National Public Radio - Transcript

Interview

MS. SEABROOK: Glad to have you here, Congressman Van Hollen.

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Great to be with you, Andrea.

MS. SEABROOK: So tell us, what does this convention have to do in terms of getting more Democrats into Congress?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Well, what we've been saying here is that as important as it is to elect Barack Obama, and that is our chief goal, in order for him to enact his agenda for change -- whether it's on health care, whether it's on energy issues, whether it's on retirement security, whatever the issue may be -- he's going to need a strong working majority in the United States Congress. And we've got a terrific group of candidates out there who are challenging those Republicans who have been part of the George Bush status quo. And we need them -- we need the Democrats to make a change as part of Congress as we go forward with Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

MS. SEABROOK: So, of course, that's your chief job as the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is getting those Democrats elected in congressional races all around the country. What do you hope this convention will do? What message do you think it should give to regular Americans watching it on TV that will help you in your job?

REP. VAN HOLLEN: Well, if Barack Obama does well we will also do well with many of our candidates. He's going to give a lift to many of our challengers around the country. So the essential job that we've got to do in this convention is to tell the American people what the differences are between a Barack Obama presidency and a John McCain presidency, what it means to them and how their lives will be different. And that's why it's so important for Barack Obama to tell his story, which is really a story about the American dream and the American experience, and how that relates to the struggles American families are facing now and how what he plans to do about them will help lift our country both here at home and overseas, whereas John McCain will represent simply a continuation of the George Bush years.

And if the American people understand the choice here, we're confident it will help not only Barack Obama but it will help our candidates running around the country.

MS. SEABROOK: Congressman Van Hollen, I wonder if you would give us just a little bit of an inside picture of what a man like yourself, a Democrat, an insider, a congressman, does at this convention. Are you going to fabulous parties? Are you having strategy sessions in the back room? Tell us what it's like.

REP. VAN HOLLEN: This has been a working three days and a working week. I think I'm going to collapse at the end of it. I have spent my time meeting with many of our candidates that have joined us here in Denver and also meeting with many folks who have been supporting our efforts from around the country to elect more Democratic members of Congress and to remind people that in order for Barack Obama to be successful in his presidency he's going to need a team in Congress, he's going to need a strong majority in Congress to get these things done.

These are big, important issues we're talking about: major health care reform, comprehensive energy strategy. You're going to need a lot of people who are on board in that effort. And so we want to remind people that when they go into the booth and vote for Barack Obama, they shouldn't leave right away. They've got to stick around long enough to also vote for the Democratic member of Congress. And we've also pointed out, and the Barack Obama campaign has acknowledged this, there are many races around the country where our candidates are going to help boost the prospects of Barack Obama's campaign. Ohio presents a good example. In Ohio's 1st District, large African- American community, that will benefit our candidate, Steve Driehaus.

Another district in Ohio, Ohio 16, we have a candidate -- he's an Air Force Reserve officer. It's an open seat. He's going out there campaigning. He's going to help Barack Obama get a lot of votes.

So it's a two-way street.

MS. SEABROOK: Well, Mr. Van Hollen, Congressman, thank you very much for speaking with us.

REP. VAN HOLLEN: It's great to be with you.

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