‘An act of patriotism’: Liz Cheney’s endorsement of VP Kamala Harris puts country over party

>>> HI, EVERYONE. IT'S 4:00 IN NEW YORK. IT'S BECOMING THE NOAH'S ARK OF AMERICAN POLITICS. PASSENGERS CLIMB ON BOARD TWO BY TWO INCLUDING ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ AND BERNIE SANDERS AS WELL AS ADAM KINZINGER AND THE FORMER NUMBER THREE HOUSE REPUBLICAN WITH THE LAST NAME PRACTICALLY SYNONYMOUS WITH WHAT THE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN PARTY IN ITS MOST STRICTLY CONSERVATIVE IT RATION USED TO BE ALL ABOUT. ALL OF THEM NOW IN THE SAME BOAT TO SAVE DEMOCRACY FROM A DISGRACED, TWICE-IMPEACHED EX-PRESIDENT WITH THE FONDNESS FOR DICTATORS ABROAD AND A YEARNING TO BE ONE RIGHT HERE AT HOME IN AMERICA. ALL THIS CRITICAL POST LABOR DAY JUNCTURE IN THE 2024 CAMPAIGN, CONSERVATIVE STALL WORTH VICE CHAIR LIZ CHENEY ANNOUNCING SHE WILL VOTE FOR VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS FOR PRESIDENT. HERE'S THAT MOMENT. >> I THINK IT IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE NOT ONLY IS WHAT I JUST SAID ABOUT THE DANGER THAT TRUMP POSES SOMETHING THAT SHOULD PREVENT PEOPLE FROM VOTING FROM FOR HIM, BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF WRITING IN CANDIDATES' NAMES, PARTICULARLY IN SWING STATES. AND AS SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES IN AND CARES ABOUT CONSTITUTION, I HAVE THOUGHT DEEPLY ABOUT THIS. BECAUSE OF THE DANGER, NOT ONLY AM I NOT VOTING FOR DONALD TRUMP, BUT I WILL BE VOTING FOR KAMALA HARRIS. >> THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN RESPONDING TO THAT MOMENT, THAT ENDORSEMENT SAYING, QUOTE, THE VICE PRESIDENT IS PROUD TO HAVE EARNED CONGRESSWOMAN CHENEY'S VOTE. SHE'S A PATRIOT WHO PUTS OUR DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUTION FIRST. FOR ANY AMERICAN WHO IS LOOKING TO REJECT THE CHAOS AND DIVISION OF DONALD TRUMP, TURN THE PAGE, AND PURSUE A NEW WAY FORWARD THAT PROTECTS OUR FREEDOMS AND DEFENDS THE AMERICAN VALUES WE ALL BELIEVE IN, THERE IS A PLACE FOR YOU IN THE HARRIS-WALZ COALITION, AND WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO EARN YOUR SUPPORT. LIZ CHENEY ADDING HER HIGH PROFILE NAME TO A GROWING LIST OF CURRENT AND FORMER REPUBLICANS. THE ASSESSMENT OF THE STAKES OF THIS ELECTION HAVE LED TO ONE INESCAPABLE CONCLUSION. THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE. WHO SUPPORTED AND IN 2020, HER BREAKING POINT WAS, OF COURSE, THE JANUARY 6th INSURRECTION. HERE'S WHAT SHE SAID ON THE EVE OF TRUMP'S TRIAL IN THE U.S. SENATE. >> WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW DOES CONSTITUTE THE GRAVEST VIOLATION OF HIS OATH OF OFFICE BY ANY PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN SIMPLY LOOK PAST OR PRETEND DIDN'T HAPPEN OR TRY TO MOVE ON. >> IT WAS COMMENTS LIKE THAT THAT COST HER HER POLITICAL CAREER. UNLIKE JUST ABOUT ALL OF HER COLLEAGUES IN THE GOP, WHO SAW IT THE SAME WAY, WHO WE KNOW FROM GREAT REPORTING AND SOME HOT MIC MOMENTS CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD DONALD TRUMP'S CULPABILITY AND ROLE IN INCITING THE DEADLY INSURRECTION, THEY EITHER DIDN'T HAVE THE APPETITE TO PAY A POLITICAL PRICE OR DIDN'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO DEFY THE EX-PRESIDENT. BUT LIZ CHENEY HELPED DRIVE THE CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION THAT UNCOVERED SO MUCH OF WHAT WE NOW KNOW ABOUT THE TRUMP COUP PLOT AND THE COST OF HER OWN ROLE IN HOUSE LEADERSHIP AND EVENTUALLY HER SEAT IN CONGRESS. >> BE THERE, HE INSTRUCTED THEM. IT WILL BE WILD. AS YOU WILL SEE, THIS IS A PIVOTAL MOMENT. THIS TWEET INITIATED A CHAIN OF EVENTS, THE TWEET LED TO THE PLANNING FOR WHAT OCCURRED ON JANUARY 6th, INCLUDING BY THE PROUD BOYS, WHO ULTIMATELY LED THE INVASION OF THE CAPITOL AND THE VIOLENCE ON THAT DAY. >> HIS RESPONSE WAS TO SAY THEY CAN MARCH TO THE CAPITOL. >> SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF TAKE THE F'ing MAGS AWAY. LET MY PEOPLE IN. >> DONALD TRUMP MADE A PURPOSEFUL CHOICE TO VIOLATE HIS OATH OF OFFICE, TO IGNORE THE ONGOING