MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: The Iran Deal

Interview

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MATTHEWS: Well, Senator Mitch McConnell announced today the Senate
will begin debating the Iran nuclear deal on September 8.

Senator Barbara Boxer of California has publicly endorsed the
agreement, in fact did so yesterday.

Senator Boxer joins me now.

It`s an honor to have you on, Senator Boxer, because you were right
about the Iraq War. You were out there all alone and said it was a stupid
war. And now the president is calling out the same advocates for that war
advocating a destruction of this treaty. Your thoughts?

SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, I think the president and
President Kennedy, both presidents, Kennedy was a truth-teller. Barack
Obama is a truth-teller.

This is very, very similar, because it`s a vote of conscience and the
alternatives are very, very clear. And I remember those painful days of
the Iraq War. And, believe me, I didn`t sleep much in those years, because
I was trying so hard to stop it. And it just went on and on for so long.

And we see the results of it here at home. So we have an opportunity
here to take the path that offers hope. And, you know, I came out with my
statement after I met with our allies. The ambassadors were here and they
were called together by Senator Dick Durbin, who is a great leader on this.
And they spoke to us.

And let me tell you what they said very, very clearly. If we reject
this agreement, we are playing right into the hands of the hard-liners in
Iran. And it will lead to a collapse of the sanctions and for sure Iran
building a bomb, and then the option is what? It`s war.

And the people have had too much of that. Let us go down this path,
and we always have that option, Chris. We always have that option. We
know Iran is a terrible actor on the world stage. That`s why we need this
agreement.

MATTHEWS: I guess my question is, having watched you up there
debating it and deliberate, the people who oppose this deal, they say, if
you bring it down, if the president -- if the veto is overridden in either
house -- in both houses, then there will be some new deal out there.

And I keep asking myself, well, who is going to strike that new deal?
Do they have confidence, these people on the right, that the president,
President Obama will actually strike a tougher deal? It doesn`t seem like
there`s a direction there of a better deal. It`s just toward the bomb,
toward the war. I don`t know.

Do they really believe they can get a better deal from Obama in the
next year-and-a-half?

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BOXER: No, they don`t.

They know they can`t get a better deal, period, because they know that
the whole world pretty much is behind this deal. And we know that Israel
is concerned. And, believe me, as someone who stands very tall, even
though I`m only 5 feet, as the longest serving United States senator who is
a Jewish American, and the longest serving congress member, along with
Sandy Levin, I`m saying to you, and he has said as well, this is the way to
go.

And I want to say this, as I look at the discussion in Israel. We
certainly know where the prime minister is on this, and we know where most
of the politicians are, but we`re seeing now more of a chorus of the
security people there.

MATTHEWS: Yes.

BOXER: For example, the former head of the Israeli FBI said, the
agreement is the best possible alternative from the Israeli point of view.

And we`re seeing more and more of these security people come out in
Israel. So I think, the longer this sits out there, I think the more
momentum we will get. Today, we got independent Angus King come out in
favor of this, which is huge, because he`s an extremely thoughtful member.
And I think the momentum is picking up.

MATTHEWS: It is so great to have you on this show. You`re almost --
I think you`re always right.

Anyway, Senator Barbara Boxer.

BOXER: Well, thank you, Chris.

MATTHEWS: And we`re going to miss you in this business. Thanks so
much for all your service.

BOXER: Thank you.

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