MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript
Interview
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Congressman, good to have you with us tonight. Thanks so much.
REP. KEITH ELLISON (D), MINNESOTA: Great to be on, Ed, as always.
SCHULTZ: "We got Osama bin Laden." Is this another Bachmann classic?
Does she--why doesn"t she give any credit to the president at all?
ELLISON: Well, I think that it would offend her deepest sensibilities to congratulate the president, which would be a decent, statesman like thing to do. It"s just not within her to be that way.
But, you know, the big important thing is that the American people appreciate President Obama. They give him credit. And that is the most important thing.
I wouldn"t urge anyone to wait on Michele Bachmann to do the honorable thing and to congratulate the president, as he is due, for the excellent work that he did, and of course the men and women of the military, and of course the countless nameless, faceless people who we will never know them. But they did a good service for our country.
SCHULTZ: And of course she is the media darling for the psycho right wing. Today, Glenn Beck says he likes Bachmann as a candidate because she can see, quote, "the enemies within the government."
She calls herself a foreign correspondent behind enemy lines. Do people in Minnesota believe this garbage?
ELLISON: No. But, you know, the fact is we have a very diverse state. And I actually share a border with Michele. And in my district, she couldn"t possibly be successful. But in her own, you know, she plays to their fear and their attachment to issues like the pro-life cause.
And she tosses red meat to the base any time she can. So the fact is that she is clever in that she knows how to keep herself elected even though she really hasn"t introduced any bills, passed anything, really made any real progress for--
SCHULTZ: And she has the highest foreclosure rate in her district in all of the state of Minnesota.
ELLISON: She sure does.
SCHULTZ: Let"s talk about the story that"s breaking now. CBS News reporting that the Pentagon actually has video of the raid of Osama bin Laden. We had a big discussion in this country about whether the pictures should be released. Should we see the video?
ELLISON: Well, you know, again, my position is now and always will be I expect the American press to get their hands on all this stuff sooner or later. I think the president should assess whether or not the disclosure of this information is too inflammatory at this time in order to safely release it.
But I suspect it will be released eventually. But at this time, I think the real calculation is--is putting this in the stream of the public domain going to increase the chances of preserving life or decrease it? And so my view, I think that, you know, I"m just going to say that I"ll defer it to the president"s judgment on this one.
SCHULTZ: Quickly, congressman, next week, the president is going to be giving a speech which is going to be directed at the Muslim world.
ELLISON: Yes.
SCHULTZ: Is this necessary, in your opinion?
ELLISON: Well, I think it"s a sign of a great leader. So, look, in his speech, when he announced getting Osama bin Laden, he pointed out a fact which more Americans need to be aware of.
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
ELLISON: Which is Osama bin Laden has spilled a lot of Muslims" blood and has killed a lot and has defamed our religion, more than anyone else created this idea that Islam and terrorism are united, So he"s going to get back and take care of it.
SCHULTZ: And I"m sure that Michele Bachmann will certainly support the president for that speech now that she"s got "we" in her vocabulary instead of "I." Great to have you with us, congressman.
ELLISON: Always, my friend.
SCHULTZ: Appreciate your time, Congressman Keith Ellison of Minnesota.
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