September 05, 2012 DAVID GREGORY INTERVIEWS SANDRA FLUKE MEET THE PRESS “PRESS PASS” VIDEO & TRANSCRIPT
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CHARLOTTE, NC -- September 5, 2012 -- In today’s “Meet the Press” PRESS Pass conversation live from the site of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, David Gregory sat down with women's rights advocate and DNC Speaker Sandra Fluke to discuss why she believes the majority of women will continue to support President Obama.

A full transcript is below and embeddable video of the complete interview is online here: http://nbcnews.to/OPIbNX

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Full Transcript: PRESS Pass: Sandra Fluke
Mandatory Credit: NBC News

DAVID GREGORY:
I'm David Gregory and this is PRESS Pass. We are giving you an all-access pass to the Democratic Convention here in Charlotte this weekend. My guest today: the Georgetown Law student who found herself at the forefront of this year's heated debate over women's health. And she has now become a star spokeswoman of sorts for the Democratic Party, Sandra Fluke. It's great to have you here.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Thanks for having me.

DAVID GREGORY:
So, talk a little bit about what you want to speak to this hall about tonight.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Well, what I want to make clear is the choice that we have facing us this November: the choice between Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan, and between President Obama. And I think the best way to do that is to really talk about their records, especially their records on issues that matter to women -- on women's health, on equal pay, and on violence against women. And, you know, once that record is laid out, the choice becomes really clear.

DAVID GREGORY:
Talk specifically about where you think the Republican Party would deny some of these choices for women, in terms of health.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Yeah. Well, I think it's really important to acknowledge that they've already tried to. They've cosponsored these bills, they've voted for these bills. So the only thing standing in the way of women being denied this access to health care is them having a president in office, having a majority. So that's why this election really matters for women. So, specifically, the things that they have attempted to take away are access to abortion, clearly; Representative Ryan cosponsored a bill that would have eliminated access to abortion entirely. He also cosponsored a bill that would criminalize certain types of birth control that are very common, and that would make aspects of in-vitro fertilization criminalized. So it's very out of step --

DAVID GREGORY:
But let's be clear, because he is Governor Romney's running mate.

SANDRA FLUKE:
That's right.

DAVID GREGORY:
Governor Romney -- while he is, you know, wants to restrict abortion rights -- certainly has not shared all of those views. Believes, even beyond what the Republican platform stands for on abortion. Doesn't believe in federal funding for Planned Parenthood, but doesn't mean that it should go away. So is there some danger in sort of overstating the case against Romney by you and others?

SANDRA FLUKE:
No, and I want to be clear: In terms of funding for Planned Parenthood, he does believe that he wants to cut funding for --

DAVID GREGORY:
At the federal level.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Right. At the federal level for Planned Parenthood. And that would cut funding for cancer screenings, for contraception, and for all of the other services that Planned Parenthood provides, which don't include funding for abortion --

DAVID GREGORY:
But let me ask you this, because a lot of Republicans will say, ‘Look, this is a false choice. This idea that this is a restriction of access; this is more of a restriction of the federal role.’ This is also a role of government question. Why is it so critical for you that the federal government continue to play the role at this level for all of these women's health questions?

SANDRA FLUKE:
I think what's important is that this is a Constitutional right, when we talk about the access to abortion. So that is a federal government role. And we want to make sure that women in every state have access to the health care that they need. Your access to health care shouldn't depend on who you work for, or where you go to school, or what state you live in. But I actually want to come back to Mr. Romney's position on abortion, on women's access to health care, because he's had a lot of different positions on that question. And I understand what he's saying right now. But he's also said that he would be delighted to sign a bill that would eliminate all access to abortion. And he has taken extreme positions, he hasn't condemned the Republican Party platform. So --

DAVID GREGORY:
Well, that's not quite fair. He said he doesn't agree with the platform. That he does support instances of exceptions – rape and incest exceptions.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Right, and this is after he said that he did support it and agreed with that plank in the platform. So this is my problem, you know -- he is not taking a strong moral stand. And, from my perspective, these are clear moral questions that you feel one way or the other. And you don't change your position, depending on the political winds.

DAVID GREGORY:
A lot of these questions of women's health and abortion and other social issues obviously are motivating to a lot of women, particularly in the Democratic Party, but the Republican Party as well.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Yes.

DAVID GREGORY:
It was interesting, on the program, on Meet the Press last Sunday, Carly Fiorina, former head of Hewlett Packard, a Republican, she really took issue with Democrats treating women like a special interest group. Saying, ‘Look, we're pigeonholing all women into these issues. Like, it's just about abortion, just about women's health, and that's the only way that they vote.’ And that it's insulting to women, to treat women as a special interest group. Do you understand what she's saying at all?

SANDRA FLUKE:
I do understand what she's saying, but I don't agree with the criticism. You know, the president has actually said that he realizes that women aren't a special interest group; they're half this country. And I know that not all women are going to agree on these issues. But as I've been traveling around to a lot of swing states, I'm hearing from women who are Republican women, as well as Democratic women, that they're concerned about them. So we know they take them into account when they vote. But of course, women vote on a variety of other issues as well.

DAVID GREGORY:
How do you respond specifically -- obviously the issue that first brought you to national prominence was this issue of access to contraception. And again, Republicans made the point that this was a false debate, in that this had nothing to do with actual access to contraception; it had to do with the issue of the religious exception -- and that, again, it was miscast.

SANDRA FLUKE:
I think for the women who work for those religiously affiliated institutions or who go to school there, it's all about access. Because if you can't afford it, you can't access it. And let's not forget that there have now been bills that would criminalize many types of it, in addition to this funding question.

