Transcript: Sen. Bill Cassidy on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," June 28, 2026

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The pursuing is the afloat transcript of an interrogation with Sen. Bill Cassidy that aired connected "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" connected June 28, 2026. This interrogation was conducted connected June 25, 2026.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Senator, arsenic I recognize it, the Vice President and Special Envoy Witkoff gave you a peculiar briefing successful the Situation Room precocious Wednesday connected Iran. What you heard made you alteration your vote? Why are you nary longer trying to halt the president from resuming strikes successful Iran?

SEN. CASSIDY: That really was not my archetypal rationale for voting for the War Powers Act. My archetypal rationale was due to the fact that we were not being briefed. We could beryllium the Senate, the Congress, oregon the United States, and I felt important that we beryllium briefed. I agreed with the president's archetypal goals, those were not being achieved by my perception, and truthful earlier I could say, okay, everything's hunky dory, I said I request to beryllium briefed. After the speech I had with the president yesterday, I passed a enactment to Steve Witkoff. Steve, I would see changing my vote, but I've been voting yes due to the fact that I've not been briefed. He said, 'Call maine backmost successful the hr and let's person a briefing' We had it past night.

MARGARET BRENNAN: What did you perceive that changed your mind?

SEN. CASSIDY: So, if the archetypal objections were to destroy, degrade, if you will, Iran's atomic capability, their quality to bash a ballistic missile, and their accepted warfare capability, and we were expected to beryllium retired of determination successful 4 to 5 weeks with possibly a small spot of a sprinkling of authorities change, that's however it came across. The authorities alteration is disconnected the table, that doesn't look arsenic if that's going to happen, but it does look arsenic if the mode they laid it out, the different 3 objectives tin beryllium reached, and with those different 3 objectives- present we person to spot but verify, but arsenic they laid it out, they person a plausible program by which to execute those, and that's what I was funny in.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You wanted to get the details connected the diplomacy?

SEN. CASSIDY: Correct.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, due to the fact that connected Wednesday, you and President Trump had that aggravated exchange, raised voices, you said, on with different Senate Republicans successful this closed-door meeting. He berated you for that ballot you had taken antecedently to effort to halt the war. You said you won't beryllium bullied. Did you consciousness that helium backed down by giving you that briefing? I mean, isn't sharing accusation conscionable a basal anticipation that lawmakers similar yourself should person fulfilled? Like, wherefore does it instrumentality a shouting match?

SEN. CASSIDY: Let's backmost up a small bit, if I may. I'm a doctor. I americium going to effort and get arsenic overmuch accusation arsenic imaginable to travel to the information of someone's diagnosis and the information of however to dainty that problem, arsenic overmuch accusation arsenic possible. You contradict maine that information, and I'm going to beryllium frustrated, due to the fact that my occupation is to service with the accusation I person earlier me. By the way, I instrumentality that aforesaid ethic to nationalist service. Our nine has problems. What is the information down the origin of that problem? What is the information astir however to lick it? If you're not telling maine answers, I'm going to propulsion for those answers. So, erstwhile the president was berating the 4 radical that voted for the War Powers Act, frankly, I'm not determination to beryllium berated. And the president wasn't invited to crockery retired verbal abuse. I raised--

MARGARET BRENNAN: -- But that's what helium did.

SEN. CASSIDY: I raised my hand. I said, Mr. President, bash you conscionable want- is that a rhetorical question that you're asking, wherefore bash we ballot for it, oregon are you truly interested? He goes, I'm truly interested. I stood up and I said, this is why, and I listed those objectives that I did not spot being achieved, and however the benignant of endpoint of the warfare kept stretching retired longer and longer. He began to talk implicit me. Unfortunately, I raised my measurement to lucifer his, and we spoke to each different similar that, oregon shall we say, spoke astatine each other, not to each other. Now, I shouldn't person mislaid my temper, nor should he, but you know, my woman volition archer you each present and then, my Irish temper gets the champion of me. But constituent being, I needed to know. I request to cognize to service my radical and my authorities and my country. As it turns out, I got a briefing afterwards. In 1 sense, I really accomplished the ngo of what I needed to do.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you had besides said the American radical request that information--

SEN. CASSIDY: --So--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --the American radical aren't getting those nationalist hearings and briefings that you got.

SEN. CASSIDY: So past night, erstwhile I asked astir that successful my briefing, they said close present the negotiations are delicate and they could illness if they're not nursed on successful the due way. I tin judge that. Sometimes you person to person immoderate abstraction for radical to travel to an accommodation. And that's however they said- that's the crushed they said for their benignant of deficiency of being forthcoming. I tin judge that, but my extremity was to beryllium briefed, to person the information successful bid to marque a determination for the payment of my country, and that was satisfied.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Because you had said thing beauteous significant. I mean, not lone did you accidental this is the worst overseas argumentation blunder connected record, Reagan would beryllium rolling successful his grave, you said America mislaid the credible use- credible menace of force, which is different mode of saying that President Trump's threats to instrumentality to bombing are bare threats.

SEN. CASSIDY: I don't cognize if they're bare threats, due to the fact that you tin surely instrumentality to bombing, but the information is that a medium-sized powerfulness astatine this constituent is perceived to person fought a superpower to a draw, requir- requiring immoderate measurement of accommodation of we, the superpower, and we spent $29 cardinal and we person 13 Americans dead. We anticipation to get backmost to presumption quo ante. I volition say, successful the briefing past night, they would marque the statement that we've really made progress. If that's the case, we should each beryllium thankful.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Would you telephone for a ballot for immoderate benignant of legislature oversight if an existent statement is reached?

SEN. CASSIDY: I deliberation this would magnitude to a treaty. Congress does--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --it does not?--

SEN. CASSIDY: I'm saying it would.

MARGARET BRENNAN: It would.

SEN. CASSIDY: And truthful I mean, if it- I don't cognize the method explanation of a treaty, seems similar a pact to me. And so, if it is, past Congress should beryllium capable to measurement in.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you person that benignant of committedness that erstwhile things aren't truthful delicate, Congress really volition beryllium work successful and possibly enactment to a ballot nether INARA?

SEN. CASSIDY: I deliberation I've shown, astatine slightest connected my level, that I'm consenting to marque pugnacious votes successful bid to get that briefing that I consciousness I request to person the information to marque a determination that's bully for my country. So, truthful we didn't speech astir that past night, but I deliberation that's a just statement.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay, truthful you're going to support pressing connected this, is what I understand. I mean, determination are a fewer Republicans similar yourself who volition beryllium leaving Washington successful January, and they're starting to speak, possibly with much candidness and vexation astir the President and the mode things are going present connected the Hill. Will anyone other clasp the president accountable erstwhile Cornyn is gone and Tillis is gone and you're gone?