VIOLENCE AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT, TO THREATEN OUR CONSTITUTIONAL ORDER. THERE'S NO WAY TO EXCUSE THAT BEHAVIOR. >> WHAT'S POLITICALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT CHENEY BECOMES A REALLY CRITICAL PART OF WHAT'S BEEN COINED BY POLLSTERS AND POLITICAL ANALYSTS OF A PERMISSION STRUCTURE FOR OTHER VOTERS WHO MIGHT SEE THEMSELVES IN PART OF LIZ CHENEY'S STORY AND THEN GO ON TO PULL THE LEVER AND VOTE FOR VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS. HERE'S MORE OF WHAT WAS SAID AT DUKE UNIVERSITY. >> I THINK THAT IT IS CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT, AND I WOULD SAY ESPECIALLY TO MY FELLOW CONSERVATIVES, THAT WE THINK ABOUT THE STAKES AND THAT WE THINK ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE HAVE A DUTY, A DUTY TO PUT OUR COUNTRY AND OUR CONSTITUTION ABOVE PARTISANSHIP. WE ALL HAVE THAT DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY. >> A VOTE FOR KAMALA HARRIS AS AN ACT OF DUTY AND PATRIOTISM, THAT COING FROM LIZ CHENEY S WHERE WE START TODAY WITH SOME OF OUR FAVORITE EXPERTS AND FRIENDS. FORMER CONGRESSMAN DAVID JOLLY IS HERE. PLUS POLITICAL STRATEGIST AND MSNBC SENIOR ANALYST MATT DOWD IS HERE. WE START WITH FORMER SELECT COMMITTEE MEMBER SDO LOFGREN OF CALIFORNIA. YOUR THOUGHTS TO LIZ CHENEY'S ENDORSEMENT OF KAMALA HARRIS YESTERDAY. >> I'M PROUD OF LIZ. WE WORKED VERY HARD TOGETHER ON THE JANUARY 6th COMMITTEE. SHE AND I ARE NOT THE SAME POLITICALLY. SHE'S A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN. I'M NOT. THERE ARE A LOT OF POLICY ISSUES WE DON'T AGREE ON. ONE THING WE DO AGREE ON IS THE RULE OF LAW AND PROTECTING THE CONSTITUTION. AND THAT'S WHY WE WORKED SO HD ON THE JANUARY OFth COMMITTEE. HER STATEMENT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. SHE IS SO STEEPED IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. I REMEMBER THERE WERE MEETINGS THAT WE WOULD HAVE AND WE WERE IN A CONFERENCE ROOM. AS WE WERE SITTING THERE, I LOOKED ON THE WALL AND REALIZED THERE WAS A PICTURE OF HER FATHER AND THE PRESIDENT ON THE WALL. THAT'S HER ROOTS. SHE IS SO REPUBLICAN AND THAT SHE WOULD SAY THE ONLY WAY TO HONOR OUR CONSTITUTION IS NOT JUST A NOT VOTE FOR TRUMP, BUT TO VOTE FOR THE ONLY REAL ALTERNATIVE, KAMALA HARRIS, IS SIGNIFICANT. I THINK IT'S BRAVE ON THE PART OF LIZ. ONCE AGAIN, SOMETHING I DEEPLY RESPECT ABOUT HER. >> I LOVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING. IT'S IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT I WORKED FOR HER FATHER AND GEORGE W. BUSH. I WAS A SQUISH. I WAS A SQUISHY CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN. MATT DOWD CAN ATTEST TO THAT. THEY WERE NOT. THERE WERE LOTS OF INSTANCES WHERE I WAS SORT OF VIEWED NOT DISTRUSTFULLY, BUT CONSERVATIVE SKEPTICALLY. WHAT SEEMS TO HAVE DEVELOPED, THOUGH, AND REALLY BEEN PUNCTUATED BY THE VICE PRESIDENT'S CONVENTION, ESPECIALLY THAT FOURTH NIGHT WHEN SHE FORMALLY ACCEPTED THE NOMINATION, IS THAT A VOTE FOR HARRIS AND ALL OF THESE REPUBLICAN ENDORSERS ARE MAKING AN ARGUMENT THAT IT'S THE ONLY PATRIOTIC THING TO DO. IT IS UNPATRIOTIC AT THIS POINT, TO SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT COMING FROM LIZ, WHO HAS THE GOODS AND THE RECEIPTS BECAUSE OF HER ROLE ON THE SELECT COMMITTEE? >> I THINK IT'S OBVIOUSLY TRUE. AND ADAM KINZINGER SPOKE AT THE CONVENTION MAKING THE SAME POINT. TRUMP KNEW HE LOST THE ELECTION. HE'S ACTUALLY JUST RECENTLY ADMITTED THAT ON A PODCAST. HE SUMMONED A MOB TO WASHINGTON. HE KNEW THEY WERE ARMED. HE SENT THEM TO THE CAPITOL TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION. I MEAN, WHAT COULD BE MORE UNPATRIOTIC THAN THAT. HE WANTED TO OVERTHROW THE VOTE AND UP END OUR CONSTITUTION. THERE'S NO WAY TO SQUARE THAT WITH THE RULE OF LAW AND PATRIOTISM. AS LIZ SAID IN HER STATEMENT, THIS IS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE IN AMERICAN HISTORY, WHERE WE HAD A PRESIDENT WHO REFSED TO HONOR HIS OATH IN THIS WAY. FOR THOSE WHO ARE FOCUSING ON POLICY ISSUES, THE POLICY ISSUES CAN ULTIMATELY BE SOLVED.