Newark Mayor Cory Booker appeared on our show tonight, in his first interview since saying on Meet the Press that negative campaigning by President Obama and Mitt Romney was "nauseating"
A rush transcript of key bits from his conversation with Rachel follows.
On deciding to talk about the story:
CORY BOOKER: I was doing no interviews, and it wasn't until the GOP went across that line that I said forget it I've had all I can stand and I can stand no more, so thank you for giving me a chance to be on tonight.
RACHEL MADDOW: What is the line that they crossed that made you feel that way? What is it about the way they have reacted to this that made you change your mind about talking about this issue again?
BOOKER: Anybody who watched the entire Meet the Press, not only was I defending Obama's positions on numerous issues, but I also talked about super PAC money and the negative campaigning and my outrage and really my frustration was about the cynical negative campaigning, the manipulating of the truth and so here they are plucking sound bites out of that interview, to manipulate them in a cynical manner to use them for their own purposes, and that slogan is really what had me, and basically my entire staff, really fit to be tied.
On staying active in the Obama re-election campaign:
BOOKER: As far as where my heart is right now I am very upset that I am being used by the GOP this way and it's, uh, while I thought today I was going to be quiet, I've been pushed so far that you are going to hear a lot from me to the extent possible and to the extent that President Obama and his campaign want to hear from me.
On Republicans saying he has been a victim of the Obama campaign and that he was forced by national Democrats to issue clarifying remarks:
BOOKER: For anybody that knows me and really knows my career, I've been an independent Democrat for a long time, standing up on issues, and actually have been comfortable to say I disagree with the president before on marriage equality, and now he stands for that issue. But the reality is that the Barack Obama team in the White House and their political team have been good to me for many, many years. I've worked with them early in the primaries in the last election. They have never pressure me to do anything. They've done but encourage me. And in this case in particular, I certainly did talk with campaign officials, but they didn't force me to do anything. They had good conversations with me.
And after having conversations with them, especially after hearing the President's remarks on this issue where he was not condemning all of private equity, he was not condemning any particular firms, he was focusing in on a guy who's bragging about his job creation record -- to me, I think that's fair game. All of those things made me say, you know what? I need to go on and clarify because obviously I did things in the Meet the Press interview, as I told you, that did not land the points that I was trying to make and in some ways, you know, frustratingly, I think I conflated the attacks that the Republicans were making with Jeremiah Wright with some of the attacks on the left, and those can't even be equated. The noxious nature of some of the attacks that we've seen to be going on our president, where you even poll many in the GOP who still believe he's a secret Muslim and these other thing. It's gotten so ridiculous, you can't even equate the negativity on the right with what's happening by some sectors in the left.
So, at this point, I'm grateful for the president, who came out today and said very kind words to me. Many more cynical folks in his camp probably wanted the president to go on the attack on me. God bless him because I think his team listened to the totality of what I was doing, heard me defend the president on Meet the Press on health care, heard me defend him on job creation, heard me defend him on doing tax reform to actually help people in my community in Newark, New Jersey. And it's a partnership I'm going to continue to have no matter what role they want me to play. I play it proactively, not reactively, to them.
The full transcript of the interview is posted here.
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Rachel - Not your best work. Booker screwed up and he's lost a great deal of credibiity. The President's platform is clear - if he didn't understand the President's position -he should have kept his mouth shut!
So many excellent comments...I agree with everyone except RobDon.
Rachel kept saying she made news tonight, but she didn't. She didn't even do an interview, just let Cory Booker ramble on self-servingly. They both looked bad. He is disloyal. Her loyalty (to him) is misplaced.
Oops, I also disagree with M. Fehrman - missed that comment first time around. (Just want to be clear that there's no excuse for Booker's performance.)
I watched Cory Booker with a bit of horror yesterday. What he did was equate legitimate debate over Romney's tenure at Bain and the plethora of policies that hurt women with the banal race policies the conservatives want to resurrect. He thinks the "War on Women" is a democratic attack against republicans? Does this man speak for Boehner or President Obama?
