WHATEVER IT TAKES TO KEEP PRESIDENT TRUMP FROM UNRAVELING OUR DEMOCRACY, INCLUDING A RUN FOR PRESIDENT HERSELF IF NECESSARY. JOINING US NOW, ADAM KINZINGER AND KASIE HUNT. REPRESENTATIVE KINZINGER, YOU STAND WITH LIZ CHENEY. WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS GOING? I’M AT A LOSS OF WORDS AS TO HOW TO COMPREHEND THE MANY REPUBLICANS WHO TURN THEIR BACK ON HER, WHO VOTED HER OUT, AND ARE DOING IT FOR LIES AGAINST THE TRUTH. I THINK THIS IS A NEW LEVEL THAT WE’RE AT, BUT PERHAPS YOU COULD PUT IT INTO WORDS BETTER THAN ME. >> NO, I MEAN, I THINK -- I’M ABOUT AS SPEECHLESS AS YOU ARE. THE FIRST THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS WE DON’T KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS VOTED AGAINST HER BECAUSE KEVIN McCARTHY DID HIS LITTLE VOICE VOTE UNITY CRAP, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE IT WAS UNANIMOUS BECAUSE I HONESTLY THINK SHE MAY HAVE BEEN RETAINED OR AT LEAST IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSE AND HE CAN NOW GO OUT AND SAY WE’RE UNIFIED AND WE’RE PAST CHENEY. LOOK, KEVIN WENT TO MAR-A-LAGO A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER JANUARY 6th AND HE PUT THESE PADDLES ON DONALD TRUMP, RESURRECTED HIM TO LIFE. NOW CHENEY HAS BEEN CONSISTENT. SHE SAID THE SAME THING THAT KEVIN McCARTHY SAID IN JANUARY. SHE’S JUST BEEN CONSISTENT. AND THEN TO WATCH YESTERDAY, SOME OF THE -- I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW CONGRESSMAN CLYDE WAS A CONGRESSMAN. THIS PARTY IS SICK AND THIS PARTY NEEDS HELP AND IF WE’RE NOT WILLING TO STAND UP AND PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE FOR THAT, THIS PARTY KNOT GOING TO BE AROUND IN THE FUTURE. >> SO THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTED THAT THE REPUBLICAN LEADERS WITHHELD POLLING DATA FROM YOU AND OTHER REPUBLICAN MEMBERS AT A RETREAT THAT SHOWED TRUMP’S UNFAVORBILITY RATINGS WERE A SHOCKING 15 POINTS UNDER WATER IN CORE DISTRICTS AND THE PARTY, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY NEED TO RETAKE THE HOUSE. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE NRCC CARING MORE ABOUT COVERING FOR AN EX PRESIDENT THAN HELPING REPUBLICAN MEMBERS GET RE-ELECTED? I MEAN, THIS IS LIKE A SICKNESS THAT RUNS DEEP. AND THE ONLY THING THAT EXPLAINS SOMETHING LIKE THIS, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, IS READING LIKE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT’S BOOK ABOUT FASCISM OR READING BOOKS ABOUT CULTS. >> YEAH. IT’S LIKE SOMETHING YOU WOULD SEE OUT OF NORTH KOREA. DON’T MAKE THE DEAR LEADER MAD. THAT’S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. LOOK, IF YOU’RE PAYING THE NRCC DUES TO THE COMMITTEE, THEY NEED TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING THEY HAVE, INCLUDING THE BAD NUMBERS. THESE ARE DECISIONS THAT MEMBERS HAVE TO MAKE. AND INSTEAD, WE ARE SO SCARED TO DEATH OF DONALD TRUMP. BY THE WAY, DONALD TRUMP JUST MADE LIZ CHENEY EVEN MORE OF A NATIONAL FIGURE THAN SHE EVER WAS. SHE’S BRAVE. I’VE ALWAYS ADMIRED HER. BUT HE MADE HER THE LEADER OF THAT AND I THINK HE’S BASICALLY CREATED