Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Frist Fight
Aired December 23, 2002 - 10:00 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Rising to the challenge on Capitol Hill, Tennessee heart surgeon Bill Frist is about four hours away from assuming the leadership of the Senate Republicans. The 51 GOP senators are casting their votes on a conference call just a few days after Trent Lott was shoved from the running.
CNN's Jason Carroll checks in now. He's standing by in Nashville, Tennessee. He's got more from there.
Good morning, Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Leon.
We're here at Senator Frist's state offices. He told me yesterday that he plans on giving some sort of a formal statement just after 2:00 p.m., once that conference call vote is completed. He said he's basically been keeping a low profile for the past few weeks. He's been doing that intentionally, not wanting to disrupt the process. When I asked what he thought about being majority leader, he said, -- quote -- "This is something that I didn't go out and seek." When asked what the whole ordeal has been like, "He said the whole thing has been really interesting."
Things got a lot more interesting yesterday when Senator Trent Lott came out and talked a little bit about who he thought was to blame for what happened to him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION; Were there people in Washington who, in your words, nailed you because you've a Christian conservative from Mississippi?
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Again, I just don't think there's any use in getting in to that. I regret anybody that felt like they should take advantage of the opportunity to be critical of innocent people in my state.
But, again, I'm not going to dwell on any kind of negative. I'm going try to find a way to move in a positive direction. Do I have hurt feelings? Yes. But to whom shall I ascribe them to, but myself, in the end.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: And once again, the vote is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. At that point, Senator Frist is scheduled to come out and give some sort of a statement. Maybe at that point we'll get a little more information from Frist in terms of his thoughts about being majority leader, and perhaps we'll even hear from comments on what he thinks about what Senator Trent Lott had to say -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, Jason, and I understand you have been camping out at his house to get these comments from Senator Frist. Did he say anything at all? What he said, he didn't seek this position, if all this is to happen. Did he say how it came about that he did get thrust into the spotlight here?
CARROLL: I have to tell you, he was very cautious about not wanting to talk specifics, Leon. I caught him at somewhat of an awkward moment. He had just gotten out of the shower. So we were conversing, I was standing at the front door and shouting up, and he was sort of shouting down, but he said he didn't want to get into specifics; he didn't want to talk specifics. He said anything he had to say would be said today.
HARRIS: OK. We'll be standing by for that. Jason Carroll in Nashville, Tennessee. Have a good one.
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 23, 2002 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Rising to the challenge on Capitol Hill, Tennessee heart surgeon Bill Frist is about four hours away from assuming the leadership of the Senate Republicans. The 51 GOP senators are casting their votes on a conference call just a few days after Trent Lott was shoved from the running.
CNN's Jason Carroll checks in now. He's standing by in Nashville, Tennessee. He's got more from there.
Good morning, Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Leon.
We're here at Senator Frist's state offices. He told me yesterday that he plans on giving some sort of a formal statement just after 2:00 p.m., once that conference call vote is completed. He said he's basically been keeping a low profile for the past few weeks. He's been doing that intentionally, not wanting to disrupt the process. When I asked what he thought about being majority leader, he said, -- quote -- "This is something that I didn't go out and seek." When asked what the whole ordeal has been like, "He said the whole thing has been really interesting."
Things got a lot more interesting yesterday when Senator Trent Lott came out and talked a little bit about who he thought was to blame for what happened to him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION; Were there people in Washington who, in your words, nailed you because you've a Christian conservative from Mississippi?
SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: Again, I just don't think there's any use in getting in to that. I regret anybody that felt like they should take advantage of the opportunity to be critical of innocent people in my state.
But, again, I'm not going to dwell on any kind of negative. I'm going try to find a way to move in a positive direction. Do I have hurt feelings? Yes. But to whom shall I ascribe them to, but myself, in the end.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: And once again, the vote is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time. At that point, Senator Frist is scheduled to come out and give some sort of a statement. Maybe at that point we'll get a little more information from Frist in terms of his thoughts about being majority leader, and perhaps we'll even hear from comments on what he thinks about what Senator Trent Lott had to say -- Leon.
HARRIS: All right, Jason, and I understand you have been camping out at his house to get these comments from Senator Frist. Did he say anything at all? What he said, he didn't seek this position, if all this is to happen. Did he say how it came about that he did get thrust into the spotlight here?
CARROLL: I have to tell you, he was very cautious about not wanting to talk specifics, Leon. I caught him at somewhat of an awkward moment. He had just gotten out of the shower. So we were conversing, I was standing at the front door and shouting up, and he was sort of shouting down, but he said he didn't want to get into specifics; he didn't want to talk specifics. He said anything he had to say would be said today.
HARRIS: OK. We'll be standing by for that. Jason Carroll in Nashville, Tennessee. Have a good one.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
