MSNBC host and chief Washington correspondent Andrea Mitchell flaunted her admiration for Democrats and communist dictators on Tuesday’s Andrea Mitchell Reports as she gushed about Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and his new “beautiful book.” She longed for the old days when Democrats controlled the Senate and lauded Leahy’s work with her favorite murderous monster, Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.
“With politics more divided than ever in our country, voters angrier about governmental institutions and pessimistic about the country’s direction, it’s a good moment to look back at a time when the United States Senate was indeed the conscience of the nation with a man who has served for more than 40 years under nine American presidents,”Mitchell made the comment as Mitchell presented Leahy’s book. This is the Road.
After spending a few minutes getting Leahy’s reaction on contemporary political stories, Mitchell shifted gears into reverse and wanted to reminisce about that past. “I want to ask you about what the Senate was like in 1974, you were one of the Watergate class reformers who came to Washington”Her words were praised.
She wanted him to discuss the “relationships among the in the senators, the senators I used to cover in the ’80s and ’90s and both parties the friendships that existed.” “Talk to me about Ted Kennedy,” she said.
Leahy was reminded of how Ted Kennedy the Senator, the killer and hero would negotiate deals with Republicans in their office. “And those kinds of relationships, do they exist now,” Mitchell followed up. “No,” Leahy answered, “there’s a few but there’s less and less.”
Eager to draw attention from Leahy’s photography hobby and the images in his book, Mitchell boasted that the Senator was “a well-known photographer” who used his “access” to be a “fly on the wall” and take pictures. A picture with Castro was what she was most interested in.
Mitchell seemed to long for the days when Democrats were in control of the Senate as she lamented how “we have this 50/50 Senate” and wanted to know, “is there any way to get back to those years?”Leahy felt disappointed that the Senate would not be reunited until January 6.
Mitchell met with the Senator to thank him for his retirement as they wrapped up the interview.. “Well, I’m wishing you all the best. Your days are not over. So, we still have the pleasure of your presence,”“It’s a privilege,” she declared. “It’s a privilege.”
This praise for Senator Leahy’s book was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships AT&T and Progressive. You can find their contact information here.
MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports
August 23, 2022
Eastern 12:17.51
ANDREA MITCHELL
So, Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy from Vermont is here. He’s currently the president pro tem and chairman of the Appropriations Committee and his new memoir is – it’s out today – This is the Road.
SEN. PATRICK LEEHY (D-VT). This is the Road, yeah.
MITCHELL: And it is a beautiful book –
LEAHY: We are grateful.
MITCHELL – Telling the Senate’s history, your experience there and your childhood.
(…)
Eastern 12:22.06
MITCHELL – I’d like to know what it was like for the Senate in 1974. You were one of those Watergate reformers that came to Washington. The relationships between the senators. I covered the senators in the 1980s and 1990s. Both parties had many friendships. You can talk to me about Ted Kennedy.
LEAHY, It was very different. Ted Kennedy is the reason I love it. His laughter could be heard down the hall. When you get in there there’d be key Republicans, key Democrats and they’d be laughing and joking and then agreeing on something. And I’ve tried to carry on that same feature with my offices.
Due to my seniority as well as being president pro-tem, I am able to get nice offices. However, what I do is lend them out to anyone who has their family and wants to have lunch or dinner there. However, I do my best to welcome both Republicans as well as Democrats into the office. Let’s have a chat.
This was the norm when I arrived here. You mentioned Ted Kennedy. Another was Senator Hubert Humphrey and Barry Goldwater – a million miles apart philosophically – sitting on a couch, having a drink, teasing the heck out of each other, but then agreeing on something and when they did, they came together, it always passed.
MITCHELL, And do these types of relationships exist right now?
LEAHY: No, they’ve – there’s a few but there’s less and less. If I am bringing a congressional delegation to a foreign country, I make sure that there are both Republicans and Democrats. I’ve done that with the work I’ve done in Vietnam to help normalize. It was possible with Leahy War Victims Fund. And it’s amazing how quickly you find – especially on a long plane trip, you sit around talking, you find so many areas where you’re in agreement. Although legislation may be passed in the beginning on certain issues, we are not doing enough. It’s not enough to have meetings with just Republicans and Democrats.
