CNN "State of the Union" - Transcript: Interview With Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard
Interview
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
TAPPER: Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard also says she's running. And, if she wins, she'd be the youngest person ever elected president of the United States.
And joining me now is Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
Congresswoman, thanks so much for joining us on.
Let me ask you, the president just offered...
GABBARD: Good morning.
TAPPER: ... a deal to end the shutdown. He would extend temporary protections for some dreamers, undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, in exchange for border wall funding.
Would you take the deal?
GABBARD: No.
The problem here is that this issue, like so many others in Washington, are being relegated to partisan politics, where, if a Republican is putting forward a proposal, Democrats are going to shoot it down, if Democrats are putting forward a proposal, Republicans are going to shoot it down, really thinking about which party can call a win on this issue, again, which happens with far too many issues.
And, as a result, the American people end up losing out.
TAPPER: So...
GABBARD: Trump is putting forward different ideas. Democrats have put forward different ideas.
But the problem here, and why we're in a situation where over 800,000 federal employees are going for now a month without a paycheck, and suffering as a result, is because of the unwillingness to actually just sit down and work through the details that each side is putting forward, knowing that neither side is going to get everything that they need.
That's what needs to happen here.
TAPPER: So, I understand you don't support the offer that President Trump made. But what's your counteroffer?
GABBARD: Well, look...
TAPPER: I mean, if you want people to sit down and deal, what -- what do you think should happen?
GABBARD: Yes.
Well, first of all, I don't think it should be done on television. These negotiations shouldn't be done on television. We need to have adults coming together, sitting down and negotiating the issues that have to be addressed, the issues of border security, the issues of making sure that we have got the resources dedicated to where they need to be, and the issues that are still outstanding regarding immigration and immigration reform.
Some of them have been talked about, dealing with our dreamers, who are still facing uncertainty, who still have no permanency to their futures here, in the only home that they have ever known, as well as the issue of TPS.
[09:40:07]
I think there are a whole host of issues that need to be addressed. But they cannot be addressed so long as both sides are not willing to come together and have a real conversation and hash out the differences, and come up with something that works best for American people. TAPPER: That's interesting, though, because it -- you sound like
you're not just blaming President Trump on this. You're also blaming Democratic leaders in Congress.
GABBARD: Both sides have completely hardened their positions and are unwilling to come together and work out the differences.
And that's the problem here. It's a problem that we see with a lot of issues that come before us in Washington, is an unwillingness to just say, hey, here's my position. Here's yours. Let's figure out how we can work out the differences that we can, putting forward the best solution for the American people.
Our federal employees and contractors and their families have gone on for far too long suffering as a result of this intransigence, where people are putting politics before the well-being of the American people and our country.
TAPPER: OK.
I want to ask you about your presidential bid. Since you announced that you're running for president last weekend on Van Jones' show, you have faced some really harsh criticism from fellow Democrats. Former Governor and DNC Chair Howard Dean said you're not qualified. Former Senator Claire McCaskill called you Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's bestie.
What do you make of all this criticism from Democrats?
GABBARD: I look forward to debating the issues.
People who are simply interested in name-calling don't appear to be able to debate the substance of whatever issue they may disagree on. I'm focused on the issues. I'm focused on how I can best offer to be of service to the American people and bring about solutions that will positively impact their lives.
TAPPER: One of the reasons Democrats have been critical of your bid is because you met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during that trip to Syria in 2017.
You told me right after you got back -- you told me you did so because you think -- quote -- "We have got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there's a possibility that we can achieve peace" -- unquote.
Obviously, peace has not been achieved.
Looking back on that meeting, do you have any regrets?
GABBARD: No.
I think that it is -- it continues to be very important for any leader in this country to be willing to meet with others, whether they be friends or adversaries or potential adversaries, if we are serious about the pursuit of peace and securing our country. You know, Jake, you -- you often acknowledge and bring to the
forefront the cost of war and our troops and who pays the price. And, as a veteran, I have been serving in the Army National Guard now for 15 years and continue to serve, served on two Middle East deployments.
I have seen this cost of war firsthand, which is why I fight so hard for peace. And that's the reality of the situation that we're facing here. It's why I have urged and continue to urge President Trump to meet with people like Kim Jong-un in North Korea, because we understand what's at stake here.
And the only alternative to having these kinds of conversations is more war. It's more suffering. It's more lives lost, more destruction.
TAPPER: Yes.
GABBARD: The stakes are far too high.
TAPPER: And, certainly, you in Hawaii know the fear of North Korea better than people in the contiguous U.S.
This week, you have also had to confront your previous positions, anti-LGBTQ positions, after new reporting this week from CNN's KFILE revealed that you railed against -- quote -- "homosexual extremists" when you were in the Hawaii Statehouse and you worked for a group that supported gay conversion therapy.
You now say you regret that stance. You issued a YouTube video. You have done a number of tweets.
A spokesperson for GLAAD had this to say -- quote -- "Rarely have we seen someone who so actively -- actively and vehemently and viscerally against LGBTQ equality and acceptance. It's one thing to say that marriage should be between a man and a woman, but another is to actively work to stymie the progress of a community that is marginalized."
There seems to be a lot of skepticism among LGBTQ activists that you could go from being so strongly and vehemently, in their view, against their rights to get married, et cetera, to the position you have now.
How do you convince them that your conversion is legitimate?
GABBARD: Through my actions, Jake.
You know, I have spoken about my upbringing. I was raised in a socially conservative household with views and beliefs and things that I no longer hold today.
Like most of the country, my views have evolved, to the point where now you can look to my record over the last six years in Congress that reflect what's in my heart and my commitment to fighting for equality, my commitment to fighting for LGBT rights.
[09:45:00] I have a 100 percent legislative voting record with the Human Rights Campaign. I'm a member of the Equality Caucus, and, again, look forward to continuing to recognize the work that still must be done towards equality and working to make that change happen.
TAPPER: One last question, Congresswoman.
"The Honolulu Star-Advertiser" is reporting that Democratic state Senator Kai Kahele is planning to run for your congressional seat in 2020.
If you don't get the Democratic nomination, are you going to try to stay in the House?
GABBARD: We will cross that bridge when we get there.
I haven't heard from Senator Kahele, but whatever he decides to do, I wish him well.
TAPPER: Are you concerned at all about a primary challenge?
GABBARD: I'm not thinking about politics right now. I'm looking forward to seeing how I can best serve the country.
TAPPER: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, it's always a pleasure to have you on the show.
Thank you so much. And we look forward to having you back.
GABBARD: Thanks, Jake. Aloha.
TAPPER: Aloha to you.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source