1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,680 Speaker 1: Why from our nation's camera. This budget thing is going 2 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:05,760 Speaker 1: to do nothing of space force. I still think it's 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: interesting President Trump not playing his cards yet. Headlines Policy 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: and Politics colliding Floomberg sound On, the Insiders, the influencers, 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: the insides. I would rather see a congressional solution. It's 6 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: part of my DNA. The Senate map in looks a 7 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: lot different than it looked in. President Trump was sent 8 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 1: here to smash conventional norms in a sense Bernie Sanders 9 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: has already w This is Bloomberg Sound On with Kevin 10 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:35,400 Speaker 1: Surrele on Bloomberg one oh five point seven m h 11 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 1: D two. I'm June Grosso sitting in for Kevin Cirelli. 12 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: Journey General William barrs as President Trump's tweets are making 13 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: his job impossible, and the President then tweets that he 14 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: has a legal right to intervene in criminal cases. The 15 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: Justice Department has closed its criminal investigation of Andrew McCabe, 16 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 1: the former FBI Deputy Director and Vermont Senator. Bernie Sanders 17 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: holds a comfortable elite in a new Poland a vadu. 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: Attorney General Bill Barr is trying to clear things up 19 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: following a change to the original recommendation of seven to 20 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:12,760 Speaker 1: nine years in prison for convicted Trump campaign advisor Roger Stone. 21 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: In an ABC News exclusive interview, Barr said that he 22 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: was not influenced by President Trump's tweets about Stone. Early 23 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 1: next morning, I was, you know, putting, putting that in 24 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: motion and directing that be done. When someone walked in 25 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: and told me about the President's tweet. That sort of 26 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 1: illustrates how disruptive these tweets can be. Joining us now 27 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:38,839 Speaker 1: is Frank Bowman. He is a professor at the University 28 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:43,320 Speaker 1: of Missouri Law School. Frank, first, your reaction the president 29 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: today said, you know, despite what Barr said, I can 30 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 1: intervene in in criminal cases if I want to, can 31 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 1: he He's right. As a matter UM for example, that's 32 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: the reason why UM, in a sense, we had the 33 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: Saturday night massacre. Back during Watergate. UM Nixon was unhappy 34 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: that Archibald Cox, been a special prosecutor, was looking into 35 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 1: the water date affair. He wanted to get rid of 36 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,679 Speaker 1: rid of Cox. UH couldn't do it directly because of 37 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: the chain of command, but he issued orders first Deli 38 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,080 Speaker 1: Richardson than the two other people to fire Cox because 39 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 1: he could UM so yes, it's constitutionally he can do that. Now, 40 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: the question, of course is whether he should, and more importantly, 41 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 1: whether a president who does that is interfering in the 42 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: judicial process, in the criminal justice process, in a way 43 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: which severely compromises its integrity, and by doing that does 44 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: a lot of damage to the notion of the rule 45 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: of law. Let me ask you this because the way 46 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 1: Bill Barr said this one about is that the U. S. 47 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: Attorney in d C spoke to him on Monday about 48 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: the sentencing, and then MUTTONA, we know that on Monday 49 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: afternoon the prosecutors in the case filed for seven to 50 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: nine years. And then Bill bar claims, oh, he sought 51 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: news reports and he said no, that's not right, seven 52 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,920 Speaker 1: to nine years, and that he had intended to change it. 53 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: But at two am Trump tweeted, and then we know 54 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:30,839 Speaker 1: the rest it was changed on Tuesday afternoon. So does 55 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 1: that make any sense that set of facts, that he 56 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 1: would that the U. S. Attorney would go against what 57 00:03:36,800 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: Bill Barr told him to do on Monday. I don't 58 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: think we really know, and I think trying to speculate 59 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 1: about the particulars is pretty fruitless. Um, what we know 60 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: is that the line prosecutors people actually prosecuted the case UM, 61 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: had formulated a recommendation based on the Fiddle senor guidelines 62 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: filed it UM and exactly you know who they consulted, 63 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: when and when the general got the information about the 64 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 1: final recommendation and stuff. What's on. I think it is 65 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: profoundly unclear. On the other hand, I'm not sure that 66 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:20,279 Speaker 1: it matters very much. I mean, the particulars, I mean, 67 00:04:20,680 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: what happened here is extraordinarily unusual. Just don't give situations 68 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:30,719 Speaker 1: where a sensing recommendation, it is formalized in a complete 69 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 1: sensing memorandum and then you know, within a day it 70 00:04:34,560 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: gets suddenly overruled by by higher ups in the department. 