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CNN Live At Daybreak
Party Politics: What's Up in Washington?
Aired August 04, 2003 - 06:50 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've been talking about the Powell story all morning long. "The Washington Post" is reporting Secretary of State Colin Powell will leave his post if President Bush wins a second term. Mr. Powell reportedly has told associates he plans to leave because he promised his wife he'd only serve one term, not because of any policy disagreements with the Bush administration.
So, now it's time to party, as in "Party Politics." Mark Plotkin, political commentator from WTOP Radio in D.C., joins us live to talk about Colin Powell and more.
Does this come as much of a surprise?
MARK PLOTKIN, WTOP RADIO: Well, not really. There have been a lot of talk -- I'm no foreign policy expert, but there have been a lot of conversation that he's not -- he has policy differences with Bush. He's affable, he's a gentleman, he's an honorable soldier, so he's not going to make them public. So, this is a way to get out.
I think in terms -- Carol, in terms of voters, he's a very popular guy, almost like an Eisenhower figure. The Democrats wanted him to run after the Persian Gulf. So, among independent voters, I think this signifies, well, maybe the Bush foreign policy isn't as kind and gentle as it should be, and I think it's definitely a loss for Bush.
COSTELLO: Mark, do you think -- you know, Colin Powell appeared before the United Nations and talked about weapons of mass destruction, which the United States has not found yet. Did that embarrass him? Is that one of the reasons besides that deal with his wife that he's stepping down?
PLOTKIN: Well, some have...
COSTELLO: Go ahead.
PLOTKIN: Yes, some have said that. I don't think there is one singular event. Maybe it's just the comfort level. I mean, I'm not an insider at the State Department, and I don't want to claim to be, but I think he wants to probably move on. Maybe he has some political ambitions of his own or maybe he's really just, Carol, telling the truth and told his wife that I'm going to leave after four years. There definitely have been printed reports about skirmishes with Donald Rumsfeld and with the White House, and he has a different outlook. So, four years and out, he's ready to move on to something else. COSTELLO: You know, Mark, we were joking in the newsroom that he should switch parties and be the Democratic -- or the Democrat who is running for president.
PLOTKIN: Well, I don't think that's going to happen right now, but maybe he doesn't rule it out some other time. As I said, he was bigger than life after Persian Gulf. He still has a high popularity rating, and he's a hot political commodity. Whether he wants to be in politics, I don't know.
COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about hot political commodities, because Howard Dean seems to be becoming one.
PLOTKIN: Oh, sure he is. He's leading in the New Hampshire poll. He's gaining or leading in Iowa, depending on which poll you are reading. I mean, he is the -- he is absolutely the bug.
And there's an article today in "The Washington Post" about maybe his beside manner, He's a little too flincy (ph) New England, even though he grew up in New York. But he has done what is necessary for a candidate to do. He has raised money. He has mobilized people. He has distinguished himself as somebody who speaks frankly and candidly. And although people think that maybe personally he's not Clinton- affable and feels your pain in terms of making electoral success although not one election has been held, he's absolutely the favorite of the month.
COSTELLO: I've heard he has quite a temper, though, and loses his temper not only with reporters, but with staff workers as well.
PLOTKIN: Well, I had a brief exchange, if we can do some personal autobiography here, and I asked him a question, and he said, oh, I'll put it in my health speech. And he was very brusque and very blunt and moved on. He says that he reserves that treatment, Carol, just for press people. And if you're not a press person, you don't get the Dean treatment. He's very affable and charming and engaging and good privately, but if you're from the press, you are considered an adversarial force, and he doesnt have to act nice to you.
COSTELLO: Hey, that probably would resonate with the American people, so maybe he's got something there. Mark...
PLOTKIN: Well, they say...
COSTELLO: Go ahead.
PLOTKIN: They say this New England candor, this idea of speaking how you feel and prescribing prescriptions for getting better is what appealed to the Vermont constituency, and that's why they continue to vote for him every two years.
COSTELLO: All right, Mark Plotkin, many thanks. We'll catch you again next Monday.
PLOTKIN: California next time.
