After Charlottesville: The State of American Politics

DATE: 13:45 – 14:30  Thursday 9th November 2017

VENUE:  Committee Room 1, House of Lords,
Houses of Parliament, SW1A 0AA

SPEAKER

Governor Terry McAuliffe
72nd Governor of Virginia and Former Chairman of the Democratic Party

Event Chair: Viscount Waverley, of Westdean in the County of Sussex

Governor Terry McAuliffe (02:36) Good Afternoon Everybody! (02:38)

Viscount Waverley (02:38) The Governor he has been introduced…laugh…and he has kindly agreed to…get cracking. He needs to leave here at 14:30 and we have agreed amongst ourselves the way forward. Governor- (02:50)

McAuliffe (02:50) Great! Well thank you! It’s great to be with everybody! We got in early this morning, we have been on a trade and marketing mission. We had a bunch of meetings this morning, and I will head off to Bonn Germany for the UN Big Climate change, where 25,000 people are meeting this weekend. Which is interesting because after Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement. I was the first governor to come out and say “forget what Trump says!” When are going to go ahead and do it ourselves!” So I did it in Virginia through executive authority. You are seeing this happen a lot more in America.

We had a big day the other day in Virginia! We had an astounding election! My successor. My Lt. Governor won the governorship. We won the Lt. governor, We won the Attorney General…So we swept all 3 state-wides. But more importantly, we picked up 15 House of Delegate seats (we may get more). If we get 16 we tie for control… and if we get 17 we get actual control of the chamber.

Which is.. this has never happened before in Virginia. I mean we knocked off Republican house of Delegate members that nobody thought was vulnerable. So it was a big night for us, it was a great night for the Democrats. They needed a win after what happened a year ago…Just about a year ago actually. And this was the first big win that we’ve had.

I think no. 1, this is an affirmation that we’ve had a great 4 years. Do we have any Virginia residents here?

HJS Intern: I am! (04:19-04:21)

McAuliffe (04:21-04:29) Great! Very Good! (Laughter.) Smart man! Very smart man!

McAuliffe (04:29) Yeah so I think Number 1 is an affirmation that we’ve had 4 years under my term as Governor. We’ve created more jobs, more economic activity, unemployment went from 5.4%…all the wat to 3.7%..We are now the 2nd lowest of any major state in America. So jobs, economic development. I’ve leaned in on a lot of the social issues..I’m probably the most progressive governor in Virginia history. I’ve restored more voting rights to felons then any governor in the history of the United States of America. I was sued twice by the Republicans, taken to the Supreme Court..I ultimately won!

But I’ve been a brick wall to protect women’s rights, gay rights, environment issues, keeping guns off the streets..And you know Virginia used to be a ruby red state..we are now a blue state. And I think affirmation of that on Tuesday.

So I think number 1, they were happy with the last 4 years; and I think number 2 was a real repudiation of Donald Trump and his hatred and bigotry. The Republican candidate for governor ran one of the most racist, bigoted, campaigns I’ve ever seen. Horrible television ad’s on sanctuary cities-which do not exist in Virginia. You are not allowed to have them by law. But he continued to run these ads, and ran ads-my Lt Governor is a paediatrician -a neurologist who actually runs a children’s hospice clinic, was an army veteran. But just a great guy a predication. But they ran ad’s saying he supported sex paedophiles. I mean it was just so over the top. And I think the Republican paid a horrible price, and I think it really enraged Democrats, independents, and that’s why really I think we had such a great, astounding victory, that we had (06:10)

McAuliffe (06:10). Trump Continues-you know I call him like the crazy uncle up in the attic. I mean, I don’t know what say about Donald Trump (laughing). He has created chaos in our country, you know I am one of the most pro-trade Democrats in America. Clearly one of the most pro-trade Democrats. Last year you think of Virginia.40- billion dollars of exports, that’s a lot of jobs. ~so I’m very active on the trade issues and I travel the globe. And I say this is my 35th trade mission, and I tell you I now have to spend a half an hour when I go to these foreign countries..to try to explain America, to try to explain Donald Trump (which is very hard to do). I don’t know what to tell people..(laughing)..honestly. But he is hurting our ability as a nation to trade.