I get wanting to give the Mayor a chance to set the record straight, but he also needs to set the record straight on women's issues. He has more to explain.
Rachel looses virtually ALL credibility at least with me in this HORRIBLE interview. She advances a CONSPIRACY THEORY about the GOP in order to come up with a bogus explanation for Cory Booker's all out ASSAULT on the Obama election strategy.
It's all a GOP conspiracy??? What utter nonsense!
Cory is LYING ON YOUR SHOW. He knew exactly what he was doing on Meet the Press.
Holy crap! What a deal. Sometimes you've got to envy the GOP's lock-step marching ability, how they maneuver with such military precision, adhere to such a strict chain of command. Of course, there are fewer of them, and they ARE soulless, still...it would be nice, for once, not to have to try and herd cats.
Here we have the most talented President since FDR, and a few pissy little disgruntled wannabe's decide they need to start bitching.
Like the guy from Oklahoma said, "I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat."
Very disappointed by your water carrying for Booker. I know you are buddies, but to equate the flubs and Luke-warm endorsements with that "surrogate sabotage" is using your analytic skills to parse away the egregious blunder by your old fist-bump buddy. Further, your mock indignation that the others haven't gotten the same media treatment frankly puts your credibility in doubt. The only analogous precedent is Gingrich, but he has "the heat of the primaries" excuse. What is Cory Booker's excuse? "He's his own man." Bull Puckey. He is his own ambition trying, too clever by half, to position himself as "more than a surrogate". His higher ambitions are over. I will not forgive him if there is a President Romney.
@ferdly very well said. I was so involved with my disappointment of Booker and this terrible interview -- that I forgot about the lead in. Rachel and others are known for saying and reporting that the "coverup is worst than the crime." Well Dr. Maddow participated in the coverup.
I've always found Jersey to be an ....... outspoken? state. I like Gov. Christies' style but not his position / politics. Now, here it is ..... everything in one package. Booker is a little bit "Biden" in his enthusiasim and exuberance but his focus on the correct issues and overall courage to say what he really thinks makes him feel "real". RACHEL, thanks for giving him the platform.... maj
Corey Booker's had one self serving purpose when he agreed to go on MTP last Sunday and that was as saboteur not surrogate and he did it with such passion and disdain. He made a deal with devil and is being vetted right now as Romney's back pocket veep. He would be wise to make his official move to the republican party now. Because his future as a democrat is coming to an end. We know that he is a traitor and a snake that cannot be trusted and should no longer be accepted or tolerated. Corey Booker, wants to be Barack Obama. He doesn't even understand what it means to be a "Barack Obama type". The difference between the Corey Booker's and Mitt Romney's of the world and Barack Obama is that Barack Obama genuinely cares about this country and all the people in it. Whereas Corey Booker and Mitt Romney only care about themselves and people that are exactly like themselves and to hell with the rest of us.
As someone who watched Mayor Booker on Meet the Press, I'm again disgusted how Ms. Maddow can spin the truth about what really took place.
Oh my God, Rachel! When I saw you throwing down rose-petals for Cory in your intro, I knew we were in trouble. He chose his venue wisely, you pitched nothing but soft-balls. What a disgrace! And then you lapped up Andrea's praise like a cat lapping up cream. Very sad, I was surprised and disappointed to see this, Rachel...
Booker attacked Obama on purpose. No conflating of ideas, no confusion, Booker knew EXACTLY the sabotage he was perpetrating on the Obama campaign.
Rachel-WTF? we DEPEND on you to ask the tough questions. we don't care how much beer you swilled with Cory Booker in college-that was NO MISTAKE Booker made on MTP Sunday.
Rachel that bunk "off message surrogate" story is total BS-there is no comparing what Booker did Sunday on MTP with other "off message surrogates" cited in the story. That would be like comparing bain attacks on Romney to jeremiah wright attacks on Obama-
NO EQUIVALENCE WHATSOEVER.
Booker did NOT MAKE ANY NEWS on your show Rachel-you ran cover for him with your off message surrogate story while he looked straight into the camera and lied.
