Hispanic Leader On Why He Hasn't Yet Left Diversity Council | Morning Joe

>>> LOOK, I LIKE MR. BENNETT. HE'S A FRIEND OF MINE, BUT MR.
BANNON CAME ON VERY LATE. I WENT THROUGH 17 SENATORS,
GOVERNORS, AND I WON ALL THE PRIMARIES.
MR. BANNON CAME ON VERY MUCH LATER ON THAT, AND I LIKE HIM.
HE'S A GOOD MAN. HE IS NOT A RACIST, I CAN TELL
YOU THAT. HE'S A GOOD PERSON.
HE ACTUALLY GETS A VERY UNFAIR PRESS IN THAT REGARD, BUT WE'LL
SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH MR. BANNON, BUT HE'S A GOOD PERSON,
AND I THINK THE PRESS TREATS HIM FRANKLY VERY UNFAIRLY.
>> NOT EXACTLY A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE.
WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH MR. BANNON.
JOINING US FROM DALLAS, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE UNITED
STATES HISPANIC CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, JAVIER PALOMAREZ. THIS MORNING IN A SCATHING
STATEMENT HIS GROUP IS CALLING FOR STEVE BANNON TO BE FIRED.
JAVIER, GREAT TO SEE YOU. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.
MY FIRST QUESTION TO YOU, WILL YOU REMAIN ON THE PRESIDENT'S
NATIONAL DIVERSITY COUNCIL AFTER WHAT YOU HEARD OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL DAYS? >> YOU KNOW, LET ME START WILLIE
BY SAYING THAT A CLEAR UNEQUIVOCAL DENUNCIATION OF
WHITE SUPREMACY WAS THE ORDER OF THE DAY, THE MOMENT WAS UPON THE
PRESIDENT, HE FAILED IT MISERABLY, THE ADMINISTRATION,
THIS WAS A MONUMENTAL FAILURE ON BEHALF OF ALL OF THEM.
THESE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT DEFINE A PRESIDENCY, AND THAT
DEFINE A PRESIDENT. I WILL BE STAYING ON THE COUNCIL
AS OF RIGHT NOW. THIS IS NOT ABOUT SERVING A
PRESIDENT. THIS IS ABOUT SERVING THE 4.2
MILLION HISPANIC OWNED FIRMSIRM THAT COLLECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE
OVER $668 BILLION TO OUR AMERICAN ECONOMY.
THIS IS ABOUT SERVING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE JOB
CREATORS, THE BUSINESS OWNERS, WHO PUT ME IN THIS POST, OUR JOB
IS NOT DONE YET. >> JAVIER, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
CEOs AS YOU KNOW WELL WHO HAVE STEPPED AWAY FROM THE
PRESIDENT'S MANUFACTURING COUNCIL, MERCK, UNDER ARMOUR,
THE PRESIDENT OF THE AFL-CIO RIM AUD TRUMKA STEPPED AWAY.
DO YOU KNOW WHY IT MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE INTEREST TO HELP THEIR
BUSINESSES THEY FOR MORAL REASONS DID NOT WANT TO BE
ALIGNED WITH A A MAN WHO HAS CO OUT AND EQUIVOCATED ABOUT THE
WHITE SUPREMACY YOU JUST TALKED ABOUT.
SHOULDN'T YOU DO THE SAME THING? >> I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THEIR
POSITION. I SUPPORT AND COMMEND THEM FOR
TAKING A A THUMBS UP TO A MIDDLE FINGER VERY QUICKLY AND
PERHAPS RIGHTLY SO. THAT IS THEIR OPINION, THEY HAVE
A RIGHT TO IT. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED IN OUR
ASSOCIATION, AGAIN, I SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THE AMERICAN
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, THE JOB CREATORS, THE TAXPAYERS WHO PUT
ME IN THIS ROLE. OUR JOB AND MY FOCUS IS ON
IMMIGRATION REFORM, ON HEALTH CARE REFORM, ON TAX REFORM.
