IT IS UP TO THE UNITED
STATES SENATE TO CONFIRM THEM OR
NOT.
BUT REPUBLICANS HAVE THE
MAJORITY IN THE UNITED STATES
SENATE.
THE PRESIDENT IS A REPUBLICAN
AND I KNOW WHAT WAS SAID A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO BUT THE
CONSTITUTION LAYS OUT THE CASE
WHERE THE SENATE CAN PROCEED AND
FRANKLY I HOPE THEY DO.
HAVING THIS HANG OUT THERE
THROUGH THE ELECTION DAY I DON’T
THINK DOES ANYBODY ANY GOOD.
NOW SOME WOULD SAY IT IS A RUSH
OKAY.
THAT IS RISK YOU STILL HAVE TO
TAKE WITH THE VOTERS BUT IT
LOOKS TO ME LIKE, JOE, THEY’RE
GOING TO PROCEED.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY WHOEVER
THE NOMINEE IS PROBABLY ALREADY
SITS ON THE FEDERAL BENCH.
HAS PROBABLY ALREADY BEEN VETTED
AND CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE AT
ONE TIME OR THE OTHER FOR THE
POSITION THEY CURRENTLY HOLD.
AND SO THIS IS NOT LIKE
REINVENTING THE WHEEL HERE.
THIS OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO MOVE
RATHER SMOOTHLY OVER THE NEXT
FIVE OR SIX WEEKS.
NEIL: YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT ABOUT
THAT.
THE TWO MOST FREQUENTLY
MENTIONED NAMES, JUDGE AMY CONEY
BARRETT AND JUDGE BARBARA LAGOA
WHO ALREADY SIT ON COURTS THAT
NEEDED SENATE CONFIRMATION, HAVE
BEEN FULLY, FULLY VETTED.
SO WE’LL SEE WHERE THIS GOES.
BUT JOE, ON THIS NOTION THAT
DEMOCRATS HAVE PROMISED IF THIS
WERE TO GO THROUGH THAT I
BELIEVE IT WAS ED MARKEY OF
MASSACHUSETTS, THAT WE WILL
PROCEED WITH TRYING TO PACK THE
COURTS, ADDRESS THE FILIBUSTER
THING AND ON AND ON WE GO.
WHERE DOES ALL OF THIS GO?
>> WELL I DON’T THINK, NEIL,
THIS HAPPENS WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE
REGARDLESS, WHETHER IT IS
SENATOR MARKEY HAS BEEN
SUGGESTING OR, WHENEVER IT WOULD
HAPPEN IF THE PRESIDENT NOT
REELECTS WHICH MY HOPE THAT
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ELECTED.
NEIL: WAIT A MINUTE.
YOU’RE NOT FOR DONALD TRUMP.
I DIDN’T GET THAT IN MY NOTES.
>> SO I DO THINK THAT IS, DOING
THIS BEFORE THE ELECTION STIRS
GREAT EMOTIONS, CERTAINLY ON
BOTH SIDES THE PASSIONS.
BUT I THINK ALSO THE LEVEL OF
UNFAIRNESS AS WE SEE REFERENCE
TO FOUR YEARS AGO, AND WHAT
MITCH McCONNELL SAID THEN,
WHAT, WHAT THE SENATOR GRAHAM
SAID, SENATOR GRASSLEY SAID, ALL
THESE SENATORS ARE NOW SWITCHING
THEIR POSITIONS ON EXACT SAME
ISSUE.
THEY CAN NUANCE HERE AND THERE.
THEY SAID, THIS WOULD NOT BE
TAKEN UP IN A PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION YEAR.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THEY’RE
DOING.
IN FACT THEY WANT TO RAM IT
THROUGH BEFORE THE ELECTION
ITSELF WHICH IS INCREDIBLY, I
THINK UNFARE.
BUT BESIDES UNFAIRNESS I DON’T
THINK IT MAKES GOOD JUDGES.
NEIL: YEAH, HARD TO SAY.
DEMOCRATS TOO HAVE DONE A 180 ON
THIS BECAUSE OF EXPERIENCE FOUR
YEARS AGO.
