1 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,799 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World, how can individuals, churches, businesses, 2 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,719 Speaker 1: and our country heal the selfish divisions sharing US apartment 3 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,160 Speaker 1: My guests suggests the solutions for Americans to live a 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: quote we Before Me life. In his new book We 5 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: Before Me, The Advantage of Putting Others before Self, Congressman 6 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: Mark Green shares the lessons learned from his father, who 7 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: struggled to provide for his family and serve others while 8 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: dealing with a serious handicap, and he shows how they 9 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 1: served him well in his own career in the military, 10 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 1: health care, business, and politics. I'm really pleased to welcome 11 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:45,880 Speaker 1: my guest, Chairman Mark Green. He's a physician, a businessman, 12 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 1: a combat veteran. Representing Tennessee's seventh district in Congress. He 13 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: currently serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on 14 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: Homeland Security. He's a graduate of the US Military Academy 15 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: at West Point. Mark, welcome and thank you for joining 16 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: me on Newtswork. 17 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: Mister speaker, thank you for having me. It's a real 18 00:01:16,959 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 2: honor to be with you. 19 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: Well, you've done a great job, and I think to 20 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: help people understand how you got to the conclusions that 21 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 1: led you write this book, Why don't you start by 22 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: talking about your childhood and how that led you to 23 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: run for Congress. 24 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 2: My father was an Air Force veteran and while he 25 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 2: was serving, he developed some basically got cancer from exposure, 26 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: lost his arm when I was in first grade from 27 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 2: that cancer, and lived a very difficult life. And I 28 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: watched my father choose to live selflessly with this incredible handicap. 29 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 2: The company he worked for, this was prior to Americans 30 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 2: with Disabilities Act. They said, you're half a man. We're 31 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:01,200 Speaker 2: going to pay you half a salary. So my dad 32 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 2: lost his arm at half of his salary in a 33 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: six month period, didn't let it stop him. He roofed 34 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,359 Speaker 2: houses on the weekend. And as you can imagine, one arm, 35 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 2: you have to drive the nail with the palm of 36 00:02:13,560 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 2: your hand to start it. And here I am in 37 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:20,040 Speaker 2: first grade watching my dad persevere through this, and then 38 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 2: he would go out and serve other people. I mean 39 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 2: I remember cutting firewood for someone else and my dad 40 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 2: had one arm and this guy had two arms. He 41 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,200 Speaker 2: was sick. But for a young kid saying, hey, Dad, 42 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 2: this guy has two arms. You've got one. He needs it, 43 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 2: so we're going to go do it. That's sort of 44 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 2: the idea or mindset of my father. And he raised 45 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:45,400 Speaker 2: me to believe that our family was a unit, and 46 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 2: that the family unit in a small town in Mississippi 47 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 2: was more important than any individual in the family. That 48 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 2: my reputation was built on the family's reputation. And so 49 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: those values carried with me throughout my military career and 50 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: running a business, and I tried to instill that in 51 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 2: my family. And of course when it comes to loving 52 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 2: the country and doing what's best for the country, the 53 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 2: opportunity to serve came up, and I put the hole 54 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 2: ahead of myself and jumped in the ring, as do most, 55 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:20,680 Speaker 2: to choose to serve. 56 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: I'm really curious with it because who you are, young kid, 57 00:03:24,160 --> 00:03:28,080 Speaker 1: growing up with a disabled father, working really hard to 58 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,959 Speaker 1: maintain a blue collar living, living on a dirt road 59 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: in rural Mississippi. Suddenly you graduate from high school. How 60 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: did you end up at West Point? 