Here & Now

Ross And McCoshen Discuss Republican National Convention

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT A ROLLER COASTER THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION WAS. HOW WILL THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION COMPARE? TONIGHT REPUBLICAN BILL MCCOSHEN AND DEMOCRAT SCOT ROSS WEIGH IN. THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

BILL MCCOSHEN AND SCOT ROSS:

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

I KNOW YOU BOTH WALKED THE DONALD TRUMP SPEECH LAST NIGHT. FIRST YOU, BILL. DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HELP HILLARY CLINTON OR HURT HER?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I THINK IT WILL HURT HER. FRANK LUNTZ, A RENOWNED POLLSTER DID FOCUS GROUPS ALL WEEK LONG DURING THE REPUBLICAN CONVENTION OF UNDECIDED VOTERS. WHAT TRUMP WAS SUCCESSFUL IN DOING LAS NIGHT WAS PROSECUTING THE CASE AGAINST HILLARY CLINTON SO NONE OF THE UNDECIDEDS WOULD CONSIDER HER AFTER THE END OF THE WEEK AND AFTER THE END OF THE TRUMP SPEECH. ONLY HALF OR SO WOULD CONSIDER TRUMP. SO HE’S GOT A WAYS TO GO. BUT I THINK IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL NIGHT FOR TRUMP FOR SURE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SCOT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

SCOT ROSS:

I THINK WE HAD FOUR DAYS OF REPUBLICANS UP THERE READING EVERY CHAIN EMAIL THEY’VE RECEIVED SINCE WE HAD THE AUDACITY TO ELECT A BLACK PRESIDENT. IT WAS ALL ABOUT FEAR. FEAR AS THEY SAID IN THE BOOK “DUNE” IS A MIND KILLER. SO THE FACTS DON’T MATTER. WHEN YOU GET DOWN TO THE FACTS, WE COULD SPEND ALL OF OUR TIME UNTIL CHRISTMAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT FACTS WERE INCORRECT. BUT THAT EMOTION IS DEFINITELY HOW THEY’RE RUNNING THIS CAMPAIGN. THIS IS ABOUT DIVIDING PEOPLE. THIS IS ABOUT STOKING FEAR AND THE FACTS BE DAMNED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT ABOUT THAT WHOLE FEAR FACTOR?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I THINK DONALD TRUMP IS THE ONLY ONE OF THE 17 ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE AND THE ONLY ONE IN THE RACE NOW THAT IS CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE ON A REAL LEVEL. THEY ARE SCARED. THEY’RE AFRAID OF THEIR SECURITY. WE’RE HAVING MORE DOMESTIC ATTACKS THAN EVER BEFORE. NEVER HAPPENED WHEN BUSH WAS PRESIDENT. WE WERE NEVER ATTACKED ON OUR HOMELAND. NOW IT’S HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. PEOPLE ARE AFRAID. THEY’RE AFRAID OF THEIR ECONOMIC SITUATION. DONALD TRUMP AGAIN HAS FIGURED THAT OUT AND HE’S CONNECTED WITH THOSE PEOPLE. HE IS THEIR VOICE. TO USE HIS WORDS FROM LAST NIGHT I THINK THAT WAS THE SINGLE BEST LINE HE HAD IN THE SPEECH AND IT RESONATED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO HOW DOES HILLARY CLINTON UNPACK THAT FEAR? HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO A FEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE CONNECTING WITH?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

I THINK, ONE AGAIN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FACTS, I MEAN BILL WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, 9/11 HAPPENED WHEN GEORGE BUSH WAS THE PRESIDENT. IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HE SAID ABOUT VIOLENT CRIME AND MURDERS, WE ARE AT A 40-YEAR LOW FOR THE RATE OF MURDERS AND VIOLENT CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. PROPERTY CRIMES HAVE BEEN DWINDLING FOR 25 YEARS. GRANTED PEOPLE WHEN THEY’RE TOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN WE HAVE THINGS TO FEAR WILL RESPOND TO THAT. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT HILLARY CLINTON NEEDS TO DO IS MAKE SURE SHE’S NOT IN THE SAME BUBBLE THE REPUBLICANS ARE CURRENTLY IN IN TERMS OF YOU JUST LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU AND NOT WHAT REAL AMERICANS ARE THINKING.

