I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW THE
RESCUE PACKAGE, BUT BECAUSE OF
PENDING ELECTION, WE WEREN’T
ABLE TO GET TOGETHER.
>> WITH ME NOW, DOUG JONES OF
ALABAMA, A MEMBER OF THE HEALTH
COMMITTEE AND ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE.
SENATOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING
BACK ON THE SHOW.
>> MY FLASHPLEASURE.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SURE.
LET’S START WITH STIMULUS.
WHAT ARE THE CHANCES IN YOUR
VIEW?
DO YOU THINK YOU AND YOUR
COLLEAGUES COULD PASS PIECEMEAL
PACKAGES BEFORE THE ELECTION?
>> WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO TRY
TO PASS A PACK CANALAGE OF RELIE
SINCE THE HOUSE PASSED THE HEROS
BILL IN MAY.
I THINK IT’S A FAILURE OF
LEADERSHIP.
I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I HEARD
FROM SENATOR McCONNELL.
THIS IS FOR HIM AND THE
PRESIDENT FOR NOT TALKING TO
PEOPLE IN JUNE WHEN WE KNEW
SCHOOLS WERE STARTING AND CITY
AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS WERE
NEEDED THE MONEY BEFORE THEY
START FURLOUGHING PEOPLE.
HERE WE ARE COMING UP ON THE EVE
OF THE ELECTION AND ALL OF A
SUDDEN THEY DECIDED MAYBE WE CAN
GET SOMETHING DONE.
IT’S A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP.
BUT HAVING SAID THAT, DEMOCRATS
HAVE LIKE MYSELF ALWAYS TRIED TO
FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET
TOGETHER TO DO SOMETHING.
I’M HOPEFUL WE CAN GET IT DONE
BEFORE THE ELECTION OR SHORTLY
AFTER THE ELECTION.
WE’VE GOT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
>> OKAY.
SO THAT’S A NOTE OF OPTIMISM.
AT THE TOP OF THE CONVERSATION
YOU SAID YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT A
PIECEMEAL PACKAGE, BUT THAT’S ON
THE TABLE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND
REPUBLICANS.
IS SOMETHING LIKE A VERY NARROW
BILL ON AIRLINE FUNDING OR A
NARROW BILL TO HELP SMALL
BUSINESSES, WOULD YOU SUPPORT
THOSE THINGS?
>> I THINK A PIECEMEAL PACKAGE
IS A MISTAKE.
>> SO YOU WOULD NOT A SMALL
BILL -- I’M SORRY, I WANT TO GET
YOU ON THAT QUOTE.
>> I’M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT
SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT
THINKS IS GOING TO HELP HIS
BUDDIES AND NOT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE.
I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE
HELP ALL AMERICANS AND NOT JUST
A PRIVILEGED FEW ALREADY DOING
OKAY IN THIS.
>> OKAY.
SO ON THE AIRLINE FUNDING, BUT
SOMETHING PELOSI SAID SHE MIGHT
BE OPEN TO, IF THAT COMES IN
YOUR DESK, YOU’RE A THUMBS DOWN
OR UP?
>> I DON’T KNOW YET.
I’D HAVE TO SEE WHAT ELSE IS
GOING ON WITH THAT.
I SUPPORT THE AIRLINE PACKAGE,
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
WORKERS THAT WOULD HELP.
UNION MEMBERS AND OTHERS.
I SUPPORT THAT, BUT I DON’T WANT
TO TRY TO DO A PIECEMEAL.
WE NEED A BIG PACKAGE.
THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE.
COME TO THE TABLE AND UNIFY AND
NOT LET THE PERFECT BE THE ENVY
OF THE GOOD.
WE COULD DO THIS IF PEOPLE PUT
PETTY CLICKS A-- POLITICS ASIDE.
>> YOU THINK THE PRESIDENT IS
PLAYING PETTY POLITICS?
>> I DON’T THINK THERE’S ANY
QUESTION ABOUT IT.
WE’VE HAD THESE THINGS ON THE
TABLE FOR A LONG TIME.
HERE WE ARE, AND WE UNDERSTANDS
AND KNOWS THAT THE PEOPLE ARE
NEEDING THIS PACKAGE AS MUCH AS
ANYBODY.
EVERYTHING HAS ENDED.
THE SCHOOLS ARE OPENED.
IT’S A REAL PROBLEM, AND HERE HE
IS SCRAMBLING TO TRY TO DO
SOMETHING AT THE LAST MINUTE.
HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HAVING THESE
DISCUSSIONS IN JUNE, JULY,
AUGUST, SEPTEMBER.
>> WE ARE HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION, AND YOU ARE HAVING
THIS CONVERSATION ON CAPITOL
HILL AGAINST A BACKDROP OF THE
PRESIDENT’S POSITIVE CORONAVIRUS
DIAGNOSIS NOW.
AS WE TRACK THAT, WE’VE NOW
LEARNED THAT SEVEN OF THE EIGHT
MEMBERS OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF
STAFF ARE IN QUARANTINE AFTER A
FRIDAY MEETING WITH SOMEBODY WHO
TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE
CORONAVIRUS.
YOU SIT ON THE SENATE ARMS
COMMITTEE.
>> I’M ONLY CONCERNED FOR THE
INDIVIDUAL JOINT CHIEFS.
I HOPE THE BEST FOR THEM.
THEY’RE AN AMAZING GROUP OF
INDIVIDUALS.
THERE’S CONTINGENCY PLANS AND I
THINK OUR MILITARY STANDS READY.
THE WAY WE’RE WORKING AND THE
WAY WE DO THINGS AROUND THE
WORLD, I THINK WE’RE PREPARED.
I THINK WE’RE READY.
I JUST WISH THE BEST FOR THEM ON
AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.
>> OKAY.
>>> THE SENATE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE ON YOUR SIDE IS SET TO
START THE CONFIRMATION HEARING.
THE STORY WE’D BE TALKING ABOUT
I’M SURE CONSTANTLY IF IT WASN’T
FOR WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH
CORONAVIRUS ALL DAY, THOSE ARE
SET TO BEGIN MONDAY.
THERE IS NOW DEMOCRATS ON THE
COMMITTEE WRITING TO THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT NANDING ANY MISSING
MATERIALS FROM A QUESTIONNAIRE
REFERENCING A 2006 NEWSPAPER AD
CALLING FOR OVERTURNING ROE V.
WADE
WADE.
BECAUSE BARRETT DID NOT EDIT OR
WRITE THE ADVERTISEMENT, THEY
SAY IT DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE
SCOPE OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE.
DOES IT OR SHOULD IT IMPACT HER
CONFIRMATION PROCESS?
>> WELL, I THINK THE WE SHOULD
GET ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT
ANY NOMINEE, AND THAT’S PART OF
THE PROBLEM WE’VE GOT HERE IN
THIS RUSH TO GET THIS NOMINEE
THROUGH BEFORE THE ELECTION.
WE’RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT.
WE CAN’T GET THAT IN JUDGE
KAVANAUGH’S.
SENATOR GRASSLEY ASKED FOR A LOT
OF DOCUMENTATION FROM THE
ARCHIVES THEY COULD NOT PRODUCE,
BUT YET THEY WENT AHEAD WITH IT.
THIS IS A PATTERN FROM SENATOR
McCONNELL AND SENATOR GRAHAM TO
JUST RUSH THROUGH A NOMINEE
WITHOUT REGARD TO GETTING A
FULL, FAIR REVIEW OF ALL THE
DOCUMENTATION THAT’S OUT THERE.
>> BEFORE I LET YOU GO, I WANT
TO ASK ABOUT YOUR SENATE RACE.
I DON’T HAVE TO TELL YOU, YOU’RE
CONSIDERED THE MOST AT RISK
INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT.
IMPLICATIONS FOR YOU AND FRANKLY
FOR THE DEMOCRATIC AGENDA
OVERALL.
ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE LEVEL
OF SUPPORT YOU’RE GETTING FROM
THE DNC AND ARE YOU CONSIDERING
ANY STRATEGIC CHANGES?
>> NO.
WE’VE CONTINUED TO MOVE IN THE
DIRECTION THAT WE WANT TO MOVE
IN.
AND I THINK THE ELECTION IS
MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION.
THIS IS ALWAYS ABOUT HEALTH CARE
IN ALABAMA.
PEOPLE ARE AT RISK FOR LOSING
THEIR PREEXISTING CONDITION
PROTECTIONS THAT THEY’VE HAD
BECAUSE THE ATTACKS ON THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
THEY’RE AT RISK FOR LOSING THEIR
INSURANCE TOTALLY.
WE’RE MOVING IN THE DIRECTION
WE’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT WE WOULD
MOVE IN.
IT’S GOING WELL.
WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO
THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR
NOT THERE’S SUPPORT.
THIS IS ABOUT ALABAMA, NOT THE