CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript Interview with Hakeem Jeffires

Interview

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And we will also get reaction from Democratic Congressman -- there you see him -- Hakeem Jeffries. He's got strong views on what's unfolding here in the United States.

We will be right back.

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BLITZER: We're getting breaking news on that far right group President Trump urged to stand back and stand by during Tuesday's debate.

[18:25:03]

It turns out that the leader of the Proud Boys also leads a grassroots group called Latinos For Trump.

We're joined now by the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.

After first refusing to denounce the Proud Boys during that debate. the president then claimed he had no idea who this group was. What's your response to learning now of this new connection?

A leader of the Proud Boys also leads a grassroots pro-Trump group, this individual, Enrique Tarrio, telling CNN that there are two Latinos for Trump movements, one run by the campaign, the other a grassroots movement started in 2016. He's with the grassroots movement.

What's your reaction?

REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES (D-NY): Well, it's no surprise.

We're in the midst of a deadly pandemic. We have had so much pain and suffering and death that has been visited upon the American people. More than 200,000 Americans have died. Over 100,000 small businesses have permanently closed, more than seven million Americans have been infected by the coronavirus.

Of course, tens of millions of Americans remain unemployed. And the president's response has been an unmitigated disaster. And, as a result of that, he wants to change the subject.

And, of course, he decides to continue to peddle in bigotry and behave like a racial arsonist. We have seen this time and time again. Of course, for five years, he perpetrated the racist lie that Barack Obama was not born in the United States of America. He tried to delegitimize our nation's first black president.

And he's continued to go down this road time and time again over the last four years. Now he feels a particular urgency to do that, which is why he's embracing groups like the Proud Boys, because he has no real record to run on.

He's failed the American people in the context of both the public health crisis and the economic crisis connected to COVID-19.

BLITZER: You know, Congressman, for four years, we have been asking why President Trump won't simply denounce white supremacy.

In fact, back in 2017, you and I had a conversation about this, and you told me President Trump had a tendency, in your words, to be a racial arsonist, your words, fanning the flames of hatred.

Do you still feel the same way today?

JEFFRIES: Without question.

And it's a hard thing to have to say about any president of the United States of America, particularly at a moment of reckoning, when we're trying to deal with the systemic racism that has been in the soil of this country for 401 years.

We have come a long way. We still have a long way to go. But the facts are the facts.

As the president himself has said, it is what it is in terms of the president's behavior. And it was on full display the other night. It's clear, not every American who voted for Donald Trump is a racist, but I am clear that every racist in America likely voted for Donald Trump.

And the reality is, as a result of that fact, Donald Trump sees this group of Americans as part of his base. And he apparently wants to energize them right now.

BLITZER: The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, today said the president has condemned racism and white supremacy, in her words, more than any president in modern history.

What do you say to that?

JEFFRIES: I mean, Donald Trump himself has peddled more than 20,000 lies as president of the United States of America, and those who work for him continue to add to that number. That's a statement that has no basis in reality. Again, they just want

to change the topic.

Under the leadership of Speaker Pelosi, we're trying to arrive in an agreement to meaningfully address the needs of the American people, who are suffering in the context of this pandemic.

And Donald Trump continues to try to ignore the reality of the pain and suffering and death that has been experienced by the American people. And, as opposed to engaging in this type of racial theatrics, why don't they just come to the negotiating table in good faith and help us meet the needs of the American people, who continue to experience so much hardship right now?

BLITZER: And the U.S. Labor Department today announced that 837,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits just last week. In one week, 837,000 Americans had to formally, officially -- they're unemployed -- file for first-time unemployment benefits.

Following the presidential debate, Congressman, you said the president continues to take a blowtorch to our democracy.

How concerned are you about the president's repeated attempts to sow doubt in the overall electoral process, including his false claims about voter fraud, his calls for his supporters to actually go to the polls and watch the polls.

[18:30:09]

JEFFRIES: He continues to behave as though he is Vladimir Putin's best asset. When you think about Putin's attack on our democracy, it was designed to undermine the faith and confidence and the integrity of the principle of a government by the people and for the people.

And instead of trying to lift up that principle and the notion of the peaceful transition of power from one president to the next, whether it's a Democrat to a Republican or a Republican to a Democrat, he is taking a blow torch to our democracy as part of an effort to sow the seeds of doubt.

And he's doing more damage to our democracy than I think Vladimir Putin could have thought about in his wildest imagination. Never, I think, envisioned in American president, trying to undermine the full faith and confidence of the American people in our system of governance.

BLITZER: Congressman Hakeem Jeffries of New York, thank you so much for joining us. We'll stay in close touch. I appreciate it.

JEFFRIES: Thank you, Wolf.

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