CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Congressman Ro Khanna

Interview

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BLITZER: There's some growing optimism up on Capitol Hill right now about potentially reaching a compromise. I'm in new desperately needed economic stimulus package. Although lawmakers say negotiations are still going slower than they had hoped for. The House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is defending her tough negotiating tactics which some Democrats, some of her fellow Democrats are blaming for delaying the much-needed deal. Listen to what the speaker told CNN Manu Raju earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MANU RAJU, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: -- not to accept half of a load months ago, when you said, I'm not going to accept half a loaf, but now --

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): Look, let me tell you something, don't characterize what we did before as a mistake as a preface to your question, if you want an answer. That was not a mistake, it was a decision and it has taken us to a place where we can do the right thing. The fact is I'm very proud of where we are.

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[17:35:01]

BLITZER: Joining us now Congressman Ro Khanna of California. He's one of the democrats who actually urged the Speaker, what, a couple months or so ago to compromise and try to work out a deal. What do you make of the speaker's response today to Manu, because, what, $908 billion, that's a huge amount, almost a trillion dollars, but it's not the 1.8 trillion that Steve Mnuchin was proposing to the Speaker before the election.

REP. RO KHANNA (D-CA): Well, Wolf, there were a few of us who were saying, let's take the 1.8 trillion, obviously, we should have or at least forced McConnell to take a vote on it. McConnell wasn't willing to take a vote, we should have said, let's have the 1.8 trillion and have a vote. But that's in the past, let's move forward, let's figure out how we can get the best deal going forward. And that needs to have unemployment insurance extension that needs to have a direct stimulus check to people.

BLITZER: I want you to watch the exchange, you've seen this before, that I had with the speaker before the election, when the White House was putting forward a $1.8 trillion package. Listen to this.

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BLITZER: There are millions of Americans who have lost their jobs, they can't pay the rent, their kids need the food --

PELOSI: That's right. And that's what we're trying to get done.

BLITZER: -- $1.8 trillion. And the President just tweeted stimulus go big or go home. He wants even more right now.

PELOSI: That's right.

BLITZER: So why not --

PELOSI: That's right.

BLITZER: Why not work out a deal with him? And don't let the perfect as they say here in Washington be the enemy of the good?

PELOSI: Well, I will not let the wrong be the enemy of the right.

BLITZER: What's wrong with $1.8 trillion?

PELOSI: Well, you know what, do you have any idea what the difference is between the spending that they have in their bill and that we have in our bill?

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BLITZER: So just to be precise, I know there are a whole bunch of Democrats in the House of Representatives who agree with you that that was a mistake on her part. She doesn't like to use that word. It was a mistake on her part not to accept that deal. I just want you to be specific. Was it a mistake not to accept the 1.8 trillion?

KHANNA: Well, Wolf, I think we should have accepted the 1.8 trillion. Now, I put a lot of the blame on McConnell as well, because as you know, he wasn't willing to have a vote and McConnell had a vote, we would have probably had a deal. So, I don't think it's useful to Monday morning quarterback on the speaker. I do say clearly that we should have said yes to 1.8 trillion. Now, the question is how do we get stimulus checks to people? How do we make sure that we're getting rent assistance to people and that the New Deal has that?

BLITZER: Yes, Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary did say to Nancy Pelosi and others said it publicly, if you accept the 1.8 trillion, the President will squeeze Mitch McConnell, they'll get it passed in the Senate and that will be that. But as you correctly pointed out, that's history right now, let's talk about what's going on right now. Because so many people are suffering, and they desperately need help.

We're hearing from Senator Bernie Sanders, Congressman, that he may not necessarily vote for this $900 billion proposal, a bipartisan proposal, if it doesn't include additional economic stimulus checks. I know you want that, all Americans want to get that help so desperately needed. But are you worried that some Democrats could end up with nothing yet again?

KHANNA: Yes, Wolf, if I am worried, which is why my inclination is to ultimately support the deal. But right now, the deal has all of the funding for PPP or a large chunk of the funding for PPP. Now we need to have funding for restaurants. But if you look at the statistics, it cost about 250,000 to $300,000 to save a job, the money would be much better spent to have unemployment insurance extended and to have more unemployment insurance beyond March where we're going to have a recession, unfortunately, probably beyond March, and to have direct stimulus checks so people can pay the rent.

So I think what Senator Sanders is saying is let's craft this in a better way that actually helps ordinary workers.

BLITZER: Yes, I know at least what 10 or 11 of your Democratic colleagues who lost their bid for reelection. They're blaming the fact that there was no deal before the election, at least in part for their failure to get reelected. Congressman Ro Khanna, thanks for everything you're doing. We're always grateful for your joining us. We appreciate it very much.

KHANNA: Thank you Wolf for having me.

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