Kevin McCarthy on the Shutdown Deal: I Give ‘Trump a Lot of Credit,’ ‘He Put the American People Before Politics’

Chuck Todd And joining ░░░░░░░░ now is the House ░░░░░░░░ Leader Congressman Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ California Congressman welcome back ░░░░░░░░ Meet the Press REP ░░░░░░░░ McCarthy Well Chuck thanks ░░░░░░░░ having me back Chuck ░░░░░░░░ All right On day ░░░░░░░░ of the shutdown the ░░░░░░░░ had a deal in ░░░░░░░░ of him that was ░░░░░░░░ a continuing resolution for ░░░░░░░░ weeks no wall That ░░░░░░░░ the deal he agreed ░░░░░░░░ on day 35 What ░░░░░░░░ accomplished REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ nobody likes to go ░░░░░░░░ a shutdown But the ░░░░░░░░ thing I would see ░░░░░░░░ if you re looking ░░░░░░░░ winners and losers I ░░░░░░░░ t know why someone ░░░░░░░░ celebrate a status quo ░░░░░░░░ watched the president in ░░░░░░░░ one of these meetings ░░░░░░░░ a reasonable solution I ░░░░░░░░ then Leader Pelosi spend ░░░░░░░░ new historical time on ░░░░░░░░ floor of the House ░░░░░░░░ hours talking about DACA ░░░░░░░░ don t have the ░░░░░░░░ solution solved when we ░░░░░░░░ ve We still have ░░░░░░░░ problem at the border ░░░░░░░░ don t have that ░░░░░░░░ And now we ve ░░░░░░░░ three more weeks to ░░░░░░░░ I watched Speaker Pelosi ░░░░░░░░ there and would not ░░░░░░░░ with anything So I ░░░░░░░░ President Trump a lot ░░░░░░░░ credit He put the ░░░░░░░░ people before politics He ░░░░░░░░ if you want the ░░░░░░░░ Chuck Todd After 35 ░░░░░░░░ REP Kevin McCarthy No ░░░░░░░░ did Chuck Todd For ░░░░░░░░ days though what did ░░░░░░░░ get REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ I m not celebrating ░░░░░░░░ something Because what people ░░░░░░░░ celebrating saying Speaker Pelosi ░░░░░░░░ strong because she got ░░░░░░░░ quo That s not ░░░░░░░░ the country wants The ░░░░░░░░ wants to find common ░░░░░░░░ The president made four ░░░░░░░░ offers It was Speaker ░░░░░░░░ who said I wouldn ░░░░░░░░ talk about anything So ░░░░░░░░ you think about 35 ░░░░░░░░ we ve got 35 ░░░░░░░░ of Speaker Pelosi not ░░░░░░░░ And the president finally ░░░░░░░░ This is too much ░░░░░░░░ you say you ll ░░░░░░░░ something else I ll ░░░░░░░░ it up so the ░░░░░░░░ workers will be paid ░░░░░░░░ Todd Right REP Kevin ░░░░░░░░ and let s see ░░░░░░░░ you ll go in ░░░░░░░░ weeks Chuck Todd Well ░░░░░░░░ was her stance She ░░░░░░░░ negotiate after you open ░░░░░░░░ the government REP Kevin ░░░░░░░░ No Her stance was ░░░░░░░░ one dollar for a ░░░░░░░░ We re not going ░░░░░░░░ do anything that it ░░░░░░░░ immoral And I don ░░░░░░░░ believe that s where ░░░░░░░░ members are as well ░░░░░░░░ if you listen to ░░░░░░░░ own chair of Agriculture ░░░░░░░░ Give Trump the money ░░░░░░░░ chairman of Armed Services ░░░░░░░░ Walls work Even her ░░░░░░░░ two says Walls are ░░░░░░░░ immoral She is out ░░░░░░░░ step with her own ░░░░░░░░ Chuck Todd In three ░░░░░░░░ REP Kevin McCarthy Yes ░░░░░░░░ Todd the president is ░░░░░░░░ I mean do you ░░░░░░░░ believe you re going ░░░░░░░░ get a grand compromise ░░░░░░░░ somehow Democrats will trade ░░░░░░░░ temporary for something permanent ░░░░░░░░ permanent structure for temporary ░░░░░░░░ for some of these ░░░░░░░░ Do you really believe ░░░░░░░░ ll happen in three ░░░░░░░░ REP Kevin McCarthy Well ░░░░░░░░ Democrats have always in ░░░░░░░░ past voted for some ░░░░░░░░ and now they re ░░░░░░░░ going to because it ░░░░░░░░ being offered by President ░░░░░░░░ that s politics That ░░░░░░░░ we d still have ░░░░░░░░ crisis at our border ░░░░░░░░ in three weeks they ░░░░░░░░ before If you open ░░░░░░░░ up then we ll ░░░░░░░░ they won t they ░░░░░░░░ the ones causing the ░░░░░░░░ They have changed the ░░░░░░░░ of what they voted ░░░░░░░░ in the past Speaker ░░░░░░░░ had voted for a ░░░░░░░░ and barrier Schumer had ░░░░░░░░ for a wall and ░░░░░░░░ But now they will ░░░░░░░░ because it s President ░░░░░░░░ I think that s ░░░░░░░░ Chuck Todd The Gang ░░░░░░░░ Eight bill the infamous ░░░░░░░░ of Eight bill that ░░░░░░░░ guys in the House ░░░░░░░░ brought to a vote ░░░░░░░░ have extra fencing in ░░░░░░░░ I believe it was ░░░░░░░░ miles REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ Chuck Todd of extra ░░░░░░░░ had 46 billion in ░░░░░░░░ security What s wrong ░░░░░░░░ Gang of Eight being ░░░░░░░░ being the beginning of ░░░░░░░░ negotiations REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ year I spent more ░░░░░░░░ a month every single ░░░░░░░░ in my office with ░░░░░░░░ with Steny with the ░░░░░░░░ of staff of the ░░░░░░░░ House And we tried ░░░░░░░░ come together on an ░░░░░░░░ bill It s one ░░░░░░░░ the hardest things ever ░░░░░░░░ do But when I ░░░░░░░░ a crisis on the ░░░░░░░░ 500 000 people illegally ░░░░░░░░ our country when we ░░░░░░░░ the most liberal bringing ░░░░░░░░ a million new people ░░░░░░░░ year the way we ░░░░░░░░ do it I think ░░░░░░░░ is an opportunity to ░░░░░░░░ only solve a border ░░░░░░░░ but we ve got ░░░░░░░░ here dealing with DACA ░░░░░░░░ re both big issues ░░░░░░░░ them right now Chuck ░░░░░░░░ Look the only way ░░░░░░░░ make it happen is ░░░░░░░░ both sides are willing ░░░░░░░░ buck their base REP ░░░░░░░░ McCarthy Yeah Chuck Todd ░░░░░░░░ the president actually willing ░░░░░░░░ buck his base He ░░░░░░░░ never given an indication ░░░░░░░░ is He s threatening ░░░░░░░░ national emergency REP Kevin ░░░░░░░░ That is not true ░░░░░░░░ president is the only ░░░░░░░░ who has been reasonable ░░░░░░░░ these negotiations And Chuck ░░░░░░░░ ve been in every ░░░░░░░░ meeting so I watched ░░░░░░░░ The president is the ░░░░░░░░ who offered This president ░░░░░░░░ the one who at ░░░░░░░░ State of the Union ░░░░░░░░ further on immigration than ░░░░░░░░ ve heard from a ░░░░░░░░ Clinton or even President ░░░░░░░░ So no that is ░░░░░░░░ It was only the ░░░░░░░░ who would interject when ░░░░░░░░ secretary of Homeland tried ░░░░░░░░ talk about the current ░░░░░░░░ They didn t want ░░░░░░░░ hear it They didn ░░░░░░░░ want to negotiate They ░░░░░░░░ nothing It was the ░░░░░░░░ that offered four different ░░░░░░░░ yeah that moved further ░░░░░░░░ I think this party ░░░░░░░░ even looked Chuck Todd ░░░░░░░░ me ask you this ░░░░░░░░ want to play something ░░░░░░░░ you REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ Chuck Todd in November ░░░░░░░░ 2016 REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ always love when I ░░░░░░░░ this stuff Chuck Todd ░░░░░░░░ know you love this ░░░░░░░░ Because I think it ░░░░░░░░ going to beg the ░░░░░░░░ of what the heck ░░░░░░░░ you guys so long ░░░░░░░░ a listen BEGIN TAPE ░░░░░░░░ Kevin McCarthy And I ░░░░░░░░ together the team actually ░░░░░░░░ the speaker and others ░░░░░░░░ staff working on legislation ░░░░░░░░ so when we re ░░░░░░░░ in not waiting til ░░░░░░░░ the president is sworn ░░░░░░░░ but at the very ░░░░░░░░ week of January we ░░░░░░░░ able to move the ░░░░░░░░ needed to start building ░░░░░░░░ wall END TAPE Chuck ░░░░░░░░ At the end of ░░░░░░░░ day why should Democrats ░░░░░░░░ out your party that ░░░░░░░░ two years to figure ░░░░░░░░ a way forward here ░░░░░░░░ said you were going ░░░░░░░░ have legislation ready to ░░░░░░░░ in 2017 What happened ░░░░░░░░ Kevin McCarthy We did ░░░░░░░░ you look at the ░░░░░░░░ we are building the ░░░░░░░░ right now a portion ░░░░░░░░ it We have to ░░░░░░░░ further Chuck Todd Then ░░░░░░░░ did he shut down ░░░░░░░░ government REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ did not shut down ░░░░░░░░ government Let s be ░░░░░░░░ clear We were in ░░░░░░░░ House in the majority ░░░░░░░░ moved a bill to ░░░░░░░░ Senate You know as ░░░░░░░░ as everybody else in ░░░░░░░░ it takes 60 votes ░░░░░░░░ is the one who ░░░░░░░░ No So you put ░░░░░░░░ on Chuck Todd It ░░░░░░░░ DACA for the wall ░░░░░░░░ the REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ no listen Chuck Todd ░░░░░░░░ the president backed away ░░░░░░░░ REP Kevin McCarthy No ░░░░░░░░ no We passed this ░░░░░░░░ the end of last ░░░░░░░░ money for the wall ░░░░░░░░ money because we re ░░░░░░░░ building it We put ░░░░░░░░ 5 billion in there ░░░░░░░░ Senate had a different ░░░░░░░░ And Schumer said No ░░░░░░░░ it got shut down ░░░░░░░░ what happened The president ░░░░░░░░ in Washington The speaker ░░░░░░░░ went to Hawaii The ░░░░░░░░ stayed there to negotiate ░░░░░░░░ brought meetings down They ░░░░░░░░ they wouldn t talk ░░░░░░░░ anything We got into ░░░░░░░░ shutdown that lasted longer ░░░░░░░░ ever before The president ░░░░░░░░ four different offers that ░░░░░░░░ reasonable Chuck Todd Not ░░░░░░░░ after he shut down ░░░░░░░░ government REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ didn t shut it ░░░░░░░░ Chuck Todd He s ░░░░░░░░ one that said he ░░░░░░░░ be proud to own ░░░░░░░░ Who else did it ░░░░░░░░ rejected the Senate bill ░░░░░░░░ keep the government open ░░░░░░░░ Kevin McCarthy No no ░░░░░░░░ House had a bill ░░░░░░░░ Senate had a bill ░░░░░░░░ every other piece of ░░░░░░░░ it takes 60 votes ░░░░░░░░ the Senate Republicans