SPEAKER BOEHNER, SPEAKER I GUESS
THE ONE QUESTION FOR YOU, THIS
IDEA THAT EVERYTHING ELSE IS
STOPPED, I MEAN BECAUSE OF THIS,
THERE IS CONCERN THAT A MEASURE
TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT LIGHTS ON
TO AVOID A SHUTDOWN IS IN
JEOPARDY.
STIMULUS MEASURE LINKED TO THE
VIRUS MIGHT ALSO BE DELAYED OR
DENIED.
THAT IT IS PROVING, YOU KNOW IN
WASHINGTON THESE GUYS CAN’T WALK
AND CHEW GUM AT THE SAME TIME.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?
BECAUSE THAT IS, THAT IS THE
CYNICAL VIEW OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?
>> WELL, I UNDERSTAND BUT, THESE
ARE ALL OPERATE ON SEPARATE
TRACKS AND YOU KNOW, THEY CAN
DEAL WITH THE FUNDING OF THE
GOVERNMENT, WHETHER THEY WILL DO
ANOTHER STIMULUS BILL OR NOT
WHILE THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
AND THE SENATE FOCUSES IN ON
WHOEVER THE NOMINEE WILL BE.
THEY CAN DO ALL OF THIS.
BUT IT IS THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS AND YOU PUT TOO MANY
INGREDIENTS IN A BOILING POT
YOU’RE NOT SURE WHAT YOU’RE
GOING TO GET.
NEIL: YEAH, I GUESS YOU’RE RIGHT
ABOUT THAT.
JOE CROWLEY, I’M JUST WONDERING
DEPENDING ON HOW THE ELECTION
GOES OF COURSE THERE WILL BE A
LOT OF BIG ISSUES, ONGOING
CONCERNS ABOUT THE VIRUS.
WE HAVE OVER 200,000 DEATHS IN
THIS COUNTRY.
WE HAVE SPIKES IN CASES GOING ON
ALL ACROSS EUROPE RIGHT NOW,
PARTICULARLY UNITED KINGDOM
WHERE THEY’RE LOOKING AT THE
POTENTIAL OF A SECOND LOCKDOWN.
FRANCE IS IN A SIMILAR SORT OF
CONUNDRUM.
WE ALREADY SEE ISRAEL IN A
SECOND LOCKDOWN.
ARE YOU WORRIED IF JOE BIDEN
WERE TO GET IN WE COULD HAVE A
WHOLE NEW VIRUS CRISIS ON OUR
HANDS?
>> I THINK THAT IS OUT OF
JOE BIDEN’S HANDS.
I THINK IT IS OUT OF
DONALD TRUMP’S HANDS.
THE VIRUS HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN.
THERE ARE THINGS WE COULD BE
DOING, SHOULD HAVE BEEN DOING TO
HELP REDUCE THE EFFECT MUCH
VIRUS IN THE STATES.
WE MENTIONED 200,000 MARK.
AS I SAID BEFORE, 5% OF THE
POPULATION OF THE WORLD BUT HAVE
20% OF THE DEATHS RELATED TO
COVID-19.
WE’RE THE MOST MODERN COUNTRY IN
THE WORLD.
YET WE HAVE MORE DEATHS THAN
ANYONE ELSE.
THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING GONE
AMISS, SOMETHING GONE WRONG
HERE, THAT LED TO THIS
CATASTROPHE HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES.
SO, I DO THINK THAT JOE BIDEN
WILL HAVE A GREAT DEAL ON HIS
HANDS AMONGST OTHER ISSUES.
ECONOMIC ISSUES IN TERMS OF
DEALING WITH THE COVID-19
FALLOUT.
THAT WILL HAVE TO BE ADDRESSED
AS WELL, BUT I THINK JOE BIDEN
IS UP TO THAT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING HIM AS
PRESIDENT, WORKING WITH HIM.
NEIL: YOU KNOW, REAL QUICKLY ON
THIS, JOHN BOEHNER, THE
CRITICISM OF JOE BIDEN HAS BEEN
BECAUSE OF HIS LIMITED
APPEARANCES IN PUBLIC AND SOME,
SOMETIMES STAMMERING RESPONSES
TO REPORTERS THAT HE MIGHT NOT
HAVE HIS FASTBALL FOR THE
DEBATES AND THAT, YOU KNOW,
COULD BE IN SOME TROUBLE THERE.
