MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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I`m joined tonight by Congresswoman Maxine Waters of California.
Congresswoman, it`s great to have you with us tonight.

REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: Delighted to be here.

SCHULTZ: You bet. Absolutely. Thank you.

What did we learn about Mitt Romney today? And what did we learn
about the Republicans` campaign? Your thoughts.

WATERS: Well, Ed, you nailed him again. He has been consistent in
lack of being grounded in anything.

What does this man believe? What will he stand up for? What is his
leadership all about?

I think he demonstrated again today that he`s willing to do anything,
say anything, put his finger in the air and see which way the wind is
blowing. No, he did not stand up today to say that this president should
not be brought up for treason because he wanted to see which way it would
play politically.

So, after the fact, when he was off the cameras, he basically was
asked and he said, no. Well, why didn`t he say that, when the woman said
this right in front of everybody? Well, it`s because he`s not grounded,
philosophically? We don`t know who he is. We don`t know what he cares
about.

This man cannot be trusted. He flip-flops on everything. Whatever he
thinks is politically advantageous for him. So, he did it again today.
You`re right on, Ed. We caught him again.

SCHULTZ: Is he afraid of the right wing extremists? And are we going
to continue to see this to bleed into the campaign, in your opinion?

WATERS: Well, actually, he will play to whomever he thinks has the
power and the advantage. So, right now, it appears that the right wing
have been pressuring him more, have been at him. And so, he is playing to
them.

But I want to tell you, if the tables turn tomorrow, he`d go that way.
Which way, Romney?

I`ll tell you which way. Whichever way he thinks he can be advantaged
by it. Whichever way he thinks he can get another vote. Whichever way he
thinks he can get the kind of support that that will get him this
presidency.

I want you to know every time he opens his mouth, he`s revealing
himself. He`s revealing himself for who he is and what he`s about. He
simply cannot be trusted.

SCHULTZ: And finally, Congresswoman, on this subject, the Obama
campaign would not put any surrogates out today to talk about this. They
put out a new ad, which we`re going to show a little bit later on. And
they put out that statement about where Romney has failed to really lead.
But is -- are you concerned in any way that this kind of narrative is
going to take a grip and maybe the Obama people should have been out today
smacking him down on this. What are your thoughts on how to handle this
kind of crazy talk?

WATERS: This is what I know. I know that Obama`s campaign does not
wish to have 100 percent negative campaign. They`re going to have to
respond to some things. They`re going to have to look at it differently
and talk about how they are not going to allow themselves to be defined by
this kind of rhetoric.

This is not what they would like to do. And certainly, they don`t
want to tie up all their surrogates going out there just simply responding
to Romney and the way that he characterizes this administration. I think
they`re going to have to do it differently.

SCHULTZ: Congresswoman Maxine Waters, always great to have you on THE
ED SHOW. Thanks so much.

WATERS: Thank you.

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