Rahm Emanuel on Bernie: ‘Makes No Sense’ To Throw out Dem Playbook that’s Worked 6 Times
RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
[Clip Starts]
BLOOMBERG: “The second Obama election, I wrote a very backhanded endorsement of Obama saying I thought he hadn’t done the right thing, hadn’t been good at the things I think are important and Romney would be a better person at doing that. Romney didn’t stick with the values he had when he was governor of Massachusetts.”
[Clip Ends]
HENRY: “That’s Democratic candidate for president Michael Bloomberg calling his 2012 endorsement of Barack Obama backhanded in newly resurfaced audio. Rahm Emmanuel is here. Author of the new book the nation city, why mayors are now running the world. Michael Bloomberg spending all the money. Some ads are about he is best friends with Barack Obama and all this new audio comes out. He is saying bad stuff behind closed doors. What is going on with this guy?”
EMANUEL: “One view here look, Mike Bloomberg has it coming and will have to defend it. Bernie will be asked if he wanted to primary Barack Obama. One of the big uproars almost every candidate was throwing Barack Obama under the bus. A lot of them have to explain given that the former president, not just with Democrats 95%, well received among the country as a whole. Policies advanced on both climate change, healthcare, economic stability, as we remember, Ed, you covered it. The country was close to one of the worst — it was in the worst recession, near depression. What he did to save the auto industry. I think all of them came to the idea late, the idea of attacking the former president was popular, not exactly the way to the nomination.”
HENRY: “Your book is all about mayor’s getting things done. Bloomberg ran the city of new York and came to the campaign debate unprepared.”
EMANUEL: “He has been off the campaign trail and it showed. Running around to the aspen institute doesn’t get you ready for what is — this is the NBA. If you can’t handle a debate stage the Oval Office isn’t easier. Number two on the whole case. I talk about mayors, it is center of gravity where government and people believe where you live, work, play, schools, services from transportation, local government mayors are the ones that deliver that. Former mayor of London prime minister now. Today’s field has three mayors, no governors. More mayors running for president at any time.”
HENRY: “But guess what? The guy in the lead right now, the front-runner of your party —“
EMANUEL: “Former mayor of Burlington.”
HENRY: “Former mayor, but he’s a socialist Democrat. And front page story of ‘The Washington Post’ today about all these past comments praising communist leaders. He’s doubling down today on supporting Fidel Castro, the former Cuban dictator. Is your party ready to put up somebody who supported communists?”
EMANUEL: “Look, he will have to answer this. This is what was, in my view, malpractice in Vegas. Everybody was angry and hitting on Mike Bloomberg, whose name wasn’t even on the ballot. The guy who was on the ballot and who was the front-runner left unscathed. Taking issue that you guys on this channel have a different view, which is having done the assault weapon ban in the Brady Bill for the President Clinton, here is a guy, two years ago in Vegas, worst mass shooting in American history, has the support of the NRA and nobody touched him about where he was on the assault weapon —“
HENRY: “Michael Bloomberg had the opportunity.”
EMANUEL: “Everybody did. So here’s what I would say. You’ve had six national elections that Democrats, since 1992, have won the majority, building a suburban and urban coalition. Bill Clinton both elections, Barack Obama both elections, the ‘06 congressional and 2018. Why you would take that playbook that has succeeded not once, six times, throw it out and try something not center left, but just left, it makes no sense.”
HENRY: “That’s what I want to get. You mentioned I covered you when you were White House chief of staff and in Congress —“
EMANUEL: “And you covered the president.”
HENRY: “I covered the president, but you were there. You were along for the ride.”
EMANUEL: “I tried to block you. Let me be really clear.”
HENRY: “In all seriousness, you were trying to move the party to be more moderate. Now you have a socialist Democrat. It’s not just him. On that stage, benefits for illegal immigrants, they raise their hand. Are you worried about the future of your party?”
EMANUEL: “I think I’m worried more about the future of the country. I think Democrats have shown how to win. I think we’re being reckless with taking that success. And there is a real argument here. Let me back up. I’m breaking myself mid-sentence. One view is the country is dramatically changed since 1992. The other argument is, we’ve had six successful elections where we won national elections, both presidential and congressional. There are three Democrats in the last 100 years, presidents, who won reelection: Roosevelt, Clinton, and Obama. Only two of them are alive. Why we would take their playbook both on winning and ousting somebody tells me we haven’t learned any of the lessons.”
HENRY: “You dedicate this book to your father. You are a proud Jewish American.”
EMANUEL: “That’s a cheap shot.”
HENRY: “You dedicate this book to your father and Bernie Sanders is calling people at aipac bigots.”
EMANUEL: “I have disagreed with aipac.”
HENRY: “You don’t call them bigots.”
EMANUEL: “No, but they shouldn’t determine America’s foreign policy in Israel.”
HENRY: “Will a democratic socialist lead foreign policy with your party?”
EMANUEL: “Aipac has a voice, the democratic process. It doesn’t represent all the Jewish community. My father when he passed away at the funeral he kept a postcard downstairs that postcard was a picture of the boat that brought him to this country. And it was a reminder to all of us how fortunate we were to be born here, raised here and make the most of it. He was proud of one other thing, that America embraced a Jewish family and without restrictions to achieve the highest goals in medicine —“
HENY: “Emotionally about him as your mentor. Good luck with the book. Thanks for coming in.”
