MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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REP. GARY PETERS (D), MICHIGAN: Ed, it"s always a pleasure to be with you.

SCHULTZ: You bet.

As E.J. stated, this is one of the best stories that the Obama administration has to tell. It"s great for the American worker.

Why can"t you do a better job of telling it?

PETERS: Well, we"ve got to keep telling it. That"s why I appreciate the fact you"re out there telling that story to the American people because we are back. Certainly the ad that we saw at the Super Bowl yesterday, which was very powerful from Chrysler Corporation showed the hard work and grit of what the people here in the state of Michigan have gone through that we"ve now got world class products that are being sold. Sales are up. Jobs have been preserved.

SCHULTZ: So, government has a place. No doubt. You got it right.

The government has a place in all of this, correct, Congressman?

I mean, because where were the Koch brothers--where were all these big billionaires that, you know, supposedly love America? It took the American taxpayer to love America which shows government can play a role at revitalizing manufacturing in America. So, where is the strategy from here?

PETERS: Yes. Absolutely. In fact, as you know, Ed, the reason the auto industry--one of reasons why it was in trouble was because of the disaster on Wall Street, because of the unbridled greed we saw there that brought down the capital markets. You needed to have that infusion of cash. You needed the American taxpayers to stand up and say, we want to stand for manufacturing in this country because we understand without manufacturing, you cannot have an American middle class. And without a middle class, you can"t have a strong economy.

SCHULTZ: You can"t get away from the story there were no Republicans onboard. What does that say to the American people about Washington?

PETERS: Well, it certainly shows that a lot of Republicans were more concerned about scoring political points and attacking the president and were not concerned about the American middle class and manufacturing in this country. And that"s what we"ve got to be focused on. We"ve got to be laser-focused. It"s all about jobs, making sure we have good-paying jobs in this country as well so we can have a strong economy and a vibrant democracy.

SCHULTZ: Saved millions of jobs in your neck of the woods. It"s a great story.

PETERS: Right.

SCHULTZ: The Democrats have got to tell it.

Congressman, great to have you with us tonight. Congressman Gary Peters of Michigan, thank you for your time again here on THE ED SHOW.

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