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Former La Gov. & Presidential Hopeful Buddy Roemer Joins Tom LIVE in studio to discuss the GOP candidates & a possible Third Party Run
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Roemer former governor of Louisiana former congressman.
Is here in the studio welcome I met you look through the television box we -- on the TV show.
A month and a half ago or so and this whole business about running running for president.
And I I -- I've got to play this because of a result some of you there was do you remember this there was a lady who call this program name was Carol -- -- Dallas Texas.
She called -- And she demanded that we have -- governor Buddy Roemer -- so here here's a call.
Carol when that that bank.
Organizer.
Mentioned people.
But -- -- -- -- -- -- And I think that people like you gonna.
-- -- -- all are all about men.
-- -- -- book but but Buddy Roemer hobby let's get let's get governor Romer on.
And and so we did end now he's he was in the building today is that we.
We -- Yoon thank you so -- -- rest is history -- -- to 2% in the last national -- argued -- all the -- all right there you know -- now and she brought up the whole business about debates and we don't CU won the debate panel right -- -- years -- got -- -- revenue -- is driving me crazy I mean I.
-- taking no big checks and me.
Understand -- folks.
I think Washington DC.
Has become corrupt place and by that I mean big -- stand first in line.
And you stand -- -- down the line and they write the tax code.
They put earmarks in the bill.
They suffer indignant -- from China and because they make money they don't do anything about it I really think if you -- to take a broom.
And clean Washington powerful lobbyist and -- we could turn this country around and we can do it in just a couple of years I'm very optimistic.
But I think we're -- country in decline and and I think we're owned.
-- the special interest.
Well we talked about a lot on this program governor.
And in my contention is the the problem is structural.
I have an old friend of mine who was a democratic congressman that went up pretty high in the ranks.
In the Democrat party in congress and he told me he says here's the deal.
He says the only way you get in the leadership -- -- -- -- the rank pretty -- says yeah.
He's the only way you get in the leadership to be from a safe seat and what do you mean -- as well some place where year here easily going to be reelected you don't have to spend much time in the district.
Because being a leader in congress means you gotta spend a lot of time.
Working whatever your particular offices in congress not working for the people in your district because you know they're going to vote for you year in and year out.
So how do you get rid of the old guard.
It's the old guard the leadership is in these safe seats to people are just gonna keep collecting them.
You start at the top.
You get a president free to leave.
You get some -- Are some man.
Who's qualified to be the leader of America.
And get them to stand up for campaign reform do you have a person actually run for press.
Who's our congressmen.
And governor and a successful businessman.
And have a hundred dollar limit on what you take and asked me and Americans to join -- Tom.
You have to reform the system now there are lot of ways to do it could be a ground -- at the bottom.
But the average American doesn't.
Care about Washington he never goes he -- -- -- caucus operates he doesn't know how decisions are made.
He thinks that tax code was built -- specialist.
Is that a -- I mean the average American special interest yes the average American doesn't trust his government.
And didn't spend much time worried about it he just wish they would do better and spend less money.
Now so it could start at the bottom but I don't see it happening in Louisiana.
We -- ran for governor some 25 years ago.
In a corrupt state against Edwin Edwards who's a great politician but -- corrupt man and he ended up going to dependent interest.
And and corruption was the issue there -- other good people -- and Tom but they didn't limit the money they didn't fully.
Just elected simply because you said of the people I'm not corrupt and I'll show you by -- -- hundred dollar and I'll prove it out will I will do.
What -- preach all right Powell walk by -- here's what happened to you you have for people that don't know the history.
You're governor you're the first governor sitting governor ever say I'm switching parties you went from the Democrat to the Republican Party.
And and did duke beat you.
Yeah David duke and it -- is an open primary in Louisiana now to give the full story.
That is there's no party designation to everybody runs together and the Democrats I was a Democrat.
The Democrats did a poll and they came down Ron Brown hit of the Democratic Party you member and a router he came d'antoni said buddy don't switch.
He said I know you think you're state needs to parties when I looked at the legislature it was a 144 members 138.
Of -- more Democrats.
You know and that -- solar power corrupts so I switched parties but before I did they came down and showed me a poll.
Would -- is that in the primary I would lose nine and percent.
Of my expected vote.
And finish fourth in that race.
