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American Morning

Interview with Marc Racicot, Terry McAuliffe

Aired November 06, 2002 - 07:43   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about last night and let's talk about the next two years.
From Washington with us this morning, Terry McAuliffe is chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He's with us. And Marc Racicot is chairman of the RNC, the Republican National Committee.

Gentlemen, we say good morning to both of you.

TERRY MCAULIFFE, DEM. NATL. CMTE. CHAIRMAN: Good morning.

MARC RACICOT, REP. NATL. CMTE. CHAIRMAN: Good morning.

HEMMER: Marc, first to you, and I think there are essentially two questions today. For the Democrats, what went wrong? And for the Republicans, what went right?

Marc, you take first on the Republican side. What went so right last night?

RACICOT: Well, I'm certain there will be many theories. When I tried to calculate exactly what it is that occurred, in my judgment, I believe that we were addressing the issues. We embraced the domestic agenda, wanted to address it. I believe the House of Representatives has been very, very business-like. They took up the agenda of the president. They worked it through the halls of Congress.

And then, when it came time for the Senate to consider issues important to the American people, there was no longer any further movement forward. And I believe that the American people perceived that.

I also think that they perceived the extraordinary capacity of leadership that President Bush brought to bear. And then you add to that the quality and character of the candidates, and the very, hard work of so many good and decent people across the country, and I think all of those things coming together are what allowed for the opportunity for us to experience some success.

HEMMER: And when you said at the outset a number of theories to be worked on, let's talk about two right now, and I'll start with this one. Doesn't it suggest to you that the country is not nearly as divided, we have been led to believe going back to the election 2000? In other words, do you believe right now the United States of America is trending conservative, trending Republican based on what we saw last night? RACICOT: I tend to believe that there's still a great deal of parity. I think that the American people are ruggedly independent. They expect that if you're going to be allowed to serve them that you have a cause to establish. You have the burden of proof to carry to them that exhibits the fact that you are entitled to their confidence.

And I think that, quite frankly, there is no significant change in the temperament of the American people here. They want some things done. They saw the president trying to get them done. They saw Republicans trying to get things done. And I think that's what they expect into the future.

HEMMER: What about the economy then? Why did this issue not stick for Democrats? And I want to work through your mind on this one a little bit.

Over the past 24 months, a number of people across the country have lost their jobs. The economy, as some suggest, is in a slight recession right now, and maybe worse than that.

Is it telling you that the American people are truly worried about security, living and dying in the events of 9/11 that we saw a little bit more than a year ago as opposed to whether or not they have a job? Do you buy into that at all?

RACICOT: I believe that Iraq and international security are very, important issues to the American people, but I don't believe that they consider them in singular fashion.

When I confront notions about the economy, I realize that No. 1, this recession began prior to the time that this president took office. And No. 2, the American people are very insightful. They have wonderful and very precise intuition, and they know that there are business cycles, just like there are cycles to life. There are social cycles, business cycles and other cycles that they know are a part of our existence.

And clearly, this was a period of rationalization that they understand. They want something done. I don't think they blamed either Republicans or Democrats. They know the government can't do everything, but there are some things the government can do, and I believe that they saw Republicans moving forward, trying to do those things -- tax reductions, working through terrorism insurance reform, and making certain you address energy -- the kinds of things that actually have some profound impacts.

HEMMER: Marc, thank you. Stand by a moment.

I want to bring in the Democrat now, Terry McAuliffe, head of the DNC.

Terry, why is it, do you believe, that there seemed to be such a lack of inspiration across the country on the Democratic side last evening?

MCAULIFFE: Well, Bill, we did have some good news last night. As you know, it looks like we netted four new governor pickups for the Democratic Party. I mean, we won in places like in Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arizona, New Mexico, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania; 52 percent of Americans today are getting out of bed and will now have a Democratic governor in their state.

So, we do have some good news as it relates to the governorships in this country. I think we had a message out there. I think you had extraordinary circumstances. You had a very popular president, who campaigned extensively, over 90 campaign visits, raised $150 million, was out there actively campaigning. And I think it sometimes made it difficult for some of our candidates to get their message out. But...