And people are questioning, I had a meeting today with 2 companies. Spent the first 20 minutes in each meeting, and at the end. One business whom ~I think I’m going to get to come to rural Virginia. Said “I’m really just not sure because I’m afraid what Trump and tax policies will do to our business. So you’re getting this over and over again. So we’’ll see what happens. (07:15)

McAuliffe (07:15) It was a good night for the Democrats. I’m trying to tell everybody I’m nationally. I’ve spoken to next speaker Pelosi, and others.

Democrats got to lean in on this economic issues, talk about jobs, economic empowerment, and fight for what you believe in. Fight on your value system and you’ll win. I think we have proven that, and I think what happened Tuesday night is going to help us recruit candidates. The Congress is up next year as you know, we have 36 Governors up next year which is very important. Until Tuesday (Believe it or not) there was only 15 of us in America, only 15 Democratic governors.

Why is that important? Because in America in 2020 they will do a new census, and in 2021 they will redraw every single line in America. Every house, Senate, locally, as well as Congressionally, they will redraw the Congressional Districts. And unfortunately today, two-thirds of the states will be drawn by Republican legislators. That means they will draw seats to protect the Republicans, and the only person who can stop a bad redistricting map…is a governor who can veto the map. And right now as I say we are down to 15 of us, there was much we could do to stop it. There are 36 races up next year. Which is a real opportunity for us and our party. Let me just say finally (I’m glad to take questions).

What I’ve tried to convey to everybody is…and the Koch Brothers are very powerful. You know 10 years ago they were very smart, Democrats focused on Federal elections presidential and everybody went away. They went in at the state and local level, and they have systematically in state, after state, won state legislatures. Which is important for as I say redistricting, and but I;’ll say our Congress is worthless nothing gets done at the Federal level. Everything is happening at the states, the rollback of women’s rights, gay rights, and environmental rights, and pro-gun rights..It’s all happening through state legislatures! And we Democrats got to get smart about that and we got to win at the local level. So this is a big emphasis we got to focus on, I’m going to finish my term in January, and I will take a lead working on these 36 governors races. And I’m doing a project with President Obama and Eric Holder on redistricting, and to try to get fair lines.

Today 96% of members of Congress win re-election. In my state before this year, I had a 140 seats up 2 years, 82 didn’t even have an opponent because they can’t lose a general election. The lines are drawn. In America unfortunately, the legislators pick their voters not vice versa. And we gotta get back to 50-50. And that’s going to be a big effort for what we are trying to do. (09:57)

Viscount Waverly (09:57) Thank you very much governor, it’s been extremely helpful! And we’ll need to learn from each other. And if time permits we will explore your formula for success on the trading front. As we certainly need to achieve that coming up in just years’ time. When Brexit is supposedly going to be happening. And also the (potential) US trade deal. I’ve got a pen here if you want to sign…laughter.

Before you became governor we considered between ourselves. Broad areas you wish to comment further on. And if we may it will take 1 at a time. About the questions together, so you can match your thinking and address the issues in front of us.

Charlottesville was certainly one of the issues suggested. The lady here would like to go first then others, wishing to relate, and ask questions about Charlottesville come after the lady so the honourable governor can turn his point…Go ahead. (10:54)

Question 1 (10:54) And I was extremely shocked like the rest of the world’s population at what happened in Charlottesville. We need to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I was particularly disturbed by the levels of anti-Semitism that actually went on. They say “what happens with the Jews..never stops with the Jews.”

