MSNBC Hardball - Transcript

MSNBC

SHOW: HARDBALL 20:00

July 26, 2004 Monday

HEADLINE: HARDBALL 2000 Hour for July 26, 2004, CNN

BYLINE: Chris Matthews; Carl Quintanilla; Chris Jansing; Joe Trippi; Andrea Mitchell; Joe Scarborough

GUESTS: Janet Reno; Ron Reagan; Willie Brown; Howard Fineman; Nancy Pelosi

BODY:

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

CHRIS JANSING, MSNBC CORRESPONDENT: Hi. It's so loud here, but I'm here with Nancy Pelosi, she is, of course, the House minority leader. The first thing we noticed was the kiss wasn't as long this year.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: Well, there were two kisses, but the speech was great and the crowd reaction, of course, was thunderous. Al Gore asked all the right questions, I think his speech was right on. It was worth it.

JANSING: Do you think the way to energize this crowd is to bring 2000? He talked about the Supreme Court deciding an election.

PELOSI: Oh, definitely. As I travel through the country people are very concerned that their votes will not count in the election, so it's important to bring up 2000 from the standpoint of every person's vote counting. It was important also to focus on the consequences of election. George Bush has gotten our country in a lot of trouble, economically at home and more dangerously abroad. And he can't solve these problems. We need a new president.

JANSING: I was talking just a short time ago to the head of the NAACP, Kweisi Mfume. He's not convinced the voting issues have been solved, he thinks there may be serious problems again this year.

PELOSI: I completely agree. All Americans must be ever vigilant about what will be dealt at the poll - - how the polls will be conducted this year. But, everyone is working very hard with lawyers and plans and all the rest to at least minimize the damage that could be done.

But, the American people must go to the polls in a very optimistic vein believing that their vote will count, studying the issues, understanding there is a big difference between democrats and republicans whether it's about our seniors and our children and their future, our workers, our standing in the world. Whatever the issues, the democrats have a better idea. That's what Al Gore talked about tonight. That's what unites democrats, that are what is going to elect John Kerry and a democratic House, I might say.

JANSING: Obviously the objective of these speakers is to energize the base. You have a stake in that, 12 seats could turn and you become the first female speaker of the house. What do you think the chances are?

PELOSI: Oh, I think it's very good. First of all, we just won another election this week so it's down to 11 seats. We have excellent candidates; we have a strong and clear message; we're mobilized at the grassroots level, and we're fighting in every district that we have an opportunity-about 40 districts. With John Kerry at the top of the ticket the Kerry-Edwards ticket will help us and we will help them win the House; we'll win the Senate, and take back the White House for the American people. Of that I'm certain.

JANSING: Let me ask you quickly, you're known as an outspoken woman. There has been a lot of controversy about Teresa Heinz Kerry telling a reporter to shove it. What's your reaction?

PELOSI: It's such a trivial matter. Nobody made much of a fuss that the obscenity the vice president made on the floor of the Senate and I, quite frankly, I'm more concerned about obscenities like misrepresenting to the American people the connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda. Misrepresenting to the American people the cause of war and never finding the weapons of mass destruction. Those are obscenities. Not impatience with the press.

JANSING: Congressman Nancy Pelosi, a pleasure. Thank you so much.

PELOSI: Thank you.

JANSING: Appreciate it. We'll send it back to you.