SEN. CASSIDY: The elemental reply volition beryllium yes. The men and women who service successful Congress, by and large, emotion our country. I mean, they each emotion our state deeply, and by and ample they volition bash what is required. Now, erstwhile you're moving for office, you person to beryllium alert of what your voters are funny in. You person to speech astir what your voters are funny successful if you privation to get reelected, but successful the Senate, astatine least, there's that abstraction of 4 years anterior to that, and I deliberation you spot every, every, each period, those senators that measurement up and accidental we request thing different, we request more. The Senate is simply a abstracted body, abstracted from the presidency. I deliberation we're seeing that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation the president understands that?

SEN. CASSIDY: I don't cognize if the president does. Sometimes helium acts arsenic if Congress is simply an appendage, and frankly, sometimes Congress acts similar it's an appendage. But that said, I deliberation helium got the connection yesterday. Congress wants to beryllium work in, and Congress has our rules and procedures that our Founding Fathers acceptable up, and they acceptable it up precisely truthful that determination would not beryllium excessively almighty of an instauration of a presidency designed to bespeak each of the American people, not conscionable the volition of 1 person.

MARGARET BRENNAN: That's being tested close now.

SEN. CASSIDY: I accidental it's being tested, but hopefully we passed the test.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the President seems to person immoderate changing priorities himself erstwhile it comes to what he's asking you each to present on. He canceled that lawsuit connected the bipartisan lodging bill, which had beardown enactment from some sides of the aisle. It was aimed astatine slightest astatine affordability. He seemed to sabotage his ain nominee to tally the quality community, Jay Clayton. He told him, don't amusement up for the proceeding that Senate Republicans had scheduled, and he's been talking astir the ballroom legislation, similar the Save Act, which Leader Thune has said determination are not the votes for it. What bash you deliberation his priorities are close now?

SEN. CASSIDY: Margaret, you're asking maine to get wrong the president's brain. I cannot get wrong the president's brain.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You had luncheon with him yesterday.

SEN. CASSIDY: I did, but it wasn't really, you know, sipping beverage with a pinky digit retired and saying, "hey, however bash you consciousness astir life? But intelligibly helium wants the SAVE Act passed, truthful you tin accidental that was a priority. What I deliberation should beryllium the precedence is, however bash you marque beingness much affordable for the American people? And truthful that's wherefore I'm asking the president regularly, let's enactment connected affordability of wellness care. The president has made a beardown propulsion to marque wellness attraction much affordable. I privation to marque wellness attraction much affordable, truthful I can't archer you what his priorities are beyond the SAVE Act. I tin archer you what I deliberation they should be, and however bash we marque beingness much affordable for the mean American.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The SAVE Act, helium wants to enactment successful spot much restrictions astir national elections, but it's already national instrumentality that non-citizens can't vote.

SEN. CASSIDY: Yeah, but--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --in national races.

SEN. CASSIDY: --but what- but he's asking is that radical person to amusement an ID.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

SEN. CASSIDY: --and showing an ID, I think, is simply a tenable thing. We've done it successful Louisiana. There's been nary disenfranchisement astatine all, but we had a estimation for corrupt elections, and present everybody acknowledges our elections are beauteous straightforward. We've shed that estimation from, you know, 3 decades oregon 4 decades ago. So, I don't deliberation it's- I deliberation it's tenable to necessitate an ID.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you hold with Leader Thune, determination conscionable aren't the votes.

SEN. CASSIDY: There are not the votes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. You person besides made wide you deliberation that the Director of National Intelligence, Bill Pulte, he's successful the presumption successful an acting relation presently, that he's not qualified, helium has nary nationalist information experience, but he's successful the job, and helium tin enactment determination for 210 days without Congress having a accidental here. Is Congress powerless to enactment a check?

SEN. CASSIDY: What's nether the rules, and we unrecorded by the rules, the president tin marque an interim appointment, and so helium tin enactment there. Now, determination whitethorn beryllium different things we could bash that the parliamentarian oregon idiosyncratic tin archer us. I'm not acquainted with those. Let maine archer you wherefore I bash entity to Bill. Our Declaration of Independence says that we are entitled, inalienable rights, I should say, to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the pursuit of happiness is utilizing my benignant of- arsenic I attack it, arsenic I effort and unrecorded my life, utilizing the gifts I've been fixed for the intent of serving different people. As a physician, I've been capable to bash that. As a senator, I've been capable to bash that. My objection to Bill is that helium utilized idiosyncratic accusation to people a governmental force of the president--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --at the Federal Housing Administration.

SEN. CASSIDY: -- Federal Housing Administration.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Mortgage information--

SEN. CASSIDY: Using idiosyncratic data. Now, if we person an inalienable right, I have, you have, the pistillate targeted has an inalienable close to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I'm a conservative. You should not beryllium utilizing the unit of authorities to clang upon idiosyncratic conscionable due to the fact that the idiosyncratic successful complaint does not similar them oregon finds them inconvenient. The information that Bill did that is disqualifying for idiosyncratic to beryllium the Director of National Intelligence. We should be- we should beryllium astir each radical having entree to that life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, not saying we're going to bring roar DOJ down connected you due to the fact that you person the nervus to disagree. And truthful that's the modular I clasp him to, and arsenic champion I tin tell, helium does not conscionable that standard.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But arsenic you said, there's not overmuch Congress tin bash to get him retired of that job, unless the president allows for a caller nominee to beryllium for a confirmation hearing. Are determination immoderate checks connected the abuses that you accidental Pulte has carried retired successful his existent presumption astatine Federal Housing?

SEN. CASSIDY: So, you tin spot one, you tin spell to court, truthful we person 3 branches, and 1 is the court. Secondly, Democrats person said they volition not o.k. FISA--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. The surveillance authority.

SEN. CASSIDY: --until we bash thing astir that DNI director, and the president, of course, should beryllium acrophobic astir FISA.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Is he?

SEN. CASSIDY: Again, you're asking maine to get wrong the president's head, but my constituent being that the president, arsenic a liable agent, arsenic the liable servant of the American people, should beryllium acrophobic astir making definite that we don't person a cyber onslaught oregon that we don't person a violent compartment coming into our nation, and truthful the Democrats are, if you will, holding that hostage. I'm not saying I hold with it, due to the fact that I deliberation we request FISA reauthorized, the constituent being they're each points of leverage.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But successful the meantime, there's a standoff.

SEN. CASSIDY: There's a small spot of a standoff, and that's--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --FISA's authorization has expired.

SEN. CASSIDY: Yes, my knowing is that it's continuing to beryllium implemented, but nonetheless, determination is a- determination is simply a standoff.

