The next is a transcript of an interview with former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, that aired on “Face the Nation” on September 3, 2023.
ROBERT COSTA: Good morning, Ambassador Haley.
NIKKI HALEY: Good morning, Bob. Nice to be with you.
ROBERT COSTA: Ambassador, let’s start with Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican chief who appeared to freeze up earlier than cameras in latest days for the second time in two months. His physician then issued a press release saying McConnell, who was hospitalized earlier this yr after a fall, is ready to proceed to work. “Occasional lightheadedness is just not unusual in concussion restoration,” the physician wrote. Ambassador, you mentioned this in latest days, the Senate is “probably the most privileged nursing residence within the nation.” And McConnell must “know when to go away.” Do you consider it is time for McConnell to step down from his management place?
HALEY: Bob, I’m utterly for time period limits. I am utterly for psychological competency checks for anybody over the age of 75. And I am not saying that to be disrespectful. Right here you may have Mitch McConnell, who’s executed nice service to the nation. You might have Dianne Feinstein who had an amazing profession. You’ve got acquired Nancy Pelosi, who’s been there a very long time. At what level do they get it is time to go away? They should let a youthful technology take over. We wish to go and begin working for our children to verify we now have a powerful nationwide safety, to verify we now have a stronger financial coverage, to guarantee that America is secure. And we will not do this if these people refuse to surrender energy. This isn’t only a Republican or Democrat downside. This can be a congressional downside. And so they’ve acquired to know when to go away it, it is time to go this all the way down to a brand new technology of conservative leaders that wish to take our nation to a greater place.
ROBERT COSTA: So simply to be clear, when Republican senators come again to Washington, ought to they’ve a management shakeup on the desk? And may they discuss doubtlessly having anyone else are available in because the chief within the Senate?
HALEY: I need this for Republicans and Democrats. I wish to guarantee that all of them know it is time to go. There is a purpose the American individuals need time period limits. It is as a result of they do not need individuals staying there endlessly. They do not need individuals drunk on the facility. They do not need individuals to assume they’re the one ones that know the right way to run Congress. As a result of proper now, what has Congress executed for you recently? We now have an open border that is uncontrolled, they’re spending like drunken sailors. We have continued points, whether or not it comes with training, whether or not it comes with the debt, whether or not it comes with how we will have nationwide safety. We want individuals on the high of their recreation. We now have too many points on the desk that should be handled. We will not proceed to have these individuals who assume they know higher than the American individuals, the American individuals are saying it’s time to go. If they might approve time period limits, the American individuals would present that. However till then, they have to know that, look, we recognize your service, however it is time to step away.
ROBERT COSTA: So you’ve got talked about competency checks. However let’s dig just a little deeper on that. There are age necessities for serving in the home, 25 years previous, 30 for the Senate, 35 for the presidency. Ought to there be an age restrict on the presidency in your view, and possibly a constitutional change or legislative change?
HALEY: I feel there needs to be psychological competency checks and I do not care in the event that they’re for everyone 50 and older. I do not care in the event that they’re for the whole Congress. These are primary checks, Bob. These are inform us the place you have been born, title 4 phrases that begin with the identical letter. What number of grandchildren do you may have? These are primary questions that anybody ought to have the ability to reply. And the best way you do that’s simply when a candidate recordsdata to run for workplace, incumbent or newcomer, they’ve to provide their monetary disclosures. They need to additionally give a discover from the physician that tells about their psychological capability. I feel that we want that. We will not stand watching Dianne Feinstein sit there and be informed by an aide how she ought to vote. We will not fear about Mitch McConnell being frozen at a podium. We will not have Joe Biden neglect the place he’s. Our enemies are watching all of this. And each time they’ve an occasion like that, America is much less secure as a result of our enemies assume we’re uncontrolled. And that is gotta cease.
ROBERT COSTA: You talked about spending. In only a few weeks there’s an vital spending deadline in Washington, a possible authorities shutdown looms if they do not provide you with a spending settlement to maintain the federal government funded. Do you consider Republicans ought to take a tough line and what precisely ought to they do with this looming?
