1 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,520 Speaker 1: One of the most powerful people in Washington today is 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: Senator Joe Mansion, who is the Democratic center from a 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: Republican leaning state, West Virginia. He really holds the key 4 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: to how legislation is going to get through the Senate. 5 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:16,479 Speaker 1: I had a chance to meet with him recently and 6 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: talk with him at the Economic Club of Washington about 7 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 1: his views on a variety of important issues now facing 8 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 1: the Senate and the country. Senator, thank you for coming 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,479 Speaker 1: anything new lately, not much. There's been reported in the 10 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: press that you were spending the weekend in Delaware. Um, 11 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: anything you can tell us about what happened A nice visit, 12 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: and I really did. I had a nice visit. Prison. 13 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 1: Buy and I've known each other for quite a while, 14 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: but you know, knowing each other in the political arena 15 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: and then knowing each other as a person is a 16 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 1: different different settings. So since he's been president, we've got 17 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: to know each other as who we are and who 18 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: hopefully he knows who I am. And I just basically 19 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: said to the President, nice and Mr President. My my 20 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 1: philosophy of politics is this. When I got involved in 21 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: I always thought government should be my partner, not my provider. 22 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: But as a result of the session who had with 23 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: the president, Um, you think you came away with understanding 24 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: of where the country is going on all these bills. Well, 25 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: and I've said this, I think all of you remember, 26 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: maybe a couple of months ago, I said, I really 27 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: thought long and hard about taking a strategic pause. My 28 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: reason for saying that was a lot of the things 29 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: that were that are in this Reconciliation bill, a lot 30 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: of the things that we had covered in the a 31 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: ORP American Rescue Plan at one point nine trillion. And 32 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: if you look at the American Rescue Plan bill that 33 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: we did, it covers a lot of the things they're 34 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:44,880 Speaker 1: talking about CUP through two and into twenty three. So 35 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,360 Speaker 1: I didn't see the urgency that someone is going to 36 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: be left without any type of cover through coming out 37 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: of the COVID pandemic. And the whole reason about what 38 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: we did in twenty twenty to the extent we did, 39 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: what we did was trying to prevent a country from 40 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: going into a health crisis or financial crisis, and we 41 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: did that. Now, I said, the unknown was this, we 42 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: didn't know what the COVID was coming back, the vary 43 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:12,639 Speaker 1: ingt of the COVID, We didn't know what it was 44 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 1: going to do, and we're still seeing, you know, spikes 45 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 1: and valleys and spikes. We didn't know what if if 46 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: inflation is transitory or not. Now we're finding out it 47 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: might not be transitory. And then the biggest thing that 48 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 1: I had concerns about, what you don't hear people talk 49 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: about much, was the geopolitical fall out of how we 50 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: left Afghanistan, because I know what my little cold, cold 51 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: town I come from, just human nature was if there 52 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: was a bully and you saw someone smack that bully 53 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: and make that bully back down, and everybody else is 54 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: ready to take their shot too. But the finish on 55 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: the session in Delaware, Um, he's not gonna let this 56 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: one go, is it? What? Um? Did you leave thinking 57 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: that we're making progress and that you said that the president, Well, 58 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 1: here's my bottom line and if you can deliver this, 59 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: I you got my vote. I don't think you negotiate. 60 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,359 Speaker 1: You should know one should ever negotiate with the president, 61 00:03:07,480 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: especially or anyone else if you're if you're negotiating in 62 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:13,640 Speaker 1: good faith. Yeah, I've always tried to put myself in 63 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:15,959 Speaker 1: the other person, but I want the other person to 64 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,959 Speaker 1: understand who I am. Too. So if they can put 65 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 1: themselves to where I am and I put my we 66 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: reverse roles and look at it. So when I left, 67 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: I think it was a very positive meeting. We know 68 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: there's a lot of a lot of things we can 69 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: do to make more a more perfect union. Um, when 70 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: you go to President's house like that, I guess you 71 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: can ask for anything you want to eat, and they 72 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 1: serve