MSNBC "Decision '08" - Transcript

Interview

MR. MATTHEWS: Congressman Steve Israel of New York was an early Hillary Clinton supporter.

Congressman, this is a day of transition for a lot of you politicians, U.S. Congress people. How does it feel? You've got to pivot now, don't you, emotionally?

REP. ISRAEL: Well, you know, this is a very exciting day for me and for all Democrats. This is the first day of absolute unity. You know, yesterday was a horrible day for America, Chris. The stock market plunged. Joblessness increased. Gas prices increased.

Today Democrats unite to change America. It's not about what happened in the past. It's about what's going to happen over the next five months. We are united. We are together. We need to be, because if we're not, we gain ourselves another four years of disastrous Republican policies, and that is just not an option for America.

MR. MATTHEWS: What is it like to go back to your constituents, who you've said, "Go for Hillary; don't go for Barack," to say, "Go for Barack"?

REP. ISRAEL: Well, look, Senator Clinton is our senator. I'm a New Yorker. She's a New Yorker. My constituents adore her. They've seen how effective she is. They know that this is a united party and that if we don't unite behind Senator Obama, then we very may likely have another four years of the Bush administration and John McCain.

My constituents want a change in policy. They want lower gas prices. They want a functional stock market. They want a stronger economy, not a Republican who says, "We may be in Iraq for 100 years, and I'm not so strong on the economy." They're going to unite behind Senator Obama and we are going to elect a Democratic president in November together.

MR. MATTHEWS: Well, maybe it's your name, but I can't help but go back to this statement Hillary Clinton made to AIPAC this week, and I'm sure you're familiar with it, a very, very strong endorsement of her rival when she said to AIPAC, the American-Israel Political Action Committee, quote, "I know that Senator Obama will be a good friend of Israel. I know that Senator Obama shares my view that the next president must be ready to say to the world, 'America's position is unchanging, our resolve unyielding, our stance non-negotiable; the United States stands with Israel now and forever.'"

I see that as a template for a strong endorsement. Do you feel she will do that across the board with all the constituencies that she's been able to champion at the address today?

REP. ISRAEL: Absolutely. She has been fighting for Democratic values all her adult life, and she understands the importance of unifying this party. That's what this is about. I was at that AIPAC conference, Chris. Two things happened. Senator Clinton gave a very eloquent address and talked about the fact that she and Senator Obama are strong supporters of Israel. And Senator Obama gave an absolutely excellent speech where he talked about an undivided Jerusalem.

The combination of those two things is a potent example of just how united we are and just what we're going to do over the next five months to ensure a Democratic victory in November with all people.

MR. OLBERMANN: Congressman, give us an idea of what you expect, not the climb-down, but the emotional adjustment -- maybe that's the best phrase -- for Senator Clinton's most ardent supporters. What will that be like? I mean, it's obvious that, no matter who had won, if there had been a third Democrat who had somehow walked in at the last moment and got all the necessary delegates in some bizarre way we can't even imagine, I imagine 50 percent of Senator Obama's supporters and 50 percent of Senator Clinton's supporters would have lined up immediately just on the party premise and the premises about the Republican candidate that you just mentioned, from their perspective.

But for the others, and especially those who are grieving at this point, what is the next couple of weeks, couple of months, going to be like?

REP. ISRAEL: You know, it's very interesting, Keith. Look, I marched in the Cedar Rapids holiday light parade before Christmas for Senator Clinton, and I was in Pennsylvania for Senator Clinton, and I have worked with her. And a few days ago, some of my colleagues in Congress who are very strong supporters of Senator Obama approached me as if it was a funeral, offered their condolences, said, "I'm very sorry about the loss."

This is not a funeral. This is an exciting time for the Democratic Party. We have an outstanding candidate. We're making history today where a woman who came very close to becoming president is endorsing an African-American who we believe will be president.

So this isn't a time to look back and harp on condolences. This is a time to move forward and make sure that John McCain does not exploit the Democratic Party. He's going to do everything he can to drive a wedge in our party. We cannot let him. We cannot afford to allow him to do that. We've got to come together, put the past behind us, and make sure that we reverse the disastrous course that George Bush has led us through and not give his policies a four-year extension through John McCain.

MR. MATTHEWS: Thank you for joining us, U.S. Congressman Steve Israel of New York State.

END.

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