MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: Planned Parenthood

Interview

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TODD: And welcome back to HARDBALL. We`re back with more of  tonight`s big story, the pope lands in America, specifically in Washington,  D.C., and both Democrats and Republicans find themselves energized by the  pope`s historic visit. They want to make it count. Republicans are making  a major push on some social issues, like abortion, and Democrats have just  unveiled an aggressive plan to combat climate change.
But the big moment in Washington comes in just two days, when the pope  will address a joint meeting of Congress. It is expected to be a highly  personal and an emotional moment.

We have two leading members of the Senate joining us tonight. Both,  by the way, are practicing Roman Catholics. Senator John Hoeven is a  Republican from North Dakota, but we begin with the Democratic senator from  Washington state, Maria Cantwell.

Senator Cantwell, welcome to HARDBALL.
  
SEN. MARIA CANTWELL (D), WASHINGTON: Good evening.

TODD: And let me just ask you personally -- I`m planning to ask the  same question -- what does the pope`s visit mean to you? What does this  pope mean to you maybe differently than previous popes, or not?
CANTWELL: Well, I just want to point out I was raised in a Catholic  family.

What I really like about this pope, though, is his Jesuit background,  the Jesuits taking a pledge to focus on the poor and the less fortunate in  our society. And I think that that`s what we have seen from this pope  already.
And one thing I like is, he`s also talked about our planet and what we  need to do to protect our planet and Mother Earth.

TODD: What do you hope to hear from him when he addresses Congress? CANTWELL: Well, I think he`s been outspoken on some of these issues  about the impoverished and challenged, everything from immigration to  making sure -- but I think this notion of thinking that we all need to work together to reduce CO2, that there are countries around the globe that  basically are feeling the brunt of this, and have very little ability to  deal with it, so countries like the United States and China, taking on this  issue, like we did in this energy bill today, saying, this is the way we  can move forward on clean energy.

So, you know, I don`t expect the pope to, you know, endorse  legislation, but I do expect him to help change minds about this issue.

TODD: Today, there was a vote on an abortion bill that would have  banned abortion after 20 weeks. Explain why you voted against it.

CANTWELL: Well, this is an issue that is between a woman and her  doctor.

And I think that we have now had so many votes on the issue to defund  Planned Parenthood, and, every time, we get close to a government shutdown.  So this particular proposal, I want the choices of a woman`s health to be  between her and her doctor.
  
TODD: And what do you say -- and I say this -- I bring it up, but,  obviously, this is a case where perhaps you don`t agree with the pope on  this issue. And he may talk about this as well in front of Congress. What 
do you -- how do you address that, as a Catholic?

CANTWELL: Well, you know, this pope -- this pope has made some  statements showing great compassion on this issue of late.

And I respect that. And, so, I don`t know what he will be addressing  as far as Congress is concerned. But I think that the American people,  just as they support moving forward on a cleaner energy strategy, even  after all of this discussion, still support Planned Parenthood and think  that women should have access to health care.

And I think they`re probably a little tired of people shutting down  government or saying we can`t move forward unless we defund Planned  Parenthood.

TODD: All right. Senator Cantwell, I`m going to leave it there.

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