And I guess I was arrogant -- home of youth -- -- been there and he knows nothing like being forty warning you just know everything that and I said we need to parties.
I'm closer to Republicans -- I am Democrats.
I'm going to switch parties I'm gonna win this candidate and I did it anyway I -- by half a percentage point.
In a very tough election after.
I had balanced the budget.
After I'd done tax reform yeah.
After I had kicked everybody -- moved in the bullet to turn Louisiana around we took -- -- -- from 12% to below six.
That's what -- -- -- -- you don't make friends.
You make policy and here's the.
About you though here you are you you downplay you you you play.
Like a friend of mine who's from the south you play that you know -- boy from the south got a guy.
But you you graduated.
From Harvard -- -- inner harbor went to Harvard when you were sixteen.
Years of age.
Graduated from from Harvard you played that down years.
Are -- she or nothing yours -- going Harvard up I did not.
-- daddy did get him into -- area.
I did I did go to Harvard I graduated in 1964.
You're a kid you'll obviously I was a kid I went I was the youngest person Marc Klaas I think -- sixty.
When I got don't campus to start school.
I graduated in economics.
And government and then I got a master's degree from Harvard business -- in banking and finance.
I have a good education but you -- I learned not practicality.
-- common sense.
Own a farm in north Louisiana.
Go one up with a mother and father and four sisters and Brothers.
Working together as a family unit I'll never forget the lessons learned and that's who I am not Harvard Harvard was fine.
All right so you go on you get into politics -- successful in business she got a great education.
You would you go into government -- -- congressman you run for governor Linda switch seats.
And then boom here out.
And we haven't heard from him.
Along this road what made you all of a sudden in 2011 say I'm going to get -- again.
-- have been active in business and and I learned some things -- built three great banks.
Over that twenty year period of time.
My latest bank is nearly a billion dollars in size it's very profitable it got no bailout -- bombing I'm proud of our independent.
But I learned some things I'm not -- Smart now it's when I was in Hartford I just know more.
I'll learn more -- hands on experience here's how you turn this country around -- You put America first not to re election.
Not your party you put America first you ask independents and Tea Party leaders.
Democrats to work we view as a Republican and you rebuild America you stand up to China.
You say no more free trade we won't fair trade -- and we are getting killed so these are the things that she.
Do -- -- I can I can I can see the audience through this microphone right now and they're not either this audience stay -- for and supports what you're talking about yes.
Most of America and a solo but I haven't -- -- -- now.
-- related deaths might that's might how do you train I don't have an easy answer.
And an apple plaid in the Republican debates -- -- in debates.
I've been turned down every time at first it was because was on a formal candidate.
Then McCain more formal candidate -- -- because I didn't have 1% in the national polls then I did have 1% they changed it the next debate to 2%.
Then I got 2% they changed in the last two debate he had to raise I have a -- dollars and ninety -- -- Why haven't done that Tom my average gift is forty dollars and 35 cents -- mean I have I have got to make my case to the American people.
-- percent of the American people know that I'm -- And two out of five of those support me.
No other candidate can say -- My job is to not worry about the 2% growing my job is to get -- 5% bigger.
I'm need to be in the debate.
It's important to Newt Gingrich it's important Mitt Romney it's and it's critical to me because I'm not -- I'm not famous I haven't -- Fox News I haven't been.
I haven't been enough.
Interviewing for the job I've been building a company.
I -- growing jobs I've been paying much taxes I've been raising a family I have been giving qualified.
To work we -- to lead America and what I need to figure out now is how -- -- on the national stage and one of the things that I'm contemplating.
He's joining American select.
That's a -- -- group.
Across America.
That will be in all fifty states balance they've been working -- you can third story here on talk and a third party version it's a unity party or I would pick it Democrat.
Like -- Joseph Lieberman -- each image as an example.
To work together to rebuild America and not be -- hostage.
By special interest who -- the party's.
What does that do for me on it gets me -- the national stage the debate would be between the Republican.
Mitt Romney's -- The Democrat.
Barack Obama.
And the unity party Buddy -- And America will be fastened.
Usually that we've had many shows talking about it should you be at their -- -- for our our hunting for somebody -- we're talking to governor Buddy Roemer I have to take a break here governor will be right back folks don't go away.
