Watch Steve Scalise and Paul Ryan's emotional reunion on Capitol Hill
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise is back at work on Capitol Hill. Scalise received a rousing ovation on the House floor Thursday on his return to Congress, more than three months after he was shot at a baseball practice.
"CBS This Morning" co-host Norah O'Donnell sat down with Scalise for a "60 Minutes" interview, just minutes before his address. Our cameras captured his emotional reunion with House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Watch the full interview this Sunday, Oct. 1 on "60 Minutes" at 7:30 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. PT.
"Mr. Speaker! Back!" Scalise said with a loud laugh.
"It's just so good to see you," Scalise said, as Ryan embraced him. "Man, oh, man. It's been a long time."
"This is just great. I'm sorry," Ryan said, overcome with emotion. He also embraced Scalise's wife, Jennifer.
"We cried a lot of tears in the hospital in those first few days," Scalise said.
"Thanks for helping us kind of -- I know you worked with my staff a lot to make this day work. And it's gonna be a special day," Scalise told Ryan.
"It's just -- it's -- this is just incredible. This is -- you look so good," Ryan said. "You look so good, man. Oh."
"Thanks," Scalise responded.
"Do you remember the first time you came to see him?" Jennifer asked.
"I do," Ryan said.
"And he opened his eyes," Jennifer said.
"I do. I remember that," Ryan said. Scalise said he remembered as well.
"Do you actually remember that?" Ryan asked.
"There weren't many I remembered. You, Pence came. We actually --" Scalise said.
"Remember we were holding his hands, and then you actually open your eyes," Ryan said.
"I gave him a hard time because I said, he -- I said, 'Steve, you didn't even open your eyes for me,'" Jennifer said, as Ryan and Scalise laughed. "But when you heard Paul's voice --"
"Yeah, 'cause we really didn't know if you could even hear. I know, it's amazing," Ryan said.
"I said, 'When you heard Paul's voice, you opened your eyes,'" Jennifer said.
"I've been looking forward to this moment for more than you can imagine," Scalise said.
O'Donnell asked Ryan, "So what's it like to have him back?"
"I don't have words for it. I can't describe it," Ryan said. "I've never felt this kind of emotion before. … Your presence is gonna bring so much healing to people here. … Everywhere I go in America, first question: 'How's Steve Scalise? How is the Scalise family? Please tell them we're praying for them. Please tell Jennifer and -- and Madison and Harrison we're praying for them. Please -- Everywhere we all go, everyone's been sending their prayers, and it's working."
"They're being answered. I feel it," Scalise said. "I mean, we have felt these prayers. Unbeli -- we -- all around the country people that we don't even know. And wow, the power of prayer is -- is real."
"You got your majority whip back," O'Donnell said.
"Yeah. Oh my gosh," Ryan said.
Watch the full interview this Sunday, Oct. 1 on "60 Minutes" at 7:30 p.m. ET and 7 p.m. PT.
