Full Interview: Sen. Hillary Clinton

Katie Couric Interviews Clinton About The Primaries, The Gas Tax And What The Voters Are Asking

(CBS)  Katie Couric spoke with Sen. Hillary Clinton on the eve of two closely contested Democratic primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. She explained how her gas tax relief plan is different from John McCain's and argued that she is the best candidate to beat him in November.

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KATIE COURIC: So let me start by by asking you, Senator Clinton, you dismissed opposition to your tax gas holiday by economists as elitist, but a new CBS poll finds that about half of all voters also think it's a bad idea. And many think it's politically motivated. Do you think this proposal will end up hurting you more than helping you?

HILLARY CLINTON: No, not at all. In fact, a lot of people don't understand that I'm not proposing that we don't replace the revenues that would be lost. That's Senator McCain's position. In fact, I'm saying we should make the oil companies pay the gas tax this summer out of their record profits so that we don't make the deficit bigger. We don't deplete the highway trust fund.

But all across Indiana and North Carolina people are responding because they're living with it. You know, they're looking at their own economic situation, they're their personal economist, and they're saying, "you know, we just can't deal with this."

If they're truckers, if they commute long distances, if they have to use their truck or their vehicles for their job, like farmers do, it's really a burden. And there is no contradiction between providing immediate relief by trying to give folks, on average, it would be $70 - for a lot of people it would be a lot more, because they drive more - while at the same time we try to get a president who's actually going to declare energy independence and start us on a path to get off our dependence on foreign oil.

COURIC: But, Senator Clinton, a lot of people say it would be a lot less money than $70 for those three months, and Senator Obama said earlier today your plan's a gimmick. It's phony, and rather than helping consumers it will just lead oil companies to raise prices. And, by the way, it would never pass in Congress.

CLINTON: Well, number one, I think we've gotta start going after the oil companies. Senator Obama supported a gas tax holiday without paying for it three times when he was in the state senate. So I'm really focusing on what we can do to give people immediate relief, Katie.

I don't see this false choice that Senator Obama and others set up between, oh, we've gotta wait for the long term. Get a president in January. Oil hit $120.21 a barrel today, I'm convinced that energy traders are manipulating the market.

I would launch an investigation by the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission. I would close what's called the Enron loophole which leaves these traders totally unregulated. So there's a lot that I would do.

But providing this direct relief, number one, according to the Department of Energy, would be about $70. But, number two, let's start standing up for the vast majority of Americans again, when the Federal Reserve and the Treasury bailed out their (unintel) to the tune of $30 billion I didn't hear all this hand wringing.

You know, there were folks who were basically being, you know, given an opportunity to avoid the consequences of what they had done, which caused a lot of trouble for everybody else. The people I'm talking to who drive every day for a living, they're just looking for a little help. Because gas is up, groceries are up. They feel really squeezed. and I think they need a president, and they need advocates in public life, who are gonna take on the big interests like oil companies.

COURIC: Yesterday you said we should move on from Reverend Wright, but your campaign continues to raise this issue with superdelegates. So are you telling the public one thing and superdelegates something else?

CLINTON: No, that's just not the case. Our campaign responds to questions and concerns of those that talk to us, voters. A lot of voters on rope lines raise it. I say, "let's talk about the economy, let's talk about healthcare, let's talk about education."

COURIC: You have a lot of superdelegates raising it?

CLINTON: Well, well, it's not, you know, the press has done a pretty good job keeping this in the news for more than a week. Let's talk about, how this is on the minds of a lot of people. It's something that is in the atmosphere. But I have consistently said that I want to run a campaign on the specific proposals that I have put forth.

I've been going across this country talking about solutions. I want to be a problem solver. I think I'm the best candidate. I believe I'd be a better candidate to beat John McCain, and I think when voters, superdelegates, anybody really looks at what's at stake at this election, they should vote for somebody who would be commander-in-chief on day one and end the war in Iraq...

COURIC: But…

CLINTON: …and be the president who turns the economy around, that's what I'm offering.

COURIC: But, Senator Clinton, are superdelegates raising the issue of Reverend Wright with your campaign?

CLINTON: Katie, I know the people across America have thought about this, like they think about everything else that comes into the atmosphere. So, of course, people talk about that. They talk about a lot of things, but what people talk to me about are gas prices and grocery prices and jobs, and trying to make sure that their kids have as good a future as they've had.

COURIC: After tomorrow there will be more superdelegates up for grabs than elected delegates. You need the vast majority of these remaining superdelegates to become the nominee and yet, even since your victory in Pennsylvania, Senator Obama has picked up 22 new ones. You've only gotten 13. Why is that?

