CLOSE-UP, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE ENTERS THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE. WHY? HE SAYS NEITHER JOE BIDEN OR DONALD TRUMP SHOULD BE PRESIDENT AGAIN. COIN. AND NORTH DAKOTA’S GOVERNOR, DOUG BURGUM, GETS IN THE RACE AS WELL. WHY? HE SAYS HIS SMALL STATE BACKGROUND MAKES HIM THE IDEAL CANDIDATE. BURT AND FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE, THE THIRD REPUBLICAN TO ENTER THE RACE LAST WEEK. WHY HE SAYS HE HAS NO CHOICE BUT TO TAKE ON DONALD TRUMP HEAD ON. THIS IS IOWA’S NEWS LEADER. THIS THIS IS KCCI EIGHT NEWS. CLOSE UP. AND THANKS FOR JOINING US ON THIS SUNDAY MORNING. I’M CHIEF POLITICAL CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER, RATHER JAMES STRATTON POLITICAL REPORTER AMANDA ROOKER OFF TODAY AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE KICKED OFF HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN WEDNESDAY RIGHT HERE IN THE HAWKEYE STATE. AMANDA ROOKER SPOKE WITH HIM ONE ON ONE AFTER HIS ANNOUNCEMENT. HE TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES HE FACES STANDING OUT IN NOW A CROWDED FIELD OF CANDIDATES. MR. VICE PRESIDENT, THANKS SO MUCH FOR FOR TALKING WITH US TODAY. NOW THAT YOU ARE AN OFFICIAL CANDIDATE, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT IS YOUR CAMPAIGN STRATEGY HERE IN IOWA? WELL, AMANA, IT’S GREAT TO BE IN IOWA. AND, YOU KNOW, I LOVE INDIANA. IT’S HOME. BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ANNOUNCE MY INTENTION AND TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HERE IN THE FIRST IN THE NATION STATE. IOWA PLAYS SUCH AN OUTSIZED ROLE IN SHAPING OUR NATION’S LEADERSHIP. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SIZE OF CHALLENGES THAT WE’RE FACING TODAY, GIVEN THE FAILED POLICIES OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AT HOME AND ABROAD, WE WANTED TO BRING OUR MESSAGE HERE, WHICH IS REALLY A MESSAGE THAT I THINK WE CAN BRING THIS COUNTRY BACK, BUT IT’S GOING TO REQUIRE US TO OFFER NEW LEADERSHIP IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, LEADERSHIP THAT WILL BE GROUNDED IN THE IN THE TIMELESS CONSERVATIVE AGENDA THAT’S REALLY DEFINED OUR PARTY OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS AND DELIVERED US GREAT VICTORIES FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU PLANNING ON SPENDING IN IOWA? WELL, KAREN AND I, WE’VE GOT SUCH A WARM RECEPTION HERE. AND FRANKLY, IOWA FEELS MORE LIKE HOME TO US THAN ANY OTHER STATE EXCEPT HOME. SO WE’RE PLANNING ON SPENDING A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME HERE ON THE HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS OF IOWA BECAUSE I’VE SAID TO YOU BEFORE, AMANDA, I’VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION IN THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT I’M WELL KNOWN, BUT I’M NOT KNOWN WELL. AND OUR HOPE TODAY IS PEOPLE WHO BEGIN TO GET A SENSE OF WHO WE ARE. I MEAN, MOST PEOPLE CANDIDLY KNOW ME FROM BEING VICE PRESIDENT, WHICH WAS A ROLE WAS A GREAT PRIVILEGE IN MY LIFE. STANDING OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE PRESIDENT AND SERVING THE COUNTRY IN THAT CAPACITY. BUT WHAT THEY DON’T KNOW IS THAT I WAS A GOVERNOR. I WAS I WAS A LEADER OF HOUSE CONSERVATIVES IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES CHALLENGED THE BIG SPENDERS IN MY OWN PARTY. AND AND BEFORE THAT, YOU KNOW, BUILT A CAREER IN THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT ON THE AIRWAVES OF INDIANA. AS PEOPLE GET TO KNOW US AND GET TO KNOW OUR FAMILY, WHERE WE HAVE TWO FAMILY MEMBERS THAT ARE IN ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY SERVICE, MY HOPE IS THAT THEY’LL HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT OUR LEADERSHIP MIGHT MEAN TO THE NATION. IT’S SPENT A GOOD DEAL OF TIME INTRODUCING YOURSELF TO IOWANS TODAY. WE DID IN THAT ANNOUNCEMENT SPEECH, YOU ALSO DIRECTLY MENTIONED FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP BY NAME. YOU YOU OFFERED SOME DIRECT CRITICISM OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT IN YOUR SPEECH TODAY. WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO TAKE ON DONALD TRUMP AND JANUARY 6TH IN THAT SPEECH? WELL, I THINK IT’S TIME THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAD HOPED THE PRESIDENT WOULD COME AROUND OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AND RECOGNIZE THAT THAT ON THAT TRAGIC DAY THAT I DID MY DUTY UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. LOOK, I SHARED THE CONCERN ABOUT THE ELECTION OF MILLIONS OF AMERICAN CARNES, BUT ONE STATES CERTIFIED THOSE ELECTIONS ONCE THE CONGRESS CONSIDERED OBJECTIONS. MY ROLE WAS TO PRESIDE OVER A SESSION OF CONGRESS THAT WOULD OPEN AND COUNT THE ELECTORAL VOTES. AND WE DID THAT FAITHFULLY. I HAD NO RIGHT TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION. BUT THE FACT THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS CONTINUED TO SAY THAT EVEN IN THE LAST WEEK ON THE NATIONAL STAGE, I THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TODAY TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. I SAID DONALD TRUMP WAS WRONG THEN. HE’S WRONG NOW. AND I TRULY DO BELIEVE THAT WE KEPT FAITH WITH THE CONSTITUTION. BUT BEYOND THAT, AS I ALSO DESCRIBED TODAY, I THINK ELECTIONS ARE ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WE HAVE REAL DIFFERENCES. I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT AND I HELPED LEAD A CONSERVATIVE ADMINISTRATION THAT WAS COMMITTED TO A STRONG AMERICAN PRESENCE ON THE WORLD STAGE, A STRONG MILITARY, COMMITTED TO GROWTH AND PROSPERITY AND COMMITTED TO THE RIGHT TO LIFE. BUT I SEE THE PRESIDENT AND OTHER CANDIDATES IN THIS FIELD THAT ARE WALKING AWAY FROM AMERICAN LEADERSHIP ON THE WORLD STAGE AT A TIME WHEN WAR IS RAGING IN EUROPE. I SEE THEM WALKING AWAY FROM A COMMITMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND REFORM, AND I SEE THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND OTHERS IN THE FIELD SHYING AWAY FROM AN UNAPOLOGETIC STAND FOR THE RIGHT TO LIFE, RIGHT AT THE MOMENT THAT WE’VE COME TO A NEW ERA FOR THE SANCTITY OF LIFE. AND SO WE’LL DEBATE ALL THOSE ISSUES AND I’M CONFIDENT REPUBLICAN PRIMARY VOTERS WILL GIVE US A HEARING AND WE’LL CHOOSE A STANDARD BEARER THAT WILL CARRY THAT STRONG CONSERVATIVE AGENDA INTO A CONTEST. BURT AND DEFEAT JOE BIDEN IN THE FALL OF 24, IOWA REPUBLICANS. WHEN I TALK TO THEM, THEY TELL ME THEY WANT TO CHOOSE A CANDIDATE THAT CAN WIN. AND YOU’RE JOINING A GROUP OF NOW TEN REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE PRESIDENCY FOR YOU, WHAT IS THE PATH FORWARD THAT COULD TAKE YOU TO THE WHITE HOUSE? WELL, I THINK THE PATH FORWARD FOR US IS JUST GOING TO BE TO TELL OUR STORY SO PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT I’M NOT NEW TO THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT. I’M NOT NEW TO A MOVEMENT THAT IS REALLY DELIVERED SO MUCH FOR THIS COUNTRY FROM FROM OUR ADMINISTRATION. ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE DAYS OF RONALD REAGAN. AMERICA’S BEEN STRONGER, MORE PROSPEROUS IN THOSE SEASONS OF REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP. AND THAT THAT AT A TIME WHEN I THINK THE COUNTRY IS IN A LOT OF TROUBLE, I HOPE PEOPLE WILL SEE THAT OUR EXPERIENCE, NOT JUST AS VICE PRESIDENT, BUT AS GOVERNOR OF A SUCCESSFUL STATE AND ALSO KNOW AS A CONSERVATIVE LEADER IN THE CONGRESS, MAKE US UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO HELP BRING OUR COUNTRY BACK. I HOPE THEY ALSO WOULD SEE US AS AS AS SOMEONE THAT’S BEEN ON THE NATIONAL STAGE AND UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES THAT CONSERVATIVES FACE AND THAT AMERICAN FAMILIES ARE FACING TODAY. THIS IS A REAL CALLING FOR ME AND FOR MY WIFE AND FOR OUR ENTIRE FAMILY. AND WE’RE GOING TO ANSWER THAT CALL AND WE’RE GOING TO TRUST THE PEOPLE HERE IN IOWA AND PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THIS COUNTRY TO HEAR US OUT. AND AND GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD THIS PARTY AND TO HELP LEAD LEAD THIS COUNTRY BACK TO SECURITY AND PROSPERITY. MR. VICE PRESIDENT, THANKS SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US TODAY. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT SITTING DOWN WITH AMANDA ROOKER. STILL TO COME, HE TELLS IOWA VOTERS HE WAS POWERLESS TO OVERTURN DOON THE RESULTS IN THE 2020 ELECTION. AND EXPLAINS WHY HE BELIEVES JANUARY 6TH SHOULD PREVENT DONALD TRUMP FROM EVER BEING PRESIDENT AGAIN. BUT MIKE PENCE NOT THE ONLY REPUBLICAN TO ENTER THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE LAST WEEK, WHAT FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE AND NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM SAY THEY OFFER VOTERS RIGHT HERE IN IOWA. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE KICKED OFF HIS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, AN EVENT ON THE DMACC CAMPUS IN ANKENY. YOU HEARD FROM HIM ONE ON ONE. LET’S HEAR FROM HIM AT THE EVENT. DURING IT, HE TALKED ABOUT THE 2020 ELECTION AND WHY THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6TH, HE BELIEVES SHOULD PREVENT THE FORMER PRESIDENT FROM EVER HOLDING OFFICE AGAIN. JANUARY SIX WAS A TRAGIC DAY IN THE LIFE OF OUR NATION. BUT THANKS TO THE COURAGE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE VIOLENCE WAS QUELLED AND WE RECONVENED THE CONGRESS THE VERY SAME DAY. TO COMPLETE THE WORK OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. AS I’VE SAID MANY TIMES ON THAT FATEFUL DAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP’S WORDS WERE RECKLESS AND THEY ENDANGERED MY FAMILY AND EVERYONE AT THE CAPITOL. BUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE TO KNOW THAT ON THAT DAY, PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO DEMANDED THAT I CHOOSE BETWEEN HIM AND THE CONSTITUTION. DOON NOW VOTERS WILL BE FACED WITH THE SAME CHOICE. I CHOSE THE CONSTITUTION AND I ALWAYS WILL. CLARKE JOE BIDEN. FOUR