NBC: "Meet the Press" - Transcript: 2014 Elections
Interview
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CHUCK TODD:
Well, there you have it there. A fascinating way for that man to end. Let me bring in Senators Chuck Schumer, Democrat from New York.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
Hi.
CHUCK TODD:
Rob Portman, Republican from Ohio. You guys are obviously knee-deep in the election. You're part of the NRSC. You, of course, number two in the leadership. Let me run through our polls very quickly in these battleground states. Let's start with South Dakota, very quickly. Excuse me, we're going to start with Iowa. Bruce Braley at 46%, the Republican there, at 49%, three point lead there for Joni Ernst.
Colorado, another close race, Cory Gardner, Republican, 46%, the Democrat, Mark Udall, 45%. Look at this one in Kansas, the independent still holding the lead. A month ago, we showed a ten-point lead. Now it's down to one. Greg Orman there, Pat Roberts sitting at 44%. Some surprises in the South.
Closer races in places going in different directions. North Carolina, Kay Hagan in a dead heat with Republican challenger Thom Tillis at 43%. Many Democrats believe Hagan still holds the lead. And things are closing in Arkansas with our poll, given Republican challenger Tom Cotton just a two-point edge over Democrat incumbent Mark Pryor, 45%, 43%. Some people thought maybe this race would be put away by now.
Then there's South Dakota. We thought we'd check in on this one since there was some chatter that maybe the crazy three-way race was making an unusual result. That's not the case. Republican Mike Rounds is still way out in front, double-digit lead over the Democrat there Rick Weiland and former Republican Senator Larry Pressler, who's running as an independent, gets 16%.
CHUCK TODD:
Senator Schumer, you guys are the ones on the defensive here. We're nine days out. How do you hold the Senate?
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
Well, I think we will hold the Senate. You know, I know all the pundits are saying Republicans will take the Senate. Democrats are going to prove the pundits wrong on election day when we keep the Senate, three reasons. First and foremost, economic issues predominate. Ebola's in the news, ISIS is in the news, but the average voter, every poll shows far and away, cares most about economic issues.
They tend to beat the Democrats on economic issues like minimum wage. Like equal pay for women. Like not sending jobs overseas predominate. Second, we have a much better ground game. You can add two to three points at a minimum.
CHUCK TODD:
For all of them?
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
For each of those race. Just about every one of those races. So if it's 44, 43, we're probably ahead. And third, as the race get down to the final moments, the voters focus on the two candidates. Not on the national referendum. When the two candidates are compared almost inevitably, we do better. So economic issues, better ground game, better candidates will put us over the top November.
CHUCK TODD:
Senator Portman, why is he wrong?
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
Well, but you believe he's right. You know, it's not the pundits who are saying the Republicans are going to get the majority, it's the voters. And your polls show it. Also--
(OVERTALK)
CHUCK TODD:
It's tight though.
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
Well, it's tight, but the voter intensity is on our side. You were in Iowa. And you saw that with early voting in Iowa, Republicans are winning. That's never happened before. All the polls show that, you know, this is going to be a good year for Republicans. It's a good environment for us.
We've talked earlier about the incompetence that some people feel about the Obama administration. And that's catching up to them. And people are asked, you know, "What do you think about the president," in your poll today. And you know what they said? He gets less than 40% approval in all those states.
And when the president goes on national TV and says, "You know what, this is about me. These are my policies, all my policies are on the ballot." And when he further says, "And by the way, all these candidates who are trying to distance themselves from me, they all vote with me. And they all want to vote with me." So it is a national election. And Republicans are great candidates. We get the enthusiasm on our side. And look, people are looking for a change, Chuck. They don't want the status quo. And a change is changing the side.
CHUCK TODD:
I let you both go long on that first question, but I want you to keep it tighter here when we go to these things. What is the difference? Why do 51 Democrats matter more than 51 Republicans? What really will matter in the next two years? And the same question is going to be for you. What's the real difference between 51 Republicans and 51 Democrats?
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
It does matter. Two words, Supreme Court. You need the majority--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
Not all. But you asked. One reason, Supreme Court. The money that's cascading into our system. If the Supreme Court continues to be the way it is, and there's a vacancy and they buttress that, will the subject to these few people just dominating the elections for decades to come. The Supreme Court on voting rights makes a huge difference. The Supreme Court on women's issues makes a huge difference. Supreme Court.