THOSE ARE THE ISSUES THAT I WANT TO GET BACK TO.
DO I COMMEND WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE?
DO I SUPPORT, I DO ENDORSE IN ANY WAY?
ABSOLUTELY NOT. THIS IS DEPLORABLE.
IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A DEFINING MOMENT FOR THIS PRESIDENT.
HE FAILED IT, AGAIN, THE PRESIDENCY AND THIS PRESIDENT
WILL BE DEFINED BY THIS MOMENT FOREVER.
>> DID YOU -- >> BUT THE FACT REMAINS THERE'S
WORK TO BE DONE. >> DID YOU DEBATE INTERNALLY AT
THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OR JUST WITH YOURSELF WHETHER OR NOT YOU
SHOULD STEP ASIDE FROM THIS COUNCIL?
>> WILLIE, I'M DEBATING IT RIGHT NOW.
MY PHONE IS RINGING OFF THE HOOK.
YOU KNOW, WE REPRESENT AGAIN 4.2 MILLION HISPANIC OWNED FIRMS.
WE'RE SUPPORTED BY OVER 270 AMERICAN CORPORATIONS.
WE TAKE NO GOVERNMENT FUNDING OF ANY SORT.
WE REFUSE TO. I SERVE THAT CONSTITUENCY, AND
THEY'RE CALLING ON ME RIGHT NOW AT SOME POINT WE MAY DECIDE TO
STEP OFF, BUT RIGHT NOW, THE FOCUS IS ON GETTING BACK TO
BUSINESS. ONCE AGAIN, BUSINESS HAS TAKEN A
BACK SEAT TO BIGOTRY WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE JOB AT HAND.
>> JOY REED HAS A QUESTION. >> I WONDER WHAT YOU THINK YOU
CAN ACCOMPLISH FOR YOUR MEMBERSHIP WITH A PRESIDENT WHO
HAS ENDORSED THE VIEWS OF BIGOTRY, WHO HAS ENDORSED
ESSENTIALLY AND EXCUSED NAZIISM AND EVEN BEFORE THAT CALLED
JUDGE KURIEL WHO IS AN AMERICAN A MEXICAN INCAPABLE OF DOING HIS
JOB. GIVEN THESE ARE HIS VIEWS, WHY
DO YOU THINK THERE'S SOME BUSINESS THAT CAN BE DONE WITH
HIM, AND DO YOU THINK THAT IT'S MORAL TO PUT THE IDEA OF DOING
BUSINESS AHEAD OF THAT? >> YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS ISN'T
ABOUT SERVING ANY ONE PRESIDENT. MY JOB IS TO ENSURE THAT MY
CONSTITUENCY HAS A PLACE AT THE TABLE, HAS A VOICE IN THE
DIALOGUE REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN THE PRESIDENT'S SEAT.
THAT IS OUR ROLE. I DON'T SUPPORT WHAT THIS
PRESIDENT HAS SAID OR DONE IN THE PAST.
I THINK IT'S DEPLORABLE, BUT THE FACT IS THAT WE HAVE A JOB TO
DO, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THAT IS A MALE, A FEMALE, A
REPUBLICAN, A DEMOCRAT, WHOEVER IS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> HIS VIEWS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE CLEAR.
WHY WOULD YOU THINK WE WOULD EVEN WANT TO DO ANYTHING WITH
THESE HISPANIC BUSINESSES GIVEN HIS VIEWS?
THAT'S THE POINT. >> AGAIN, I UNDERSTAND YOUR
PERSPECTIVE, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, THERE ARE PEOPLE
AROUND HIM LIKE IVANKA, LIKE SECRETARY MNUCHIN AND SECRETARY
PERDUE AND LIKE SECRETARY PERRY WHO HAVE GIVEN US AN AUDIENCE
WHO ARE WORKING WITH US TO ENSURE AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESS
HAS A PLACE AT THE TABLE. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE I'M FOCUSED
ON AND THAT IS THE TASK THAT I'M FOCUSED ON.
