I
WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU GUYS TO CONGRESSMAN RO KHANNA, HE JOINS
ME IN THE STUDIO, USUALLY WE DON'T HAVE GUESTS IN THE MAIN
SHOW, BUT WE HAD BERNIE SANDERS ON AND WE HAVE CONGRESSMAN
KHANNA.
HE IS FROM THE 17TH DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA AND HE
RECENTLY WON ELECTION AGAINST AN INCUMBENT, A LONG-TERM
INCUMBENT.
CONGRESSMAN KHANNA, ARE YOU AWARE OF SOMETHING
CALLED THE JUSTICE DEMOCRATS?
>>OF COURSE I AM.
>>THE STRONG, PROGRESSIVE WING OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT'S
UNCORRUPTED BY CORPORATE MONEY?
>>ABSOLUTELY.
>>QUICK QUESTION, WILL YOU JOIN THE JUSTICE DEMOCRATS?
>>YES, WITH ENTHUSIASM.
>>YOU ARE OFFICIALLY A JUSTICE DEMOCRAT NOW?
>>I AM.
>>ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU, WILL YOU BE OUR CHAMPION?
>>I WOULD BE HONORED TO.
>>[STARS & STRIPES FOREVER] THERE IS A SITTING U.S.
CONGRESSMAN, A JUSTICE DEMOCRAT.
I'M HOST OF THE YOUNG TURKS AND FOUNDER OF THE JUSTICE
DEMOCRATS, SO WELCOME.
>>THANK YOU, I'M HONORED TO BE HERE WITH BERNIE SANDERS
YOUR ONLY OTHER GUEST.
>>WE DON'T USUALLY DO GUESTS ON THE YOUNG TURKS, SO AS A SITTING
U.S. CONGRESSMAN, THAT'S A BIG MOVE.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT JUSTICE DEMOCRATS?
>>IT'S TIME THE DEMOCRATS HAD A CLEAR, BOLD, PROGRESSIVE VISION,
AND WILLINGNESS TO STAND UP FOR THOSE IDEAS.
THAT'S WHAT JUSTICE
DEMOCRATS ARE ABOUT, MEDICARE FOR ALL, FREE COLLEGE, NO
CORPORATE PAC MONEY, THAT'S WHAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEEDS
TO STAND FOR.
>>SKEPTICS WILL SAY YOU CAN'T NOT TAKE CORPORATE OR PAC
MONEY AND WIN ELECTIONS, YOU ARE BEING UNREALISTIC.
>>I DID, I DIDN'T TAKE PAC MONEY OR LOBBYIST MONEY, YOU KNOW WHAT
HAPPENED?
A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE DISTRICT SAID WE ARE GOING TO GO
TAKE A PLEDGE NOT TO TAKE PAC MONEY, NOT TO TAKE LOBBYIST
MONEY, THEY WILL BE REWARDED BY HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY, BERNIE SANDERS SHOWED THAT.
>>THEY WILL ALSO SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, PRIMARYING INCUMBENTS
HURTS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
WHAT IS YOUR TAKE?
>>I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT ARGUMENT.
I RAN AGAINST AN
INCUMBENT AND I SAID IF I GET THERE NOT GO TO CLOSE THE DOOR
ON OTHER FOLKS.
THIS IS A DEMOCRACY, THESE SEATS DON'T
BELONG TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE, THEY BELONG TO THE PEOPLE AND
YOU SHOULD EARN THE RIGHT TO REPRESENT FOLKS.
AND COMPETITION
MAKES YOU BETTER.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY AN INCUMBENT IS
AFRAID, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO RUN AGAINST ME I WILL SHARE MY
IDEAS, MY VISION, IT WILL MAKE OUR PARTY STRONGER.
WE HAVE A
97% INCUMBENT REELECTION RATE IN THIS COUNTRY.
THE TURNOVER RATE
IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS IS LESS THAN EUROPEAN MONARCHIES,
ACCORDING TO AN ECONOMIST ARTICLE.
THIS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE
SO UPSET.
AND WE NEED COMPETITION.
>>IS IRONIC BECAUSE EVERYBODY WHO GETS INTO OFFICE IMMEDIATELY
WANTS TO, OF COURSE, BURN THE BRIDGE BEHIND THEM.
BECAUSE NOT
ALL OF THEM, BUT ALMOST ALL OF THEM, BEAT AN INCUMBENT.
BUT THE
MINUTE THEY ARE IN, YOU CAN'T CHALLENGE INCUMBENTS.
THEY SAY
IT HURTS THE PARTY BUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS BEEN
WRITING PRIMARIES FOR A LONG TIME, THEY SEEM TO BE DOING
WELL ELECTORALLY.
>>AND THEY HAD 17 CANDIDATES IN THEIR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IT
ENERGIZES PEOPLE, GETS NEW IDEAS OUT THERE.
WE NEED NEW, BOLD
VOICES, PEOPLE WILL STICK UP FOR THEIR CONVICTIONS.
MORE
WOMEN, MORE MINORITIES.
HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET MORE WOMEN AND
MINORITIES AND PROGRESSIVES ELECTED IF YOU NEVER PRIMARY
ANYONE?
