Sen. Kelly: VP Harris is the right person to take us into the future

Intro >> VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS SHARPENING HER ATTACKS ON DONALD TRUMP IN THAT NEW IMMIGRATION AD RELEASED JUST HOURS AFTER TRUMP LAUNCHED HIS OWN AD ON THAT SAME ISSUE. JOINING US NOW, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR MARK KELLY OF ARIZONA. HE IS A RETIRED COMBAT PILOT AND NASA ASTRONAUT AND SERVES ON FIVE DIFFERENT SENATE COMMITTEES, INCLUDING ARMED SERVICES AND THE JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE. SENATOR KELLY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US THIS MORNING. LET'S START WITH THE ISSUE OF IMG GRACIOUS, AN ISSUE THAT, OF COURSE, IS VERY IMPORTANT IN YOUR STATE OF ARIZONA, PERCEIVED BY SOME AS PERHAPS THE VICE PRESIDENT'S POLITICAL WEAKNESS. SHE'S TRIED TO TURN THIS ISSUE Harris ads ON ITS HEAD. SHE OPENED HER RALLY TALKING ABOUT IT. WE JUST SAW THAT AD. TELL US THOUGH WHAT IS THE EXPERIENCE OF THOSE IN YOUR STATE ABOUT IMMIGRATION, AND WHAT'S THE BEST PATH FORWARD? >> WELL, JONATHAN, LET ME START BY SAYING THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE TWO ADS FOR A SECOND. THE FIRST ONE IS TYPICAL DONALD TRUMP. IT WAS A BUNCH OF LIES, AND IT WAS POLITICS. THE SECOND AD WAS FACTS. DONALD TRUMP AND SENATE REPUBLICANS -- I MEAN, WHAT DID THEY DO SEVERAL MONTHS AGO? WE HAD A BIPARTISAN BILL THAT WE NEGOTIATED FAITHFULLY WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND DONALD TRUMP SAID THAT SENATE REPUBLICANS CAN'T VOTE FOR IT. HE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE INSTEAD OF ACTUALLY FIX IT, AND J.D. VANCE AND OTHER REPUBLICANS, THEY RAN AWAY FROM IT, SO KAMALA HARRIS AND THE ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. SHE'S WORKED ON THIS PROBLEM, YOU KNOW, FOR THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AND IT'S A CHALLENGING PROBLEM. I MEAN, I REPRESENT A BORDER STATE, BUT WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT WAS PUT IN PLACE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT I CAN'T STRESS MORE THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT DONALD TRUMP AND REPUBLICANS JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT. I MEAN, J.D. VANCE IS DOWN HERE, I THINK HE'S IN ARIZONA TODAY PROBABLY GETTING A PHOTO OP AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER. KAMALA HARRIS IS ABOUT SOLVING PROBLEMS. DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO TAKE US, DRAG US BACK A DECADE. >> SENATOR, SAM STEIN HERE. YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTED, I THINK YOU'RE AWARE OF BEING ON THE VP SHORT LIST OF HAVING RECEIVED VETTING MATERIALS. I HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION AND THEN SORT OF A LARGER QUESTION. ONE, BY ANY CHANCE DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS TO BE IN PHILADELPHIA NEXT TUESDAY JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY AND THEN, TWO, AS WE TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT ARE GOING TO BE LITIGATED DURING THIS CAMPAIGN, OBVIOUSLY Trump vs Harris IMMIGRATION IS GOING TO BE ONE. COST OF LIVING IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER, BUT I'M JUST WONDERING CAN YOU PUT ON YOUR POLITICAL HAT AND SORT OF DIAGNOSE WHERE YOU THINK THE BATTLEFIELD WILL BE ON A POLICY FRONT THE NEXT THREE MONTHS. >> THIS IS GOING TO BE A DEBATE OVER WHAT DONALD TRUMP STANDS FOR AND KAMALA HARRIS STANDS FOR FUNDAMENTALLY. I MEAN, DONALD TRUMP WHEN HE WAS PRESIDENT GAVE HUGE TAX CUTS TO BILLIONAIRES. HE WEAKENED OUR ALLIANCES ACROSS THE GLOBE, AND HE TRIED TO TAKE AWAY AND SUCCESSFULLY TOOK AWAY FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN, REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. NOW HE'S TALKING ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS. I MEAN, HE SAID JUST THIS WEEK IF HE'S ELECTED WE WON'T HAVE TO VOTE AGAIN. I THINK PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. KAMALA HARRIS WANTS TO TAKE US INTO THE FUTURE. SHE WANTS TO REDUCE THE COST OF EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND SHE WANTS TO -- TO