Transcripts For CSPAN Washington Journal 11192020 20240711

Text us with your first name, city and state, to 202 7488003. You can also post your comments with a tweet at tweet,. Cspanwj, or facebook. Com nancy pelosi spoke to reporters after the times noted that she regained the gavel and became the first person in 60 years to return a speaker after losing the majority. Here she is. [video clip] i wish you could have seen the nominations and acceptance speeches. Then you could have seen the Common Thread, the unity of our caucus. The values and the vision, the knowledge of our subjects on the Strategic Thinking. You hear me talk about that all the time. Theof it is connected to hopes and aspirations of americans and working families. That is what unifies us. Im honored and was emotional earlier because of some of the things that were said in nomination, but also listening to the other nominations as well , not only to the vision but the depth of the commitment, the values of our caucus. Im thrilled, im excited, i to be working with the new president of the United States, joe biden and kamala harris. Nancy pelosi, speaker of the house returns in that position, first elected to congress in 1987 to represent the california district. Tuesday, Kevin Mccarthy, republican of california, spoke to reporters after being reelected to that top post. [video clip] you all know that everyone predicted the republicans would lose 15 to 20 seats. Not one incumbent lost. On the democrat side, over a dozen lost. Much of that could be caused by nancy pelosi holding up covid time defundingg police or wasting their majority on impeachment. Republicans always focused on putting the people first before politics and we will continue to do that work and this next congress, we might not be able to schedule the floor, but we will be running the floor. Host Kevin Mccarthy on tuesday. The hill newspaper, saying they see a path to majority in 2022. They include a quote in therefrom a democrat. One democratic lawmaker said the gop messaging strategy of linking them to socialism is an area democrats need to better combat and that pelosi could be a liability for vulnerable members. We are host your confidence and congressional leadership, stephen, louisville, you are up first. What do you think . Caller to be honest, i dont have confidence or sympathy in the republicans. Care moreaid they about people than anything else. Explained to me for a moment how they can have the gall to say that when they themselves rushed a Supreme Court nomination through before the election simply because they wanted to kill the Affordable Care act. Among other things. That is what your president has done. Prolife. E party of yet we have how many casualties that have succumbed to this disease right now . They have no concept of prolife. As far as mr. Mccarthy bragging about well, the dems lost, lets be on the record. They have 17 seats more than the republicans do in the congress. We still have two seats up for grabs in georgia. Let me tell you something. Joe biden, i never dreamed he would win georgia. If he can win georgia, i think that jon ossoff and rev. Warnock have just as much of a chance to put those two crooks, the trump apologists, leffler and purdue, they dont have any minds of their own. They cant even get along with people in their own party. Look at how they are treating that secretary of state just because they dont like the election. Folks, ive got news for you. Me jump into tell you that we are going to be talking about georgia with buddy carter and hank johnson, both going to be with us later on in the program. Let me ask you, stephen, i understand your criticism of republicans. How about your own party . Are you happy that Speaker Pelosi will get another term . Caller i have mixed feelings about pelosi. Sometimes i like her, sometimes i dont. I did think she did a good job with impeachment. She didnt just move right into it. It wasnt until the stuff with ukraine that she pursue that avenue and went down that road. I think the democrats did tried to pass the heroes act. They tried to work well with republicans. Like i said, they are not always perfect. One thing i have an issue within my party has how everything is urban versus rural. Excuse me, fdr, clinton, obama, all those men knew how to balance out the interests of labor unions and our brig arians and people of color and intellectuals and i dont understand quite frankly why it is, biden did a good job in trying to bring the coalitions together. I do want to Say Something real quick, if i could. We keep talking about socialism in the Democratic Party. There are some people who socialism,democratic but overall we have a versatile tent. We have centrists, moderate liberals, and some democraticsocialists. But i want to Say Something. Host stephen, ive got to give other people time. Republican line, pennsylvania. Caller thank you for taking my call. First of all, i believe the president has done a very good job and i believe we all need to start working together to get this country back on track again. I just want to say this, i was up through the night. I have been so upset with everything that has gone on. Lets just face it, everybody is at each others throat and this is terrible and while i was up i started to pray and this is what came to me. If my people are called by my name and speak my faith turn from their wicked, wicked ways, i will hear from heaven and heal the land. I would like to ask everyone listening into this program this morning to please, please stop the bickering and the fighting and start praying. We will see this disease that has taken over our land, we will see it healed and we will see people coming together and helping each other and praying for each other. Thats what we need to do. This is crazy. What about the congressional leadership and the republicans of your party, are you happy with leadership on capitol hill . Caller yes, i am. You know why . They are working together to try to make a difference. There is just so much fighting and nobody will help each other. Help our country. The people are hurting. They need help. People cant feed their families. They cant make their house payments. They cant do nothing. They cant go to work. They are home with their children. I mean this is terrible, terrible whats going on. We just have to come together. I believe that if we do what we are supposed to do and stop the bickering and fighting ok. Surely, there are very few legislative days before the congress is set to adjourn and a new congress is sworn in in january. On the agenda is whether or not they can pass more Economic Relief to respond to the covid pandemic. And also avert a government shutdown. On that, heres the headline. Om the Washington Post mark meadows cannot guarantee of earning a december shutdown. They have until september 11 to reach a spending deal in the middle of the pandemic. Compare that with this headline in roll call, white house signals acceptance of spending 11. Ge, expiring december my they write they met on wednesday with the white house chief of staff mark meadows to talk about yearend legislative priorities. It appears that Trump Administration is ready to accept a 1. 4 trillion fullyear omnibus appropriations bill rather than a simple shortterm government funding extension, according to Top Republicans. In their it notes, is this a turnaround for the president . The president s signature would be a sharp reversal from his statement of 2018. The day that he signed the package that carry dozens of unrelated bills and provisions, he warned lawmakers that day i will never sign another bill like this again. Im not going to do it again. Nobody read it, some people dont know whats in it. Second largest ever. Signed 2019 cycle, trump three separate packages. One bill didnt pass until early the next calendar year after a 35 day shutdown because of a border wall funding spat. That is where things are between the whitell and house. Waldorf, maryland, independent, we are asking your confidence levels in congressional leadership. You are an independent. Who do you like as leaders of these parties . Caller i like neither. If we do a montage of the past 20 years, we would hear a blueprint of the same words spoken, just twisted a little bit, of these promises that have been made that have not come into fruition. We can go down the litany of times we have heard people inside of our congressional caucus say the same thing, similar in a certain way. Its always on the same Group Blueprint line for both parties. Lets speeded up to the past four years. We have seen grown men and women that we have placed in perm positions through our vote spend the majority of their time tearing each other down with elementary words towards each other as if they are on the playground. These are the ones we are supposed to entrust to speak for our voice . Why you no sense at all would vote back in those same people. Its going to be the same bickering that we have experienced. Ofs like that definition insanity they like to use, doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results. Voting for the same person you have seen spend the majority of their time talking about the other person, what they like and dont like, instead of sitting down, breaking bread, coming together to actually speak for the American People and pass the legislative laws that are supposed to better this country. While the world is watching and they are kind of snickering. Its embarrassing to see the actions coming from both parties because they dont like each other instead of sitting down to express shared ideas. We need fresh blood. Host we will show you the moment later, when she is asked about this being her last year in the position. She reaffirms that this next term will be her last. Lu, highland park, democratic caller. Caller i make the analogy that health care is only as good as the Health Status of every person in america. Imagine that we are sitting on a Greyhound Bus and everybody on the bus is traveling 1000 miles. Health depends upon every single Persons Health on the bus. That is why i think that nancy pelosi is correct. Pushing National Health care for everyone. That is what we need. If one person on the bus has a virus, after 1000 miles, everyone will have the virus. Host tie this to your confidence in congressional leadership. Pelosi andhink nancy the people in the house have the right idea, the democratic principles are the correct ones. Im sick and tired of the bickering going on for political reasons. We need National Health care. We need people like nancy pelosi to step up and protect us. Host political observers give the speaker credit for the Affordable Care act getting through the house, that she was instrumental. Instrumental in getting the votes needed to pass obamacare in the house. Take a look at the ages of house leadership. The speaker, nancy pelosi, is 80. Steny hoyer, when youre older, 81. Is 80. Ority whip on the republican side, Kevin Mccarthy, if we can go back to the republicans in the house, 60 yearsarthy here, old, steve scalise, 55. All right, lets get over to the senate. Chuck grassley, third in line for the presidency as the pro tem, 87. Leader of the republicans in the senate, Mitch Mcconnell, 78. The majority whip, john thune, 59. Chuck schumer, 69. His lieutenant is 75 years old. Theer earlier mentioned leadership negotiations over Economic Relief. Covid Economic Relief. The Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell came to the floor yesterday. Heres what he had to say about the ongoing stalemate on relief. [video clip] republicans spent months, months trying to get another bipartisan rescue package passed and signed into law. Has beens our position highly consistent. We want agreement on all the areas where compromise is within reach, sending hundreds of billions to urgent and uncontroversial programs and let washington argue over the rest later. Theres no reason why doing right by families should wait until we resolve every difference on every issue. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi and the democratic leader have been equally consistent and they dont think that congress should do anything at all. Anything unless they get to cash out there farleft ideological wish list, including things with zero relationship to the present crisis. They have continued to insist that Congress Pass the socalled heroes act or do nothing at all. The problem is that they are talking about a multi trillion dollar laughingstock that never had a chance of becoming law. Host Mitch Mcconnell, Chuck Schumer responded to him on the floor. [video clip] i would remind the republican leader that the house has passed a bill, the senate has not. Yet the Republican Leaders position, if you dont take my bill, you get nothing, when he knows his bill cant pass. Cant pass the senate, cant pass the house. Its a feeble position as the pandemic rages and it just doesnt fly. We are moving closer in our proposed school in negotiations and what did Senate Republicans do . They didnt move in our direction, they moved further away, making compromise even more difficult. We need to reset the conversation here. The country is in desperate straits. Maybe more desperate than it has ever been. In this crisis, the consensus view of economists and experts is the country requires substantial injection of aid. Unemployed, state and local governments, the Health Care System, among other things. These are not frivolous. These are not someones whim. These are the desperate needs of people crying out for help. Almost none of them covered adequately in the bill. Host Chuck Schumer will retain his post as the democratic leader in the senate, despite this headline in the hill majority, senate failure. They spent 90 minutes on a Conference Call talking about what happened in states where they were expected to pick up seats. It says in the hill newspaper, his leadership was criticized directly but some comments were. Iewed as indirect, indirect done asay schumer has good job keeping the Party Unified on key votes and said that no colleague has offered himself or herself as a leadership alternative. We want to know your confidence in congressional leadership. , california, republican mine. Do you like your leaders . I like my Republican Leaders. Two items, band mailin ballots unless you are over 65. This election has been a disaster because of mailin ballots. Just stop them, stop fooling around with them. We keep having them come in at midnight. The other, from what i heard yesterday, there was violence at the american border between mexico and america. They were shooting. I dont know if thats true, but there was something happening and from now on, no more immigrants unless they can pay for themselves. I put it this way. In this country, we that they cant lose. We have no room. The time has come. Like it is for all countries, to stop immigration. Host the republicans that have been in the party have been there for years and you have confidence that they can do the job . I have confidence whether people like them or hate them. Democrats, a huge portion of them, i dont want those people. I want republican people. Even if they are old. They should go in time, but not in this area, not today. Edgewater, your perspective . Caller we