Full transcript of “Face the Nation” on Aug. 28, 2022

On this “Face the Nation” broadcast moderated by Major Garrett:

• CBS News chief elections and marketing campaign correspondent Robert Costa and CBS News nationwide safety contributor and former performing CIA director Michael Morell 
• CBS News director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto 
• DNC chair Jaime Harrison
  
• Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan
• Astronaunt and Artemis staff member Kate Rubins

Click here to browse full transcripts of “Face the Nation.”  

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MAJOR GARRETT: I’m Major Garrett in Washington.

And this week on Face the Nation: Alarming info surfaces from the affidavit justifying the search of former President Trump’s Florida dwelling.

The 38-page doc was closely redacted, however its launch at this early stage of the investigation very uncommon. Already, we’re beginning to see the affect of this historic FBI search on the midterm elections.

One key query, how damaging was it that extremely categorised materials, in keeping with the authorities, was improperly saved at Mar-a-Lago. Another query, is Trump’s authorized jeopardy growing? We may have the newest.

Our CBS News Battleground Tracker exhibits Trump’s true believers are nonetheless with him, however for the way lengthy? What about voters troubled by these latest revelations?

Both sides are gearing up for a blistering fall marketing campaign, as may be heard on the marketing campaign path for Florida governor.

(Begin VT)

GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS (R-Florida): We won’t ever, ever give up to the woke agenda. Florida is the state the place woke goes to die.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

REPRESENTATIVE CHARLIE CRIST (D-Florida): This governor couldn’t care much less about your freedom. He’s abusive. He is a bully. He is a bully. And he’s harmful.

(End VT)

MAJOR GARRETT: Nationally, the political panorama seems to have shifted in the final month. Democrats overperformed in some races final Tuesday, as midterm primaries close to the finish.

(Begin VT)

REPRESENTATIVE NANCY PELOSI (D-California): Republicans needs to be very, very, very scared this morning about their prospects.

(End VT)

MAJOR GARRETT: One issue serving to Democrats, abortion rights.

(Begin VT)

JOE BIDEN (President of the United States): MAGA Republicans don’t have a clue about the energy of girls.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Let me inform you one thing. They are about to search out out.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(End VT)

MAJOR GARRETT: Will that momentum final to November? We will discuss to the head of the Democratic Party, DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, and Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan.

Plus, we may have the newest from Ukraine, as the menace of a catastrophe grows as Russian and Ukrainian forces commerce hearth close to the continent’s largest nuclear energy plant.

Finally, almost 50 years since NASA’s final journey to the moon, we are going to preview Monday’s launch of America’s subsequent moonshot, the first rocket of the Artemis mission. We will discuss with astronaut and Artemis staff member Kate Rubins.

It’s all simply forward on Face the Nation.

Good morning, everybody. Welcome to Face the Nation. Margaret is out and we hope in the closing phases of restoration from COVID-19.

August has been — there’s actually no different method to say it — a unprecedented month right here in Washington. And one of our duties right this moment is to work to grasp the authorized and nationwide safety implications of Friday’s launch of a redacted affidavit outlining the justification behind the FBI’s retrieval of categorised paperwork saved at former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

To assist us, CBS News chief election and marketing campaign correspondent Robert Costa is again from West Palm Beach, Florida. And now we have additionally introduced in Michael Morell, former performing director of the CIA, now a CBS News nationwide safety contributor.

Gentlemen, good morning.

Bob, I wish to begin with you.

Outline for the viewers what you see as the potential authorized peril for the former president.

ROBERT COSTA: The affidavit from the authorities spells it out.

There have been tensions between the Trump authorized staff and federal investigators for months about his dealing with of categorised materials. The affidavit mentions doable obstruction. It additionally mentions how Trump had in possession, of their view, paperwork that have been extremely delicate, that would even cope with info derived from human intelligence sources.

And this led to them to have an FBI search of the property Mar-a-Lago simply weeks in the past.

MAJOR GARRETT: And there’s a political dimension to this, of course.

How do you assess that? And you have been down in West Palm Beach for the complete week. What is the environment there?

ROBERT COSTA: It injects uncertainty into the midterm elections.

For Republicans, that is the standard-bearer of their social gathering. Even although he’s former President Donald Trump, he’s nonetheless somebody who’s eying 2024 presidential bid. So many candidates in the social gathering are echoing his model of politics. Now to have him going through authorized challenges throughout the board, not simply in Florida, provides that uncertainty to the dialogue.

MAJOR GARRETT: And one factor that occurred just lately, a choose reviewing a request from the former president for a particular grasp, put in a authorized doc that this choose is probably inclined to take action. Does that change something, out of your vantage level?

ROBERT COSTA: To be decided at this level. We will watch in the coming days whether or not a so-called particular grasp or impartial social gathering is appointed by a Florida federal choose to evaluation and return the proof. They have requested the authorities to supply a listing of info. It might transfer in that course.

But let’s keep in mind the authorities already has a filter staff in place at the Justice Department reviewing what they collected weeks in the past. So this can be a late entry into the authorized dialogue.

MAJOR GARRETT: Mike Morell, consider the affidavit for our viewers, please.

MICHAEL MORELL: Major, I had two reactions once I learn it.

The first was the undeniable fact that these paperwork have been combined in with unclassified paperwork. You had categorised paperwork in the overwhelming majority of the packing containers. That steered to me a sloppiness in the dealing with of categorised paperwork at the White House.

The two White Houses that I do know finest, the Bush White House and the Obama White House, there have been very rigorous and strict protocols with regard to the dealing with of categorised info, the place it was. Records have been stored. Retrievals have been made. That’s what usually occurs. That didn’t occur on this case, it sounds to me.

The second factor that jumped out at me have been the markings HCS, HUMINT management system, and S.I., particular intelligence. HUMINT management system means info from CIA spies. And particular intelligence means info from technical operations of the National Security Agency. This is the — that is the most delicate materials of the United States intelligence neighborhood.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, the subsequent pure query, it appears to me, is, how susceptible to compromise have been the paperwork you have been simply speaking about and have been outlined on this affidavit?

