MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Debt Ceiling

Interview

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SCHULTZ: And a number of democrats obviously want this brought to the floor. One of them is Congressman Gregory Meeks joins us tonight on the Ed Show. Congressman, good to have you with us.

You know, there`s a lot of talk about -- you bet. There`s a lot to talk about the middle class for what the Republicans failed to point out is that the Affordable Healthcare Act is all about helping the middle class. And so, it`s been one domino after another that`s been knocked down. So, where are we right now? Is a short-term spending bill to reopen the government going to be enough?

REP. GREGORY MEEKS, (D) NEW YORK: But, you know, what Ed, we got to get there, because I`m not even sure that we`re there right now. Because of what I`m hearing is they maybe adding something on. The first thing that we got to get to is a clean bill that represent to the continuing resolution and a clean bill that represent (ph) the raise in the debt ceiling, without that we`re nowhere and there`s nothing to negotiate there, Ed, because what we just simply asking for is to put the American people back to work.

And this is not a (inaudible). This is about a democratic issue or republican issue. Of those 800,000, many are democrats but guess what, many of the republicans, they are middle class. We got to put him back to work and that`s what we need, you know. And so, the republican got to come to that reality.

SCHULTZ: Well, this most recent survey that NBC News and the Wall Street Journal did puts, I think the democrats in a very strong position.

Do your colleagues recognize that? Does that help you draw a stronger line? I mean, it`s a very clear voice, 70 percent of the American people think the republicans are putting themselves in their political agenda ahead of the people.

MEEKS: I think that the line is very clear, that you see if you win the (inaudible) putting their personal issues in front of the country`s issues and that`s why those numbers are so great. And I think that it is time, Ed, for those so called moderates in the Republican Party to stand up and let their voices to be heard, because .

SCHULTZ: So what`s going to move Speaker Boehner? What`s going to move Speaker Boehner?

MEEKS: The people would have to move Speaker Boehner, because the people need to come out into those areas of those so called moderate republicans and say, "Look, your job is on the line, you better go talk to that speaker and the same manner that the Tea Parties are talking to the speaker.

Why are they allowing the Tea Party to role that party? I don`t know. But I`ll tell you the American people are not going to put up with it. And surely the president is not going to get into it. And democrats are not going to give into it. They have to have a clean resolution on the floor, clean bill with a continuing resolution and a clean bill to raise the debt ceiling and then we can move forward. And that has to happen, Ed. And they`re running out of time.

SCHULTZ: They are running out of time. Do you think we`ll default -- I mean, I believe we will. I believe the republicans are not stupid and that determined to hang it on to President Obama. What do you think?

MEEKS: If you had to asked me three months ago or four months ago, I would have said absolutely no. Right now, I say it`s a 50-50 chance, because you`re right about one thing, Ed. Number one, they do not like anything that President Obama does, they want to do the opposite.You know, in fact, you know, you point it out previously, if you say Affordable Care Act, they are for it. But if you say ObamaCare, they`d say they`re against it. That`s what I`m going to point out because ObamaCare, the Affordable Care Act is for the middle class.

SCHULTZ: All right. Going to be an eventful weekend in terms that I don`t think anything is going to happen again, but we`re all on watch. Congressman Gregory Meeks, great to have you with us tonight, I appreciate your time. Thank you. That`s the Ed Show, I`m Ed Schultz. Politics Nation with Reverend Al Sharpton starts right now. Good evening, Rev.

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