MSNBC Tucker - Transcript

Interview

MSNBC Tucker - Transcript

MR. SHUSTER: Congressman Adam Smith is the Washington state chair of the Obama campaign.

And Congressman, thanks for joining us.

REP. SMITH: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

MR. SHUSTER: Congressman, what's the issue with the White House records? Do you believe that, in fact, all these records should be released? And, if so, are you prepared and should Senator Obama be prepared to release all the records that you guys have?

REP. SMITH: Oh, certainly. I think we should have open records when it comes to matters of public policy that members of Congress or people in the White House have been involved in, unless there is national security implications. And Senator Clinton has not claimed that as the case here. I think it's very important to build a public record. And if you have these sorts of discussions on issues, things that are matters of public policy, I think it should be released to people. So certainly --

MR. SHUSTER: So in other words, if Barack Obama has discussed any public policy with his wife during the course of the campaign, whether it's an internal memo, a discussion about how to respond to something, I should have access to that, right?

REP. SMITH: Well, what he's discussed with his wife -- I mean, I think it's a little bit different when you're talking about Hillary Clinton, who wasn't just the president's wife. For instance, a lot of the documents have to do with her health care proposal. We Democrats made a lot of hay in the last couple of years over the president's, President Bush's, energy policy, how they had all these meetings, all these discussions --

MR. SHUSTER: But Congressman, Michelle Obama has a view on policy, doesn't she? Michelle Obama has a view on policy. And it's fair to conclude that she and Barack Obama have discussed policy, right?

REP. SMITH: Sure. But surely you can see the difference between a first lady who is assigned to run the health care policy of the president of the United States, that actually affects all of us, and a conversation between a husband and a wife. I mean, this is a different situation when you're talking about something that comes directly out of the White House. And in that case, I think those records should be open.

No, I don't think every conversation that an elected official has with a spouse should be public. They're two entirely different things.

MR. SHUSTER: Congressman, what is it that you and Barack Obama believe that Senator Clinton is hiding?

REP. SMITH: Oh, I don't think it's a matter that she's hiding anything. It's just a matter of whether or not we're going to have an open process, whether or not we're going to allow the public access to these records so they can talk about it. It's not a matter that we believe she's hiding anything. It's just a matter of strong support for as open as possible an approach to public policy.

MR. SHUSTER: Well, you must understand, then, that it's wise politics not to allow this sort of open-ended look at her records just a couple of months before the Iowa caucuses, right? I mean, you don't blame her for that.

REP. SMITH: Well, I mean, I think it should have happened a lot sooner. I think the fact that she's running for president is, as we all know, a historical anomaly. But these records in general should be out there and should be available and really shouldn't have anything to do with whether or not there's an election coming up.

We went through the exact same thing with President Bush when he was up for re-election in 2004 on countless different records on many different issues that I think the public -- and I think Senator Obama strongly agrees -- should have access to. You shouldn't be afraid of that sort of openness and that sort of dialogue.

MR. SHUSTER: Congressman, last night the very first words out of Senator Obama's mouth, when he was given an opportunity to challenge Hillary Clinton, was, "Well, first of all, I think some of this stuff gets overhyped." And he was talking about the difference between them.

But today the Obama campaign has released a memo. I want to read part of it to you. It says, "Senator Clinton has clearly decided, based on political calculation, that her campaign strategy is to tell the American people as little as possible, avoid the difficult issues, and try to blur as many differences as possible."

Do you believe that Senator Clinton is trying to tell the American people as little as possible?

REP. SMITH: Oh, I think at this point she's the clear front- runner. Anything that upsets that status is a threat to her front- runner status. So, yes, I mean, if you listened to the debate last night, on many, many issues Senator Clinton did not want to cut too fine a point, didn't want to take a strong stand on a particular issue, because I think she knows she's ahead, and anything that generates controversy can possibly jeopardize that.

So I think -- I mean, you watched the debate last night. Did you think that there were some times when she definitely hedged and did not take a clear position? I think that clearly was happening.

MR. SHUSTER: Well, what I think doesn't really matter. But I think what is really clear is that --

REP. SMITH: It matters.

MR. SHUSTER: -- why won't Barack Obama say that himself? Why won't he get up on camera and say that she is trying to offer the American people as little as possible? Why go around the edges?

REP. SMITH: I'm looking at you a little bit surprised, because there were clips last night from the debate where he said precisely that, where he said, "Your secrecy on this matter, your unwillingness to release this information." And there was a number of different back-and-forths from a lot of the candidates that pointed out, "You did not give a straight answer to that question, and I think you should have." So I don't think it's accurate to say that Senator Obama was at all reluctant to make this point in person with Senator Clinton right on the stage.

MR. SHUSTER: But Congressman, I think there is a difference between saying that Hillary Clinton wants to say as little as possible and Senator Obama saying that we shouldn't have secrets. But in any case --

REP. SMITH: Sure, but I'm talking about --

MR. SHUSTER: -- I do think it is wise strategy in Iowa, where Democrats, as you know, don't like candidates to go negative. I think that's what we're seeing here. But in any case --

REP. SMITH: Well --

MR. SHUSTER: -- Congressman Smith, Washington state co-chair of the Obama campaign, thanks for coming in. We appreciate it.

REP. SMITH: Thanks for the chance.

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