>> Ed: 2020 DEMOCRATS MAKING THEIR FINAL APPEAL TO VOTERS AS
THE 2020 RACE KICKS OFF IN IOWA
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. HERE LIVE IS DEMOCRATIC
PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL PETE
BUTTIGIEG.
BUTTIGIEG. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU WANT THE
ENDORSEMENT FROM KARL ROVE.
HE SAID A MOMENT AGO HE THINKS
YOU MIGHT EXCEED EXPECTATIONS
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. >> I WOULD HATE TO COME ON TV
AND SET AN EXPECTATION TO COME
IN AHEAD OF EXPECTATIONS.
WE FEEL A LOT OF STRENGTH ON
THE GROUND.
THE GROUND. WE HAD A FANTASTIC PAIR OF
EVENTS YESTERDAY IN THE IOWA
CITY AND DES MOINES.
WE’VE BEEN IN A LOT OF THE
COUNTIES THAT FAMOUSLY SWITCHED
FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA TO TRUMP
AND WE’RE SEEING FOLKS COME OUT
OF THE WOODWORK NOT JUST
DIEHARD DEMOCRATS BUT SOME MORE
INDEPENDENT-MINDED FOLKS.
INDEPENDENT-MINDED FOLKS. DISAFFECTED REPUBLICANS LOOKING
FOR A CHANGE.
WANTING TO TURN THE PAGE AND
LOOKING FOR A CAMPAIGN THAT
WELCOMES THEM AND DEMONSTRATE
WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO DEFEAT
DONALD TRUMP IN THE FALL.
>> YOUR STAFF TELLS ME YOUR
CAPTAINS WILL BE IMPORTANT TO
RALLY SUPPORT FOR YOU.
A LOT OF TRUMP VOTERS WHO WENT
OBAMA IN 2012 AND WENT TRUMP IN
2016 AND LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
NEW.
NEW. WHAT IS YOUR APPEAL TO TRUMP
VOTERS IN RURAL AREAS?
>> THIS IS GOING TO BE A
CAMPAIGN THAT INVITES EVERYBODY
IN TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
IT IS NOT SAYING WE’RE GOING TO
AGREE ON EVERYTHING.
FARMERS ARE GETTING KILLED AS A
RESULT OF THE TRADE WAR,
CONSUMERS ARE FEELING THE
IMFACT OF THAT.
>> Ed: ARE FARMERS BEING KILLED
BY THE TRADE WAR WHEN THE
PRESIDENT JUST SIGNED USMCA
INTO LAW AND BASICALLY THAT
WILL MEAN JOBS?
>> IT IS HELPFUL, THE USMCA
AFTER THE DEMOCRATS INSISTED ON
SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
SOME IMPROVEMENTS. I THINK IT’S A GOOD PACKAGE.
THE TRADE WAR NEVER SHOULD HAVE
HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
MY POINT IS WHEN YOU SEE TAX
POLICIES FAVORING CORPORATIONS
OVER THE MIDDLE CLASS.
REFINERY WAIVERS AT THE EXPENSE
OF FARMERS IN THE MIDWEST THERE
IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO
VOTERS WHO HAVEN’T CONNECTED
WITH THE DEMOCRATIC MESSAGE IN
A LONG TIME.
IT’S ABOUT WHAT WE’RE FOR.
MAKING SURE WE’RE DEALING WITH
CLIMATE CHANGE.
CLIMATE CHANGE. WE’RE DELIVERING AN ECONOMY
WHERE ONE JOB CAN BE ENOUGH.
THAT WE’RE SUPPORTING RURAL
COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS PARTS OF
OUR CITIES THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT
BEHIND.
