MSNBC - Transcript

Interview

MR. OLBERMANN: We're joined now by Democratic Congressman James Clyburn, who represents the sixth district of that state.

Congressman, thank you for your time tonight.

REP. CLYBURN: Well, thank you so much for having me.

MR. OLBERMANN: This result from Nevada, do you have any idea how this impacts this race between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton, with one winning the number of votes cast and the other winning total number of delegates? Who won Nevada?

REP. CLYBURN: That's kind of interesting. I suspect that you have to give credence to popular votes, no question about that. But I think this whole thing is kind of complicated a little bit, because, as you know, you're showing mostly what I've seen have been all of the votes for the Republicans and this proportional thing on the Democrats' side, and then we've got this other problem with 13 to -- I think 13 to 12 --

MR. OLBERMANN: It is.

REP. CLYBURN: -- in favor of Obama when it comes to delegates. So I think that you get somewhat of a split decision coming into South Carolina, and so I don't see where anybody gets a real bump coming out of Nevada because of that.

MR. OLBERMANN: Well, then, of course, obviously -- and we'd do this even if it was clear one way or the other -- everything gets analyzed in terms of the exit polls and which constituencies voted for who. And we're hearing about women voters. We're hearing about Hispanic voters.

Is there a -- is this race, in your opinion, on kind of a razor's edge here where, instead of talking about constituencies and who's supporting, it becomes not those questions but becomes questions of, you know, which group does not like which kind of candidate? Is there an undertone that could get ugly in this at this point?

REP. CLYBURN: I don't think so. I think the undertone is there, no question about that. Will it get ugly? I don't think so. I do believe that these candidates in the last few days have acquitted themselves very, very well. I think the little dust-up that we had a couple of weeks ago is now behind us. I do believe they're coming to South Carolina starting tomorrow, and they will be talking issues and they will be talking vision. And I think that's very, very important.

MR. OLBERMANN: As perhaps you heard, Andrea Mitchell of our news department has reported that Reverend Calvin Butts of the First Abyssinian Church here in New York is going to -- is expected to endorse Senator Clinton tomorrow, and the subject of endorsements has been certainly a theme to this campaign. Are you in any position to start talking in those terms?

REP. CLYBURN: (Laughs.) No, I'm not going to. I made promises. It's kind of interesting. I told all these camps way back when we were trying to get into the pre-primary window -- that is, South Carolina trying to get this primary -- all of them asked me would I commit to staying out of the race. And I made that commitment. I also committed to the South Carolina Democratic Party that I would stay out of the race. And I'm going to keep to my promises and I'm going to stay out of it.

MR. OLBERMANN: Well, I had to try. Mr. Clyburn of South Carolina, thanks for joining us, sir.

REP. CLYBURN: Well, thank you so much for having me.

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