MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Islamic State

Interview

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SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. A new NBC news Wall Street Journal poll shows a stunning number. Nearly half of the country thinks we are less safe than we were before 9/11. This is the highest response to this question since the poll started in 2002.

Americans have spent -- gosh, the last decade pouring billions if that trillions of dollars in the security. The NSA is everybody`s business. The TSA screens us more now than ever before but nearly half the county is still afraid.

Right after the terrorist attacks in 2001 Congress came together to give George W. Bush all the support he needed and followed up with all those support and all the requests that he made. The question tonight is, "Will Congress put politics aside and support President Obama, the Commander-in- Chief?"

Joining us tonight Republican Congressman from Texas Joe Barton, Congressman, good to have you with us tonight. First of all, I want you to respond to this survey. Should Americans be afraid? What do you think of this number?

REP. JOE BARTON, (R) TEXAS: Well, I think we are safer but I understand why a lot of people still are afraid because of this terrorist threat. The ISIS group is absolutely a terrorist thug group and of course our southern border is not totally secure. So I think there are valid reasons to be concerned but I think on a net basis, we are safer than we were on 9-11- 2001.

SCHULTZ: OK. Congressman, will your Republican colleagues help President Obama here? Do you think that there`s going to be partisan politics played out in this effort to take down ISIS?

BARTON: I hope not. You know, I am as partisan as they come against Obamacare and on domestic politics but there really is a difference in foreign policy. ISIS really is a clear and present danger to United States of America. I support the President if he will defend America. I want him to layout a plan tonight that tells the terrorist were coming after you wherever you are.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

BARTON: ... we`ll use all of our assets both military, economic, financial, moral. I want to destroy ISIS and prevent there being a future ISIS ever created again.

SCHULTZ: Congressman, what does that mean? What do you want to hear from the President tonight? How far does he have to go? What`s your definition here?

BARTON: Well, I`m one of the ones that would support an absolutely old-
fashioned declaration of war. Now, having said that, I don`t think the majority of my Republican friends or even Democratic friends are ready to go that far but, you know, if something`s worth fighting, it`s worth fighting and going all in. And so, I would like the President not to equivocate tonight, not to talk about some gradual escalation, not to automatically say out -- what`s out of bounds.

I don`t think we need major conventional ground forces wearing the American uniform in the region but I would not want to preclude the President from using any military -- again, military economic, financial asset that we have. These guys are dangerous. They hate the United States. We need to kill them. We need to track them down. We need to cut off their financial aid. We need to cut off their moral support. Whatever we need to do I`m ready to go do it and hopefully do it in a unified way for the security of the United States of America.

SCHULTZ: Do you think there`s a chance that the President would not go far enough?

BARTON: Well, I think it`s a better chance and even that he won`t go far enough. He told the leadership of the House in the Senate yesterday that he didn`t need any authorization from the Congress. I think that`s a mistake.

SCHULTZ: OK.

BARTON: I think it sends a signal to the world if the Congress goes on record that were totally behind -- not just the President, but we`re for the security of the United States of America.

SCHULTZ: All right, Congressman Joe Barton of Texas, good to have you with us tonight. We`ll have you back. I appreciate your time, sir. Thank you.

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