Transcript Of Howard Dean On Meet The Press

NBC ^ | May 22, 2005 | NBC News, Meet The Press

[echoBoomer]

MR. RUSSERT: Let's go right to it. The Republicans say on Tuesday that if the Democrats do not stop filibustering their judicial appointments made by President Clinton--President Bush, they will change the rules for the filibuster. What will that change mean?

DR. DEAN: I think the change will be dreadful for American democracy, and I think it's going to be, frankly, very bad for the Republican Party. One of the great geniuses of American democracy, unlike most of the democracies in the world that minority rights are protected, 48 percent of us didn't vote for President Bush, but we still have some say in shaping the agenda of the country. If the filibuster is gotten rid of, the extended debate is gotten rid of in the Senate, first of all, it means the president can put 10 judges on the bench that we believe are not qualified to serve. We've confirmed 205 of his judges. He wants those last 10, so they're willing to change the rules to do it.

But it has much worse implications. The president has a Social Security plan, which is kind of out there. He basically wants to turn over Social Security to the same kind of people who gave us Enron. Privatization is something the America people don't support by a very large margin. Without extended debate, he can march marshal his party and just ram it right through. They already ram things through the House. We need more than one party in charge. And the vote on Tuesday is going to be critical to decide whether American democracy still allows those of us who didn't vote for the president to have any say in running the country whatsoever.

MR. RUSSERT: The Republicans say the filibuster rules being changed would apply to...

[Dan from Michigan]

Please don't put this on all 50 states unless it's a specific state or local matter. Thanks.

[South40]

I saw the show. Mr. DNC wouldn't admit Bermie Sanders of Vermont is a socialist even when Russert reminded him Sanders is a self-described and admitted socialist.

Russert nailed him on several issues only to let him weasel out of it every time. Somewhat disappointing but not unexpected.

[Michael Goldsberry]

I had the misfortune to be driving when this aired and actually to have listened to it.

I found myself loudly "speaking in tongues" at the radio.

[leadpenny]

Wow, Tim made him look foolish. Hope the MSM isn't too tough on Dean, the Democrats may get rid of him.

[AGreatPer]

That was a one hour Democratic Infomercial two days before the vote. They did say they will a Republican on for an hour in two weeks. Thank you Mr. Russert.

And I thought Wolf Blitzer was a bad interviewer. Tim Russert was the worlds worst today.

[InABunkerUnderSF]

...And most of all Lord, thank you for making Howard Dean Chairman of the Democratic Party.

[SquirrelKing]

LOL!

Too funny.

[Unam Sanctam]

If the filibuster is gotten rid of, the extended debate is gotten rid of in the Senate

How dishonest! A filibuster is not the same thing as extended debate. A filibuster potentially means there endless debate and no vote.

[Brilliant]

MR. RUSSERT: You said in December of 2003 that we shouldn't prejudge Osama bin Laden. How can you sit here and have a different standard for Tom DeLay and prejudge him?

DR. DEAN: To be honest with you, Tim, I don't think I'm prejudging him...

That was worth the price of admission right there.

[browardchad]

But the thing that really bothered me the most, which the 9-11 Commission said also wasn't true, is the insinuation that the president continues to make to this day that Osama bin Laden had something to do with supporting terrorists that attacked the United States. That is false. The 9-11 Commission, chaired by a Republican, said it was false. Is it wrong to send people to war without telling them the truth. And the truth was Osama bin Laden was a very bad person who was doing terrible things, but that Iraq was never a threat to the United States. That was the truth. It was underlined by the 9-11 Commission, headed, again, by a Republican, a well-respected group of people. I don't think you send American men and women to war, first of all without properly equipping them, and secondly without telling the truth to their parents about why it is we're asking them to make that sacrifice. So those are the kinds of things that I think are very bad about the Republicans.

What a doofus. He can't even get the names straight on national TV. Imagine this guy as POTUS -- "Wait -- don't push the butoon! I didn't mean THAT button!"

[Luke21]

Yeah, I used to have a boss that was a super mushhead lib. Back in the 80's I used to tell him that all the media did was interview Democrats. He told me I just wasn't watching at the right time when they gave Republicans equal time.

[CarolinaGuitarman]

"And the vote on Tuesday is going to be critical to decide whether American democracy still allows those of us who didn't vote for the president to have any say in running the country whatsoever."

I guess he forgot about the other two branches of government. What an Ass...and let's all keep our fingers crossed that he stays on as DNC chairman during the next couple of election cycles :)

[Milhous]

I think it's going to be, frankly, very bad for the Republican Democratic Party.


YEEEEEAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

[byablue]

We need more than one party in charge.
I'm sorry but where does our Constitution address protection of multiple "Parties." We could have 50 Senators with no "Official Party" affiliation. The Constitution sets up Congress as made up of elected representatives from the states. Nothing about being representative of the Parties. Why doesn't Dean form the Idiot Party? Never heard them say anything like that when they were juggling Senate rules in the 70s and 80s. Which, incidentally they put through by simple majority. Ted Kennedy said they could based on 1969 precedent. Nothing about super-majority then. They're just suckin' on a pickle.

[byablue]

From MSNBC Transcript:
This is a rush transcript provided for the information and convenience of the press. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
I guess that's so they can do a re-write. Replace it with the script of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, have a screening of the film on Senate floor. "See - this is what we're supposed to be doing!" Training film for freshman Senators.