MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript
Interview
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REP. LORETTA SANCHEZ (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, right now, you can actually sit wherever you like to. It"s traditional that Democrats sit in a particular way actually from the more conservative, which are along the middle of the chamber, to the more liberal towards the very, very left for example. But, you know, Chris, I walk around that chamber all over. I have friends all over. Sometimes, I sit on the Republican side, sometimes on the Democratic side.
MATTHEWS: OK. But the State of the Union night, do you think it
would be good for Democrats to mix it up and go join some of their buds
from the other side of the aisle? Or is this just -
SANCHEZ: I think that would be fine. I think it would be nice to see the senators come up and sit in the congressional seats, you know?
MATTHEWS: Ooh.
SANCHEZ: Maybe mix up the two chambers because they traditional just hang out in a little spot also.
MATTHEWS: Well, they got that preferred seating up front.
By the way, isn"t it fascinating? You know, back when there were a lot of conservative Democrats, you pointed out about the fact that they tend to sit towards the middle. These guys are something called, with no derogatory aspect, redneck row. All the--these are Southern white Democrats, they all sit along the back of the chamber.
And they were quite proud of that. They sat right near the edge of the aisle. They"re sort of like Republicans. And then, of course--well, they all sat at different places.
But let me go--let me ask you about these other ideas. Are these screw ball ideas? Tom DeLay, which was just on, a former member who"s got problems of his own, he"s saying it"s OK by him if members of Congress come into the chamber carrying guns.
SANCHEZ: Well--
MATTHEWS: Does that add to their firepower politically? Does that make their point? I mean, Sarah Palin says taking up arms is a way of saying voting. Would this be literal now? You bring your gun to the chamber to make your point with your ID card?
SANCHEZ: Chris, I think, I really believe that guns are not needed in the chamber.
MATTHEWS: But why are people like screw balls--why are these people screw ball enough to say like this guy, Louie Gohmert, who"s a birther, by the way, doesn"t think the president is an American, how would you like to know there"s a guy out there in the hallway with a gun who doesn"t think you"re an American while you give the State of the Union address? You might keep your eye on that guy, wouldn"t you? Just guessing.
SANCHEZ: Well, listen, when we"re in the chamber, first of all, remember that--
CROSSTALK)
MATTHEWS: This is what"s going on in your chamber. These guys really are saying the president is not an American. He wasn"t born here. And I want to carry a gun when I watch him talk. This is truth. This is what"s going on today in the Congress.
SANCHEZ: Well, you know, listen, Chris, I have been elected in the same way that each of my colleagues in that chamber have been elected. You know, you have to have a lot of respect because it is difficult to win an election. Otherwise, everybody who"s on a news channel or something would probably be a Congress person. Come on.
(CROSSTALK)
MATTHEWS: OK, you"ve been so generous, Congresswoman. Walk up to a guy--you walk up to the guy from Texas, he"s got some 45 in his holster. Do you ask him to take it out and show it to you? That"s a good-looking gun that you got there. Can I take a look at it? And you have a little conversation on the floor about his piece?
Is this what goes on now? Is this what we"re going to have in Congress? Discussing each other"s guns?
SANCHEZ: I do not believe that you will see guns on the House floor.
I absolutely do not believe -
(CROSSTALK)
MATTHEWS: So, this is just nonsense. OK, good.
SANCHEZ: -- a majority of the people on the floor.
MATTHEWS: Louie Gohmert, congressman from Texas, anybody wants to write this character, he"s real. This isn"t Festus Haggen, this guy really exists. He"s talking about bringing guns to Congress and he wants it to be a law.
So, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, you"re totally sane and totally normal and a nice person. I don"t think that you understand what true insanity is about, but these people are talking about guns on the floor of the House, but I understand why you"re being gentle. Thank you for coming on and have a nice weekend.
SANCHEZ: Thank you, Chris.
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