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CNN Live At Daybreak
In Sunshine State, Hot Debate Between Two Candidates for Governor
Aired October 23, 2002 - 06:50 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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: In the Sunshine State, a hot debate between two candidates for governor. With just two weeks before election day, Florida Governor Jeb Bush trying to widen his slim lead. And last night he squared off against his Democratic rival, Bill McBride.
CNN's John Zarrella has the story from Orlando.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Bush, Mr. McBride, thank you both for joining us.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A final debate, a last chance to go one-on-one, toe to toe. Florida's Republican governor, Jeb Bush, and his Democratic challenger Bill McBride, squared off in Orlando and left nothing on the table.
BILL MCBRIDE (D), FLORIDA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: I'd take more of the budget...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All programs, all programs.
MCBRIDE: ... across-the-board and move it into public schools and human services.
GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: To suggest that you're not going to raise taxes, I think, is just being disingenuous.
ZARRELLA: With two weeks before the election, polls show Bush and McBride in a dead heat, a startling turn of events. Just three months ago, McBride was running a distant second in primary polls to Janet Reno. Now, he's not only the Democratic nominee, he's got what experts say is a legitimate shot to pull the upset of the political season, beating the president's brother.
BOB PEOPLE, FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN: The fact that right now Jeb Bush can't get above 49 points in any single poll shows that he's got a problem.
ZARRELLA: Political scientists say this election may well be a repeat of the 2000 presidential race, where every vote was critical.
SUSAN MACMANUS, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: Not only do we have an equally divided state between Republicans and Democrats, even our independent voters seem to split between the two, which creates the most competitive political environment in the country.
AL CARDENAS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA: There's not a single voting group in Florida you can ignore, whether it's African- Americans, Hispanics, seniors, women, all age groups, you name it, we have to go after every single vote because it's Florida.
ZARRELLA: Experts say this race is far more than just about the governorship of Florida. It's an integral part of both parties' strategies for 2004.
MARK SILVA, "ORLANDO SENTINEL": The president could not have won the White House without Florida. That's clear. And in 2004, he won't be able to win reelection, probably, without Florida.
ZARRELLA (on camera): To help avert a potential Florida disaster, both the governor's mother and father are canvassing the state for their son. Republican Party leaders admit their margin right now isn't comfortable, but they say it's better than where the other guy is.
John Zarrella, CNN, Orlando.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Governor>
Aired October 23, 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: In the Sunshine State, a hot debate between two candidates for governor. With just two weeks before election day, Florida Governor Jeb Bush trying to widen his slim lead. And last night he squared off against his Democratic rival, Bill McBride.
CNN's John Zarrella has the story from Orlando.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Bush, Mr. McBride, thank you both for joining us.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A final debate, a last chance to go one-on-one, toe to toe. Florida's Republican governor, Jeb Bush, and his Democratic challenger Bill McBride, squared off in Orlando and left nothing on the table.
BILL MCBRIDE (D), FLORIDA GOVERNOR CANDIDATE: I'd take more of the budget...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All programs, all programs.
MCBRIDE: ... across-the-board and move it into public schools and human services.
GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: To suggest that you're not going to raise taxes, I think, is just being disingenuous.
ZARRELLA: With two weeks before the election, polls show Bush and McBride in a dead heat, a startling turn of events. Just three months ago, McBride was running a distant second in primary polls to Janet Reno. Now, he's not only the Democratic nominee, he's got what experts say is a legitimate shot to pull the upset of the political season, beating the president's brother.
BOB PEOPLE, FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN: The fact that right now Jeb Bush can't get above 49 points in any single poll shows that he's got a problem.
ZARRELLA: Political scientists say this election may well be a repeat of the 2000 presidential race, where every vote was critical.
SUSAN MACMANUS, POLITICAL SCIENTIST, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: Not only do we have an equally divided state between Republicans and Democrats, even our independent voters seem to split between the two, which creates the most competitive political environment in the country.
AL CARDENAS, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN PARTY OF FLORIDA: There's not a single voting group in Florida you can ignore, whether it's African- Americans, Hispanics, seniors, women, all age groups, you name it, we have to go after every single vote because it's Florida.
ZARRELLA: Experts say this race is far more than just about the governorship of Florida. It's an integral part of both parties' strategies for 2004.
MARK SILVA, "ORLANDO SENTINEL": The president could not have won the White House without Florida. That's clear. And in 2004, he won't be able to win reelection, probably, without Florida.
ZARRELLA (on camera): To help avert a potential Florida disaster, both the governor's mother and father are canvassing the state for their son. Republican Party leaders admit their margin right now isn't comfortable, but they say it's better than where the other guy is.
John Zarrella, CNN, Orlando.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Governor>