I mentioned before that one of the things that brought it home to me was..a personal post to social media, from a person who runs the Synagogue there. That they had people outside the synagogue’s with semi-automatic machine guns, Nazi’s outside. That they asked for protection from the state. State didn’t have enough protection, they had to hire their own security. And they were so scared they were going to be burnt down, they told their holy books, the sacred torah(s) away from the Synagogue. And how can we stop this from ever repeating itself. I don’t think by not talking about things they just go away. (12:02)

McAuliffe Answer (12:02) Yeah

Viscount Waverly (12:04) Thank you very much, any other question on Charlottesville..Governor standby. Go ahead! (12:09)

Question 2 (12:10) So I interviewed Senator Kaine a couple of weeks ago, and we touched on the Charlottesville question…And I’ll ask you the same question that I asked him (I’ll tell you how he answered afterwards). My question is, in the light of Charlottesville do you think President Trump is a racist? (12:28)

 McAuliffe Answer (12:28) Is a what?

Question 2 (12:29) Is a racist (12:30)

McAuliffe Answer (12:30) Laughter…Umm Let me take your question first! And they both being related. Charlottesville. And imagine they all came in from out of state, these were not Virginians. And it was supposedly around the issue of taking Confederate statues down. Virginia (as you probably know) is in a very unique position, we were the capital of the Confederacy. We have a very unique history as it relates to the Civil War because as Jefferson Davis’s White House was in Richmond Virginia, right behind the Governor’s mansion where I live now. But to be honest with you..these folks who came in didn’t even know who Robert E. Lee was. The issue was about taking down the Robert E. Lee statue. They didn’t have a clue! They came in to spew hatred, so they were Neo-Nazi’s, Alt-Right, and White Supremacist. These were the 3 groups.

And I had been briefed by my Secretary of Public Safety, and my Head of my State Police. They’d known for about a month..the FBI and Department of homeland Security had been monitoring social media and we knew they were being told to bring arms with them and hurt people. So we knew that ahead of time. I mobilized my state police and in matter of fact the largest contingent of state police ever mobilized in a domestic situation. I mobilized my National Guard for the first time in 28 years in a domestic situation.

We didn’t know what we were doing, but we knew issues would arise. And on the morning of Charlottesville I had my whole team down there. The city of Charlottesville (and this is what I’m looking at) it’s called unified command they’re in charge. The city is in charge; we the state are there to support. Which I didn’t like at all, if I’m going to send a majority of the state police and a majority of the guard down..but that’s what the law is and I’m looking to change that law. If we are going to take responsibility, we need to take authority.

But we had been tipped off pretty early, and the rally was supposed to start at noon. By 10:30 AM, we knew there were issues. There were militia groups walking down the streets of Charlottesville. Now remember Virginia is also home of the national gun assoc..NRA…National Rifle Association,. That is in our state, I’ve tried for four years as governor to roll back gun rights. I’ve been unsuccessful. I have a very Republican Tea Party legislature. I’m, for background checks, I’m a hunter, I own guns, I take my boys hunting. But I went through background checks..it takes 5 minutes. Every person in America should go through a background check.

But anyways, I tipped off. Talked to the Mayor of Charlottesville and said “you need to do a couple of things. Number 1 “go ahead and get a permit that no firearms will be allowed in the protest site.” Now I knew they would lose it but it’s still worth doing it, unfortunately they did not do that. I also recommended that they move the rally from downtown Charlottesville, which is honestly maybe about 6 times the size of this room…the park. So you have this massive park which several thousand people coming (armed!), coming in. so the city went for a permit to move it up to McIntire Park up the hill 2 miles away. Huge place! The key to controlling protests is to keep the sides separated. Unfortunately, the ACLU sued us and the judge ruled in their favour. So they kept this rally in a small park in the middle of Charlottesville Virginia,

And it just created a chaos situation, at 11:00 AM I declared a state of emergency. It wasn’t supposed to start until noon, At 11:20 the park had been cleared, unfortunately everybody left the little park and went to the streets of Charlottesville. And a 21-year-old manic weaponised his car (from Ohio), and ran down and hurt 19 people. And killed a 32-year-old by the name of Heather Heyer. And as we all know with weaponising these cars there is no way to know that ahead of time, it’s almost impossible stop. (16:35)

McAuliffe Cont. (16:35) But to get to the broader issue, and I went down there I gave a press conference. I immediately called it for what it was. The President failed to do it, and he failed to show leadership. At his press conference before mine “he blamed both sides.” Folks it wasn’t “both sides” we had people walking around the streets with swastikas on, wearing t-shirts with Adolf Hitler’s picture, and screaming the most offensive language to the African-American community I’ve ever heard in all my life.

