Today, we sit down with Senator Chuck Schumer, the minority leader, to discuss what it’s like to be the leader of a party out of power at this moment in the impeachment trial of President Trump. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.
Background reading:
- "Look, is it an uphill fight? Yes.” he said. “Are we making progress? Yes.” Why Mr. Schumer believes he can persuade his Republican colleagues to allow new witnesses in the trial.
- Here are the latest updates on impeachment, including the Senate’s response to a Times investigation revealing new claims about the president’s conduct from his former national security adviser John Bolton.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Are you going to look for. Ninety am we're just outside the Eu S capital you're here to meet with staff of cinnamon, orderly restructuring and to talk to you about this moment and impeachment, and what it's like to be the leader of the party at a power in the middle of this trial of doctrine,
leisure thanks for coming down
how do you want to do whatever you want?
everyone, and if you don't mind, I put my feet up from my old basketball niece,
senator it is Tuesday morning. Yes, over the weekend, as I'm sure you know, my colleagues reported that John Bonham Foreign National security adviser is about to publish a book in which he directly corroborates the central accusation in the impeachment inquiry that President Trump conditioned the military to Ukraine on the country's willingness to furnish information on his political rivals, including Joe Biden. Meantime you're heading into Dave three of listening to the president's defence
where's make their case to the summit in this trial, so in and impeachment trial, where it is more or less seen one hundred percent clear that republican
legs of yours in the Senate would acquit the president the seems like a pretty unexpected, and
damning development, maybe even the most unexpected endemic development today. So does this change anything? I think it does. Some
Look? We have been saying all alone what we want
is the truth
that means, as Americans realise in any trial. You have facts and the facts
determined by witnesses and documents. So our goal-
we thought originally. We would be able to negotiate with Mitch Mcconnell to have witnesses and documents and seem so logical and why
happened was he went on Shore Hannity about a month ago and said he's taking his total cues from Donald Trump Donald Trump is not interested in the truth. He is not interested in facts, and so we figured how do we get at the truth? We looked at the four witnesses who had the eyewitness view of the actual charge. Why was the aid withheld and who did we asked for them and the contemporaneous four sets of documents surrounding them? One of them would jump on. One of them was John Bolton, and for a month
we have been sort of relentless focusing on getting witnesses and getting documents, because we believe the american people they may be very polarized when it comes to whether to acquit or convict. But how could people resist witnesses and documents now the american people after we pushed and pushed
push this message just about every day witnesses reticence, witnesses, witnesses, witnesses, documents, documents, documents are on our side. That's rare!
but only TIM senators have publicly as rare that they are on your side, but the republican senators know that their constituencies warrant witnesses
documents now on the other side, of course, is from hee
strong arm them. He will be nasty, he will be vindictive and that's, I think, one of the things that held them back. That's what makes it so hard, but bolt
is far and away the most major revolution yet circle back to button? But what does that development with Bolton mean for you? I'm guessing that you're getting at the fact that the power of the voters that that might started
in the balance- and we saw yesterday was the Bolton revelation was so devastating and let me tell you the contrast
secular got up yet
today morning than ever the revelation about Bolton was published in the New York Times. He said there are four
mainstays to our case and the third is. There are no eye witnesses to the account that the house managers had put forward, and there obviously is at least a newspaper report that there is one it cry.
He's out. So why don't you bring him forward and testify and a number of Republicans who had been silent until then said? Maybe we need witnesses and documents so do I think this is a done deal far from it, but do I think we have a chance now too,
witnesses and documents, yes tell her, how are you talking to these republican senators? These colleagues of your yes, I'm starting to imagine the conversations, maybe you're poking your headed
the Jim. It's hired. You know that that is where we do a lot to discuss. I know you have a morning routine, yes, so
We understand your standing next to the alert,
Romney's on it. Well, I'm not going to any individual. I I have conversations with Republicans, but I don't talk about them publicly, but I would say this for maybe a good chunk of the Republicans appealing to their higher instincts there. Better angels is Abraham, Lincoln, used to call it is meaningless, because there are too many better angels around there, but for a good number of republic, and certainly more than four considerably more than for the idea that this is historic.
The idea that this is so important to the nation and the idea that we are a nation founded on truth, that the founding fathers believed that the truth would prevail in right would prevail and history
is upon them and they'll be remembered for this vote long after they ve left. The Senate has some effect
So we are you making a moral case, yet I'm making occurred on the truth should matter. This does not apply to every Republican, this better angels argument. Buttered applies to some and those are the ones I try to talk to and onto the others. Do you make a more pragmatic practical case?
the others look, we only need for, and we know they're about twenty five will never get so eager to focus on the people
can, and that leaves you a pool of rough. I will look there about twelve republicans, who have never said we shouldn't have witnesses and documents they make other arguments there. Mad about is chairing Adler said that, but they have not made an argument that there shouldn't be witnesses and documents, but look: is it an uphill fight? Yes, are women?
