Rep. Tubbs Jones to Carlson: "Get a life"

During the January 21 edition of MSNBC's Tucker, after airing a video clip of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) saying, "We are here today to say with joy and celebration that we have come so far together. You can see that on this stage as both of my distinguished friends and colleagues have said. [Sen.] Barack Obama [D-IL], an extraordinary young African-American man with so much to contribute; [former Sen.] John Edwards [D-NC], a son of the South, in fact, a son of South Carolina; and a woman -- all of us running for president of the United States of America," host Tucker Carlson said: "An extraordinary young African-American man -- just reminding voters that he's young and black. Why is she doing that?" Guest Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), a co-chair of Clinton's national presidential campaign, responded: "You know, Tucker? Get a life! Get a life!" Tubbs Jones later told Tucker: "Don't make something out of nothing" and "don't make up something that wasn't in the speech."

During the segment, Carlson also asked: "When three of her [Clinton's] surrogates reminded America that Obama had conceded using cocaine as a young man, those weren't coordinated attacks designed to make him look like a crackhead or anything. You're going to tell me that, too?" Tubbs Jones replied, "[R]emember when the candidates got on the stage and they pleaded with their people, 'Let's get on. Let's get over this'? Why do you keep playing this record? Leave that record alone and let's move on."

From the January 21 edition of MSNBC's Tucker:

CARLSON: I want to get your take on something that Hillary Clinton said this morning. She appeared before a predominantly black audience, and at a Martin Luther King Junior celebration, and she said this. Listen.

CLINTON [video clip]: We are here today to say with joy and celebration that we have come so far together. You can see that on this stage as both of my distinguished friends and colleagues have said. Barack Obama, an extraordinary young African-American man with so much to contribute; John Edwards, a son of the South, in fact, a son of South Carolina; and a woman -- all of us running for president of the United States of America.

CARLSON: An extraordinary young African-American man -- just reminding voters that he's young and black. Why is she doing that? Why isn't she talking about what he believes and contrasting that with what she believes?

TUBBS JONES: You know, Tucker? Get a life!

CARLSON: No, you -- get a life?

TUBBS JONES: Get a life! Obama's --

CARLSON: She's --

[crosstalk]

TUBBS JONES: Let me -- you want me to answer your question?

CARLSON: He is being slaughtered among Latino voters partly because she keeps reminding them that he's black.

TUBBS JONES: Do you want me to answer your question?

CARLSON: I do.

TUBBS JONES: Tucker, you want me to answer your question? Then make way so I can answer.

CARLSON: Go ahead and answer the question, if you can.

TUBBS JONES: I can. The distinguishing factor was that there is a woman and there is an African-American. Without making the distinguishing factor, it would not be there. Don't make something out of nothing. It was a wonderful speech.

CARLSON: Uh-huh.

TUBBS JONES: I was right there standing in the corridor with the thousands of other people and Hillary delivered a slam dunk. So don't make up something that wasn't in the speech.

CARLSON: I was actually playing the tape.

TUBBS JONES: Or giving some attention -- don't give some --

CARLSON: I was playing the tape of this speech. I wonder if you're willing -- I wonder if you'd be willing --

TUBBS JONES: And don't give it --

CARLSON: I wonder if you'd be willing, Congresswoman --

TUBBS JONES: Don't give it some impression that it doesn't have. I am -- don't give it an impression it doesn't have.

CARLSON: That it doesn't have. OK.

TUBBS JONES: She merely was saying he was a young African-American man, and it's true.

CARLSON: Uh-huh. Right. So when her surrogates -- when --

TUBBS JONES: And I'm a young African-American woman, and glad to be young and African-American.

CARLSON: When three of the surrogates, Congresswoman -- if I could just slide a question in here. When three of her surrogates reminded America that Obama had conceded using cocaine as a young man, those weren't coordinated attacks designed to make him look like a crackhead or anything. You're going to tell me that, too?

TUBBS JONES: You know what? Tucker.

CARLSON: Congresswoman.

TUBBS JONES: Remember the candidates got on the stage -- wait a minute, let me answer your question, darn it.

CARLSON: I am.

TUBBS JONES: Now, remember -- remember when the candidates got on the stage and they pleaded with their people, "Let's get on. Let's get over this"? Why do you keep playing this record? Leave that record alone and let's move on.

CARLSON: I'm wondering then -- since you're --

TUBBS JONES: That's what Martin Luther King would say.

CARLSON: OK.

TUBBS JONES: He would say keep your eye on the prize.

CARLSON: Keep your eye -- well, it depends what prize --

TUBBS JONES: I'm excited. I think it's wonderful.

CARLSON: It depends what prize your eyes are on. Let me -- since you're in a spirited mood, I've always wanted to ask.

TUBBS JONES: The prize is the presidency.

—J.H.