'Meet the Press' transcript for May 11, 2008

MR. McAULIFFE: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: A change. Also, Hillary Clinton, back in October, said, "You know, it's clear, this election they're having [in Michigan] is not going to count for anything." Now, it's counting for a lot.

I turn to the bible, "What a Party," Terry McAuliffe.

MR. McAULIFFE: Good man, good man.

MR. RUSSERT: Your book.

MR. McAULIFFE: Yes, sir.

MR. RUSSERT: And back in 2003, this was a discussion...

MR. McAULIFFE: Yes.

MR. RUSSERT: ...you had with Carl Levin, the senator from Michigan.

MR. McAULIFFE: Yeah. Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: "I got a call on February 1, 2003, from Carl [Levin]" ... senator from Michigan, "[who] told me they were going to hold the Michigan primary before New Hampshire, which would have led to complete chaos. ... `If you do that, I will take away 50 percent of your delegates,' I told them. They thought I was bluffing. But it was my responsibility as chairman to take action for the good of the party, and taking away half their delegates was well within my authority. ... `You won't deny us seats at the convention,' [Levin] said. `Carl, take it to the bank.'" They'll "`not get a credential. The closest'" thing you'll "`get to Boston,'" the convention city, "`will be watching it on television. I will not let you break this entire nominating process for one state. The rules are the rules.'"

MR. McAULIFFE: Yep.

MR. RUSSERT: Chairman McAuliffe.

MR. McAULIFFE: You bet.

MR. RUSSERT: So now, Chairman Dean is saying the rules are the rules.

MR. McAULIFFE: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: Michigan broke them, they're not going to be seated. Maybe they'll get half. Would you accept that?

MR. McAULIFFE: Well, first of all, that's now out in paperback, I want you to know. But second, I would say the rule is 50 percent. That's the point I'd like to make. I had the right, the party, to take away 50 percent. The party took away 100 percent of the delegates. The rule is 50 percent. Had they only taken away 50 percent like the Republican Party did, Tim, you and I would not be having this conversation today.

MR. RUSSERT: So you would accept that as a compromise, half the Michigan and half the Florida delegates?

MR. McAULIFFE: We certainly might, you bet. But in fairness, the Rules and Bylaws Committee will meet on, on the 31st to make that decision. The issue is 50 percent. They took away 100 percent. He can't deny that a million-75 people showed up in Florida and 600,000 showed up in Michigan. They voted, they were certified by the county and the state. These people voted. We have to win these two states in, in the general election. It's important, Michigan and Florida.

MR. RUSSERT: But you'd take half.

MR. McAULIFFE: Well, I'll--we'll let the Rules and Bylaws, it's up to them to make that decision. But the rule is 50 percent. Had they done 50 percent, Tim, you and I wouldn't have this conversation today. They took away 100 percent.

MR. RUSSERT: Before you go, money, money, money.

MR. McAULIFFE: Yes.

MR. RUSSERT: The Clintons have loaned over $11 million...

MR. McAULIFFE: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: ...to the campaign. I--we understand the campaign is in debt beyond that 11 million...

MR. McAULIFFE: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: ...close to 15 or 20?

MR. McAULIFFE: All I know is what we're spending right now. We had a good couple days after we won Indiana and we have now bought media in all the upcoming states. We're in very good shape, full campaign mode. The debt will take care of itself in the end. We are competitive, we have the money to play the next three weeks in these upcoming six contests.

MR. RUSSERT: Will they loan any more money to their campaign?

MR. McAULIFFE: She has certainly opened that possibility and she'd be--I talked to her personally about that and she said that she would be willing to do it. We haven't needed it. I can tell you right now, we have not needed it.

MR. RUSSERT: As you know, the rules are that come August, if she's not the nominee, the campaign is over, she does not get that money back, other than $250,000. Are the Clintons willing to, in effect, sacrifice $11 million plus of their own money?

MR. McAULIFFE: Well, we haven't quite taken that conversation to that level, Hillary and I. But it is what it is. I mean, depending on where we go with this process. I mean, they clearly knew when they put the money in. It shows that they're, you know, they're into this campaign. They put their money on the table and I think it was important. It helped get other people into the campaign. But they're realistic when they put the money in, Tim. The good news is we haven't had to put any more in. We've been able to raise money. We've bought the media, we have our staff in place. We have a competitive race. We have, as I say, only three weeks to go. And, as I say, you know, we've been in this for 17 months. Nothing's impossible.

MR. RUSSERT: Well...

MR. McAULIFFE: You can't win unless you're on the playing field, Tim.

MR. RUSSERT: Will you pay all your debts, all your vendors, in full?

MR. McAULIFFE: We plan on it, sure. But that's not what I'm thinking about today. I'm thinking about the next six contests. She's up in West--she beats Senator Obama in West Virginia, she beats him in Kentucky. Today we beat him in Puerto Rico. You know, a million and a half people could come out and vote in Puerto Rico. I mean, we...

MR. RUSSERT: What about Oregon and Montana, South Dakota?

MR. McAULIFFE: Much more competitive. But the big, huge population centers that we have, Hillary Clinton I believe today is going to win all of those.

MR. RUSSERT: When--so you will definitely go on. She will definitely go on through the primaries?

MR. McAULIFFE: No question about it. We are in because we believe, and I speak for all the people who've worked hard on this campaign, we are passionate about this, have every right to go on, should go on. We're not going anywhere. There have been no discussions with any other campaign about helping. Some of these stories I can unequivocally tell you here today, Tim, are not true.

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