in progress. Yes, so without naming names, I understand why you dont want to do that. Can you give me a little bit of a sense of how this conversation tends to go with the people who seem open to this
Do they really to you? Well, they listen and I
think they know. You know when Adam shift sit on the floor. In that closing argument, Republicans eyes were riveted on ship. You know when you hear the arguments that you don't like to hear your put your head down. You look this way. You'll chat with your neighbour, but in shifts both closing moments,
their eyes were riveted on his heel watching their whole. There are those- and I do I watched them and
said you know we're right. I think many of them know we're right, but are afraid of the consequences and our best recourse to things. Truth
and the public's on our side were witnesses and documents. If we had started out at the beginning and simply tried to get Republicans devote to convict, we wouldn't have gotten anywhere, but the strategy that we used, which I think is the right strategy ethically morally, but also substantively.
Is witnesses and documents are much harder to resist and then we'll let the chips full where they may. As I've said nice said, that's my republican colleagues, that's one thing. I tell them all the time I dont know what these witnesses will say. I dont know
What these documents will reveal? It could go against you guess it could be exculpatory of trump, but we have an obligation to the constitution
to the country to what America has always stood for to get the facts get the truth. Do you accept the possibility that, for many Republicans were off the table? Who cannot be convinced that the reason they can't be convinced? It's because they think they are going with their better angels because they just don't think this is an impeachable offense look
They ve made that argument in the direction which tried to make it last night you for internal reasons, lawyers, yes to me, it's hard to say this should not be something where removal is justified, that Trump wanted to cut off the aid to get investigations of by men of the twenty sixteen elections. But some of them may think that, yes, so let's say for a moment that you get this scenario that your pursuing you get four publicans
to vote to your witnesses, including jumble, which would mean that his testimony would be given in the Senate. It would be admissible in the trial under oath, and this would be testimony not heard in the house will be branded evidence. As you said,
Dershowitz is making this argument that the president's behaviour, the central charge in this trial is not behaviour that rises to the level of engagement. If the president's lawyers dont really dispute the basic facts of the case and then Bolton comes and bolsters those facts what's to begin
from his testimony we shall see. There may be some Republicans who feel that this
serious enough to merit removal from office. But if everyone agrees with these facts right, then acquittal isn't gonna mean much because most Americans would feel. I think that cutting off aid threatening a foreign country where our national security is at stake. If our
actions are subject to foreign interference. That's when I was in high school, you read the constitution and all that one of the things the founding fathers were most afraid of was foreign interference, and our election
it's in the Federalist papers and elsewhere. When I read it, then back in the sixties, I said what that's not gonna happen. Well, as usual, the founding fathers were left smarter than
All of us, it's serious stuff. So, even if you get these four senators along with you,
some see what you're saying this is still about american sentiment, voter sentiment, it's not that you think that if you hear from Golden suddenly that might lead twenty senators to vote to invoke the president, it's that important testifies. You think it will only string,
then Americans belief that something bad and wrong has occurred here. Yes, but yes, I agree with that. But I'd make another point: things keep coming out. New revelation
keep coming up and you never know what's gonna happen. Is it an uphill fight when you have the power of Trump and the fear of Trump among the republican senators and the fear of the Trump card core constituents,
the absolutely, but do we have a moral obligation to make the fight as strong as we can? Yes, that's that's. What motivates me
sitting at the truth and somehow in ways that go beyond my knowledge,
It usually ends up creating the right result, but who knows? Where
and who knows how I still struggle to see the political incentive for these Republicans to allow for witness, because they're gonna have little the political binding that you
described very well here and allowing witnesses only seems to make the public case against the president. Worse
except they want em out of office. So
they do not allow
Well, they may as that's why this is a difficult argument, but when they don't allow witnesses, there
Did she sees no, they stood with Trump to go against fairness and with a cover up.
But it's a little bit of a snarl because he has told you is if this were easy. We wouldn't be sitting here more after the break.
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So let's talk about what may be more likely scenarios when it comes to these witness someday. There have been
other possibilities raised in a straightforward for republican centres, vote to get any witness whatsoever. Republicans are raising the prospect of what at least one of them
calling a witness swap. Yes, they will give you your wit.
I witnessed from Poland, but in exchange they would like undermine the vice presidents son to testify, in other words,
even when there are spoken embarrass you. Would you agree to that? No period? Let me say this: our position is the four witnesses we want and the four sets
documents we want are essential to getting all or nothing at all as well as so. Let me say, and that's our position, the Republicans they have a magician.
And they can vote for any witness they want. Why haven't they ain't they could have voted
Hunter Biden run? Now they don't need our ok.
That you're saying you're only going to him up in the context of getting jumble. Well,
I'm saying that bringing it
a shiny object, a distraction like Hunter by who has nothing to do with our witnesses.