CHUCK TODD:
Senator Portman, what's the real difference for the last two years of the Obama administration with 51 Republicans?
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
Getting stuff done.
CHUCK TODD:
Really?
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
What your polling shows--
CHUCK TODD:
I mean, I just, you know, there's a lot of skepticism--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
The only way things can get done is with changing majority. If you continue to do what we're doing, we're going to have the dysfunction in Washington that we've got right now. Nothing getting done. We aren't doing budgets. We aren't helping people getting jobs. I was just at a jobs fair in Ohio, and ran into a lot of people who are working part-time, two or three jobs, been out of work for months. What they're saying is, "We need a change."
CHUCK TODD:
John Kasich claims the economy's doing really well in Ohio.
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
Well, it's doing better in Ohio than the nation right now. But it's facing the headwinds from Washington. So Washington needs to get its act together and start passing stuff. If you get a Republican majority, Chuck, it will get the president to the table. And we'll begin to solve some of these big problems.
(OVERTALK)
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
That's what people want to see.
(OVERTALK)
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
--by the way.
CHUCK TODD:
--a Republican majority.
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
Number one issue in your polling is the gridlock in Washington. If they want to change things--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
--for the Republican.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
And aided in large part by Republicans in the Senate and the House that create gridlock, then blame the president--
(OVERTALK)
CHUCK TODD:
So let me stop you there.
(OVERTALK)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
--and block everything we do. And you do.
(OVERTALK)
CHUCK TODD:
Speaking of who's in charge, I want to play you something here about how candidates feel about Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid. Take a listen.
(BEGIN TAPE)
DEBATE MODERATOR:
If he were elected and if he is reelected, will you support Mitch McConnell in Kentucky as the leader of the Republicans in the U.S. Senate?
DAVID PERDUE:
That was a yes or no. And my answer is no Jim.
CHUCK TODD:
To you, Senator Warner. Harry Reid's the best person to lead the Senate Democrats, yes or no?
SEN. MARK WARNER:
Listen, I think he could perhaps do better in both parties moving forward.
(END TAPE)
CHUCK TODD:
I've got nearly a dozen Democrats, Senator Schumer, a dozen Democrats who are saying, "You know what? I don't know, I'd like somebody else different than Harry Reid." Is Harry Reid bigger than the majority? Greg Orman, of Kansas, says he will not be with the Democrats if Harry Reid is the Senate majority leader. What say you?
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
I say then Harry Reid will run for majority leader and he will win with an overwhelming, probably very close to a majority vote.
CHUCK TODD:
Senator McConnell, I'm hearing the same thing from other Republicans. "Look, he's not out of the woods, he can't put his race away." But Greg Orman says he will not sit with the Republicans if Mitch McConnell's in charge. Is one man bigger than the potential majority Republicans?
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
No, but I think Mitch is going to win in Kentucky. By the way, you're the one that he said that she had disqualified herself, her opponent, by saying that she wouldn't tell people whether she voted for President Obama or not. And so I think he's been--
(OVERTALK)
CHUCK TODD:
Well, I meant that voters might think that at the time. But to go back, you know--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
I think Mitch is going to win, I think he'll be the leader.
CHUCK TODD:
But should he be the leader?
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
Yeah, I think he should. But here's the--
CHUCK TODD:
The two of them have shut down the Senate. You don't believe that?
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
No, here's the important point. By changing the majority, having the House and Senate working together, and working with the president, we can begin to solve problems. And the biggest problem right now is jobs and the economy. And we need to give it a shot in the arm and we can. Let's do tax reform. Let's actually do something on energy. Let's agree to the Keystone XL Pipeline, the big--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
Let me say--
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
--project in American--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
--should happen right away.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
On the issue that--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER:
--most to American people on jobs, raising minimum wage, equal pay, stop sending jobs overseas, helping kids pay for college, the Republicans have said no on each of those. That's why we're going to win the election. And that's why if they win, we'll be totally in gridlock.
CHUCK TODD:
I'm going to have to--
(OVERTALK)
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
--office, we want the jobs to be--
(OVERTALK)
CHUCK TODD:
I can tell you this, the voters here think it's all going to be gridlock no matter what. That's your real challenge there. Senator Schumer, Senator Portman--
SEN. ROB PORTMAN:
Time for a change though.
CHUCK TODD:
--thank you both. Coming up, is our democracy for sale? And are those billionaires who spend all this big money on the campaign good for that money? Right after this.
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