CLINTON: Well, I think we're making a lot of progress and many people are waiting to see what happens in the remaining contest. Which I think is a, you know, smart idea. I now have more people who have voted for me, if you include Michigan and Florida, and those were legally officially certified elections, so I sure include them.

Two point three million people voted in those elections, so more people have voted for me. The delegate race is very tight. Neither of us can get to the nomination without getting a lot of delegates, but I think people are going to ask themselves, number one, who'd be the best president, who has the ability to beat John McCain, and I think they'll look at, you know, where we stand when it comes to the votes of - those who actually cast them over the course of the last month.

COURIC: But, Senator Clinton, in fairness, Senator Obama's name wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan.

CLINTON: That was his choice. Nobody made him take - cross his name from the ballot. I kept it on because I happen to think the people of Michigan deserved a chance to have their voices heard and their votes counted. We agreed only that we wouldn't campaign, and I didn't campaign, and in both cases, the voters said, wait a minute, we want to be part of this process. It's a very significant election. We want to be on record as saying who we think should be the nominee and the president. And I think the Democratic party has to come to terms with the fact that two of our biggest, most important states that Democrats sure have to try to win in the fall, deserve to have their votes translated into delegates. And I'm hoping that that happens soon.

COURIC: And, finally, Senator Clinton, when I spoke with Senator Obama earlier today, he said that your argument about attracting working class white voters is the only argument you have left. And that he has won these voters in critical states like Iowa, Wisconsin and Virginia, so have you really cornered that market?

CLINTON: Well, I think it's always important to look at the facts, and to look at this, at the states that I've won. If we had the same rules as the Republicans, which keep their eye on the prize, which started its electoral college in November, I would already be the nominee, because I have won a majority of the delegates from those big states.

That's not the rule, we're playing by the rules, but I want Democrats to really focus on who is best able to win, and I have a very broad coalition of women and working people - people who get up every day and work hard, who we have to try to win back from the Republicans - hispanic voters, young voters in a lot of states where I did better. So, you know, I think that I can make a much stronger case that I go into the race against John McCain much better positioned to actually win in November. That's what we're gonna be talking about, and that's what eventually will have to decide after we finish all of these elections.

COURIC: Will you stay in the game no matter what happens tomorrow?

CLINTON: Well, I never make predictions. We're gonna wait and see how the people of Indiana and North Carolina decide. I started out so far behind in both of these states, they're really must-win states for Senator Obama. He has told other, everybody for several months that he would win both of these states. We've waged vigorous campaigns. We've, I think, made up some ground. We're gonna see what happens tomorrow.

COURIC: Senator Hillary Clinton. Senator, thank you.

CLINTON: Thank you.

[wolfi101]

Hillary was an absentee landlord here in NY. She promised us in Western NY 200,000 jobs --- then promptly ignored us. ( We''ve probably lost at least that many since then. )

And I have to say, that I often laugh disturbingly to myself, when the main proponent of NAFTA calls herself the workers'' candidate.

[pepperwood2]

I like others thought Hillary had what it takes. She didn''''t let us down. She took the low road of bitterly attacking & bashing Obama & Rev Wright and close to a $500,000,000 dollars of contributions and still counting.

Bill, Chelsae, Rendell & the Campaign Committee really won. They got paid up front. Millionaires many times over.

After all she is still there for us. That is, for all the Fund Raisers. 35 years experience has PAID off for the Clintons. ITS ALL ABOUT ME. Wheeeeeee this is FUND time. I''''m just warming up.

"Don''t forget the Superdelegates are on my side and their not happy that Obama doesn''t know his place." Soooooo Sad what the Clintons & the Old Guard Demos have done to the Democratic Party & its not over yet.

[acolton1]

Yeah for HILLARY CLINTON, I would love to see her in the White House for 8 years. She is the only one who can clean up all the huge mess the Bushies have made out of the USA.

[acolton1]

McCain is out of touch with the Middle Class of America also, he is OLD SCHOOL WASHINGTON DC GOP and nothing will change. Just another Bush 3rd term. American needs somebody who can fix what the Bush Administration has jacked up which is pretty much everything and anything Grorgie has touched. His wife LAURA can''t even say the word SENTENCE correctly. Laura Bush says it SENNENCE, Laura Bush you looser there is a T in that word. The Clan of Retards from Crawfore Texas the Bushies.