BEHIND. >> Ed: YOU SAID A MOMENT AGO
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND
REACHING OUT TO TRUMP VOTERS
YET YOU WERE ON CNN YESTERDAY
DOUBLING DOWN ON THE CLAIM
YOU’VE MADE THAT TRUMP
SUPPORTERS ARE AT BEST YOU SAY
LOOKING THE OTHER WAY ON RACISM
AND THEN THE PRESIDENT AT THE
SUPER BOWL HAS AN AD LAST NIGHT
THAT QUOTES ALICE JOHNSON AN
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOM WHO GOT A
SECOND CHANCE BECAUSE OF THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. LET’S PLAY THE CLIP AND YOU CAN
REACT.
REACT. >> I’M FREE TO START OVER.
THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY
LIFE.
LIFE. MY HEART IS JUST BURSTING WITH
GRATITUDE.
GRATITUDE. I WANT TO THANK PRESIDENT
DONALD JOHN TRUMP.
[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]
>> Ed: HOW CAN YOU ATTACK NOT
JUST THE PRESIDENT BUT 63
MILLION PEOPLE IN AMERICA WHO
VOTED FOR HIM WHEN YOU HAVE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN LIKE
ALICE JOHNSON SAYING THIS IS A
PRESIDENT WHO GAVE ME A SECOND
CHANCE?
CHANCE? >> I THINK THAT PRESIDENT
TRUMP’S DECISION TO SIGN THE
FIRST STEP ACT WHEN IT CAME TO
HIS DESK IS ONE OF THE HANDFUL
OF THINGS I COULD AGREE WITH
HIM ON.
HIM ON. IT DOESN’T CHANGE THE
INCREDIBLY CRUEL AND DIVISIVE
RACIAL RHETORIC THAT COMES OUT
OF THIS WHITE HOUSE THAT IS ONE
OF THE MANY REASONS THAT I’M
MEETING NOT ONLY DEMOCRATS BUT
REPUBLICANS WHO TELL ME THAT
THEY STRUGGLE TO LOOK THEIR
CHILDREN IN THE EYE AND EXPLAIN
TO THEM HOW THIS IS THE
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. >> Ed: ARE YOU THE RIGHT
MESSENGER TO QUESTION THE
PRESIDENT ON RACE WHEN AS MAYOR
BLACK LEADERS WERE CRITICAL OF
WHAT YOU DID WITH
POLICE-INVOLVED SHOOTING AND
OTHER MATTERS.
OTHER MATTERS. WHY ARE YOU QUESTIONING THE
PRESIDENT?
PRESIDENT? >> BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS
WRONG.
WRONG. HE IS WRONG TO ATTACK WOMEN OF
COLOR.
COLOR. HE IS WRONG TO COMPARE PEOPLE
TO ANIMALS.
TO ANIMALS. HE IS WRONG TO ASSAULT ENTIRE
CITIES IN HIS TWEETS.
AGAIN, YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A
DIED IN THE WOOL DEMOCRAT TO
KNOW IT’S WRONG JUST AS A LOT
OF REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS AND
SENATE EVEN IF THEY PROVIDE
COVER FOR THE PRESIDENT CAN’T
ACTUALLY BRING THEMSELVES TO
SAY THAT HE IS A GOOD LEADER.
IT’S REVEALING.
IT’S REVEALING. LOOK, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TURN THE PAGE, TO TURN THE PAGE
ON THIS PRESIDENT AND FRANKLY
WITHIN MY PARTY TO TURN THE
PAGE ON SOME OF THE INTERNAL
FIGHTS THAT WE HAD IN 2016.
>> Ed: ARE YOU THE MAN TO LEAD
THAT EFFORT?
THAT EFFORT? THERE IS AN OP-ED THAT THE
"WASHINGTON POST" RAN OVER YOUR
LEADERSHIP.
LEADERSHIP. EXPERIENCE YOU BRING TO THE
TABLE.
TABLE. IT’S A MAYOR FROM OUT IN
CALIFORNIA CHRISTINE SHAY WHO
WRITES IT TAKES A HUGE EGO TO
THINK THAT MAYORAL EXPERIENCE
ALONE WOULD EMPOWER ANYONE TO
GO TO THE WEST WING.
