CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight-Transcript

Interview

CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight-Transcript

DOBBS: And joining us now from Capitol Hill, Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas.

Senator, good to have you with us.

SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: Thanks, Lou.

DOBBS: Well, as I asked Senator McCaskill about the motivation and the impulse of the Democratic leadership in the Senate, what is the impulse and the motivation of this president? Is it as simple as he is appeasing the corporate interests that have driven him throughout his administration?

CORNYN: Well, I -- I think the president is sincere in wanting to find a solution. But the problem is that people just don't have any confidence that the federal government will actually deliver what it promises.

And the idea that we can't get border security until we give a path to legalization for 12 million people. Most people just see through that in a minute.

Unfortunately, that happens to be the sort of rhetoric that we continue to hear in support of passing this bill. We can't do anything unless we pass the bill. People know that's just not true.

DOBBS: And yet, this president does not hesitate, nor do the supporters of amnesty, nor the Democratic leadership in the Senate, in saying things like the status quo is unacceptable, we can't have border security unless we have guest worker programs.

This mindless, tortured reasoning goes to the limit of truth and frankly, in my judgment, passes from rumor (ph) into outright lies. Why in the world would the president of the United States say such things that are on their face absurd?

CORNYN: Well, I don't know whether he has really stopped to -- to you know, parse what it is that he's saying. The problem is, I think, that you hear some of the same comments out of the advocates for this bill that people who really haven't stopped for a minute to consider what's in it.

For example, the White House yesterday claimed that this requirement of a 24-hour security check really wasn't a problem, because most security checks could be done in 24 hours. We just admit that they all can't be and that criminals and others can slip through the cracks here.

It just seems to me to be just kind of sloppy. I don't think it's evil intent. I just think they're not taking care of the details which, as you know, the devil's in the details.

DOBBS: Absolutely. And -- and, Senator, as we look at this, let me ask you the same question I asked Senator McCaskill. One of her amendments, I believe, will be in the final package, the 26, including the manager's amendment that will be put forward.

Will you have amendments included? And what do you think the prospects of passage are, now that this procedural hurdle has been cleared, another procedural hurdle awaiting Thursday?

CORNYN: Well, Lou, this package of 26 or so amendments that Senator Reid, the majority leader, laid down today, it's 373 pages long. And most senators have never seen it.

So at least we're going to have, overnight, hopefully, to read it and to look what's in there. Then I expect that I and others will offer additional amendments that we think are necessary. We -- I expect them to be objected to, but I think we need to do that to demonstrate how this process is totally flawed and is going to produce a flawed product.

DOBBS: Two of the most thoughtful senators, Senator Claire McCaskill, Senator John Cornyn. Hopefully, your reason, your capacity and your character will be contagious in the U.S. Senate.

Senator Cornyn, thank you very much for being with us.

CORNYN: Thanks, Lou.

Source