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CNN Live At Daybreak
America Votes 2004: Bush Bash
Aired September 05, 2003 - 06:05 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here in the United States, eight Democrats who want to be president took part in the first major debate of Campaign 2004 last night, but this debate had more agreement than most and one common target.
Here is CNN's senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No debate on this one thing: George Bush is mishandling everything.
REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president is a miserable failure. He is a miserable failure.
CROWLEY: As Democrats gathered for the first of six fall debates, the success of Howard Dean's brass-knuckled campaign reverberated through the hall. The anti-Bush rhetoric was scorching. Bush's role as commander-in-chief no longer sacred territory.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have young men and women in a shooting gallery right now, and the primary reason for that is because this president had no plan.
CROWLEY: Dean, the frontrunner and biggest target in the group, mostly avoided eye contact, and mostly they left him alone, except for a couple of sharp elbows. Best score goes to Dennis Kucinich who had heard enough about Vermont's balanced budget.
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, you can talk about balancing the budget in Vermont, but Vermont doesn't have a military. And if you're not going to cut the military and you're talking about balancing the budget, then what are you going to do about social spending? Hello!
CROWLEY: Only a small (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in what was otherwise pretty much a Bush bash.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In fact, I think the only jobs created in the United States of America by George Bush are the nine of us running for president of the United States.
CROWLEY: And finally, having come to New Mexico specifically to catch the eye of the large Latino vote, you knew there would be some of this:
KUCINICH: Jocrero (ph) is muey (ph) importante. EDWARDS: Asta la vista.
SEN. JOE LIBERMAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Muchos calabres (ph) pocas (ph) obras (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CROWLEY: As linguists, they make good politicians.
(on camera): For Democrats, the evening was a chance to grab some attention after a summer of being out-headlined by the war in Iraq and the recall in California. Unfortunately, the debate began just as Britney Spears and Aretha Franklin were opening up the NFL season on nationwide TV.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 September 5, 2003 - 06:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here in the United States, eight Democrats who want to be president took part in the first major debate of Campaign 2004 last night, but this debate had more agreement than most and one common target.
Here is CNN's senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No debate on this one thing: George Bush is mishandling everything.
REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president is a miserable failure. He is a miserable failure.
CROWLEY: As Democrats gathered for the first of six fall debates, the success of Howard Dean's brass-knuckled campaign reverberated through the hall. The anti-Bush rhetoric was scorching. Bush's role as commander-in-chief no longer sacred territory.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have young men and women in a shooting gallery right now, and the primary reason for that is because this president had no plan.
CROWLEY: Dean, the frontrunner and biggest target in the group, mostly avoided eye contact, and mostly they left him alone, except for a couple of sharp elbows. Best score goes to Dennis Kucinich who had heard enough about Vermont's balanced budget.
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, you can talk about balancing the budget in Vermont, but Vermont doesn't have a military. And if you're not going to cut the military and you're talking about balancing the budget, then what are you going to do about social spending? Hello!
CROWLEY: Only a small (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in what was otherwise pretty much a Bush bash.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In fact, I think the only jobs created in the United States of America by George Bush are the nine of us running for president of the United States.
CROWLEY: And finally, having come to New Mexico specifically to catch the eye of the large Latino vote, you knew there would be some of this:
KUCINICH: Jocrero (ph) is muey (ph) importante. EDWARDS: Asta la vista.
SEN. JOE LIBERMAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Muchos calabres (ph) pocas (ph) obras (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CROWLEY: As linguists, they make good politicians.
(on camera): For Democrats, the evening was a chance to grab some attention after a summer of being out-headlined by the war in Iraq and the recall in California. Unfortunately, the debate began just as Britney Spears and Aretha Franklin were opening up the NFL season on nationwide TV.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
