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American Morning
Interview With Trent Lott
Aired November 06, 2002 - 07:49 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The struggle for control of the Senate promised to be razor-close, but the outcome turned out to be clear-cut with the GOP taking over in the wee hours of the night.
What does this mean for the plans of the party and the president?
Joining us now from Washington to talk about that future is majority -- I guess, future majority leader Senator Trent Lott.
Good morning, sir -- congratulations on all of your victories last night.
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Good morning, Paula. Thank you very much. I'm exciting to be here this morning.
ZAHN: I understand that you all have been given the "no-gloat" memo. How can you talk about last night's victories without gloating, sir?
LOTT: Well, you know, there is no use, you know, focusing on that. I'm excited about the future. I was at the office at 7:00. I spoke to the president, and he said, "Where are you, at home?" I said, 'No, Mr. President, I'm at the office, let's go to work.'
We've got a lot we need to do for the American people. They gave us this opportunity. They showed that they trust this president. They want the Congress to work with him to produce results on homeland security, our national security and economic security. They want a national energy policy. They want us to quit talking about doing some of these things and actually get it done.
So, that's the way I look at it. I'm not focused on the events of yesterday or the excitement I do feel today. I'm already focused on the future.
That's why Norm Coleman won I believe in Minnesota. He defeated an icon in Mondale. Why? Because he had a message, and he was focused on the next generation, and that's what we should be working on.
ZAHN: Let's come back to your conversation with the president earlier. Did he give you any marching orders?
LOTT: He said, let's get it done, let's work together, let's not get into entanglements. Let's see what we can do on things like prescription drugs and what we need to do to help the economy in terms of where we target tax cuts or let's control spending, but let's make sure we've got what we need to do the job on homeland security and in education.
There's a lot that is left over from this year that the Democratically-controlled Senate didn't get done. I hope that they will work with us now in the lame duck session, but especially next year to produce results, and provide better protection here at home, get the job done against the terrorists, but also make sure our children and our grandchildren are going to have a strong economy.
ZAHN: Senator Lott, just about 10 minutes ago, we spoke with outgoing Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and he said the two of you would be talking about what is realistic to accomplish in this lame duck session. Can you tell us what is realistic for the American public to expect?
LOTT: Whether or not I'm the majority leader in this lame duck session next week, lame duck sessions are not a good idea. You know, it's sort of a period between gains, so to speak -- just using a football analogy. People are tired. You know, you're going to have a different leadership situation next year.
There are some things we can do, should do, and we ought to focus on that and not drag it out.
Now, what are they? No. 1, we can do a port security and Coast Guard reauthorization bill. We need to get that done. Port security is important in America. Maybe we could get an energy conference report, maybe we could get bankruptcy reform, perhaps we can do terrorism reinsurance. But those are all bills that are already in conference that could possibly be done.
We must do something about the fact that most of the appropriations bills for the federal government were not completed this year. We either need to find a way to get them done quickly, which I don't think is possible, or do what we call a continuing resolution that funds it over to some period next year. We'll have to agree on a number, but I think we ought to do that.
Hopefully, we could do a few nominations. There are a lot of good men and women that have unfairly been held on the calendar or not been acted on. Well, let's see what we can do.
But I don't think it ought to be a "got you" period. I think we ought to sit down together with the leadership and the president and say, what can we do in a limited period of time? And then, go back with our constituents and be prepared to start fast next year.
ZAHN: What's going to be the best thing about getting your old job back, sir?
LOTT: A second opportunity. You know, a lot of times in life, you don't get a second chance. I've learned a lot of lessons, being in the majority leader position when Bill Clinton was president. I only had six months with President Bush as president. And I'll have another opportunity to work with this president that has shown leadership and commitment, and you know, I'm excited to have a chance to produce results. I prefer to be on the offense, Paula. I don't like, you know, being on defense, or you know, arguing over mundane mechanical or technical problems. Let's see what we can get done, and that's exciting.
ZAHN: Well, Republicans certainly are going to be on the offense now, and there are those out there who are saying now that you control both Houses of Congress that the president is going to have to be realistic about the amount of pressure put on him by the conservatives and religious right. What is your assessment of that?
