MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: Biden to represent moderate wing.

Interview

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I`m joined by Democratic Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada, who announced her support for an impeachment inquiry just this week, and Michelle Goldberg, columnist for "The New York Times." Congresswoman, let me ask you a couple of question. Let`s start with the obvious one. Last night, nobody brought up impeachment. They`re running against Trump, and they never bring it up. What do you think that`s about?

REP. DINA TITUS (D-NV): Well, I don`t think they were asked about impeachment by the narrators, and they were trying very much to present themselves, show they were strong and talk about maybe too many intricacies
of policy.

MATTHEWS: You mean to tell me that politicians need to have the interviewer bring up a topic? I`ve been following this thing for 100 years. I got to tell you something, you politicians have no problem bringing up a topic if you want to. Why didn`t anybody want to bring it up last night?

TITUS: Well, I don`t think it has to do with the fact that they don`t support impeachment, because the presidential candidates were some of the first to come out in favor of it. I just think they were more focused on comparing themselves to each other than they were to attacking the president.

MATTHEWS: Well said. Well said. Thank you. Second question, why do most Democrats in the House of Representatives oppose even beginning an impeachment inquiry, even beginning it? Most of your caucus members in the House, Democrats are against even beginning a process. Why?

TITUS: Well, I think we`re reaching a tipping point where it will be a majority. It`s like that hourglass, the closer you get to the end, the faster it runs. I think they have different reasons. Some are in swing districts. They don`t know what impeachment will mean for their voters. Some are very loyal to Nancy Pelosi. Some are conducting their own investigations and don`t want to give up that jurisdiction. I think it`s a combination.

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MATTHEWS: Let me go to the congresswoman again. When do you have to begin this process formally of looking at impeachment if you`re going to do it this Congress?

TITUS: Well, I think you need to do it sooner rather than later, because the closer you get to the election, the more it`s just going look political. But I think you need to do it. You can`t have it both ways. You know, the power to investigate and oversight is not in the Constitution. That`s an assumed power. And over time, the court has broadened it and narrowed it. But the power to impeach is in the Constitution, and that gives us more authority I believe to subpoena people, to get information, to really turn the dial.

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