Now you have a right to come in, you have a right to protest (I may not like what you have to say). But you do not have the right to come in and hurt people, and you do not have a right to come in and damage property. But for this one kid in the care, we had a very good handle on the situation.

The broader issue, how did we get to this point in America? People used to wear hoods when they went out and did these horrible acts because they were embarrassed. They didn’t want anyone to see who they are. They now feel in America, you don’t have to wear hoods. You can go in the middle of the most beautiful city and spew hatred and say the vilest things. I think we need to get back to..and I called all my principals and superintendents of schools.. We gotta start teaching beginning in Kindergarten how we interrelate with one another. Because how do you get to a point where you spew these things..and it’s sad, it’s sad for America. (17:59)

McAuliffe Cont. (17:59) and is Donald Trump a racist? You know, I wouldn’t say that the President is a racist today. I will tell you though, and I spoke to him in the afternoon (this is very public). He called me and I explained the situation, I explained Neo-Nazi’s, Alt-right, White Supremacist, and he needed to come out and condemn the folks and he refused to do it. Now that was his choice, to refuse to do it.

He blamed “both sides.” The other side was protesting hatred, they were there to protest hared, they weren’t there to spew hatred. And it was very unfortunate. And then I went to go give my speech (which didn’t get a whole lot of attention) and I called them out as I think anybody would do. I told them “to get out” go home, “you’re not patriots”, “you’re a bunch of cowards.” “and we don’t want you in our state, and we don’t want you in our country.”

It was hard for me as 5 minutes before I had walked out, I had been informed that 2 of my state troopers (in fact a very good friend of Travis and Steve of mine-these are state troopers). A very close friend who had been in my protection detail, had died in the helicopter crash. And the pilot who had flown me for 3 and a half years was killed. It was hard for me so I had to walk out here, and just been told that 2 very close friends of mine had been killed. It was just a tragic day, they had all left the state. There is quote “nothing left in Charlottesville.” Once they left you know, it was pretty much over. But I do condemn the President for not condemning the hatred, the bigotry, that went on in our city.  And as a leader, President Clinton he had Oklahoma City, you know President Obama he had the horrible incidences he had to deal with, and they came out. Even George Bush after 9/11..

Donald Trump refuses to do it, to this day he still refuses to do it. In fact, he came out a week later and did a press conference at the Trump Hotel and just spewed more hatred. So he’s not stopping these people. As President that is his job as a moral leader, to shut this down and he not. And you could make the argument that him not shutting it down is encouraging them. (20:02)

Viscount Waverly (20:02-20:11) Thank you very much governor! Slightly following on from that we have a lady who wishes to ask a question about the death penalty. Umm go ahead!

Question 3 (20:11) Yes Governor! I would like to ask you your opinion on the death penalty, which I know is still used in Virginia. You know there is no empirical evidence that is an effective deterrent. And I wonder if you did not agree that the way forward. Would be far more free access to psychiatric care. And I know admirably you are for more Medicaid, people need health care. Also more gun control then you seem to be advocating, rather than using a method of coldly chemically killing people, a surely outdated way.

Viscount Waverly (20:57-21:17) Thank you very much! Any other question related to the death penalty issues in the United States? Governor, Can I just say Governor it is now 12 past 2 and you are to be wheeled out at 2:30. We have four more general subjects to touch on.

McAuliffe: So go quick is what you’re saying?

Viscount Waverly: Even quicker than that!

