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Glover Takes Up Welfare Cause

Aired September 17, 2002 - 11:43   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, he is known around the world for his roles in such films as the Lethal Weapon series and now actor Danny Glover is turning activist in a different role that is close to his heart. The issue: women and welfare.
Female lawmakers tomorrow plan to offer legislation aimed at countering several Bush administration proposals they say adversely affect women who are poor or on public assistance.

Actor and activist Danny Glover joins us now from Toronto to talk about why he is taking up the cause.

Hi there, good to see you. Welcome to CNN LIVE.

DANNY GLOVER, ACTOR AND ACTIVIST: Thank you and good afternoon.

LIN: Danny, how did you get hooked up into this cause?

GLOVER: I don't think I have been unhooked -- unhooked from the cause. When we deal with the issues of women and children, we deal with issues of poverty, deal with issues of homelessness, certainly the question of the welfare and welfare reform bill of 1996 comes into play. And we have to understand that women approach this new legislation with enormous hope and expectations. They expected that the program would provide assistance in terms of child care, assistance in terms of education, and jobs which paid living wages with dignity. And that didn't happen.

So, I think as we revisit the welfare bill, which has to be reratified at the end of this month, we have to talk about what didn't happen and what we need to do to correct that, to really create a situation where women and children and families really take -- who are off of welfare, receive jobs that are one, have living wages, two, that are not dead-end jobs and jobs that provide dignity as well.

LIN: Now you and Susan Sarandon are actually going to be performing for the senators when this bill is introduced. Is that right?

GLOVER: No, I'm not for the senators -- I don't know if Susan either. What is going to happen is that the women are going to perform themselves and tell their own stories through performance.

LIN: Now these are welfare recipients or the female legislators?

GLOVER: I'm sorry?

LIN: Are they the welfare recipients or...

GLOVER: They're not welfare recipients. They are women who were a part of the welfare employment program. They're going to tell their stories of what really occurred with the welfare employee program or the web program. And I have heard -- I have heard that -- and it's very, very emotional and very, very strong and certainly should have an enormous impact on legislators as well.

LIN: So what is going to be your role in all of this?

GLOVER: My role right now is to be here talking to you about that and it is -- how important it is -- this issue is. I mean, there are a number of issues on the table in terms of this country, legislative issues that have to be dealt with.

But this is a very important issue. The fact that this did not work. We've always used women and children and families on welfare as a scapegoat for other problems. So they're not on welfare now and they're out there and what women and mothers and families do want to do, who leave welfare, they want jobs. They want jobs that support them. They want jobs. They want education. They want training. They do that, which is -- which flies in the face of what we have been told about welfare recipients.

LIN: All right. What about your job these days, when is your next movie coming out?

GLOVER: I'm working on a project right now in Canada with Whoopi Goldberg.

LIN: And that's all you are going to tell me?

GLOVER: That's all we -- I'm not here to talk about my movie. There is plenty of time when we finish it, you know? It's a wonderful job, and it's absolutely wonderful working with Whoopi again, who also was a signature to the letter presented to President Bush, supporting more comprehensive -- and I will say that Patty -- Senator Patty Murray, from the state of Washington, is introducing this bill. She was on welfare at one time and is someone who could attest to having opportunities to get off of welfare and have a job that is -- certainly she has a job with enormous dignity, but to provide incentives from the people to better their lives.

LIN: It'll be interesting to hear all of their stories tomorrow on Capitol Hill.

GLOVER: It is going to be quite extraordinary.

LIN: It sure will. Good luck on the new movie.

GLOVER: Thank you very much.

LIN: We'll have to bring you back on another occasion to talk about that.

GLOVER: Thank you very much. LIN: Danny Glover, activist.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 17, 2002 - 11:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, he is known around the world for his roles in such films as the Lethal Weapon series and now actor Danny Glover is turning activist in a different role that is close to his heart. The issue: women and welfare.
Female lawmakers tomorrow plan to offer legislation aimed at countering several Bush administration proposals they say adversely affect women who are poor or on public assistance.

Actor and activist Danny Glover joins us now from Toronto to talk about why he is taking up the cause.

Hi there, good to see you. Welcome to CNN LIVE.

DANNY GLOVER, ACTOR AND ACTIVIST: Thank you and good afternoon.

LIN: Danny, how did you get hooked up into this cause?

GLOVER: I don't think I have been unhooked -- unhooked from the cause. When we deal with the issues of women and children, we deal with issues of poverty, deal with issues of homelessness, certainly the question of the welfare and welfare reform bill of 1996 comes into play. And we have to understand that women approach this new legislation with enormous hope and expectations. They expected that the program would provide assistance in terms of child care, assistance in terms of education, and jobs which paid living wages with dignity. And that didn't happen.

So, I think as we revisit the welfare bill, which has to be reratified at the end of this month, we have to talk about what didn't happen and what we need to do to correct that, to really create a situation where women and children and families really take -- who are off of welfare, receive jobs that are one, have living wages, two, that are not dead-end jobs and jobs that provide dignity as well.

LIN: Now you and Susan Sarandon are actually going to be performing for the senators when this bill is introduced. Is that right?

GLOVER: No, I'm not for the senators -- I don't know if Susan either. What is going to happen is that the women are going to perform themselves and tell their own stories through performance.

LIN: Now these are welfare recipients or the female legislators?

GLOVER: I'm sorry?

LIN: Are they the welfare recipients or...

GLOVER: They're not welfare recipients. They are women who were a part of the welfare employment program. They're going to tell their stories of what really occurred with the welfare employee program or the web program. And I have heard -- I have heard that -- and it's very, very emotional and very, very strong and certainly should have an enormous impact on legislators as well.

LIN: So what is going to be your role in all of this?

GLOVER: My role right now is to be here talking to you about that and it is -- how important it is -- this issue is. I mean, there are a number of issues on the table in terms of this country, legislative issues that have to be dealt with.

But this is a very important issue. The fact that this did not work. We've always used women and children and families on welfare as a scapegoat for other problems. So they're not on welfare now and they're out there and what women and mothers and families do want to do, who leave welfare, they want jobs. They want jobs that support them. They want jobs. They want education. They want training. They do that, which is -- which flies in the face of what we have been told about welfare recipients.

LIN: All right. What about your job these days, when is your next movie coming out?

GLOVER: I'm working on a project right now in Canada with Whoopi Goldberg.

LIN: And that's all you are going to tell me?

GLOVER: That's all we -- I'm not here to talk about my movie. There is plenty of time when we finish it, you know? It's a wonderful job, and it's absolutely wonderful working with Whoopi again, who also was a signature to the letter presented to President Bush, supporting more comprehensive -- and I will say that Patty -- Senator Patty Murray, from the state of Washington, is introducing this bill. She was on welfare at one time and is someone who could attest to having opportunities to get off of welfare and have a job that is -- certainly she has a job with enormous dignity, but to provide incentives from the people to better their lives.

LIN: It'll be interesting to hear all of their stories tomorrow on Capitol Hill.

GLOVER: It is going to be quite extraordinary.

LIN: It sure will. Good luck on the new movie.

GLOVER: Thank you very much.

LIN: We'll have to bring you back on another occasion to talk about that.

GLOVER: Thank you very much. LIN: Danny Glover, activist.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com