need term limits. Nothing gets done on behalf of the American People because these senators, Congress Members in the house, when they vote, they dont vote based on their own thinking and reading of the bill. They vote based on partyline. So, the democrats want nancy pelosi in mine, however they say she should vote. The republicans do the same thing with Mitch Mcconnell. Its like why are we paying these people to go to washington, d. C. And waste taxpayer money by not doing the job that they were elected to do. Number two, other countries in this world are watching with delight as this country is being ripped apart by these two radical ideas on the left and on the right. We have a congress that cannot even function properly anymore in the position that it should be functioning. Problem. You know, these senators, you know, Mitch Mcconnell, im an independent. I voted for biden because trump in theimself with words way he acted. Now they are contesting the and they are accused of throwing out votes in georgia that were completely legitimate. Someone like that doesnt deserve to be in the position hes in. Me ask you, do you find the current leadership, radical right or radical left, or do they represent more of the middle. Caller i spoke to people i knew who will work staunch trump reporters. When you talk to them, i might be an independent and i can look at President Trump agreeing him on some issues. Immigration, no, we shouldnt let people walk across the border. Its unacceptable. Number two, when it comes to their was another thing i wanted to ask or say. Like the free trade agreements. That was the thing. Trump has a point, they were done by the democratic leadership with the intention of the helping the American People and they have undermined american families. The reason that trump was elected was because he touched a nerve. The democrats have a chance to actually appeal themselves to the American People by looking at that. Both parties have failed the American Public over the last 40 years by not addressing the deficits. By not addressing immigration. We have been the dumping place of foreign goods for the last past decades because everybody imports or exports to the u. S. And yet we are always being hit with tariffs and trump has a point when he talks about that. Host i understand your point. When you talk about leadership being in the position it has been in for years, this from l kane pelosi holding the spot for 18 years and jim clyburn has been behind them for 15 years. Carl, chicago, democratic caller. Caller how are you doing this morning . Host morning. Caller what i hear from the noters is a lot of recognizing whats actually going on. The leadership, i know you have been making the emphasis on how old the people are and how long they have been serving. Ts not the age but actually whats happened is ever since the the asublicans have the majority speaker, the only thing in the house was what the majority had. It had to pass the majority. Meaning we want nothing from the democrats for participation in if we cant pass it, it doesnt pass. This continued under Mitch Mcconnell in the senate. Years ther eight republicans in the senate refused to do anything. Even in a crisis they refused to vote to help this country. Of these independents say they are not happy with either side. You know what . You guys have got to get off the fence and look at whats happening. The republicans never sponsored a vote or put anything. People ind about the the country saying im not bringing it to the floor. You have to start to look at what they have asked you to do. Republicans in power, the only thing they ever concerned about. Is tax cuts its very simple, the record is there. You never see them talk about passing anything for the people. The democrats want to try to pass things, its not always going to be perfect. Who cares . Else,publicans, anyone they could try to work it. We will leave it there to hear from janice. Caller i just wanted to say int our confidence congressional leadership, i have confidence in the republicans. Maryland, shem. As pretty point on of course, i did not vote for biden. Why would i . There 50 years and hasnt done anything. Most of them havent done been there 30, 40, 50 years. That areer people now iarting to get involved really have a great hope that they can do something. Womene, what, 12, 13, 14 in the new congress . Republicans . Thats wonderful. You know, and they are not getting much publicity about it, you know, but they do have that confidence, and as far as going sayhe what do i want to watching our thisans and all that is america. Everybody in the world wants to come to america. Why would you want to come to america and want to change it . I dont understand. You repeated that many of the current leadership on capitol hill has been there for years. The speaker reaffirmed yesterday that next congress will be her last in the top post. This is what she had to say. Of discussionlot about putting in place some kind of term limit for the leadership team. Im curious if you anticipate this coming congress would be your last as speaker. Rep. Pelosi let me just say that when that conversation took place, there was a move to put on leadership and committees. They said they were going to do it and they didnt do it. It i said then is whether passes or not, i will abide by those limits that are there. Is that do you intend to rep. Pelosi no, it is the statement that i made. It is the statement that i made, if my husband is we dont have to be more specific than that. Anothert expect to have term now, so this is a gift. I cannot wait to be working with joe biden and a transition for the future. I made the statement. Anybody . You want to respond . Simply say we focus on the future, and all that needs to happen, and the wither was elected unbridled enthusiasm from the House Democratic caucus. That was hakeem jeffries, democrat of new york, the chair of the Democratic Caucus. He is seen as the future of the Democratic Party. Paul kane writing in the Washington Post, combined with his prominent role as house manager over President Trumps impeachment trial in the senate, jeffries is prominent of the younger generation, putting him on the potential path to become the first black speaker of the house. ,reg, mechanicsburg pennsylvania, an independent. Your turn. Caller finally. I have furled confidence in mitch bronner. Equateler who wanted to the squad with people on the is willfully ignorant. There is no counterpart on the right to the squad. There is none. Mcconnell has been completely objective when he has to be. The president s plan to withdraw half the troops from afghanistan and iraq. So please ask people to be specific when they like somebody as to what that person has done. I dont agree with the senator on this. I agree with the president. Is notch mcconnell afraid to take chances. He took a hell of a chance in 2016 on judge garland. He has done everything he is an excellent that she is the smartest and best politician in washington that he is an excellent and the smartest and best politician in washington, d. C. I have confidence that he will go further left because he is worried about aoc in two years. I think mccarthy is going to do a good job, and i think Speaker Pelosi is going to want to do a swansong. Remember her famous quote about obamacare . Whats in itw until we pass it pure that is her legacy until we pass it. Thate complete confidence schumer will go further left. I hope people watch and do not take their opinion from mainstream media. Please, when you ask questions please ask questions of everybody or nobody. My personal opinion is, you support the Democratic Party. But thats my personal opinion. Thats not the real issue today. I think we are in a bad situation. Im 72 years old im a vietnam vet. I was in the service during that time. Westo first point point. The 1960s were crazy. I did not think we were close to that, we are close to that. We will get through this. If we listen to people like Mitch Mcconnell. Host lets go to tony, delaware, number credit caller. Caller thank you for taking my call. I want to say a couple of things. When President Trump became president , he said he was going to ring all these jobs back to america. And we dont have no more coal mines, steel mills. Host tony, how is that related to congressional leadership and your confidence level . And themcconnell Republican Party, like the caller said earlier, they never come to an agreement, trying to pandemic and people losing their housing and cant feed their kids. Other countries are sitting back laughing. We need to get out here and support the people of this country that put those people in the house. They get in the house and they dont do anything. Trumpre afraid of donald and whatever he says, thats what goes. But when donald trump gets out of office, it is going to flip the script. This whole country is going to turn they are going to have to come to an agreement. Host on covid, take a look at the headlines, from axios. At least six cases in six days. House new house and lamborn test positive for covid19. Says thengton post coronavirus threat on capitol hill clouds the senates yearend objective. Here is Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell yesterday on the senate floor, talking about the end of grassleys voting street. Yesterday,ell something extremely rare happened here in this chamber. Something so unusual that only a few of us current senators had ever seen it before. A roll call vote that did not include the name of our president pro tem and extinguished and distinguished colleague from iowa, senator chuck grassley. Before yesterday, the senior senator for myla had not missed a single vote in this body since 1993 from iowa had not missed a single vote in this body since 1993. Years, andacross 27 8927 votes, senator grassley has shown up for every single one. It is by far the longest such streak in senate history. Senator grassley broke the previous record in january of 2016. And obviously continue to extend it for almost five years. This show of diligence and dedication is remarkable by any measure, but because of who senator grassley is, it hasnt seemed to at all. That incredible commitment to serving islands and working aroundtheclock is just who our colleague is. Host Mitch Mcconnell en senator chuck grassley, who is the president pro tem, the third in line for the presidency after the Vice President and the speaker of the house. What is your confidence level in congressional leadership . My confidence level is not good at all come and i want to explain why. Thank you, greta, for trying to keep the colors on topic. I do want to share my experience as an trying to keep the callers on topic. I want to share my experience from back in 2006 which led to pelosi becoming speaker. I want to echo a couple of the solutions that callers have made. One is the terms. I think and again, it is not my idea. I want to echo what i hear from the callers. One idea for term limits, for members of congress and the twote, is 12 years overall, six year terms for the senators, and 34year terms for numbers of congress and three fouryear terms for members of congress. Regarding pelosi as leadership, i do want to say my concern is these leaders being challenged by other members of congress or the senate. In 2006 we worked really hard to get the democrats elected because there was a call for impeaching the president for lying about weapons of mass destruction to start a war in iraq, which led to many, many deaths, as well as the and rendition of people. What happened was after getting the democrats elected, and the call was to begin impeachment hearings immediately so no other president would be able to do this, pelosi got up, and one of the first thing she says was impeachment is off the table. Heres my question about the challenging, greta. There was a congressman from, i believe, pennsylvania, john murtha, a combat marine who left college in the 1950s to go fight in korea. Then when vietnam started, he left and went back to fight in vietnam. In 2005 and 2006 during the race for congress where the democrats wanted to take over and solve this problem of the wars, he was calling for an end to these wars. He wanted to see impeachment and all this. When pelosi got in, my recollection is don murtha announced he was going to ,hallenge pelosi for leadership and unfortunately he went to the hospital and died. I am wondering if there has ever been any other challenges to the leadership of these people that are too old and there too long, something,id 100,000 and they are millionaires. I would also like to see a solution that while these bills are being argued about, that they not get paid. Not get paid until the bill passes, and the bill should be on one issue, not multiple issues. I believe that is what keep these keeps these bills from being passed, and arguing going on is they throw too many things in the bill. So the question is, has anyone leaders . D the sitting please inform us, maybe your researchers can look into that. We dont have people at disposal to research all of that right now. But to your point, nancy pelosi became the first female speaker of the house in 2007. After that 2006 election. I will just point to this 2006,ne in cnn from pelosi supports murtha for majority leader. Thursday, pelosi will likely support john murtha in a democratic led congress. In a letter to his office, she said the surprise call for the withdrawal of american troops in 2005 change the debate and helped make iraq a central issue for this historic election. That is the headline if you are interested in going down that time, 22k into thousand six. You can find it on cnn. Rhonda in roseville, ohio. A republican. Good morning. Caller good morning and how are you . Host do you have confidence in Republican Leadership . Caller no, i dont, i have no Congress Asked confidence in congressional leadership at all. I think they are tacking more on the president. It is becoming more of a martial state than it is a democracy. It doesnt matter if it was built on one. There should be term limits for every congressional leader every congressional member just like there is for the president , and they should not be spending time nitpicking on everything that the president does or says, when they themselves do not do everything that they should for the American People. The news is very biased towards this president , i have noticed. Nothing good has ever come from the news media except from this channel. Washington journal is the only one where people can call in and voice their opinions on what is going on. No other new station gets that credit. Im very thankful the washington journal is there and lets us do that. Thats all i have to say. Host thanks for the call. Gloria, upper marlboro, maryland. Democratic caller. Caller i want people to stop leaving got out of this conversation. First of all, as far as the Republican Leadership is concerned, there is no Republican Leadership. Mitch mcconnell cannot dismount his broomstick. He has set on a ton of legislation that might have gotten us somewhere, what if it doesnt help his argument, hes not going to do it. It was disgraceful the way he and Lindsey Graham of south had a deathmatch for rbc. It has been if we had done so the way we