( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )( BAND P) >> Stephen: WELCOME BACK,
EVERYBODY!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) FOLKS, MY NEXT GUEST SERVED
THREE TERMS IN CONGRESS AND IN 2013 THE PEOPLE OF CONNECTICUT
ELECTED HIM TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
PLEASE WELCOME TO THE LATE SHOW, SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> Stephen: SENATOR, HOW AUSPICIOUS TO HAVE YOU HERE.
THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT.
>> THERE IS!
>> Stephen: YOU KNOW, THE DEMOCRATS HAVE A STORY TO TELL
THIS FALL, A STORY THEY DID MOTT HAVE TO TELL IN THE SPRING.
A LOT HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
LET'S START WITH THE ALL-NIGHTER THAT YOU GUYS HELD THIS WEEKEND
IN THE SENATE TO PASS THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT.
WHEN WE SAW ALL NIGHTER, LITERALLY?
>> IT'S LITERALLY AN ALL NIGHTER.
YOU'VE GOT TO STAY UP TILL EVERYBODY IS DONE PUTTING
AMENDMENTS ON THE BILL.
IT'S A 24-HOUR PERIOD.
>> Stephen: IS IT A FORM OF PUNISHMENT ON THE OTHER SIDE?
THEY MIGHT AS WELL BEAT YOU WITH STICKS AND WON'T PASS IT TILL
YOU BEAT US?
>> THEY FORCED US THROUGH 24 HOURS OF AMENDMENTS TO UNDO THAT
PROGRESS SO ATSZ FORM OF PUNISHMENT.
>> Stephen: DO YOU HAVE TO STAY ON THE FLOOR FOR THAT
PERIOD OF TIME.
>> IT'S NOT LIKE A FILIBUSTER WHERE YOU LITERALLY HAVE TO STAY
ON THE FLOOR.
YOU CAN LEAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, GET A RED BULL.
>> Stephen: BERNIE CAN GO DOWN AND LIE ON THE STEPS OUTSIDE.
>> THAT'S A NEW ICONIC MITTENS.
WILL RIVAL THE MITTENS.
>> Stephen: WHAT WAS THE SENSE ON THE FLOOR AFTER IT PASSED.
>> RELIEF.
AS A PARENT OF A 13-YEAR-OLD AND 10-YEAR-OLD, I KNOW OUR TIME IS
RUNNING OUT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT A PLANET IN CRISIS, AND IF
WE DID NOT ACT NOW, WE MIGHT NOT HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE FOR FIVE TO
TEN YEARS, AND AT THAT TIME IT MIGHT BE OUT OF OUR HANDS.
AT THE END OF THE 24-HOUR PERIOD, WE WERE WE WERE
EXHAUSTED BUT EXCITED TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AND TELL OUR KIDS AND
GRANDKIDS THAT WE ARE FINALLY ON A PATHWAY FOR THE UNITED STATES
TO BE A LEADER IN TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: AFTER THE PASSAGE
OF THE BILL, YOU TWEETED THIS IMAGE OF PRESIDENT BIDEN.
( LAUGHTER ) DID COVID GIVE HIM LASER
SUPERPOWERS?
>> I'M GOING TO TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT MEME, BUT HE IS A BIT OF A
SUPERHERO THIS SUMMER.
THIS IS A PRESIDENT WHO HAS A RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT FROM THE
GUN BILL TO THE VETERANS BILL TO THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT
THAT'S GOING TO RIVAL ANY PRESIDENT FOR THEIR FIRST TWO
YEARS.
I THINK WHAT'S BEEN MAGICAL IS HE'S BEEN NIMBLE ENOUGH TO
UNDERSTAND WHEN HE NEEDS TO BE DIRECTLY INVOLVED, WHEN HE NEEDS
TO SIT BACK.
>> Stephen: DID IT HELP AT ALL TO HAVE HIM SIDELINED WITH COVID
FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS?
BECAUSE DURING THE CAMPAIGN, HE STAYED IN THE BASEMENT FOR A
LONG TIME.
EVERYONE WAS, LIKE, IT'S GOING GREAT, DON'T COME OUT.
>> HE WAS ON THE PHONE THE ENTIRE TIME AND WORKING STRAIGHT
THROUGH IT.
IT WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN DONE WITHOUT JOE BIDEN.
>> Stephen: YOU HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH JOE MANCHIN.
DO A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH HIM?