71 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,039 Speaker 1: That just doesn't happen. It's perfectly clear that there was 72 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: some political component of this decision. Whether it was a 73 00:04:45,520 --> 00:04:49,679 Speaker 1: direct order from Trump, whether Barr recognized that the sensing 74 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: recommendation it was issued was going to it was going 75 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,200 Speaker 1: to offend trumpet he decided to inter on his own 76 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: U none of it really matters. I think the point 77 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: is we have uh, plainly political decisions being made about 78 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 1: sentencing recommendations for somebody who was the president's crony and 79 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: not unimportantly somebody who very probably could say things that 80 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: would be certainly politically harmful and Mr Tromp if not 81 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:23,679 Speaker 1: criminently incriminated. Um. So it's it's it's a very bad business. 82 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: It's certainly um contrary to any expectation I would have 83 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: had in the you know, some ten years I spent 84 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: as a better prosecutor. Um. And and it's very very troubling. Um. 85 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,840 Speaker 1: But the precise details, in some ways are less important 86 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: than uh thann the result. Yeah, So let me ask 87 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: you this because I just wonder why he even decided 88 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: to intervene, why they decided to put out another sentencing memorandum. 89 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: The judge is going to base base her sentencing on 90 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 1: what she's seen at trial, and you know sort of 91 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:58,000 Speaker 1: way what happened, what the defense says, and what the 92 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: prosecution said. So in about him minute, you can tell 93 00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:05,600 Speaker 1: me why there's all this hubbub at all. Well, the 94 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 1: recommendation that prosecution mix is often, uh customarily a considerable 95 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: influence on what the judge does. The sentencing guideline sense 96 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: decision in United States versus Booker back in two thousand 97 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 1: and five have been advisory. Yes, but they remain the 98 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,720 Speaker 1: guideline calculations remains sort of the starting point for any 99 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,359 Speaker 1: judges sentencing reasoning, and therefore it does make a re 100 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,799 Speaker 1: regual difference what the Department says and what the judge 101 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 1: concludes the sentencing guidelines should be. Um. So there's that. 102 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: I mean, the guidelines matter. But also I think this 103 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 1: plainly is a political calculation in the sense that he's 104 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: as the president himself for Mr Barr wanted to make 105 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: sure that the Department was giving a signal of lenience. 106 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: We'll have to We'll have to leave it there for now. 107 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: The sentencing is February. Then we'll find out more than 108 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: thanks so much. That's Frank Bowman, professor of law at 109 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: the University of Missouri. Coming up, we're going to be 110 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:03,200 Speaker 1: talking about Andrew McCabe. After two years, he found out 111 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 1: that the government is not going to prosecute him. I'm 112 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: June Grosso. You're listening to Bloomberg. For listening to Bloomberg 113 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: Sound On with Kevin Surley on Bloomberg and one oh 114 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: five point seven f M h D two Raphael. As 115 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: far as holding Bill Barr or the President accountable for anything, 116 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: is the Senate just out now after the impeachment trial. Well, yeah, 117 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: I mean the the the impeachment trial proved that the 118 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: Senate is very much under control of Republicans and they're 119 00:07:39,440 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: very much in line with the White House. That is 120 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: not likely to change. There's no reason why it would change. 121 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,119 Speaker 1: It would be political suicide at this at this point 122 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,679 Speaker 1: to backtrack for them. So yeah, it's it's Bill Bard 123 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: does not does not need to fear the Senate. Now 124 00:07:57,280 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: today it was announced and Andrew McCabe, former FBI Deputy director, 125 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: got a letter that they're not going to prosecute him 126 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: for any of the things that they were considering. And 127 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: so after two years, he is now free to pursue 128 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:18,720 Speaker 1: his lawsuit against the Department of Justice, etcetera. But Rafael, 129 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: what about the timing here, Well, it seems a little 130 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 1: bit suspect, doesn't I mean it it comes as the 131 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: the Attorney General sort of tangles up with the president. 132 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: They seem to have the same goal and you know, 133 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: different ways of getting at it. Of course, bar has 134 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:41,079 Speaker 1: a lot more experience u handling things in legal lease, 135 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 1: while the President has a lot more experience handling things 136 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: from a from a pr from a TV standpoint, so 137 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: that that cab comes like he gets his uh, it's 138 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 1: not on the quiddle. He he gets what he's been 139 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: looking for. That's that's he's not going to be prosecuted. 