61 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 2: Well, it's an interesting story. My dad. I saw the 62 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: catalog and the guidance counselor's office, took the catalog for 63 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 2: West Point, took it home. Dad said, son, you'll never 64 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 2: get accepted. Now, in retrospect, he tells me that that 65 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: was all intentional to piss me off and make me 66 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: go work for it. That's what it did, and I said, okay, 67 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: I'll show you. And I worked really hard to get 68 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 2: into the academy, and of course to get out of 69 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 2: the academy. Not an easy place to go to school, 70 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: but it was sort of that challenge from my father 71 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 2: that made me go out and prove it. 72 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: Moving from that road in southern Mississippi, what does it 73 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,520 Speaker 1: feel like to be part of the long gray line 74 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 1: of men and women marching on that amazing playground. 75 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,279 Speaker 3: Every time I reflect back on West Point, I hear 76 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 3: echoing in my head the idea that the history that 77 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 3: they teach at West Point was made by people who 78 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 3: graduated from West Point. 79 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:42,720 Speaker 2: Whether it's MacArthur or Patten or Eisenhower. The history of 80 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:46,360 Speaker 2: our country is written by the people who graduated from 81 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 2: that school, and it began with the very beginning of 82 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 2: our country, with Washington defending the Hudson and keeping the 83 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 2: British from dividing the continental Army. They're at West Point. 84 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: I also think too about my West Point class class 85 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 2: mates are guys like Mike Pompeo, Mark Esper, the former 86 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 2: Vice chief of Staff of the Army, the former head 87 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 2: of the Corps of Engineers CEO of Mercedes Benz USA 88 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,359 Speaker 2: CEO of seven to eleven. We have a responsibility to 89 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 2: serve the nation with our lifetime, whether we do that 90 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: in business, or we do that in politics, or we 91 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 2: do that in the military. That's ingrained in you at 92 00:05:23,480 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 2: the academy. And so when I think back, I do 93 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: think of the plane at West Point that you mentioned 94 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 2: as holy ground, and I'm a part of that group 95 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 2: of people that had their education paid for by the 96 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: American taxpayer. So I feel like I owe a lifetime 97 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 2: of service to the country. 98 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: Well, it's fascinating me. You actually majored in quantitative business 99 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 1: management and concentrated on economics. But then when you go 100 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:50,479 Speaker 1: into the army, you pick the infantry, which my dad 101 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: spent twenty six years in. Then you go on to 102 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,480 Speaker 1: the US Army Rangers School, which is certainly a test, 103 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,839 Speaker 1: and only you serving in the eighty second Airborne Division. 104 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 1: You were not looking for soft places. 105 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,599 Speaker 2: I don't think I've ever looked for the easier path. 106 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 2: You know, as Robert Frost would say, two roads diverged 107 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 2: in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, 108 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 2: and that has made all the difference. I just looked 109 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,559 Speaker 2: at it like this, If you can't fly a fighter jet, 110 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 2: why be in the air Force. If you can't be 111 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: an army ranger infantry officer, why be in the army. 112 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,080 Speaker 2: So that was my perspective then and I still kind 113 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 2: of feel a little bit like that now, But that 114 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 2: helped me make my decision. 115 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 1: You shift from the eighty second Airborne to medical school? 116 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: How did that happen? What were you to medical school? 117 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 2: My father, our stories are so intertwined. He had a 118 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 2: very major medical accident occur and he was on the 119 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,359 Speaker 2: ventilator in the ICU for I think thirty nine or 120 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 2: forty days, something like that. And during that time I 121 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 2: was going in and out meeting with the physicians. The 122 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 2: physician who took care of my dad, the critical care doctor, 123 00:06:58,640 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 2: had been an Army field artillery officer whom the Army 124 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 2: had sent to medical school. And I'm like, wow, there's 125 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 2: a program for that, and he's like yes. And this 126 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:11,280 Speaker 2: was right after Desert Storm, the fall of course the 127 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 2: Soviet Union. There was peace in the world. Downsizing. I 128 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 2: saw this guy's battle as every day saving people's lives. 