HOW DO YOU THINK THE DEBATES GO?
HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK THEY
WILL BE IN DECIDING THIS ONCE
AND FOR ALL?
>> THE DEBATES WILL BECOME VERY
IMPORTANT.
THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT
WHETHER JOE BIDEN IS REALLY UP
TO THIS.
I DON’T KNOW BUT WE’RE GOING TO
FIND OUT DURING THE DEBATES.
SEPTEMBER 29th WHICH ISN’T
VERY FAR AWAY, I THINK
CHRIS WALLACE IS HOSTING THE
FIRST DEBATE.
I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.
BUT NEIL, REMEMBER THIS.
POLLS DON’T DECIDE ELECTIONS.
VOTERS DO.
AND WHILE POLLSTERS TRY TO
FIGURE OUT WHO WILL SHOW UP AND
VOTE, IT IS BASICALLY THEIR BEST
EDUCATED GUESS.
WHEN YOU GO BACK TO 2016 THIS
RACE IS ALMOST IN EXACTLY THE
SAME PLACE AS IT WAS BETWEEN
DONALD TRUMP AND HILLARY CLINTON
FOUR YEARS AGO.
AND GO BACK FOUR YEARS AGO WHAT
HAPPENED?
TRUMP PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND
HILLARY DID NOT.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING
TO SEE WHO SHOWS UP AND VOTES IN
THIS ELECTION, BUT, I’M GOING TO
TELL YOU TODAY I THINK THIS
ELECTION IS, PROBABLY 50/50.
IT IS A VERY CLOSE ELECTION
REGARDLESS WHAT THE POLLS SAY
AND AND VOTERS WILL DECIDE.
NEIL: FINAL QUESTION FOR BOTH OF
YOU, DO YOU MISS IT?
DO YOU MISS, YOU KNOW, BEING IN
THE ARENA AND MAKING THE KIND OF
DECISIONS YOU WERE MAKING, NOW
YOU’RE OBSERVING VERY WELL IN
PRIVATE LIFE.
I TAKE NOTHING AWAY FROM THAT.
JOE CROWLEY TO YOU ON THAT, DO
YOU MISS IT?
I MISS THE PEOPLE.
I MISS MY FRIENDS AND
COLLEAGUES.
I LOOK BACK, WAS DISAPPOINTED
NOT ENOUGH IS GETTING
ACCOMPLISHED.
FOR INSTANCE, JOHN AND I HAVE
BEEN WORKING ON PENSION REFORM,
THE NEED TO ADDRESS ISSUES OF
CENTRAL STATES PENSION ISSUE.
THAT CANNOT SEEM TO GET THE
LIGHT OF DAY IN TERMS OF THE
HOUSE AND SENATE GETTING
TOGETHER AND AGREEING ON THAT.
I DON’T MISS ANY OF THE LACK OF,
BETTER TERM THE BS.
YOU KNOW THAT WE HAD TO DEAL
WITH BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT I
DO MISS THE PEOPLE, BOTH SIDES
OF THE AISLE.
I MISS THE INTERACTION.
BUT YOU KNOW, I ALSO AM ENJOYING
THE LIFE I’M IN RIGHT NOW
WORKING WITH JOHN BOEHNER.
IT HAS BEEN REALLY FRUITFUL AND
HEALTHY FOR ME.
NEIL: WELL AS YOU SHOULD.
JOHN BOEHNER, YOU HAD INIMITABLE
RESPONSE WHEN WE RAISED LAST
TIME TO YOU, SOMETHING TO THE
EFFECT, IF I GET THE QUOTE
RIGHT, ZIPPITY DO-DAH.
ARE YOU OVER ALL OF THAT, ARE
YOU STILL OVER ALL OF THAT?
>> I’M VERY MUCH OVER THAT.
I WOULD RATHER SET MYSELF ON
FIRE THAN GET IN THE MIDDLE OF
THIS.
NEIL: I THINK I KNOW WHERE
YOU’RE COMING FROM.
GENTLEMAN GOOD TO SEE YOU.
ALWAYS REMIND ME WHEN I DO, YOU
CAN DISCUSS IT WITHOUT TURNING
INTO A FOOD FIGHT.
JOHN BOEHNER, JOE CROWLEY,