Transcription
Haven't seen him all day. Okie do. Good evening everybody and thank you for coming at this late hour. Now, it's been a long day. Appreciate everyone being around.
So, let's be clear what happened. Donald Trump attempted to steamroll the Senate to put in place his historically unqualified nominees, but Senate Democrats wouldn't let him. We've been working all week to try and find a reasonable path to allow bipartisan Senate consideration, provided the White House and Senate Republicans met our demands. Obviously, two sides, the two sides disagree on a whole lot of things. But we were serious about trying to make some progress, but ultimately Trump wouldn't agree. He took his ball. He went home, leaving Democrats and Republicans alike wondering what the hell happened.
Trump's all cap tweet said it all. Says it all. In a fit of rage, Trump threw in the towel, sent Republicans home, and was unable to do the basic work of negotiating. Is this the art of the deal? Posture, cajol, stamp your feet, and then give up. This says it all. Donald Trump tried to bully us, go around us, threaten us, call us names, but he got nothing. And he walked away with his tail between his legs. One of these days, Trump is going to have to learn that he needs to work with Democrats to help the American people. The Trump Republican go it alone strategy ain't working and the American people aren't happy.
As we look ahead to the fall, Republicans have to make a decision moving forward. They can work to find common ground with Democrats to deliver for our constituents, for our country. Just look at the three appropriation bills we passed this week. It shows that Democrats, when Republicans are willing to work with us, will work with them. Or the Republicans can con or the Republicans can continue to go at it alone, following Donald Trump down a dangerous path that hurts their party and hurts the American people.
Because after all, who is hurt the most when Republicans go at it alone? It's the American people back home. when they go at it alone, they're hard right angry people who don't represent America get their way. But when they work with us, that can't happen because we won't let the hard right get it get away get its way. So when Republicans chose to go it alone, they ripped health care away from 15 million Americans. When Republicans chose to go it alone, they ended up imposing Medicaid cuts, shuttering rural hospitals, and now they're preparing to allow health care premiums to skyrocket. This these health care premiums are going through the roof, and people are going to start learning about it as early as September and certainly in October. And they're going to hate it. This isn't just a $10 increase. These are hundreds and even thousands of dollars that they're going to pay more. and not just Medicaid, not just Medicare, but just about everybody cuz we've been talking to the health insurers and that's what's happening because of the big ugly betrayal that they call their BBB.
Now, doesn't have to be that way. My Republican colleagues know that we are a when we are able to land bipartisan deals and get painfully close on a fair deal to by on partisan nominees, we can get something done. But of course, they tried. Some of them in the Republican caucus tried to work with us. Donald Trump pulled the rug out from under him. And again, no one knows what the hell he did and why he did it. They're befuddled. Many of the Republicans told me, they're totally confused, but they all know one thing. Donald Trump didn't get his way. Donald Trump didn't get his way. Again, this shows it. He bullied us. He cajolled us. He called us names. and he went home with nothing. Nothing.
Americans, whether Democrat, Republican, independent, they want us to put they want us to put them first. Instead, the Republican go out alone strategy has been devastating for American families, higher prices on everything from health care to groceries to utility bills to essential goods. That is not what voters had in mind when they handed Republicans very narrow majorities in Congress in a paper thin presidential victory to Donald Trump. So, let me say it again. Sooner or later, Donald Trump, Mr. Art of the Deal, or so he claims, is going to have to learn that he has to work with Democrats if he wants to get deals, good deals that help the American people. Going at it alone will be a failed strategy. It's the wrong choice for Republicans. It's the wrong choice for the American people.
Ready for your questions? Yes, ma'am. Just wanted to ask about Republicans are saying they want to do that in September. Some of their ideas are similar administration. Would be a huge mistake for them to do it. A huge mistake. Yes. because when they go at it alone, they screw up for the American people and for themselves. Are there any rules changes that you could potentially agree to? As a member, we should be working together on legislation to get things done for the American people. That's the way to go. Not changing the rules because when they change the rules, they say only we're going to decide what's good for the American people. And every time they do that, the American people lose. Can Republican Senator said to me that you were seeking you were asking the White House to unfreeze some aid for Palestinians in Gaza. Is that accurate? Look, I'm not going to get into the details. Obviously, we'd all like to help Gaza, but the bottom line is we were getting close on a whole lot of issues and Donald Trump just pulled the rug out from under people. And even before that, when it looked like we were getting close a day before, he again called in and screwed it all up. Did you ever talk? They should stop listening to him. If they want to do what's good to the American people, they shouldn't be in blind obesence to Donald Trump. Can you tell us who you were talking to in the White House? Uh, we look, I'm not getting into the details, but we talked we we've talked to the White House and we mostly talked to Thun who would then talk to the White House and that didn't work out too well for Thun or the White House. Yes. Do you think there's a possibility then that this could be revisited in September as a what? could be revisited in September and that you could reach some sort of deal or is this completely Look, the bottom line is what we ought to be doing in September is making sure we do the appropriations bills in a bipartisan way. We ought to be making sure that we protect the American people from the hardright craziness that just hurts them all the time. And the only way to do that is bipartisanship. Last one. Have you had any talks with CR or what the plan is for? Uh we've talked vaguely about broad issues but not not that specifically yet. We will Okay. Thank you everybody. Thank you. What do you think? The art the art of the deal. We are more effective and more unified than the Republicans.