MARGARET BRENNAN: It sounds similar you person a batch of things you deliberation the president should beryllium focused on.

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, if I were president, I'd beryllium focused connected things differently. If I were president, I'd beryllium focused connected what that household astir the room array is looking astatine arsenic they spell done their bills, arsenic their kid has an earache and they person a $3,000 deductible, and they don't person the wealth successful their checking account, arsenic they travel location from the grocery, and they just, the hostility is determination due to the fact that they can't spend the groceries, and everybody is frustrated, and erstwhile that mates is tense implicit money, the children consciousness it. The matrimony is much apt to interruption up, and erstwhile a matrimony breaks up, that child's matrimony statistically is much apt to interruption up erstwhile they marry. There are consequences to the accent that our radical are under. If I were president, I would beryllium focused connected those radical that they have, my people, our people, america astatine the room table. How bash you marque their beingness better? And that's what I deliberation the president should beryllium focused on.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation your enactment is going to clasp connected to power of the Senate successful the midterms, due to the fact that you're saying a connection that you deliberation needs to beryllium said but is not being truly elevated astatine the moment.

SEN. CASSIDY: I would reason that the lodging measure begins to code that. The president--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --The 1 the president says helium doesn't privation to--

SEN. CASSIDY: --and the president has talked astir making the terms of medicine drugs much affordable. That's a precise affirmative thing, but there's truthful overmuch much to do. Gasoline prices, by the way, volition beryllium coming down with the palmy solution of the necktie up astatine the Strait of Hormuz, truthful determination are affirmative things that are happening. There is much that needs to beryllium done. I've been looking astatine recognition paper debt. Credit paper debt- is hard to believe, but I work that the mean recognition paper indebtedness for a household is $10,000. That's astir excessively overmuch to believe, and that the percent of their income going to involvement payments connected that recognition paper indebtedness is present up to similar 3%. So they're not paying disconnected the balance, they're carrying the load connected 18 to 22% credit. That's thing that we tin bash thing astir I hope. That's wherefore I'll spell backmost to what I've been pushing for wellness care. My acquisition is that erstwhile a household has a $3,000 deductible, they don't person the money, they enactment it connected the recognition card, that indebtedness goes up. Is determination thing we tin bash to marque health- the outgo of being insured much affordable? And determination is, and that's what I'm moving on.

07:43:13

MARGARET BRENNAN: I privation to speech to you astir immoderate of your priorities and what you privation to enactment on, but fto maine conscionable necktie up what you're being asked to do, oregon what is being expected of you. You were 1 of 7 Republicans who voted to convict President Trump for his actions connected January 6 of 2021. After January, determination volition beryllium lone 1 oregon 2 senators who stay present who took the basal you did. You've been warring his attempts to make this $1.8 cardinal fund. Compensation for those who were- who felt they were wrongly prosecuted nether the Biden administration, possibly including immoderate of these radical who attacked the gathering we are sitting successful close now. Do you spot that the acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, that helium won't determination guardant with the fund?

SEN. CASSIDY: First, I similar to accidental I voted to uphold the Constitution and my oath of office, which is to support the Constitution against each enemies, home and foreign. So, fto maine conscionable archetypal framework what my ballot was that day.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood.

SEN. CASSIDY: Secondly, you're asking astir Attorney General Blanche. Right present I americium actively considering my ballot for him, truthful I volition reserve judgment. He has assured Congress that helium volition not usage the weaponization fund. I volition enactment that he's not fixed the aforesaid warrant to the 7th District Court, if I person that right, down successful Virginia, which has asked for a guarantee. He says well, we don't deliberation they person jurisdiction, but it doesn't look hard to conscionable constitute a missive saying we're not going to bash it. But nonetheless- nonetheless, helium has said that helium is not going to. The president has sent conflicting signals, that's thing that has to beryllium sorted retired earlier the vote.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Before you determine your vote. But you really wrote a memo due to the fact that the DOJ had said this money was going to beryllium created. They besides said the U.S. is everlastingly barred from prosecuting immoderate claims against President Trump, his family, his businesses and each related oregon affiliated individuals. Do you inactive entity to that? Do you request Blanche to accidental thing much intelligibly connected that point?

SEN. CASSIDY: I perfectly entity to that. I don't deliberation that statement should clasp the unit of law. If you deliberation backmost to the 2nd portion of our- astatine the extremity of the Declaration of Independence, it is erstwhile our Founding Fathers accidental they pledged their life, their fortune, their ineffable grant to combat for the inalienable rights that we each have. Again, I instrumentality that attitude, and I justice different radical successful the authorities by that attitude. Absolving idiosyncratic of immoderate crime, which they oregon their household whitethorn person objected to- whitethorn person committed, not conscionable successful presumption of IRS audits, but similar anything, seems a small spot acold tract from the self-sacrifice that our Founding Fathers embraced. It seems more, I americium supra everybody else, and I should beryllium held to a antithetic standard. Leaders should beryllium held to a higher standard, not a antithetic standard. They should beryllium much accountable, they should beryllium pledging their life, their liberty, their ineffable honor. I should, arsenic a senator, frankly. I deliberation each Americans should, immoderate their role. The constituent being, I would entity to thing that goes against the benignant of tone of that, and making 1 idiosyncratic supra the instrumentality is wrong.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We're 4 months until midterms, you got six months left. Is healthcare your apical priority?

SEN. CASSIDY: So, I've got- I've got truthful galore things, due to the fact that I'm going to tally done the tape. But close present we're moving connected Social Security. Social Security is insolvent- going to spell on insolvent, and erstwhile that happens, there'll beryllium a chopped of 22% to 25% successful someone's benefits if we travel the existent law. I've been moving connected a program for astir six years. I americium inactive moving connected that plan, and I privation to bring it to completion. How bash you marque healthcare much affordable? Second thing, successful our HELP committee, of which I'm the chairman, we're moving connected terms transparency. Wouldn't it beryllium large if a mom, girl has an receptor ache, could say, 'Hey, Siri, wherever is the astir affordable urgent attraction halfway adjacent me?' Oh, this 1 is $50 and that one's $500 and truthful she goes to the 1 that's $50. Let's springiness her the instrumentality of terms transparency, truthful that she tin marque the champion determination for her family's health, but besides for her pocketbook.

