CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Presses Mike Johnson

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pressed Republican Speaker Mike Johnson on matters of compromise and success during a recent interview.

During the interview, which followed a meeting Johnson and other legislative leaders of both parties had with President Biden at the White House about immigration and foreign policy, the Speaker cast aspersions at the Democrats’ record.

“There’s not a single metric of public policy that President Biden can point to in his administration to say that they’ve been successful and everybody knows that,” said Johnson. “And it doesn’t matter what talking points they say, the facts are stubborn things as John Adams said, and I think people are looking at the facts.” 

“You know, that’s interesting to me to hear you say that,” Collins replied, smiling. “But we’ve heard from House Republicans—people like Chip Roy—who say that House Republicans have nothing to show for what they’ve done, that they’ve been the least productive.” 

Johnson replied that though he and Roy, a Republican Congressman from Texas, are close friends, Roy was discounting the fact that Republicans control one chamber of the legislature. 

The Senate and the White House are controlled by Democrats, Johnson explained, which is why the few bills Republicans have managed to pass in the House haven’t been signed into law.

“But doesn’t that mean you have to compromise on things like immigration?” Collins replied slyly.

Johnson conceded the point, saying that the realities of divided government compelled him to meet with the President, but reiterated his belief that there will be unified control of government in January following the 2024 election. 

“It’ll be a very different day and a very different set of policies when we get to that point.”