Sen. Tim Scott discusses his new book ‘America, a Redemption Story’

Judy Woodruff:

From President Biden's recent legislative victories, to the overwhelming victory for abortion rights in Kansas, and the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago, August so far has been full of surprises.

And with some 90 days to go before the November midterm elections, it's not clear if such events will influence how Americans cast their votes this fall.

Senator Tim Scott, Republican from South Carolina, is up for reelection in November. His new book, "America, a Redemption Story," is out this week. And he joins me now.

Senator Scott, congratulations on the book and welcome to the "NewsHour." Thank you for being here.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC):

Yes, ma'am. It's good to be with you.

Judy Woodruff:

So I want to ask you about the book.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

But I also want to ask you just a couple of questions about former President Trump. He's very much in the news, this search by the FBI of his home in Palm Beach.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

You — your comments, among other things, you said let's see how the facts play out. Let the facts play out.

I have been looking at social media. And some supporters of the former president are saying you should be more aggressively supporting him. What are you saying to them?

Sen. Tim Scott:

Well, I do think that my comments are really important.

Number one, I was saying to my friends on the other side of the aisle, as opposed to rushing to judgment, as they did in the Russia collusion episode, be patient. I would say to the rest of the country, we should be alarmed at the way that the Department of Justice and the FBI have gone after someone.

This is unprecedented. It is shocking and quite surprising.

Judy Woodruff:

And we're waiting to see what happens.

The Trump — we are told that the Trump attorneys have a list of what was taken out of the Mar-a-Lago estate, but we haven't — we haven't seen that yet.

The other thing I want to ask you about is former President Trump today appearing before the New York state attorney general, answering questions about his real estate dealings. He spent hours there. And he said afterwards he didn't answer any questions, invoked the Fifth.

Should he have answered those questions?

Sen. Tim Scott:

If I were his attorney, I would probably tell him not to say a word to anyone from the Department of Justice anytime soon.

I think he's protecting himself. And, frankly, if I were in his seat or his lawyers, I would be very concerned about getting a fair shake from this Department of Justice.

Judy Woodruff:

Well, let's turn to your book.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

The title, as we said, it's "America, a Redemption Story: Choosing Hope, Creating Unity."

It's your story, but it's also the story of others. Why did you want to say what you're saying in this book right now?

Sen. Tim Scott:

I think our country faces polarization and skepticism about whether or not America works together.

I wanted to be emphatic about the fact that I believe that we have been evolving in the right direction, that, in my life, much like America's, we have had challenges. We have faced our original sin of racism. We had a Civil War to solve that issue. We have continued working on it.

My personal life, my eighth grade year, I was facing a race riot at the high school. Four years later, I was elected the student government president.

The one thing about America is that we're the solution. Sometimes, it's hard to get there. But we always arrive at the right place. I'm very confident that, working together, we can get things done.

Judy Woodruff:

Your call for America to work together seems to be one of the lone voices at a time of great division in this country.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

Do you think people are ready to hear that message, and especially in your — in the Republican Party?

Sen. Tim Scott:

I certainly hope so.

I believe that division and polarization is not a Republican thing or a Democrat thing. It's a human thing. So my thought is — in my book, "America, a Redemption Story," I talk about how good people of good intention or good conscience came together and helped me form a foundation how to think for myself, as opposed to what to think.

In today's environment, it feels like people are being indoctrinated, as opposed to saying, think for yourself, come to your own conclusions, wait patiently for all the information, and then make a decision.

Judy Woodruff:

And how do you think — how do you think that's being received? I mean, are you — I know you're talking to — you're talking to certainly your fellow Republican senators and other members of Congress.

Sen. Tim Scott:

On both sides of the aisle.

I do believe that, today, you look at some of the polarization that we have around the country today. It's not because of Republicans, as much as it is about the administration's inability to be the great uniter that he campaigned on, President Biden.

