Senator Joe Manchin to Jeff Sessions: Jeff, Keep Doing Your Job | Morning Joe

>>> JOINING US NOW, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR JOE MANCHIN OF WEST
VIRGINIA, NEBRASKA OF THE SCHLECK COMMITTEE ON
INTELLIGENCE. ALSO WITH US, PROFESSOR OF LAW
AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY AND FOUNDING CO-EDITOR IN CHIEF OF
THE ONLINE FORUM JUST SECURITY, RYAN GOODMAN.
HE SERVED AS SPECIAL COUNSEL AT THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH. JOE SCARBOROUGH, I'LL LET YOU
HAVE THE FIRST QUESTION FOR JOE MANCHIN.
>> ALL RIGHT. HEY, SENATOR.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE. WE HAVE ABOUT 25, 30 QUESTIONS
WE'D LIKE TO ASK YOU ABOUT TRUMP'S TWEET SESSIONS,
ET CETERA. >> LET'S GO, JOE.
>> YOU ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION WE'VE BEEN
ASKING THIS MORNING, WHICH IS WHAT DO THE DEMOCRATS DO TO
RECONNECT WITH WORKING CLASS VOTERS?
I'M GOING TO BE SPECIFIC HERE AND SAY WHAT JOE BIDEN AND WHAT
ED RENDELL SAID BACK IN THE DNC. SPECIFICALLY, WHITE
WORKING-CLASS VOTERS IN STATES LIKE WEST VIRGINIA.
SO DEMOCRATS CAN START WINNING THERE AGAIN.
>> DEMOCRATS IN RURAL AMERICA, LIKE RURAL WEST VIRGINIA, FELT
LIKE THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAVE LEFT THEM AND
FORGOTTEN THEM. IT WAS ALWAYS ABOUT THE WORKING
PERSON. WE'VE OVERREGULATED TO THE POINT
SO WE'RE SO POLITICALLY CORRECT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING, SO TAKING
OUR JOBS AWAY. THE FAIRNESS TO THE TAX SYSTEM
SEEMS TO BE OUT OF BALANCE. THERE'S NOT A CHANCE FOR AN
AVERAGE PERP IN A RURAL AREA TO REALLY GET AHEAD.
SO THEY SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, YOU GUYS HAVE LEFT US, SO WE'LL TRY
SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AND THE ONLY THING I HAVE SAID
IS THAT, YOU KNOW, NOT ALL DEMOCRATS ARE LIKE THAT.
I'M NOT A WASHINGTON DEMOCRAT. I'M A WEST VIRGINIA RURAL
DEMOCRAT WHO BELIEVES IN FAIRNESS, THE RULE OF LAW, AND
ALSO BELIEVES IN GIVING PEOPLE A HELPING HAND.
I ALSO BELIEVE PEOPLE OUGHT TO GET OFF THEIR BUTT AND WORK A
LITTLE IF THEY CAN. GIVE SOME EFFORT BACK.
IT LOOKS LIKE WE NOT DEMANDED ACCOUNTABILITY AND
RESPONSIBILITY. WE'VE GOT TO RECONNECT.
AND IT CAN'T BE ALL ABOUT URBAN -- THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
CAN'T BE ABOUT URBAN AMERICA. ITIS GOT TO GET BACK TO ITS
ROOTS OF RURAL AMERICA AND RURAL WEST VIRGINIA WHEN YOU STILL
HAVE, JOE, A MAJORITY OF WEST VIRGINIANS REGISTERED AS
DEMOCRATS, THESE ARE PROUD PEOPLE.
AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO GET BACK AND SAY, LISTEN, I'M GOING TO
GIVE EVERYBODY A CHANCE BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU GIVE ME A
CHANCE TOO. >> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE RULE
OF LAW. YOU BROUGHT IT UP IN THAT FIRST
ANSWER. >> SURE.
>> YOU KNOW JEFF SESSIONS. YOU WORKED WITH HIM AS A
SENATOR. HE'S GOT A LOT OF RESPECT FROM
REPUBLICANS IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE.