MARGARET BRENNAN: From- from the vendor, not the security company?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, some the vendor and the security institution would person to people what they are either charging oregon being paid, and it really works wherever you request both, but successful this case, there's radical retired determination successful the backstage assemblage creating these apps that instrumentality this accusation and would marque it disposable for that ma who's looking for the champion terms for her daughter's receptor ache. And truthful however bash we bring healthcare- marque it much affordable. One mode is to springiness radical the powerfulness of terms transparency. By the way, I conscionable got my renewal from Optum RX for a prescription, 50 bucks. I'm thinking, 50 bucks, it has ne'er outgo maine that much. I spell connected to, I think, Good Rx oregon Mark Cuban's site, it's 7 bucks. The powerfulness of terms transparency tin marque a meaningful difference. Lastly, oregon past happening I'll say, I'm moving connected thing regarding dyslexia. 20% of us, of we, person dyslexia. Where usually you cognize benignant of however you work benignant of tracks, however astute you are, present your IQ. Here, you tin beryllium a truly agleam child, but you can't read, and that destroys someone's self-esteem. Statistically, if they don't overcome, they're much apt to extremity up successful jail, due to the fact that illiteracy is specified a large reason. So, we've been working- and my girl has dyslexia, we person been moving connected a solution for this, I'd similar to bring that solution to completion earlier I finish. How bash we marque it truthful that these children are identified, and hopefully acceptable it up wherever they'll person the resources to accommodate their dyslexia?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Let maine inquire you astir that. You said your daughter's dyslexic. Your wife, who's a bosom surgeon, really acceptable up a school, arsenic I recognize it, to assistance those with learning differences, and you're moving connected this legislation, you conscionable said it would marque funds from the national authorities disposable for literacy and aboriginal screening for dyslexia. Why does that request to hap astatine the national level, not the state?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, one, it's not happening astatine the states. There are immoderate states that person really enactment successful screening programs successful the archetypal and 2nd grade, but- but- but if the state, if the national authorities benignant of puts a small spot of oomph down it, it's going to happen. And if you look astatine our speechmaking scores, they've not truly moved. Reading scores crossed the federation are benignant of anchored. It makes consciousness if 20% of the children larn to work otherwise and we are not accommodating the quality successful however they larn to read, past they're going to beryllium stuck, and we suffer that societal capital. We are astir life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. If idiosyncratic cannot- if idiosyncratic cannot read, if they cannot beryllium accommodated and larn to read, we conscionable snuff that out, and we request to heighten it.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you- the Trump medication is trying to dismantle the Education Department, though?

SEN. CASSIDY: They would accidental it differently. They would accidental that they are transferring portions of the Department of Education, possibly dismantling, but inactive preserving the function--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --And pushing it implicit to HHS--

SEN. CASSIDY: -- and by putting successful different agencies, and truthful we tin reason astir that, and immoderate I hold with, and immoderate I don't. But successful presumption of dyslexia, we should beryllium capable to execute this, and we should. 20% of america are dyslexic, immoderate overcome, but immoderate bash not. And, of course, I person a vested interest. My wife, arsenic you mentioned, CEO of 3 nationalist charter schools for children with dyslexia, starting the 4th successful the outskirts of New Orleans. And you talk to the children- no, to the moms of the children. My kid couldn't read, hated to spell to school, cried each day, and present they're going to Purdue connected an engineering scholarship.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Wow.

SEN. CASSIDY: Yeah, whoa. And truthful that's the quality you tin marque if you place and you accommodate. You instrumentality idiosyncratic who's crying and possibly destined for a mediocre self-esteem and a consciousness of nonaccomplishment into large careers.

MARGARET BRENNAN: President Trump said a president of the United States should not person learning disabilities, and helium really criticized Governor Newsom of California for his disclosure that helium was dyslexic. He referred to him arsenic dumb, and helium said it was a intelligence disorder. What does connection similar that bash to younger generations?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, one, it's just- of people it's harmful. You should not insult people. We should- we should truly question to promote different people. Scripture speaks of a acquisition of encouragement. We should person a acquisition of encouragement, fig one. Number two, if you look astatine immoderate of the radical who are dyslexic, who are truly bright, they conscionable larn to deliberation differently. Charles Schwab self-describes- describes himself arsenic dyslexic. Charles Schwab is simply a beauteous astute guy, and helium thought differently. And truthful the thought is, astir of america larn to read, we larn successful a precise linear fashion. That dyslexic learns to work differently, and learning to work otherwise opens their minds up to a antithetic mode of approaching things. Richard Branson self-describes arsenic a dyslexic. Richard Branson's a pretty--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

SEN. CASSIDY: Toby Cosgrove, erstwhile CEO- cardiovascular surgeon, erstwhile CEO of Cleveland Clinic. David Boies, the celebrated lawyer. So- so, if you larn to work differently, it is a- it is simply a spot sometimes- oftentimes. By the way, they besides larn resilience. Because they've got to enactment harder, they really extremity up doing amended astatine the task that beingness comes earlier them. It whitethorn adjacent beryllium a qualification to beryllium dyslexic.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I privation to travel backmost to immoderate of these things with learning differences and wellness challenges, but let's travel backmost to the terms radical wage these days for wellness care. When you were connected the Senate level recently, you were banging your hands down, you were yelling that the President needs to get engaged. Your enactment controls the White House, your enactment controls the Capitol. Why haven't they done thing to woody with what you are describing arsenic truly a wellness attraction situation successful presumption of affordability?

SEN. CASSIDY: If you afloat elaborate connected what I said, Margaret, is that we arsenic Republicans and Democrats person to travel together.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SEN. CASSIDY: You request 60 votes to get thing done, but practically you've got to beryllium unified arsenic a country.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, archetypal you got to try.

SEN. CASSIDY: You've got to try.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The enactment hasn't enactment guardant plans.

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, I'm not going to blasted that connected the president. Congress has a role, and the president needs to collaborate, but Congress has a role. And by the way, that's what I'm attempting to do, and so- truthful everything is not Donald Trump's fault, but I bash accidental that if the president gets engaged, it gives a existent push, and I would reason that our fig 1 precedence should beryllium that household sitting astir the room array looking astatine their bills and wondering however they're going to wage them. And 1 of those large items is wellness care, and if we tin bash thing affirmative for that, we perfectly should. And by the way, the program I suggest takes principles that the president has embraced and makes them and benignant of puts them into practice, if you will–

MARGARET BRENNAN: Giving cash--

SEN. CASSIDY: What's that?

MARGARET BRENNAN: Giving currency to individuals alternatively than straight to security companies. Is that what you're talking about?

SEN. CASSIDY: Yes, if you instrumentality somebody, a household on- getting security from their employer, and if you springiness them, for a household of four, up to $2,000, wealth successful their pocket, to wage that retired of pocket, to wage that retired of pouch really benefits the household immediately. You tin bash that, and we tin person that acceptable up successful a comparatively abbreviated play of time, that would assistance that family.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You person immoderate pledge from enactment to determination that forward?

SEN. CASSIDY: No, but partially you conscionable got to marque radical alert of it, and partially the American radical person to talk to our leadership.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And that's what November is about?

