CNN "Erin Burnett Outfront" - Transcript Interview with Jim Clyburn

Interview

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BURNETT: OUTFRONT now, House Majority Whip James Clyburn of South Carolina, long time friend and colleague of Lewis.

[19:40:01]

And I appreciate your time, Congressman.

You know, you met John Lewis nearly 60 years ago during the civil rights movement. And I know you remain friends ever since, and you've talked so much about him. When you heard that today, visibly emotional President Obama, not just focusing, though, on Lewis' legacy, right, although, he did that when he talked about him being a founder of the movement, but he made this about the future, he made about the people, the person in the White House right now, he made it about threats to voting rights in this presidential election.

How important was that to you that he chose to do that as well?

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D-SC), HOUSE MAJORITY WHIP: Well, thank you very much for having me, Erin. It was very, very important.

I'm very pleased that President Obama went there because that's what it's all about. There have been so many people expressing their love and their admiration for John Lewis.

John Lewis gave his all to giving the right to vote. Born in Alabama, and at the time that he crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, only 2 percent of African-Americans in Alabama had the right to vote. He always said, that the vote -- the vote is precious, almost sacred.

So, I think that John would really want to hear what President Obama had to say today. And even more so, I think that John would love for all of us, and as I've said several times recently, to dedicate this year's election, the voting that will take place this year, dedicate that to the life and legacy of John Lewis.

Words are great. Showing up at memorials are fantastic. But the greatest of all would be going to the polls this year in what I consider to be the most consequential election maybe since 1860.

I feel that. I've studied enough history to know that the consequences that could flow from this election could completely reverse that, which started out in 1860 with the election of Abraham Lincoln.

BURNETT: So, when you talk about Congressman Lewis, what he did, you know, he did -- you know, there was obviously that op-ed today published posthumously by "The New York Times", right, where he said the vote is most powerful non-violent change agent you have in democratic society. You must use it. It is not guaranteed. You can lose it.

Right? So, that happens today.

On the day of Lewis's funeral, President Trump tweets: With universal mail-in voting, not absentee voting, which is good, 2020 will be the most inaccurate and fraudulent election in history. Delay the election.

What -- what in the world do you say to that?

CLYBURN: Well, you asked the question correctly. What in the world is this man thinking about? We've had Election Day set, the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, set since what? The 1840s?

We've had a civil war since then. The civil war was in the 1860s. How many times -- we've had world wars. We have never postponed an election.

This president is off in never, neverland someplace. He knows better than that. He has no authority to postpone an election.

The dates for elections are set by the United States Congress, and it's already set. And we do not need to postpone an election. This president, I've been saying for a long time, is looking for a way not to have an election at all. He fashions himself as a strong man.

He wants to do in Oregon what they can't do for themselves. He wants to do for Portland what the mayor cannot do. That's not the way we run business in this country.

This is a democracy, a representative democracy that yields a republic. And I remind all your listeners, when Benjamin Franklin emerged from that meeting setting this republic up, and he was asked, "What have you done?" He said, 'We have given you a republic if you can keep it."

It's up to us this year to hold on to this republic because you've got somebody in the White House who would love to see it be something else.

So, that is what we ought to do this year, say, John Lewis, you gave your all to help preserve this democracy. We're going to do our fair share to move it forward.

BURNETT: Congressman, I appreciate your time as I always do.

[19:45:00]

I think your point about --

CLYBURN: Thank you.

BURENTT: -- never having postponed an election in world wars, pandemic, civil war, it's incredibly powerful. Thank you so much, sir. I appreciate it.

CLYBURN: Thank you very much.

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