I KNOW YOU RESPECTED HIM A LOT. 17 YEARS SERVING AND NOW BEING
TREATED REALLY BADLY ON THE NATIONAL STAGE AND THE WORLD
STAGE BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
WHAT'S YOUR ADVICE TO JEFF SESSIONS THIS MORNING?
DOES HE SERVE AMERICA AND JUSTICE BEST BY STAYING IN AS
ATTORNEY GENERAL OR SHOULD HE LEAVE?
>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, JUST JEFF, KEEP DOING YOUR JOB.
I KNEW YOU HAD THE EXPERIENCE AND THE ABILITY TO DO AND
PROTECT THE RULE OF LAW WHO WE ARE AS AMERICANS THAT MAKES US
SO DIFFERENT THE REST OF THE WORLD.
WITH THAT, HE ALSO KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU TAKE A JOB SUCH AS
THAT, FOR AN EXECUTIVE, WE CALL IT WILL AND PLEASURE, JOE, THAT
MEANS YOU COME AND GO WHEN THAT PERSON'S TERM IS UP.
AT ANYTIME, THEY LOSE CONFIDENCE AND FAITH.
THE PRESIDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO PUT HIS TEAM TOGETHER.
I JUST WOULD SAY THAT THE NEXT PERSON, IF JEFF'S NOT GOING TO
BE THERE, THE NEXT PERSON'S GOING TO HAVE A MUCH MORE
STRENUOUS TIME COMING THROUGH IT WILL CONFIRMATION PROCESS
BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
PUT THE RULE OF LAW ABOVE ANY ONE HUMAN BEING OR ANY ONE
PARTY. THAT'S OUR COUNTRY.
THAT'S WHO WE ARE AS A NATION. AND MADAM JUSTICE, YOU KNOW,
SHE'S BLIND. SHE DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE RICH OR
POOR OR WHAT COLOR YOU MIGHT BE OR WHAT POLITICAL PARTY
PERSUASION. SHE'S GOING TO TREAT YOU ALL THE
SAME. AND THAT PERSON HAS TO REPRESENT
THAT. >> LET ME ASK YOU HOW SHE
PERTAINS TO JARED KUSHNER. DO YOU THINK HE PROVIDED ENOUGH
ANSWERS IN HIS 11-PAGE DOCUMENT IN HIS STATEMENT OUTSIDE THE
WHITE HOUSE YESTERDAY? MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND STAFF
WILL BE TALKING TO HIM TODAY. A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW HE
COULD MAKE THE OMISSIONS HE MADE.
>> RIGHT. I THINK, MIKA, THIS ALL COULD
HAVE BEEN CLEARED BACK IN NOVEMBER.
THIS IS VERY SERIOUS. FIRST OF ALL, THE CAMPAIGN,
THERE NEED TO BE A CAMPAIGN MANAGER SYSTEM, DISCIPLINE IN
ANY CAMPAIGN. I'VE BEEN IN MANY.
BUT YOU HAVE DISCIPLINE AND KEEP WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES.
ESPECIALLY ONCE YOU GET INTO THAT POSITION, THEN AS YOU
TRANSITION IN, THERE ARE SOME SERIOUS THINGS, ESPECIALLY GOING
THROUGH THE SECURITY CLEARANCE. YOU BETTER BE ACCURATE,
EXTREMELY ACCURATE. AND IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, ADMIT
TO IT THEN AND EVERYTHING SHOULD BE LAID OUT.
THAT'S WHAT GIVES EVERYBODY SOME PAUSE AND CONSTERNATION.
WE'VE SEEN EVERYTHING. WE WERE BRIEFED AT 2:00, HE WAS
IN THERE AT 10:00. WE'RE ANXIOUS FOR HIM TO COME
BACK BEFORE THE FULL COMMITTEE. I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN
THERE, BUT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING
BEFORE US AND WE AS A COMMITTEE PERSON HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT
EVERYTHING'S FORTHRIGHT, EVERYTHING'S UP ON THE TABLE,
AND, AGAIN, THE RULE OF LAW, YOU'RE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN
GUILTY. SO WE HAVE TO ASSUME HE WAS
BEING FORTHRIGHT AND HONEST WITH US.
