Republicans Campaign To Shut Down Government In Exchange For Obamacare Implementation
LEMON: We are back now and talking about President Obama's exclusive interview on CNN with our Chris Cuomo. Errol Louis and Scottie Hughes is here with me right now in New York. Errol is CNN political commentator and a politics anchor for New York One and Scottie is a news director for the Tea Party News Network. So, let's talk about money now. The federal budget and funding for the federal budget, funding for Obama care and the threat -- Obama care and the threat of a government shutdown when government gets back to town. Here's what the president said to Chris Cuomo of "New Day."</s>OBAMA: Republicans talking about the idea that they would shut down the government, bad for the economy, bad for not just people who work for the government, but all the contractors who -- and the defense folks and everybody who is impacted by the services that they receive from the federal government, we should shut that down because Republicans after having taken 40 votes to try to get rid of Obama care see this as their last gasp. Sometimes they say to me privately, I agree with you, but I'm worried about a primary from, you know, somebody in the tea party back in my district or I'm worried about what Rush Limbaugh's going to say about me on the radio.</s>LEMON: Errol, I mean, do these people exist, these Republicans who secretly agree with the president and fear rush Limbaugh?</s>LOUIS: No, absolutely they do. I mean, look. People go in to the legislature because they like deal making and compromise. And they probably done it all their life at the city council level or its county commissioners or in their state legislature. They get to Congress in to this incredibly polarized situation and they can't make a move and party leadership demand they take 40 worthless waste of time votes just to make a point and it's not really what a lot of people went in to politics for.</s>LEMON: Scottie, do you agree with that? That they do exist?</s>HUGHES: I think the ground's going to shake from the tea party respective, yes. President Obama is right on this point. We will primary them because that is not what the American want. There is 41 percent of the American people want Obamacare or approve of Obamacare. The overwhelming majority of people want it gone. And so, the key is that we have a decision to work about is that let's listen to the American people, the people do not like this system that's been handed to us.</s>LEMON: OK. Let's move on and talk about Senator Ted Cruz. This is for you, Scottie. I want you to listen to what he said on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" today.</s>SEN. TED CRUZ (R), TEXAS: If President Obama makes the decision to shut down the federal government because he's so committed to Obamacare, that's a point where we have got to win the argument. I will tell you what. If we're successful, mobilizing millions of Americans to reach out to their elected officials and say do the right thing, spare us from this train wreck, get the economy going, get jobs back, that will move Republicans but ultimately moving Democrats, also.</s>LEMON: All right. This is a bit -- this is tricky territory because the last time we had a big shutdown, Republicans got blamed, not Democrats. Are you sure that's a good idea?</s>HUGHES: Well, let me point out, the only people that are wanting to shut down this government are the Democrats. In reality, we keep hearing compromise, compromise, compromise. Guess what? We're compromising. We are going to put everything through except for one issue.</s>LEMON: Yes. But the Democrats aren't saying let's shut down the government. Republicans are out really saying let's shut down the government.</s>HUGHES: No. We are saying we'll give you 99 percent of what you want. It is all your. One issue we want taken out, Obamacare.</s>LEMON: Obamacare. But that's a big issue that, you know, that affects a lot of people. Not just that easy to say, OK, this is gone.</s>HUGHES: And only 41 percent of Americans believe it. So, I think --</s>LOUIS: It doesn't just affect a few people. I mean, it affects the entire country and been litigated politically. I mean, it is what the 2012 elections were about, you know. At some point, you have to say, look, we want to move forward with what the people have said in the voting booth. What they told a pollster today is one thing but what they said when it was time to make the policy happen was clear. Everybody campaigned against Obamacare. It didn't win the Senate. It didn't win the White House. It probably won't win the Senate next year on that one issue. You know, I mean, Republicans, the tea parties are welcome to try but at some point --</s>LEMON: Well, they keep trying and over and over and over again. Thank you, guys. That has to be the end of it. Thank you, Scottie Hughes and also Errol Louis. I was going to call you Errol Flynn.</s>LOUIS: I have been called worse.</s>HUGHES: We all have.</s>LEMON: Good to see you again. All right. She helped organize one of the most memorable events of the civil rights movement but her hard work ended up with her missing, Doctor Martin Luther King Jr.'s greatest speech because she fell asleep. Her unforgettable story is next.