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CNN Live Today
Politically Sensitive Talking Points Make Way From White House to General Circulation
Aired June 14, 2002 - 13:40 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's go to Washington as departure of sorts, and on to the case of the missing computer disk. It seems some politically sensitive talking points made their way from a White House to a nearby street corner, and from there, to general circulation.
John King is following the story for CNN, and he joins us from Washington.
Not so flattering a view for the Bush administration, now is it?
JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Not so flattering. They certainly would like that we not have what was supposed to be a private political presentation from two of the presidents top aides, to Republicans, to Republican activists, to fund-raisers, to others the White House hopes will help Republican cause this November.
The White House does not want to talk about all this. Apparently, somebody dropped a disk. It fell into enemy hands, meaning Democratic hands, and let's suffice to say it is no longer, a private presentation.
Let's show you a little bit about this, and we will do so throughout the day Part of the presentation done by president's top political adviser, Karl Rove. He is the senior adviser to the president. You see here the White House logo. Mr. Rove offering his view of the strategic landscape for Republicans, heading into the midterm elections. Obviously history says, the Republicans will lose, but Mr. Rove saying perhaps the president's popularity will help Republicans a great deal.
Now it is no secret to American people, that President Bush's popularity skyrocketed after September 11. Remember the circumstances of the election; Mr. Bush just barely won election. If you look at this latest graphic here, we show you this slide, not because you don't already know the president's approval jumped, but just how stunning it is to look where president was in early September, and what happened to his standing here, after September 11.
Now the president obviously has come down a little bit in public approval ratings, but still remarkably high. And White House making the case that this can help Republicans this year in the midterm elections, a popular president, but the White also acknowledges Mr. Bush has work to do.
And we see in here, despite the fact that this is a president who repeatedly says, he pays no attention to the polls, if you look closely here at this, 2002 Bush outreach. We see a number of priorities here in the political strategy that are influenced in recent policy initiatives. It might be tough to read, but you see here, it is key to the White House to maintain the president's base, coal and steel states, farmers and ranchers.
We have seen in recent weeks a decision to impose tariffs on steel imports. Just yesterday, new environmental restrictions eased, to make it easier for cool-fired power plants. A few weeks back, the president signed a farm bill that many conservatives say has way too much wasteful spending and government subsidies in it. Mr. Bush signed that legislation. Over in this other column, you see the president should try to grow his support among Latinos. He will have an event in Houston today aimed at that front.
Union members, the president is selling his energy plan, has had the Teamsters president around him. Next week, he will speak to the carpenters union, which recently broke away from the predominantly Democratic AFL-CIO. You also see wired workers. That means those who use the Internet, and of course Catholics, a constituency President Bush has targeted from very early on in his administration. Most recently, of course, while in Rome, the president paid his second visit to see Pope John Paul II. All of tracking, of course, a White House political strategy.
You also see in here, as the White House looks to 2002 midterm elections, they are also looking down the road a bit more to the 2004 elections, when Mr. Bush will be seeking re-election. In a slide that is entitled "special concerns." You see number of states -- see if we move that slide up here -- "special concerns." You see a number of states that were among the most competitive in the 2000 presidential election. Take Florida, for example. Obviously decided in the courts. Mr. Bush narrowly won that state in the courts. That is why he is the president of the United States. He has been there nine times since taking office.
Another over here in Midwest, you see Iowa. Mr. Bush lost that state by 4,000 votes to Al Gore. He was there last week, his sixth visit as president.
He also lost in Pennsylvania, a state the White House is targeting. He has been there nine times as president.
So, a lot of what's in here is common sense, a lot of it is public knowledge, but we do get from this slide presentation, one the White House would very much prefer we not have, an inside look at how political strategy shapes this administration -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, John King, thank you very much.
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