MICHAEL MORELL: So, I feel they have been susceptible, even at the White House, since they appear to have been mishandled at the White House as nicely, proper? We have to take a look at that, in addition to Mar-a-Lago.

And, as the injury evaluation goes ahead, I feel they want to take a look at each of these locations. Not everybody at the White House has a prime secret clearance. So you must fear about who had entry to these paperwork who didn’t have a clearance to take action.

In phrases of the vulnerability from overseas intelligence companies, a bit of context. If you look again at the historical past of espionage in the United States, you will notice a quantity of Americans who have been charged and convicted of espionage.

And once you have a look at how lengthy they spied earlier than they have been caught, and also you do all of that math, what you what you study is that, at any given second in time, they’re on common 4 Americans spying for overseas intelligence companies with out us figuring out it at the time. And these are the ones we in the end caught.

So, there’s rather a lot of spying going on in Washington, proper? And in case you’re a overseas intelligence service, and also you wish to goal the United States authorities, what’s the primary place you wish to goal? The White House.

MAJOR GARRETT: You talked about your expertise with the Bush and Obama White Houses.

There’s a process inside the constructing, clearly, for categorised and safe paperwork. Is there an analogous course of off-site for any president, that means at a spot like Mar-a-Lago or for President Biden proper now when he goes again to Delaware?

MICHAEL MORELL: So, there are issues referred to as SCIFs, delicate compartmented info places, which might be really authorized for holding categorised info. I had one in my attic once I was the deputy director.

And you’re allowed to carry categorised there. But these are locations which might be authorized by safety officers, proper?

MAJOR GARRETT: And, in the event that they’re not, then they don’t observe procedures, and so they could not observe federal legislation?

MICHAEL MORELL: Correct. And you could be in danger in these instances of mishandling categorised info.

MAJOR GARRETT: And, Mike, this can be a query that circles round this relentlessly. Is there a formalized course of for a president to declassify categorised info?

MICHAEL MORELL: Unfortunately not. There are statutes that permit the president to declassify info. The Supreme Court has upheld these statutes a quantity of instances.

But these statutes don’t define a step-by-step course of for the president to take action. So it’s murky. I really know a case from the Bush White House the place President Bush declassified half of the 2002 Iraq WMD nationwide intelligence estimate, so Scooter Libby might use that info at his grand jury testimony. And President Bush did that with out ever telling the intelligence neighborhood.

So, presidents can do that, proper? But there’s an acceptable method to do it. And the acceptable method to do it’s to paper it over, proper, to have the president signal a doc that claims: I hereby declassify this info.

MAJOR GARRETT: With essential reporting and context, Bob Costa, Mike Morell, thanks very a lot.

Our new CBS Battleground Tracker finds Republicans are nonetheless main the race for management of the U.S. House of Representatives, however Democrats are gaining momentum. In July, our estimate was that Republicans stood to win 230 seats, 12 greater than the 218 wanted for a majority. Today, Republicans would stand to win 226, nonetheless a majority, however a slimmer one, after Democrats narrowed the hole final month.

We flip now to CBS News elections and surveys director Anthony Salvanto.

Anthony, good morning.

So, this isn’t a prediction. It’s an estimate, however it seems that the prospects Republicans as soon as thought of an enormous purple wave election appeared to have dimmed. Is that true?

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Yes, there are some breakwaters in right here, to proceed your metaphor, in opposition to that wave.

And we study, once we discuss to folks throughout all the districts — as a result of, keep in mind, this can be a contest for 435 seats — is that they’re abortion. It is a bit of bit of enchancment in the financial system and prospects, so a bit of bit of enchancment for Joe Biden, after which, three, the Trump issue.

Let me take these so as. Let me begin with abortion, as a result of that actually stands out. Democrats now say that is essential to their vote, much more so than the financial system. And then we see positive aspects for the Democrats amongst this key voting bloc, college-educated girls. They dwell in swing districts. Democrats have rebounded with them.

They have at all times counted in the final two cycles on that group. So that’s essential. And then associated, there’s this view amongst girls, amongst independents that ought to the Republicans gained Congress, that the Republicans would prioritize abortion restrictions. So that’s how that each one ties collectively on the abortion entrance for Democrats, Major.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, one of the issues Democrats have had structurally all 12 months is President Biden’s low approval scores. Is there something on this information that implies these have begun to show?

ANTHONY SALVANTO: And some of these approval scores have come from decrease approval amongst his personal base, amongst Democrats. So that’s the story coming in.

But now we see a bit of bit of enchancment there for him. So, his total numbers are up. That’s bolstered by a kind of return, the type of coming dwelling from rather a lot of Democrats, and that’s tied to the financial system, so his dealing with of gasoline costs, of inflation a bit of bit higher, actually from Democrats saying that.

And one of the issues now we have seen is that his numbers have been tied to these gasoline costs. It’s typically how folks take into consideration the financial system, proper, what they’re paying, proper, proper up there at the money register or the pump.

And then the different half of that is the Democratic base shoring up with younger folks, possibly some of that associated to assist for the debt aid. But you do see a bit of bit of that bounce-back amongst Democrats, and that’s serving to him.

MAJOR GARRETT: Anthony, historical past tells us midterm elections, new presidency, nearly at all times a referendum on the present occupant of the White House. That can be Joe Biden, clearly.

But there’s information, I perceive, that implies that former President Trump nonetheless looms massive on this midterm dialog.

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Yes, this midterm is totally different. And I’ll say that rather a lot over the subsequent few months. But a technique it’s, is that Donald Trump, former president, remains to be an element, voters inform us, for most individuals of their vote selection, a technique or the different, constructive or destructive.

