CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Rep. Don Beyer

Interview

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BLITZER: All right, Phil, thank you, Phil Mattingly up on Capitol Hill.

Let's get some more on all of this.

Joining us now, Democratic Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia. He's a member of the Ways and Means Committee.

[18:10:01]

Congressman, thanks so much for joining us.

As you know, the House is preparing to vote any moment now on a resolution condemning the president's comments.

Do you believe any Republicans will join you and the Democrats in supporting this vote?

REP. DON BEYER (D-VA): Wolf, I don't think they will now.

Over the weekend, we had a handful of Republicans decry the president's comments. But it's pretty much lined up right now by party.

However, it's described now as a partisan fight. And the fight over the rules certainly is. But the original rejection of the president's comments was a rejection of the president's comments, not the rejection of the Republican Party.

And we really would welcome as many Republicans as possible to say, look, telling four women of color to go back to their own countries was clearly not appropriate.

BLITZER: What are your Republican colleagues saying to you privately? BEYER: Well, the same -- I haven't had any conversations with them

today.

But, Wolf, the big picture over the last two-and-a-half years is, even when they disagree with the president, he is so popular with the core of their base, that, if they come out and criticize him, they run the great risk of losing in a primary in 2020.

So they -- he's still the leader of their party. He's destroying their party, but it's the only party that they have right now.

BLITZER: I want to show our viewers, Congressman, how you reacted to President Trump's comments.

You posted this picture. And you wrote -- and I'm quoting you now -- "Only one of the members of Congress pictured below was born outside the United States. It's me. Also the only one who was not the subject of a racist tweet by the president today. All of us, including those like Ilhan Omar and me, were born elsewhere, are proud Americans."

Why did you decide, Congressman, to respond to the president that way?

BEYER: Well, it was just so ridiculous that he suggested that three of these women born in the United States go back to their S-blank-hole countries.

Yes, I was born in Trieste, Italy. My dad was a U.S. Army 1st lieutenant M.P. stationed there. But I read today there are 29 members of Congress that were born elsewhere. But every one of us is committed to our country.

And this notion that somehow it's socialism vs. freedom is garbage. Every one of even the Squad are deeply committed to making our country better and loving our country.

BLITZER: In the face of all the criticism, the president has only continued his attacks. Today, he said these women hate America and that they are pro-terrorists.

Does the president see a political advantage here?

BEYER: He may, but his words don't make any sense, once again, just not truthful.

There's no terrorism there at all. In fact, I wish my Republican friends were as outraged about what's happening at the border as they are with Nancy Pelosi's comments or Eric Swalwell's comments.

BLITZER: What does it tell you that some Republican leaders are defending the president's racist remarks?

BEYER: It's very disappointing, because I don't want this to be a bad president. He keeps saying outrageous, terrible things.

Even Nancy Pelosi, she -- she talked about his racist comments, avoiding the personal. But I wish we could come together again. This is the most divisive president the country's ever had. And we're seeing again what it's leading to, just more and more hurt feelings and tensions and things that do not make us a more perfect union.

BLITZER: Your colleague Democratic Congressman Al Green is introducing articles of impeachment over the president's racist comments. He might do it as early as tonight.

Do you support beginning impeachment proceedings in the House? Will you support Congressman Green's effort?

BEYER: No, I don't think I will be supporting Congressman Green's effort.

I have gone with the Nancy Pelosi approach, which is to, let's build the best case we possibly can. If we ever get to articles of impeachment, it's got to be because of high crimes and misdemeanors in the Constitution. His comments probably don't raise to that level.

BLITZER: Because, as you know, he is suggesting, Congressman Green, that it isn't obstruction of justice, it isn't collusion that's driving him; it's racism that's driving him. That's why he wants this resolution to go forward.

BEYER: Well, I'm not a constitutional lawyer, but I'm not sure that -- I think there are a lot of other things that you could build a successful impeachment inquiry on, successful, but probably not the racist comments, however odious they are.

BLITZER: Congressman Don Beyer, thanks so much for joining us.

BEYER: Yes, thank you, Wolf.

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