MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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SCHULTZ: We"ve got all kind of predictions out there, don"t we?

Here"s the bottom line. The Republicans are in total disarray. They"re going to jump on anything they possibly can to drive a stake between the Democrats at a very critical time in this country"s history.

We have got to get some kind of health care bill done. We"ve got to address the energy issues. We also have to make sure that we get it right on national security.

The Republicans, throughout all of this, have offered absolutely nothing. And now they think that if they can get to Harry Reid, if they can show that the leadership of the Democratic Party is weak, they might be able to make some inroads. That"s what this is all about.

I want you to get your cell phones out tonight, folks. I want to know what you think about this.

Tonight"s tech survey is: Do you think Harry Reid"s remark about Barack Obama was racist? Plain and simple.

Text "A" for yes and "B" for no to 622639. We"ll bring you the results later on in the program.

Joining me now is South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn, who is the House majority whip, the highest ranking African-American in Congress.

Congressman, there"s a racial element to this, obviously, but there is also a very strong political element to all of this.

What do you think the Republicans are up to? Are they just looking for any opening they possibly can get, or do you think that they are really concerned about racial insensitivity?

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: You"re absolutely right about this.

First of all, let me put in my vote--tap down "A" for me. When it comes to this man"s--that is, Senator Reid"s record--with the NCAAP, as far as the question you put out tonight, put down "B" for me, absolutely not. There"s nothing racial about this.

I would ask all of your listeners to take a look at Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race and color. Title VII recognizes that we do sometimes have treatment in this country based upon skin color. Everybody knows that.

And I don"t know why people are making such a fuss about this. What is the big fuss about the word "Negro"?

I support the United Negro College Fund. I support the National Council of Negro Women.

We still use those two terms because they have been a part of our history for a long time. And so I don"t know what all of this fuss is about.

Harry Reid is one of the most standup guys I have ever met in my life. You look at his record, he has a record that I think all of us in the African-American community can be proud of and can support. And this has absolutely nothing to do with what may have happened in 2003 as with regards to Trent Lott.

Now, I want everybody to look back then. I made statements back then about Trent Lott when I was vice chair of the Democratic Caucus, and I said then what Trent Lott said was not deserving of his resignation. I said it then and I still believe that.

SCHULTZ: Well, Congressman, there was a difference then. The White House actually wanted Trent Lott out, so the Republicans were piling on as much as anybody else. I think that needs to be pointed out.

CLYBURN: Absolutely. That"s the point I wanted to make.

Not only did the White House want him out, but Senator Frist wanted his job. They had been fighting over that job for two or three weeks before the statement was ever made. So his statement had nothing to do with his resignation.

It was the fact that the knives were drawn and we made this statement. They sharpened up their knives and they cut his legs out from under him, and that"s why Trent Lott resigned.

It had nothing to do with the statement. The statement itself, though it played into some other things about our history, the States" Rights Party, Strom Thurmond"s candidacy in 1948, all of that may--he may have played into it. But Trent Lott making a statement did not cause his resignation, no Democrat called for him to resign. It was his Republicans that wanted him out of there so Frisk could have the job.

SCHULTZ: And Congressman, are you offended that this story has been play so hard by the media? The 24-hour news cycle has been all over this, it"s my lead story tonight, it"s what people are talking about. Race is a hot issue in this country with the first African-American president, the first black American president.

And you know--you mentioned Harry Reid"s record, but is this the way it"s going to be every time somebody makes some kind of a comment? Of course, we"re also in the culture now, nobody can apologize anymore. We never apologize enough.

Harry Reid couldn"t have been any more gracious about this. In fact, let"s play this piece of tape. This is Harry Reid today speaking more on the issue.

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SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: I am very proud of the fact I can still remember the meeting that took place in my office with Senator Barack Obama, telling him that he"ll be elected president. I"ve apologized to the president. I"ve apologized to everyone that I could have used a better choice of words, and I"ll continue to do my work for the African-American community.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: And finally, Congressman, does that work for you, what Harry Reid said? And this is just going to be a bump in the road and the Democrats will be able to move on as they have been?

CLYBURN: I appreciate Harry Reid"s words. But once again, I will say, as a son of a fundamentalist, born and raised in the process, I learned very early, it is not their words that we ought to be cognizant of, it"s their deeds.

SCHULTZ: Their actions. Yes.

CLYBURN: And when I look at his deeds, Harry Reid"s deeds, he doesn"t have to speak words to me. His work speaks for him.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, great to have you with us tonight. I appreciate your time. Thanks so much.

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