MSNBC Hardball - Transcript

MSNBC March 8, 2004 Monday
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Transcription Copyright 2004 FDCH e-Media
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MSNBC
SHOW: HARDBALL 19:00

March 8, 2004 Monday

HEADLINE: HARDBALL For March 8, 2004

BYLINE: Chris Matthews; David Shuster

GUESTS: Mark Foley; Peter Deutsche; Mario Diaz-Balart; Sandy Berger; Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth

HIGHLIGHT:
Democratic presidential contender John Kerry campaigns in the Sunshine State. But many believe the race is up for grabs in Florida. Is Bush still winning the favor of the Cuban-American community?

BODY:

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: First stop on HARDBALL's tour of the battleground states. On the eve of the Florida primary, Will Kerry turn up the political heat?

And last week, Donald Trump told her, you're fired. Tonight I'll tell Omarosa, let's play HARDBALL.

I'm Chris Matthews. And as you can tell from the palm trees and the blue skies behind me, I'll in Miami. With 238 days before election day, I'm in Florida, the battleground state to determine the fate of the presidency in 2000.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

REP. MARIO DIAZ-BALART ®, FLORIDA: Extremely solid. Extremely solid.

And I think as this campaign progresses, we'll see not only with President Bush, a man who is extremely solid, who understands the importance of freedom, of democracy and of helping the people in Cuba reach that freedom and democracy, with the record of Senator Kerry.

He has an extensive record, and his record unfortunately has been day in, day out, doing everything that Castro has asked him to do to help him stay in power.

MATTHEWS: Is there a relationship between Senator Kerry and Fidel Castro that you know about?

DIAZ-BALART: I don't know of any relation. I do know if you look at his voting record and you look at every single issue that Castro tries to get done in the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, one of the leaders in trying to help Castro, whatever the issue may be, has been Senator Kerry.

Again, that record is going to be very clear and very much in contrast with President Bush, who has been extremely strong in making sure that no U.S. money gets to that terrorist regime to further anti-American terrorist activity, including as you know, a person, the regime that shot down two American airplanes in international air space.

MATTHEWS: Well, Castro came in, what, New Year's Eve 1958. How much more time do you give him?

DIAZ-BALART: You know, I think it's a matter of time. Castro is already an issue. Pretty soon he's going to be dead. The question is how do we guarantee a democratic transition after Castro is dead?

We have to do two things: Make sure that he is gone as soon as possible, helping the internal, you know, the opposition movements in Cuba. Doing the things that President Bush has talked about.

But also making sure that we have enough leverage so that when Castro is gone, there is a true democratic transition.

The president has been very clear, very strong. Kerry, unfortunately, who flip flops-Kerry flip more on issues-on major issues than IHOP flips pancakes. But on Cuba, he has been consistently helping everything that Castro wants him to do. Kerry is the first guy to lead the charge.

MATTHEWS: How much Cuban-American votes are there in Florida, Congressman?

DIAZ-BALART: There's about more than 400,000. I don't remember exactly the number. And I think what you'll see is an overwhelming support, a huge support for President Bush.

Because the Cuban-Americans understand not only the Cuba issue, but they understand the importance of freedom. And again, Senator Kerry's record is dismal.

You know, for example, another issue that's crucial here in Florida is the-the one that I'm strongly in support of, is the security of Israel. You can't have one day, Senator Kerry saying the defense of Israel-building for its security is a horrendous destabilizing act and has got to be torn down. And then a few days later-or a year later saying that that wall is essential. It is essential. What is not essential is flip-flopping on issues of such importance.

MATTHEWS: I think he's actually said it closer to the other one. I mean, I think he said both even closer together than the way you described.

Let me ask you about Elian Gonzalez. Has there been any report from the island of Cuba as to his whereabouts, his condition, his attitudes, whatever?

DIAZ-BALART: Chris, not that I know of, not that I know of. I haven't heard anything from him.

What we do know, of course, is that there are millions of Cubans who are suffering under that slave system. We know that there are people like Vincente (ph) and Marco Ruiz-Rote (ph) who are rotting in prison.

And that's why this president is so gung-ho in making sure that we help the internal dissidents, that we help the opposition to Castro and that we do everything in our power to make sure that, the sooner the better, we can have a regime that's not an anti-American terrorist drug-running regime, which is exactly what Castro is, only 90 miles away from the United States.

You've got to remember that there are over almost 100 fugitives from U.S. law, including the No. 1 most wanted person, I believe, in the state of new Jersey is a cop killer-are living the high life. The high life in Cuba. That has got to stop.

MATTHEWS: OK. U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart from Florida.

END