Fox News Channel "The Glen Beck Program" - Transcript
Interview
Fox News Channel "The Glen Beck Program" - Transcript
FOX NEWS CHANNEL "THE GLENN BECK PROGRAM" INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JIM DEMINT (R-SC) INTERVIEWER: GLENN BECK
SUBJECT: WITHDRAWAL OF DASCHLE NOMINATION; STIMULUS PLAN
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MR. BECK: Tom Daschle is now out. The former Senate Democratic leader abruptly withdrew his bid for Health and Human Services secretary today. His withdrawal comes just after mounting criticism over his failure to pay over $130,000 in back taxes. I mean, how did that happen?
This morning on Fox News, Republican Senator Jim DeMint called for President Obama to withdraw the nomination. He was the first senator to say that Daschle's tax problems should disqualify him. There are still 100 senators out there, aren't there? He joins me now.
Senator DeMint, how are you, sir?
SEN. DEMINT: Hey, Glenn, great show. Good to be with you.
MR. BECK: Thank you, sir. Thank you. Now, first of all, I think there's only two ways to go. Just about everybody that we have seen for a nomination is a crook, or some of them are crooks and the tax code is just too complex for everybody else. Which is it?
SEN. DEMINT: Well, we need to start with the tax code. It's ridiculous. But the people who won't let us change it are the ones who are not paying their taxes. And so I think there's some justice here. We need to fix our tax code or we're going to run ourselves out of business as a country.
MR. BECK: So why don't we use this? Instead of just pointing the fingers -- oh, look at the evil Republicans, look at the evil Democrats that aren't paying their taxes -- why don't we use this opportunity to actually do something for all of America and say, forget about Tom Daschle, let's talk about the tax code and make it easier? I mean, to quote Rahm Emanuel, I hate to waste a good emergency.
SEN. DEMINT: You're right. And I hope there's a silver lining to our economic problems in that Congress will take their eyes off political pork and bridges to nowhere and really focus on things like fixing our tax code, making us more competitive as a nation and fixing Social Security and Medicare. These are the things we need to focus on instead of just packing bills with pork and special interest money. It gets real frustrating. And some of your guests have started to expose where we really are as a country. And we need to stand up and fight.
MR. BECK: I tell you, well, what does that mean exactly? What are we fighting for? Senator, no offense. You know I love ya, and you and I agree on an awful lot of things. But no offense, the House Republicans, when they all stood up in lock step and said, we're not going to be a part of this, I thought, really? Where did you find your principles? I mean, I want to believe, I really do. But how do I trust anymore when we haven't seen the Republicans have a "come to Jesus" moment where they're like, look, America, just look us in the eye, we get it. We were stupid, we sold out our principles, we did the wrong thing. We were taking you down the same path. We're sorry. You can hold us responsible from here on out. Here's our plan for the stimulus package, and then present it.
SEN. DEMINT: Well, I know I've presented mine, and we call it the American option which is basically stopping the planned tax increases that are on the books over the next two years, lowering the corporate tax rate, just keeping more money in the economy. This is the kind of things that's worked in the past. It doesn't take money to Washington and then allow us to direct how it's spent. It just leaves money in the hands of workers and businesses that are creating the jobs. And this is a similar plan that's being supported in the House.
A lot of the House Republicans are coming over and joining me at a press conference to talk about how bad this spending bill is and to get us started on some real stimulus. So I think the Republicans are turning around, Glenn. But this isn't about Republicans or Democrats. This is about freedom or socialism in our country, and that's really what's at stake, and that's what we're fighting for.
MR. BECK: Senator, can you even make the case in America anymore that socialism is bad? People are like, well, Canada's not that bad. (Laughs.) I mean, how do you make the case to people, especially when a lot of people are hurting and the socialist progressives are standing there and saying, we'll give you everything, we'll hold you even at night when you're crying? How do you convince people to not do that when they're hungry?
SEN. DEMINT: Well, it's through the Glenn Beck show and other talk radio and there are ways that we can get the message out, Glenn. And I've been more encouraged over the last six months than I ever have. When I've seen Washington just run this country in the ditch, I've seen thousands of Americans stand up and call and e-mail their congressmen and senators.
One of the reasons the House Republicans voted the right way is they were hearing from Americans who are more and more informed, more and more angry, and they're engaged in the process. That's the only way we're going to change this thing.
MR. BECK: Okay. Senator, thank you very much. I appreciate your time.
END.
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