>> On the same day Democrats announced specific articles of impeachment against Donald Trump,
Nancy Pelosi also held a press conference.
Saying that she and other Congressional Democrats have struck a deal with Donald Trump on his
trademark NAFTA renegotiation, which he has really labeled the USMCA.
Again, this has to do with trade.
It's not much different from NAFTA but I will give you some of those details.
So the concessions that the Trump Administration gave to Democrats included removing a provision
that Democrats criticized as a boon to the pharmaceutical industry.
Democrats had objected to provisions governing intellectual property.
And that intellectual property would mean protections for new pharmaceutical products.
In particular, an advanced class of drugs called biologics, which were given 10 years
of protection from cheaper alternatives.
So that was one of the things that Democrats fought on when it came to the USMCA and the
Trump administration agreed or conceded to Democrats.
But let me just note one thing and this is very important.
This isn't legislation yet, right?
So we're not talking about specific detailed legislation that they're negotiating.
This is a handshake deal that congressional leadership, congressional democratic leadership
made with Donald Trump.
So who knows what the final legislation is gonna look like, but I have a huge problem
with the timing of this.
And I also do not think that this negotiation, this deal, this new trade deal, is gonna be
much different from NAFTA.
But with that said, Nancy Pelosi, during her press conference was asked about the timing
and here's what she had to say.
>> Is it a coincidence that you are announcing this bipartisan deal on the same day that
you're unveiling your articles of impeachment?
>> No, it's not a coincidence, it's just as we get to the end of a session where have
to be some decisions made.
The time table for impeachment is the time table of the committees, and that came to
an end of what they hearing yesterday.
But for us, this says that we didn't know what it would be.
But the Trade Representative, Master Lighthizer, who was quite remarkable to work with he shared
our values.
He understood why we could not accept the Trump administration product and he wanted
to get this signed by the Mexicans and the Canadians.
When you're dealing with something like this, it could be perishable.
So he wanted to close while we were all in agreement, and therefore we are.
We came to agreement as we go forward.
>> So he wanted to close because that's gonna help him out in his re-election campaigns.
So on the same day that we announce articles of impeachment, including abuse of power and
obstruction of justice, we're gonna also hold a press conference giving Donald Trump a giant
win.
Which will then give him some content for his political attack ads against whoever he
ends up running against, right?
And let me just note, it is a huge political win for Trump.
Because the AFL CIO labor union has backed this.
They're in favor of this.
And so, you think the Republicans are gonna give you credit, Nancy Pelosi?
You think they're gonna look out for you and give you a giant pat on the back during an
election campaign?
This is insane, I don't know what they're doing.
>> I think I do, and so, once again, it's moderate, so called moderate Democrats in
districts where they think that they're in a potential danger.
Saying if I apiece Republicans, I'll be able to win my elections.
>> That theory has never worked.
I just asked Claire McCaskill and Joe Donnelly, Blanche Lincoln.
And I can go on and on for days listing Democrats, who thought they could impeach Republicans.
In fact, they just backed up their talking points.
And they put pressure on Pelosi, that's why she's right actually and saying it's not a
coincidence.
It put a lot of pressure on her to get this pass and give Trump that victory, which they
give then Trump it is like, I was bipartisan with Trump, in their districts.
Terrible political strategy but they believe it's a winning strategy before the year ends.
Now in terms of the concessions that the democrats got, they did get some concessions.
The one that animation there's also one on cars and senate relatively mid-sized concession.
>> Tiny.
>> Yeah.
>> Let me give you the details on that.
>> Okay.
>> So Trump's USMCA has made other changes generally sought by Democrats.
Like raising the threshold for the proportion of a car's value that must be made in North
America in order to qualify for the pact's zero tariffs.
It also contains provisions designed to strengthen Mexican labor unions and roll back a special
system of arbitration for corporations long opposed by Democrats.
So look, there are some concessions there, but don't get too excited about those concessions
because again, this is not finalized legislation.
There's no legislation written at all yet.
Okay, this was a handshake deal with Donald Trump.
So in the final version of this legislation when it's once it's written, do you think
Democrats are gonna fight for this concessions?
Do you think they're gonna hold Donald Trump accountable?
>> Well, look, this- >> Come on.
>> I know but this was more complicated cuz if this version has to go to Mexico and Canada,
so it would be harder roll it back.