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I THINK THEY’RE DENYING. WHETHER IT’S THE VA WHERE HILLARY CLINTON SAID IT WASN’T THAT BIG OF A DEAL. ASK A VETERAN IF IT WAS A BIG DEAL. IT WAS A VERY BIG DEAL. WHETHER IT’S ECONOMICS. PEOPLE THINK IT’S A BIG DEAL THAT OVERALL INCOMES IN THIS ECONOMY, OVER THE LAST 14, 15 YEARS, HAVE GONE DOWN BY ABOUT $4,000. THOSE ARE REAL FEARS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT TED CRUZ. WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF HIM KIND OF GOING SCORCHED EARTH AND NOT ENDORSING THE NOMINEE?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I’M WITH CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER ON THAT ONE. I THINK IT WAS THE LONGEST, YOU KNOW, SUICIDE LETTER EVER. IT WAS JUST STUPID. IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU DON’T GO. HAVE THE CLASS NOT TO GO.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT’D YOU THINK?

SCOT ROSS:

I AGREE. SCOTT WALKER, PAUL RYAN, RON JOHNSON, ROBIN VOS, SCOTT FITZGERALD ALL JUMPED IN LINE. THAT ALL SAID WE’RE NOW ON THE TRUMP BANDWAGON. WE’VE FULLY ENDORSED HIM. I THINK IT WAS…

BILL MCCOSHEN:

IT WAS PETTY. THERE WAS NO NEED FOR IT. IT CERTAINLY DIDN’T SET HIM UP LIKE HE THINKS IT MAY HAVE. REMEMBER REAGAN DID SOMETHING SIMILAR IN 76. IT SET HIM UP. THIS WILL SET CRUZ BACK AND PROBABLY SHORTEN HIS CAREER.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

I WANTED TO ASK YOU ONE THING, BILL MCCOSHEN, ABOUT DONALD TRUMP. AND HE REPORTEDLY ASKED JOHN KASICH TO BE HIS VP AND SAID YOU’LL BE THE MOST POWERFUL VP IN HISTORY. YOU TAKE DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN RELATIONS AND I’LL DO THE REST. IS THAT TRUE?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

NOT THAT I’M AWARE OF. BUT IF IT IS, KASICH SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE DEAL. HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT PICK. I’M A FAN OF MIKE PENCE. I THINK IT IS A GOOD PICK TO BRING THE CONSERVATIVES AROUND, BUT I THINK KASICH WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN BETTER. I’M NOT AWARE THAT THAT DEAL WAS EVER OFFERED, BUT IF IT WAS, IT’S UNFORTUNATE THAT KASICH WALKED AWAY FROM IT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF SCOTT WALKER’S SPEECH?

SCOT ROSS:

AFTER AGAIN THE HUCKSTERS AND THINGS, WE HAVE WHAT VITAMIN SALESMEN AND PYRAMID SCHEMES. IT WAS LIKE SCOTT WALKER STOOD UP THERE AND TOLD ME HOW I WAS GOING TO LOSE THE LAST 20 POUNDS I NEED TO LOSE. WELL, MAYBE MORE THAN 20. BUT I THINK HE WAS CLEARLY MAKING A CASE THAT I’LL STILL BE AROUND IN 2020. THE INTERESTING THING WAS WHEN TOMMY THOMPSON SAID HE’S NOT GOING TO WIN IN 2018.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT ABOUT THAT? TOMMY THOMPSON THIS WEEK CAME OUT AND SAID WELL WITH NUMBERS LIKE THAT, I DON’T THINK HE SHOULD RUN AGAIN FOR GOVERNOR AND REALLY I PREFER PAUL RYAN OVER SCOTT WALKER FOR PRESIDENT IN THE FUTURE. WHAT’S UP WITH TOMMY THOMPSON AND SCOTT WALKER?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I THINK THERE ARE THREE ISSUES THERE. THE FIRST ONE IS I THINK WALKER DID IT THE RIGHT WAY, WITH CLASS. WHEN YOU LOSE, YOU WITH CLASS. AND HE DID. HE STOOD UP THERE. HE SUPPORTED THE NOMINEE AND DID HIS BEST TO GENERATE EXCITEMENT FOR THE NOMINEE. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEEDED TO DO IN THAT SITUATION. AS IT RELATES TO ’18, TWO YEARS IS A LONG TIME. I DON’T KNOW IF HE WANTS TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION, MAYBE HE DOES, MAYBE HE DOESN’T. BUT HE’S GOT TIME TO REBUILD THOSE NUMBERS IF HE WANTS TO. REMEMBER, BARACK OBAMA’S NUMBERS TWO YEARS OUT WERE NOT VERY GOOD AND PEOPLE DIDN’T THINK HE’D BE RE-ELECTED AND HE EASILY BEAT MITT ROMNEY. SO A LOT CAN HAPPEN IN TWO YEARS. AND FINALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE FUTURE, I’M A PAUL RYAN FAN, TOO. I THINK HE WILL BE PRESIDENT ONE DAY. I DON’T KNOW IF SCOTT WALKER WILL BE, BUT I THINK PAUL RYAN IS WELL-POSITIONED FOR A RUN NATIONALLY AT SOME POINT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO THIS DOESN’T SUGGEST TOMMY THOMPSON DOESN’T RESPECT THE POLITICS OF SCOTT WALKER?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

