MSNBC "The Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript

Interview

MS. MADDOW: Joining us now, Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. She is supporting Barack Obama for president.

Senator Klobuchar, thank you so much for joining us.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: It's great to be on, Rachel. Thanks for having me on again.

MS. MADDOW: The Wisconsin Advertising Project reports today that 100 percent of the TV ads McCain is running right now are negative ads, attack ads about Obama. Only a third of Obama's ads are negative. My feeling is that negative ads usually work. Do you think it's going to be a tough month ahead?

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: You know, when you see that debate last night, every time Americans think about the pocketbook issues that matter to them, we do well, because Barack Obama has a clear plan for this economy. And I want to tell you, I was just in Wisconsin, Rachel. I was in a small town. I watched the debate last night in Green Bay. And Sheboygan is there for Barack Obama. In fact, I brought you a button from Wisconsin, Rachel, that I thought you'd like: "Sheboygan is the bratwurst capital of the universe." It's a "Brat Obama" button.

MS. MADDOW: (Laughs.)

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: But I've got to tell you, the people that I talk to there -- have you seen it? It's a collector's item. It's for you. They wanted you to have it.

MS. MADDOW: Thank you very much. (Laughs.)

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: Any time. But here's the deal. When I was in Wisconsin and we watched that debate together, people were very focused on Barack Obama's plan for the economy. I think it was helpful how he (remembered ?) to clarify his tax cuts for the middle class, despite all the lies from the other side on this.

And the other thing, when McCain put forward his proposal on the mortgages, I've got to tell you, that was news to me. I lived and breathed that debate for two weeks in the Capitol. He never made it in the chamber. He never made it on the street corner. We never heard it before when we actually put that rescue package through.

But one of the things we've learned today -- and I talked to one of Senator Obama's economic advisers today -- if you look more at what Barack's plan is, it actually is different than some of what we've been talking about. What McCain is talking about, what McCain is talking about is buying these mortgages at face value, which actually means that the banks would be held whole.

So the banks would be in good shape, money into their coffers, but money out of the taxpayers' pockets, because there is just no up side for the taxpayers here. And I think you're going to hear more about that tomorrow -- $300 billion, all at face value for these mortgages, with no up side for the taxpayers.

MS. MADDOW: Even if you don't really know anything about markets and the economy, most people know that buying high and selling low is a bad strategy, and that's what he's proposing in this mortgage deal.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: Exactly. And it's very different than when you look back at the Depression and what went on there, where you had actually negotiations for the mortgages. This is actually just buying them at face value, and it's very troubling. And you add to that, again, he's trying to do a game-changer in the middle of the debate, no meat on the bones for this proposal, just like when he suspended his campaign and tried to cancel the debate. It didn't change the game. Barack Obama won that debate for the people in America.

MS. MADDOW: If this were a race for governor of Minnesota or governor of Wisconsin instead of for president, would you want Barack Obama's message on the economy and the overall balance of his message, how much time he's spending talking about the economy, would you want it to be the same? Do voters in the states like yours, in states like yours, such important swing states, want to hear what Barack Obama is saying right now? Is there some way -- (inaudible)?

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: You know, I think when you look at the number of people that watched that debate last night -- it beat out "American Idol" -- the people of America are listening to that economic message. They care about it. When I was in Wisconsin yesterday -- I'm starting on an RV tour tonight in Colorado with the governor here and with Senator Salazar -- people are just turning out in cafes. They want to have the answers. They want to hear more about Senator Obama's health care plan. They don't care about lipstick and all these negative ads and all these things that you're hearing from the other side and these snarky comments.

They were offended last night, I've got to tell you, when Senator McCain would hardly look at Senator Obama. In the last debate he wouldn't look at him. In this debate he called him "that one." I got numerous comments all today traveling through small towns in Wisconsin about how they thought McCain seemed angry. And, you know, I'm sure he's angry, because the economy we're seeing is just really the chickens coming home to roost from years of the Republican policies. And it's coming at a very inopportune time for him.

Well, guess what: It's coming at an inopportune time for the middle class in this country. And they are listening, and they're listening to Senator Obama say, as much as John McCain doesn't want people to listen to the truth and the facts here, the people in America are listening.

MS. MADDOW: Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, good luck on your RV tour and thanks for your time tonight.

SEN. KLOBUCHAR: Thank you. It's great to be on, Rachel.

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