HEMMER: You know, Terry, but even as late as yesterday afternoon, you were on our air here on CNN saying the Senate was going to stay in Democratic control. You were even predicting House pickups for the Democrats, even overtaking the Republicans. What happened last night and how stunned were you when the results started coming in? And you saw results in the state of Georgia, the first time in 130 years a Republican governor now rules in the Peach State.

If you look at that and add it up right now, what does it suggest to you about the Democratic agenda going forward over the next two years?

MCAULIFFE: Well, first of all, Bill, as you know, I am chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and right up to the end, I'm going to predict that we're going to win all of these races. It's my job to motivate our party to get people out to the polls. So, I'm very proud of what all of our candidates did and our tremendous staffs of all of the committees that worked so hard.

You know, I make the argument that people are getting out of bed -- Georgia, I was surprised at what happened down there in Georgia. Roy Barnes is a very innovative governor down there on education, fiscal policy out there. But you know, I think people equally are getting out of bed today, saying, my goodness, look, the Democrats won in Kansas, Oklahoma and all of these other gubernatorial elections around the country.

We do now have governors in states that control more than 270 electorate votes, a majority of the electoral votes as it relates to the 2004 presidential election.

We were in a very unique circumstance this time. We had 9/11. We had the war on Iraq dominating the news for six weeks leading up to the elections. And I think those circumstances I think pushed out the economic message that the Democrats were trying to get out.

HEMMER: Hey, Terry...

MCAULIFFE: Yes.

HEMMER: Terry, quickly here, are you worried about your own future and your position with the DNC based on last night?

MCAULIFFE: No. I'm very confident I'm here for a couple of more years. I've got the leadership of the party. We did everything that we possibly could. We -- our coordinated campaigns, we put twice as much resources out than we've ever done before. We had a great fight. We had great people out there, and we're already -- we're all about 2004. After -- I haven't been to bed in three days, but after we get a little bit of rest, we're ready for 2004.

HEMMER: None of us has been to bed just yet.

Thank you, Terry. Thank you, Marc.

MCAULIFFE: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Marc Racicot of the RNC.

RACICOT: Pleasure.

HEMMER: Terry McAuliffe with the DNC in Washington, D.C.

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 - 07:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk about last night and let's talk about the next two years.
From Washington with us this morning, Terry McAuliffe is chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He's with us. And Marc Racicot is chairman of the RNC, the Republican National Committee.

Gentlemen, we say good morning to both of you.

TERRY MCAULIFFE, DEM. NATL. CMTE. CHAIRMAN: Good morning.

MARC RACICOT, REP. NATL. CMTE. CHAIRMAN: Good morning.

HEMMER: Marc, first to you, and I think there are essentially two questions today. For the Democrats, what went wrong? And for the Republicans, what went right?

Marc, you take first on the Republican side. What went so right last night?

RACICOT: Well, I'm certain there will be many theories. When I tried to calculate exactly what it is that occurred, in my judgment, I believe that we were addressing the issues. We embraced the domestic agenda, wanted to address it. I believe the House of Representatives has been very, very business-like. They took up the agenda of the president. They worked it through the halls of Congress.

And then, when it came time for the Senate to consider issues important to the American people, there was no longer any further movement forward. And I believe that the American people perceived that.

I also think that they perceived the extraordinary capacity of leadership that President Bush brought to bear. And then you add to that the quality and character of the candidates, and the very, hard work of so many good and decent people across the country, and I think all of those things coming together are what allowed for the opportunity for us to experience some success.

HEMMER: And when you said at the outset a number of theories to be worked on, let's talk about two right now, and I'll start with this one. Doesn't it suggest to you that the country is not nearly as divided, we have been led to believe going back to the election 2000? In other words, do you believe right now the United States of America is trending conservative, trending Republican based on what we saw last night? RACICOT: I tend to believe that there's still a great deal of parity. I think that the American people are ruggedly independent. They expect that if you're going to be allowed to serve them that you have a cause to establish. You have the burden of proof to carry to them that exhibits the fact that you are entitled to their confidence.

And I think that, quite frankly, there is no significant change in the temperament of the American people here. They want some things done. They saw the president trying to get them done. They saw Republicans trying to get things done. And I think that's what they expect into the future.

