'Meet the Press' transcript for March 16, 2008

MR. TIM RUSSERT:  Our issues this Sunday:  The battle between Hillary Clinton  and Barack Obama goes on.  Will harsh words about race and gender hurt the  Democrats in November?  What are the strengths and weaknesses of each of these  candidates?  With us for the Obama campaign, former senator and presidential  candidate Bill Bradley; for the Clinton campaign, New York Democratic  Congresswoman Nita Lowey.  Bradley and Lowey on Obama vs. Clinton.

Then, five years ago this week the United States went to war with Iraq as the  Bush administration exuded great confidence.

(Videotape, March 16, 2003)

VICE PRES. DICK CHENEY:  My belief is, we will, in fact be greeted as  liberators.

(End videotape)

MR. RUSSERT:  Voter concerns about the economy heighten.  How will these  issues affect the presidential election?  Insight and analysis from David  Broder of The Washington Post, David Gregory of NBC News and Michele Norris of  NPR's "All Things Considered."

But first, the next Democratic primary is six weeks away, Pennsylvania, April  22nd.  Then May 6th it's Indiana and North Carolina.  And that has only  heightened the intensity of the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.  And here to talk about those candidates are Nita Lowey for Hillary Clinton,  Bill Bradley for Barack Obama.

Welcome, both.

FMR. SEN. BILL BRADLEY (D-NJ):  Thank you, Tim.

MR. RUSSERT:  Let's bring our viewers up-to-date on the latest delegate  count.  Yesterday in Iowa Democrats got back together again, and some of the  delegates that were for John Edwards decided now to go to Barack Obama.  He's  at 1409 elected delegates.  Clinton's at 1250.  That's a net gain of 10 for  Obama yesterday in Iowa.  Ironically, which is a--one more than Hillary  Clinton gained in Ohio.

Now, superdelegates.  It is 217 for Obama, 253 for Clinton, an advantage of  36.  Since Super Tuesday Obama has gained 47 superdelegates, Clinton has lost  seven.  Contests won, it stands at Obama at 28, Clinton at 14.  And the total  vote thus far, cumulative vote of all the primaries and caucuses, 13.4 million  for Obama, 12.7 million for Clinton; 49-to-47.

Congresswoman Lowey, let me start with you.  If those trends continue and  Barack Obama goes to the convention with more elected delegates, more contests  won and more popular, cumulative vote, could he possibly be denied the  nomination?

REP. NITA LOWEY (D-NY):  Well, I'd rather put it differently.  I'd like to  say that millions of people haven't expressed their view.  They haven't voted  as yet.  And we're looking towards Pennsylvania, where most polls indicate  that Hillary will win.  Out of the total number of delegates, 20 percent are  superdelegates, 80 percent are pledged delegates based on the primaries and  the caucuses.  And frankly, the superdelegates, according to the two  commissions that developed this system, which some of us think is a little  weird--they're still counting in Texas and Iowa--according to the system, the  superdelegates have to look at the whole picture.  They have to use their  judgment.  They're elected people, they are people who are leaders in the  party, and they have to look at the qualifications of both.

Now, you and I know that no one since 1960 has won the presidency without  winning Iowa.  We know you have to win Iowa, we have to win Pennsylvania, you  have to win Florida.  There are key states that are critical to getting the  number of votes in the electoral college.  And I think right now, frankly,  it's a tie.  And I would hope, Tim, that between now and the time we go to the  convention we can have a really constructive discussion.  The economy's a  disaster, gas prices are going up, food prices are going up, people are  worried about losing their houses.  If we can have a constructive discussion  and both Obama and Clinton can present the Democrat agenda--the Democratic  plan to the country, I think we'll be extra strong.  So rather than looking at  this period as a negative, we can contrast the Democratic plan to deal with  the--what's going on both domestically and internationally with the  Bush-McCain plan.  And you see where we are now.

MR. RUSSERT:  The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll asked Democrats if a  candidate loses among pledged delegates but wins the nomination by getting  superdelegates, would it be legitimate nomination?  Nearly four in 10  Democrats said it would not be legitimate if a candidate won the nomination on  superdelegates after losing pledged delegates.

REP. LOWEY:  I'm just curious, Tim.  During the--you know, polls can do many  different things.  It's hard enough for us to even understand how the process  is going and why they're still counting in Texas and what is happening in  Iowa.  After all the money spent in Iowa, now Obama and Clinton have to go  back to Iowa for these additional delegate procedures.  So I just think that  this is a very close race, and superdelegates have an important role and an  important responsibility.

And by the way, if, in fact, those people believe that they should abide by  the wish of the pledged delegates, I would hope Senator Kennedy and Senator  Kerry would vote for Clinton because look what happened in Massachusetts.

MR. RUSSERT:  Senator Bradley, if, in fact, a candidate goes to the  convention with more elected delegates, should he or she be the nominee?

SEN. BRADLEY:  I think so, Tim.  I mean, right now, as you said, Barack Obama  has more delegates, more votes, has won more states.  Last night in Iowa he  won 10 more votes.  If you take what happened in Mississippi and Wyoming, he  won more net delegates in those two races than Senator Clinton did in Ohio and  Texas combined.  So I clearly think that we're heading into a period where,  certainly after last night, she's got to win more than 60 percent of all the  remaining, all the remaining states.

And if you think about Pennsylvania, of course, that's what the Clinton  campaign is focusing on.  They think they're unbeatable there.  But there are  10 races.  And if you then look at what happens, as you pointed out, in North  Carolina and Indiana, there are more delegates at stake in North Carolina,  Indiana combined than Pennsylvania.  So this is a 10-state race, all the way  to the convention.  And if, at the end of the day, she has--he has more  delegates, pledged delegates, then I think he should get the nomination.

As Nita said, every superdelegate is going to make a decision.  I think a lot  of superdelegates will honor what their constituencies said.  Some went out  and endorsed Senator Clinton early.  They thought she was the presumptive  nominee.  And their district went for Obama.  I think a lot of those  individuals stand a very strong chance of switching to Obama.  And every,  every superdelegate makes the decision about what's good for the country,  what's good for the party, and what's good for themselves.  And if you go  against a district that is overwhelmingly Obama, you might ask for a primary  the next time.  It's politics.

But I think, in the end, that they should follow the pledged delegates.  And  of course, if Senator Kennedy or, or Senator Kerry, I mean, you know, somebody  can challenge them in a primary.  I don't think they'd win, but they can have  a shot.

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