1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,566 JUDY WOODRUFF: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was one of several high-profile women to address 2 00:00:04,566 --> 00:00:09,566 the country last night at the Democratic National Convention, sharing her support for the Biden/Harris 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:11,700 ticket. 4 00:00:11,700 --> 00:00:13,633 And Speaker Pelosi joins us now from San Francisco. 5 00:00:13,633 --> 00:00:16,966 Madam Speaker, thank you for being with us again. 6 00:00:16,966 --> 00:00:21,966 We heard you say last night you have seen - - and I'm quoting -- "firsthand President 7 00:00:23,866 --> 00:00:27,066 Trump's disrespect for facts, for working families and for women in particular." 8 00:00:28,100 --> 00:00:30,166 What were you referring to? 9 00:00:30,166 --> 00:00:34,500 REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): I was referring to his policies that we know are anti-women 10 00:00:35,433 --> 00:00:37,533 and his conduct. 11 00:00:37,533 --> 00:00:42,500 But let's just talk about the policies, if we will. I went on to say that we know what 12 00:00:45,033 --> 00:00:48,533 he probably doesn't, is that, when women succeeds, America succeeds. And so we want to protect 13 00:00:50,033 --> 00:00:52,733 a woman's right to choose and preserve Roe v. Wade. 14 00:00:52,733 --> 00:00:57,700 We want to have a guarantee of affordable, quality child care, enable to unleash the 15 00:00:59,666 --> 00:01:03,900 full power of women. We want to also have strength in Social Security and equal pay 16 00:01:06,433 --> 00:01:08,033 for equal work. 17 00:01:08,033 --> 00:01:12,333 And who's standing in the way? Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump. 18 00:01:12,333 --> 00:01:17,333 To name a few of our women-oriented priorities to unleash the power of women. 19 00:01:19,366 --> 00:01:22,466 JUDY WOODRUFF: You have been -- you're in San Francisco, but you have attended many 20 00:01:22,466 --> 00:01:24,600 conventions, as a lot of us have. 21 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:29,000 This one is different, by necessity. But do you think that we're looking at the way conventions 22 00:01:30,166 --> 00:01:32,300 are going to be going forward? 23 00:01:32,300 --> 00:01:36,633 REP. NANCY PELOSI: This is my 15th convention, my first when I was 12 years old, going with 24 00:01:39,066 --> 00:01:42,000 my father, mayor of Baltimore, our whole family, telling Americans we take the whole family 25 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:46,900 to the convention, wherever we go. And that was interesting. 26 00:01:46,900 --> 00:01:51,866 But it -- but I do think it was beautifully, magnificently handled. And I do -- as the 27 00:01:53,900 --> 00:01:57,233 chair of the convention in San Francisco in 1984, as chair of the host committee of the 28 00:01:57,233 --> 00:01:59,433 convention, I have played every role. 29 00:01:59,433 --> 00:02:02,766 I have been chair in one convention of the platform committee. I have been chair of the 30 00:02:02,766 --> 00:02:07,766 delegate selection committee. I have been chair of the convention, the whole convention. 31 00:02:09,800 --> 00:02:13,333 And I can have an appreciation for what they did to pull this off. And it was magnificent. 32 00:02:14,666 --> 00:02:18,133 I had the privilege of thanking the staff earlier today. 33 00:02:18,133 --> 00:02:23,133 I think our future is probably a hybrid, because this was great. It had an impact. It had succinctness. 34 00:02:25,566 --> 00:02:30,566 It had clarity. But it didn't have our collaboration of seeing each other, which I still think 35 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,500 is something very important to the strength of the party. 36 00:02:35,500 --> 00:02:40,500 But if I had to choose one way, actual or virtual, I would choose virtual. But I think 37 00:02:42,466 --> 00:02:45,966 hybrid is the wave of the future, where we can have the benefit of both, the impact, 38 00:02:47,266 --> 00:02:48,500 as well as the collaboration. 39 00:02:48,500 --> 00:02:50,600 JUDY WOODRUFF: That's very interesting. 