13:01:28 13:01:29 >> Hi, everyone. 13:01:31 We will be starting the webinar now. 13:01:36 My colleague Ralph is available as 13:01:37 live session support chat. 13:01:38 13:01:38 Feel free to message him if you have 13:01:41 any technical issues and you can send 13:01:44 questions via the Q & A function. 13:01:48 I will turn things over to Professor Tama. 13:01:49 >> JORDAN TAMA: Thank you. 13:01:51 It's my great pleasure to welcome all 13:01:57 of you to this webinar with Senator Russ Feingold. 13:01:59 We will talk about the implications of 13:02:01 tomorrow's midterm elections for US 13:02:02 foreign policy. 13:02:08 I think most of you probably know 13:02:08 Senator Feingold. 13:02:12 He represented Wisconsin in the US 13:02:15 Senate from 1993 to 2011 and as a 13:02:17 senator, he shape d US policies and 13:02:20 debates on a number of important issues. 13:02:22 Campaign finance reform, he was a 13:02:24 leading voice for limiting the influence 13:02:27 of money in politics, and also foreign 13:02:30 policy which will be focusing on in this webinar. 13:02:33 He was a leading voice for US 13:02:36 leadership to address conflicts and 13:02:38 humanitarian and development challenges 13:02:40 around the world and he chaired the 13:02:43 senate foreign relations committee 13:02:46 subcommittee on Africa and global health. 13:02:50 He also was a vocal opponent of the 13:02:53 Iraq war and the USA Patriot Act. 13:02:57 And he later left Congress as the 13:03:00 Obama administration special enjoy to 13:03:02 the Great Lakes region of central Africa. 13:03:04 I'm sure there have been a number of 13:03:07 jokes that have come up over the years 13:03:08 about the different Great Lakes. 13:03:10 This is the African Great Lakes not 13:03:12 the upper Midwest Great Lakes. 13:03:15 Since leaving government, he's taught 13:03:17 at a number of universities, including 13:03:20 American University, where he's taught 13:03:22 courses in the School of International 13:03:25 Service and currently University of 13:03:28 Wisconsin at Madison, where he's 13:03:32 teaching a course and he's taught 13:03:35 courses on the Gnat 13:03:39 senate and the US foreign policy and 13:03:44 he's the author of a book "while America 13:03:47 sleeps" I encourage you to take a look 13:03:49 at that if you are interested. 13:03:51 In terms of how this will work, I 13:03:54 will kick things off with questions for Senator Feingold. 13:03:58 We encourage you to sent in questions 13:04:00 at any point and we will try to get to 13:04:02 as many of them as we can, as was 13:04:04 mentioned you can use the Q&A function 13:04:07 on the platform to submit your questions. 13:04:10 First, senator Feingold, I think 13:04:12 tomorrow's election is on everyone's mind. 13:04:16 There are a few plausible outcomes for 13:04:18 how this could turn out. 13:04:21 The Democrats could take control of 13:04:26 the House and Senate, or the Republicans 13:04:27 could keep the control. 13:04:33 And we could get a split House and Senate. 13:04:34 What difference would that make for US 13:04:36 foreign policy. 13:04:39 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: First of all, 13:04:39 Professor, thank you. 13:04:41 I want to thank American University 13:04:42 and SIS. 13:04:43 I had great experiences teaching there 13:04:46 and I'm delighted to do this from my 13:04:51 alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, 13:04:53 Madison, where the African-American 13:04:54 studies are something that we are very 13:04:54 proud of. 13:04:57 Thank you for making this happen. 13:05:00 Those are some of the si they'reio -- 13:05:02 scenarios even in the democrats take 13:05:05 over the 13:05:07 House. 13:05:10 The question is whether that's a 13:05:11 significant margin or only a hair, that matters a great deal. 13:05:13 Even in the Senate, having a chose 13:05:15 Senate on any particular vote, people 13:05:16 can be picked off. 13:05:19 Put in the House, with 435 people, if 13:05:22 it's just by a vote or two, or five 13:05:24 votes this could be a much different 13:05:26 situation for the Democrats than if they 13:05:30 are up by, let's say 15 or 20, which will not be easy to do. 13:05:31 That's one thing to look for. 13:05:33 Of course, it will matter a lot 13:05:35 whether the Senate comes along too, 13:05:36 which post people believe is unlikely. 13:05:39 But if it did, from my point of view, 13:05:41 as somebody that would like to see that 13:05:43 happen, that's great, but from the point 13:05:45 of view of who drives foreign policy in 13:05:50 the Congress, it would make' big -- a 13:05:53 big difference because if it's just the 13:05:56 House that goes Democrat, they will have 13:05:57 a larger role. 13:06:02 But if the Senate, the Senate could be 13:06:04 important important in challenging the 13:06:04 Trump administration. 13:06:10 Of course it's only the Senate can 13:06:11 that confirm appointments. 13:06:13 The House has no role in that. 13:06:18 And, you know, just generally as you 13:06:20 know, this' a certain history, I think 13:06:24 of the Fulbright hearings with regard to 13:06:25 the Vietnam War, most of which were done 13:06:28 when the 13:06:32 Democrats were in the majority, but had 13:06:34 an enormous impact. 13:06:36 If the Democrats take over anything, 13:06:38 it will lead to a different scenario in 13:06:40 terms of foreign policy. 13:06:42 In terms of the Republicans' 13:06:45 attitudes, let's say they lose the 13:06:46 majority in the house, I think there 13:06:49 will be a hot of Republicans who say it 13:06:58 may not be in many my interest kowtowing 13:06:59 to President Trump, especially the 13:07:01 suburban districts where people sort of 13:07:03 expect you to be a little bit 13:07:05 internationalist maybe and not 13:07:06 completely isolationist, I think you 13:07:09 will see people assessing whether it's 13:07:12 as important to stick to Trump as before. 13:07:15 If he's not able to hold the House. 13:07:20 He will not look at as strong. 13:07:21 >> JORDAN TAMA: And are there 13:07:23 particular issues that you expect 13:07:24 Democrats to focus in foreign policy to 13:07:27 make a major part of their agenda after 13:07:30 the elections and if so, what issues 13:07:32 might those be? 13:07:34 And, you know, if you were in 13:07:36 Congress, what might you want to focus 13:07:39 on in this current environment as a 13:07:39 Democrat in Congress? 13:07:41 13:07:41 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, there's so 13:07:42 many, of course. 13:07:44 But, you know, first of all, and I 13:07:47 think you are going to have republicans 13:07:49 helping with this, if the democrats take 13:07:51 over, because it's already happening 13:07:53 under Republican control and that's the 13:07:54 issue of war powers. 13:07:57 That's the issue of whether Congress 13:08:00 will reassert its role whether it's 13:08:01 Article 1 of the Constitution or whether 13:08:05 it's under the War Powers Act or the 13:08:09 general separation of powers to say 13:08:12 women, -- wait a minute this war in 13:08:16 Yemen have these been scrutinized as the 13:08:19 Constitution expects? 13:08:21 You know in the Senate, you already 13:08:26 have bipartisan groups like Tim Kaine 13:08:27 and Bob Corker. 13:08:29 There were a lot of opportunities, 13:08:32 Barbara Lee of California, but she had a 13:08:37 lot of conservative Republicans who were saying, wait a minute being shouldn't 13:08:37 this authorization for the mill tear e 13:08:39 -- the use of military force from 2001 13:08:42 be repealed and replaced or whatever? 13:08:45 I think if the Democrats take over, 13:08:46 this will be huge. 13:08:48 The other one that I think would be 13:08:55 very significant is the use of global 13:08:55 Maginski act. 13:08:59 The ability to put the pressure on the 13:09:01 administration to use its new powers. 13:09:03 To sanction individuals who committed 13:09:05 human rights violations. 