MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

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Now, Politico is reporting tonight that there‘s not going to be any vote before the recess over on the House side.

For more on that, let‘s bring in Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

Earl, good to have you with us tonight.

You‘re on the House Ways and Means Committee. This is not good news over on the House side tonight. Or am I overstating that?

REP. EARL BLUMENAUER (D), WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE: Well, it‘s a little frustrating that there seems to be such—sort of a Jell-O approach on the Senate side. We just had a long meeting this morning with Speaker Pelosi, who remains committed to having a viable public option so that there will finally be realistic competition for so many of the states where there are really no realistic choices.

SCHULTZ: But this is deadline number two that‘s missed. They missed it over in the Senate, and now they‘re going to miss it in the House.

BLUMENAUER: Well, in fairness, there‘s—there has been a lot of progress. As you know, I‘m one of the people that wants a public option. But this has been difficult to be able to put the things together. I think we will have a bill that will be available for people to understand what the broad sweep is that we‘re talking about, that people will have a chance to work with.

SCHULTZ: But it seems to me, Congressman, that the Republican sound machine and the negativity that‘s coming from the minority party is starting to get some teeth and dig in a little bit here. And having—they‘ve knocked off the vote in the Senate. They‘ve knocked off the deadline in the House. And now you‘ve got these conservative Democrats over on the House side, the Blue Dogs, who are taking money from the medical—and we‘ll have that story a little bit later on in the program.

They‘re winning. The minority is winning. Are you willing to say that tonight?

BLUMENAUER: I think that what we‘re doing in the House is much broader than that. We‘re trying to integrate three different committees. And it‘s not just the Blue Dogs that we‘re working with.

But I think we‘ve made progress. I think you‘re going to see a bill. The other side is making—having some traction, in part because they‘re just lying through their teeth. I had to put up with that today in the chair for two hours, listening to people talking about a government program that‘s threatening to put senior citizens to death?

SCHULTZ: Well, this is crazy, yes.

BLUMENAUER: I mean, these people are off the edge.

SCHULTZ: They are off the edge. In fact, today, at the White House press briefing, this is Robert Gibbs. He addressed that situation. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think there are people that have knowingly spread information, inaccurate information, to hold up progress on health reform. I think that‘s about as obvious as the sun having come up this morning in the East.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So, Congressman, let‘s be straight with our viewers tonight.

Republicans are lying about health care reform.

BLUMENAUER: There is no question in my mind. All anybody has to do is look at what they said on the floor today. Outrageous claims, things that are completely beyond the pale. Misrepresenting.

That‘s their tactic. We can‘t let them get away with it.

SCHULTZ: OK. Well, I hope everybody goes home and has a wonderful August and tells everybody how the Republicans are lying, and maybe the grassroots effect will take place.

Congressman Earl Blumenauer, good to have you with us tonight here on THE ED SHOW.

BLUMENAUER: My pleasure.

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