40 00:02:50,600 --> 00:02:54,733 You are convening the House of Representatives. You have got some travel ahead of you. That's 41 00:02:56,700 --> 00:03:00,433 this Saturday. And you're going to be trying to pass a bill that will forbid the Postal 42 00:03:00,433 --> 00:03:05,200 Service from cutting back on services that would impede voting by mail. 43 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:10,200 My question is, do you expect to get Republican support for this? And while you say Republicans 44 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:14,966 are losing on this issue, and you say they are scared, how confident are you that, once 45 00:03:14,966 --> 00:03:18,500 this bill passes, the president is going to abide by it? 46 00:03:18,500 --> 00:03:22,833 REP. NANCY PELOSI: Well, all we can do is put it on his desk. 47 00:03:22,833 --> 00:03:27,733 I do think we will have some Republican support, from what they have been saying. We will see 48 00:03:27,733 --> 00:03:29,700 how they vote. 49 00:03:29,700 --> 00:03:34,466 But this is something that touches, hits home for America's families. The post office is 50 00:03:36,333 --> 00:03:40,666 - - the Postal Service has over 90 percent positive rating from the American people, 51 00:03:42,666 --> 00:03:47,066 higher than any agency of government. It is as American as our Constitution, that it's 52 00:03:49,500 --> 00:03:52,733 written in the Constitution that we will have a Postal Service and that Congress shall administer 53 00:03:54,333 --> 00:03:57,400 to establishing the roads, et cetera, the postal roads, et cetera. 54 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:02,366 And so it's as American as our Constitution, apple pie, motherhood, baseball, the Postal 55 00:04:02,900 --> 00:04:05,466 Service. 56 00:04:05,466 --> 00:04:08,900 And right now, we have a situation where members across the country, Democrats and Republicans, 57 00:04:10,833 --> 00:04:14,300 are getting reports of delayed mail. That affects prescriptions that our veterans expect. 58 00:04:16,133 --> 00:04:21,066 Nearly 100 percent of veteran -- VA prescriptions go through the mail. 59 00:04:23,033 --> 00:04:26,666 Last year, 1.2 billion prescriptions went through the mail. That was in 2019, well before 60 00:04:28,566 --> 00:04:30,600 the coronavirus hit. 61 00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:35,600 So, in this time of a pandemic, compounded by the time of an election, where people want 62 00:04:37,233 --> 00:04:38,233 to vote by mail... 63 00:04:38,233 --> 00:04:40,266 JUDY WOODRUFF: Right. 64 00:04:40,266 --> 00:04:42,300 REP. NANCY PELOSI: ... so they don't have to risk their health in order to vote, for 65 00:04:42,300 --> 00:04:47,133 the post office to be pulling in post office box -- the boxes, and taking down the sorting 66 00:04:49,166 --> 00:04:53,633 machines, and not increasing the overtime hours and the rest, we will have a bill to 67 00:04:57,500 --> 00:04:59,600 correct all of that.. 68 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:01,733 JUDY WOODRUFF: But at this -- and so how -- at this point, how confident are you that the 69 00:05:01,733 --> 00:05:05,233 American people are going to fully have the ability to vote and have their votes counted 70 00:05:05,233 --> 00:05:07,366 in November? 71 00:05:07,366 --> 00:05:10,466 REP. NANCY PELOSI: Well, let me just say, we would never count on the Republicans for 72 00:05:10,466 --> 00:05:14,766 that, because they, sadly, have put up obstacles to participation. 73 00:05:14,766 --> 00:05:19,766 But I know, as the former chair of the California Democratic Party, that Republicans very successfully 74 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:25,900 vote by mail. They do. They have led the way on this. 75 00:05:25,900 --> 00:05:30,900 And so, across the country, Democrats and Republicans are supporting our call for more 76 00:05:32,866 --> 00:05:37,533 funding for vote by mail, as well as more funding for those who don't want to vote by 77 00:05:39,533 --> 00:05:43,333 mail to be able to safely vote by having more places, more distancing, more hours, more 78 00:05:44,900 --> 00:05:48,566 days where people can go to the polls and vote. 79 00:05:48,566 --> 00:05:53,566 Republicans are against that. But, again, we don't agonize; we organize. And we're going 80 00:05:55,566 --> 00:05:58,833 to make sure that everyone has a plan well in advance to vote, to vote early, to ensure 81 00:06:00,266 --> 00:06:02,866 that their vote is counted as cast. 82 00:06:02,866 --> 00:06:07,866 The Postal Service wants to stand in the way of that. We will make sure that we can overcome 83 00:06:09,133 --> 00:06:11,100 it. 84 00:06:11,100 --> 00:06:13,133 JUDY WOODRUFF: Let me ask you about COVID relief before the Congress. 