O’Reilly: Malice for Trump Motivated McCain’s Obamacare Vote
As is the case every Friday, Bill O’Reilly joined the Glenn Beck Program, where he discussed John McCain’s stunning vote against the Obamacare repeal, Trump’s military transgender ban, and Trump's tensions with Attorney General Jeff Sessions, among other topics.
John McCain Votes Against Obamacare Repeal
Bill and Glenn began with a discussion of Republican Senator John McCain’s shocking vote against a healthcare bill that would have repealed key parts of Obamacare.
“I was surprised that John McCain voted to basically keep Obamacare in place,” Bill said.
Glenn Beck said he wasn’t shocked because he views Senator McCain as “the leader of the progressive arm of the Republican Party. He’s a big government guy. This doesn’t surprise me at all. That’s who John McCain is.”
Beck noted that just this week Senator McCain (R-AZ) dramatically returned to Washington after a surgery and a brain cancer diagnosis.
“He was brought back to be the liberal lion of the Republican Party to give cover to probably 10 Republicans who did not want to say they were going to vote against healthcare,” Beck said.
“The theory that McCain is somehow a closet liberal guy, I don’t buy it,” O’Reilly said in response.
According to Bill, McCain’s vote was more about his animus towards President Trump than anything else.
“I think this is about Trump,” Bill said. “I think McCain despises Trump so much because of the POW comment during the campaign … because it doesn’t make sense because his pal Lindsey Graham and all the other people that he’s close to in the House or the Senate would say to him, look, all this does, this ‘skinny’ bill is take out three or four of the most egregious parts of Obamacare, which McCain cannot support.”
“I’m going to make it almost impossible for Trump to have any kind of legislative victories,” Bill continued. “That’s what I think this is all about.”
Beck disagreed in part, saying McCain’s vote also was about his dislike of conservatives.
“John McCain, you’re right, hates Donald Trump,” Beck said. “But I think John McCain hates the Tea Party and the conservative wing and the small-government constitutionalists … much more than he hates Donald Trump.”
Bill noted that he very much respected John McCain and agreed the senator from Arizona was no ally of the Tea Party.
“I do agree with you that he doesn’t have any use for the far right or conservative principles in general, that he’s a so-called moderate,” Bill said. “But this was all about sticking it to Trump. I know that that’s what this vote was all about.”
Beck noted that McCain’s vote was a major failure for the Republicans, and it could result in the Republicans losing the House and the Senate to the Democrats.
“And [the Democrats] will reform, and they will go to a single-payer,” Beck said. “Donald Trump will be more than happy to work with them in a year in a half.”
Bill disagreed. “I don’t think Trump’s going to work with the Democrats,” Bill said.
Tax Reform
Bill and Beck next moved to the topic of tax reform. Bill said he believed the Republicans would be more successful in adjusting the tax code than repealing and replacing Obamacare.
"They have to do it,” Bill said. “And I think they will. … the fight is going to be about the tax cuts for the people who are affluent.”
Bill said that if the Republicans can’t pass tax reform, they are a great risk for massive losses in 2018. And not because, Trump supporters will suddenly vote for Democrats. But because they won’t vote at all.
“That’s why Hillary lost, because her people didn’t show up,” Bill said. “That’s exactly what’s going to happen for Trump if he can’t get this stuff done. He’s a severely wounded president today.”
Jeff Sessions
Bill and Beck next discuss Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who President Trump is reportedly considering firing.
Bill said his theory about rich people explained the situation.
“Rich guys like Trump, the Bushes, the Kennedys, families that have for decades have had a lot of assets, they’re raised in a different culture, their lives are different, the don’t have to deal with much frustration, they can have pretty much what they want, and the mindset is that things are going to work out,” Bill said.
“So when you get into the situation that Trump is in, that he’s being unfairly hammered, I believe, on everything, frustration boils over. And he can't handle the day-to-day pain, because he’s never had it before in his entire life. Therefore, rational thought is replaced by emotion. Enter Jeff Sessions.”
Bill said Trump was mad at Sessions for three reasons: 1) Sessions’ recusal from the Russia investigation; 2) Sessions’ lack of aggression in investigating leaks; and 3) Sessions’ lack of desire to investigate Hillary Clinton.
Sessions would be wise to go after the Clinton Foundation, Bill said, because it’s still an ongoing matter.
“It’s corrupt,” Beck said, referring to the Clinton Family’s foundation.
“I don’t expect Sessions to be fired, because if he is, then the whole Republican Party is going to walk away from Trump,” Bill said. “Trump’s gotta know about that now.”
Beck agreed with Bill, and recommended that he watch Republican Senator Ben Sasse’s speech yesterday where he said as much would happen if Sessions’ employment were terminated by President Trump.
Anthony Scaramucci’s Interview with The New Yorker
Beck and Bill next discussed the immediately infamous interview President Trump’s new Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci gave to the New Yorker magazine on Wednesday. In the interview, Scarmacci went on a vulgarity-laced rant against several of President Trump’s top advisors.
“He is one of the nastiest guys, I wouldn’t be in a room with this guy,” Beck said. “This is the way he talks when he’s, when he’s just talking. I want nothing to do with him.”
Bill said he was giving Scaramucci a pass because he was new. Beck found it troubling that so many Trump officials were “rookies with egos.”
“That’s not a good combination,” Bill agreed.
Bill said he didn't know why the Trump administration talked to outlets like The New York Times or the The New Yorker magazine.
“They’re never, ever going to be fair, or give you any kind of benefit of the doubt,” Bill said. “They’re always going to find a way to destroy you. That disturbs me more than the bad language.”
Trump’s Transgender Military Ban
Beck and Bill next discussed Trump’s proposed ban on transgender individuals in the military. Bill said it was a political move to please Trump’s base given the troubles of passing major legislation.
Heightened Tensions with Russia
Congress has passed tougher sanctions on Russia for its meddling in the 2016 election and other aggressions, and in response Russia said it would seize two U.S. diplomatic properties.
Bill said it was all just posturing.
“Putin’s not going to have a confrontation with the USA,” Bill said. “He knows he’ll lose that. He’ll lose it militarily, he’ll lose it economically. There’s no win in it for him. He’s got to bluster to his base.”
Bill also pointed out that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not popular in his home country due to economic turmoil there.
“If you want to get Putin under control, you’ve got to do this stuff,” Bill said. “Congress was smart for doing it.”
Beck said Putin tried to hurt both Clinton and Trump during the election.
“This is Putin trying to cause chaos, period,” Beck said.
Bill’s New Book
Bill used the end of the interview to remind listeners to pre-order his new book Killing England on BillOReilly.com. Killing England is in stores on September 19.
