More from House Speaker Paul Ryan this Sunday, Only on “Meet the Press”
APRIL 13, 2018 – House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) endorsed House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to be his successor as speaker, telling moderator Chuck Todd, “We all think that Kevin is the right person,” in an exclusive interview airing this Sunday on “Meet the Press.”
Ryan added McCarthy will be able to get the votes this time because “what’s changed is we have gotten a lot done” but doesn’t want to have a conference vote right now, as “all these other things would be needless distractions from the task at hand” of focusing on the party’s agenda and “fighting for our majority.”
Tune in this Sunday for more from Todd’s exclusive interview with Ryan as well as an exclusive joint interview with Alan Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School and author of Trumped Up: How the Criminalization of Political Differences Endangers Democracy, and Bob Bauer, former White House Counsel to President Barack Obama.
PLEASE CREDIT: NBC NEWS’ “MEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD”
- Please credit to NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on first reference.
- The onscreen “Meet the Press” credit must be clearly visible and unobstructed at all times in any image, video clip, or other form of media.
- Embedded web video must stream from the NBCNews.com media player with the unobstructed credit as described above.
# # #
CHUCK TODD:
Do you have a preference? Kevin McCarthy?
PAUL RYAN:
Yeah I think Kevin – Look, I think we all believe that Kevin is the right person when it’s all —-
CHUCK TODD:
To be the next leader?
PAUL RYAN:
Yeah. We all think that Kevin is the right person.
CHUCK TODD:
You say “we all.” Are you speaking —
PAUL RYAN:
We all – our leadership team I’m saying. I’m not saying every single person in Congress.
CHUCK TODD:
So Steve Scalise – it’s your understanding that he believes that Kevin McCarthy should be the heir apparent, whether it’s leader or speaker.
PAUL RYAN:
That’s right. That’s right. Well I fully anticipate handing the gavel over to the next Speaker of the House –
CHUCK TODD:
And you believe that’s going to be?
PAUL RYAN:
–after, after this term. And I think Kevin is the right guy to step up. One of the reasons… let me say it this way. One of the reasons why I was comfortable making this decision is because we have a very capable leadership team, and I sense a –
CHUCK TODD:
Why do you think he’ll do it? He’ll be able to get the votes this time? Remember you’re Speaker because he couldn’t get the votes last time. What’s changed?
PAUL RYAN:
So, what’s changed is we have gotten a lot done. What’s changed is we came together as a team in 2015. We put together an agenda. We ran on that agenda. We won the election. We are executing that agenda. We are getting it done. So what’s changed is this leadership team has come together and gelled, this conference has been unified, and we’ve actually moved the ball and gotten things done. That’s what the point I’m trying to make which is, we have a great story to tell. We have a great record to run on. We have made a huge positive difference in people’s lives, and people are more confident as a result of it. More jobs are being offered. Bonuses are being handed out. And so we have made a difference in this country. This leadership team has done that, and so I really do envision a more seamless transition, versus say the time when I came in.
CHUCK TODD:
Is this going to be formalized? Do you — do you want to have –
PAUL RYAN:
No I don’t think this –
CHUCK TODD:
–the conference have a vote now?
PAUL RYAN:
No- no no no. I don’t think that – I think what we want to do is focus on getting our jobs done, what we want to do is focus on executing our agenda, focus on fighting for our majority, and all these other things would be needless distractions from the task at hand.
# # #
For more information, contact:
Olivia Petersen
NBC News
o: (202) 885-4159
e: olivia.petersen@nbcuni.com
__
NBC NEWS’ “MEET THE PRESS WITH CHUCK TODD”
“Meet the Press with Chuck Todd” is where newsmakers come to make news — setting the political agenda and spotlighting the impact Washington decision-making has on Americans across the country. It is the #1 most-watched Sunday public affairs show across the board for the 2016-2017 season, reaching more than three million viewers every Sunday and millions more through social, digital and on-demand platforms. “Meet the Press” brings its authority and influencer interviews to MSNBC with “MTP Daily” weekdays at 5 p.m. ET and to the “1947: The Meet the Press Podcast”. It’s the longest-running show in television history, having celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2017 with the launch of its first-ever film festival in collaboration with the American Film Institute this November. Chuck Todd is the political director of NBC News and the moderator of “Meet the Press“; John Reiss is the executive producer.
