This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and lengthy.
Rick Brewer: Congressman, what was your reaction to President Biden dropping out of the race?
Rep. Dan Kildee: I was obviously not completely surprised because over the course of the last few weeks, that's been a big part of the debate. But this is unprecedented. We've never been through something quite like this. I do think the President ultimately made the decision that he thinks is best for the country. Part of my reaction was not so much surprised, but just trying to understand the historic gravity of the moment. I have a personal relationship with the President, and to think about his legacy and to recognize that in the 3 1/2 years that he has served as president, he has accomplished more than most two term presidents could ever even hope for.
RB: You mentioned that the calls from within Congress were getting louder and louder for Biden to step down. Several congressional leaders came out publicly with high profile donors, of course. Take us behind the scenes, if you will, congressman. What were you seeing behind closed doors in terms of the pressure campaign that was being launched onto Biden?
DK: Well, I think it kind of worked both ways. You know, the public pressure. While I think some people may have thought that contributed to his decision, I know Joe well and I don't think he was going to take this action based on public pressure. He's been willing to withstand public pressure in difficult moments in the past. He was going through a very thoughtful process himself. My own relationship with him and with the people around him led me to have private conversations with them, to share my perspective, but not put him in a position where I'm communicating with him publicly when I can simply communicate with him privately.
RB: Was part of your perspective congressman the fact that your district, Michigan's 8th Congressional District, is polling at a toss-up? Were you concerned that if Biden were to stay in the race, this would have impacted the down ballot race in your district?
DK: Yeah, that's one of the factors. I mean certainly whoever is elected President of the United States is the most important aspect of this year's election. However, Congress has a Co-equal branch. And if we're going to see the potential of a Trump presidency, one of the ways to mitigate against the danger of that is to have a Congress that's under democratic controls, so I was concerned about that. The 8th Congressional District of Michigan is a bellwether for what Michigan does. Michigan is a bellwether for the whole country. In many ways, the Congressional District I represent is a microcosm of the country itself, and I think I have a pretty good pulse on what sort of challenge the country is facing looks like. In my case, I support Kamala Harris. If she becomes our nominee, I think she'll put us in a much better position to hold the seat, to hold Michigan, and to keep the country moving in a positive direction.
RB: Kamala Harris did run for president during the 2019-2020 cycle, and she did not make it to caucus night in Iowa in 2020. In your eyes, what do you think has changed for her to now be the party's nominee?
DK: The number one reason is that Joe Biden selected her to be Vice President because he knew she could serve as president. The most important question that a candidate for President should ask when nominating a Vice-Presidential candidate is “Can this person do the job if they are called upon to do so?” Joe Biden selected Kamala Harris and she has performed extraordinarily well as Vice President.
RB: Who do you like as her running mate?
DK: I think Gretchen Whitmer would be fantastic. She's demonstrated the ability to lead, she's from Michigan, and Michigan's a key state. However, I don't want to get ahead of the process. Vice President Harris has to become our presumptive nominee, and then she'll make a decision about that. There are many other great choices as well. Mark Kelly, the senator from Arizona, is a good friend of mine and I have some biases in his favor. However, we need somebody who can win Michigan, and I think Gretchen Whitmer is certainly a person who could do that. Whitmer would certainly be a great choice because she's prepared to lead and helps with the ticket.
RB: Congressman Kildee, thank you for your time today, sir.
DK: Anytime, thank you.