should have, because has theconnell, he worst case of motivational constipation in history, along with Lindsey Graham, and of , whoe the former president is causing all kinds of things, disgraceful things to happen. Hedoesnt want to admit fairly lost an election. We are lacking the President Administration away from doing the things that they need to do to help people who are dying at an accelerated rate. Let me warn you, america, this is gods country. ,nd if you think he is pleased stop making it an argument between democrats and republicans. Accusing it is right or wrong. What is going on now is wrong. It is due scope that it is two two lefts on it is shoes on a bore easier. Host clarence in texas, independent. Your turn. Caller i would like to criticize, from the white house, senate host clarence, please turn down your television. Just listen and talk through your phone. Caller im ready. Host go ahead. Criticize the white house, the senate, and the house of representatives. Because the main thing they forgot, for the people, by the people. They were chose to serve the people of america. They have not done nothing but serve themselves. Get 810 a month from social security. Im 72 years old. I dont even know where my next meal is coming from. I dont know if im going to have a place to stay. Yet still, they are bickering in congress about doing this here and that there, worried about a wall. Come on, man, serve the people. If youre not going to serve the people, we should call a special election, every state should call a special election and get them out of there. The main thing about our president he is a good businessman. But the point is, they need to take his hands away from the textbook because all he wants to do is texting. Host you mean tweeting, clarence. The president plans president ial come back in four years. The president , despite public the declaring he won the november 3 election, he is privately telling people he plans on running again for president in 2024. According to one strategist, he is deftly telling people that in a serious manner. He is definitely telling people that any serious manner. He will not know if he even if he doesnt want to run, he will milk it to the very end. The guy knows how to get media attention. It probably is his greatest talent. Usa today, front page about white house leadership. Andp still governing firing. President donald trump has stayed mostly out of public view in the two weeks after his loss to joe biden. On nine of the 14 days since the november 3 election, his daily schedule has been summed up in one single sentence. The president has no public event scheduled. The longest he has been out of public view since taking office in january of 2017. The president has occupied himself with the work of the presidency, it goes on to say, while still protesting the election results, Holding Meetings to consider ordering a military strike against iran, cutting the number of military troops in afghanistan and iraq, reducing government regulations, and taking other actions designed in part to poke president elect biden. That in usa today. Headline, theated wall street journal, some gop leaders irked by the president , many gop lawmakers on wednesday questioned mr. Trumps firing of chris krebs, the Homeland Security top security official, cybersecurity official, saying it is the president s prerogative, but it adds to confusion and chaos. Senator john cornyn of texas, a member of the gop leadership team. Milton, a democratic caller. Good morning to you. Caller how are you doing this morning . Well. Im doing do you have confident in the congressional leadership . Ofler i have a lot confidence in congressional leadership. The congress and the senate they both are bickering toward each other. Everybody. And i vietnam veteran, cannot believe that i volunteered to protect this nation and the people of this nation to see this country go down like this. It is sad. This is pathetic. This is really, really outrageous. I cannot believe the president we have did what he has done here. I just cannot believe this. And hes still doing what hes doing. I cannot understand how the American People can put up with this. What is wrong with our people . It seems like overnight we have lost our minds. Milton, what about the congressional leadership . Pardon me . Bout the what about congressional leadership . Speaker pelosi, i am proud of this woman, to stand up in leadership, especially at the age she is. Ok. wayne, good morning. Do you like Republican Leaders on capitol hill . Caller i dont necessarily like any of them. 250,000t now we have dead americans, very little leadership out of the senate or the house. [indistinct] host you sound muffled. Can you get closer to the phone . Caller this is externally sad to see us as a nation falling everythingthis over that is going on. Host ok. Rob, port crane, new york, independent. No confidence in congress at all. How can you with a group that has an 8 Approval Rating . The things i am worried about, despite the democrats trying to steal this election, because there is voter fraud all over. The media is not picking up on this at all. Our country is going down the tubes. I totally agree with your vietnam veteran two calls ago. Im also a veteran, although i did not serve in a time of war. A partyanybody vote for who wants to do away with borders, allow every illegal thegrant to come over border and been given 50 of our money that we make we give away in taxes and fees. I have no faith. The only faith i do have in the government is if biden gets into office, we will have more wars than you can ever imagine because him and obama took us from two wars to seven, lets not forget. Host leadership on the state level. The Washington Post opinion peysers. Pages. Seven governors are writing to americans today asking them to stay home this thanksgiving. Do not travel, do not mix households. They write this there is hope on the horizon. Pfizer and moderna have both announced that early analysis showed that their vaccine candidates are affected are effective. This is great news, but it doesnt mean we can let our guard down and loosen safety measures. It is crucial that we keep our infection rate low so that we can distribute the vaccine as quickly as possible when it is ready. You can read that in the Washington Post today. John and columbus, ohio, democratic caller. Caller good morning, how are you . Host good morning. Caller thank you for taking my call. I have no confidence this morning. Host why is that . Thatr we are in a country god has blessed so much come and we dont even know and dont appreciate what he has done. Some of us have struggled from other countries to come here and live a life that we would never country,med in our own and i am very grateful to god for that. Host peter, in michigan, a republican. Caller i think the thing that was just done to acknowledge what we really have in this country, what we need is a reset and a reform. We need to reset everything because it is all bonkers. You know how there are reset buttons on the back of everything . We need to reset and reform, and Everybody Needs to do their part to come together and thats quick the bickering and become ash lets quit the bickering and become lets quit the bickering and become human beings again. Host we will take a break. When we come back, we will talk to two georgia lawmakers about the recent election and Upcoming Senate elections in that state on generate five. Buddy carters first, a republican in the state of georgia. Representative hank johnson. Announcer books tv on cspan2 has top nonfiction books and authors every weekend. This weekend, saturday at 1 00 p. M. Eastern, from the recent virtual brooklyn book festival, authors veronica chambers, amy pat nonnie, and Sandra Garcia on the suffrage movement. Authors Brian Purnell and Clarence Taylor on the history of civil rights in new york. 7 25 in eastern, adam higginbotham, author of midnight in chernobyl the untoward story the untold story of the Biggest Nuclear disaster. Join mcneil and frank pasqual discussed the past and future of technology. Sonyaark coatings mom, shaw on the potential effects the coronavirus will have on society. At 9 00 p. M. Eastern come on afterwords, author deborah stone talks about her book counting, how we use numbers to decide what matters. Shes interviewed by Data Scientist and author kathy oneill. Watch books tv on cspan2 this weekend. Announcer washington journal continues. Host congressman buddy carter is joining us, a republican of georgia, to talk about the campaign in that state. Lets begin with the georgia secretary of state, who is a republican, has until friday, tomorrow, to certify the results of this president ial election. Do you have confidence in the process . Need toertainly we all have confidence in the process, and i certainly appreciate the secretary of state going along and granting the request of the campaign and the georgia recountan party for the , and i appreciate him doing the hand recount. I think that is very important. We in the house delegation sent a letter to him encourage him encouraging him to do that. It is important that people have faith in the process. It is important that we have honest and fair and transparent elections. Whether you are democrat or republican or independent, at a something that you should want. It is something we all want. Host what is your response to him saying that he has received death threats, that he has received pressure from those in the Republican Party . How do you respond to those accusations . Guest certainly that is out of line. No one should be getting death threats. A deepneed to take breath here and step back. Lets get it right. Lets get it right. Found 2600 votes in one county. That is 2600 people who have not been heard. Their voices deserve to be heard. We found balance in dekalb county. , the ones ballots that were not counted, favored donald trump. He is the one who has benefited from this recount. You have to wonder why we are missing all these votes from one candidate. We all need, again, to take a step back, take a deep breath, lets get it right. And if there were problems, then we need to get them corrected and we need to make sure they do not happen again. Everyone in this country, democrat, republican, independent, we all want the same thing fair, transparent elections. Host i heard the secretary of state in georgia on cnn yesterday saying that some of the ballots that were found were in republican counties, and that it was due to incompetence. They also predicted that when the results are known, that it wont change the outcome. That he expects president elect joe biden to have won the state of georgia. Guest well, if that is the group n what he will then that is what he really will report. We all want our work to be checked, and we all want to get better. To take the attitude, we did everything perfect, that is ridiculous. You dont do everything perfect. All good managers, they regroup after something, after they finish an effort, and they see what can we do better next time, what can we have changed, and what could we have done better at . That is certainly the case, especially when youre talking about an election that has such big ramifications, which it was a razor thin margin. Out of 5 million votes, you are talking about just a few thousand . That is very, very close. The ramifications of this, as i the stateusly impact of georgia, but they impact the nation as well. This is important stuff. Lets dont be sensitive or threatening, lets all Work Together and get it right. Host to take a look at the margin, this is according to the latest data from yesterday. 9. 5 to 49. 2 that is what separates the two president ial candidates. , your senate colleague, senator lefflers belief that the georgia secretary of state, mr. Raffensperger, should step down . Guest we in the house delegation sent a letter encouraging the secretary of state to grant the request of the Trump Campaign. We have not called for at least not as a group, we have not called for the secretary of state to resign. What im calling for is the secretary of state to do his job, and not to be sensitive, not to be defensive, to be receptive and to work to do the right thing. And i think he does. But again, he needs to step back and take a deep breath, lets get it right, lets see what turns up. He ought to be outraged, and we all should be outraged that 2600 people in one county did not have their voice heard. They deserve to have their voice heard. Everyone deserves that, and that is what we all want. Host in an interview with the abc affiliate, he said 2600 people did not vote. Either they were told that either they did not vote absentee because the president said do not vote absentee because it is not secure, but then they did not come out to vote in person. They did not come out and vote in person. He would not as he would have won by 10,000 votes. He actually depressed his own voting base. Guest what im interested in is the secretary of state not being sensitive, not being defensive, but just do your job. Dont tell me what donald trump should have or shouldnt have done. That is not what you are supposed to be doing. Youre supposed to be making sure that we have fair, transparent elections. Lets stay focused, stay in our lanes, and do what we are supposed to be doing. Host we go to connie in illinois, a republican. What do you think about the Georgia Election results, and also these runoff races january 5 . Caller its all a scam, and donald trump is trying his best to get this point across to everyone, that this should never happen again. And what can they do about it . Ballots the host we are getting feedback from you because your television is on. A reminder to you and others to turn off your tv and listen through the phone. Can you reassure her and others that it is not a scam in georgia . Guest she was saying it was a recount that was the scam. Is that correct . Host if thats the way you understood it, by all means respond. Guest i have to respectfully disagree with the caller. Look, we need to get it right. It has to be right. This was a razor thin margin. This race has national implications. The outcome of the election could be changed and it could lead to other states looking into different things. I think that that donald trump and that campaign has every right to challenge this, and as we have seen already, we have had some things turn up there we can improve on and make sure that they do not happen the next time. You are talking again about a razor thin margin. Certainly these things are important. I dont think it is a sham. The democratic calls for a recount, that is what we should do. We should make sure that we are getting it right. Democrat,republican, everyone we all want the same thing. Fair, transparent, honest elections. Aboutwe are going to hear the results of this audit conducted in the state of georgia today, when we learn the time. You will know more. You can go to our website for coverage, cspan. Org. Donald trump, the president , tweeting out this morning, Important News Conference Today by lawyers on a very clear and viable path to victory. Fallingare very nicely into place. The Republican National convention will hold a News Conference at 12 00 p. M. Eastern time. Russell