CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Interview with Senator Dick Durbin

Interview

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[17:25:06]

BLITZER: Right now, we're watching urgent developments up on Capitol Hill where negotiators are still trying to work out the details of an economic relief package. We got another reminder once again of how urgently it's needed today when the U.S. Labor Department reported 885,000 Americans had to file for first time unemployment benefits just last week, in one week alone.

We're joined now by Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois. He's the Minority Whip, the number two member of the Democratic leadership.

Senator, thanks so much for joining us.

Your warning it would be, in your word, an unforgiveable and embarrassing tragedy if the government shuts down because Congress can't reach a deal on coronavirus relief. What's the latest on these negotiations? Is there an agreement in sight right now?

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL): All, I can tell you, Wolf, that three weeks ago eight senators for Democrats, four Republicans, I was one of them. We sat down and ate dinner and said to one another socially distant, we got to do something. And we came up with a plan. We worked on it for three weeks. We proposed it on Tuesday.

And the good news is the leaders took it up immediately. And they are now negotiating, actively negotiating with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin. It's got to be done.

The day after Christmas. 12 million Americans will lose their unemployment benefits if we do nothing. And every day thereafter, another tragedy will hit another family or a sector of our economy. That's unacceptable.

BLITZER: Your part, as you pointed out correctly of this bipartisan group that's trying to put this proposal together and get it passed.

You've said that state and local aid is an absolutely critical, but it appears that aid may not necessarily be included in this final package. Why did that become such a sticking point?

DURBIN: I can't tell you why the other party felt so strongly. But we had to compromise, we had to bring what we could to the -- to the floor of the Senate.

We wanted to have a $900 billion package in that range. And we wanted to include state local government. But at the end of the day, we had to reach an agreement. We reached an agreement on $748 billion dollars. That's a huge amount of money desperately needed by businesses and families and all across the country.

Money for the logistics of transporting vaccines, for goodness sakes. Is there any higher priority than that?

BLITZER: Will you be voting in favor of the bill even if state and local aid is omitted (ph)?

DURBIN: Well, reluctantly, I will. It's a shame because we need to help across the United States. But I'm not going to let the best be the enemy of the good. If we can get some benefits, unemployment benefits, business benefits, health and education in areas like that, I think we desperately need it, and I will support it.

BLITZER: Yes, millions and millions of Americans are suffering right now. We've seen these long food lines. They can't even pay the rent. They're having major, major problems. They need help. And they need it quickly.

I want you to listen to a very powerful statement. One of your colleagues, Senator Chris Murphy, made on CNN last night, listen to this, Senator.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHRIS MURPHY (D-CT): There are regular patriotic Americans out there who don't believe that Joe Biden is actually president. And you know why? Because as patriotic Americans, they've been told to listen to the President of the United States, to listen to U.S. senators.

And so when the President and U.S. senators tell them over and over and over again, that the election was rigged, they believe it, not because they're crazy, but because they have faith that people in positions of power are going to tell them the truth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Do you agree with your colleague on this?

DURBIN: I certainly do, Wolf. And it really is sad.

Just think about last week when we had 17 Republican attorneys general, filing a lawsuit and bringing it to the Supreme Court, and then over 100 Republican members of Congress signing on in support of it. You know, the fact of the matter is, it was a political stunt. And you can just -- if you want to know whether there's any evidence of that, look how long it took the Supreme Court to throw it out. It barely hit the desk before they said it wasn't a serious undertaking.

That sort of thing really undermines faith in democracy. It feeds on the belief that somehow this election was not valid or honest. We know it was.

Joe Biden is going to be president sworn in on January 20 of next year. And Kamala Harris is going to be the vice president.

BLITZER: Yes, in what, 34 days from now.

Senator Dick Durbin, thank you so much for joining us. I will stay in close touch with you.

DURBIN: Thanks, Wolf.

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