Now, let’s look proper now at the impact of Mar-a-Lago and the search, first of all, massive distinction in partisan views. For Republicans, this can be a political try to break the former president. For Democrats, for independence, it’s taking care of nationwide safety, OK? So that’s primary.

But then what occurs politically? Republicans need their leaders to defend Donald Trump on this and stick with him. That’s seven in 10. It’s an enormous quantity. But, for everyone else, Donald Trump finally ends up being a internet destructive in that sense, for Democrats, for independents, in the vote.

The different half of this, Major, is, Donald Trump was endorsing candidates all through the main course of. We choose up now from voters a sense amongst key teams that the Republicans have nominated candidates who they really feel are extra excessive than the Democrats have nominated generally.

And that’s half of that impact past the Republican base that you simply see from Donald Trump.

MAJOR GARRETT: Historically, midterm or basic election, financial system entrance and middle. There has been some, as you’ve outlined, encouraging indicators for Democrats.

And, look, they’re determined to search out encouraging indicators. They haven’t had any for months. But but the financial system nonetheless seems to be tough for them. True?

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Well, folks nonetheless say it’s not good, even when there’s some enchancment. And Republicans are successful the voters for whom the financial system is most essential.

And that’s underpinning that Republican acquire, nonetheless massive we estimate it’s at this level, proper? So that’s primary. Number two is, Republicans are nonetheless seen as extra prone to prioritize inflation in the event that they acquire Congress. And that’s a spot that the Democrats nonetheless haven’t stuffed.

And possibly they’re not going to erase that as a result of there’s a 12 months of voter frustration behind it, proper, behind that for the Democrats, all of which is to say, Major, once more, what is that this election about? That’s typically the most essential query. If it’s about the financial system, the Republicans have a bonus, if it’s about all these different issues now we have been speaking about, possibly some hope for Democrats.

MAJOR GARRETT: And in a short time, Anthony, vitality on either side.

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Energy, enthusiasm is up. Enthusiasm is excessive.

At this level, very robust turnout can be what we’d be taking a look at right here.

MAJOR GARRETT: Anthony Salvanto, at all times a pleasure to be with you. Thanks a lot.

Face the Nation shall be again in a single minute. Please stick with us.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MAJOR GARRETT: Welcome again to Face the Nation.

We go now to the head of the Democratic National Committee, Jaime Harrison. He joins us from Columbia, South Carolina.

Mr. Chairman, nice to see you. Good morning.

JAIME HARRISON (Democratic National Committee Chairman): Thank you a lot for having me.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, you heard in our battleground tracker that there’s momentum Democrats have.

Do you imagine that momentum is actual? And is it so actual, Mr. Chairman, you’re ready to foretell this morning, Democrats will retain their slender majority in the House of Representatives?

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: That momentum is actual.

And I’ve been predicting since I turned chairman that Democrats are going to maintain their majorities in the House, that they’re going to develop the majorities in the United States Senate, and we’re going to select up some governor’s mansions alongside the method.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, our battleground tracker exhibits that 33 % of the nation believes Democrats have a plan to battle inflation, that means the overwhelming majority of Americans don’t imagine Democrats have a plan to cope with inflation, the primary financial subject in the nation.

Now, I do know you’ll in all probability check with the Inflation Reduction Act, Mr. Chairman. I invite you to do this. But additionally polling tells us that, after the American Rescue Plan and the infrastructure plan, both you didn’t promote it or the American folks didn’t give Democrats credit score for it.

What’s going to be totally different?

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: Well, hear, in the finish of the day, that is about the accomplishments of this administration.

And they’re huge. When you have a look in a historic perspective of what Joe Biden has been in a position to do in two years, there’s some presidents who’ve served for eight years can’t add as much as what Joe Biden has been in a position to do, the Inflation Reduction Act, the American rescue plan, the bipartisan infrastructure legislation, the PACT Act serving to our veterans, Violence Against Women Act reauthorization, the CHIPS and Science Act.

I can go on and on and on. And we’re seeing file job progress. We’re seeing the lowest unemployment that we’ve seen. And that is — that is the bundle that Joe Biden has performed, as a result of his focus has been on enhancing the standing of all of America’s folks.

And that’s what we’ve performed. That’s half of our plan. And we’re seeing gasoline costs proper now go down. We’re seeing now that seniors are so excited that prescribed drugs prices are going to go down, capped at $2,000. For the first time ever, Medicare’s going to get a chance to barter decrease prescribed drugs.

We would have gotten insulin costs down for all Americans, however the Republicans voted to take that out of the laws. So, in the finish of the day, Major, what we’re seeing is that the American individuals are waking as much as how Democrats below Joe Biden have been delivering for the American folks, whereas the Republicans undoubtedly don’t have a plan.

They — the solely plan they do have is learn how to intestine Social Security and Medicare. You can ask Rick Scott about that. But Democrats are combating for the American folks each day.

MAJOR GARRETT: Mr. Chairman, the President took pains to focus on abortion as a difficulty in the midterm elections this week.

When you concentrate on the historical past of these midterm elections, when that historical past is written, will abortion or the financial system be extra essential?

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: I feel abortion goes to be extraordinarily essential, and since the purpose why so many individuals come to America is as a result of we’re the land of freedom. It’s liberty and justice for all.

And abortion is about privateness and freedom, freedom of girls to manage their very own our bodies. For the first time in 50 years, these excessive MAGA Republicans have chipped away at a freedom that we’ve had as American folks. And girls are upset about it. Men are upset about it. And you’re seeing it in particular election after particular election.

You noticed it in Kansas, that individuals are rising up, as a result of they realize it’s a slippery slope. You take away privateness and freedom rights. You are chipping away at voting rights. You’re going after folks’s freedom of speech. I imply, that isn’t who America is.

But that’s who the MAGA extremists in the Republican Party need America to be. Joe Biden is standing in that hole and saying, you’ll not do that. You is not going to do — President Joe Biden is there: You is not going to do that on my watch.

