THIS IS A WMUR COMMITMENT 2024 SPECIAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THENEW HAMPSHIRE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE.AND NOW VIVEK RAMASWAMY. {\an1}HELLO AND WELCOME TO OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATESSERIES.I'M ADAM SEXTON. AND OUR GUEST THIS EVENING ISREPUBLICAN VIVEK RAMASWAMY. TONIGHT, WE'LL BE GETTING TO KNOW MR. RAMASWAMY AND WHERE HESTANDS ON KEY ISSUES AT THE {\an1}START OF OUR SHOW, I'LL BE ASKING THE CANDIDATES SOEQUESTIONS. AND THEN AFTER A QUICK BREAK, WE'LL HAVE OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE ASK THEIR QUESTIONS IN A TOWN HALL FORMAT. BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THAT, LET'S TAKE A QUICK LOOK AT THECANDIDATES BIOGRAPHY. {\an1}VIVEK RAMASWAMY WAS BORN IN CINCINNATI, OHIO, AND AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, GRADUATED FROM HARVARDWITH A MAJOR IN BIOLOGY, A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN.HE WENT ON TO GET HIS LAW DEGREE FROM YALE WHILE WORKING AT A HEDGE FUND.HE STARTED A BIOTECH COMPANY AND OVERSAW THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIVE DRUGS THAT WOULD WIN APPROVALFROM THE FDA. RAMASWAMY ALSO WROTE A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER CALLED WOKE INC {\an1}INSIDE CORPORATE AMERICA'S {\an1}SOCIAL JUSTICE SCAM. LAST YEAR, HE LAUNCHED A NEWFIRM CALLED STRIVE ASSET {\an1}MANAGEMENT. HE BELIEVES IN ENDINGAFFIRMATIVE ACTION, SHUTTING DOWN THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND DECLARING ECONOMICINDEPENDENCE FROM CHINA. {\an1}HE'S MARRIED TO DR. APOORVA TIWARI. RAMASWAMY HAS TWO CHILDREN AND {\an1}LIVES IN COLUMBUS, OHIO. VIVEK RAMASWAMY, THANKS FORJOINING US ON CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE.IT'S GOOD TO BE HERE. SO LET'S START OFF WITH A FEW QUESTIONS FROM ME, AND YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A LITTLE BITOF A SPLASH SO FAR IN THIS PRIMARY, BUT AT THE TOP OF THERACE, YOU'VE STILL GOT FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND HEAPPEARS TO BE STRENGTHENING HIS {\an1}GRIP ON THE CONTROL OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.AND THAT SUPPORT THAT HE ONCE HAD.SO WHAT'S THE ARGUMENT YOU MAKE TO THE GOP BASE THAT IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE?SO, LOOK, THERE'S TWO PEOPLE GOING UP RIGHT NOW IN THE POLLS.THAT'S DONALD TRUMP AND MYSELF. {\an1}AND I DO THINK WE NEED AN OUTSIDER, NOT A PROFESSIONALPOLITICIAN. {\an1}BUT FOR ME, I'M GOING TO GO FURTHER WITH THE AMERICA FIRST AGENDA, THEN DONALD TRUMP DID, BECAUSE I'M DOING IT BASED ON {\an1}FIRST PRINCIPLES AND MORAL CONVICTION, NOT VENGEANCE AND GRIEVANCE.AND WHAT I SAY IS AMERICA FIRST DOES NOT BELONG TO TRUMP.IT DOESN'T BELONG TO ME. IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY.AND IF WE REMEMBER THAT THINK WE CAN DO IN THIS COUNTRY WHATREAGAN DID IN 1980, HE LED US {\an1}OUT OF OUR LAST NATIONAL IDENTITY CRISIS. I'M GOING TO DO THE SAME THING IN 2024 AND THINK TO PUT AMERICA FIRST, WE ACTUALLY NEED TOREDISCOVER WHAT AMERICA IS. AND AS THE FIRST EVER MILLENNIAL {\an1}TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT AS A REPUBLICAN, I THINK I'M WELL POSITIONED TO DELIVER THAT TOTHE NEXT GENERATION. YOU'VE BEEN OUTSPOKEN ABOUT WHAT {\an1}YOU CALL THE CLIMATE CULT. SO IS YOUR POSITION THAT CLIMATECHANGE IS A BELIEF SYSTEM AND NOT A PHENOMENON SUPPORTED BY DATA OR SCIENCE?SO MAN MADE CLIMATE CHANGE APPEARS TO BE REAL.HOWEVER, I THINK THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT IT IS AN EXISTENTIAL RISK TO HUMANITY. TO THE CONTRARY, THINK THE BESTWAY TO ADAPT TO ANY CLIMATE CHANGE AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS AS OLD AS THE PLANET. THE BEST WAY WE ADAPT TO IT AS HUMAN BEINGS IS THROUGH MORE USAGE OF FOSSIL FUELS DRILLING, FRACKING, EVEN