CNN "The Situation Room" - Transcript: Charleston Church Shooting and Voting Rights

Interview

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[17:40:59] BLITZER: Funerals were held today for two of the nine Charleston massacre victims. Ethel Lance was 70 years old and enjoying retirement when she was murdered. Sharonda Coleman Singleton was 45, she was a reverend at Emanuel AME Church, a speech therapist and a high school track coach. A wake is to begin shortly for the church's pastor and state senator, the Reverend Clementa Pinckney.

Meantime, there are stepped up efforts across the south, indeed across the country to remove the Confederate flag from official display.

Joining us now, Democratic Congresswoman Terri Sewell of Alabama. She calls the Confederate flag, quote, "a symbol of hate, not heritage."

Congresswoman, thanks very much for coming in.

REP. TERRI SEWELL (D), ALABAMA: Absolutely.

BLITZER: You saw your governor, Governor Bentley, decided to remove some of those Confederate flags from official premises in the state of Alabama, your home state of Alabama. He's a Republican. Were you surprised that he decided to do this?

SEWELL: No, not really. Listen, I applaud Governor Bentley for removing the flags even without being prompted. But having said that, I think that, if we are to change racial behavior, we have to change policies. And so I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do meaningful changes like voting rights restoration, like sentencing reform, like -- you know, criminal justice reform. So while I'm very happy that my governor chose to remove from the

grounds the Confederate flag, that's but a symbol. We really need action I think.

BLITZER: In Alabama he had the authority to do that on his own.

SEWELL: Yes.

BLITZER: He didn't have to wait for state legislature to do it --

SEWELL: And I was very happy he did that. Absolutely.

BLITZER: Which of course is a different situation in South Carolina.

SEWELL: Absolutely.

BLITZER: He also said this, it was a pretty eye-opening quote. He said the Confederate battle flag, this is Governor Bentley, is offensive to some people because unfortunately it's like the swastika. Some people have adopted that as part of their hate-filled groups. Swastika, that's a pretty tough comparison.

SEWELL: It is. But, you know, I think he's right. Look, the symbol of the Confederate flag has always been one that was about fighting against slavery or fighting for slavery, I'm sorry. Fighting for slavery and not necessarily trying to abolish it. So it's always been a symbol of white supremacy. And kudos for my governor for saying that. I do hope my governor will work with me to expand Medicaid and other -- other things that I think will help change behavior which is what we ultimately wanted.

BLITZER: You're originally from Selma, Alabama. Right?

SEWELL: I am.

BLITZER: That's your hometown.

SEWELL: It is my hometown.

BLITZER: On the 51st commemoration of the Birmingham Baptist Church bombing, four little girls were brutally killed as part of that bombing, you said this, you said, "When our brothers and sisters of color suffer from some of the same injustices suffered 50 years ago, we cannot ignore that their work has now become our work."

How do you move on beyond the symbolism of the Confederate flag and take some of these other steps? You're going to have to work with Republicans, Democrats, get the country going. What do you need to do?

SEWELL: Well, Wolf, today is actually the second anniversary of the Shelby case. You know, voting rights started in Selma and is actually underlined by the Shelby case. And so I, along with Senator Leahy have introduced a bill to restore the voting rights pre-clearance protections. It's called the Voter Advancement Act. And I really hope that we can galvanize meaningful legislation to change behavior. And we can start by protecting everyone's right to vote.

BLITZER: You're going to go tomorrow, the president, the first lady, the vice president, you're all going to go to the funeral of the Reverend Pinckney. The president is going to be delivering the eulogy. We'll of course have live coverage here on CNN. A really remarkable man. All nine of these people who were massacred in that horrific, horrific attack. What wonderful people as we got -- as we're now getting to know them even more.

What would you like to hear from the president?

SEWELL: Well, I'm sure the president will respectfully mourn those who lost their lives way too short. But I think he'll also make a comparison to the fact that churches -- African-American churches have always been under attack. I mean, it's eerie that we can celebrate or commemorate the four little girls losing their lives in 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham just three years ago and to have this now.

[17:45:10] So I really hope the president will talk about meaningful actions that we can do to change behavior so that we're not always struggling with race relations. I know it's hard. I know it's hard fought. And every generation has to be vigilant in its fight against racism. But I think it starts with the home. We have to not only teach our children to love and not hate, but we must also as elected officials try to produce policies that promote equality.

BLITZER: You think the president has done enough?

SEWELL: I think the president has done a lot and I think that he is truly inspirational when it comes to the fight for equality and justice, and I think that he will deliver a speech like no other.

BLITZER: I'm sure he will deliver a wonderful speech tomorrow at that church.

SEWELL: Absolutely.

BLITZER: Representative Terri Sewell, thanks very much for coming in.

SEWELL: Thank you, sir.

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