00:06First on Iran, what was the takeaway from your conversation with Imani Iran?
00:10Oh, I mean, just that this is getting all of his attention, more or less,
00:16and that it's a very serious situation, and that he's looking at all the options carefully,
00:21and he doesn't want Iran to have a nuke.
00:22It's what he said in public, but he just reiterated it.
00:25It's a very sensitive situation, and there's important decisions to be made.
00:30Would you be comfortable if the U.S. took offensive action in Iran?
00:34Would you be comfortable with that?
00:35I would not, no.
00:36Why is that?
00:37No.
00:37Well, I don't want to get into a war. I mean, I don't want us fighting a war.
00:40I don't want another mid-East war.
00:41To be honest with you, I'm a little concerned about our sudden military buildup in the region.
00:45We've built up real fast, real quick, just in the last – real big real quick, I should say,
00:51just in the last few days, really.
00:54I think we want to be careful there.
00:55I mean, it's one thing to say to our ally Israel that, hey, we're going to support your right to self-defense.
01:00We should do that 100%.
01:01The president's been very strong on that.
01:03It's another thing to say to Iran, and I agree with this, too, the president's done is we're not going to bail you out.
01:07You know what I mean?
01:08Listen, you can come to the negotiating table with us and give up your nuclear program, and we'll facilitate that.
01:13That's great.
01:14I think Trump's message to them is, if you don't do that, you're on your own with Israel.
01:18I think all of that's fine.
01:19It's a very different thing, though, for us to then say, but we are going to offensively, affirmatively go strike Iran or insert ourselves in the conflict.
01:28That, to me, is a – that's a whole different matter.
01:30I'd be real concerned about that.
01:32What are the implications if that happens?
01:33Oh, I mean, huge conflict in the region, possibly beyond.
01:38I mean, we all saw what happened with Iraq and Afghanistan, you know, so I think, listen, nobody wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon.
01:44I think the president's handled this really well, and I think our message ought to be consistent, which is to Iran.
01:49There's an off-ramp.
01:50I mean, Trump's offering you an off-ramp.
01:51Take the off-ramp.
01:52If not, you're going to be on your own with Israel.
01:55But I don't think there's a need for us, for us, the United States, to affirmatively insert ourselves.
02:00I mean, I think that is a different – a whole different kettle of fish.
02:03What do you think, politically, that would mean?
02:05You know, because we hear some folks saying, this is not America first if we engage here.
02:09Well, I mean, I'll let the president weigh that.
02:11He knows his coalition better than anybody, and he's the one who's one with it.
02:14I just think from a practical, strategic point of view and just representing the people of my state, I think standing by Israel is absolutely fine, great.
02:25And I think making sure that Iran doesn't get a nuke.
02:27But for us to affirmatively go get engaged in a war, I think that's – I think most people are going to look at that and be like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, what?
02:35No, no, no, we don't want that.
02:36So I don't think the president will go there.
02:38I think he's handling this pretty darn skillfully.
02:42And, of course, if you're him, you're not going to take options off the table when you're trying to get Iran back to the negotiating table.
02:47He's trying to push them clearly.
02:49And what did he say to you about the provider tax and the reconciliation bill?
02:52Well, I did the talking there.
02:54I mean, I just said, listen, you know, we just got the Senate text, and the Senate text is very different from what you negotiated with the House.
03:01And I said, you know, I've got some major concerns about that.
03:04And I walked through them, and he said, oh, wow, that's very surprising.
03:06He said, I'm surprised that they made all these changes to the degree they did.
03:10And I said, I am too.
03:11So, you know, I think there's some work to be done there.
03:13I mean, you know, it's –
03:14He was blindsided by it?
03:15Well, that's – those are your words.
03:18I mean, I just think that what he has said consistently to me and in public is he does not want Medicaid cuts.
03:25He's fine with work requirements, waste, fraud, and abuse, but he does not want benefit cuts.
03:30And he was real clear to Senate Republicans just two weeks ago, don't touch anything else on Medicaid.
03:36Take the House framework, tweak it if you need to, but do not do anything else.
03:39And this Senate framework is really – it departs from his framework big time.
03:44It's a whole other thing, and it really is tough on rural hospitals.
03:47I mean, he and I talked about that.
03:48I said, this is going to be real hard on rural hospitals.
03:51What was his response when he said that?
03:53Concern, you know, I mean, just – and surprise.
03:55It's like, well, you know, why would they do that was his comment.
03:58And I said, that's what I'm trying to figure out.
04:00Did he say he'd be willing to change it?
04:02Well, I think he's going to get engaged, you know what I mean?
04:04And listen, this is his bill.
04:06I mean, he's landed the plane in the House.
04:08And so, you know, ultimately I would just hope that the Senate would reflect his priorities.
04:12This is my consistent message.
04:13It's just – let's stay with the guy who won the popular vote here and who said no changes to Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare.
04:19Let's cut taxes for working people.
04:21Let's make that our priorities.
04:22And do you think it's feasible to get this done by next week?
04:26I don't know the answer to that.
04:27I just don't know.
04:27I mean, I think if there's a will and leadership to get this fixed – it needs work, clearly.
04:32If they've got the will to work around the clock and fix it, sure.
04:34But, you know, I don't – that's really a question for them.
04:37You know, I mean, how quick do they want to move on this and get things worked out?
04:40I mean, it's not ready for prime time yet because of all the changes they've made.
04:44So they're going to have to work out these issues.
04:46They're going to have to particularly get the rural hospital issue resolved.
04:50And just – I would say just get back to following the president.
04:53Are they negotiating with you at this point on those changes?
04:55Oh, I mean, listen, I talk to them constantly.
04:58But we'll see.
04:59But you don't know if they're making those changes.
05:00I don't know.
05:01I don't think they've got 51 votes yet.
05:03So, you know, this – as I say, this needs to work.
