Fox News "America's Election HQ" - Transcript

Interview

MR. WILSON: Just a moment ago, you heard the pollster go over the numbers. To many, John McCain seems to be hitting his stride, but is time and electoral math too much to overcome? Is there a path to victory for team McCain? Tennessee Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, a McCain supporter, joins us live from the great state of Tennessee.

Good to have you. How are you?

REP. BLACKBURN: Good to be with you. Thank you, I'm doing great.

MR. WILSON: Let me ask you, what is the pathway to victory at this point? Because I mean, you've got to say, if you believe the polls -- and I know there are people out there, I hear from them all the time, who don't necessary believe the polls -- but if you believe them, it's sort of hard to add up a mathematic equation where John McCain becomes the next president.

REP. BLACKBURN: Well, that's true. If you believed the polls, that would be true. But I've been in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania this week, back in Tennessee today, and everywhere we go the momentum is with John McCain. And I think that's one of the differences. In my opinion, it feels like when you're out there and you're in the middle of the campaign, you get the feeling that the Obama campaign peaked, it hit its stride and it peaked about a week ago. And the momentum has shifted.

And as Doug was saying, the undecideds are breaking McCain, and the momentum has moved to McCain-Palin, and they are finishing strong. John McCain knows how to close, and he is closing well.

MR. WILSON: But he's closing in Virginia today, for example, which is a state that Republicans really haven't had to defend in the past.

REP. BLACKBURN: Well, you're correct about that. And you are seeing some things change around the country. You're seeing some of this jargon that has taken place with red state, blue state. I think what you're seeing more this year is people focusing on issues, so there are going to be some shifts.

And he is in Virginia today and started off very strong today. I think he'll finish there strong. Also, the thing is the undecideds are moving with him. The crowds are growing. The momentum is there. People are putting those bumper strips on their cars, they're picking up those yard signs, they're heading to the polls and getting those votes in.

MR. WILSON: Representative Blackburn, you serve in Congress. And there are many people who look at the numbers and say it looks like there are going to be a lot more Democrats in the House and a lot more Democrats in the Senate. What is it going to be like?

REP. BLACKBURN: Well, we've got to wait and see what Tuesday holds for us. I will tell you, I think that we're going to have some surprises on Tuesday. There are some people that you may have thought they were going to lose their race, I think some of them are going to end up pulling it out.

We know this is a very difficult environment. We know it is a tough environment. But one of the things we've heard in all these states where we've been is people have said, you know what, two years ago before the Democrats took control of the House and the Senate, I was better off two years ago than I am today. The kind of change they've had in the past two years is not the kind of change they're looking for.

MR. WILSON: I need to leave it right there. Representative Marsha Blackburn from the Volunteer State of Tennessee, thanks for joining us.

REP. BLACKBURN: Good to be with you. Thanks.

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