129 00:07:18,520 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: And I thought, well, that's exactly what I want to do. 130 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 2: And I called the Army and said can I do this? 131 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 2: And they said, if you get accepted, we'll pay your way. 132 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 2: And so I volunteered for recruiting command because I didn't 133 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 2: have organic chemistry or any of those prerequisites, and I 134 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 2: commanded a recruiting me in Dayton, Ohio while going to 135 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 2: night classes. 136 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: I mean, you're really a busy guy during this sport, 137 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 1: and you pick a residency in emergency medicine, did you 138 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: have any hunts that that might lead you to be 139 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: useful as a flight surgeon. 140 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 2: Physicians often picked their residency based on a couple of 141 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 2: different factors. One the type of medicine you enjoy and 142 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,360 Speaker 2: your personality type, and then the kind of people that 143 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 2: you're going to hang out with. I didn't necessarily enjoy 144 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 2: hanging out with the neurosurgeons, they weren't my kind of guys, 145 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: but the er guys were my kind of guys. And 146 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:12,920 Speaker 2: I enjoy going on thousand miles an hour on the 147 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 2: hair on fire. I also like making decisions with partial information. 148 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 2: You know, the internal medicine guy has to have every 149 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 2: lab done and every X ray and all of that, 150 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 2: the er guy has to make some very quick decisions 151 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:28,120 Speaker 2: to save people's lives with minimal information, and I prefer 152 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 2: that route, and so I just gravitated to emergency medicine. 153 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 2: I knew the Army was going to be utilizing my 154 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 2: skills at some point. I didn't know where. I just 155 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 2: went with what fit my personality best. 156 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 1: But you did wind up serving on Tier one Special 157 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:48,800 Speaker 1: Operations Forces on missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. So even 158 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 1: though you're now a doctor, you're right in the middle 159 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: of a fight. 160 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 2: Following Blackhawk down where a couple of guys actually bled 161 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,079 Speaker 2: out because they didn't have flight surgeons or physicians handy. 162 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 2: And this war, the War on Terror, they allowed the 163 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,920 Speaker 2: doctor to go to the target. On every mission I 164 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 2: flew on, I went to the target, dropped the guys off, 165 00:09:07,600 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 2: and then came back to the target. I was in 166 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 2: the aircraft, the operational aircraft, the whole time. So my 167 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 2: prior skills as an Army ranger infantry officer, coupled with 168 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 2: being an er physician paid dividends. I think to the 169 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 2: units that I was assigned to, the Tier one assets 170 00:09:26,280 --> 00:09:30,120 Speaker 2: were very appreciative to have that, especially on the staff 171 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 2: level when you're planning missions. To have somebody who's written 172 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 2: in military operations order before be a part of the 173 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 2: planning of the medical side of the mission. It really 174 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,880 Speaker 2: gave me a degree of influence in the organizations that 175 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 2: put me right in the middle of everything. 176 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: You know. Maybe the most amazing thing, and you wrote 177 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,480 Speaker 1: a book about this called A Night with Saddam. You 178 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: were actually on the mission which captured Saddam Hussein and 179 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 1: then you had hours long conversations with him during his 180 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,840 Speaker 1: first night in custody. That's sort of a historic and 181 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:26,560 Speaker 1: amazing What was that like? 182 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 2: It was incredible, It's fascinating. You know, we didn't get 183 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 2: Paul pot, we didn't get Hitler. Some could argue that 184 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:38,439 Speaker 2: we captured Manuel nor Yange, but I mean, these totalitarian dictators, 185 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 2: they're none in history. Liked Saddam Hussein and I got 186 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 2: to be on the mission that captured him, and I 187 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 2: like to tell people I at least know what it's 188 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 2: like to win a Super Bowl. Although a Super Bowl 189 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 2: is won every year, this was an elite team of 190 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:57,720 Speaker 2: guys who were training super hard doing these missions, and 191 00:10:57,800 --> 00:11:01,560 Speaker 2: we got him. To use Ambassador Bremer's words, we got 192 