BURNING COAL, AND ALSO EMBRACING NUCLEAR ENERGY {\an1}AND THINK THERE'S SOME {\an1}INCONVENIENT TRUTHS FOR THE CLIMATE CULT MOVEMENT, AS I CALL IT.FIRST OF ALL, FOR EVERY 100 PEOPLE THAT DIED IN THE YEAR 1920, ONLY TWO DIED TODAY OF A CLIMATE RELATED DISASTER.WHY IS THAT? BECAUSE OF TECHNOLOGICALADVANCES POWERED OF ALL THINGS, {\an1}BY FOSSIL FUELS. {\an1}SO I CARE MORE ABOUT HUMAN PROSPERITY, HUMAN FLOURISHING. THAT'S WHAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE MEASURING, NOT HOW MUCH CARBON WE EMIT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE. {\an1}AND I KNOW THAT'S A CONTROVERSIAL THING TO SAY, BUTTHINK WE CAN ACTUALLY UNITE AROUND THAT PRINCIPLE, THAT IT SHOULDN'T BE OUR IMPACT ON THECLIMATE. WE SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT IS THECLIMATE'S IMPACT ON THE WAY HUMAN BEINGS LIVE THEIR LIVES.BUT NOT JUST THE CLIMATE, HOW {\an1}HUMAN BEINGS CAN ACTUALLY FLOURISH AND FAVOR ECONOMICGROWTH OVER FOLLOWING THIS REALLY FALSE THEORY OF CHANGING OUR BEHAVIOR.SO UNDER A RAMASWAMY ADMINISTRATION, GREEN ENERGY WOULD HAVE TO SURVIVE OR FAIL BASED ON THE MARKET, NOTANYTHING FROM YOU.THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT. AND THANK YOU.I'M NOT AGAINST GREEN ENERGY. I JUST THINK IT SHOULD BE LEFTTO MARKET FORCES DRILLING, FRACKING, BURNING COAL,EMBRACING NUCLEAR. I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF THOSE WINDAND SOLAR I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH EITHER.BUT THEY CAN'T BE BASED ON SUBSIDIES.IT HAS TO BE BECAUSE PEOPLE ACTUALLY DEMAND IT AND BECAUSETHEY CAN BE PROVIDED AT REASONABLE COST WITHOUTGOVERNMENT SUBSIDY. SO A LOT OF YOUR PITCH TO VOTERSIS CUTTING GOVERNMENT SPENDING, EVEN GETTING RID OF A FEWDEPARTMENTS. HOW DO YOU PLAN TO DO THAT AND {\an1}ALSO INVEST THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO IMPROVE AMERICA'S {\an1}MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM? GREAT QUESTION.SO FIRST OF ALL, PART OF THE {\an1}REASON WANTED TO DISMANTLE GOVERNMENTAL BUREAUCRACY ISBECAUSE BELIEVE IN THE CONSTITUTION, WHICH SAYS THERE ARE THREE BRANCHES OFGOVERNMENT, BUT REALLY THE FOURTH BRANCH, THEADMINISTRATIVE STATE, IS THE ONE {\an1}THAT WIELDS THE MOST POWER TODAY.I THINK THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATEIS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. SO THINK IT IS BOTH ABOUTRESTORING OUR CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC AND ABOUT UNLEASHING {\an1}OUR ECONOMY, BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE CUMBERSOME REGULATIONS COME FROM.NOW WE HAVE A SEPARATE MENTAL HEALTH EPIDEMIC IN THIS COUNTRY. WE NEED TO DEAL WITH THAT,ESPECIALLY AMONGST YOUNG PEOPLE. I'M THE ONLY CANDIDATE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY BANNING SOCIALMEDIA, ADDICTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA IN {\an1}KIDS UNDER THE AGE OF 16. THAT'S NOT A FOREIGN PRINCIPLE. IF YOU CAN'T SMOKE A CIGARET BY {\an1}THE AGE OF 18 OR HAVE AN ADDICTIVE DRINK OF ALCOHOL BY THE AGE OF 21, I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE USING TIKTOK AT THE {\an1}AGE OF 14 OR 15 EITHER. KEEP THOSE CELL PHONES OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF DIRECT {\an1}SOLUTIONS THAT I'M ACTUALLY {\an1}FOCUSED ON. WE DO HAVE A MENTAL HEALTHEPIDEMIC. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IT.BUT DON'T THINK MORE BUREAUCRAT IN WASHINGTON, D.C. OR ACTUALLYTHE WAY TO DELIVER. ALL RIGHT. IS LIKE TO SAY, MR. RAMASWAMY, THIS WAS THE EASY PART.THE TOWN HALL AND THOSE TOUGH NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS AWAY.THANKS FOR JOINING.I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ADAM.COMING UP AFTER THE BREAK, WEWILL JOIN OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE {\an1}WITH THIS CONVERSATION. {\an1}STAY WITH US.
