MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript

MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript

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MR. MATTHEWS: Okay, let me go to Congressman Diaz-Balart.

How would you define your candidate, McCain, John McCain, as more of a change agent or more of a "Let us continue" guy?

REP. DIAZ-BALART: Chris, you know, the thing about John McCain is that he has a very extensive record. He has an extensive record of fighting from within, of fighting to improve the country, of fighting to secure the country. The best example of that, by the way, is when he stood up to Rumsfeld and said, "Look, the way that you're running this war is not working." He did that early on, when nobody else had, frankly, the courage to do so. And he was proven right.

Usually John McCain is proven right. You know, your question, I think, is a very good question. However, when you look at John McCain, here's a man who has a history of being an American hero, being a fighter, being a man who knows -- has the experience. So, look, John McCain -- there's no surprises here. Everybody knows who he is. I have to tell you, I don't agree with everything --

MR. MATTHEWS: So he'll be different than Bush.

REP. DIAZ-BALART: -- about John McCain. But he's a man of principle.

MR. MATTHEWS: So he'll be different than Bush is what you're basically saying.

REP. DIAZ-BALART: He's a man who's ready to lead, and he can be president tomorrow.

MR. MATTHEWS: Okay.

REP. DIAZ-BALART: And, by the way, he's the one guy --

MR. MATTHEWS: But you're not answering my question.

REP. DIAZ-BALART: -- who will beat Obama and Clinton.

MR. MATTHEWS: But will he continue or will he change, basically? If you have to vote, you want a big, strong answer. Does this guy like the way things are going the last seven years, is going to basically keep them the way they are, or is he going to make some big changes? Which is it?

REP. DIAZ-BALART: He will improve the way things are, Chris. He has a record of doing that. He's not a person of great rhetoric. He's a person of getting things done. So if you want somebody who can beat Hillary, who can beat Obama, who can get things done, who can secure this country, who can keep taxes low, hey, everybody knows that's John McCain.

MR. MATTHEWS: Why do the Republican rank and file have a problem with John McCain?

MS. COMSTOCK: Are you talking to me?

MR. CELLUCCI: Well, he opposed tax cuts, for one reason.

REP. DIAZ-BALART: The reality is, if you look at New Hampshire and if you look at --

MR. CELLUCCI: He repeatedly opposed tax cuts, particularly the Bush tax cuts.

MR. MATTHEWS: Yes. Congressman, why do they have a problem? I keep hearing this from Joe Scarborough, who's from down here, who says Republicans don't like McCain. It's the independents that like him.

REP. DIAZ-BALART: Yeah, but the interesting thing is that if you look at the elections, for example, in New Hampshire, he actually split the Republican vote. If you look at South Carolina, he split the Republican vote. So, you know, you hear a lot of things, but the results aren't those.

Let me tell you what I think Republicans are concerned about. They want lower taxes. They want efficient and small government. They want a secure country. And they want to make sure that the person who will be the next commander in chief is ready to do so, understands the threats, is ready to lead, and again, who can win in November, because there are great candidates. I have nothing negative to say against the other Republican candidates. But all the polls have consistently shown --

MR. MATTHEWS: Except they can't win.

REP. DIAZ-BALART: -- that the one person who can win in November is John McCain. That's what it's all about.

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