MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: On Prime Minister Netanyahu's Speech to Congress and Department of Homeland Security Funding

Interview

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SCHULTZ: ...For more on this, let`s get reaction from Congressman John Garamendi of
California.

Congressman, your thoughts. What did you hear from the Prime Minister
today?

REP. JOHN GARAMENDI, (D) CALIFORNIA: Well, I heard a very impassioned and
a very good political speech undoubtedly, will play well through those in
Israel that are getting ready for the election. I`m not sure how that`s
going to turn out but I do know that it makes somewhat more complicated the
issue that we have before switches the success of these negotiations.

SCHULTZ: He doesn`t believe anything works with Iran.

GARAMENDI: Well, we don`t have much choice here but to make sure that
something does work. We want Iran to be in a position where they cannot
develop a new nuclear weapon, that they have under their treaties, under
the nuclear treaties that exists around the world.

They do have the right and the opportunity for peaceful nuclear activities
but not for weapons. But we need to setup and this where the negotiations
are going, is to setup a mechanism so that, A, they do not have the
capability of developing a nuclear weapon, and B, that we can be absolutely
sure that they are not secretly doing that.

Now, Netanyahu does not does not trust them. We don`t trust them either.
That`s what the verification is all about. And that`s why...

SCHULTZ: And the President said that today. The President said he doesn`t
trust them and that`s why we got to do it and have verification but he
thinks that this is the only way to reel in their nuclear program with
allies.

Now, given that, do you think it was wrong for Netanyahu to be invited to
speak? I mean, I know the President and he said this after the speech
today that the executive branch guides the foreign policy but the American
people elect the guy who is guiding the foreign policy. And it`s important
I think for the American -- we want to know exactly where Israel is in this
(inaudible) negotiation as well. Your thoughts.

GARAMENDI: Well, absolutely true. The Prime Minister had an enormously
important opportunity from his perspective, politically as well as to
deliver the perspective of the current Israeli government and he did it in
the most aptitude (ph) forum available in the world. That is to a joint
session of Congress in United States.

OK. Now from here, where do we go? We need to go, look at these
negotiations, make sure that they are lined up in a way that provides, as
Reagan said, trust and verify.

SCHULTZ: And that`s where we are, no doubt.

Turning to the battle of the Department of Homeland Security, it was a big
win for Democrats today. After months of shameful political theater, the
House finally voted on a clean bill to fully fund the Department of
Homeland Security for the rest of the fiscal year.

The bill passed by a vote of 257 to 167 with 75 Republicans getting
onboard. Some Republicans had to be dragged across the finish line,
kicking and screaming on those. A group lead by Congressman Thomas Massie
of Kentucky made a last-ditch effort to kill the bill by requesting a
motion to table it.

More than 90 House Republicans joined Democrats defeat the motion providing
once again Speaker Boehner proving, once again, the Speaker Boehner really
doesn`t have control of his caucus.

Well, apparently he does have control of his caucus but there`s just a lot
of political pressure in theater that are out there. I mean the vote did
come to the floor. It did pass as predicted.

Congressman, your take on all of this -- are we going to continue to see
this hostage taking of issues when financial matters come up like this?

GARAMENDI: Well, the sad thing is the answer is yes. This is the six-time
in the last three and a half years that the Republicans have taken us up to
a cliff and said, we`re going to push you off the cliff America. We`re
going to push you into chaos. They`ve tried that five previous times, this
is being the six, and they`re likely to do it again.

SCHULTZ: So what do you think moved Boehner? What do you think moved them
today?

GARAMENDI: Well, the reality that the entire 320 plus million Americans
are at risk when the Homeland Security Department is in chaos is being
shutdown is being disrupted to kind of things that are necessary for
everyday security of this nation are put aside. And he came to realized it
and a majority of his caucus realized it. A significant minority of the
Republican caucus still hasn`t learned their lesson.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GARAMENDI: They don`t march this nation off a cliff. You`ve got issues.
Put those issues up for a vote. If you got the vote you win. If you don`t
you lose. Today, those radicals...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GARAMENDI: ... lost and now we go forward with a fully funded Department
of Homeland Security.

SCHULTZ: Well, Boehner proven that he can do it. He has proven that he
can do it and he ought to be able to do it again when it comes to -- let`s
see highway funding which is not far off...

GARAMENDI: ... and also another possibility of a government shutdown this
fall.

Congressman John Garamendi, good to have you with us tonight.

GARAMENDI: Always, Ed.

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