Colorado Keeps Door Open for Syrian Refugees.
SMERCONISH: In America, the fallout of the recent ISIS attacks has been to amp up anti-Islamic rhetoric and to turn it into policy. The House easily passed a bill Thursday that would suspend the program allowing Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the U.S. And there were 47 Democrats on board. The overall total is enough to override President Obama's promised veto. 31 governors have closed their states' doors to all Syrian refugees, all but one of them are Republican. A dozen are on the fence. And only seven states are keeping the door open, including Colorado, whose governor, John Hickenlooper, joins me now. Governor, I'll put up on the screen a map of the country that is color coded and shows the relative position of the different governors. You're one of the very few allowing refugees. What is it that you see that you think the others do not?</s>GOV. JOHN HICKENLOOPER, (D), COLORADO: Well, first, my understanding is we don't really have a choice. In this country, our Constitution, our laws say that once someone is legally in the United States, governors can't say that they can't drive through your state. You can't say that they can't live in your state. We have the freedom of mobility. It's one of the reasons ISIS hates us. And I think sacrificing that freedom to make a political statement -- you look at all the risks from terrorists, it's not the same for refugees. They go through years of background checks. That's not where terrorists come from. They're getting student visas or tourist visas. It's just out of balance. So our sense is if the president of the United States says that this is our foreign policy and part of our war on terror, then I think, I feel that, as a governor, I took an oath to uphold the laws of this country, I think I have to follow through.</s>SMERCONISH: I know that we invited at least 10 of the Republicans who feel differently about this to come on and explain themselves, and they opted not to. Have you satisfied yourself that the vetting process that is currently used for the Syrian refugees is satisfactory and safe for Colorado residents?</s>HICKENLOOPER: Well, like any governor, the safety and security of our residents, out community is the number-one concern. So I have every belief that the federal government is continually trying to improve the vetting and making sure that that screening process goes through. But at a certain point, after 2010, the top minds in the Department of State and all the military agencies all worked together on this, the counterterrorism institute -- or Counterterrorism Center. All these people are doing the best they can, and at a certain point, you have to say-- you know back since 1980, we've had millions of refugees come through and through those vetting processes and through traditional law enforcement, so far, not one of those refugees has done an act of terrorism in the United States.</s>SMERCONISH: Why then -- and I'll put on the screen some polling data. 53 or 54 percent of Americans feel differently than you do. Why do you think the polling is as decidedly opposed to your view? I mean, it says only 28 percent want to resettle 10,000. Has this not properly been explained to the American people? What do you see in that data?</s>HICKENLOOPER: Well, it's an election year so a lot of voices with a lot of different opinions. And anyone who watched the events in Paris as they happened, I mean, it is -- they are -- these people are creating terror. The terrorists are succeeding in creating fear. But we've got to fight back against that. And I think -- this is -- we are at war and we've got to recognize that winning a war is not just military, we're fighting for the hearts of -- at some point five, 10 years from now, Syria, we're going to win this war and we'll want people to go back to Syria and want to live there. And we want them to come with some sense of that this is where democracy can be. And ideally, they will want to live there and defend their country and fight for it in a way that they can't do or at least they feel they can't do now.</s>SMERCONISH: Governor, finally, let me show a Paul Ryan quote, the Speaker Paul Ryan, after that vote was taken Thursday in the House. He said this, "We cannot let terrorists take advantage of our compassion. This is a moment where it's better to be safe than sorry. We were all raised with that adage." Why doesn't it apply here according to you?</s>HICKENLOOPER: Well, I think -- I don't -- I mean, I think we have to keep improving and make sure our safety is at our maximum highest priority. I don't disagree with that at all. But I also recognize that a terrorist is not going to go through a refugee program where they spend 2 1/2 to 4 years of intensive interrogation and process. I mean, these are the tailors, and the candlestick maker, these are mostly orphans and widows. I mean, the reason they are refugees generally is because is hated them and they were being persecuted or terrorized in their home country. I think if we send them away, we're playing right into ISIS' hands.</s>SMERCONISH: To your point, they then have a choice of either joining Bashar al Assad or joining ISIS. I totally get your point. John Hickenlooper, Governor John Hickenlooper -- thank you for being here.</s>HICKENLOOPER: You bet. Thank you.</s>SMERCONSH: This week, another governor, John Kasich, who is running of course for president, said our government should have a Judeo- Christian values agency. I've got a problem with that. Isn't that the concept that is awfully close to what ISIS is all about? And, in fact, what is the ultimate goal of the ISIS terrorists? The author of a widely read article, "What ISIS Really Wants", says it's all about the Koran. An American professor who is a Muslim scholar contends they're criminals who are ignoring their religion. And both of them are next.