13:09:09 The first thing that comes to 13:09:12 mind is the Saudis and those are two 13:09:13 areas where there's already activity. 13:09:15 I would expect it to increase, you 13:09:17 know, significantly if at least the 13:09:19 house goes Democrat. 13:09:22 13:09:23 13:09:25 >> JORDAN TAMA: One of the notable 13:09:28 things happening on the foreign policy 13:09:30 side, senior people who have been 13:09:32 leading voices leaving Congress and in 13:09:35 John McCain's case passing away 13:09:40 especially on the Republican side, 13:09:44 Senator McCain is the most notable loss 13:09:47 and Bob Corker is leaving, on the house 13:09:51 side Ed Royce who was the chairman or is 13:09:53 still the chairman of the foreign 13:09:54 affairs committee will be leaving. 13:09:57 On the other hand, there's some 13:09:59 younger people with foreign policy 13:10:01 backgrounds running for Congress as 13:10:02 Democrats in this election, some former 13:10:07 Obama administration officials who have 13:10:07 a lot of foreign policy background are 13:10:08 running as new members of Congress. 13:10:12 Can you talk about how do you see the 13:10:14 development of new leaders in Congress 13:10:15 on foreign policies? 13:10:18 Sometimes people have the feeling that 13:10:22 the kind of lions, you know, are gone in 13:10:23 foreign policy. 13:10:26 There used to be some very prominent 13:10:30 people, people like Senator McCain. 13:10:32 Do you see there being an absence or a 13:10:34 gap or people who can make a big 13:10:35 difference in Congress or are you more 13:10:37 optimistic that there will be new 13:10:38 people, you know, coming along who will 13:10:42 be leaders on foreign policy and Congress? 13:10:44 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I'm not concerned 13:10:45 at all, Professor. 13:10:47 I have seen the lions come and go. 13:10:49 There were some incredible ones when I 13:10:50 came to the senate and they were 13:10:53 replaced by others who wanted to do this 13:10:53 type of work. 13:10:55 I think by Wednesday, we will see as 13:10:57 you suggested in your writings as well, 13:10:58 that there are a whole number of really 13:11:00 sharp people that are going to be 13:11:02 elected who -- you know, they are not 13:11:02 going to wait around. 13:11:05 They will try to get on the foreign 13:11:07 affairs committee in the House or the 13:11:08 Senate foreign relations committee, they 13:11:11 will try to get on the intelligence committee. 13:11:13 Because they have the training and 13:11:15 the background, some of them have 13:11:17 intelligence background, military 13:11:19 background, sophisticated States 13:11:19 department background. 13:11:22 They can hit the ground running and my 13:11:24 prediction is they will come up to and 13:11:26 even surpass suppose who were in the 13:11:28 Congress who, frankly have been a little 13:11:30 bit cowed by Donald Trump. 13:11:33 I think they will be unafraid. 13:11:35 They will be elected even in the 13:11:37 environment of Trump trying to defeat 13:11:38 them around the country. 13:11:45 I think a number of Republicans may 13:11:46 be willing to help up. 13:11:47 Marco Rubio, he's willing to be 13:11:49 independent from Trump on a number of 13:11:51 key foreign policy issues. 13:11:53 So -- even Lindsey Graham, who I'm 13:11:55 very irritated with for how much he 13:11:59 plays up to Trump, but he took a stuff 13:12:01 stand on this Saudi Arabia stuff. 13:12:03 I'm not just optimistic that there 13:12:07 will be new 13:12:11 Democratic leaders, and newly elected 13:12:13 people who are going to go against what 13:12:17 I think most of them see as a very 13:12:19 reckless and very hard-to-understand 13:12:21 foreperson policy of the Trump administration. 13:12:25 -- foreign policy of the Trump administration. 13:12:27 >> JORDAN TAMA: We have questions 13:12:28 coming in from participants. 13:12:32 I'm Ingrid. 13:12:32 I'm a Wisconsinite. 13:12:35 Eye have been trying to convince my 13:12:37 relative to vote for Democrats through 13:12:37 fact-based conversation. 13:12:40 How can we engage in conversation when 13:12:42 something as simple as science on global 13:12:44 warming is fake news? 13:12:45 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: It's never been harder. 13:12:48 I taught a course on fake news because 13:12:50 this is such a huge problem. 13:12:51 But, you know, I think people have a 13:12:55 sense of unease about the recklessness 13:12:57 about the Trump administration. 13:12:58 I don't think they are entirely 13:13:00 comfortable when they see him playing up 13:13:02 to some of the worst dictators in the 13:13:05 world, his relationship with the 13:13:06 President of the Philippines and his 13:13:07 attitude towards Saudi Arabia. 13:13:13 Obviously his attitude of Donald Trump. 13:13:16 I think people think this is an odd 13:13:18 thing for the President of United States 13:13:18 to do. 13:13:22 At the same time, he's very 13:13:27 antagonistic towards our friends, 13:13:31 friends in Europe and Canada and elsewhere. I think people at the gut level realize this is not where he want to be, 13:13:31 but it is not easy. 13:13:33 I don't want to tell her that I have 13:13:35 the answer to try to talk to people who 13:13:37 aren't willing to look at facts and 13:13:40 discuss things one the facts have been 13:13:41 agreed upon. 13:13:46 >> JORDAN TAMA: And another question 13:13:52 from D says I'm a former GOP Hill and 13:13:56 frustrated with Congress' abdecation of 13:13:57 power over the past two years. 13:13:59 Do you see this as a problem in the 13:14:03 crafting of the US foreign policy,? 13:14:08 If so, how can staffers like my former 13:14:10 colleagues change it? 13:14:12 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: How conservatism 13:14:16 ever became an excuse for turning over 13:14:18 the foreign powers to the executive is 13:14:18 beyond me. 13:14:21 It's the heart of conservatism to have 13:14:29 the kinds of checks and balances that 13:14:29 were intended by the founders of country 13:14:30 and to have the Article 1 powers exerted. I will give you a great example. 13:14:33 Something that I have been harping on 13:14:35 for the last couple of years and I wish 13:14:36 I could get others to lessen. 13:14:38 The idea is that the president of the 13:14:40 United States can unilaterally withdraw 13:14:42 from a treaty, I think it is wrong! 13:14:46 It's now accepted in the 20th and 13:14:48 early 21st century that we can do that. 13:14:50 That was not the understanding at the 13:14:51 beginning of the country. 13:14:53 The only real information we have 13:14:58 about it is Thomas Jefferson's own 13:15:00 statement that if the Senate approves a 13:15:01 treaty it has to disapprove a treaty. 13:15:02 And throughout the 19th century being 13:15:04 the various studies of this make it 13:15:06 clear that that was the understanding. 13:15:08 I tried to warn people, a year and a 13:15:08 half ago. 13:15:12 You know, Trump can pull us out of the 13:15:16 UN or pull us out of NATO or a nuclear 13:15:18 treaty with Russia, which is, of course, 13:15:20 what he will do now or what he says he 13:15:22 will do. 13:15:26 Congress can reassert itself in this area. 13:15:29 It can pass resolutions saying, no, we are a coequal branch. 13:15:30 We do not accept this and challenge 13:15:31 this before the United States Supreme 13:15:33 Court, where it has never come up on the merits. 13:15:36 And I consider this to be a major 13:15:40 battle along with reasserting the war 13:15:41 powers' role of the Congress. 13:15:43 Those are two areas where I would urge 13:15:49 any staffer, anybody, Republican, 13:15:51 Democrat, liberal, conservative, to say, 13:15:52 look, this is our role to reassert it 13:15:56 regardless of who the president is. 13:15:57 >> JORDAN TAMA: And we have more 13:15:59 questions coming in, but we're going to 13:16:00 have time for many more. 13:16:03 So please continue sending in your 13:16:06 questions and use the Q&A function to do that. 13:16:09 I have 13:16:11 have a question from Philip Brenner. 