HAVE A COUNTRY WHERE KIDS CAN GROW UP AND LIVE THEIR OWN AMERICAN DREAM. I MEAN, WE CAN'T HAVE FOUR MORE YEARS OF DONALD TRUMP, ESPECIALLY WITH J.D. VANCE, ONE HEARTBEAT AWAY FROM THE PRESIDENCY. I THINK WE ALL KNOW GUYS LIKE THIS. I MEAN, WHAT HE STANDS FOR. HE THINKS PEOPLE ARE WORTH MORE OR LESS BASED ON WHEN THEY DECIDE TO START A FAMILY, AND ON REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, I MEAN, HE WANTS TO FURTHER RESTRICT IVF. HE WOULD NOT VOTE FOR A BILL TO JUST TRY TO HELP PEOPLE START A FAMILY, SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE ABOUT THESE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES, AND IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO WORK REALLY HARD. I'M GOING TO WORK AS HARD AS I CAN BETWEEN NOW AND ELECTION DAY. WE'VE GOT 97 DAYS. WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT CHAIR SIS ELECTED THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. >> AND RETURNING TO THAT, SAM WAS MENTIONING THE VICE PRESIDENT'S CAMPAIGN NOTED, OUTLINED A TRAVEL SCHEDULE NEXT WEEK IN WHICH THEY SAY HARRIS AND WHOEVER HER RUNNING MATE WILL BE WILL APPEAR AT A NUMBER OF STOPS KICK OFF TUESDAY IN PHILADELPHIA, SO LET'S GET AN UPDATE THERE, WHERE YOU STAND WITH THIS PROCESS. YOU'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN. HAVE THEY SAID TO YOU WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE THE CHOICE? >> JONATHAN, I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO ANY OF THAT. I AM GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT KAMALA IS THE NEXT PRESIDENT. I'LL WORK AS HARD AS I CAN. MY WIFE GABBY GIFFORDS IS ALREADY WORKING VERY HARD ON THIS. SHE HAS BEEN. SHE WAS IN PENNSYLVANIA MOST OF LAST WEEK. SHE WAS IN MICHIGAN. SHE'S GOING TO BE IN OTHER BATTLEGROUND STATES TIRELESSLY. NEXT WEEK I'LL IN ARIZONA. ARIZONA IS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY FOR WHO IS GOING TO BE IN THE WHITE HOUSE BUT ALSO WHO IS GOING TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE. WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY IMPORTANT ELECTIONS IN ARIZONA, AND THIS ELECTION IS GOING TO COME DOWN TO SOME REALLY FUNDAMENTAL THINGS. DO WE WANT TO TAKE THIS COUNTRY INTO THE FUTURE WITH KAMALA HARRIS AS OUR LEADER WORKS HAS -- YOU KNOW, HAS EXPERIENCE. SHE'S AN EXPERIENCED PROSECUTOR, OR DO WE WANT TO BE DRAGGED BACK Immigration INTO THE PAST WITH SOMEBODY WHO IS NOW A CONVICTED FELON AND A GUY STANDING AT HIS SIDE THAT ONLY HAS THIS JOB BECAUSE HE WOULD DO WHAT MIKE PENCE WOULDN'T AND THAT'S TO OVERTURN AN ELECTION. >> MARK, LET'S CIRCLE BACK IMMIGRATION FOR A MINUTE. I THINK, UNFORTUNATELY, A LOT OF PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT THE BIPARTISAN BILL THAT WAS NEGOTIATED AND DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW FAR THAT BILL WENT TO CHANGE THE STATUS QUOTE. I MEAN, THIS WAS A BILL THAT WHEN I WAS IN THE SENATE I DON'T THINK THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY EVER WOULD HAVE EMBRACED BECAUSE IT REALLY DID A LOT OF THINGS IN TERMS OF ASYLUM-SEEKING, IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO TURN PEOPLE AWAY AT THE BORDER, IT REALLY WAS -- I WOULD CALL IT AN AGGRESSIVELY CENTER BILL. IT WAS NOT LEFT. IT WAS CENTER, MAYBE EVEN CENTER RIGHT, AND I THINK YOU NEED TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE HOW BOLD IT WAS FOR TRUMP TO SAY, NO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE THE WIN BECAUSE I WOULD RATHER CAMPAIGN ON THE ISSUE. IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE I'M GOING TO BUILD A WALL AND MEXICO IS GOING TO PAY FOR IT. IT IS JUST BULL, AND -- AND I KNOW YOU CAN SPEAK PLAINLY TO THIS BECAUSE YOU LIVE IN ARIZONA. YOU CAN'T AFFORD JUST TO TALK ABOUT IT. >> I DO, CLAIRE. I'M DOWN AT THE BORDER ALL THE TIME MEETING WITH MAYORS, SHERIFFS, NGOs DOWN THERE. IT'S A HARD PROBLEM TO SOLVE, AND BY THE WAY, THIS WAS -- LIKE YOU SAID, THIS WAS NOT MEETING THE REPUBLICANS ON THE 50-YARD LINE. THIS WAS MEETING THEM ON THE TEN-YARD LINE ON THEIR SIDE OF THE FIELD. WE REALIZE WE'VE GOT TO GET OPERATIONAL CONTROL OVER THE