Who?
Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) — House Minority Whip
LISTEN: Laslo & Clark
Ask a Pol asks:
Are you worried about No Labels dragging President Joe Biden down at all?
Key Clark:
“I do worry about them,” Clark exclusively tells Ask a Pol. “These are gonna be close races. But, I think the American people in the primary process have spoken, and Joe Biden is who they want for president on the Democratic side. And we need to unite behind Joe Biden, because he is the surrogate for democracy in this election.”
Background:
We spoke with House Democratic Whip Clark before the death of former Sen. Joe Lieberman, a co-chair of the centrist group who complained that the group was struggling to find a presidential candidate to field in 2024, in spite of them setting up a panel to pick their candidate.
No Labels nominating panel?
“Doesn’t seem very democratic to me,” Clark says.
RFK Jr.?
“I do not believe that he will be dispositive in the race,” Clark says. “The president’s polling numbers are — just looking at polls where he’s pulling up, and, I think, that as this campaign continues, this is a race between ‘Do we move forward with President Biden?’ or ‘Do we move backwards with Donald Trump?’”
Below find a rough transcript of Ask a Pol’s exclusive interview with Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), slightly edited for clarity.
TRANSCRIPT: Rep. Katherine Clark
Matt Laslo: “How are you, ma’am?”
Katherine Clark: “Good. How are you?”
ML: “Random one for you. What are your thoughts on RFK Jr.?”
Whip Clark laughs.
ML: “Are you worried that he drags Biden down at all? Or is he just laughable?”
Laslo laughs.
KC: “I do not believe that he will be dispositive in the race. The president’s polling numbers are — just looking at polls where he’s pulling up, and, I think, that as this campaign continues, this is a race between ‘Do we move forward with President Biden?’ or ‘Do we move backwards with Donald Trump?’”
ML: “Any worry about No Labels?”
KC: “You know, I do worry about them. You know, these are gonna be close races. But, I think the American people in the primary process have spoken, and Joe Biden is who they want for president on the Democratic side. And we need to unite behind Joe Biden, because he is the surrogate for democracy in this election.”
ML: “Because if No Labels picks their own candidate, kinda behind closed doors, doesn’t that go against what No Labels stands for?”
KC: “Doesn’t seem very democratic to me.”
ML: “Yes, ma’am. ‘Preciate ya.”
Matt Laslo’s a veteran congressional correspondent, new media prof. & founder of Ask a Pol — a new, people-powered press corps.
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Minority Whip Clark on No Labels' presidential nominating panel: “Doesn’t seem very democratic to me”