Transcript of Tim Walz on NewsHour: "Inspiring the next generation"

The transcript of Tim Walz's appearance on PBS's NewsHour with four other newly-elected U.S. representatives is now online.  Read the entire transcript here.

Some highlights:

MARGARET WARNER: Let's start by having each of you tell us briefly why you came to Washington, beginning with you, Tim Walz.

TIM WALZ: Well, first of all, thanks for having me. I think the reason I'm here and what my constituents were sending me here to do was to have a vision for this country that would extend beyond politics, that would extend beyond the next election. And in southern Minnesota, where the Mayo Clinic is located, and where leaders in renewable energies, they want to see a vision on what we're going to do in this country, in terms of health care, especially in terms of renewable energies.

And that's what I would like to see done early in these coming years. They don't want to see this incremental growth; they want to see massive growth when it comes to renewable energies.

***

MARGARET WARNER: And, Tim Walz, your background as both a veteran and as a teacher, how do you think that shaped your approach that you bring to this?

TIM WALZ: Yes, I do think it matters, because I think I represent the large number of people who never do serve in the legislatures, elective office, and I think that was one of the reasons they were looking at me.

People operate in a reality where they have to compromise, they have to get things done, where effectiveness trumps ideology. And they feel strongly about issues, but they understand the real pressing issues of the day are the ones that need to be taken care of.

So I'm very optimistic. And I agree with Dave on this. If this becomes just rhetoric, if the Democrats just give the rhetoric, it's bad for the country, and we all know that. So I think it's a golden opportunity for us, and I'm really encouraged by this freshmen class.

We do have a responsibility here, and the American people have given us that. I never said last Tuesday was a mandate for the Democrats. It was a mandate for America to fix the Congress, and that's what we're here to do.

***
MARGARET WARNER: Let's talk about Iraq. And, Yvette Clarke, you brought it up first. What role do you think House Democrats should play in reshaping policy in Iraq?

[snip]

MARGARET WARNER: Where are you on this?

TIM WALZ: Well, I'm not necessarily for a time table, if it's not based on milestones of success, more like Bosnia. What I feel was broken here -- and this comes from the Republican side, too -- people like Senator Hagel had their voices stifled.

The process in Congress is what was broken on this. We need to get back to finding a solution. We need to get a multinational force in there. We need to get the reconstruction done. It needs to be done with the idea, what is our long-range goal for the Middle East?

When we disentangle from this, we're disentangling with the vision of where we're going to be on this. And I think that's going to come out of this. This Congress is going to discuss that. We haven't discussed it on the floor of Congress, and now is the time.

So I'm confident we can get there. But I would agree there's a definite change of course. People say a time line; of course, there's going to be a time line we need these types of things done. But they need to be successful crossing through those gateways of success.

***
MARGARET WARNER: Finally, all but one of you has been through a grueling election, either in the primary or in the general. You're finally here...

TIM WALZ: Or both.

MARGARET WARNER: Or both.

So give me just briefly your impressions from this week. What does it feel like to be here finally?

[snip]

TIM WALZ: I think with me I walked in the Capitol for the first time -- it's the first time I'd been in the building -- and knowing that I'd been elected. And I went back to last Tuesday night after the election. I had a large number of my students that were there and that had worked on the campaign. I remember a young girl crying.

And I said, "We should be so happy." And she said, "I am happy." She said, "We really can change the world. You had us believing that." And I said -- when I walked in there, I got to think this is what it was. It's inspiring the next generation. I walked in there with students, walked in as the true citizen legislator. It was humbling, gratifying, and I guess, more than anything, I'm just incredibly optimistic.

Comments

[Charlie]

The new Congressman make some excellent points on the discussion (or breakdown of it) about Iraq in Congress.