in south carolina, a democratic caller. Go ahead. Russell, are you there . Caller good morning. Yes, good morning, can you hear me . Host we can. Question or comment . Caller i live 50 miles from savannah, and i lived in atlanta. It seems to me that the atublican party are masters messaging. You know, they have pretty much demonized the democrats as being andalist, baby killers, unamerican. Savannah,arolina and they ran commercials that liberal judges are somehow people and would destroy america. The reason they want these elections these close are because the districts are so gerrymandered. That is why Joe Cunningham lost to nancy grace. And then it was only by one point. And the democrat and the republican gerrymandered districts. In georgia, they purged over 500,000 votes to get kent to be kempgovernor, and then puts Kelly Loeffler in. Hello . This republican is not in the billionaire class, i can assure you of that. I have to respectfully disagree with the caller. I dont think that first of all, this thing about identifying all democrats as being baby killers, as being socialists i dont think all democrats are socialists. I do think all socialists are democrats, but nevertheless, you know, it is unfortunate that we get into this profiling like that. Democrats are not bad people. Disagree with their policies i adamantly disagree. I think republicans are right on the policies. One of the things that has hurt us, i think, is that so many people dislike donald trump. They associate that with policy. I love Donald Trumps policies. I think he is spot on, i think he has done an outstanding job as president of the United States. I think he is one of the greatest president s we have ever had because of his policies, what he has done. I think it will benefit this country for years to come. The caller is talking about profiling. Well, you know, the same thing happens and we have to get past that as a country. The same thing happens with democrats trying to profile republicans as being billionaire class. Obviously that is not the case for many of us. But at the same time we have got to get past that. Regardless of if you are a republican or democrat, we are all americans and we have to keep in mind that we live in the greatest country in the world. We just have to Work Together and try to do that. You know, this part about if i goting votes elected governor i think that is a ridiculous claim. Just as the democrats think it is a ridiculous claim that donald trump wants to have the votes checked again and have a recount. But at the same time, that is why we need to do these things. Our system, and for all of us to have confidence in our electoral system. Host congressman, do you see any of these legal challenges making up the difference in the electoral vote, the electoral outcome between president elect joe biden and President Trump . If not then, do you think President Trump should concede . Guest i dont think the question is really whether it does make a difference. I applaud the president. He has every right, and to a certain extent a responsibility, to challenge these results. Has faithnald trump in us and we have faith in him. We want to make sure that this is correct. What the president is doing here by challenging this is the same thing that Stacey Abrams did two years ago when she challenged the voting process. What we all should be doing is making sure that we have got a fair, transparent electoral system. Can he make it up . I dont know. Evidently the Trump Campaign feels like they have a pathway by which they can do that. We will find out. But i do applaud the president for his efforts in making sure have theave that we accurate results. Mississippi is wondering about the missing votes in georgia. Will they affect the senate race . The senator of produce only three Percentage Points away from 50 . Will it impact both races . Unfortunately, it will not. It will not give senator perdue, who has done an outstanding job come of the original outsider who has been here for the last six years and deserves to be reelected and will be reelected. But no, it will not impact him. It will not be enough votes to put him over the top at the 6 mark. Unfortunately, that will be the case. We go to jimbo in bakersfield, california, an independent. Caller no one be grudges the Republican Party or the president the opportunity to see if he can scrape up votes here and there, but i really begrudge all of you is the inability for General Service administration, the gsa, to recognize the incoming Biden Administration. Because right now you are costing your constituents their lives. Because there is not a clear, smooth transition for the vaccination program. You know, all of these vaccines are worthless until you get it into my arm. And right now you are impeding the ability for me to get that shot. In my arm. The other comment i need to make is this. Marjorie taylor greene, someone who subscribes to qanon conspiracy theories, like currently the government is secretly controlled by democrat pedophilia cannibals . Get real. Youre going to work with Marjorie Taylor greene sitting right next to you in committees and whatnot . Someone who ascribes to all these conspiracy theories . Tell me the Republican Party is not a clown show now. I dont get it. What planet are you people from . Host wister carter, your response mr. Carter, your response . Guest i could not disagree with the call any more than i do. What this administration has achieved is simply phenomenal. I say that as a member of congress, as an american citizen, and i say that as a health care professional, a pharmacist who has worked in the system for more than 30 years who understands the process by approved,e things are by which they are researched and developed. That is nothing short of phenomenal. For us to be able to come up with a vaccine like this in this frame of time is phenomenal. There are a lot of questions, a lot of people who are criticizing this. Unfortunately the cloud you want to talk about clowns . Look at the new york governor if you want to talk about a clown. There is someone who is criticizing peoples health, who is endangering peoples health. A safe andng to be effective vaccine. How much do i believe that . Im going to the Clinical Trial myself. I am going to the pfizer Clinical Trial. I am convinced this will be a safe and effective vaccine. I know what process, and i know what the administration is doing. They are just as detailed as they have ever been. They are not compromising anything whatsoever. What they are doing is simply phenomenal. As far as the transfer of power goes, that will happen and there will be a peaceful and smooth transition of power. This election has not been called yet. The media does not call the election. They do not decide who is going to be present. It is done through a process, and that process takes time. That process has appeals, which we are going through now. The president has every right and every responsibility, whoever the loser is come whoever the challenger is. They have the responsibility and that right. As far as talking about individuals who are coming into congress, i will tell you, i look forward to working with her. To be ashe is going fine member of congress. She is very outspoken, and thats ok. We understand that. Dont think for one minute that she is alone in that respect. Democrats have just as many outspoken members as we have. So i will be proud to sit by Marjorie Taylor greene, and im going to work with her for the benefit of the American People. Rex, next, from georgia. A republican. Caller and you hear me . Host we can. Caller thank you for cspan and thank you for taking my call. My question is the senate is always staggered with sixyear since i believe loeffler was appointed, we have both of our senators on the same year. Will that continue come or will they find a way to stagger them . They will be staggered. Our senior senator resigned at the and of last year, and the governor appointed leffler. But you have to have an election as soon as you can, and that election was, of course, on november 3 because she did not get 50 . Now she goes into the runoff on january 5. Oft will be the remainder isaacsons term. She will have to run at the end of 2022 for a full sixyear term. Kelly leffler has done an outstanding job in washington, d. C. She has represented our state welcome and im very proud that she is our jr. Senator right now. Will win reelection easily, i think. We have to get out and work, no question about that. When you compare her to down my goodness, when you talk about somebody with wild beliefs, look at raphael warnock, with what he believes in what he has said in the past. I think it will become Crystal Clear that Kelly Leffler is obvious for the election. Host ralph, a democratic caller. Have three quick points that i would like to have the congressman respond on. I grew up with senator mccarthy. He made the speech that, as i understand it, he is not he is not willing to work with the new administration if biden is the president. Here you supported that he was winningen obama the election, that he was not going to support him. Supervision the president of the United States who you support and you say is the best you have ever seen. He has said that the judges are not fair. Certain judges do things wrong. ,ut yet were black lives matter black lives matter says, hey, i have been mistreated. All of these things right here, were wrong. We are socialists, we are not part of the United States. This bickering that goes on, i hear you and other people look at what youre are saying about leffler. She doesnt believe black lives matter, but she also that she doesnt support those people host we are running out of time with the congressman, so i will have him respond to what he has heard so far. Guest first of all, i havent heard Kevin Mccarthy say he has not willing to work with the bite demonstration. I know Kevin Mccarthy very well. He is a close friend. Kevin mccarthy, i am proud that he is our minority leader, and im looking forward in disco for hymn too years for th be speaker of the house. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi was so much disdain and hatred i dont use that word lightly, it is a strong word in my vocabulary but her hatred for donald trump has led us in the past two years to get nothing at all achieved in the house of representatives, and that but Kevin Mccarthy i think will certainly be willing to work with the Biden Administration as long as we find Common Ground and as long as we can Work Together and make sure that our voice is heard. I dont have any question at all about that. As far as Kelly Leffler and black lives matter, told her this on numerous occasions. , stepping out as coowner of the american dream, wnbaasketball team thats about team in atlanta, and her stand against being politically involved like that, i thought that was an outstanding move and a very courageous move on her part. It shows her character. It shows that the fact that she has been successful, and i dont fault her for that. I am glad she has been successful. A fineeffler came from family. I know the representative in illinois who represents the area where her family still lives and still owned the farm. Just the finest family you would ever want to meet. I am proud of what Kelly Leffler has done, and the stand that she has taken. Black lives matter, no question about that. Black Families Matter. Black Families Matter and black fathers matter. There is no question about that. The movement itself i think is what we have a problem with, what i have a problem with. But i think it is extremely important in our society, if we are going to be successful, that we have black families and that we have black lives and black fathers that are an integral part of our society. There is no question about that whatsoever in my mind. Host debbie, your next, in michigan, republican. Caller i have a question for mr. Caller. For mr. Carter. I dont know who to believe anymore. I have heard this thing going on in georgia is a recount, and i have heard it is an audit that will lead to a recount. Can you please carol can you please clarify that . And what do you think of the dems urging people to move to georgia for the senate race coming up . Guest first of all, there are a number of reasons why people would want to move to georgia. That is one of the things i think that has happened in the state of georgia. That hasave a state had Republican Leadership the last two decades and we have been able to keep taxes low, increase the quality of life in our state. , seventh or eighth year in a row that we have been the best state to be due to do business in. All of that is from Republican Leadership. It is because of people moving from blue states, democratic leadership, that we are seeing a change. They are bringing with them their politics. That is confusing to me because i cannot understand them leaving the states where they have democratic leadership to come to georgia and texas and arizona and nevada, where we have Republican Leadership, and that is where they want to move. We are not going to tolerate this, and the attorney general has already made it clear that anyone who is living in georgia with the express intent of only voting in the election and then leaving again, that is a felony. They are going to be prosecuted for that. That is not going to be tolerated, not going to be allowed. That is just something that we feel very strongly about. Augusta, georgia, democratic caller. Go ahead. Think yourrter, i heart is in the right place, but i still keep hearing a lot of talking points when it comes to this election. The secretary of state is being intimidated. Because we have two Critical Senate seats that are up for grabs, and you all are demonizing the candidates. I am here in augusta every single day. Withe being overwhelmed demonizing campaign ads from the republicans. It has been going on the whole time. And purdue, that is why he doesnt want to debate because they are in the stock market. I understand you want to protect your money. Dealing in are underhanded ways. You dont want that exposed. I have been in georgia my whole life. I am a veteran. I see what you are playing. Like you said, there are republican led states. Areasome from republican in georgia. He says his 159 heart is in the right place. His talking points are coming from people like rush limbaugh, mark levine, glenn beck. Host we heard your point. Congressman, your response. Guest first of all, thank you for being in georgia your whole life. I have been in georgia my whole life. Educated in the state of georgia, harris college, university of georgia. These are coming from someone who has been here all our life. Politics is contact sport. There is no question about it. Those commercials are bad on both sides. Dont tell me that it is just the republicans demonizing the democrats. You know it is the democrats teaming demonizing the republicans. You yourself, you are trying to demonize someone for being a billionaire, for being successful. Why would we demonize someone for being successful in business . Look, i started a business from the ground up. I have enjoyed success. At least for me, what i consider success. Nowhere near a billionaire or even a fraction of it. But i