[acolton1]

GOOD FOR Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, a Democrat is going to take this election by a huge LANDSLIDE victory because GEORGE W. BUSH and his Administration and the Republican party have ruined everything and given George W. Bush a blank check to spend for 6 years of his adminsitration and our current president is OUT OF TOUCH with Reality and the Middle Class of Americans. President Bush is a Coward and will blame the next president for any failures in IRAQ. News Flash Geroge W. Bush your an IDIOT and have had a failed IRAQ strategy since day one. You have driven the US currency to it''s lowest point in history and caused this down turn in the economy and the world economy its all to blame the Bush Administration for so many COUNTLESS FAILURES. GEORGE W. BUSH AND HIS ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS THE WORST PRESIDENT AND ADMINSITRATION OF ALL TIME. All Loosers and Liers send his entire Clan of BUSHIES back to the *** Group Home They Came From in Crawford TEXAS where retards belong.

[craigh9]

Keep grinding that organ Rowdy, and keep your monkey dancing - Obama knows it doesn''t work by experience - something Hillary claims to have in such abundance that she fels qualified to ignore hundreds of economists regarding this issue.
She is the ultimate say/do anything politican to capture a vote - hopefully the people of Indiana and NC are smart enough to see throough her ruse.

[rowdytexan2]

Hahahahaha! Obama''''s still out there touting that the gax tax vacation is scheme, when everybody knows he supported it THREE TIMES in his own state! NOW he claimes it didn''''t work just so he can try to make Hillary Clinton look bad!

Obama also voted for Cheney''''s oil and energy plan allowing US oil companies access to oil on federal lands with basically NO royalties paid to the government for the oil!

THEN he proposes we give $845 billion EXTRA to the Global Poverty ACT, which will have to be paid for with a $.35 to $1.00 additional federal gas tax increase!

Not only that, The Global Policy Act requires that participants ban small weapons, subverting our 2nd Amendment rights!

Obama is a FOOL if he excepts to have any CREDIBILITY WHATSOEVER!


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Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 02:28 PM : May 06, 2008

[mgck59]

Obama has been declared a smart man, from what I''ve heard a shrewd thinker,(considering those that support Hillary have almost basically been tagged illiterate). Did he not think Wright would ever be a liability or did he think we were all just stupid? Obama stood on National TV and declared US racists without making any reference toward his own accountability for his racism..took nerve! Oprah must have known something from what I gather she attended for only a short while.....She figured it out real quick. As a black woman I am offended "Had this been a White candidate and it been revealed that he attended a radical, racially, motivated organization for over two decades... the media would have crucified him....Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan would have been on EVERY major TV station DEMANDING the DNC to get his IMMEDIATE removal...They would have had marches up and down Pennsylvania Ave declaring the unjustness of it all...what is the difference with Obama? If Obama wasn''t running this campaign on race then, he should be scrutinized the same as any other candidate....NO PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT, NO BREAKS JUST BECAUSE HE''S BLACK! He shouldn''t want it any other way.........IF he''s an honorable man that is.

[liar-clinton]

Is Hillary really for the common man and woman?

1) Hillary voted AGAINST the Vitter amendment which PREVENTS the government from confiscating guns from law abiding citizens during emergencies or martial law. Interestingly Obama voted for it and for the rights of gun owners.

2) The Clintons recently revealed on their tax returns that they had amassed fortunes of 109 million dollars.

3) Hillary was instrumental in pushing FOR and getting NAFTA passed which has been a disaster for American workers. According to documents released by the National Archives, Hillary in 1993 attended at least 5 meetings that were used to win approval of NAFTA by Congress and these documents detailed her role in promoting NAFTA while she was first lady.

4) Hillary along with the Republicans voted for the Iraq War which have taken billions of our tax paying dollars out of our pockets and put them into the pockets of oil companies and defense contractors.

[craigh9]

craigh9. You say that you are still mystified as to why people in Michigan and Florida are upset with Obama......That''''s odd, Because over the last several weeks at least a dozen people here have explained it to you.

Well, I''''ll go over it again with you.

TO DENY THE VOTE TO THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA OR ANY OTHER STATE FOR ANY REASON AT ALL GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING THIS COUNTRY STANDS FOR.

Obama or anyone running for President should know that. Of course they probably don''''t teach American History in Indonesia. And evidently they don''''t teach it here anymore along with Government and Civics. No wonder younger people think its perfectly ok to "punish" people by taking away their vote. My God People....That''''s Communism!!!!!!!!

Of course that fits right into Obama''''s way of thinking...He thinks MalcolmX was great. Yeh, a great Marxist/Communist along with his Rev. Wright. They are all by the way into the Black Liberation Theology taught all over the world that Whites still own Blacks and Blacks should kill the Whites to get there freedom. Listen closely because if Obama get the nomination, this is all you''''ll be hearing from the Republicans!!
Posted by truthyness at 08:50 AM : May 06, 2008

WOW - and you lay all this on Obama because.....?

