Fox News Channel Interview - Transcript

Interview

MR. SMITH: Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican is on the Hill now, and has been good enough to stand by as all of this is going on. And we appreciate the fact that you're allowing us to give balance here.

Was this about hurt feelings, as the Democrats are so vocally insisting today, Senator? And if not, what was it?

SEN. GRAHAM: This is exhibit A as to why the Congress is at 12 percent. The question that must be asked is why would Nancy Pelosi make such a speech at such a crucial time regarding our nation's financial status?

You know, Congressman Frank is funny and clever, but there's nothing funny about this. Why would you poison the well right before the speech? There are 13 votes that need to be gathered. I think they can be.

But this just didn't start today. Last week, Harry Reid said John McCain must vote for the Paulson proposal; no Democrat will unless John votes for the Paulson proposal. Wednesday, Secretary Paulson went to the House Republicans and laid out his plan, and it was asked, how many are for the Paulson proposal. Four people raised their hand. The Paulson proposal wasn't getting any support because it wasn't what we needed. John comes back, after I urge him to because we're going nowhere, and from the time he steps on the floor of the Senate and the House here he gets nothing but criticized. And right before the vote, Nancy Pelosi gives a blame speech.

Here's the answer: go back at it. The Democrats are in charge in the House. Try to find 13 votes for the good of the nation and knock this off. This is killing America's ability to get credit, to be able to borrow money to buy a home, to go to college, to be able to grow your business. We're 13 votes away and Speaker Pelosi I think exhibited exactly what's wrong with this place. But forget about that, let's get it right. If anybody who thought we had a deal before John came, now you know we never did, and we never will until people put the country first.

So I hope we'll put the country first, muster the political courage and the maturity to pass legislation to protect America when she needs protecting.

MR. SMITH: Senator, our House of Representatives producer, Chad Pergram (ph), who is as plugged in as the House of Representatives as anyone in any network in America, has been reporting on Fox News Channel all day long that there were never under any circumstances more than 70 Republican votes.

SEN. GRAHAM: Right, absolutely.

MR. SMITH: What I'm curious to know is -- help me understand the strangeness of Washington, Senator Graham -- why in the world would the speaker of the House, before two days of Jewish holidays where they know they cannot get work done -- why in the world would you call a vote when you're 100 percent sure that there aren't enough Republicans and knowing that 90-plus Democrats are going to vote against this? Why call the vote? And once you do, why cut off debate? Why not take people back in the cloakroom and twist arms? Why just give a blame speech and not try harder?

SEN. GRAHAM: I think that's the main thing, why would you give a speech blaming failure before the vote occurs at a time when America needs confidence? Speaker Pelosi did not give a speech that would build confidence and lead to passage. Since John McCain came back here to find the votes, we've gone from four Republicans to 66 because the bill is better. Forty percent of the Democratic conference in the House has a problem with this. Let's talk to them. Let's find a way to get 13 more votes. And John McCain understood where we were headed; that's why he came back.

And this is proof positive that the Congress is broken and it's going to take somebody new to fix it, and Speaker Pelosi is not exhibiting the behavior necessary, in my opinion, to find the 13 votes when she spoke. If she had done at the news conference -- on the floor of the House what she'd done at the news conference, we wouldn't be talking, I think. But it's not about blaming her, it's about 13 votes.

MR. SMITH: Senator Graham, who -- what Republican or Democrat will come to a microphone somewhere and admonish these people and beg them to stop the food fight? Do they not get it that people are sitting across this country looking at the House of Representatives, and the Senate for that matter, in utter disgust?

SEN. GRAHAM: For God's sake, for one time in our political life in the last two years, let's get something right that matters. And Shepard, it really does matter to get 13 more votes to make sure that credit is available tomorrow, and our savings accounts and 401(k) plans are not hit hard, that businesses can expand and borrow money, that people can go to college.

What Secretary Paulson and what the president and John McCain and Barack Obama have all been talking about is a severe financial crisis. The House today is broken. It doesn't need to be broken tomorrow. Tomorrow may be too late.

MR. SMITH: Tomorrow may be too late.

Senator Graham, thank you.

Source