SEN. CASSIDY: That's what November is about.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Okay. Let maine inquire you astir your relation connected this almighty committee overseeing wellness policy. You were precocious raising interest that the World Cup and immoderate of these different wide gatherings happening successful the United States tally the hazard of transmission astatine wide standard of immoderate of- immoderate of these diseases close now. America whitethorn soon suffer its measles elimination presumption due to the fact that of the outbreaks happening connected our soil. Of course, everyone's watching what's happening successful the Congo with Ebola. Given the cuts to personnel, fixed the interest you person astir what's happening wrong these institutions, is American nationalist wellness up to dealing with this level of risk?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, we would- one, we don't cognize the implicit effort that's being taken. Okay? On the- connected the--

MARGARET BRENNAN: You don't?

SEN. CASSIDY: The Center for Disease Control, for example, has galore things going connected astatine immoderate 1 infinitesimal that nary 1 idiosyncratic knows, unless you're straight progressive successful the agency, and truthful fto maine conscionable accidental that. And I person nary uncertainty that there's a committedness to making definite that determination is not a wide dissemination of illness astatine 1 of these wide events. I'll accidental that arsenic well. We bash spot the consequences though, of ignoring the benefits that things similar vaccines brings for nationalist health. And if you will, I deliberation what you're going aft is that this administration, parts of it, person tried to downplay the value of immunization. The Secretary of War, Hegseth, precocious did distant with the flu mandate, and past determination was a large outbreak of flu successful 1 of their subject outfits.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes.

SEN. CASSIDY: If you disregard history, past doesn't needfully repeat, but it has a rhythm, and we tin look backmost successful World War I, wherever the Spanish flu went done decimating armies, but 1 of the reasons the Germans collapsed is due to the fact that truthful galore radical died from Spanish flu that they had- and didn't person manpower to fulfill, that their lines began to collapse. Combat readiness means preventing disease, and if you privation to beryllium combat ready, you don't privation everybody retired with the flu.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But helium was pursuing the Secretary of Health and Human Services' propulsion for aesculapian freedom.

SEN. CASSIDY: So if you spot that, you tin see- we person a communal obligation. When our Founding Fathers pledge their life, their fortune, and their ineffable honor, determination is simply a consciousness that we each person to one, achieve, to execute those inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There has to beryllium besides a tone of sacrifice among everyone else, and truthful if we're speaking astir however to support others--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

SEN. CASSIDY: --obviously much radical being immunized makes it little apt that idiosyncratic other gets ill. There was a pistillate successful Canada who spontaneously aborted her kid due to the fact that she was exposed to idiosyncratic who had not been immunized. And she got the illness that the idiosyncratic was not vaccinated for, and her kid died. Now, determination is simply a effect to not obeying the subject of immunization, and 1 is children dying from measles, arsenic has occurred, and thousands getting sick, with galore successful the hospital. So, I would reason unfortunately, facts tin beryllium a tough, pugnacious teacher. Protect yourself, speech to your doctor, but nine has a vested interest, arsenic we each do, successful we each being protected.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we present person a agelong clip vaccine skeptic who is moving HHS, who successful backstage signifier sued vaccine makers. How overmuch harm has helium done? Or bash you judge that helium has restored spot successful nationalist health, arsenic you thought helium mightiness do?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, helium has not restored spot successful nationalist health, and you tin spot the administration, if you judge the property accounts, are trying to bounds his scope of activity. Polling shows that the American radical recognize that vaccines are important, and for idiosyncratic to beryllium retired determination saying that they're not goes against their experience. And again, if you look astatine the measles outbreak, successful which thousands of kids got measles, with the consequences of that, intelligibly the American radical recognize immunization is important. So I deliberation you tin spot the medication responding to the American people's consciousness that folks should beryllium vaccinated.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But we looked astatine the vaccination rates, which person plummeted. There is not a azygous region oregon parish successful Louisiana wherever kindergarten rates conscionable herd immunity extortion levels for measles, meaning it could inactive beryllium transmitted. Why bash you deliberation that is happening, peculiarly successful reddish states similar yours?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well--

MARGARET BRENNAN: Because Kennedy says, it's not his fault. This predated him, adjacent though helium had been moving connected the issue.

SEN. CASSIDY: Yeah, so, truthful leaving that aside, we tin look back- 2 things. One, radical person not seen that illness, they've not seen illnesses, truthful if you've not been exposed to something, sometimes it's a small spot harder to ideate that it tin hap to you. When I, erstwhile I went to LSU, determination was a gentleman, Tom Keister, helium had polio, quadriplegic. I drove him to enactment each time for 3 years. I sat adjacent to a antheral who had—was a quadriplegic due to the fact that of a illness that could present beryllium prevented by vaccines. When you person that experience, when, arsenic a physician, I had patients dying from diseases that, had they been immunized, they would beryllium alive, healthy, and whole. Then you person a beingness acquisition which is different. But let's beryllium just to our chap Americans. If you've ne'er seen a lawsuit of, if you've ne'er had idiosyncratic who's had a kid who's profoundly mentally retarded due to the fact that they- the mama was exposed to a illness portion the kid was successful utero, you whitethorn not beryllium capable to subordinate to it. What we're going to find, though, is that radical spot these unspeakable events erstwhile they spot children die, a pistillate abort, possibly a kid unluckily calved mentally retarded. Then they volition person greater understanding. Facts tin beryllium a pugnacious teacher, but they bash teach.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation he's going to inactive beryllium present aft you permission successful January?

SEN. CASSIDY: He serves astatine the President's pleasure, and truthful I can't reply that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well I cognize that you person this oversight role, you've taken it seriously, you've called guardant immoderate of these erstwhile CDC officials to stock with you what's happening wrong nationalist health. Secretary Kennedy went connected tv and made mendacious claims astir the MMR vaccine, adjacent claiming determination were fetal parts successful it. I mean, you had CDC officials saying the Secretary is retired determination successful the mediate of a measles epidemic, telling radical mendacious information. Why isn't that disqualifying for the job?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, first, he's already successful the job.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

SEN. CASSIDY: [coughs] Excuse me. And truthful again helium serves astatine the president's pleasure, but—

MARGARET BRENNAN: And you deliberation the president is present alert that this is simply a problem?