don ░░░░░░░░ have 60 in the ░░░░░░░░ So I think it ░░░░░░░░ only be fair Chuck ░░░░░░░░ understand that if it ░░░░░░░░ 60 votes in the ░░░░░░░░ there s probably blame ░░░░░░░░ both sides Chuck Todd ░░░░░░░░ right let s talk ░░░░░░░░ this In three weeks ░░░░░░░░ Kevin McCarthy Yes Chuck ░░░░░░░░ when I think you ░░░░░░░░ pass something that keeps ░░░░░░░░ government open and I ░░░░░░░░ guessing you guys don ░░░░░░░░ have you don t ░░░░░░░░ to go through another ░░░░░░░░ shutdown a bunch of ░░░░░░░░ want to basically make ░░░░░░░░ impossible to shut down ░░░░░░░░ government Create Senator Portman ░░░░░░░░ got a bill Senator ░░░░░░░░ s got a bill ░░░░░░░░ all of it is ░░░░░░░░ never to cancel a ░░░░░░░░ again for a non ░░░░░░░░ appointee Will you support ░░░░░░░░ like that REP Kevin ░░░░░░░░ Yeah but I ll ░░░░░░░░ further You want to ░░░░░░░░ how you ll never ░░░░░░░░ a shutdown again Let ░░░░░░░░ not pay the members ░░░░░░░░ Congress and Senate Chuck ░░░░░░░░ That s the Mark ░░░░░░░░ Bill REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ s the bill Chuck ░░░░░░░░ and the White House ░░░░░░░░ REP Kevin McCarthy That ░░░░░░░░ the bill I would ░░░░░░░░ in Chuck Todd And ░░░░░░░░ political staff That s ░░░░░░░░ bill REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ s the amendment I ░░░░░░░░ offer Because this only ░░░░░░░░ others But think about ░░░░░░░░ The president offered four ░░░░░░░░ reasonable tacks The Speaker ░░░░░░░░ then leader has the ░░░░░░░░ for the longest speech ░░░░░░░░ the floor more than ░░░░░░░░ hours just one years ░░░░░░░░ next month about DACA ░░░░░░░░ took two issues that ░░░░░░░░ a problem and he ░░░░░░░░ to solve it Today ░░░░░░░░ re trying to celebrate ░░░░░░░░ say Speaker Pelosi is ░░░░░░░░ type of winner in ░░░░░░░░ No that means status ░░░░░░░░ That goes against everything ░░░░░░░░ know and we want ░░░░░░░░ America We want to ░░░░░░░░ common ground and solutions ░░░░░░░░ Todd Very quickly REP ░░░░░░░░ McCarthy Yes Chuck Todd ░░░░░░░░ have not appointed all ░░░░░░░░ of the House Intelligence ░░░░░░░░ on the Republican side ░░░░░░░░ REP Kevin McCarthy I ░░░░░░░░ next week Chuck Todd ░░░░░░░░ people think you re ░░░░░░░░ it s helping to ░░░░░░░░ the transcripts that could ░░░░░░░░ sent to Mueller REP ░░░░░░░░ McCarthy No nothing of ░░░░░░░░ sort The reason why ░░░░░░░░ weren t already reported ░░░░░░░░ Democrats were not organized ░░░░░░░░ waited until after the ░░░░░░░░ race which Republicans would ░░░░░░░░ do to give us ░░░░░░░░ ratios I have just ░░░░░░░░ met Chuck Todd Intel ░░░░░░░░ always the same ratio ░░░░░░░░ in fairness REP Kevin ░░░░░░░░ No Chuck Todd on ░░░░░░░░ front REP Kevin McCarthy ░░░░░░░░ we had negotiations with ░░░░░░░░ speaker changing I just ░░░░░░░░ just met with every ░░░░░░░░ individual that I m ░░░░░░░░ to appoint on Friday ░░░░░░░░ it ll come out ░░░░░░░░ week Chuck Todd All ░░░░░░░░ Kevin McCarthy Republican from ░░░░░░░░ good to see you ░░░░░░░░ Thanks for coming on ░░░░░░░░ sharing your views.