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Alan speaks with author Robert Draper about the battles between Tea Party Republicans and veteran GOP lawmakers.
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Welcome -- Robert Draper you're microphones he is a contributing writer National Geographic the correspondent to GQ the author of several books.
Most recently dead certain presidency -- to be bush prior to the new one do -- do not ask what good we do Robert thank you -- -- on tonight.
-- -- -- Tell me about the title of this book.
Sure -- do not exactly -- the quote lifted from.
One of the first federal congressmen not Fisher came into.
-- from 1789.
The beginning of congress.
Until after four terms he decided to quit and you decided to quit because he was tired of the factional divisions and in congress.
And a road a -- and said do not have what -- we do that is not a fair question in the time the faction.
Of course you know in those days.
Partisan divide was you know what maybe not a good bank that they were still able to pass the bill of rights and -- states.
Stand up executive branch to viewed via federal judiciary.
And in other words or are were able to get a lot more accomplished than numb in the congress -- gonna.
You put aside another book you're working on -- do this when you felt the -- the urgency to do it correct.
I did yes I I watch the mid term elections in 2010 Alan and I just thought you know that it would be 57 Republican freshman Cunningham.
They will clearly become the point of the -- that the Republicans -- -- to get the Obama administration.
-- helpful be central to every political debate to take place.
And you know what I -- the -- was -- whether these freshman many of them had never held elective office before.
Would champions petitioner or become copper.
-- and what's the verdict gunmen.
-- -- who exactly did -- if they didn't change the institution merely changed -- because of it for better for worse and there's no question but bit.
Today dragged -- the Republican House majority much farther to the right -- been before.
Obviously the beat of the outcome however was Saddam was paralysis and so we know that they staked out their position but it was clearly positioned bit.
Did did not allow for any kind of compromise and it meant that -- you know we were brought to the brink of among other things economic default.
Some of the things I found surprising about number one Eric -- looking to undermine speaker Boehner.
Well clear majority leader -- -- and ambitious fellow at the truth is -- that you know on the major -- he's always been a lockstep with it was speaker -- -- he and his staff.
But I have always had -- I am surprising yet there -- a moment in the book.
-- problems come close allies of speaker Boehner come to his office and warn him.
They had if he agreed to a debt ceiling deal with President Obama that is not the kind of deal.
They would gain a majority of Republican support and required therefore most of democratic support.
-- maybe he was you know setting himself up for a possible mutiny and -- of course have live to the Newt Gingrich years Boehner had.
-- win Gingrich himself was subject to a -- And and what these people were telling him these allies of his wanted to you know -- bit can't -- -- people were fomenting this rebellion he better watch.
Was it true that -- was doing that and is he so ambitious -- undermine his own speaker.
Well it's true that he can ambitious but I I don't know that he would.
Actively undermined his on speaker.
But if the speaker -- to make gay blade you know bad judgment in this case to go for the -- -- would have found.
Because the majority of Republicans particularly well right leaning Republicans.
Can't -- hardly stand in the way of that rebellion.
The other thing I found most fascinating was the new wants a future -- to Allen west.
-- comes off so often is a cartoon character when he doesn't abused as he says crazy stuff most recently as Joseph pointed out.
In other interviews.
The 81 members who he claims are Communists because of the progressive caucus but he actually helped.
Put forth.
The ability of the Republicans to.
Have the debt ceiling -- deal done.
Now that's right -- tactic in the midwest it's full of surprises and in fact I have disappointed the problem you know and yet he's clearly a Tea Party inflation.
He.
When he first ran for congress he was -- this Tea Party event worried made it famous speech about picking up your band that.
But he helped bring votes to the debt ceiling deal.
-- so -- grand members of you over Tea Party types from his district.
That one of them had been him you dropped your band that.
But I but I think you know that wept as I mean he's he's equal opportunity offender uses outrageous things that certainly -- in the left.
But that you know has also with the very first the Republican.
Maybe the only one.
To criticize the majority leader Eric Tanner some calendar for this -- this thing ineffective it.
Literally spending more time in Washington not what time so so what does definitely freeagent.
Did you unity -- 200 people over this book was -- one of them.
Oh absolutely I interviewed him I think twenty times and -- your personal.
Life -- And actually and I I thought you know you could -- he's.
A free spirited guy you know that I don't think he ever went off the record -- and he knew that there was nothing he said that he would say to me that he would not that it wouldn't -- speaker Boehner do leader cantor.
And and though you know no -- would confuse this guy those centrist or a liberal.
You know he.
He novelist was capable of being lobbied.
By yum.
By people would in the district -- mean he'd be he would -- he'd.
Hopefully became convinced that he should have a bit Florida should have community block -- that there should be environmental clear -- cleanup efforts.
And so you know weapons some with kind of a legislator in the making and actually.
Passed -- bill.
393.
To nothing.
Four I'm cutting costs from the Defense Department that they're trying to build a mobile little savings but still -- not -- what you would expect from our you know from -- right.
Guys who -- calling Democrats Communists and say think things like Barney Frank -- -- jumpsuit web what does he say stuff.
I don't know I mean I.
I just think there's no there's there's if there's literally -- -- -- the guy and I think it added that he took a lot of untoward things -- bit bit.
He probably would never admit that he regrets saying afterwards but I mean that was just done.
There's just the way he and hand it means that their -- going to be on TV opera opposition research against them but.
But I think that actually you know he'd if he can get -- elections that he could actually become -- -- and legislator and he and a guy he's he's brought people.
You know -- into Republican -- exactly affected compromises and -- and so there's more to in the mean -- You get to talk Pelosi for the.
I did yes.
Yeah I'm I'm and usually have achieved a very very strong will politicians and and clearly among -- the most effective fund raiser -- that the Democrats have which -- I think central to you know.
Herb -- her power by Ian in depth.
Democratic -- minority.
-- -- can you know she was determined to win and she was speaker.
To have been activist legislative agenda.
And and the fact that the economy was foundering wasn't gonna -- or and it really really -- Particularly -- blue dog Democrats.
Did she was pushing for example a cap and trade bill considering energy -- signature issue.
At a time when people were out of work -- just didn't understand why this bill once was frontal.
And that the health care bill also was you know bothersome to a lot of Democrats in -- -- what we will.
It remains to be seen how many of them are actually run on rather than against the health care bill.
But there's no question that -- see you know her message discipline -- -- number one ill advised comment about we go we'll have the Billiton and see what's -- at it is pretty strong -- like -- Google.
Does -- have a good at what she's a good team player.
There's a there's a moment in the book where.
One -- the democratic congressman come to her very upset the debt to them negotiations and that President Obama has got to be the worst negotiator Democrat to ever had.
And and she -- -- -- somewhat sarcastically well he doesn't think so -- opening you know she has basically been unlocked that with Obama and and you know because we've never critical of them.
We'll get less than sixty seconds left what's gonna happen when the division between the 87.
Freshman the Tea Party years and the rest the Republican Party wears -- head.
That's a real good question Alan and I and I think -- -- -- good November -- going to be to some degree referendum on that.
We didn't do between now and then I don't think anything's gonna get done you know significantly legislative -- That it's not so much the 87 freshman of the movement that move that that brought them -- -- town.
And it's very popular these state to state that the Tea Party has diminished influence I don't think that so.
I think that they're that they have effectively moved the Republican Party to the right giving you see all -- of you know would be moderate Serbs Reagan Republicans.
Devoting more to the right for -- -- Tea Party.
The book is due to ask what good we do in the so much more this but they're able to do in the short and and you certainly worth the read Robert Draper thank you very much -- -- -- and I want.