have worked hard and i have had that opportunity, and i thank the state of georgia and the United States of s america for giving me that opportunity and making it possible. A a son of a paper mill worker, a ship working paper mill, someone who is the first one in his extended family to ever graduate from college. We lived in the greatest country in the world, as i said before, and im not going to take anything away from that. This is a free country. Weve got concerns and challenges but we are going to be just fine. Host congressman buddy carter, republican of georgia, represents the first district, thank you for your time. Guest thank you. Host we are going to talk to the democrat from georgia, hank johnson, about the election results. Giving federal aid to american businesses and responses to the pandemic, we will have a conversation with shane shiflett coming up. With coronavirus cases increasing across the country, use our website, cspan. Org coronavirus to follow the trends, track the spread with interactive maps, and watch updates on demand any time at cspan. Org coronavirus. You are watching cspan, you are watching cspan, your entered filled view of government and brought to you today by your television provider. Washington journal continues. Host continuing our conversation on the state of georgia, joining us is representative hank johnson, democrat, representing the fourth district. Do you have confidence in the election process in your state . Guest i think that these elections of november 3, 2020 were handled effectively and efficiently, though there were some snags. We are working with new electronic voting equipment. It cost the state and hundred 10 billion excuse me 110 million, but we still ended up with a recount of paper ballots. I thought that was so ironic, when we could have gone to a simple system of filling in the ballots,n hand marked and then using machines to cap those ballots. And then you have count those ballots. Then you have a paper trail you can audit and it is not a 110 million system, but it is what it is. Ive got to say to Brad Roethlisberger that he did a decent job. I want to thank Stacey Abrams for making sure that there were various Court Rulings in effect that mandated certain activities by the secretary of state, to ensure a free and fair election. I think that is exactly what we got november 3. Host what role did Stacey Abrams play in possibly, it looks like, a democrat winning that state for the First Time Since 1992 . Guest she played a huge role. For the last 10 years, stacey effective been a registrar of voters through her various organizations, and in the runup to the 2020 elections, there were one million newly registered voters. Were were 800,000 of those abramsthe work of stacey and her organizations in the act thoses association with organizations. Those 800,000 newly registered voters, mostly young, who made the difference and turned the tide in georgia, and turned georgia blue for the president ial election. Like oneo, it looks house seat in georgia, the seventh district slipped. What is significant about that . Guest it is consistent with the fact that georgia is changing. The new south has come to georgia. Thatw some bemoan the fact things will not be the way they used to be, but things will never go back to how they used to be in georgia. There is new blood in georgia, new people, young people, black asians. Brown people, and forward thinking white people. It is a new day for georgia. Ings are moving forward, not backwards, and georgia things are moving forward, not backwards, and georgia is leading the way to the new south. These are georgia residents who changed georgia and the changes an indication of changing the south and changing the nation. We all know the sordid history of the south with slavery, leading the way on jim crow, apartheid racism for 100 years. We all know about Voter Suppression throughout the south. We all know how difficult the journey has been for black people who chose to remain here and not go north like many did, during the migration from the just, when lynchings and the ku klux klan, that whole actionrate thinking and was the south, but i think georgia has proven that the south has moved on from that sordid history. Weve moved onto a history where we embrace our diversity. Everyone has equal rights under the law. The law is enforced equally against all and for all. And it works for all. Everyone has the right to exercise that cherished right to vote, which is what john lewis dictated dedicated his life to. It is what he walked across the Edmund Pettus bridge for, got on head bashed in, not just that occasion but on numerous occasions. It is what we need to pass in the house to restore the Voting Rights act. We passed it in the house. We need to pass it in the senate and we need a president who will sign it. Thats why im so happy about the prospects for georgia being twoe being able to elect georgia senators who will be partners as opposed to obstructionists of georgias sordid past. We need two senators that will work toward this new south ideal that was expressed by georgians on november 3 in voting for the democrats. I think we are going to measure up and i believe we will win these two senate seats in georgia and thus change the nation. North, southn carolina, democratic caller. Caller hello, sir. Like they are charted black votes to be discarded, so how do you feel about basically what the Republican Party is saying is they do not respect the black vote . Guest this has been the history of georgia. It has been the history of the south, and frankly the nation has not been exempt from it. All across the nation, we have seen repeated instances over disenfranchisement of africanamerican voters, and the type of that has changed. Unfortunately, the United States Supreme Court took us backwards despite congressional intent and despite a record that justifies the reauthorization of the voting acts right of 1965. The u. S. Supreme court decided to, in a fit of judicial the votingviscerate , and leave it to congress again to come up with a solution. There is still disenfranchisement taking place by white people depriving black people of their rights to vote across the country in numerous ways, so we need the Voting Rights act to be restored to protect that right to vote, because we are not out of the woods yet in terms of people wanting to suppress our votes. You can see donald in his operation, which still has not enabled to admit that he lost the election. It is in various places across the country trying to suppress the counting of votes in , and youmerican areas can see that tactic being used right now as we speak, and it is something that needs to end. These two senators that we elect here in georgia will stand for that. Tots why this nation needs cleanse the soul of its past unrighteousness, its past and justiceness, its past callousness of equal rights of black people in the country, so i was so glad we had a chance to do that in georgia. Host rocco in cartersville, georgia, republican. Caller i hear people all the time say, it is not that much voter fraud. Equivalent if i gave each of you a pack of m ms and told you that one or two of those had poison in them. You wouldnt accept the entire bag of m ms at all. There is poison in this Voting System and that poison is the illegal mailin ballot a. That illegal mailin ballot in balloting. That illegal mall in balloting pushed through with the woman from wisconsin, Stacey Abrams. You talk about disenfranchising the black peoples vote, donald j. Trump doubled his black voter. Ballotsthese mailed in disenfranchises the black people that voted for donald trump. Hank johnson only cares about black democrat votes. He doesnt care about the black people who voted for President Trump. When you take the illegal mailin ballots, you wipe out the black republican that voted for donald trump. Host congressman, your response . My friend would use the analogy of m ms, i remember john lewis used to talk about how they used to force black people to count the number of jellybeans in a jar before they could be registered to vote, so that was a rich analogy that my friend used. But his point is that male in balloting male in balloting is fraudulent and nothing could be further from the truth. Usedin balloting has been throughout the decades that we , throughout the centuries actually, mailin voting. It was no different this time other than the fact that instead of going to the polls, people decided to use mailin ballots because they did not want to risk catching the Coronavirus Infection and dying, so people chose to vote from home instead of going to the polls to vote. When you vote at home, you have a signature match that has to be made by the Election Officials once your ballot is received, and once that match is confirmed, then your ballot is placed in the stack to be counted. Thats the way that the system works. There were white people and the people who utilized mailin ballots. There were democrats and republicans and some independents, so it is impossible for my friend to know that all of the mailin ballots were sent in by democrats. That just doesnt make sense. Iny people exercise prudence trying to keep themselves safe, and they voted from home. There is really nothing wrong with that. Host congressman, respond to carter,league, buddy who said the president is justified in his legal challenges. [video clip] we need to get it right. This was a razor thin margin. This race has national implications. Changes in georgia could change the outcome in the election and change other states looking at two different things. Ont think that it is out i think that donald trump and that campaign has every right to challenge this. As we have seen already, we have seen some things go up that we can move on and make sure they dont happen next time. When you were talking again about a razor thin margin like we are talking about, certainly these things are important that i do not think it is a sham. The democrats if the role were reversed and the democrats called for a recount, thats what we should do. We should make sure we are getting it right. Republican, democrat, independent, we all want the same thing, a fair, transparent, honest election. Host congressman . Guest a recount has been performed in georgia and it did not have to be performed because donald trump has not officially requested a recount of the votes in georgia. He can only do so after the votes are certified, with what happened on november 20. Is. 05 argin of defeat or less than he has the right to an automatic recount, but donald trump did not wait until november 20 to request a recount in georgia. He sent his henchmen like Lindsey Graham into georgia to pressure secretary of state roethlisberger to institute a hand recount of the ballots. A hand recount of the ballots is not authorized by georgia law. This is something that Brad Roethlisberger decided to do because he was under so much immense pressure from people trying to actually get him to throw out the votes. Lindsey graham, exhibit a. To his credit, he did not go that far, but he did do something that the law does not require him to do, and that is to call for a hand recount of the ballots before he had actually certified the votes. Thats what has happened here in georgia and the only reason that happened like that is because donald trump is trying to steal this election. He actually stole the 2016 election, but when measures were taken to ensure it could not happen like that again, he is now attacking the votes. This vote nationally is not even close. He is losing by 5 million popular votes and he is losing the Electoral College by a profound amount, a tremendous victory nationwide. Now in georgia, it is a razor thin margin of victory. I think its 12,781 votes now. That is very close, and trump will have the right to ask for recount once that count is certified on november 20. He is actually going to get two recount in georgia, and it is not fair that the georgia secretary of state would choose to do a hand recount for one vote under immense pressure to theory of in another votes, he can decide i am not going to do a hand recount. That is something we need to correct in georgia law, because one law should fit everyone and everyone should live in accordance with that law. Host stephen in connecticut, independent. Caller thank you, lady greta, for taking my call. I want to focus on get out the vote efforts. Id donate i donated to Stacey Abrams on the fair fight organization so the two senators can win this race, after the draconian tax restructuring that really hit me hard. I am ready for a change. See youngke to people, there is going to be a whole group of them eligible to vote in this oneoff election. I want to see people get masks on, put lobs on, knock on doors, make phone calls, get president obama on there. Vice president harrison President Biden down there, get out the vote. What are you guys going to drive doing to drive the vote . Host congressman . Guest that is exactly what the plan is, to do everything you mentioned. First with respect to registration, massive numbers of voters in georgia are already registered. I think it is over 90 . 17. 