Station:   KNUS, 710 AM

Show:      Jimmy Sengenberger Show

Guests:    Tancredo

Link:        http://sengenberger.podbean.com/

Date:       May 17, 2014

Topics:            Debates, Forums, Mike Kopp, Bob Beauprez, Scott Gessler, Centennial Institute, Colorado Christian University, “Women in Colorado’s Future” Debate, Circular Firing Squad, Mitt Romney, Reince Priebus, Endorsement, National GOP Chair, Former Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams, 2010 Governor’s Race, US Senate Race, Dan Maes, Quinnipiac Poll, Regulation, Taxes, Energy Industry, Fossil Fuel Plants, Emissions, Natural Resource, Execturive Orders, Grounds for Impeachment, The Clean Air Action Plan, 1-11B of the Clean Air Act, Coal Companies, Reclaiming Federal Lands, States’ Rights, Interior Department, Conservation Trusts, Mismanagement of Public Lands, Bundy Ranch, Education Reform, Amendment 66, Douglas County School Board, Common Core, $10,000 Diploma/Degree, Professor, 9 hours in Classroom

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HOST JIMMY SENGENBERGER:  […] And right now, we have a vibrant Republican primary that is going on in this state between –among four candidates. We have interviewed Mike Kopp, Scott Gessler, and Bob Beauprez.  And tonight, we have Tom Tancredo.  Now, I want to – as sort of a little lead-in, let you know, I have to anyway, each hour here, but on Tuesday night, we will be having a debate – NewsTalk 710 KNUS and the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University will present the “Women in Colorado’s Future” debate for Colorado Governor.  […] Now, participating in this debate, will be Beauprez, Kopp, and Gessler.  And not surprising, because it’s been the case traditionally, –it has nothing to do with KNUS– but in debate after debate Congressman Tom Tancredo, the fourth candidate for governor, has declined invitations for these debates.  And we talked about it before on the show, but given that we do have a debate here on KNUS a few days from now, I want to welcome Congressman Tom Tancredo to the show and say, “Hello, my friend!  How are you?”

FORMER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE FROM COLORADO, FORMER & CURRENT GUBERNATORIAL GOP CANDIDATE, TOM TANCREDO:  Well, Jimmy, thank you.

SENGENBERGER:  It is good to talk with you as always.  But I have to ask you, um, why have you been declining these debates?  What’s your reasoning for it?

TANCREDO:  Um, history is my reason. [If] you look back at all of the [primary] debates that have been held, Republican debates especially, I cannot find one that – during primaries, that is to say—and I cannot find one that had ever benefitted the eventual Republican nominee. They always end up helping the Democrat.  They always turn into what I would call circular firing squads. We saw it with Bob Beauprez when he ran the last time.  We certainly saw it in the Presidential elections with Mitt Romney and what he went through. It’s a crazy thing. I saw the other day that Reince Priebus is saying, “You know what? We’re not going to do that anymore. We’re going to change—either we’re going to have fewer change the format–.” And I intend to do exactly the same thing, if I am the nominee.  We will establish what we believe to be the most effective way of, quote: “debating”, even with Hickenlooper.  And it will be on a single topic.  We will have, what, two or three debates on individual topics. We will help determine who are the people that are going to be there asking questions. Or else, we won’t do that, either.  Because when you give the media the free rein in this sort of thing, it does not work well for Republicans.  And so, debates are –.  And you know what?  Another thing:  I think this is the best decision we’ve made, because – I have to tell you, this has been the most polite primary that I have witnessed up to this point in time.  It’s getting a little uglier, of course, as we approach the end, naturally. But I’m going to take some credit for this, because I believe that one of the reasons that everyone’s been so nice to each other is because I’ve made such a big stink out of what happens when you’re not.  Now, I have been on the same stage with my opponents a bunch of times. I’ve certainly lost count. They’re not debates. They’re forums. We get up. We speak. We – this morning, I was in Colorado Springs. Bob Beauprez and I were on the same stage. We got up. We gave our little presentation. People asked us individual questions after we finished.  And we left.  That was it.  That’s different. That’s a forum. Debates are set up to be antagonistic, and they never work to our advantage.  So, therefore, I won’t do them.

SENGENBERGER:  All right.  You know, that definitely makes sense, when you’re looking at the way that media can spin these things.  Although, there is of course the argument—we talked about this a while back and I don’t want to beat the same bush, if you will, but there is the argument that, you know, if you’re going to be in the game, that you should go all in, and give people the opportunity to see comparisons.  But, there are those forums and those kinds of things.  So, fair enough. The other thing I want to ask you is that at least one of your opponents – and I’ve heard this from others that are out there–have been critical of you in regards to 2010 and your bid for governor in 2010.  Now, full disclosure, I voted for you in 2010.  I made that decision. You were the right candidate.  I think you did the right thing, personally.  But you’ve gotten a lot of flack from different people about your decision, and there’s the accusation that as a result you cost us the governors’ race in 2010, and you cost us even the US Senate race, somehow, in 2010.   How do you respond to those particular accusations that have been levied at you by a few different circles?