anything right that goes. They want to make you happy. Right, 73 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: So we had a good time. Let me tell you 74 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: the thing we had a good time was, is you 75 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: know how I kidded him? Uh, you know how he 76 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 1: was always supposed to be the poorest senator. He had 77 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: an eye for real estate, a right, so um, so 78 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: I told you my semester, presdi do you didn't you're 79 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 1: too bad for a poor senator. But let me tell 80 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: you one thing. And we talked about that and you 81 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 1: walked down. But he built the home, and I was 82 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: very impressed. He did a heck of a job, and 83 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: he designed the whole thing. We went through it. It's 84 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: a very nice home in a very nice setting. And 85 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: and he has some neighbors and one neighbor it's not 86 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: of his political persuasion. And if he's four inches over 87 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,440 Speaker 1: for car parks four inches over the sometimes he hears 88 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: about it. And even when he was President States right 89 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 1: now more so when he's president. So when you're negotiating 90 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 1: with him or meeting with him, Um, you are you 91 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: kind of representing a senator of cinema or does she 92 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: represent herself? No? One thing you learned about being a Senate. 93 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: If you can take care of yourself, you're lucky. Okay, 94 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: So all right, so she has her own views and 95 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 1: you have her Okay. I respect her very much, and 96 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: she's a friend of mine, but you know we uh, 97 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: I think what we bonded. And because I was, I've 98 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: been adamant. I've been there long enough to vote in 99 00:04:51,720 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: against the nuclear bomb getting rid of the filibuster that 100 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,720 Speaker 1: when at that time Senator Harry Reid did uh, and 101 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: then in seen when Mitch McConnell did it for Supreme Court. 102 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,200 Speaker 1: And I've been very steadfast on that. And then to 103 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: find out I have another person who feels as strong 104 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: as I do was welcome. Okay. So as all the 105 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: attention you're getting pleasurable or actually a pain in the 106 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: something or another, I wouldn't this this position I guess 107 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: I wouldn't wish it on anybody. And people keep talking 108 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: about power, you never but I look at this room 109 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: and all the power in this room, and you all 110 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: been around, all of us have been long enough and 111 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:29,799 Speaker 1: watching life and watching how people, uh, basically navigate life. 112 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: I've seen people with an awful lot of power that 113 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: abused it, and I said, why would they do that? 114 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 1: And I've seen people that sought power and destroy themselves 115 00:05:37,040 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: trying to gain it. And then I've seen people took 116 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: a moment of time and I'll tell all of you 117 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 1: right now, a moment of time is this. We better 118 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: bring our country together. We better figure out it's United 119 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 1: States of America, united not divided States of America. And 120 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:57,159 Speaker 1: we better start working on that. But um, the like, 121 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: in other words, you are the key vote in so 122 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: many things going on in the Senate and the Center 123 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,280 Speaker 1: sentem as well. Is that is that fun to be that? 124 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: There's not? There's nothing fun about it. But I always 125 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,799 Speaker 1: said this. I kept thinking because I was a governor 126 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 1: in two thousand and nine when they were doing American 127 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 1: Rescue Plan, I mean the Affordable Care Act, and uh, 128 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,880 Speaker 1: I kept thinking, if I had been governor if I 129 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 1: had been sentator that time to come down to a 130 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: swing vote like you did with a couple of the 131 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: modyrates at that time, I think you maybe I could 132 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: have made a little bit of a difference there. And 133 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,159 Speaker 1: because I understood how it was delivered in the states 134 00:06:31,240 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 1: and people that were going without and people that needed it, 135 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,160 Speaker 1: but also people that could have used it and take 136 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: advantage of it, and I thought there's a better way 137 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: to do it. Lo and behold, ten years later, I 138 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:41,679 Speaker 1: found myself in a position and about every vote fifty 139 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 1: Senate who would have thought that had come down to this? 140 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 1: Is that your view that we should keep the current 141 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 1: Senate filibuster rule for the voting rights bill that you author. 