It’s about defending freedom. And that’s what the Democratic Party is doing each day.

MAJOR GARRETT: Mr. Chairman, earlier this week, the president referred to the MAGA, Make America Great, agenda as nearly like — quote — “semi- fascism.

You heard the President’s inaugural deal with, the similar method I did. In that inaugural deal with, President Biden mentioned we should always not view one another as adversaries on this nation, however as neighbors, and we should always deal with one another with dignity and respect.

How does semi-fascism as a label for the Republican Party match with that inaugural deal with?

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: Well, the one factor that President Joe Biden has been is at all times been constant, and he has at all times been someone who does what my grandfather used to do, which is converse it plain, say it plain to the American folks.

And what we see proper now could be a full frontal assault by these excessive MAGA Republicans on this nation. And that excessive assault in our freedoms…

MAJOR GARRETT: And so that you — you — Mr. Chairman, you embrace…

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: … freedoms as a folks.

MAJOR GARRETT: Mr. Chairman, you embrace the rhetoric semi-fascism to explain the Republican Party?

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: Well, it’s not about the embracing. It’s calling what it’s what it’s.

In the finish of the day, we’re a rustic constructed on freedom. And once you chip away at that, once you see the bullying that takes place in place like Florida with DeSantis, once you see them chip away at privateness rights, once they attempt to demonize the different, the assaults on transgender children and their households, the assaults on marriage equality that we’re listening to from the Supreme Court, this isn’t who America is.

We’re about freedom and rights for all of America’s folks, not only a choose few. But the Republicans are turning a blind eye, this excessive agenda. And that is what this election is all about. It is the nice distinction between a celebration, the Democratic Party, that’s standing up for the hopes and aspirations of the American folks and defending our rights as Americans and our freedoms.

And a Republican social gathering that’s centered on worry, that’s centered on fraud, that’s centered on simply getting energy.

MAJOR GARRETT: Mr. Chairman…

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: I imply, what social gathering do you ever see…

MAJOR GARRETT: Mr. Chairman…

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: Did you ever assume that the social gathering of Reagan would really rejoice once they stalled the PACT Act in the United States Senate?

But that’s what now we have on this — in right this moment’s Republican Party.

MAJOR GARRETT: Mr. Chairman, will President Biden run for reelection and will he?

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: The president has persistently mentioned that his intention is to run for president in the United States. And I can inform you, the Democratic National Committee shall be absolutely behind him and Kamala Harris.

This president has a file of achievement, and America wants President Biden to proceed that effort.

MAJOR GARRETT: Can you inform us what the standing of the Iowa caucuses is? The Democratic National Committee has continued to delay a choice about that. It seems that Iowa will lose its first-in-the nation caucus standing. True?

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: No, that isn’t true.

Listen, in the finish of the day, the DNC is targeted on these midterm elections, and we’re going to permit the presidential cycle schedule to be decided after we’re performed. And the finish of the day, for us at the DNC…

MAJOR GARRETT: Mr. Chairman, thanks for that.

CHAIRMAN JAIME HARRISON: … it’s about cash — we’ve raised file quantities of it — message and mobilization.

MAJOR GARRETT: Thank you for that. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, thanks for that. I do know Democrats in Iowa will take heed to you very, very rigorously.

Mr. Chairman, thanks a lot to your time.

And we shall be proper again.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MAJOR GARRETT: Welcome again.

We are joined now by Maryland Republican Governor Larry Hogan.

Governor, good to see you. Good morning.

GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN (R-Maryland): Good morning.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, you heard my dialog with the DNC Chair Harrison about semi-fascism as a label that President Biden has utilized to Republicans. What do you assume of that?

GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN: You know, I feel it’s that sort of divisive rhetoric on either side that’s actually dangerous for America.

And I’ve been speaking about the poisonous politics, and when — if Republicans are calling Democrats socialists and communists and now we have the president of the United States calling Republicans fascist, I don’t assume it provides to the — the total dialogue. We ought to only speak about the variations now we have on the points and focus on the issues that most individuals in America need us to focus on.

MAJOR GARRETT: Real rapidly, do you see any strains of authoritarianism in the Republican Party?

GOVERNOR LARRY HOGAN: Well, there’s no query we see some — some indicators of that. And I’m one of the ones talking out.

MAJOR GARRETT: Very good.

Governor Hogan, thanks a lot.

Please stick with us. We will proceed our dialog after a fast break.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MAJOR GARRETT: Here’s a promise. We shall be proper again with Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. And we will even have a preview of the Artemis launch.

Please stick with us.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MAJOR GARRETT: Welcome again to FACE THE NATION. I’m Major Garrett, in for Margaret.

We proceed our dialog with Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

Governor, we began the present speaking about not solely the FBI search at Mar- a-Lago however the affidavit that was launched late this week. Many Republicans imagine this can be a political effort to hurt and tarnish the popularity of former President Trump.

Do you agree with them? And do you assume the authorities has been clear sufficient on this extraordinary set of occasions?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, it’s a unprecedented set of occasions. It’s by no means occurred earlier than with a former president. And so, the very first day, I referred to as for extra transparency. And I — I assumed it was a good suggestion for the lawyer basic to lastly come out and make feedback. I assumed it was a good suggestion for them to launch some of the info on the affidavit.

But we nonetheless don’t know a complete lot. I imply most of it was redacted. It didn’t give us rather a lot of colour. And so I feel some Republicans are saying, with out you displaying us extra to it, we don’t – we predict it could be political.

MAJOR GARRETT: Are you glad?

LARRY HOGAN: No, I imply, I’d wish to see extra transparency as a result of —

MAJOR GARRETT: What would you wish to see that you simply haven’t seen but?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, it’s exhausting to inform as a result of in a – in a federal investigation they’ve obtained to maintain some issues confidential.

MAJOR GARRETT: Do you wish to know extra about what the paperwork have been?

