MCCARTHY: Exactly.
(CROSSTALK)
MCCARTHY: Well, think about what he's - think about what he's doing if he doesn't find a path to put us on to balance.
Our largest payment in the future will be our debt.
DUFFY: Yes.
MCDOWELL: Right.
MCCARTHY: Our debt is larger than our economy.
We haven't had this since World War II. But, in World War II, we borrowed all this money to save our nation and save the world. And right after the war was over, it collapsed. Right now, what they're spending their money on is not the way that we would invest properly.
DUFFY: So, could we switch gears in here, Mr. Speaker?
Because I can't get enough of the story. Representative Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell, and Ilhan Omar...
(LAUGHTER)
DUFFY: ... they took to the media airwaves this last weekend about your decision to remove them from their committee assignments.
Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ERIC SWALWELL (D-CA): This is some Bakersfield B.S. It's Kevin McCarthy weaponizing his ability to commit this political abuse.
REP. ADAM SCHIFF (D-CA): I don't accept the premise that this has anything to do with the conduct of any of the Democratic members. This is merely the weakness of Kevin McCarthy's speakership, that he's so reliant on these extreme members.
REP. ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): To smear someone and their character, their love for their country and the work that they get to do on a committee is wrong.
And it is politically motivated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DUFFY: Mr. Speaker, I didn't hear any of these three Democrats make those kinds of speeches when Nancy Pelosi took Marjorie Taylor Greene off of every single committee or Paul Gosar off every single committee.
They actually applauded it. And now, what, they're offended that they lost one of their prized committees?
MCCARTHY: And think about this.
This has nothing to do with the latter, that them removing people. I'm talking about the Intel Committee. Sean, you know this. This is where the classified information is given.
Well, when we had Swalwell, the Democrats appointed it to it, the FBI came to us and warned Congress: This person has a relationship with a Chinese spy.
I got the briefing when I became leader. He can't get a security clearance in the private sector. We should not have him on Intel.
And for him to claim it's Bakersfield B.S., they're attacking the rural voters. You have been to Bakersfield.
DUFFY: Beautiful.
MCCARTHY: And you know what's interesting? Integrity matters.
And we looked at Schiff as the chair. We watched the number of times he lied to the American public.
So, they can be on other committees. They can't be on Intel.
But Congresswoman Omar, she said when it came to foreign affairs, this is how the rest of the world looks at America. She said it was all about the Benjamins. She equated the American military to Hamas or the Taliban. She goes after on 9/11, something happened that day.
Lookit, they can be on other committees, and they're allowed to. That's the difference between Republicans and Democrats.
DUFFY: You're too nice, Mr. McCarthy. I would have kicked them off all committees.
(LAUGHTER)
DUFFY: But that's just me.
I'm sorry. Go ahead, Dagen.
MCDOWELL: Also, Swalwell, I would not expect him to know this, because he's - well, I'm going to edit myself, Mr. Speaker.
(CROSSTALK)
MCDOWELL: But when you insult Bakersfield, you insult Buck Owens.
MCCARTHY: That's right. Merle Haggard.
MCDOWELL: And you insult all of - well, yes.
And you insult not country, but Western. And we love both kinds.
MCCARTHY: Yes. Well, thank you.
MCDOWELL: So he is a dip-a-dee-doo-dah.
(LAUGHTER)
MCCARTHY: I'm born and raised in Bakersfield, and I could not be prouder.
MCDOWELL: Exactly.
DUFFY: We have those - you grow little carrots there, right, the little mini carrots?
(CROSSTALK)
MCCARTHY: That's right.
And for the world to know, two families, now, they have sold - they grow 80 percent of all the carrots in the country. And you know those little carrots? They're really - really just big carrots. We chop them, charge you a little more, and you buy them, and we thank you for America for it.
(LAUGHTER)
MCDOWELL: You do know Bakersfield a little too well.
DUFFY: I was there with the speaker.
MCCARTHY: Yes.
MCDOWELL: Before we go, here's a gem from Congressman Lieu that happened at the end of last week.
With gas prices climbing, I think gas prices are up 32 cents in the last month. They're still up from a year ago.
MCCARTHY: They're up $1.20 since the president has been there.
MCDOWELL: Right. Exactly.
But here's what Congressman Ted Lieu had to say about Joe Biden and gas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TED LIEU (D-CA): I could summarize this debate of last two days into one sentence: Joe Biden lowered your gas prices, and Republicans are upset about it. That's what this is about.
We should be giving the president even more flexibility to use the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCDOWELL: Before we go, Mr. Speaker.
(LAUGHTER)
MCCARTHY: I will tell you, they just put out lies.
I mean, think about what this president has done, brought us the biggest inflation in 41 years by their spending. And now he doesn't want to negotiate about it. He's opened a border that now people on the terrorist watch list, more come across the country in one month than came across under Trump's four years.
He sells our Strategic Petroleum Reserves that is supposed to be reserved for when we have an emergency to China. We have watched time and again where he criticized former presidents for having classified documents. He's had them in his garage when he was a U.S. senator.
Sean, you know this. I don't know any member that could walk out of a SCIF with top secret documents. But he did.
DUFFY: Impossible.
MCCARTHY: I mean, time and again, he has failed this nation.
But, luckily, the American voter has changed course in the House. And we're going to stand up and keep our Commitment to America, make sure you're safe on this border, bring us energy independence, let parents have a say in their kids' education. And, yes, we're going to hold this government accountable.
MCDOWELL: Speaker Kevin McCarthy, great to see you. Thank you so much for joining us.
DUFFY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
(CROSSTALK)
MCCARTHY: Congratulations on the great show. I'm watching it. You look fabulous. And I'm really excited. I hope you invite me back.
DUFFY: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You are the best.
MCDOWELL: Thank you very much.
DUFFY: We appreciate it.
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