142 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,560 Speaker 1: The only thing I know I watched the Democrats use 143 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,160 Speaker 1: it against Trump and a lot of things that we 144 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:59,120 Speaker 1: were able to stop, things that just didn't make sense 145 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:04,279 Speaker 1: to us. So how can we just two or three 146 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,760 Speaker 1: two years ago, three years ago, thirty nine Democrats senators 147 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 1: led by our leader basically sign letters, please miss McConnell, 148 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 1: do not do away with the fellowbuster. Now all of 149 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: a sudden it becomes all please get rid of because 150 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,600 Speaker 1: it will help us more. Makes no sense to me, 151 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: at all the voting rights bill you have authored, a 152 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: I amended version of the Voting Rights Act that you 153 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: thought would get for the Senate doesn't seem like it's 154 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: getting through unless you change the Fellowbuster rules. What do 155 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: you think is gonna happen on voting rights? Well, let 156 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: me just tell you. They said I didn't author, Okay, 157 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: I put I had input because I saw the for 158 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: the people, and I knew it was aspirational, and I 159 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: understand everything that you can imagine was in that bill. 160 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: We're just trying to We're just trying to protect the 161 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: Voting Rights Act of nine, which got shot down in 162 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: the Shelby decision in we haven't even fixed that. We 163 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: haven't even fixed that because basically it went from nine 164 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: states to thirteen states and then they threw it out 165 00:07:56,920 --> 00:08:00,280 Speaker 1: with a Shelby decision. And I said, really, all fifty 166 00:08:00,280 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: states should be held responsible and accountable. And I couldn't 167 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: in my mind. When I was Secretary State, we used 168 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: to have a Secretary State Association meetings. We were always 169 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: competing who could get the greatest turn out. I can't. 170 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: And now I'm realizing that people were basically looking at 171 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: the vantage they would get if people don't vote or 172 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: certain people don't vote. That's beyond my comprehension. But it's 173 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: the reality of what we're dealing with. It's got to 174 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,960 Speaker 1: be corrected. But I can't believe that. My my Republican friends, 175 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: uh don't see it that way. I just I still can't, 176 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: you know what. And they keep saying, well, Joe, how 177 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: many Republicans you got? How many of this? And I'm 178 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: working and talking to the Republican I keep looking at me, Sist, 179 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: what have you done? Who was the last person you 180 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: talked to on the Republican side? Have I need a 181 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: little bit of help? The debt limit. We've extended it 182 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: until December. Are you worried about the debt limit not 183 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 1: being passed into Sember? It is crazy for us to 184 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: use that as a as a political weapon. It is 185 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: absolutely insane. I think that basically the thing that we 186 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: should do is come to an agreement all the truce 187 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 1: and David, what I would say, is the thing that 188 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: bothers me more. I don't see our leadership working together. 189 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:10,720 Speaker 1: I don't see people talking, having dinner or coffee, or 190 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: even having a conversation on the floor. You'll see a 191 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: few of us going back and forth and this and that. 192 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 1: If you're watching you know, if you are, you're you're, Uh, 193 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: you're you're more troubled than I thought. If you're just 194 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:25,880 Speaker 1: watching c SPAN and seeing us going back and forth. Uh. 195 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: But the bottom line is is no one's working and talking. 196 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,199 Speaker 1: So if you're not going to talk and communicate in 197 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:31,680 Speaker 1: an easy way to do, get rid of the field 198 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,800 Speaker 1: of us. That's easy. Sure, all this is easy. Would 199 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: you be in favor of eliminating the dead limit? Just 200 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:38,720 Speaker 1: get rid of the dead liman should be fourteenth Amendment. 201 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: But the president has the right to make that decision. 202 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: We have the right to override if we think he 203 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: went too far. That to me is as simple as 204 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 1: it takes all the politicians out of him making a deal. 205 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: The thing that we got caught in the conundrum right now, 206 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: the Republican says, we'll fine, I want you to set 207 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: the deadlom. It's gonna be thirty one trillion, thirty two. 208 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: You know we're right, twenty nine trillion now, So who's 209 00:09:57,240 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: gonna set the one? Set the one? The one we 210 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 1: have right now is the eighth four and that's that's 211 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: going to slide into December. And basically the only way 212 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: we can do it right now is if if the 213 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 1: Republicans would