Colorado’s Morning News, Ken Buck, February 4, 2020
Station: KOA, 850 am
Show: Colorado’s Morning Show
Guests: Buck, Ken
Date: February 4, 2020
Topics: Impeachment, Donald Trump, State of the Union Speech, Iowa Caucus Debacle, Treated Unfairly, Swamp, Trump’s base
HOST MARTY LENZ [00:00:00] Right now, we’re getting perspective on the State of the Union [speech scheduled for this evening] with Colorado Republican Congressman Ken Buck. Ken, good morning. Thanks for joining us.
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM COLORADO’S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND CHAIR OF THE COLORADO GOP, KEN BUCK [00:00:07] Good morning.
LENZ [00:00:07] We asked a Twitter poll question: do you think the president will mention something about impeachment in his speech? And most people, like 78%, say they think the president will address it. Do you think he’ll say something about it tonight in the State of the Union?
BUCK [00:00:20] I do. I think, just having observed this president for four years, he can’t restrain himself. He knows that tomorrow he will be acquitted by the Senate. He feels that he has been treated unfairly. And I think that he will mention something. He’ll probably mention something about the Iowa caucuses and the debacle last night that the Democratic Party suffered there. And I think he is also going to really highlight the achievements that have occurred in the last three years with the economy and other areas.
HOST APRIL ZESBAUGH [00:00:51] Yeah, to focus on the economy would be a smart thing. And then also certainly homeland security and and those kinds of things, as well. Going to impeachment, before we get back to the State of the Union address, how do you feel like this process has gone? Do you feel like it went as well as it could have from a Republican point of view?
BUCK [00:01:11] No, I don’t think it has, really, because my my point of view is from the American point of view. And I think that the House should have done a better job of investigating. I think there are some problems with the phone call. I think there are some issues with how our relationship with Ukraine developed over time. And I think that if the House had done its job, it would look similar to what the Republican House did investigating President Obama with Benghazi. It was — it was something that was wrong and didn’t reflect well on the Obama administration. The House did its job as an oversight body, but left it there. And I think that’s what should have happened here. If the Democrats wanted truly to do oversight and to look at this president and his actions, that’s absolutely fair. Call witnesses, have Republicans call witnesses, get the truth out,.let the American people decide. But don’t go down that next path to impeachment. I think that was a big mistake that the Democrats made.
LENZ [00:02:15] Moving on to the State of the Union, having said that — I guess, and you had mentioned you don’t think the president can resist maybe saying something about it, but if you really want to move on with it, it would probably benefit the president to not bring it up. But then talk about, like you said, the things that have been good, the economy, talk about transportation, some of the other issues, –I guess if you want to say, the more bipartisan kind of issues that both parties can work on. Would you prefer to see that tact?
BUCK [00:02:39] Oh, I think he’ll — I think 95%, 98% of his speech will be that. But I think this president is a disruptor, and he relishes the opportunity to disrupt. And he doesn’t like the swamp, and many Americans don’t like the swamp, and he’s playing to his base when he talks about impeachment and he talks about mistakes from the other party or from political opponents even within his own party. And so I think that he will take that opportunity. If you’re asking me if I wrote a speech, would I ignore impeachment? Absolutely, I would ignore imjpeachment. [But] just having observed this president, I think that he will seize the opportunity.
ZESBAUGH [00:03:16] Before we run, we’ve talked to you about the divisiveness in Washington since you’ve been there. In this election year, do you see the two sides coming together on much? Or is it going to be more divisive than ever?
BUCK [00:03:29] I think that both sides — I think the Senate will focus on what it has been doing the last few years, and that is confirming judicial appointments and helping build the administration. There are still a lot of vacancies in this administration. I think on the Democrat side in the House, we will be passing bills that they know won’t go very far, if at all in the Senate, but will send a message to their base that if they were given control of both houses, this is the kind of law that they would see passed.
LENZ [00:04:00] Congressman Ken Buck, thank you for your time. We appreciate it.
BUCK [00:04:03] Thank you.
