Another important address tonight, this one to the nation. President Barack Obama will deliver his final State of the Union address. Valedictory or call to action, or a bit of both? Joining NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams and Correspondent Michael Hill is United States Sen. Cory Booker.
Williams: The president sent out a statement saying he’d focus on, “the big things that will guarantee an even stronger, better, more prosperous America for our kids.” What might that entail?
Booker: First of all, I think that this a moment for him where he sees the finish line. He’s got about a year left in this office and he knows they aren’t impossible, but he wants to inspire the nation as to what we need to do. There’s been far too much division in our country. It’s something I’ve been working against down here, reaching across the aisle, and I think he’s going to hit that spirit. Things that we can be doing together, bold things that move our country forward. I know he’s going to talk some about international policy, obviously. We have a lot of challenges globally. I’m just returning from the Middle East and I can see over there in countries like Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, where I was, that what we’re doing here domestically in our politics is actually affecting the views of America around the globe. So, I know he’s going to talk about the critical foreign policy issues, but it will also be important for us as a nation to continue to be a place of tolerance, of civility, a place where we elevate each other — not denigrate each other.
Hill: Along the foreign policy lines, how does he address the Syria issue?
Booker: It’s obviously going to be a serious challenge in terms of forging a way to peace. Now, there’s some good developments in terms of the willingness of everyone from Russia to Turkey, to other players to come to the table and work together. When I was in Saudi Arabia we talked about their efforts. Everyone knows that Syria has this potential, truly destabilizing region, as well as giving ISIS an opportunity to voice so much of their evil, not just on the region but really around the globe. So there are good developments that I expect him to have some very specific and focus and plan tonight coming out that should be encouraging in terms of our policy.
Williams: Immigration, guns, to what extent does the State of the Union set up a Democratic platform in support of Hillary Clinton’s candidacy?
Booker: I don’t think the president is really looking at it like this. I think that he’s going to continue to try and be above the rancor of the political election. He was very blunt over this last week about the issues of common sense gun safety which is actually something that polls the majority of Americans, the majority of Republicans, a majority of conservatives, a majority of gun owners, in favor of common sense gun safety measures. The fact that he can hit chords that resonate with most of America, I think that’s going to be the good thing. I don’t expect him to delve into any bit of the partisanship or the rancor of the campaign going on now.
Hill: President Obama has been vocal of the need of criminal justice reform. You’ve been leading Congress on this. How do you see this issue advancing your legislation which has bipartisan support?
Booker: He had a summit in the White House right before the holiday break bringing together Democrats and Republicans from both houses, House representatives in the Senate, so this is front and center in his agenda as well. It’s being supported by allies of mine here as I work in the Senate. In Congress we have the Koch brothers who are helping out. You have everyone from Newt Gingrich to Grover Norquist who’s sort of endorsing a lot of these efforts. So I know this is something he can see that we can get done, but the clock is ticking. We have months, I think, until we begin to really hit the inertia of the presidential election, so I know, I expect and hope that he’ll be pushing that issue as again another call for us coming together as a country.
Williams: The new House Speaker, Paul Ryan, will be seated just behind the president. He already promised to dismantle Obamacare and Dodd-Frank. Is it possible to unite a deeply partisan Congress?
Booker: Well I think that’s going to be the test of our country, not just this year 2016, but as I look at the agenda 20 years ahead I really do believe that the test of our country is going to be how well we can work across our partisan lines. He’s got a divided party, he’s got a divided Republican Party, and he’s got to figure out a way not just to unite the Republicans, but actually to get something done in Washington. This is what I say to New Jerseyans all the time. You can’t come down here as a Democrat or a Republican, you need to come down here as an American and find others across the party lines to work with to really move things forward. So that’s the challenge of his leadership. I know Paul Ryan, I’ve sat on a panel with him of recent, and I know that he has an earnestness to this end but this is going to be a real test for him. I think if you’re a Washington watcher, he really is one of the people you want to watch to see if he can pull it off, that he can keep his party together enough to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats who are willing, like I am, to really create partnerships for the American good.