All were eye witness at the scene. If you will,
turbine was nowhere near the scene. Joe Biden was nowhere near the scene, it's a distraction. It has nothing to do with the impeachment case. Okay and
Think a good number, there senators realize it and I think the american public realises it so they
selves haven't rush to call Hunter by. Why do you think they have combat reason? I think they realize it might backfire that there would be nothing and it sort of you know
What did you use to learn and biology? Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny Barton, I dont know what it me forget it. It means certain things measure up in different places, so I dont know if it helps their case sudden and no far, I'm not sure the Republicans would want
So no witness what the other possibility that has been raised instead of relying on Republicans Democrats should appeal directly to the chief justice. John Roberts presides over the Sun Impeachment trial
and who has the discretionary power to subpoena witnesses. You're, like John Bolton, would you
sue that route. Or would you encourage the House democratic managers to pursue it to get bored Mona stand? Well, we just don't know where Justice Roberts will come down.
And you won't until you and we won't until we ask, but the rules right now are
can be overruled by a majority of the Senate. So even if chief Justice Roberts were to say yes Bolton's irrelevant witness, we ought to have them, they could voted down. They be
against the chief justice that makes it so much the harder they will have to see if you can climb time for just one other point, so I might go on this. It may be that Roberts just doesn't want to get involved at all,
The conservative figure he doesn't seem inclined to put his right and he remember on railway stood in the Clinton trial. He is how he's
did up? He said I see, I did nothing and I did it very well. He just wouldn't opine and he'd say I'm leaving it up to the Senate and Roberts could do that. So the house
that you could say we want Bolton and we want you to rule in. He sang I'm gonna leave that up to the Senate moving. You mentioned the Clinton impatient Tron. I won't talk about that.
Who sat through at an interesting way both as a member of the house and you ran for Senate
the middle that all became the senator from New York in you ended up voting twice or three times a
footnote. You didn't hear anyone who ever voted how swedish Larry House and Senate does any, and you voted in all those cases against impeachment. So does any part of you senator
sympathise with Republicans who are resistant to your overtures. Who may not be willing,
typifies war, not either you nowadays, because you yourself did this year, but the analogy is different in just about every way. First and foremost, what Clinton did was a personal, bad thing, but it didn't affect the government. It wasn't an abuse of power. It wasn't. It didn't go to the heart of what our democracies
about. He had a human frailty, and that was that light and yeah yeah well, but again over a frailty of it wasn't govern
I understand. Ok, would you and enabling on non? Yes, I do but wait. Let me just second, he didn't do what the trumpets doing he didn't stonewall. He went
For a grand jury himself and he allowed all these witnesses to come forward, so there was a strong record before it got to the Senate. So that's the second difference and the third difference is there was much more bi partisanship going on then Mitch Mcconnell would not even enter
pain talking to us about witnesses and document. There is a sense from you all, and I heard you sad- that Republicans prejudged this case
and I bring that up, as you were in a somewhat unique situation where you had come out and said- and I know this is this case is not about you, but it's yours
unique position of being able to identify how to be first grandeur or a prosecutor and they
The Jura, re sort of anomalous position had made clear by the time the trial started that you would vote to acquit you as accepted candidate. You said I will be. I will be the empty orderly. I haven't seen the evidence as a house prosecutor at this wonder, having been on both sides of this having been accused of prejudging the trial, which you were in in its active front. If, if any Republican was in the house, that the first time when that, when the house voted and now it's different, it's it's not analogous in any way now
so centre at the remiss. If I didn't ask you what an acquittal will mean for twenty twenty, you just can't him and that's not what guides me. What guides me is getting the truth and things in a broad sense in almost a biblical theology
nonsense. Things will work out. Why doesn't that guide? You you're the Senate minority later you're, the top Democrat in this body, twenty twenty? Why doesn't like idea thinking about twenty twenty
no, you asked me- and I don't want you know how this impeachment trial will affect the election one way or the other, but I knew you had to do the right thing. That's what I'm saying. Obviously I want to fight to win the election. You know this will have some effect on it will see. I always believe truth prevails, bud so we'll health care, social infrastructure, so we'll college so well, democracy, so
criminal justice, several immigration reform and those matter to me. There was matter to me a lot. You hope will be one of the things that influence, as you said,
conversations and all you- and I can't I always believe truth will prevail. One way or the other senator thank you. Re always progenitor likewise ensures jeers. During their final day of oral arguments on Tuesday lawyers for president trumpet discouraged, senators from voting took called Bolton as a witness. Are you going to stop or you can allow pursuit proceedings on impeachment to go from New York Times report about someone that says what they here's, a manuscript
is that, where we are, I don't think so. I open up hours later after the lawyers had concluded their presentation. Senate majority leader Mitch, Mcconnell called a meeting of republican senators to make his own case against calling witnesses like Bolton during that gathering Mcconnell warned that he was unsure whether he had enough
votes to prevent such a witness, because so many Senate Republicans remain publicly uncommitted. On the question of the vote on whether to hear witnesses in the trial is now expected on Friday. What right back? Don't put your health on pause just because your lifestyle is changed, whether you're trying to lose those last few pounds or simply
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Transcript generated on 2020-04-23.