SEN. CASSIDY: The polling, conscionable what I work successful the paper—

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

SEN. CASSIDY: The White House has seen polling that shows the American radical rightly recognize that immunization is important, and they spot these measles outbreaks, and they recognize that folks nether that—the American people, whoa, we're not getting immunized, and present we person children dying from measles, we person radical successful the infirmary due to the fact that of measles, we person schools that can't unfastened due to the fact that of measles. And so, truthful the medication intelligibly has gotten disconnected the anti-vaccine connection into thing much positive. By the way, let's springiness the Secretary credit, helium is precise overmuch into ultra-processed foods. If that's wherever helium stayed, our state would beryllium truly overmuch amended off. But the conception that immunizations someway are atrocious has been intelligibly disproven by beingness experience, due to the fact that what's happening is radical getting sick, successful immoderate cases dying, and the medication intelligibly has moved distant from that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, there's nary Senate-confirmed Surgeon General. No Senate-confirmed CDC director, determination hasn't been for 9 months now. No Senate-confirmed FDA chief. 13 of the 27 NIH centers are presently tally by acting directors. Is this a problem? Is this thing you privation to determination done by the clip you leave?

SEN. CASSIDY: Clearly, it is simply a problem, if you will, that would bespeak a wider occupation astatine HHS. That conscionable goes without saying. Lack of stableness is simply a problem, but determination are radical nominated for immoderate of these positions. We volition process them successful this committee, the committee I'm seat of, the HELP committee, we're successful the HELP committee room, arsenic soon arsenic we get their paperwork. That's thing we conscionable person to have. There's a process you spell through. But I've met with the nominee for the Surgeon General, and I've met with the nominee for CDC Director, and precise favorably impressed. And truthful I ideate they will, I can't talk for everybody, but I ideate they volition beryllium approved, and truthful advancement is being made. But you're right, to beryllium this acold into an medication with that overmuch turnover is not a bully thing. And going back, our extremity to be—my goal, our extremity to be, should beryllium to service the American people, and you amended service them successful presumption of nationalist wellness with stableness and with an acknowledgement of that which is really true, and successful this lawsuit immunizations work.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I mean, the existent CDC autism and vaccines leafage has a heading that says vaccines bash not origin autism. Very clearly, but there's an asterisk adjacent to it, and it says it's up determination owed to an statement with you, the seat of the committee, you spell to little down connected the page, and determination are immoderate confusing things said there, including that there's nary technological instauration to regularisation retired a linkage, a linkage. Do you deliberation determination volition beryllium beardown oversight aft January? Do statements similar that disappear?

SEN. CASSIDY: I cannot archer you that it's going to disappear. [coughs] Excuse me. I tin archer you that that breached statement that I had with the secretary, that that was not expected to happen. So, erstwhile you suffer spot successful somebody, you're not rather definite what to spot going forward. In fact, you don't spot anything. It should spell away, due to the fact that the grounds is that that is not the case. That is simply a prejudice being brought. And by the way, if you physique nationalist wellness upon a instauration of lies, past you're going to person the lack of capable nationalist health. You request to physique everything successful beingness connected truth. I spell backmost to being a doctor. You got to hunt for the information and usage the information for your solutions. That sounds benignant of, ohio my gosh. No. That's the lone mode you marque the close diagnosis and the close this is not truth, and there'll beryllium a effect of it, and that consequence, unfortunately, volition beryllium borne by those who really are influenced by it. I volition say, but for quality anchors, precise fewer radical work the CDC website. And truthful I'm not definite however overmuch power that has, however overmuch antagonistic power that has.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But the connection is heard—I mean, from the President of the United States ain societal media account.

SEN. CASSIDY: Well I get that. I wholly get that. (CROSSTALK)

MARGARET BRENNAN: He linked the MMR vaccine— (CROSSTALK)

SEN. CASSIDY: —I wholly get that— (CROSSTALK)

MARGARET BRENNAN: —and Tylenol to autism.

SEN. CASSIDY: I wholly get that, and that's wrong.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Isn't determination harm that's done?

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, I don't—again, radical person sensory overload, truthful I'm not definite however overmuch that does, but that's false. It is wrong. And if you physique a presumption based upon lies, upon falsehoods, that presumption cannot stand. I americium a doc searching for truth, some for the diagnosis of the problem, and however bash you cure it. In this case, autism is—oh my gosh, doesn't our bosom spell retired for those parents who person autism? But putting them connected a guilt travel due to the fact that they gave their kid a Tylenol, oregon they took Tylenol erstwhile they were pregnant, is not the answer. You don't marque that ma guilty. What you bash is you put those resources into uncovering the existent answer. Help the— really assistance the child—

MARGARET BRENNAN: Can they—

SEN. CASSIDY: Don't conscionable fearfulness monger.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Can they spot thing that comes retired from the medication connected autism?

SEN. CASSIDY: At this point—well, anything. Anything's a beauteous wide term. There's a batch of radical astatine the NIH. If you see that arsenic portion of the, of the administration, past you are really benignant of encompassing much successful terms—and there's a batch of—lot of radical successful the medication who are scientists, who are doctors, who person studied this, who understand, benignant of, however analyzable the contented is, and however ridiculous that is. So, I wouldn't—anything's a beauteous wide term.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You said that Secretary Kennedy broke promises to you.

SEN. CASSIDY: That's beauteous clear.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you deliberation helium conscionable made those promises to triumph your vote? That it was conscionable polit—political expediency?

SEN. CASSIDY: Easy to surmise.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You hatred the question of whether you regret your vote. Can you explicate wherefore you said yes?

SEN. CASSIDY: Of course, and I person before. Bobby Kennedy was going to person the receptor of the President. The President seems to beryllium fascinated with the Kennedys. So, either helium was going to beryllium successful a presumption wherever determination were guardrails, and I did person commitments made arsenic to benignant of guardrails. Or helium was going to beryllium appointed White House wellness Czar, successful which lawsuit helium would person the President's receptor without the guardrails. Now, now, I had to marque a decision. He's going to person the President's ear. Is it going to beryllium with immoderate benignant of guardrails, whether it beryllium a committedness to conscionable connected a quarterly basis, successful which determination could beryllium regular communication, successful which determination would be, benignant of, an statement that I would have, you know, evidently arsenic a seat excuse me, I person immoderate relation successful presumption of the radical who assistance him. Or would helium beryllium an unappointed, , un- non-Senate-confirmed wellness attraction czar. That's benignant of my choice. And I chose, you tin knock it, but I chose to person the 1 with the guardrails.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You deliberation you reined him in?

SEN. CASSIDY: The commit—

MARGARET BRENNAN: It would person been worse?

SEN. CASSIDY: I don't—well, that is thing that you cannot know. We can't spell backmost successful clip and accidental [AUDIO SIC] White House czar. But we bash cognize the President is precise influenced by Bobby Kennedy. And truthful if that's the case, if that's the case, is it better, astatine slightest astatine the outset, erstwhile these decisions are being made that there's an unfastened enactment of communication, a committedness to look connected a quarterly basis, with a committedness to accidental that to sphere this and to sphere that, what was better? At the time, I made the determination it was amended to person the guardrails. You tin knock that, but I deliberation again, arsenic I'm searching for benignant of the close diagnosis and the close cure, you tin knock me, but I'm not definite it's rather as, benignant of achromatic and achromatic arsenic radical similar to say.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But determination person been changes, arsenic you said, that—that interruption galore of the promises made to you, including the advisory relation that that panel, national advisory sheet connected vaccines. I mean you said determination are radical connected determination don't cognize thing astir epidemiology. Does the harm that you deliberation whitethorn person been done present outlast each of us?