BORDER. I REALIZE THIS. KAMALA HARRIS REALIZES THIS, AND THIS LEGISLATION WAS GOING TO DO THAT? AND OUR -- OUR GOAL HERE WAS TO GET THIS LEGISLATION PASSED AND THEN START WORKING ON COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM, BUT THIS WAS STOPPED DEAD IN ITS TRACKS BY DONALD TRUMP BECAUSE HE WANTED TO HAVE THIS AS AN ELECTION ISSUE. LIKE A LOT OF OTHER REPUBLICANS THEY DON'T ACTUALLY WANT TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, THEY JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND THAT'S WHY HIS RUNNING MATE J.D. VANCE IS DOWN AT THE BORDER TO TAKE A PICTURE. THAT'S THE ONLY REASON HE'S THERE. HE SHOULD BE BACK IN WASHINGTON TRYING TO GET THIS DONE, AND I'LL TELL YOU THIS, WHEN KAMALA HARRIS IS THE NEXT PRESIDENT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS. IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. AT THE SAME TIME, WE'RE A COUNTRY OF IMMIGRANTS, AND WE NEED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM, DREAMERS, DREAMERS ARE AS AMERICAN AS MY OWN TWO KIDS AND DESERVE A PATHWAY TO SET SENSHIP. WHERE THIS IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE. ONE THING IS PRETTY BASICS, AND THAT'S THAT WE HAD AN AGREEMENT. WE HAD THE VOTES, AND DONALD TRUMP WAKES UP ONE MORNING AND SEES THAT HE DOES NOT WANT THIS PROBLEM SOLVED, SO HE TOLD SENATE REPUBLICANS THAT THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE FOR IT, AND NOT EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT MOST OF THEM, INCLUDING J.D. VANCE, THEY DIDN'T WALK AWAY FROM THIS PROBLEM, THEY RAN AWAY FROM IT, SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING KAMALA HARRIS IN THE WHITE HOUSE. WE CAN GET BACK TO DOING THE HARD WORK. SHE'S HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS IN THE NORTHERN TRAININGLE. I WAS JUST IN MEXICO MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT AND THE FUTURE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO. WE TALKED ABOUT THAT. THE WORK SHE DID IN HONDURAS, EL SAFELY DORR IS PAYING DIVIDENDS. Kamala Harris YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE ACTIONS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN AND VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS HAVE TOOK AND DONALD TRUMP HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE DOES NOT WANT THE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION THAT THEY HAD. >> LET ME ASK YOU A DIFFERENT WAY THEN. WHAT DO YOU THINK KAMALA HARRIS GIVEN HER WEAKNESSES OVER THE BOTHERED OR THE ATTACKS THAT SHE'S GOING TO TAKE OVER THE BORDER FROM THE REPUBLICANS, WHAT DO YOU THINK SHE NEEDS IN A VICE PRESIDENT? >> I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT THE VICE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT. I THINK SHE'S GOT A LOT OF GREAT CHOICES OUT THERE. MY FOCUS IS NOT ON THIS, AND THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME. I MEAN, THIS IS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY, HAVING SOMEBODY IN THE WHITE HOUSE, HAVING KAMALA HARRIS IN THE WHITE HOUSE THAT'S GOING TO BE FOCUSED ON BRINGING DOWN THE COST OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, MAKING EDUCATION MORE AFFORDABLE, AFFORDABLE CHILD CARE, OR DONALD TRUMP WHICH I EXPECT WHAT WE WOULD SEE IS MORE COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO OUR ALLIANCES, TAKING AWAY FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS AND RIGHTS. I MEAN, HE'S -- HE'S RUNNING WITH A GUY, YOU KNOW WORKS SAYS THAT IN CASES OF RAIN AND INCEST, YOU KNOW, TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT. I -- I HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S WRONG WITH A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN RAPED TO TERMINATE A PREGNANCY. TO CALL IT AN INCONVENIENCE, I MEAN, AN INCONVENIENCE IS WHEN YOU GET STUCK IN TRAFFIC. DONALD TRUMP IS BAD BY HIMSELF. YOU COMBINE HIM WITH A GUY WHO WAS NOT PICKED TO WIN AN ELECTION. HE WAS PICKED TO OVERTURN AN ELECTION, THAT'S A PROBLEM, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK EVERY AMERICAN NEEDS TO REALIZE THAT THEY HAV WITH, YOU KNOW, JUST CRIMINAL