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Monday, April 7, 2008

National Journal's Linda Douglass sat down with Rep. Rahm Emanuel for the April 4 edition of "National Journal On Air." This is a transcript of their conversation. Audio of the full show is also available.

Emanuel: Thanks, Linda.

Emanuel: Oh, I only do that for my wife. For everyone else, it's Rahm on a first-name basis.

Emanuel: Well, before you go there, let me point to where I think as you go into every election, you look at your strengths and your weaknesses and that versus your opponents. We have a record turnout among Democrats in all these primaries, mainly because of our candidates and the energy in our party. So if you look at it since 2004, there has been a 98.4 percent improvement in turnout between '04 and '08, showing energy and commitment.

Second, both Democratic candidates for president, congressional candidates, Senate candidates in the two-party apparatus House and Senate -- record fundraising numbers. So both voters and donors are showing energy. We just took the former Republican Speaker of the House's seat in a special election. The Republican nominee continues to market himself as George Bush's cousin. Now, I don't know about the rest of the Democrats, but those are all good things. Those are real strong assets. We have an energized party ready to do battle about the future of this country -- still the party being seen as the party of change versus the Republican Party being seen as the party of the status quo.

Those are good things and I'm not ready to sit around like others and kind of wring their hands and kind of kvetch. I think we have a lot going for us, and I'm excited about the opportunity here. And to the issue of superdelegates and the length of the process and all that -- look, we have two candidates who are having a good, solid debate about who is more credible about bringing change to Washington. We are the party of change and John McCain is literally trying out as a lead role for George Bush's first cousin. And guess what? I'm more than willing to let that happen, more than willing to remind voters that when it comes to a foreign policy, he wants to repeat George Bush's mistakes. When it comes to the economy, to quote John McCain, "that's not really my strong suit." And when the American people are losing jobs, paying more for health care, paying more for gasoline, paying more for college education, their savings are down and their incomes have been flat now for six years, we can't afford on the economy for a person to learn on the job.

Emanuel: You know, first of all, you're talking to a guy who is like 0 for 4 on his predictions about this presidential year, so take it for whatever it's worth. I mean, I thought Iowa was predictive, and it proved not to be. I thought, personally, going into New Hampshire, Barack was going to win New Hampshire given his performance in Iowa and given my first view of the world. Second, is I thought we'd have a nominee by February 5, and third I thought we'd have a nominee before then. So I'm 0 for 4, so let's be clear about that. That said, like a broken watch is right twice a day, I'm bound to get one right now by the law of averages. My own view on this, though, Linda, is that we will have a nominee somewhere after North Carolina and Indiana or by the first week in June -- in that window. I think the most important thing...

Emanuel: Because in the political process, somebody wins, somebody loses. Somebody will become the apparent nominee or front-runner. Here is the other thing that I think is more important -- and that is, if you look going forward, because we are going to make that turn toward the general election and the voters have been very determinative about being pragmatic about wanting to have somebody that can kind of point toward a general election matchup -- that how the person who is not the nominee treats the nominee and unifies the party is the most important player here. And I have a slightly different view than where others are. The -- I'm using the word "loser" -- but the person who places second in this process is probably the most important person in the launch to the general election, because they will play a key role in consolidating the party, unifying the party behind our nominee. And I just believe that process -- somewhat through states, somewhat through votes, somewhat through superdelegates, and somewhat because they are the nominee at that point -- it just kind of happens. The person who comes in second is the most important player in this process, early on.

Emanuel: You know, Linda, I read a lot of data. People see the Democrats as the party that wants to have a change in direction in this country, where George Bush and the Republicans continue to say "stay on the course that we are on," whether that is in Iraq or more importantly when it comes to energy costs, health care costs or income growth. The country is not wrong about the role of government or institutions in this mortgage crisis. But my own view is, there is enough blame to go around. They also do blame parts of what you would call the capital markets or financial markets or whatever phrase you want to use -- there is enough blame to go around for what happened here, and the government does bear responsibility. But in the choice between the change the Democrats are offering and stay the course, George Bush course that the Republicans are offering, people are picking change, and that continues.

Emanuel: Would love to, Linda.

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