YEARS EARLIER, I SWORE AN OATH. WITH MY HAND ON MY BIBLE AND ON RONALD REAGAN’S BIBLE TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION. THE BIBLE SAYS HE KEEPS HIS OATH EVEN WHEN IT HURTS US. AND I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. MY SON, THE MARINE, ONCE REMINDED ME YOU TOOK THE SAME OATH I TOOK DAD. SO I DID SO LET ME EXPLAIN. I ARTICLE TWO, SECTION ONE OF THE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES THAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, THE VICE PRESIDENT, IT SHALL THE PRESENCE OF THE SENATE IN THE HOUSE OPEN ALL THE CERTIFICATES AND THE VOTES SHALL BE COUNTED. NO MORE, NO LESS. DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE CONSTITUTION’S LANGUAGE IS CLEAR AND PROVIDES THE VICE PRESIDENT WITH NO AUTHORITY TO REJECT OR RETURN ELECTORS CARROLL VOTES. MY FORMER RUNNING MATE CONTINUES TO INSIST THAT I HAD THE RIGHT TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION, BUT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS WRONG. THEN AND HE’S WRONG NOW. SO I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE BY GOD’S GRACE, I DID MY DUTY THAT DAY. I KEPT MY OATH TO ENSURE THE PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. NOW. LET ME SAY FROM MY HEART, I UNDERSTAND THE DISAPPOINTMENT THAT MANY STILL FEEL ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF THE 2020 ELECTION IN I CAN RELATE. I WAS ON THE BALLOT. BUT I HAD NO RIGHT TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION AND KAMALA HARRIS WILL HAVE NO RIGHT TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION WHEN WE BEAT THEM IN 2024. YES. FINALLY, LET ME SAY TO MY COUNTRYMEN. I’LL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP DID FOR THIS COUNTRY. I’VE OFTEN PRAYED FOR HIM OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, AND I PRAYED FOR HIM AGAIN TODAY. I HAD HOPED HE WOULD COME AROUND AND SEE THAT HE HAD BEEN MISLED AND ABOUT MY ROLE THAT DAY. BUT THAT WAS NOT TO BE. SO. LET ME SAY, I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT TO SAY TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY MUST BE WORTHY OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MUST KNOW THAT LEADERS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL KEEP OUR OATH TO SUPPORT AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, EVEN WHEN IT’S NOT IN OUR POLITICAL INTEREST TO DO SO. AND ONE LAST WORD THAT IN PART BRINGS US HERE TODAY. I BELIEVE THAT ANYONE WHO PUTS THEMSELVES OVER THE CONSTITUTION SHOULD NEVER BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. AND ANYONE WHO ASKS SOMEONE ELSE TO PUT THEM OVER THE CONSTITUTION SHOULD NEVER BE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AGAIN. FORMER VICE PRESIDENT ON THE PODIUM THERE, NORTH DAKOTA’S GOVERNOR, DOUG BURGUM, ALSO JUMPED IN THE REPUBLICAN FIELD OF CANDIDATES LAST WEEK. WHY HE SAYS HIS TECH BACKGROUND MAKES HIM UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO GUIDE AMERICA’S ECONOMIC FUTURE. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP NORTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM ANNOUNCED HIS RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE WEDNESDAY. I SPOKE WITH BURGUM FRIDAY, HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN SWING THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA. WELL, SMALL TOWN KID, ARTHUR, NORTH DAKOTA, 300 PEOPLE GREW UP LIKE SO MANY PEOPLE IN IOWA DID. GREAT COMMUNITY NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS. AS MY DAD DIED WHEN I WAS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL, THAT WAS LIFE CHANGING. MY MOM WENT BACK TO WORK AS A WIDOW WITH THREE KIDS. GOT TO SEE A WHOLE TOWN, RALLY AROUND OUR FAMILY AND SUPPORT US AND ALL THE OTHER, YOU KNOW, DADS AND FARMERS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT HELP MAKE SURE I WAS OKAY. THEN FAST FORWARD TOOK 160 ACRES OF GROUND THAT I’D INHERITED FROM MY DAD. IT WAS IN MY 20S MORTGAGE THAT THAT BECAME THE SEED CAPITAL FOR A SOFTWARE COMPANY CALLED GREAT PLAINS SOFTWARE. PEOPLE SAID YOU COULDN’T YOU COULDN’T BUILD A SOFTWARE COMPANY IN NORTH DAKOTA, YOU KNOW, TO TO, YOU KNOW, NOT ENOUGH CAPITAL, NOT ENOUGH TALENT, TOO FAR TOO DISTANT, TOO SMALL. CARL WE BUILT ENDED UP BUILDING A WORLD CLASS COMPANY OF 2000 PEOPLE WITH OVER WITH KIDS FROM OVER 200 DIFFERENT SMALL TOWNS IN NORTH DAKOTA. AND WE COMPETED AROUND THE WORLD. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS IN 120 COUNTRIES. SO I’VE SEEN WHAT THE HEARTLAND CAN DO. I KNOW WHAT SMALL TOWN KIDS CAN DO. I KNOW YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE US A CHANCE TO SOLVE A PROBLEM, WE CAN DO IT. AND THAT’S WHERE I’VE LIVED, RAISED A FAMILY, AND IN 2016 DECIDED TO JUMP INTO A GOVERNOR’S RACE. COMPLETELY UNKNOWN. WE WERE DOWN 69, TEN INCHES THE POLLS, WON THE PRIMARY FIVE AND A HALF MONTHS LATER, 6240. AND I’D SAY THE REST IS HISTORY THERE. HE GOT REELECTED BY THE LARGEST MARGIN IN THE COUNTRY IN 2020, AND WE’VE BEEN FOCUSING ON ALL THE THINGS TO DELIVER GREAT NORTH DAKOTA. NOW WE’RE RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT FOCUSED ON THREE THINGS THE ECONOMY, ENERGY AND NATIONAL SECURITY. AND THOSE THREE THINGS ARE ALL COMPLETELY INTERRELATED. WHY SPECIFICALLY THOSE THREE THINGS? I WAS ACTUALLY THE NEXT QUESTION ON MY LIST. WELL, IT’S EASY. IF WE DON’T GET THE ECONOMY RIGHT. WE’RE IN A WE’RE IN A COMPETITION WITH CHINA. WE’VE GOT THE WORLD’S LARGEST, MOST DYNAMIC AND MOST POWERFUL ECONOMY RIGHT NOW. BUT THAT’S ALL AT RISK UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, WHETHER IT’S FISCAL POLICY, MONETARY POLICY OR THE MOUNTAINS OF RED TAPE THEY’VE BURIED ON US, OUR ABILITY TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THE WORLD IS BEING ERODED. WE’VE GOT TO FOCUS ON INNOVATION OVER REGULATION. ON INNOVATION IS WHAT DRIVES AMERICA FORWARD. REGULATION IS WHAT HOLDS US BACK WHERE I MAY, LITERALLY HOLDING OURSELVES BACK WITH ALL OF THESE MOUNTAINS OF RED TAPE. AND THEN AND THEN, OF COURSE, WITH THE EXCESS SPENDING THAT’S HAPPENING AND THE INFLATION DRIVING UP THE COST OF EVERYTHING THAT HINDERS OUR ABILITY AS A COUNTRY TO COMPETE AND AND THEN ENERGY POLICY, WHICH IS 180 DEGREES BACKWARDS, IT’S NOT JUST OFF COURSE A LITTLE BIT. IT’S COMPLETELY BACKWARDS. WE’VE GOT AN ADMINISTRATION WHERE WE’RE ENCOURAGING OUR ENEMIES AND ADVERSARIES TO PRODUCE MORE OIL AND GAS WHILE WE’RE ATTACKING THE US ENERGY INDUSTRY. WE’RE ENCOURAGING OUR ADVERSARY CHERRIES TO PRODUCE ALL THE BATTERIES WHILE WE ATTACK BASELOAD ELECTRICITY IN NORTH IN NOT IN NOT JUST IN NORTH DAKOTA, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. AND