11/12/22 Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe talks midterms results and looks ahead to 2024

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Gray Television White House correspondent and senior national editor Jon Decker interviewed former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.) for the final episode of Gray TV’s midterm election show, “Election 2022 Just the Facts,” airing Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13, 2022.

On why the Red Wave did not materialize for Republicans, “First, the Dobbs decision, I think, was a game changer politically in this country…In addition, we had a good year, a lot of legislative achievements at present, 10 million new jobs, 700,000 manufacturing jobs, negotiating prescription drugs for the first time, Medicare premiums reduced for the first time in a decade.”

On whether he thinks Trump will run in 2024, McAuliffe says, “In my mind, he’s definitely running. He wants to do it, get out there before he gets indicted, so he can then say, ‘Oh, look what they did to me because I’m running.’ I get it. As I say, I’ve known this person for a very long time. Trump is about Trump, but they’ll have a deep bench too.”

In Pennsylvania, McAuliffe shares why he defended Lt. Gov. John Fetterman following his struggling debate performance against Dr. Mehmet Oz: “I went on CNN immediately…that night, and I defended John and said, ‘You know what? That showed courage.’ Number two, there is not a family in Pennsylvania, that a family member, a loved one, or a friend is not going through some very tough medical situation at the time. So, I think honestly, voters understood it.”

On whether he thinks Biden will run for re-election in 2024, McAuliffe explains, “As he has said it, if his health is fine, he’s going to run. So, he looks great. I can tell you, in my mind, he’s running for President of the United States today.”

Broadcast excerpts are below.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe Highlights

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

As you know, leading up to the midterms, there was talk certainly on the Republican side of a red wave happening all across the country. We did not see that happening. How are Democrats able to defy these expectations?

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

Two things, I think. First, the Dobbs decision, I think, was a game changer politically in this country where obviously, the Supreme Court rolled back reproductive rights and choice for women. It’s the first time in 50 years where government’s been taking rights away, and I think that energized a lot of folks.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

In addition, we had a good year, a lot of legislative achievements at present, 10 million new jobs, 700,000 manufacturing jobs, negotiating prescription drugs for the first time, Medicare premiums reduced for the first time in a decade. Just a lot of things that affected people at home, and I think people paid attention after the Dobbs decision. I would also give credit, Donald Trump, Trump involving himself in the Republican primaries and getting some candidates that were just untenable to voters. So, I think he put all that together, defied odds, and it’s truly extraordinary.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

Look at the House. People thought it would be 30 or 40, and that’s not the case at all. You look at the United States Senate, just historic, and governors, I mean, there was talk that we were going to lose, asking five governorships, pick up two, so a net loss of three, and that didn’t happen.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

You also had the headwinds, Democrats did, as it relates to the economy. High inflation, high gas prices, and yet, despite all of that, despite all of those headwinds, Democrats managed to have this relative success compared to where people thought you’d be at this point. Is it just you, a former governor, or have you spoken to others, perhaps leaders in your party about the success that you’ve had this week?

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

Yeah. I’ve spoken to all the leaders. I had a long conversation with the Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others. As I say though, this was, people understood the consequences with all of these judges that would be up before the United States Senate. Do we want to hand it over to the same folks who did put the Supreme Court where it is today, that rolled back Roe v. Wade? So, people were really paying attention. There were headwinds with the economy, but I do think people appreciated, and I kept saying this on television all the run up to Election Day, here’s what the President has done. Here’s what the President and the Party wants to do going forward to tackle inflation. Republicans, as you know, did not put out one single proposal on any issue. I think voters understand. Listen, I know what we have here. Here’s a plan, and I think they resented it that the Republicans want to take these voters for granted and not give them anything and think they were just going to vote for them, which is not the case in this stuff anymore.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

There were 35 Senate races happening all across the country. The one that seemed to garner the most attention though was Pennsylvania. Give me your take on Pennsylvania.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

When John Fetterman was able to take that stage after having gone through what John has gone through in this campaign with the stroke and what he’s doing. When he did the debate, as you know, everybody was making noises. Should he have done the debate? I went on CNN immediately. I went on that night, and I defended John and said, “You know what? That showed courage. Number two, there is not a family in Pennsylvania, that family member, a loved one friend is not going through some very tough medical situation at the time. So, I think honestly, voters understood it.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Mehmet Oz was the Republican nominee because former President Donald Trump gave his endorsement to Mehmet Oz. Is this indicative of some problems that you see as an outsider, as a Democrat in the Republican Party, that the former president had so much power in this primary process in essentially putting his thumb on the scale in these competitive Republican primaries?

