CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript: Rep. Anthony Brown (D-MD) is Interviewed about Iraq Withdrawal and Buttigieg Support

Interview

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HARLOW: A big question right now, will the United States send a delegation to Iraq to plan the withdrawal of American troops? Hours ago, Iraq's prime minister asked the secretary of state to do just that.

With me now is Democratic Congressman Anthony Brown of Maryland. He serves on the Armed Services Committee, is a veteran of the Iraq War, served some 30 years, earned a Bronze Star.

So, sir, thank you for being here and for your service to this country.

REP. ANTHONY BROWN (D-MD): Thank you, Poppy. Great to be on with you this morning.

HARLOW: You've also given a major endorsement to Mayor Buttigieg in the 2020 race. So we will get to that.

But let's start with Iran and Iraq given this news.

We're going to hear from the secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, in just about an hour's time. Given this request from Iraq's prime minister, a U.S. ally, to withdraw, to send a team over to plan a withdrawal, what should the secretary of state do?

BROWN: Well, first of all, the United States has to respect the sovereign wishes of the Iraqis. But I think it's important to have a robust conversation about whether or not this is the appropriate time to withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq. Remember, our forces are there to help Iraq stabilize its governance, to establish civil society, to safeguard its communities, as well as the national security interests of the United States and our allies and partners.

I'm not sure we're quite there yet and I think Iraq is very much in unstable, if not almost failing government. So I would hope that in these conversations, yes, we respect the sovereignty of the Iraqi government and people, but that we press upon them the importance of our partnership and our presence.

HARLOW: Yes. You don't want to pull out right now, it sounds like.

BROWN: Not now. I mean, obviously, I want to get to a point, as do most Americans, where the United States no longer needs to be present in Iraq and Afghanistan, in Syria. I don't think we're there today when it comes to Iraq. But we need to move in that direction, and the decisions of late, for particularly last week's decision to assassinate General Soleimani, that doesn't help move us in the right direction. In fact, it hurts the relationship with Iraq and it only precipitates their decision, their demand to ask us to leave when it may not be the right time to do so.

HARLOW: The president, last night, said -- I'm going to play you what he said about why Soleimani was taken out and I'm going to follow that by the secretary of state saying something that seems to conflict with the president also last night. Here they are both.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We did it because they were looking to blow up our embassy.

Soleimani was actively planning new attacks, and he was looking very seriously at our embassies, and not just the embassy in Baghdad.

MIKE POMPEO, SECRETARY OF STATE: There is no doubt that there were a series of imminent attacks that were being plotted by Qasem Soleimani. We don't know precisely when, and we don't know precisely where, but it was real.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: The secretary of state says they don't know precisely when or where. The president was pretty precise in his comments. Who should the American people believe? You were at the Pompeo briefing.

BROWN: Right. The information that Secretary Pompeo just delivered, as you -- as you presented just a second ago, is the information that members of Congress got. They were very -- they lacked specifics in terms of time and manner and location of these imminent threats that left a lot of members of Congress disappointed. And the president's comments last night were really like out of left field.

[09:40:02]

We had never heard of that information during any briefings, either classified or unclassified.

So, once again, the president calls into question the credibility of himself and his administration.

HARLOW: So, congressman, you are the first African-American member of Congress to endorse Mayor Buttigieg in the 2020 race for the White House. Not only an endorsement. You're going to serve as the co-chair of his campaign. And I know that you did not come to this decision lightly. You spent two days with him, full days, in Iowa, spent a lot of time talking to him and assessing him as a man and him as a potential president.

The polling shows how much he has consistently struggled with African- American voters. Why did you back him, and why do you think he is still struggling to get the support of many African-Americans in this country?

BROWN: First of all, let me say I think that Pete Buttigieg will make an extraordinary commander in chief. He's got a very clear vision of the need for the United States to provide global leadership. He understands that, you know, the use of our military should be a last resort and that we need to invest more in the diplomatic corps, our development capabilities around the world to bring peace and stability around the world, which is only in the interests of the United States. His service in Afghanistan gives him a personal experience to what it means to send men and women in harm's way. So first of all, I think he'll make a great commander in chief.

Also, I credit his eight years of experience as a mayor. You know, I served as lieutenant governor in Maryland with a governor who had served as a mayor. And I understand and I have seen firsthand how that experience translates into good judgment, good decisions, the ability to bring people together to address difficult issues, whether it's housing, criminal justice, infrastructure investments. So I think that Pete has the experience to serve us both at home and abroad. And I'm very excited about his candidacy, and I look forward to working hard for him.

HARLOW: Congressman, I think you'll remember this moment in November when what was released were the findings of basically an internal study, or focus group, of black voters in South Carolina. It was commissioned by the Buttigieg campaign. And it found that his sexual orientation, him being gay, is a reason why he has struggled, especially with older African-American voters. Then Dana Bash asked House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn about that and if

he agrees that that's one of the reasons why he has struggled in that area.

Listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA BASH, CNN ANCHOR: Are you saying for older African-Americans it is an issue?

REP. JIM CLYBURN (D- SC): Yes, it is. There's no question about that. I'm not going to sit here and tell you otherwise because I think everybody knows that's an issue. But I'm saying it's an issue, not the way it used to be.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: He noted his own grandson not only supports Buttigieg but is working and volunteering with them. But is he right? Is that an issue for the mayor?

BROWN: Look, I think the characteristics and -- of who we are as a people, whether it's sexual orientation, whether it's gender identity, whether it's race, quite frankly, whether it's geography, are going to influence how people perceive us and whether or not they accept us or not.

I think what I've noticed with Mayor Pete Buttigieg is as people get to know not just him as a person but perhaps even more importantly his position, his record, his vision for a stronger, better America, how we pick up the pieces after this failed Trump administration, people are going to respond favorably. I mean look at the beginning of 2019, in every community, Pete Buttigieg was registering near zero percent support. At the end of 2019, where he's campaigned, where people have gotten to know him, he's done exceedingly well.

HARLOW: I hear that. I just wonder as -- I mean I just looked up some polling from yesterday. In South Carolina he's still right about, you know, 4 percent. It's up two points there for him among black voters, but it's still not where I know the team wants it to be.

I ask you this because he's done a lot. He's spoken at predominantly black churches. He's met with black theologians. He's gone on the hugely popular radio show "The Breakfast Club" multiple times.

Do you think, as you become co-chair of the campaign, it is time for the campaign to think beyond sort of the typical ways to court the African-American vote?

BROWN: Yes, look, these are the challenges and opportunities that every campaign is presented with, how do you connect to voters, meet them where they are, and whether it's traditionally in an African- American church, whether it's on social media, door to door, on TV, these are all of the ways in which this campaign, and every campaign, is challenged with meeting voters. What I've seen with Pete Buttigieg is as he meets those voters where

they are, they listen to his message about all of us being in it together, rebuilding America, investing in education, infrastructure. He rolled out an infrastructure plan today. He's got a plan to empower the African-American and uplift communities of color. [09:45:00]

I think we're going to see the numbers move in a very positive direction for Pete Buttigieg.

HARLOW: We'll see where they go. It's nice to have you on. Thank you for your time and, again, for your service to this country, Congressman.

BROWN: Thanks, Poppy.

HARLOW: OK.

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