--:-- [Theme music fades out]
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--:-- John Bickley: The first Republican primary debate offered candidates a chance to address a wide range of issues. But the hot button issues of parental rights and gender ideology didn't get much airtime. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, however, made sure to bring up the topics.
--:-- John Bickley: I had the good fortune of a mom who worked 16 hour days making sure we had food on our tables. She taught me that if you're able bodied in America, you work. If you take out a loan, you pay it back. You commit a violent crime, you go to jail. And if God made you a man, you play sports against men.
--:-- John Bickley: On education, the only way we change education in this nation is to break the backs of the teachers unions. They are standing in the doorhouse of our kids, locking them into failing schools and locking them out of the greatest future they could have.
--:-- John Bickley: In this episode, we continue our series of interviews with presidential candidates and talk with South Carolina Senator Tim Scott about the debate and his plan to empower parents.
--:-- John Bickley: I'm Daily Wire, Editor-in-Chief John Bickley with Georgia Howe. It's Sunday, September 3rd, and this is an extra edition of Morning Wire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Joining us now is presidential candidate and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott.
--:-- [Senator Tim Scott enters the conversation]
--:-- Tim Scott: Thank you for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, first, you are in the midst of a six-day three-state blitz to discuss your plan to empower parents. Parents' rights is an issue we've heavily focused on here on the show. Tell us about your plan.
--:-- Tim Scott: I think the importance of the plan is that parents are the people who care the most about their kids. Everything we do to put parents back in charge, from education to major decisions, this nation will be better off. And that's why I've come up with my parents' Bill of Rights.
--:-- Tim Scott: It's really focusing on making sure that whether it's nationwide school choice so that more families have a voice, kids have a choice for a better future. Or frankly something as simple as ending discrimination from a federal perspective against homeschoolers. They pay taxes on the local level yet they cannot write off any of the expenses associated with sending their kids to a homeschool program or defending excellence.
--:-- Tim Scott: We are on this national rise in the nation around eliminating SAT scores or honor classes. How about let's just create a country where in our public education system, competition leads to the best receiving the rewards. Let's not slow that down or eliminate it in some new goal of equity that is reversing the tide of the greatest nation on earth.
--:-- Tim Scott: I also think that we should see our kids as kids and not guinea pigs to experiment on and something I think is a part of the culture that is really helpful. I've said this on the debate stage and I'll continue to say it. If God made you a man, you should play sports against men.
--:-- Tim Scott: I think we should continue to not allow folks to identify and then compete against people from a different gender. That just seems to be destroying women's sports.
--:-- Tim Scott: I also have spent a lot of time over the last 25 or 30 years working with crisis pregnancy centers, watching the DOJ turn a blind eye to the far left threats and the vandalism against crisis pregnancy centers is something that I just find abhorrent.
--:-- Tim Scott: And even yesterday, we saw in Spartanburg, South Carolina, one of the crisis pregnancy centers had a fire because of arsonists. So we have a lot of work to do to make sure that we have the Department of Justice restoring confidence and integrity, not just by not weaponizing itself against political enemies, but also protecting conservatives and conservative organizations by having Lady Justice return that blindfold to her eyes.
--:-- Tim Scott: From a big tech perspective, you know I have a bill that says you should know where your app comes from, and that would allow parents to be in greater charge and control over who has access to their children's information, specifically targeting China and the big tech move to allow kids to reduce their attention spans, worsen their mental health, and at the same time allowing China to steal their privacy. And frankly, too often predators are able to steal their future.
--:-- Tim Scott: So pushing back against big tech, providing app notifications so that you know where the app comes from are two major parts of my agenda as well.
--:-- John Bickley: At last week's GOP debate, transgender issues and the issue of parental consent were never really raised. Was this a failure by the moderators?
--:-- Tim Scott: Well, it one of the issues the answer is yes. I do think that we should be discussing the issues that every parent so many parents across the country are talking to their kids about at the kitchen table.
--:-- Tim Scott: I have countless friends who tell me that their middle school and high school kids are being confronted with information and indoctrination. It's one of the reasons why getting back to education and elimination of indoctrination isn't in the best the interests of our kids.
--:-- Tim Scott: I hear that from parents all the time, and therefore not having a serious conversation about some of the issues that are impacting our kids and their families today, I think it was a missed opportunity.
