MSNBC - Transcript

Interview

MR. BROKAW: I'm joined now by South Dakota Senator John Thune, and McCain supporter as well, a Republican senator.

Last week, when Senator Obama made his acceptance speech in Denver, 40 million people were watching. Do you think Sarah Palin will command that kind of an audience here tonight?

SEN. THUNE: I don't know. But I'll tell you what; there's a lot of curiosity around the country, Tom. I think that people are anxious to hear directly from her -- this is a very big stage, of course, as everyone knows -- and anxious to hear a little bit more about what she's about. I think part of that personal narrative will be played out tonight. I suspect she'll address some of the issues that are going to be important.

She's very good, of course, on energy issues, coming from an energy-producing state. And I think she'll talk about that and talk about the economy, which I think everybody wants to hear about the McCain-Palin vision on how to deal with the issue of the economy and creating jobs in this country. But there's a tremendous curiosity, and I think there will be. I don't know how many people are going to tune in and watch tonight, but I think it's going to be a big audience.

MR. BROKAW: Back in your home state, my old home state of South Dakota, I know that there's a lot of identification with someone like Sarah Palin -- a lot of social value identification, lifestyle identification as well. But are you hearing from the good folks in South Dakota any questions about, "John, is she ready to be the president of the United States?"

SEN. THUNE: I think there are always a few dissident voices. I was at the state fair, a place that you, I think, probably spent some time over the years, on Saturday. But I will tell you, as you said, there are a lot of people in a state like South Dakota who like -- she seems to be just a sort of common-sense, smart, tough family woman, raising a family, effective, competent governor.

And I think of my dad. He's 88 years old. He lives in Murdo. He was a lifetime Democrat, became a Republican a few years ago. But he was just really impressed with the pick, likes the way that, you know, she connects with people. And I think there's a lot of that out there.

There are always going to be a few people who -- everybody has their detractors, but I think the overwhelming opinion, at least in South Dakota and across the country, is that this was a very solid pick for McCain. Whether or not that translates into votes among Democrats and independents remains to be seen. But I think that people across the country really do identify with her.

MR. BROKAW: You know what it's like to run for public office, even in a small state like South Dakota. She's been a candidate in Alaska, another state with only 600,000 people. Can she have any idea about what she's about to enter into, once she leaves here?

SEN. THUNE: She will have to adapt to the national stage very quickly. But the one thing I will say -- and I think, you know, you had mentioned the impact she has in a place like North Dakota, Montana, states the Democrats are trying to contend in this year -- I think she's very good, because when you come from a small state, you know how to retail campaign. And people in our state, that matters to them. And people always ask me, "How did Hillary Clinton win the Democratic primary in South Dakota?" And I said, "She showed up." And that matters.

And I think that Sarah Palin has qualities about her, has experience campaigning in a state that's very remote and rural, and of going out and connecting with average voters. And I think that will be a great asset, actually, as she enters this national arena.

MR. BROKAW: It's no secret your party has got real difficulties this year. You have a president of the United States, at the end of his second term, with historically low approval ratings. A number of your colleagues who are running for re-election didn't even come to St. Paul -- Susan Collins of Maine, for example. Who else was in that group? Well, Ted Stevens is not here because he's under indictment, obviously. But there are others who decided, you know, it's just not worth it to come to Minnesota.

SEN. THUNE: You know, and I think in some ways, Tom, that's a reflection of their priority is at home right now. I remember one year when I was running, I didn't come to the convention either. There are lots of things going on this time of year. You've got fairs and what-not.

But there's no question that, as a -- if you look at the national atmospherics this year, this is not a good year for Republicans. The right track/wrong track number is not favorable. People look at this government as being a Republican government, even though the Congress is controlled by the Democrats.

And I think that a lot of our candidates, at least senators who are running for re-election this year, are going out. They're running their campaigns. They're emphasizing issues that are important in their state. They're being very independent. And I think that's the way they should be.

But I think that what the speech tonight and the speech tomorrow night will do will give the party more of a national identity that our candidates can rally around. And I do know this -- a lot of Senate candidates want to have John McCain and Sarah Palin campaign for them, because there are many states, particularly states that are competitive this year, where I think Senator McCain gives a real lift. You look at New Hampshire and Maine and some of those places; I think he's going to run very well there, and we've got tough Senate races there in those states.

MR. BROKAW: And New Hampshire is one of those states; John Sununu is in a tough race for re-election and he chose not to come. But Elizabeth Dole, who appeared before this convention -- her husband had been the presidential nominee -- she's from North Carolina, should be a safe Republican state, but it's in play.

SEN. THUNE: It is. And I think that Elizabeth is doing what she should be doing. She's focusing on getting out and meeting with her constituents and, you know, connecting again, one voter at a time. Elizabeth's a great retail campaigner and she's probably making good use of her time.

But I think all of our candidates this time around -- it is a different year. It's a year where we're in transition. But I think that as we nominate our ticket tonight and tomorrow night, you will start to see a lot of our candidates coalesce behind that ticket and our party start to take on this new image that will be defined by the leaders at the top of the ticket, Senator McCain and Governor Palin.

MR. BROKAW: So much talk in this country about the economy. A lot of people are really hurting. In the state of South Dakota, commodity prices are up. Sioux Falls, Rapid City have almost negative unemployment at this time.

SEN. THUNE: Right.

MR. BROKAW: Is that the number one issue for them, or is it energy, energy, energy?

SEN. THUNE: It really is. States like South Dakota, where commodity prices are good, the biggest issue you hear people complain about is input costs. You know, everybody says we've got great prices. We know that isn't going to last forever. You've seen volatility in the commodities market over time. The one thing everybody's concerned about is are these input prices here to stay. And that's your fuel cost, your diesel cost, your fertilizer, things like that.

So energy is, I would say, the number one issue in South Dakota, even though the economy, unemployment numbers and the general economic trends have been fairly resilient to what's happening nationally. I mean, our state is in relatively good shape, knock on wood, but it has a lot to do with the ag economy.

MR. BROKAW: All right, thank you very much, Senator John Thune, who is one of South Dakota's great high school basketball players.

SEN. THUNE: (Laughs.)

MR. BROKAW: And the new vice presidential candidate is known as "Sarah Barracuda."

SEN. THUNE: That's what I understand. I --

MR. BROKAW: So you may not want to go one on one.

SEN. THUNE: I hear she's tough.

MR. BROKAW: Okay, thank you very much --

SEN. THUNE: All right, thanks, Tom.

MR. BROKAW: -- John Thune.

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