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

As I mentioned earlier, that is one of the factors why we were successful this week in the elections, is that they put up Republican nominees that the voters did not want. I don’t speak ill of people. I don’t speak ill of Republicans. I try to keep a civil discourse, but I will say this … I mean, you saw the nominee for governor in Pennsylvania, I mean, wanting to charge women with murder if they have an abortion. That is not where this country is. So, I think who lost the biggest on election night? Clearly, Donald Trump. I think he had a really tough night, and I love him the next day. He came out and blamed the candidates. These are the candidates that he got on the ballot and these primaries. We would’ve had a tougher time if we had other candidates that they’ve actually putting up, would’ve had a much tougher time.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

I will say, as bad as the night it was for Trump, Ron DeSantis had a very good night. I mean, he got 60% in one of the biggest states in the United States of America.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Is Florida a solid red state now? You see a governor who’s just been elected by 60% of the vote. You have two Republican senators. You saw what happened in Miami-Dade County.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

It’s a state we always have to plan. It is a critical state, rising Hispanic vote that you have there. We do have many Democratic members of Congress as you know from Florida. It’s close as if you look at the history. I mean, go back to 2000 with Al Gore. We actually did win it, but let’s not go through that today. We don’t have to deal with that, but it’s a real important state. Depending on where the economy is, we’ve had our heart broken many times.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

It’s a state we always have to plan. It is a critical state, rising Hispanic vote that you have there. We do have many Democratic members of Congress as you know from Florida. It’s close as if you look at the history. I mean, go back to 2000 with Al Gore. We actually did win it, but let’s not go through that today. We don’t have to deal with that, but it’s a real important state and our map is expanding. I come from a place, I don’t think you ever write any state off.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Republicans will have control the House of Representatives. We don’t know the margin that they will have, but looking ahead to the next two years, can anything get done when you have divided government?

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

It’s a great question. It’s the million-dollar question. I’m the ultimate optimist. As a governor, I had to work, I had a Republican legislature. I got 75% of my bills passed, working together. You got to find areas of common ground. I don’t like the lead up to this last election we had with the Republicans who said day one, they want to impeach Joe Biden. They want to impeach several members of his cabinet. They want to do a hundred Biden investigations, and if all they’re going to do on the Republican side are these types of very divisive issues, then we’re not going to have any products.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Let’s talk about your party, President Biden. In just a few weeks, November the 20th, he turns 80 years old. Are you confident he’s going to run for reelection? Do you want him to be the leader of your party, leading your party in 2024?

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

Here’s a President who justified all historic expectations with what happened in those midterms. I think people appreciate the great work the President has done on economic issues, on, as I say, prescription drugs, on chip bill, as you know, our chip bill to make sure we’re competing with China, but we’ve had some great success, the American Rescue Plan, which saved our economy. As he has said it, if his health is fine, he’s going to run. So, he looks great. I can tell you, in my mind, he’s running for President United States today.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

There’s an announcement coming. In the coming days, Donald Trump indicating, hinting that he may indeed run for the Republican nomination in 2024. Paul Ryan has said, “We can win back the White House with anybody but Donald Trump.” Who is it on the Republican side that Democrats are concerned about if it’s not Donald Trump?

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

Well, I always say in politics, be careful what you wish for, but I think we would all like Donald Trump to run again. I mean, he literally helped hand us the great victories we had this weekend on the victors. There’s no question. Listen, I’m not telling you anything that you don’t hear from Mitch McConnell and others in the Senate and the House. You’ve seen it all this week of people who were upset, and right at the lead up to the election day, Trump injected himself, made it all about him, not about the candidates who were running, not about any ideas. It was all about Trump again.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

I think, so he’s got to make that decision. In my mind, he’s definitely running. He wants to do it, get out there before he gets indicted, so he can then say, “Oh, look what they did to me because I’m running.” I get it. As I say, I’ve known this person for a very long time. Trump is about Trump, but they’ll have a deep bench too. They’ve got great candidates out there. We’ve got great candidates and running for presidents. You just get out there and put your big ideas out there, and see what happens and whose ideas will work, but as you know, timing’s a big part of politics. We don’t know what the environment, we don’t know what the set of issues is going to be two years from today. We just don’t know.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Give me your sense about Governor DeSantis. I don’t know if you know him in the sense that you have served as governor, but you see him obviously in the top tier of candidates competing for the Republican nomination in 2024. Should he choose to do that?

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

Yeah, I think he’s the leading candidate just looking at if from afar. Number one, he is from a very critically important electoral state, obviously the state of Florida. Somebody is going to have to take on Trump.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

I always like governors in the sense that you’ve actually run a state and managed the budget. I always tell people governors have the experience of running education, running healthcare, building roads, cleaning roads and so forth, but I mean, listen. Today, Ron DeSantis had a very good night. I don’t know if he’s going to run. He’s got to make up that decision.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

here are others, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The list, I think, could rise to about a dozen individuals.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.)

We’ll do some political insight here. Who’s got a big base now? If you mention, if all those folks do run, I think Trump has a solid, I don’t know, 40, 45% maybe of the base of the party who are going to vote in these primaries are going to be ... They’re not going to move from him, so the more people get in, it’s actually better for Donald Trump. Others split the vote up out there. I think all the folks you mentioned today would’ve no chance of getting 50% of the delegates today, but I mean, it’s not today.

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About Jon Decker:

Jon Decker is Gray Television’s White House correspondent and senior national editor. Decker is a former member of the board of the White House Correspondents’ Association. Decker serves on the faculty of Georgetown University and the UCLA School of Law where he is an adjunct professor. He is also a media fellow at the McCain Institute.

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