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 2: it and I got to go in that first night 193 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:08,440 Speaker 2: and interview him. It was surreal, to say the least, 194 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 2: and I was on cloud nine the whole time. 195 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: You come back home, you end up in Congress, you 196 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: certainly make a mark as a real leader, and you 197 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: produce a book which is really different from all the 198 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,520 Speaker 1: different things you've talked about. You explore the concept of 199 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: selflessness and putting others before yourself. The title itself we 200 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: Before Me. How did you get to that concept and 201 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,440 Speaker 1: what inspired you to turn it into a book. 202 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 2: Well, it's interesting. When I got to the night Stalkers, 203 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:41,959 Speaker 2: the one sixtieth sore where I served those Tier one units, 204 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,079 Speaker 2: we had a baseball cap that you could buy at 205 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 2: the night Stalker store. Now you had to be a 206 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,439 Speaker 2: member to go into this store, and then you weren't 207 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 2: supposed to wear it except for when you are around 208 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 2: the unit, those kinds of things. But sewn into the 209 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 2: cap was the motto we Before Me, and I was like, 210 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 2: wait a minute, That's what I've tried to live all 211 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 2: my life. In fact, when I started my healthcare company, 212 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 2: I had every physician sign a document saying that they 213 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 2: would live a WEE before Me life in our company. 214 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 2: But when you think about what's going on in our 215 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 2: country right now, the tribalism, the division, it's more important 216 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 2: to be something other than an American. Now people are 217 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: more proud of being their small group than they are 218 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 2: being an American. And it used to be just the opposite. 219 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 2: When Irish immigrants, Polish immigrants, people from Africa would come 220 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 2: to the United States, they'd be excited about now being 221 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,520 Speaker 2: an American and there was a process, a legal process, 222 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 2: and they would become American. America was a supergroup above 223 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:50,760 Speaker 2: just the subordinate ethnic or economic divisions that occur. Well, 224 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 2: we've lost that now, and that division, I think is 225 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 2: tearing us apart at the seams. The vitriol on social 226 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 2: media and the disinformation now that the enemy can use 227 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: to manipulate that is I think one of the greatest challenges, 228 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 2: if not the greatest challenge. I genuinely believe that if 229 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: Americans can come back together, there is not a challenge 230 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 2: that we can't overcome. Whether it's this economy or the 231 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 2: situation in Europe, the situation in the Middle East, the 232 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 2: situation with Taiwan and China, there is no challenge that 233 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 2: United Americans can't overcome. But right now we're not there. 234 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: And that's why I put pen to paper and wrote 235 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 2: this book and shared the life lessons that have been 236 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 2: incredibly successful for me, whether it's in the military or 237 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 2: in my company or here in politics. I'm a chairman 238 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 2: of a committee now, and the people on my committee, 239 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 2: the committee itself, they know it's more important than each individual, 240 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 2: and I try to run the committee that way, and 241 00:13:54,520 --> 00:13:57,720 Speaker 2: I try to influence Congress that way. I started this 242 00:13:57,840 --> 00:14:00,680 Speaker 2: club called the Reagan O'Neil Club, that you know is 243 00:14:00,760 --> 00:14:04,079 Speaker 2: designed to bring us back together as a country, and 244 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 2: that's what prompted all of this is just my heart 245 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:08,840 Speaker 2: and what I've learned over the course of my life. 246 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 1: When you founded the Reagan O'Neill Club, based I assume 247 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 1: on President Reagan and Speaker Tip O'Neil and there after 248 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 1: business relationship of occasionally getting together and lifting a drink 249 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 1: and chatting. Was it hard to get Democrats to join it? 250 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 2: Not at all. I went to Haley Stevens from Michigan. 251 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 2: We were both class presidents, she the Democrat side, me 252 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 2: of the Republican side, and I said, what do you 253 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 2: think of this idea? And she said, I love it 254 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 2: and I said, well, go recruit eight Democrats and I'll recruit. 