LARRY HOGAN: We wish to know whether or not or not it was justified or not. And so, on the one hand, it could possibly be, as some Republicans assume, only a – you understand, only a political witch hunt. On the different hand, it could possibly be actually critical, you understand, federal felonies that we don’t find out about but.

MAJOR GARRETT: Where do you come down on that query, witch hunt or reliable train of the federal authorities’s reliable, not solely curiosity, however prosecutorial curiosity in the dealing with of delicate paperwork.

LARRY HOGAN: Well, it’s exhausting for me to think about that –

MAJOR GARRETT: You haven’t made up your thoughts on that?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, I feel — I don’t know that now we have sufficient info but. I feel – it’s exhausting to imagine that the Justice Department and the FBI would take steps except that they had one thing fairly critical that they have been investigating. We simply don’t know the details but.

MAJOR GARRETT: Do you assume there’s any Republican hypocrisy remembering the “lock her up” chants from 2016 about Hillary Clinton and her e mail server?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, I feel so, however I feel there’s additionally, you understand, some of the argument the Republicans are making is that they didn’t actually take these sort of actions – these steps when —

MAJOR GARRETT: Then and so they’re taking them now?

LARRY HOGAN: Yes, then, however they’re now. Yes.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, you – so that you facet with Republicans who’re nonetheless very deeply skeptical about this?

LARRY HOGAN: I perceive why it’s dividing the nation and why Democrats and Republicans view it otherwise.

MAJOR GARRETT: As I perceive your journey schedule, Governor, you’re heading to New Hampshire once more. You’ve been there earlier than. You’ve been to Iowa. When are you asserting your 2024 bid?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, possibly this morning. No, I’m – I’m simply teasing. I –

MAJOR GARRETT: Go proper forward, Governor.

LARRY HOGAN: I’m simply going to complete my time period as – as governor. In January

MAJOR GARRETT: Well, why are you going to Iowa and New Hampshire?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, I’m going to New Hampshire to assist the Republican caucus, the House Republican caucus up there. I’m serving to candidates throughout the nation. But, you understand, it’s nice to get out and see —

MAJOR GARRETT: You are taking a look at it very significantly, true?

LARRY HOGAN: I feel it’s — that’s in all probability an exaggeration. I feel we’re going to complete the time period as governor –

MAJOR GARRETT: Lukewarm taking a look at it?

LARRY HOGAN: Lukewarm possibly, lukewarm.

MAJOR GARRETT: Very good.

In that context, as you concentrate on what you could or could not do on the nationwide stage, how both alarming or possibly providing you with second for pause was it to see your most well-liked Republican gubernatorial candidate, Kelly Schultz, lose in a Republican main for governor in your individual state of Maryland? What does that inform you?

LARRY HOGAN: What was actually — it was actually unhappy. And it’s what I’ve been speaking about for 2 years, that, you understand, this needs to be a extremely large 12 months for Republicans simply because of the failures of the Democrats and — who’re in management of the whole lot and Biden’s low approval scores. But we might blow it by nominating unelectable folks. And that’s precisely what’s occurring throughout the nation and why the wave goes to be extra of a – of a ripple fairly than a tidal wave.

MAJOR GARRETT: You referred to as the winner in that Republican gubernatorial main, Dan Cox, a QAnon whack job and a nut. I take it you’re endorsing the Democratic nominee, Wes Moore?

LARRY HOGAN: No, I’m not endorsing anyone in the race.

MAJOR GARRETT: Why not?

LARRY HOGAN: But what I’m doing helps —

MAJOR GARRETT: But you’re bashing all the Republican nominees. Isn’t that the similar factor?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, I’ve simply instructed the fact. I – you understand, when folks ask me a query, I normally give them a direct reply. And I, you understand, made it very clear that this man shouldn’t be the nominee. He shouldn’t be governor. But I’m not getting concerned in endorsing in the race.

But that is simply — not simply Maryland, that is occurring throughout the nation. This is one thing that it’s why Mitch McConnell is saying they’re not — we could not win the Senate. It’s why we have been hoping to select up seats in governors’ races and now we’re not.

MAJOR GARRETT: It’s curious to me —

LARRY HOGAN: It’s why we’re — the margin in the House is a lot smaller.

MAJOR GARRETT: It’s curious to me, although, Governor, I imply you gained election and then you definitely gained re-election with quantity of Democrats in a blue state supporting you. They look to you on this query. Are you going to sit down out and never inform them who you assume the subsequent governor of Maryland needs to be?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, I feel they have already got their thoughts – I feel they have already got their thoughts made up. But, sure, Maryland’s solely obtained 23 % Republican. You know, and I needed to win, you understand, an enormous — nearly all the Republicans and independents and 25 % of the Democrats to win. But that — this candidate shouldn’t be going to do this.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, is, for you, Governor Hogan, for the the rest of your lively political life, election denialism a litmus take a look at?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, it’s actually one thing that we shouldn’t be centered on. Look, I feel the voters are going to determine on points, like inflation, like the out of management crime —

MAJOR GARRETT: I imply would you endorse somebody who denied that Joe Biden gained the 2020 election?

LARRY HOGAN: No. No, I might not.

MAJOR GARRETT: Would you actively marketing campaign in opposition to that Republican?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, it relies upon on who they’re operating in opposition to, whether or not it was a main or not. But I’ve been supporting of us all throughout the nation in Republican primaries that have been operating in opposition to candidates like that as a result of I feel if the Republicans are to get any energy again, we’re going to have to begin speaking about the points folks care about and never relitigating what occurred in 2020 or, you understand, denying issues which might be truth.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, I wish to speak about one thing that’s considerably topical in Pennsylvania, in the governor’s race there. GOP nominee Doug Mastriano posed for an image in 2017 sporting a accomplice uniform. Now, this was half of a school photograph at the Army War College.