Hillary agreed you shouldn''t count, she sold you down the river, she didn''t give a hoot about you or your vote - until she needed you - she is a sham, its time you realized that

[truthyness]

And *** the media for not reporting what they know about Obama. Credibility must not mean a whole lot to you anymore.

[truthyness]

liar-clinton, Wise of you to change your post.

[truthyness]

See the post by "liar clinton". This is the garbage I''m talking about. This country is way too good for people like this person. Go through these posts and you''ll get a real good idea of just what kind of people Obama appeals to. The arrogant, the disrespectful, the uneducated, the unappreciative, the freeloaders, people who know nothing about what a a wonderful country this is.

That reminds me, when Obama flipped Hillary the finger after the last debate.....Is that the kind of president this country wants? What kind of a man is he? Even though I know the opportunity will
never arise, nothing would bring me more satisfaction than breaking that finger of his into a million pieces.

[liar-clinton]

Clinton''s are LIARS. will not get my vote ever. No matter what.

[truthyness]

And in case you folks don''t pick up on this in my previous post...YES! I''M MAD AS HELL!!!! And if Obama gets the nomination, I''M REALLY GOING TO BE MAD FOR A HELL OF A LONG TIME AND I''M NOT GOING TO BE QUIET ABOUT IT EITHER!!!!

I''LL BE DAMNED IF I''M GOING TO JUST STAND BY AND LET PEOPLE WHO DON''T EVEN DESERVE TO BE IN THIS COUNTRY DESTROY IT.

[truthyness]

craigh9. You say that you are still mystified as to why people in Michigan and Florida are upset with Obama......That''s odd, Because over the last several weeks at least a dozen people here have explained it to you.

Well, I''ll go over it again with you.

TO DENY THE VOTE TO THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN AND FLORIDA OR ANY OTHER STATE FOR ANY REASON AT ALL GOES AGAINST EVERYTHING THIS COUNTRY STANDS FOR.

Obama or anyone running for President should know that. Of course they probably don''t teach American History in Indonesia. And evidently they don''t teach it here anymore along with Government and Civics. No wonder younger people think its perfectly ok to "punish" people by taking away their vote. My God People....That''s Communism!!!!!!!!

Of course that fits right into Obama''s way of thinking...He thinks MalcolmX was great. Yeh, a great Marxist/Communist along with his Rev. Wright. They are all by the way into the Black Liberation Theology taught all over the world that Whites still own Blacks and Blacks should kill the Whites to get there freedom. Listen closely because if Obama get the nomination, this is all you''ll be hearing from the Republicans!!

[craigh9]

It continues to mystify me that people in Mich./Fla are upset with Obama?
1 - Where is your outrage at the state political bosses - they made the decision to move away from a lawful election even though they knew the consequences. They are all still in power to my knowledge, how about a little accountabilty on their end.
2 - Those states should assess each of the other primaries. With small exceptions (mostly due to the negativity spewed by the Clintons) Obama has increased his numbers as he campaigned in each state - the fact that Florida didn''t vote largely for him nor Michigan (although he wasn''t even on the ballott) can be directly attributed to the fact that he didn''t have an opportunity to get his message out to the voting public - in fact Florida mirrors the original Clinton lead nationally that has now disappeared into a shortfall. Had campaigning occurred in Fla/Mich it is highly likely that the voting would have been quite.
3 - Why no outrage at Hillary. She agreed to not have the primary acknowledged (albeit when she had a huge lead and it was advantageous for her to minimize opportunities for others to catch her) then makes an about face when she needs to close the huge lead by Obama. Why no concern over that?

You have bought into another Clinton Style political game - she sold you down the river when she didn''t need you - then twists things so you feel grateful that she is "speaking up for you" - get a grip Michigan and Florida - your being played.

[leighg1]

Obama is not interested in negative campaign. The Republicans would have Hillary''s Bosnia trip footage played everywhere every day, and nobody can deny that she was a flat liar in that. If Obama does that, she would have been totally crushed.

[leighg1]

All economists agree that there is ZERO saving to consumers!!! The suspension would only hike oil company profits! Besides, the suspension would cost 7000 construction jobs in NC because of the lost $9 billion highway fund!

The trouble is not she got the problem wrong, but she got it wrong purposely to fool the voters.

150 Economists, including 3 Nobel Prize Winners, issued an open letter May 2 opposing suspension of gas tax for the summer and called it a bad public policy. The letter says "Signers of this letter are Democrats, Republicans and Independents.%u201D

Link for the open letter here:
http://www.politico.com/static/PPM43_080502_list_gastax.html

[leighg1]

Hillary always goes her own agenda in any interviews to spin the facts, and never address the questions. She really thinks the voters are dumb