Trump discusses DACA with Democrats

After meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California), President Donald Trump announced he is willing to work with Congress on a resolution for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Chris Herstam, a public affairs consultant at Lewis Roca Rothgerber Christie, believes the President’s willingness may be to further his own agenda regarding border security.

“It’s not a deal, it’s an agreement,” Herstam said.

A final agreement on DACA has yet to be made, though there is optimism from supporters that the program will stay.

“The president needs a win,” said Chuck Coughlin, president of Highground Public Affairs Consultants.  “And we know Arizona voters are supportive of a DACA program.”

Transcript:

Ted Simons : COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE POLITICS BEHIND THE PRESIDENT'S LATEST TALK OF A DEAL WITH DEMOCRATS ON DACA. ALSO TONIGHT A NEW STUDY OF THE BRAIN THAT USES NEUROIMAGING TO HELP EXPLAIN SELF-CONTROL. AND IT'S A GOOD TIME TO TRY THAT NEIGHBORHOOD EATERY YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT. IT'S ARIZONA RESTAURANT WEEK. THOSE STORIES NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."
Video: "ARIZONA HORIZON" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF ARIZONA PBS. MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS STATION. THANK YOU.

Ted Simons : GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON." I'M TED SCIENCES. DEMOCRATIC LEADERS SAY THEY'RE WORKING ON A DEAL TO GIVE LEGAL PROTECTIONS TO DREAMERS. THIS JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED HE WOULD END THE DACA PROGRAM IN SIX MONTHS. SOME REPUBLICANS, INCLUDING SENATOR JEFF FLAKE ARE APPLAUDING THE MOVE, BUT OTHER REPUBLICANS NOT AS ENTHUSED. JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THE POLITICS OF ALL OF THIS IS CHUCK OFF COUGHLIN, PRESIDENT OF HIGH GROUND PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSULTANTS AND CHRIS HERSTAM OF LEWIS, ROCA.

Ted Simons: CLOSE TO A DACA AGREEMENT. THAT'S WHAT HE SAID LAST NIGHT. THIS MORNING NOT SO CLOSE. WHERE ARE WE WITH THIS.

Chuck Coughlin: IT'S NOT BAKED UNTIL IT'S OUT OF THE OVEN AND THE OVEN IS WARMING UP, YOU CAN TELL. I THINK HE SEES NATIONALLY THAT HIS POSITION THAT I HAVE UNDERSTOOD FROM PEOPLE CLOSE TO HIM IS THAT HE'S UTTERLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE CONGRESS AND THEIR INABILITY TO GET ANYTHING DONE ON ONE SIDE OF THE AISLE. SO I THINK HE INTENTIONALLY AND WILLFULLY THREW THE DACA ISSUE OUT THERE TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT I BELIEVE HE ENDS UP THINKING THAT HE'LL GET HIS BORDER SECURITY PLAN IN EXCHANGE FOR A DACA PROGRAM.

Ted Simons: AND AGAIN, THIS MORNING HE SAID THERE WAS NO DEAL. CHUCK AND NANCY, WHO ARE NOW BEST FRIENDS APPARENTLY WITH THE PRESIDENT, THEY SAID THEY THOUGHT THERE WAS AT LEAST AN AGREEMENT. MORE BORDER SECURITY BUT NOT A WALL.

Chris Herstam: YEAH, IT'S NOT A DEAL, TED. IT'S AN AGREEMENT. THAT'S -- THE WORD CHUCK AND NANCY AND DONALD ARE NOW USING. THEY HAVE PARAMETERS OF AN AGREEMENT. I PERSONALLY THINK THAT CHUCK AND NANCY ARE PLAYING THE PRESIDENT LIKE A FIDDLE. I THINK THEY ARE CHERRY PICKING THE ISSUES THAT THEY KNOW THEY CAN GET HIM TO MOVE ON. I THINK TRUMP TRIED TO ELIMINATE DACA AND GOT SO MUCH PUSHBACK IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FROM BOTH PARTIES THAT HE WAS FEELING THAT PAIN AND SCHUMER AND PELOSI, WENT IN, HAD DINNER, LAID SOME AGREEMENT ON THE TABLE AND HE GRABBED AT IT BECAUSE OF WHAT CHUCK SAID, IS HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE REPUBLICANS AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET ANYTHING DONE.

Ted Simons: SO HE HAS CHUCK AND NANCY. BUT WHAT ABOUT RYAN AND McCONNELL?

