1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: What is the mood amongst your fellow Democrats right now. 2 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 2: Well, it's one of. 3 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 3: Introspection to see what we need to do in terms 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 3: of connecting with rural communities, with the industrialized towns, factory towns, 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 3: communities of color, working class voters, to build trust. But 6 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 3: it's also one of resolve, a sense that we can 7 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 3: win back in twenty twenty six, win back in twenty 8 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:42,200 Speaker 3: twenty eight, stand up to the president when he engages 9 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:49,879 Speaker 3: in actions that are extreme and betray the people who 10 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:50,599 Speaker 3: voted for him. 11 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 1: Do you feel like that there's a plan or a 12 00:00:55,080 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: plan coming together inside the House where there is a 13 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: vision to be able to block to pick up a 14 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: couple vulnerable Republican members, to help you block Trump from 15 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:19,960 Speaker 1: doing his worst, including perhaps even voting to restrict funding 16 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: to some of Trump's more abusive policies. Has anybody sat 17 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: down so far and with you in the room, and 18 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: I would hope you would be one of the people 19 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 1: in the room and said, we're not going to talk 20 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: about what happened in the election, We're not going to 21 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 1: talk about why we're sitting in the minority by two seats. 22 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 1: We're gonna have a conversation about what the plan is 23 00:01:46,080 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: going to be come the noon hour on January twentieth, 24 00:01:51,160 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: to be upfront in opposition to the abuses that we 25 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 1: know are coming down the high way way. 26 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 2: Is that going on? It is? 27 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 3: I just was chatting with Jamie Raskin this morning in 28 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 3: the House Democratic Caucus, and he was talking about how 29 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 3: do we focus our attention on the most egregious abuses? 30 00:02:14,400 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 3: And we are having those conversations with the ranking members 31 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,720 Speaker 3: on our committees. In fact, this morning we were electing 32 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:25,560 Speaker 3: ranking members to so that every day on the House 33 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 3: floor in House committees, Democrats are speaking out about what's 34 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 3: going on and shining a light to it. In some sense, 35 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 3: we are the front lines of letting people know what 36 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,679 Speaker 3: the Trump administration is doing and calling it out. In 37 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 3: terms of Republicans joining in that effort, you know, the 38 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 3: Republican Caucus has not suddenly become more functional. I mean 39 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 3: just today, I'm having to possibly cancel my trip and 40 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 3: meetings in New York end of the week because it 41 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 3: looks like we're stuck here and they can't get a 42 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:05,079 Speaker 3: continuing resolution. So it's not going to take a lot 43 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 3: of work to find cracks in a Republican caucus. But 44 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 3: right now, under Hakeem Jeffrey's leadership, I mean, we're focused 45 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 3: on how do we have a vibrant, vocal, strong party 46 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 3: ready to go on January twentieth, willing to call out 47 00:03:23,760 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 3: the president when he does things that are clearly wrong. 48 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: With regard to the continuing resolution. As I understand the 49 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: politics of this right now, the Speaker Johnson wants this 50 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: to go into March, and Senate Republicans are saying, please God, no, 51 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 1: we want to clean slate coming into the Trump presidency. 52 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: We don't want to be stuck trying to fund the 53 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: government in the first sixty days of the Trump presidency, 54 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: in the middle of whatever it is he has planned, 55 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: with the possibility that we have a chaotic situation? Am 56 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: I assessing that correctly? That's the politics of it. 57 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, And you've. 58 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 3: Got, as always some Republicans saying, we don't want these 59 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 3: continuing resolutions. We want to have a regular process. We 60 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 3: want to have a regular budget. The problem is when 61 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 3: they want a regular budget, they've got an extreme caucus 62 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:26,839 Speaker 3: that wants to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut veterans benefits, 63 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 3: cut food stamps, and Johnson knows that if they actually 64 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:31,839 Speaker 3: made those cuts. 65 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 2: They'd lose thirty seats. And so this is the dance 66 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 2: song and dance they've been playing for over. 67 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 3: A year that they keep giving the Continuing Resolution because 68 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:44,559 Speaker 3: they don't have the votes on their side to pass 69 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 3: a budget that isn't catastrophic. 70 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 1: And what puts Trump in the most difficult position? Do 71 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 1: you think planning this till March and giving him the ball? 72 00:04:53,240 --> 00:04:57,080 Speaker 3: Well, look, I think that first were the Democrats are 73 00:04:57,080 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 3: committed to doing what's right for the country, aren't looking 74 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 3: at it from the lens of politics. And what will 75 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 3: be terrible is to have some kind of government shut 76 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 3: down before Christmas. 77 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 2: And before the holidays. 78 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 3: So we as long as they're not making cuts to 79 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,280 Speaker 3: Social Security and food Stamps and veterans benefits, are going 80 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 3: to pass the Continuing Resolution. 81 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 2: But I think that is the likely outcome. And then 82 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: Trump is going. 