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American Morning

American Votes 2004: Democrats Debate

Aired September 10, 2003 - 07:09   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: Nine Democrats put their focus on the White House again last night. The candidates debated last evening, criticizing the president, and at times each other.
Candy Crowley is in Baltimore.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No mortal wounds, but they're beginning to go at it. Lieberman after Dean for suggesting the U.S. policy in the Middle East should be more even-handed.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It doesn't help, Joe, to demagogue this issue.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will simply say that Howard Dean's statements break a 50-year record in which presidents -- Republican and Democrat -- members of Congress of both parties have supported our relationship with Israel.

CROWLEY: Kucinich after Gephardt for supporting the war.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Dick, I just want to say that when you were standing there in the Rose Garden with the president and you were giving him advice, I wish that you would have told him no.

CROWLEY: Sharpton after Democrats for taking the black vote for granted.

REV. AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we take you to the party, you're going home with us or we're not taking you to the party.

CROWLEY: Sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus, the debate was a chance to make a first run at a critical constituency. Howard Dean with mostly white support and from mostly white Vermont was ready.

DEAN: Well, if the percent of minorities that's in your state has anything to do with how you can connect with African-American voters, then Trent Lott would be Martin Luther King.

CROWLEY: Joe Lieberman was the most aggressive, differing with the bulk of the pack in his willingness to send more U.S. troops to Iraq. But mostly this was a gentlemen's/gentlelady debate, except when it came to the president.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president has actually dismantled -- well, he's in the process of dismantling the public health system.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the biggest say one thing do another administration in all time.

LIEBERMAN: George Bush is the most fiscally irresponsible president in the history of the United States of America.

CROWLEY: And everyone agreed post-war Iraq has been a disaster and worse.

REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is an abomination.

CROWLEY: Still, asked if they would approve of the money the president wants for Iraq, only one lawmaker, Kucinich, gave a flat no.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: All right, now the morning after. CNN political analyst Ron Brownstein of the "L.A. Times" is back with us live in D.C. to take us through last night.

Ron -- how are you? Good morning there.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good.

HEMMER: Listen, three days ago you wrote a piece in the "L.A. Times" saying Democrats in certain parts of the country were concerned that no one could fill this void, step up and challenge the White House. Did anyone emerge after debate No. 3 last night?

BROWNSTEIN: No, not really, Bill. I mean, these debates are kind of intriguing in that they are not providing a separation of the candidates. You've got a lot of people on the field across that stage, nine candidates, and they are focusing most of their fire still on President Bush, although, as Candy said, they are beginning to engage each other, particularly Joe Lieberman, who has had a strategy now in two debates of going after Howard Dean, who is sort of the presumptive frontrunner at this point. Last week, it was trade. Last night, it was Israel.

But by and large, these debates don't seem to be yet changing the trajectory of this race.

HEMMER: It's interesting you point out Lieberman and Dean, because many had thought prior to the debate last night it would be Kerry going after Dean or vice versa.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

HEMMER: That did not happen necessarily last evening.

BROWNSTEIN: No. No, they really haven't. Dean has been relatively muted in both of these major debates -- the one last week in Albuquerque and the one last night. I think he's trying to appear more statesman-like, broaden his appeal within the party.

For instance, you saw Al Sharpton, Bob Graham and Dennis Kucinich, all very pointedly and rather strikingly, challenge the Democrats who supported the war in Iraq last fall. But Howard Dean -- in the vote last fall. But Howard Dean was not among them. He did not go after the Democrats who voted for the resolution. In fact, he said, we cannot pull out of Iraq now. We cannot leave the field there.

So, he seems to be trying to strike a more moderate tone in some ways that would expand his appeal in the party.

HEMMER: The point that Candy makes at the end of her piece right there is that eight of the nine are going to vote for this spending package anyway. Is this just easy pickings right now?

BROWNSTEIN: Well...

HEMMER: They say they're going to go ahead and grant the money, but at the same time the criticism is fast and furious at the White House.

