Fox News "Sunday Morning Features" - Transcript Interview with Marsha Blackburn

Interview

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Senator, thanks for joining us.

I just want to get your thoughts on those speeches, again, a serious focus on where America has come from, those who helped build America into the greatest country in the world, and a positive look to the future for all Americans.

SEN. MARSHA BLACKBURN (R-TN): Oh, Charles, I thought the speech was absolutely one of the best that he has given.

And how appropriate that he reminded the American people that we are unique, and that you can bet on hope, or you can bet on fear, but, in this country, you have the ability to do whatever you want to do, to dream those big dreams, and make them come true.

And you and I have talked in times past about how we have each put a focus on encouraging young people from underserved areas. And wouldn't it be fabulous to have this national garden, where people could go and be inspired and say, I want to do something that is going to be significant for my country?

PAYNE: Yes, it's interesting, because the White House just announcing that they do have plans for a national garden that could possibly open July 4, 2026.

The media taking shots, saying it was an arbitrary and random list of Americans. I'm not sure what's so random about John Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Henry Clay, Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Franklin Doug -- Frederick Douglass, Amelia Earhart, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Douglas MacArthur, Betsy Ross, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Ronald Reagan, Jackie Robinson, Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, George Washington, the Wright brothers, and the list goes on.

That sounds like a pretty good list and a pretty good foundation of what shaped and formed who we are today.

BLACKBURN: I think it's a great foundation, because you know what?

Those of us that studied history and appreciate history can tick through you the list and tell you something of significance that each of those individuals did or said that inspired us in some way.

So, as they are putting this list together, I think it is really wonderful. And how appropriate. You're talking about Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, and this is the year we're celebrating the 19th Amendment and women getting the right to vote.

That is going to be August 18, 2020, the centennial celebration.

PAYNE: And the speech itself, particularly the one at Mount Rushmore, when the president said that the founding fathers launched a revolution in pursuit of justice, equality, liberty, and prosperity, it kind of reminded me of "Hamilton," right?

The biggest media event over the weekend is how many people have watched "Hamilton." And the same folks that said that this is an amazing play, with an inspiring message, found racism, division in these kind of words from President Trump.

So, I just can't understand why, at some point, even the media should let their guards down, and let Americans celebrate where we have come and how we have gotten here so fast.

BLACKBURN: That is so true.

And we want to make certain -- and the president spoke to this. We do not need to erase our nation's history. It is all there, the good, the bad, the ugly, the inspirational, the achievement, the overcoming, the pride that people should take in the fact that they have been able to achieve and do and be.

There are millions of people from all across the globe that seek to come to the United States every single year, because they are escaping oppression and because they want to be able to achieve their dreams. And they have read about our land as a land of hope and opportunity and freedom.

So, they choose to come here. I think the garden is a great idea. The president's speech was the right tone, talking about this country and this country's achievements and the achievements of our people, which is what makes which makes -- which makes our country great.

You know, people felt like President Trump believed in them in 2016. Indeed, he did.

PAYNE: Right.

BLACKBURN: And he has proven that, and so now to say, here is where we can go with our children and grandchildren and say, this is someone who made a difference in our lives.

PAYNE: Senator, I want to switch gears here a little bit.

BLACKBURN: Sure.

PAYNE: COVID-19 cases have been on the rise throughout the nation.

And I think the most recent numbers from Tennessee show a continuing spike in those cases. So, the idea is, what do we do? We do see where masks are now being mandatory in many states that they weren't before.

BLACKBURN: Yes.

PAYNE: Did we open too quickly? Or was it just sort of a situation where people just were so -- have been so pent up, so cooped up, that they overindulged there.

And how long do you think it will get before we're sort of back on track with reopening the nation?

BLACKBURN: I think getting back on track very quickly.

And here is the reason why. You are seeing people who got out there, their kids got out there, they went to protest, they went into these groups. And now what do you have? You have spikes, whether it was protests or bars or whatever.

So, I have talked to a lot of moms who are saying, I have told my kids and my young adults...

(LAUGHTER)

BLACKBURN: ... you have to wear a mask. You have to wash your hands.

PAYNE: Yes.

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BLACKBURN: And they know they want to get out and about.

And, Charles, here's the thing. We cannot afford another lockdown in this economy -- 4.8 million jobs, the jobs report, the numbers were good. People want to go to work. They need to do it safely. They need to wear their masks. They need to wear gloves, use a face shield if they need to.

They need to wash their hands. And they need to make certain that their children are -- and even if they're adults, make certain that their children are doing these same things...

PAYNE: Yes.

BLACKBURN: ... their grandchildren are doing it, because kids have got to get back to school. And kids have got to get back to colleges.

If you are not putting kids back in colleges, you don't have young teachers coming along to help teach children. You don't have young medical students getting through medical school and then getting out to do those of residencies and practice medicine.

We have to get ourselves back on track. And here's another thing, Charles. We do not want to hand the keys of this economy that is roaring back to life, we don't want to hand those keys to the Marxists and the socialists.

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PAYNE: We have got less than a minute to go. And I know you're passionate about these two topics.

I don't know if we can give answers on both. But, of course, you share President Trump's worries about mail-in voting and the fraud associated with that.

BLACKBURN: Yes.

PAYNE: But something else that you have been working on with the NCAA, the NIL, name, images and likeness, you have pushed hard for this.

And it looks like these student athletes are going to start having some control over their own financial futures because of who they are.

BLACKBURN: When it comes to NIL, yes, I think that we have given the NCAA a deadline. If they can't get their act together, we will get it together for them.

But they're going to resolve this issue. And we're going to have a standard, so that these parents and these young athletes know what to expect.

Likewise, I know you're talking to Gordon in a few minutes. I have been pretty hard on the NBA about their relationship with communist China. And when it comes to dealing with that, they need to be held to account for this.

And let me flip to the mail-in voting. I have served on an election commission as a citizen in service in my county.

PAYNE: Right.

BLACKBURN: I think that we trust our local election commissions to run those elections fair and square.

PAYNE: Right.

BLACKBURN: That is where the accountability needs to be. I'm very leery of mail-in voting.

PAYNE: You're not the only one.

Senator Marsha Blackburn, thank you very much.

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