MITCHELL: You are a well-known photographer, you’ve had the access, of course. You don’t use lights. The wall is your canvas. Some of my favorite pictures in this book – Well, first of all the beautiful picture of Vermont, your home state.
LEAHY (That’s what I see). That’s right off our front steps of our home, we live on a dirt road, we look down the valley. This is a stunning, peaceful spot.
MITCHELL: And then all of the leaders you’ve known. Fidel Castro. You spent quite a bit of time in Cuba. In 1999, you worked on the Elian Gonzalez matter. This was a crucial moment.
LEAHY: Actually Marcelle took that picture—
MITCHELL: It goes in the family, your wife, who’s always at your side.
LEAHY: Marcelle has always had a camera.
MITCHELL – And to get Alan Gross free from the American who has been in jail so many years. He was flown back by whom? I can recall that we all covered the story so much. You were there.
Some of the other relationships—
LEAHY: That picture was taken by me, the president’s plane was going down. This is just after I said on the television screen that we were above U.S. territory. Alan, I told you that you are free. You’re free.
MITCHELL, And Barack Obama, your fellow gym-mate, was also on the Stairmaster, and Elliptical. You were both side by side.
LEAHY: I would use the stationary bike and – and we talked about the times we spent in the gym. Although he is in better physical condition than me, we could still trash-talk each other. And anybody that didn’t know us would go, “my God, what’s wrong with those two guys? They must hate each other.” And we’d walk out of the gym with our arms around each other laughing our heads off.
That’s Barack Obama, taken after his election as president. He’s right above George Washington’s picture. Both have the exact same expression.
MITCHELL That’s because it is a beautiful Washington photograph.
LEAHY: I had the only camera in the room, and I thought, “oh, look at the history of this. Our first president, white George Washington and here’s the latest president at that time, Barack Obama,” and I gave him that picture.
MITCHELL There is a 50/50 Senate. We’ve got so many divisions, impeachment and January 6, and the conflicting reactions to January 6, the attack on the Senate itself and on our election process, our very democracy.
LEAHY – Well, this worries me because there is political difference, but it should not be a problem. We should collectively have the responsibility for the national conscience, and there should be a few areas where we can all work together.
Howard Baker is a man I can recall, who was there after the bomb went off at the Capitol in the early 80s. Although there had been some destruction, the Capitol and the surrounding areas were still in ruins. However, when we returned in session that morning all 100 senators were united in opposing the attack. One would expect that January 6 would also have done it.
There’s a glimmer of it when we went into a secure area, had most of the Senate and they said, “you know, we can vote to meet here. We could vote to meet anywhere as a U.S. Senate.” And I said, “No, I’m the dean of the Senate. Let me say this: We ought to be back on the Senate floor where the American people can see us, whatever positions we take, we should do it in the open.” And I got strong applause from both Republicans and Democrats.
And I thought for a moment, “well, maybe we’re starting to come back to where we should be.” Unfortunately, the moment didn’t last long enough.
MITCHELL: Do you have any thoughts on leaving the Senate?
LEAHY: This is Marcelle’s idea that Marcelle and myself started to talk about after I lost my election. When I felt at the peak of my abilities, I wanted to go. Both of us are homesick for Vermont and we both felt it was the right time to go. Senators have stayed too long, I know. I did not want to be like them. We both enjoy scuba diving and will have more time for it now.
MITCHELL – Well, you’re my best wishe. There are still many months to go.
LEAHY, I believe so.
MITCHELL
LEAHY – Marcelle and myself have been together on this journey before, and we will leave together.
MITCHELL: Thank you so much, Senator Patrick Leahy.
LEAHY: We are grateful.
MITCHELL: This is a great privilege.
LEAHY, Thank You.
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