On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Leader Pelosi Advises Trump to ‘Go to Sleep’
Today, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski on MSNBC’s Morning Joe to respond to former FBI Director Comey’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She highlighted that the revelations from the hearing further increase the immediate need for an outside, independent commission to investigate Trump-Russia ties.
Leader Pelosi also slammed President Trump on his glaring inaction to create jobs or improve America’s crumbling infrastructure.
Below are the highlights.
On Republicans’ Refusal to Stand up to President Trump:
“We have to recognize what is happening because this is not a strengthening of our country. It is not bringing our country together. And so, we have a bigger responsibility, much bigger than politics – Democrats and Republicans – to put this in a place: does it honor the values of our founders?”
“One of the biggest divisions in the Congress of the United States is trickle-down economics versus Middle Class economics. When you say, ‘When are the Republicans going to disagree with Trump? When are they going to walk away from Trump?’ Trump is an enabler for them, and they are an enabler for him … they sacrifice everything on that alter.”
On President Trump’s Intimidation of Comey:
“When the leader of the free world calls you into his office, clears the room, says what he hopes you will do … it’s a pattern. ‘Do you like your job? I want loyalty. I hope you would do this as I clear the room.’ So, he knew he was pulling something. And for the Speaker to say, ‘Well, he’s new at this.’ No, he’s not new at obeying the law.
On Trump’s Lack of Respect for the White House:
“I think we have to step back for a moment and just observe what one of the branches of government is doing. We have someone in the White House who really is disrupting the Checks and Balances system … New Yorkers had said to me, ‘You watch his behavior. This is how he operates. And you judge it. First, he will try to charm you. If that doesn’t work, he bullies you. If that doesn’t work, he walks away from you – just walks away from the deal. And if that doesn’t work, he sues you’ … I find his charm rather offensive.”
“I always grant people their position. I respect that they believe something. I don’t know what our President believes, but I respect the positions that our colleagues have.”
“He [doesn’t] even understand his place in history. You can’t expect people to respect the office of President any more than the occupant of the job does. I do respect the office of President. I hope that he will rise to that occasion. The fact is: he hasn’t so far.”
On Trump’s Lack of Action to Create Jobs:
“For the first few months of this session of Congress and the President’s first few months in office, we hadn’t seen anything. We thought we were going to see an infrastructure jobs bill right away. We thought we were going to see an overture in terms of tax reform, in which we all want to cooperate and do. We thought we would see some positive agenda coming from the White House. Jobs, jobs, jobs – that’s what the election was about. But, we haven’t seen anything come. So when they say, ‘This is standing in the way of his agenda’ – what agenda?
“He’s a job loser, and he hasn’t had a positive agenda. So when he puts that forward, or they – the Republicans – put it forward, why do the Republicans want to hide the truth from the American people because of Donald Trump? Because they sincerely are high priests of trickle-down economics, and that means everything to them.
On Leader Pelosi’s Advice to Trump:
“Go to sleep. Get some sleep. Bring yourself to a place where the synapses are working.”
“We have to find what he is suggesting to take our country forward, so we can agree or disagree or compromise, but he’s got to get to work on his job. But for some reason, he thinks his job is a reality TV show.”
On the Need for an Outside, Independent Commission:
“We need an outside, independent commission to look into this. It’s bigger than Donald Trump, and it’s bigger than Democrats and Republicans. It’s about our democracy and a Russian assault on it.”
“I can’t confirm or deny the issue of the third meeting [between Sessions and Russian Diplomats], but I did say on March 2 that he should resign – that Sessions should resign as Attorney General.”
On Trump’s Disjointed Relationship with the Truth:
“Didn’t you hear yesterday when the White House said, ‘He is not a liar?’ Didn’t that sound like: I am not a crook? Let’s hear the truth. It may be exculpatory of everything, and let’s hope that it is.”
On Trump’s Bizarre First Foreign Trip:
“If you’re the President of the United States, with all that goes into this – historically and current events – why would you to go to Saudi Arabia as your first country? President Reagan went to Canada, President George H.W. Bush went to Canada, President Clinton went to Canada, President George W. Bush went to Mexico, President Obama went to Canada. We have plenty of friendly countries he could’ve gone to – he went to Saudi Arabia as the first country … I’m looking into it.”