In an interview with singer James Taylor at a Hillary Clinton campaign rally in North Carolina during MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports on Wednesday, correspondent Chris Jansing gushed over the musician preparing to open for President Obama at the event: “...this is about supporting Hillary Clinton, it’s also about Barack Obama's legacy....You have been a big fan of the President.”
She continued to fawn over the celebrity’s love for Obama: “So I don't know if you know this, but you have been at the White House more than any other performer in his presidency, five times. You were at an inauguration. Now you're here. What is it about you, Barack Obama, and what appears to be a bit of a bromance?”
Taylor proclaimed: “I have been hugely supportive and just felt so good about Barack Obama as our leader.” Jansing followed up: “You have said, in fact, that he represents the America you know. What do you mean by that?...Because you’re out there traveling, you’ve seen this country...”
Like an adoring fan, he declared:
I feel as though I like I identify with him as a leader of the America that – and the American dream – that I’ve lived with and am familiar with throughout my life. I just think that he’s very in line with the American beacon of hope that this country represents in the world. And I just feel that emotionally and in terms of his intelligence and his commitment and his focus on the issues and his job, he's an excellent president and I just feel so good about it.
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Jansing observed: “And now you're transferring your celebrity, your talent, your time to Hillary Clinton.” Taylor professed: “We’ve been asked to be part of her campaign as well. We have known and supported Secretary Clinton for many, many years and feel hugely positive about her candidacy.”
Jansing concluded the segment: “James Taylor, who has been on the campaign trail really since the very beginning for Barack Obama, now Hillary Clinton.”
Here is a full transcript of the November 2 interview:
12:55 PM ET
ANDREA MITCHELL: I’ll be leaving here in Florida and heading to North Carolina, where Hillary Clinton is going to be campaigning tomorrow. President Obama is there today. His opening act at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill this afternoon it is a long-time Hillary Clinton supporter who is used to performing in front of big crowds, James Taylor. NBC’s Chris Jansing is there now with James Taylor. Chris?
CHRIS JANSING: Yeah, James Taylor, his wife Kim. And you know very well, Andrea, this is about supporting Hillary Clinton, it’s also about Barack Obama's legacy. Thank you so much, it’s a pleasure to have you here, back in Chapel Hill. This is hometown for you.
JAMES TAYLOR: That’s right, I grew up about two miles in that direction.
JANSING: You have been a big fan of the President. So I don't know if you know this, but you have been at the White House more than any other performer in his presidency, five times. You were at an inauguration. Now you're here. What is it about you, Barack Obama, and what appears to be a bit of a bromance?
TAYLOR: I don't know. I do – I have been hugely supportive and just felt so good about Barack Obama as our leader. I have – it was such an important change for me when he was elected in 2008. And I was honored to be able to work on both campaigns, my wife Kim and I.
JANSING: Road warriors.TAYLOR: We are. And she serves on the Council for the Arts.
KIM TAYLOR: The President’s Committee on the Arts, yes.
JAMES TAYLOR: The President’s Committee on the Arts. So we have had a little bit of a connection, yes, with this administration.
JANSING: You have said, in fact, that he represents the America you know. What do you mean by that?
TAYLOR: I just –
JANSING: Because you’re out there traveling, you’ve seen this country, both of you.
TAYLOR: I feel as though I like I identify with him as a leader of the America that – and the American dream – that I’ve lived with and am familiar with throughout my life. I just think that he’s very in line with the American beacon of hope that this country represents in the world. And I just feel that emotionally and in terms of his intelligence and his commitment and his focus on the issues and his job, he's an excellent president and I just feel so good about it.
JANSING: And now you're transferring your celebrity, your talent, your time to Hillary Clinton.
TAYLOR: We’ve been asked to be part of her campaign as well. We have known and supported Secretary Clinton for many, many years and feel hugely positive about her candidacy.
JANSING: Tell me one thing people don't know about either Hillary or Barack Obama.
KIM TAYLOR: Oh gosh.
JANSING: Behind the scenes?
KIM TAYLOR: Behind the scenes? I just wanted to say that, you know, this country, we’ve tried men for 200 years, it’s time to try something different.
JANSING: Are you okay with that?
JAMES TAYLOR: Yeah, I am okay. You know, government may be one of those things that women just do better than men.
JANSING: James Taylor, Kim Taylor, thank you both. Are we going to hear a little bit maybe of “Going to Carolina, Carolina on my mind”?
TAYLOR: You know, I think there’s a good chance.
JANSING: A good chance of that. James Taylor, who has been on the campaign trail really since the very beginning for Barack Obama, now Hillary Clinton. Back to you, Andrea.
MITCHELL: Chris Jansing and James Taylor. And Carolina is on their minds.