140 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: It it's uncomfortable because a lot of things sort of 141 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:10,480 Speaker 1: hit hit the ground running at the same time. But 142 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: but they're not necessarily they're not necessarily linked, but they 143 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 1: will be linked politically, and they will be linked in 144 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: the campaign. And the way Democrats and Republicans interpret the 145 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:27,959 Speaker 1: results of these sort of separate cases will will continue 146 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,440 Speaker 1: to look the same. Democrats are going to say that 147 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: the president are going to accuse the president and his 148 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: cabinet of corruption, and and Republicans are going to keep 149 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:41,319 Speaker 1: saying that it's you know, the deep state is uh 150 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: maybe one around on on one side, but lost around 151 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 1: on the other And and will continue supporting the President 152 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:52,199 Speaker 1: and Lincoln. About the timing of this, and I'm surprised 153 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: President Trump now Andrew McKay was a frequent target of 154 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 1: Trump's and we haven't had a tweet since this was announced. 155 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: He end he's going back to Florida and no press gaggles. 156 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: What about the timing? Well, first of all, Andrew McCabe 157 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: was kind of at the lynch pin of the deep 158 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 1: space deep state conspiracy that Donald Trump had dreamt up 159 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: and that his supporters believe existed. So it is significant 160 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:16,880 Speaker 1: that he's not going to be prosecutor. What strikes me 161 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:20,360 Speaker 1: about the timing is that William barr is smart enough 162 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:22,959 Speaker 1: to understand that he's more useful and make no mistake, 163 00:10:23,160 --> 00:10:25,560 Speaker 1: bar is one of the implementers of the Democratic rollback, 164 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,160 Speaker 1: one of the key implementers of that Democratic rollback. But 165 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: he understands he's more useful to Donald Trump if he 166 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: has a veneer of independence. So decisions like this tact 167 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: tactics are very tactical. They give him that veneer of independence. 168 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: The question is is Donald Trump smart enough to realize it, 169 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,400 Speaker 1: And if he's been quiet thus far about it, maybe 170 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,600 Speaker 1: he is. So that's where I think the timing comes in. Meanwhile, 171 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 1: veneer of independence. But we're hearing that he has a 172 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: special prosecutor in to the Justice Department who's questioning some 173 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: of the line prosecutors. For example, on the case of 174 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: Michael Flynn. The way Michael Flynn, the the Justice Department 175 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:07,559 Speaker 1: did a similar reversal on his on his sentencing memo, 176 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,360 Speaker 1: although it didn't get much publicity. Yes, and I'm not 177 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: an attorney or law school professor, but I understand that 178 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 1: it's very unusual to plea guilty and then say I 179 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: didn't mean to. And there are many many defendants all 180 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: over the country and all different kinds of charges that 181 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: plead guilty and later regretted. So this is really very 182 00:11:24,080 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: very special treatment for Michael Flynn. I would also add 183 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: that it is significant because what Donald Trump could easily 184 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: do is pardon any of these people. Rogers don't get 185 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: thirty years. They could get pardoned. But the reason the 186 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: president wants to do it this way is it shows 187 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: the people that he has control and it weakens the institution. Essentially, 188 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: the Donald Trump's vision of the presidencies that there are 189 00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 1: no independent power basis even within the executive So by 190 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 1: weakening those norms, he gets what he wants, which he 191 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:53,959 Speaker 1: could more easily get another way. But he gets another 192 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 1: benefit as well. About a minute here, Raphael, But but 193 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,360 Speaker 1: what about that he didn't have to say congratulation to 194 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 1: Bill Barr for doing this? Well, no, but but Bill 195 00:12:03,960 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: Barr I think has shown that he understands philosophically where 196 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 1: Trump stands in in uh in terms of the executive power, 197 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: like they're they're basically they're they've even been accused of 198 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: attacking Marbory versus Madison. That that is the court of 199 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 1: the separation of powers in this country. And and and 200 00:12:23,280 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: Bill Barr is a very good expression of Trump, whereas 201 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: Jeff Sessions was never able to keep up with his 202 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,080 Speaker 1: boss in that sense. So they make they make a 203 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: very formidable pairing, assuming that they are coordinating adequately for 204 00:12:38,840 --> 00:12:41,840 Speaker 1: their own goals. It just sound from a New York 205 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 1: Times report that they were coordinating at least on parts 206 00:12:45,640 --> 00:12:50,319 Speaker 1: of this bar interview he did with ABC. Well, coming up, 207 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,280 Speaker 1: we're going to look at the race Bernie Sanders heading 208 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 1: towards Super Tuesday states he's ahead in a new poll. Also, 209 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 1: there's a Trump loyalists returning to the White House. What 210 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: is that about? Hope Picks is coming back to the 211 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: White House one and also one of the President's longest 212 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 1: serving and most trusted aids, John mcintee, his former personal assistant. 