13:16:15 If you were advising the House 13:16:18 Democrats where would you recommend they 13:16:22 focus investigations of the executive 13:16:22 branch. 13:16:25 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I think they should 13:16:27 get bipartisan investigations into some 13:16:29 of the interventions, whether it's Saudi 13:16:31 Arabia's role in Yemen, which it be a 13:16:34 number of activities going on in Africa, 13:16:37 which are not necessarily wrong, but not 13:16:39 properly scrutinized by Congress. 13:16:43 When it comes to human rights issues, 13:16:43 I don't think it's going to be difficult 13:16:45 for the democrats to -- in the house if 13:16:48 they take over the house to get the 13:16:50 Republican cosponsors for either 13:16:53 legislation or resolutions or investigations. 13:16:55 Some of the leading human rights 13:16:57 advocates in the house are Republicans. 13:17:01 And so I think that's -- you know, 13:17:04 otherwise, how could the global 13:17:05 Magnitski passed had it not been for the 13:17:09 fact that it was bipartisan, because the 13:17:11 Democrats did not control the House at 13:17:11 that time. 13:17:14 So these are areas that are ripe for 13:17:15 investigation, as well as for legislation. 13:17:18 13:17:19 13:17:20 >> JORDAN TAMA: Another question has 13:17:20 come in. 13:17:22 This is from C Chambers. 13:17:27 How aggressively do you think 13:17:28 democrats will push investigating 13:17:30 Russian interference if they win the 13:17:31 House, Senate or both? 13:17:32 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I would hope it's 13:17:34 fairly aggress environment, because this 13:17:36 is a direct attack on our democracy, to 13:17:40 sort of make a tactic tactical decision, 13:17:41 this may not play very well. 13:17:43 It's been identified by our leading 13:17:45 security people in our government under 13:17:49 the Trump administration as one of the 13:17:51 greatest threats to our national security. 13:17:53 This is an opportunity for Democrats, 13:17:57 a rare opportunity in the eyes of 13:18:00 public, for the Democrats protecting our 13:18:02 elections and protecting our privacy and 13:18:04 protecting us from the Russian attempt 13:18:07 to destroy our democracy. 13:18:10 That should be at the core of the 13:18:10 Democratic message. 13:18:14 It shouldn't be the only thing that we do. 13:18:17 Here' the thing we haven't mentioned. 13:18:18 The most important thing, perhaps, 13:18:21 about democrats taking over the House in 13:18:23 any legislative body, the only people 13:18:24 who get to call hearing and decide what 13:18:27 the hearings are about are those in the majority. 13:18:32 Right now, the 13:18:36 democrats can't call for a hearing on anything. 13:18:37 And to be able to say this week, we 13:18:39 will have hearings every day on this 13:18:44 and, of course, the Rentrepublican 13:18:44 members have to show up. 13:18:47 That's a vital power whether it's the 13:18:51 house or the senate and in some ways 13:18:54 that will be the biggest issue, when 13:18:56 it's being used to air an issue. 13:18:58 We know this from the intelligence 13:18:59 committee in the house, where the us 13:19:03 from vacations of Adam Shift and the 13:19:08 democrats with the attitude of many of 13:19:11 Ma the majority. 13:19:13 They will be in charge of the 13:19:14 intelligence committee. 13:19:17 I hope they play it fair and straight 13:19:19 but they can control the agenda and that 13:19:20 will make a real difference. 13:19:21 >> JORDAN TAMA: Okay. 13:19:22 Please keep sending in your questions. 13:19:24 We have another one from Micah. 13:19:26 What do you believe is the end game in 13:19:27 regards to Saudi Arabia? 13:19:30 Especially given that they are a key 13:19:30 ally of the United States? 13:19:35 13:19:37 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, I think he 13:19:39 had should become less of a key ally of 13:19:44 the United States, unless they lose the 13:19:47 horrific conduct that they are doing, 13:19:51 even the horrific human rights 13:19:51 violations in Yemen. 13:19:54 Saudi Arabia has a role of helping us 13:19:56 to check Iran and I respect that and 13:19:58 other economic and other issues, but to 13:20:00 give a free pass to this kind of 13:20:02 dictatorship, after all of these years, 13:20:03 needs to come to an end. 13:20:05 We need to put severe pressure on them. 13:20:07 We need to make demands. 13:20:08 They needed us. 13:20:11 And that doesn't mean we should be 13:20:13 unreasonable, but we can ask for 13:20:16 significant changes and far more 13:20:19 accountability and far more transparency 13:20:20 than they have been giving. 13:20:23 I think there's a level of arrogance 13:20:27 there that has to be repudiated. 13:20:28 >> JORDAN TAMA: Senator Feingold. 13:20:32 Some people think that the Democratic 13:20:34 party made or has made a strategic 13:20:36 mistake by neglecting certain parts of 13:20:38 the country, places like Wisconsin, 13:20:41 which traditionally -- well, for a while 13:20:45 had tended to go Democrat and then Trump 13:20:46 did better than expected there. 13:20:48 This was a dealing that he was -- 13:20:49 there was a feeling he was able to get 13:20:53 some voters to come over to his side who 13:20:54 felt like they were neglected, the blue 13:20:56 collar voters, ordinary Americans. 13:21:00 Do you think the Democratic party 13:21:02 needs to change the way it approaches 13:21:05 national politics in -- in that sense? 13:21:09 Or is that real will he kind of a 13:21:12 misguided perception that the Democratic 13:21:13 party has taken certain voters for 13:21:15 Granted or neglected certain parts of 13:21:17 the country? 13:21:22 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I wouldn't say that 13:21:24 Wisconsin was taken for granted by the 13:21:24 party, per se. 13:21:25 Certainly, there are strong efforts in 13:21:25 the various elections. 13:21:27 There was something of an attitude 13:21:31 that everything was fine in 2016 as, of 13:21:32 course, I know that. 13:21:34 And I think that showed a lag of understanding. 13:21:39 The fundamental problem that the 13:21:41 Democrats did, they made a deal with 13:21:44 the devil in the trade agreements and I 13:21:46 was against all of them when it came to NAFTA. 13:21:50 I voted against all of these trade 13:21:52 agreements which were pushed by the 13:21:54 Republicans more than the Democrats. 13:21:57 But they were siding up with the big 13:22:00 internation a international corporations 13:22:02 and a lot of jobs were taken out of our 13:22:07 state and overseas and, of course, 13:22:08 figured this out. 13:22:10 Hillary Clinton was not as strong on 13:22:13 this and he seized on this in a way that 13:22:17 made people believe that he was somehow 13:22:18 serious about solving the problem. 13:22:19 I don't think he is. 13:22:20 But they think he is. 13:22:22 It became part of the Democratic 13:22:24 party's Orthodoxy that well, we have to 13:22:27 be a free trade party and fair trade 13:22:36 isn't really -- that's a ludit attitude. 13:22:45 They she they should recommit to protect the workers. 13:22:46 I think the perception is different 13:22:48 now in Wisconsin and the results will 13:22:49 show that on -- tomorrow, Tuesday. 13:22:50 13:22:52 >> JORDAN TAMA: And then on -- with 13:22:55 regard to steps Trump is taking now on 13:23:02 trade, such Aztar as tariffs and such as 13:23:03 China, would you recommend that 13:23:05 democrats partner with him on those 13:23:06 issues or do you think that still he's 13:23:08 not doing things the way you would go 13:23:10 about doing things on trade? 13:23:12 13:23:14 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: It should be merit-based. 13:23:16 If it's a trade agreement that was 13:23:19 unfair from the againing as is -- from 13:23:22 the beginning, as is NAFTA. 