DO I SUPPORT WHAT HAS HAPPENED HERE?
ABSOLUTELY NOT.
I DENOUNCE IT. AGAIN, THIS WILL DEFINE THIS
PRESIDENT FOR TIME AND MEMORIAL, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS,
IF I WALK AWAY, IF I GIVE UP IN FRUSTRATION, THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO
WIN ARE THE STEVE BANNONS AND THE STEVE MILLERS OF THIS WORLD.
THEY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ONE LESS HISPANIC WITH FREE ACCESS TO THE
WHITE HOUSE, TO THE PRESIDENT, TO IVANKA TRUMP AND SEVERAL OF
THE SECRETARIES. >> MR. PRESIDENT, WITH ALL DUE
RESPECT, IT'S DONALD TRUMP WHO EMPLOYS THEM.
HE SAYS STEVE MILLER AND STEVE BANNON, THAT BANNON CAN STAY ON.
AT WHAT POINT DO YOU NOT NOT RECOGNIZE WHAT JOY IS SAYING,
THAT IT'S THE BOSS THAT'S KEEPING THESE PEOPLE IN.
YOU'VE CALLED FOR BANNON TO BE FIRED BECAUSE YOU SAID HE
DISPARAGES DIVERSITY AND EXCLUSIVITY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE PRESIDENT AFTER WHAT NOT ONLY HE
SAID YESTERDAY BUT ALL THE INSTANCES THAT WERE RAISED BY
JOY? HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY THAT?
I HEAR YOU AND I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY
THAT WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR MEMBERSHIP?
>> AGAIN, THIS ISN'T ABOUT JUSTIFYING WHAT THE PRESIDENT
HAS DONE. LET ME BE VERY CLEAR.
THE PRESIDENT IS IN THE WRONG HERE.
HE HAS FAILED THIS MOMENT. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO JUSTIFY THE
PRESIDENT NOR DO WE SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THIS PRESIDENT.
I SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF AMERICAN SMALL BUSINESS.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO PUT HEE IN THIS ROLE, AND UNTIL THEY
CALL ON ME TO QUIT, I'M NOT GOING TO QUIT.
I'M NOT A QUITTER. I KNOW TIMES ARE TOUGH RIGHT NOW
ABOUT YOU THIS IS PRECISELY WHEN WE NEED TO STAND STRONG.
WE NEED TO LOOK THESE PEOPLE IN THE EYE AND WE NEED TO DEBATE
THE ISSUES. WE NEED TO MOVE THE REAL AGENDA
FORWARD. AGAIN, BUSINESS HAS TAKEN A BACK
SEAT TO BIGOTRY. WE NEED TO STAY THE COURSE.
>> ANDCOURSE. >> BEFORE I LET YOU GO, DO YOU
LEAVE OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT YOU COULD STEP OFF THE COUNCIL
IF YOU SEE MORE FROM THE PRESIDENT?
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> ALL RIGHT.
PRESIDENT CEO OF THE U.S. HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
HE SAYS HE LEAVES OPEN THE POSSIBILITY OF STEPPING AWAY.
WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US. >>> THANK YOU.
>> REPUBLICANS IN KOCH HAVE BEEN QUICK TO CALL OUT HATRED AND
BIGOTRY. MANY HAVE BEEN CAREFUL NOT TO
FOCUS ON THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF. WHO WILL SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER?
"MORNING JOE" IS BACK AFTER THIS.
>> THE PRESIDENT HAS FREQUENTLY CALLED MITCH McCONNELL A
ROADBLOCK TO HIS AGENDA. DO YOU AGREE WITH

Hispanic Leader On Why He Hasn't Yet Left Diversity Council | Morning Joe | MSNBC

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