On the Record: Biden nominees with toughest road ahead

Rep/ Jim McGovern says some of President-elect Joe Biden's will have a bumpier road than others.

BEN: WE’RE BACK WITHCONGRESSMAN JIM MCGOVERN.HE JOINS US FROM WASHINGTON.JANE I KNOW YOU ARE AMONGHOUSE LEADERSHIP, BUT WHICH BITENOMINEES WILL HAVE THE TOUGHESTSENATE CONFIRMATION HEARINGSWHEN HE TAKES OFFICE?REP.

MCGOVERN: I DON’T KNOW.I THINK HE HAS PUT FORWARD ASOLID GROUP OF NOMINEES.THEY ARE ALL COMPETENT AND ALLEXPERIENCED.I THINK THEY WILL ALL DO A GOODJOB IF THEY ARE APPROVEBUMPIER TIME THAN OTHERS BUT ITHINK THAT HE PRESIDENT-ELECTSHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE TO PUTHIS TEAM IN PLACE.I’M HOPING THERE WILL BE BROADBIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THEPEOPLE HE HAS PUT FORWARD.I’M ALSO PARTICULARLY HAPPY AREFORMER SENATOR AND SECRETARY OFCLIMATE ENVOY.HE WILL ELEVATE THE ISSUE IN AWAY QUITE FRANKLY IS REALLYIMPORTANT.WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME TODEAL WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS.JANET: THERE HAS BEEN HEADLINESABOUT GENERAL LLOYD AUSTIN, ANDARE SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN ISNOT TOO HAPPY ABOUT CUTTING OUTAND EXEMPT AND FOR HIM TO TAKEOFFICE SINCE HE HAS NOT BEEN OUTOF THE MILITARY FOR SEVEN YEARS.REP.

MCGOVERN: I AGREE WITHSENATOR WARREN.I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THEEXTENSION WAS GIVEN TO GENERALMATTIS AND THIS IS NOTUNPRECEDENTED.I AM N SURE OUR SENATORS --OUR SENATORS KNOW BETTER THAN IDO THE OPPOSITION IN THEDEMOCRATIC RANKS THEN I WINDOW.OVER ALL I HAVE TO SAY I THINK APRESIDENT HAS PUT FORWARD ASOLID TEAM.JANET: BLEED YOU SAY THIS WOULDDISQUALIFY GENERAL AUSTIN?REP.

MCGOVERN: I WOULD NOT GO SOFAR TO SAY IS A DISQUALIFIER.I’M A BIG BELIEVER IN CIVILIANCONTROL OF THE PENTAGON.WHEN WE START MAKING HISENGINES, WE START ERODING THATCOMMITMENT TO CIVILIAN CONTROL.NONETHELESS, THE PRESIDENT-ELECTHAS MADE A STRONG CASE FOR HIM.WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THESENATE THAT I AM SURE HE WILL BEAPPROVED.BEN: A LOT OF REPUBLICANS HAVENOT ACKNOWLEDGED JOE BIDEN’SVICTORY.ARE YOU GETTING HINTSBEHIND-THE-SCENES REPUBLICANLEADERSHIP MIGHT BE WILLING TONEGOTIATE WITH JOE BIDEN IN THEWHITE HOUSE?AT LEAST MORE SO PERHAPS IN THEDID WITH THE OBAMAADMINISTRATION?REP.

MCGOVERN: I THINK JOE BIDENHAS A HISTORY OF WORKING ACROSSTHE AISLE.ONCE HE IS PRESIDENT I THINK HEWILL BE REACHING OUT AND TRYINGTO FIND A COMPROMISE.WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW, TO PUT ITBLUNTLY, REPUBLICANS ARE AFRAIDOF DONALD TRUMP.THEY AR AFRAID OF HIM AND THEYWILL BE AFRAID OF HIM IN HISPOST-PRESIDENCY BECAUSE HE CANATTRACT A CROWD.I THINK THE ARETE ABOUT THEPRIMARIES TWO YEARS NOW.I WISH THEY WOULD PUT THEIRCOUNTRY FIRST AS OPPOSED TOTHEIR POLITICAL PARTY.IT IS WHAT IT IS, TO PARAPHRASEDONALD TRUMP.IT IS REALLY DISCOURAGING.WE NEED TO PUT THIS CHAPTERBEHIND US, PUT THE AMERICANPEOPLE FIRST AND I CAN ALSO SAYPART OF THE WAY WE WILL CHANGETHINGS IS NOT EXPECTINGWASHINGTON TO CHANGE.THE GRASSROOTAVERAGE CITIZENS HAVE TO CHANGE.WE HAVE TO START VIEWING OUROPPONENTS NOT AS OUR ENEMIES,NOT AS SOMEH PEOPLE, BUT HISPEOPLE -- SOMEHOW EVIL, BUTPEOPLE WE DISAGREE WITH.I AM HOPING WE WILL BE ABLE TOSTART THE NEW ADMINISTRATION OFFWITH A DIFFERENT TONE THAN THEPREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION.JANE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU EXPECTA DIFFERENT MITCH MCCONNELL TOSHOW UP ON JANUARY 20.REP.

MCGOVERN: I AM PRAYING FORA CHRISTMAS MIRACLE THAT SOMEHOWMITCH MCCONNELL WILL DEVELOP AHEART AND CONSCIOUS AND WHAT TOPUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FIRST.THERE ARE A LOT OF REPUBLICANSIN THE SENATE, AND REPUBLICANSIN THE HOUSE YOU REALLY WANT TOGET THINGS DONE.WE MAY NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHINGBUT THERE IS COMMON GROUND.SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE MAY HAVESET THE EXAMPLE OF HOW WE MIGHTCOME TOGETHER TO GET SOME THINGSDONE.THE CHALLENGE RIGHT NOW IS EVENWHEN WE HAVE THAT, YOU HAVE ALEADER LIKE MITCH MCCONNELL WHOREFUSES TO SCHEDULE ANYTHING ANDTHEN WE HAVE A PROBLEM.THAT IS WHERE THE MAKING PEOPLECOME IN.THE PEOPLE HAVE TO STARTDEMANDING CONGRESS NOT JUSTFIGHT ABOUT THINGS BUT WEACTUALLY COME TOGETHER AND FINDSOLUTIONS.WE HAVE BIG PROBLEMS IN THISCOUNTRY.PLISKOVA PANDEMIC IS TOP OF THELIST BUT WE HAVE TO REBUILDINFRASTRUCTURE, MAKE EDUCATIONAFFORDABLE, DEAL WITH HUNGER ANDFOOD INSECURITY.A LOT OF STUFF WE NEED TO DO.BEN: OUR THANKS AGAIN TOCONGRESSMAN JIM MCGOVERN.WE COULD TALK TO YOU FOR THEENTIRE PROGRAM.THANKS FOR JOINING US FROMWASHINGTON AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.THE ROUNDTABLE IS NEXT.IS IT GOODBYE OR JUST SO LONGFOR JOE KENNEDY ON CAPITOL HILL?WHAT ARE THE LIKELY PA