213 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,360 Speaker 1: That's coming up on Sound On. I'm June Grosso and 214 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: this is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg sound On with 215 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: Kevin Surreley on Bloomberg and one Old five point seven 216 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: f M h D two. I'm June Grasso, sitting in 217 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 1: for Kevin Sirelli. Well. Democratic presidential hopefuls made their case 218 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:47,280 Speaker 1: to Latino voters in Las Vegas Thursday night. Lulac hoasted 219 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 1: the town hall with Telemundo ahead of next week's Nevada caucus. 220 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: Senator Bernie Sanders appeared via video and was asked about 221 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 1: competing in a state with more diversity. We won the 222 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: popular vote in Iowa, we won the primary in the Hampshire. 223 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: Don't tell anybody keeping a big secret, but I think 224 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: we're gonna win in Nevada as well. Joining me is 225 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:14,599 Speaker 1: Lincoln Mitchell, political analysts and author teaches at Columbia University, 226 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 1: and Rafael Burn, now a journalist with The Hill and 227 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: the lead for The Hill Latino. So, Rafael, how is 228 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 1: Bernie Sanders going to do with Latinos? He's been doing 229 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: great and all indications show that he's gonna keep doing great. 230 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: He has his secret is he has a ground operation 231 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: that's depending on a lot of research that's been done 232 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: on Latino voters over the past five or six electoral 233 00:14:37,840 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 1: cycles and has been mostly ignored by both parties, and 234 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:46,320 Speaker 1: basically Sanders hired people who believed in this research and 235 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: they put it in effect, and it worked in Iowa, 236 00:14:49,080 --> 00:14:52,240 Speaker 1: it worked in New Hampshire relatively small populations. And now 237 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: his first test with actual competition in in the way 238 00:14:56,080 --> 00:15:00,960 Speaker 1: of Biden, um Stire and and boot Judge who have 239 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 1: smaller operations, but the operations nonetheless, it's the first time 240 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: it's going to get tested. But I would be surprised 241 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 1: if he doesn't walk away with a really good result 242 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: with Latino voters in Nevada. A new pole in Nevada 243 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:21,280 Speaker 1: shows Senator Bernie Sanders holding a comfortable lead with support 244 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: followed by former Vice President Joe Biden did eighteen percent 245 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren at thirteen percent. So Lincoln, 246 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 1: what happened to Pete Buddha Judge and Amy Klobish are 247 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 1: in this I just had one more word about Sanders 248 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: and Latinos. That's one of the things that's buoying. Buoying. 249 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: He's very strong showing in California. If he wins that 250 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 1: state is going to be because of a strong Latino vote. 251 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: Sanders did very poorly with non whites in two thousand sixteen, 252 00:15:46,880 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: and he did his work and he should get credit 253 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: for that. Whether you like him or not, he saw 254 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: what he did wrong and he did his work in 255 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: Nevada this pole you decided. What strikes me about it 256 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,560 Speaker 1: is that Joe Biden is in second place. If he 257 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:01,160 Speaker 1: can hold on to that, people are gonna forget Amy 258 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: Klobcher and Pete Buddha Jesge. They will have been done 259 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: okay and pretty good at Budda all two good states. 260 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 1: If if Boodajdge finishes third, fourth or fifth and clob 261 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 1: are the same, they're gonna fade. And Biden will go 262 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 1: into Super Tuesday with a second place finish in Nevada 263 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: and the first place finish in South Carolina and then 264 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: que the comeback Kid music and we have a Super 265 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: Tuesday race where the three major candidates are Joe Biden, 266 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 1: Bernie Sanders, and Michael Bloomberg. And that means that Joe 267 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: Biden goes into Super Tuesday as the youngest candidate in 268 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:33,040 Speaker 1: the race, and that would be very surprising. And um, Raphael, 269 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: what about Joe Biden. He's had such poor showings in 270 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 1: both the Iowa and New Hampshire. No that's absolutely right. 