not agree and I don't think that, we 214 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 1: should change the rules by ourselves, which is called the 215 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: nuclear option. This should be something that's done, that's going 216 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:19,679 Speaker 1: to hold and saying okay, President has that authority, we 217 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: have the authority to review and override. Based on your experience, 218 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: you would expect that sometime in December they'll figure out 219 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,679 Speaker 1: how to extend it. Before that, I'm pushing it now. 220 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: We should do it now. It should not come down 221 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: to the limit again. So if we can't do it 222 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: and they don't agree on that, the Democrats have the responsibility, 223 00:10:35,160 --> 00:10:37,679 Speaker 1: being the majority party right now, to do it through 224 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: reconciliation among new reconciliation. You've got to set a number, 225 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:43,840 Speaker 1: and that's our responsibility, and I would take that and 226 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 1: do it. What about the continuing Resolution to fund the government? 227 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: You think that will go to the last minute as well, 228 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: For everything goes to last minute, and it is a 229 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: shame because no one's talking up until the last minute 230 00:10:52,559 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: and becomes a crisis. We were okay, we can still 231 00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: manage through a crisis. It's a shame that you have 232 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 1: to run the greatest country on Earth crisis. Well, the 233 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,080 Speaker 1: Senate Democrats and the center of Publicans that they socialize 234 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,079 Speaker 1: or talk to each other very much, or just it's 235 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 1: not considered appropriate to be talking to people from the 236 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 1: opposite party very much. In the Senate. Well, it's a 237 00:11:10,240 --> 00:11:12,560 Speaker 1: shame that that that you see some of that going on, 238 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: that people just don't talk to people that much. And 239 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: I make a point to have dinner with him or 240 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: meet him somewhere or just you know, I always do 241 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: that and try to and I think that's the way, 242 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: and I think there should be there should be something 243 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: to where at least the leaders have to have lunch 244 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: one day a week. I would think that would be good. 245 00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: But you know what we do. We have caucus lunches. 246 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:36,200 Speaker 1: All the Democrats go over here, all Republicans go over there. 247 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 1: And once a year we had Johnny Isingson would have 248 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: all the people from Georgia come up and do a 249 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: big pork thing, barbecue thing, and we'd all get together. 250 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: But even then it didn't last much longer than now. 251 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: So you have a Republican colleague in the Senate from 252 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: West Virginia, Senator of Capital, a very good friend of mine. 253 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,959 Speaker 1: So how do you we get on good? One night 254 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:57,760 Speaker 1: we were I had to go back home. We were 255 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: voting late and we missed the plane when you had 256 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: one light at night going back. So I said, hey, Shelley, 257 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: I said, I'm driving. She said okay, so you wanna 258 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: ride with me? She thought about it for a minute 259 00:12:05,960 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: or two. She says, okay, count me in. So about 260 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: ten o'clock we take off for West Virginia. And I 261 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: drive a little bit fast, and some night at night 262 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: I drive a little bit faster because I know within 263 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:20,079 Speaker 1: the speeding by myself. Well, I won't say that. So 264 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: we were driving and we were going through back. Then 265 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 1: we got picked up for speeding. Oh he did. But 266 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: when that, when you get picked up, I mean, they 267 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:28,680 Speaker 1: know who you are, So what do they do? State 268 00:12:28,679 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: policeman comes to the Doorney Rosa. Oh my god, he says, 269 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: he says, governor. He said, no, sender. He was one 270 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: of the troopers that I had when I was governor. 271 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: So I thought I was in pretty good shape. So 272 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 1: you uh, I guess she didn't get a ticket. Then 273 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 1: then when the funny part was this, he looked at 274 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 1: me and said, oh my god, is both of you. 275 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:50,840 Speaker 1: Are you worried that the Senate and the House could 276 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: flip to the Republicans in the mid term, because that 277 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: often happens in these first year Well, we didn't have 278 00:12:56,800 --> 00:12:58,839 Speaker 1: much of a buffer from going in, Okay, David Is 279 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: It wasn't like we had a little bit of a 280 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,559 Speaker 1: bench strength here. I know. So are you worried about this? Sure? 281 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: I mean you're worried if I'm a chairman right now 282 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: of a committee which I enjoy very much. I've been 283 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: ranking before on the committee which is a minority part 284 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: which Lisa Murkowski was one of my dearest friends and 285 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,960 Speaker 1: a great partner, and we worked back and forth. But yeah, 286 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:18,880 Speaker 1: you're it's much better off when you can control the 287 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 1: agenda versus you have to follow but there's nothing you 288 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: can do about it and tell anything about it, and 289 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: you can have good sound policy. I've always said this, 290 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 1: the best politics is good government, and today that's not 291 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: we're practicing today. It's not about right now. And I 292 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,000 Speaker 1: said the Republicans are missing a golden opportunity not to 293 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: jump on the infrastructure bill and be overwhelmingly bipartisan and 294 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,040 Speaker 1: taking credit. I've seen people take credit of good legislation 295 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 1: to voted against it. I can't believe that happens in Washington. 296 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: I can't. So is this making you more popular in 297 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,719 Speaker 1: West Virginia or less popular? And all this attention or 298 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,400 Speaker 1: it depends on what corner town you go to, so 299 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,600 Speaker 1: um and you go back. I go back all the time. Yeah, 300 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,640 Speaker 1: you know, I love my state. And I'm born and 301 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: raised in a little coal mining town Farmington four or people. 302 00:14:06,760 --> 00:14:09,600 Speaker 1: And uh, I just I just saw people that worked 303 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: all the time and kind of shared what they had 304 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,199 Speaker 1: and took care of each other, and took care of 305 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:15,079 Speaker 1: those who couldn't take care of themselves if they were 306 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,280 Speaker 1: mentally or physically handicapped, the town always picked them up. 307 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 1: I mean, I saw all the good in what we 308 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: are small town America and what the United States is, 309 00:14:23,800 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: and I thought, well, and be the old countries that way. 310 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: West Virginia used to be a solidly democratic state when 311 00:14:28,960 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: John Kenny ran from president was a very democratic state. 312 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,480 Speaker 1: It's democratic state till right, so now it's Republican state. 313 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: What's changed West Virginia or the country. I couldn't believe, 314 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: you know. I was very blessed with having good support 315 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: from Republicans Democrats, independence. You know, I never got the extremes. 316 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 1: I never got the far right or far left. And 317 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: I can understand that, but we never ran our country 318 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: or our states, or our politics from the far right 319 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,120 Speaker 1: or far left was always And I told people, I 320 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,040 Speaker 1: gave a speech one day, the first time we come 321 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 1: back off the COVID to Bethany call Age Uh their graduation, 322 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: a little beautiful or college up in northern northern West Virginia. 323 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: And I walked on the stage. I didn't they gave 324 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 1: me a speech, and I have good, good people here 325 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 1: at work with me, and I had just nothing. Where 326 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 1: do I say? You've been closer it in for one 327 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: year and I had nothing on paper or nothing in 328 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: my mind that I was going to say. As I 329 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: walked to the podium, I'm thinking, man, I'm blank. I 330 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: don't want to go to say. And I walked up 331 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 1: there and I just apologized. I said, I want to apologize. 332 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: I am sorry. I am sorry. I've been radicalized. And 333 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 1: they looked at me and I don't know how that 334 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:34,840 Speaker 1: came out that way. So I've been radicalized. I said, 335 00:15:34,880 --> 00:15:37,960 Speaker 1: your grandparents have been radicalized, your parents have been Our 336 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: generation was radicalized because we don't understand what's going on. 337 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 1: You understand I never had I never had computers, I 338 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 1: never had cell phones, didn't have any of those growing up. 339 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:49,720 Speaker 1: So I got my news pretty much down the middle 340 00:15:49,760 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: of CBS, ABC, NBC. I'm never free. At one time 341 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: when John Kennedy was running for president in West Virginia 342 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: was a swing state, and my parents were all excited. 343 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 1: And I didn't know why they were all excited about politics, 344 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: but the young the young person running and he was 345 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: a Catholic, and we're a Catholic family, and it was 346 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 1: there's not many Catholics in West Virginia, so they were 347 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 1: all excited. So I got excited. So we're watching television 348 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: one night and had to be Walter Cronkite. He said, 349 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: it's been said that if John Kennedy becomes president of 350 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: pope were running the country. I looked at my mom 351 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: and says, boy, he don't know that. He don't know that. 352 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:27,960 Speaker 1: The Catholics we know. That's all. That's all I could 353 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: come up with, because I can figure I never seen 354 00:16:29,880 --> 00:16:32,440 Speaker 1: by tell Catholic or Protestant or jew anything. They're gonna 355 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 1: make their own minds up. You're the only statewide office 356 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: holder in Western here's a Democrat, right, Oh, yes, it's 357 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: very lonely. Have you ever thought my life would be 358 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: easier for you if you shifted to being a Republican? 