13:23:24 It should be renegotiated. 13:23:28 I can't say that he made it better. 13:23:31 On the other hand, reckless tariffs 13:23:32 that could lead to trade wars that could 13:23:34 be damaging to Wisconsin business and 13:23:36 Wisconsin workers that's not necessarily 13:23:36 a good idea. 13:23:39 I think it should be open-mindedness 13:23:41 and to try to say, look, especially if 13:23:43 you have got -- the thing to remember, 13:23:47 now the House, if it's Democrat, you 13:23:48 know, they can have some say in some of this. 13:23:50 They can pass resolutions. 13:23:52 They can potentially block, you know, 13:23:54 the House has the power under the 13:23:57 constitution to do all appropriations. 13:24:00 The executive branch wants its appropriations. 13:24:04 The House in particular has leverage 13:24:06 over the President and it should be used 13:24:10 in this area to dot right -- do the 13:24:12 right thing rather than doing every 13:24:13 hostile thing in the trade area. 13:24:16 It should be a rational policy. 13:24:17 >> JORDAN TAMA: We have a bunch more 13:24:18 questions come in. 13:24:19 This is from Julia. 13:24:23 How do you feel this year will come 13:24:26 when it comes to voter turnout and suppression. 13:24:28 How do you think it will impact the 13:24:31 midterm elections compared to others? 13:24:33 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I feel voter 13:24:35 suppression is a danger in a number of areas. 13:24:37 In Kansas and Georgia, there's things 13:24:39 going on that are right out of the 13:24:42 secretary of state's offices that are 13:24:43 deeply troubling. 13:24:45 Every trick in the book is being used 13:24:47 to try to depress the vote in a number 13:24:48 of places. 13:24:49 On the other hand, there are other 13:24:51 places in the country, where it's not as 13:24:53 bad and frankly, he think the turnout 13:24:54 will be tremendous, but the question 13:24:57 will be in a place like Georgia and that 13:25:00 governor's race, will the turnout be 13:25:02 enough to overcome what appears to be 13:25:03 direct attempts to interfere with 13:25:07 people's abilities to vote in Georgia? 13:25:11 13:25:14 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question from 13:25:14 someone identified as a congressional intern. 13:25:15 How do you see the House and Senate 13:25:17 foreign affairs and Homeland Securities 13:25:20 and armed services committees possibly 13:25:22 changing in goals and directions, 13:25:25 particularly in regard to transAtlantic 13:25:27 relationships and military relatements? 13:25:29 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I would add the 13:25:30 intelligence committee to that list too. 13:25:34 What I see happening is they will 13:25:36 look like the grownups in the room. 13:25:38 They will be carefully, maturely 13:25:41 chairing these committees and allowing 13:25:42 Republicans to play their proper roll. 13:25:45 And CNN and these cable people need to 13:25:46 fill up 24 hours. 13:25:48 They are going to want to cover these hearings. 13:25:51 An so members of those committees are 13:25:53 going to have a chance to get a name for 13:25:55 themselves and establish themselves as 13:25:57 serious about foreign policy in a way 13:26:01 that this administration has been unable to do. 13:26:02 So it's really a golden opportunity 13:26:05 for new leaders to convey awe different 13:26:07 different -- a different sense of 13:26:10 American foreign poll s 13:26:13 policies and to tell countries that are 13:26:15 sick about the Trump administration, 13:26:17 that there are other people here. 13:26:20 There will be a choice, whether Trump 13:26:22 runs or not, in 2020, and think the 13:26:24 Congress can make itself look, you know, 13:26:29 quite good in terms of being rational 13:26:31 and intelligent in terms of our foreign 13:26:32 policy goals. 13:26:36 13:26:37 >> JORDAN TAMA: And a question from 13:26:40 Kate in our increasingly globalized 13:26:42 world do domestic politics exist or must 13:26:45 we always consider things from an 13:26:46 international perspective? 13:26:48 If so, how do we maintain this 13:26:51 globalization with national sovereignty? 13:26:52 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I think things have 13:26:54 changed in a way that I wasn't always 13:26:55 wanting to embrace. 13:26:59 I think we are kidding ourselves if we 13:27:00 think that everything we do here is 13:27:02 domestic and can be focused on domestic. 13:27:05 I very little good to say about the 13:27:08 Trump administration. 13:27:08 The fact that he keeps pushing all of 13:27:09 these buttons on foreign policy at the 13:27:12 same time he does the domestic makes us 13:27:15 realize that the two really go hand in hand. 13:27:17 And, of course, this is especially 13:27:19 true when it comes to immigration, when 13:27:21 we don't care of -- or help the world 13:27:23 take care of problems in some of the 13:27:25 countries in South America and we see 13:27:28 this kind of dislocation that's occurring. 13:27:32 It affects our domestic politics as well. 13:27:32 They are interrelated. 13:27:33 And being of course, our national 13:27:35 security is desperately related to the 13:27:36 situation throughout the world. 13:27:37 I think what's happening now because 13:27:39 the Trump administration is our country 13:27:43 isn't taking it seriously as it used to be. 13:27:47 And I think the Chinese and the 13:27:49 Russians and others are realizing that. 13:27:53 They are making moves in after 13:27:55 reinforce cane other places -- Africa 13:27:57 and other places and they are saying, 13:27:59 the Americans don't have their act together. 13:28:01 We want to be one of the countries 13:28:04 involved in trying to advance our 13:28:05 interests and cooperation around the 13:28:06 world but right now, we look like our 13:28:08 own house is not in order and that needs 13:28:10 to change and a change in the Congress 13:28:10 can help that occur. 13:28:14 13:28:15 >> JORDAN TAMA: Another question came 13:28:15 in anonymously. 13:28:18 With regard to trade agreements do you 13:28:23 feel US influence in Asia has waned with 13:28:25 the exit from the TPP as China pushes 13:28:30 ahead with the one belt, one road initiative? 13:28:30 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I think it's possible. 13:28:31 I think the TPP was a bad agreement. 13:28:35 I think it was a huge gift to 13:28:37 corporations who will be given the power 13:28:40 to sue like governments. 13:28:43 I don't think the TPP is the interest 13:28:44 to advance the interest under trade but 13:28:46 I do think that there should be a new 13:28:51 effort that would be far more opened and 13:28:52 far more concerned about the workers we 13:28:53 are talking about and the environment in 13:28:55 those countries. 13:28:58 So I would say there's a gap right 13:29:01 now and it's partly Trump's fault. 13:29:04 It's the fault of those would put 13:29:06 together a corporate-dominated agreement 13:29:08 that was not respectful of the needs of 13:29:10 American workers and frankly a lot of 13:29:12 the workers and the people in those 13:29:14 other countries. 13:29:15 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question from Micah. 13:29:17 What do you say to people would claim 13:29:19 that Congress really doesn't have an 13:29:22 important role to play in the crafting 13:29:24 of US foreign policy abroad? 13:29:25 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I would urge them 13:29:29 to read the competition and the 13:29:30 Federalist Papers and the history of 13:29:30 this country. 13:29:32 We get into trouble when Congress sits 13:29:33 on its hands. 13:29:36 It's not just the executive's faults. 13:29:39 One the assumption and a lot of 13:29:39 writings about this. 13:29:46 I do teach this in a course about the 13:29:50 is US Senate, that they see it as agrandizement. 13:29:51 That's not the whole story it. 13:29:54 A lot of it is acquiescence. 