SOMETHING THAT HE SHOULD BE VERY AFRAID OF, WHICH IS SOMEBODY THAT IS GOING TO TELL THE TRUTH. NEXT TO DONALD TRUMP, WHICH SOMEBODY TELLS THE TRUTH, IT’S PRETTY OBVIOUS. SO, LOOK, WE’RE AT A BAD PLACE IN THIS PARTY, NO DAUTOUBT ABOUT THAT. BUT THIS PARTY AND PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY DEMAND THE TRUTH. MIGHT BE SMALL AT FIRST, BUT MAYBE MIGHTY IN THE LONG RUN. >> THAT’S A LONELY TABLE RIGHT NOW, BUT MAYBE YOU’LL ADD SOME MEMBERS. I’M CURIOUS TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SITUATION. WHAT WE HEAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN IS A LOT OF REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING THINGS PUBLICLY THEY DON’T BELIEVE BECAUSE THEY KNOW IT’S WHAT VOTERS WANT TO HEAR. WE LOOK AT YOUR DISTRICT. DONALD TRUMP WON THERE IN 2020, THAT DISTRICT, BY ABOUT 15 POINTS. YOU’VE BEEN VERY PUBLICLY CRITICAL AND WERE VERY PUBLICLY CRITICAL OF DONALD TRUMP. YOU WON BY 30 POINTS IN YOUR DISTRICT. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO SOME OF THOSE MEMBERS WHO SAY, BOY, I CAN’T CRITICIZE DONALD TRUMP AT ALL OR I’M GOING TO LOSE MY SEAT? >> YEAH. THAT’S TRUE. THE ONLY ONE I THINK THAT HAS NOT OUTPERFORMED DONALD TRUMP IN THEIR DISTRICT WAS MATT GATES AND PEOPLE LIKE THAT, HONESTLY, GOT THE SAME NUMBER AT DONALD TRUMP. IF YOU LOOK AT ANY OTHER MEMBER OF CONGRESS, THEY USUALLY BEAT TRUMP BY TWO OR THREE AND PEOPLE LIKE ME WON -- EVEN BEAT HIM BY A FAR BIGGER MARGIN. I THINK THE LESS AMOUNT OF THAT IS PEOPLE STILL VOTE FOR YOU IF THEY BELIEVE YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU’RE SAYING. I MEAN, YOU CAN DISAGREE WITH ME ALL DAY LONG, BUT I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT STILL VOTE FOR ME BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING IS WHAT I BELIEVE. AND IF YOU’RE OUT THERE JUST TRYING TO TOE THE PARTY LINE AND PRETENDING JANUARY 6th WAS A WHOLE DECADE AGO SO WHY ARE WE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT AND IGNORING MICHAEL FINNE’S INTERVIEW WHO I’VE BECOME GOOD FRIENDS WITH. BY THE WAY, HE TRIED TO CALL AND MEET WITH THE MINORITY LEADER, KEVIN McCARTHY. HE WAS HUNG UP ON. McCARTHY HAS NEVER WATCHED HIS INTERVIEW AS FAR AS I KNOW AND GOING AROUND DEFENDING PRESIDENT TRUMP. I DON’T GET IT, BUT, LOOK, THE BOTTOM LINE, I’M AT PEACE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THAT’S A GOOD PLACE TO BE. >> YOU MENTIONED OFFICER FANONE. KRN GOT NEW BODY CAM FOOTAGE IN OF DISGUSTING, APPALLING AND A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE FOR HIM. HE WAS ON THE GROUND PLEADING FOR HIS LIFE WHILE HE’S BEING BEATEN. YOU SEE ONE OF THE ATTACKERS HERE SAYING I GOT ONE, TALKING ABOUT A POLICE OFFICER. SOMEONE STEPPED IN AND ULTIMATELY SAVED HIS LIFE AS HE BEGGED FOR IT. AS HE TALKED ABOUT HIS KIDS AND SAID, PLEASE, I HAVE KIDS AND SAID LATER HE THOUGHT ABOUT HIS FOUR DAUGHTERS AND HOW THEY WERE GOING TO GO ON WITHOUT HIM. BUT AS YOU LISTENED TO THOSE CONGRESSMEN YESTERDAY IN THE OUTSIGHT COMMITTEE SAYING THESE WERE JUST TOURISTS, THEY WERE PEACEFUL PROTESTERS, THEY WERE A BUNCH OF MISFITS WANDERING AROUND THE CAPITOL, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT? THESE PEOPLE WERE THERE. THEY KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. SO NOW THEY’RE JUST SPOUTING A CONSPIRACY THEORY. THEY’RE TRUTHERS ABOUT THAT DAY. THEY’RE LYING ABOUT THAT DAY. