CNN The Situation Room-Transcript

CNN The Situation Room-Transcript

BLITZER: Joining us now from Capitol Hill is the -- the Senate minority leader, the Republican leader of the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell.

Senator, thanks very much for coming -- for coming in. I know you're getting ready for the speech, the Democratic response, like all of us.

It was interesting. You heard Dana Bash speak earlier with John Cornyn, your colleague from Texas. He's not convinced the president is doing a good job making his case on Iraq right now.

How worried are you that so many of your Republican colleagues are at least skeptical, if downright -- if down -- downright opposed, to what he's saying?

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R-KY), MINORITY LEADER: Well, Wolf, let me tell you one thing that everybody seems to agree on, both Republicans and Democrats, that General Petraeus is a superb choice to lead this -- this new initiative in Baghdad.

He's very likely to be confirmed unanimously here in the Senate this week. So, everybody agrees that Petraeus is the right guy. There seems to be some difference of opinion as to whether we want to let this go forward. I think the vast majority of Republicans would like to see this be given a chance to succeed.

I think we do agree this is the last chance for the Iraqis to get it right. But we ought to give one of our finest, if not our very finest, general a chance to see if he can succeed in the next few months.

BLITZER: General Petraeus, David Petraeus, who testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee, he's about to be confirmed, as you point out.

It's interesting. Senator Cornyn also said, he's emerging as a really effective spokesman, in effect, for the president's case. It's interesting that you point that out as well.

How much time do you think the president realistically has to see this -- this new strategy work? MCCONNELL: Well, look, it needs to work in the very near future.

We have tried other things. The American public is tired of the exercise not working out well. What they would mostly like to see is a success. The president has made a very, I think, inspired selection here in General Petraeus, one of our finest generals, if not our finest, and also an expert on counterinsurgency. And that's exactly what this situation in Baghdad calls for.

ZAHN: But it's still not clear to me how long you think it will take until the Iraqi troops can stand on their own.

MCCONNELL: Well, it's hard to put a precise time limit on it.

But let me tell you this. My view on is, this is the last chance for the Iraqis to step up, and to do it right, and to -- to carry out the lion's share of this mission.

We don't expect American troops to be on the point in all aspects of Baghdad. So, this is a time for the Iraqis to demonstrate to us that they can get it right, because I think the American people and the Congress, on a bipartisan basis, are running out of patience with the lack of commitment that we have seen by the Maliki government in Iraq.

ZAHN: So, what happens if the Iraqis don't get it right?

MCCONNELL: Well, we don't have to go there yet. We have got a chance here, with one of our great generals, to get the job done.

And I think what the American people would like to do, more than anything else, is to see the -- the effort succeed. And the definition of success is the government relatively stable and an ally in the war on terror.

We think that's achievable, under General Petraeus' leadership.

BLITZER: Let's talk about some domestic issues, Senator, that the president will raise on health insurance. In effect, what his proposal is recommending is, in order to make health insurance available to a greater number of Americans, there, in effect, will be a tax increase on several million Americans. How do you feel about that?

MCCONNELL: Well, look, high-income Americans pay more taxes than others anyway.

BLITZER: But they're not all high -- they're not all high- income. There are a lot of workers out there who happen to have excellent health insurance plans. And they -- they -- they, in effect, are going to be stuck with higher taxes as well.

MCCONNELL: Well, we will see about that.

I think the president ought to be given an opportunity to explain how he would address the problem of reducing the number of uninsured in America. I think it's an interesting proposal. He is going to lay it out tonight -- not only that. He's going to talk about finally getting an immigration bill, which really should have been done in the last Congress, and I think will be done in this Congress, and doing something significant about moving toward energy independence.

All of these are things that could and should be done on a bipartisan basis. It is important to remember that, frequently, divided government has done great things, divided government meaning the Democrats control the Congress, the Republicans control the White House, or vice versa.

Many times, in recent years, divided government has done very important things on things -- things like Social Security, welfare reform. There's no reason why this Congress can't be successful. And I think the president's going to raise the bar, challenge the Democrats to join him and do important things for our country.

ZAHN: But, with the Democrats so adamantly opposed to adding these troops in Iraq, does that eclipse -- how does that eclipse his ability to reach any consensus on some of these thorny domestic issues?

MCCONNELL: Look, the -- the Democrats said, in running for office -- and they now have the majority -- that they could accomplish things for the American people.

The only way to do that is to work with the president. So, there's a heavy burden on the Democrats to demonstrate to the American people that they can produce. The good for news for them is that the president would like to work with them to make them productive.

So, both sides here have a big stake in -- in accomplishing important things for the American people in the next two years.

BLITZER: And he's going to reach out, we're told, right at the beginning of his speech, to Nancy Pelosi, the speaker, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid. He is going to make it clear that's going to be his goal, Senator, to try to work with the Democratic majority.

The Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, Mr. Leader, thanks for coming in.

MCCONNELL: Thank you.

ZAHN: Appreciate your time.

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