>> LET ME TURN THEN TO RYAN GOODMAN OP THIS QUESTION OF CAN
JARED KUSHNER BE IMPEACHED OR WHATEVER ELSE.
I WONDER IF WE'RE GOING TOO FAR ASKING THAT QUESTION.
STILL WANT TO KNOW THE ANSWER. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DONALD
TRUMP BROUGHT ON BOARD IN THE WHITE HOUSE WITH A SECURITY
CLEARANCE WHO HE DEEMED SOMEONE WHO WILL BRING PEACE TO THE
MIDDLE EAST AS WELL AS HEAD UP MANY OTHER FOREIGN POLICY
COMMUNICATIONS, INITIATIVES, CONVERSATIONS.
AT THE VERY LEAST, IS IT FAIR TO SAY HE WILL BE PROVEN AS
WOEFULLY INADEQUATE AND UNPREPARED AND INAPPROPRIATE FOR
THE JOB HE WAS GIVEN, GIVEN THE TESTIMONY OR THE STATEMENTS THAT
HE HAS MADE SO FAR? >> RIGHT.
SO IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF ON THE FIRST QUESTION OF IMPEACHMENT AS
A POSSIBILITY, GETTING AHEAD OF OURSELVES, I THINK MAYBE SO.
IT'S KIND OF PREMATURE AT THIS POINT.
IT'S A LONG PROCESS. HE'S TESTIFYING AGAIN TODAY.
WE'LL SEE THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE TESTIMONIES AND SEE WHAT THE
OTHERS SAY HAPPENED IN THESE MEETINGS, ET CETERA.
BUT AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT'S A PROSPECT, LIKE WE WANT TO KNOW
WHAT DOES MUELLER HAVE IN HIS TOOLKIT, WHAT DOES CONGRESS HAVE
IN ITS TOOLKIT. HAS IMPEACHMENT AS A
POSSIBILITY, NOT JUST THE PRESIDENT.
BUT THERE IS THIS SUSPICIOUS CLOUD THAT COMES OUT OF THE
STATEMENT THAT HE MADE IN THE SENSE THAT TO AVOID
RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE VERY BAD ACTIONS AND
MEETING WITH A RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL OR RUSSIAN
GOVERNMENT LAWYER, HE INSTEAD SAYS IT'S ALMOST LIKE
INCOMPETENCE, LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS IN A MEETING WITH
SOMEBODY -- >> AS A FOREIGN POLICY EXPERT,
YOU WOULD KNOW NOT TO HAVE THAT MEETING SO IF HE DIDN'T KNOW --
>> IT'S SPEAKS OF SOME LEARN LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND FORE
THOUGHT. SENATOR MANCHIN, 30 SECONDS LEFT
IN THE SHOW. SENATOR, HEALTH CARE, BIG
QUESTION. WHAT'S YOUR GUT AND YOUR HEAD
TELL YOU WHAT YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN?
IS THERE GOING TO BE A DEBATE OR NO?
>> WELL, I'LL MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, IF YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE
TO PROCEED, YOU'RE VOTING TO REPEAL.
AND JOE KNOWS VERY WELL THAT IF YOU GO INTO AND ALL YOU'RE DOING
IS WORK OG THE BILL ON THE FLOOR, IT'S NOT AN OPEN PROCESS.
IT'S A CONTROLLED PROCESS, WHOEVER'S IN THE MAJORITY.
HARRY REID WAS ACCUSED OF IT WHEN HE WAS A DEMOCRAT,
REPUBLICANS RAISED HOLY CANE, AND NOW THE DEMOCRATS.
IF YOU WANT TO FIX THIS BILL, REPAIR IT, PUT IT IN THE
COMMITTEE. LET US RECOMMIT THAT BILL
IMMEDIATELY THE FIRST VOTE, PUT IT IN COMMITTEE AND LET'S REPAIR
IT AND FIX IT THEN. THEN YOU HAVE TIME TO DO IT.
>> SENATOR JOE MANCHI

Senator Joe Manchin to Jeff Sessions: Jeff, Keep Doing Your Job | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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