Sharron Angle shares political stance in interview on 'Face to Face'

Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Sharron Angle gave her first in-depth interview to a Nevada journalist Tuesday night on "Face to Face with Jon Ralston."

The former state assemblywoman, who is challenging Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., had been accused of avoiding interviews with Nevada media after winning the GOP primary on June 8. Her handlers have turned down several requests for interviews from the Nevada Appeal.

Since her victory, Angle has gone to Washington, D.C., to meet with Republican party officials and hired a former staffer from Sen. John McCain's 2008 presidential bid as well as a media firm that worked on

Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown's recent victory in Massachusetts. The conversation on "Face to Face" ranged from unemployment benefit extensions before Congress, which she said she would oppose, to Social Security privatization, abortion and Yucca Mountain.

Angle told Ralston she supports a partial privatization of Social Security, keeping the system running for seniors but creating a new private system for younger workers.

"Looking forward we know that is not going to be available to younger workers and we need to allow them to personalize," Angle said, later adding, "If we are going to go to a personalized account, there can be then this choice ... there is a choice that gives them the bottom line of Social Security or they can choose to personalize."

After she had criticized Reid during the primary race for not doing enough to bring jobs to Nevada, Ralston challenged Angle when she was later quoted saying it's not the responsibility of a U.S. senator to create jobs, instead the task belongs to state government.

"You want to have it both ways," Ralston said.

Angle countered by saying it's the job of a U.S. senator to reduce taxes and regulations, which she said would create more jobs.

"But what Harry Reid has been doing is putting forward those polices that actually put more regulation on business," Angle said.

Ralston said Reid has been credited with creating hundreds of jobs around the state.

"Are you not going to give him credit for that?" he said.

"Not much," Angle said. "Government doesn't really create jobs. A part-time job is not a job, people want a job that has benefits, that has a future, is really something they can count on to pay their mortgage."

Ralston then asked if she would support a bill that would provide billions in incentives for small businesses. She agreed with the concept, saying small businesses create jobs.

"We have made history tonight because Sharron Angle has just expressed support for a Harry Reid bill," Ralston said.

Angle also was challenged with another statement she had made on a radio interview during the primaries: "If this Congress keeps going the way it is, people are really looking toward those Second Amendment remedies and saying, my goodness, what can we do to turn this country around? I'll tell you, the first thing we need to do is take Harry Reid out."

Ralston said many say that rhetoric is "outrageous" and asked if Angle felt President Barack Obama was like King George III.

"Well, I was speaking broadly, as you saw, about the Constitution, and that was the context of that rhetoric," Angle said. "I admit that was a little strong to say 'take him out,' but you know what I meant. I meant take him out of office, and taking him out of office is a little different. I changed my rhetoric, to 'defeat Harry Reid.'"

As for her position on abortion, Ralston played a clip from an interview Angle had previously given.

The interviewer asks: "Is there any reason for an abortion?"

"Not in my book," Angle responds. "You know I'm a Christian and I believe God has a plan and purpose for each one of our lives and that he can intercede in all kinds of situations and we need to have a little faith."

Ralston then challenged Angle on why she opposes government regulating education, oil companies and health care, but not abortion.

"I always say that I value life, my position has always been that government should stay out of it, but in 1973 (after the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision) they chose to get involved in this," Angle said. "Since then there have been a lot of things happen that have not been pro-life and I've always been pro-life. The government decided to get involved in this, I'm just defending my position."

Angle finally said she wants the Yucca Mountain project to move forward because it would have potential to turn "lemonade out of some lemons" and benefit the state.