McAuliffe (21:18) I personally oppose the death penalty, I’m a Catholic, and it is not part of our religion. But also I am governor and I take an oath of office, and I have to uphold the law in Virginia. Virginia has the death penalty; I will be very frank with you. Our legislature is very Republican, very Tea Party. It has changed since Tuesday, I can’t wait for January’s swearing in. But there has been no instance at all of them ever changing that in Virginia.

Now I have made the point there is the issue of the cocktail’s they use, when they administer the protocols, and there has been the issue of getting the drugs. And there was a time last year where it looked like Virginia could not get the drugs, therefore they would have defaulted to the electric chair.

I came out as governor and said “I will refuse to do any order that uses the electric chair” because undoubtedly that’s cruel and unusual punishment. So the legislature originally didn’t support me in that effort, and they wouldn’t let the cocktails in. So therefore they have just ended the death penalty in Virginia. To let a progressive Democrat, end the death penalty in Virginia, they quickly went back into session and overruled the law they just made 10 minutes before to stop it.

But you have to follow the law as it exists. You know I have pardoned a bunch of folks, I like a guy Mike Macalster out of jail. Who had been there for 28 years-wrongly convicted, 28 years for murder. And someone came forward and admitted he had actually done it, and not Mr. McCalster. I’ve had to do that on several instances, now with all the DNA testing.

Before I have to sign that order, and I’ll tell you it’s the hardest thing you have to do as governor. Is to sign the order. I have to go to my office, the state police come and put a special phone line in. and at 9 o’clock they are calling me from the chamber and I have to give the final order at 9 o’clock. I don’t care who you are, it’s the most actual horrible thing you have to go through. But if there is any question, if I can find any legal avenue that there is something wrong with the deliberations or the evidence-I stop it! But if there isn’t I have to uphold the law!

I swore an oath of office, and if I wasn’t comfortable doing it. I should have not run for governor! (23:50)

Viscount Waverley (23:50-24:20) Governor, beyond Trade, immigration is a vexing question. Which again affects us and the results of the Brexit referendum we had. Without any question. An issue was raised today for discussion about immigration.

McAuliffe: Sure!

Wo was it that put that question forward? And if not can you just take it away? And just deal with it from your prospective but also from the Federal prospective as well. And the wall, why not the wall?

McAuliffe: Well forget the wall! (24:20)

McAuliffe: It’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard, the wall will never be built. I will tell you this now. Write that down! “THE WALL WILL NEVER BE BUILT!” He builds his wall for billions of dollars, they are going to have a bigger ladder or a deeper tunnel. The whole thing is a joke.

But you know by his rhetoric he did stop some of it, the folks going over the border has dropped dramatically. I don’t know if it’s new surveillance or whatever but the wall will not be built. I go back to the point I made earlier, you can not put walls up around our country, you can’t put walls up around our state.

I’ve had a vicious battle, I’ve just completed, I was chairman of the Governors in America. I was Chairman of the National Governors Association. I led the fight. I went on the travel ban; I was the first governor. I went to Dulles airport which is in Virginia, I had tipped off in the morning that a family was there, and they were being detained. And they were not given access to legal counsel and they had been there for 5 hours. And the children were US Citizens.

So as soon as I heard that, I flew up to Dulles airport and said “I’m the Governor of this State”, “This airport is in my state”. “I am demanding to get legal action” and “I am demanding and I Am not leaving” until they have access to legal counsel. Boy within five minutes, they had access and were released. But it shouldn’t have to take a governor to have to do that, immigration policy.

And I went to see the president on this, I went to see Secretary Kelly (John Kelly is now Chief of Staff), he was the head of DHS. And I’ve lost 2 business deals already because of it (they weren’t from those Muslim countries) but they were Muslim and just said “you know what” “I just don’t want to come to America right now.”

So it’s had a chilling effect on trade, it’s caused such disharmony within families. The angst is just wrong; trump is just wrong on this. He’s wrong on his travel ban, he’s wrong on his immigration policies. The law as Secretary Kelly, and the President whom I sat with an hour this close. Said “the policy in America everyone who came in illegal will stay in this country unless you commit a serious criminal offence.” Supposedly that is the law, and no one in America would actually argue with that.