13:29:57 A lot of members of come have figured 13:29:58 out, well, if this will be a war, maybe 13:30:00 it's better we don't vote on it. 13:30:02 If it goes well being you can go to 13:30:04 the welcome home parades and if it 13:30:07 doesn't go well, you can say, well, I 13:30:08 didn't vote for it. 13:30:10 That's exactly what happened 13:30:15 throughout the 20th century an early 13:30:17 21st century, that Congress gave up its role. 13:30:24 Anyone who says that the original 13:30:25 intention of the Congress not playing a 13:30:28 major role in foreign policy, that's a 13:30:34 myth of John Hugh and others who created 13:30:37 a pile of nonsense that Bush used to 13:30:39 justify some of the things he did. 13:30:42 Torture, to various forms of wire 13:30:44 tapping that were not allowed by legislation. 13:30:46 13:30:52 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question from D 13:30:55 Chat, losing to the foreign policy lions. 13:30:56 Who are some foreign policy players in 13:30:58 the House and Senate on both sides that 13:31:00 you think are up and coming and worth 13:31:01 following more closely? 13:31:03 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, I think Tim 13:31:05 Kaine of Virginia has been a very 13:31:08 thoughtful member who is in a time when 13:31:10 he was considered a possible vice 13:31:13 presidential vice presidential 13:31:14 candidate, was willing to take on some 13:31:20 of the issues, and I think Ben Carden, 13:31:25 has shown real strength on the sanctions issue. 13:31:28 He along with John McCain wrote the 13:31:31 sanctions act that we talked about. 13:31:33 There are many other members in the 13:31:39 Senate, you know, people that are Jean 13:31:42 Shaheen and others who I know or know of 13:31:45 are very strong. 13:31:46 On the Republican side, you know, 13:31:48 there are people who are not always 13:31:49 turning to the right wing position. 13:31:51 I mentioned Marco Rubio, of course 13:31:53 there are a couple who are retiring 13:31:56 right now. 13:31:58 So there are some. 13:31:59 In the House, I'm less familiar with 13:32:01 the leaders although over the years, 13:32:04 somebody you worked with, Jim McGovern, 13:32:05 wonderful Congressman, battler of human 13:32:06 rights is a great example of the kind of 13:32:09 person would can play a major role, 13:32:13 especially if the Democrats get the majority. 13:32:15 >> JORDAN TAMA: Senator Feingold, I 13:32:17 think many people in the country are 13:32:18 really concerned about the erosion of 13:32:21 the country's political culture 13:32:23 generally, you know attacks on the 13:32:24 media, especially from Trump, but not 13:32:28 only from Trump, just a lot of hateful 13:32:31 rhetoric by political figures and rise 13:32:35 of hate groups in the country. 13:32:36 How do you think the country can kind 13:32:41 of -- can the country get back to a 13:32:44 political culture that's more civil, 13:32:46 where, you know, tolerance, respect for 13:32:49 people who are different is, you know, 13:32:52 more embedded in the political discourse? 13:32:53 Can we get back to that? 13:32:55 What do we need to do to get back to that? 13:32:59 13:33:02 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I certain Lehope so 13:33:04 -- I certainly hope so. 13:33:06 I never thought I would see anything 13:33:09 with regards to the tension and the use 13:33:11 of the executive branch to divide our country. 13:33:13 There's a couple of things that have 13:33:14 to happen. 13:33:17 One it has to do with elections. 13:33:20 If the Democrats take over the House 13:33:22 and the Senate and if we are able to 13:33:24 defeat Donald Trump in 2020, the message 13:33:26 is to those who are sitting on the fence 13:33:27 and many of them have. 13:33:30 The message is if you play cute with 13:33:33 white nationalists and others and don't 13:33:35 clearly condemn them, you will lose your job. 13:33:37 That's something that needs to be made 13:33:39 very clear to many of these Republicans 13:33:41 who have not taken a strong position on 13:33:44 this and have been reweak in league of 13:33:48 the -- very we weak in light of the 13:33:50 outrageous things that Donald Trump has said. 13:33:53 The other thing is the lack of civic 13:33:55 education, so many people I talk to see this. 13:33:57 You know, when you are older, you talk 13:34:01 about what they used to teach us. 13:34:02 We were taught the Constitution and 13:34:06 the bill of rights, you know in 7th and 13:34:06 8th grade. 13:34:07 Early on. 13:34:09 And we were really encouraged to 13:34:13 understand what those assumptions are 13:34:15 about tolerating free speech and the 13:34:17 role of the media and how important 13:34:19 those are in your case and others were 13:34:20 to the history of this country. 13:34:27 These are things that need to be given 13:34:30 to young people at a very young age, and 13:34:32 grilled all the way through until they 13:34:33 finish high school and do what they are 13:34:34 going to do after that. 13:34:37 I think civic education and investing 13:34:40 in civic education is crucial to help us 13:34:41 repair this horrible idea that it's okay 13:34:44 to say these kinds of things in a 13:34:46 diverse society such as ours. 13:34:48 13:34:49 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question has come 13:34:50 in from Charles. 13:34:52 The House foreign affairs committee 13:34:54 does not appear to have Russian 13:34:55 expansion on their radar of issues. 13:34:59 How do you see the committee best 13:35:03 addressing Russian expansion and events 13:35:03 in Ukraine? 13:35:04 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I think it should 13:35:05 be included. 13:35:07 It's an extremely delicate point in 13:35:07 the wore. 13:35:10 I won't obviously try to them what 13:35:12 they should do, first, second or third, 13:35:16 but to ignore that, ignores what 13:35:18 happened in the early 1990s. 13:35:20 And I saw this happen. 13:35:23 The Soviet Union collapsed and the 13:35:24 attitude was we don't have to worry 13:35:26 about Russia anymore. 13:35:29 Many years I was on the Senate foreign 13:35:30 relations committee. 13:35:32 There was hardly any talk about 13:35:34 Russia, on the idea that this giant 13:35:36 country that was so influential 13:35:39 throughout human history was something 13:35:40 of the past. 13:35:42 I think to make that mistake again 13:35:43 and when it comes to the situation in 13:35:46 the ewe 13:35:48 Ukraine would be a mistake. 13:35:52 We need to be able to walk and chew 13:35:53 gum at the same time. 13:35:55 We need to figure out what our 13:35:58 relationship is to be with China and we 13:36:02 have to be much more engaged in Africa 13:36:03 and Latin America and we have to rebill 13:36:05 our relationship with you're -- rebuild 13:36:08 our relationship with Europe after the 13:36:10 President has done so much damage to it. 13:36:11 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question from Amanda. 13:36:13 I live in southeastern Wisconsin. 13:36:16 Do you believe that the controversy 13:36:19 around Fox Com will have any impact on 13:36:23 the Wisconsin elections? >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I do. 13:36:25 It looks like a huge giveaway to an 13:36:27 enormous foreign corporation where 13:36:29 exceptions are made on water, on 13:36:31 environmental issues and others and it 13:36:37 could end up being an enormous pig and a poke. 13:36:39 The idea that international 13:36:41 corporations will control our state of 13:36:44 Wisconsin even more is troubling. 13:36:45 And this was not the kind of process 13:36:46 that I think most Wisconsinites believe in. 13:36:49 I think it could be decisive in terms 13:36:51 of our governor's race where I'm very 13:36:52 hopeful that we will have a victory. 13:36:54 13:36:55 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question from Joshua. 