MSNBC Interview - Transcript
Interview
MSNBC Interview - Transcript
MSNBC Interview with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Subject: The Presidnt's Middle East Trip and Sonia Sotomayor
Interviewers: Carlos Watson, Contessa Brewer
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MR. WATSON: We're going to bring in right now Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida. She sits on the Judiciary Committee and on Appropriations. So we ultimately want to talk to her about Sonia Sotomayor.
But, before that, Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, I wanted to ask you about the president's trip to the Middle East.
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Sure.
MR. WATSON: Are you optimistic that something tangible will come out of this? Or, in your mind, are we still very much at the beginning of a -- or somewhere in the middle of a long process?
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Oh, I think that we're on the path of a long process. And the significant event that you referred to earlier that people may be waiting for is the speech itself.
I mean, this is a very significant overture that President Obama is making to the Muslim world that is following on a number of other overtures that he's made particularly during the spring, during the holidays -- the Muslim holidays. And the fact that he has gone to the Middle East, is making this speech in Egypt, is a significant event by itself.
And, you know, the -- al Qaeda, you know, can, you know, try to gum up the works and focus on the most extreme elements of the Muslim world to try to make sure that he can -- they can short circuit this progress. But I think that the appeal is to the moderates in the Muslim world, which we believe and certainly hope are the vast majority of Muslims in the entire world.
MS. BREWER: Congresswoman, when the president met with Israeli leaders, he insisted that Israel needs to do more to keep the promises it's already made in terms of peace in the Middle East; it needs to be a more productive, cooperative partner to its Arab neighbors.
He told Thomas Friedman in an interview that he thinks that a lot of these Arab nations and countries overall in the Middle East, need to stop saying one thing in private and saying something else in public. But that being said, is it a snub now to Israel that it's not included on this overall Middle East trip?
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: No, it's not a snub at all. In fact, you know, I had an opportunity to participate in a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu when he was here with all of the Jewish members that serve in the Congress. And Prime Minister Netanyahu underscored how pleased he was with President Obama's commitment to the state of Israel, that they have the same goals, they were on the same page and that we were going to move forward together with Israel to try to jumpstart the peace process.
MS. BREWER: And do you think that -- and do you think that Israel is going to be more cooperative in the -- especially on this issue of Jewish settlements?
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, I think one of the important things that we need to make sure happens is that there be broader recognition of other Arab nations. I mean, before the peace process can move forward in a significant way, Arab nations beyond the two that already recognize Israel need to make a commitment to recognize Israel's right to exist. That's one of the incredibly important components of the peace process.
MR. WATSON: Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz, you're from south Florida like I am --
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Yes.
MR. WATSON: -- where there's a strong Jewish population. And I know last year during the 2008 election among some of your constituency there was questions about Barack Obama and how he would relate to Israel and his approach to the Middle East. What are you hearing from constituents? Forget the pundits and the professionals, what are constituents telling you about the president's trip and how he's approaching the Middle Eastern situation?
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, ultimately, President Obama got 78 percent of the Jewish vote across this country. So he actually bested some of the best outcome in the Jewish community voting population.
I've heard overwhelmingly positive feedback from the Jewish community in south Florida. And across the country, they understand that President Obama is a strong and solid supporter of Israel, will continue the tradition and history of the relationship between our two countries, and is committed, unlike the previous administration, to making sure that we can be engaged in helping move the peace process forward.
MR. WATSON: Congresswoman, I want to turn your attention -- I know you sit on the Judiciary Committee --
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Yes.
MR. WATSON: -- in the House -- I want to turn to Sonia Sotomayor. What do you make of her nomination and what do you make of Newt Gingrich seeming to at first call her a racist and then kind of take a step back, and say --
MS. BREWER: (Laughs.) And now kind of stepping back.
MR. WATSON: -- maybe he was wrong to do that?
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: I think the Republicans are faced in this country with a nomination that is really unassailable. And they don't really know what to do with themselves. They're hurling insults and accusations. I mean, you have a nominee who has the most judicial experience of any nominee in 100 years. You have someone who was a Yale and Harvard -- Yale and Princeton graduate, someone who has impeccable legal credentials, a, you know, strong background in the private sector in legal experience.
So it's not surprising that when you have that type of a candidate that really they might be making desperate accusations because they don't have anything substantive to be able to accuse her of.
MR. WATSON: Hey, Congresswoman, we have to go. But I just want to ask you really quickly. Republicans sometimes re frustrated that some of their nominees for the Supreme Court like Souter, like John Paul Stevens have turned out not to be as conservative as they hope. Do you or any other Democrats have any concern at all that Sonia Sotomayor may not be what you're hoping she'll be?
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: I have every confidence that Sonia Sotomayor is the most qualified person that President Obama could have chosen for a seat on the Supreme Court.
MR. WATSON: So --
MS. BREWER: Congresswoman, it's great to have you with us today.
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Thank you very much.
MS. BREWER: Thank you so much.
MR. WATSON: Good to see you.
REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: You too.
END.
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