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Life After Al

Aired December 16, 2002 - 11:02   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: John King at the White House.
John, good morning once again.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning you, Daryn.

This is a very difficult one for the Bush White House. The president last week condemned Senator Lott's remarks, but also said through his spokesman that he does not believe the senator should be forced to resign. Over the weekend, some hints, some talks from senior officials here at the White House that perhaps Senator Lott was losing his grip on power, and that would not be too much of a concern to the White House.

I can tell you this morning that at the senior staff meetings, White House officials were told, and they were told this comes directly from the president, that no one in this building should be speaking anything about this controversy that is at all inconsistent with the president's position, and I was told just moments ago by a senior official, who said, I am trying to send you a message, the president's position is that Senator Lott should not resign.

Now that could appear to some to be a statement from the president that Senator Lott should be the majority leader in January. White House officials acknowledge it's difficult to get to the bottom of this, because they won't come out and say that, because they believe that would be crossing a line of senatorial privilege; the Republican senators elect their leader.

So on the one hand, the White House is saying the president believes Senator Lott should not resign, and yet on the other hand, we are being told by senior officials that no one here is actively out trying to help Senator Lott hold his job. It leaves the White House in an ambiguous position. The bottom line here is, they want this dealt with quickly. The president's public position is Senator Lott should not resign, but if there is to be a new leadership contest, the White House would prefer that Senate Republicans do it quickly and get it over with. They don't want the president in the middle of this controversy.

KAGAN: John, speaking of doing things quickly, Al Gore did something very quickly last night, in announcing he will not run for president in 2004. That must have the town buzzing, and especially those at the White House.

KING: Well, many behind the scenes here thought that Al Gore would not be able to risk the temptation, the draw of running again, of trying to seek a rematch. Al Gore after all carried the popular vote, has complained during his media blitz in recent weeks that he believes he was robbed of the presidency. Most here thought that Al Gore would run again, so they're a bit surprised.

He asked Ari Fleischer this morning for any reaction. He said he would not get into it in much detail. He called the former vice president's decision -- quote -- "an internal Democratic matter." He did though work in a quick joke, saying that somebody will emerge from the Democratic pack who wants to raise taxes on the American people. So the White House already preparing its opening line of the 2004 campaign.

KAGAN: I can hear the drum roll now, bada bing. There you go.

John King at the White House. John, thank you -- Leon.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Ari Fleischer is such a cutup, isn't he?

KAGAN: Keep your day job, Ari.

HARRIS: Al Gore's decision and the dust-up over Trent Lott may have long-term impact over their respective parties. Keep in mind, the Iowa caucuses are just a wee bit over a year away.

Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider is sizing up the scene for us. He's in Boston this morning.

Good to see you again, Bill. How are you?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: All right, Leon.

HARRIS: Let's talk about this pack, if you will, of Democrats now, and whoever else may be in the wings right now, now that Al Gore has stepped aside.

Let's talk about a couple of the folks that you see as the front contenders at this point. Joe Lieberman, and I believe you also think that Bill Frist -- I'm sorry, not Frist, John Kerry, thank you. I'm getting my senators mixed up this morning. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman.

SCHNEIDER: John Kerry and Joe Lieberman are near the top of the list of anybody's list of contenders. Kerry, if only because he's here in Massachusetts, New Hampshire is right next door. The polls show him the favorite candidate after Al Gore, and some of them even ahead of Al Gore, were he to run, which he's not going to do, in New Hampshire. So Kerry is going to get a boost out of New Hampshire. It's a state he has to win. He's a well-known candidate. He has credentials both as a decorated war hero coming out of the Vietnam War, and as an antiwar activist, and someone who has maintained an interest in national security issues during the period of about 20 years that he's been in the United States Senate.

Joe Lieberman, of course, was Gore's running mate. We're going to be hearing from him shortly. Gore has spoken to Joe Lieberman. Lieberman is a well-known national figure, because he was on the ticket in 2000. He said he wouldn't run if Al Gore did run. Al Gore is not running. Joe Lieberman will be heard from, and he'll be a major player.