--:-- John Bickley: Now, according to the New York Times analysis of the debate, you spoke for about eight minutes and 15 seconds. That's about four minutes less than Vice President Mike Pence. You did not target any of your opponents. They didn't target you either. Was your debate performance a missed opportunity to gain momentum for your campaign?
--:-- Tim Scott: I don't think so. I was actually pleased with what I said on the debate stage. I could have said more, had more time would have been great. But to get more time, it seemed like you have to insult somebody and distract from the actual underlying issues impacting the American family.
--:-- Tim Scott: I decided that I would focus really on the issues that I think will govern the future of the society and not figure out who to insult. So I scored more points. I got more time. And then they would respond to my insults. And then I'd have a chance to respond to their insults.
--:-- Tim Scott: We saw a lot of that, but I think that the only two groups that actually benefited from that was national media that loves to see Republicans fighting with Republicans and Joe Biden's campaign because we didn't talk about the issues that moved the needle for the American people to vote for the GOP.
--:-- John Bickley: The next debate is September 27th at the Reagan Library in Southern California, one of my favorite places. Do you have plans to change your strategy for that debate? Are you going to be more aggressive or do you believe the approach you took in the last debate is the correct approach?
--:-- Tim Scott: I do think that we need to have a serious conversation and frankly, even a contrast on where we stand on the underlying issues that will impact the nation. I will not participate in a food fight. I don't think it's helpful for the American people. Chaos is good for ratings, bad for people.
--:-- Tim Scott: So I'm going to be the person I've always been. And if I have an opportunity to talk about the contrast between me and other candidates, that's, of course, game on. But ultimately, the goal is to make sure that the American people know what I stand for, why I stand there, and how my presidency will impact their lives.
--:-- John Bickley: Yeah, about that point, what would you say is the biggest contrast between you and the other candidates that are currently competing for the nomination?
--:-- Tim Scott: Certainly I think the issue of life is a place where we all see varying positions on the issue. That really fundamental from my perspective I believe that we must have a president who will fight for and advocate on behalf of a 15 limit to stop radical states like California and New York from having abortion on demand.
--:-- Tim Scott: And three of my opponents, Ron, Nikki, and Vivek, do not believe that there's a role for the federal government to participate in stopping states from having abortion on demand. If that's the case, you may be a pro-life governor or a pro-life business person, but that would make you a pro-choice president.
--:-- John Bickley: What issue do you believe is the priority for the average American right now, for both Republican voters and Democratic voters alike, that as president you could address?
--:-- Tim Scott: Well, there's no doubt that under Joe Biden, we've seen the printing and the spending of trillions of dollars leading to 16% aggregate inflation, causing increases in interest rates. By default, it is now harder to become a first-time homebuyer than it has been in 30 years.
--:-- Tim Scott: Interest rates are at 7.23%, I think it was. I saw last week for a 30-year mortgage, and they were riding around 3% two years ago. So the devastation that the average family is experiencing is undeniable and, frankly, unacceptable, something I would be able to turn around as President of the United States.
--:-- Tim Scott: So I would say that the pocketbook issues are front and center. 60% of Americans are working paycheck to paycheck. We deserve better from our elected officials, and I believe I could deliver that probably within 90 to 100 days.
--:-- John Bickley: Final question. We've seen the Republican field start to thin out a little bit this week. Francis Suarez, the Miami mayor, dropped out of the race. You've indicated you're in it for the long run. What is your plan for the coming weeks and months in terms of your campaign? Where are we going to see you, and what will you be focusing on?
--:-- Tim Scott: Well, tomorrow, the next two days, I'll do multiple stops throughout the state of Iowa. This past Friday, I was in New Hampshire for multiple stops. Yesterday, I did multiple stops in South Carolina.
--:-- Tim Scott: I think I've just revealed my strategy. It's New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina on rotation. And that is, in my opinion, the way that you create momentum for the campaign.
--:-- Tim Scott: And frankly, it's a place where my poll numbers are much better throughout the states than they are nationally because polls don't vote, but people do. And so having a chance to go shake hands and kiss babies has been a blessing.
--:-- John Bickley: Well, those key primary states will obviously play a pivotal role in 2024. Senator, thank you so much for joining us.
--:-- Tim Scott: Thank you for having me.
--:-- John Bickley: That was GOP presidential candidate Senator Tim Scott, and this has been an extra edition of Morning Wire.