FROM LEADING A TOWN OF A FEW
HUNDRED THOUSAND TO A COUNTRY
OF 330 MILLION.
THE CHANCE OF A ROOKIE MISTAKE
IS HIGH AND THE STAKES COULD
NOT BE HIGHER.
THAT’S A MAYOR.
>> I AGREE THE STAKES COULD NOT
BE HIGHER BUT WASHINGTON
EXPERIENCE IS MAYBE NOT THE
KIND OF ESTABLISHMENT
EXPERIENCE THAT WE’RE SEEING
OUT THERE THAT’S TRADITIONALLY
WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT IN A
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. IT IS NOT WHAT AMERICANS ARE
LOOKING FOR.
LOOKING FOR. THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON THE
GROUND, LEADING A CITY.
WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A
DIFFERENT SYSTEM IN INDIANA.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A
CITY MANAGER IN MY CITY.
YOU ARE THE EXECUTIVE AND THERE
IS NO ONE ELSE TO CALL.
IT IS NOT JUST THAT.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE
SITUATION ROOM, MAYBE IT’S TIME
TO HAVE SOMEBODY IN THAT
SITUATION ROOM WHO KNOWS WHAT
IT IS TO BE SENT INTO WAR ON
THE ORDERS OF AN AMERICAN
PRESIDENT.
PRESIDENT. NOT ONLY IN TERMS OF THE
EXPERIENCE I BRING TO THE TABLE
AND LOOK, LET’S BE HONEST.
THIS IS A JOB THAT SHOULD BE
DAUNTING FOR ANY HUMAN BEING.
AND YET EVERY PERSON WHO HAS
EVER DONE IT, GOOD AND BAD
PRESIDENTS AND IN BETWEEN ONE
THING THEY HAVE IN COMMON IS
THEY’RE MERE MORTALS AND HUMAN
BEIN.
BEIN. >> Ed: YOU MENTIONED YOUR
MILITARY EXPERIENCE.
MILITARY EXPERIENCE. GALLUP RAN A POLL IN TERMS OF
THE PRESIDENT HANDLING OF THE
HE CON KNEE IN THE 80s.
HANDLING TERROR AND SOME OF
THOSE ISSUES COME UP IN THE
HIGH 60s.
HIGH 60s. HOW DO YOU RUN AGAINST A
PRESIDENT WHO HAS INCREDIBLY
HIGH APPROVAL NUMBERS ON ISSUES
LIKE HANDLING TERROR, HANDLING
HIS WORK IN FOREIGN POLICIES
AND THE SITUATION ROOM AND
HANDLING THE ECONOMY?
>> PART OF THE PRESIDENT’S
UNPOPULARITY HAS TO DO WITH HIS
LET’S SAY MIXED RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE MILITARY AND ON
SECURITY MATTERS.
SECURITY MATTERS. THE FACT THAT FOR ANYBODY WHO
IS IN THE POST 9/11 CONFLICTS
TO HEAR THE PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES SAY THE TRAUMATIC
BRAIN INJURY IS NO BIG DEAL.
WHEN HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE
FACT THAT HE WAS THE SON OF A
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE TO FAKE A
DISABILITY TO AVOID SERVING
WHEN IT WAS HIS TURN.
SOMEBODY NEEDS TO CHALLENGE HIM
ON THAT AND I’M PREPARED TO GO
TOE-TO-TOE WITH HIM.
>> Ed: THERE ARE THREE TICKETS
OUT OF IOWA.
DO YOU BELIEVE YOU’LL HAVE ONE?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. WE’RE SEEING ON THE GROUND A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ENERGY.
VOLUNTEERS ARE OUT IN EVERY
PRECINCT IN THE STATE.
WE THINK WE’LL HAVE THE
ORGANIZATION TO COMPETE TO WIN
AND TO GO ON TO NEW HAMPSHIRE