HARRIS: Yes, he's got name recognition right now that another person who's on this list here must envy -- Howard Dean, the governor of Vermont.

SCHNEIDER: Democratic governor. He is a physician, rather unusual in politics, and health care, predictably, is his principal concern, and also a major concern of many Americans. As health care costs have been escalating, Dean has his own play. He says it's not a single payer plan, the way Al Gore proposed. If he were to run for president, he said he would propose a single payer health care plan, where the government would be responsible for insuring all Americans, but he has an alternative plan to make sure all Americans are covered in their health insurance. He's a fairly liberal governor.

He signed a bill in Vermont allowing for gay civil unions, the equivalent of gay marriage. That's likely to be an issue of some controversy, if not in the Democratic primary, certainly if he were to become the Democratic nominee. Also a neighboring state to New Hampshire. But you know what the difference is? New Hampshire is covered by Boston Media. So many people in New Hampshire live in the southern part of the state, they watch Boston television. Vermont, Burlington television, doesn't cover much of New Hampshire, so Howard Dean is a much less well-known figure.

HARRIS: Well, there are two other names that must come to mind on this Democratic list that much of the nation already knows quite well, Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle.

SCHNEIDER: Both rather tarnished by the results of the election in 2002. Gephardt, of course, ran back in 1988, was hoping to become speaker of the house. It hasn't happened. He left his position as the Democratic leader in the house of representatives, succeeded by Nancy Pelosi. Interested in running again for president.

But the problem for Daschle and Gephardt is they're both associated with the failed strategy of 2002, where the Democrats simply did not make gains in the congressional elections, and many Democrats feel it was because they were too conciliatory, they not stand up to President Bush on either the Iraq war or an economic and tax cut policy. Both are very attractive figures with a bit of a following, although I must say, since the election, they don't look quite as sparkling as they did a couple of months ago.

HARRIS: What about Al Sharpton? he has been putting his name out there in the last few months. How serious a contender could he possibly be?

SCHNEIDER: Well, we just don't know. He is a figure of some notability in New York State, where he has a lot of influence among African American voters, but you know, I don't know if he has an influence among African-American outside of New York State. He's been a kind of anti-establishment figure, someone who constantly provokes controversy. He was involved in the Tawana Brawley episode a few years in New York.

Outside of New York State, I don't think he's Jesse Jackson. I don't think he's someone who commands a strong lead. He's obviously going to appeal to African-American voters, and perhaps some other voters on the left, but he's going to complicate the strategies a little bit, because if it looks like he's locking up the African- American vote, then other candidates may decide it's not even worth competing for.

HARRIS: How about the gentlemen that we also saw on the screen moments ago, Senator Joe Biden.

SCHNEIDER: He's thinking of running again in 2004. He also ran in 1988, didn't get very far. He got embroiled in a controversy. He stayed in the Senate, and made a name for himself also in the area of international affairs.

Bill Clinton said after the 2002 midterm, the Democrats made a mistake in trying to assume they could take national security off the agenda. They have to have a credible national security argument, position. Both John Kerry and Joe Biden are experienced figures in that field.

HARRIS: You just mentioned a Clinton. How about the other one, Hillary Clinton? A possibility of her as a wild card here?

SCHNEIDER: She has promised the voters of New York, I saw her do it, to Wolf Blitzer in a Buffalo debate before the 2000 campaign, that she would not run for president in 2004. Now, politicians occasionally have a way of breaking that promise, but I don't expect she will break it.

But you know, If a Democrat does not win in 2004, I think he's going to be a hot contender in 2008, after two terms of George Bush. Because I tell you, when you talk to Democrats privately and ask them in your heart of hearts, who do you want to see be president, Al Gore, Joe Lieberman, they'll say truly in my heart of hearts, I think Hillary should be president. She's first in the hearts of many Democrats.

HARRIS: In politics, anything can happen. Just ask Trent Lott that. Bill Schneider, thanks. Appreciate it.

