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Barrasso Previews the President’s Inaugural Address on CNN’s “State of the Union”


January 20, 2013


Click Here to Watch Sen. Barrasso.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union” this morning to preview the President’s inaugural address:   

Key excerpts of the interview:

President’s Inaugural Address:

“This is actually the ninth time I'm seeing a different President come into office. My dad took me to John Kennedy's inauguration when I was 8. We come every time, Republican and Democrat, because of this great country. My dad, as a guy, had to quit school in ninth grade, fought in the Battle of the Bulge and spent his life pushing wheel barrels of heavy wet cement.  So we’ve gone from pushing cement to now to in one generation pushing legislation.  But we always want any President to succeed, to do well.  That means America does well and Americans do well.”

Spending: 

“The President, to me, has -- really has a big problem with spending.  He is addicted to spending and those are policies that will hurt our country long term. We need to focus on getting people back to work, focus on jobs, the economy, the debt and the spending. That's what will improve the quality of life for American families and for hard-working taxpayers.  People feel they want to get value for their tax dollars and they are not getting it now, Candy.

“This is a time of divided government.  We have a re-elected majority leadership in the House and we have a re-elected President, but it's times of divided government you can actually do big things for the country.

“Specifically, have to deal with the debt. We’re at $16 trillion dollars.  If you want to continue with the social safety net – the good, the bad and the ugly parts of that - you have to have a vibrant economy. You have to have growth of the economy, but I need to see policies will actually do that. We don't see them now.”

Gun Control:

“As doctor….I can tell you the President essentially ignored the issues of mental health and violence in society in the media and video games and he has focused so much on what may be happening at gun shows or on shelves of gun stores that I think he is failing to try to really find a solution to the problem of the tragedy of Newtown. No one wants that to happen.

“But the legislation that he is promoting, David Plouffe may have said they had 60 votes.  I would really welcome the opportunity to have a fair and open debate on that, on the floor of the United States Senate, but I don't think that Senator Harry Reid even brings it to the Senate floor because he has six Democrats up for election in two years in states where the President received fewer than 42% of the votes. And he doesn't want his Democrats to have to choose between their own constituents and the President's positions.”

Immigration:

“I'm the child of immigrants. That is the history of this country. Immigration is good and important for our country. Legal immigration needs to really be modernized. Marco Rubio is working on that - we need to find ways.

“We need to deal with immigration and I think we will, Candy.”

Secretary Clinton’s Testimony on Benghazi:

“The President promised right when this happened that people would be brought to justice. Where is the justice?

“There were people - terrorists - who came into essentially U.S. territory – our embassy, our consulate - and murdered Americans and that's who the President said was going to be brought to justice. So far, as of today there are no suspects being questioned, nothing is done – and it’s four months later.

“I want to know what lessons have been learned so the new Secretary of State will not be put people in that position again.  And I want to know what she was doing. Did she give any orders during this whole process?”

The President’s Relationship with Congress:

“The President seems so fixated on demonizing Republicans that he is blinded to the opportunities as well as the obligations that he has to deal with the big problems in this country on debt and on the entitlements. 

“The President - if he hits the reset button, like he did with Russia - it’s time to hit the reset but the within Republicans and really look to for solutions to the major problems and divided government the perfect time do it, Candy.”

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January 2013 News Releases