'Meet the Press' transcript for August 3, 2008

MR. BROKAW: Incidentally, can we show you a Joe Lieberman Web site that he may not be welcoming?

SEN. LIEBERMAN: Yeah.

MR. BROKAW: There's a Web site out there in which they say, "Get rid of Joe. Lieberman must go." More than 50,000 signatures have been signed so far. Do you think you're going to be comfortable next year in the Democratic caucus as a self-described Independent/Democrat?

SEN. LIEBERMAN: Well, look, I, I've crossed party lines to support John McCain because this is not an ordinary time in our history, it's not an ordinary election, and I just felt, more than following the party line, I had to go with the guy that I thought would best serve this country, and that's John McCain.

MR. BROKAW: So are you...

SEN. LIEBERMAN: I'm making...

MR. BROKAW: So, are you going to speak...

SEN. LIEBERMAN: I'm making...

MR. BROKAW: Are you going to speak at the Republican convention?

SEN. LIEBERMAN: ...that decision--I'll let the future of politics take care of itself. I feel very good about what I've done. Am I going to speak at the convention? It's not--that decision hasn't been made. If Senator McCain feels that I can help his candidacy, which I think it's so important to elect him our next president, I will do it. But I assure you this, Tom, I'm not going to go to that convention, the Republican convention, and spend my time attacking Barack Obama. I'm going to go there really talking about why I support John McCain and why I hope a lot of other independents and Democrats will do that. And frankly, I'm going to go to a partisan convention and tell them, if I go, why it's so important that we start to act like Americans and not as, as partisan mudslingers here in Washington.

MR. BROKAW: Sounds, sounds like you're going to go.

SEN. LIEBERMAN: Well, we'll see.

SEN. KERRY: Sounds like that to me, too.

MR. BROKAW: Senator Lieberman, Senator Kerry, thanks very much for being with us today.

SEN. KERRY: Great to be with you.

SEN. LIEBERMAN: Thanks, Tom.

SEN. KERRY: Thank you, Tom.

SEN. LIEBERMAN: Good discussion.

MR. BROKAW: And we'll continue this conversation throughout the course of the next several months.

SEN. LIEBERMAN: OK.

SEN. KERRY: We sure will.

MR. BROKAW: OK.

SEN. KERRY: Thank you.

MR. BROKAW: Coming up next, all eyes on the vice presidential sweepstakes. Who's in, who's out? Our political roundtable will weigh in: Andrea Mitchell, Mike Murphy, Chuck Todd and Judy Woodruff, right here next on MEET THE PRESS.

MORE FROM MEET THE PRESS

Meet the Press Section Front

Dec. 7: Exclusive! Barack Obama Nov. 30: First Lady Laura Bush, Afghanistan's Ambassador Said Jawad, Ted Turner Nov. 23: James Baker, Bill Daley, Sen. Joe Lieberman, political roundtable Nov. 16: Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), T. Boone Pickens, Tom Friedman, Katty Kay, Andrea Mitchell, Tavis Smiley Nov. 9: Valerie Jarrett, Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., political roundtable Nov. 2: Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Fmr. Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., political roundtable Oct. 26: Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Chuck Todd, Charlie Cook, Kelly O'Donnell Remembering Tim Russert   Images: The life of the political journalist   Slideshow: A look back at 60 years of 'Meet the Press' Meet the Press Section Front   Add Meet the Press headlines to your news reader: