Jindal vs. Graham: ‘It’s Time to Have Republicans with a Backbone’
RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
TAPPER: "Governor jindal, how would President Jindal get the Russians out of Syria?"
JINDAL: "Jake, I want to answer that question and go back to Iran. I didn't get a chance to answer that as well. Look, on Russia, across the world dictators walk all over this president. He treats our friends like dirt, he let's our enemies walk all over us. The only group he's able to out-negotiate are the Senate Republicans. Instead of a two-thirds vote to reject the Iran deal, I want to ask Lindsey a question. Will the Senate Republicans -- they still have time -- are they willing to use the nuclear option, meaning get rid of filibusters to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Now is the time for the Senate Republicans to stand up and fight. We are tired of the establishment saying there's nothing we can do. All night tonight we've heard Republicans say, 'well the Supreme Court ruled there's nothing I can do about religious liberty. You know, the president did, this there's nothing we can do for two more years.'" We won the Senate and the house. What was the point of winning those chambers? You're going back tonight and still have time before the Thursday deadline. Will you all use the deadline to stop Iran from having nuclear power?"
GRAHAM: "You were in the Congress and if you want to repeal ObamaCare, get a new president. If you want to defund Planned Parenthood, elect a pro-life president, because that's the only way. If we pass the Cardin bill, it would go to the president and he would veto it. 67 votes are required to override the veto. Wait a minute. You asked me a question. I don't want to take off the table the ability to slow down Obama in his last 13 or 14 months because I want 60 votes to stop what I think he's going to do between now and January 2017. Five Republicans deflect -- leave, we're in trouble. So, folks, the world really is the way it is. President Obama is president. The goal is to get him out of there and pick somebody who would actually do something to repeal Obamacare, who would get you a better agreement. Bobby, he would veto the bill. We don't have 67 votes and you had given away a defense against Obama for the rest of his presidency. No, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to tell you things I can't do. I'm not going to tell you by shutting the government down we're going to defund Obamacare as long as he's president. That hurts us. I'm trying to lead this party to winning.
JINDAL: "Lindsey, that's my frustration. You basically heard a Senate Republican say we can't defund Planned Parenthood, despite these barbaric videos. Maybe answer this question now. I wish they had half the fight that the Senate Republicans did. President Obama didn't give up on Obamacare when they lost in Massachusetts. They broke the constitution, they broke the law but they forced Obamacare down our throats even when they didn't have 60 votes. I wish Republicans in D.C. had half the fight the Senate Democrats to get rid of Obamacare, to defund planned Parenthood. If we can't defund planned Parenthood now, it's time to be done with the Republican party. We defunded them in Louisiana. Let's defund them in D.C. If we can't win on that issue, there is no point for being cheaper Democrats, no point for having a second liberal party. It's time to get rid of the Republican party, start over with a new one that's at least conservative, give Harry Reid and Pelosi credit. At least they fight for what they believe in. I want Senate and house members to fight for what we believe in as well. It's time to have Republicans with a backbone in D.C.
GRAHAM: "Can I just say something? Bobby, we're running to be president of the United States. The most important job in the free world. With it comes a certain amount of honesty. I'm tired of telling people things they want to hear that I know we can't do. He is not going to sign a bill that would defund Obamacare. If I'm president of the united States, I wouldn't put one penny in my budget for Planned Parenthood, not one penny. I'm as offended about these videos as you are. But the one thing I'm not going to do, going into 2016, is shut the government down and taint our ability to win. What you're saying and what senator Cruz is saying, I am really sick of hearing. Trying to get the Republican Party in a position to win is what I am trying to do, and that does matter."