If you come to America, you sneak in and you commit serious criminal offences…I don’t think anyone would mind getting those people out of the country. The problem that is happening is that they have hired so many new ICE agents and so forth, you hear so many stories…you have one in Virginia. A woman was stopped for a broken taillight. And once she was stopped….now they deported her, with two beautiful little children left back in Virginia. How you think this is somehow helpful, the pictures of the kids in the customs van..as the mother is pulling away. Aw it breaks your hurt! (27:17)

McAuliffe: (27:15) But this is Trump! And this is Trump going back to that small percentage of people that he leaned in on during the campaign. Everyone wants to keep our nation safe, there is no question about it. We need to make sure we are keeping bad people out, no question about it. But we are a land of immigrants-unless you were Native American. Until the British came in 1607, and I remind you-they came to Virginia! You know they didn’t go to Pennsylvania, or that little rock in Massachusetts-Plymouth Rock! That was 1620, it was 1607. You know if you weren’t on those 3 ships when they came over, you were an immigrant from somewhere. And we got to get back to that. And we are a great country because we are a mosaic tile….(27:56)

Viscount Waverly (27:56) But we’ve moved on from that period Governor. What would you do (in 1 minute) considering an immigration policy that is right for the United States (28:06)

McAuliffe (28:06) Give legal Pathway, very distinct pathway, to do it, you got outstanding fines and all that. All of those issues, but let us secure our borders, and the people in this country that are here acting legally, but maybe here illegally but with families and all that. Put a pathway to citizenship out there. Everyone agrees that Congress,..(I’m not just blaming Trump on this) this has gone on for years..Our Congress has failed to have a national immigration policy. And we have a mismatch, and when you don’t have a set framework that’s when problems exist. (28:41)

Viscount Waverly (28:41) You touched on travel bans, which is an integral parts of sanctions and leading on from there we’ve got the Russia questions which affects us all. Because in general terms we have a broad approach on sanctions, and they impact Russia on 4 fronts. As you are aware, and one that doesn’t impact you directly, but it impacts us here in the UK. What..Are you prepared to say a word or would you might consider saying a word about sanctions regimes? Because you have a situation where states can consider sanctions. You have the Federal arrangement on sanctions. Do you believe they are effective, how would they be changed?  Are you minded to say a word, because you have travelled the world. What would you do in engaging with that very important bilateral relationship Russia? Because no matter what you think of Russia, it’s an important bilateral relationship. (29:30)

McAuliffe: (29:30) Yeah, it’s an important ally, in America we first have to deal with the issue I believe that there were treasonous acts committed in the last Presidential campaign. If there was an American citizen who was coordinating with the Russian government, or allies of the Russian government to destabilize or elections, or destabilize our country. It is treason. And we need to find out who was involved in that.

So before no offence, I come down on a very hard line on Russia, they’ve already admitted they were involved in destalking our elections. More and more of that is coming out, and until we figure out what they did, and how they did it. And who was involved in it. They are going to have to pay a very heavy price for what they did.

Putin has to be laughing right now, thinking that he won! Look what he’s wrought on America, going back to your point. He’s got everyone fighting one another, you’ve got hatred and bigotry has come alive in our beautiful country. He’s questioning the issues on NATO every single day, we’ve got issues in North Korea. Putin’s got to be saying “Heck I won.” He’s got to pay a price for that!

Now I’m for sanctions that make sense, clearly North Korea …. sanctions are about the only things I think..And I mean military option is a very tough option.. They literally have thousands of missiles aimed at Seoul which is 30 miles away. They could wipe out a million people in Seoul. He needs to do more diplomacy; he needs to do less tweeting. And that’s how we are successful. (30:58)

Viscount Waverly (30:58) I’ll just remind you Governor, that your President choose (potentially) a very key word as much as relating to North Korea. When he was addressing the Parliament in Seoul, he used the word “God.” And in some ways remember that it is considered within North Korea not as Head of State of North Korea but as deity. So if there is one word that might have an impact on him personally, it is that relationship.

