WILL ANY SENATORS FOLLOW FLAKE
AND CORKERS LEAD?
>>> THAT BRINGS US TO SENATOR JEFF FLAKE, WHO JOINS US LIVE.
SENATOR, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> ONE OF THE PARTS OF YOUR
SPEECH THAT CAUGHT MY EYE, WHEN
YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR COLLEAGUES IN THE SENATE.UT YOUR COLLEAGUES
IN THE SENATE. AND YOU SAID, IF YOURE WAITING
FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP TO TURN A
CORNER AND GROW UP AND BECOME MORE RESPONSIBLE AND START TO
GET THINGS DONE, YOUR WAIT WILL
LAST FOREVER.
LAST FOREVER.
THATS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
MY QUESTION TO YOU, WHEN YOU STEPPED OFF THE SENATE FLOOR,
WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM YOUR
COLLEAGUES? DID THEY WHISPER IN YOUR EAR AND
SAY, I FEEL THAT WAY, TOO?
OR DID THEY SAY, I DISAGREE AND
CANT STAND WITH YOU? >> IF WE ARE WAITING FOR THE
PIVOT, WE HAVE TO QUIT WAITING.
AFTER NINE MONTHS, THEY KNOW
ITS NOT COMING. AND FROM MY COLLEAGUES, I DO
HEAR THAT.
HEAR THAT. I HOPE MORE OF US WILL SPEAK
OUT.
OUT.
THE LONGER WE WAIT, THIS
BEHAVIOR AND POLITICS BECOMES NORMALIZED.D POLITICS BECOMES
NORMALIZED.
WE CANT AFFORD THAT. WE CANT.AFFORD THAT.
WE CANT. >> IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR
MIND, BETWEEN A PRESIDENT WHO,
UNDERMINES OUR DEMOCRATIC IDEALS
AND HAS A FLAGRANT DISREGARD FOR
THE TRUTH AND DECENCY, AND A
PRESIDENT THAT IS UNFIT TO HOLD
OFFICE?
OFFICE?
>> WELL, IN TERMS OF UNFIT TO HOLD THE OFFICE, THE VOTERS MADE
THEIR CHOICE.
THEIR CHOICE. HE WAS ELECTED FAIR AND SQUARE.
I DONT THINK SOME OF THE
REMEDIES THAT ARE BEING TALKED
ABOUT, IMPEACHMENT, HIGH CRIMES
AND MISDEMEANORS.
AND MISDEMEANORS. I DONT THINK THAT APPLIES.
NOR DO I THINK THAT ARTICLE 25,
FOR THE CABINET TO FORCE THE
PRESIDENT OUT.
PRESIDENT OUT. I DONT THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT
WAY TO GO.
I THINK ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE A
RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND UP.
AND IF THE PRESIDENT IS PURSUING
POLICIES, IF HE CARRIES FORWARD
ON THE THREATS HES MADE, FOR
EXAMPLE, AGAINST NEWS
ORGANIZATIONS, TO PULL THEIR
LICENSES, IF THEY HAVE NEWS HE
DOESNT LIKE.
DOESNT LIKE.
OR IF HE CONTINUES WITH A KIND OF TWEETING AND BEHAVIOR THATS
JUST UNBECOMING OF THE
PRESIDENT, WE OUGHT TO AT LEAST
STAND UP AND SAY SO.
>> DOES IT BOTHER YOU THAT YOUR
MOMENT, YOUR SACRIFICE, IS BEING
SEEN AS A VICTORY BY THE WHITE
HOUSE.
HOUSE.
AND STEVE BANNON CAME OUT AND SAID, ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHERAND
SAID, ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER SCALP.
SCALP.
BY QUITTING, THEYRE SAYING, THEY WIN AND YOU LOSE.YING,
THEY WIN AND YOU LOSE.
>> ILL LET THEM DESCRIBE IT
THAT WAY. I KNOW FOR ME, I COULDNT
CONTINUE AND RUN A CAMPAIGN AS
IF THIS IS A NORMAL CAMPAIGN.
ITS NOT.
ITS NOT. WERE AT A DIFFERENT TIME NOW.
