MTP Transcript for Nov. 5

During the MEET THE PRESS debates on this program, Senator Dole, Mike DeWine, Republican, Ohio, said Secretary Rumsfeld, no confidence; Michael Steele, who you were praising moments ago, Republican candidate from Maryland, said Rumsfeld must go. Would it be helpful, in order to pull the country together after these elections, that there be a change at the head of the Pentagon?

SEN. DOLE: No. First of all, let me say that our candidates all speak from their, their own views. They—we have no set of talking points for our candidates, they speak their minds. They’re independent, they’re not rubber-stamped. Whether it’s Mike DeWine or whether it’s Mike McGavick or whether it’s Michael Steele or whoever else it might be. So that rubber-stamp, I want to shoot down right now because they speak...

MR. RUSSERT: Yeah, I, I never used the word. But I asked...

SEN. DOLE: No, you didn’t but my friends on the Democratic side did.

MR. RUSSERT: My question was...

SEN. DOLE: I...

MR. RUSSERT: My question is, would it be helpful for the country after these elections...

SEN. DOLE: I, I stand by Donald Rumsfeld. He...

MR. RUSSERT: OK.

SEN. DOLE: And the president. He serves at the, at the pleasure of the president.

MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe it would be helpful for a change at the top of the Pentagon?

REP. REYNOLDS: First of all, the Army Times editorial is written by it’s Gannett-owned newspaper, which is well-positioned in other editorial comment relative to the war. And so the editorial writers may be coming from Virginia vs. from the military, particularly because it’s owned by Gannett.

Second, Donald Rumsfeld serves at the pleasure of the president. And this isn’t about Donald Rumsfeld, it’s about the aspect of a war on terror. And it’s interesting to listen to my colleague Rahm Emanuel talk about some sort of unity in the House. They have struggled for months in order to put together a position on Iraq. They could not, and therefore they abandoned it.  There’s no position following Jack Murtha, there’s no position following Nancy Pelosi, there’s no position following Ike Skelton. There are no positions publicly by the House Democrats on the direction of Iraq.

SEN. SCHUMER: The leadership of the House endorsed the position that I just talked about, that 39 of the 44 Democrats voted for, calling 2007 a year of transition. It was signed by Nancy Pelosi...

MR. RUSSERT: You, you’ve talked about Iraq, but I want to raise one other issue about the Democrats, because it’s on the minds of some voters, and that is what they’ll do if they win. Until May, John Conyers, who would become chairman of the Judiciary Committee, had this on his Web site. He said, “Stand with Congressman Conyers. Demand an investigation of administrative abuses of power and make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.” Is that what it’s going to be, the Democrats, get together, investigate...

REP. EMANUEL: Absolutely not. Absolutely not. We’re going to, we’re going to pass an increase in the minimum wage, direct negotiations for lower prescription drug prices, the 9/11 Commission recommendations to make America safe, redirect the $12 billion given to big oil toward energy independence.

MR. RUSSERT: No investigations into Iraq.

REP. EMANUEL: We’re going to have oversight, because that’s what—one of the problems with the Congress when it came to the audit of the inspector general...

SEN. DOLE: So there’ve been, there’ve been 85 hearings.

REP. EMANUEL: We’re going to have hearings and oversight. It will not lead to—we will not take on impeachment. We will not do that.

MR. RUSSERT: Impeachment’s off the table?

REP. EMANUEL: Will not happen. And we’ve said that.

SEN. SCHUMER: Totally...

SEN. DOLE: Let me just say, Tim, my...

SEN. SCHUMER: Totally off the table.

REP. EMANUEL: But Tim, let me say one other thing. The Army Times has joined the 12 generals who said Rumsfeld should go.

MR. RUSSERT: All right. OK. OK.

SEN. DOLE: Tim...

REP. EMANUEL: And I can’t believe of all the people you would pick is to give Don Rumsfeld’s job security.

SEN. DOLE: ...my friend has talked again and again about what—all these issues that we’ve not had a chance to, to address. For example, the, the facts...

MR. RUSSERT: Everybody’s had equal time. Believe me. We’ve timed this out.