13:36:58 With the possible flip of the house, 13:36:59 and consequential balancing of Congress, 13:37:01 would this increased political 13:37:05 competition in a way that pushes for 13:37:07 more cooperation in political engagement 13:37:10 or will the competition in Congress 13:37:12 further impede our roles in 13:37:14 international affairs? 13:37:15 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, that will 13:37:17 partly be up to the president. 13:37:20 If the Democrats take over the House 13:37:23 and not the Senate, he will have to do that. 13:37:26 He likes govern by tweet and executive 13:37:27 orders and whether they are legitimate 13:37:28 or not. 13:37:30 They does not like to deal with legislation. 13:37:31 What they may have to confront is 13:37:34 something that did he confront early on 13:37:37 in his presidency. 13:37:39 The House and the Senate may pass 13:37:39 Russian sanctions. 13:37:41 He may have to go ahead and sign some 13:37:48 of these things unless he wants his veto overridden. 13:37:51 He was able to cow Paul Ryan in the 13:37:55 house very easily in a number of 13:37:56 occasions but I don't think he will be 13:37:56 able to do that. 13:37:59 Maybe he will become even more 13:38:00 stubborn and refuse to deal with these 13:38:02 issues and we will have a stalemate or 13:38:04 maybe he will decide to make a dealing 13:38:06 which he claims to be so good at. 13:38:11 It's possible that he would make deals 13:38:12 with Democrats that would be more 13:38:14 appropriate on things like human rights 13:38:17 and cases where sanctions need to be 13:38:20 used against people that are committing 13:38:23 horrific human rights violations around 13:38:25 the world, for example. 13:38:26 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question from Molly. 13:38:31 How might Angela Merkel's decision not 13:38:38 to seek another term affect US relationships? 13:38:38 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: There's a common 13:38:40 knowledge that there's a rise of 13:38:42 nationalist parties in Germany and other 13:38:44 places as well, and Hungary. 13:38:48 We have a new very far right president 13:38:49 in Brazil. 13:38:54 The nationalism of a negative kind is 13:38:55 dangerous but particularly frightening 13:38:57 when it comes to Germany and the central 13:38:59 role in terms of Europe. 13:39:02 We have to be vigilant and we have to 13:39:03 make sure that the United States makes 13:39:05 it cheer to Germany that this -- clear 13:39:08 to Germany that this is not the 13:39:10 direction we are going and we need to 13:39:13 Germany to be an internationalist, 13:39:14 compassionate country as it has been on' 13:39:19 number of oaks oaks -- on a number of 13:39:21 occasions when it comes to Angela Merkel 13:39:28 when it comes to refugees. 13:39:31 >> JORDAN TAMA: The secretary of 13:39:32 defense says the military doesn't do stunts. 13:39:38 What can Congress do to restrain the 13:39:39 President's actions? 13:39:40 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: This is where the 13:39:41 purse comes into play. 13:39:43 Yes, Congress will play a major role 13:39:45 in foreign policy. 13:39:49 The Congress controls money for 13:39:51 foreign policy or the military. 13:39:52 This is a stun. 13:39:54 t. 13:39:58 I hope a new democratic House and 13:40:00 Senate, if possible will pass 13:40:01 resolutions or even legislation that 13:40:04 would prohibit funding for this kind of 13:40:05 activity until it stops. 13:40:08 13:40:09 >> JORDAN TAMA: A question from Micah 13:40:11 what state should replace Saudi Arabia 13:40:14 as an ally in the Middle East? 13:40:15 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: The goal is not to 13:40:16 replace Saudi Arabia. 13:40:18 It's to get Saudi Arabia to become a 13:40:20 decent actor domestically in its own 13:40:22 country, in terms of women's rights and 13:40:26 other issues, in terms of its human 13:40:30 rights violations, including what it's 13:40:30 doing in Yemen and to insist that they follow those standards. 13:40:33 It's not an idea of just dumping them 13:40:35 in the trash can but making it clear 13:40:37 that they do risk losing us, their 13:40:38 relationship with us if they don't change. 13:40:41 13:40:42 >> JORDAN TAMA: Question about 13:40:44 government spending. 13:40:48 This past year, a budget agreement was 13:40:50 reached where Congress and the president 13:40:53 agreed to increase federal spending, a 13:40:56 bit of a surprise after years of keeping 13:40:59 federal spending down under 13:41:02 Republican control. 13:41:08 Basically the Democrats agreed to 13:41:09 increase the defense spending and 13:41:10 increase the social spending and other 13:41:12 areas that they care about. 13:41:14 A similar thing happens during the 13:41:17 Reagan era where you had a big defense 13:41:22 build up with the Republican-controlled Congress. 13:41:26 Is that a bargen that you think 13:41:27 democrats should go for, or go along 13:41:31 with if that's a way to get increased 13:41:33 federal spending for social areas, you 13:41:35 know, in exchange for going along with d 13:41:39 fence -- defense spending? 13:41:40 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: New York I think we 13:41:42 should do what we did in the Clinton 13:41:44 years which is to be responsible and 13:41:46 bring the deficit under control. 13:41:47 It's plain that those republicans 13:41:50 would ran on controlling the deficit 13:41:50 didn't mean a word they he is. 13:41:55 It was a complete farce. 13:41:58 What they 13:42:00 wanted is tax cuts. 13:42:02 They wapped to fund enormous -- they 13:42:05 wanted to fund enormous tax cuts that 13:42:07 benefit the very wealthy. 13:42:11 The Democrats should have nothing to 13:42:12 do with that and that should be repealed. 13:42:14 You have to question some of the 13:42:15 defense expenditures as well. 13:42:20 I don't think the Democrats if they 13:42:22 get majority in one house, go with that formula. 13:42:24 It's a formula for disaster. 13:42:27 It's a chance for the democrats to be 13:42:29 a party of fiscal responsibility which 13:42:31 we were under Bill Clinton and it was a 13:42:34 very successful era where the deficit 13:42:36 actually was eliminated for a while. 13:42:39 13:42:42 13:42:44 >> JORDAN TAMA: And looking generally 13:42:46 at Trump's foreign policy, what do you 13:42:49 think he's done that is most concerning 13:42:51 to you and are there areas where you 13:42:54 would give him some credit in foreign policy. 13:42:57 Something that he's done right? 13:43:00 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I'm glad he's 13:43:03 questioned the trade agreements. 13:43:07 Overall Donald Trump has weakened this country. 13:43:12 He's greatly weakened our national 13:43:15 security about you blustering to world 13:43:18 leaders and the desire support the worst 13:43:20 among the world leaders and do not treat 13:43:21 those who want to cooperate with us and 13:43:23 with whom we have a good relationship 13:43:27 over the years in a decent way and he's 13:43:30 isolated America in a time when we 13:43:33 really condition afford to -- can't 13:43:34 afford to be isolated. 13:43:38 This is not the early 19th century 13:43:41 when we had' lot of problems with 13:43:43 international relationships. 13:43:47 For us to pretend that we can thumb 13:43:49 our nose and people and countries that 13:43:57 are not friendly with us and stir things 13:43:58 a violent way. 13:44:00 Donald Trump is making us less safe 13:44:02 and that needs to change. 13:44:03 >> JORDAN TAMA: A lot of Americans 13:44:07 these days are really disillusioned with 13:44:11 how partisan politics is become, the 13:44:12 polarization in Washington. 