FOX News Channel Interview - Transcript

Interview

FOX News Channel Interview - Transcript

MS. KELLY: Well, Democrats already tried to force President Bush to bring the troops home from Iraq by a date certain, but he vetoed that bill. Now House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is trying again, announcing a measure that would pull the troops out of Iraq within a year.

Republicans say this is a waste of time and fails to recognize the progress we're making in Iraq. So, who's right? The plan is headed to the House today, the Senate next week.

Joining us now to discuss it is Missouri Congressman and House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, and Maryland Congressman Chris Van Hollen. They both join us live.

Good morning.

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REP. VAN HOLLEN: Good morning.

REP. BLUNT (?): How are you this morning?

MS. KELLY: I'm very well, thanks. Congressman Blunt, let me start with you. You know, Republicans, as I said in the introduction, say this is a waste of time, they've already tried this, President Bush isn't gong to sign this. So what's the point, in your view?

REP. BLUNT: Well, I assume the point is to try to one more time make political points on this issue that isn't resonating with the American people like it was. This Congress basically spent the first hundred days of the Congress focused on trying to, in my opinion, make political gains on putting restrictions on the troops in the field and the commanders in the field. And this will the 58th vote that we have in either the House or the Senate on Iraq if we have this vote today or next week or whenever they finally get ready to have it. And at the same time, not a single appropriations bill has been sent to the president's desk yet, and we're into the second month of the spending year.

We've passed the 1987 record for failure to do the appropriations work of keeping the government running, and about a week from now we get to the 1981 record. This congress has not got its work done. I really don't think that bringing up these things that won't happen, to have a political debate, is beginning to -- is continuing to have much impact on the American people's view of a Congress and whether it's doing its job or not.

MS. KELLY: Congressman Van Hollen, your response? Because, you know, his point is this is a waste of time and that the Congress could be spending its time doing more of the people's business than bringing up a bill that they've already had the debate on but simply failed, and so what's the point of going back and revisiting it again?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: This is the people's business, and this is very serious business. The fact of the matter is, an indefinite American troop presence in Iraq has created a situation where the Iraqis have not made the tough compromises that are necessary to achieve what the goals were, which is political reconciliation and providing stability on the ground.

The fact of the matter is, what we're proposing would set a goal of bringing the majority of U.S. combat forces home within a year in a safe and responsible manner. You would still have U.S. forces on the ground to go after al Qaeda elements, to protect U.S. embassy personnel and to train Iraqi forces.

MS. KELLY: Let me ask you, Congressman -- I'm a little short of time, so I just want to ask you specifically, Congressman Van Hollen, what's the response to the point that, you know, you've already tried this and it's failed, so why don't you -- and it's not going to make it through again, and even if it does, President Bush is going to veto it. So, I mean, what's your response to that being a waste of time?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Well, if you took that argument, Congress might as well just pack up its bags and go home every time the president says "Boo" to the Congress. The fact of the matter is, it's our responsibility to do what we think is best for the national security of this country. The American people are fed up with the president's failed policies in Iraq for a good reason, because they have made us less, not more, safe.

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REP. VAN HOLLEN: It is our responsibility to take action, to make sure that we press ahead with an important national security agenda --

MS. KELLY: Understood.

REP. VAN HOLLEN And we want the president to join with us.

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REP. VAN HOLLEN: This does represent the bipartisan recommendations of the Baker-Hamilton commission --

MS. KELLY: All right, guys, we could keep it going all morning, but unfortunately, we actually can't here on America's Newsroom because we're out of time. But anyway, we appreciate the both of you being here. Congressman Blunt, Congressman Van Hollen, best of luck to you.

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