IS THE SAME ARGUMENT I SOUND FRUSTRATING AT THE
CHALLENGER WHO DIDN'T HAVE A FAMOUS NAME OR CONNECTIONS, I
PROMISED MYSELF, IF I GET THERE I WON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE.
>>YOU HAVE A COOL NAME, RO KHANNA.
IT SOUNDS LIKE GAME OF
THRONES.
HOW DID YOU WIND UP WINNING?
MIKE HONDA WAS A
LONG-TERM CONGRESSMAN IN CALIFORNIA IN A COMFORTABLY
BLUE DISTRICT, YOU HAD TO TAKE HIM ON IN A PRIMARY AND LIKE YOU
SAID YOU HAD NO NAME RECOGNITION, SO HOW IN THE WORLD
DID YOU BEAT HIM?
>>HERE'S THE THING, HE'S A DECENT GUY.
THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T
SAY YOU CAN ONLY RUN IF SOMEONE IS A TERRIBLE INCUMBENT.
BUT WE
HAD DIFFERENCES, I SUPPORTED BERNIE IN THE PRIMARY, HE WAS A
SUPERDELEGATE FOR HILLARY.
I SAID WE NEED TO ABOLISH
SUPERDELEGATES, I CAMPAIGNED ON SINGLE-PAYER AND MEDICARE FOR
ALL, I CAMPAIGNED SAYING I WON'T TAKE PAC MONEY OR LOBBYIST
MONEY, AND WE HAD GREAT DEBATES AND AT THE END I WON ON A
PROGRESSIVE VISION BUT THE PARTY WASN'T ANY WEAKER.
IT WASN'T
SOME AWFUL, NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN, AND THIS IS WHERE I BELIEVE THAT
CHALLENGES WILL STRENGTHEN THE PARTY, AND IF THEY ARE GOOD
INCUMBENTS THEY WILL WIN.
IF THEY ARE GOOD CHALLENGERS, THEY
WILL WIN.
>>WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO BEAT REPUBLICANS IN
GENERAL ELECTIONS?
>>ONE, TO HAVE A BOLD, CLEAR VISION.
LOOK WHAT THE
REPUBLICANS HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS.
THEY HAVE NOT
MODERATED THEIR VISION, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN INCREMENTALIST,
THEY HAVE HAD A SPINE FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE.
WE NEED TO HAVE A
CLEAR VISION OF HOW WE WILL HELP PEOPLE.
WHAT IS OUR POLICY THAT
WILL HELP SOMEONE IN OHIO, IN MICHIGAN?
IN MY VIEW THAT IS,
LET'S GIVE PEOPLE A MASSIVE WAGE INCREASE BY EXPANDING THE EARNED
INCOME TAX CREDIT.
LET'S CLEARLY STAND UP FOR A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO
CHOOSE AND NOT OBFUSCATE THAT ISSUE.
LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT
ISSUES OF RACIAL JUSTICE.
LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT SINGLE-PAYER AND
MEDICARE FOR ALL.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE WILL MAKE COLLEGE
AFFORDABLE BY MAKING PUBLIC COLLEGE FREE.
AND LET'S SAY THIS
IS OUR VISION AND WE HAVE THE GUTS TO STAND UP FOR IT.
>>TO YOUR EARLIER POINT ABOUT HOW IT'S NOT PERSONAL, IT ISN'T.
MIKE HONDA IS A GOOD GUY, I THINK WE HAD HIM ON A LONG TIME
AGO ON THE YOUNG TURKS -- IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHICH
POLICIES WE LIKE BETTER.
THAT'S WHAT AN ELECTION IS SUPPOSED TO
BE.
CORI BUSH IS A JUSTICE DEMOCRATS NOMINEE, SHE'S RUNNING
AGAINST LACY CLAY.
IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT LACY CLAY IS A TERRIBLE
PERSON, IT'S JUST WE THINK CORI BUSH IS MORE PROGRESSIVE, WE
LIKE THOSE, IT'S A DEEPLY BLUE DISTRICT.
PAUL SWEARINGEN
RUNNING AGAINST JOE MANCHIN NOW, THAT WAS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY.
I
DON'T KNOW JOE MANCHIN PERSONALLY, BUT CLEARLY FAR MORE
CONSERVATIVE.
AND PAUL SWEARINGEN MORE PROGRESSIVE.
LIKE YOU SAID, CONGRESSMAN KHANNA, I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT
BATTLE OF IDEAS HURTS THE PARTY.
DOESN'T OF A BATTLE OF IDEAS TO
SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT, DRIVEN BY, AND WILL SHOW
UP TO VOTE FOR HELP THE PARTY?
>>YES, BUT IT'S NOT A BETTER THING FOR INCUMBENTS.
IF YOU ARE
AN INCUMBENT LIKE I AM, YOU SAY I HAVE A 96% CHANCE OF WINNING,
WHY TAKE A CHANCE?
BUT THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE WERE SO FRUSTRATED
WITH IN THE 2016 ELECTION.