255 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 2: Let's hand select these folks people that aren't doing this 256 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 2: so that they can go back and campaign on it, 257 00:14:45,640 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 2: but people who really are committed to dialing the rhetoric 258 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,320 Speaker 2: down in this country. I felt like if we could 259 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 2: get relationship, that relationship would lead to dialing the rhetoric down, 260 00:14:57,640 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 2: and maybe we could get some restoration and something done. 261 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 2: And now we're up to thirty Republicans, thirty Democrats, and 262 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: people are asking to join the Reagan O'Neil Club. 263 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: How often did you meet? 264 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 2: We met about quarterly. 265 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,720 Speaker 1: Have that many members on both sides yet to the 266 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: other there's actually a kind of a hopeful start. 267 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. The goal isn't necessarily to talk politics. In fact, 268 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 2: one Republican was trying to start some in the Regan 269 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 2: O'Neal text feed, and I said, well, we're not about that, 270 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 2: you know, we're here about relationships. Let's start with that. 271 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 2: Some of the Democrats wanted to do some policy too 272 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 2: at one of our leadership meetings, and I said, no, 273 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 2: we're just not there yet. This is about building a bridge. 274 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: Do you have somebody who's going to pick up the banner? 275 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: With your departure, I've got another two years here, so 276 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,040 Speaker 2: that'll be my next sort of task is to create 277 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 2: the legacy, and that is put somebody in charge who 278 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: can take it and run with it when I'm gone. 279 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: What ld you decide that this would be your last term. 280 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 2: Well, I haven't completely decid I did, Speaker. I'm frustrated 281 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:04,920 Speaker 2: a little bit with how Congress works. There are other 282 00:16:04,960 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 2: things for me to do that I'm eager to do, 283 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 2: and so I'm considering it. Back in the early part 284 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 2: of the year, I did announce that I was going 285 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 2: to get out, and that was just the frustration of 286 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 2: the inefficiency of the place. But President Trump called me 287 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 2: and said, need you to stay in there. I'm going 288 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 2: to win this race, and we'll need you to run 289 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 2: the committee because the border has to be secured and 290 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 2: we'll need your help. And I said, okay, sir, I'll 291 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 2: do it. 292 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: I'm delighted you did. And frankly, with the unbelievably narrow 293 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,080 Speaker 1: margin that Speaker Johnson is going to have, he's going 294 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: to need you, and he's going to need some way 295 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:46,320 Speaker 1: to reach out to those Democrats in the Reagan O'Neil 296 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,880 Speaker 1: club because it's going to be very hard to do 297 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,560 Speaker 1: much on a purely Republican basis. When I think there'll 298 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: be a brief period what actually you'll be tied because 299 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: several Republicans are retiring to take the jobs of Trump. 300 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: This will be the most tightly split house I think 301 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: in modern times. And somebody who has your leadership skills 302 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,359 Speaker 1: and you're, if I may say it, charismatic ability to 303 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 1: reach out to people. You may find yourself doing a 304 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:17,160 Speaker 1: lot of stuff this year that really matters to the country, 305 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 1: and they would not get done without somebody of your caliber. 306 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 2: Be very kind to say that I'm here for at 307 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,040 Speaker 2: least two more years, and I will do everything I 308 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 2: can to see us come together and work together to 309 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:46,479 Speaker 2: get some things done. 310 00:17:47,359 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 1: You have done so much work on the border. What's 311 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: your sense about whether or not President Trump and the 312 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: team he's assembling will be able to actually get control 313 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:56,640 Speaker 1: of the border. 314 00:17:57,160 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 2: The executive orders that I anticipate main in Mexico and 315 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 2: things like that will happen pretty quickly once he's in office. 