CNN Transcript: The Situation Room, Nov. 1, 2006 (Incl. Blitzer/Boehner)
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BLITZER): Joining us now, the number two Republican in the House, the majority leader, John Boehner.
Mr. Leader, thanks very much for coming in.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), MAJORITY LEADER: Wolf, nice to be here.
BLITZER: You said this on -- the other day, and I want to play it for our viewers. Listen to what you said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOEHNER: Donald Rumsfeld is the best thing that's happened to the Pentagon in 25 years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: You said "he's the best thing that's happened to the Pentagon in 25 years." You know, a lot of people strongly disagree with you, including an increasing chorus of fellow Republicans.
BOEHNER: Well, there are a lot of people who want to blame what is happening in Iraq on Donald Rumsfeld, but when you look at the transformation that our military has been through, it's nothing short of remarkable.
And I think there's only one person in America who could have brought about that transformation, and that is Donald Rumsfeld. He's smart, he's been through the Pentagon, knows how it works. And now we have a lighter, more flexible force, a quicker force. It would not have happened without him.
BLITZER: But, you know, General Zinni, who used to be the commander, Anthony Zinni of the Central Command, he says that Rumsfeld threw out 10 years of planning for Iraq, 10 years of strategy with 500,000 troops that would be needed, not to necessarily topple Saddam Hussein, but to win the peace quickly. He just threw that out because he wanted that lighter force and, as a result, the U.S. is paying the price right now.
BOEHNER: Well, Wolf, you have to understand that the generals who have been in charge of the Pentagon have been very resistant to change. It's the younger generals who understand this new force structure that we need to be -- to have the military of the 21st century. And so I think Rumsfeld is the right guy for the job, and I know the president supports him and I'm glad he does.
BLITZER: Let me read to you what a few of your fellow Republicans have said in recent days. "I don't like the guy. I simply don't think he has measured up on running the war on Iraq. Would I vote for a no confidence resolution on Secretary Rumsfeld? Yes." Chris Shays, Republican of Connecticut.
"If I had my way, he wouldn't be secretary of defense now. I would have accepted his resignation after Abu Ghraib. I have lost confidence in him." That's the Republican candidate for the Senate from Washington state, Mike McGavick.
And Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis, Republican of Virginia: "It's probably the only thing in my life I've ever agreed with Hillary Clinton about. He's probably a nice guy, but I don't think he's a great secretary of defense."
BOEHNER:Wolf, I understand that, but let's not blame what's happening in Iraq on Rumsfeld.
BLITZER: But he's in charge of the military.
BOEHNER: But the fact is, the generals on the ground are in charge, and he works closely with them and the president. We've seen this run up in violence as we get closer to the election, as we get closer to Ramadan, same thing we've seen over the last couple of years.
As we enter into Ramadan, we see this big spike in violence and there's no question, in my mind, that the terrorists, very smart people, are also trying to increase the violence as we get closer to the U.S. elections.
BLITZER: Well, I want to move on and get to some other important issues, but a quick question. Were you satisfied in the planning that the Pentagon did, specifically the defense secretary, not necessarily for getting rid of Saddam Hussein's regime, but for the post-war? Because it's been three-and-a-half years and $300 billion, $400 billion, 3,000 almost U.S. deaths ...
BOEHNER: Wolf, there's no question that there have been mistakes along the way. We're fighting an enemy that's unconventional, and we're -- and this has become the central front in our war with al Qaeda. Al Qaeda continues to bring people into Iraq to let off these bombs, to stir up sectarian violence and we're always have to adapt on the ground.
But the fact is, is that Republicans want to win. Democrats want to give up and pull out the troops. I don't think that's what the American people want.
BLITZER: Well, Democrats will disagree with you.
But let me move on to speak about this flap involving Senator Kerry. He has now apologized in this statement that he has just put out. I'll read it to you and see if you accept that as an apology. "I sincerely regret that my words were misinterpreted to wrongly imply anything negative about those in uniform, and I personally apologize to any service member, family member, or American who was offended." Is this over with now that he's apologized?
BOEHNER: I think he has apologized. It sounds good enough. But when you led into this, Wolf, you said the Republicans were attacking John Kerry for his remarks. Nobody attacked John Kerry. We asked him to apologize to the troops that we believe he offended and I believe that he has.
BLITZER: So this story is over with as far as you're concerned?
BOEHNER: It is.
BLITZER: Let's talk a little bit about the elections, because it's, obviously, according to the polls, potentially a change, a turning point. You could be the majority leader. On the other hand, you could be the minority leader or nothing if the Democrats take control. What is your bottom line assessment right now? How does it look? Do you believe the Republicans will be in the majority after next Tuesday?
BOEHNER: If we're able to mobilize all of our resources to mobilize all of our voters on Election Day, I think we're going to do fine. We probably have got a handful of seats that are very, very difficult, maybe impossible.
And then there are two dozen seats where we're up in the margin of error or down within the margin of error. And so over the next six days, we've got to mobilize our voters. And if we're able to do that, I think we're going to do fine on Election Day.
BLITZER: Here is what Congressman Jeff Flake, Republican of Arizona, a man you know, said. "You can't blame the Democrats, but we certainly gave them a reason to do what they did. We simply didn't have an Ethics Committee process that worked at a time when we needed it. I feel badly that I didn't say anything and neither did other members. It's a pox on all of us."
Remind our viewers -- this whole Mark Foley scandal, you were told that there was a problem there. You went to the speaker. He doesn't seem to remember what you told him. Is that right?
BOEHNER: He's not sure that I talked to him. I feel like I did. But that's not what the American people are wanting to talk about. They want to know who is going to keep their taxes low and keep the economy going. Who is going to secure our borders and who's going to provide the president the tools to take on the terrorists?
The Ethics Committee is working in a bipartisan manner dealing with this issue of Foley. But when you look back over the last two years, as there were a need for the Ethics Committee to operate, it was Nancy Pelosi and liberal Democrats who prevented the committee from operating and takes -- it's even numbers of Democrats and Republicans on the committee. I'm glad they're working together now.
BLITZER: We have time for one final question. I'll read from Bill Kristol. He's a conservative editor of the "Weekly Standard." He recently wrote this or said this. He said, "If they lose the House" -- referring to Republicans -- "it might be time for a change in leadership for obvious reasons. Fresh faces, fresh blood. All three would go -- Hastert, Boehner, Blunt," Roy Blunt, who is the majority whip.
And he's not a liberal, he's a conservative, Bill Kristol. What happens to you, do you think, if the Democrats become the majority?
BOEHNER: Well, I feel good about our chances on Election Day, and I'm going to do everything I can just like I have over the nine months that I've been the majority leader to help keep us in the majority. And if we mobilize our voters, we're going to be fine on Election Day.
But the American people have a choice to make on Election Day, a choice between candidates, a choice between the two parties. And if you want bigger government, higher taxes and a weak border, continue to vote for the Democrats.
BLITZER: John Boehner, we're going to leave it right there.
BOEHNER: Wolf, nice to see you.
BLITZER: Thanks very much for coming in. Busy time
