‘Meet the Press’ transcript for Sept. 9, 2007

MR. RUSSERT:  “It is my intent.” There’s now a phone call that he made to a incorrect phone number, there was a voice mail on it, and recorded it, before he made his comments, and this is what he said.

(Audiotape)

SEN. CRAIG:  We’ve re-shaped my statement a little bit to say, “It is my intent to resign on September 30.”

(End audiotape)

MR. RUSSERT:  So he intentionally left some wiggle room, perhaps, to fight this and not actually resign by saying, “It’s my intent, but I didn’t say I would.” His staff is now saying, “Well, he probably is going to resign.”

David, John, what can you tell us?

MR. BRODY:  Yeah, I mean, I think it’s the double flip-flop.  I mean, you know, resign, and then “I’m not going to resign.” It just—it’s all over the place.  But the reality is, what this does in the 2008 election—and I don’t think it goes all the way up to the presidential level—but from a congressional election standpoint, I mean, you have a real issue here because the Democrats can say, “Look, Vitter, Foley, Craig now,” and what they’re going to do is they’re going to say, “Listen, these values aren’t necessarily working for the Republicans, and instead, look at our values.” And I think as long as it’s kept on the table, it clearly helps the Democrats.

MR. HARWOOD:  Tim, everybody’s wondered, when this scandal erupted, why no compassion for Larry Craig?  Why did nobody step up and defend him?  Good question.  Because it is a tragedy for, for him as an individual.  But the reason is Republicans are so scared about the 2008 elections.  They’ve got so many Senate seats to depend—to defend.  Chuck Hagel is leaving, John Warner’s leaving.  This is making things much harder for them.  And the nightmare is extended until Larry Craig walks out the door and says, “I’m really quitting.”

MR. RUSSERT:  Will he resign?

MR. HARWOOD:  I think he will in the end.

MR. RUSSERT:  Do you think he’ll resign?

MR. BRODY:  Yeah, I, I think so.  I mean, I think he really has no choice at this point.  He’ll probably say he has a choice, but I mean, the reality is—and to be a fly on the office of Mitch McConnell right about now, the Senate minority leader, I mean, my goodness, can—Craig can’t get out of town fast enough.

MR. HARWOOD:  Except he’s saying that publicly, too.

MR. BRODY:  Well, that’s true.

MR. RUSSERT:  David Brody, John Harwood, thanks very much.  And we’ll be right back.

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