DAVID GREGORY:
But, access and affordability is still something that was there. I mean, a lot of the cases in contraception is that it is affordable across a board swath of people. And, that there was still the instance of private insurance companies being willing to pay for that.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Well, I think it's really important to see that not all women can use the most generic and most affordable types of contraception. Some need types that are quite expensive. In addition, I find it so hypocritical that we have the exact same politicians who are saying, you know, ‘You don't need to have this covered on your private insurance’ -- because that's what they were saying -- ‘You don't need to have this covered on your insurance that you pay the deductible for. You can go to Planned Parenthood, or you can go to a community health clinic.’ When they've attacked those exact same Title X funds that fund those clinics. So, which is it? They're leaving women nowhere to turn.

DAVID GREGORY:
Talk more generally about young people, young voters, who are such an important voting block for the president. Part of this convention -- and there was a lot of enthusiasm on day one -- is the fact that there is an enthusiasm gap. That there are a lot of voters who were part of that 2008 coalition who, frankly, don't feel as motivated. What do you think the president has to do to get them back?

SANDRA FLUKE:
You know, I think that we are seeing them very motivated at rallies across the country. And I think some of the things that they're really excited about are, that this president has taken us out of Iraq, has ended that war. That he has stood for equality, stood for marriage equality, which is something that my generation feels really deeply about, and really sees as the civil rights issue of our time. And the young women I talk to are definitely fired up about these types of reproductive health issues. They've never seen those be questions in our lifetime before. And they feel very much that this is at risk. And they're right.

DAVID GREGORY:
Do you worry, as a young person, about becoming too rigidly ideological at a time when our political systems are working so poorly? You did have in the Republican Convention a featured speaker, Condoleezza Rice, she's pro-choice. You have more women, more minorities, who are actually in elected office around the country in roles as governors. Does that hearten you? Does that make you think that there's more bipartisan consensus that's possible on the issues that you care about?

SANDRA FLUKE:
Well, I want to see women in office in larger numbers across the board. Clearly, those are -- I'd like them to be women who are standing with other women on these types of issues. But we definitely need better representation, purely. But I wouldn't look at it as being too ideological. You know, Leader Pelosi says that, ‘If you don't have any wounds, then wasn't there anything you were worth fighting for -- that you thought was worth fighting for?’ So, I believe in taking a firm stand on what I believe in. And, you know, sometimes that agrees with the Democratic Party, and sometimes it might not.

DAVID GREGORY:
But again, as a young person who looks at politics, I mean, part of politics working is compromises, legislative compromise.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Absolutely.

DAVID GREGORY:
And if, in this country, we're in a position where young people are starting off so polarized as the rest of the electorate is, you don't get to a place of achievement on things. I mean, one of the people who was really celebrated last night, Senator Ted Kennedy, understood how you had to compromise with the other side, even with Governor Romney on issues like health care in Massachusetts. So, again, I ask you sort of about your idealism and squaring that with some of the realities of how dysfunctional politics is.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Well, I think something that folks might not realize about me is that I'm actually very practical about these types of things. So, for example, I thought it was important that the president found a way for the insurance at religiously affiliated institutions to cover contraception for women, while at the same time finding a way for those institutions to not be using their own funding to pay for it. That's an example of a fantastic agreement that allows everyone to have their concerns met. So, I think that that is incredibly important in moving us forward, and there are a lot of Republicans that I would be happy to work with. I'm very sad that we're losing Senator Olympia Snowe, to retirement. But she has consistently been someone who was willing to reach across the aisle on these issues.

GREGORY:
What's this past year been like for you? Is this, has this kindled an interest in politics and political activism that you'll continue, now that you're out of school?

SANDRA FLUKE:
Well, it's been an eventful year, I'll tell you that. It has made more clear to me what an impact the political process can have on the issues that I care about, because I've worked on issues of women's health and these policy questions for a long time. But it's becoming very clear what the political process can impact those. So, yeah, I think I'll continue to speak out and try to influence these policies to help the women I care about.

DAVID GREGORY:
Activism or seeking office?

SANDRA FLUKE:
Right now I'm focused on this election and I'm not on the ballot this time. So, you know, maybe someday I'll think about that. But right now I'm just focusing on President Obama.

DAVID GREGORY:
Do you have any doubt that the gender gap will continue to favor President Obama in such a way that will --

SANDRA FLUKE:
None whatsoever.

DAVID GREGORY:
-- Deliver the election?

SANDRA FLUKE:
I mean, he has been consistently ahead of Mr. Romney in the polls this entire election season. It's still in double digits. That support from women is not going anywhere. And I think that's because women realize that we have an agenda to get done in the next four years. You know, the Violence Against Women Act still has not been reauthorized. The Fair Pay Act has not been passed. So our work is not done. That women’s support's not going anywhere.

DAVID GREGORY:
Why do you think the president does so well with women, but so poorly with men?

SANDRA FLUKE:
You know, I don't know that he does poorly with men --

DAVID GREGORY:
Well, we talk about the gender gap. The gender gap goes the other way, as well. And so, Mitt Romney does better with men than President Obama does in almost the same numbers.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Is it almost the same numbers? Well, I think that we're gonna hear more of a conversation from now through November. And we'll see how those numbers shake out in the meantime.

DAVID GREGORY:
Sandra Fluke, thank you very much.

SANDRA FLUKE:
Thank you.

DAVID GREGORY:
Look forward to hearing you tonight.

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