I would offer that as a reflection, I by no means have the answers.

McAuliffe: You got to quit calling him rocket man, you got to quit taunting him, fire and fury. I mean…

Viscount Waverly: But you got to impact him.  If you not going to go in you have to impact him to get him to address…

 McAuliffe: but taunting him, is not the way you deal with it. I mean this guy over there is nuts. You don’t taunt someone who is crazy.

Viscount Waverly: Any other questions? Because we have to start wrapping it up. (31:54)

Question 4 (31:54) I do have another question, on politics in the comments I’ve noted something you’ve said about the Democrats winning..And I saw here “Fight on your values system.” But it’s true that we saw in the primaries last year (and even in your election in Virginia) a whole set of different Democrats coming through..The Bernie Sanders types, now you have the Democratic Socialists..

Can you speak for a moment about the challenges within the Democratic Party, holding that party together? We’ve seen what has happened to the Republican Party, but there are issues internally as well in the Democrats. (32:22)

McAuliffe: (32:22) We do!…But you know? I think people make too much of it. You know I also served as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee for 4 years. You know I’ve been around, I’ve chaired Bill Clinton’s campaign, I’ve chaired Hillary Clinton’s campaign. You know..I’m old as dirt I’ve been doing this a long time!! (Laughing).

It’s…You know.. I’ll remind you that if you look at our history. Bill Clinton won in 92, 96. Al Gore won actually won the 2000 election. We don’t have time to repeat all that here today. Most of you were soo young, but he won that election. And but for 537 votes in Florida,  that chads and all that. The horrible stuff they did.

You know, we would have had the White House, we never would have gone into Iraq. The world would be different today honestly. Barack Obama came in and won twice, Hillary Clinton did win 3 million more votes than Donald Trump did. We have the electoral college, I think we ought to end the electoral college. I think most Americans say we should end it. Whoever gets the most votes..I understand what the framers of the Constitution thought back then..These small states would never have any say..but you know the way our system is today with 2 US Senators they have plenty of say. But you know…so I’m saying just in this bag.

But I will say our big fault I will say as a party, is that we have not focused on state and local. We have been too nationally focused, too much on Presidential. We raise billions of dollars in the Presidential year! And then everyone goes off! We got to start winning at the local level, because as I keep telling as I said before “Democrats-don’t talk to me about 2020, I don’t want to here anymore about Presidential..I really don’t! In 2018 we got to get the Congress back (which we will). I can promise you folks we are going to get the Congress back, and we got to win a majority of these governors races. Our message is clear do what we did in Virginia on jobs and economic growth. Largest investment in K-12 (education) in the history of our state, voters are happy in Virginia. We have to do that nationally, lean in. Hillary talked about the economy. If I had a fault for her campaign, I don’t think her paid media was doing enough on the economic issues. It was too much anti-Trump. I think it needed to build a framework under that to do it. You know..you got Comey…You got Russia, a lot of things actually happened. And Trump talks about these four Congressional seats they won in specials, they are all Republican seats! Big Deal!

We are the first test; we are a purple state. We are the first real test, and we crushed them! (34:46)

Viscount Waverly (34:46) Thank you governor for that. Are you by any means suggesting that we are not still young? You and me?  (Laughter)

McAuliffe: I think. It’s all how you feel! I feel great!

Viscount Waverly: We have a question there from a friend! Go ahead! (34:57)

Question 5: (34:57) Briefly, I’ve just been elected the Lieutenant Governor of my home state in Surrey.

McAuliffe: Good for you! (Laughter)

Question 5 Cont: And I could spend £400 on my campaign. Could you comment on why these billions and billions..millions…I think it’s atrocious! And I live in America 3 months of the year. Stop that and get to the real people! (35:17)

McAuliffe: (35:17) It’s a good question!

