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American Morning
'Gimme a Minute'
Aired May 30, 2003 - 08:31 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: It's Friday and time for "Gimme a Minute." Ask our panel of pundits to be both brilliant and brief. In Washington today, Jonah Goldberg is back with us, editor of The National Review Online.
Jonah, happy Friday. How are you?
JONAH GOLDBERG, THE NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: I'm good. How are you.
HEMMER: Donna Brazille, Democratic strategist, also there in D.C.
Nice to see you, Donna. Good morning.
DONNA BRAZILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning.
HEMMER: And in New York City, her first time on the panel, trend-tracker, freelance journalist, author, Alex Strauss.
You do a lot, Alex. Good morning to you.
ALEX STRAUSS, FREELANCE JOURNALIST: Her new book is called "The Joy of Funerals." Cheerio!
Let's talk about the peace push again for the president. An ambitious trip for this White House, Jonah. This is where candidates and former governors once feared to tread. Is the president online with this one?
GOLDBERG: I think he is. I think he's putting a lot at risk. It's certainly -- it's a bold move for any president heading into a re-election campaign, and it's also diplomatically an extremely bold move. He's giving pretty much the second biggest gift he can give to these guys by visiting them on their own turf. I just hope that there are some deals behind the scenes that make this worthwhile.
HEMMER: Others suggest, Donna, that the White House can not afford not to get involved here.
BRAZILLE: After 2 1/2 years of being on the sidelines, I'm glad the president has finally found the road map to the Middle East. I hope he goes the distance and gives peace a chance.
HEMMER: Make an interesting photo op, too.
Alex, how about it? STRAUSS: Well, he's clearly into the popular vote, and I think if the summit doesn't work out with him, he can always do what Jan Brady did, which was make fortune cookie and inside say "vote for Jan." That won her the vote, so maybe that'll work for him.
HEMMER: Did Jan win that vote?
STRAUSS: She did. Thank God for Alice.
HEMMER: God bless Alice.
Clinton comeback, we talked about this yesterday. Twenty second amendment -- doesn't want a consecutive third term, but wants to suggest for the people living longer, Donna, that perhaps, after two terms you come back and make a run for the White House.
I would assume, Donna, this idea gets your vote?
BRAZILLE: Well, let me tell you, they don't call Bill Clinton the comeback kid for nothing. I hope he comes back one day to help clean up the mess that's been created after he left the office but, for now, I'm just glad that this president still loves the job.
HEMMER: He's young, Jonah; he's not going away.
GOLDBERG: Alas. Some people have Clinton fatigue. I have Clinton-Epstein-Barr. I would be glad for him never come back. I love how he's talking how he's not really talking about himself. He is imagining like hey's saying, I'm imaging a giant animal with a long nose and big ear that eats peanuts, but I'm not talking about elephants.
HEMMER: Well, listen, have we had our fill of Bill, Alex?
STRAUSS: I don't know. He loves politics. But his execution on this, he should just come out and say, yes, he's up for the part. He's that guy who in high school would call the girl and say, "I have a friend. It's not me, but he thinks you're really cute."
HEMMER: Pass a note in the hall.
STRAUSS: That's right.
HEMMER: Let's talk about Freddie Adu, and if you're asking who, he is 13 years young, he's a soccer whiz, and Nike signed him up for a deal that could total about a million dollars, at a very, very young age.
Jonah, how about, Freddie?
GOLDBERG: That's a nice Dr. Seuss moment you had there, Freddie Adu, and if you're asking who? Look, I don't really have a strong opinion about this either way. I think we should just start giving sneaker contracts in the womb.
But you know, I think all this does is really highlight how professional sports are creating minor league teams out of high school and college teams, and maybe we should look at it through that prism. But I think it's an American success story.
HEMMER: But if think about what Lebron James got, 90 million, Donna, this is chump change for Freddie.
BRAZILLE: It's actually little-bitty money and peanuts for a 13- year-old these days. And, look, I think the guy will put it to good use. I'm sure his mother has gone out right now and find a car to fit his size, and look, after he spends the million dollars on all of the candy and everything else, I think this guy will not do anything for the game of soccer.
HEMMER: Listen, Alex, give you benefit of the doubt here. What are you doing at 13?
STRAUSS: This trend is coming out everywhere. My neighbor's child is 3 1/2, and the Olsen twins just asked him if he would work for his film department, a million five.
HEMMER: You have good neighbors there.
Under the radar, quickly, Donna, while we've got the time, what's on your chart?
BRAZILLE: Well, President Bush signed the tax bill this week, and the ink is not dry, and we just learned that 12 million kids were erased from the list.
HEMMER: We talked about that.
Jonah, you?
GOLDBERG: We can get into that argument on Sunday, Donna.
Bob Geldof (ph), who we all remember from the 1980s as one of the world's leading champions for the cause of Africa and poverty, came out and said that George Bush has done for more for Africa and the world's poor than Bill Clinton ever did. Bill Clinton talked the talk, George Bush walked the walk.
HEMMER: Well, listen, we're almost 20 years from Live Aid, too.
Alex, what's under your radar.
STRAUSS: Well, I just got back from Washington yesterday, and the big hubbub is monuments. Supposedly, everybody want one, and supposedly, Bill Clinton is no different. Talk is his we'll have a special sex store, maybe a small statue of Monica, where upon exiting, she says, "thanks for coming."
HEMMER: Call the chamber. It is cable. We said that. We'll try to keep it clean next week. Donna, thanks. Jonah, thanks. Alex, thanks, a first time. Have a good weekend.