TANCREDO:  People have short memories. And they remember only the things, I think that they want to remember, those folks who claim that I somehow cost them the governor’s election.  They need to remember that the person that the Republican Party nominated, a guy by the name of Dan Maes, was somebody I had nothing to do with. I did not create Dan Maes. I did not put him in the position of running as the Republican candidate.  That happened as the result of a lot of decisions made by folks in the party. Once that decision was made, it became certainly apparent to me that it was cataclysmic – that not only could that fellow not – well, that is to say, he couldn’t get elected.  But then I would add, eventually, I said, he shouldn’t [get elected] because of what we became aware of about him personally. And by the end of the election, by November, –again, people forget this—but every single elected Republican official, of which I am aware, — I mean, there may have been a county commissioners someplace, or a mayor or something – but every major Republican elected official supported my candidacy, including the Chairman of the Republican party: a guy by the name of Dick Wadhams, who said, –and this is the most amazing quote I think I have ever heard by a Republican chairman—he said,  “This candidate,” meaning Mr. Maes, “is the worst candidate we have ever fielded. And any vote for him is a wasted vote.”  Now, that was the Chairman. I did not create the problem for the Republican Party. I tried to solve it. And we came fairly close. So, as I say, people are rather selective when they start talking about my actions destroying the party. I tried to do what I could to give conservatives an option. And I’m proud of what we did accomplish. Thirty-seven percent, the Republican gets 11%, — one less and the Republican Party would have been in minor party status in Colorado. Again, I did not create the problem.  It was done for – you know, it happened inside the Party.  And people are going to have to, I guess, as I say, get over it.

SENGENBERGER:  Just one quick polling question:  We have seen polling data that has the four of you relatively close, in terms of combative nature against Hickenlooper, in terms of your stature – nobody trumping Hickenlooper, up to this point.  Most of the polls that I have seen show you slightly ahead of other challengers.  Do you think that there’s something to those polls, because there are a lot of people that I’ve been talking to and met – I had a meeting a couple of weeks ago, and somebody was just baffled by these polls as to why you might be in the position that you are, given especially some of the controversial positions that you have taken.  What’s your analysis where things stand in the race?

TANCREDO:  Because — I am ahead of the other Republicans. That is true. And I’m ahead with of them with Independents.  I have more Independents supporting me than any other Republican. As a matter of fact, at least in one, I think it was Quinnipiac but I can’t remember now –.

SENGENBERGER:  Yeah, it was

–I had more independent support than Hickenlooper – I had 8 points ahead of Hickenlooper with Independents.  So that’s why I’m ahead of the other Republicans, all together, when you add them all up. And the reason is because, in a way, I am controversial! That’s right! People do know me. They know what I believe in. They know what I stand for. And I think a lot of people — even the ones that might say, “Well, you know, I don’t see it – I don’t think I agree with him on X, Y, or Z – but you know what, the guy is at least honest. And he tells you what he believes. And he does it. So, I think that’s an advantage, not a disadvantage, Jimmy.

SENGENBERGER:  Let’s talk about X, Y, or Z. And I want to start with energy policy here in the state of Colorado, where – and I’ve been talking with each of the candidates. I mean, we have so many natural resources in this state. We are rich in our opportunities here, yet we have an administration in Governor Hickenlooper that has pushed out the energy industry.  What in your mind, Tom Tancredo, should be done, if you were governor –elected governor, to fix this and get the energy economy going back again in Colorado?

TANCREDO:  It is an issue of regulation and taxes.  It boils down that — always does, always will, not unique. Other places where the energy industry is looked upon with disdain by the progressives, they’ve suffered the same consequences.  So, the –but I will add this.  I think we will all do what we can.  I think every Republican candidate when elected will do what we can to enhance the energy industry in this state.  And because — for a lot of reasons. Not just the jobs it provides, but because it’s a natural resource that the country needs.  And we have a lot of it.  And if it can be extracted in a clean and responsible manner, which I believe it can, then we need to give the industry its head. owHHowever, we’ve got to ask more of the industry itself, in its own defense. I must tell you, Jimmy, I’ve been discouraged by the lack of response on –especially on the part of the coal industry – to the kind of complaints that are lodged against it by progressives and the attempts to actually destroy it. I’m going to give you an example. Okay? Not too long ago, the President passed – well, “he passed”, what am I saying?  You know, it’s another one of those things he did unilaterally. He–.

