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American Morning
'Gimme a Minute'
Aired May 09, 2003 - 08:34 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: We want to get to our segment right now that we call "Gimme a Minute." Say what you want, but do it fast. Our panel this week, every Friday sounding off on this week's big stories on the portion of our show. Again, it's called "Gimme a Minute."
From Washington, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile is our guest.
Donna, welcome back. Good to see you. Good morning.
Jonah Goldberg, editor of the National Review Online.
Jonah, you missed last week.
JONAH GOLDBERG, EDITOR, NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: Yes, sorry about that.
HEMMER: It's good to have you.
Andy Borowitz of "The New Yorker" here in New York City.
Good morning all.
GOLDBERG: Let's start it off with the Democrats, a bit itchy right now over the whole idea of the president using the USS Abraham Lincoln last to land last week.
Donna, kick it off. Jet envy? Democratic jealousy? What is it?
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: No, I think Henry Waxman and John Conyers are just looking for another bone to pick with the president. Look, if my party don't find a better bone to pick, I think we'll be sitting on the dock of the bay next year.
HEMMER: On the dock of the bay.
Jonah, what about it? Did the White House go too far, or not?
GOLDBERG: It was obviously a photo op, but Donna has it right, this is sort of opportunism. If Bush had fallen out of that plane, like Chevy Chase did in his Gerry Ford bit, no one would be complaining about what a terrible image it set. Democrats are only pissed off because it was successful.
HEMMER: Yes, and we can't use that word too often.
GOLDBERG: Yes, it just left my mouth -- I'm sorry.
HEMMER: Hey, listen, it's a Friday.
Andy, when are landing on the Lincoln?
ANDY BOROWITZ, "THE NEW YORKER": I kind of agree with Jonah. I mean, I think it's time for the Democrats to say if you can't beat them, join them. Maybe it's time to rebroadcast that old file footage of Michael Dukakis and the tank.
HEMMER: We've seen it. Thanks for the memories, too.
You guys are good. Under a minute right now. Let's restart the clock again. Baath Party revival we're told in Baghdad already. The police chief is back in charge. The health minister has been reappointed.
Jonah, what about it? Advisable right now going forward in that country?
GOLDBERG: Actually, I think it's not a good idea as a mass matter of principle. I'll try to keep the profanity out of this one. Sorry about that. I think it's not a good idea. You know, this is basically the same thing as de-Nazification in Germany in 1945. And I think whenever possible, even if these individuals aren't that bad of characters of themselves, you got to avoid the image of putting any of them back in there.
HEMMER: What about it, Donna? Do they have other choices right now?
BRAZILE: Yes, I do believe they have other choices. Look, the liberators have adopted the principle no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent interest, so I think it's a bad strategy.
HEMMER: Andy, you going to turn in your Baath Party card sometime soon.
BOROWITZ: What some of these guys may be OK, but now they're taking about putting Qusay Hussein in charge of the Bank of Baghdad. I think that's a really bad idea, not going to end well.
HEMMER: At least he knows where the withdrawal slips are locating, right?
Donna, I want to get to you on this Bill Bennett issue. It caught fire earlier in the week. He came out and says, he's not going to bet again. Do we care? Should we care about what Bill Bennett does in his own time with his own cash?
BRAZILE: He got off with a lot of loot over the last couple of years, so look, the high priest of virtue is no longer holy roller, so good riddance to Bill Bennett, and playing the craps.
HEMMER: Jonah, does he go away? Does he change his message? Or what?
GOLDBERG: She can say craps?
Look, Bill Bennett is caught in the switches. People say he's too pious, and at the same time, they're criticizing him for doing something his church says is OK. He might as well be criticized for not being kosher. I think Bill Bennett is getting a really unfair wrap, but it was expected, because what he did was political recklessness, not morally reckless.
HEMMER: What's your bet, Andy?
BOROWITZ: I was a little concerned this week when the Army said they had captured the five of clubs, and Bill Bennett said that he had two six's and a pair of jacks. I don't really know if he's turned over the leaf.
HEMMER: That would be two pair. Not bad. Thanks, Andy.
Under the radar, quickly, Donna back to you. What is the underreported story this week so far that you're watching?
BRAZILE: Well, soon after Dick Cheney announced that he rejoined the ticket, there was a story that the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay will be released to undisclosed locations. I think we're about to start those military tribunals now.
HEMMER: Could be. Jonah, you?
GOLDBERG: Interesting. The noted feminist Naomi Wolf has decided to sue, or threatened to sue the comedian Ali Gee, who has a show on HBO, because she thought it was too embarrassing to be interviewed on it. She was actually forced to rap on camera, where she says, yo-yo, don't be a sexist, I'll let you ride in my Lexus.
HEMMER: Is that true?
GOLDBERG: Yeah.
HEMMER: Thanks, Jonah -- Andy.
BOROWITZ: Of course, last month, the Iraqi National Museum was looted of its antiquities, and just this week, Winona Ryder agreed to give them back.
HEMMER: Saks card included?
BOROWITZ: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Thanks, Andy. Good stuff. Funny, too.
Jonah, thanks. Donna as well.
We'll see you all next Friday. And, Jonah, we'll keep it clean next week, right?
GOLDBERG: I promise.
HEMMER: Have a great weekend. See you all later.
