WATCH: Arizona Rep. Ben Quayle On Fox News Last Night; Sidesteps Debt Ceiling Vote Question, Says Healthcare Reform Repeal Vote Is "Absolutely Substantive"

New Arizona Rep. Ben Quayle (R-CD3) had a big day yesterday.  Getting sworn in to represent the 3rd District of Arizona in Congress, and then going on Judge Andrew Napolitano's Fox News "Freedom Watch" show. 

Napolitano wasted no time, asking Quayle how he will vote on increasing the debt ceiling.  Quayle talked about the need to cut the size and scope of government before seeming to indicate that increasing the debt ceiling can only come after cutting the size. 

"I think what we have to do - and what hasn't been done in past Congresses when the debt ceiling has been an issue - is that we actually look to the root cause of this and that is the spending.  And so, from day one, just starting today when we just are going to be slashing our Congressional budgets, we're going to be looking for ways and areas to cut spending and shrink the size and scope of the federal government, because that's what we need to do to get the American people, to show them, that we are actually committed to what we were talking about on the campaign trail.  And, so, when we do that, and we show that, then we can start making decisions when the debt ceiling bill comes down, what are going to be the short term economic implications and what are going to be the long term fiscal problems that we are going to be facing."

So, whether he considers today's vote to cut Congress's budget by 5% is enough to show the American people that he is serious enough to justify next week's vote is a good question.  Napolitano did not ask it.

Quayle also indicated that next week's vote to repeal the healthcare reform law passed last year is "absolutely substantive" because it will pressure the Senate (specifically, Sen. Harry Reid) to consider it.

The interview starts at the 8:40 mark, and lasts almost exactly 5 minutes.



(LATER:  Just found that CNN also has a video posted on Quayle's interview on Tuesday with Dana Bash.  Softer (in every sense of the word) interview.



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