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American Morning

Showdown: North Carolina

Aired November 05, 2002 - 07:09   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Straight away to North Carolina, where Jeanne Meserve is watching that closely-held Senate race.
Jeanne -- good morning.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Elizabeth Dole will vote here in her hometown later this morning. Her Democratic opponent, Erskine Bowles, will vote in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This started out as a very lopsided race in Mrs. Dole's favor. However, after an expensive campaign and quite a nasty one, Erskine Bowles has closed much of that gap.

Today, for him, the critical part of the electorate to turn out, African-Americans, who polls show support him in overwhelming numbers.

A lot of manufacturing jobs have been lost in the state of North Carolina. That is the big issue in this campaign, but there are a lot of other things at play. Mrs. Dole's superstar celebrity status; also her association with President Bush -- he's been in three times to campaign for her.

Erskine Bowles has to deal with another president. He was President Clinton's chief of staff, and he is having to cope with the positives and negatives of that association.

In their final flurry of campaign appearances, both candidates are expressing a lot of optimism about their chances, but exhorting their voters to get to the polls today; neither one of them taking anything for granted in this environment.

Bill -- back to you.

HEMMER: Jeanne, thanks -- Jeanne Meserve watching that in North Carolina.

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 November 5, 2002 - 07:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Straight away to North Carolina, where Jeanne Meserve is watching that closely-held Senate race.
Jeanne -- good morning.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

Elizabeth Dole will vote here in her hometown later this morning. Her Democratic opponent, Erskine Bowles, will vote in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This started out as a very lopsided race in Mrs. Dole's favor. However, after an expensive campaign and quite a nasty one, Erskine Bowles has closed much of that gap.

Today, for him, the critical part of the electorate to turn out, African-Americans, who polls show support him in overwhelming numbers.

A lot of manufacturing jobs have been lost in the state of North Carolina. That is the big issue in this campaign, but there are a lot of other things at play. Mrs. Dole's superstar celebrity status; also her association with President Bush -- he's been in three times to campaign for her.

Erskine Bowles has to deal with another president. He was President Clinton's chief of staff, and he is having to cope with the positives and negatives of that association.

In their final flurry of campaign appearances, both candidates are expressing a lot of optimism about their chances, but exhorting their voters to get to the polls today; neither one of them taking anything for granted in this environment.

Bill -- back to you.

HEMMER: Jeanne, thanks -- Jeanne Meserve watching that in North Carolina.

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