359 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 1: And somebody has said recently that, um, you know people 360 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: have approached you about doing that every day? Wouldn't like 361 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:52,960 Speaker 1: be easier for you to do that? It will be 362 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,200 Speaker 1: much easier, my goodness? Is that the purpose of being 363 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: involved in public services? No, I've never I've never thought 364 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 1: from this I'm what I'm telling you now is who 365 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: I am. Do you think by having a D or 366 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: an I or an R is gonna change who I am? 367 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: I don't think the RS be any more happier with 368 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,640 Speaker 1: me than d's are, right now, Okay, I mean that's 369 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: about as bland as I can put it. So I 370 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:18,959 Speaker 1: don't know where in the hell I belong. So, um, 371 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:22,120 Speaker 1: it's being governor more fun than being Oh my god, yes, 372 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 1: being governor. And I got involved in politics. I was 373 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: upset because I saw a guy come in one time 374 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: talk to my father. I was thirty five years old 375 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:33,880 Speaker 1: with three kids. I had no intention get involved politics, 376 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: not at all. And the guy came in. He started 377 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: talking about favors. This was a local politician, he says 378 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 1: when he left. I said, Dad, he made it look 379 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,400 Speaker 1: like that he was doing you a favor to take 380 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 1: care of people of his constituency. He's not doing his job. 381 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,560 Speaker 1: And I said, I'm gonna run. I'm gonna I'm just 382 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: got went through me like a knife. I said, I'm 383 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: gonna run. And Dad says, oh no, no, he don't 384 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 1: get involved in politics. That's not a good, good profession. Boy. 385 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: How prolific he was back then to understand that. And 386 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:02,359 Speaker 1: I said, I said, Dad, you're you're a hypocrite. I 387 00:18:02,400 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: thought he was going to hit me. And he looked 388 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: at me and he says, why would you call him? 389 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: I said, Dad, you always said you want good people involved, 390 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:10,639 Speaker 1: have to get good values. They should get involved for 391 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 1: the right reason. I said, I think I was raised 392 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,119 Speaker 1: right and you all, I mean, I think I feel 393 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:17,440 Speaker 1: pretty balanced. And he looked at me and he says, 394 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: you're right. Let's go get him. So so I ran 395 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:22,280 Speaker 1: a one and that's how I got involved. I was 396 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: one of a hundred when I was a House of Delegates. 397 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:26,960 Speaker 1: I said, you know what, if I was in the 398 00:18:26,960 --> 00:18:28,800 Speaker 1: state Senate, i'd be one of thirty four, I have 399 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: three times the ability to help more people. And then 400 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,159 Speaker 1: I said, boy, if I was governor, i'd be one 401 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: oh one. I could really do something. So that's how. 402 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: And now I'm back to one of a hundred. All right, um, 403 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: but well you're up for re election in four so 404 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:48,800 Speaker 1: you're gonna run again. I'll be seventy seven years old. 405 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:50,199 Speaker 1: What do you think that's young? In the Senate? I 406 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: mean you're young. I mean the President Night States older 407 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: than that. So uh, I mean that's young. So you 408 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: haven't decided yet or you want to announce that I haven't. 409 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,040 Speaker 1: I haven't decided. You know, if I think I can, 410 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: if I think I can contribute and be productive, and 411 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: I think this moment of time we're in right now 412 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: that we can balance some things out and people understand. 413 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:12,199 Speaker 1: The thing that bothers me more than anything that I 414 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:15,119 Speaker 1: think I've ever had in my political life is I 415 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:17,160 Speaker 1: don't hear the word this will be good for our 416 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,200 Speaker 1: country when we're looking and thinking about fixing a problem 417 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 1: until we start, and then someone tries to justify if 418 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:25,399 Speaker 1: you're on the right or the left, if you're a 419 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,719 Speaker 1: Democratic Republican, then saying we're gonna do this because it's 420 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: good for the country. No, No, you're gonna do that 421 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: cause good for the party. Well, in uh, twenty twenty four, 422 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 1: there's another election president United States. You wouldn't think of 423 