Chuck Coughlin: I THINK THAT'S THE BORDER SECURITY SIDE OF THIS. THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE ARGUMENT, WHICH THIS STATE HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS DISCUSSION. SECURE THE BORDER, THEN DEAL WITH IMMIGRATION. WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT. SO I WAS TALKING TO SENATOR FLAKE LATE LAST YEAR AND HE SAID, I'M HOPING WE CAN DO SMALL THINGS. AND SO -- SMALL THINGS COULD LEAD TO GREATER THINGS. I THINK, AS I SAID EARLIER, BY PUTTING THE DACA PROGRAM IN JEOPARDY HE HAS CREATED A CONSTRUCT IN WHICH HE MAY BE ABLE TO GET THE FUNDING ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS TO GET A BORDER SECURITY SITUATION THAT HE CAN CALL HIS WALL, WHATEVER THAT IS, AND THEN HE CAN GIVE BACK SOMETHING. I MEAN, CHRIS IS RIGHT, I THINK THERE WAS A POLITICAL MORNING POLL THIS MORNING THAT SAID 76% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE DACA RECIPIENTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO STAY IN SOME CAPACITY. WITHIN THAT, IT WAS 69% OF REPUBLICANS. SO -- AND WE'VE TESTED THAT ISSUE IN ARIZONA. WE KNOW ARIZONA VOTERS ARE SUPPORTIVE OF A DACA-TYPE PROGRAM.

Chris Herstam: ACCORDING TO THE "NEW YORK TIMES" LATE THIS AFTERNOON THE DEMOCRATS ARE ACTUALLY DRAFTING THE BORDER SECURITY LANGUAGE AND THEY'RE TAKING THE LANGUAGE FROM TRUMP'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATION WITH REGARDS TO MORE DRONES AND SENSORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO CHUCK AND NANCY ARE VERY INVOLVED IN THIS. THIS IS WHAT THEY AGREED WITH WITH THE PRESIDENT.

Ted Simons: BUT YOU SAID INITIALLY THEY ARE PLAYING TRUMP. ARE THEY OR DO THEY NEED TO BE CAREFUL? HE CAN TURN ON A DIME.

Chris Herstam: THEY DON'T NEED TO BE CAREFUL. THEY HAVE NO LEVERAGE WHATSOEVER UNLESS IT'S WITH THE PRESIDENT -- THE BACKSTOP THAT CHUCK AND NANCY AND THE DEMOCRATS HAVE IS BOB MUELLER AND THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION. THEY CAN PLAY FOOTSY WITH THE PRESIDENT AND GET THINGS THEY WANT ON SPECIFIC ISSUES, KNOWING THAT THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION, IT MAY BE A YEAR FROM NOW, IS GOING TO KILL HIM, AND THEY'LL COME OFF LOOKING VERY GOOD EITHER WAY.

Chuck Coughlin: HE NEEDS A WAY. I MEAN, THE PRESIDENT NEEDS A WIN. THEY'VE GOTTEN A SUPREME COURT NOMINEE DONE WITH REPUBLICAN VOTES. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT. THE POLLING NUMBERS SHOW THAT THE ADMINISTRATION UNDERSTANDS THAT. THE NEW CHIEF OF STAFF UNDERSTANDS THAT. THEY NEED A WIN. THEY'RE GOING INTO THE FALL. THIS SEEMED TO BE LIKE AN OPT TUNIS PARTICULAR TIME TO HIT A HIGH PROFILE ISSUE. NEXT UP ON DECK IS GOING TO BE TAX REFORM. THEY NEED TO GET THAT DONE. THE MARKETS ARE ALL COUNTING ON THEM GETTING THAT DONE. ONE PIECE WILL -- YOU GOT TO TAKE SMALL STEPS TO BEGIN THE MOMENTUM.

Ted Simons: DO YOU AGREE, THOUGH, IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE PRESIDENT MIGHT BE TRYING TO SOFTEN UP DEMOCRATS TO GET SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS THROUGH. IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

Chris Herstam: THAT'S POSSIBLE. IF THE DEMOCRATS THINK THEY CAN GET SOME THINGS THEY CARE ABOUT AND THEIR PRIORITIES TAKEN CARE OF, LIKE THE DEBT CEILING SITUATION, AS WELL AS DACA, THAT'S VERY POSSIBLE. WHAT I ENJOY THE MOST AS A DEMOCRAT IS WATCHING STEVE BAN UN'S BRIGHT BART WEBSITE WITH THE HEADLINE AMNESTY DONE ON IT AND LISTENING ANN COLTER CALL FOR HIS IMPEACHMENT. THE ALT-RIGHT IS GOING BALLISTIC RIGHT NOW.

Ted Simons: THE ANN COLTER, SEAN HANNITY WING.

