Scott Brown thinking about running for Senate in N.H.
Former Mass. senator takes issue with a 'dysfunctional' Washington
This is a rush transcript from "Your World," March 6, 2014. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: Well, now we know that latest Obamacare delay out of the White House, let's just say it wasn't coming out of just the White House. A lot of hands in this latest fix, and they all had something in common. They're in a heck of a fix.
Welcome, everybody. I'm Neil Cavuto.
And follow the dots. Nothing like a midterm election eight months down the road to get usually slow-moving politicians acting lickety-split -- news today that a number of key Democrats facing tough reelection fights were leading the charge to push a hot political potato out of the way, namely, the prospect of thousands, if not millions of Americans seeing their health care policies canceled just as they're headed to the polls.
Well, what happened? Another key Obamacare delay. That's what happened. No huge surprise that the White House gave insurance companies more time to sell plans that don't necessarily comply with the health care law. What is kind of surprise is the 13 Democrats who made it happen so fast, nine in the House, another four in the Senate, including Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, who didn't waste a nanosecond praising the news, calling it -- and I quote -- "a step toward keeping the promise that was made to the American people that, if they like their health plan, they could keep in."
Landrieu in the fight of her life back home, and her vote for the Affordable Care Act a big reason why. Ditto New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, who was also in on those consultations.
Enter Scott Brown watching all of this very closely.
Of course, you remember Scott, the former Massachusetts senator who some say might become a New Hampshire senator. I don't know where that comes from.
Senator, it's good to have you.
(LAUGHTER)
SCOTT BROWN, R-FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Great, Neil. Good to be on as well.
CAVUTO: What do you make of Senator Shaheen being among those who we're told was pushing very, very, very strongly to get this feature delayed yet again?
BROWN: Well, listen, it's not surprising.
It's actually absurd that the people who actually were the deciding votes on ramming a health care bill through Congress that nobody wanted, that actually prohibited people from keeping their plans and basically lying to the American people, are now touting the fact that they got an extension.
All they have done is they have delayed the implementation so they can try to get through the midterm elections. The only way that you're going to get rid of Obamacare is to get rid of senators and the congresspeople that actually pushed it through.
CAVUTO: But if they push this further enough back, and the real pain, if that's what you say is going to happen, is put off as well, then it -- it - - it helps them, doesn't it?
BROWN: Well, I don't think so, because people still know that it's looming, and they still can't plan. They're still confused. They may have a temporary break and it may take the pressure off some of the employees and individuals, but they're still getting those layoff notices, they're still deeply concerned about the fact that they were misled.
And they want some type of resolution. And I also, and have for many months, as you know, questioned the fact that where does the president get the authority to basically take a law that was passed and signed into law by the president, and then completely redo it through his executive order?
I -- I -- I don't know how that is constitutional and allowable, but it's shameful that the Democrats, who pushed this through, are now trying to tout the fact that they're allegedly doing something. It's -- it's classic CYA at its very, very best.
CAVUTO: Cover your -- OK.
(LAUGHTER)
CAVUTO: So, is your -- your -- your cause celebre? If you were to even entertain a run for New Hampshire senator, would this be your issue?
BROWN: Listen, I am -- I'm thinking of it. It's no secret, obviously.
And it's a very important issue. It's an issue I ran on before, and it's something I tried to stop. I voted to repeal it. And if it takes me and others like me getting interested in running, then I think that's important for our country, because right now our country is in a flux. We're -- it's at a standstill. Jobs are -- job creators, I should say, are hurting. They're -- they're confused. They're just kind of hunkering down.
And there's accountability in Washington. It is dysfunctional, it's broken, and now that I have had a chance to step back for a year, I have a different -- different opinion of Washington, and I think we need to fix it.
CAVUTO: Well, the buzz that it's creating that you might run, that alone has scared or at least prompted some attacks of you that you would be a carpetbagger if you did, moved from Massachusetts to New Hampshire. What do you say to that?
BROWN: Well, I will let my New Hampshire credentials speak for itself.
Yes, it's -- it's laughable. And people know that I have long and strong ties to New Hampshire, you know, going back generations. My mom and -- and relatives are buried in -- and are living here, and my grandparents, great- grandparent are buried in Portsmouth, so I have long and strong ties.
CAVUTO: So, you are a resident? Scott, are you a resident of New Hampshire? You are a resident of New Hampshire now?
BROWN: Oh, yes of course. I have been a resident for a couple of months. And my mom, my sister, my nieces and nephews are here.
CAVUTO: Was that because you were -- OK. Was that because you were planning to run for Senate?
BROWN: Yes. No, no.
All my family is here. The girls are getting married. Massachusetts is about 100 miles away from my family, and it's -- I'm at a different stage in my life. I'm getting older, and I want to spend time with my family. Pretty simple.
But, Neil, you know what the real issue is, is you have people like Jeanne Shaheen and others who are now hiding behind these frivolous actions to try to make people think that they're out there fighting to protect it.
Listen, they're the ones that -- that rammed it through and they're the ones that voted against all the protection amendments that allowed people to have their care and coverages that they earned and deserved. And now they're running around saying, oh, listen, we're -- we're doing it, we're doing it, and the president, of course, is in lockstep with them. It's shameful, absolutely shameful.
CAVUTO: What would make you run?
BROWN: Listen, I will make an announcement sooner, rather than later.
CAVUTO: When is sooner? What is sooner?
BROWN: Obviously, it's a very, very big decision, very, very big decision for me and my family. And I'm going to make sure that I cross all T's and dot all I's.
So it will be sooner, rather than later, and I certainly will let everyone know.
CAVUTO: Is it going to be -- are you talking a couple of months?
BROWN: No. No. No. It won't be a couple of months, no.
CAVUTO: A couple of weeks?
BROWN: I know the time frames. I know the timelines.
CAVUTO: A couple of weeks?
BROWN: I'm not -- I am not going to tell you, Neil. I will let people know when I -- when I feel it's appropriate, and I have everything lined up one way or the other.
CAVUTO: So, yea or nay, you will do it on this show?
BROWN: We will talk offline, Neil.
CAVUTO: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
BROWN: You have been great. And I have always enjoyed your show. So, we will talk offline.
(LAUGHTER)
CAVUTO: I thought I would slip that in.
Scott Brown, good seeing you again. Thank you very, very much.
So, a lot of folks don't know one way or the other.
BROWN: Thank you.
CAVUTO: We shall see -- Scott Brown.
Now, we called, by the way, every Democrat listed on this whole president delaying this thing on the health care law. Not a one, not a one took us up on an offer to speak to us. It's a little weird.
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