SEN. DOLE: Let me just say, the economy. You keep talking about...

MR. RUSSERT: But we, we have to—here’s what we have to do. I know, but we can’t. I know. Here’s what we have to do, and before we go, though, in all honesty, who—and whoever is the farthest...

SEN. SCHUMER: (Unintelligible)

MR. RUSSERT: ...whoever is the most wrong—whoever’s the most wrong...

SEN. DOLE: No, you had a chance to talk about minimum wage.

MR. RUSSERT: ...$100 for the Boys and Girls Club of Washington, D.C.

REP. REYNOLDS: You got it.

REP. EMANUEL: You got it.

SEN. SCHUMER: Oh, geez.

MR. RUSSERT: How many seats for the Republicans?

REP. REYNOLDS: I won’t count the seats, but I believe we have a great opportunity to hold the House by turning the vote out.

MR. RUSSERT: That’s your prediction.

Will you win the House?

REP. EMANUEL: I’d rather be us than them.

MR. RUSSERT: Will you win the House? For the Boys and Girls Club.

REP. EMANUEL: I’m going to help the Boys and Girls Club regardless because if you need a Democratic majority, will be there.

SEN. DOLE: We’ll maintain the majority in the United State’s Senate.

MR. RUSSERT: She’s on the line.

Will you win?

SEN. SCHUMER: We’re right on the edge of taking back the Senate. We’re going to be happy Wednesday morning.

MR. RUSSERT: OK. How many seats do you have to net gain to take control of the Senate?

SEN. SCHUMER: Six.

MR. RUSSERT: Six, right?

SEN. SCHUMER: Right.

MR. RUSSERT: See how Schumer said six? Let me show you 39 years ago, the high school program, “It’s Academic.” Let’s watch. Let’s watch.

(Videotape from “It’s Academic” May 13, 1967):

MODERATOR: And now, let’s introduce our teams in this semi-final match. From Brooklyn, New York, James Madison High School: Janet Schwartz, captain Chuck Schumer and Barry Levine.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: Now wait. Listen, listen...

SEN. SCHUMER: Now, do you know who the moderator was?

MR. RUSSERT: Listen to this question and this answer. Here we go.

(Videotape from “It’s Academic” May 13, 1967):

MODERATOR: What number is the factorial of...

SEN. SCHUMER: Six.

MODERATOR: No.

SEN. SCHUMER: Six.

MODERATOR: You’ll try anything, won’t you?

(End videotape)

SEN. SCHUMER: Do you know who was the moderator of that? Cokie Roberts.

MR. RUSSERT: As it should be. So you’ll say “maybe.” You say “definite.”

You say “definite,” you say “maybe.” The Republicans seem more confident.

SEN. SCHUMER: Oh, no, we just—you don’t want to give it a jinx. And we’re feeling, we’re feeling good, Tim.

REP. EMANUEL: Hey, we’re—Tim, Tim, Tim...

SEN. SCHUMER: Hey, Tim, I want to say one thing. If you would’ve told us 2005 that we’re going to pick up a whole lot of seats, I would’ve said never.  We’re doing great.

REP. EMANUEL: Tim, as Sid Luckman said, the old Chicago Bear, never spike the ball on the 20-yard line.

SEN. SCHUMER: You got it.

MR. RUSSERT: We don’t talk about Chicago Bears on this program.

REP. EMANUEL: Yes, we do...(unintelligible). Yes we do.

MR. RUSSERT: We’ll see you Tuesday. We’ll be right back. Go Bills.

(Announcements)

MR. RUSSERT: Stay with NBC News, MSNBC and msnbc.com for extensive election coverage this Tuesday. Network coverage begins with Brian Williams on the “NBC Nightly News,” continues with the “Decision 2006 Special Report,” 10 p.m.  Eastern. Of course, full coverage all day and night on MSNBC and msnbc.com.

That’s all for today. We’ll be back next week with a full review of what happened on the midterm Election Day of 2006. If it’s Sunday, it’s MEET THE PRESS.

REP. EMANUEL: Not us, man.

MR. RUSSERT: Yeah.

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