CBS "Face the Nation" - Transcript: 2014 Elections

Interview

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Now, from the other side of the aisle, Minnesota's Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, who has also been campaigning in a lot of key states. She's in Minneapolis this morning.

Senator Klobuchar, you just heard Rand Paul make the case for Republicans. What is your best case?

SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D), MINNESOTA: Well, I think, first of all -- and I respect the work Senator Paul has done on criminal justice reform, but this isn't just a brand issue.

These are actually major policy differences. When you have most of the candidates from their party are actually supporting budgets that, as you know, called for tax decreases for the most wealthy, when we have a budget problem in this country, and actually put more burden on the middle class with things like student loans, I don't think that's a branding issue.

I think that's a policy difference. Or immigration reform -- yes, a few brave Republicans in the Senate, like Marco Rubio and Senator McCain, were willing to work Democrats or a comprehensive immigration plan. But you see it just stopped in its tracks on the House side.

Or you look at the issue of the fact that most of these people who are running for president on the Republican side are -- in fact, they are not pro-choice. These are legitimate policy issues. And you can debate them. And I'm glad that Senator Paul has called for civility. But this isn't just, in his words, about a brand sucking. This is also about major policy differences.

And I do think that there should be more of a focus in how Democrats talk about issues going forward on the economy. I think our candidates have done best, candidates like Michelle Nunn, candidates like Kay Hagan, Mark Warner, Jeanne Shaheen, who have talked about issues that matter to their states when it comes to the economy.

SCHIEFFER: Do you agree with Senator Paul that Barack Obama is an issue in this campaign? And I guess the second part of that question is, why, in your view, is he so unpopular in so many parts of this country?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, I think, first of all, we have to acknowledge here the president has helped these candidates in terms of fund- raising for the Senate Campaign Committee. He's been out there. He's done a lot of work.

But it's clear it varies state by state where people agree or disagree with the president on different issues. And, in fact, Bob, in 2012, in those red states that he lost, we won, the Democratic Senate candidates won nearly half of those Senate races. And I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that we have candidates that are independent of whatever the administration's policies are.

You certainly see them disagreeing with him on a number of policy issues. These are moderate Democrats, for the most part, who have shown that kind of civility that we want in Washington, shown that ability to work across the aisle, understand that courage isn't just standing by yourself giving a speech on "Green Eggs and Ham." Courage is whether or not you're willing to stand next to someone you don't always agree with.

And that's Mark Begich and Mark Udall and so many of our candidates are about.

SCHIEFFER: Well, you know, I must say, Senator, then I take your point, but, last night, the president campaigned for the first Democratic Senate candidate. That's the only Senate race where he has appeared on the stage with a Senate Democratic candidate. But let me just ask you this. What would you advise the president to do after this election? Is it time to revisit working with Republicans? Is it time for a new strategy? Does he need to make some changes at the White House? What would you think would be his first priority after this election?

KLOBUCHAR: Well, I believe that the Congress has to get back to the business of governing.

And there is a group much us -- Lamar Alexander is involved, Chuck Schumer, others -- who have been working on about 20 Democrats and Republicans meeting, talking how we can move forward, so we stop having people throw sand into the gears of government. We have so much opportunity right now.

The economy is stabilized, gas prices at the lowest in four years, 55 months of straight job growth. And we have this opportunity to compete even better on the international stage. And this is an opportunity we must seize.

So, I see Congress as having to come together, no matter what happens in this election. And then I see the president having to work with both sides and having to have Congress actually come to the president with some ideas. And I just haven't seen that as much in the past.

SCHIEFFER: Harry Reid's political action committee recently ran ads on black radio in North Carolina saying the Republican there Thom Tillis supported gun laws like the ones that caused the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

In other races, they are running ads that show black people being shot. Some people would even call it race-hating. Is that taking it a little far?

KLOBUCHAR: Look, I am not a fan of any of these independent expenditures. I don't care what side of the aisle they are. I would like to overturn that Citizens United case. I'm for putting a constitutional amendment on the ballot, passing the DISCLOSE Act.

I really think this outside money just keeps sending a message, both sides, that our democracy for sale. And I would like to get rid of that ruling and go back to how things were.

SCHIEFFER: All right.

KLOBUCHAR: But I do think, when you come to the race issues -- and I was listening to Senator Paul -- I hope he will join us in this work that we need to do on stopping these voter suppression amendments.

SCHIEFFER: Senator, I'm sorry. We have to stop it there. Thank you so much.

KLOBUCHAR: OK.

SCHIEFFER: We will be back in just a minute.

KLOBUCHAR: Well, it's been wonderful to be on. Thank you, Bob.

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