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 1: running for president. Every one and one wouldn't it. Yeah, 424 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: it could be like a gomer Why not, I haven't. 425 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:46,640 Speaker 1: I haven't thought of that. You have been ruled it out, 426 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:48,919 Speaker 1: but you haven't thought about it. You're gonna be a 427 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 1: campaign manager. Uh, you wouldn't win if I was a 428 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 1: campaign manager. I'm not that good, But so no, I haven't. 429 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 1: Now I'm want to support I support Joe Biden. I really, 430 00:19:57,840 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: I really think he was the right person at the 431 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: right time time. We just got to balance things. Do 432 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: you think the Biden administration is doing nine months into 433 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: it and they're having will struggle right now? I really 434 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:07,680 Speaker 1: think so. And we got to rethink this whole thing. 435 00:20:07,720 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 1: And I'm thinking that. You know, I agree with him 436 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 1: getting out of Afghanistan. We should never happy with the 437 00:20:14,600 --> 00:20:16,639 Speaker 1: way no no one could be happy the way we 438 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 1: got out. No one could be happy about that. But 439 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 1: there's not a good way to get out of these things. 440 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: But there had to be. You think better than what 441 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:25,359 Speaker 1: we did, so you can look at it from that standpoint. 442 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 1: But I think he understands foreign policy. He really does. 443 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 1: On some of the things we're working. We've talked about 444 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:35,200 Speaker 1: some different concerns we have around the world, and uh, 445 00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:37,800 Speaker 1: the United States has to be ready to do what 446 00:20:37,840 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 1: we do defend democracy. If the election were held today, 447 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 1: the presidential election was held a year or so ago, 448 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,200 Speaker 1: with West Virginia vote the same way, Westernia is still 449 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 1: not that supportive of it. Yeah, I'd still vote for 450 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:52,239 Speaker 1: Joe Biden, but I'd be in a minority. And uh, 451 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:54,680 Speaker 1: in your view, West Virginia is likely to stay Republican 452 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 1: for presidential purposes for the foreseeable future. West Virginia was 453 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: a Republican, stayed up until the Depression and the depression 454 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 1: changes to f DR state. But we were always a 455 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 1: conservative Democrat state. We were the northernmost southern state in 456 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: the nation because we're out in the Mason Dixon line. 457 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 1: We never flipped. We flipped in twenty ten, and we flipped. 458 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,560 Speaker 1: We flipped harder than any southern state ever flipped. The 459 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 1: most important issue in the mind of West Virginian's today 460 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 1: is what I think the respecting dignity of who they 461 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 1: are as a human being, in the society that we have, 462 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:27,480 Speaker 1: in the culture that we have, understanding us. We're the 463 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 1: hardest working people. But but I don't have enough workers. 464 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: So I can tell you my state grew in immigration 465 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,760 Speaker 1: back in the in the early nineteen hundreds. People came miracles. 466 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,920 Speaker 1: They wanted to work. I need workers. We need people 467 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:42,240 Speaker 1: that want a quality of life for themselves and their 468 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 1: families and take care of the ones. I have a 469 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: lot of elderly people, have a high percentage of elderly, 470 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,119 Speaker 1: and they talk about social reforms. I said, wait a minute. 471 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 1: If Social Security and Medicare is not solvent, and the 472 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 1: trust funds are not solvent, then you're taking away a 473 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: lifeline that people have right now, Why should I expand 474 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 1: all these so sal services. Well, I can't even pay 475 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 1: for what we got. So do you enjoy it being 476 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 1: a center with all this pressure on you? Is as 477 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 1: fun or is there not? No? There's no fun. There's 478 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 1: no I mean here, I don't you know. And neighbor said, 479 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 1: how are you taking the pressure? I said, well, I 480 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:15,000 Speaker 1: have a responsibility. I have a responsibility to do my job, 481 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:17,280 Speaker 1: and I'm gonna do my job, and I'm gonna explain myself. 482 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 1: I've always said, if I can't go home and explain, 483 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 1: I can't vote for it, you might be my best friend. 484 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:23,440 Speaker 1: And if just As just said please, can you give 485 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: me a pass on this? You know my dad always said, 486 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:27,680 Speaker 1: if you can say no with a tear in your eye, 487 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:30,879 Speaker 1: you might be okay. And I've been crying a lot lately. 488 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:36,399 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to hear more of my interviews. You 489 00:22:36,440 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 1: can subscribe and download my podcast on Spotify, Apple, or 490 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 1: wherever you listen.