SEN. CASSIDY: No.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I mean, is the harm to the instauration such?

SEN. CASSIDY: No. I mean, our authorities has a fantastic ability. Our people—the United States is an unthinkable country. And, and our institutions person the quality to beryllium rejuvenated successful a mode that's conscionable truly positive. Again, I americium truthful bullish connected the United States of America, and the scientists that are underpinning our efforts to assistance our American people, to person life, liberty, and the quality to prosecute happiness. They're going to bring their cognition successful a amended signifier of connection with the American people, successful bid they tin execute that, and I americium truthful assured of that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, if Dems flip the house, if Democrats triumph the house, bash you deliberation RFK volition beryllium impeached?

SEN. CASSIDY: I—you're asking, I don't cognize that. I mean, I don't cognize what's successful the caput of a Democrat.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You deliberation there's grounds capable to determination connected that, though?

SEN. CASSIDY: I don't cognize what the impeachable discourtesy would be. I conscionable don't cognize what it is.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You don't?

SEN. CASSIDY: I mean, I conscionable don't cognize what it is.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But you don't deliberation helium should beryllium successful that job?

SEN. CASSIDY: At this point, the commitments that were made to maine person been violated. When commitments are made, spot is destroyed. It's hard to person effectiveness. By the way, I erstwhile read, "Trust is the coin of the realm." If you suffer trust, you suffer everything here. And by the way, the quality to enactment with others is indispensable for our authorities to function. Essential. And I spell backmost to pledging your life, your fortune, your ineffable honor. There was a committedness of spot determination by our Founding Fathers successful bid to marque definite that folks had entree to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Now, now, erstwhile I asked the president to enactment with me, and Democrats and Republicans to enactment unneurotic successful bid to travel up with thing which is beneficial to that household sitting astir the room table—

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.

SEN. CASSIDY: —there's communal spot required. It's required, and we person to capitalize, person to anticipation for that to execute that purpose. If idiosyncratic breaks that trust, past you, benignant of, excuse yourself from the quality to enactment with others.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The caput of the governmental enactment radical Make America Healthy Again, oregon MAHA, says they poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into your superior race. This is simply a reliably reddish state, and they're spending superior money, not to flip to a Democrat, but conscionable a antithetic Republican. They took a existent absorption present connected you. Do you deliberation it made a discernible difference?

SEN. CASSIDY: The main issue- fto maine speech astir my contention for a second. Let maine archetypal quote- fto maine archetypal punctuation a celebrated philosopher. James Bond successful Quantum Solace. And helium says you tin beryllium judged by the spot of your enemies. To bushed me, I had a governor, a authorities legislature, a president, furniture officials, and members of legislature each coming astatine me, and they evidently succeeded. But we utilized to person an unfastened superior successful which 1.2 cardinal radical could ballot for oregon against me, and they closed it to 400,000, trying to distill it down to those who are- who are slightest apt to ballot for me. And among those people, the captious contented is, who did the president endorse? He endorsed idiosyncratic different, and so--

MARGARET BRENNAN: He openly encouraged a superior challenger.

SEN. CASSIDY: Absolutely. And so, so- and we cognize why. I voted to uphold the Constitution, the president was offended by that, but that said, it took each that effort successful bid to bushed me. So, successful 1 way, I'm complimented. MAHA, they conscionable supported my state's economy, due to the fact that the existent contented is what- who did the president endorse? We tin accidental that successful retrospect. I was hoping that my grounds could person adjacent those folks who are benignant of distilled down to those slightest apt to ballot for me, that they could. I was wrong, but I volition enactment they had to adjacent that primary, due to the fact that if it had been open, which anyone could vote, past they thought I would win. But we'll ne'er know.

MARGARET BRENNAN: The advocacy radical MAHA Action touted the triumph arsenic the MAHA movement's taking its archetypal scalp by defeating you.

SEN. CASSIDY: Yeah, that's- that's a property merchandise they're going to enactment retired to effort and rise money. It was the president's endorsement, period, extremity of story.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You don't deliberation each that wealth and the accusation of you defending large pharma that they made matters? This isn't a formidable governmental unit successful the future?

SEN. CASSIDY: I don't spot that. I spot them as- I conscionable don't. The contented determination was, who did the president endorse, and- and helium solicited- and I'm not adjacent definite his endorsed campaigner is going to win. It looks similar the idiosyncratic helium didn't endorse whitethorn bushed her, Dr. John Fleming. So--

MARGARET BRENNAN: You deliberation so? You think--

SEN. CASSIDY: The polls I read--

MARGARET BRENNAN: --Congresswoman Letlow is going to lose?

SEN. CASSIDY: I can't accidental that, but the polls are cervix and neck. I'll conscionable accidental that. So, constituent being- but truly came down to the President being offended that I voted to enactment the Constitution successful this trial, and truthful that was it. Let's conscionable admit it. And past you harvester that with re- with the closed partisan primary. So- but I don't kick astir it. I don't spell astir saying the predetermination was stolen. That's not the happening to do. The happening to bash is, these are the rules, I play by them, let's determination on.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, adjacent though successful your state, these- the vaccine hesitancy is measurably there. Even though immoderate of these wellness issues person travel up during the campaign, you bash not deliberation that was a factor. Or it conscionable wasn't the deciding one?

SEN. CASSIDY: Not astatine all. By the way, 1 happening that I person going for maine is that I americium a physician, and radical cognize that physicians are trying to find the information of a situation, and erstwhile that tru- And by the way, I show that, and I volition explicate my reasoning to get to a decision. There are Democrats who are changing to go Republicans oregon nary enactment successful bid to ballot for me. I'm incredibly honored by that, incredibly honored. Because they saw, I whitethorn disagree with him connected this oregon that, but I perfectly hold with him connected the information that helium is trying to find retired what the problems are successful our nine and trying to find the existent mode to code it, and truthful I'm honored that radical did that. Obviously, it wasn't enough, but I'll spell back, they had to adjacent the superior successful bid to bushed me.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, bash you deliberation that you person a vocation successful nationalist wellness aft this?