Viscount Waverly-We’ve got 4 minutes then we are leading out through the door Governor.

McAuliffe: Too much money we spend in American politics, we have an unfortunate case called Citizens United which is really one of the problems we got in our nation today. Which will allow any corporation, any special interest group, to spend unlimited amounts of money without disclosure! That’s the law! Citizens United, upheld by a Supreme Court which is very unfortunate. Our elections go on way too long! I mean I do like what you do over here (laughter). Our elections go on way too long, and it’s entirely too much money.

Viscount Waverly: Excuse me! no photographs here please!..Lady..No photographs here! Thank you! Go ahead Governor!

McAuliffe: They should be shorter, and we ought to do something where we have matching system in the presidential to keep the amount of money down. That’s been eliminated and I don’t see us going back.

One thing that Trump has done and Gorsuch now there, which is a Republican tilting court and if he gets one more Supreme Court appointee (and thank goodness for our members or the members who believe in the causes we believe in). We got to keep them all alive and going (laughter)! If he gets one more, I’m saying they are getting older. If he gets one more, they will overrule Roe Vs. Wade. Abortion will become illegal in the United States of America. I mean, this is how close this is. This how I think he, with all the stuff that he did, with the women, and the sexual harassment and all of that. How did these Christian Evangelicals vote for him? And the language and now he talked about women, he..it was. He promised to appoint a very conservative justice and he did that. The one they put in is actually more conservative then Scalia! If you can believe that, the one he replaced. (37:12)

Viscount Waverly: (37:12) Thank you very much Governor! Can I remind everyone; the House rules are no photographs under any circumstances!

Governor-You got 1 minute if you could be encouraged to come up with a trade policy, that could also help the UK. Given that you have had 34 successful trips and have a full passport (laughter). What have you done, what works for you, what do we need to take account of as we consider our trade policy? (37:37)

McAuliffe: (37:37) Listen you need fair trade deals, What I always say and I supported President Obama on TPP. The Party-I think Hillary was wrong, I think Bernie Sanders was wrong. I do this for a living. I create jobs, it’s what I do, I trade, I go and I do it and…People should have to be part of these negotiations. I say “Give me a trade deal that’s fair, that protects workers’ rights, the environment, and give me a fair deal.” We can compete with anyone on the globe, on TPP we are really hurt because those 11 countries have now done one-off deals with China. Just as we had predicted, they are all doing deals with China. Who’s left out? The United States of America!  We are out of that deal now!

And you know, I am now paying tariffs on a lot of my goods. 35-40% that would have been eliminated had TPP gone into law. It just got into the political, it became Sanders then pushing Hillary, and just step back for a minute. I just keep going back, what does everyone want-they want a job! They want a high paying job for their children! And we as Democrats got to keep focusing on those economic issues! But on the trade deal, it’s go to work for you and it’s got to work for me.

Both sides have to benefit, and if anyone walks away from a trade deal thinking they got the better of it. That deal will collapse.

Viscount Waverly: How long will it take to achieve?

McAuliffe: Now I think he is trying to come back with TPP, we will never call it that because…

Viscount Waverly: With the UK? When we have the opportunity…

McAuliffe: 2 years!

Viscount Waverly: Two years..on that…

And I wasn’t a fan of Brexit I’ll tell you that! I didn’t think you guys did the right thing on Brexit, but I don’t live here (laughter).

Viscount Waverly: You might have to pick up the cons pence? Can we thank the Governor very much!

McAuliffe: Thank You! (Applause)

McAuliffe: Thank you everybody! (Applause) Come to Virginia and spend money!

McAuliffe: and vote! (laughter) Don’t vote!

Viscount Waverly: Well that was very interesting! We covered all the ground and that’s that.

Question: Sorry? We asked the questions…

Viscount Waverly: (Laughter)…With your help I’d suggest how to do it! The important things is to do everything just a little bit different then normally the case to get the results needed.

HJS



Lost your password?

Not a member? Please click here