Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees: Interview with Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Interview

Pleasure.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Because, probably, he didn't have the votes. That's one reason you don't bring a bill to the floor.

When we had the impeachment of President Trump, it followed the phone call and all the rest of that the whistleblower revealed and then I had a conversation with him, and so we moved forward, collecting information to be prepared to bring a bill to the floor. He's saying, Nancy didn't a vote, no, we did.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

No, it was -- not true. We had a few weeks where we had to make our case. And I assigned six committee chairs to get the information and the rest in that, then we've prepared us to bring the bill to the floor.

They've had what? Nine months of collecting information, they have nothing and --

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

That's right.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, it's not a question not cooperate, it is a question of follow the law. We were planning to bring it to the floor, but we want it to be ready and member impact -- member impact, the seven heartbeats, remember? And so we read it.

In the meantime, the Trump administration, and the Justice Department said unless there's a bill on the floor, the administration does not have to answer to subpoenas and that is the law, that became the law and it is the law now.

So the administration can respond or not, but they don't have to.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes, and it is most unfortunate, because impeachment is something that our founders put in the Constitution. They foresaw that there could be a rogue executive, a president. That is there for a reason.

And you have to have your case. Why are you doing this and does it qualify -- meet the standards for impeachment?

With President Trump, it was very clear that he had engaged in actions and activity in that phone call that really were --

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

That's right.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, I think that really is more of a matter of the politics of the Republican caucus, that you have to impeach the president or else you're going to vacate the chair of Speaker. You can't -- you have to shut down government or else we're going to vacate the chairs.

This is not responsible governance, but it's the chaos on the Republican side.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, he is and he is shining a light on the strings, as I'm fond of saying.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes. Thank you very much, Mr. President. But they're connected. Yes, the former president is exerting his influence, and the others are following up on it. So they're not two separate things.

Is it the members of this committee or is it the president? It's the president and the members of the Republican caucus.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes, I think it is an ever -- incredibly shrinking speakership.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes. I mean, it became that the first night when he had to make all of these pledges, promises to become speaker. Really, it isn't worth it to be speaker to abdicate that much jurisdiction over the House.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Look, let's not engage in nightmare scenarios.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

No. Well, who am I to say? I never thought he would be elected the first time. Who would vote for such a person who said such horrible things about women and the rest?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes, I do. I definitely do. I mean, you just described what -- you've just described it.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes, a criminal enterprise. He was engaged in one before.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Oh, yes. I mean, why would you think that the president of the United States would make his first trip abroad to Saudi Arabia at a time when we're concerned about Khashoggi, we're concerned about so many things, but why would he go to Saudi Arabia first, unless it was something in it for him?

But to say he was -- what was it? What did he say? What did you just say? He was going to indict all of his political opponents?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

That's a banana republic without the banana. I mean, it's a terrible thing. It's a terrible thing.

But you know, I really think we have to be -- let's be hopeful. We have a great president. He has accomplished so many things. And I take some participation in that, the House and Senate Democrats, and we had some bipartisan victories, too.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

It is mystifying. But again, it has to be communicated more directly what this means to your kitchen table.

Now, polls being polls, in the last election nearly one year ago. You recall it was being reported that we're going to lose by 40 votes, a red wave, a red something -- enchilada or something .

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

And then, it was going to be 30, at the minimum we will win all the spot. Well, in New York we lost five, but we can win those back, but it wasn't what they said it was going to be and you know why? Because we had a contrast.

These members or these candidates subscribe to an anti-woman's right to choose, anti-gun violence prevention, anti-climate issues, anti- democracy -- accepting the democratic result of an election and they paid a price.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes, I made it clear to them how I was about that --

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Because they were saying it's in the rearview mirror. People don't care about the Dobbs decision. And I said to them, thanks a lot. Do you know -- you don't really know what you're talking about. You're sitting someplace, and we're in the districts and we know the power of that issue.

It's a democracy issue. It's not just a choice issue. It's a freedom issue. It's a democracy issue. And it was a winning issue.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Poor baby.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

No, I'm not a poor baby. I'm more reptilian, cold blooded, to win the election.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, the motivating factor -- and then there were some other considerations, but for 20 years, my district has given me the latitude to be the speaker or the leader. That means for 20 years, I had to be responsible for everything on the floor of the House. It was about raising money to win the elections, it was -- I went to 87 countries, I am the first leader, in, I don't know how long that ever even had a security credential who rose to the heights of speaker or leader in the Congress.

So I had a global and national set of responsibilities and of course, my domestic ones. I say to the members, whatever honors, you may have given me to be speaker, leader, whip, whatever, there is no honor greater to me than just walk on that floor and think that I am sent there by the people of San Francisco to speak for them. So that was my central point.

In addition to that, I have some political responsibility, I am determined that we will win the House, President Biden will win the White House and that we will increase our numbers in the Senate --

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, I don't even know who they're going to nominate. Do you think they'll nominate a twice impeached, once defeated and multi- indicted person to be president of the United States?

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I have no idea. I know nothing. I keep my distance from the courts and what they're doing there. I don't even ask the question.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I think so. Yes, President Biden has -- he has great experience and wisdom. He's been at this for a long time, as you know, as a senator, vice president, and now president.

He has a vision for our country. This is about fairness and justice and addressing the kitchen table issues of America's working families. He has that vision.

He knows why he wants to be president and he is president. He has knowledge of the issues and therefore judgment to be respected and wisdom that he brings to the table.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Well, I travel a bit in those circles of Democrats, nationally and politically and while there may be some concerns, everybody is for him. Overwhelmingly, everybody is for him.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

I hope not. I hope not. I mean, this president --

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Yes, so that's one and he also said he shouldn't run because he allowed me to go to Taiwan. Nobody allows me to do anything, I was Speaker of the House and the invitation came from the Taiwan government for me to go there. It wasn't up to David Ignatius as to whether that will happen.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

He thinks so and that's what matters. And by the way --

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

She is very politically astute. I don't think people give her enough credit. She is of course values-based, consistent with the president's values and the rest and people don't understand, she is politically astute.

Why would she be vice president if she were not. But when she was running for attorney general in California, she had six percent in the polls, six percent in the polls, and she politically astutely made her case about why she would be good, did her politics and became attorney general.

So don't -- people shouldn't underestimate what Kamala Harris brings to the table.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

She is the vice president of the United States. Some people say to me, well, why isn't she doing this or that? I say, because she's the vice president. That's the job description. You don't do that much, you know. You're a source of strength, inspiration, intellectual resource, and the rest and you -- and she -- I think she's represented our country very well at home and abroad.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Okay, you go ahead. Here is where I am. I think nothing less is at stake than our democracy in this election. Now, you've heard me say before, this is the most important election of our time, we all say that. It is shot, because it is, and it just keeps to be more so.

But I'm writing a book now where I'm thinking about calling it and our flag is still there and why I say that, it is being born and raised in Baltimore, where the national anthem was written, people tear at the end of the national anthem, but I cheer when it says, prove through the night, that our flag was still there.

We have to prove since the night that we're in the uncertainty of this election, that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for all, as we pledge every day, and I think that is what is at stake, nothing less than our democracy.

And again, you hear that in the country, you hear that globally and we have to remove all doubt that our democracy is strong. Never underestimate the strength of our democracy and the goodness of the American people honoring the values of our founders, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, and the aspirations of our children.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

My pleasure. Thank you.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source