316 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,560 Speaker 2: Tom Homan is a dear friend of mine and somebody 317 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:12,040 Speaker 2: that I deeply respect, so I anticipate that his predictions 318 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 2: are going to be accurate. It'll take ninety days to 319 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 2: get the border completely closed. According to him, We're certainly 320 00:18:19,320 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 2: going to put HR two in our reconciliation, build as 321 00:18:22,280 --> 00:18:24,400 Speaker 2: much of it as we can that fits the bird rule. 322 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 2: We've been working night and day on that for two 323 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:32,120 Speaker 2: or three months now, along with other things like overhauling TSA, 324 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 2: overhauling FEMA. So you'll see a lot come out of 325 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 2: our committee on that. Cyber, we have real issues with 326 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 2: Bolt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, these assaults from China that have 327 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 2: to be taken on, and so I've got legislation to 328 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 2: help with that. So I think of cyber as another border, 329 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 2: especially when it comes to nation state attacks. So there 330 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 2: is no absence of stuff to do in this next Congress. 331 00:18:56,680 --> 00:19:00,719 Speaker 1: I think Homan has the skill, the toughness, the energy. Well, 332 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 1: once you solve that problem, which is let's say part A, 333 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: how do you think we're going to deal with the 334 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: whole deportation and the millions of people who are now 335 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: already here illegally, including a fairly large number of criminal gangs. 336 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 2: I think that Homan. I heard him the other day 337 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 2: on Fox News and his messaging is really solid on this. 338 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 2: It's about the safety of Americans first, So they're going 339 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 2: to focus on the four hundred and fifty five hundred 340 00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,520 Speaker 2: thousand people that are here that were criminal felons. And 341 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 2: he's got a million people plus on the lists that 342 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 2: have already been ordered to remove from the country. So 343 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:37,480 Speaker 2: he's got about a million and a half people to 344 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,120 Speaker 2: start with, and that's going to take the vast majority 345 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 2: of ICE's energies. So that's step one, and then step 346 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 2: two will be prioritizing those individuals that shouldn't be here 347 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 2: and removing them from the country. And I trust Tom 348 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 2: to figure that out. 349 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 1: What's your instinct about the so called dreamers, people who 350 00:19:54,720 --> 00:19:57,439 Speaker 1: came at such an early age that very often the 351 00:19:57,480 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: only language they speak is English, and they went to 352 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: an American height school in some cases actually have now 353 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 1: become doctors. Are they part of the deportee or do 354 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 1: we need a separate track for those people. 355 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 2: I don't think we could ever get to two hundred 356 00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 2: and eighteen to pass legislation that would require the Dreamers 357 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 2: to be removed. I just don't see that as a 358 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 2: viable option. And my advice to leadership has been throw 359 00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 2: all your ideas on the table. If you don't get 360 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 2: to to eighteen, throw it off the table. Let's not 361 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,680 Speaker 2: fight battles we can't win. Let's fight battles we can win, 362 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,400 Speaker 2: and let's get the needle moved for this country. I'm 363 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,120 Speaker 2: not sure we'd ever get to eighteen on the dreamers, don't. 364 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,199 Speaker 1: We then have to sort of turn in the opposite 365 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 1: direction and try to figure out some way to rutinize 366 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:45,719 Speaker 1: and regularize their existence. Because you know, you're twenty six 367 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: years old, you've been here since you were three. You 368 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: now or let's say a medical doctor or a nurse, 369 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: but you're still technically not legal. 370 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:55,600 Speaker 2: I would submit that it'd be a lot easier to 371 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:59,600 Speaker 2: get to eighteen once we get the border close. I 372 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 2: think it be much easier to get to eighteen to 373 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 2: agree that those individuals have some citizenship status of some kind. 374 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: I feel very strongly about illegal immigration, and I feel 375 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: equally strongly about legal immigration. PBS is going to run 376 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: a show for US on January fourteenth called Journey to America, 377 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 1: and it's going to be ninety minutes of people who 378 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 1: came here following the law, doing everything right, and how 379 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: much they've enriched our country. And I think as a party. 