MSNBC’s Mitchell Tries to Get Sen. Cory Booker to Attack Christie over Mop Comment
RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
MITCHELL: "Well, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is surveying damage across the state. Senator, first of all, your reaction to the way the governor handled this."
BOOKER: "I don’t think this is the time, where the bolthead D everything. Not a time for politics. I’ve been touch with the governor himself and his team since before the storm, during the storm, after the storm. State, local leaders were all just pitching in. We don’t care about presidential politics right now. Just a lot of tough things going on right now in this neighborhood."
MITCHELL: "Certainly, New Jersey residents are reacting. Some who we spoke to. Let me play some of that for you."
[clip starts]
UNKNOWN MALE: "He should get down here and just take a look. So then he’ll know what he’s talking about. He’s not in touch with what’s going on. I lost my truck too back here an just called my insurance agent for the truck and I was just telling her about what Christie was saying and said, yeah, I know. It’s making my sick to my stomach. For him to say, you want me to come down with a mop? You don’t need a lot more than a mop."
[clip ends]
MITCHELL: "It does sort of raise questions. Why does the governor, who did so well showing his bipartisan and response to superstorm Sandy take the risk of going back to New Hampshire before taking care of business in South Jersey?"
BOOKER: "Again, Andrea, I can’t speak to where he wants to be. The reality is my focus is on really addressing some of the concerns that gentlemen had. We talk to families in this neighborhood who are looking for help with FEMA and their insurance companies and denying claims. There’s a lot of work to do here. I’m happy to be here with Republican congressmen. I’m happy to be here with the local mayor. We’re going to roll up our sleeves and do the best for the people who need us. The chief of staff called numerous times, not about politics or press but how they can help us get the job done and there’s a great partnership going on right now between the state and the federal government to try to assess to see hopefully if we qualify far disaster declaration to be released from the area. The partnerships are so important right now, I don’t want to strain them with politics. People here really need help and I want to make sure they get the help they deserve."