Vivek Ramaswamy, candidate for president, weighs in on key issues in town hall event
Conversation with the Candidate
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Updated: 10:52 PM EDT Jun 23, 2023
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who has launched a White House bid, touched on a number of topics recently in a "Conversation with the Candidate" town hall event with New Hampshire voters. Watch the full conversation in the video player above or the links below. Included is a 30-minute, online-only portion of the conversation:Watch Part 1: Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?Watch Part 2: Ramaswamy answers questions about prescription drug costs, US involvement in UkraineWatch online exclusive: Ramaswamy says he wants US to shut down FBI, Dept. of EducationConversation with the Candidate is a town hall-style program. It is intended to allow the candidate to convey their points of view on a wide range of topics. During the program, the moderator may challenge the candidates’ assertions, but every fact may not be checked in real time. Hearst Television is committed to holding the candidates accountable on their claims throughout the election cycle. Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?Ramaswamy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and after high school, graduated from Harvard University with a degree in biology.A first-generation American, he went on to get his law degree from Yale University while working at a hedge fund.He started a biotech company and oversaw the development of five drugs that would win approval from the Food and Drug Administration.Ramaswamy also wrote a New York Times bestseller called "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam."Last year, he launched a new firm called Strive Asset Management.He believes in ending affirmative action, shutting down the Department of Education and declaring independence from China.He is married to Dr. Apoorva Tewari Ramaswamy, has two children and lives in Columbus, Ohio. See the full "Conversation with the Candidate" event through the following links:Watch Part 1: Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?Watch Part 2: Ramaswamy answers questions about prescription drug costs, US involvement in UkraineWatch online exclusive: Ramaswamy says he wants US to shut down FBI, Dept. of Education Ramaswamy floats Democrat as possible running mateIf Ramaswamy wins the Republican nomination for president, he told voters he hasn't given much thought about who would be his running mate, but floated a surprising name. "I would give strong consideration to even thinking unconventionally, even someone like RFK Jr., for example, who is running for the Democratic nomination," Ramaswamy said. "I think we live in a moment where we can unite this country," he added. "Ronald Reagan did it in 1980, winning in a landslide election. I think there's an opportunity to win in a landslide election in 2024, and I think that's the single-most uniting thing we could deliver in our politics, and that's the way I'm going to be thinking."Candidate says he would sign bill to ban gender-affirming care for minorsRamaswamy answered a viewer question about gender-affirming care, saying he would support banning any genital mutilation for children under the age of 18. He shared an anecdote he said came from the campaign trail in New Hampshire:"The last time I was here in New Hampshire, I met two young women, both of whom when they were teenagers, one of them was 13 years old, two young women went through double mastectomies, cut off both of their breasts. One of them had a hysterectomy, removing her uterus. Both of them had puberty blockers that effectively mean they will never be the same again, and the sad part is, Adam, they regret it."Ramaswamy shared more about how he formed his opinion and said banning the practice is the "compassionate" thing to do for children. "There isn't a state in this union that allows you to get a tattoo before the age of 18. Why? Because we don't want kids to make permanent changes to their bodies that they will regret later in life.""It's not that I condemn any kid for going through confusion. Far from it. I think we need to be compassionate. Most of the time, when a kid, like those two young women who I met, say that my gender does not match my biological sex, it means something else is going wrong in their life. We need to have the courage to be able to ask them, 'What's going wrong at school? What's going wrong at home?' and actually have the compassion to help them. Affirming their confusion is not passion to me. It is cruelty. For most of our history, we have viewed that as a mental health disorder. That's not a stigma. That's actually the first sign to asking how we, as adults and leaders, help our children by protecting them. "That's not because I shun anybody. It's actually, I think, the compassionate thing to do for children."See the full "Conversation with the Candidate" event through the following links:Watch Part 1: Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?Watch Part 2: Ramaswamy answers questions about prescription drug costs, US involvement in UkraineWatch online exclusive: Ramaswamy says he wants US to shut down FBI, Dept. of EducationOther "Conversation with the Candidate" events will be held throughout the campaign season. The full list of candidates who participate will be updated here.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who has launched a White House bid, touched on a number of topics recently in a "Conversation with the Candidate" town hall event with New Hampshire voters.
