ARE GIVING SPEECHES HERE IN E WASHINGTON TODAY AS THE PARTNERS
TURNED RIVALS OFFER COMPETING PATHS FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S FIRST TIME BACK IN WASHINGTON SINCE HE
LEFT THE WHITE HOUSE 17 MONTHS AGO.
HIS SPEECH IS THIS AFTERNOON. THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT SPOKE
TO YOUNG CONSERVATIVES THIS MORNING.
LISTEN, IT IS NOT HARD TO FIGURE OUT WHO HE IS TALKING ABOUT
HERE. >> IN ORDER TO WIN,
CONSERVATIVES NEED TO DO MORE THAN CRITICIZE AND COMPLAIN.
WE MUST UNITE OUR MOVEMENT BEHIND A BOLD, OPTIMISTIC AGENDA
THAT OFFERS A CLEAR AND COMPELLING CHOICE TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE. NOW SOME PEOPLE MAY CHOOSE TO
FOCUS ON THE PAST, BUT ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT THE FUTURE.
AND I BELIEVE CONSERVATIVES MUST FOCUS ON THE FUTURE TO WIN BACK
AMERICA. >> CNN'S KRISTEN HOLMES AT THE
AMERICA FIRST SUMMIT, SET THE STAGE.
>> Reporter: TAKING ONE STEP BACK HERE THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT. THESE TWO MEN SERVED SIDE BY
SIDE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, JUST MILES FROM WHERE WE ARE HERE.
TODAY THEY ARE GIVING THEIR VIEW OF THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND THIS REALLY IS A FIGHT OVER THE FUTURE OF THE
REPUBLICAN PARTY. NOW TRUMP, WE'LL HEAR FROM HIM
MOMENTARILY, HE IS MEANT TO GIVE A POLICY SPEECH ABOUT LAW AND
ORDER. THIS IS WHAT HIS ALLIES HOPE HE
ACTUALLY STICKS TO. REMEMBER, REPUBLICANS BELIEVE
RISING CRIME RATES ARE GOING TO BE A DRIVING FACTOR IN THE
NOVEMBER MIDTERMS. THEY WANT HIM TO STICK TO THIS
TO LAY OUT THE POLICIES, TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, ONE, HAVE A
REPUBLICAN AGENDA AHEAD OF THE MIDTERMS AND, TWO, TO REALLY LAY
THE GROUNDWORK IN A REAL WAY FOR A PRESIDENTIAL BID IN 2024
INSTEAD OF JUST THESE LONG RALLIES IN WHICH HE GIVES HIS
GRIEVANCES ABOUT 2020. IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER OR
NOT TRUMP CAN ACTUALLY FOCUS ON THE FUTURE.
YOU HEARD THAT FROM MIKE PENCE. IT SEEMS LIKE A THINLY VEILED
REFERENCE TO THE FACT EVERY SPEECH TRUMP GIVES ENDS UP BEING
ABOUT 2020 ELECTION. HE IS HUNG UP ON THE GRIEVANCES,
ON THE PEOPLE HE BELIEVES BETRAYED HIM AND ON THESE
CONSPIRACY THEORIES AROUND THE ELECTION.
SO TODAY IS REALLY A TEST TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT HE CAN STAY ON
MESSAGE. THE AMERICA FIRST POLICY, SOME
CONSERVATIVE LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE SPECTRUM, WE HAVE TED CRUZ,
KEVIN McCARTHY, LINDSEY GRAHAM, KELLY ANN CONWAY, ALL FOCUSED ON
THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY T. REMAINS TO BE SEEN
WHETHER PRESIDENT TRUMP CAN ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD AS HE
MULLS A PRESIDENTIAL RUN. >> ON THE SCENE OF THE BIG
SPEECH. GLAD TO HAVE YOU ON THE PROGRAM.
WE'LL SEE WHAT TRUMP SAYS. LET'S BRING THE CONVERSATION
BACK INTO THE ROOM. IS IT IRONY?
HELP MEAN WITH THE RIGHT WORD THAT DONALD TRUMP IS TO GIVE A
SPEECH ON LAW AND ORDER WHEN WE KNOW THAT A FEDERAL GRAND JURY
IS INSIDE THE WEST WING INVESTIGATING HIS EFFORTS TO
STEAL THE COUNTRY, TO STEAL AN ELECTION.
>> IT'S JUST PART OF THE SCRIPT NONE OF US COULD HAVE WRITTEN
WITHOUT IT BEING TOSSED BACK, NOT BEING REALISTIC ENOUGH.