Now, Mastriano has a Ph.D. in historical past. The district he represents in the legislature contains Gettysburg. Is this disqualifying in your estimation?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, it’s the first I’ve heard the story and I don’t know the circumstances round it, however these are the varieties of issues that I feel we’re having. We have an analogous scenario in Maryland with an lawyer basic candidate whose a (INAUDIBLE) —

MAJOR GARRETT: Not disqualifying, however problematic?

LARRY HOGAN: It’s very problematic and could possibly be disqualifying.

MAJOR GARRETT: Could be disqualifying. Why? Tell — clarify to voters who’re like, what’s the massive deal? What would you say (INAUDIBLE)?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, once more, I mentioned, I don’t know the details concerning that, however this can be a – you understand, simply not the sort of method that Republicans are going to win races, that’s for positive. And that’s my massive concern and what I’ve been speaking about for 2 years.

MAJOR GARRETT: So, what’s your evaluation as governor of Maryland of the president’s determination on pupil mortgage debt aid? Did he have the authority? Is it inflationary? Support/in opposition to?

LARRY HOGAN: I’m unsure whether or not he had the authority or not, however I feel it was the mistaken answer to what’s an actual drawback, however the mistaken answer at the mistaken time as a result of, I agree, it’s like throwing gasoline on a fireplace. Inflation is out of management. And, you understand, it’s a difficulty we’ve tried to unravel in Maryland by holding a line on tuition, by giving, you understand, scholarships to neighborhood faculties, by eradicating the requirement for four- 12 months levels, by attempting to make curiosity deductible on your pupil loans off of your taxes. But simply handing out cash to folks and being unfair to the individuals who labored exhausting to repay their debt and pouring that cash into the inflationary financial system is admittedly dangerous.

MAJOR GARRETT: Back to politics. If Republicans underperform in these midterms, how a lot of that shall be credibly attributed and blamed on former President Trump?

LARRY HOGAN: Well, I feel the focus away from the points and onto President Trump and away from the future and again to the previous goes to harm Republicans. It’s a matter of how dangerous it’s going to be.

MAJOR GARRETT: What are your fears?

LARRY HOGAN: My worry is that we don’t – we don’t win the Senate, that we don’t choose up gubernatorial seats and probably lose them, and that — I feel we’ll nonetheless take the House, but it surely’s going to be nearer than folks assume.

MAJOR GARRETT: Republican Governor Larry Hogan, a pleasure, sir.

LARRY HOGAN: Thank you.

MAJOR GARRETT: Thanks for being with us.

And we’ll be proper again.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MAJOR GARRETT: Welcome again.

We are joined once more by administrators of elections and surveys, Anthony Salvanto, and chief election and marketing campaign correspondent Robert Costa.

Bob, I wish to begin with you. In your conversations with Republicans fairly separate from the drama at Mar-a-Lago, what’s the Republican sentiment? Do they really feel they’re shedding momentum?

ROBERT COSTA: There’s alarm inside of the Republican Party. Just weeks after the vote in Kansas on abortion rights, you now see the Democrats passing the local weather and spending invoice and beginning to acquire traction. They’re additionally beginning to body the Republican Party in a sharper method on the subject of democracy, operating exhausting in opposition to election deniers and even President Biden, taking a brand new step in phrases of his rhetoric, referring to the Republican Party, as you mentioned, as semi-fascist.

MAJOR GARRETT: Anthony, does our information inform us something about the doable energy of that sort of rhetoric or any warning indicators probably for the president to go not possibly that far.

ANTHONY SALVANTO: We went by means of the primaries, in a single after one other, and voters for the Republican facet have been saying they needed the social gathering not solely to assist Donald Trump however they needed Donald Trump’s endorsement behind a candidate and so they additionally needed Republican candidates to be speaking about issues like the 2020 election. All of that, different voters inform us, is out of sync with what the bigger citizens desires to speak about, the financial system, that’s the primary subject, inflation, the primary subject. So, it’s not simply that sort of rhetoric, but it surely’s the subject material too.

MAJOR GARRETT: And you heard the Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison say the president has obtained this great set of accomplishments, he ought to run for re-election, the DNC shall be absolutely behind him, and but our information and different information continues to indicate Democrats aren’t but offered on that.

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Well, no, as a result of they’ve obtained rather a lot of floor to make up, primary. Number two, on the House –

MAJOR GARRETT: But they’re not even offered on Biden as a re-election candidate.

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Well, that –

MAJOR GARRETT: Specifically.

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Yes, which may be — look, a president is at all times an element, as we’ve mentioned, and Biden is actually an element. The query is, can they encourage Democrats to really exit and assist him? And what now we have seen, that is altering, however what now we have seen up to now is Democrats a bit of bit extra reluctant to do this than Republicans who’re type of chomping at the bit to go and vote in opposition to Joe Biden.

ROBERT COSTAS: There’s nobody chomping at the bit primarily based on my reporting to run in opposition to President Biden in 2024 in a Democratic main. One of his rivals from 2020, Senator Bernie Sanders, has been in lock-step politically most of the time with President Biden in terms of the massive image on coverage.

And have a look at the feedback simply this previous week from California Governor Gavin Newsom evaluating President Biden to FDR in phrases of his governing accomplishments. Newsom’s extensively seen as a future presidential candidate, however he’s not making any transfer to problem Biden. In truth, he’s praising Biden.

MAJOR GARRETT: And trying to possibly dial again the sense that some Democrats had a month or a month and a half in the past that he was attempting to place himself simply in case. Looked like he was dialing that – dialing that again a bit of bit.

Anthony, what to observe in the subsequent couple of weeks?

ANTHONY SALVANTO: Oh, begin with the Senate. We’ve obtained to – we’ve obtained to begin taking a look at the Senate. We’ll be polling in rather a lot of these races. And whether or not of us have — the Senate is totally different from the House in that it will be extra candidate centered. And it comes again to what I used to be simply saying about, have Republicans nominated candidates that may enchantment to a wider citizens? I feel we’re going to see exams of that in Pennsylvania. We’re going to see exams of that in Georgia. We’re going to observe Arizona, amongst others. These will develop into family state names, if you’ll, as we undergo this marketing campaign.

