James Baker on his support for Mitt Romney

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We're just days away five days away from finding out who will occupy the White House for the next four years with us tonight is a man.

Who has worked for three presidents James Baker was secretary of state and White House chief of staff.

For George H.

W.

Bush Treasury Secretary and White House chief of staff for Ronald Reagan.

And undersecretary.

Of commerce for Gerald Ford he joins us from Houston well mr.

secretary thanks for joining us.

Thank you Brad I'm delighted to do it.

Your sense of this election and it's importance this time around.

When it was a fairly close election.

I -- have endorsed.

Quite some time ago governor rod neighbor 'cause I think he's best equipped.

-- dig us out of our of our fiscal and economic hole that we're in in this country.

As you as you mentioned in your introduction I was fortunate not serve not only -- secretary of state undersecretary of the treasury.

And I can tell you that the most important thing about America has been throughout its history its economy.

And we can't be strong.

We can't be strong militarily diplomatically.

Are in any other way I'm not politically unless we're strong economically and we now have a debt to GDP.

That is just out of sight.

And we've got to figure out some way to deal -- that and when he was governor Massachusetts.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- And a bipartisan way and got things done that's where we really need today.

-- in the keeping active and the United States leadership means.

My number of things of course but one thing it means -- being able.

To bring parties together and get them to act.

Take care of the nation's business away to people who sign him up to Washington DC expect we haven't seen much of that the last four years and we badly need.

-- back in 1980 then governor Reagan talked about pro growth strategy.

To try to get America going and said that that was really the equation that would get.

America back to greatness and you're equating this time to that time.

Well what out that what I've taken very similar is that both Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama came into power.

Under very very similar circumstances you you had an economy in the tank.

And and as far as the political side -- it was concerning each.

In in 1980 we were running against an unpopular.

Chief executive and Jimmy Carter and today Mitt Mitt Romney governor Romney's running just on.

-- rather unpopular not not -- popular personally I don't mean that but in terms of the the poll numbers and support.

Or it wouldn't be very close election same thing is happening.

When you win.

Barack Obama came in and Dalton's.

The economy is in the tank but he did not put into place the same kind of pro growth.

Economic policies that Ronald Reagan instituted.

So here we are four years later we're still having trouble getting the economy yet to produce jobs.

And -- -- -- in the Reagan years -- first foray in years at this time in Ronald Reagan's first term we're producing thousands of jobs.

And -- unemployment rate was declining so.

We need somebody who's going to implement pro growth economic policies lower tax rates less government.

Less regulation more freedom for -- vibrant -- private sector.

Our economy and that's what Mitt Romney represents in my opinion.

The last thing you.

Headed up -- the efforts during the recount I remember well I was down and Callahan he talked to a bunch down there.

In the recount effort for George W.

Bush in 2000.

If this is as close as it may be.

You know very well that there are lawyers gearing up for plane flights to whatever state they may have to go to you what do you think about that.

Well I think that's -- it in a perverse way acted today I think that's good because back in 2000.

Or at least on our side on the Republican side we weren't ready for that we didn't.

We've practically had not had not foreseeing that election will be as close as it was in that there would mean.

A recount situation you remember back in 2000.

That only happened after.

After vice president gore had conceded.

To governor bush and then withdrawn his concession.

But today there really that I thank you both campaigns have learned a lesson from what happened in 2000.

And so they've researched along as of the of those swing states the ones that are likely to be close.

They've got lawyers are ready to go so that they don't won't start out behind which frankly start out behind in 2000.

Has there are three or four states today Brett that require.

They recount if the result is within a certain.

Number percentage points.

And so it's not a not entirely.

Unlikely that we might have a recount -- it into -- three or states and that could then trigger.

-- what happened in 2000.

I don't expect it to happen I hope it doesn't happen it would be better for four Americans democracy if it doesn't happen.

But you have to be prepared for Jerry baker thank you very much for your time.

You're -- welcome thank you Brent.

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James Baker on his support for Mitt Romney

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