THE PRESIDENT HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN GIVING A TON OF SPEECHES, THE
FORMER PRESIDENT. HE WAS IN ARIZONA OVER THE WEEK,
GIVING ANOTHER SPEECH ON SATURDAY.
HE IS WELL PRACTICED. ONE THING HE HAS NOT DONE IS
GIVEN A POLICY SPEECH YET. THAT'S WHAT HIS AIDES ARE TEEING
UP. WE'LL SEE IF THAT HAPPENS.
HE WILL BE BLOCKS FROM THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE WHERE THE
GRAND JURY IS DECIDING WHAT HAPPENED ON THE 6th, IF HE WAS
COMPLICIT IN THIS BLOCKS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHERE
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RIGHT NOW IS DECIDING HOW TO PROCEED WITH
THIS. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OF COURSE,
IS GIVING A SPEECH OR AN INTERVIEW THIS AFTERNOON TO NBC.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HE SAYS. SO A VERY INTERESTING MOMENT FOR
THE FORMER PRESIDENT TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON.
I THINK THE MOST INTERESTING THING AS KRISTEN WAS SAYING THE
FORMER VICE PRESIDENT WHO IS AS LOYAL AS THE DAY IS LONG, NOW
TRYING TO CHART HIS OWN PATH. I DON'T GET A TON OF SENSE OF
WHAT THE MARKET IS FOR THAT AMONG REPUBLICANS BUT, LOOK,
DONALD TRUMP WOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE MIKE PENCE IN THE RACE AS
WELL AS MANY, MANY OTHER REPUBLICANS BECAUSE THE KEY TO
TRUMP'S FUTURE IS A BIG REPUBLICAN FIELD.
THAT'S HIS WAY TO VICTORY AGAIN. AND THE AMBITIOUS LIST THAT
KRISTEN WAS READING OFF OF SPEAKERS, THAT HELPS DONALD
TRUMP. >> TO JEFF'S POINT, IF YOU'RE
MIKE PENCE, YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS THERE A PATH TO
ME. WHEN HE SAYS WE NEED TO DO MORE
THAN JUST CRITICIZE AND COMPLAIN IT'S CLEAR WHO HE IS TALKING
ABOUT. DONALD TRUMP IS A LIVING
GRIEVANCE. BUT WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE
FUTURE AND NOT THE PAST. ISN'T IT EASY TO SAY THAT,
AGAIN, WHATEVER YOU THOUGHT OF MIKE PENCE, IF REPUBLICANS WANT
SOMETHING NEW, IS IT HIM? >> LOOK, IT HAS COME OUT IN THE
HEARINGS AS WELL THAT, YES, HE DID REFUSE TO GO ALONG WITH THE
PLAN TO STOP THE CERTIFICATION OF THE ELECTORAL COUNT AS WELL
BUT AS YOU WERE SAYING THIS WAS ONE OF THE MORE LOYAL PEOPLE TO
THE FORMER PRESIDENT DURING THE ADMINISTRATION.
I THOUGHT JUST AS TELLING AS ANY COMMENT HE MADE DURING HIS
REMARKS TODAY, THAT BEING THE FORMER VICE PRESIDENT, WAS ALSO
HIS FIRST ANSWER IN THE Q&A WHEN SOMEBODY ASKED ABOUT KIND OF THE
DISTINCTION AND THE GROWING DIVIDE BETWEEN HIM AND THE
FORMER PRESIDENT AND HE ACTUALLY CAN GO LOOK AT THE EXACT QUOTE
BUT KIND OF PLAYED DOWN THAT THERE WAS A BIG DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THEM AS WELL. STILL TRYING TO PLAY IT A LITTLE
BIT BOTH WAYS HERE AS WELL. YOU ARE RIGHT.
IF THERE'S ANY KIND OF DISTINCTION BETWEEN THEIR
RHETORIC, PENCE AND TRUMP, YOU STILL HAVE THE FORMER PRESIDENT
FOCUSED ON PROMOTING THE FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT THE ELECTION, THE
2020 ELECTION, WHEREAS VICE PRESIDENT, BY SAYING LET'S MOVE
FORWARD FROM THAT, THAT IS BOTH CRITICISM OF THE FORMER
PRESIDENT BUT ALSO TRYING TO NOW FOCUS ON SOME OF THE ACTUAL
ISSUES THAT ARE CAUSING ISSUES FOR THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.
>> AND THERE ARE A LOT OF REPUBLICANS WHO WISH DONALD
TRUMP WOULD JUST GO AWAY UNTIL AFTER THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS
BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY HAVE A POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WORKS IN
THEIR FAVOR AND THEY DON'T WANT HIM MESSING WITH IT.
CAN DONALD TRUMP GIVE A POLICY SPEECH?