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 30, 2003 - 08:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's Friday and time for "Gimme a Minute." Ask our panel of pundits to be both brilliant and brief. In Washington today, Jonah Goldberg is back with us, editor of The National Review Online.
Jonah, happy Friday. How are you?
JONAH GOLDBERG, THE NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: I'm good. How are you.
HEMMER: Donna Brazille, Democratic strategist, also there in D.C.
Nice to see you, Donna. Good morning.
DONNA BRAZILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning.
HEMMER: And in New York City, her first time on the panel, trend-tracker, freelance journalist, author, Alex Strauss.
You do a lot, Alex. Good morning to you.
ALEX STRAUSS, FREELANCE JOURNALIST: Her new book is called "The Joy of Funerals." Cheerio!
Let's talk about the peace push again for the president. An ambitious trip for this White House, Jonah. This is where candidates and former governors once feared to tread. Is the president online with this one?
GOLDBERG: I think he is. I think he's putting a lot at risk. It's certainly -- it's a bold move for any president heading into a re-election campaign, and it's also diplomatically an extremely bold move. He's giving pretty much the second biggest gift he can give to these guys by visiting them on their own turf. I just hope that there are some deals behind the scenes that make this worthwhile.
HEMMER: Others suggest, Donna, that the White House can not afford not to get involved here.
BRAZILLE: After 2 1/2 years of being on the sidelines, I'm glad the president has finally found the road map to the Middle East. I hope he goes the distance and gives peace a chance.
HEMMER: Make an interesting photo op, too.
Alex, how about it? STRAUSS: Well, he's clearly into the popular vote, and I think if the summit doesn't work out with him, he can always do what Jan Brady did, which was make fortune cookie and inside say "vote for Jan." That won her the vote, so maybe that'll work for him.
HEMMER: Did Jan win that vote?
STRAUSS: She did. Thank God for Alice.
HEMMER: God bless Alice.
Clinton comeback, we talked about this yesterday. Twenty second amendment -- doesn't want a consecutive third term, but wants to suggest for the people living longer, Donna, that perhaps, after two terms you come back and make a run for the White House.
I would assume, Donna, this idea gets your vote?
BRAZILLE: Well, let me tell you, they don't call Bill Clinton the comeback kid for nothing. I hope he comes back one day to help clean up the mess that's been created after he left the office but, for now, I'm just glad that this president still loves the job.
HEMMER: He's young, Jonah; he's not going away.
GOLDBERG: Alas. Some people have Clinton fatigue. I have Clinton-Epstein-Barr. I would be glad for him never come back. I love how he's talking how he's not really talking about himself. He is imagining like hey's saying, I'm imaging a giant animal with a long nose and big ear that eats peanuts, but I'm not talking about elephants.
HEMMER: Well, listen, have we had our fill of Bill, Alex?
STRAUSS: I don't know. He loves politics. But his execution on this, he should just come out and say, yes, he's up for the part. He's that guy who in high school would call the girl and say, "I have a friend. It's not me, but he thinks you're really cute."
HEMMER: Pass a note in the hall.
STRAUSS: That's right.
HEMMER: Let's talk about Freddie Adu, and if you're asking who, he is 13 years young, he's a soccer whiz, and Nike signed him up for a deal that could total about a million dollars, at a very, very young age.
Jonah, how about, Freddie?
GOLDBERG: That's a nice Dr. Seuss moment you had there, Freddie Adu, and if you're asking who? Look, I don't really have a strong opinion about this either way. I think we should just start giving sneaker contracts in the womb.
But you know, I think all this does is really highlight how professional sports are creating minor league teams out of high school and college teams, and maybe we should look at it through that prism. But I think it's an American success story.
HEMMER: But if think about what Lebron James got, 90 million, Donna, this is chump change for Freddie.
BRAZILLE: It's actually little-bitty money and peanuts for a 13- year-old these days. And, look, I think the guy will put it to good use. I'm sure his mother has gone out right now and find a car to fit his size, and look, after he spends the million dollars on all of the candy and everything else, I think this guy will not do anything for the game of soccer.
HEMMER: Listen, Alex, give you benefit of the doubt here. What are you doing at 13?
STRAUSS: This trend is coming out everywhere. My neighbor's child is 3 1/2, and the Olsen twins just asked him if he would work for his film department, a million five.
HEMMER: You have good neighbors there.
Under the radar, quickly, Donna, while we've got the time, what's on your chart?
BRAZILLE: Well, President Bush signed the tax bill this week, and the ink is not dry, and we just learned that 12 million kids were erased from the list.
HEMMER: We talked about that.
Jonah, you?
GOLDBERG: We can get into that argument on Sunday, Donna.
Bob Geldof (ph), who we all remember from the 1980s as one of the world's leading champions for the cause of Africa and poverty, came out and said that George Bush has done for more for Africa and the world's poor than Bill Clinton ever did. Bill Clinton talked the talk, George Bush walked the walk.
HEMMER: Well, listen, we're almost 20 years from Live Aid, too.
Alex, what's under your radar.
STRAUSS: Well, I just got back from Washington yesterday, and the big hubbub is monuments. Supposedly, everybody want one, and supposedly, Bill Clinton is no different. Talk is his we'll have a special sex store, maybe a small statue of Monica, where upon exiting, she says, "thanks for coming."
HEMMER: Call the chamber. It is cable. We said that. We'll try to keep it clean next week. Donna, thanks. Jonah, thanks. Alex, thanks, a first time. Have a good weekend.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
