David Morgan questions Dick Morris about what he termed “the new religion called ‘global warming.’”

By JOHN NORTH

Following his April 22 talk, political pundit Dick Morris fielded a variety of questions at the John Locke Foundation Headliner Luncheon in Asheville. (A separate story on his speech begins on Page 1).

A man opened the questioning by asking about what he termed “the Social Security problem.”

“The answer to the Social Security problem is immigration,” Morris replied. “We are the only country” in the developed world “where the population is not aging or diminishing.” He cited as examples of countries suffering from the aging-and-diminishing malady Italy, Russia, Japan and Spain, among others.
“The United States is growing. We have more births than deaths and we get two million more immigrants per year.”

Morris then asserted that “China is going to be a basketcase” in the near future. “It’s going to be a country of sexually frustrated, grumpy old men” because 58 percent of Chinese births are male — “they kill all the girls.”

He noted that the U.S. Social Security system was set up years ago, when the average lifespan in the country was 65. At present, the average for U.S. men is 77 and 81 for women. “If people are expected to live to 100 years old” in the future, he doubted the system is prepared to pay benefits for 35 years.
David Morgan, the editor at large at the Asheville Tribune, asked about what he termed “the new religion called ‘global warming.’”

“I agree with half of that,” Morris answered. “I believe global warming is absolutely real — and I think the left is using global warming to regulate business.”

He added, “I believe the problem of global warming can best be taken care of by the (free) market ... What happens when China has 300 million cars? It will drive up the price inexorably.”

A woman asked Morris for his view on the possibility of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama running together, with one as president and the other as vice president.

“A Hillary-Obama ticket?” Morris responded. “Forget about it! They don’t like each other much — and I don’t see that happening. Until a few weeks ago, I felt Obama’s nomination was unstoppable. Then there was the Rev. (Jeremiah) Wright” and the candidate’s controversial comments on various issues.

“I do think we’re learning lots of important information on Obama — and a lot we don’t like.”

“With Hillary, if you have nine or 10 things you don’t like about her,” as Morris said is the case with many Americans, “what difference will it make” if yet another issue arises with her?

“Obama needs to pick a Democrat Dick Cheney,” Morris said. “Someone who really knows the ropes. Maybe Joe Biden.”

As for GOP nominee John McCain, Morris asserted that he “needs to do something to bring Democrats over. If I were John McCain, I’d get someone like Joe Lieberman” as his vice presidential running mate.

A man, who noted that Asheville received three hours per day, five days a week of the Rush Limbaugh Show on WWNC-AM radio station, asked about Morris’ interpretation of Limbaugh’s “Operation Chaos.”

“If he ever got Hillary as president, he’ll need more of those painkillers,” Morris quipped, triggering laughter from the audience. Limbaugh has had well-documented problems with taking pain-killer pills. Operation Chaos is Limbaugh’s radio campaign to have Republicans vote for Clinton in the primaries, believing she will be the easier Democrat to defeat.

Morris added, “More seriously, he (Limbaugh) is wrong that Hillary would be easier to beat than Obama. That was true” earlier in the campaign, but not now.

A man asked for more of Morris’ assessment of Obama.

“To say he’s the ‘Manchurian candidate’ is to go overboard,” Morris replied. “The real difference between Obama and McCain is strength and leadership ... Obama does come across as sort of a wimp. I keep saying, ‘Throw the right (punch)! Throw the right!’ in his debates with Hillary.”