Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Why did Democrats pick Charlotte for their convention site?

Details

  • Description

    Sen. Bob Menendez responds

  • Duration 5:21
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Elections

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

I -- here we -- in Charlotte and we raise the question about the choice of Charlotte, North Carolina.

As the host of the DNC in an election where a state like Ohio or even a Wisconsin perhaps is turning out to be a state that's in play.

May have been also good choices -- -- city like one of those been better for Democrats is one of the questions.

That we want to battered around a little bit this morning we're pleased to be joined.

By New Jersey Democrat senator Robert Menendez senator welcome good to -- -- here today.

Good to be with you.

So let's take a look at you know North Carolina.

In the last election.

President Obama had a 100000.

Vote margin in Mecklenburg County which is where Charlotte it does start as part of Mecklenburg County.

And that helped him carry North Carolina by -- 141000.

Vote margin that was the slimmest margin of victory that the president had.

During the course of 2008.

-- -- -- now asking is was it a good choice to pick to pick North Carolina and if so why.

Well I think it's a great choice -- a lot of great choices the DNC had they Cho was North Carolina while back.

This is a state that President Obama as you said one -- the 2008.

The first time a Democrat had won the state since 1976.

And at the end of the day I think that our message.

On building an economy from the middle class out.

On the issues.

Economic opportunity on health care security on.

The opportunity for our seniors to continue to have Medicare as they know it that's gonna sell -- North Carolina and across the country and this is going to be the most interactive.

Convention we have ever had not only is -- going to be streamed online.

But there's going to be -- maximum amount of interaction from people watching from across the country.

With the convention delegates itself so I think that messaging can take place from anywhere.

Let's take a look at that real clear politics average poll which is North Carolina.

A very very tight race would be decent kind of numbers that we're seeing in all of the battleground states right now there's.

Ohio as well 4652.

Cleveland was on the short list for this convention.

You know the president obviously spending a lot of time in Ohio and there's North Carolina 58.

I'm -- 4546.

Also a very tight margin what do you think about the fact that this has become.

Really so close and so within the margin of -- and all these states.

Well I think that we've always thought there's going to be a close election there are challenges before the country.

The reality is I think next week as the president and -- The vision of what.

He both inherited.

When he became president two wars raging abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan an economy that was on the verge of a new depression.

A Wall Street that had run wild and ultimately became the were made risky bets that became.

Of the collective responsibility of everybody in America.

Millions of jobs lost before he took the oath of office seven point person seven point 4% unemployment on the day he took the oath of office.

And where we have no way on an out loud I think they'll be admitting here that kind of argument and that is that he's had for years and that.

Needs to run on on those four years and whether or not the stimulus package and all of the -- and then.

Have have works.

Well when.

Stop the country from going into a deep depression.

-- you create economic progress a lot more to be done unquestionably.

A lot more they would have been done without the Republicans constantly in opposition to every economic opportunity an initiative the president has offered.

When you've passed historic health care that make sure that Americans go to sleep at night not worried that they are one illness away from bankruptcy.

When you bring our sons and daughters back from Iraq.

I think there's a lot of good to talk about any vision for the future.

That let me ask this we think about some of the year's senate colleagues at Sam Cassell.

Joseph Manchin from West Virginia who had decided that -- for their own election prospects is best for them.

Not to be here.

Well you know if you're in a tough fight you just want to focus your time back and stated and as good as the Democratic Convention can be.

There's no substitute for being back at home in your respective state making the case to your voters so.

I respect both of their decisions because at the end of the day we want them back in the United States senate and they will.

You know back back to the issue of North Carolina specifically for just a moment one of the things we'll hear about on the ground here is that the president's support for gay marriage.

Has hurt him with some conservatives.

You know sort of middle of the road Democrats against here North Carolina what do you thoughts on.

That.

I think this election is going to turn largely on the question of the economic opportunity.

The country that was on the verge of a depression to a country that is in growth.

A country in which you focus on the middle class and the challenges in the middle class and give tax cuts to middle class families verses to the wealthiest in our country.

A country in which you don't reward companies for sending jobs overseas.

But you keep him here at home there's going to be too clear visions in this election and I think that's what the election and turn it.

Senator pleasure to have you with us iPod as we have some competing noise behind us is there's sort of -- -- agenda together.

Big week of course for your party here in Charlotte and we appreciate -- spend some time with us -- Greg --

Load More