MAJOR GARRETT: Yes.

And, Bob, in that regard, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, all take a look at instances for the Trump impact and this extremism label.

ROBERT COSTAS: And there’s a stress inside of the GOP I’m selecting up in my reporting between what I might name the McConnell world of the GOP, the long-time Republican enterprise pleasant institution in energy in the Senate, versus Senator Rick Scott, who runs the nationwide Republicans marketing campaign on the NRSC.

There’s a strategic sense that Scott is aligned with Trump and Trumpism inside the Republican Party and that he’s embraced candidates who may not have the finest shot to win. So now you see McConnell and his tremendous PAC arm, the Senate Leadership Fund, attempting to do their very own factor, not essentially the whole lot that Rick Scott’s doing at the NRSC.

MAJOR GARRETT: Intraparty maneuvering, it’s not unusual.

Bob Costa, Anthony Salvanto, thanks a lot.

And we’ll be proper again.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MAJOR GARRETT: We flip now to the conflict in Ukraine, the place fears are rising over a possible nuclear catastrophe at Zaporizhzhia, the largest nuclear energy plant in Europe.

CBS News overseas correspondent Debora Patta has the newest.

(BEGIN VT)

DEBORA PATTA: There are contemporary warnings of the threat of radioactive leaks at the Russian occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant. Ukraine and Russia have traded accusations of renewed shelling there this weekend, and, on Thursday, the plant was all the way down to a precarious final resort when it was disconnected from the grid attributable to hearth injury. For greater than 24 hours, the plant was working on backup diesel turbines.

HERMAN HALUSHCHENKO (Ukraine Energy Minister): Frankly, that’s one step earlier than the disaster.

DEBORA PATTA: Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko defined a continuing electrical energy provide is important for cooling down spent nuclear gas and avoiding a disastrous meltdown. If the backup turbines fail, it units in movement a sequence response.

HERMAN HALUSHCHENKO: We have in all probability an hour and a half, two hours earlier than the response began inside the – the unit.

DEBORA PATTA (on digital camera): So we narrowly escaped nuclear catastrophe?

HERMAN HALUSHCHENKO: I have to say that we weren’t far. Not far.

DEBORA PATTA: Ukrainians residing in the shadow of the reactors put together for a worst-case state of affairs, and authorities are handing out iodine tablets to assist shield in opposition to radiation.

The minister is hopeful the United Nations nuclear watchdog will examine the web site early this week.

HERMAN HALUSHCHENKO: From our level of view, it’s crucial to create one thing to love everlasting mission. Not simply to come back there to examine and to depart.

DEBORA PATTA: It’s been simply over half a 12 months since Vladimir Putin did the unthinkable and invaded Ukraine. In the east, war-weary residents nonetheless get up day-after-day to a residing hell. They depend the lifeless, clear the particles.

The Russians are torturing us, mentioned Katiana Veahintza (ph). We’re exhausted by the countless shelling. But we’re nonetheless alive.

(END VT)

DEBORA PATTA: As the conflict stretches past the midway mark, Ukrainians are digging of their heels, ready for the lengthy haul. Just right this moment, a rash of explosions in the south and the east, which Ukrainian authorities declare destroyed Russian army bases.

MAJOR GARRETT: Debora Patta, thanks.

The different massive story we’re watching is the Artemis mission. Tomorrow, NASA hopes to launch its first flight as our Mark Strassmann studies from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

(BEGIN VT)

MARK STRASSMANN (voice over): NASA’s now in its countdown cadence for tomorrow’s launch, with its mammoth SLS (ph) rocket on Pad 39-b.

CHARLIE BLACKWELL-THOMPSON (Artemis 1 Launch Director): I feel it’s prepared. By on launch day I’ll know.

MARK STRASSMANN: Charlie Blackwell-Thompson has closing say on readiness, the Artemis 1 launch director.

CHARLIE BLACKWELL-THOMPSON: It is that first step, or that subsequent step in getting people into deep area once more. And then, after that, it’s boots on the moon.

MAN: OK, Neil, we will see you coming down the ladder now.

MARK STRASSMANN: In the Apollo period, America’s area dream, get boots on the moon first.

MAN: A person on the moon, a stroll on the moon, and but to say the phrases and to cease only a second to consider them nonetheless sends a shiver up and down the previous backbone.

MARK STRASSMANN: But with Apollo 17 three years later, moon fatigue closed the program. No one has moon walked since 1972.

RICK LABRODE (Artemis 1 Lead Flight Director): The expertise is so totally different than what we use right this moment.

MARK STRASSMANN: When Artemis 1 lifts off, Rick LaBrode takes cost of this take a look at flight. It’s Orion’s area capsule, with no crew, will go to the moon, orbit it for 3 weeks, and return to earth. NASA’s deep area hopes will experience alongside.

RICK LABRODE: We’ve obtained to have a profitable flight to show the capabilities earlier than we put the astronauts on the subsequent mission. Otherwise, you’re not placing astronauts on the subsequent – subsequent mission.

MARK STRASSMANN: Two Artemis missions from now, NASA intends on a moon touchdown. Artemis 3’s crew, but to be introduced, will embrace an astronaut of colour and a girl.

With Apollo, the moon was the dream. With Artemis, it’s a method station to deeper area.

KAYLA BARRON (NASA Astronaut): We wish to journey to Mars. And so we have to discover ways to put people on one other planetary physique to dwell there for an extended period. And the excellent place to apply that’s the lunar floor.

(END VT)

MARK STRASSMANN: This one spherical journey will flip this Orion capsule into an immediate million miler flyer. Then once more, NASA engineers even have rather a lot of floor to cowl in these 42 days of flight.