Bookers calculated attack on Obama followed by a dishonest walkback is OBVIOUS to all.
Booker can say goodbye to any NATIONAL political ambitions.
Rachel--you can't claim integrity and do disingenuous fox-news type stories and interviews.
I too, was extremely disappointed in Rachel's "interview" of Corey Booker, and I agree with those who say that someone else should have interviewed him. It is obvious that Rachel "fed" questions to Mr. Booker so that he could make his points. I was so disgusted that I turned off the show and went to bed.
I wish I would have seen Meet the Press this week but I missed it. I am eagerly waiting for them to post the whole show on their website.
The one thing I really appreciate about the Democratic Party today is that it is NOT as regimented as the Republican Party and it DOES allow for differences of opinion. Those differences make room for independents like me to find positions we can vote for. If Obama is insisting that all Democrats "toe the line" and only use HIS talking points, the Democratic Party will become just another version of the Republican Party, and independents will leave in droves.
I happen to like Corey Booker, but I liked him a lot more BEFORE this interview!!!
Rachel challenged Booker on nothing. Never asked him about $565K he took from Wall St. and BAIN in his 02 run for mayor. He stabbed Obama in the back and caused permanent damage which romney will use over and over. He plays both sides of the fence and his only interest is personal and political gain. Nothing he said was "taken out of context" like he claims. He attacked every Factual point that Obama is making about romney's Bain experience and his claim that he's a job creator. This was no interview. Rachel gave him a platform to try to undo what can never be undone. This is the reason he avoided Ed Schultz.
Rachel, for the first time I disagree with you. Booker knew his stance on the subject and should've respectfully declined to appear once he saw the talking points; that would've been the honest thing to do. There were no 'gotcha' questions here. Flaunting the talking point pages, as he did, then going on with what he believed was way too self-serving. The issue begs answers to questions about his ties to Bain and that ilk; that would be treating Booker fairly as we do with other politicians. If he is siding with Bain, then WHY? Why isn't that more of the question? Sorry to say I think you were off-base last night Rachel.
Rachel, journalists relentlessly seek to uncover the truth. Last night, you were not a journalist.
This man made a huge mistake, let's leave it at that. He has found himself in an interesting position. The position he has found himself in is the position the Republicans will find themselves in after Romney and his friends are through using them. He was used and exploited, much like the GOP. We are not dealing with amateurs here folks. Large Corporations and banks believe they have the power to rule the World. Romney just wants to be their friend. Booker had no idea who he was getting in bed with. He now knows. He does have a heart we saw that when he rescued a women, he is brave. He has just fallen victim as alot of us have to the brainwashing and the smell of their god "The Almighty Dollar". I myself forgive him. He has the chance here to expose some more evil. In Romneys case he is the Posterboy for deceit, dishonesty, and pure evil. He intends to stay in bed with his bedfellows for a very long time. All he needs to do now is tell the Country he is gay, that oughta keep the evil spirits away.
They talk about diabetes and weight that would mean Chris Cristi should probably loose all that weight, since he is already sickly or on his way to being sick. That would not be acceptable for him to be potentially in the white house with his obesity and driving healthcare costs up when he wants to take away healthcare from everybody else. Chris Cristi it is high time to loose many pounds when you have such foolish aspirations.
Maddow embarrassed herself last night. She became Booker's enabler, allowing him to ramble on about all sorts of other matters (he's for gender equality therefore should be forgiven!) while never addressing his comments straight on.
Maddow prides herself on being a tough but fair interviewer. Last night she was a pathetic shill for Booker. She blamed the whole thing on IOKIYAR and did nothing to address the fact that Booker defended Bain and equated the Rev. Wright bull@!$%# to legitimate questions about Romney's record. Never asked him what the hell was he thinking and never confronted him with his actual comments (a tactic she uses often on other guests).
It's obvious that Booker chose to do the only interview of the day with Maddow because he knew he would not have been confronted. From all the liberal shows on MSNBC Maddow's used to be my favorite. I found myself last night wishing the Ed or Lawrence or somebody else would step in and ask Booker if he realized he will never be able to be seen in the same light ever again. He's now besmirched. And sadly so is Maddow. She also has feet of clay. She's apparently willing to put principle aside and bend over backwards to accommodate a hack friend.
Sad all around for liberals who thought Booker and Maddow had inviolable integrity.
I think it's right and proper to make a list of other fake democrats who think that Mr. Romney should be allowed to tout his stint as a venture capitalist without any criticism:
Cory Booker
Steve Rattner
LZ Granderson
Harold Ford Jr.
Add others at will.
Cory Booker, Hermann Cain, Alan West, Harry Ford, Jr-do not need them. Obama knew Cain and West position; it's the Cory Bookers that you have to watch. My question to Rachel is did you believe the bull Cory Booker was saying. What is the old saying? What you originally said is what you really believe but when he tried to walk back his comments that is the part that is the lie.
Rachel,
You've made us giggle. laugh, and be proud of who we are, but you were spongebob squarepants sucking up Booker's sea-goo last night. Try to fix your mess and please let it be a few more years before you do it again
There are a lot of stones being hurled at Rachel. She simply sat and let this man try to wriggle his way out of this, she gave him the opportunity to do a flip-flop something Romney has mastered. Romney will eventually flop. I don't know about Booker. Honesty is the best policy. Rachel, need not apologize, she genuinely liked this man and was throwing him a rope. I am now throwing Rachel the same rope. Patience is a virtue, it is not in some peoples' make-up to attack. We need to save up our energy for the real culprits. The Greedy people in this world.
The weirdest part was NOT SHOWING the Meet The Press video of Booker before, during or after the interview. Very un-Maddowlike.
Rachel, you are a breath of fresh air, but why did you not ask Cory Booker why he said criticism of Bain was "nauseating", and further why he supports the concept of vulture capitalism? We have managed as a country for hundreds of years without vultures cleaning the carcass of a dying company to make individuals rich.
When in a position like yours, friendships must be sidelined to vigorously pursue a story. In this case, I did not see that vigorous pursuit.
Most of the loyal democrats who have commented here, tweeted, blogged and voiced their outrage AFTER Rachel's opening statement either ignored it, missed it, or didn't comprehend it. Now I'll admit that before TRMS, I voiced my own disappointment about Booker's MTP appearance, but after hearing Rachel state that we democrats have the unique distinction of DEVOURING OUR OWN, it made me immediately rethink my anger and choose to forgive Booker, regardless of his own level of contrition. Why? Because we DEMS really can't afford our righteous indignation when one of our own makes a mistake. We as DEMS can't afford to become slaves to our anger, allowing it to darken our hearts so much that will ultimately allow the GOP to control OUR party. We as DEMS can't afford to lose during this election cycle because if you think the 2010 election results hurt us, you simply won't be able to recognize our country if the GOP take the Senate and the White House.
Those who refuse be fooled again, refuse to back a turncoat like Booker and, as some have suggested Rachel, and refuse to forgive a mistake (regardless of size or scope) are actually doing far WORSE than Booker's MTP segment could ever do. Why? Well, look at what happened to Rep. Anthony Weiner. Don't you wish his fervent, staunch liberalism were in the House fighting the BS the GOP are trying to push? He's gone because DEMS refused to forgive him for WeinerGate. Yet GOPers who displayed far more egregious behaviors are still active members of Congress because the Republicans absolutely refuse to do what we do..EAT OUR OWN. The Republicans are more vulnerable today than in anytime in history and we are actually pissing it away because Cory made a mistake? in the name of Seth Meyers, REALLY?
I guess I'll say what Rachel couldn't last night...SHUT THE F UP!
If what you say is true, why didn't it (STFU) apply to Booker as well? You want to use a guy who was a GREAT voice for dems while knowing he was sending pictures of his hard on's over the internets as our line in the sand?
Weiner really screwed up by not fessing up and getting himself into a clinic and staying in office, but can you see the ads against him the next time he ran? I appreciate and respect your love of Rachel, but she took one for the team last night and it was easily seen, not well masked, and cost her credibility with people who ethical behavior matters to.
Yeah, REALLY. I don't want her to become our Karl Rove or BillO. I want her to be bulletproof. She ate a kraptonite sammich last night instead.
And again you simply missed the point. Why is it so hard to STOP ATTACKING OUR OWN? Probably the biggest reason why the GOP remains a viable organization is their refusal to do what we eagerly engage in, attacking our own. You will never see it on FOX and the like. Yet MSNBC and ALL media are still talking about it because WE DEMS are engaging in it. Seriously, with the over reach and the attack the GOP have engaged in against women, gays, "other" religions, and a myriad of other groups, how do they survive? Most Republicans actually vote AGAINST their self interest. ONE reason we will NEVER rid ourselves of the GOP is because they REFUSE to EAT THEIR OWN, while DEMS eagerly engage in the feeding frenzy when one of our own slips and falls. We kick 'em, beat 'em, and try to kill their political career all the while saying, Yeah, we won't tolerate you speaking out against us. Please, look up the words irony and/or hypocritical.
Let me ask you this...What purpose is it serving? What are we getting out of devouring our own? Please answer THAT!
The more anyone raises Bane and Romney, the more it focuses on the very issue Romney wants to avoid.
Wait until the Obama/Romney debates ... I'll wager the list of Bane/Romney victims and their correlation to the dollars sucked out of the lives of working people/families ... will tell the tale.
Booker's view, right or wrong, will cease being a tactical plus for the Romney campaign as more about Bane/Romney arises with attention to Booker. Booker can, successfully or not, walk back his comment, but Romney cannot walk back the factual narrative of the lives he ruined for a bottom line.
As an AZ liberal myself, I need to remind all that on MTP, Booker announced he was a presidential surrogate, and further on TRMS, he did not say he made a mistake on the merits, but only that he was sorry that he linked his vulture capitalism nausea to the republican attack on reverend Wright.
This was not an honest mistake, it was a deliberate attempt to hijack Obama's campaign. Why he said what he said is still an unanswered question. When we get that answer, maybe we can forgive and forget.
Overarch, what purpose does the continued attacks on Booker serve? Really? Please, someone answer that question!!
Nobody will, which is precisely the point. It serves NO PURPOSE BUT TO HELP THE GOP. Can't you see that? Gee, I wonder how angry you'll be when the GOP take the Senate and White House? Will it be Booker's fault, or the thousands on Twitter and online destroying our party from the inside. You people really don't get it, which is really sad.
AZLiberal,
My posts on the Cory Booker incident are not attacks, but rather a recitation of unexplored actions. I would like to know the truth, and the whole truth, about the Cory Booker incident.
I don't believe this is a quaint perspective, as truth casts no shadows.
They serve to keep us on notice that a BIG part of the reason we continue to have problems in the progressive movement is that people who claim to be our champions (Booker, in this case) turn out to be traitors to the cause. I am glad he was outed. I am glad he's been exposed as Joe Liebermann V3. Does this answer your question? In short, when the game was on the line, he moved to the other teams, tanked the free throw when he was given a ladder. He is NOT dependable. Go hide from Karl Rove by yourself.
Yulorta, no it doesn't answer the question, because Booker isn't up for election and your analogy is false. My fault, as I should have asked a more specific question. What purpose does attacking Booker serve in respect to President Obama's election? After all, that's what it's ALL about right now.
Booker is a traitor because he screwed up? I can see someone calling Liebermann a traitor...he ditched the party, but to equate Liebermann's actions to Booker is an overreach on par with the GOP. Please, try again.
BTW, your metaphor's a bit premature, but if DEMS keep devouring our own when mistakes are made, we certainly can kiss this election goodbye. It's distressing that most are being so stubborn that they are blinded to the bigger picture.
Sorry, AZ liberal they just don't get it.
Yeah, and it's sad.