NBC "Today" - Transcript

Interview

NBC "Today" - Transcript

MS. MITCHELL: I'm with Senator Chuck Schumer, and we're looking out. We've gone through this before, but we've never seen anything like this.

And when you think of the majesty of what is happening today, it seems a little petty to talk about Senate politics. But one of the unresolved issues is the confirmation for Senator Hillary Clinton, your colleague from New York.

What are you hearing about whether this last-minute opposition from Texas Senator John Cornyn over potential conflicts of interest with her husband's fund-raising -- what are you hearing about whether you think it might be resolved today?

SEN. SCHUMER: Oh, I think it will be resolved today. I really hope so and I believe so. Hillary has overwhelming support among Democrats and Republicans. The most Cornyn could do is delay it two days and then it gets voted -- she gets voted for, 97 to two. So it doesn't make much sense. It starts the day off in a mood of partisanship. And I don't think Senator Cornyn or anyone else wants it. We believe it will be resolved.

MS. MITCHELL: What you're pointing out is that procedurally, in a couple of days, she would be confirmed, so this is just to deny the administration, the new administration, the potential of swearing her in today and getting off on the foreign policy with a new national security team.

SEN. SCHUMER: That's all it accomplishes. It accomplishes no end. There's been very thorough hearings. All the questions have been asked. Just about everybody felt Hillary answered them candidly, forthrightly. And it just is the wrong way to start this off. And I hope and pray, on a wonderful day like today, where Barack Obama is reaching out to Democrats and Republicans, that Senator Cornyn steps aside.

MS. MITCHELL: Let me ask you, this seat right below us is Governor David Paterson's. And I know you want to know who your new colleague is going to be. We're surrounded by Kennedys here as well. But what about Caroline Kennedy and whether or not David Paterson is going to appoint her?

SEN. SCHUMER: Well, I think the governor -- you know, this is a serious decision for him. There are a lot of good candidates. Caroline would be an excellent senator, and I've told him that. But I've told him there will be others that would be too. I think he's going to make a decision this weekend. That's what he has said. And we'll then know. But I don't think he's there yet, because he knows it's a weighty decision.

MS. MITCHELL: And what we're hearing is that Caroline Kennedy is getting a lot more support because, of course, the president-elect, soon to be President Obama, wants her in this position, even though he hasn't said so. Is there a lot of pressure on David Paterson to appoint her?

SEN. SCHUMER: Well, you know, there's pressure from all different quarters. But David Paterson, to his credit, he has a good internal gyroscope. He makes up his own mind. When I've talked to him about this, he's weighing the pros and cons of all the candidates in a very substantive way. And I think people will be happy with the decision, whatever it is.

MS. MITCHELL: Okay, Chuck Schumer, thank you very much. And just looking out here, there is no way to describe the enormity of this crowd. We've been here in this position before, four years ago, eight years ago, but this sight on a sunny day, with the sound of the San Francisco Choir and the Washington Monument down the other end, it's just glorious.

SEN. SCHUMER: There's nothing like it. And this is special. It's special, of course, because Barack Obama is the first African- American. But this is generational change, the way we haven't seen since Ronald Reagan. You put those two together and it's electrifying.

MS. MITCHELL: Thank you very much, Chuck Schumer -- electrifying.

END.

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