MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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SCHULTZ: Charniele Herring, you know, I have to ask -- when you look
at the map and you see what the health care act is going to do when it goes
into full implementation in 2014, everything changes for women in this
country.

DEL. CHARNIELE HERRING (D), VIRGINIA: Right.

SCHULTZ: And here are the Republicans saying that one of the first
things they`re going to do is repeal this, what they call, Obamacare. Are
they advocating for discrimination?

HERRNG: Certainly sounds like it, doesn`t it? And it`s really
shocking and sort of insulting to suggest that women can`t keep straight
which Republican candidate said what discriminatory statement, and trying
to put a bar between a woman and her access to health care. And as you
mentioned, equal access, that`s what`s key.
And it`s very insulting that the Republicans would think that women
cannot differentiate between two candidates.

SCHULTZ: Well, does the Romney camp right now, Charniele, have a
credibility problem with women? No matter who they put out there. He`s
got Nikki Haley saying that women don`t care about contraception.
How does that play? Will it be a game changer, in any way, shape, or
form?

HERRING: I think, absolutely. And it`s really ironic that they put
that out there and say that women don`t care.
It shows you a couple of things. One, they`re out of touch with
women, and I`m surprised that a woman would say such a thing. And two,
women can you not and appreciate and analyze health care at the same time
that they talk about the economy.
And what better way to have a good, strong economy than for women who
have access to health care so that they can be healthy and that we have
healthy workers in our economy. They all go together. And for them to
parse them out makes absolutely no sense, and won`t make sense to the
American voter.

SCHULTZ: I have to say, Ruth, I have never seen either political
party alienate a portion of voters in this country the way the Republicans
are doing it right now with women. I mean, Romney supporters are making
the case that they`re going to be able to get women voters back, and
they`re going to fix this gender gap, because the economy is more important
than women`s health care.
Is it fixable? Howard Dan just told us in the last block that it`s
something that they can`t fix. What do you think?

CONNIFF: They cannot fix it, Ed. They cannot fix it, because it`s
not just the rhetoric -- although that was pretty darned stunning, about
eliminating Planned Parenthood and just supporting the idea that you go
down to the corner pharmacy and maybe your pharmacist should decide if you
get your prescription. Maybe your boss should decide whether he thinks you
ought to get birth control? That`s not fixable.
Also, women are losing access to health care -- thanks to these guys.
I mean, you know, look at Governor Rick Perry in Texas, there are Planned
Parenthood clinics closing. They are the only provider of health care to
60 percent of the women they serve. They are going away and these women
are getting no health now.
And this is not about to wrap up. And on the economic issue, these
guys are for the Paul Ryan budget plan? Well, guess who that hurts the
most? If women care about economics, they want to keep things like
Medicaid, Medicare, tuition assistance for their kids to go to college.
It`s a big loser, Ed.

SCHULTZ: Delegate Herring, if it is the economy, more important to
women than women`s health care, it would seem to me that Mitt Romney and
the Republicans would be advocating for equal pay in the workplace,
wouldn`t they?

HERRING: Absolutely. You would think they would. And, you know, you
mentioned equal pay in the workplace. It was President Obama who made it
clear to all women, and the nation, that he believes in the economy and
equity in the workplace. His first act, the first bill he signed was the
Fair Pay Act, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
So we know where the president stands. But this wishy-washy -- well,
we`re going to see the real Mitt Romney in the general election, doesn`t
play out. It makes no sense.
You would think that he would talk about equity during the primary
process, as well as the general election. It`s too late to start talking
about it. It obviously was not part of his agenda.

SCHULTZ: Ruth Conniff and Delegate Charniele Herring -- great to have
you with us tonight. Thanks so much.

HERRING: Thank you.

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