Subject: Fwd: Becerra to Ramos: "Scratch the surface of Donald Trump, and what do you find?"
From: "Manriquez, Pablo" <[email-masked]>
To: Comm_D <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 17 May 2016 10:42:23 -0700

Sent from my iPhone

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From: "Sarah Lovenheim" <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>
Subject: Becerra to Ramos: "Scratch the surface of Donald Trump, and what do you find?"

All,
House Democratic Chairman Xavier Becerra, the highest ranking Latino member of Congress and a surrogate for Secretary Hillary Clinton, spoke with Jorge Ramos yesterday about the state of the 2016 presidential race.

Please find a clip below, followed by Q&A excerpts, in which they discuss:

 *   Republicans for Donald Trump
 *   Senator Sanders' decision to stay in the race
 *   The Chairman's support for Secretary Clinton
 *   Donald Trump's hateful rhetoric and its impact on voter turnout

<http://fusion.net/video/302968/potential-hillary-clinton-vp-xavier-becerra-jorge-ramos/>

Q&A excerpts --

RAMOS: Let me just begin with the Republicans: Finally Speaker Ryan met with Donald Trump. And of course they don't agree on many things but finally there was a press release in which they both agreed to make sure that Hillary Clinton doesn't become the next president. What do you think of that?

BECERRA: First: one - if you scratch below the surface of Donald Trump, what do you find? Congressional Republicans. So it should not surprise people that the congressional leadership is getting on board with Donald Trump.

The second thing it tells you is this: Republicans are more concerned about their party politics than they are about their principles. Because for them, to have said all of these negative things about Donald Trump and how they could not associate with Donald Trump -- and now they're saying he's their leader -- it shows you that they are so driven by the politics that they are willing to give up on their principles.

RAMOS: Let me ask you about the Democrats. Bernie Sanders campaign manager said in an interview that Democrats have to choose the best candidate to beat Donald Trump and that according to the polls, Sanders would do much better than Hillary Clinton. Does he have a point?

BECERRA: He has handled his campaign very, very well. He has animated,  excited a lot voters. And I believe that is going to be helpful going into November for our Democrats. I think it is pretty certain, though, that Hilary Clinton is our nominee. I'm working very hard on her behalf to make sure she's our next president.

RAMOS: Are you worried about her emails -- that you might get a surprise in the middle of the summer or after the conventions?

BECERRA: From everything I've seen here in Congress -- we've had hearings over these things for quite some time -- with all the testimony, I don't see that there's anything there. As the Secretary said, it is good that the FBI is doing a thorough investigation. She has welcomed that. She has testified. My sense is we're going to keep talking about the real issues: making sure Americans are working, making sure they're getting paid better wages. making sure everyone has health care and certainly, making sure that we tackle immigration reform.

RAMOS: In the last debate, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders -- they both promised us that they would not deport children -- nor immigrants who don't have a criminal record. Do you think if she becomes President she will be able to keep that promise?

BECERRA: I do believe so. Especially if she is able to get a Congress that works with her to pass immigration reform. So this way, she won't have to rely on executive action the way President Obama has had to rely on it because you had a situation where he had to make a system that's broken work the best it could. So I think that if the Secretary becoming President gets us immigration reform quickly, we won't have these situations.

Had we passed the Senate immigration bill three years ago, Jorge, we would not be dealing with this crisis at the border with children this way. It's a humanitarian crisis. Many of us have spoken to the immigration. We are asking that the Administration realize that the people from Central America are coming as a result of a crisis. It's a humanitarian crisis and we have to deal with it appropriately.

RAMOS: Recently I'm sure you read that story in the New York Times. They suggested that you are on a short list of possible vice presidential candidates. How does that work? Has someone from the campaign talked to you about it?

BECERRA: I wish I could tell you I've been considered before for vice president and I could tell you how it works. I have no idea how it works and all I know is I'm going to keep working to try to help elect Secretary Clinton.

RAMOS: As you know, Donald Trump has nicknames for everyone. Do you have a nickname for Donald Trump?

BECERRA: La Trompa. What else can I tell you?

RAMOS: Do you want to do the translation for that?

BECERRA: All you know is he says one thing but then does another. I don't know about folks who are watching but the last thing you want is someone who's making major decisions to always be able to say one thing and do another.

RAMOS: Sixteen Republican candidates underestimated Donald Trump and you know they all lost. Do you think Democrats are making the same mistake -- that they are underestimating Donald Trump?

BECERRA: Jorge, I think I may have even said this to you in an interview. But I know I've said this very early on. When Trump first came out with his very insulting comments about Latinos and immigrants, I said, you know what? We need to hear this. It is good to have this out in the open.

Because if this doesn't cause us as Latinos, as families of immigrants, to come out and vote and be supportive of those who are with us, then I can't tell you we're going to have success on immigration reform. I can't tell you we're going to do the best job of increasing wages. We need to see that this out there so those that attack us will see we respond.

RAMOS: Congressman Becerra, thank you for talking with us.

*****