MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Cop Killings in New York

Interview

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Let`s turn now to Congressman Charlie Rangel of New York. Long time Congressman. I want to pick up on something that former Mayor Rudy Giuliani just said there that this protest have been all about hating the police. Is that is there any truth to that?

REP. CHARLIE RANGEL, (D) NEW YORK: Mayor Giuliani has a long history of heated rhetoric, especially as relates to the black community when he was mayor. And this is not the time for me even get involve in discussing anything that he has said. This is the time to bury those heroes, to make certain our police. We know how much we respect them for what they are doing. And to not express the feeling that a lot of people have.

MELVIN: Yeah.

RANGEL: You said that earlier today, there are many levels that we have to discuss. But we should allow these heroes to be buried, a lot of those areas after doing the mentally ill.

MELVIN: Yeah.

RANGEL: The ability to get guns. The violence in our city and our country. And God forbid, we should talk about race. But after the burial this great city ours has the ability to come together and deal with this in an honest way and not to point fingers.

MELVIN: We heard from Bill Bratton. We heard from the commissioner -- I think it was Bill Bratton, either yesterday, the day before who indicated that this was about the worst that he seen in New York in several decades in terms of the relationship between police and the people they are policing. What say you to that? You`ve been around a long time. You.

RANGEL: You`re doing right (ph).

MELVIN: . seen the ups and downs with regards to that relationship.

RANGEL: Ups and downs...

MELVIN: Is this the worst it`s ever been or?

RANGEL: I -- Listen, everyday is a challenge and we`re lucky to be alive, to be able to deal with it. I`ve been through combat, I`ve been through 911, I`ve been through all of these things. And I tell you with all the blessing that God has giving us, if we can`t deal with a crazy guy to kill to heroes in the great city of New York, there`s nothing wrong with the situation. It`s wrong with the people that are in charge.

MELVIN: So you think it`s about this one crazy guy on your words. You don`t think it`s about anything more than that, you don`t think that this...

RANGEL: There are some people that have just been waiting to attack the President as you just heard, which anybody that is going to relate the President in this incident has -- should be seeing a psychiatrist himself. And that the true of the matter is that the mayor of the city of New York represents the millions of people in this city. If you feel that you`re so insecure that you have to say that the blood for these murders on his hand, that is self reflected and no one should even comment on what he has to say.

My believe is that if you just take a look and see the different races that involve in this, you know, we got an Asian hero, we have a Latino guy. They got families and once in China and the other has Latin background. We have an Irish guy that`s in charge with boys, who got a Italian guy that the mayor the city of New York, who got a crazy black guy from Maryland who came up here to kill these two. And we got a problem in communication between our community and the police. Let`s not take this incident.

MELVIN: Yeah.

RANGEL: Which is totally unrelated except people who are looking to expresses themselves and it doesn`t show respect for the families.

MELVIN: You don`t think they`re calling for moratorium on the protest is appropriate?

RANGEL: Well when people feel hurt about something that they have. They can make the determination as long as what they`re doing is respectful. Of course if anyone ask my view and they haven`t.

MELVIN: Yeah.

RANGEL: I would yes. Let`s have a week and dedicate that to nonviolence, dedicate it to better understanding. And during this time of the year, bring up the chaplains of the police department. And those have talk about Jesus and Quanser and Moises. And fill in the gap that we got with hate going on now. And the thing is that everyone knows is undercurrent that everything everyone is saying. And they`re just using this horrific event in order to express themselves. It`s just fair to this guys who -- and those who are alive and each and everyday...

MELVIN: Yeah.

RANGEL: ... do what these two gentlemen have done. Put their lives on the line and then they have a couple of people now what to get their feeling is who can be the meanest.

MELVIN: Yeah.

RANGEL: . about problem that are totally, totally unrelated to these murders.

MELVIN: Long time New York Congressman, Charlie Rangel. Always enjoy your prospective sir. Thank you.

RANGEL: Thank you Craig.

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