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CNN Live At Daybreak

Interview with Bruce Alan

Aired September 02, 2002 - 06:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: It's time for Talk of CNN. It's a chance for us to talk with radio stations around the country, find out what their listeners are talking about.
And this morning we're checking in with Bruce Alan. He's with WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C.

Good morning, Bruce.

BRUCE ALAN, WTOP RADIO NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, Catherine.

CALLAWAY: How are you doing there?

ALAN: Doing good. Looking forward to a big last full week before the primary elections and...

CALLAWAY: Yes, a busy week there, right?

ALAN: Of course, in D.C. we have the mayor's race and the mayoral primary includes six candidates. The mayor is running for reelection, but he's got to be a write-in because of irregularities on his signatures on his petitions. So he's running a write-in campaign along with Willie Wilson. And the mayor is hitting the air today on radio and television with a big ad campaign.

Now, we're hosting a debate on Friday on, in fact, it's on the CNN "Crossfire" set, with all six candidates, including the four who are on the ballot. And they include a 79-year-old bugle playing former dancer who likes to sing her campaign theme and a former council member who had a famous confrontation with a tow truck driver that ended in him biting the tow truck driver.

So it should be an interesting gathering of all six of those candidates.

CALLAWAY: I wish we had some of the local commercials that are running on television there in D.C. I'll bet it's interesting. You also have a long time, the Eighth District Congresswoman, the Republican?

ALAN: Connie Morella, who's been a very popular Republican in a heavily Democratic district. But that district has been redrawn in redistricting now. So it's kind of an oddly shaped district and it includes a number of voters who haven't really been represented by Connie Morella before. So her name recognition won't be as strong with them. The two main challengers who are vying to challenge her in November are State Senator Chris Van Hollen and State Delegate Mark Shriver, who has some well known family ties.

CALLAWAY: Yes, well, a very familiar name there.

The IMF/World Bank meetings coming up there in D.C. later this month, the end of this month, lots of preparations for that? I know they're expecting some protests.

ALAN: They're expecting a lot of protest activity. And generally when stuff like this happens, Chief Ramsey puts out the call for volunteers from around the country, other police officers to come into town and help keep the peace. But unfortunately the volunteers aren't stepping forward as they usually do because the federal government has been a little slow to reimburse the city. So if the city doesn't get reimbursed, they can't reimburse the volunteers who have offered their services to come and help out.

So they're looking for 3,000 officers from around the country to come help and I think they've only heard from 700 so far.

CALLAWAY: You know, I can't let you go without talking to you about Steve Spurrier. You can't listen to sports radio the last couple of weeks, everybody's watching, or going to be watching Steve Spurrier. What's the talk there? You know, how are the fans, are they excited? What's the reaction?

ALAN: Very excited. He's an exciting guy.

CALLAWAY: Yes, he is.

ALAN: His fun and gun offense is very exciting. He puts a lot of points on the broad. The Skins lost on Thursday to the Patriots, but that was their first and only loss in the pre-season and yes, the bandwagon's loading up. It's going to be a fun rescue season.

CALLAWAY: Well, have fun with it.

What are you doing today? Anything exciting on this holiday?

ALAN: Just taking it easy, a little barbecue maybe later if the sun comes out.

CALLAWAY: The sun, good luck with that.

ALAN: Yes, all right, Catherine.

CALLAWAY: All right, Bruce Alan.

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