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH MEMBERS LIKE THAT? >> YOU KNOW, THE SAD NEWS IS, THEY CAN GO ON WHATEVER MEDIA OUTLET AND SAY THAT AND NOT BE QUESTIONED. SO THAT’S WHAT THEY’LL DO. THEY’LL GO TO THEIR MEDIA CORNER THAT WON’T QUESTION THEM THAT WANTS TO ECHO THAT CONVERSATION. SAME REASON KEVIN McCARTHY ONLY DOES ONE TV STATION AT ALL BECAUSE HE DOESN’T WANT TO TAKE THE TOUGH QUESTIONS. SO I GUESS ALL YOU CAN DO IS KEEP CALLING THAT OUT AS LUDICROUS. WE SOMETIMES ASSUME THAT EVERYBODY JUST KNOWS, BUT KEEP IN MIND, IF YOU’RE A BASE REPUBLICAN VOTER AND EVERY ONE OF THE PEOPLE YOU TRUST IS SAYING JANUARY 6th DIDN’T HAPPEN AND THE ELECTION WAS STOLEN, WE CAN’T REALLY BLAME THEM FOR BELIEVING THAT. YES, SHE SHOULDN’T BELIEVE IT, BUT WHEN ALL THEIR LEADERS ARE LYING TO THEM, OF COURSE THERE’S GOING TO BE MANY THAT BELIEVE IT. THAT’S WHY SADLY THERE’S ONLY A FEW OF US, BUT WE HAVE TO KEEP TELLING THE TRUTH. I’VE KNOWN MIKE FINONE. WHEN HE WATCH HIM SCREAMING IN THAT VIDEO, THAT IS NOT THE TYPICAL MIKE FINONE WHO IS A TOUGH DUDE. TO SEE HIM AT THAT LEVEL IS TO SEE HIM AFRAID FOR HIS LIFE. ALL THOSE THOUGHTS GO THROUGH YOUR HEAD VERY QUICKLY, INCLUDING I’M GOING TO DIE AND ALL THAT STUFF. IT’S TERRIBLE TO SEE. BUT HE’S BEEN A HERO TO SPEAK UP ABOUT IT. >> ABSOLUTELY. KASIE HUNT IS HERE WITH A QUESTION FOR YOU. >> CONGRESSMAN, GOOD TO SEE YOU. LIZ CHENEY TALKED TO OUR COLLEAGUE, SAVANNAH GUTHRIE. WE SHOWED A LITTLE BIT OF THAT. BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU SPECIFICALLY ABOUT ONE COMMENT THAT SHE MADE. SHE TALKED ABOUT THE JANUARY 6th COMMISSION, WHICH YOU STILL HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO FIND BYSTART SAN AGREEMENT ON. CHENEY SAYS I’VE BEEN VERY PUBLIC ABOUT THE COMMISSION AND SAYING IT NEEDS TO LOOK ONLY AT JANUARY 6th AND THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO IT. AND SHE SAYS THAT INTENSE NARROW FOCUS THREATENS PEOPLE IN MY PARTY WHO MAY HAVE BEEN PLAYING A ROLE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLAYING. WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT SHE’S TALKING ABOUT THERE? WHO HAS THREATENED AND PARTICULARLY WHAT WAS KEVIN McCARTHY’S ROLE AND ANY OF YOUR CONCERNS ABOUT IT? >> I THINK ALL THAT STUFF IS IN QUESTION. SO WITH KEVIN, WE KNOW AT ONE POINT THAT HE CLAIMS TO HAVE TALKED TO THE PRESIDENT AND YELLED AT HIM. AND THEN LATER, OF COURSE, HE WA DEFENSIVE AND SAID, WELL, THE PRESIDENT PUT OUT A VIDEO. I THINK THERE’S SOME REAL QUESTIONS THERE. KEVIN RECENTLY SAID THAT WHEN HE TALKED TO THE PRESIDENT, THE PRESIDENT HAD NO CLUE THAT THIS WAS HAPPENING AND THEN DID THE VIDEO. WELL, LET’S THINK ABOUT THIS. SUPPOSEDLY HE HAD CALLED A SENATOR AND TOLD HIM TO CONTINUE OBJECTING. THAT SENATOR TOLD HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON, THAT VICE PRESIDENT CHENEY WAS BEING HIDDEN. AND