Fox News Channel "Studio B" - Transcript

Interview

MR. SMITH: On the issues of the vice presidential nominee, Republicans are sticking to one script -- Sarah Palin has more executive experience than Barack Obama, and all critics are basically chauvinists. Joining us now is the first woman elected to Senate in Minnesota, the Democrat Amy Klobuchar.

Great to see you. Thank you.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: Well, it's great to be on, Shepard. We welcome everyone to our beautiful state.

MR. SMITH: Man, if your Chamber of Commerce isn't happy with this day, there's something wrong with them.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: It's so nice.

MR. SMITH: What do you know about Sarah Palin? What do you like, and what should we know?

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: Well, I think she seems like an interesting person. I'm sure we're going to hear a good speech from her tonight. But I think what America needs to know is, first of all, we don't know much about her and clearly Senator McCain didn't know much. It turns out he talked to her once on the phone and then really only met her, except for one brief 10-minute meeting, he met her the day that he offered her the job. And I had said earlier today, I've talked to summer law clerks longer than that. So that concerns me.

You know, you're a heartbeat away from the presidency. And I think not only do you want to know everything about someone -- and I think he's found a few things out about her record that he may not have known, that she originally was for the bridge to nowhere and now is against it, that she actually asked for some earmarks for her state that he had criticized. So I think there's that element of surprise.

But there's also the fact that you want to have someone who have known each other over time and worked together. And that just bothers me about this. But I think the bigger problem for me, as someone who wants to see some change in our government where we've seen this, you know, humongous debt, is we want to have someone who's independent. I just don't see anything in her record that will make her deviate in any way from John McCain.

MR. SMITH: Last week we were saying, and I think it holds true all the time, you really don't vote for a vice president. You vote for a president. And last week, we made the point, and I think accurately, that what Senator Obama needed was somebody to get those Hillary Democrats, that lunch-bucket type and some especially like in western PA and the rest, and that was sort of fulfilled by Joe Biden. Well, what John McCain needs is somebody to reassure the base that yes, he's going to take care of conservative ideals. And okay, a political choice was made, and Sarah Palin fits the bill. What's wrong with that?

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: You know, it was a strategic political choice, and that's John McCain's to make.

MR. SMITH: Right, like Joe Biden was.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: That's fine. I see Joe Biden, though, as someone, you know, a heartbeat away from the presidency, as someone who could step into the president's shoes. And we don't really know enough about Sarah Palin to know that. I have been amused somewhat by all this criticism that to even question her record is somehow sexist. I think Senator Obama has made it so clear that her family is off limits. That I as a mother admire her for balancing her family and her work.

So I don't think that has anything to do with this. What we do need to look at, though, is her record, if she stands for what she says she does, how close she and McCain are. To me, it's going to be more of the same. And I personally, I know, you know, people will agree and disagree on this, but I just don't want another four years of what we've had. I want some change in Washington.

MR. SMITH: Amy Klobuchar, first woman elected to the Senate in the state of Minnesota, thanks for rolling out the red carpet -- gorgeous town!

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: It's very nice, and we will welcome you back at any time.

MR. SMITH: Senator, thanks so much.

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