Watch the full conversation in the video player above or the links below. Included is a 30-minute, online-only portion of the conversation:
Conversation with the Candidate is a town hall-style program. It is intended to allow the candidate to convey their points of view on a wide range of topics. During the program, the moderator may challenge the candidates’ assertions, but every fact may not be checked in real time. Hearst Television is committed to holding the candidates accountable on their claims throughout the election cycle.
Who is Vivek Ramaswamy?
Ramaswamy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and after high school, graduated from Harvard University with a degree in biology.
A first-generation American, he went on to get his law degree from Yale University while working at a hedge fund.
He started a biotech company and oversaw the development of five drugs that would win approval from the Food and Drug Administration.
Ramaswamy also wrote a New York Times bestseller called "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam."
Last year, he launched a new firm called Strive Asset Management.
He believes in ending affirmative action, shutting down the Department of Education and declaring independence from China.
He is married to Dr. Apoorva Tewari Ramaswamy, has two children and lives in Columbus, Ohio.
See the full "Conversation with the Candidate" event through the following links:
Ramaswamy floats Democrat as possible running mate
If Ramaswamy wins the Republican nomination for president, he told voters he hasn't given much thought about who would be his running mate, but floated a surprising name.
"I would give strong consideration to even thinking unconventionally, even someone like RFK Jr., for example, who is running for the Democratic nomination," Ramaswamy said.
"I think we live in a moment where we can unite this country," he added. "Ronald Reagan did it in 1980, winning in a landslide election. I think there's an opportunity to win in a landslide election in 2024, and I think that's the single-most uniting thing we could deliver in our politics, and that's the way I'm going to be thinking."
Candidate says he would sign bill to ban gender-affirming care for minors
Ramaswamy answered a viewer question about gender-affirming care, saying he would support banning any genital mutilation for children under the age of 18. He shared an anecdote he said came from the campaign trail in New Hampshire:
"The last time I was here in New Hampshire, I met two young women, both of whom when they were teenagers, one of them was 13 years old, two young women went through double mastectomies, cut off both of their breasts. One of them had a hysterectomy, removing her uterus. Both of them had puberty blockers that effectively mean they will never be the same again, and the sad part is, Adam, they regret it."
Ramaswamy shared more about how he formed his opinion and said banning the practice is the "compassionate" thing to do for children.
"There isn't a state in this union that allows you to get a tattoo before the age of 18. Why? Because we don't want kids to make permanent changes to their bodies that they will regret later in life."
"It's not that I condemn any kid for going through confusion. Far from it. I think we need to be compassionate. Most of the time, when a kid, like those two young women who I met, say that my gender does not match my biological sex, it means something else is going wrong in their life. We need to have the courage to be able to ask them, 'What's going wrong at school? What's going wrong at home?' and actually have the compassion to help them. Affirming their confusion is not passion to me. It is cruelty. For most of our history, we have viewed that as a mental health disorder. That's not a stigma. That's actually the first sign to asking how we, as adults and leaders, help our children by protecting them.
"That's not because I shun anybody. It's actually, I think, the compassionate thing to do for children."
See the full "Conversation with the Candidate" event through the following links:
Other "Conversation with the Candidate" events will be held throughout the campaign season. The full list of candidates who participate will be updated here.
