Station:    KNUS, 710 am

Show:       Jimmy Sengenberger Show

Guests:    Gardner, Cory

Link:        https://sengenberger.podbean.com/e/jimmy-sengenberger-show-feb-15-2020-hr-1/

Date:       February 15, 2020

Topics:     State of the Union address, War Powers Resolution, Iran, Tim Kaine, General Soleimani, Foreign Affairs Committee, East Asia, Middle East, Terrorism, Israel, Corona Virus, Chinese Doctor, Bipartisan

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LIVE IN STUDIO, HOST JIMMY SENGENBERGER SETS UP THE AUDIO RECORDING OF INTERVIEW WITH GARDNER [00:00:07] Without further ado, let’s go ahead and jump in to my interview with U.S. Senator Cory Gardner, [recorded a day or two earlier from this airing].

HOST JIMMY SENGENBERGER [00:00:12] [I.’m] pleased to welcome back to the Jimmy Sengenberger show, the man who’s technically the junior senator from Colorado. But in my book, he is the senior senator. And somebody, by the way, we need to reelect this November. Senator Cory Gardner rejoins us. Sir, welcome back\!

U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO, CORY GARDNER [00:00:27] Hey, thank you for having me, Jimmy!

SENGENBERGER [00:00:29] It’s good to have you here. You’ve been at it quite a bit over this year. We’re only halfway through February.  It’s — there’s more news that has gone on than the average president has in a single year, I think. But let’s get right to it, because [there are] so many things to talk about. I understand this week you guys are voting on a series of war powers resolutions relative to Iran. Tell us about that, especially the killing of Soleimani and your thoughts.

GARDNER [00:00:55] Well, that’s right. So, we have a series of resolutions — well, it’s a War Powers Resolution that Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has put forward, that unfortunately — I believe — needlessly restricts the president’s ability to act in the United States best interests when it comes to protecting us from terrorism. This is — I think — a constitutional duty the president has to defend American interests and particularly our soldiers in the Middle East, that — when it comes to General Soleimani.  And because of that strike, it prompted this war powers resolution that, I think, sends a message to Iran that the United States is divided and weak, the exact opposite message that we need to be sending if we’re going to stand up to the world’s largest sponsor of terror, [that] being Iran.

SENGENBERGER [00:01:41] You are on the Foreign Relations Committee in the United States Senate, Senator Gardner. And so on the Iran issue, I mean, I think that if you look at the regional dynamics now and how they’ve changed with President Trump really helping to bring Israel and the Arab countries together, there was a unique situation that we hadn’t seen before, which really made it possible for President Trump to take this strong stand against Iran and also to specifically go after Suleimani and do that killing.  And it’s unprecedented, what we are seeing in the region right now, which made that possible.

GARDNER [00:02:16] Well, and if you look at the threat that General Suleimani not only has posed over the past many years, but going forward, that threat was real. And the plans and activities that he had ready to go, that would have cost more American lives, was something that we simply couldn’t accept. And so that was a proper action the United States took to take out somebody who had led to the deaths of hundreds and hundreds of Americans on the battlefield and somebody who was going to do even more. And they’ve made that very clear. So I think the leadership of strengthen the Middle East by the president will create an opening for peace openings for negotiations. And certainly when you look at his strong stand for Israel, one of the most important things that has happened in the Middle East, no doubt about it.

SENGENBERGER [00:03:05] Senator Cory Gardner, our guest, since you are also on the Foreign Relations Subcommittee for Southeast Asia. In fact, you chair that subcommittee. Let’s talk a little bit about Corona virus and what we’re seeing there. We’ll talk about a resolution in a moment that you have introduced, co-sponsored. Where things add in your view in terms of readiness here in America for the Corona virus and also where you see things being out with the virus over in China and maybe other parts of the world?

GARDNER [00:03:32] Well, if you look at the steps that have been taken right now by the government. We have had a quarantine in place in the United States for people who’ve been traveling through China. That’s really the first time we’ve had a quarantine like this since the 1960s where small segments were quarantined over a smallpox concern. And so this really is an unprecedented public health step that has been taken. The suspension of flights has, I think, done a great deal to promote the safety and prevent the spread of this virus in the United States. So that’s important measure as well. We do know that this is a very, very contagious at this point. The early data shows that, you know, if you get the flu, one case of flu leads to about 1.5, 1.6 cases of additional flu. So that if you — the corona virus, the result is sometimes a two or three — between two and three new cases being developed. So it’s highly contagious. And that’s why we have to take the precautions that we have to protect the people in this country.

SENGENBERGER [00:04:38] By the way, just to clarify, this subcommittee is East Asia, the Pacific and international cyber security policy, not just Southeast Asia. But so you’ve just introduced legislation or a resolution, along with Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Ed Markey of Massachusetts. So another bipartisan resolution on your part, Senator Cory Gardner. About this Chinese doctor who sounded the alarms about the spread of the Corona virus and the Chinese government tried to silence him. Tell us about this important resolution.

