'Meet the Press' transcript for August 17, 2008

MR. GREGORY: Let me turn to Governor Jindal and Senator McCain.

In some of his ads, this is how he's talking about America today, watch.

(Videotape, campaign ad)

Announcer: Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago.

(End videotape)

MR. GREGORY: That's a pretty direct swipe at President Bush, isn't it, Governor?

GOV. JINDAL: Well, you know, Senator McCain has a long history of bucking his own party, his own president, whether it was fighting against earmarks, wasteful spending, and he's got a long tradition of standing on principle for what he believes is right. Unlike Senator Obama, he's for all of the above when it comes to our energy solutions. You know, Senator Obama's been out there saying he wants to increase taxes on coal, on natural gas. He said nuclear energy is not the right answer for America. He says that he doesn't want more domestic oil and gas production off our coast. When you look at taxes, I think a lot of American viewers will be surprised to hear that Senator Obama thinks people making $42,000 are wealthy. He voted for a Democratic budget that raises taxes on folks making $42,000. I don't know where he is on taxes. He's been for increases on Social Security payroll taxes, for increasing taxes on investors, for increasing taxes on seniors. The details change. It's either the top 1 percent, 2 percent, 5 percent.

MR. GREGORY: All right, but...

GOV. JINDAL: But it's clear he's for raising taxes. Senator McCain's for cutting taxes.

MR. GREGORY: Governor, do you agree with Senator McCain that America's worse off than it was four years ago?

GOV. JINDAL: Clearly, we've got some very severe economic challenges. You look at the high cost of fuel, the housing crisis.

MR. GREGORY: Right.

GOV. JINDAL: You look at the high cost of food. Certainly, we've got challenges facing our country. I think Senator McCain, because he has long fought against the wasteful spending in Washington...

MR. GREGORY: Right.

GOV. JINDAL: ...I think many conservatives were disappointed that Republicans, both in the White House and in the Congress, didn't control spending, but Senator McCain for years has fought members in his own party...

MR. GREGORY: Right.

GOV. JINDAL: ...and in the Democratic Party to cut spending...

MR. GREGORY: Do you...

GOV. JINDAL: ...to cut corporate welfare and cut earmarks.

MR. GREGORY: You've talked about the crisis within the Republican Party, that it lost its way, that it used to be the party of big ideas. And now you back Senator McCain. What's the big idea Senator McCain is campaigning on?

GOV. JINDAL: Well, I think there's several, but certainly when it comes to domestic issues, he understands the energy crisis is probably the biggest economic obstacle we face and he understands that it's not one silver bullet, that we do need more domestic oil and gas production. We do need nuclear power. We need clean coal. We need conservation. We need renewables.

MR. GREGORY: But those were Bush-Cheney big ideas in 2000. Where are the new big ideas of the Republican Party that John McCain is, is championing?

GOV. JINDAL: But you have not--you've seen gridlock in D.C. You've seen one side push only for oil and gas and you've seen the other side saying "no drilling." What you're not seeing is an aggressive push to get all of that done. Senator McCain's talking about dozens of new nuclear reactors. He's talking about the Lexington Project in terms of cutting edge research to break America's dependence on foreign energy. There's been a lot of good talk out of Washington, there hasn't been enough action. Clearly when it comes to addressing our economic crises, Senator McCain understands we need to have more independence, lower, more dependable--lower cost energy, more dependable energy, but also lower taxes. He's got a proven track record of fighting wasteful spending. And on health care, he understands we don't want the government running our health care, we need to make it more affordable. He's proposed refundable tax credits so American families can afford their own health care without having a bureaucrat tell them how they should get health care.

MR. GREGORY: Governor Jindal, would you like to be vice president?

GOV. JINDAL: No. I've got the job that I want. I'm voting for Senator McCain. I'll certainly do what I can to help him get elected. I'll do it as governor of Louisiana. We've got six taxes, toughest ethics laws, we're growing jobs, lowest unemployment rates in 30 years, so we've got a lot more work down here in Louisiana.

MR. GREGORY: So if he asked you to be on the ticket, you would say no?

GOV. JINDAL: He's not going to ask. We've already said in private and public...

MR. GREGORY: But...

GOV. JINDAL: ...we've got the job that we want.

MR. GREGORY: Right.

GOV. JINDAL: I don't want to be vice president. I'm not going to be the nominee.

MR. GREGORY: So you're rule--but you're ruling yourself out?

GOV. JINDAL: I'm going to be governor, hopefully, for two terms.

MR. GREGORY: Little bit of window still open there.

GOV. JINDAL: No, no. No window's open.

MR. GREGORY: There's no window.

GOV. JINDAL: Let's make that clear, no window's open.

MR. GREGORY: You're out. You're out. OK.

Governor Kaine, you have been mentioned as being on the short list of Senator Obama.

GOV. KAINE: And my mom loves that. Let me say that my mom loves that.

MR. GREGORY: And, in fact, there have been--there's been reporting though that people close to you have said that there have been serious conversations. Those conversations continue?

GOV. KAINE: I'm not going to talk about conversations with the campaign.

MR. GREGORY: OK.

GOV. KAINE: But as you know, I've been a co-chair with Senator Obama since February '07 because I knew his vision for getting this nation back on track is what Americans would embrace.

MR. GREGORY: And you would accept the job.

GOV. KAINE: Here's what I say. I didn't sign on to get anything about it or to get--to be appointed to anything, and I think it's very unlikely, but I've told Senator Obama I'm going to help him in whatever we--way he thinks I can be helpful. I think my highest and best use is right in Virginia, a state that hasn't gone for a Democratic candidate since 1964 where the polls right now show a dead heat and Virginians very enthusiastic about Senator Obama's vision for an improved economy and a, and a more strategic tough, smart, national security policy.

MR. GREGORY: And perhaps a preview of Republican attacks against you. This was Karl Rove, former senior adviser to President Bush...

GOV. KAINE: Karl Rove?

MR. GREGORY: ...who talked last week about the prospect of you on the ticket. Let's watch.

(Videotape, Sunday)

Mr. KARL ROVE: With all respect again to Governor Kaine, he's been a governor for three years, he's been able but undistinguished. I don't think people could really name a big, important thing that he's done. He was mayor of the 105th largest city in America. So if he were to pick Governor Kaine, it would be an intensely political choice where he said, "You know what, I'm really not first and foremost concerned with is this person capable of being president of the United States. What I'm concerned about is can he bring me the electoral votes of the state of Virginia, the 13 electoral votes in Virginia."

(End videotape)

MR. GREGORY: So a lot of people will look at you and say, "Is he capable of being president?" Are you?

GOV. KAINE: David, I'm not running, so I'm not going to make a case for myself. But let me tell you what that shows, is that Karl Rove doesn't know much about Virginia. Virginia's been named the best state in America for business the last three years. Now maybe to Karl Rove and the Republicans, business climate doesn't make a difference. That would explain a lot about the last eight years. Governing magazine just said we are the top performing state government in America. Maybe to Karl Rove and his friends, government performance, competent administration, being able to respond to an emergency isn't important. To Virginians it's important. Education Week in 2007 said we are the best state in America for a child to be raised if a child wants to have a successful life. Again, to Karl Rove, that may not be an accomplishment, maybe children's futures aren't that important. We have a very solid state that cares about results and because of that, this race is in play and people are embracing Senator Obama's message.

MR. GREGORY: Let's talk about one of the issues that would important on the campaign trail, and that is abortion.

Governor Jindal, this week Senator McCain indicated that he would be open to a pro-choice running mate like former Governor of Pennsylvania Tom Ridge. As somebody who opposes abortion rights, conservative in the party, do you think that would be a mistake that would hurt Senator McCain?

GOV. JINDAL: Look, I think people will end up voting for who's running for president. The bottom line is this: Senator McCain has a pro-life record. He said he'll have a pro-life administration. What's most important to me as a pro-life voter is what kinds of judges will the next president appoint to the Supreme Court. Are they going to be judges that will read the Constitution or will they be judges that will try to create laws? This Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling struck down a death penalty case for Louisiana, a death penalty law in Louisiana for child rapists. We don't want activist judges that will be creating law instead of just reading the Constitution.

You know, last night Senator Obama had a chance in a church in California to talk about abortion. He said he opposes late-term abortions. His voting record says different. He's always voted for those things. I wish he would just say honestly he's pro-choice, he's not a pro-life candidate. With Senator McCain, we know he's pro-life. There are two men running for president, two major candidates on the ticket. We have more--as a pro-life voter, I certainly have more confidence in the judges that Senator McCain would appoint to the Supreme Court.

MR. GREGORY: But Governor, Governor Kaine, on this issue you are not entirely palatable to the left in the Democratic Party because you do support restrictions on abortion in Virginia. Would that be a political liability for, for Senator Obama?

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