MSNBC "Decision '08" - Transcript

Interview

MR. MATTHEWS: Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina is the Democratic majority whip. He's the third-ranking Democrat in the House, counting from the speaker, majority leader and then him. Today he endorsed Obama for president. He joins us now.

Congressman Jim Clyburn, what an honor to talk to you tonight and wonder why it took you till today --

REP. CLYBURN: (Laughs.)

MR. MATTHEWS: -- to do this thing, which I would have thought would be, well, almost instinctive to pick this guy.

REP. CLYBURN: Well, thank you so much for having me, Chris. And, you know, the reason I waited is because of the job I have as House majority whip. You know, I have to count votes on the floor. I didn't want anybody looking at me saying that I've been partisan against his or her candidate, and therefore might not give me a vote on a motion to recommit or something of that sort.

And then, traveling around the country trying to fund-raise for the party -- for the DCCC, that is -- I didn't want anybody feeling reluctant to participate in these events because they may have been supporting a candidate that I was not supporting.

So when you look at my role outside of Capitol Hill and here inside the House of Representatives, it was best that I keep my sentiments to myself.

MR. MATTHEWS: Well, I don't want you to do that anymore. Your sentiments tonight, sir, on the probable nomination of the first African-American by any western country? I was going through the list of every European country, Asia -- I mean, Australia -- New Zealand, the old days of South Africa. They never ran a black for president in those old days. (Laughs.)

REP. CLYBURN: Right.

MR. MATTHEWS: I mean, even in the South American situation, I think there's been one non-Hispanic, Fujimori. This is the only time any western country in the world has run a black man for its leader, and he's gotten almost -- at least 50-50 there.

REP. CLYBURN: Well, that's quite true. And, you know, there's something else here, and this is what started me to thinking. You know, I'm the eldest son of a fundamentalist minister. I grew up in a parsonage. I was very much a part of all those efforts back in the 1960s, along with many others in this Congress, including John Lewis.

And to have our Democratic convention, the party that gave us the Voting Rights Act back in 1964, the Civil Rights -- the Voting Rights Act in '65, the Civil Rights Act in '64 -- to have our national convention being held on the week that we will be celebrating the 45th anniversary of that famous March on Washington, when the greatest petition up until that time ever presented to the American government was, in fact, presented, and to have our nominee in position to give his acceptance speech on the 45th anniversary of that "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr., the dream that he talked about of a color-blind administration, to have an African-American accepting the nomination for the presidency of the United States allow us to turn that dream into a reality. My Lord, I don't know what to say about this except that it's got to be providential.

MR. OLBERMANN: Congressman, I asked Tim Russert this question. It's a delicate subject. But all the talk from Senator Clinton today and about her and about the vice presidency and of her speech tonight -- to some degree, do you think that a little of the rug is being pulled out from under the historic importance of this day, or is this just within the realm of acceptable political positioning and placement?

REP. CLYBURN: I think we can't take politics out of this. This is a political process. I expect Senator Clinton to try to put herself in as good a position as she possibly can. That is to be expected.

I think, though, that even Senator Clinton will admit that that petition that took place back in August 1963 was about gender equality, it was about workplace equality, as well as ethnic and racial equality. All of those things were presented on that day. And even she would have to admit that this is, in fact -- could be a great moment in the American history.

MR. OLBERMANN: Finally, to that point, sir, would you want to see her on the ticket to add to the historical quality, given the paucity of women leaders in the West, and particularly in this country?

REP. CLYBURN: That's one of the reasons I talked about it in the statement that I released, because it would not be insulting to me at all. But I do know that it has to be the wishes of the nominee. I think that Senator Obama and Senator Clinton need to get together within the next few days, sit down and talk about this party, talk about this nation and how each one of them can be most effective in moving the ball forward.

This is not about any one nominee. This is not even about our party. This is about our country that we love so dearly. And I would hope that whatever they do, they will keep in mind this is for the children and grandchildren who are destined to come after us, and forget about what may be best for the individual.

MR. MATTHEWS: Thank you, U.S. Congressman Jim Clyburn.

REP. CLYBURN: Thank you so much for having me.

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