83 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 3: To have to decide what is he what is he 84 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 3: going to do to get a budget and where is 85 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 3: he going to. 86 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 2: Be willing to cut? 87 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 3: And he's going to have a lot of pressure from 88 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 3: House Republicans to make cuts for programs that working class 89 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 3: and middle class folks rely. 90 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: On in this vote, in this debate, So people who 91 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:47,880 Speaker 1: are watching and listening to this, so they understand basically 92 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 1: postpones that larger debate until after Trump is president sometime 93 00:05:55,480 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: in March. When this continuing Resolution this basic, we'll put 94 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 1: it off till then postponement comes due. 95 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 3: Correct the continuing Resolution says we can fund government at 96 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 3: the levels it is right now, no cuts, but we're 97 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:18,440 Speaker 3: going to wait to pass a full budget in March. 98 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 2: If we get the three months continuing resolution. 99 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: And this will give Democrats, then in a two seat minority, 100 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:32,039 Speaker 1: probably their maximum point of political leverage in dealing with 101 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: Donald Trump potentially abusing the powers of the presidency on 102 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,039 Speaker 1: a range of issues with the power of the purse. 103 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:42,200 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 104 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 3: I mean, this is going to mean that Johnson will 105 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 3: need Democratic votes. I can't imagine that he's going to 106 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,359 Speaker 3: be able to get a budget passed without democratic votes. 107 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 3: He hasn't been able to do it so far. And 108 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: so Keem Jeffries, our leader, is going to have the 109 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 3: leverage to go to Johnson and say, Okay, we're going 110 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 3: to give you the votes because you're not going to 111 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,160 Speaker 3: want to be blamed for a shutdown a government. You 112 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 3: have every branch, you know, you got the House, you 113 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:12,680 Speaker 3: got the Senate vote, Chambers, you got the presidency. 114 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 2: The Supreme Court. 115 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 3: Is Republican appointees. The American people know you're in charge. 116 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 3: But if you don't want to fail, we're willing to 117 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 3: give you the votes in good faith. 118 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 2: But you can't, you know, have. 119 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 3: A Justice Department trying to put Liz Cheney and Jamie 120 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 3: Raskin in jail. You can't be mass supporting eleven million 121 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:39,000 Speaker 3: undocumented immigrants, not criminals, but actual immigrants who have American families. 122 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 3: Here where the American families, American citizens are getting caught 123 00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 3: up in these raids, and that is a power that 124 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 3: the House Democrats will have. Look, I'm bias, Steve, but 125 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 3: the action in the first six months in terms of 126 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 3: standing up. 127 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:56,640 Speaker 2: To the worst of Trump is going to fall on 128 00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:58,280 Speaker 2: House Democrats. 129 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 1: No doubt about that. And do you do you feel 130 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: like your team is ready? Do you go when team 131 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: Jefferies is ready? 132 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:10,280 Speaker 3: I do. I mean, Hakeem is disciplined, he's eloquent, and 133 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 3: he is strong, and the caucus is very united. I mean, 134 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 3: I know you read in the press generational battles and 135 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 3: that's all good. 136 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 2: I mean there, but at the end of the day, 137 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 2: it's a united FUCUS. 138 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 3: For example, today we had AOC running against Connolly. 139 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 2: I voted for AOC. 140 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 3: She lost Connolly one. You know, AC went over and 141 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,560 Speaker 3: hugged Connolly. We're all now on the same team getting 142 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 3: the stakes of holding Trump accountable. So are there differences, Sure, 143 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 3: But it's as unified a caucus as I have seen 144 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 3: in my nine years in Congress. 145 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 2: And that's because people get the stakes. 146 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: If you had to take her aside afterwards, what would 147 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: you what would you say right or what would be 148 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 1: fair to say to her that well, if you want 149 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: to win one of these elections next time, to chair 150 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 1: a major committee in the Congress, in your caucus, you 151 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 1: have to. 152 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,360 Speaker 3: Do what Well, first of all, I think we should 153 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 3: elevate her, and I hope after Connolly she's next. 154 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 2: She got eighty four votes. 155 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 3: But I would say, spend time with some of the 156 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 3: key members, some of the more senior members. Just have 157 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,240 Speaker 3: coffee with them, get to know them, spend time with 158 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:26,959 Speaker 3: the Congressional Black Caucus. 159 00:09:27,520 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 2: Spend time campaigning. 160 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 3: As you have so effectively in building a base outside 161 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 3: of Congress, you know, continue to do that within Congress. 162 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:40,240 Speaker 3: And you know, she did a lot of that, so 163 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,560 Speaker 3: I don't want to be seeming lam giving her advice 164 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:44,559 Speaker 3: that she's not already doing. 165 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 2: She's only been in Congress six years. 166 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 3: But I think if she continues on that trajectory, she 167 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 3: has a very very good chance of being the chair 168 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 3: of the Oversight Committee, which is a big deal. Like 169 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,319 Speaker 3: Henry Waxman chaired this committee, so to be the chair 170 00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 3: of this in her thirties, if she's next in line, 171 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 3: is a pretty remarkable thing. 172 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: I'm Steve Schmidt. This is the warning and I invite 173 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: you to join. Subscribe on our substack, on our YouTube channel, 174 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: follow us. Welcome to the community.