271 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: When Lincoln is saying this is really because Super Tuesday 272 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: added on California, and it really is Super Tuesday. It's 273 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: it's a big bunch of delegates. Uh, this is more 274 00:16:51,880 --> 00:16:55,640 Speaker 1: like the preseason. So Biden's the big elite team and 275 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 1: he's the new England Patriots. Not doing well in the preseason, 276 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: that might mean he's going to have a terrible actual season, 277 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 1: but he can still bounce back. But he he will 278 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:11,639 Speaker 1: find the Sanders and Bloomberg campaigns, either Sanders because they 279 00:17:11,680 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 1: have that huge ground game that they've been building up 280 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: for years now, or or Bloomberg because he's investing more 281 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:21,480 Speaker 1: than anybody else can. Uh, he will find formidable opponents 282 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: in in on Super Tuesday and beyond. Now, Um, Lincoln, 283 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:31,840 Speaker 1: what about the union in the culinary union not endorsing, Well, 284 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: this is an interesting case. The Culinary Workers Union is 285 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 1: the most influential and powerful labor union in Nevada. It 286 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 1: is a heavily Latino labor union, and it is a 287 00:17:39,720 --> 00:17:42,880 Speaker 1: progressive union. But this is a case where the Medicare 288 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: for All program, a lot of organized labor feels, you know, 289 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 1: we worked hard for this, for our for our health 290 00:17:47,640 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 1: care package. We don't want to give it up, and 291 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,679 Speaker 1: Medicare for all would be worse. And I think that 292 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,200 Speaker 1: kept them away from Sanders, who, in many places and 293 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: among these candiates, was natural place for them to go. 294 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: So we see that the Medicare for all here is complicated. 295 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,600 Speaker 1: But what strikes me is that Medicare for all, you know, 296 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:07,040 Speaker 1: cost Sanders this endorsement. More significantly, Warren's being forced to 297 00:18:07,119 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: defend it and explain it and talked about what you 298 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: paid for really has damaged her badly. That was when 299 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 1: her campaign begin to turn all this for a bill 300 00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 1: that will simply never be turned into a law, at 301 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: least in the next president's term. So this is a 302 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: reminder that when the pundits say talk about policy, they 303 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: don't always meet it. One of the reason Michael Bloomberg 304 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: has written so far in the polls is not just 305 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:30,920 Speaker 1: because he's spent more money than all the other candidates 306 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,439 Speaker 1: combined to a factor of IDOLO five or ten. But 307 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 1: he's been very hard hitting at Trump, and that's what 308 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 1: the voters who are just tuning in want to hear. 309 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:40,919 Speaker 1: What they're hearing is who's the anti Trump candidate, not 310 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,600 Speaker 1: whose health care program which I can't quite understand. Anyway, 311 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 1: slightly better now, Um, Raphael, I'm wondering about the electability 312 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:53,480 Speaker 1: factor with Bernie Sanders, because it's has seemed as if 313 00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:56,480 Speaker 1: President Trump would love to run against Bernie Sanders and 314 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 1: just call him a socialist. So it's interesting that that 315 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,479 Speaker 1: up would would call anyone, anyone out on electability because 316 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: he didn't seem to have that electability when he started 317 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:12,439 Speaker 1: running against sixteen other Republicans. Uh what you Well, he 318 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: does have it now, but he won it because he 319 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 1: took a lot of voters who were disenchanted with the 320 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,840 Speaker 1: whole system. They hadn't participated, they couldn't care less, they 321 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 1: didn't want to vote, and suddenly this guy comes up 322 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 1: and gives him something to be excited about. Now, the 323 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:29,720 Speaker 1: question is to what degree can Bernie Sanders do that? 324 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:31,480 Speaker 1: Or to what the Greek can Joe Biden do that? 325 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 1: Or Michael Bloomberg do that or Buddha judge at Klobuchar. 326 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: Bernie Sanders has the potential because he has such a 327 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: radical message to bring out people who haven't voted, so 328 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: that aid doesn't get reflected in the polls because polls 329 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:47,600 Speaker 1: just don't work. That way and B is very hard 330 00:19:47,640 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 1: to compete against. And if anybody should know about that, 331 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: it's the guy who did it four years ago. That's true. 332 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: He he seems to really be benefiting Lincoln from from 333 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: what he did before in his ground opera rations, and 334 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:02,880 Speaker 1: he knows where he's going. I want to just raise 335 00:20:02,920 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 1: something else about electability. In December of two thousand seven, 336 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: it was axiomatic that Baracusain Obama could never be elected. 