HE GETS A LOT OF GRIEF FROM THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE OF THE AISLE FOR
MOTT BEING SUFFICIENTLY -- NOT BEING SUFFICIENTLY PROGRESSIVE.
>> HE'S GOT A NICE BOAT.
>> Stephen: HE'S GOING TO NEED IT WHEN THE SEA RISES.
>> I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN AN INVITATION TO THE BOAT.
BUT JOE IS A FRIEND, AND HE'S A FRIEND BECAUSE, IN 2013, NOBODY
SPENT MORE TIME WITH THE SANDY HOOK FAMILIES AFTER THAT TRAGEDY
THAN JOE MANCHIN.
IT WAS IMPLAUSIBLE FOR THE DEMOCRAT FROM WEST VIRGINIA TO
BE THE LEADER ON TIGHTENING AMERICA'S GUN LAWS BUT HE DID
BECAUSE HE FELT AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO THE FAMILIES.
HIS PRIORITIES ARE NOT EXACTLY MINE, BUT HE'S A DEMOCRAT FOR A
REASON, HE DOES BELIEVE GOVERNMENT CAN HELP LEVEL THE
PLAYING FIELD, HE DOES BELIEVE OUR GUN LAWS ARE A LITTLE INSANE
AND WORKS TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.
WE DON'T ONE-UP ALL THE TIME BUT I'M GLAD HE WAS ON THE TEAM THIS
TIME.
>> Stephen: DID YOU KNOW THE SECRET NEGOTIATIONS WERE GOING
ON BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?
>> I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE SECRET NEGOTIATIONS.
>> Stephen: SO YOU KNEW ( LAUGHTER )
>> I CAN NEITHER CONFIRM NOR DENY.
>> Stephen: DO YOU BLAME MITCH McCONNELL FOR BEING MAD AT IT
OR ARE YOU LIKE, WE'RE JUST PLAYING YOUR GAME BACK AT YA?
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> SO WHAT REPUBLICANS SAID WAS
THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HOLD BILLS HOSTAGE THAT THEY SUPPORT,
LIKE THE VETERANS BILL, IF WE ENACTED CLIMATE CHANGE
LEGISLATION.
THAT WAS THEIR DECISION, THAT WAS THEIR BOTTOM LINE, THAT WAS
THEIR TRICK.
SO WE WERE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO PLAY THEIR GAME.
WE TOLD THEM RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING WE WANT TO DO THE
VETERANS BILL, WE WANT TO RESTART THE MICROCHIP INDUSTRY
WITH THE CHIP ACT AND PASS CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION TO
LOWER DRUG COSTS.
IT'S THEIR FAULT THEY COULDN'T STOP ANY OF THAT.
WE ULTIMATELY GOT IT DONE AND I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T LET MITCH
McCONNELL DECIDE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND WHAT WASN'T
GOING TO HAPPEN ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: NOW, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT HISTORIC GUN CONTROL
LEGISLATION BECAUSE WHILE IT DID MOTT CHECK EVERY BOX ON PEOPLE'S
WISH LIST ABOUT THIS, WHAT WAS HISTORIC ABOUT IT, CORRECT ME IF
I'M WRONG, IS THAT THERE HAD BEEN NOTHING DONE FOR A
GENERATION.
WHY DO YOU THINK THIS MOMENT WAS DIFFERENT?
>> SO NOTHING HAPPENED IN THIS COUNTRY FOR 30 YEARS,
NOTWITHSTANDING ALL THESE MASS SHOOTINGS, NOTWITHSTANDING THIS
DRAMATIC RISE IN HOMICIDES AND SUICIDES.
THE REASON UNFORTUNATELY WAS PRETTY SIMPLE, THE GUN INDUSTRY
FOR 30 YEARS CONTROLLED WASHINGTON.
THEY HAD THIS POLITICAL POWERHOUSE THAT INTIMIDATED
PEOPLE INTO DOING NOTHING, REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.
OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, WE BUILT OUR OWN POLITICAL MOVEMENT
AND CHANGING GUN LAWS, STUDENTS, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, THAT
ULTIMATELY, BY THE SUMMER OF THIS YEAR, WAS JUST AS POWERFUL
AS THE GUN LOBBY, MORE POWERFUL.