LOTT: You know, I think...
ZAHN: I mean, they are basically saying it's payoff time.
LOTT: I don't know where that's coming from. You know, I think maybe that's the media looking for an angle here. Most of these things, Paula, are not philosophical issues. Having a national energy policy, having pension retirement reform., you know, people being able to make better use of their IRAs, have better control over their 401(k)s. What's philosophical about that?
Now, you might disagree about the mechanics for instance, or how you do prescription drugs for the elderly. There are those that will say we shouldn't do anything on tax cuts, but if there is some targeted places, we could do some that would help the economy.
I don't think any of that really is necessarily conservative, moderate, liberal. It's about results. And I think that's what the American people want. They don't want partisan bickering. They don't want philosophical dogma. They want things done for the economy, for their neighborhoods, for their children and for their parents. I want that done.
And I think with this president's leadership, he has shown that he will work with both sides on an issue. On education, he didn't get it just like he wanted, but we got education reform. We made a first step in improving education and leaving no child behind in America. We need to continue to work on that.
ZAHN: All right.
LOTT: So, I think that's why we'll get results.
ZAHN: We've just got 15 seconds left. Senator Daschle said that part of the problem was the fact in this election not that the Democrats didn't have an economic plan to present to the voters, but it simply didn't get covered by the media. Is there any truth to that, sir?
LOTT: I don't think so. I think we had strong leadership from the president. I think we had good candidates. I think we had a good strategy led by Bill Frist in the case of the Senate campaign committee. And I do think on the issues that we had the issues with us -- the war against terrorism, security here at home, a strong national defense, and dealing honestly with the economy. That's hard to match, and that's why I think we won, the combination of those things.
ZAHN: Well, Senator Lott, I think you're going to get gold stars from the folks who wrote the "no-gloat" memo. I saw no signs of gloating here this morning.
LOTT: We don't have time for that, Paula. We've got work to do.
ZAHN: Senator Trent Lott, as always, good to see you. Thanks for your time this morning.
LOTT: Thanks, Paula.
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 6, 2002 - 07:49 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The struggle for control of the Senate promised to be razor-close, but the outcome turned out to be clear-cut with the GOP taking over in the wee hours of the night.
What does this mean for the plans of the party and the president?
Joining us now from Washington to talk about that future is majority -- I guess, future majority leader Senator Trent Lott.
Good morning, sir -- congratulations on all of your victories last night.
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Good morning, Paula. Thank you very much. I'm exciting to be here this morning.
ZAHN: I understand that you all have been given the "no-gloat" memo. How can you talk about last night's victories without gloating, sir?
LOTT: Well, you know, there is no use, you know, focusing on that. I'm excited about the future. I was at the office at 7:00. I spoke to the president, and he said, "Where are you, at home?" I said, 'No, Mr. President, I'm at the office, let's go to work.'
We've got a lot we need to do for the American people. They gave us this opportunity. They showed that they trust this president. They want the Congress to work with him to produce results on homeland security, our national security and economic security. They want a national energy policy. They want us to quit talking about doing some of these things and actually get it done.
So, that's the way I look at it. I'm not focused on the events of yesterday or the excitement I do feel today. I'm already focused on the future.
That's why Norm Coleman won I believe in Minnesota. He defeated an icon in Mondale. Why? Because he had a message, and he was focused on the next generation, and that's what we should be working on.
ZAHN: Let's come back to your conversation with the president earlier. Did he give you any marching orders?
LOTT: He said, let's get it done, let's work together, let's not get into entanglements. Let's see what we can do on things like prescription drugs and what we need to do to help the economy in terms of where we target tax cuts or let's control spending, but let's make sure we've got what we need to do the job on homeland security and in education.
There's a lot that is left over from this year that the Democratically-controlled Senate didn't get done. I hope that they will work with us now in the lame duck session, but especially next year to produce results, and provide better protection here at home, get the job done against the terrorists, but also make sure our children and our grandchildren are going to have a strong economy.