380 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 1: If we're the party of legal immigration and the Party 381 00:21:32,240 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: of stopping illegal immigration, I think that puts us with 382 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:37,480 Speaker 1: the overwhelming majority of the American people. 383 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 2: There's no doubt about it. I'm aware of a survey 384 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:43,199 Speaker 2: I think that you did and then briefed us on 385 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 2: and your book that looked at stats and what's eighty 386 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 2: twenty or maybe it was seventy thirty. I forget, but 387 00:21:49,359 --> 00:21:52,640 Speaker 2: that was in that book, and so I couldn't agree more. 388 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:55,120 Speaker 1: I really want to thank you for taking some time 389 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,200 Speaker 1: with us, because you've had already a remarkable life, and 390 00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:02,600 Speaker 1: I suspect it's going to continue to be even more remarkable. 391 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: I think that everything you've done, from walking on those 392 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,880 Speaker 1: dirt roads with your dad back in southern Mississippi, serving 393 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:15,360 Speaker 1: the American military, becoming an emergency room doctor, being with 394 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,919 Speaker 1: special Forces, and things as historic as you recorded in 395 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 1: your book on a night with Saddam Hussein, and then 396 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,800 Speaker 1: the decision to run for Congress, You've really had a 397 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: remarkable career already and more to come. And I think 398 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: in that sense, your book We Before Me could be 399 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 1: helpful almost every young person in America. I think if 400 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 1: we could get back to that kind of a principle 401 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: that the we is larger than the me, and that 402 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 1: as a country, we were creative by people who always 403 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: put we first. And I think that book, in that 404 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 1: sense is a real contribution to helping us heal what 405 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 1: has become a very deep wound in our own society. 406 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 2: Well, I deeply appreciate that, sir, and obviously we hear 407 00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:00,159 Speaker 2: in Congress have looked to you at your service this 408 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 2: country and your wisdom, particularly your focus on history. We 409 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:06,960 Speaker 2: follow your lead, So thank you for saying that. 410 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,840 Speaker 1: I don't think I have the capacity to do what 411 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,320 Speaker 1: Mike Johnson is doing as speaker. I look at the 412 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:16,400 Speaker 1: challenges you guys have, and I think it's as challenging 413 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:20,120 Speaker 1: as any Congress outside of the Civil War that we've had. 414 00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:22,879 Speaker 1: So my hat is off to you. I'm delighted that 415 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,640 Speaker 1: President Trump talk to you into coming back. I hope 416 00:23:25,640 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: you'll be patient and think about it. We may need 417 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 1: you a few more terms before you do anything decisive, 418 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: and we look forward to your future books. I mean, 419 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 1: you have a lot of knowledge and a lot of wisdom, 420 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,160 Speaker 1: and I think you're going to be a huge help 421 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: to this country. 422 00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:40,040 Speaker 2: Well, thank you, sir, I really appreciate it. 423 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:41,880 Speaker 1: Maybe we can come back and talk later on next 424 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,680 Speaker 1: summer about how things are coming and you're right in 425 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 1: the middle of it, and I think you would be 426 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: a great educator for the country. And if we could 427 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: do this again in about six ray months. 428 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 2: I would love that speaker. I would absolutely be on. 429 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest chairman, Mark Green. You can 430 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: get a link to buy his new book We Before 431 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,000 Speaker 1: Me on our show page at newtsworld dot com. Newtworld 432 00:24:05,080 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 1: is produced by Gangrish three sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive 433 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 1: producer is Guernsey Sloan. Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The 434 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: artwork for the show's created by Steve Penley. Special thanks 435 00:24:17,760 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 1: to team mc Gingris three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, 436 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,880 Speaker 1: I hope you'll go to Apple Podcasts and both rate 437 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: us with five stars and give us a review so 438 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 1: others can learn what it's all about. Right now, listeners 439 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: of Newtsworld consign up for my three free weekly columns 440 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:38,000 Speaker 1: at gingrishtree sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm Newt Gingrich. 441 00:24:38,359 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 1: This is Newtsworld