State of the Union: Interview with Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL)

Interview

"Well, let's face it.

All of the attention's been on the Republican side with the in- fighting and the debate that just went on. They can't decide on who the challenger on their side is going to be to Donald Trump, and it appears that the guy who is rising in the polls and the one who is going to be the big challenger to Donald Trump will be Ramaswamy, who I just heard on your program say that he thinks that racism is over in the United States and that white supremacist is OK. I think the American people understand that that's not where they are and that's extreme.

In fact, we see a smorgasbord of extremism on their side of the aisle where Joe Biden is just doing his job, and for the last two and a half years gotten more done than most presidents get done in eight years for working families across the United States.

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Well, I think when you put up a candidate directly with Joe Biden and compare the records, Joe Biden is doing much better than any Republican could. And like I said, he's gotten a lot done. You're saying that you guys keep repeating that Joe Biden is older than you think he should be, but remember, he brings a ton of experience.

This is a guy who spent years in the United States Senate, he's worked across the aisle, look at how much he's gotten done because he worked across the aisle. And why would you throw all of that out?

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Well, remember, we've just come out of a terrible global pandemic and the economic consequences of that, it was Joe Biden that led us out of that. And it's true that when people are hurting, and then things start improving, it takes a while for people to start to recognize the actual reality of the economy doing much, much better.

There are more jobs. In fact, here in Illinois, I can give you an example. We have many more jobs available than we have people. That's good for workers and working families, their wages are rising. We are protecting a woman's right to choose in every democratic state, and even in the swing states, people believe that as an important factor in the 2024 campaign. We've barely begun to talk about that with voters.

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And Joe Biden is the leader on so many issues that are important to their futures.

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Well, I believe that is where most Democrats are, in fact. And it's about a woman making a decision for herself with her doctor, not with a politician in the room making the decision for her. Women should be able to do this on their own.

And that's what we've done in Illinois. We've guaranteed that right. That's what's happening in Michigan, in Minnesota, in Wisconsin, we're fighting to make sure that that happens by electing good people to their Supreme Court. And that is what is going -- those are kinds of issues that are going to win it in 2024, recognition by the voters that it's Democrats that are standing up for their individual rights.

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Well, after 24 months, it is a decision made by a woman with her doctor.

That's what's happening in Illinois, and that is the right that we've guaranteed. In fact, we're seeing people from across country come to Illinois to exercise their rights at every point in this process and especially when women are being rejected to exercise those rights in Indiana, in Iowa, in Kentucky, in Wisconsin, we're trying to change that across the country. But most importantly, protect that right here.

We've seen tens of thousands of people trying to exercise those rights. And we think that in 2024, with the Republicans trying to essentially outlaw abortion across the United States, and certainly take away a woman's rights, that it's very important for us to communicate with voters that it's Democrats that are protecting women, Republicans are trying to take away those rights.

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Well, again, it's him actually accomplishing things that should be proof to people that he's the right man for the job going forward. Nobody talks about the fact that Donald Trump is similar age to Joe Biden. And the truth is that what Joe Biden is proving is that that age also brings experience.

And one more thing that you should recognize, because you've seen Joe Biden over 50 years now in public life. Here's one thing everybody knows. This is a man who brings empathy to everything that he does. And I think the working families of America want someone in the White House who actually cares about them and is kind.

The Republicans and particularly the leading Republican have demonstrated cruelty all along the way and that's just not something that the American people want in 2024.

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Thank you, Dana.

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