GARDNER [00:05:11] Well, that’s exactly right. You know, early on, at the very early stages of Corona virus, this Dr. Lee was trying to inChina trying to warn authorities and bring publicity and attention to what was happening and what he was identifying. Because if you’ll remember, the experience China had going through SARS where they failed to act, and as a result had the outbreak that the world saw, embarrassed China and unfortunately led to a number of very grave and significant health complications and death. And so this was a doctor who was trying to do that, was told, “Hey, knock this off!” by the government of China — basically a punitive attention and action by China to silence him. And we have now lost that doctor, that brave doctor who was standing up against the machine of the Chinese Communist Party. They were trying to silence him and he was trying to protect his fellow men and women in the community. And, you know, he has now lost his own life to Corona virus as a result. So our resolution commends his leadership and courage in standing up against the virus, standing up against the Communist Party, and their cone of silence that they were demanding as it relates to the Corona virus and then makes sure that we chastise and condemn the Chinese authorities who would not tell their people the truth and who will resist transparency. You know, we still have elements of CDC and the World Health Organization that have not been allowed full access into China to see what’s happening to as a global community, because this is a global effect, have a chance to address the Corona virus. But, you know, they have failed again to provide that level of transparency.

SENGENBERGER [00:06:54] Real quick, this is obviously a statement. There’s not some sort of teeth attached to it, per se, but what do you think is the significance of making a statement condemning China and also praising this doctor?

GARDNER [00:07:06] Well, I think it puts more pressure on China to open up, to provide that transparency, to give its people accountability. You know, there are these brave — and I don’t know if you’ve seen these brave journalists in China who are documenting what is happening. Some of them are disappearing. Some of them were being jailed. We don’t know what’s happening to others, but they’re trying to get the word out of what is happening. They know it’s on this issue — on Corona virus — but it’s also been prevalent in other cases of human rights and human rights abuses and the challenges the Weigurs are facing in western China. So when you have a communist regime like you do in China, information doesn’t get through to the people because that’s power in the hands of the elites of the party who will use that to maintain their party and their stronghold over the country. So, you know, the more transparency, the more information, the greater the press freedom, the more likely it is that the people will be better off.

SENGENBERGER [00:08:01] A couple quick final question, Senator Gardner, because I know we’ve got to send you on your way. Impeachment: are you glad that that’s over, [that] we’re past it, at least ostensibly. Some Democrats want to continue with this charade. But are you glad that we’re past it so you can get back to the real business at hand?

GARDNER [00:08:16] Well, the American people are really ready for Congress to get back to the business at hand, as you mentioned. They didn’t support the impeachment. They wanted Congress to focus on health care costs, getting things done. And look, you know, we’ve done some great things for Colorado, whether it’s the home to the Bureau of Land Management, whether it’s opening up U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs. And just last week in the middle of impeachment. We’re able to provide funds for a pipeline that John F. Kennedy, President Kennedy, authorized but didn’t fund. Oh, my God. That will provide drinking water to 50000 people in southeastern Colorado. And so we were able to get funding for the construction of that to begin the construction of that. And, you know, that’s what happens when you focus on getting the business of the people done instead of playing partisan politics.

SENGENBERGER [00:08:56] Took a long time to get there. But finally, that mission is being accomplished. So kudos. They are just. And finally, Senator Cory Gardner with impeachment behind us. Now you’re on to these other issues. And next Thursday, we’ve got President Trump coming to Colorado Springs. You’ll be there. Tell us about this rally.

GARDNER [00:09:15] Well, obviously, this is an exciting moment for the state of Colorado, who can show off the things that we’ve been able to do for the state that the president and I and so many others have bought for for our state. Whether that’s just a few miles away with the U.S. Space Command operating out of Colorado Springs, home to the U.S. space force as well. We’re just a few miles away from, gosh, well, you know, other work that has been done on cybersecurity with great benefit to our country’s national security and economy. Talk about our 2.5 percent record unemployment rate in Colorado, the fact that we’ve cut average household taxes in Colorado by about fourteen hundred dollars. Wages are increasing in Colorado. Average household wealth is up over 4 or  5 thousand dollars in the state. These are things that we’ve been able to champion for the state. Now we’re gonna be able to contrast that with the ideas of people like John Hickenlooper and Bernie Sanders who want socialized medicine, eliminating 170 million people’s insurance, health insurance. They want to take that away. They want to take away 200000 oil and gas jobs across Colorado, costing our state $31 billion. They want to increase your taxes by $1,400. They want to end the wage increases that we’ve been able to achieve. They want to put people out of work. So it’s going to be quite the contrast that will highlight there in the at the foot of Pikes Peak.

SENGENBERGER [00:10:29] One thing I would like to see, I want you when you’re onstage with President Trump to tell a couple of your fun stories that you have, because I know you’ve got a number of them from times with President Trump. And I think they’re worthy of sharing to the audience next Thursday.

GARDNER [00:10:44] Well, we’ll see. We’ll see if they give me any time to do that. But I’m looking forward to it. You know, there’s gonna be thousands and thousands of Coloradans there. And you know, for those people who think that maybe nobody voted for President Trump, I’ll remind them that, you know, John McCain lost Colorado by nine points and Mitt Romney lost Colorado by six points and Donald Trump lost Colorado by over four points. That is hardly a state that is moving to the left when it comes to presidential elections.

SENGENBERGER [00:11:09] That’s a great point, Senator Cory Gardner. Keep up the good work. We’ll have you back soon. Thanks for joining us. Hey, thanks for having me. I really want Senator Gardner to tell the story of a fly in the president’s limo. That’s one story. He’s told that on my show before then I would love him to share at the rally this coming Thursday down in Colorado Springs. Make sure to get your tickets. We’ll talk about it more with Mark Potter from the Trump 2020 reelection campaign coming up at the bottom of the hour.