CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript Interview with Adam Schiff

Interview

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Democratic congressman and chairman of the Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, is joining us right now.

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us. First of all, what was your reaction to seeing the president, who is infected, seriously infected with coronavirus and is on all sorts of medications right now, waving at his supporters from the back of that SUV?

REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): Incredulous, Wolf. What on earth is he thinking? Why would he imagine it's a good idea to go for a photo-op, a joyride when he is sick, when he's on experimental treatments? And what's more, if he wasn't going to look after his own health, what about the people in the vehicle, that hermetically sealed vehicle, those Secret Service agents who are not in a position to say no to the president.

It's irresponsible to them. And for what? I mean, I just -- you know, after he was explaining how much he'd learned about the virus to go and do this, it's just unthinkable.

BLITZER: Yes, it was really, really amazing. You are a member of the so-called Gang of Eight, the top leadership in the House and the Senate, Democrats and Republicans. I take it, you guys have not been briefed by the White House on any of this, the president's condition, is that so?

SCHIFF: We have not been briefed on it. And what's more, if foreign nations are looking and taking advantage of the president's potentially diminished capacity, we are not getting briefed on that either. Now maybe that's not happening. Hopefully that's not happening. But I would hope the administration will keep us in the loop, although I have to say, Wolf, the experience of the last several months, where they have withheld or tried to muddy the waters in terms of the intelligence, isn't encouraging in terms of their transparency.

BLITZER: Yes. I'm surprised that the speaker of the House hasn't been briefed yet either, is that right? SCHIFF: Well, you know, I don't know. I haven't spoken to the speaker

about it. But I think as of this morning that's what she was saying. And you know, the problem, Wolf, is if you had a responsible president who had a diminished capacity because he was taking serious medications, that president would be weighing what's in the best interest of the country. Is it in the best interest now for me to transfer authority to the vice president until I'm through this treatment?

But we don't have that kind of president. He is only ever looked out for himself which means that we could be potentially at risk if the president's condition were to deteriorate or the drugs were impairing him. And you know sadly given the performance of his doctors, in terms of being transparent with the public, it's hard to accept what we hear from the medical staff and certainly you can't rely on what you hear from the White House staff.

BLITZER: Let me play a little clip of what the president posted about a minute long video on Twitter a couple of hours or so ago. And in that video, he said this. Let me play it for you, Congressman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Very interesting journey. I learned a lot about COVID. I learned it by really going to school. This is the real school. This isn't the "let's read the book" school. And I get it and I understand it. And it's a very interesting thing and I'm going to be letting you know about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: So seven months, eight months into this pandemic he now says I learned a lot about COVID. What did you think when you heard that?

SCHIFF: Wolf, he's had experts -- he's had access to the very best experts in the world. They've met with him. They've talked with him. He has been told over and over again the importance of wearing a mask and socially distancing. He has been told when Clorox was not a legitimate treatment. He's been told not to push hydroxychloroquine. He doesn't listen to the experts, and the fact that he would leave the hospital and go on that joyride just a further illustration that he still hasn't learned.

Now look, I hope he makes a speedy and full recovery, and the first lady and all of the administration and my Republican colleagues in the Senate. I wouldn't wish this nasty virus on anyone. But the hope that he will learn from this experience when he demonstrates yet again by going on this joyride that he hasn't, it's an illusory hope at this point.

BLITZER: Yes. We all hope he and everyone else who have gotten COVID over the past few days make a speedy recovery. The timeline of the president's illness, though, Congressman, is still unclear. What questions would you like to be answered at this point?

SCHIFF: Well, I'd like to know when he got tested, when he knew he was negative, when he first suspected that he was negative? What steps did he take to protect his own health? What steps did he take to protect the health of other people around him? Did he knowingly go off to meet with supporters knowing that he might be infectious because he'd been in contact with others who had been? Why if he was on FOX and already had one positive test did he not discuss that?

[20:25:05]

You know, I just -- I think there's so many unanswered questions and because contact tracing is so important to the health of other people around him and a lot of those other people are also important government officials, we need the truth from the president. We need the truth from the White House, and that has always been in short supply.

BLITZER: Do you have any information -- and you're the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, that other nations, adversaries, specifically whether Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, might be plotting to take advantage of the uncertainty, what's going on in Washington right now?

SCHIFF: You know, Wolf, I have not been briefed on that. I would hope that if there is evidence of that kind that the Gang of Eight would be immediately briefed on it. Can I be confident of it if it contradicts the president's preferred narrative that he's got things under control? I can't be confident of that, not with Director Radcliffe who has shown too many times his willingness to, you know, bend to political pressure. So I would hope so but I don't know that I can count on it.

BLITZER: Congressman Adam Schiff, thank you so much for joining us.

SCHIFF: Thank you, Wolf.

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