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 December 16, 2002 - 11:02   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: John King at the White House.
John, good morning once again.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning you, Daryn.

This is a very difficult one for the Bush White House. The president last week condemned Senator Lott's remarks, but also said through his spokesman that he does not believe the senator should be forced to resign. Over the weekend, some hints, some talks from senior officials here at the White House that perhaps Senator Lott was losing his grip on power, and that would not be too much of a concern to the White House.

I can tell you this morning that at the senior staff meetings, White House officials were told, and they were told this comes directly from the president, that no one in this building should be speaking anything about this controversy that is at all inconsistent with the president's position, and I was told just moments ago by a senior official, who said, I am trying to send you a message, the president's position is that Senator Lott should not resign.

Now that could appear to some to be a statement from the president that Senator Lott should be the majority leader in January. White House officials acknowledge it's difficult to get to the bottom of this, because they won't come out and say that, because they believe that would be crossing a line of senatorial privilege; the Republican senators elect their leader.

So on the one hand, the White House is saying the president believes Senator Lott should not resign, and yet on the other hand, we are being told by senior officials that no one here is actively out trying to help Senator Lott hold his job. It leaves the White House in an ambiguous position. The bottom line here is, they want this dealt with quickly. The president's public position is Senator Lott should not resign, but if there is to be a new leadership contest, the White House would prefer that Senate Republicans do it quickly and get it over with. They don't want the president in the middle of this controversy.

KAGAN: John, speaking of doing things quickly, Al Gore did something very quickly last night, in announcing he will not run for president in 2004. That must have the town buzzing, and especially those at the White House.

KING: Well, many behind the scenes here thought that Al Gore would not be able to risk the temptation, the draw of running again, of trying to seek a rematch. Al Gore after all carried the popular vote, has complained during his media blitz in recent weeks that he believes he was robbed of the presidency. Most here thought that Al Gore would run again, so they're a bit surprised.

He asked Ari Fleischer this morning for any reaction. He said he would not get into it in much detail. He called the former vice president's decision -- quote -- "an internal Democratic matter." He did though work in a quick joke, saying that somebody will emerge from the Democratic pack who wants to raise taxes on the American people. So the White House already preparing its opening line of the 2004 campaign.

KAGAN: I can hear the drum roll now, bada bing. There you go.

John King at the White House. John, thank you -- Leon.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Ari Fleischer is such a cutup, isn't he?

KAGAN: Keep your day job, Ari.

HARRIS: Al Gore's decision and the dust-up over Trent Lott may have long-term impact over their respective parties. Keep in mind, the Iowa caucuses are just a wee bit over a year away.

Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider is sizing up the scene for us. He's in Boston this morning.

Good to see you again, Bill. How are you?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: All right, Leon.

HARRIS: Let's talk about this pack, if you will, of Democrats now, and whoever else may be in the wings right now, now that Al Gore has stepped aside.

Let's talk about a couple of the folks that you see as the front contenders at this point. Joe Lieberman, and I believe you also think that Bill Frist -- I'm sorry, not Frist, John Kerry, thank you. I'm getting my senators mixed up this morning. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman.

SCHNEIDER: John Kerry and Joe Lieberman are near the top of the list of anybody's list of contenders. Kerry, if only because he's here in Massachusetts, New Hampshire is right next door. The polls show him the favorite candidate after Al Gore, and some of them even ahead of Al Gore, were he to run, which he's not going to do, in New Hampshire. So Kerry is going to get a boost out of New Hampshire. It's a state he has to win. He's a well-known candidate. He has credentials both as a decorated war hero coming out of the Vietnam War, and as an antiwar activist, and someone who has maintained an interest in national security issues during the period of about 20 years that he's been in the United States Senate.

Joe Lieberman, of course, was Gore's running mate. We're going to be hearing from him shortly. Gore has spoken to Joe Lieberman. Lieberman is a well-known national figure, because he was on the ticket in 2000. He said he wouldn't run if Al Gore did run. Al Gore is not running. Joe Lieberman will be heard from, and he'll be a major player.

