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Exclusive: McConnell talks intel leaks, immigration

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    Senate minority leader responds to White House accusations that the GOP is on a hunt to damage the president

  • Duration 6:12
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-- there are new calls today for a special independent investigator.

To Trace the source of a series of high level intelligently.

Senior White House advisor David -- says that the controversy just part of a plan a GOP plan he says to embarrass the president here's what he sat.

Part of what's going on here the Republicans in congress are pretty clear did beginning this year what do they say one of their core strategic priorities was.

Was to engage investigations.

To damage this president politically Republican congress talked openly about this -- -- that case.

Joined now by Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell who is of course the Senate Minority Leader welcome to America's newsletter -- adherence young as it was senator so so what's your response to that.

In terms of in a statement about the GOP just basically you know on a hot for the president and -- in its.

-- part of a litany of excuses as you know the president said running his campaign on the bases that is not his fault.

You know he's blamed -- tsunami in Japan to debt crisis in Europe of course Republicans in congress rich people Wall Street the Supreme Court.

The president is you know having a difficult time.

Accepting responsibility for his performance over the last three and a half years and is campaign people element the American people don't like an -- we did to you better change the subject.

And found all these call -- -- because you can't defend your record.

Because the American people some -- don't like it and so we're kind of used to these diversionary tactics are trying to take the attention away from.

The president -- over the last four years.

But we all agree you heard and difficult situation but we thank you made it worse with the stimulus with Obama care.

Within even the deficit the debt.

-- debt to credit downgrade all of these things happen on his watch.

Yeah I -- ally get into that and a larger sense in a moment but with regard to the specific question -- David Cook was asked by Chris Wallace about whether or not.

President Obama would be willing to sit down with investigators about this national security leaks issue.

And he pointed -- the President Bush did -- when it came to the value Plame issue.

David Plouffe would not answer that question directly about whether -- do you believe that it's important that the president be open to sitting down to discussing how this happened how these stories got out from his administration.

Well if you have a credible independent investigation.

Of the issue.

And the independent investigator believes is important to talk to the president the president should do it.

Who knows in the beginning.

Of the investigation whether that would be required or not but all Americans including the president on -- stage or expected.

To cooperate.

In it in an investigation.

For potential -- a -- And I would expect the president would would need to cooperate if you were called upon to justify.

All right so let's let's move on to immigration issue because this was a big surprise at a came at the end of last week.

A change in immigration laws in this country the policy from the White House about.

How people would be treated who were brought here by their parents and women here you know human you know error of their own.

What do you what does congress plan to do it was a senate plan to do anything about the fact that they're up in arms that he went around congress in order to get this not.

-- First observation I would make is the president had huge majorities of his party for the first figures of administration didn't do anything on the subject.

And unless you're Martha he said he didn't have the authority.

Under the law to do.

What do you -- is gonna do last week.

-- first question is what changed between flasher when -- -- you didn't have the authority to do this and this year.

When you say you're gonna do it other than the proximity to the election so it raises.

Quite a suspicion that -- is all just about trying to and ingratiate himself to Hispanic American voters.

We heard a lot of outraged members of congress last week that he did this my question to you is what will congress do about it now.

Well one -- -- Which we think it ought to require.

Legislative action and several of this members of Republican competence -- have been very active on this issue shutter rubio writes on of Cuban emigrants.

Senator Hutchison.

Senator McCain.

All have an interest in the -- but they haven't heard from the president the way you get these things -- Is to have about partisan discussion.

If the White House has gone around congress in a way that is not above board.

Is congress going to hold the White House's feet to the fire on this and and forced them to go through congress -- my question.

Well -- that would require.

Court action -- but yeah I think were pretty unhappy with the fact that they have.

Now decided to do something he claimed he could legally do a year ago.

So let's talk a little bit about this other issue that you have said as an act of radicalism on the part of the White House the administration very upset about super pac money this flooding flooding into -- selection.

And one of the things that they say they wanna do about it is to basically change the rules of the Supreme Court decision to overturn it.

Why do you -- -- act of radicalism how are they gonna go about this and do you think they can.

To say well Martha the actor radicalism is the president should -- political.

A guide David Axelrod is now calling for a an amendment to the First Amendment of the United States constitution.

We we haven't done that and 235.

Years Americans have felt the right to free speech.

Encapsulated in the First Amendment the united got the united -- constitution bill of rights of one of the most important.

Things in our country and these people are willing to do that to address what problem.

What is the problem here -- been plenty of money and politics for a long time.

In 2008.

-- of it was all the democratic side and on or call these complaints.

About all of -- now that it's more competitive.

More people are contributing to Republicans and Republican affiliated groups and those.

People who are trying to defeat the president take the country in a different direction all of a sudden becomes.

Is something that's outrageous and unacceptable and I -- even -- -- the First Amendment the United States constitution that's the radicalism.

We should never amend the First Amendment.

To the United States constitute.

We'll see you back senator Mitch McConnell always a pleasure Hitachi thank you very much -- kidnapped by America's mission today we'll see him.