Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels Warns of Debt and Clarifies Social Issues “Truce” Comment

In an interview, Republican Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels talks about America’s debt, the federal government and 2012 Presidential politics. He, also clarifies the “Truce” comment he made regarding social issues and a possible Presidential campaign.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels is weighing a run for president and will make a final decision at the end of April or before. In a year-end interview with NewsChannel 15, he talked presidential politics.

Mellinger: “Do you regret now saying that we should call a truce on social issues in the interest of paying attention to the debt and fiscal matters?”

Daniels: “I never regret saying what I think. I’ve tried to make a practice of being straight and level with people and I accept if people disagree. I think some people misunderstood what I was really saying.”

Mellinger: “What did you mean by a truce?”

Daniels: “I simply meant that I think the nation faces a genuine emergency in the debt we’ve piled up. It could wreck America. It could end the American dream literally if we don’t handle it and handle it soon.”

“It’s just like if there was an army on our border. We would drop other things or we would set them aside for awhile and we would rush to the barricades and defend our country. And all I was saying was [that] if you’re facing a mortal survival threat like that, we’re going to need to get together more than just a bare majority of Americans. When you’re trying to make big change in a state or a nation, the way to do that is to have an unnaturally large consensus. And so we’re going to need people who disagree sincerely about other questions to agree about these changes.”

Mellinger: “This was not you saying ‘I’m not going to work to appoint Supreme Court justices in the Alito or Roberts or Thomas mold.’ It wasn’t anything to alarm social conservatives.”

Daniels: “First of all, it wasn’t directed to them. It was directed as much to people who, for instance, are very aggressively trying to change the definition of marriage… Stand down for awhile. Let’s save America.”

“I’ve had the first and only Indiana Supreme Court opportunity I think I’ll ever get. Anybody looking at the choice [should see] a strict constructionist, very much a person who wants to interpret law, not make law. Of course that’s my view and a very deeply held one.”

Daniels also has some kind words to say about Sarah Palin.

Mellinger: “Do you think Sarah Palin can win the presidency in a general election?”

Daniels: “I don’t know. No one knows right now. “

Mellinger: “Does she represent the best and brightest the Republican Party has to offer in 2012?”

Daniels: “[She] hasn’t been fully tested, you know. Give her a chance. Give her a chance. She’s been heard from lately on some issues for the first time and I thought she wrote about them and spoke about them pretty well.”