NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS A
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR FROM THE GREAT STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
PLEASE WELCOME, SENATOR KAMALA HARRIS!
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) ( BAND PLAYING )
>> Stephen: WELCOME BACK.
THANK YOU.
>> Stephen: NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
HOW HAVE YOU BEEN?
>> I'M GOOD.
>> Stephen: YOU SEEM GOOD.
WE'LL GET TO THIS IN A MOMENT.
YOUR NEW BOOK IS CALLED "THE TRUTHS WE HOLD," AND YOU LOOK
VERY HAPPY ON THE COVER.
>> YEAH.
>> Stephen: BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WORLD BEFORE WE GET TO
THE BOOK.
>> OKAY.
>> Stephen: I'M NOT SURE WHY YOU HAVE -- WHY YOU LOOK HAPPY
ON THE COVER.
SHUTDOWN TOMORROW DAY 20.
SATURDAY WILL BE A RECORD OF 22 DAYS.
ANY UPDATES, YOU'RE IN THE SENATE.
WHAT'S THE CHATTER LIKE IN THE CLOAK ROOM?
>> THE CHATTER IN THE CLOAK ROOM IS THAT WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS WHO ARE NOT GOING TO GET PAID, AND
THEY'RE NOT GETTING PAID BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES HAS A VANITY PROJECT THAT HE DOESN'T WANT TO GIVE UP, AND
IT IS OUTRAGEOUS, IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE.
THESE FAMILIES ARE -- YOU KNOW, THESE 800,000 PEOPLE COME WITH
FAMILIES, THEY COME WITH COMMUNITIES WHO ARE ALL
SUFFERING BECAUSE THIS PRESIDENT HAD A CAMPAIGN PROMISE THAT IS
RIDICULOUS AND HE IS NOW AFRAID THAT IT WILL COST HIM
POLITICALLY IF HE DOESN'T FOLLOW THROUGH ON IT, AND LET'S PUT IT
IN CONTEXT.
RIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THE UNITED STATES SENATE
UNANIMOUSLY, IN A BIPARTISAN APPROACH, PASSED A FUNDING BILL.
>> Stephen: IT WAS A VOICE VOTE.
>> WE WERE SINGING CHRISTMAS CHR CAROLS ON THE FLOOR OF THE
UNITED STATES SENATE, I WAS SINGING RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED
REINDEER!
( LAUGHTER ) SERIOUSLY!
WE WERE ALL JUBILANT.
IT WAS A NO-BRAINER.
>> Stephen: LET ME ASK YOU WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT
HAPPENS.
THE WORD IS JUST FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO DON'T KNOW IS THAT THE
INDICATION THAT LEADER MCCONNELL GOT WAS TRUMP WOULD SIGN OFF ON
THIS.
SO HE HELD THE VOTE.
IT WAS 100 TO ZERO, YOU GUYS VOTED IN FAVOR OF PASSING A
CONTINUING RESOLUTION.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, TO FUND THE GOVERNMENT.
>> Stephen: SO DID TRUMP PULL THE RUG OUT FROM UNDERNEATH
MCCONNELL OR MCCONNELL GO OFF HALF-COCKED?
>> I HAVE NOT TALKED TO MCCONNELL, BUT I HAVE OBSERVED
HIM OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS TO BE VERY SHREWD AND SMART AND
DOESN'T MAKE A MOVE WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT THE SENT MOVE
BEFORE HE MAKES THE FIRST ONE, AND I HAVE TO BELIEVE THAT HE
HAD SOME INDICATION THAT, WHEN THAT MOVED OUT OF THE SENATE, IT
WAS A DONE DEAL.
TO THE POINT, AGAIN, PEOPLE WERE SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS,
GETTING ON PLANES.
MY COLLEAGUE BRIAN FLEW HOME TO HAWAII AND WAS HOME FOR 17
MINUTES WHEN HE HEARD HE HAD TO COME BACK TO D.C. TO VOTE.
I WENT HOME TO CALIFORNIA HALF A DAY, CAME BACK TO D.C., ACROSS
THE AISLES BECAUSE PEOPLE WERE TAKEN BY SURPRISE.
>> Stephen: THE BUZZ IS THE REPUBLICANS ARE CRACKING A BIT
UNDERNEATH THE PRESSURE AND SORT OF THE BLAME THAT THE PRESIDENT
WHO THEY HAVE BACKED WHOLLY -- ARE THEY CRACKING?
WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE OFF AND YOU'RE IN THE CLOAK ROOM, ARE
THEY CRACKING OR IS THAT JUST THE SOUND OF THE ANCIENT DRY
SKIN?
( LAUGHTER ) >> NO, I HAVE TO GIVE MY
REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES CREDIT FOR KNOWING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT IS INDEFENSIBLE, SO THEY'RE SPEAKING THEIR TRUTH.
THEY'RE SPEAKING THE TRUTH THAT WE NEED TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT
RUNNING, WE NEED TO GET THE GOVERNMENT BACK UP AND RUNNING
AND STOP HOLDING THE PEOPLE HOSTAGE BECAUSE TO HAVE THE
PRESIDENT'S VANITY PROJECT.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: HOW DO YOU IMAGINE
THIS ENDS?
>> I MEAN, LISTEN, AS IT IS NOW, EACH DAY THESE FOLKS HAVE NOT
BEEN PAID, EACH DAY THEY'RE NOT PERFORMING THEIR JOBS, THERE'S
ALREADY HARM THAT'S BEEN DONE, SO LET'S BE CLEAR ABOUT THAT.