SENGENBERGER:  That’s called “executive orders,” you see.  He’s got a pen and a phone, Congressman Tancredo.

TANCREDO:  Yeah, well I call it “grounds for impeachment,” is what I call it, because some of those executive orders have superceded anything that we have in the past known to be an appropriate executive order. They have taken the place of law.

SENGENBERGER:  There’s no doubt about it.

TANCREDO:  In this case, he forced something called ‘The Clean Air Action Plan’. And in that Clean Air Action Plan, it did a number of things, and it directed the EPA to set the emissions standards for all fossil fuel burning plants in the nation. That’s one thing, okay?  Now, you could say, “Gee, that’s typical of him.”  But there’s a little glitch here. The Clean Air Act, which of course supercedes this thing, has a provision.  And if people want to look it up, it’s 1-11B. Um, and it says the states will establish the emission levels from these fossil fuel burning plants.  Now, that’s in direct contravention – it’s exactly opposite of what he has said in this executive order.   Yet even the coal companies are silent.  They’re afraid.  They’re afraid that they’ll come down on them even more. What they don’t realize, Jimmy, is that they’re in a fight for their lives. And if they don’t support themselves, if they don’t defend themselves, then they are going to lose that fight. We need them – it can’t be just a politician out there saying, you know, “Coal is okay. It can be used as an excellent way of generating energy.”  And there’s got to be the industry itself that gets out there, and I’ll tell you right now:  Somebody’s got to challenge this. Somebody’s got to go to court– some coal company has got to go to court, right now, and say, “Can’t do this!  Look at 1-11B of the Clean Air Act.  You can’t establish these – the EPA can’t unilaterally do this.”  So, until they’re challenged, of course, they’re going to do it. Well, I’ll guarantee you this:  I’m going to challenge the federal government every single step of the way, in every way. Not just in energy development.  There are a lot of other things, too, we’re going to take them on on.

SENGENBERGER:  All right.  We’ve got to take a quick break […]. When we come back, we’re going to talk about fighting against the federal government, but also Education Reform.  It’s something that we are seeing sweeping Colorado, looking at November in particular. So we’ll tackle that issue and see what else we may or may not be able to squeeze in, as we come back on the Jimmy Sengenberger show.  Keep it right here!

[commercial break]

 [The following represents notes taken during this interview.  All portions, except where identified as transcribed sections, are paraphrased from the questions and responses between the host and the guest.]

• Fending off feds:  can you give another example
• There’s a plan leaked by the Interior department, that the president intends to confiscate millions of acres of land across the US. Putting them in conservation trusts and various other kinds of areas that are protected from development
  • 360,000 acres in CO
  • We will fight any attempt any attempt to take any more land away from the state and put it under federal mismanagement
  • It has been a disaster for forests
  • It has been a disaster for states
  • These lands were supposed to have been placed “in trust”
    • They have not been good stewards
    • It’s time to start the process of reclaiming some of those lands back to the states
• Bundy was a prime example of this.
• We saw massive expansion of Education Reform efforts succeed in 2013. Amendment 66 went down in flames despite 12million spent in its favor.  Jeffco School board, DougCo school board, all this stuff.  What does it tell you about where this state is headed, and what you think we should do when it comes to education?
  • I certainly think—er, hope, that they’re not aberrations
  • I hope that they are reflective of the attitude of people saying I’ve had enough
  • We’ve been pushed too hard to the left by this looming left legislature and by this governor
  • One of the things a governor needs to do is take leadership rules in areas like education
    • Immediately tell state leg and state board of education that we are NOT going to move forward on Common Core
      • It is a social disaster
      • It is an education disaster
      • For the nation and this state
      • There are states trying to extricate themselves, let’s do it before we get too far into this.
    • I want to highlight higher education
      • I will see to it that there will not be another increase in tuition in any state university for at least the next couple of years
      • A governor can do this!
        • It won’t be easy
        • But it can be done
    • Also I’m going to adapt a plan that TX has adopted.
      • Saying, every college has to develop at least ONE meaningful $10,000 diploma/degree.
      • In TX, every institution said, NO WAY, it’s impossible. It will just be a piece of junk
      • One did it
      • The rest followed suit
    • And another thing.  Every professor should spend at least 9 hours in the classroom per week
      • JS:  That’s unfair!
    • Well, we’re going to require a lot of things of higher ed that they may think is unfair but they’ve run roughshod over this state for too long.  Higher ed is out of control.  The costs are out of control.  Especially for what they deliver
• We’re going to have to leave it there. Ballots out in a few weeks. Where can people go to learn more about you
  • GovernorTancredo.com
• You’re very optimistic with that URL
  • It’s the fact that we couldn’t get the one that we wanted
• Thank you and good-bye