MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript
Interview
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
SCHULTZ: P.J. Crowley at the State Department.
Appreciate your time tonight. Thank you so much.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters, of California, who has traveled to Haiti several times and has done a lot of work with the Haitian people on behalf of the Congress, is with us tonight.
Congresswoman, thank you for your time.
I know you know the Haitian people. Speak to us tonight, Congresswoman, about their resiliency. And what kind of folks are they?
REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: Well, thank you so much for the attention that you"ve given to this, Ed.
Yes, I do know the hate Haitian people. I"ve spent a great part of my career working on behalf of Haiti.
I love Haiti. I love the Haitian people. And I feel as if we have just not done enough over the years to be of support to the poorest nation in this Western Hemisphere.
However, having said that, the Haitian people are going through one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of that country. And it"s terrible. And people are dying in huge numbers. The numbers are huge, anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000.
SCHULTZ: Are we doing the right things early on, Congresswoman?
WATERS: I think we are. I think we are.
You know, they"ve had the collapse of the presidential palace there, the Montana Hotel, where many of us live when we"re in Haiti. But we have been quick in our response.
I want you to know the president has been profound in his commitment of support. Secretary Clinton spoke up right away. They are all focused on Haiti.
We"re sending in all kinds of support from the USAID, from the United Nations, the Red Cross. And so I think that our response is quick, it"s good, and we can be of help.
The Haitian people, no matter how bad it is, they are going to work their way through this. These are a hardworking nation of people who have overcome and continue to overcome.
I"ve worked on debt relief for them. Just got $1 billion in debt relief last year. And I thought this would give them one step forward so that they wouldn"t have to pay out their money paying debt, they could put it in health and education, et cetera.
But, you know, one step forward, two steps backwards. But we"ve got to work with them. Other nations are coming forward, France, Canada. I think there will be an international response that will be extremely helpful to the people of Haiti, but this is devastating.
SCHULTZ: It certainly is. Congresswoman, thank you for your time tonight. I appreciate it so much. And thank you for all the work you"ve done.
WATERS: I appreciate it. And you"re welcome. And I"ll continue to work. My heart goes out to the Haitians. And my prayers, also.
SCHULTZ: No doubt.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source