On Thursday morning, CNN host John Berman gave no pushback as Congressman Jim Clyburn (D-SC) appeared as a guest to complain about the Republican proposal for tax and budget cuts, calling it "reverse Robin Hood."
The CNN host didn't take exception with the veteran Democrat laughably generalizing that Democrats "keep people above our politics" while Republicans "put the politics above the people."
Without clarifying that the tax cut would be an extension of the tax cuts passed in 2017 -- which aided most taxpayers, not just the rich -- Berman set up the segment by reading the tweeted criticism from Congressman Clyburn:
Also this morning, House Republicans have released their budget blueprint, calling for a minimum of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts and $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. The response from Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, quote, "Republicans want to cut Medicaid for seniors. All the while, Elon Musk just got a $38 million government contract. They have one agenda -- stealing from the poor and giving to the rich."
After introducing the South Carolina Democrat as a guest, the CNN host began by simply asking him what he meant by his tweet, giving the South Carolina Democrat a chance to expand on his criticisms. Congressman Clyburn took the time to suggest that Republicans in Congress are bad:
CONGRESSMAN JIM CLYBURN (D-SC): This reverse Robin Hood has been taking place by Republicans for a long time. Everybody enjoys tax cuts -- the question is, how do you make them fair? And there's been nothing fair about these tax cuts. I have not read thoroughly the contours of this budget that we are supposed to be seeing in a few minutes. But, from what I've seen, you're talking about a trillion and a half dollars in tax cuts, and then you're talking about preparing to give another big tax break to multimillionaires.
Now, all of these so-called "Matthew 25 Christians" that operate in this place -- this doesn't seem as if it's a fulfillment for doing for the least of these. We are doing much more for the wealthy -- the wealthiest among us. And that's what's going on with this budget. And this is just unfair, it's not the American way, and I just think that we ought to really take a hard look at what comes before us.
Berman followed up: "You mentioned possible cuts to Medicaid. What are your concerns there?" Democrats always warn of Medicaid "cuts" to insure they don't pass.
After Clyburn predicted that the budget would cause some nursing homes to close, the CNN host asked how Democrats should vote on the issue of the government shutting down, and soon changed the subject to former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell voting against some of President Donald Trump's cabinet choices. After modestly praising McConnell, Clyburn wrapped up by taking another shot at Republicans leading Berman to simply wrap up the segment:
CONGRESSMAN JIM CLYBURN (D-SC): But there's a big differences in Democratic leadership and Republican leadership. We tend to keep people above our politics. On the Republican side, they put the politics above the people. And that's why you see these votes going the way they're going -- people with all these cabinet selections. That's what the politicians want -- Trump the politician. That's what they want, so they give it to him.
They know better. They are voting against what they know to be in the best interests of this country, putting the country at risk, putting people in charge of running the government who have absolutely no idea about how to run anything. And then we're saying that we're doing it for the people. No, you're doing it for the politicians.
JOHN BERMAN: Congressman James Clyburn from South Carolina, thanks for coming on this morning. Appreciate it.
Transcript follows:
CNN News Central
February 13, 2025
9:34 p.m. Eastern
JOHN BERMAN: Also this morning, House Republicans have released their budget blueprint, calling for a minimum of $1.5 trillion in spending cuts and $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. The response from Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn of South Carolina, quote, "Republicans want to cut Medicaid for seniors. All the while, Elon Musk just got a $38 million government contract. They have one agenda -- stealing from the poor and giving to the rich."
With us now is Congressman James Clyburn, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. Congressman, thank you so much for being with us. You just read that tweet -- that statement -- out loud. What do you mean?
CONGRESSMAN JIM CLYBURN (D-SC): Well, thank you very much for having me. Well, simply that. This reverse Robin Hood has been taking place by Republicans for a long time. Everybody enjoys tax cuts -- the question is, how do you make them fair? And there's been nothing fair about these tax cuts. I have not read thoroughly the contours of this budget that we are supposed to be seeing in a few minutes. But, from what I've seen, you're talking about a trillion and a half dollars in tax cuts, and then you're talking about preparing to give another big tax break to multimillionaires.
Now, all of these so-called "Matthew 25 Christians" that operate in this place -- this doesn't seem as if it's a fulfillment for doing for the least of these. We are doing much more for the wealthy -- the wealthiest among us. And that's what's going on with this budget. And this is just unfair, it's not the American way, and I just think that we ought to really take a hard look at what comes before us.
BERMAN: You mentioned possible cuts to Medicaid. What are your concerns there?
CLYBURN: My concerns were about certain people who are low-income people in need of health care, and that is a lot of what Medicaid is about. Medicaid is also about nursing home care. And the fact of the matter is, I've been telling people all the time, we keep focusing on the beneficiaries of these laws like people who are in nursing homes? What about the people who benefit from them? If you own a nursing home, this is going to have dire consequences upon you and the people that you hire in that nursing home. And so I just think that we ought to really think about what it is that we are doing to the economy not just withholding health from people in nursing homes, but you are going to have a lot of people unemployed, and you're going to have a lot of people owning nursing homes that will have to be put in mothballs. And I don't see how that helps the economy at all.
BERMAN: As this process moves forward, how willing do you think Democrats should be to vote in a way that would lead to a government shutdown?
CLYBURN: Well, you framed that question in a very interesting way. We'll vote in the best interests of the American people, and I think that that's what we're going to be doing. Nobody wants to shut the government down. That, too, leads to unemployment. We want to do what is best for the American people, and we should vote that way. And so there's people coming forward with these unfair tax cuts, making these unfair cuts to services. We need to vote against that. That's not voting to shut the government down -- that's saying that, to people, "The government is open -- it's running smoothly -- let's continue it going that way." And you can come out with a trillion and a half dollars tax cut -- that's going to be what's shutting the government down -- your proposals, not my vote.
BERMAN: I want to ask you very quickly. You've been in leadership -- Democratic leadership -- for quite a while. On the Senate side, Mitch McConnell has been in Republican leadership -- was for a long time. Now that he's out of leadership, he's casting some interesting votes against the confirmation of Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard. We don't know about Robert F. Kennedy, but what do you think of these votes from Mitch McConnell against a Republican President?
CLYBURN: Well, I think they're interesting votes because Mitch has, for a long time, been voting one way and talking another. He seems to be lining up his votes now with his rhetoric, and, well, it was a bit late, but I guess you take it when you can get it. But there's a big differences in Democratic leadership and Republican leadership. We tend to keep people above our politics. On the Republican side, they put the politics above the people.
And that's why you see these votes going the way they're going -- people with all these cabinet selections. That's what the politicians want -- Trump the politician. That's what they want, so they give it to him. They know better. They are voting against what they know to be in the best interests of this country, putting the country at risk, putting people in charge of running the government who have absolutely no idea about how to run anything. And then we're saying that we're doing it for the people. No, you're doing it for the politicians.
BERMAN: Congressman James Clyburn from South Carolina, thanks for coming on this morning. Appreciate it.
