Mr. Trump is campaigning on the idea of retribution.
He's promising to jail his political enemies if he's re
elected.
He's also referred to some of his political opponents as
vermin language.
The people, frankly, across the political spectrum,
say Harkins back to Nazi Germany.
Do you think that kind of language is presidential?
Well, I think even beyond that the issue is,
is why are you running?
Are you running for your personal issues
or are you running for the American people's issues?
And I'm running for the American people's issues.
And now part of that is this government is out
of control.
We have seen weaponization of agencies like the DOJ and
the FBI and the IRS.
I'm going to end that weaponization,
but that's not because I'm doing it for me.
It's because I'm doing it for the people that have
been under the thumb of these agencies.
And I'm going to restore the rule of law.
So I think if Donald Trump is saying
his whole thing is retribution for himself,
well, what about all the other people
that have had issues with that?
Is that somebody? Are those people he's going to be
standing up with?
So I don't think you can say it's about your
enemies.
I think you got to say it's about the American
people's future.
And the goal is to end weaponization period and to
have a single standard of justice employed,
not to basically do what we don't like is being
done now just in a different direction,
Governor. As you know, DOJ officials would reject the idea
that it has been weaponized.
But let me ask you about my original question,
the use of the word vermin.
Are you comfortable with that term?
But are you comfortable with that term Governor,
let me, let me just say on the DOJ,
well first of all I'm responsible for my what I
say and and I say things differently.
But on the DOJ in the FBI,
let's, I mean we have just my question though Governor
excuse me what I what I'm not what I'm not
comfortable with
is FBI agents going after parents going to school board
meetings.
I'm not comfortable with DOJ,
FBI working with tech companies to censor dissent.
I'm not comfortable with how this has been.
Power has been exercised and you have an agency that
is very political.
People say, oh, their career,
but it's 99% donations to Democrats.
You are seeing how that happens.
So I don't use the same rhetoric that he does.
I conduct myself in different way.
I think I conduct myself in a way that's more
effective as a leader.
Part of what you have to do is you have
to be strong,
you have to deliver big results.
But what you don't want to do is you don't
want to alienate people for no reason.
And I think some of the reasons why he struggled
electorally is because it's not even about the policy,
it's about some of these other things.
So do you condemn the use of the word vermin?
Condemn the use of the word vermin,
then.
I don't use the term,
but what I don't do is play the media's game
where I'm asked to referee other people.
He's responsible for his words,
he's responsible for his conduct.
I'm responsible for mine. But I will tell you,
more important than the choice of words is why are
you running?
If he's running for personal retribution,
that is not going to lead to what we need
as a country.
You got to be running for the American people and
their issues,
not about your own personal issues.
And that is a distinction between us.
I am focused on the folks.
I am focused on what they want to see done
for this country in a positive direction.
I'm the vessel, but ultimately it's not about me.