337 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: The only thing we know for sure about electability is 338 00:20:12,119 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 1: that we don't know anything about electability. And often when 339 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 1: someone says I'm voting for so and so because they're electable, 340 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:19,679 Speaker 1: what they mean is simply I like so and so 341 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:21,719 Speaker 1: and that's fine in the primary vote, or whoever you like. 342 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 1: Each candidate, should they be nominated, would have a different path. 343 00:20:25,880 --> 00:20:29,200 Speaker 1: Bernie Sanders path would be mobilizing kind of some of 344 00:20:29,240 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 1: those angry white working class voters who no, Trump hasn't delivered, 345 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: but they want to see real change, mobilizing a Latino vote, 346 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: holding onto the Democratic base, and bringing out a youth vote. 347 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 1: Amy Klobachar's path, if she were just for example, if 348 00:20:40,520 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: she were to be nominated, goes through suburban white women, 349 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: Michael Bloomberg's path goes through Republicans who realize of that 350 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: the Trump's erratic behavior and the threat he represents the democracy, 351 00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:52,560 Speaker 1: but don't want to see the economic ship rocked too much. 352 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 1: They all have different paths. None of these paths have 353 00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 1: been trodden because these none of these candidates have ever 354 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 1: had a major party's nomination. But I'm very wary to 355 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,679 Speaker 1: dismiss any candidate's unelectable. I remember mid two thousand sixteen 356 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: when many early two thousand sixteen, when many of my 357 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,400 Speaker 1: Democratic friends were hoping Donald Trump would get the nomination 358 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: because Hillary Clinton would steam roll him. It didn't quite 359 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: work out that way. Raphael, what about Bernie Sanders popularity 360 00:21:17,119 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 1: with African Americans? Can he make that up? So that's 361 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 1: an interesting question, and and it's a big unknown really 362 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 1: because he has gone after Latinos and he has a 363 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:36,199 Speaker 1: natural Latinos because of their demographic structure, age, gender, who's voting, Um, 364 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: they're at their economic position. So take twenty seven year 365 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,440 Speaker 1: old male from southern California who who has a high 366 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: school education and maybe a little bit of college, but 367 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 1: couldn't couldn't afford to uh to go on with college 368 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:56,160 Speaker 1: that's a natural Bernie Sanders voter, Bernie bro if you will, Um, 369 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:00,240 Speaker 1: But that term escapes me for some reason, the Bernie 370 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 1: brow thing. It's sort of a mid mid millennial male 371 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: disenchanted with the economy, but who you know, has some 372 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: hopes for the future. And it really works because of 373 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:15,160 Speaker 1: the democographic composition of Latinos and because of the geographic 374 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: positioning of Latinos in California, Texas. And I think he's 375 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,880 Speaker 1: going to have more trouble in Florida. Frankly, um, Arizona, 376 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:25,960 Speaker 1: the Vada work well for Bernie. Probably hold hold the thought. 377 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:30,360 Speaker 1: We'll come back and talk more about the electability factor. 378 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: And Michael Bloomberg, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, 379 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: is the founder majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent 380 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 1: company of Bloomberg Radio. Just wanted to give you that disclaimer. 381 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:46,480 Speaker 1: And coming up, remember the e r A. The House 382 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:50,440 Speaker 1: passed a resolution that got very little attention that could 383 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 1: help to revive the e r A. I'm June Grasso. 384 00:22:53,600 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg. You're listening to Bloomberg Sound On with 385 00:23:02,840 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: Kevin Surley on Bloomberg and one oh five point seven 386 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: FM HD two. I'm June Grosso sitting in for Kevin Cirelli. 387 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,880 Speaker 1: You may have missed this. This week, the Equal Rights Amendment, 388 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 1: which has been a work in progress for nearly a century, 389 00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:21,159 Speaker 1: is back in the spotlight again. New life for the 390 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: Equal Rights Amendment. The House passed a measure removing a 391 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 1: two deadline for state ratification that opens up the process 392 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: to amend the Constitution. Here's how Speaker Nancy Pelosi with 393 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:39,479 Speaker 1: wishes for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. That's only hope that 394 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:43,119 Speaker 1: the Graham Raper will allow the voice of American women 395 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: and those who support American women to be heard on 396 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:50,119 Speaker 1: the Senate floor. And uh the Senate resolution, there is 397 00:23:50,160 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 1: a Senate revolution. It's a bipartisan resolution. The question is 398 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,040 Speaker 1: whether Mitch McConnell will ever bring it to the floor 399 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:01,600 Speaker 1: for a vote. Um joined by Raphael Bernal, a journalist 400 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: with The Hill and the lead for The Hill Latino 401 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 1: in our DC studio, and Lincoln Mitchell, political analyst and 402 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,520 Speaker 1: author who teaches political science at Columbia University in our 403 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:16,520 Speaker 1: New York studio. So, Lincoln surprising that the e r 404 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: A that vote didn't get any attention. Well, it's been 405 00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: a busy news this was a big There isn't that 406 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:27,000 Speaker 1: but the ear right, I mean from a media critic 407 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:29,679 Speaker 1: criticism angle is one of those things that's kind of 408 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: been around in the background of all of our lives 409 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:34,840 