Major.

MAJOR GARRETT: Mark Strassmann, we thanks.

We are joined now by Astronaut Kate Rubins, a candidate for a future crewed Artemis mission. She joins us from the Kennedy Space Center.

Dr. Rubins, good morning.

This is a take a look at flight. What are you in search of in phrases of security as you consider what we’re about to see in the coming days?

KATE RUBINS (NASA Astronaut, Artemis Team): Good morning. It’s nice to be with you.

As you mentioned, this can be a take a look at flight. And so one of the causes that we’re testing earlier than we put people on prime of this unbelievable machine is to essentially push the edge of the envelope. So, from an engineering perspective, one of our fundamental aims is to take a look at the warmth protect. In order to get the warmth protect at this 5,000-degree heating and take a look at all of our aims round the moon, we have to do that take a look at launch.

And so we’re in search of issues like the loading to exit, the launch, after which we’re — our eyes are actually on re-entry for the warmth protect and the capsule restoration.

MAJOR GARRETT: And for many who would possibly keep in mind, as I do, Apollo, what’s totally different between the warmth protect then and the warmth protect stresses now?

KATE RUBINS: Yes. So, we’ve obtained related profiles and related re-entry speeds, however the supplies are utterly totally different. So, you understand, we’ve had 50 years in the meantime to undertake rather a lot of these trendy advances in materials science. I work on the area fits, and we’re really adopting rather a lot of that in our new area swimsuit design as nicely.

MAJOR GARRETT: I discussed that I keep in mind Apollo. I don’t keep in mind Mercury. But I keep in mind all of the pleasure nationally about the area exploration tasks then. They have been all nearly totally led by white males. There is a higher variety for ladies and for folks of colour at NASA now.

Talk about the element involving girls, resembling your self, in Artemis and the whole lot else that NASA’s endeavor proper now.

KATE RUBINS: Yes. I feel one of the nice issues about the astronaut corps as of late is, we’re not likely taking a look at it in phrases of classes anymore. We have such a fantastic various and gifted workforce. And you see this in the complete of NASA. If you have a look at all the facilities throughout the U.S. So, our astronaut class, we’ve obtained a variety of backgrounds. You know, we’ve obtained scientists, engineers, fighter pilots. We’ve obtained army and civilian. We, of course, have thrown open these doorways for ladies and other people of colour. And it’s fairly cool to get to hang around with these folks from a spread of backgrounds and see what all of them convey to the program.

MAJOR GARRETT: And, Dr. Rubins, for many who would possibly say, sure, it’s been 50 years since we’ve been to the moon, do we have to return? And is that the solely factor we’re attempting to perform? And doesn’t that really feel considerably repetitive? What would you inform them?

KATE RUBINS: That is a extremely good query. And we do want to return. We’re going to return in a totally totally different method. So, the first half of this program is admittedly to ascertain a sustainable lunar presence on the – on the lunar floor after which each in orbit round the moon. This helps us prepare for Mars. We really want to discover ways to function long run in deep area so as to have the ability to discover.

And the locations that we’re going are extremely totally different. So, Apollo was centered on one sort of fairly straightforward to get to equatorial space. We’re taking the problem on to go to the polar areas, these completely shadowed areas. They are at all times in darkness. That’s the place we discovered water ice. And that is — water ice is so essential for issues like constructing gas for a Mars mission and rather a lot of the scientific discoveries. We’ve obtained risky compounds in that water ice that would unlock rather a lot of issues about how the earth and our photo voltaic system shaped.

MAJOR GARRETT: And for a layperson like me, ought to we predict of the moon as a possible launching platform for this eventual exploration of Mars?

KATE RUBINS: It completely could possibly be. You know, it’s additionally a spot that we’re in all probability going to take automobiles and do some long-term deep area checkouts earlier than we actually commit ourselves to a Mars voyage. And it’s additionally the place we’re going to be studying about learn how to do intensive floor operations.

So, we’re constructing new planetary fits. We’re studying how we will have people dwell in rovers, how they’ll do a human/robotic partnership to uncover rather a lot of terrain and discover much more. And what’s it – what’s it like to essentially have that sustained presence on one other planetary physique.

MAJOR GARRETT: So you’re a candidate to be one of these Artemis astronauts. So, simply personally, what’s it going to be like for you tomorrow, your stage of private, scientific anticipation and possibly apprehension?

KATE RUBINS: Yes, we have been speaking about it with the different astronauts which might be right here. And all people mentioned, you understand, when it’s your launch, you get calmer and calmer as the launch approaches since you’ve skilled for this, you understand your procedures, you’ve been in the sim for hundreds of hours. So, I imply, you’re simply – you’re simply completely calm proper up till the second of liftoff.

With this, we’re getting an increasing number of nervous as we go. I feel we’re all so enthusiastic about this. It is a take a look at flight, so, you understand, we’re tempering our expectations. We’ve obtained rather a lot of nice Florida climate and people varieties of issues, however – however — we’re — we’re very excited and we will really feel the pleasure mounting.

MAJOR GARRETT: And in a short time, Dr. Rubins, for America, do you assume this can be a turning level in phrases of the subsequent part of area exploration?

KATE RUBINS: Absolutely. I actually see that once I go discuss to children in school rooms all throughout the U.S. and also you inform them, you understand, we’re going to the moon. And it’s one thing that we haven’t had for a number of a long time in phrases of one thing to encourage children and supply this type of exploration exercise that the complete world can look to.

MAJOR GARRETT: Dr. Kate Rubins, we thanks so very a lot.

CBS News shall be carrying a particular report tomorrow round 8:30 a.m. when the rocket is anticipated to launch.

And we shall be proper again.

(ANNOUNCEMENTS)

MAJOR GARRETT: That is it for us right this moment. We thanks for watching.

For FACE THE NATION, I’m Major Garrett in for Margaret. Good day.