We have a big responsibility of bringing this country together. I believe we can get it done, it will take both sides of the aisle. But, more importantly, it will take individuals embracing the concept that America is better together, leaning into opportunities.

I write about it in my book about some of the people that came together. I had a wonderful mentor and a great orthodontist who changed my smile on my self-esteem permanently. And I thank God for people who had the opportunity. And they did because they wanted to.

Judy Woodruff:

You have been — you have created a political committee called the Opportunity — I think it is called the Opportunity Zone.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Opportunity Matters, yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

Opportunity Matters.

And you're paying for ads supporting your fellow Republicans running around the country.

Sen. Tim Scott:

I am, yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

We looked at a number of them, including one in Wisconsin for Senator Ron Johnson.

And I listened to it today. And I noticed you said, we need — we need new leadership in Washington. Of course, Senator Johnson served 12 years. He's running for a third term.

So, how do you see that?

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, so easily.

One of the things that Ronjon brings to the table is, he's a small business owner. Here's a person who understands how to sign the front of the paycheck and not just the back of the paycheck.

Washington has lots of lawyers, but not a lot of businesspeople. So, I feel like having someone like him is the new brand of leadership that is so important for those of us who understand how to run a business, hiring people, and the red tape or the headwinds that comes from the government.

Judy Woodruff:

And I'm asking because he has served two terms.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. It's the new brand of leadership.

Judy Woodruff:

He'd be serving for another six.

You are also sending out requests for people to donate to your campaign. And we looked at some of what you're asking for. And you — among other things, you say Democrats want abortions at 52 weeks.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

As we know, the normal human term…

Sen. Tim Scott:

Of course,.

Judy Woodruff:

… for an abortion — for…

Sen. Tim Scott:

Forty weeks.

Judy Woodruff:

I'm sorry — for a pregnancy is 40 weeks.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Of course.

Judy Woodruff:

Fifty-two weeks is a whole year.

What — so, I'm curious which Democrats are calling for 52 weeks?

Sen. Tim Scott:

Well, what we were talking about was Governor Northam's comments about infanticide, that, literally up to the day of birth, where one can be aborted.

I think that is unconscionable. Frankly, there are seven countries on Earth that allow for late-term abortions, in the way that we do in this country.

And so we were trying to use a hyperbolic approach to bring more attention to the fact that there are late-term abortions, as well as people in the governing world that seems to think or believe that you could have an abortion up until the day of birth.

Judy Woodruff:

But you're not saying that Democrats want a baby — when you say infanticide. I mean, it sounds like you're saying Democrats want babies to die after they're…

Sen. Tim Scott:

I'm not suggesting that all Democrats want anything.

I'm suggesting that Governor Northam made comments that were consistent with the latest term of abortions happening in the latest part of the pregnancy.

Judy Woodruff:

But you're not saying that's what most Democrats want?

Sen. Tim Scott:

Oh, of course not, no. We would never whitewash everyone into the same category.

Judy Woodruff:

And finally, Senator, you have commented on this, but there is a paragraph in your book on the copyright page talking about your running for president.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am.

Judy Woodruff:

That this is a statement that prepares you to run for president.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes.

Judy Woodruff:

Are you — are you — how seriously are you thinking about that?

Sen. Tim Scott:

Well, in chapter five, I do talk about becoming president of my student government.

And, certainly, my publishers were ambitious in thinking that there was a presidential election this year. I think they were way off there. And, fortunately, they issued an apology for making such a drastic mistake.

My goal is a very simple goal. That's running for reelection to continue to serve the great people of South Carolina. And while I find it humorous that I have a chapter about being president of my student government, and my publishers had a comment that I did not approve, the most important thing to focus on is what's now.

Judy Woodruff:

But it's something you're open to in the future?

Sen. Tim Scott:

You never know what's going to happen, but I certainly am open to being reelected.

Judy Woodruff:

All right, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina.

The book is "America, a Redemption Story."

Thank you very much.

Sen. Tim Scott:

Yes, ma'am. Good to be with you.