Debbie Wasserman Schultz on DNC ruling: " I think it was an irresponsible decision."

[seafan]

On Thom Hartmann's show, Monday, June 2, 2008, in Hour 3 of program


This is the transcript that I took of this interview.





US Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Interview with US Rep Debbie Wasserman Schultz, FL, Hillary Clinton's campaign co-chair



TH: 23 min past the hr

Congresswoman DWS is with us, representing the state of FL. Hey, Congresswoman, welcome.


DWS: Thank you very much Thom. Good to be here.


TH: How do you see this whole situation—the electoral situation playing out?


DWS:Well, I mean, I think--- you know we’ll obviously have these primaries tomorrow and we have to see what the outcome of those are…. I think that it will be pretty clear that Sen Clinton is ahead in the popular vote when the primaries conclude tomorrow and Senator Obama will be ahead in the pledged delegates and --- you know, there needs to be some soul-searching and some conversations that we’ll have--- that will be had over the next several days and perhaps a little bit longer than that, and so it's (inaudible) to predict what will happen.


TH: How deep do you think the wounds have gone in the Democratic Party as a result of---


DWS: How deep do I think the wounds…? You know I think these (inaudible)... wounds. You know I think they are superficial wounds that you always have when you have a primary. I frankly don’t think this primary has been any more divisive---- actually I think it’s been less divisive than most primaries that I’ve …(inaudible). And because we have so much at stake in this general election coming up, I absolutely believe we will come together as a party. Now, will we have new obstacles to get over, particularly in my state... after Saturday’s decision, yes, we definitely will, but I think they are surmountable obstacles.


TH: What are your thoughts on what happened within regard to the 50:50 split of----


DWS: Well, I think it was an irresponsible decision. I mean I think it was irresponsible and it wasn’t very strategic. I mean, Florida is the biggest swing state in the general election and there are a lot of hard feelings, I can tell you I’ve gotten a lot of contact…. E-mails and phone calls…. And people who are very disappointed and you know, who are saying ‘listen, they don’t want half of us to come out and vote in a general election, and they certainly don’t want only half of our money.’ So, they are pretty resentful of the fact that they’ve given us half a vote. And hopefully, whoever the democratic nominee is, will very quickly move to restore our full delegation and give us a full vote at the convention.


TH: Does the nominee have that ability?


DWS: I... the nominee has that ability in that they can go either the Rules or the Credentials Committee and ask that they meet again and vote to seat the delegation.


TH: Hmmm. Interesting.


DWS: I think that will be essential.


TH: The Republicans cut their delegate vote in half as well, and I haven’t heard any Republicans complaining about this. Isn’t really the issue here that-----


DWS: Well, the Republicans have had a nominee for a.., you know, a presumptive nominee for a while and the impact is not the same. And I would expect the Republicans, you know, that John McCain will make sure that the Florida delegation in the Republican Party is seated in full as well.

TH: So, OK, then the reason in your mind that people are concerned about this is... because basically .... it’s making it possible for Barack Obama to become the nominee over the next couple of days. I mean, isn’t that the bottom line?


DWS: The reason it’s important is you have to make sure that whoever the nominee is, that they don’t go into the general election with one hand tied behind their back. And if you are automatically putting yourself in a situation where you have to get over... you know, some majorly--- not just hurt feelings, but some resentment that’s been created by the mistreatment which is perceived down here by the DNC--- the nominee is really the only one who can heal that.


TH: But isn’t your rhetoric maintaining or exacerbating the situation?


DWS: I’m sorry?


TH: When you say... that... ----We’re out of time, I’m sorry. We’ve hit the bottom of the hour. DWS, thank you very much for coming on the program.


DWS: (Audible snicker..) You’re welcome. Thanks for having me.

(Audio available at these links: Look for Hour 3 of today's program, approximately halfway into the hour.)


6/2/08 - Hour 3


Listen


Thom Hartmann's audio archives

[burythehatchet]

1. Answer: The toilet

Question: Where are Debbie's visions of a plum committee assignment?

[The_Green_Man_Am_I]

8. I wish Wexler was my rep instead of this troll.

Wexler is everything I wish I had in a rep, and everything the DWS is not. DWS is a waste of space. She spends most of her time brown nosing the senior members and proposing stupid meaningless legislaton, like commending our sports teams for their championships. Really hard hitting important stuff like that. I regret ever voting for her, and I sincerely hope she has a dem challenger next cycle.

[MadMaddie]

2. Um didn't Hillary's campaign once float the idea of a split

of the delegates?

[DJ13]

3. The sad part is that she's less delusional than Hillary

Not by much, but still.....

[4themind]

4. Hew answer to the question of the RNC doing the same thing was weak sauce

And I wish he didn't run out of time before asking that last question

[Orangepeel]

5. Well, she's right that it's not a very divisive primary by Florida standards

it is hard to get more divisive and negative than a typical Florida election. The Obama/Clinton primary has been painful, but it's nothing compared to the Davis/Smith gubernatorial race in 2006 (which, of course, helped guarantee a Crist win).

[billyoc]

6. Go back to campaigning for your Florida Republicans, Deb.

We'll see you soon...

[newmajority]

7. I didn't envy Thom this morning

First Pat Buchanan blaming Winston Churchill for the Holocaust, then Debbie Whatacrackhead Schultz. Throw in a few delusional Hillbot callers, and there was as much fascist spin on Thom's program this morning (not from him) as there was on Limbaugh's show.

[Me.]

9. Who?

[madfloridian]

10. TH: "But isn’t your rhetoric maintaining or exacerbating the situation?"

Hell, yes, it is.

[Major Hogwash]

11. Ed Rendell even said it isn't worth fighting over 4 delegates like this.

Obama could have forced them to split 50-50 for Michigan instead of the way they decided to go.

It isn't worth it since all of the delegates only get 1/2 of a vote anyway.

[dansolo]

12. The last time I checked, the entire delegation is being seated

They only get 1/2 vote each, but all of the delegates are being seated, and apportioned according to the faux-primary. So what is her beef exactly?

[seafan]

13. She wants a full vote restored for ALL of FL/MI delegates... to nullify the DNC ruling on Saturday.

Debbie wants it all for her girl. No matter what.

[Florida4Obama]

14. IMPEACH HER

I'm a florida resident and I'll do anything to vote her out of the office

[RBInMaine]

15. It was FAIR as could be, AND in MI even the Clinton supporters were FOR it !

[barack the house]

16. Surely schultz could of avoded all this by making more voters aware of the scheduling...

Making them more aware how they would potentially be disenfranchised. It's irresponsbile to ignore rules.