THE ERA OF TRUMP. CAN THEY PULL OFF AN UPSET
AGAINST MOORE? I'M JOINED NOW BY DOUG JONES.
HE IS THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR THE U.S. SENATE WHO'S NOW THE
MAN RUNNING AGAINST ROY MOORE IN ALABAMA.
MR. JONES, WELCOME. YOU'RE A FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY.
BUT OTHER THAN THAT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT
YOU OUTSIDE OF ALABAMA. SO WE GET A CHANCE TO GET TO
KNOW YOU. LET ME ASK YOU THIS --
WHY DO YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE QUALIFIED TO BE IN THE U.S.
SENATE? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, CHUCK,
THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON TODAY. IT'S BEEN A BIG VICTORY FOR US
OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MOSS AND WE'RE LOOKINGKING FORW
TO THIS VIGOROUS DEBATE. YOU KNOW, LOOK, I'VE HAD A
HISTORY OF WORKING WITH PEOPLE, WHETHER AS THE U.S. ATTORNEY,
WHO WORKED TO PUT TOGETHER A TASK FORCE TO INVEST GATE THE
ERIC RUDOLPH CASE FOR THE CLINIC BONING IN BERM HAMM, GOING BACK
TO 1963, CHURCH BOMBING CASE AND PROSECUTING OLD KLANSMEN.
I HAVE A QUALITY OF PASSION FOR FAIRNESS AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT
ISSUES IMPORTANT TO EVERYBODY ACROSS THE STATE.
PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA HAVE SEEN ME OVER THE YEARS AND
I THINK THEY WRAP I'VE DONE AS A U.S. ATTORNEY, IN MY
PROFESSIONAL CAREER AND THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A CHANGE. >> HOW IS IT -- THIS IS ALABAMA.
WE KNOW THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HASN'T HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN
STATE-WIDE RACES, IN QUITE SOME TIME.
WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THEY SHOULD OVERLOOK YOUR PARTY, BECAUSE THE
AVERAGE ALABAMA VOTER WILL SIT THERE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT I SEE, WHETHER IT'S NANCY PELOSI,
HILLARY CLINTON, BARACK OBAMA, THAT'S NOT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
THAT THEY'VE WANTED TO VOTE FOR. WHY ARE YOU DIFFERENT?
>> WELL, BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING BEYOND THAT RIGHT
NOW. FIRST OF ALL, I DON'T THINK
THEY'RE SEEING A LOT WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
I THINK THEY'RE SEEING PARTISAN RANCOR AFFECTING EVERYONE,
REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT. THE FOLKS HERE ARE LOOKING FOR
LEADERSHIP AND WANT SOMEBODY TO REACH ACROSS THE AISLE AND TALK
TO PEOPLE. YOU DON'T SEE THAT OUT OF
WASHINGTON FROM EITHER REPUBLICANS OR DEMOCRATS.
PEOPLE IN ALABAMA WANT TO HAVE DIALOGUES AND BE ABLE TO TALK
ABOUT THOSE ISSUES. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABSENCE I FIRST ANNOUNCED MY CANDIDACY.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT, AND I
THINK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE MOST INTERESTED IN.
I THINK -- CHUCK, THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE, I THINK HAS REALLY
GOTTEN PEOPLE FOCUSED ON ISSUES RATHER THAN PARTISANSHIP.
THEY'VE BEEN LOOKING BEYOND THE PARTY BECAUSE THEY DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE ISSUES
FOR THEMSELVES. >> GO THROUGH SOME ISSUES BOTH
HAVE BEEN COMING UP IN THE U.S. SENATE NOW AND ISSUES YOU MAY BE
FACING IF YOU'RE ELECTED. START WITH HEALTH CARE.
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS CAME OUT WITH A SINGLE PAYER MEDICARE FOR
ALL PROPOSAL, LOOKING FOR COSIGNERS.
ABOUT 15 DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE CAUCUS DID THAT.
WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN ONE OF THOSE 15?
WOULD YOU HAVE SIGNED ON THAT? >> NO, I DON'T THINK -- I'M NOT
THERE ON UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE LIKE THAT, OR MEDICARE FOR ALL.
I DO THE FAVOR OF POP LICK OPTIONS FOR HEALTH CARE BUT NEED
TO LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS. THAT'S GOING TO BE AN EXPENSIVE
PROPOSITION, BUT ONE OF A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ON THE
TABLE. YOU KNOW, THE ISSUES OF MEDICAID
AND MEDICARE I THINK ARE IMPORTANT.
I WANT -- FOLKS NEED TO REMEMBER MY OPPONENT IN THIS RACE HAS
ADVOCATED GETTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OUT OF HEALTH CARE
ALTOGETHER. WHICH MEANS DOING AWAY WITH
MEDICAID, WHICH MEANS DOING AWAY WITH MEDICARE.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE SHORE UP OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND WILL
LOOK AT ALL THE OPTIONS BUT AM
NOT THERE ON UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE THT AND JOE DONNELLY
TRAVELED WITH THE PRESIDENT, KEEPING AN OPEN MIND ON THE
PRESIDENT'S TAX CUT PROPOSAL. WHERE ARE YOU ON WHAT YOU'VE
SEEN FROM THE PRESIDENT AND IS HE SOMEBODY THAT YOU CAN WORK
WITH OR DO YOU AGREE WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
THAT, BELIEVE HE'S NOT FIT FOR OFFICE?
>> WELL, NO. I'M THE KIND OF PERSON THAT CAN
WORK WITH ANYBODY. I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE
THE HALLMARKRK OF WHAT I BRING THIS TABLE AS OPPOSED TO SOMEONE
ELSE WHO HAS HIS OWN PERSONAL AGENDA NO MATTER WHAT THAT MIGHT
BE. I CAN WORK WITH THE PRESIDENT.