BROWNSTEIN: Well, they were actually trying to draw a little bit of a different line. First of all, it was only the six Democrats who are in Congress who were asked what they would do about it. Five of them said -- Dennis Kucinich said he would vote against it flat out, as Candy said. The other five said they would vote for the military portion, but raise reservations about the money for reconstruction of Iraq.

And John Kerry also added that he did not believe he would vote for it unless it was accompanied by a rollback in the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, given the unprecedented historic deficits that we're facing this year and next.

HEMMER: And just for the record, you say Kerry was better, Dean was better, Edwards disappeared, so did Gephardt -- Ron Brownstein's comments from last evening.

California quickly. Listen to what Tom McClintock told Judy Woodruff yesterday about his prospects in the race for the governor's recall election there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I'm very saddened to see Peter Ueberroth's departure from the campaign. He was an exceptionally well-qualified and serious candidate. Peter Ueberroth's supporters are all very serious voters, who were supporting a serious candidate. It's my hope that they will migrate to my campaign. Well, I'm in this race right to the finish line. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Two bits of news in there. Peter Ueberroth withdraws yesterday.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

HEMMER: But as you heard at the end there, McClintock saying I'm in the race to the finish line. Does that split the prospects? Does it split the vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the end three weeks away?

BROWNSTEIN: Absolutely. If McClintock stays in, it's a real problem for Schwarzenegger. Look, McClintock has something that Ueberroth didn't. He has a real base in this race. He has a following among conservative Republicans. Schwarzenegger has not taken a no-new-taxes pledge. He has also taken more moderate to liberal positions on a variety of social issues.

There is a constituency within the Republican Party who responds very well to McClintock's message. So, he has the ability to withstand more pressure than Ueberroth.

Ueberroth, I think, had out-waited his time. In the 1980s, he was a hero in the state. By today, many people simply didn't know who he was, and there really wasn't enough time to acquaint them with his accomplishments.

HEMMER: Thanks, Ron. Talk to you again.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks, Bill.

HEMMER: Ron Brownstein, the "L.A. Times," in D.C. for us.

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 10, 2003 - 07:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Nine Democrats put their focus on the White House again last night. The candidates debated last evening, criticizing the president, and at times each other.
Candy Crowley is in Baltimore.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No mortal wounds, but they're beginning to go at it. Lieberman after Dean for suggesting the U.S. policy in the Middle East should be more even-handed.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It doesn't help, Joe, to demagogue this issue.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will simply say that Howard Dean's statements break a 50-year record in which presidents -- Republican and Democrat -- members of Congress of both parties have supported our relationship with Israel.

CROWLEY: Kucinich after Gephardt for supporting the war.

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Dick, I just want to say that when you were standing there in the Rose Garden with the president and you were giving him advice, I wish that you would have told him no.

CROWLEY: Sharpton after Democrats for taking the black vote for granted.

REV. AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If we take you to the party, you're going home with us or we're not taking you to the party.

CROWLEY: Sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus, the debate was a chance to make a first run at a critical constituency. Howard Dean with mostly white support and from mostly white Vermont was ready.

DEAN: Well, if the percent of minorities that's in your state has anything to do with how you can connect with African-American voters, then Trent Lott would be Martin Luther King.

CROWLEY: Joe Lieberman was the most aggressive, differing with the bulk of the pack in his willingness to send more U.S. troops to Iraq. But mostly this was a gentlemen's/gentlelady debate, except when it came to the president.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president has actually dismantled -- well, he's in the process of dismantling the public health system.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is the biggest say one thing do another administration in all time.

LIEBERMAN: George Bush is the most fiscally irresponsible president in the history of the United States of America.

CROWLEY: And everyone agreed post-war Iraq has been a disaster and worse.

REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is an abomination.

CROWLEY: Still, asked if they would approve of the money the president wants for Iraq, only one lawmaker, Kucinich, gave a flat no.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: All right, now the morning after. CNN political analyst Ron Brownstein of the "L.A. Times" is back with us live in D.C. to take us through last night.

Ron -- how are you? Good morning there.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good.

