MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript
Interview
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Congresswoman, tell me about the importance of this to the country
and Wisconsin, this recall vote tomorrow.
REP. GWEN MOORE (D), WISCONSIN: Well, thanks for having me, Chris.
This is tremendously important to us. But, you know, this is family
business. This is not so much about President Obama who has his own
constituency, his own popularity in the state. It`s about Scott Walker and
what he has done really to decimate the progress of our state.
We`ve just learned today that Tim Russell, who is one of the indicted
folk of the Walker team from his tenure as county executive, has said he`s
told investigators that Walker has indeed stone-walled their investigation.
So he probably is in fact the target of a criminal investigation in this
state.
MATTHEWS: That doesn`t mean he is guilty. All right. Just slow down
there, the target of investigation.
MOORE: No, it doesn`t mean -- that`s exactly right. And, but you
know this is about trust. And he has shown throughout his actions just
taking away the table for collective bargaining, really raising taxes on
the elderly, on the poor, women -- taking away health care for women.
And so what that is really translated and meant is that we have a
tremendous ground game. We have seen record turnout, our early turnout
rivals what happened in 2008.
MATTHEWS: Let`s go to the party -- great work.
Let me go to the party chair about some of the logistics and all.
You know, there`s only been two governors in history I`m told, American
history, that`s been recalled. One of them is Gray Davis in California
about a decade ago. But isn`t the standard malfeasance? Corruption?
Isn`t fairness to say that Scott Walker is guilty of either? Or is
it just bad politics?
MIKE TATE, CHMN., WISCONSIN DEM. PARTY: No, I think that in
Wisconsin, Chris, the recall statute clearly gives the citizens here an
opportunity if an elected official behaves in such a manner they find so
egregious that they simply can`t wait to the end of the term. You know,
whether Scott Walker is corrupt or not, I think he is at best, guilty of
nefarious behavior. We will see whether or not he ends up being charged in
this ongoing John Doe investigations as well as a federal investigation.
MATTHEWS: What do you think is going to be the outlook in terms of
the turnout? Because I know the labor unions, the public employee unions,
the AFSCME, will be out there, I assume. All of the teachers unions, AFT,
who do you have up there, in Wisconsin, both?
TATE: We have a small AFT and a fairly large NEA contingent --
MATTHEWS: Are they going to be part of this?
TATE: They are 110 percent on board and I know the congresswoman has
been traveling all over the city of Milwaukee and I have going all over.
We have a fantastic turnout operation. I am very confident.
Look, this is what we do, Chris. As Democrats, we organize. We get
our people the polls. We may not have as much money as the other side, to
run ads on TV, we get our voters out and that`s what we`re going to do
tomorrow and I am very confident that we`re going to bring people out, that
we`re going to beat Scott Walker and we`re going to make some serious
history here.
MATTHEWS: Do you agree with that, Congresswoman?
MOORE: You want to know something, Chris? You know, I`ll tell you,
it may be a blessing in disguise that we have been outspent 15 or 16 to
one, because this has forced us to revive the vote. For us to put people
and troops on the street, meet with voters face to face.
Our 18-year-old seniors in high school are going to vote, and we`re
having a sunrise church service tomorrow with Reverend Jesse Jackson. You
can feel the beat.
MATTHEWS: You`re an inspiring leader and I appreciate -- I love
hopefulness and I love ground games. I love people meeting people as part
of politics.
Thank you, U.S. Congresswoman Gwen Moore, good luck. I guess I can
say good luck in the race tomorrow.
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