THEY WERE FRUSTRATED THAT THEY DIDN'T
FEEL LIKE THEY HAD A VOICE, THEY FELT LIKE THE GAME WAS RIGGED,
THEY FELT LIKE PEOPLE DECIDED IN A CLOSED ROOM WHO COULD RUN.
I
BELIEVE IF WE HAVE BIGGEST CHALLENGES, YOUNG PEOPLE
RUNNING, PROGRESSIVES RUNNING, SAYING THAT THEY DEMAND A BOLD
VISION, A) YOU HAVE INCUMBENTS MORE ACCOUNTABLE, MORE
INCUMBENTS SIGNING ONTO CONYERS'S SINGLE-PAYER BILL,
MORE INCUMBENTS SAYING I WON'T TAKE PAC MONEY, AND YOU
HAVE MORE PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE PROCESS.
THIS WILL MAKE US A BETTER PARTY.
>>MY GUESS IS THAT THIS MOVE WILL MAKE YOU VERY POPULAR WITH
VOTERS --
>>HOPEFULLY.
>>OUT OF YOU WHY.
WHICH MOTOR SAYS, I'D LIKE TO HAVE LESS
CHOICE?
>>I'VE SAID I WILL DEBATE SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO RUN AGAINST
ME, I'VE SAID LET'S HAVE THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATES -- IF YOU
HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR VISION AND YOUR RECORD, YOU SHOULD NOT
BE AFRAID OF COMPETITION.
AND I'VE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY PEOPLE
FEEL SO RISK-AVERSE ABOUT COMPETING.
AN ELECTION IS AN
AWESOME OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE YOUR VISION, TO CONNECT WITH
PEOPLE, TO INSPIRE PEOPLE.
>>IS PARTLY BECAUSE THE REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC
PARTIES HAVE A DUOPOLY ON POWER AND DON'T LIKE TO GIVE THAT UP.
MY GUESS IS THAT YOUR COLLEAGUES MIGHT NOT BE OVERLY HAPPY
ABOUT THIS.
>>THAT IS PROBABLY TRUE.
>>HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THAT IF THEY COME AND SAY WHAT ARE YOU
DOING HERE, YOU ARE HELPING A WING OF THE PARTY THAT MIGHT
PRIMARY ME?
>>I SAY IT'S NOT PERSONAL, IN MANY CASES I RESPECT THE
CONTRIBUTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO JUSTICE DEMOCRATS MIGHT DECIDE
TO RUN AGAINST, IN SOME CASES I MIGHT EVEN THINK THEY ARE GOOD
INCUMBENTS WHO DESERVE TO WIN.
BUT IT'S A PHILOSOPHICAL
PRINCIPLE, IF WE AREN'T GOING TO CHANGE AND HELP BREAK THROUGH
THE STAGNATION AND LET IN NEW VOICES THAT WE WILL NEVER CHANGE
THE SYSTEM.
SO I WOULD SAY GO RUN A GOOD RACE, IF YOU ARE A
TRUE PROGRESSIVE YOU LIKELY WILL WIN BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
ADVANTAGES THAT INCUMBENCY HAS.
IN FACT, WELCOME AND EMBRACE THE
COMPETITION.
>>ABSOLUTELY.
BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU, I HEARD YOUR GRANDFATHER
WORKED WITH GANDHI SOMEHOW?
>>SPENT FOUR YEARS IN JAIL IN GANDHI'S INDEPENDENCE
MOVEMENT IN THE 1940S.
>>YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT A REVOLUTIONARY AND A GUY WHO
KNOWS HOW TO CHALLENGE POWER?
>>I THINK THAT'S WHAT GIVES ME A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE, HE WAS IN
JAIL FOR FOUR YEARS, HE SPENT 30 YEARS OF HIS LIFE FIGHTING FOR
INDIA'S INDEPENDENCE, HE DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER INDIA WOULD BE FREE
OR NOT.
AND THINK OF THE CONSEQUENCE IS TO ME, WHAT IS
THE END OF THE WORLD?
I LOSE AN ELECTION OR DON'T GET TO BE A
CONGRESSMAN?
IT SEEMS SO INCONSEQUENTIAL IN THE CONTEXT
OF MY GRANDFATHER'S LIFE.
BUT HERE'S WHAT I REALIZED FROM HIM,
YOU HAVE TO HAVE THAT LEVEL OF CONVICTION AND WILLINGNESS TO BE
BOLD, WILLINGNESS TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING, TO HAVE A SHOT AT
CHANGING HISTORY.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY,
IT'S WHAT BERNIE SANDERS HAD.
IT'S THE SENSE THAT I DON'T CARE
WHERE THE CHIPS WILL FALL, I HAVE A VISION FOR A SOCIETY AND
I AM GOING TO FIGHT FOR THAT.
THAT IS WHAT ANIMATES JUSTICE DEMOCRATS.
>>ABSOLUTELY.
RO KHANNA, THE FIRST SITTING U.S.
CONGRESSMAN THAT IS A JUSTICE DEMOCRAT.
THANKS FOR DOING THIS ON THE YOUNG TURKS.
>>THINK FOR HAVING ME.