1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio News. 2 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,200 Speaker 2: This is the first time in history that we've been 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 2: in this situation. There has never been a party that 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 2: shut down the entire government, or a party that shut 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 2: down over a clean cr for nothing but political partisan purposes. 6 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 2: Their rally illustrated exactly what we've been saying for the 7 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: last twenty days. It's about politics and it's disgusting. 8 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,639 Speaker 3: And that was House Speaker Mike Johnson on the twentieth 9 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,879 Speaker 3: day of the government shutdown, now the third longest in 10 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,279 Speaker 3: US history. Johnson's comments came forty eight hours after one 11 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,640 Speaker 3: of the largest demonstrations in recent memory, with the so 12 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 3: called No King's protest happening in cities and towns coast 13 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:48,840 Speaker 3: to coast as demonstrators made their voices heard protesting against 14 00:00:48,880 --> 00:00:52,320 Speaker 3: the president and his supporters in Congress. One voice that 15 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 3: was there joins us now callin All Red, former Democratic 16 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 3: Congressman from Texas and now US Senate candidate. Congressman, thanks 17 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 3: so much for being with us. 18 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, thanks for having me. 19 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 3: Millions of people were in these dubbed No King's protests 20 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 3: this weekend. You were one of them in Houston. You 21 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 3: saw the images, the pictures just the large crowds. The question, now, 22 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 3: Congressman all Read, is how do you turn that into votes? 23 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,040 Speaker 1: Well, first, let me just say that I was really 24 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 1: proud of the folks who came out to protest the 25 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 1: protests that I was at, and Houston had a lot 26 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,760 Speaker 1: of families there. I took pictures with, you know, moms 27 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: and dads with their kids. There were some pretty clever signs, 28 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,960 Speaker 1: as you can imagine, and I thought it was about 29 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 1: as American as apple pie. To be honest with you, 30 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: you know, I'm a believer that you know, sometimes protests 31 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,920 Speaker 1: is necessary in this country. Certainly as a civil rights 32 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,720 Speaker 1: lawyer in an African American I know that history. But 33 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: you're right, we have to take that not just in 34 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 1: terms of protests, but then make it into action in 35 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: terms of voting, and then try and get policy to 36 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: try and respond to whether I think folks are going 37 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: through and what they're worried about, and what I saw 38 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: you at the things protesting Houston was a bunch of 39 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 1: folks peacefully protesting, but also with an idea in mind 40 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: that they weren't just going to stop there. They're going 41 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: to take that into the next election. 42 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:13,400 Speaker 4: We just talked to Senator Ted Cruz about this, and 43 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 4: he said, unquestionably, we should take political peril seriously. President 44 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 4: Trump said, nobody showed up, and those who did looked 45 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 4: whacked out. And I don't know if you saw folks 46 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 4: wearing t Rex costumes or if they were dressed like 47 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 4: hot dogs where you were, Congressman, but we did see 48 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 4: quite a bit of character and color out there. The 49 00:02:33,360 --> 00:02:35,880 Speaker 4: idea though, that as the President suggested that they did 50 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:40,680 Speaker 4: not represent America, says, what's you Yeah. 51 00:02:40,520 --> 00:02:42,640 Speaker 1: Well, you know, it's pretty hot in Houston still, so 52 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: you know, we might not have as many of the 53 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: full on costumes as you would in other places at 54 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 1: this time of year. But there were definitely some colorful 55 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: folks out there. But like I said, I saw folks 56 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: also breaking their kids in little red wagons, So I 57 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: thought it was a very organic and folks I think 58 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: came and they were thanking me for coming, quite honestly, 59 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: because they were just looking to have some way to 60 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 1: express themselves outside of just I think dooms strolling on 61 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: their phones. And I think they felt a sense of community. 