CBS News "Face The Nation" - Transcript

Interview

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Let's turn now to Senator John Cornyn. Welcome, Senator.
You've written a letter to the President. You wrote a letter in September in which you said you found his strategy review puzzling. But given the unstable nature of the government in Afghanistan, isn't it-- shouldn't the President be taking a little bit of time before he goes forward with this troop request just because our partner there is so unstable?
SENATOR JOHN CORNYN (R-Texas/Finance Committee): Well, deliberation is a good thing. When-- when it comes to fighting wars. But, of course, we've been at war for eight years in Afghanistan following 9/11. We've-- we know that we've got young men and women on the ground now. We've got our blood and treasure at stake there already. And so, at some point, deliberation begins to look more like indecisiveness which then becomes a way of emboldening our enemies and allies and causing our allies to question our resolve. So we shouldn't let what one component of this determine our national security here which depends on providing an Afghanistan that-- which denies a safe haven to terrorists as well as stabilizing Pakistan. Those are our two national security interests at stake in Afghanistan.

JOHN DICKERSON: Senator, to make sure I'm-- I'm hearing you right, you say there's the possibility we could embolden our enemies. But you-- do you think that's happening yet?

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN: Well, I think-- you know, the problem is this-- you have to look at
Afghanistan also in a-- in a global context where we've-- we've canceled basically our missile defense system undercutting the Czech Republic and Poland. We-- we've I think not dealt with Iran with the kindof resolve that would show that we understand the nature of that threat. I think all of these are data points that begin to create a narrative or begin to create a picture that shows a lack of resolve when it comes to our national security. So that's my biggest concern.

JOHN DICKERSON: Senator, should President Obama make a decision on Afghanistan if there's not an established government in Afghanistan?

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN: Well, I don't think all-- our national security should des-- depend solely on that. But clearly that's an important part of it. I hope President Karzai understands that our-- our national security interest don't depend entirely on his decision there whether to allow a recount. Obviously, the legitimacy of that government is an important component of it. But my-- my point is, it shouldn't be the lynchpin for us deciding whether we're going to protect our national security interest in that region.

JOHN DICKERSON: Turning to health care, you're on the Finance Committee, which voted out the health care bill this week. Olympia Snowe, a Republican voted yes for that legislation. Do you think that any Republicans will support the final bill and will there be more than just Olympia Snowe?

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN: Well, John, we're still waiting for the President's plan. You know, he gave a Joint Sessions speech to Congress where he repeatedly talked about his plans and said if you like what you have, you can keep it. It won't raise taxes on the middle class, and will actually make health ins-- coverage more affordable. None of the proposals we see now do that.
In fact, all of them raise taxes. They will raise premiums on people that have ins-- in-- coverage now. And, it will explode the deficit, which was recently reported at 1.4 trillion dollars. In fact, this week, majority leader Harry Reid has scheduled to vote on a-- the first installment of health care reform, which will violate the President's promise not to raise the deficit by one dime. In fact, it will raise the deficit by two hundred and fifty billion dollars.

JOHN DICKERSON: Do you think it's unstoppable, the health care process as it moves forward? I mean, what can Republicans do?

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN: Well, so far, we've been largely shut out of the process. Almost every
amendment we've offered to try to improve the proposals has been voted down along party lines and what we see now as Democrats who hold the vil-- filibuster proof majority, sixty votes. They're finding differences between themselves but I think clearly we could find a way to work on this on a bipartisan basis. But so far, the President has let Democratic leaders and Congress basically run the show to the exclusion of any constructive Republican sugus-- suggestions, which I think could be a way out of this in a way that would actually reduce the cost and make health care more accessible to more people, which ought to be our focus.

JOHN DICKERSON: Final question. As a political one, Senator, you are in charge also of making sure Republican senators get elected. CBS had a poll last week that said sixty-one percent of Americans want something to pass. Only twenty-nine percent don't want something to pass. Are you worried about being in the category where you only have twenty-nine percent on this question of health care?

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN: Well, I think they want something good to pass. If you ask more detailed questions, some of the components of the President's proposals or, I should say, the leadership proposal in the Senate-- in the House are very unpopular. And when people realize it will raise taxes, raise their insurance premiums' costs, and explode the deficit, they-- they think twice about it.

JOHN DICKERSON: All right. Senator John Cornyn from Austin, Texas, thanks very much for being with us. We'll be--

SENATOR JOHN CORNYN: (overlapping) Thanks, John.

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