MSNBC "Hardball with Chris Matthews" - Transcript: Government Role in Helping the Economy

Interview

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Now, as much as Democrats are relying on President Obama tonight to help level the playing field, they`re also pinning much of their hopes on the vision of this guy, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York. He is the top leader in party. He`s considered by many as the party`s top political guru.

I do. I put you on a pedestal, Senator.

And here`s my question for you -- what`s the best thing the president can do tonight to save the Senate?

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: Focus on the middle class like a laser. The number one issue in the 2014 elections is not going to be Obamacare and it`s not going to be the deficit -- the two issues that have dominated the last two years.

It`s going to be, which party can best give the middle class hope that the American dream is alive and well. That if they work hard, they`ll be doing better five years from now than they`re doing today.

And right now, I think we have the edge. I think that`s where the president will focus as you said. It won`t be grandiose, it will be very specific and it will divide the two parties. It will show which side people are on. Who`s for the minimum wage? Who`s for the federal government helping out families get their kids to college? Who`s for a trade policy that is for fair trade, not free trade alone?

MATTHEWS: Well, a little birdie told me today the president really believes the stimulus of some kind. He doesn`t have a plan for it. But he does believe we need more demand in our economy.

You`re a Keynesian, I`m a Keynesian. I do believe this economy needs a little push. How the Democrats give it that in a big sense between now and November? How do you push the economy further if it`s lagging still?

SCHUMER: Well, we do need a stimulus, but I`m afraid that our Republican
colleagues have been against that. So the ideas are going to be a little smaller, but ones that are so popular, not only popular with Democrats and independents, but with rank-and-file Republicans, that he`ll be able to get a few of them through.

And, again, Chris, what`s so interesting here is the American people are crying out for someone to talk to their needs. Not to be meshed in the Washington game of who`s wrong, who`s right, pointing fingers. Whoever is able to connect with them and say, I have some plans to help you that get out of this morass, get out of this uncharacteristic lack of American optimism will succeed. That`s what the president`s going to do. That`s what we Democrats are going to do for the next six months in the Senate.

I don`t think the Republican plan, free up the corporations, let them lower their taxes, get red of their regulations, let them go move businesses overseas. Let them pollute the environment. Let them treat their workers poorly is going to work.

MATTHEWS: Let me ask you -- let me throw a hardball down the middle.

SCHUMER: You bet.

MATTHEWS: What`s your party going to do for the parent whose kids are graduating from school, early 20s, they`re walking into a job market that`s pretty rough. How does the Democratic Party position itself to help those young men and women try to get started in this country?

SCHUMER: The president will be able to do some programs. Hopefully, they`ll pass the Congress, that give people the training they need for the jobs.

Let`s say you got out of a community college. There`s a desperate shortage of welders, of people with some mathematical skills who can do these jobs and companies that are going thirsty. We`re going to provide programs to give them those jobs. We`ve done it in New York state.

We got a grant for community colleges to survey businesses. See what jobs they wanted. And then train people. And it`s been hugely successful. Programs like that are going to be replicated nationally.

And they`re common sense. The average person understands that that`s what`s needed.

MATTHEWS: Let`s take a look at President Obama`s approval ratings in some of the states Democrats have to defend in the Senate. Arkansas, 35 percent approval for the president in the Gallup. In Alaska, 34 percent. Montana, 33 percent. South Dakota, 32 percent. West Virginia, 25 percent.

Isn`t that the biggest challenge the president has to re-elect senators in his party --

SCHUMER: Yes.

MATTHWES: -- in states that people won`t vote for him? In fact, vote against him 3-1.

SCHUMER: That is a big challenge. But I would predict if the president does what I said, will his numbers be spectacular, sky high? No. But they`ll be certainly better than they are now, and able to sustain good, strong candidacies.

The one thing that we have going for us, every one of those incumbents you named is a good candidate.

MATTHEWS: Yes.

SCHUMER: They`re really strong. They know their states. They have much more popularity than others.

Kay Hagan had $6 million of negative ads thrown at her. She hasn`t spent a nickel in response and she`s ahead of her opponent. Imagine when she goes on the air and is able to answer some of these ads with a specific plan for the middle class.

MATTHEWS: Well, I hope she does well because for some weird reason, North Carolina, which was moderating over the last few years, has gone hard right again. I don`t know what the hell is going on.

SCHUMER: Yes. But we think it`s gone too hard right and the pendulum is swinging back this year.

MATTHEWS: OK. It`s great to have you on, Chuck. You are the mind of the Senate.

SCHUMER: Good, Chris.

MATTHEWS: Thanks for coming on tonight.

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