November 7, 2010 2:35 PM
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Rendell: Dem Voters "Much More Fired Up"
Following pundits' predictions that Republicans will retake the majority in the House on Election Day, Pennsylvania's Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell said there will be surprises in the midterm elections Tuesday, because liberals have been fired up in the last two weeks.
"If this is a Republican tidal wave, I've sensed a Democratic undertow going against it," Rendell said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday. "Democrats are much more fired up in the last two weeks than people would think."
Rendell said while campaigning in the last two weeks, he's witnessed more enthusiasm from the left, who now understand what's at stake.
"African-American voters … they're on fire because of the attacks by [Senate Republican Leader] Mitch McConnell on the President. They know what's at stake here. Gay voters - they know that they're in the crosshairs. They're on fire. Latino voters in Allentown, Pa., are riled up.
"I think there's going to be some surprises. I'm not saying we're necessarily going to hold onto the House, but I think there are going to be some surprises on Election Day, and particularly in Pennsylvania," Rendell told host Bob Schieffer.
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DNC Chair: No Sign of GOP Wave in Early Voting
Also on the program, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also rejected talk of Democratic defeat ("There's three more days here"), and said voters will ultimately reject Tea Party candidates because they will be deemed ineffective.
"Look at these candidates out there," Klobuchar said. "The people of this country are going to have to decide, do they want to put people in that are going to face these problems - that are going to 'face the nation'? Or do they want to see people who are going to throw a bunch of flames in there and divide the nation?"
When asked why the Democrats and President Obama have suffered in polls, Rendell said, "I think this administration has done a great job. We just did a lousy job communicating it."
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.) disagreed.
"I don't think it's about communication. I think it's about the product they're trying to sell," Pawlenty said. "They're trying to sell something that isn't any good." He went on to describe the economy as "in the doldrums," and said people are reacting negatively to President Obama's health care reforms.
"You have a sense of government is out of control, as measured by spending and a lot of other measurements. So people are angry," Pawlenty said.
Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., said if the GOP wins control of the House, the Republicans will have a mandate to start reducing spending. "That right now is the main priority of the American people," he said.
Rendell shook his head in disagreement.
"Every poll, Bob, shows that's not the number one priority of American people. The number one priority of the American people, as Senator Klobuchar said: jobs and the economy. That's what we've got to focus on, more than anything else," Rendell said.
"And if it means spending money on infrastructure like the President has proposed, and creating thousands of well-paying jobs on construction sites and factories, then Congress better get to it."
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. "If this is a Republican tidal wave, I've sensed a Democratic undertow going against it," Rendell said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday. "Democrats are much more fired up in the last two weeks than people would think."
Rendell said while campaigning in the last two weeks, he's witnessed more enthusiasm from the left, who now understand what's at stake.
"African-American voters … they're on fire because of the attacks by [Senate Republican Leader] Mitch McConnell on the President. They know what's at stake here. Gay voters - they know that they're in the crosshairs. They're on fire. Latino voters in Allentown, Pa., are riled up.
"I think there's going to be some surprises. I'm not saying we're necessarily going to hold onto the House, but I think there are going to be some surprises on Election Day, and particularly in Pennsylvania," Rendell told host Bob Schieffer.
Special Report: Campaign 2010
Schieffer: Frightening Campaign Season
Reading the Election Night Tea Leaves
Thousands Drawn to D.C. "Sanity" Rally
DNC Chair: No Sign of GOP Wave in Early Voting
Also on the program, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., also rejected talk of Democratic defeat ("There's three more days here"), and said voters will ultimately reject Tea Party candidates because they will be deemed ineffective.
"Look at these candidates out there," Klobuchar said. "The people of this country are going to have to decide, do they want to put people in that are going to face these problems - that are going to 'face the nation'? Or do they want to see people who are going to throw a bunch of flames in there and divide the nation?"
When asked why the Democrats and President Obama have suffered in polls, Rendell said, "I think this administration has done a great job. We just did a lousy job communicating it."
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-Minn.) disagreed.
"I don't think it's about communication. I think it's about the product they're trying to sell," Pawlenty said. "They're trying to sell something that isn't any good." He went on to describe the economy as "in the doldrums," and said people are reacting negatively to President Obama's health care reforms.
"You have a sense of government is out of control, as measured by spending and a lot of other measurements. So people are angry," Pawlenty said.
Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., said if the GOP wins control of the House, the Republicans will have a mandate to start reducing spending. "That right now is the main priority of the American people," he said.
Rendell shook his head in disagreement.
"Every poll, Bob, shows that's not the number one priority of American people. The number one priority of the American people, as Senator Klobuchar said: jobs and the economy. That's what we've got to focus on, more than anything else," Rendell said.
"And if it means spending money on infrastructure like the President has proposed, and creating thousands of well-paying jobs on construction sites and factories, then Congress better get to it."
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