MSNBC "Hardball" - Transcript

MATTHEWS: We are back with a couple members of Congress who were very involved in this debate, in fact this big fight on Capitol Hill that has yielded a new leader: Steny Hoyer of Maryland is the new Mr. Democrat on the House side right now. We just had him on.

Now we have Congresswoman Maxine Waters, an extremely famous Democrat.

When did you get famous—back in ‘72?

REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: I don‘t know. I have been around for a long time.

MATTHEWS: You‘ve been a very important part of the Democratic party in California, which is dominant out there.

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Let me ask you—no, let‘s talk with Congresswoman Waters, here. What is this race that led you, a good member of the Democratic liberal society—the liberal side of things—to back Steny, who I think is a moderate? Why did you do it?

WATERS: I think Steny has demonstrated his leadership, he‘s paid his dues. Steny knows the name of every member of Congress, all of the new members. He pays attention, he‘s been there every Thursday morning to run those whip meetings. He took his licking and kept on ticking. He lost but he played the game of being a team member. And he is a member‘s leader.

MATTHEWS: Is he of your philosophy?

WATERS: Not always. I don‘t always agree with him.

MATTHEWS: Is he tough enough on Iraq?

WATERS: I think he has come to the point where all of the members of the caucus are now. He signed a letter, along with Nancy Pelosi and all of the rest of the leadership, to the president of the United States, talking about the mismanagement and how we‘ve got to change course. So they are all there. I was ahead of all of them, but they‘re all there now. He is where he should be, and again, he has proven himself. He paid his dues and he was rewarded today.

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MATTHEWS: Let‘s talk about the House leadership. I‘m trying to remember—I may be wrong, but Jim Clyburn is one helluva heavyweight, and you‘ve got him in the leadership now—he‘s whip. He‘s going to run the organization.

WATERS: That‘s right.

MATTHEWS: The only other member I can think of who is African-American from the caucus, the Black Caucus, is Bill Gray.

WATERS: That‘s right.

MATTHEWS: So he is only the second African-American to get into the big leagues here. Tell me about it—why is that important to you?

WATERS: Well...

MATTHEWS: If it is.

WATERS: ... it‘s extremely important because, as you know, the Democratic caucus is a diverse caucus. And they embrace diversity and they have given support to Jim Clyburn not only now, but when he first ran as caucus chair.

And so it shows that we understand what America is all about and how we must have the kind of diversity that America really represents in order to do a good job for the peoples. So I think it‘s consistent with Democratic values.

MATTHEWS: Do you think he‘ll have an influence on legislation—I know you have the Humphrey Hawkins bill that comes out. It‘s another version of the budget, it‘s sort of endorsed by the black caucus, as I understand.

Do you think you‘re going to be able to get any influence when it comes to big fiscal decisions? As a caucus—I don‘t want to be ethnic about this entirely. But it‘s a big deal to have Jim Clyburn up there.

WATERS: Sure. It‘s a big deal, and we have a lot of members who think like Jim Clyburn, who are going to be involved. I‘m going be the chair of the subcommittee on Housing and Community Development of the Financial Services Committee. We‘re going build affordable housing in this country.

WATERS: Absolutely. We are going to get it in Philadelphia.

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WATERS: Absolutely. You‘re absolutely right, Chaka. And I‘m so pleased that we have an opportunity to lead at this moment in our history. You‘re absolutely right.

We really appreciate what Jack Murtha did. And he really did give us a big bump. Those of us who have been working in the Out of Iraq caucus, begging for attention, just didn‘t get it.

But when he, this hero of the war came forward, it really did get the attention of the press and American people. He went out into America. And in going out into America, he got the support from all of the anti-war people, all of the progressives. He‘d not had that before, and it felt good. And he loved it. And he is doing a fabulous job. And I want him to continue to do that.

But now I think we have the kind of team that can bring our soldiers home. So I am happy that our team has been forged, we‘re all together. We‘re going to move forward. We‘re going use this moment in history to do good for the American people.

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WATERS: Thank you.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15766430/