SO YOU LOOK AT ALL THAT AND YOU GO, SOMETHING DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. PLUS, THAT’S GOING TO FIND OUT WHO WAS TALKING TO THESE GROUPS PRIOR. WHAT COORDINATION HAD HAPPENED? I AGREE WITH LIZ, IF WE WANT TO START BRINGING, YOU KNOW, BLM INTO THIS AND START BRINGING ANTE IF A, ALL WE’RE DOING IS TRYING TO HAVE FALSE EQUIVALENCY TO WHAT HAPPENS ON JANUARY 6th. I WAS AGAINST THE RIOTS THIS SUMMER, RIGHT? BUT THAT DIDN’T THREATEN DEMOCRACY. JANUARY 6th, YOU HAD THE NUMBER 2, 233 AND 4 PERSON IN LINE OF T PRESIDENCY ALL WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF A MOB. I THINK WHAT LED UP TO THERE, WHO COORDINATED WITH WHO, AND IF SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES WERE INVOLVED IN THAT, THEY SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE THEY BECAME INVOLVED IN AN INSURRECTION. >> MICHAEL. >> MIKA AND I HAVE A DISCUSSION EARLIER AND AT THE CORE OF IT WAS FRUSTRATION AND ANGST ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AS A NATION AND WHY OUR PARTY IS PLAYING THE ROLE IT IS PLAYING RIGHT NOW. COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR FRUSTRATION IN WATCHING THIS ONCE PROUD PARTY SINK AS LOW AS IT HAS AND TO ENGAGE IN THE LEVEL OF FASCISM, WHITE NATIONALISM AND THE KIND OF PURGING THAT WE JUST WITNESSED YESTERDAY WITH LIZ CHENEY? BECAUSE I THINK THAT’S A REAL -- THAT’S A REAL DRUM BEAT FOR A LOT OF AMERICANS RIGHT NOW. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND. AND YOU TOUCHED A LITTLE BIT ON YOUR OWN PERSONAL FEELINGS AND LOOKING AROUND AND SEEING MEMBERS AND SAYING, IS THIS GUY ON OUR TEAM OR WHAT? SO HOW DO WE PROCESS WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY? >> WELL, LOOK, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ARE JUST -- IT’S JUST A BIG GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT MAKE DECISIONS. THAT’S IT. THERE’S NO MASSIVE KIND OF BEHIND SMOKE FILLED ROOMS PARTYING MACHINERY. AND RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE INTIMIDATED BY DONALD TRUMP. YEAH. AND THAT’S JUST -- WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT. BUT IF YOU ARE A ONCE PROUD REPUBLICAN OR YOU’RE SOMEBODY THAT’S CONCERNED ABOUT THIS, YOU HAVE A ROLE TO BE INVOLVED IN BRINGING THE NARRATIVE OF POLITICS BACK. YOU KNOW, WE CAN’T BE THE FIRST GENERATION THAT LEAVES OUR KIDS A COUNTRY WORSE OFF THAN THE ONES WE INHERITED OR A POLITICAL SYSTEM WORTH OFF. WE CAN TAKE BACK THIS POWER. SO VOTE IN PRIMARIES. I KNOW PRIMARIES STINK SOMETIMES AND WE SHOULD REFORM THE WHOLE SYSTEM, BUT FOR NOW, VOTE IN A PRIMARY, RIGHT? MAKE SURE THE RIGHT PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO REPRESENT YOU GET THROUGH. YOU KNOW, I STARTED THE WHOLE COUNTRY MOVEMENT AND I’LL MAKE A PLUG, COUNTRY1ST.COM, AND THAT’S ALL ABOUT TAKING THE NARRATIVE AND PUTTING THE COUNTRY BEFORE THE PARTY. IF ENOUGH PEOPLE DO THAT, WE’LL TAKE THIS BACK. SO I’M OPTIMISTIC LONG-TERM, BUT ON THE SHORT-TERM, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TICKED OFF ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. AND THAT DOESN’T MEAN LOOKING AT