AND TO GO AUNND RUN A CAMPAIGN A
IF THE PRESIDENTS ACTIONS ARE
NORMAL AND CAN BECOUNTENANCED.
THATS A DIFFICULT POSITION TO
TAKE.
TAKE.
THE PRESIDENT AND THESE PEOPLE
CAN CLAIM ANY VICTORY THEY WANT.
ANY COLLEAGUES AND I HAVE TO
STAND UP AND SAY THIS IS NOT
NORMAL.
WE HAVE TO CHANGE COURSE. >> I HAVE TO SAY. COURSE.
>> I HAVE TO SAY. THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF PEOPLE
THAT SAY, AMEN, I AGREE WITH
YOU.
YOU.
AND THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT
NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WILL
THINK, THATS JUST MORE TALK BY AN ESTABLISHED SENATOR.TALK BY
AN ESTABLISHED SENATOR. THE AUDIENCE YOU NEED TO REACH,
ARE THE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
THEY BELIEVE IN HIM. IF YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS TO MAKE
THAT PITCH, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY
TO THEM TO TRY TO PERSUADE?
>> THERE IS A TIPPING POINT THAT
COMES.
COMES.
IN THE 1950s, DURING THE
McCARTHY HEARINGS, MEMBERS OF
THE SENATE HAD REMAINED PRETTY SILENT FOR QUITE A WHILE, UNTIL
THE FAMOUS HEARING WHEN JOSEPH
WELCH, THE CHIEF COUNSEL FOR THE
ARMY, CAME OUT AND GAVE THE
FAMOUS REBUTTAL, HAVE YOU NO
DECENCY, SIR?
DECENCY, SIR? AND SAID, WEVE HAD ENOUGH.
AT THAT POINT, THINGS CHANGED.
I HOPE THAT WERE REACHING THE
TIPPING POINT, WHERE MY
COLLEAGUES AND EVERY ELECTED
OFFICIAL WILL SAY, WE CANT GO
ON THIS WAY.
THESE POLITICS, YOU KNOW, HOW
CAN WE EXPLAIN TO OUR KIDS THAT
WE ARE COUNTENANCING THIS KIND
OF BEHAVIOR FROM THE TOP?
I HOPE WE REACHED THAT TIPPING
POINT.
POINT.
TIME WILL TELL. >> SENATOR, LET ME TEST YOUR
NEWFOUND FREEDOM.
NEWFOUND FREEDOM. I KNOW YOU DISAGREE WITH HER IN
EVERY POLICY FACING THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY.
BUT IN TERMS OF PROTECTING DEMOCRACY, PROTECTING RESPECT OF
THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY AND
PROTECTING OUR IMAGE ABROAD, IS
IT POSSIBLE IN YOUR MIND TO
CONSIDER THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
BETTER HAD HILLARY CLINTON WON
IN ELECTION?
IN ELECTION?
>> I TALK IN THE BOOK THAT I
WROTE EARLIER THIS YEAR, THAT WE
MADE A FAUSTIAN BARGAIN WITH
THIS PRESIDENT.
WE COULD EXCUSE THE BEHAVIOR AND EVERYTHING, SIMPLY BECAUSE WEAND
EVERYTHING, SIMPLY BECAUSE WE COULD GET SOME CONSERVATIVE
JUDGES.
JUDGES.
>> WOULD IT BE BETTER IF SHE HAD
WON THE ELECTION?
>> NO PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR
REPUBLICAN, IN RECENT MEMORY,
HAS EXHIBITED THE BEHAVIOR THIS
PRESIDENT HAS.
SO, I AM A REPUBLICAN.
IM A CONSERVATIVE. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT.
REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT. BUT NOT AT ANY COST.
I DIDNT VOTE FOR THIS PRESIDENT
LAST NOVEMBER.
LAST NOVEMBER.
I DIDNT VOTE FOR SECRETARY
CLINTON, EITHER.
>> SECOND THOUGHTS ON THAT?
>> I CAN TELL YOU, IM NOT HAPPY WITH THE DIRECTION WERE GOING.Y
WITH THE DIRECTION WERE GOING. >> SENATOR JEFF FLAKE, GOOD TO