5urse, there are million who will turn 18 and they have the ability to get registered to vote. We have up until december 7 to register new voters, so there is to registering made those voters who remain unregistered, and then the thing that we have to do in january is to turn out the voters. Voters turned out in record numbers in georgia for november 3, and weve got to repeat that same success on january 5. So massive amounts of work are being put in to ensure that we get that. I thank you for your observation. Host bloomington, indiana, lizzie, a democratic caller. Caller thank you, cspan, and rep johnson. And i am foriana Stacey Abrams too, for the job she has been doing and helping us get back in there. All of this fake information is coming from the top, our president. It has been happening for four years now. He had a lot of help, like you said, from russia at the beginning when he first came in. And he is prejudiced, in my eyes, and i have relatives that get all of that information that isnt true. It is really hard, because i love my relatives but it is crazy. The other thing is, i heard carter say that the president has a right to do this. In my opinion, we have picked our president and he is the suppose it when a. Where is supposed winner. Where is the gsa and why isnt this being done . Can you please get them to sign over, because they are going to kill a bunch of people because we are not getting help out here . Host congressman . Guest i agree that the gsa should ascertain a winner in this election, and thats easy to do. All indications, not some, but all of the indications are that we have elected a president elect and a president and a Vice President elect. To serve be sworn in as president and Vice President on january 20. It is easy to ascertain that and the only reason why the gsa director has refused and failed to open up our transition process and the resources that flow and the information that shes there from is because is being leaned on by donald trump and his minions. They care nothing about the law. They care nothing about the rules. They care nothing about the traditions of our country. They disrespect the rule of law. They are selfish and they are selfcentered and they are only in it for themselves. I am including david perdue and Kelly Loeffler in with that group. Ownhats they put their interest ahead of that of the nation and its people, and it is hurting our people. It is hurting america. This is something that i hope will end soon. You mentioned, maam, about your relatives and the false information that is being said, and the fact that many are consuming this false information. It is like poison in the minds of the people arent and the minds of the people are infected by poison. It is hard to talk sense to them and hard to get some people to understand that to wear a masks do not just protect themselves but to protect others from being infected by them who may be asymptomatic carrying this virus. So people, some people, it is not that they do not care. It is that they do not believe they believe that covid19 pandemic is a hoax and there is nothing that you can say to them that can convince them otherwise. Liesf this is due to the that donald trump has used the presidency to spread, and he has done so for his own purposes and it is to the detriment of the people. How to we get our people to take the antidote of truth to break the spell of the poison of mistruths . That is the question, how do we administer the truth to our neighbors and relatives who have been you have consumed this donald who have consumed this donald trump poison. It is nothing more than love and understanding and gentle persuasion. We must insist on the truth and we must spread the truth. The fact thatt others are under the influence and not quite ready to hear the truth, but we have got to keep giving it to them and soon they will see the light and start protecting themselves, protecting others, and we can start moving our country forward based on truth, based on science, based on logic as opposed to fear and anger and ignorance. Host lets go to pittsburgh, harry, republican. Caller i have been a fan of yours ever since you were a general. Brad savannah, georgia, democratic caller. Caller good morning, greta. Good morning, congressman. Guest good morning. Caller i am in congressman i am a new transplant and i guess i am one of the transplant changers. The rural divide in the state of georgia and across the countrys i think worse than race, worse than economics, worse than education. What can our party do to reach hicks. These are not dumb they are good hardworking people. They are not all misinformed, but how do we heal that divide . Guest i think we have to i mean, it would seem nice for a city boy to be down in south georgia hunting and fishing with some of the good old boys, and meal, maybe camping out, doing some things that ,aybe city people dont have you know, they have not done that before, and maybe there should be them some opportunity for people to come together, share culture and that kind of thing. Once you know people, you can communicate with them a little better. The same way with the good old boys who have never been to the city before. Come on up to the city, see how things roll there. You may not like it, but at least you can come and understand that there is real people who live in those cities and they have their own challenges to meet, just like you have yours in the countryside. Sir, isi am saying, basically people need to start coming together. People need to make conscious efforts to establish dialogue with people who they disagree with, who they dont identify with, black, white, latino, asian, american native american, all kinds of people. And when we do that, we start to understand the fact that we are all people, even though we have different experiences and backgrounds and lifestyles, and we get past all of that, we start recognizing we are all people. Then we can start to trust each other and we can start to listen and learn from each other, and i think that is pretty much what we need to do. A mass scale,on but just persontoperson, so each person has to take the opportunity to get out of their comfort zone and go out and meet people. I know that is difficult to do in a pandemic situation, but perhaps is not as difficult as you think, because social media, which can spread disinformation, can also be used to establish bonds of communication and friendship among people. It is all in how we utilize what we have to workhave to work wit. Person totted as a try to promote understanding around the world, particularly within my own country and particularly within my own state. James,ets go to mississippi, independent. You are our last call for the congressman. Caller how are you doing, sir . How are you doing, maam . I was calling because i give the Republican Partys props on the winning senators and they had an africanamerican. I give them props. Whatever they did, they got the women involved and im so glad the women are involved and not just men. I wanted to ask you one question. , i senator from florida would hope that you relate this message to her and to the president of the United States. I desire and pray that she become the attorney general. We need more women in powerful positions. I know for a fact she would be a great attorney general. I hope and pray you spread that word. And kamalat biden harris when we need more people in powerful positions, and she should be the number one candidate for attorney general, because she was a police officer. She was a 27 year police officer. She knows the role. She doesnt go by race or color or male or female. She goes by law. Host congressman . Guest he is talking about my friend val demings from orlando, florida. A great member of congress and a great Public Servant with a Bright Future ahead of her. I know that her heart is full of service for the people. I look forward to supporting her in whatever role that she finds herself in. She is just good people. And i agree with you. Host we want to thank you for your time and for talking to our viewers this morning. We appreciate it. Guest thank you for having me. Host we will take a short break. When we come back we will turn our attention to the Protection Program with Shane Shifflett of the wall street journal. Book tv on cspan2 has top nonfiction books and authors every weekend. This weekend, saturday at 1 00 p. M. Eastern, from the recent ,irtual brooklyn book festival authors on the suffrage movement. And then authors on the history of civil rights in new york. Eastern the author of midnight intranoble, the chrynobyl. Andiscussing the past future of technology. Then the potential effects of the coronavirus on society. At 9 00 p. M. Eastern on afterwords deborah stone talks about her book counting how we use numbers to decide what matters. Shes interviewed by a Data Scientist and author. Watch book tv on cspan this weekend. Mobile devices and go to cspan. Org for video live and ondemand to follow the transition of power. President trump, president elect biden, News Conferences, and coverage at cspan. Org. Washington journal continues. Host Shane Shifflett is a the wall street journal who focuses on data and analyzing numbers. He wrote a piece yesterday or two days ago, hundreds of companies who got stimulus aid have failed. Recipients of ppe loans have filed for bankruptcy after the money ran out. Thank you for joining us. With ther viewers paycheck Protection Program is. Stimulus was a form of that the treasury and Small Business administration started lending to borrowers, Small Businesses, back in april. They plan to forgive a lot of these loans as long as the funds were used to fund payroll and other qualifying expenses. Host how much money was lent and what types of businesses received the money . Guest in the end there were 525 billion lent out. More than 5 million recipients of the loans got some of the funds. All kinds of businesses. Very Small Businesses, some larger businesses as well. The ones who filed for bankruptcy were a lot of restaurants, hotels, and businesses in the Accommodation Services industry. Host you wrote the total amount lent to companies who went bankrupt is between 220 Million Dollars and 509 million. For thernment range amount. Half of the firms identified by the journal have filed for bankruptcy since august. Dozens of recipients who come from a state where the pandemic is a primary reason for entering bankruptcy. Were they more specific . The companies that i spoke with, some cited specifically the statemandated lockdown. Especially events spaces, one of the main examples have in my article. Event space into locations shut down after 20 years of successful operation. Onsaid the statewide bans large gatherings killed his business. Is a similar condition for the hotels, restaurants who cant operate at full capacity. That seems to be the biggest issue. There are other costs associated with the pandemic, like ppe equipment and so on and so forth. There are other expenses that businesses have to consider. That filedusinesses for bankruptcy, what happened with the money they received from the government for the paycheck Protection Program . Is it forgiven . Do they have to pay it back . Guest keep in mind that it can be forgiven. They are looking into that now for a lot of companies who applied to have those funds forgiven. In bankruptcy court, what happens to the loan is it is an unsecured claim which has lower repayment priority than a secured claim, which may be backed by property or things like that. Who is in owner charge of a bankruptcy negotiation will go to their creditors and have a conversation and come up with a repayment plan. The repayment plans are almost always far left of the original value of the loan. If the government decided not to forgive the loans, for example if the company didnt use funds appropriately, they would still only be able to recover pennies on the dollar and most cases. Host we want to hear from our viewers on this topic. Viewers in the Eastern Central 202 f the country, 7488000. Mountain pacific, 202 7488001. If you received ppp funding, 202 7488002. We want to hear you, if it helped you stay afloat, or if you come alike in the story, had to file for bankruptcy. You write about the government watchdog group. The watchdog counted tens of thousands of companies that received ppp loans for which they appear to have been ineligible. Corporations created after the pandemic began, those who exceeded workforce size limits, 500 employees or fewer, or those payers. Eady owed to tax how did this happen . Guest you know, you have to look at the underwriting process, which is not traditional. The actual loans. The Small Business administration and the treasury say that they will guarantee the loans as long as theyre used for the right funds. When this program came out it was quick. They wanted to get as much money to as many businesses as possible to stave off immediate failures. The underwriting process was a piece of paper that you fill out and are self certifying. Companies were allowed to put whatever they wanted and there wasnt a Fraud Prevention framework in place prior to making the loans. Now that the government has had a little more time to review who the recipients are, it is becoming clear there are thousands of funds who probably should not have applied for the money and received it and they will have to go through some kind of clawback process. That will play out over the following weeks and months. Host do you know what that process will look like . Guest we will have to see. [laughter] host mike, you are up first. Good morning. Am a cpa in california. There has been a lot of talk taxability of the the forgiveness of the ppp loans. Originally they said they were not going to be taxable when they were forgiven. And then it turns out through some Internal Revenue code well, the forgiveness of the debt is not taxable, but the deductions, the expenses that you spend the money for will not be deductible. Then it becomes a matter of, win is this actually taxable when is this actually taxable . Most say it will be taxable when the loan is forgiven. Now the irs apparently has issued a notice saying, well, we thesethat maybe deductions arent deductible when you got the money, not when it is forgiven, even if you dont know if its going to be forgiven. The thing that irritates me the most is at the beginning of this process when different congressmen, when it was explained to them that this money as it turns out is going to be taxable, they said no, we will need to change the law because that was not our intent. Anything toing protect businesses or give them hard and fast rules on this. The other thing i have to say about this as there are some businesses that probably got the. Oney and didnt make it is that going to be taxable to them . Forget about paying the money back, but are they going to have to pay tax on money they dont have any more . I dont see a single congressperson seeming to be concerned about this, when it was unanimous, all of the republicans and democrats were all for the ppp loans. When it comes down to how tricky and difficult and challenging this is, there is no help whatsoever. Host lets let Shane Shifflett weigh in. Outsideax is a little of my field. Thats a great story idea. You bring up an interesting point about how legislators terms really think about of bankruptcy. The underlying law doesnt say anything about companies who file for bankruptcy. The Small Business administration has fought, essentially, to disqualify forowers from qualifying ppp funds while in bankruptcy. We have seen all kinds of interesting maneuvers from companies who have filed for bankruptcy, come out of bankruptcy, receive the funds, and filed for bankruptcy again, and that is basically ok. The proposed legislation, there is modifications to the ppp address att will least some of the issues around bankruptcy and codify that, but i dont know exactly how the tax issues will be treated this time, but you bring up a great point. Host what are some Company Names that received ppp funding that had more than 500 employees who have should not have received the money . Guest i dont have that list in front of me to look at, but when you look at the ppp database there is no one in there who says they have more than 500 employees. You have to look at different sources of information to find out if they have more employees than that. We dont have a full list yet. Host what types of businesses were hardest hit that ended up filing for bankruptcy . Guest definitely restaurants, hotels, Energy Companies were surprisingly in their but that is likely to do more with the economy and the way that the Energy Industry is doing with oil prices and stuff. Manufacturers, companies that mightve contracted with boeing, stuff like that. Accommodationthe Services Industry that was hit the hardest so far, just by the sheer fact that they cant operate at full capacity, and in many cases cant open their doors. If you look at event venues for concerts essentially, they are looking at a full year of zero revenue almost. They have no timetable for reopening and when we can have concerts again. There is definitely lots of businesses on the brink, and we are seeing the tip of the iceberg in these bankruptcy filings. Host jerry, east brunswick, new jersey. Caller how are you . Thanks for