[17:43:29] BLITZER: Let's talk about the Democratic presidential contest. Joining us now is the House assistant Democratic leader, the South Carolina congressman, James Clyburn.
Congressman, thanks very much for joining us. I know you've said you're feeling a lot of pressure, including from your wife, one of your daughters to endorse either Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton, so give us the answer. Who are you going to throw your support behind?
REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, thank you so much for having me, Wolf.
Well, when I get home on Friday evening, I'm going to be spending a lot of time with family, friends. I'll be on the phone talking to a lot of people.
I think that they're probably right: People would like to know where I stand, irrespective of where that is. And although I said at the outset that I would stay neutral in all of this, I'm beginning to feel that maybe they're right, that I need to let people know where I stand and I'll probably do that, though not today or this week.
BLITZER: Well, we would be happy if you did it right now. You got a chance to speak to people in South Carolina, people all over the country right now. Do you want to give us a little clue?
CLYBURN: No, let's just wait until I talk to them. They may change their minds. So we'll see.
BLITZER: Your family. Unlike Iowa and New Hampshire, the Democratic voters in South Carolina, about half if not more, are African-Americans. What are the key issues you're looking for from Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton to try to convince you?
CLYBURN: Well, I'm very concerned about an effort to really target resources into communities of need.
[17:45:03] I think that this whole trickledown effect that we seem to do so often is leaving too many people in dire straits. For instance, we see the numbers increasing now almost 500 counties in the United States of America are now classified as persistent poverty counties.
And I'm very pleased that the speaker of the House, Mr. Ryan, has now decided that he's going to take a hard look at what the Congressional Black Caucuses has been advocating for several years on directing resources into these communities. I spoke with Harold Rogers today and it looks like we're going to get some movement on that. [Ryan, black lawmakers, may join forces on poverty plan]
I want to see the candidates talk about that. How do we do the infrastructure issues? How do we support historic black colleges and universities? I have seven in my district. There are 103 in the country. And for people not to understand the value of these institutions to our overall society I believe is up to presidential candidates to get people to understand that.
BLITZER: All right.
CLYBURN: And so that's the kind of thing I am looking for and I hope we'll get it during this two-week period.
BLITZER: I know there's a little history between you and the Clintons going back eight years ago, I remember it well. You endorsed then Senator Barack Obama. He won South Carolina, as you know. The former president Bill Clinton, there's a famous phone call you discussed in your memoir. You told him, I think your words are, "Go ahead and chill a little bit." Have you gotten over that? What's your relationship with the Clintons like today? [Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black]
CLYBURN: Well, we have a great relationship. I spent a lot of time, I was on the phone with Mrs. Clinton last week. I've seen the president, the former president several times. Mrs. Clinton and I set with each other at Senator Clementa Pinckney's funeral and we have had several conversations.
You know, I had my fish fry out in Charleston a couple of weeks ago and I spoke with her at that time as well as Senator Sanders. So the relationship between me and the Clintons are like any other relationship. Sometimes things get testy. But I've been married 54 years so I know what it is to have relationships that things get testy in sometimes.
BLITZER: Yes. Sometimes they go up and sometimes they go down. You're welcome to come back in a few days when you make up your mind and let the country know, let the folks in South Carolina know what you're doing. We always enjoy having you on the show, Congressman. Thanks very much.
CLYBURN: Well, thank you so much for having me.
BLITZER: Thank you.