85 00:06:13,133 --> 00:06:16,933 You have been struggling to strike a deal, as we know, with Republicans on this. But, 86 00:06:16,933 --> 00:06:21,933 this week, more than 100 Democrats in the House signed a letter urging you to pass a 87 00:06:23,133 --> 00:06:25,666 smaller relief bill than what you have out there. 88 00:06:25,666 --> 00:06:29,800 You were -- had agreed to go from $3 trillion down to $2 trillion. But they would -- they 89 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:34,800 want to expand unemployment benefits. But, basically, they're saying, after the duration 90 00:06:36,833 --> 00:06:40,866 of this COVID emergency, that they would scale the support based on what the situation is 91 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:44,633 in every state. 92 00:06:44,633 --> 00:06:47,033 But my question is, where do you stand on what they're asking you to do? 93 00:06:47,033 --> 00:06:52,033 REP. NANCY PELOSI: Well, they're asking us to do -- and I fully, from a policy standpoint, 94 00:06:53,166 --> 00:06:55,966 have always supported the stabilization. 95 00:06:55,966 --> 00:07:00,966 That means that, if you say, when unemployment reaches a certain point, that you would automatically 96 00:07:02,933 --> 00:07:07,866 have unemployment benefits. That's a very positive initiative. I have encouraged that. 97 00:07:08,733 --> 00:07:10,833 I have welcomed that suggestion. 98 00:07:10,833 --> 00:07:15,033 I don't think, strategically, it's where we should go right now, because the Republicans 99 00:07:15,033 --> 00:07:19,266 would like to pass something like that and say, forget about it. Forget about state and 100 00:07:19,266 --> 00:07:24,266 local. Forget about our investments in stopping the virus. Forget about other initiatives, 101 00:07:26,166 --> 00:07:30,066 about feeding the food-insecure country in our country, vote-by-mail initiatives, and 102 00:07:31,333 --> 00:07:33,433 the rest. 103 00:07:33,433 --> 00:07:37,333 So, I -- again, I think that's something we should pass. I don't think the timing is for 104 00:07:39,266 --> 00:07:43,266 us to do it right now, because, imagine, the Republicans could take that into the Senate, 105 00:07:44,133 --> 00:07:45,766 put poison pills all over it. 106 00:07:45,766 --> 00:07:47,733 JUDY WOODRUFF: Ah. 107 00:07:47,733 --> 00:07:50,200 REP. NANCY PELOSI: And it's hard to vote against extending unemployment benefits. 108 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:55,200 And, again, I think, overwhelmingly, our members - - who would not want to extend unemployment 109 00:07:57,666 --> 00:08:02,400 benefits? As I say, it's something I fully support, and the stabilization, but not necessarily 110 00:08:03,666 --> 00:08:05,600 in the negotiation. 111 00:08:05,600 --> 00:08:08,233 JUDY WOODRUFF: But just to clarify, then, you don't really see an opening here to get 112 00:08:08,233 --> 00:08:10,733 this thing resolved in coming -- in the coming few days? 113 00:08:10,733 --> 00:08:11,733 (CROSSTALK) 114 00:08:11,733 --> 00:08:12,966 REP. NANCY PELOSI: No, I do. 115 00:08:12,966 --> 00:08:14,933 I don't think it's done by giving them an out. 116 00:08:14,933 --> 00:08:17,466 JUDY WOODRUFF: Ah. 117 00:08:17,466 --> 00:08:20,166 REP. NANCY PELOSI: I think it's done by making them come into the negotiation, because, really, 118 00:08:20,166 --> 00:08:25,166 the most central point of it all, where people's needs are met the most, is the issue of state 119 00:08:27,266 --> 00:08:29,300 and local government. 120 00:08:29,300 --> 00:08:33,933 And they have said, we don't think one state should pay for another state's concerns. Well, 121 00:08:36,033 --> 00:08:38,766 we in California have been paying for other people's concerns for a long time. So have 122 00:08:38,766 --> 00:08:42,933 people in New York and the rest. That's the American way. We do it with great pride, not 123 00:08:42,933 --> 00:08:44,933 with any resentment. 