E-mail a friendRep. Charles Rangel
airdate August 26, 2008
Dean of the New York State congressional delegation, Rep. Charles Rangel is in his 19th term in the House. In January '07, he became the first African American chair of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. The Harlem native authored the low-income tax credit to stimulate affordable housing development in urban areas. He's a decorated Korean War vet and founding member and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Rangel writes about his journey in the memoir, And I Haven't Had a Bad Day Since.
Congressman addresses the controversy over why he was not invited to speak at the Democratic convention. (2:31)
Full Interview (7:08)
Rep. Charles Rangel
Tavis: Earlier tonight, I sat down with House Ways and Means Community Chair Charlie Rangel of New York, who was also a Hillary Clinton supporter early on, one of her most vocal African American supporters, in fact. So much so, in fact, that there were reports that he was asked not to speak at this convention.
Congressman Rangel did, however, address the faithful earlier tonight. I began our conversation by asking him about those rumors.
Congressman Rangel, nice to have you here, sir.
Rep. Charles Rangel: Good to be with you, it's an honor.
Tavis: You doing all right?
Rangel: Better than I deserve - it's exciting.
Tavis: Let me start with what you can tell me about this controversy over the last few days that you had been not invited to speak at this conference, this convention. We saw you, of course, on the stage earlier tonight, but all kind of news reports that you had not been invited as the powerful chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee to not speak at this convention. What can you tell me about that?
Rangel: It's one of the dumbest things that I've ever seen - a little newspaper in Washington that had nothing to print because the Congress is not in session created the idea that because I initially supported Hillary Clinton that I had been denied an opportunity to speak at the convention. Had the question of convention come, I would have told the Senator that he has so many people that he's obligated to, don't worry about Charlie Rangel - I'm okay.
And then all the newspapers picked it up because what the hell, there's not much news in terms of disagreements with Democrats and Senator Obama. So there was no merit to it. As a matter of fact, over the last several months my committee has been working with Senator Obama's advisers and supporters in terms of taxes, healthcare, trade, and even Social Security.
So there could not be possibly a better working relationship. But I would hate to see the day when the chairman of what they describe as the awesome and powerful Ways and Means Committee felt that he wasn't given the chance to speak. It would be a sad chairman. It would be a sad chairman that would feel (unintelligible).
Tavis: Well, it might be, but that's what made the story so interesting, because you are the chairman of this powerful committee, and there's no way that Mr. Obama could think as president that he could get anything done without having to go through your committee. That's why the story was so strange, and I'm glad you clarified it.
Rangel: It's not even strange. The dream that I have for America and the role that I think I can play under the leadership of Senator Obama and his wonderful wife is entirely too positive for me to even think about any personal feelings if I had it, but it just was something that never came up, and I think for all of us we have to say just because some people would want to see a dispute, and just because it's printed, nothing could possibly be further from the truth.
Tavis: I know that it is your dream, of course, as it would be of any chairman of your committee, to have a president of his party to work with to get some stuff done. So let's assume for the moment that Obama wins this election in November. As chair of the House Ways and Means Committee what's the first thing you want to get done with President Obama?
Rangel: What he wants to get done. (Laughter)
Tavis: Very well said. What might that be, though?
Rangel: I think it's got to be health. But that's constantly asked, maybe because I've been working on this with my dreams and seeing what role our community can play. I personally would have thought, if you and I were talking and we didn't have this eminent election, that if we took education and if we took taxes, that we'd be building a foundation for the middle class to be able to get what - disposable income; the education in order to get jobs.
The work and the jobs, the income, the health insurance - building our infrastructure to me would be building the economy. Can you do all of those things at once is the question. Well, healthcare happens to be the most complicated one, and it's going to take a lot of money to do it. And so he has to decide his priority, knowing that it's not just me, it's not just Speaker Pelosi. We are so anxious to win something for our country that the truth is he is president of these United States of America.
We had a problem with Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton with the Congress. They were not nearly as compatible with (unintelligible) and the Ways and Means Committee. They thought it was their way or the highway, and it didn't work out. We're starting out making certain that there's not going to be any major disputes as we intend to improve the quality of life not only of Americans but even in trade where we're talking about our standing trade bills.
You have no idea, Tavis, how it hurts to be traveling abroad and just because you're an American, people don't like you. But they love us and not our government, and when you see these crowds coming out, it's not really for Obama; it's for the America that they said, "My God, you really have it." I have never been more excited in my political life.
Tavis: Since you mentioned Bill and Hillary Clinton, both of course speaking this week at this convention, let me ask you whether or not you think this issue has been sufficiently dealt with - that is, the issue of what these Clinton supporters are going to do. I keep reading these surveys and polls, same ones you read, that there are a number of disaffected Clinton supporters.
Twenty-seven percent, I saw in one poll, suggest they will vote for McCain and not for Obama. So no matter what Bill and Hillary have said or tried to say or will say this week, there seems to be still this story that there are some disaffected Clinton supporters. How is that going to play out? You started out, of course, endorsing your senator, Hillary Clinton. Talk to me about this ruckus and what happens between now and November.
Rangel: For those of us who've been married more years than we'd like to remember, I think it's called respect and disrespect. And when you had a hard-fought argument and it's over and you lost, how quickly do you make up? I had no idea of the depths of women's support, not for Hillary Clinton, but for a woman. And they probably had no idea of the depth of support that Obama gets as an African American.
I'm confident when Hillary speaks to them, as she talked with our delegation as to what her plans are for all of us, that she's going to tell them that if they think historically they need to be recorded for the women's rights movement, they'll have a chance. But she would hope that instead of doing that, they would follow her lead for a better America, for a great president, because she will be supporting Senator Obama for president of the United States.
I think by the time they study Michelle and what she has said that goes beyond womanhood, but goes to what it feels like to be a good American, listen to Bill, who, notwithstanding how he handled his role as president, he is the best out there at convincing people on principles, listen to Obama and take a hard look at John McCain in terms of not their hurt feelings but their aspirations, we got to come out here a solid Democratic party.
Tavis: Congressman, always good to have you on the program.
Rangel: Good to be here, Tavis.
Tavis: Good to see you.
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