COSTELLO: Definitely so.
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 August 4, 2003 - 06:50 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've been talking about the Powell story all morning long. "The Washington Post" is reporting Secretary of State Colin Powell will leave his post if President Bush wins a second term. Mr. Powell reportedly has told associates he plans to leave because he promised his wife he'd only serve one term, not because of any policy disagreements with the Bush administration.
So, now it's time to party, as in "Party Politics." Mark Plotkin, political commentator from WTOP Radio in D.C., joins us live to talk about Colin Powell and more.
Does this come as much of a surprise?
MARK PLOTKIN, WTOP RADIO: Well, not really. There have been a lot of talk -- I'm no foreign policy expert, but there have been a lot of conversation that he's not -- he has policy differences with Bush. He's affable, he's a gentleman, he's an honorable soldier, so he's not going to make them public. So, this is a way to get out.
I think in terms -- Carol, in terms of voters, he's a very popular guy, almost like an Eisenhower figure. The Democrats wanted him to run after the Persian Gulf. So, among independent voters, I think this signifies, well, maybe the Bush foreign policy isn't as kind and gentle as it should be, and I think it's definitely a loss for Bush.
COSTELLO: Mark, do you think -- you know, Colin Powell appeared before the United Nations and talked about weapons of mass destruction, which the United States has not found yet. Did that embarrass him? Is that one of the reasons besides that deal with his wife that he's stepping down?
PLOTKIN: Well, some have...
COSTELLO: Go ahead.
PLOTKIN: Yes, some have said that. I don't think there is one singular event. Maybe it's just the comfort level. I mean, I'm not an insider at the State Department, and I don't want to claim to be, but I think he wants to probably move on. Maybe he has some political ambitions of his own or maybe he's really just, Carol, telling the truth and told his wife that I'm going to leave after four years. There definitely have been printed reports about skirmishes with Donald Rumsfeld and with the White House, and he has a different outlook. So, four years and out, he's ready to move on to something else. COSTELLO: You know, Mark, we were joking in the newsroom that he should switch parties and be the Democratic -- or the Democrat who is running for president.
PLOTKIN: Well, I don't think that's going to happen right now, but maybe he doesn't rule it out some other time. As I said, he was bigger than life after Persian Gulf. He still has a high popularity rating, and he's a hot political commodity. Whether he wants to be in politics, I don't know.
COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about hot political commodities, because Howard Dean seems to be becoming one.
PLOTKIN: Oh, sure he is. He's leading in the New Hampshire poll. He's gaining or leading in Iowa, depending on which poll you are reading. I mean, he is the -- he is absolutely the bug.
And there's an article today in "The Washington Post" about maybe his beside manner, He's a little too flincy (ph) New England, even though he grew up in New York. But he has done what is necessary for a candidate to do. He has raised money. He has mobilized people. He has distinguished himself as somebody who speaks frankly and candidly. And although people think that maybe personally he's not Clinton- affable and feels your pain in terms of making electoral success although not one election has been held, he's absolutely the favorite of the month.
COSTELLO: I've heard he has quite a temper, though, and loses his temper not only with reporters, but with staff workers as well.
PLOTKIN: Well, I had a brief exchange, if we can do some personal autobiography here, and I asked him a question, and he said, oh, I'll put it in my health speech. And he was very brusque and very blunt and moved on. He says that he reserves that treatment, Carol, just for press people. And if you're not a press person, you don't get the Dean treatment. He's very affable and charming and engaging and good privately, but if you're from the press, you are considered an adversarial force, and he doesnt have to act nice to you.
COSTELLO: Hey, that probably would resonate with the American people, so maybe he's got something there. Mark...
PLOTKIN: Well, they say...
COSTELLO: Go ahead.
PLOTKIN: They say this New England candor, this idea of speaking how you feel and prescribing prescriptions for getting better is what appealed to the Vermont constituency, and that's why they continue to vote for him every two years.
COSTELLO: All right, Mark Plotkin, many thanks. We'll catch you again next Monday.
PLOTKIN: California next time.
COSTELLO: Definitely so.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
