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CNN Live At Daybreak

What's on Tap for D.C. Today?

Aired October 18, 2002 - 06:08   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 COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: That story, the sniper story are not the only headlines coming out of Washington.
We want to find out what's on tap in D.C. now from our Washington's morning producer, Paul Courson.

Good morning -- Paul.

PAUL COURSON, CNN WASHINGTON MORNING PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. Everybody is leaving town, it seems.

COURSON: It sure seems like it. Did you see President Bush yesterday in Atlanta?

COSTELLO: I did.

COURSON: Did you get a chance to?

COSTELLO: I did.

COURSON: Oh, there you go.

COSTELLO: He wasn't here for very long.

COURSON: No, it was just a quick stop. As a matter of fact, he travels again today. He goes to Springfield, Missouri, and then Rochester, Minnesota. In each case, it will be a political event.

An early-morning departure from the South Lawn of the White House, and then he'll return tonight to spend the weekend at Camp David.

At Springfield, he attends a Republican campaign rally for Senate candidate Jim Talent, and then at Rochester, he'll have remarks at another political event.

And as mentioned, a lot of people are getting out of town. Congress is also on a very stand-by sort of status. The House is out of session right now, and the Senate has reduced itself to what's called pro forma status. They leave the lights on, but they don't take roll, and only the most benign of legislative business takes place.

You know, it's campaign season, and a lot of these lawmakers are back in their home districts campaigning on behalf of candidates, themselves in some cases, or for others who are running for office on the same-party ticket.

COSTELLO: Hey, Paul, when you say, "leave the lights on," does that mean the Capitol Dome is lit up still?

COURSON: Actually, no, the Capitol Dome is only officially lit when Congress is in session. So, no, technically that should -- it should be out. I'll go check in a minute.

By the way, President Clinton is among those campaigning on the road today. Former President Clinton is up in Baltimore, up the road from here. He'll be campaigning on behalf of gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

COSTELLO: A very friendly place for him to be, although there is word that she's going to lose.

COURSON: Well, it's a pretty close race. She's up against a Republican, Ehrlich -- I'm trying to remember his first name. It's an interesting family...

COSTELLO: It's Robert Ehrlich.

COURSON: Robert -- Bob Ehrlich was the former Commerce undersecretary.

COSTELLO: No, it is Bob -- it's Robert Erhlick.

COURSON: That's the candidate?

COSTELLO: Yes.

COURSON: OK, well, his brother was the Commerce undersecretary in the Democratic Clinton administration, and now, his brother is running on the Republican ticket. And of course, the Kennedy family mystique is also there that's -- it's a pretty prominent race, a very interesting. It's a close horse race, too.

COSTELLO: Yes, I'm watching it, because it is pretty exciting.

Thank you, Paul Courson. We appreciate it, and we'll catch you on Monday.

COURSON: Have a good weekend.

COSTELLO: You, too.

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 October 18, 2002 - 06:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: That story, the sniper story are not the only headlines coming out of Washington.
We want to find out what's on tap in D.C. now from our Washington's morning producer, Paul Courson.

Good morning -- Paul.

PAUL COURSON, CNN WASHINGTON MORNING PRODUCER: Good morning, Carol. How are you?

COSTELLO: I'm fine. Everybody is leaving town, it seems.

COURSON: It sure seems like it. Did you see President Bush yesterday in Atlanta?

COSTELLO: I did.

COURSON: Did you get a chance to?

COSTELLO: I did.

COURSON: Oh, there you go.

COSTELLO: He wasn't here for very long.

COURSON: No, it was just a quick stop. As a matter of fact, he travels again today. He goes to Springfield, Missouri, and then Rochester, Minnesota. In each case, it will be a political event.

An early-morning departure from the South Lawn of the White House, and then he'll return tonight to spend the weekend at Camp David.

At Springfield, he attends a Republican campaign rally for Senate candidate Jim Talent, and then at Rochester, he'll have remarks at another political event.

And as mentioned, a lot of people are getting out of town. Congress is also on a very stand-by sort of status. The House is out of session right now, and the Senate has reduced itself to what's called pro forma status. They leave the lights on, but they don't take roll, and only the most benign of legislative business takes place.

You know, it's campaign season, and a lot of these lawmakers are back in their home districts campaigning on behalf of candidates, themselves in some cases, or for others who are running for office on the same-party ticket.

COSTELLO: Hey, Paul, when you say, "leave the lights on," does that mean the Capitol Dome is lit up still?

COURSON: Actually, no, the Capitol Dome is only officially lit when Congress is in session. So, no, technically that should -- it should be out. I'll go check in a minute.

By the way, President Clinton is among those campaigning on the road today. Former President Clinton is up in Baltimore, up the road from here. He'll be campaigning on behalf of gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

COSTELLO: A very friendly place for him to be, although there is word that she's going to lose.

COURSON: Well, it's a pretty close race. She's up against a Republican, Ehrlich -- I'm trying to remember his first name. It's an interesting family...

COSTELLO: It's Robert Ehrlich.

COURSON: Robert -- Bob Ehrlich was the former Commerce undersecretary.

COSTELLO: No, it is Bob -- it's Robert Erhlick.

COURSON: That's the candidate?

COSTELLO: Yes.

COURSON: OK, well, his brother was the Commerce undersecretary in the Democratic Clinton administration, and now, his brother is running on the Republican ticket. And of course, the Kennedy family mystique is also there that's -- it's a pretty prominent race, a very interesting. It's a close horse race, too.

COSTELLO: Yes, I'm watching it, because it is pretty exciting.

Thank you, Paul Courson. We appreciate it, and we'll catch you on Monday.

COURSON: Have a good weekend.

COSTELLO: You, too.

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