124 00:08:44,933 --> 00:08:48,233 But they have said, oh, it's a tax issue. Why should people in one state help other 125 00:08:48,233 --> 00:08:49,733 people in another state? 126 00:08:49,733 --> 00:08:51,800 Welcome to the United States of America. 127 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:53,833 JUDY WOODRUFF: Two other... 128 00:08:53,833 --> 00:08:56,900 REP. NANCY PELOSI: But I do -- I appreciate what my members are doing. I support fully 129 00:08:56,900 --> 00:09:01,466 that. But I don't necessarily think the timing of it is right now. 130 00:09:01,466 --> 00:09:06,466 I think that's something that we do when we know we will get it signed without poison 131 00:09:06,933 --> 00:09:08,100 pills. 132 00:09:08,100 --> 00:09:10,133 JUDY WOODRUFF: Two other very quick things. 133 00:09:10,133 --> 00:09:14,500 The Russians being accused of interfering again in this year's presidential election. 134 00:09:16,066 --> 00:09:18,133 Senate Intelligence Committee report, you're very familiar with it. 135 00:09:18,133 --> 00:09:21,666 They say, among other things, the Russians are continuing to spread disinformation. Democrats 136 00:09:21,666 --> 00:09:26,666 are saying they're specifically planting disinformation with Republicans like Senator Ron Johnson. 137 00:09:28,533 --> 00:09:33,533 Do Democrats have the information, the evidence to back that up? 138 00:09:34,700 --> 00:09:36,800 REP. NANCY PELOSI: Yes, we have been briefed. 139 00:09:36,800 --> 00:09:41,266 But not to go into confirming or denying anything, what we're saying is that the intelligence 140 00:09:41,266 --> 00:09:46,266 community should be putting forth what it can, without jeopardizing sources and methods, 141 00:09:47,533 --> 00:09:49,666 of course. 142 00:09:49,666 --> 00:09:53,733 But there is no question that the Republicans - - excuse me -- that the Russians are 24/7 143 00:09:55,133 --> 00:09:57,066 trying to undermine the integrity of our elections. 144 00:09:57,066 --> 00:10:01,866 The intelligence community knows. In fact, they have stated -- they have stated that. 145 00:10:01,866 --> 00:10:06,866 But we have further evidence that they could state more fully, so that, whether wittingly 146 00:10:09,333 --> 00:10:12,366 or unwittingly, those who might use that information have the fullest knowledge, and that the public 147 00:10:13,833 --> 00:10:17,766 knows what the Republican -- what the Russians are up to. 148 00:10:17,766 --> 00:10:22,700 This is -- this is about our -- I think the American people are clear. They would rather 149 00:10:22,700 --> 00:10:27,700 that they decide who the president of the United States is than Vladimir Putin, with 150 00:10:29,700 --> 00:10:33,133 his infiltration of our social media, with their supplying -- putting forth false information 151 00:10:37,133 --> 00:10:41,600 and -- oh, I can't really go into so much of it. 152 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,900 But it's very wrong. The administration knows it's wrong. And the president does anything 153 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:50,700 but invite it. And then they try to make it - - what is problematic is, they try to make 154 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:54,166 some equivalence: Well, this country is doing that, and this country is doing that. 155 00:10:54,166 --> 00:10:59,133 There is nothing like what the Russians are doing. We don't want anybody interfering in 156 00:11:01,166 --> 00:11:04,300 our elections, but just don't make it look like it's on par with other things. 157 00:11:06,266 --> 00:11:10,166 It is a major assault on our democracy. And it has a bigger agenda. It has the agenda 158 00:11:12,233 --> 00:11:15,666 of undermining democracies. And they have done it in our country, and they have done 159 00:11:15,666 --> 00:11:18,933 it in other countries throughout the world. 160 00:11:18,933 --> 00:11:23,933 We should not allow our country to be -- allow this to happen and be accomplices to their 161 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,100 undermining of democracy. 162 00:11:27,100 --> 00:11:31,133 JUDY WOODRUFF: The speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, thank you very 163 00:11:31,133 --> 00:11:32,366 much for joining us. 164 00:11:32,366 --> 00:11:33,033 REP. NANCY PELOSI: My pleasure. Thank you.