ZAHN: Senator Lott, just about 10 minutes ago, we spoke with outgoing Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and he said the two of you would be talking about what is realistic to accomplish in this lame duck session. Can you tell us what is realistic for the American public to expect?
LOTT: Whether or not I'm the majority leader in this lame duck session next week, lame duck sessions are not a good idea. You know, it's sort of a period between gains, so to speak -- just using a football analogy. People are tired. You know, you're going to have a different leadership situation next year.
There are some things we can do, should do, and we ought to focus on that and not drag it out.
Now, what are they? No. 1, we can do a port security and Coast Guard reauthorization bill. We need to get that done. Port security is important in America. Maybe we could get an energy conference report, maybe we could get bankruptcy reform, perhaps we can do terrorism reinsurance. But those are all bills that are already in conference that could possibly be done.
We must do something about the fact that most of the appropriations bills for the federal government were not completed this year. We either need to find a way to get them done quickly, which I don't think is possible, or do what we call a continuing resolution that funds it over to some period next year. We'll have to agree on a number, but I think we ought to do that.
Hopefully, we could do a few nominations. There are a lot of good men and women that have unfairly been held on the calendar or not been acted on. Well, let's see what we can do.
But I don't think it ought to be a "got you" period. I think we ought to sit down together with the leadership and the president and say, what can we do in a limited period of time? And then, go back with our constituents and be prepared to start fast next year.
ZAHN: What's going to be the best thing about getting your old job back, sir?
LOTT: A second opportunity. You know, a lot of times in life, you don't get a second chance. I've learned a lot of lessons, being in the majority leader position when Bill Clinton was president. I only had six months with President Bush as president. And I'll have another opportunity to work with this president that has shown leadership and commitment, and you know, I'm excited to have a chance to produce results. I prefer to be on the offense, Paula. I don't like, you know, being on defense, or you know, arguing over mundane mechanical or technical problems. Let's see what we can get done, and that's exciting.
ZAHN: Well, Republicans certainly are going to be on the offense now, and there are those out there who are saying now that you control both Houses of Congress that the president is going to have to be realistic about the amount of pressure put on him by the conservatives and religious right. What is your assessment of that?
LOTT: You know, I think...
ZAHN: I mean, they are basically saying it's payoff time.
LOTT: I don't know where that's coming from. You know, I think maybe that's the media looking for an angle here. Most of these things, Paula, are not philosophical issues. Having a national energy policy, having pension retirement reform., you know, people being able to make better use of their IRAs, have better control over their 401(k)s. What's philosophical about that?
Now, you might disagree about the mechanics for instance, or how you do prescription drugs for the elderly. There are those that will say we shouldn't do anything on tax cuts, but if there is some targeted places, we could do some that would help the economy.
I don't think any of that really is necessarily conservative, moderate, liberal. It's about results. And I think that's what the American people want. They don't want partisan bickering. They don't want philosophical dogma. They want things done for the economy, for their neighborhoods, for their children and for their parents. I want that done.
And I think with this president's leadership, he has shown that he will work with both sides on an issue. On education, he didn't get it just like he wanted, but we got education reform. We made a first step in improving education and leaving no child behind in America. We need to continue to work on that.
ZAHN: All right.
LOTT: So, I think that's why we'll get results.
ZAHN: We've just got 15 seconds left. Senator Daschle said that part of the problem was the fact in this election not that the Democrats didn't have an economic plan to present to the voters, but it simply didn't get covered by the media. Is there any truth to that, sir?
LOTT: I don't think so. I think we had strong leadership from the president. I think we had good candidates. I think we had a good strategy led by Bill Frist in the case of the Senate campaign committee. And I do think on the issues that we had the issues with us -- the war against terrorism, security here at home, a strong national defense, and dealing honestly with the economy. That's hard to match, and that's why I think we won, the combination of those things.
ZAHN: Well, Senator Lott, I think you're going to get gold stars from the folks who wrote the "no-gloat" memo. I saw no signs of gloating here this morning.
LOTT: We don't have time for that, Paula. We've got work to do.
ZAHN: Senator Trent Lott, as always, good to see you. Thanks for your time this morning.
LOTT: Thanks, Paula.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
