Greta: The DNC press secretary doesn't give a damn about poverty

Greta: DNC press secretary doesn't give a damn about poverty

'Off the Record,' 7/28/14: Instead of embracing a chance to work with Republicans and win the war on poverty, the DNC secretary picks a fight with Rep. Paul Ryan. It's all about 'winning' for him

By Greta Van Susteren

Let's go "Off the Record" for a minute. The DNC press secretary did something really rotten. It has to do with the war on poverty. It was President Johnson's challenge to the nation, and for 50 years we have been losing that war on poverty.

Poverty is very painful. It's humiliating. and people do not want to be poor. And I get enraged when someone has an idea to fight poverty, lift people out of poverty and then someone like the DNC press secretary stomps all over it with a stupid press release. Now, Republicans have been guilty of this, too, on different issues. But the DNC press secretary takes the cake on this one.

Congressman Paul Ryan came up with an antipoverty plan, a new idea, a starting point. He wants the nation to win the war on poverty. He gives a damn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL RYAN, HOUSE BUDGET COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: If you want to serve people in congress and you think you can't solve a problem that's a problem in our communities, you shouldn't be in congress.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

And what is exciting is that a Democrat, former President Clinton's labor secretary, Robert Reich, who also gives a damn about poverty, didn't endorse Ryan's plan but said this on ABC this week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT REICH, FORMER US SECRETARY OF LABOR: I was frankly very impressed. This is something that is very new and different from the Republican Party. And I think it deserves a careful look by Democrats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

This is great. It's a start. Both sides of the aisle looking at new ideas. So, what does the DNC press secretary do? Embrace the chance to possibly win the war on poverty? No. Praise the fact that both sides could work together? Nope. He does something awful. He shows how lame he is, releasing a statement criticizing Representative Ryan for his antipoverty plan, saying, among other things that Paul Ryan is not fooling anyone.

My thought for the DNC press secretary? Buddy, it's you who is not fooling anyone. You obviously don't give a damn about poverty. It's all you care about is winning. And that's my "Off the Record" comment tonight.