Gov. O’Malley on Clinton email controversy: “Our party is being defined by Hillary Clinton’s email scandal & it’s not good for our party & it’s not good for our country.”
Today on CNN’s State of the Union, Governor Martin O’Malley (D-MD), joined anchor, Jake Tapper in an exclusive interview.
For more information, see http://cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com/. Also, text highlights and a transcript of the discussion are below.
MANDATORY CREDIT: CNN’s “State of the Union”
Martin O’Malley on State of the Union: Full Interview
TEXT HIGHLIGHTS
Gov. O’Malley’s stance on the issue of abortion: Well… this was an issue, of course, in my own household, growing up Catholic. And it’s one that—I think every thinking person has to grapple with on a personal level, on a moral level and also on a legal level, when one is sworn to uphold the laws of our country. I am pro-choice. Having said that, I also believe that there are some issues that government is just no good at making for individuals. Among those decisions, the decisions made between women and their doctors.—But, I do believe that all of us can make a lot of strides as a country in reducing infant mortality and eradicating childhood hunger. And that’s the common ground. And that’s the work we focus on, even as we leave to the individual conscience some of these other decisions the government is just no good at doing
Gov. O’Malley responds to former President Clinton’s comments on Hillary’s email controversy: Well, President Clinton loves his wife and the two of them have gone through a lot together. I believe that there are a lot of legitimate questions still to be answered about this particular controversy, the email, the email server, the FBI investigation and the like, which is why it’s so important that as Democrats, we start having debates about other issues, as well. I’m not saying there aren’t legitimate questions to be asked and answered here by Secretary Clinton and her lawyers. But for our part, as a party, we need to talk about the things that will actually get wages to go up rather than down, the issues that people care about around their kitchen tables, like affordable college and how we — and how we make sure that Social Security is strong and is there for the future, how we move America forward to a clean energy future, how we step up in the world and respond to the refugee crisis in Syria. That’s why we need to have debates. Otherwise, our party is being defined by Hillary Clinton’s email scandal and it’s not good for our party and it’s not good for our country.
Gov. O’Malley says Hillary Clinton is someone who puts her “finger in the wind”: I believe that the sort of leadership that actually moves a nation, moves a state, moves a city forward is leadership that states principles and doesn’t wait from focus groups. On the Keystone Pipeline, Jake, I came out against the Keystone Pipeline over a year ago. Why? Because I believe it’s contrary to our nation’s best interests of moving forward to a clean energy future. That’s what real leadership is about. That’s the sort of new leadership people are looking for, not the sort of leadership that waits for poll numbers or for focus groups or puts a finger to the wind to see which way public consensus is going.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
THIS IS A RUSH FDCH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: You just talked about life and every life mattering. How do you personally grapple with the issue of abortion?
O’MALLEY: Well, this was — this was an — an issue, of course, in my own household, growing up Catholic. And it’s one that, of course, I think every thinking person has to grapple with on a personal level, on a moral level and also on a legal level, when one is sworn to uphold the laws of our country.
I am pro-choice. Having said that, I also believe that there are some issues that government is just no good at making for individuals. Among those decisions, the decisions made between women and their doctors.
And so — but I do believe that all of us can make a lot of strides as a country in reducing infant mortality and eradicating childhood hunger. And that’s the common ground. And that’s the work we focus on, even as we leave to the individual conscience some of these other decisions the government is just no good at doing.
TAPPER: Let’s turn to the presidential race. Former President Bill Clinton just sat down with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. The former president was asked for his thoughts on his wife’s email controversy.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There are lots of people who wanted there to be a race for different reasons. And they thought the only way they could make it a race was a full-scale frontal assault on her.
And so this email thing became the biggest story in the world.
I actually am amazed that she’s borne up under it as well as she has. But I have never seen so much expended on so little.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TAPPER: Do you think former President Clinton is right, is this email story much ado about nothing?
O’MALLEY: Well, President Clinton loves his wife and the two of them have gone through a lot together.
I believe that there are a lot of legitimate questions still to be answered about this particular controversy, the email, the email server, the FBI investigation and the like, which is why it’s so important that as Democrats, we start having debates about other issues, as well.
I’m not saying there aren’t legitimate questions to be asked and answered here by Secretary Clinton and her lawyers. But for our part, as a party, we need to talk about the things that will actually get wages to go up rather than down, the issues that people care about around their kitchen tables, like affordable college and how we — and how we make sure that Social Security is strong and is there for the future, how we move America forward to a clean energy future, how we step up in the world and respond to the refugee crisis in Syria.
That’s why we need to have debates. Otherwise, our party is being defined by Hillary Clinton’s email scandal and it’s not good for our party and it’s not good for our country.
TAPPER: You had some other tough words for Hillary Clinton this week, when she announced that she was going to oppose the Keystone XL Pipeline. You said, quote, “On issue after issue, Secretary Clinton has not followed, not forged public opinion.”
You seem to be suggesting Hillary Clinton has her finger in the wind.
O’MALLEY: I believe that the sort of leadership that actually moves a nation, moves a state, moves a city forward is leadership that states principles and doesn’t wait from focus groups.
On the Keystone Pipeline, Jake, I came out against the Keystone Pipeline over a year ago.
Why?
Because I believe it’s contrary to our nation’s best interests of moving forward to a clean energy future. That’s what real leadership is about. That’s the sort of new leadership people are looking for, not the sort of leadership that waits for poll numbers or for focus groups or puts a finger to the wind to see which way public consensus is going.
No, that’s not leadership.
TAPPER: Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland in his second home in Iowa, Des Moines. Thank you so much for joining us this day.
O’MALLEY: Thank you, Jake.
##END INTERVIEW##