SO WE CAN’T HAVE A THING WHERE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A PROSPEROUS COUNTRY, YOU WANT TO HAVE A SAFE WORLD. YOU CAN’T ATTACK AMERICAN ENERGY. AND THEN EXPECT US TO OUTSOURCE ALL THAT TO OTHER PEOPLE. THAT’S WHAT’S CREATING THE INSTABILITY AND IN THE WORLD, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, PUTIN NEVER INVADES UKRAINE UNLESS WESTERN EUROPE IS COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON ON GETTING ENERGY FROM RUSSIA. SO NATIONAL SECURITY, WHICH INCLUDES BORDER SECURITY, AND WE’VE GOT AN OPEN BORDER. WE’VE GOT A FENTANYL CRISIS, 110,000 PEOPLE DIED LAST YEAR IN AMERICA. THAT’S A STATISTIC. BUT THINK OF THAT. THAT’S. 110,000 FAMILIES THAT LOST A SON, A DAUGHTER, A BROTHER OR A SISTER, A MOTHER OR FATHER, BECAUSE WE’VE GOT AN OPEN BORDER INTO OUR COUNTRY. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS LIMITED RESPONSIBILITY. ORTIZ AND THOSE INCLUDE GETTING THE ECONOMY RIGHT, GETTING ENERGY POLICY RIGHT AND GETTING NATIONAL SECURITY RIGHT. AND WHEN WE’RE PRESIDENT, THAT’S WHAT WE’RE GOING TO FOCUS ON. SOME MIGHT CALL THIS A DARK HORSE BID FOR THE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. IOWA DOES A VERY GOOD JOB OF WINNOWING CANDIDATES DOWN WHERE, YOU KNOW, A DOZEN, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU WANT TO COUNT. NOW, HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF IN A STATE THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY BE WINNOW YOU OUT OF THE FIELD IF IT COMES TO THAT? WELL, IF WE COULD, I’D MEET WITH EVERY SINGLE IOWAN. WE LOVE THE PROCESS IN IOWA. WE LOVE WE LOVE THE JUDGMENT OF IN IN THE COMMUNITIES, THE ENGAGEMENT, THE PATRIOTISM OF PEOPLE IN IOWA THAT PLAY THIS IMPORTANT ROLE. AND WE KNOW THAT IF YOU COME OUT AND MEET CATHERINE, FIRST LADY OF NORTH DAKOTA, HEAR HER STORY ABOUT HOW SHE’S OVERCOME THE DISEASE OF ADDICTION. YOU KNOW, LEARN MORE ABOUT US AT DOUG BURGUM.COM COME AND SEE THAT. BUT COME AND SEE US. MEET US IN PERSON AND YOU’RE GOING TO YOU’RE GOING TO UNDERSTAND THAT. I THINK THE IOWA PROCESS IS GOING TO BE THE EXACT OPPOSITE FOR US BECAUSE WE LOVE IOWA AND WE WE KNOW THAT. WE UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT ARE FACING IOWANS. AND WE THINK THAT WE THINK THE NATION COULD USE SOME MORE SMALL TOWN COMMON SENSE LIKE IOWA HAS. WE SEE THAT IT’S MISSING BOTH IN DC. IT’S MISSING IN SOME OF OUR BIG BLUE METRO AREAS. SO WE’RE WE’RE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING A LOT OF TIME HERE. YOU SAID IN YOUR CAMPAIGN VIDEO AND YOU ALLUDED TO IT DOWNSTAIRS, YOU WANT TO CUT SOMETHING OUT OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. YOU WANT TO TRIM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. WHAT SPECIFICALLY WOULD YOU CUT IF ELECTED? WELL, THE FIRST THING YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON IS RED TAPE. AND THAT’S COMING FROM EVERY AGENCY. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S GOT A LIMITED SET OF RESPONSIBILITIES CONSTITUTIONALLY THAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO DO. THE WORD FEDERAL OVERREACH. ASGOVERNOR, I SEE THIS EVERY DAY. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER IT’S OVER BEECH INTO ENERGY POLICY, THE WATERS OF THE USA, WHETHER IT’S THE LACK OF CONTROLLING OUR BORDER. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS SPENDING TIME ON STUFF THAT’S IN THIS IN THE STATES BUSINESS, AND WE’VE GOT TO RETURN POWER TO THE STATES, THE STATES HAVE GOT TO BE MAKING SURE THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL WE’RE DRIVING DECISIONS DOWN LOCALLY TO SCHOOL BOARDS, TO LIBRARY BOARDS. I’M A LIMITED GOVERNMENT CONSERVATIVE. WE’VE GOT TO MAKE SURE AND AND I GET THAT FROM BEING A CEO. WHEN YOU’RE A CEO, THE CEO DOESN’T MAKE EVERY DECISION THE CEO FOCUSES ON THE THINGS THAT MATTER THE MOST TO THE MOST NUMBER OF PEOPLE. YOU DELEGATE ALL THE REST. AND WHEN YOU’RE RUNNING A LARGE ORGANIZATION, YOU MOVE IT DOWN TO YOUR LOCAL OPERATIONS. THEY MAKE THE DECISIONS LOCALLY DEALING WITH THOSE LOCAL CUSTOMERS. YOU DON’T TRY TO MAKE EVERY DECISION IN THE CEO’S OFFICE. AND SO IT’S GOTTEN COMPLETELY BACKWARDS. THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TRYING TO MAKE EVERY DECISION AT THE WHITE HOUSE, TRYING TO MAKE ONE SIZE FITS RULES FOR AMERICA. IT MAKES NO SENSE. WE NEED COMMON SENSE AND SMALL TOWN VALUES AS OPPOSED AND WE NEED SOMEONE WHO’S RUN LARGE ORGANIZATIONS AND SOMEONE WHO’S RUN A STATE. AND I’M THE ONLY BUSINESS LEADER WITH A TECH BACKGRUND. AND TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING EVERY JOB, EVERY COMPANY AND EVERY INDUSTRY. SO A BUSINESS LEADER THAT’S WORKED AT SCALE WITH A TECH BACKGROUND AND HAVING BEEN A GOVERNOR, THAT’S A UNIQUE SITUATION. AND THAT’S WHAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS RIGHT NOW. GOVERNOR OF NORTH DAKOTA, THERE. NEXT ON CLOSE UP, A FORMER GOVERNOR, CHRIS CHRISTIE, THE THIRD REPUBLICAN TO ENTER THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE LAST WEEK WHILE THE FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR SAYS HE’S FOCUSING SO MUCH ON FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE RAN AGAINST DONALD TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT IN 2016. LAST WEEK, HE ANNOUNCED HE PLANNED TO RUN AGAIN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. HE SAYS HE DOESN’T BELIEVE THE FORMER PRESIDENT CAN COUNT ON THOSE SO-CALLED TRUMP VOTERS TO HELP HIM AGAIN IN 2024. LOOK. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS TRUMP VOTERS. HE DOESN’T OWN THEM. HE DIDN’T TAKE TITLE TO THEM. THEY’RE NOT ONE OF HIS BUILDINGS. THEY’RE NOT ONE OF HIS FAILED CASINOS IN NEW JERSEY. OKAY. THEY’RE NOT THAT WRECK HE’S GOT IN LAS VEGAS. OKAY. THE HE DOESN’T OWN THEM. THEY VOTED FOR HIM BY THE WAY. I VOTED FOR HIM TWICE. OKAY. AM I A TRUMP VOTER THEN? HELL NO, MAN. I’VE SEEN SOME OF THE PRESS COVERAGE OF ME GETTING READY TO RUN. AND THERE’S THIS THING LIKE CHRISTIE DOESN’T REALLY CARE ABOUT WINNING. ALL HE CARES ABOUT DOING IS DESTROYING TRUMP. NOW, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. HOW ARE THOSE TWO THINGS MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE? I’M I MEAN, SERIOUSLY, AREN’T THEY INEXTRICABLY CONNECTED? THE GUY’S AHEAD IN THE POLLS. IF I CAME OUT HERE AND RAILED FOR 15, 20 MINUTES ABOUT NIKKI HALEY, YOU ALL WOULD LEAVE GOING, IS HE NUTS? HASN’T HE, LIKE, READ THE PAPERS? DOESN’T HE KNOW TRUMP’S LEADING? THE REASON I’M GOING AFTER TRUMP IS TWOFOLD. ONE, HE DESERVES IT. AND TWO, IT’S THE WAY TO WIN. POWERFUL WORDS THERE FROM CHRISTIE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US O