HALEY: Effectively, I feel Congress must do their job. , Biden has pushed us into- into socialism mild. He is spending on each single factor and so they’ve forgotten the position of presidency. Authorities was meant to safe the rights and freedoms of the individuals. It was by no means meant to be all issues to all individuals. In order we go into this, I’ve mentioned that Biden has spent already $5 trillion in his time period, however Republicans have spent too. We have watched them open up earmarks for the primary time in 10 years, we have watched the 2024 appropriations invoice has 7.4 billion in earmarks. Democrats have 2.8 billion in earmarks. So all of them are spending like drunken sailors and it is our tax {dollars} that they are spending. What we’re saying is, I needed to stability a funds once I was governor of South Carolina, People must stability their funds at residence. Why is Congress the one group that refuses to stability a funds? They should go in there and do the exhausting work. They should guarantee that they’re giving a reimbursement to the taxpayers, they need to guarantee that cash is just not being wasted. So I feel they should do their job.
ROBERT COSTA: The query although, Ambassador, is what precisely ought to they do when it comes to the negotiating place they take? For instance, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has simply mentioned in latest days, that Republicans shouldn’t vote to fund the federal government until an impeachment inquiry begins in opposition to President Biden within the Home of Representatives. Is she proper? Or Is she mistaken to take that place?
HALEY: She’s certainly one of many which can be going to throw issues on the desk like that. What I am saying is Congress must do their job. Steadiness a funds. I’ve mentioned I’ll veto any spending invoice that does not take us again to pre-COVID ranges. The one group that talks about closing down the federal government or enjoying these video games are members of Congress. The American individuals aren’t speaking about that. The American individuals are telling Congress, do your job, stability a funds, cease the spending, cease the borrowing, get rid of the earmarks, clawback the tons of of billions of {dollars} of unspent COVID {dollars}. Go after, as a substitute of 87,000 IRS brokers going after center America, go after the tons of of billions of {dollars} of COVID fraud that we all know exist. These political video games, the American individuals have no- no use for it. They only need them to do their job, it isn’t that onerous. It is why I proceed to say we have got approach too many attorneys in Congress. We want an accountant. I am an accountant. That is why I wish to put an finish to this and begin having authorities work for the individuals once more.
ROBERT COSTA: Over the previous week, former President Donald Trump, the entrance runner within the race, he pleaded not responsible to felony accusations in Georgia. Once you have been on that debate stage in Milwaukee, which has earned you some good evaluations within the party- within the Republican celebration, you raised your hand and mentioned you’ll nonetheless help him if he was convicted of a criminal offense and the nominee subsequent yr. Do you stand by your determination to carry up your hand on stage and again Trump? Ought to he be the nominee and be a convicted felon?
HALEY: What you noticed have been candidates on that stage mentioned that they might do precisely what they signed and pledged to do which is help the Republican nominee. That is what we’re saying. I do not assume President Trump’s going to be the nominee. I feel it is going to be me. However I’ll inform you that any Republican is best than what Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are doing.
ROBERT COSTA: Even when they’re convicted of a criminal offense?
HALEY: We all know {that a} vote for Joe Biden is a vote for a President Kamala Harris. It- to start with, he is harmless till confirmed responsible. However you might be implying that the American individuals are not good. The American individuals are not going to vote for a convicted felony. The American individuals are going to vote for somebody who can win a normal election. I place confidence in the American individuals. They know what they should do. And so, I feel that, sure, I’ll help the Republican nominee at all times and I’ll guarantee that that individual, we will choose somebody that is going to beat a president Kamala Harris. As a result of we will not have a President Kamala Harris or we’ll by no means get our nation again.
ROBERT COSTA: How are you going to consolidate rapidly the non-Trump vote on this main? We’re at now in September simply months away from the early voting.
HALEY: It isn’t about consolidating a non-Trump vote. It is about consolidating the place Republicans wish to go. I consider Republicans wish to cease the loopy spending. I consider Republicans wish to carry crime down and return to regulation and order. I consider Republicans need transparency in colleges. I consider Republicans wish to safe the border. And I consider Republicans wish to forestall warfare and have a powerful nationwide safety. That is what we’re speaking about. It isn’t about an individual, it is a few nation. And it isn’t nearly Republicans. It is about independents. It is about conservative Democrats that know that we’re going within the mistaken route.
ROBERT COSTA: Ambassador Haley, we’ll see you quickly on the marketing campaign path. We actually recognize you taking the time on a Sunday morning. Thanks.
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