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 May 9, 2003 - 08:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We want to get to our segment right now that we call "Gimme a Minute." Say what you want, but do it fast. Our panel this week, every Friday sounding off on this week's big stories on the portion of our show. Again, it's called "Gimme a Minute."
From Washington, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile is our guest.
Donna, welcome back. Good to see you. Good morning.
Jonah Goldberg, editor of the National Review Online.
Jonah, you missed last week.
JONAH GOLDBERG, EDITOR, NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: Yes, sorry about that.
HEMMER: It's good to have you.
Andy Borowitz of "The New Yorker" here in New York City.
Good morning all.
GOLDBERG: Let's start it off with the Democrats, a bit itchy right now over the whole idea of the president using the USS Abraham Lincoln last to land last week.
Donna, kick it off. Jet envy? Democratic jealousy? What is it?
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: No, I think Henry Waxman and John Conyers are just looking for another bone to pick with the president. Look, if my party don't find a better bone to pick, I think we'll be sitting on the dock of the bay next year.
HEMMER: On the dock of the bay.
Jonah, what about it? Did the White House go too far, or not?
GOLDBERG: It was obviously a photo op, but Donna has it right, this is sort of opportunism. If Bush had fallen out of that plane, like Chevy Chase did in his Gerry Ford bit, no one would be complaining about what a terrible image it set. Democrats are only pissed off because it was successful.
HEMMER: Yes, and we can't use that word too often.
GOLDBERG: Yes, it just left my mouth -- I'm sorry.
HEMMER: Hey, listen, it's a Friday.
Andy, when are landing on the Lincoln?
ANDY BOROWITZ, "THE NEW YORKER": I kind of agree with Jonah. I mean, I think it's time for the Democrats to say if you can't beat them, join them. Maybe it's time to rebroadcast that old file footage of Michael Dukakis and the tank.
HEMMER: We've seen it. Thanks for the memories, too.
You guys are good. Under a minute right now. Let's restart the clock again. Baath Party revival we're told in Baghdad already. The police chief is back in charge. The health minister has been reappointed.
Jonah, what about it? Advisable right now going forward in that country?
GOLDBERG: Actually, I think it's not a good idea as a mass matter of principle. I'll try to keep the profanity out of this one. Sorry about that. I think it's not a good idea. You know, this is basically the same thing as de-Nazification in Germany in 1945. And I think whenever possible, even if these individuals aren't that bad of characters of themselves, you got to avoid the image of putting any of them back in there.
HEMMER: What about it, Donna? Do they have other choices right now?
BRAZILE: Yes, I do believe they have other choices. Look, the liberators have adopted the principle no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, just permanent interest, so I think it's a bad strategy.
HEMMER: Andy, you going to turn in your Baath Party card sometime soon.
BOROWITZ: What some of these guys may be OK, but now they're taking about putting Qusay Hussein in charge of the Bank of Baghdad. I think that's a really bad idea, not going to end well.
HEMMER: At least he knows where the withdrawal slips are locating, right?
Donna, I want to get to you on this Bill Bennett issue. It caught fire earlier in the week. He came out and says, he's not going to bet again. Do we care? Should we care about what Bill Bennett does in his own time with his own cash?
BRAZILE: He got off with a lot of loot over the last couple of years, so look, the high priest of virtue is no longer holy roller, so good riddance to Bill Bennett, and playing the craps.
HEMMER: Jonah, does he go away? Does he change his message? Or what?
GOLDBERG: She can say craps?
Look, Bill Bennett is caught in the switches. People say he's too pious, and at the same time, they're criticizing him for doing something his church says is OK. He might as well be criticized for not being kosher. I think Bill Bennett is getting a really unfair wrap, but it was expected, because what he did was political recklessness, not morally reckless.
HEMMER: What's your bet, Andy?
BOROWITZ: I was a little concerned this week when the Army said they had captured the five of clubs, and Bill Bennett said that he had two six's and a pair of jacks. I don't really know if he's turned over the leaf.
HEMMER: That would be two pair. Not bad. Thanks, Andy.
Under the radar, quickly, Donna back to you. What is the underreported story this week so far that you're watching?
BRAZILE: Well, soon after Dick Cheney announced that he rejoined the ticket, there was a story that the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay will be released to undisclosed locations. I think we're about to start those military tribunals now.
HEMMER: Could be. Jonah, you?
GOLDBERG: Interesting. The noted feminist Naomi Wolf has decided to sue, or threatened to sue the comedian Ali Gee, who has a show on HBO, because she thought it was too embarrassing to be interviewed on it. She was actually forced to rap on camera, where she says, yo-yo, don't be a sexist, I'll let you ride in my Lexus.
HEMMER: Is that true?
GOLDBERG: Yeah.
HEMMER: Thanks, Jonah -- Andy.
BOROWITZ: Of course, last month, the Iraqi National Museum was looted of its antiquities, and just this week, Winona Ryder agreed to give them back.
HEMMER: Saks card included?
BOROWITZ: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Thanks, Andy. Good stuff. Funny, too.
Jonah, thanks. Donna as well.
We'll see you all next Friday. And, Jonah, we'll keep it clean next week, right?
GOLDBERG: I promise.
HEMMER: Have a great weekend. See you all later.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
