MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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Joining me now is the chairman of the DCCC, Congressman Steve Israel of New York. Congressman, good to have you with us.

REP. STEVE ISRAEL (D), NEW YORK: Great to be with you.

SCHULTZ: This is a very detailed response. It has to be a detailed response because there is a lot of environmental issues that play into this decision. It`s hard to fit it in a 15 second sound bite about killing
jobs. What is your response?

ISRAEL: Look, this is the latest twist and turn in the Congress of chronic chaos. This has nothing to do with the pipeline. This has to do with these House Republicans doing everything they can, using every excuse
they can to block a middle class tax cut.

Ed, when in the history of tax cuts did the Republicans ever impose a condition? But when it comes to a middle class tax cut, to help working families, suddenly they won`t do it unless they get a pipeline. You cannot approve a pipeline unless you can prove it`s safe. They were not interested in proving that it`s safe.

SCHULTZ: So is there a chance the president someday might go along with this pipeline? He`s just not going to shoot from the hip like the last guy?

ISRAEL: That is exactly right. Look, did these guys forget the BP pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico, that was spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico? Now they want to essentially disregard all safety standards. They
want this pipeline running through the United States.

and again, it has nothing to do with the pipeline. It`s a joke. They want to oppose a middle class tax cut. And they`re using this pipeline as an excuse. The American people are tired of their excuses.

SCHULTZ: But there are some serious environmental concerns about this, about where this oil is coming from in Canada, and how toxic it could be. And it would also -- this pipeline would be running over the Midwest, which would be right over a major aquifer that deals with drinking water, irrigation for crops. This is a big deal.

ISRAEL: I guess the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico wasn`t enough. Now they want it in Nebraska. There are some environmental issues. That is why you have a permitting process. You know, maybe we can make the
judgment that the pipeline is a good idea one day, but you have a permitting process.

These people want to disregard the permit process and use this as an excuse not to do this middle class tax cut.

SCHULTZ: Today, you unveiled your plan to take back the House for Democrats. How does the president`s Keystone decision affect the race in 2012?

ISRAEL: I think it very much affects the race. We unveiled a plan right now. We need 25 seats to take back the House. We have 76 seats in play. We rolled out 36 of our red to blue candidates. These are problem
solvers.

They`re not going to find excuses to pass middle class tax cuts. These are people used to -- they`re reflections of the middle class. They`re used to solving problems, a NASA astronaut, the first African
American woman police chief in Orlando, Florida, Val Dennings (ph).

These are people who solve problems. They are not interested in continuing this -- this joke that these Republicans inflict on the American people.

SCHULTZ: The Obama campaign released their first ad today. Here it is. It`s somewhat of a soft sell. But it talks about the environmental record and energy. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Secretive oil billionaires attacking President Obama with ads fact checkers say are not tethered to the fact, while independent watchdogs call this president`s record on ethics unprecedented,
and America`s energy industry, 2.7 million jobs and expanding rapidly.

For the first time in 13 years, our dependence on foreign oil is below 5o percent. President Obama kept his promise to toughen ethics rules and strengthen America`s energy economy.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I`m Barack Obama and I approve this message.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Congressman, does that work?

ISRAEL: It does work. Look, every election is about who you are for. This election and the House Democratic candidates that we have are about the middle class. You know, this House Republican majority has
consistently chosen millionaires over Medicare. It`s chosen oil companies over middle class tax cuts.

And this message is the message that our candidates are going to be articulating throughout this campaign.

SCHULTZ: Quickly, are the Republicans lying about the job numbers about this pipeline?

ISRAEL: The Republicans continue to spin. Again, it`s the Congress of chronic chaos. They spin. They don`t tell the truth. We`re not going to let them get away with it. We`re holding them accountable.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Steve Israel, good to have you with us tonight. Thanks so much.

Stephen Colbert can`t get on the South Carolina ballot, so he`s calling on Herman Cain for some help. I`ll explain, next.

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