MSNBC "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" - Transcript

Statement

MSNBC "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" - Transcript

OLBERMANN: And remember that's Max Baucus, fourth leading recipient in all of Congress in campaign contributions from the health care industries. Just remember to spell it correctly on the check.

Time now to turn to Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. He is the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and serves as assistant to Speaker of the House Pelosi.

Congressman, thanks for your time tonight.

REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D), MONTANA: Good to be with you, Keith.

OLBERMANN: These fake grassroots protesters-have the facts now become completely irrelevant in this equation? They're opposing health care, they're opposing all government formulas and programs, but don't touch their Medicare. Do we have the heart to tell them that Medicare is a government program, and are they simply smoke bomb throwers in the public discourse at this point?

VAN HOLLEN: Right. Look, these are guys who said they want to get rid of Medicare and rid of Social Security until they don't get their Social Security check or until they get denied their Medicare.

What's really sad about this, Keith, is that members of Congress, Democratic members of Congress, are going home to talk to their constituents about the health care reform, holding the insurance companies accountable. They want to have a conversation. And the Republicans said, "We really want the American people to hear what's in this plan because when they hear about it, they won't like it."

Well, the fact is, they're scared to death about the American people finding out about this plan and they're not letting these conversations take place. They're disrupting meetings. They're shouting people down. They're hanging people in effigy.

And I think, when the American people see what's going on, it is going to totally backfire on those who are opposing the effort to reform the health insurance industry and to try and change the system.

So, in some ways, I say, "Look, if you want to engage in this kind of conduct, let the American people see you for what you are.

OLBERMANN: Is that the backfire idea? I mean, the White House has said it's hoping to kind of go jujitsu on this, to use the staged energy against the people who are fomenting it. But how-I mean, how do you do that other than showing some idiots smiling next to a picture of a congressman hanging in effigy?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, one thing I think people need to know about is all of the town hall meetings and conversations where people are having productive exchanges. And so, then constituents can see exactly what they're being denied because some of our members have had these very productive exchanges where people learn more about the bill. Members of Congress get input from their constituents, and it works the way you would hope it would work. And these disruptions are denying millions of Americans that opportunity to have that conversation with their member of Congress.

So, I think, number one is informing people who is behind this. It's these fringe elements but it is being fueled-as you indicated-by some special interest groups in Washington, including the health insurance industry, which, of course, stands to profit enormously from the status quo. They've seen their profits going through the roof.

OLBERMANN: And the question at the heart of this whole process, Congressman, what is the plan for actually getting this done once the recess is over in September?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, the plan is, in the House, we now have al three committees having reported the bill. We're going to pull that bill together, based on what our members of Congress are hearing from their constituents and get a vote in the floor of the House, because the status quo is unacceptable to the vast majority of the American people.

Other than this fringe elements who are trying to shut down the process and shut down the conversation, most people understand that if you want to see your premiums go through the roof, if you want a health care system where when you lose your job, you lose your health care, and in fact, when you've been paying your premiums day after day and when you really need the health care, you're often denied it because of some fine print in the contract-that's what we need to change.

And I'm confident that when people do hear from their constituents and have an opportunity to actually hear their constituents speak, they will find out there's great support from the American people. That's exactly why these disruptions are taking place, because I think that the opponents of health insurance reform understand very well that there's a great desire for reform in the country, and these people are trying to put a stop to it through any means possible.

OLBERMANN: If you can't win on the points, win on the screaming.

Congressman Chris Van Hollen-great thank you for your time, Congressman.

VAN HOLLEN: Good to be with you.

Source