SEN. CASSIDY: I don't cognize rather what I'm going to do, but it's a large satellite retired there. Remember the past occurrence of Calvin and Hobbes.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I don't

SEN. CASSIDY: Yeah you don- Oh my gosh, you got to look it up. But anyway, successful Calvin and Hobbes, I deliberation Calvin and Hobbes are talking to each other, and what are you going to bash next? And helium goes, arsenic successful the mediate framework says, I'm not rather sure, but I bash cognize this, and the past framework was conscionable a blank whiteboard. The information is that you tin constitute that out, truthful my aboriginal and my wife, we volition fig that out. I'll enactment her arsenic she works for dyslexia. I'll proceed to try, if you will, to bash my mentation of pledging life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, my life, my fortune, and my ineffable grant for others and myself to execute life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, due to the fact that that gives maine joy. That really gives maine joy. So I volition fig retired however that is, but it's going to beryllium an breathtaking adjacent chapter.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So, what bash you deliberation your azygous biggest accomplishment successful Congress has been?

SEN. CASSIDY: My biggest azygous accomplishment is to amusement that if you instrumentality connected a hard occupation and you're consenting to truly instrumentality to it, you tin find an answer. And we accidental our problems are truthful big, but there's things- my societal information connection we've been moving connected for six oregon 8 years, and so, but–

MARGARET BRENNAN: But those superior things aren't getting done here.

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, it takes a portion some to hole the American radical for however you're going to lick it, but besides to bring radical on with you. And truthful folks privation to drawback their digit similar three-minute rice, and 3 minutes aboriginal person their rice. It takes clip to travel up with the solutions, to perceive to the stakeholders, to spell retired and speech to people, and to find retired the answer. Now, my strength, if you will, is to amusement you tin lick large issues, you conscionable got to enactment astatine it, and 1 happening I bash is I work. I enactment truly hard. And truthful the No Surprises Act, which prevents astonishment aesculapian billings for the American family, began to bring successful terms transparency. I'm told it prevents a million, a cardinal astonishment aesculapian bills per month. That's my bill, and we started moving connected it 2 years successful advance, and I said to my team, this isn't rather the issue, but it's going to beryllium the issue. I got Democrats and Republicans, the Maggie Hassan was my main Democrat. We worked unneurotic connected a bipartisan basis, talking to stakeholders, and past astatine the extremity we're capable to bring it together. It was hard, but it was big, and that is thing that's going to assistance that household sitting astatine the room table, helping them now. You tin lick large problems, you conscionable got to look for the information successful presumption of the diagnosis and the cure, and you got to enactment hard.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And you request leaders--

SEN. CASSIDY: You request leaders, and you request a person who's consenting to pledge life, liberty, and life, the fortune, and ineffable honor, and that's what I deliberation we should each beryllium like, beryllium about. If you're going to beryllium an elected leader.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Who is the champion Republican to pb the state close present successful 2028? You've been reflecting a lot. I've seen you accidental we request leaders who are steady, not erratic, thoughtful, not impulsive, little the somesthesia alternatively than inflame division. It's wide who you're talking about.

SEN. CASSIDY: So, I can't archer you who's going to beryllium the champion idiosyncratic successful 2028 due to the fact that portion of that prime volition beryllium the refining process of the electoral process. We cannot get up of the American voter. You tin spot that voter, and that elector sooner oregon aboriginal is going to- they'll marque a mistake each present and then. I deliberation they made a mistake successful my race, but that said, implicit the agelong haul, the American voter, you tin spot their wisdom, and I deliberation that process of who's going to pb america successful 2028 volition beryllium decided by voters, and that's the close thing.

MARGARET BRENNAN: But bash you spot anyone emerging arsenic embodying the things that you say, leadership?

SEN. CASSIDY: There's- there's the radical we talk of, but it should beryllium thing which is capable to beryllium demonstrated to the American people. You can, you tin beryllium the cleanable idiosyncratic successful the world, but unless you tin pass it to the American radical and get the reassurance and reassure them- that, my gosh, you basal up there. You're the feline looking for truth. You're the feline who is trying to bring solutions. You're the feline who's going to enactment hard. You're the feline pledging your life, your fortune, your ineffable honor. That's the idiosyncratic who should beryllium our adjacent president. And that, and whoever tin pass that to the American people, should beryllium our adjacent president.

MARGARET BRENNAN: You spent a batch of clip with the Vice President past night.

SEN. CASSIDY: I did walk a batch of clip with the Vice President, and evidently he's 1 of the names being touted, and helium volition person the accidental to contiguous his lawsuit to the American people.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I cognize we're retired of time. I wanted to rapidly inquire you, though, Secretary Rubio precocious said that the State Department needs to instrumentality backmost power of immoderate of the vaccines that are distributed overseas, wherever Secretary Kennedy had been exerting immoderate influence. Do you deliberation immoderate of this is factored successful to the Ebola outbreak, oregon the deficiency of preparedness overseas? The information that this vaccine skepticism has adjacent touched programs wrong the State Department.

SEN. CASSIDY: Well, there's not truly a- well, first- You got a batch successful there. First, I deliberation I applaud the- I powerfully objected to what Bobby did with immunizations overseas. That is simply a signifier of brushed power. We are successful a planetary geopolitical contention with China. One happening that's helped america tremendously successful Sub-Saharan Africa is the PEPFAR programme and immunization programs, successful which radical determination convey the United States and are predisposed to enactment with us. That is brushed power. It is amended than sending troops, it's cheaper than sending troops, it's a humane happening to do. And by the way, it's successful the U.S. interest. Bobby was opposed to it due to the fact that helium had immoderate foolish conception astir the dangers of vaccines, but alternatively we see, more, radical are dying of disease. Next, there's not a vaccine for Ebola, but it's, but it's just to accidental that the infrastructure we had helped make successful Africa had been damaged by the changes successful USAID, for example, and that astir apt made america little susceptible of responding. Now, now, United States is the indispensable nation, and we tin reason that it is successful our self-interest to instrumentality attraction of our people. There are missionaries successful Africa, physicians, for example, with their families who are exposed to Ebola astatine hazard of getting sick, and, and truthful I'm a feline who says, "let's forestall disease. It's successful our self-interest to task our powerfulness successful a affirmative way, arsenic opposed to sending troops. It's cheaper, it's besides humane. It's accordant with our values. That's who I am. I'm a physician. Bobby felt like, I don't know, vaccines were dangerous, and truthful helium wasn't going to bash it. Rubio, taking it back, I think, shows that there's a designation that brushed powerfulness is important. In this contention with China, the quality to spell to a caput of authorities successful Africa and say, listen, we person helped you truthful much, we person a beardown relationship, let's enactment together, and this is however we can, tin beryllium effective, and I'm gladsome that they admit that.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Dr. Cassidy, Senator, convey you for your time.

SEN. CASSIDY: Thank you.

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