13:44:14 We have a lot of members of Congress 13:44:17 who leave Congress because they become 13:44:19 us from elevatorred 13:44:21 elevator -- frustrated with that. 13:44:23 Why should someone consider a career 13:44:26 in public service these days in that 13:44:27 type of political environment when 13:44:32 running for office, you are basically 13:44:34 exposing yourself to partisan attacks 13:44:36 and a political environment where it can 13:44:39 be hard to get something done. 13:44:40 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, it's hard and 13:44:43 it's gotten much worse. 13:44:49 I watched the partisanship to get worse. 13:44:57 It got worse under 13:44:59 contract for merge, and now it's almost absurd. 13:45:07 All I can say to young younger people. 13:45:08 Students come to me and talk about how they want to run for office. 13:45:10 They want to do it for the right reasons. 13:45:17 They dot don't want to be one-liner substanceless. 13:45:19 They were interested in the substance 13:45:21 of these issues, to be diplomats or 13:45:24 candidates or whatever it might be. 13:45:26 And so there's an opportunity there. 13:45:28 Frankly if they want to live in a 13:45:28 decent word in the safe United States 13:45:30 and they want their kids to live one, 13:45:33 they have got to fix it. 13:45:34 Everything is cyclical. 13:45:35 This is about as bad as it's been but 13:45:37 it can be fixed and it is the 13:45:40 responsibility of the next generations 13:45:44 to toy to -- to try to fix it. 13:45:45 It was not always this way. 13:45:49 This is a dramatic decline in civility 13:45:53 in the last few years and it needs to be reversed. 13:45:54 >> JORDAN TAMA: Another question 13:45:54 that's come in. 13:45:56 You were elected to the senate in the 13:46:02 year of the woman, 26 years ago and now 13:46:03 we have another year of the woman. 13:46:07 How do we get women elected without a 13:46:11 dedicated year every quarter century. 13:46:12 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: That's well said. 13:46:14 We are tell behind many, many other countries. 13:46:19 You know, a lot of the African 13:46:20 countries have significant women 13:46:20 representation in their legislatures. 13:46:22 I think tomorrow is going to be the 13:46:24 biggest jump in the history of this 13:46:25 country in this regard. 13:46:27 And I think based on my conversations 13:46:29 with a lot of young students across the 13:46:31 country, a lot of women are planning to 13:46:33 run for office, and they are planning to 13:46:34 run for office soon. 13:46:37 So I do think this problem is going to 13:46:38 be -- look a lot better in about five to 13:46:40 six years. 13:46:42 13:46:43 >> JORDAN TAMA: You talked earlier 13:46:46 about the war powers issue and mentioned 13:46:46 senator Tim Kaine. 13:46:48 He's been active trying to get 13:46:50 Congress to pass an updated 13:46:53 authorization to use military force and 13:46:57 replace the one that was passed after 13:46:59 9/11, which is now quite scout dated. 13:47:01 Could you see that actually happening, 13:47:04 Congress actually passing legislation 13:47:08 that would, you know, set out new 13:47:10 standards for the current military 13:47:14 conflicts that the US is in and, you 13:47:15 know involved congressional oversight of those? 13:47:17 Is that realistic considering Congress 13:47:19 has been unable to do that now for so many years? 13:47:23 13:47:25 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: I think it's very 13:47:27 likely if the Democrats take over the House. 13:47:31 I think the Democrats will insist on 13:47:33 appeals the 9/11 and then the Senate 13:47:37 will have to go along or be persuaded to 13:47:37 go along. 13:47:39 I think that should happen. 13:47:43 Everyone knows it's absurd that we are 13:47:46 operating on something that had to do 13:47:48 with the 9/11 attacks and are trying to 13:47:52 apply it to all types of situations that 13:47:53 do not apply. 13:47:56 I predict by then of the week, you 13:47:59 will see Congressmen-elect, 13:48:01 senators-elect on TV talk about doing 13:48:03 this act thing. 13:48:04 >> JORDAN TAMA: Another question that 13:48:06 came in from C Chambers. 13:48:08 It seems that the US military has lost 13:48:10 a clear mission and goal since 1991. 13:48:12 Should the main focus of our armed 13:48:16 forces be containing Russia? 13:48:18 Counterinsurgency, ARC battle or something else? 13:48:20 13:48:21 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: There is no such 13:48:23 thing as the main focus. 13:48:24 I mean, we cannot drop the ball when 13:48:27 it comes to some of the organizations, 13:48:30 the terrorist organizations that became 13:48:32 so much at the forefront after 9/11. 13:48:35 We have to take that veerously and ten 13:48:37 to -- seriously and continue to work on it. 13:48:40 The lesson we learned ignoring Russia 13:48:42 and not realizing that their goals are 13:48:46 extremely American is a mistake. 13:48:49 At the same time we have to figure out 13:48:51 the modalities of our relationship with 13:48:56 China and that has, of course, 13:48:57 nonmilitary aspects but it also has some 13:48:59 military aspects, trying to work out the 13:49:02 issues with regard to the south China 13:49:04 Sea and potential competition with the Chinese. 13:49:06 We have to figure out what their 13:49:07 intentions are. 13:49:11 Are they real Le -- really intending 13:49:13 to have agreat relationship with us or 13:49:15 do they want to compromise us in a way 13:49:16 that would hurt our national security? 13:49:20 So we have to -- military has to be 13:49:26 involved in all of that and I think Mel 13:49:27 tar -- military leaders understand that. 13:49:28 Including for example the impact of 13:49:30 climate change on tensions around the world. 13:49:34 In terms of regions and increases the 13:49:36 instability in those regions that can 13:49:40 have an impact on our military. 13:49:42 >> JORDAN TAMA: You worked a lot in 13:49:47 Africa, both in Congress and the special 13:49:50 in 13:49:53 envoy to the Great Lakes of central Africa. 13:49:54 What role should the United States 13:50:00 play to Africa, particularly Sub-Saharan Africa. 13:50:02 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: A bigger role. 13:50:05 I think more enthusiastic, and robust 13:50:05 diplomatic role. 13:50:07 This administration has been very bad 13:50:09 in terms of filling the positions 13:50:10 relevant to Africa. 13:50:13 A lot of countries it took many 13:50:19 months to get even ambassadors in place. 13:50:22 When I was a special envoy for 13:50:29 President Obama in the African area. 13:50:30 It showed that the United States is 13:50:32 still the most popular country in the 13:50:34 world in had a region, but the comment I 13:50:35 got was it's good you are here. 13:50:37 It's good you are doing this, but 13:50:42 overall, you guys just reason here. 13:50:44 The Chinese are all over and the 13:50:46 Russians are lurking around and troying 13:50:51 to troying -- trying to use their 13:50:54 propagandas and the Iranians and the 13:50:55 Turks are playing there. 13:50:58 We are not sufficiently involved. 13:51:01 That's got to change because Africa 13:51:03 will be very important to the future of 13:51:06 our security and the economy and future 13:51:14 of century -- 13:51:15 democracy. 13:51:16 >> JORDAN TAMA: Are there ways to 13:51:18 move Africa up the agenda in the United 13:51:20 States, put it on their radar screen of 13:51:21 more people? 13:51:23 It's a back burner issue except in the 13:51:25 rare moment when there's a genocide or 13:51:27 something of that nature occurring. 13:51:31 How can you -- not you personally, but 13:51:33 what can be done to make Africa a 13:51:37 greater focus of US foreign 13:51:38 policy? 13:51:40 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: It begins at the top. 13:51:43 The President can get an understanding 13:51:44 of it. 13:51:48 The appointment of special envoys as I 13:51:53 was, heightens the belief that the 13:51:55 United States cares about that region. 13:51:57 But can Congress do that? 13:52:01 The Democrats will hold hearings on 13:52:03 some of the key flash points if after 13:52:07 reinforce, including the democratic 13:52:12 republic of 13:52:12 Africa. 