MSNBC "Thomas Roberts" - Transcript: Working Together to Enact a Jobs Agenda

Interview

THOMAS ROBERTS, MSNBC: Joining me now, Democratic Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. He's the Ranking Member of the Budget Committee. Sir, it's good to have you here. So, we hear the President there talking about jobs, the middle class, and growth. But I want to play for you what Senator Mitchell McConnell had to say this morning about the President.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (Video): It almost like there's a gone campaigning sign outside the Oval Office -- a gone campaigning sign outside the Oval Office. And on the rarest of occasions, when he does come to the Hill, as he will today, you find out it's basically just another internal campaign rally with Democrats.

ROBERTS: So, sir, is that fair to say, that this is just an internal campaign rally, especially since he is only meeting with Democrats? What did the President tell you specifically behind closed doors about jobs, the middle class, and growth?

REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN: Well Thomas, that is totally unfair. The President was very focused before the caucus about jobs and the economy and the middle class. He spelled out his plans, as he has to American people over the last week and before. And as he has presented them to the Republicans in the Congress on numerous occasions. He has reached out to them. He has tried to meet with them. They have rejected all of his overtures. They have rejected all of his ideas.

Instead, they have been threatening to shut down the government if they don't repeal the Affordable Care Act. They have been threatening, of course, to default on our debt unless we enact a very radical budget that would hurt the middle class and provide tax breaks for the wealthy. So the President has really challenged the Republicans to come up with their own ideas. The ones he has put on the table, as you know, used to be bipartisan, mainstream ideas.

ROBERTS: Well, as we see what the President is doing now, obviously he does seem willing to make an on offer. But, also at the same time, trying making a point about where we stand currently in relationships in DC.

And Ron Fournier has a piece in the National Journal today questioning President Obama's ability to lead, writing, "In Obama's case, the modern GOP is an obstructionist, rudderless party often held hostage by extremists. So… get over it… Obama and his liberal allies have a limited -- and limiting -- definition of presidential leadership. I call it the white flag syndrome." Now Fournier, Congressman, goes on to argue that the President has given up. And we heard the question yelled out to the President right there when he was transferring from the House to the Senate side, saying are Republicans treating you like a lame duck? What's your response to that? The President didn't answer, but what is your response to that?

VAN HOLLEN: Well, the President has been very clear that he will use all the power he has outside of Congress in order to move forward an agenda on jobs and middle class. And there are things he can do on the education front, he has been talking about some community college initiatives and job training. There are things he may be able to do on the housing front. But there are certain things that you do need Congress for, and what he is doing is calling upon all Members of Congress, Republicans and Democrats, and the American people to engage in this conversation.

So, for example, come the end of September, right now a lot of Republicans are threatening to shut down the government. The President is saying let's try and work together so that we enact a jobs agenda instead of threatening to essentially create uncertainty and dysfunction throughout the economy. So, it is true that you've got within the Republican party in the Congress a very extremist, uncompromising bunch -- but that is why it's important that the country be engaged in this conversation. So this isn't about campaigning. This is about having a conversation with the American people, so they will also communicate to their Members of Congress.

ROBERTS: As soon as we see them when they get home in August. Congressman Chris Van Hollen, thank you. I appreciate it.

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