MSNBC Interview - Transcript
Interview
MSNBC Interview - Transcript
MSNBC INTERVIEW WITH SENATOR JOHN CORNYN (R-TX)
SUBJECT: FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY INTERVIEWER: CONTESSA BREWER
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MS. BREWER: Senator Arlen Specter's defection to the Democrats may look a little like the canary in the coal mine for Republicans, so Senator John Cornyn of Texas says, he'll look to recruit candidates who can win in Democratic and swing states, even if it means supporting people who don't necessarily agree with his core values.
Senator Cornyn joins me now. He's the head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee.
It's good to see you today.
SEN. CORNYN: Good morning.
MS. BREWER: You know, that plan sounds an awful lot like Arlen Specter's plan; join a party to win an election. Why would you want people who you disagree with running for office?
SEN. CORNYN: Well, Senator Specter's decision was based on his recognition that he could not win the Republican primary. So he had two other choices, either to retire or switch parties and he obviously made his choice. But I believe it's really important to have candidates that fit their states and not somebody in Washington says, unless you match this standard, then we don't want you. Ronald Reagan famously said, "I'd rather have somebody who votes with me 80 percent of the time than somebody who votes against me 20 percent of the time and somebody who votes against me all the time."
So I think that's the practical point we're trying to make.
MS. BREWER: Do you think the Republicans are in trouble, Senator?
SEN. CORNYN: I think we're in a regrouping period in time and I think we'll be back, you know, there's always pendulum swings in politics. I think you'll be surprised in 2010 with the kind of comeback that we're going to make here in the United States Senate.
MS. BREWER: I know you're the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, which is convening a hearing this afternoon on immigration reform. Where do you stand on the president moving forward on immigration reform?
SEN. CORNYN: Well, I was a little disappointed to hear the president backtrack last night on his commitment to deal with this in the first 100 days of his presidency. This is an issue that has been around a long time. I introduced a comprehensive immigration bill in 2005 with Senator Jon Kyl and there were other plans, the McCain- Kennedy plan. I'd like to see the president's plan. That's part of leadership and that's the only way this is going to get done with the president laying out for members of Congress what his plan is and rallying people to try to deal with this very difficult and complex issue.
MS. BREWER: So the fact that he says he's getting the process moving this year, not soon enough for you?
SEN. CORNYN: Well, forming a working group to think about what the process might be, to me, is sort of, I mean, is backtracking on his commitment to deal with this.
MS. BREWER: Yeah.
SEN. CORNYN: This is very important. It's not a new issue. We kind of know what the answers are. We just need to come together and work through it and come up with a practical solution that reflects American values, including adherence to the rule of law.
MS. BREWER: Senator Cornyn, it's good to have you with us on this Thursday. Thank you for your time.
SEN. CORNYN: Thank you, Contessa.
END.
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