I CAN WORK WITH ANY MEMBER OF CONGRESS OR THE SENATE TO TRY TO
DO WHAT'S BEST I BELIEVE IS FOR THE BEST OF ALABAMA.
WE HAVE ISSUES WE HAVE TO ADDRESS IN THIS STATE.
AND IF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS ADDRESSING
THEM, THEN I'M GOING TO BE RIGHT THERE, BUT IF HE'S NOT, I'M
GOING TO BE OPPOSING -- >> WHAT ABOUT TAXES?
>> SORRY. >> DO YOU THINK WE NEED A TAX
CUT? WHO NEEDS A TAX CUT?
>> I DON'T THINK THE WEALTHY NEED A TAX CUT.
I THINK WE ARE IN A POSITION RIGHT NOW WHERE WE NEED TO LOOK
AT SOME TAX ISSUES. I HAVEN'T STIDED ALL THE
PROGRAMS THAT CAME OUT JUST TODAY.
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE, TAXES LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE IS A
WROSHG IN PROGRESS. I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THE
WORKING CLASS, THE MIDDLE CLASS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.
I DON'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE THAT'S GOING TO BE A TAX CUT FOR
THE WEALTHY. I THINK PEOPLE IN THE STATE
UNDERSTAND TRICKLE-DOWN TAX CUTS DON'T WORK.
>> DOESN'T SIGN LIKE YOU COULD GRAB ON TO THIS PROPOSAL AS THE
PRESIDENT LAID IT OUT TODAY? >> AGAIN, DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILS
ON THAT. AFTER ALL WE'VE GONE THROUGH IN
THE LAST 48 HOURS I WANT TO LOOK OVER THE DETAILS OF THAT AND THE
MAIN THING MAKE SURE IT REPRESENTS THE PEOPLE OF THIS
STATE NOT JUST THE WEALTHY. >> GETTING TRIPPED UP IN
CULTURAL ISSUES. ONE IS GUNS, ONE IS ABORTION.
ABORTIONS, WHAT ARE THE LIMITATIONS YOU BELIEVE SHOULD
BE IN THE LAW WHEN IT COME TO ABORTION?
>> I AM A FIRM BELIEVER A WOMAN SHOULD CHOOSE WHAT HAPPENS TO
HER OWN BODY. I'LL STAND FOR THAT AND CONTINUE
TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS. MAKE SURE AS WE GO FORWARD
PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO CONTRACEPTION, ACCESS TO THE
ABORTION THAT THEY MIGHT NEED, IF THAT'S WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO
DO. I THINK THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE
AN ISSUE WE CAN WORK WITH AND TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT FROM BOTH
SIDES OF THE AISLE. >> BUT YOU WOULDN'T LEGISLATE --
YOU WOULDN'T BE IN FAVOR OF LEGISLATION THAT SAID BAN
ABORTION AFTER 20 WEEKS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?
>> I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF ANYTHING THAT IS GOING TO INFRINGE ON A
WOMAN'S RIGHT AND HER FREEDOM TO CHOOSE.
THAT'S JUST THE POSITION THAT I'VE HAD FOR MANY YEARS.
IT'S A POSITION I CONTINUE TO
HAVE. WHEN THOSE PEOPLE -- I WANT TO
MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND ONCE A BABY IS BORN, I'M GOING TO BE
THERE FOR THAT CHILD. THAT'S WHERE I BECOME A RIGHT TO
LIFER. >> AND FINALLY, LET ME ASK YOU
QUICKLY ABOUT GUNS. DO YOU BELIEVE THERE IS ANY
LIMITATION WITH THE SECOND AMENDMENT?
FOR INSTANCE, DO YOU THINK AN ASSAULTS WEAPONS BAN IS
SOMETHING YOU WOULD SUPPORT AND THAT IT WOULD STILL COMPORT TO
THE SECOND AMENDMENT? >> WELL, LOOK.
WE'VE GOT LIMITATIONS ON THE SECOND AMENDMENT NOW.
LIMITATIONS ON ALL CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDSMENT IN ONE
FORM OR ANOTHER. I WANT TO ENFORCE THE LAWS WE
HAVE NOW. THE BIGGEST ISSUE I THINK FACING
THE SECOND AMENDMENT NOW IS WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE SHORE UP
THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION SYSTEM.
THE N.I.C.S. AT THE SAME TIME CUT DOWN OUN
ERROR SO LAW-ABIDING CITIZENS CAN GET THIS.
I'M A SECOND AMENDMENT GUY, LOVE TO HUNT.
I HAVE A GUN CASE FULL OF GUNS AND I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE SMART AND SOLID ON THOSE ISSUES.
>> WOULD YOU HAVE VOTED TO CONFIRM JEFF SESSIONS AT
ATTORNEY GENERAL? >> I DOUBT I WOULD HAVE VOTED TO
CONFIRM JEFF SESSIONS. I'VE KNOWN JEFF A LONG TIME.
WHAT I'VE SEEN WHAT I FEARED, IS EXACTLY WHAT I'VE SEEN.
THAT HE'S TRYING TO ROLL BACK CIVIL RIGHTS, ACCESS TO THE
BALLOT BOX. THOSE ARE ISSUES ESPECIALLY
IMPORTANT TO ME. SO END OF THE DAY, I DO NOT
BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE VOTED TO CONFIRM HIM.
>> DOUG JONES, LEAVE IT THERE AND HOPE TO CATCH UP WITH YOU
MORE ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. A FAIRLY LONG TIME BEFORE
GENERAL ELECTION THERE. A COUPLE MONTHS.
I HAVE A FEELING WE'LL BE WATCHING QUITE A