HEMMER: Listen, three days ago you wrote a piece in the "L.A. Times" saying Democrats in certain parts of the country were concerned that no one could fill this void, step up and challenge the White House. Did anyone emerge after debate No. 3 last night?

BROWNSTEIN: No, not really, Bill. I mean, these debates are kind of intriguing in that they are not providing a separation of the candidates. You've got a lot of people on the field across that stage, nine candidates, and they are focusing most of their fire still on President Bush, although, as Candy said, they are beginning to engage each other, particularly Joe Lieberman, who has had a strategy now in two debates of going after Howard Dean, who is sort of the presumptive frontrunner at this point. Last week, it was trade. Last night, it was Israel.

But by and large, these debates don't seem to be yet changing the trajectory of this race.

HEMMER: It's interesting you point out Lieberman and Dean, because many had thought prior to the debate last night it would be Kerry going after Dean or vice versa.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

HEMMER: That did not happen necessarily last evening.

BROWNSTEIN: No. No, they really haven't. Dean has been relatively muted in both of these major debates -- the one last week in Albuquerque and the one last night. I think he's trying to appear more statesman-like, broaden his appeal within the party.

For instance, you saw Al Sharpton, Bob Graham and Dennis Kucinich, all very pointedly and rather strikingly, challenge the Democrats who supported the war in Iraq last fall. But Howard Dean -- in the vote last fall. But Howard Dean was not among them. He did not go after the Democrats who voted for the resolution. In fact, he said, we cannot pull out of Iraq now. We cannot leave the field there.

So, he seems to be trying to strike a more moderate tone in some ways that would expand his appeal in the party.

HEMMER: The point that Candy makes at the end of her piece right there is that eight of the nine are going to vote for this spending package anyway. Is this just easy pickings right now?

BROWNSTEIN: Well...

HEMMER: They say they're going to go ahead and grant the money, but at the same time the criticism is fast and furious at the White House.

BROWNSTEIN: Well, they were actually trying to draw a little bit of a different line. First of all, it was only the six Democrats who are in Congress who were asked what they would do about it. Five of them said -- Dennis Kucinich said he would vote against it flat out, as Candy said. The other five said they would vote for the military portion, but raise reservations about the money for reconstruction of Iraq.

And John Kerry also added that he did not believe he would vote for it unless it was accompanied by a rollback in the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, given the unprecedented historic deficits that we're facing this year and next.

HEMMER: And just for the record, you say Kerry was better, Dean was better, Edwards disappeared, so did Gephardt -- Ron Brownstein's comments from last evening.

California quickly. Listen to what Tom McClintock told Judy Woodruff yesterday about his prospects in the race for the governor's recall election there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM MCCLINTOCK (R), CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I'm very saddened to see Peter Ueberroth's departure from the campaign. He was an exceptionally well-qualified and serious candidate. Peter Ueberroth's supporters are all very serious voters, who were supporting a serious candidate. It's my hope that they will migrate to my campaign. Well, I'm in this race right to the finish line. (END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Two bits of news in there. Peter Ueberroth withdraws yesterday.

BROWNSTEIN: Yes.

HEMMER: But as you heard at the end there, McClintock saying I'm in the race to the finish line. Does that split the prospects? Does it split the vote for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the end three weeks away?

BROWNSTEIN: Absolutely. If McClintock stays in, it's a real problem for Schwarzenegger. Look, McClintock has something that Ueberroth didn't. He has a real base in this race. He has a following among conservative Republicans. Schwarzenegger has not taken a no-new-taxes pledge. He has also taken more moderate to liberal positions on a variety of social issues.

There is a constituency within the Republican Party who responds very well to McClintock's message. So, he has the ability to withstand more pressure than Ueberroth.

Ueberroth, I think, had out-waited his time. In the 1980s, he was a hero in the state. By today, many people simply didn't know who he was, and there really wasn't enough time to acquaint them with his accomplishments.

HEMMER: Thanks, Ron. Talk to you again.

BROWNSTEIN: Thanks, Bill.

HEMMER: Ron Brownstein, the "L.A. Times," in D.C. for us.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.