62 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: I think they felt a sense that they were not 63 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,000 Speaker 1: alone and that their concerns were shared. By others, and 64 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:17,639 Speaker 1: I think it was something that there are some things 65 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: that you don't plan for that are much more organic 66 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 1: and just happen. You can try and have a rally 67 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: or response to something, but what really happens is when 68 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: folks are fed up, then they show up with they 69 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: vote with their feet. And to spend part of your 70 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: weekend walking around the heat in Texas for thousands of 71 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: folks to do that, and to do it peacefully, I 72 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: think says a lot interesting. 73 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 4: Senator Cruz, I think referred to it as astro turf 74 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 4: in this case. So, Congressman, we've got a government shutdown 75 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 4: that's now on day twenty, and we'd love to ask 76 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 4: you about your campaign for Senate in this case, would 77 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 4: you be one of those Democrats who broke ranks to 78 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 4: vote to reopen the government if you were in the Senate. 79 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, well, listen, I hate downs as a rule. When 80 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 1: I was in Congress, my first I was sworn in 81 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:06,840 Speaker 1: during a shutdown. We introduced a bill pretty quickly thereafter 82 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: called the Seas Act. It was called the Shutdown to 83 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: End All Shutdowns Act, and we were trying to make 84 00:04:11,720 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: sure that if this did ever happen again, the members 85 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 1: of Congress and senators would feel the same pain as 86 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,359 Speaker 1: working people out there who are not getting paid. But 87 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 1: in this case, Republicans have the power, and the Speaker 88 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: of the House has spent a month not calling the 89 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: House back into session. They have the power to negotiate 90 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 1: this and say, listen, we know that we need your votes, 91 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 1: and we want to make sure that we are in 92 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,679 Speaker 1: consultation and negotiation the way things have always been done. 93 00:04:38,040 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: And I'm sorry they have not used the power that 94 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: they have to try and protect folks' healthcare, which is 95 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: what I think Democrats are standing up for. We have 96 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,359 Speaker 1: four million Texans, four million here who are in the 97 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:51,400 Speaker 1: Affordable Care Act exchanges. I just got an email from 98 00:04:51,440 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: some of the associations that I'm a part of saying 99 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 1: that with open enrollment is going to be starting next 100 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 1: month and saying to expect dramatic increases in your costs 101 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: in your premiums. In some cases, we may see those double. 102 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: And if you see costs go up that much for 103 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: your premium, that's basically the same thing as not having 104 00:05:08,080 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: health care at all. And so I think this is 105 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: very clear and very straightforward. I hope Republicans will come 106 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 1: to the table and negotiate and try to make sure 107 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: we get in this shutdown as soon as possible. 108 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,719 Speaker 3: Congressman, Before we let you go, we do want to 109 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:23,600 Speaker 3: talk about your race. You know the statistic as well 110 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 3: as anyone. No Democrat has won statewide in the state 111 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 3: of Texas since the early nineties. You ran, you did 112 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,480 Speaker 3: not win last time, and you raised a lot of money. 113 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,799 Speaker 3: So what makes you think this time around it's different. 114 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:39,800 Speaker 1: Well, listen, what I've been trying to do is make 115 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: sure that we reorient ourselves around what I think working 116 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 1: folks are going through. And I think there were a 117 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: lot of promises made to working people in the last 118 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: selection about their costs were going to go down, that 119 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: inflation was going to go away on day one, and 120 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,360 Speaker 1: we've seen the opposite. And I've been going around the state. 121 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: I'm not just going around. I'm trying to find areas 122 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: where I can go directly to working folks because I'm 123 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:02,839 Speaker 1: constantly thinking about my mom, who was working two jobs 124 00:06:02,880 --> 00:06:05,040 Speaker 1: and was watching me in the evening and she couldn't 125 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:06,720 Speaker 1: come to one of our town halls that we have, 126 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:08,880 Speaker 1: or to a political rally. But if I go to 127 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 1: them on the job, then we can have those conversations. 128 00:06:11,800 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: And so I was in grocery stores and construction. 129 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 4: Sites, and I talked to us. More time to talk 130 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 4: about your race. Congressman, it's good to have Colin Hall 131 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 4: read with us. This is gloomy.