NO, NOT AT ALL. THEY’RE GOOD FRIENDS. TOMMY GIVES HIM ADVICE ON A REGULAR BASIS. GOVERNOR WALKER FROM TIME TO TIME TAKES IT. SOMETIMES HE DOESN’T TAKE IT, BUT THEY’RE TWO DIFFERENT POLITICIANS IN JUST ABOUT EVERY WAY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ANOTHER THING THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK WAS THAT A COUPLE OF GROUPS PULLED THEIR AD BUYS FOR RON JOHNSON.

BILL MCCOSHEN:

YEAH.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

GIVEN THAT THESE POLLS BETWEEN RON JOHNSON AND RUSS FEINGOLD ARE NARROWING, THOUGH, DOES THAT SEEM PREMATURE?

SCOT ROSS:

I THINK IT’S INTERESTING AND I THINK THEY MUST HAVE INTERNALS THAT SHOW THINGS ARE NOT GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. I DO WANT TO SAY WITH RON JOHNSON, IT’S VERY INTERESTING. HE WASN’T HERE CAMPAIGNING AND HE WASN’T IN D.C. DOING HIS JOB. I THINK THAT IS A GREAT JUXTAPOSITION IF YOU’RE THE FEINGOLD CAMPAIGN FOR WHAT WAS GOING ON THIS WEEK. RON JOHNSON WENT BACK ON HIS WORD, SUDDENLY SHOWED UP IN CLEVELAND. MEANWHILE WE HAVE A VACANCY ON THE SUPREME COURT THAT’S NOW GONE LONGER THAN ANY OTHER NOMINATION IN HISTORY.

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I THINK IT’S TOO EARLY. I WOULDN’T HAVE MADE THAT CALL QUITE THAT QUICKLY. BUT THE REALITY IS BOTH JOHNSON OR THEIR ALLIES OR FEINGOLD AND HIS ALLIES HAVE ALREADY SPENT FIVE, SIX MILLION A PIECE AND THEY HAVEN’T MOVED THE NEEDLE AT ALL. SO NOBODY’S PAYING ATTENTION TO THAT RACE YET. I THINK THE OUTSIDE GROUPS PULLED OUT TOO SOON IF THAT IS IN FACT THE CASE. TRUMP’S MESSAGE COULD RESONATE HERE. THE MESSAGE HE GAVE LAST NIGHT IS GOING TO RESONATE IN MICHIGAN, PENNSYLVANIA, OHIO AND IT COULD RESONATE HERE AS IT RELATES TO TRADE DEALS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

MEANWHILE RUSS FEINGOLD I UNDERSTAND IS NOT GOING TO THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION. WHY NOT?

SCOT ROSS:

YOU’LL HAVE TO ASK SENATOR FEINGOLD.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

SCOT ROSS:

I THINK HE’S HERE CAMPAIGNING. THERE’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF THING THERE. HE’S IN A TIGHT RACE AND WANTS TO DO WHAT HE HAS TO DO HERE IN ORDER TO WIN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF STINK ON HILLARY CLINTON AND HE DOESN’T WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THE REALITY IS VOTERS DON’T THINK SHE’S HONEST OR TRUSTWORTHY. 57% OF VOTERS THINK THAT JIM COMEY’S DECISION WAS THE WRONG ONE. THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INDICTED. I DON’T THINK HE WANTS ANY PART OF THAT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

DO YOU THINK THAT WAS THE ISSUE WITH RON JOHNSON, WHEN HE WAS NOT GOING TO GO AND THEN HE WENT. SAME ISSUE, DIFFERENT CANDIDATE?

BILL MCCOSHEN:

I’M NOT SURE. I MEAN IF I WERE JOHNSON, I WOULD HAVE GONE FROM THE GET-GO BECAUSE TRUMP IS VERY POPULAR IN NORTHERN WISCONSIN AND WESTERN WISCONSIN. IF HE CAN TURN TALK RADIO IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN, HE’S GOING TO HAVE A CHANCE HERE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE’LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

BILL MCCOSHEN AND SCOT ROSS:

THANK YOU.