MSNBC "Countdown with Keith Olbermann"

Interview

MSNBC "COUNTDOWN WITH KEITH OLBERMANN" INTERVIEW WITH REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D-FL) INTERVIEWER: KEITH OLBERMANN

MR. OLBERMANN: Joining us now, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, a supporter, of course, of Senator Obama.

Congresswoman, thanks for your time tonight.

REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Thanks for having me, Keith.

MR. OLBERMANN: Depending on which Senator McCain shows up -- the one who promised to run a respectful campaign or the one we've seen this week -- whichever one shows up, what does Senator Obama need to do to prevail in the debate tonight?

REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, it's clear that John McCain's entire campaign is divided, depressed, demoralized and desperate. And so they are trying to turn the page on the economy, trying to focus on the politics of distraction. And what Senator Obama needs to do and what he will do tonight is he will focus on the issues that matter the most to Americans.

He'll focus on the fact that we have -- in Florida, for example, we have the second-highest number of foreclosures and people facing foreclosure. He'll focus on the fact that we need to make sure we have an economic policy that reregulates the Wall Street corporations that have taken advantage of the average person. We need to make sure that we invest in alternative energy and bring our troops home from this misguided war in Iraq, make sure that we expand access for the 47 million people who don't have health insurance. Those are the bread- and-butter issues that the American people want to hear from their presidential candidates, not just this nasty political distraction talk that isn't about what Americans are facing every day.

MR. OLBERMANN: Is this, in fact, to that point, more about what Senator Obama needs to not do tonight, to not go in that direction, to respond to any kind of attack -- (inaudible) -- or explicit from McCain, to not get off-message?

REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Well, I think he needs to stay focused on those issues that matter the most to Americans, like I just said. But he also can't look like he's a patsy. You know, we can't have him sit idly by and just allow himself to be attacked and not respond, because Lord knows there's plenty to respond to when it comes to Senator McCain.

We're going to focus on the issues. We're going to talk about the things that matter the most to Americans, the fact that to me, as a mom that drives a minivan, it costs about $75 to fill up the gas tank. And in Publix this weekend, the supermarket that I go to in Florida, it was almost $6 for a gallon of milk. That's real money for folks, Keith. And that's what Obama has to focus on. But he also has to make sure that he doesn't let himself get run over. And I know he's prepared to contrast his record with Senator McCain's.

MR. OLBERMANN: Well, to that point, and to the point about being patsied, I want to ask you about Senator Obama's response to being attacked last time. Last time they brought out Jeremiah Wright against him, I was about to conclude in my own mind that Obama was too slow to respond. And then suddenly out comes the Philadelphia speech about race. He elevated the discourse. He made the proverbial silk purse out of the sow's ear.

Is it, per chance -- do you see something on the horizon that will provide him with a similar opportunity to do something like that with these latest attacks?

REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: You know, honestly, I think we're 28 days out from the election, and I think he needs -- it's so incredibly important that he focus on the issues that matter the most to Americans. Right now people have so much angst. They want to have their confidence in their government restored. It is so badly shaken. And they want to believe in their president and that they have a president in the White House who is going to be there for them and is going to be their voice.

You know, wealthy people have had their voice in the White House for the last eight years. And I think Senator Obama needs to show people that finally we're going to have someone in the White House who's on their side. And that's what I think he's got to focus on in the next 28 days.

MR. OLBERMANN: By the way -- one last question -- McCain planned to cut a trillion-plus dollars out of Medicare over 10 years. Shouldn't you Democrats be going door to door in Florida with that little bit of news? I mean, you might get 100 percent of the vote if everybody knows about that before Election Day.

REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Oh, trust me, we're getting the word out. I mean, we have 3.2 million Floridians that are covered by Medicare, second only to California. On top of John McCain's plan to privatize Social Security, cutting Medicare by $1.3 trillion is absolutely outrageous. It would yank the safety net out from my senior citizens in Florida. We're just not going to allow that to happen.

MR. OLBERMANN: It is mind-boggling. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz --

REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: It really is.

MR. OLBERMANN: -- of Florida, a supporter of the Obama campaign, many thanks for some of your time tonight.

REP. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ: Thank you, Keith.

END.

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