AFTER UVALDE, YOU KNOW, MEMBERSOV THE SENATE WENT HOME
FOR A WEEK RIGHT AFTER UVALDE, AND DURING THAT WEEK, YOU KNOW,
THEY TALKED TO PARENTS AND KIDS WHO WERE JUST SCARED STIFF THAT
CONGRESS WAS GOING TO DO NOTHING AFTER A SECOND SANDY HOOK HAD
HAPPENED, AND IT WAS THAT IMPERATIVE FROM THE VOTERS
COMBINED WITH THE POWER OF THE MOVEMENT THAT, THIS TIME,
ALLOWED US TO BREAK WILL YOU AND GET SOMETHING DONE WE HADN'T
DONE IN 30 YEARS, CHANGE AMERICA'S GUN LAWS TO MAKE OUR
COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS SAFER.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: IS THE
SIGNIFICANCE THERE EXACTLY WHAT WAS PASSED OR THE PACT THAT IT'S
POSSIBLE TO PASS SOMETHING BECAUSE IT'S MOSTLY CARROT, NOT
STICK.
I MEAN, THE STATES AREN'T COMPELLED TO CHANGE THE LAWS,
THEY'RE ENTICED TO DO SO.
WHAT'S NEXT?
IF THIS IS THE DOOR THAT OPENS, AS I'VE HEARD, TO NEW
POSSIBILITIES, WHAT'S THE NEXT FIGHTLE?
>> I THINK THE BILL IS WORTH IT IN AND OF ITSELF.
THERE ARE SOME CHANGES IN STATES BUT SOME THINGS CONCRETE IN
FEDERAL LAW, A BOYFRIEND THAT BEATS A GIRLFRIEND WON'T BE ABLE
TO BUY A GUN.
BUT I BELIEVE THERE ARE MOMENTS WHERE THE STRUCTURE OF POWER
CHANGES AND THIS IS THE MOMENT WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN THE FOLKS
WHO WANT CHANGES IN OUR GUN LAWS HAVE MORE POWER HAN THE
INDUSTRY, AND I THINK THAT ALLOWS US TO DO EVEN MORE.
AND REPUBLICANS WILL REALIZE THAT THEY DON'T PAY A HUGE PRICE
FOR CROSSING THE GUN LOBBY, THEY GET MORE SUPPORT FROM UNLIKELY
CORNERS IN THEIR STATES AND THAT WILL ALLOW US TO DO MORE WORK ON
A BIPARTISAN BASIS ( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE )
>> Stephen: BEFORE WE GO, I HAVE A SLIGHT CONTROVERSY TO
DISCUSS WITH YOU.
AS WE REPORTED ON THE SHOW, THE CHOCOLATE TACO HAS BEEN
DISCONTINUED BY THE PEOPLE AT KLONDIKE, AND YOU TWEETED THIS
RECENTLY, YOU SAID TOMORROW I'M INTRODUCING LEGISLATION TO
INVOKE THE DEFENSE PRODUCTION ACT TO MANDATE THE CONTINUED
MANUFACTURE OF CHOCO TACOS.
PLEASE CALL YOUR SENATOR AND DEMAND THEY CO-SPONSOR.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: HOW FLOODED DID
THE SENATE PHONE LINES GET AFTER THAT SOME.
>> WHAT DOES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EXIST FOR IF NOT TO
COMPEL THE PRODUCTION OF CHOCO TACOS?
( LAUGHTER ) THE GOOD NEWS IS WE MAY HAVE A
BREAK THROUGH SZ.
KLONDIKE IS HINTING THEY MAYBE ARE GOING TO CREATE SPACE IN
THEIR ICE CREAM FACTORIES TO PUT CHOCO TACOS BACK ON THE MARKET
AND THAT WOULD BE GOOD FOR AMERICA.
>> Stephen: IS IT THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE TO TELL
PRIVATE INDUSTRY WHAT TO MANUFACTURE?
AREN'T YOU PICKING WINNERS AND LOSERS, DON'T YOU DEMOCRATS
ALWAYS DO THAT, SENATOR?
>> YEAH, BUT THE CHOCO TACO A SO GOOD.
>> Stephen: WE AGREE AT THE "LATE SHOW," SO WE WOULD LIKE TO
PRESENT YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS, THIS LIMITED, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
GET THIS ANYMORE, THREE CHOCO TACOS, JUST FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: RELISH THEM.
THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: SENATOR, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
SENATOR CHRIS MURPHY, EVERYBODY, WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK!