Former Senator Scott Brown frustrated by state of politics, recalls "petty" sabotage
BOSTON - In the wake of Saturday's assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, there have been bipartisan calls for political unity and restraint, but is that really possible?
"I'd be lying if I said I'm not frustrated with the state of politics," said Scott Brown, former U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and former Ambassador to New Zealand.
Brown, who spoke to WBZ from Milwaukee where his band, Scott Brown and the Diplomats is performing at a Republican National Convention related event, has been out of elective politics since losing his 2014 bid to return to the Senate. His close ties to then-President Trump won him that three-and-a-half-year stint as ambassador.
But amid all the post-assassination-attempt talk of cooling the country's overwrought politics, we wondered if Brown thinks the political culture we have now is capable of chilling out?
"As you know, I'm an optimist," he says.
Brown recalls "petty" political sabotage
But why? Brown wants Congress to abandon the sort of political sabotage he recalls then-Senate leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) using to block a Brown bill that had bipartisan support: "It was all set to go but a Democrat said 'aw, Harry doesn't want it to go because you're running for re-election, he doesn't want to give you a victory.' That's how petty it is."
But it was Trump who earlier this year did the same to a bipartisan border bill that would have been a political win for President Biden.
Brown says he doesn't know much about Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance but brushed aside criticism of him. "He is who he is and the thing I do like about him is that he is young," says Brown. "People say he's too young, well, look at Barack Obama."
Obama was 47 when he took office. Vance is 39.
"There's so many things we need to get done," said Brown. "My hope is that you'll send people there who get that message and get things done."
That would be music to Brown's ears. And speaking of music, we asked what song his band plays that best exemplifies the state of our politics right now? "How about 'Basket Case' or 'American Idiot' by Green Day," he offers.
Interested in serving as Secretary of Homeland Security
We may not have seen the last of Brown in public life. The former senator told WBZ he remains in touch with Trump's team and is interested in serving as Secretary of Homeland Security should the former president return to office.
But for now, he's competing in triathlons, performing with his classic rock band, and doing some babysitting for his grandchildren. All a lot more fun, and possibly more rewarding, then diving back into the political swamps.