ON FRIDAY HE WAS IN ARIZONA OSTENSIBLY CAMPAIGNING FOR HIS
CHOICE IN THE GOVERNOR'S RACE THERE BUT MUCH OF THE SPEECH WAS
NOT ABOUT HER BUT ABOUT HIM. >> IF I RENOUNCED MY BELIEFS AND
IF I AGREED TO STAY SILENT AND IF I STAYED HOME AND TOOK IT
EASY, IF I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO RUN ANY LONGER FOR
POLITICAL OFFICE, THE PERSECUTION OF DONALD TRUMP
WOULD IMMEDIATELY STOP. THAT'S NOT WHAT I DO.
I CAN'T DO THAT. BECAUSE I LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND
I LOVE YOU. >> IN HIS MIND OR AT LEAST IN
HIS PUBLIC PRESENTATION HE IS ALWAYS THE VICTIM.
THAT IS THE PART WHETHER IT'S THE SENATE RACE OR THE
GOVERNOR'S RACE IN GEORGIA, WHETHER IT'S ANYWHERE ELSE,
REPUBLICANS WISH, PLEASE, NOT
NOW. >> AND I THINK FOR REPUBLICANS,
AND WE SAW THAT WITH FORMER VICE PRESIDENT PENCE TODAY, THEY WANT
THE GOOD PARTS OF DONALD TRUMP. THEY ARE LOATHE TO QUIT HIM
COMPLETELY EVEN IF THEY BELIEVE SOME OF THE THINGS HE DOES NOW
IS UNHELPFUL. PENCE LIKES THE FACT TRUMP
REMAINS POPULAR WITH THE BASE. HE LIKES THE FACT THAT
CONSERVATIVES THINK THAT A LOT OF THINGS PRESIDENT TRUMP STOOD
FOR DURING HIS TIME IN OFFICE WAS BENEFICIAL, THE SUPREME
COURT JUSTICES HE APPOINTED, THE TAX CUTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO HE DOESN'T WANT TO REALLY QUIT HIMSELF FROM DONALD TRUMP.
HE WANTS TO QUIT HIMSELF JUST FROM THOSE PROBLEMATIC PARTS
PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO THE 2020 ELECTION.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S STILL THE SAME
GUY ALL WRAPPED INTO ONE. >> IT'S A FASCINATING QUESTION.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS. PLEASE CHIME IN IF YOU THINK YOU
DO, HOW MUCH HAS THE JANUARY 6 COMMITTEE HEARINGS, HOW MUCH OF
THE INVESTIGATIONS, HOW MUCH DO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE JUST WANT TO
MOVE ON? LET'S HAVE CHANGE IN THE NEXT
ELECTION. WHERE ARE WE THERE?
THE FASCINATING THING ABOUT TRUMP AND HIS PEOPLE THEM SAY
THE QUIET THING OUT LOUD THIS IS STEVE BANNON.
HE'S LIKELY TO GO TO JAIL SOON. HE WAS CONVICTED OF CONTEMPT OF
CONGRESS. HE SAYS WE'RE GOING TO GET TRUMP
BACK AND THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> PUT AWAY THE CUTESY PHRASE DRAIN THE SWAMP.
PUT AWAY THE CUTESY PHRASE SWAMP CREATURES.
THIS IS NOT MARGINALLY CUTTING OUT A PROGRAM, THIS IS ABOUT
GOING TO THE HEART OF IT, THE HEART OF THE BEAST THIS IS
BABYLON ON THE POTOMAC. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE HERE.
BY THE WAY, WE HAVE A PLAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE AT
WAR. WE'RE AT WAR WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION. >> LOOK, THIS IS THE PREVIEW OF
THE SECOND ACT, I GUESS, OF THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY.
IT IS A LONG TIME BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN THAT ACT WOULD START.
IF THE FORMER PRESIDENT ACTUALLY IS GOING TO FOLLOW THAT ROAD MAP
WHICH IS WHAT STEVE BANNON WAS TRYING TO DO, TRYING TO GET HIM
TO FOCUS ON REALLY WHO WILL OWING OUT THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT, CONTINUING WHAT HE WAS DOING, WE WILL SEE THIS
AFTERNOON. WE WILL SEE IN MR. TRUMP'S
SPEECH, WHICH IS AROUND 3:00 EASTERN OR SO, IF HE'S GOING TO
TURN THE PAGE AND START A SECOND ACT BY TALKING ABOUT POLICY OR
IF IT'S GOING TO BE THAT GRIEVANCE FROM THE PAST.
WE'LL GET A SENSE THIS AFTERNOON.
I HAVE MY BETS. WE'LL SEE.