THIS IS NOT -- THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN SOMETHING THAT IS HURTFUL
AND HARMFUL TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
HOW DOES IT END?
IT HAS TO END WITH THE GOVERNMENT RUNNING AND
FUNCTIONING.
IT HAS TO RUN WITH US SETTING BACK UP THE GOVERNMENT, BUT IT
WILL NOT END WITH THE WALL.
>> Stephen: IT WILL NOT END WITH THE WALL?
>> NO.
>> Stephen: THE PRESIDENT SAYS ALMOST DEFINITELY HE'S GOING TO
DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY.
HE SAID MAYBE PROBABLY DEFINITELY.
THOSE WERE THE ORDER.
WHAT HAPPENS IF HE DOES?
>> WHAT HAPPENS IF HE DOES IS THAT THE COURTS WILL KICK IN,
AND I'M SURE THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF LAWSUITS TO DETERMINE
THE LEGITIMACY OF HIS EXERCISE OF THAT AUTHORITY, AND I THINK
WHAT WE ALL KNOW IS IT WOULD BE AN IMPROPER EXERCISE OF
AUTHORITY WHICH IS SWHG SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN HIM DO
THROUGHOUT HIS TENURE AS PRESIDENT.
>> Stephen: IF HE DECLARES AN EMERGENCY OF HIS OWN MANUFACTURE
HERE, DOES, LIKE, A NEXT PRESIDENT, LET'S SAY THERE'S A
DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT NEXT TIME, ARE THE FLOODGATES OPEN, CAN
THAT PRESIDENT DECLARE A NATIONAL EMERGENCY BECAUSE OF
HEALTHCARE OR WE HAVE TO SENSIBLE GUN LAWS AND PEOPLE ARE
BEING KILLED BY GUN VIOLENCE, IS IT A TOOL PRESIDENT WILL, ONCE
USED, WILL ALWAYS USE?
>> PART OF THE REASON I WROTE MY BOOK IS TO TALK ABOUT --
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: SHE KNOWS HOW TO
SELL.
>> -- IS TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE LOST RECENTLY AND MUST
FIGHT FOR WHICH IS THE NOBILITY OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
WE HOLD THESE POSITIONS IN THE PUBLIC TRUST, AND THERE IS SOME
ASSUMPTION THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC RIGHTLY MAKES THAT, WHEN
WE HAVE THIS POWER, WE WILL USE IT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE
PEOPLE WE REPRESENT AND NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF OURSELVES.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: ALL RIGHT.
LET'S TALK ABOUT ABUSING THE PUBLIC TRUST FOR A MOMENT HERE.
YOU'RE ON THE SENATE INTEL COMMITTEE.
AS A PROSECUTOR, WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF CONSPIRACY?
BECAUSE MANAFORT HAS JUST BEEN CAUGHT WITH HIS FINGER IN THE
COOKIE JAR AND THE COOKIES ARE, YOU KNOW, REALLY JUST BORSCHT.
IT'S RUSSIAN.
( LAUGHTER ) >> WELL, I WILL TELL YOU THAT
THERE IS A LOT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT RIGHTLY, AND YOU HAVE BEEN
COVERING IT REALLY WELL.
WHAT MORE DO WE NEED TO KNOW, IN TERMS OF CONSPIRACY?
WE'LL SEE WHAT THE EVIDENCE HOLDS.
YOU KNOW, I'M ON THE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
WE'RE DOING AN INVESTIGATION AND, OF COURSE, THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING IS LET MUELLER FINISH HIS INVESTIGATION
UNIMPEDED WITHOUT ANY INTERFERENCE.
( APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: MICHAEL COHEN, WE
JUST LEARNED MICHAEL COHEN IS GOING TO BE CALLED BEFORE THE
HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE.
>> RIGHT.
>> Stephen: I ASSUME THAT HE'S NOT GOING TO BE CALLED BEFORE
THE SENATE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT HIM TO BE TALKING IN FRONT
OF YOU GUYS.
>> YOU KNOW, WE WANT HIM TO COME.
>> Stephen: WHAT WOULD YOU ASK?
>> WHAT I WOULD ASK HIM IS WHAT HE KNEW AND WHEN HE KNEW IT.
WHAT I WOULD ASK HIM IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT TOLD HIM, WHAT THE
PRESIDENT DIRECTED HIM TO DO, WHAT WERE THE CONVERSATIONS HE
HAD WITH THE PRESIDENT, AND -- SO THAT WE CAN ESTABLISH EXACTLY
WHAT HAPPENED WHEN RUSSIA INTERFERED IN THE ELECTION OF
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT AND WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE
WAS COLLUSION.
LET'S BE VERY CLEAR, AND WE CAN'T LOSE SIGHT OF IT IN SPITE
OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT MIGHT TRY TO SUGGEST.
A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT THAT IS AN ADVERSARY INTERFERED IN THE
ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
MANY WOULD RIGHTLY DESCRIBE THAT AS A HOSTILE ACT AND SOMETHING
THAT NOT ONLY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BUT SHOULD FACE SOME
KIND OF CONSEQUENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND CERTAINLY AT
THE VERY LEAST WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON WHAT WE DO TO PREVENT
IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
( CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ) >> Stephen: WELL, WE HAVE TO
TAKE A LILT BIT OF A BREAK.
BUT WHEN WE COME BACK, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE BOOK AND WHY
SOMEBODY MIGHT WRITE A BOOK BEFORE AN ELECTION.