'Meet the Press' transcript for June 1, 2008

MR. RUSSERT:  When you left, there was a big party for you in the Roosevelt Room.  Here are some pictures.  You're standing there with staff, and you're with your family.  The president throwing his arms around you in this next photo.  Everyone seemed very, very happy.  When you left on April 19th, you announced you're leaving, this is what the president had to say.

(Videotape)

PRES. BUSH:  One of these days he and I are going to be rocking in those chairs in Texas talking about the good old days of his time as the press secretary, and I can assure you, I will feel the same way then that I feel now that I can say to Scott, "Job well done."

MR. McCLELLAN:  Thank you, sir.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT:  It seems as if everything's jolly, happy.  You're not the least bit disenchanted?

MR. McCLELLAN:  I, I tell you, I have--I continue to have a lot of affection for the president.  I--as I say, this was a struggle to write.  These were not easy words to write, but I have a responsibility to the American people.  I have had a career in public service.  This book is an extension of my career. I was raised on the values of speaking up and making a positive difference in a very political family that believed in the importance of public service. And that was taught to me at an early age, and now this is my time to share my experiences with the American people.  And I think others should come forward and share their candid insights about what they learned and what they, what they lived and what they learned from it.

MR. RUSSERT:  Some have suggested because you were part of the propaganda machine that sold the war, that many people have died and been injured because of the war, you should donate some of the profits from this book to the families of the victims of the Iraq War.  Will you do that?

MR. McCLELLAN:  I intend to.  I do intend to.  I've already...

MR. RUSSERT:  Significant?

MR. McCLELLAN:  ...made that decision.  I--a portion.  I don't, I don't know what I'll do, Tim, but a portion, I do intend to do that.  My wife and I look for ways to always support the troops, including sending care packages regularly to them.

MR. RUSSERT:  What's the most important lesson you've learned?

MR. McCLELLAN:  The most important lesson is that it's important to speak up of--at the time.  And I was young, and I probably should've spoke up--spoken up about some of these issues sooner.  And I think that's...

MR. RUSSERT:  The...

MR. McCLELLAN:  The, the other lesson is, you know, if you're in a situation like that--well, I mean, one of my, one of my biggest mistakes, I think, and I blame myself for this, was I put myself in the position of unknowingly passing along first--false information.  I should've never put myself in that position in the first place.

MR. RUSSERT:  And should you be willing to resign if you disagree with the president?

MR. McCLELLAN:  Yes.  I think, I think, I think people should, if they have a strong disagreement.  Again, my disagreements--I had different views while I was there.  These are views that I've come to after leaving the White House and reflecting to a large extent.

MR. RUSSERT:  Scott McClellan, the book "What Happened:  Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception." We thank you for joining us and sharing your views.  And our viewers can read an excerpt from this book on our Web site, mtp.msnbc.com.

Coming next, Florida and Michigan, Puerto Rico, Montana, South Dakota.  Obama vs. Clinton, the battle goes on.  With us, Obama supporter, former Senator Tom Daschle; Clinton adviser Harold Ickes.  They are next, coming up right here only on MEET THE PRESS.

(Announcements)

MR. RUSSERT:  Harold Ickes of the Clinton campaign, Tom Daschle of the Obama campaign, a huge weekend in Democratic politics--the race for the White House continues after this station break.

(Announcements)

MR. RUSSERT:  And we are back, joined by Harold Ickes, senior adviser to the Clinton campaign and member of the DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee.  They met yesterday and decided to fully seat the disputed delegates from Michigan and Florida, giving each delegate a half a vote.

Mr. Ickes, welcome.

MR. ICKES:  Nice to be here.

MR. RUSSERT:  You were not happy at the end of that meeting.  Let's show our viewers what you had to say.

(Videotape)

MR. ICKES:  There's been a lot of talk about party unity.  "Let's all come together, wrap our arms around each other." I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, that hijacking four delegates, notwithstanding the flawed aspect of this, is not a good way to start down the path of party unity.

Mrs. Clinton has instructed me to reserve her rights to take this to the Credentials Committee.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT:  Does that mean you're going to take this fight to the convention?

MR. ICKES:  Haven't decided yet, Tim.  I have not had a chance to talk with Senator Clinton at any length about it, and obviously this will be a big decision.  But her rights are reserved.

MR. RUSSERT:  Barack Obama, as I understand it, had the votes to have the Michigan delegation divided 50/50.  But in the interest of party unity, agreed to another formula, which gave Senator Clinton more delegates than he did.

MR. ICKES:  Well, the 50/50 would have hijacked nine delegates.  They would have taken nine delegates from Hillary.  And at one point I said, "Why not--why, why stop there?  Just take them all." There's no basis in, in--in any reasonable way, there's no basis for taking any delegates from her. Yesterday's resolution took four delegates from her.  It violates a fundamental precept of our delegate selection rule, which is fair reflection.

MR. RUSSERT:  Here's what baffles me.  Back in October, when Senator Obama and other Democrats took the names off the ballot in Michigan, Senator Clinton kept her name on, but she said this to National Public Radio:  "You know, it's clear, this election they're having in Michigan is not going to count for anything." That's what she said back then.  And now suddenly, when you need the delegates in order to catch up to Obama, everything should be counting.

MR. ICKES:  Well, you know, I guess the, the simple response to that, Tim, is, one, circumstances do change.  But Senator Obama took his name off the ballot, but he was eager to get all 55 uncommitted yesterday, took them willingly.  Argued for them, took them and, in fact, reached over and grabbed another four from Hillary.  So here's a man who took his name off the ballot and said, `Give me the delegates, and give me four others from my opponent.'

MR. RUSSERT:  But Michigan was not a real primary.

MR. ICKES:  Michigan was, in fact, a real primary.  Six hundred thousand people voted, Tim, compared, compared, compared to 160,000 in '04, which had a high--which had a real, live primary as well.

MR. RUSSERT:  Then why did Senator Clinton say it wasn't going to count for anything?

MR. ICKES:  I think at that time people were focused on Super Tuesday, and a lot of us did not feel that it was going to go beyond that.  But the fact is, Tim, it did count.  And the important thing--some good things came out of yesterday.  One, they were seated.  Two, they will be represented at our convention.  Three, the 600,000 voters in Michigan and the 1.7 million in Florida will have a voice at our convention.  And we picked up some additional delegates.  We picked up another 24 delegates.  So some good thing--a lot of good things came out of that.

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