picking up my call. I believe that in order for these Small Businesses to i am 82. I am not in business but i spent 50 years in the corporate world. In order for them to survive the Small Businesses have to get federal support. They have to get federal support. The constitution, we the people, most of the politicians who are elected come from extreme wealth, extreme wealth. They have no idea how the hardships are. In my community a number of companies have gone out. Two of my gym have declared bankruptcy. The restaurants cant survive. The politicians, lets take the majority out of the senate. He has beenrassley, there long time. Lets take pelosi. They dont understand the people who own the Small Businesses are really suffering. In these current negotiations, is Congress Talking about more money for the paycheck Protection Program . Guest i dont have the exact figures on what the next planned paycheck Protection Program will be. The democrats have about 2 billion in stimulus they want to pass and republicans have 650 billion the last i looked in early november. Host 2 trillion for democrats s. Guest 2 trillion for democrats and six under 50 billion for republicans. Republicans are looking at a hair more than what was given out to Small Businesses. Host charles in buffalo, new york. Good morning. Caller good morning. A question, in his Opening Statement a few moments ago the only used noticed he the 500 employees size, he did not use dollar value. Standard reflected in dollar value and number of employees . Why did you leave that out . How much money we do cite how much money was went to the companies. I dont know off the top of my head. Again, we are looking at what the filers iny the paperwork they filed stored by the sba. We have what industry, if they were veteran owned. A lot of this information is also optionally filled out and is incomplete in many cases. Host william and jefferson township, pennsylvania. Caller hello. I vote republican, and i think this stimulus for companies is businesses for the drip off the government, ok . I dont think businesses that because of this pandemic and everything they should be allowed to fail, i think. It will clean out the weak from the ones and the ones who are strong will survive. Host can i ask you to define for our viewers the difference between the paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program . Guest the ppp loans are forgivable as long as theyre used to support jobs, primarily what they are designed to do, dickie people on the payroll. It isnt really for the benefit of the business to keep people on the payroll. It isnt really for the benefit of the business. The disaster loans have more of the typical underwriting process, there is more of a review of their financial state, and of the loans are often for much smaller amounts than the ppp loans. Host to learn more about Shane Shiffletts reporting on the paycheck Protection Program, you can go to wsj. Com. Thank you very much. Guest thank you. Host when we come back, we will return to the question we asked earlier. What is your confidence level in congressional leadership as nancy pelosi regains the gavel for another term. There are the numbers on your screen. We will be right back. Youru are watching cspan, unfiltered view of government, created by americas tabl Cable Television service as a Public Service and brought to you by your television provider. With coronavirus cases increasing across the country, use our website, cspan. Org coronavirus, to follow the trends and track the spread with interactive maps, and watch updates on demand any time at cspan. Org coronavirus. Washington journal continues. Yesterday House Democrats renominated nancy pelosi to serve another term as speaker. She has said this will be her last. Mccarthy,icans, kevin a republican from california, will serve as their leader in the house. In the senate, Chuck Schumer will lead the Democratic Party and Mitch Mcconnell will lead the gop. What is your confidence level in these leaders . Here is nancy pelosi yesterday. [video clip] representative pelosi i wish you could have seen the nominations and acceptance speeches because you could see the Common Thread and unity of our caucus. The knowledge of our subjects, the Strategic Thinking you hear me talk about all the time. All of it connected to the hopes and aspirations of americas working families. That is what unifies us. I am very honored. I was actually emotional earlier because of some of the things that were said in nomination, but also listening to the other as to nots as well only the vision but the depth of commitment, the values of our caucus. I am thrilled, i am excited, and working with to be a new president of the United States, joe biden and, hair is. And kamala harris. The nancy pelosi becomes first person, more than 60 years, to become the speaker after losing the majority. She became the first female speaker in 2007. Kevin mccarthy also spoke to reporters after he was put back into the leadership spot in the house by his fellow republicans. [video clip] mccarthy everyone predicted the republicans would lose 15 to 20 seats. Not one income that lost. On the democrat side more than a dozen lost. Simply for playing politics or spending their time defunding the police or wasting their entire majority on an impeachment. Republicans always focused on putting the people first before politics, and we will continue to do that work. In this next congress we may not be able to schedule the floor, but we will run the floor. Host minority leader Kevin Mccarthy. Democratic caller, do you like the leadership headed by nancy pelosi in the house and Chuck Schumer in the senate . All actuality, no, i do not like the way nancy pelosi leads the house. We dont hear anything about some of the most important played as that they great hand in creating like the european Adoption Agency and other childrelated companies and what have you that our government has basically created without the publics knowledge. Nothing the leadership seems to present to the people has any truth to it. If there is any truth to it at falset is misleading into information. Arecally, the democrats Child Molesting host william and sanderson, florida. Caller yes, maam. The rightsi is doing thing. If you watch every day they are debating, they are working in congress. I watched all week. The republicans are not debating. In the senate they are just pushing through judges and that stuff. Are justworking, they not working on the right things. The republicans arent, but they are working. Leadershipsis trying to get them to debate, and they wont. The people on cspan, the news that comes out of their mouth, you have to watch on tv their media. Host there are negotiations happening between Speaker Pelosi, the white house, and republicans in the senate over about the be next Economic Impact of the covid19 pandemic. Negotiations are stalled. Here is the republican leader of the senate, the majority leader, yesterday. [video clip] nell or mccon republicans spent months trying to get another relief bill passed for americans. We want to Reach Agreement on all the areas where compromise is well within reach. Spend hundreds of billions of dollars virgin and uncontroversial programs. And let washington argue over the rest. There is no reason why struggling families should wait until we resolve every difference on every issue. , Speaker Pelosi and the democratic leader have been equally consistent and they dont think congress should do anything at all. Anything. Unless they get the cash out for their ideological wish list including a zero relationship to the present crisis. Congressinue to insist passed the heroes act or nothing at all. The problem is that their proposal is a multi trillion dollar laughingstock that never had a chance of becoming law. Minority leader, Chuck Schumer, responded saying this. [video clip] would reminder i the public and later the house has passed a bill in the senate has not. The only senate bill that the leader brings to the floor gets a zero democratic support. Yet the Republican Leaders position, if you dont take my bill get nothing, when he knows that his bill cannot pass. Cannot pass the senate or the house. It is a feeble position as the pandemic rages and it doesnt fly. We democrats have lowered our proposal by over 1 trillion to move closer in negotiations. What did Senate Republicans do . They moved further away by cutting their already inadequate proposal in half, making compromise more difficult. Look, we need to reset the conversation. The country is in desperate straits, may be more desperate than it has ever been in this crisis. The consensus view of economists and experts is that the country requires a substantial injection of aid, to our schools, Small Businesses, unemployed, Health Care System among other things. These arent frivolous, these are someones whim. These are the desperate needs of people crying out for help. Almost none of them are covered adequately in the Republican Leaders bill. Host the democratic leader in the senate. We are asking you your confidence level in the leaders on issues like covid19 Economic Relief. Passing appropriations bill. Other issues that you care about. Susan in massachusetts, democratic caller. Do you back the leadership in the Democratic Party . Caller yes. That thettle upset senate should remain in the hands of Mitch Mcconnell. I think that he really is an obstructionist. Aside from that, what i want to talk about our all of the congressman. Thatnk they got the idea when they get to congress they have to only do with their state wants. States have their own congresses and own to take care of the needs of the people in their state. Host we are talking about your confidence level in congressional leaders up until 10 00 a. M. When the house comes in for their legislative business. Here are text messages. This viewer says i am an independent from pennsylvania who voted for obama, trump, and by then. I dont approve of the leadership of pelosi or mcconnell. Willieve her nomination turn the senate seat read in january. Mitch is just as bad, but he has the support of everyday republicans. Benjamin says the leadership of the american government, particularly congress, has been two steps behind the American People for a decade. The only confidence is in their own desire to maintain their power no matter what the American People need. They are just there, it is confidence that they are not connected to Everyday Americans anymore. Thank you, cspan, for providing this forum. David in albuquerque, republican. What do you think of congressional leaders . Think to be honest, i that Mitch Mcconnell is doing a great job. Listen, every time he gets up there he explains the stimulus bill. You know he is always telling people that the democrats are always adding something extra that has nothing to do with the stimulus, just like they did with the kennedy. Can you hear me . Host yes. Caller you, greta, and your station are not mentioning nothing about what the democrats are doing on the side, like they did with the kennedys. That money right there has nothing to do with the stimulus, greta. You guys aint mentioning the truth there. You are to saying the real thing. Host mark, florida, democratic caller. Yeah. host we are listening to you. Please, turn down your television. Caller starting with representative schumer, hes right. The republicans are holding back and theyre not coming to the table. Sayays, i would like to none of these people come in that house or the senate, are going to help the american and withth their money the stimulus package get everyone out of debt and help them. Theirk they should get welfare taken away from them. No more money or anything. They should feel the pain they are putting the american citizen through, i feel. Host james, virginia, independent. Do you like the leadership from either party . Caller no. I dont like nancy pelosi. I like nancy pelosi. She is probably one of the best leaders weve got. [indiscernible] try to get rid of that thing we have in here for president. Host Speaker Pelosi, according to the Washington Post, and her toptenant have held the two posts for 18 years. Been rightrn has behind them for 15 years. Scott, kansas, democratic caller. Do you think that there should be a change in leadership at the top . Caller no, but i think that they should be grooming the younger people to get ready for new leadership. Host like who . Think awell, i do moderate is the middle of the democrat. That is where we need to continue to stay. Theally dont know who in Younger Group would fit that mold the best, but the party has some definite challenges, and i think that pelosi has held together pretty well. I think in the senate the same way. There is notgh more compromise. It is not a dirty word. People should get together. The honesty of both sides should be crystalclear. I am still a little upset about ,ary garland Merrick Garland and how they treated him in the hypocrisy of the senate. Just so many little things, but overall i think the democrats have the right core values of looking out for the average people more so than those who dont really need as much help. I appreciate cspan so much. Most honests the media outlet weve got right now. I do appreciate when you hang up on the outside callers who have a Conspiracy Theory to them. Anyway, thats all i have to say. Thank you for taking my call. Host thank you for watching and calling in. A text from stephen new york who sends this message. As long as the dems keep schumer as minority leader there is a problem with anyone on the outside edges. Im a new yorker and i have a problem listening to him. A new voice like Sherrod Brown could change the dems direction dramatically. Sorry chuck, but the crying tag will never be shaken. Call took place this last sunday between democrats in the senate led by Chuck Schumer them. They report he mostly listened for the 90 minutes as his fellow colleagues analyzed what happened on november 3. It says they offer their views about why they failed to win the Senate Majority and what they must do to be more competitive in states where republicans traditionally have an advantage. That democratsay were not critical they largely stayed quiet on the calls, giving his colleagues a chance to speak. No one criticized schumers leadership directly, but there were comments viewed as indirect criticism on the campaign. Schumer has done a great job maintaining relations within the Democratic Caucus and keeping the Party Unified on key votes. Monica said no colleagues offered himself or herself as a leadership alternative. Wondering free democrats if you agree with that. Robert, you are a republican. Do you like your leadership in congress . Robert . Caller no, i do not. Heres the problem. When they are talking about the covid19 relief bill they keep coming to the same spot, but when nobody is realizing is how much foreign aid is going to foreign countries. Yet, we wont even take care of her own people. Host so you would like to see them compromise . Caller they have to compromise. The problem is, why are we sending millions of dollars a day to foreign countries, but cant even take care of the people who pay taxes that ran into trouble in this country . Host i understand your point. Henrietta, fort