NBC "Meet the Press" - Transcript: Interview with Stacey Abrams
Interview
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CHUCK TODD:Welcome back now to one of the tightest governors' races in the country and one that we've all been following from a national perspective. That's in Georgia, which has been flooded with surrogates. Oprah on Thursday. Vice President Pence, who reminded us he was kind of a big deal too, was also there that day. President Obama on Friday. And President Trump, who is holding a rally in Macon, Georgia there this afternoon. So joining me now is the Democratic nominee for governor, Stacey Abrams. If she wins, she would make history as the nation's first female African-American governor. Ms. Abrams, welcome back to Meet the Press.
STACEY ABRAMS:Thank you for having me.
CHUCK TODD:Look, let me be honest. Did you think the Sunday before the election you'd be in a coin flip race?
STACEY ABRAMS:We were preparing for every eventuality. And I'm excited to be in a dead heat because I know that we are going to turn out voters who have never voted before.
CHUCK TODD:It feels as if the final debate about this election has really been about how to count the votes and who gets to vote. It hasn't been as much about some of the issues. How concerned are you that this is going to be a fair vote? I know the last time we were on you, you expressed optimism that this was going to be a fair election, that you would, you would, trust the results. Do you still feel that way?
STACEY ABRAMS:I do. We have seen unprecedented turnout in this race from people who normally do not engage and do not vote. Some of that has been driven by the conversations of voter suppression. Because one of the best ways to encourage people to use something is to tell them that someone's trying to take it away. Luckily, we've had two court decisions against Brian Kemp, one that requires that absentee ballots be counted even if the signatures aren't exactly the same and a second one that forces him to stop using the exact match system to disqualify voters who are qualified. But what is more important is that we have talked about issues. We've talked about jobs, and health care, and education. And that's also engaging people and turning them out in waves that we have not seen in Georgia in decades.
CHUCK TODD:The president's going to be in Macon, Georgia today. He said you just simply weren't qualified to be governor. He didn't say why. How did you take that assessment?
STACEY ABRAMS:I find his assessments to be vapid and shallow. I am the most qualified candidate. I am a business owner. I'm a tax attorney who has trained at Yale Law School. I am a civic leader who helped to register more than 200,000 Georgians. I am a very accomplished political leader who worked across the aisle to improve access to education, to transportation. And I blocked the single-largest tax increase in Georgia history. There is no one more qualified standing for this office in Georgia. And I look forward to having the voters of Georgia say the same.
CHUCK TODD:You know, it's interesting. When Oprah Winfrey came to campaign for you, she said something that may have surprised some of your supporters that were in the audience that day. Take a listen.
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CHUCK TODD:Obviously you want to win over independents. So on one hand, of course having somebody as famous as Oprah Winfrey saying, "I'm an independent. Come on, independents. Come with me. Vote with Stacey Abrams." But do you think that sends a negative message to Democrats --
STACEY ABRAMS:Not at --
CHUCK TODD:
-- at all as you're trying to fire Democrats up to get them, to get them to support your campaign?
STACEY ABRAMS:
I believe Oprah's presence fires people up because she has been fiercely independent her entire life. And I think what she's saying is, "This is an election about the issues. Listen to the conversations happening between the candidates. Look at who's showing up, who's talking about issues, who has comprehensive plans for your life. And make a decision not based simply on party but on record and on intention." And I'm the only candidate who shows up every time, who has detailed, comprehensive plans for Georgia, but most importantly who keeps her promises and honors her commitments. And I think what she is signaling to independents and everyone else is that this is the time to make a choice based on who's best for Georgia. And she believes that I am it, as do I.
CHUCK TODD:
You know, one of the things it seems to me, this has been a very bitter campaign. You've called your opponent a liar. He's used some harsh language. If you win, you're going to have a very large Republican majority in the Georgia legislature. Yes, maybe Democrats make a few gains there. But you're going to be dealing with a Republican legislature. You have to work across the aisle if you're going to accomplish anything. How do you repair this divide? It's, let's be honest. You know it's, it feels worse than ever. How are you going to try to do this?
STACEY ABRAMS:
Number one, I've run this campaign going to every single part of the state. I have not ignored a single community or county because I believe that my job is to speak to every single voter. Number two, if you look at the issues I talk about, education, high-class education for everyone, access to health care in every community, and making sure that we have good-paying jobs, this cuts across partisanship. But most importantly, I can stand on my record. I was the leader of Democrats in a majority-Republican legislature. And I was able to work across the aisle and get good done. We can disagree on principles, but we have a common responsibility to Georgians. And I've always said, "People don't care about your party. They care about their lives." And as the next governor, my goal is going to be to bring everyone together to solve the problems we can solve together. Certainly leading with my values: faith, and family, and service. But recognizing that everyone comes to the table as a Georgian and we have to work together.
CHUCK TODD:
Is there an idea your opponent Brian Kemp has put forward that you would, that if you won, you would actually also put forward?
STACEY ABRAMS:
Absolutely. I, we completely agree on the need to increase teacher pay. We agree on the need for public safety. We just have a different idea about how we get there and whose responsibility is it is. Unfortunately, he has some good slogans, but he has no comprehensive plans for what he wants to accomplish. We have not only slogans but detailed plans that tell you where we're going to go and how we're going to pay for it. You don't have to raise taxes in Georgia to raise expectations and raise outcomes.
CHUCK TODD:
If you're running for reelection four years from now, what's the one accomplishment you have to have in order for you to feel as if you deserve a chance at reelection?
STACEY ABRAMS:
The expansion of Medicaid in the state of Georgia, providing access to health care coverage to half a million Georgians, creating thousands of jobs, and making certain that we repair our broken mental health system so that every single person in Georgia who faces trouble, faces challenges does not feel the stigma of mental health and instead knows that they have access to substance abuse treatment and to mental health care treatment. If we--
CHUCK TODD:
This--
STACEY ABRAMS:
-- can get that done, that's the baseline for a lot of work.
CHUCK TODD:
This legislature rejected it before. What makes you think your election is going to make them not reject expanding Medicaid?
STACEY ABRAMS:
Because we have seen an evolution in this state as more and more states have expanded Medicaid. In fact, 17 states led by Republicans have done so. Fifteen led by Democrats. And the states that have expanded Medicaid, they've seen their costs go down, they've seen their outcomes improve, and they've seen increases in their bottom line. And I think that legislators on both sides of the aisle, especially Republicans who represent these rural hospitals on the brink of closure, are going to be willing to do what it takes to save the lives of their constituents.
CHUCK TODD:
Stacey Abrams, I've gotta leave it there. The Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia. And because of an arcane runoff rule that you guys have there, there's a chance you get to keep campaigning through December. So I guess rest up and stay safe on the trail. Thanks for coming on.
STACEY ABRAMS:
Thank you.
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