Fox "News"...Greta Van Xenu hails her new ant overlord, Mike "Party of NO" Pence (R-IN)

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Rep. Pence: Time to Say 'No' in Washington

Saturday, February 20, 2010

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587026,00.html



This is a rush transcript from "On the Record," February 19, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: On the stage today at CPAC, Congressman Mike Pence, and he is taking on the Democrats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE PENCE, R - IN.: Some people around here like to call us "the party of no." I say no is way underrated here in Washington, D.C.

(APPLAUSE)

PENCE: Sometimes "no" is just what this town needs to hear. When it comes to more borrowing, the answer is no. When it comes to more spending, the answer is no. When it comes to more bailouts, the answer is --

CROWD: No!

PENCE: And when it comes to some health care summit that is nothing more than a photo-op designed to pave the way for Obama care 2.0, the answer is no!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAN SUSTEREN: Congressman Pence joins us. Nice to see you congressman.

PENCE: Hey, Greta!

VAN SUSTEREN: Congressman, what is the purpose of the CPAC convention?

PENCE: Well, I think the purpose of the CPAC convention is really to take an opportunity to bring activists from all over the United States together.

And what is really, you know halftime in this fight to restore the American Congress to the American people. We've heard from some of the most eloquent voices in our party. We have a lot of the folks working out on the blogs and in conservative media here.

And it's a moment for a quick huddle, but everybody understands that in the next nine months, we must not relent, we must not take one moment's hesitation to restore common sense and values to the American people to Capitol Hill.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you see any tea party activist? Is that any part of CPAC this year?

PENCE: Yes, I think there's a lot of people here active in the tea party movement. There's a lot of people here who are active in pro-family causes around the country and other grassroots organizations. As Griff said, this is kind of Woodstock for conservatives.

But it is a little different this year, especially from last year, what a difference a year makes. I think conservatives around the country know we have a genuine opportunity to take back the people's Congress for the values of the American people, and that's created an enormous amount of energy here.

VAN SUSTEREN: I remember last year, I think Rush Limbaugh was the keynote speaker. He generated a lot of interest in the media. This year it is going to be apparently one of our Fox colleagues, Glenn Beck. Are you -- do you plan to be there for his speech, and what are you looking for from Glenn Beck?

PENCE: I know Glenn Beck is going over great here at CPAC. He's got an awful lot of fans in this room. And he's going to be well received, just as well Rush was, just as well as Scott Brown was, Marco Rubio and all the rest.

This is a place where you've got literally about 10,000 activists that have come together. Again, it is halftime in the locker room here, Greta. Everybody knows it. There is no victory lap happening here. People know there's great work to be done. We got to come out and fight the second half of this congressional session.

But we believe that if we do, if we offer positive solutions, if we continue to be that loyal opposition and fight in big government liberalism in Washington, D.C., the American people are going to reward these activists and the Republican Party with majorities in the Congress this year.

VAN SUSTEREN: Does that include the Indiana Senate seat? Do you expect that will flip parties or stay Democrat?

PENCE: I believe that we have a tremendous opportunity in Indiana to send a conservative voice to the United States Senate. The departure of Senator Bayh from the scene has opened up the opportunity for what is now a broad field of Republican candidates.

A former senator, a state senator, there's some great and accomplished, a former congressman is in there, great and accomplished conservatives are going to come for.

And while the Democrats have tapped their candidate, I like our chances in Indiana this year. I think we are going to be sending a conservative to the U.S. Senate this fall.

VAN SUSTEREN: So are you going to be seizing the slogan from farmer first lady Nancy Reagan on the "just say no" slogan?

PENCE: That clip you played was a part of my speech. I did say that I think no is underrated here in Washington D.C.

But we are also going to be continuing to offer as Republicans did in our retreat in Baltimore when we handed the president all of those GOP solutions on everything from budget to stimulus to energy to health care, we are going to continue to offer solutions that are grounded in good conservative ideals and principles.

We'll take our ideas to the American people. But you bet -- every single time they try and grow government, increase spending, more borrowing, more bailouts, we are going to say no every time.

VAN SUSTEREN: Congressman, thank you for joining us.