NBC "Meet the Press" - Transcript Interview with Jim Clyburn
Interview
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CHUCK TODD:
Welcome back. Congressman James Clyburn and John Lewis knew each other for 60 years and they served together for 27 years in the House of Representatives. Yesterday, I spoke to Congressman Clyburn about his close friend. And I began by talking about Lewis' last public appearance at the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, D.C.
REP. JAMES CLYBURN:
We talked about how surprised we were at the breakthrough that Black Lives Matter had. It reminded us a little bit of our breakthrough back in the 1960s. And the thing that we talked about was the fear that this movement, as successful as it was being, could very well be jeopardized by sloganeering. John and I were always talking about how the sit-in movement got taken away from us, how we woke up one morning and all the headlines were, "Burn, baby, burn," how people lost sight of our purpose. And we were very concerned that that would happen again, which is the reason I spoke out so forcefully when people were chasing the headline of "defund the police." I did not want to see the success of this movement get taken away with that kind of sloganeering. So John and I talked about that because we always felt that we could have been much more successful back in the '60s if we had not allowed headlines to get in the way of headway.
CHUCK TODD:
You know, it's been interesting to see so many people from both sides of the aisle, but I want to focus here on -- a lot of Republicans have gone out of their way, and I think it's been meaningful and heartfelt. It's there. You know, explain to me -- I mean, John Lewis seemed to -- I guess he could taste bitter. He never was bitter. And he opened -- it seemed like he would open his arms to anybody that asked, no matter how checkered their past might be on race relations.
REP. JAMES CLYBURN:
That's quite true. And John often got in some uncomfortable moments because he was just so kind to everybody. He really, really believed that he should live out the scripture. He was an ordained minister, I'm a preacher kid, but we talked scripture a lot. He internalized so much of the goodness. You know, a lot of people talk about Alexis de Tocqueville's -- there's a little saying attributed to him, that I don't think he ever really made because I can't find it, that America is great because its people are good. And if the people of America ever cease to be good, America will cease to be great. Well, John, he personified the goodness of this country. And I do believe that that's what the fight is all about now: restoring America's goodness. John believed in that. And I really think that we would honor him, and we should honor him, by creating a new Voting Rights Act to replace the 1965 act that was gutted by the Supreme Court decision in Shelby v. Holder seven years ago. And the Supreme Court gave us a road map, and we've followed that road map. So when I get back, I'm going to ask the leadership of the House to consider reintroducing that bill that passed, it's H.R. 4 I believe, reintroducing that bill. Name it the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2020, and let's send it over to the Senate. And then, Mitch McConnell and the president can demonstrate their real respect for the life and legacy of John Lewis by passing that bill in the Senate, and the president signing it, and let's have our election this year in honor of John Robert Lewis.
CHUCK TODD:
That would be quite a 2020 achievement in his name. I want to talk about the different ways people want to honor him. A lot of people, you've probably seen it already on social media, say it's time for the Edmund Pettus Bridge, for that bridge to be -- for that name to change. You know, there's been different debates about that. "Let it be named after a segregationist and a racist. Let people understand that." But now, a lot of people think it is time to name it after John Lewis. Where are you, sir?
REP. JAMES CLYBURN:
I think you ought to take a nice picture of that bridge with Pettus's name on it, put it in a museum somewhere dedicated to the Confederacy, and then rename that bridge and repaint it, redecorate it the John R. Lewis Bridge. I believe that will give the people of Selma something to rally around. I believe that will make a statement for people in this country that we do believe in that pledge, that vision of this country that's in the last phrase of the pledge: "with liberty and justice for all."
CHUCK TODD:
John Lewis' friend and colleague, James Clyburn. That's all for today. Thank you for watching. Please wear a mask and stay safe. And remember, if it's Sunday, it's Meet the Press.
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