13:52:15 And it's at a critical turning point 13:52:16 but a lot of economic problems. 13:52:18 They will hold hearings on what is 13:52:24 happening in Ethiopia and there's a 13:52:25 charismatic new Prime Minister who is 13:52:27 making changes and moving towards peace 13:52:34 in the region with Tria. 13:52:35 It interests a lot of Pell -- 13:52:38 Americans, people who have come from 13:52:39 African and live here now and many of 13:52:41 them are citizens. 13:52:43 There are a lot of Americans across 13:52:46 the country who care about these issues. 13:52:49 Members of the house, if they get the 13:52:52 chance, they can Hoy light these -- 13:52:56 highlight these issues. 13:52:56 >> JORDAN TAMA: Another question 13:52:57 that's come in. 13:52:59 How can we quantify the amount of 13:53:01 moral authority that the US has lost. 13:53:06 Our last republican was known for 13:53:08 HIV/AIDS funding and this one is known 13:53:12 for throwing paper towels to hurricane 13:53:16 survivors survivors. 13:53:20 Can we ever understand what lost. 13:53:23 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: For Bush, it was a disaster. 13:53:25 The best thing he ever did was the H. 13:53:30 IV/AIDS efforts in Africa which was admirable. 13:53:35 But I cannot exact exactly quantify 13:53:37 other than to say that this con try has 13:53:40 become a -- country has become a 13:53:41 laughing stock. 13:53:43 When the President made his ridiculous 13:53:49 comments at the UN that he did. 13:53:53 The laughter was not the statement, 13:53:55 but this that this country could put 13:53:58 somebody out in front that was not in to 13:54:02 you wi touch with reality and it will 13:54:03 take a lot of effort to bring it back. 13:54:06 13:54:07 >> JORDAN TAMA: Can you speak about 13:54:08 the importance of congressional staff in 13:54:13 enabling Congress to be effective 13:54:16 on foreign policy and whether you think 13:54:17 Congress has enough expertise to be 13:54:19 effective in foreign policy? 13:54:21 The executive branch is gigantic 13:54:22 relative to Congress. 13:54:26 How much do you think Congress is 13:54:28 influence in foreign policy is limited 13:54:33 or reduced because of not having as much 13:54:35 expertise and the House not having as 13:54:37 much of staff capacity as executive 13:54:39 branch agencies, for instance. 13:54:42 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, I actually 13:54:43 don't think the problem is the amount of staff. 13:54:47 I had wonderful staff members who were 13:54:49 absolutely critical in the work I did 13:54:51 but one would is visiting to Geoff -- 13:54:54 would is visiting to give' talk this 13:55:02 week was a former Botswana aide. 13:55:05 She women the leading after -- she 13:55:10 became the leading African aide. 13:55:15 The problem was not that we were not 13:55:16 given staff but the members of Congress 13:55:18 to prioritize this and actually take on 13:55:20 the administration and others on some of 13:55:23 these issues and to expert one's war 13:55:27 powers to expert one's right to question 13:55:29 whether a treaty should be passed or 13:55:30 whether we should withdraw from a treaty. 13:55:34 I guess he won 13:55:37 wouldn't be the first to hear that they 13:55:39 need more staff, but they need the moral 13:55:42 courage to stand up for this 13:55:43 Constitution is about and our reputation 13:55:45 in the world. 13:55:46 13:55:49 >> JORDAN TAMA: One common criticism 13:55:51 of Congress on foreign policy is that 13:55:53 members of Congress are very parochial 13:55:54 compared to the president. 13:55:56 Members of Congress are looking out 13:55:58 for their state and narrow interest 13:56:00 groups that may inbound their state or 13:56:02 district or maybe given them campaign 13:56:07 contributions and so we shouldn't, you 13:56:10 know, want Congress to have a lot of 13:56:13 power because they will be parochial. 13:56:15 How do you view that issue? 13:56:17 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, that rests on 13:56:20 a false assumption and that is that the 13:56:22 voters, the constituents are parochial too. 13:56:27 And they are not all parochial, by any means. 13:56:29 Now any Congressman or Senator if they 13:56:31 don't understand the economics and goals 13:56:32 of their state. 13:56:35 I spent hundreds of thousands of hours 13:56:36 on the dairy industry, which we are so 13:56:37 proud of here and milk. 13:56:39 And so if you don't do that and do it 13:56:41 right, you are not doing your job. 13:56:43 But I think people also know they 13:56:45 only get to choose a couple of people to 13:56:48 work on foreign policy, that go to Washington. 13:56:50 And I found that when people hear me 13:56:51 talking a little bit about Africa and 13:56:58 some of these issues being shock 13:57:00 issues, as long as, I was talking about 13:57:01 the issues in Wisconsin, they were 13:57:06 pleased and relieved to though because I 13:57:06 think people do recognize that if we 13:57:08 don't have people watching the store in 13:57:10 Washington when it comes to foreign 13:57:12 policy, what is going to do it? 13:57:14 Because people here have to battle 13:57:15 every day to make ends meet. 13:57:17 They can't run the foreign policy. 13:57:19 So they need their elected officials 13:57:20 to do it. 13:57:23 And I also think that a lot of members 13:57:24 of Congress actually enjoy getting a 13:57:26 chance to work on some of the foreign 13:57:28 policy issues. 13:57:31 I think some people run because they 13:57:31 like to do that. 13:57:34 It's the hardest thing to do is to 13:57:36 balance the twoB. 13:57:37 out it's not responsible to -- two. 13:57:39 But it's not responsible to understand 13:57:41 the foreign policy issues. 13:57:42 You have taken an oath to try to do 13:57:44 the right thing under our Constitution 13:57:46 and that includes making the right votes 13:57:49 and calls on foreign policy. 13:57:49 13:57:50 >> JORDAN TAMA: Okay. 13:57:51 We're just about out of time but as' 13:57:54 last question, would you like to make a 13:57:55 prediction about the election tomorrow? 13:57:58 What do you expect to happen? 13:58:01 And perhaps even a little more 13:58:03 broadly, what do you expect to happen in 13:58:06 the days after the election, the coming weeks? 13:58:10 What might we see in terms of national 13:58:12 politics, the conversation in the country? 13:58:13 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: Well, I think it's 13:58:14 going to be a slow roll. 13:58:17 I they you will have so many recounts, 13:58:19 especially in the House that we are not 13:58:21 necessarily going to know for sure 13:58:25 whether the Democrats are going to have 13:58:26 the 13:58:29 major deand whether -- majority and 13:58:30 whether it's by one or two votes. 13:58:35 You may want to remind people of Bush vs. 13:58:36 Gore. 13:58:38 Once that's over and I feel hike it 13:58:40 will lead to the Democrats taking over 13:58:42 the House but probably not the Senate. 13:58:43 I think you will see before the end of 13:58:47 the year being a unification among the 13:58:50 Democrats of let's have a more positive, 13:58:52 civil agenda in foreign poll Senator 13:58:55 Feingold 13:58:56 -- foreign policy. 13:58:59 I'm hoping that you will see a very 13:58:59 different top. 13:59:02 But I don't think we will know the outcome. 13:59:05 So many of those races are just too 13:59:07 close to not be challenged. 13:59:09 >> JORDAN TAMA: And could you see 13:59:11 President Trump responding positive Leto 13:59:14 that type of outreach and engaging in a 13:59:17 more cooperative relationship with the Democrats? 13:59:18 >> RUSS FEINGOLD: It's possible 13:59:19 because I think he will know he will 13:59:22 have -- his message will have lost, and, 13:59:24 you know, if they lose the House it will 13:59:25 be significantly because of Donald Trump. 13:59:27 Not only.