HEMMER: What about the economy then? Why did this issue not stick for Democrats? And I want to work through your mind on this one a little bit.

Over the past 24 months, a number of people across the country have lost their jobs. The economy, as some suggest, is in a slight recession right now, and maybe worse than that.

Is it telling you that the American people are truly worried about security, living and dying in the events of 9/11 that we saw a little bit more than a year ago as opposed to whether or not they have a job? Do you buy into that at all?

RACICOT: I believe that Iraq and international security are very, important issues to the American people, but I don't believe that they consider them in singular fashion.

When I confront notions about the economy, I realize that No. 1, this recession began prior to the time that this president took office. And No. 2, the American people are very insightful. They have wonderful and very precise intuition, and they know that there are business cycles, just like there are cycles to life. There are social cycles, business cycles and other cycles that they know are a part of our existence.

And clearly, this was a period of rationalization that they understand. They want something done. I don't think they blamed either Republicans or Democrats. They know the government can't do everything, but there are some things the government can do, and I believe that they saw Republicans moving forward, trying to do those things -- tax reductions, working through terrorism insurance reform, and making certain you address energy -- the kinds of things that actually have some profound impacts.

HEMMER: Marc, thank you. Stand by a moment.

I want to bring in the Democrat now, Terry McAuliffe, head of the DNC.

Terry, why is it, do you believe, that there seemed to be such a lack of inspiration across the country on the Democratic side last evening?

MCAULIFFE: Well, Bill, we did have some good news last night. As you know, it looks like we netted four new governor pickups for the Democratic Party. I mean, we won in places like in Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arizona, New Mexico, Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania; 52 percent of Americans today are getting out of bed and will now have a Democratic governor in their state.

So, we do have some good news as it relates to the governorships in this country. I think we had a message out there. I think you had extraordinary circumstances. You had a very popular president, who campaigned extensively, over 90 campaign visits, raised $150 million, was out there actively campaigning. And I think it sometimes made it difficult for some of our candidates to get their message out. But...

HEMMER: You know, Terry, but even as late as yesterday afternoon, you were on our air here on CNN saying the Senate was going to stay in Democratic control. You were even predicting House pickups for the Democrats, even overtaking the Republicans. What happened last night and how stunned were you when the results started coming in? And you saw results in the state of Georgia, the first time in 130 years a Republican governor now rules in the Peach State.

If you look at that and add it up right now, what does it suggest to you about the Democratic agenda going forward over the next two years?

MCAULIFFE: Well, first of all, Bill, as you know, I am chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and right up to the end, I'm going to predict that we're going to win all of these races. It's my job to motivate our party to get people out to the polls. So, I'm very proud of what all of our candidates did and our tremendous staffs of all of the committees that worked so hard.

You know, I make the argument that people are getting out of bed -- Georgia, I was surprised at what happened down there in Georgia. Roy Barnes is a very innovative governor down there on education, fiscal policy out there. But you know, I think people equally are getting out of bed today, saying, my goodness, look, the Democrats won in Kansas, Oklahoma and all of these other gubernatorial elections around the country.

We do now have governors in states that control more than 270 electorate votes, a majority of the electoral votes as it relates to the 2004 presidential election.

We were in a very unique circumstance this time. We had 9/11. We had the war on Iraq dominating the news for six weeks leading up to the elections. And I think those circumstances I think pushed out the economic message that the Democrats were trying to get out.

HEMMER: Hey, Terry...

MCAULIFFE: Yes.

HEMMER: Terry, quickly here, are you worried about your own future and your position with the DNC based on last night?

MCAULIFFE: No. I'm very confident I'm here for a couple of more years. I've got the leadership of the party. We did everything that we possibly could. We -- our coordinated campaigns, we put twice as much resources out than we've ever done before. We had a great fight. We had great people out there, and we're already -- we're all about 2004. After -- I haven't been to bed in three days, but after we get a little bit of rest, we're ready for 2004.

HEMMER: None of us has been to bed just yet.

Thank you, Terry. Thank you, Marc.

MCAULIFFE: Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: Marc Racicot of the RNC.

RACICOT: Pleasure.

HEMMER: Terry McAuliffe with the DNC in Washington, D.C.

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