Wyclef Jean Rocks the Vote 'On the Record'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," August 25, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: Well, it's just after 10:00 p.m. local time here in Denver, Colorado, but things are still going full steam at the Democratic National Convention. And earlier, singer Wyclef went ON THE RECORD.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VAN SUSTEREN: Thanks very much for doing this.
WYCLEF JEAN, SINGER: Thank you for having me, good to see you.
VAN SUSTEREN: Nice suit. So, why are you here?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JEAN: Well, I mean, it's a natural thing that I'm here. I've been into politics. I was telling off air. My brothers are Republicans. I'm a natural Democrat, and we've been debating in the house for a minute. I think it's a historical time in history. Even though I do not follow politics that much, it was very important. I do not want to miss like history in the making. So, it was very important I'm out of here. Rock the Vote, of course, which what I've been supporting since the days of the Fugees. Finally, kids are engaged and excited about voting this time around, and they really feel like it's cool, which is something we have been fighting for years. Coming from a third world country, I know how important it is to vote when you don't get that chance, because there are people that cast their vote and they get killed going to the ballot. So, it's important for every American to understand, it's very important to vote.
VAN SUSTEREN: So, what's the story of you and your brothers? I mean, how come.
Watch Greta's interview with Wyclef
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JEAN: Well, I mean, this is -- it's a big debate. I mean, I was saying, that Denzel Washington movie, "The Great Debaters," are really about my brothers, really, they didn't know that (ph). But my brothers are both, you know, Republicans, they were great debaters in high school and went on to college. I decided I would be a musician. But we have had a lot of big talk about Obama and McCain, and they are actually going to vote for Obama.
VAN SUSTEREN: Some people would say that he is inspiring, that he might feel good, but that he doesn't have a record of showing anything, and that, you know, the whole issue of experience -- does that play into your thinking at all?
JEAN: Of course. It definitely plays into my thinking, and I think, I was watching Bill Clinton and what Bill Clinton said out of the whole quote that I got is -- and, you know, I love Bill Clinton -- is that Obama is smart as a whip, and the thing about it is I don't think anybody right now with what has happened in the last eight years -- I think if we want to talk about experience in the situation of President George Bush, and we say, OK, experience -- putting Obama in a position and putting him and the White House, I feel he would to a much better job than George Bush has done in the past eight years. I feel that he is experienced enough to -- not that he's going to face mistakes, yes, he will face mistakes and we all face mistakes, but I feel that a job a president, you must be ready day one to go against anything and be ready for everything and not really -- I'm confident that he could pull that off.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VAN SUSTEREN: In terms of experience, do you think he has more experience now than George W. Bush had when George W. Bush took or was a few months before the election eight years ago?
JEAN: I think it was two different things. I think when George Bush took office, I think, something happen with the towers. I think we had the terrorist attacks, the 9/11, and I think once that happened, I think, the whole energy of the (AUDIO BREAK)
George Bush had to govern a certain way. Whether if we agree with it or not, in the situation of 9/11, I was against the war in Iraq. You know, there was no weapons found at the end of the day, but I feel that, at the end of the day, there are some things that he did do. One of the things you cannot disregard is the situation with Africa and malaria and different situations, but as far as the image of the country, coming from someone who travels all over the world constantly, it used to be a time when we had an image, and we were proud to go around the country, and every country you go to, they'd be like, "Where are you from?" You go, "America," you know, and everyone was like, "Yes, yes." You know, now, you know, you go around the world all over and it's like, "Where you're from?" You go, "America," and they go, "(INAUDIBLE), we don't know about that." I feel that the head plays a very important role, which is the image. I feel that the image of your country is very important, and I think we're all starting to understand now. It's very important that the person who's our president that's representing us is representing us, and that it's important that we are like around the world. I think it's very important that people feel like, you know, they could talk to us. It's important that people feel like, you know, we're not here to bully the rest of the world. I think that is very important, and I think that's where Barack Obama comes in.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VAN SUSTEREN: Is there anything -- I think, I'm going to ask (ph) you about Senator McCain -- is there anything that you admire about Senator McCain?
JEAN: Oh, I think anyone who puts themselves in a situation where they serve for their country, I think that's the greatest duty. No one can take that away, and then getting captured on top of that and then -- you can even like there's total respect when it comes to that point, you know, when it comes to John McCain and him serving for his country and what he has done for his country. That is, you know, we respect that. No one is taking that. I just feel in a sense of leadership, I feel that Barack Obama would be a much better leader to lead the country.
VAN SUSTEREN: Any strange music or what I would think a strange music on your iPod? What that's? What do you think people would be surprised to know you listen to?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JEAN: I mean, in high school, we was raised -- my teacher was classical music. So, you know, we were raised with like Bach, Miles Davis, the likes of -- I think the strangest thing to someone on my iPod, which is probably natural to me would probably be Johnny Cash, a song called "Delia."
VAN SUSTEREN: That is, I must, I think that's great.
JEAN: Yes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}VAN SUSTEREN: Anyway, thank you very much, Wyclef.
JEAN: Thank you so much.
VAN SUSTEREN: We'll be listening and watching. Thank you.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JEAN: All right. Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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