FIRST OF TWO FACE TO FACE BIDEN
BIDEN-TRUMP PRESIDENTIAL
DEBATES.
>> THANK YOU.
>>> LET’S WRAP THIS UP WITH
LAURA JARETT JOINING US AGAIN.
LET’S START WITH WHERE PETER
LEFT OFF WITH THE POLITICS
AGAIN.
WE TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE WANING
MOMENTS OF THE COURTHOUSE DAY.
WE DO NOT KNOW.
THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED FOR A
FORMER AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO BE
CRIMINALLY CONVICTED AND THEN ON
TRIAL HOW THIS IS GOING TO PLAY.
>> CAN I EXPLAIN WHY THERE IS?
>> BECAUSE THERE IS POLLING OUT
THERE ON THE HYPOTHETICAL.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF DONALD
TRUMP WERE TO BE AFFECTED?
HOW WOULD IT AFFECT YOUR VOTE?
WE HAVE INDEPENDENT VOTERS FROM
10% TO 23% IN RECENT POLLING SAY
THEY WOULD BE LESS LIKELY TO
VOTE FOR THE FORMER PRESIDENT IF
YOU WERE TO FACE A CONVICTION
HERE.
60% OF THEM THINK THESE CHARGES
ARE SERIOUS.
INTERESTINGLY ABOUT 6% OF TRUMP
VOTERS, EVEN, PEOPLE THAT BACK
THE FORMER PRESIDENT SAY IF THEY
WERE CONVICTED THEY WOULD BE
LESS LIKELY TO CHOOSE HIM NEXT
NOVEMBER.
ALL OF THAT SAID, THERE IS A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT YOU
WOULD DO IN A HYPOTHETICAL
SCENARIO AND WHEN IT IS A
REALITY.
THIS IS THE UNPRECEDENTED
REALITY WE WERE FACING.
NUMBER ONE, THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY, BIG-TIME RALLYING BEHIND
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
INTERESTING TO HEAR BLANCHE SAY
HE HOPES THIS WILL MOVE FORWARD.
SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL, ONE OF
THE TOP REPUBLICANS IN THE
SENATE, SAYING HE ALSO EXPECTS A
CONVICTION TO BE OVERTURNED ON
APPEAL.
HE IS NO FAN OF FORMER PRESIDENT
TRUMP.
BOTH PRESIDENT BIDEN AND DONALD
TRUMP HAVE A RARE MOMENT OF
AGREEMENT HERE.
BOTH OF THEM BELIEVE A POLITICAL
VERDICT WILL COME FROM VOTERS IN
NOVEMBER.
>> THAT’S WHERE WE WILL SPEND
MOST OF OUR TIME IN THE NEXT FEW
MONTHS.
THE APPEAL IS HAPPENING.
THEY’RE CONFIDENT ON THE DEFENSE
SIDE.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENS QUICKLY.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU WILL NOT HAVE
THE RESULT OF SOMETHING
OVERTURNED BEFORE ELECTION DAY,
CORRECT?
>> NO.
I’M SURPRISED TO HEAR THE JUDGE
WANT TO MOVE SENTENCING THAT
QUICKLY.
THE APPEAL, THERE IS PLENTY OF
GROUNDS THERE, AND IT WAS
SURPRISING TO HEAR HIM
ARTICULATE WHICH GROUNDS ARE
STRONGEST.
I WOULD HAVE PICKED A DIFFERENT
ONE.
THAT IS GOING TO TAKE WEEKS,
MONTHS.
WE’RE IN FOR A LONG HAUL.
>> JAIL TIME IS POTENTIALLY
THERE.
FOUR YEARS FOR EACH COUNT.
>> UNLIKELY.
>> EXPLAIN THAT.
>> NO HISTORY.
HE’S ALMOST 80 YEARS OLD.
IT IS A NONVIOLENT CRIME.
IT IS A FELONY.
IT IS LOW-LEVEL.
VERY UNLIKELY.
>> LET ME END WITH MY KIDS AND
MANY KIDS ASKED ME.
HOW IS IT THAT SOMEBODY WHO IS A
CONVICTED FELON CAN RUN FOR
PRESIDENT?
I EXPLAINED TO THEM OUR
CONSTITUTION HAS FEW ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS.
>> OUR CONSTITUTION DID NOT
CONTEMPLATE THAT THAT WOULD COME
UP BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THE
POLITICAL PROCESS WOULD TAKE
CARE OF IT.
YOU HAVE TO BE 35, BORN HERE, A
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT.
IT DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT
BEING A CONVICTED FELON.
>> IN MANY WAYS, OUR FOUNDING
FATHERS WERE THINKING IT WAS FOR
VOTERS TO DECIDE WHAT MAKES
SOMEONE FIT FOR OFFICE.