HARRIS: Yes, he's got name recognition right now that another person who's on this list here must envy -- Howard Dean, the governor of Vermont.

SCHNEIDER: Democratic governor. He is a physician, rather unusual in politics, and health care, predictably, is his principal concern, and also a major concern of many Americans. As health care costs have been escalating, Dean has his own play. He says it's not a single payer plan, the way Al Gore proposed. If he were to run for president, he said he would propose a single payer health care plan, where the government would be responsible for insuring all Americans, but he has an alternative plan to make sure all Americans are covered in their health insurance. He's a fairly liberal governor.

He signed a bill in Vermont allowing for gay civil unions, the equivalent of gay marriage. That's likely to be an issue of some controversy, if not in the Democratic primary, certainly if he were to become the Democratic nominee. Also a neighboring state to New Hampshire. But you know what the difference is? New Hampshire is covered by Boston Media. So many people in New Hampshire live in the southern part of the state, they watch Boston television. Vermont, Burlington television, doesn't cover much of New Hampshire, so Howard Dean is a much less well-known figure.

HARRIS: Well, there are two other names that must come to mind on this Democratic list that much of the nation already knows quite well, Dick Gephardt and Tom Daschle.

SCHNEIDER: Both rather tarnished by the results of the election in 2002. Gephardt, of course, ran back in 1988, was hoping to become speaker of the house. It hasn't happened. He left his position as the Democratic leader in the house of representatives, succeeded by Nancy Pelosi. Interested in running again for president.

But the problem for Daschle and Gephardt is they're both associated with the failed strategy of 2002, where the Democrats simply did not make gains in the congressional elections, and many Democrats feel it was because they were too conciliatory, they not stand up to President Bush on either the Iraq war or an economic and tax cut policy. Both are very attractive figures with a bit of a following, although I must say, since the election, they don't look quite as sparkling as they did a couple of months ago.

HARRIS: What about Al Sharpton? he has been putting his name out there in the last few months. How serious a contender could he possibly be?

SCHNEIDER: Well, we just don't know. He is a figure of some notability in New York State, where he has a lot of influence among African American voters, but you know, I don't know if he has an influence among African-American outside of New York State. He's been a kind of anti-establishment figure, someone who constantly provokes controversy. He was involved in the Tawana Brawley episode a few years in New York.

Outside of New York State, I don't think he's Jesse Jackson. I don't think he's someone who commands a strong lead. He's obviously going to appeal to African-American voters, and perhaps some other voters on the left, but he's going to complicate the strategies a little bit, because if it looks like he's locking up the African- American vote, then other candidates may decide it's not even worth competing for.

HARRIS: How about the gentlemen that we also saw on the screen moments ago, Senator Joe Biden.

SCHNEIDER: He's thinking of running again in 2004. He also ran in 1988, didn't get very far. He got embroiled in a controversy. He stayed in the Senate, and made a name for himself also in the area of international affairs.

Bill Clinton said after the 2002 midterm, the Democrats made a mistake in trying to assume they could take national security off the agenda. They have to have a credible national security argument, position. Both John Kerry and Joe Biden are experienced figures in that field.

HARRIS: You just mentioned a Clinton. How about the other one, Hillary Clinton? A possibility of her as a wild card here?

SCHNEIDER: She has promised the voters of New York, I saw her do it, to Wolf Blitzer in a Buffalo debate before the 2000 campaign, that she would not run for president in 2004. Now, politicians occasionally have a way of breaking that promise, but I don't expect she will break it.

But you know, If a Democrat does not win in 2004, I think he's going to be a hot contender in 2008, after two terms of George Bush. Because I tell you, when you talk to Democrats privately and ask them in your heart of hearts, who do you want to see be president, Al Gore, Joe Lieberman, they'll say truly in my heart of hearts, I think Hillary should be president. She's first in the hearts of many Democrats.

HARRIS: In politics, anything can happen. Just ask Trent Lott that. Bill Schneider, thanks. Appreciate it.

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