Speaker 1: for so long that I don't think anyone sees that 410 00:24:34,880 --> 00:24:37,679 Speaker 1: as popping as if the Senate began a discussion of it, 411 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: then it's big news. Extending a deadline this is significant, 412 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: and you know what the speaker said there is also 413 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: significant because to use her words, not mine, there's zero 414 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 1: chance that grim reaper, I mean he he hasn't looked 415 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: at any legislation that the House has passed. So this 416 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: is another piece of important legislation that goes to the 417 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:58,120 Speaker 1: Senate and dies there. And uh, we know that he's 418 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:04,160 Speaker 1: he's busy confirming judges. He's busy confirming judges, and he's busy, uh, 419 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,440 Speaker 1: completing putting the final touches on on on the cover 420 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 1: up as congressman. Now they referred to it, and and 421 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 1: so Raphael missed opportunity here where they passed the resolution 422 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 1: in a newsweek that was just chuck full of stories. Well, 423 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 1: I don't know because what what Nancy Pelosi is building 424 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 1: right now, and and it might be sort of the 425 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,920 Speaker 1: the coda to her political career as she she's building 426 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:36,520 Speaker 1: arguments for again this word electability, for general democratic electability. 427 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: In so here's another good issue. Lincoln was talking about 428 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,960 Speaker 1: Amy Klobachar's path to the presidency, for example, and it 429 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 1: goes through suburban white women. Um, that is true of 430 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: almost any Democrat who wants to get elected, except maybe 431 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:56,080 Speaker 1: for Bernie Sanders, and even then somewhat. But this is 432 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: an issue that's important for all women or I mean 433 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 1: maybe not very conservative women, and even then I would 434 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: have my doubts. So she's just she's just giving ammunition 435 00:26:07,680 --> 00:26:12,359 Speaker 1: to Democratic candidates, knowing that she's putting Mitch McConnell in 436 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 1: a difficult position in the sense that he definitely can't, 437 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:19,439 Speaker 1: you know, start digging up his graves to put it 438 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 1: that way, and you know that that would just anger 439 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,439 Speaker 1: the president and weaken the president's position in in in 440 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:29,600 Speaker 1: the election, and he you know, and there's nothing he 441 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 1: can do. He can just send them back and keep 442 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:36,560 Speaker 1: keep approving judges. The array is not a radical ideas 443 00:26:39,119 --> 00:26:41,640 Speaker 1: to people who do the same work should be paid 444 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:44,720 Speaker 1: the same amount of money, regardless of their gender. That 445 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:46,600 Speaker 1: that's essentially the crux of the a right. This is 446 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: not a radical idea. What is telling here is that 447 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: it is taking so long and it may not get past. 448 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,520 Speaker 1: There's no guarantee, as much as you or I or 449 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 1: might like to see it past. And that tells you 450 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:01,119 Speaker 1: how difficult it is to reform amend our constitution. We're 451 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:03,400 Speaker 1: told all the time that constitution can be amended. That's 452 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:07,640 Speaker 1: not exactly true. And and and therefore, as the problems 453 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:10,880 Speaker 1: of the American democracy get deeper, the constitutional way out 454 00:27:11,280 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 1: is narrower. And we saw that with impeachment. Impeachment was 455 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: the constitutional remedy. But Mitch McConnell said, I'm going to 456 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: stand in the way of this, you know, as far 457 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 1: as the you know, amending the Constitution. I was surprised 458 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 1: that Ruth Bader Ginsburg said that we should start the 459 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 1: process all over again, when two years ago she was 460 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 1: talking about how she'd like her granddaughters to open the 461 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: Constitution and see an equal rights amendment. There So, and 462 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 1: the Republicans on the House floor, Raphael used Ruth Bader 463 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 1: Ginsburg's argument, and and for the first time you saw 464 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:52,280 Speaker 1: a minority leader actually saying, well, um, as Ruth Bader 465 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:57,600 Speaker 1: Ginsburg has said stunning. It was stunning to hear that, 466 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:00,440 Speaker 1: but not many of people heard it because it really 467 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: wasn't People didn't pay much attention to do it. So 468 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,160 Speaker 1: now I'm gonna ask you. We have a few minutes 469 00:28:06,240 --> 00:28:09,080 Speaker 1: left here for your stories of the week. Lincoln, we'll 470 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: start with you. My story of the week is we 471 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: are now two primaries into the Democratic nominating season. We 472 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 1: had a debate just about last weekend, and this far 473 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 1: in we've not heard anyone ask the Democratic candidates what 474 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: I think is the most important question, which is what 475 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: are you gonna do if you win? And Donald Trump 476 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:30,679 Speaker 1: refuses to accept defeat. The Republican Senate made it clear 477 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: that it is okay with them if Donald Trump does anything, 478 00:28:33,840 --> 00:28:35,439 Speaker 1: and Donald Trump has made it clear that he has 479 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:37,640 Speaker 1: no intention of leaving this office, and moreover, if he does, 480 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: he has a lifetime of legal hassles in front of him. 481 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 1: It is not at all difficult to see a scenario 482 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 1: where Donald Trump loses narrowly, tweets out some nonsense about 483 00:28:46,880 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 1: fake news and illegal voting, and within hours the Republican Party, 484 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: from basically top to bottom, is tweeting out, yes, we 485 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: need to look at this. It wasn't good. We have 486 00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 1: all these problems. And then the mainstream media, and here 487 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: I'm talking about not Fox but CNN in the New 488 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 1: York Time and places like that, start referring to the 489 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: election as disputed and controversial instead of stolen. And when 490 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:09,760 Speaker 1: that happens, Progressives and the Democratic Party to have a plan. 491 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 1: And that plan cannot be to go on television and 492 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: say we didn't expect this or this has never happened before. 493 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: We should be expecting and we should be planning for it. 494 00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: Um Rafael, Should we plan that? Should the Democrats plan 495 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: that now? Or should they first win the election and 496 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: then worry about it? Well, I think they've as as 497 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 1: Nancy Pelosi said during impeachment, they should be able to 498 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,719 Speaker 1: walk and chew gum at the same time. To borrow 499 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:36,680 Speaker 1: a tired cliche, but yeah, I think they should definitely 500 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:39,920 Speaker 1: have a plan. They can't. They can't expect that it 501 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:42,840 Speaker 1: will be easy the day after, no matter what the 502 00:29:42,880 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 1: result of the election is, it will not be easy 503 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 1: to deal with President Trump. And I wanted to ask 504 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:52,880 Speaker 1: you both this. I haven't heard I heard that President 505 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 1: Trump last week said something like the Republicans need to 506 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,840 Speaker 1: win back the House so they can put through a 507 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:01,880 Speaker 1: comprehensive health air plan, which of course did not go 508 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:04,760 Speaker 1: through when they held the House and the Senate both 509 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: both uh So, So what are the Democrats in danger 510 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: of losing the House? I would be surprised if they were. 511 00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: There are seats that are endangered just because their elections 512 00:30:18,840 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 1: were so close. So you have like the seat that 513 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 1: the Democrats won in Oklahoma. That's a tough one for them, 514 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,239 Speaker 1: but they can win it as much as they can 515 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:29,120 Speaker 1: lose it. But they are on the offensive, say in Texas, 516 00:30:29,280 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: So with the big games they had in eighteen, it's 517 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: unlikely that the House will flip Lincoln. Do you agree? 518 00:30:36,640 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: I would agree with that. I would also add I 519 00:30:38,120 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 1: think the Democrats have a better chance of capturing the 520 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:43,520 Speaker 1: Senate than the Republicans do of capturing the House. Really, 521 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 1: I would I expect that when all of a sudden done, 522 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 1: Matcy Pelosi is still a Speaker and Mitch McConnell still 523 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:50,280 Speaker 1: the Senate majority leader. But if I had to bet 524 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 1: on one, I'd bet on the Democrats taken back the center. 525 00:30:52,560 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 1: I think Cory Gardner is gone. I think Susan Collins 526 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:56,800 Speaker 1: has gone Doug Jones could hold on. There could be 527 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:01,959 Speaker 1: some other surprises. Well. Susan Collins made some unfortunate statements 528 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 1: when she voted uh to a quit President Trump, so 529 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: I think she'll be hearing those over and over again 530 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:12,000 Speaker 1: that he's going to change his ways, which we haven't 531 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: seen yet, but who knows. Anything is possible. As they say, well, 532 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 1: thank you both. Happy Valentine's Day to you both. That's 533 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:23,400 Speaker 1: Lincoln Mitchell, political analyst and author teacher at Columbia University, 534 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,400 Speaker 1: and Rabael Burn now journalist with The Hill and the 535 00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: lead for The Hill Latino. And that does it for 536 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 1: this Friday. On sound On, I'm June Grosso sitting in 537 00:31:34,240 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: for Kevin sir, really, and I just want to remember 538 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:41,680 Speaker 1: to download the Bloomberg Sound On podcast on iTunes, at 539 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 1: Bloomberg dot com or by downloading the Bloomberg Business App. 540 00:31:45,360 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 1: You can also find us on Radio dot com, I 541 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:53,000 Speaker 1: Heart Radio, and Spotify. And I'll be coming back to 542 00:31:53,040 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 1: you tomorrow with Bloomberg Law, So I hope you'll listen 543 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:00,560 Speaker 1: to that at seven am and five pm on Bloomberg Radio. 544 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: I'm June Grosso and you're listening to Bloomberg