MSNBC "Decision '08" - Transcript

Interview

MSNBC "Decision '08" - Transcript

MR. ABRAMS: Joining me now is Democratic congresswoman from the state of Texas and former Hillary Clinton supporter, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.

Thanks very much for coming on; appreciate it.

REP. JACKSON LEE: A pleasure to be here. Thank you.

MR. ABRAMS: All right, let me play first this piece of sound. This is from Bill Clinton talking about Obama last night and attacking John McCain.

FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: (From videotape.) They actually want us to reward them for the last eight years by giving them four more. Now, let's send them a message that will echo from the Rockies all across America, a simple message: Thanks, but no thanks. In this case, in this case, the third time is not the charm.

MR. ABRAMS: As one of the most prominent Clinton supporters from the beginning, do you think that the so-called rift has been healed?

REP. JACKSON LEE: Well, I think the commitment to victory is sincere. And the rift was made up by many outsiders looking in. Obviously a husband was supporting a wife. But I tell you, I have been with the Clintons over the last couple of days. They are Obama supporters. They're supporters of Senator Obama. They're supporters of Michelle. They're supporters of Joe and Jan -- Joe and Jill. And they're ready for a change in America.

And let me just say this. I think as you've watched the Clintons, watched Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and watched Bill Clinton, you have to equate them with change as well. They brought in an enormous volcanic change in the 1990s, and they're still fighting for change.

MR. ABRAMS: So why wouldn't Bill Clinton go to the speech tonight? Should we read anything into that?

REP. JACKSON LEE: Not at all. This is the night for Senator Barack Obama, Senator Joe Biden, their wives and all of their supporters unifying together. I wear a unity button. That's what tonight will be. And I think they are being appropriate by saying, "This is their night."

You know the phrase, "Our time is know." And I think Senator Clinton and both President Clinton, over these past two days, have said, "We are part of the now time and we are grateful that we have this dynamic ticket, and we want all the Democrats to unify so that we can be victorious in November."

MR. ABRAMS: Let me play this piece of sound from Hillary Clinton last night, and then I'm going to ask you about it. It's when she interrupted the roll call to release her delegates. Let's listen.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY, former Democratic presidential candidate): (From videotape.) Let's declare together, in one voice, right here, right now, that Barack Obama is our candidate and he will be our president. (Cheers, applause.) Madame Secretary, I move that the convention suspend the procedural rules and suspend the further conduct of the roll call vote.

MR. ABRAMS: Explain to us what she's doing there as a procedural matter.

REP. JACKSON LEE: First of all, it was a class act. But procedurally, what she was doing, to the chagrin of some of us who were in Texas -- but I love you, Hillary -- (laughs) -- what she was doing was suspending, asking to suspend the rules, unanimous consent, to be able to disrupt the roll call vote and be able to declare Senator Barack Obama unanimously. He had already gone over the 2,000 number that was necessary. All the other numbers would be, if you will, add-ons. And they are counted.

But what she was doing was to say, "I want this convention to say to the nation that we have, in unanimity, selected Senator Barack Obama as the nominee," and to have her do it in one of the most contested races we've seen in the last two decades -- class act, class last two days; shows the Republicans, "You're not going to use those nasty ads against us; we're coming together, men and women, rural and urban, all races, all backgrounds, all religions. We're coming together for America."

MR. ABRAMS: Let me play a piece from Joe Biden last night. It came clear that he's not going to be afraid to attack John McCain.

SENATOR JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE, Democratic vice presidential nominee): (From videotape.) John McCain doesn't seem to get it. John thinks that during the Bush years, quote, "we've made great economic progress." I think it's been abysmal. John McCain was wrong and Barack Obama was right.

MR. ABRAMS: All right, earlier in the week you told the Daily Voice website that you believe Hillary is the front-runner for 2016, that after eight years of Obama-Biden that you expect her to be -- or at least that's what it says here -- you're looking at me (like ?) that you never said that.

REP. JACKSON LEE: (Laughs.)

MR. ABRAMS: Did you not say that?

REP. JACKSON LEE: That looks like something --

MR. ABRAMS: All right, well, if you didn't --

REP. JACKSON LEE: Yeah, but I'll comment on it. (Laughs.)

MR. ABRAMS: Maybe you didn't say it, but I have a quote here that you said it.

REP. JACKSON LEE: Here's what I said, if I said anything, is that I think it would be wonderful to have 16 years of Democratic presidency. And certainly I think that, building on this wonderful journey that we've taken, Senator Barack Obama being an outstanding president, as he will be elected in November, that why not have the opportunity now to build on it and a woman be elected president of the United States?

MR. ABRAMS: Were you disappointed when he didn't pick Hillary as the VP?

REP. JACKSON LEE: Let me say this. I'm with Hillary. She said it is his choice, and it was his choice. And frankly, I think there are many, many stars in her destiny, in her universe, if you will. One of them will be to be a strong supporter and advocate, like I will be, like I am, on working for his presidency.

MR. ABRAMS: You know, you're --

REP. JACKSON LEE: Let me say that all of us are human, and certainly we have supported candidates that we'd like to see them ascend. But let me talk about the first Joe. And I went to the Delaware, if you will, Delaware delegation and said to them, "Get some buttons, because he's our first Joe." And Joe Biden is a fighter, but he has a big heart. He has a wonderful human story.

And we cannot just say four more years. We've got to be able to articulate the pain of every single American who can't pay their bills because of gasoline, who can't get their children an education, whose retirement fund has dissipated. We've got to make them feel the pain so they can get the joy of Senator Obama elected president of the United States.

MR. ABRAMS: Final question. Behind the scenes, do people ever say, "Look, stop with the personal stuff. We all wish -- yeah, I wish this; you wish that. This is about business. This is not personal. This is business."

REP. JACKSON LEE: I just came from a speech that I just made, and if I might say, I told the Democrats in that room, big room that they were, "We've got work to do, and we've got to make sure that if we started on a different road, that if we're feeling pain now, if we have some, if you will, cautiousness or sensitivity, we've got work to do." And that's the message for Democrats.

And frankly, Democrats are Americans. And one of the things that we have to do, more than 2004, is show America that we can lead them, we can govern, and we can be successful.

MR. ABRAMS: Representative Jackson Lee, thanks very much for coming. We appreciate it.

REP. JACKSON LEE: It's a pleasure to be with you this morning. Thank you very much.

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