Chuck Coughlin: THEY CAN'T GOVERN. THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND OUT WHEN GOVERNOR BREWER BECAME GOVERNOR. CO-COULDN'T GOVERN WITH THAT PORTION OF THE PARTY ALONE. HE HAS MADE THAT CONCLUSION. I THINK AS LONG AS IT'S A VICTORY AND THE PRESIDENT IS A GOOD PROMOTER, HE CAN PROCEED VOTE VICTORIES. AS LONG AS YOU GIVE HIM SOMETHING, HE WILL DECLARE VICTORY AND SHOW PROGRESS. AND I THINK THE BUCK STOPS, AS WE ALL KNOW, AT THE PRESIDENT'S DESK, AT A GOVERNOR'S DESK AND HE CAN FRAME IT WHATEVER WAY HE WANTS ABOUT THAT I THINK THE KEY THING FROM ARIZONA'S PERSPECTIVE AND PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN ARIZONA, WE NEED A SECURE BORDER THAT PROMOTES LEGAL TRADE AND COMMERCE AND PROVIDES SECURITY FOR PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY AND A PATH TOWARDS A LEGALIZATION OR SOME LEGAL STATUS, BECAUSE THERE'S 11 MILLION PEOPLE HERE. THERE'S A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AND WE'VE SEEN POLITICIANS LIKE JOE ARPAIO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND VICTIMIZE PEOPLE IN MARICOPA COUNTY. WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND THE PRESIDENT IS UNDERSTANDING THAT, AND TO A BETTER FUTURE CREATE A STABLE ATMOSPHERE WHERE WE CAN PROMOTE TRADE. THEY'RE OUR LARGEST TRADING PARTNER. IF WE CAN GET THIS DONE, THAT'S A BIG WIN FOR HIM.

Ted Simons: ARE THERE FOLKS ON THE LEFT WHO ARE SAYING YOU'RE DEAL WING WITH THE DEVIL HERE?

Chris Herstam: NO, ANY INFORMED PERSON ON THE LEFT REALIZES THAT ON SELECTED ISSUES IF THEY CAN STOMP ON THE REPUBLICANS AND GET THE DACA SITUATION TAKEN CARE OF, GET THE DEBT CEILING TAKEN CARE OF, THAT'S FINE. BECAUSE AS I SAID BEFORE, TRUMP IS STILL TRUMP. YOU ARE MAKING A CASE WHERE MAYBE HE'S BECOMING MORE WILLING TO PLAY WITH ALL FACTIONS IN WASHINGTON, BUT HIS ETHICAL SITUATION AND ALL OF HIS BAGGAGE THAT HE'S GOT AND THE RUSSIA STUFF THAT'S COMING, THE LEFT WILL STILL GET WHAT THEY WANT, AND THAT IS THE SCALP OF DONALD TRUMP.

Ted Simons: SPEAKING OF THE SCALP OF DONALD TRUMP, IF HE ANTAGONIZES TOO MANY REPUBLICANS, THIS WHOLE IMPEACHMENT THING -- I MEAN, IT WILL BE REPUBLICAN LED. IT HAS TO COME THROUGH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. IS IT MORE LIKELY?

Chuck Coughlin: NO. SIMPLY, NO. I DON'T SEE THE PARTY ENGAGED IN THAT EFFORT. THEY'LL WAIT FOR THE MUELLER INVESTIGATION TO COME OUT, WHENEVER THOSE DOCUMENTS PROCEED, I HAVE A LOT OF SPECULATION AS CHRIS DOES AS WHAT'S THERE. I THINK -- EXCELLENT PROSECUTOR. I THINK HE HAS HIS TAX RETURNS NOW. I THINK WE'LL SEE A LOT OF STUFF -- TRUMP KNOWS THAT, THAT THAT'S BEYOND HIS CONTROL NOW. WHAT IS IN HIS CONTROL IS THE ABILITY TO EXECUTE DEALS WITH CONGRESS AND MOVE FORWARD ON POLICY ISSUES. HE KNOWS HE NEEDS TAX REFORM. HE KNOWS THIS IS A CRITICALLY -- HE LIT THE FUSE ON THIS BY SAYING DACA IS UP IN SIX MONTHS. SO THIS WAS A WILLFUL ACT ON HIS PART. HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING TO CREATE A MATRIX -- THE CHEMISTRY FOR A SOLUTION. SO IT'S AN EVOLVING SITUATION, AS WE'VE SEEN ON HIS TWITTER. IT -- DOES HE HAVE THE DISCIPLINE TO STAY THIS COURSE? THAT'S THE BIG QUESTION.

Ted Simons: GOT TO KEEP IT QUICK BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME. DOES THIS KEEP DEMOCRATS FROM PURSUING TRUMP AT ALL COSTS?

Chris Herstam: NO, THEY WILL PURSUE TRUMP AT ALL COSTS. WHEN THE MUELLER RESULTS COME AND INDICTMENTS TAKE PLACE, IF THE REPUBLICANS DON'T IMPEACH, THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE WILL GO DEMOCRAT.

Ted Simons: CHUCK AND NANCY ARE OUT THE DOOR?

Chris Herstam: CHUCK -- OH, IN A NANOSECOND.

Ted Simons : OKAY. WE HAVE TO STOP YOU RIGHT THERE. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

Chris Herstam: MY PLEASURE.