SENATOR MANCHIN AND A LOT OF
DEMOCRATS IN THE MINING FIELDS
WHERE I'M VERY WELL-KNOWN AND
VERY WELL-REPORTED.
>> Neil: IF DON BLANKENSHIP HAS
HIS WAY, HE WILL RUN AS A
THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE.
A NUMBER OF VERY SAVVY LAWYERS
INCLUDING JUDGE ANDREW
NAPOLITANO SAID THAT WOULDN'T
HOLD UP IN COURT AND BLANKENSHIP
COULD BE A THREAT TO THE
REPUBLICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL.
THAT WOULD MEAN YOU WOULD BE
DIVIDING THE REPUBLICAN VOTE.
HARD TO SAY BY HOW MUCH, IF IT'S
CONSEQUENTIAL AT ALL AND
POTENTIALLY HANDLING THAT SEAT
TO THE EMBATTLED SENATOR THAT IS
HOLDING THAT RIGHT NOW, JOE
MANCHIN.
A POTENTIAL PICKUP FOR
REPUBLICANS DOESN'T MATERIALIZE.
A GUY THAT WATCHES THIS CLOSELY
ON BEHALF OF HIS PARTY, A BIG
WIG LEADER THERE, JOHN THUNE.
SENATOR, GOOD TO HAVE YOU.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, NEIL.
>> Neil: DOES THIS WORRY YOU,
SENATOR?
>> IN THE END, THE VOTERS WILL
DECIDE AND THEY DON'T WANT US
TELLING THEM WHAT THEY SHOULD
THINK.
CLEARLY IF YOU HAVE A ONE-ON-ONE
MATCHUP BETWEEN A VERY SOLID
REPUBLICAN CHOICE WHO WON THE
PRIMARY, PATRICK MORRISEY AND
JOE MANCHIN, PROBABLY PRESENTS
THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR PATRICK
MORRISEY TO WIN OF THE THIRD
PARTY CANDIDATES TEND TO SPLIT
UP THE VOTE.
IT'S HARD TO SAY.
IT'S HARD TO PREDICT AT THIS
POINT.
IT'S A SEAT IN PLAY.
WE HAVE A GOOD CANDIDATE THAT
CAME OUT OF THE PROCESS.
THE VOTERS SELECTED HIM AND
WE'RE PREPARING FOR A SPIRITED
FALL CAMPAIGN.
>> Neil: YOU CORRECTLY POINTED
OUT THAT IT'S UP TO WEST
VIRGINIA TO DECIDE THIS.
REMEMBER TALKING TO BLANKENSHIP
A COUPLES TIMES, HE WAS ANGRY AT
MITCH McCONNELL AND THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY MAKING IT CLEAR
HE WAS NOT THEIR GUY.
IN FACT, TARGETING HIM AS
SOMEONE THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER
EVER VOTE FOR.
YOU THINK -- AS A PARTY NOT
TRIED SO HARD, MITCH McCONNELL
NOT TRIED SO HARD TO TARGET HIM,
YOU WOULDN'T BE IN THIS
PREDICAMENT?
>> IF BLANKENSHIP CAME OUT OF
THAT PRIMARY, YOU COULD HAND IT
TO THE DEMOCRATS.
THAT WOULD BE A DISASTER FOR
REPUBLICAN PROSPECTS IN WEST
VIRGINIA.
THE LEADER RECOGNIZES IN ORDER
FOR US TO HAVE A SHOT AT
MAINTAINING AND HOPEFULLY
GROWING OUR MAJORITY IN THE
UNITED STATES SENATE, YOU HAVE
TO GET ELECTABLE CANDIDATES ON
THE BALLOT.
WE BELIEVE WE HAVE SOMEONE THAT
IS ELECTABLE AROUND THE COUNTRY
AND THE OTHER STATES WHICH OPENS
UP THE MAP FOR SERIOUS
OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO EXPAND
OUR MAJORITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SUCCESS
ALREADY.
WE'LL SENDS THREE BILLS TO THE
PRESIDENT TODAY THAT CAME OUT OF
THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE MORE PROGRESS
AND BIGGER THINGS GET DONE, GROW
AND EXPAND OUR MAJORITIES HERE
IN THE CONGRESS.
>> Neil: THE SENATE LOOKS
PROMISES IN THAT RECORD.
MAYBE LESS SO THE HOUSE.
BUT YOU'RE RIGHT.
THE WINDS SEEM TO SHIFT A LITTLE
BIT.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS, SENATOR,
COMES THIS SO-CALLED SPYGATE.
THERE WERE OPERATIVES LOOKING AT
HIS CAMPAIGN IN THE FALL OF 2016
DATING BACK TO THE SPRING.
AND THEY WERE FISHING AROUND FOR
SOMETHING.
PRESUMABLY ANY RUSSIAN ACTIVITY.
WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT AND
CALLS BY MANY IN YOUR PARTY THAT
SAY GET A SPECIAL PROSECUTOR ON
THIS?
>> I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF ANOTHER
SPECIAL PROSECUTOR AND ANOTHER
YEARS LONG INVESTIGATION.
I DO THINK IT NEEDS TO BE
INVESTIGATED AND LOOKED INTO
ALREADY.
YOU KNOW, CLEARLY IF THERE WAS
DABBLING OR ATTEMPTS BY THE NBA,
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO
STEP ON THE SCALES IN A
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OR TO HAVE
SOME SPY EMBEDDED IN THE TRUMP
CAMPAIGN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW
AND WE NEED TO KNOW.
IT'S VERY LEGITIMATE AND VALID
TO SAY THAT WE NEED TO GET TO
THE BOTTOM OF IT AND INVESTIGATE
IT.
THE CALLS INSPECTOR A SPECIAL
COUNSEL TO ME, I DON'T THINK AT
THIS POINT THAT WE WANT TO GO
DOWN THE ROAD OF ANOTHER FULL
BLOWN, YOU KNOW, INVESTIGATION
LIKE THAT THAT COULD RUN ON FOR
MONTHS AND MAYBE YEARS.
>> Neil: I THINK WE'RE RUNNING
OUT OF LAWYERS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.