CNN "John King, USA" - Transcript

Interview

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Congressman Keith Ellison is a Democrat from Minnesota, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Congressman, thanks for being with us tonight.

Define much more. Under any circumstances, are you comfortable with U.S. boots on the grounds in Syria, or short of that?

REP. KEITH ELLISON (D), MINNESOTA: Well, what I think we should start with is to get together with Turkey and the international community and establish some safe zones for people who are trying to flee the violence of the Assad regime.

People, women, children, men, others have got to have a place where they can get some decent medical care, where they can be safe from the bombing and the artillery and even the assassinations of the Assad regime. Turkey has demonstrated an interest in helping to provide such safe zones. And the United States needs to stand with them, along with the rest of the international community.

KING: And so when you talk...

ELLISON: I think I would start there.

KING: So when you -- when you talk -- forgive me for interrupting, sir. When you talk to your friends in the Obama White House, what do they say? What is their answer for not doing more immediately?

ELLISON: Well, you know, I think the Obama White House has got to get credit for doing some things. They strongly and repeatedly condemned the Assad regime. They've talked with international partners like Russia. In fact, President Obama is talking with Russian leaders to see if they can gets Assad to leave office, much the same way that the Yemen leader has done.

But I think that, you know, the world has seen promises from the Assad regime broken time and time again: broken with the Turks, broken with Kofi Annan, broken with various international partners. And they simply don't mean to keep their word when they say they're not going to slaughter civilians.

So I think that the -- it's time for the world to step up and stop a grievous atrocity from happening. I mean, our attention is drawn to the screen because of what happened in Houla, but they have been -- they've killed over 20,000 people, and it just doesn't stop.

KING: I want you to listen here to the president of the Unites States. He very rarely talks publicly about this issue. Here he is when it came up at the G-8 -- recent G-8 meeting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We all believe that a peaceful resolution and a political transition in Syria is preferable. We are all deeply concerned about the violence that's taken place there and the loss of life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: You had some complimentary words a few moments ago. You remember back during the Libyan debate. Some of them were the president's critics, but some of them were even allies who didn't want the United States out front and said he was showing America leading from behind.

What is he doing here? Is he leading, in your view?

ELLISON: I think he is leading, but the president, I think, is right to be prudent, to make sure that every important consideration is focused on.

But the -- but the people of Syria need urgency. And they need the world to focus on what they're going through. You know, one of the things, John, is that of those 108 people who were killed, 49 children, many were not killed in the artillery, but there are bullet wounds to their heads. They were assassinated. This is the kind of government that we're talking about right here.

I think the president is moving in a deliberate way, but I think that he's got to weigh various things. I'm saying that the people of Syria need more focused attention, and they need it now. Not only from President Obama, but from the whole world. I call them Russia, China and all of the allies in NATO to say the time is now for the Assad regime to end and for the people of Syria to have -- to be able to live.

KING: And if you keep getting stalling tactics from Russia and China, for example, the Security Council, do you think you're trying to walk a fine line there being complimentary of the president but saying you think he needs a little bit more urgency here? If the Russians won't move quickly, what would you like the president to do tomorrow that he's not doing today?

ELLISON: Well, I think that he could set up a safe zone with Turkey. I think that needs to happen right away. You know, even joint chiefs of staff Dempsey has said -- Martin Dempsey has said that, if the slaughter continues, there may be a need for more muscular action to take place. He didn't use the word "muscular," but that's what he meant.

And -- and so I think that we are moving toward a point where, unless we do something to change the scenario, you know, the world may have to intervene militarily. I think that a safe zone to signal to the people of Syria that they do have a safe haven, the world does care about them is the right answer right now. Particularly when you have a country like Turkey, who -- who has signaled time and time again that they're willing to provide that kind of support. But they can't do it alone.

You know, China and Russia can't stop that. China and Russia got their own reasons why they are stalling and dragging their feet.

I'm glad the president has made some strong statements. But it's time to go from "isn't that a terrible thing" to "what are we going to do about that terrible thing?"

KING: Congressman Ellison, appreciate your time and your insights tonight.

ELLISON: Thank you, sir.

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