The following is an excerpt from the transcript of that show. I have added emphasis.
Our fifth story on the COUNTDOWN: Maybe not. One Democratic presidential candidate hinting: She and her supporters will back whoever is nominated. But the second hinting: Just the opposite. The third: Senator John Edwards joins us presently.
First: The many details beginning with Senator Barack Obama who interrupted his time on the campaign trail in South Carolina for an interview with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, in which the Illinois Democrat addressed a question from Mr. Brody about whether Senator Clinton would, quote, "Be a drag for down ticket races as a presidential candidate."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I think there‘s no doubt that she has higher negatives than any of the remaining Democratic candidates. You know, that‘s just a fact. And there‘s some who will not vote for her. I have no doubt that you know, once the nomination contest is over, I will get the people who voted for her. Now, the question is: Can she get the people who voted for me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
OLBERMANN: Senator Clinton making the case for her own candidacy in Philadelphia today, having already secured the endorsement of that city‘s mayor, now, getting that city‘s former mayor, Ed Rendell, currently the governor of Pennsylvania. Senator Clinton taking the approach the Democratic Party will be unified eventually.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Well, we‘re going to have a vigorous contest, then, we‘ll have a unified Democratic Party. That‘s exactly what we‘re going to do. We‘re going to have a very intense selection because this is an important election. It‘s one of the most important elections we‘ve had in a very long time. And each of us has to present our case. We have to draw a contrast and comparisons and then, we‘ll leave it up to the voters. And as soon as we have a nominee, we will be strongly united because the most important thing is to put a Democrat into the White House starting in January, 2009.
[SNIP]
OLBERMANN: Senator Edwards with us in a moment from South Carolina. First: For more on how the Democratic race got this way and where it goes from here, let‘s turn to our own Dana Milbank, national political reporter of the "Washington Post" also with us from South Carolina tonight. Dana, good evening.
DANA MILBANK, MSNBC POLITICAL ANALSYT: Good evening, Keith.
OLBERMANN: Senator Obama, first. That quote, "I will get the people who voted for her. The question is: Will she get the people who voted for me? Is there not to some degree a passive threat in there? Is it not his obligation as it‘s Senator Clinton‘s obligation and Senator Edwards‘ obligation to say, I want to give my damndest just to make sure if it comes to that she or he or whoever will get the people who voted for me.
MILBANK: Right. I think you‘re hearing tonight the first sort of whispers of the "S" word, the spoiler if that should be Obama‘s fate and he doesn‘t make it here. What he‘s saying technically about her negatives is actually true. But I think, in a larger sense, what‘s happening among all the Democrats is there‘s a little bit of a McCain pack getting to side into the Republican, may have exhausted all other options may in fact, be turning to the most formidable candidate against them who can actually pull away voters from Obama because of his lack of experience or Hillary Clinton because of her negatives.
OLBERMANN: By the same token, Senator Clinton‘s remarks about reuniting the party later for election, is it easier for her to say that than it would be for Senator Obama or for Senator Edwards? I mean, she can start singing "kumbaya" a little earlier while she ahs the ex-president say things like I kind of like to see Barack and Hillary fight, flesh and blood people, and they‘ll have their differences, let them at it?
[SNIP]
The moving parts of South Carolina minus four days out of the way and the analysis there out of the way. Let‘s turn to one of the principals. Senator John Edwards joining us tonight from Dabney (ph), South Carolina.
Senator, thanks again for some of your time tonight.
EDWARDS: Thanks, Keith. Thanks for having me.
OLBERMANN: There‘s several things I wanted to ask you about including our shared interest in Mr. O‘Reilly‘s reaction to you‘re putting a spotlight on the 200,000 homeless military vets. But I want to what Senator Clinton said in Philadelphia today about a unified Democratic Party. Let me just read the operative part of what she said then: Each of us has to present our case, we have to draw our contrast and comparisons. And then, we have to leave it up to the voters and as soon as we have a nominee, we will be strongly united because the most important thing is to put a Democrat in the White House starting in January 2009. With the caveat senator, that‘s saying so would not mean, you don‘t think she might be playing unfairly or saying so would not mean you‘re hinting anything about Senator Obama. Can you agree with Senator Clinton‘s conclusion there that the most important thing to Democrats should be ultimate unison and victory in November behind any Democrat?
EDWARDS: I would just say it differently, Keith. I think that if you watch the debate on Monday night, you know, I felt some of the bickering got to a fairly petty level. It‘s why, you know, I felt like I was trying to be the grownup. Represent the grownup part of the Democratic Party when some of the bickering was going on. Now, what I actually believe I think unity is important. Obviously, we want a Democrat in the White House. I think it goes beyond that. I think the change, if you‘re thinking about not just the Democratic Party which we all love but you‘re thinking about America which I love more. I think that we need real and meaningful transcend to change and so, yes, it does matter to be unified and to be able to win in November. Of course it does. It‘s very important. But it also matters whether we have a nominee who will fight for the middle class, fight for universal health care and the war. Who actually believes in the bold transformational changes the country needs.
OLBERMANN: I‘ve got a question on deck here about the middle class and the poor. But one more thing this overall subject of unity and I will drop it. Are we at the state will help every candidate right now, all three of you in here at the top, by saying you will support and you will encourage your supporters to support the Democratic nominee, no matter who it is and that Senators Clinton and Obama should join you in saying so maybe even before these votes taking on Saturday?
EDWARDS: Absolutely, I say that right now. You know, I intend to be the nominee, so, I hope to get the support of Senator Obama and Senator Clinton‘s supporters but we should absolutely support the nominee.
I suppose two out of three ain't bad.