pierce, florida. Caller i think Mitch Mcconnell is doing a fabulous job. We do not need to spend the kind ismoney that crazy nancy trying to make us spend. It is just absolutely ridiculous. States who have mismanaged themselves should not, again, not be rewarded for that behavior. Quite frankly, it would be a good idea for a lot of people that have government jobs who are the ones that keep these democrats who are destroying our power, and power in they should feel the effects of the recession. They are not getting they are getting their paychecks. It is ridiculous. I am happy we have someone like Mitch Mcconnell to stop spending trillions of dollars. Get it down to where its needed. Ppe equipment. Money for people who are out of work. Unemployment. Not these nonsense where the states now have help with rich people paying their taxes. Its ridiculous. Im happy about it. Thank you. Inharrisbite Transition Office has sent the bidenharris Transition Office sent this tweet saying our White House Office is composed of individuals to demonstrate the commitment to building an administration that looks like america, has expertise in governing, and will deliver results for working families on day 1. Look at the names and faces. Dennis mcdonough previews the incoming joe Biden Administration at a Virtual Event hosted by the center for strategic and international studies. We will have live coverage of that. It started already. You can watch on cspan2. Also on our website in case you want to start from the beginning of the event on cspan. Org. Or you can can listen with the free radio app. You can see it after the fact if you go to cspan. Org. I dont care about henrietta. Was medical professionals are testifying on medical professionals out treatment that started also at the beginning of this hour on cspan3. If you missed it or you want to start from the beginning, you can go to our website and clicking on the video player. It allows you to start over from the beginning. On cspanm. Eastern 2, dr. Robert redfield, the centers for Disease Control and prevention director, will be giving an update on the current state of the pandemic at the u. S. Commerce of chamber and we will have that on cspan on our website, cspan. Org, and also download with the free cspan radio app. New hampshire, democratic caller, hello, pete. Caller good morning. Host do you like your democratic leadership on capitol hill . Caller no, i dont. You know the truth of the matter is, greta, and i will cut to the chase the truth of the matter is its a shame that all this time that has gone on, not just under donald trump, but the Obama Administration for eight people cant get anything done. Imagine what could have been done for this country of ours if these people would have at least gotten along long enough to Work Together to solve the problems within our country and not around the world. Focus on our country. Its a shame. People like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi Nancy pelosi for one. That stimulus relief package we all received, most of us, the first one, a lot of that money for bailingspending out the metropolitan and kennedy center. That is nothing but porkbarrel spending. We all know whats going on down there. Another thing, these people only work on average three days a week. They spend more time, greta, campaigning for their reelection , grabbing the money, trying to reach the golden ring. Its not gonna happen. Its time people wake up. This is where were at. Thanks. Host the headline on pelosis News Conference yesterday, one was pelosi suggests she will serve her last term as speaker. Here she is. [video clip] at the start of this congress there is a lot of discussion about you putting in place term limits for the leadership team. I wonder if you anticipate this coming congress will be your last as speaker. Representative pelosi when that conversation took place there was a move to put limits on the leadership and the chairs of committees. It never came up they never brought it up. They said they were going to do it, but didnt do it. What i said then was, whether it passes or not i will abide by the limits. A statement rep. Pelosi it is the statement i made. If my husband is listening, dont make me have to be more specific than that because we never expected to have another term now. I consider this a gift, and i cant wait to be working with joe biden for our transition into the future. I dont want to undermine any leverage i may have, but i made the statement. Anybody . Me simply say that we are focused on the future and all that needs to happen. The speaker was elected with unbridled enthusiasm from the House Democratic party. Was congressman jeffries, democrat from new york. Some believe that he is the future of the Democratic Party. Paul kane writes for the Washington Post in august, combined with his prominent role as a house manager in President Trumps impeachment trial in the senate, he positioned himself as the most prominent leader of the younger democratic generation, putting him on a potential path to be the first black speaker of the house. Norman in florida, republican, do you like your gop leaders . Caller so far, yes. Host why . , i am an old man. I have lived through 12 president s. Republican,at, democrat, republican. Nothing ever changes but the president. People intil these areress and the senate under term limits nothing is going to change. Roughlyand i live on 40,000 a year. The people in congress are multimillionaires. Likehave no idea what its to live on 40,000 a year. The American People have got to stop fighting each other. Just because im a republican, i dont hate my democrat friends. I have one who is right across the street. He and i disagree, but we dont call each other names, call each other stupid, all that. Wish the American People would stop, think, and put term limits on these people so they cannot be bought. Host Speaker Pelosi won her first term in congress in 19 87. She became the first female speaker in 2007. Look at the age of the house leadership. She is 80 years old. Her lieutenant is 81. Jim clyburn the vote counted for democrats is 80. On the republican side, Kevin Mccarthy is 55 years old. Grassley,ate, chuck 87 president pro tem is years old. He is the third in line to succeed the president after the Vice President speaker of the house. Mitch mcconnell is 78. His lieutenant is 59. Chuck schumer is 69. The majority whip is 75 years old. Look at the average age of house members. Around 58 to 57 years old. The average age of senators is 63 years old. The average length of service for house members is eight years. The average length of service for senators is 10. Lets go to robber in new york. We are talking about congressional leadership. What confidence do you have and then . Caller i dont know how in the world anyone can have any congresse in the 116th , or really for quite a while. It has gotten worse and worse. For example, when President Trump first took office, instead of looking to work for him and negotiate everything out, it was nothing but russian pollution. It was all a farce. It was so farcical. There is nothing there. For two years then you have Robert Mueller and it is a bomb out. Then on to ukraine. President trump would say lets talk about infrastructure, we are going to impeach him, we are going to impeach him. Never thought to work with him for one minute. Nothing after farce after farce. Now they are at it again. Anyone who says there is no evidence of voter fraud is lying to their teeth. Theres plenty of evidence, including smoking gun evidence. Democrats dont care. All they want is to seize power. It is horrible to look at. A hot mess. Behind reelecting existing leadership and congress is experience. Pelosi, mccarthy, schumer, and mcconnell is laughable. I was a democrat for 40 years. Detroit, michigan. We moved to iowa in 1995. We did that because of the crime. Weve done good here. My boys graduated from school. They both hold jobs. I have some grandchildren here. I was not for trump, but when trump got in like i said, i was very democrat. I had the signs all over, everything democrat. They started making me try to believe what was going on wasnt real. I was in a constant dream. , why not trump . Then i started to listen to him. Maybe you dont like what he says or how he tweets, but President Trump loves america. Best heing to do the can. The democrats have been against him ever since he got elected. All these years with the russia, the collusion, the coup, everything that the democrat you just cant like that party. The democrats. They just made you turn away from them. Anyone who said they were a democrat should be hiding instead of being proud. I heard people say yeah, im a democrat. I didnt hear one of them say i am voting for biden. Host here is another tweet from a viewer. Pelosi has shown shrewdness. By clyburns instinct endorsing joe biden has been impressive. Mcconnell doesnt seem to working for america and citizens benefit. Hill holdbacks too many bills and endorses unqualified he holds back too many bills and endorses unqualified judges. Said a i think you mouthful. I think mcconnell needs to go. Nancy pelosi is getting old. She already said this is going to be a last term. She is retiring after this term. If they elect her one more time. I have a lot of confidence in the democratic leadership. All of these problems didnt trump before donald came in, dividing the country and lying. He told thousands of lies. The things that they accuse the republicans and donald trump accuse people of doing is exactly what they do. , whos to sayd there was any voter fraud . I dont think there was much voter fraud. If there was voter fraud for the it would probably be for democrats too. Host we will hear about the georgia audit results today. Go to cspan. Org for more information about our coverage. Tom in milwaukee, republican. Deal like your republican leader . Caller yes. Yes, i do. Host why . Caller he is getting things done. Lied, dachshund democrats lie and cheat and are people people. Democrats lie and cheat and are evil people. Money goes to an Art Institute and we get a lousy 1200 . That is not enough for a month for people with rent and utilities and food. That is only enough for one month. What the hell is pelosi doing . Host it is not just negotiations over economic aid. They are also, republicans and democrats in washington, negotiating over spending bills for the federal government. They face a deadline in mid december. The headline in the Washington Post is the white house chief of staff says he cant guarantee the u. S. Government will avert the december shutdown. They have until december 11 to reach spending deals in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. The hill newspaper excuse me, the rollcall has this headline. White house signals acceptance of omnibus spending package. They report the Trump Administration appears ready to accept a 1. 4 trillion omnibus shortterm than a funding extension according to Top Republicans after the white house chief of staff was on capitol hill yesterday meeting with leader mcconnell. Tom in milwaukee. Republican. Caller yes. Host good morning to you. Caller yes. Host did we just talk to you . Let me move on. Republican, do you like your Republican Leadership . Caller yes. Host which one in particular do you think does a good job . Caller i think mcconnell. Host Mitch Mcconnell . Why . Caller he gets to the point. He wants things done right. Hey has expressed very concerned about the American People. Strongly that democrats have always they are always fighting with the republicans. For instance, President Trump. He wase has been elected outside of the box and not a politician. They were out to destroy this man from the beginning. They havent allowed him to do the job right. Going through the Voting System or the fighting in oregon. Democrats could start all of these nonsense is, these people destroying america, destroying some of the states. It will cost more money redoing the states. New paris, pennsylvania, democratic caller. Caller i really think that the republicans and democrats need to come together, and there needs to be some compromise on both sides. It is sickening to see all of these families in lines for food, and all of those people have their food and everything they need. They will have a big thanksgiving christmas dinner. If donald trump is the president still, he should be doing something and not pouting like a little kid. They need to get him out of there before january if he isnt going to start doing something. Host mary, an independent. Are there any leaders on capitol hill that you think are effective . Caller i think the republicans have been effective. I think the Democrat Party has obstructed anything that the president attempted to accomplish. Despite that, President Trump did accomplish what the American People elected him to do. I cannot covid relief, trust the democrats. Act stuffed that heroes for projects and money failed cities, failed states. They wanted to reinstate the special exemption salt tax for new york. They did things that had nothing to do with helping the people. Only things that consolidated their power. I could never trust the Democrat Party again. Host the Associated Press reported an hour ago that trump targets boat certification in a late bid to block biden. President trumps scatter shot effort to overturn bidens election. They seek to upend the electoral process, so chaos, and perper to wait unsubstantiated doubts about the count. It is centered in the battleground states that sealed joe bidens win. In michigan, in the largest county, officials refused to certify results despite no evidence of fraud. They talk about other areas among key battleground states, michigan, wisconsin, they have made it through the initial steps of certifying results. You can read more at the Associated Press. One more voice for you. Scott in spokane, washington. Congressional leadership is more involved in political games and themselves than the people they serve. Michael in portland, oregon. Had itntative spanberger right. The democrats will be eaten alive in the elections if we dont go away from lucy and her historic blindness. She is a historic speaker, but lately she has been beginning to show a distressing lack of flexibility. The house is about to gavel and. Live coverage here on cspan. [captioning made possible by the national captioning institute, inc. , in cooperation with the United States house of representatives. Any use of the closedcaptioned coverage of the house proceedings for political or commercial purposes is expressly prohibited by the u. S. House of representatives. ] the speaker pro tempore the house will be in order. The chair lays before the house a communication from the speaker. The clerk the speakers room, 19, ngton, d. C. , november 2020. I hereby appoint the honorable to act as speaker pro tempore on this day. Signed, nancy pelosi, speaker of house of representatives. The speaker pro tempore pursuant to the order of the house of january 7, 2020, the chair will now recognize members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning hour debate. The chair will alternate recognition between the parties. With time equally allocated between parties and each member other than the majority and