So, yes, it's Trump so you never know.
He would be like, hey, thanks, knuckleheads for giving me a victory in the day that you
announce my impeachment.
Later I'm not gonna abide by the concessions that my guy gave you because I was just kidding.
But in this case, it really would be harder.
And in some of the negotiations with, in fact most of the negotiations that Democrat leadership
do with Republicans, they come out completely empty handed included it in a different story
today on drug prices.
I mean, they got nothing on the defense spending.
They got nothing.
In this case, they actually did get a couple of concessions including the one on the special
system of arbitration that the corporations wanted.
I think that's an important one.
So also keep in mind AFLCIO is very important in the and powerful and democratic party because
they also give money to Democratic politicians.
So when you combine the Conservative Democrats with the labor unions who have money and the
ideology.
And they got some concessions, with ideology Democrats have overall have like making bipartisan
agreements is the most important thing we could do.
This was near inevitable.
I'm not saying that it was the right thing at all, okay?
But I'm surprised they got even this level of concessions.
>> So look, we've taken some political bets in the past.
I feel bad at how many times you've lost money against me.
So I won't try to go deep into another bet right now, but I can't wait to see what this
legislation looks like.
Because I can't wait to tell you I told you so.
Look, here's what's really happening, okay?
This is not even about democrats running in purple districts and they're so scared.
Am I going to get reelected?
It's not even about them.
This is about corporate dems, looking out for the business interests of business in
America, right?
They're looking out for their donors.
They don't wanna lose their donors.
So that's the reason why they're willing to make these types of deals with Donald Trump.
I don't, again, I could be wrong.
This is my speculation.
I don't think that the final deal is gonna be robust.
I don't think it's really gonna be something that Progressives are gonna be too happy with.
But nonetheless, the political timing of this is disastrous.
I don't know why Democrats would hand Donald Trump something to use against them in the
2020 election.
>> Yeah, well, look, on that, I actually do disagree.
I wanna be clear of what we're disagreeing on.
I'm not saying that this is a good deal.
We're not disagreeing on that.
I'll come back to that in one second.
But what I think that since it's going to Mexico and Canada, it'll be much harder to
reverse the concessions, okay?
So that's the one thing we're slightly disagreeing on.
And then we're definitely not disagreeing on corporate donors having a big impact.
In fact, the New York Times reports that the Democrats, not the Republicans, Democrats
wanted to, quote, provide more certainty to the businesses in their districts that depend
on the pact.
>> Yes, yes.
>> Okay, meaning corporate interests, okay?
And so, but I also disagree that handing Trump a political victory is always a bad thing.
So what do I mean by that?
Look, if you think a deal is good, and I don't think that this deal is good.
But if you thought a deal was good, should you do it even though Trump would get to brag
about it?
Yes, you should do it anyway.
Like criminal justice reform that was a relatively good deal.
The Republicans came in our direction instead of us going to them.
I take a victory even if Trump gets to brag about it.
You see what I'm saying?
You gotta do what's right based on principles and policies.
So now in this case, last thing is to why this is not a good idea overall.
So a lot of the progressive economists and overall economist said it's still pretty much
NAFTA.
Even Paul Krugman, who often agrees with Nancy Pelosi was like, I don't know why the democrats
would make this deal.
It's still NAFTA.
So it's with tweaks.
But the cherry on top of the republicans is they then turn around and get Democratic leadership
arguing for their pact.
>> Right.
>> So now Pelosi said it's a victory for America's workers cuz she signed on to it.
No, and Richard Neal, the head of the House Ways and Means Committee that you saw there.
He said this is a transformative agreement.
>> I just can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, it's so frustrating and so embarrassing
to be a Democrat.
>> So this what Anna's right about.
Even if you agree to the deal, you could come out there and go, hey listen, guys, we got
important concessions, and the unions agree, labor agrees.
We had to do it.
Is it a great deal?
No, I wish it was a much better deal.
Here's all the things we wanted we didn't get.
But we had to do it if you really believe that on these grounds, right?
But when you go and then gush about the deal, my God, Donald Trump's deal is a victory for
American workers.
No, no, no.
Now you're unnecessarily handing him a political gift.
But you didn't need to hand them, even if you made the deal.
So that's why the Democrats
are so frustrating.