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Published January 26, 2017
This is a rush transcript from "Your World," November 6, 2012. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
NEIL CAVUTO, HOST OF "YOUR WORLD": All right, Iowa now is warning these international election monitors against entering the Hawkeye State polling places. What they're doing is, this is part of a vast human rights campaign to see that America is doing its civic duty and making sure people can vote.
Iowa’s Republican governor, Terry Branstad, having none of it.
Governor, have they tried to come into your state?
GOV. TERRY BRANSTAD, R-IOWA: Well, we welcome people to come in and see our elections. We have a law that specifically says only voters, election judges and poll watchers can be in the polling places. So people need to understand that. And Iowans are very friendly and hospitable, but we do not want anyone interfering with people's right to cast their ballots on Election Day today.
CAVUTO: But you have no idea whether they're just standing out there looking, right? It could be a French guy -- well, maybe the beret would give him away, but -- I'm being facetious here, but they could still be standing outside looking to see if people are turned away or anything like that, right?
BRANSTAD: Oh, sure. Anyone that wants to can witness the election process. They just cannot go into the polling place, and interfere with the process.
CAVUTO: What do you make of them even trying to do this, not only in your state, but in a lot of other states? This is the first time we have seen so many of them coming in here to sort of judge what we are doing.
BRANSTAD: Well, first of all, we are proud to be Americans.
America has a great tradition of clean, honest, open elections. I think they can learn a lot from us and what we do. So, I don't feel threatened by them. I hope they learn from us. We certainly do not want to follow their example.
The Europeans are in dire straits because they have spent and borrowed themselves into oblivion. That is the trouble we see happening in this country. We cannot continue to borrow $1 trillion every year, spend 40 cents of every federal dollar being borrowed money. We do not want do be like Europe.
We are proud of America. We want to be the land of brave and the home of the free. We want economic freedom, as well as freedom for our citizens to make their own decision.
CAVUTO: I just think it's a little galling, Governor, to see Europeans coming in to judge us when -- I guess that would be like me walking into a Wendy's and saying, you better put down that double burger.
But I digress.
What do you make of your state tonight?
BRANSTAD: Well...
CAVUTO: All of a sudden, these six electoral votes of yours, you would think you heard 60 electoral votes with the way these candidates have been stumping. The president brought to tears in your state last night, that that was the state that brought him to fame and ultimately got him on his way to being president.
Why and how has it become so crucial?
BRANSTAD: Well, first of all, Iowans believed Obama when he promised hope and change, but they have been deeply disappointed, really feel betrayed.
The president has not reduced the deficit and he's not brought the country together. He spent all of his time blaming and attacking other people. They are looking for a new leadership. And with Mitt Romney, Iowans have come from just not liking Obama's policies to, really, seeing hope for a new direction in Mitt Romney, someone that has experience in the private sector, that can reduce federal spending and reduce the deficit and grow private sector jobs, revitalize the American dream.
That is what we want. I believe the enthusiasm is on the Republican side. I believe that Romney will carry Iowa.
CAVUTO: All right, we will watch closely tonight.
Governor, it has been a pleasure.
BRANSTAD: Thank you.
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