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American Morning

'Gimme a Minute'

Aired September 12, 2003 - 08:41   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: Every Friday about this time, "Gimme a Minute," our panel here sounding off on three of the week's biggest stories. In Washington today, Jonah Goldberg, back with us, editor of the National Review Online.
Good morning, Jonah.

JONAH GOLDBERG, NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: Good morning, sir.

HEMMER: Also from Orlando, she's traveling, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile.

Good morning, Donna.

DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: And here in New York City, Andy Borowitz of "The New Yorker." He also wrote that book "Who Moved My Soap?"

Andy, how are you? Happy Friday to you.

ANDY BOROWITZ, "THE NEW YORKER": Good to see you, Bill.

HEMMER: Let's talk about first the president's speech on Sunday night, talking about the war on terrorism, the war with Iraq. Since that time, Donna, we know that the poll numbers start to slide against him in terms of disapproval for some things -- for how some things are being handled. A bit of a softball for you. Go ahead and hit it.

BRAZILE: Well, I think the American people understand now that the Bush policies are not as advertised. He promised us that he would have international support, and has yet to come on board. He also told us that the price tag would be shared by others, and we're picking up the entire ticket. I think that's the reason the gloss is coming off his shine.

HEMMER: Jonah, this week, did you anticipate this?

GOLDBERG: I'm surprised he slipped this much. I thought it was a pretty good speech. But I think Donna is essentially right, if I asked you for $87 billion, would you like me more or less? And it sort of boils down to that. It wasn't been a good summer for the president, and that's where this momentum's coming from.

HEMMER: Fifteen seconds left for Andy.

BOROWITZ: There's more bad news for the president. This week, toy stores sold fewer George Bush action figures than Joseph Lieberman action figures.

HEMMER: That could be an issue.

You mentioned the $87 billion, Jonah. Let's get back to that topic. What questions do you believe the administration should have to handle right now and have to answer before that check is signed?

Let's start with Jonah this time.

GOLDBERG: Well, I have a problem sort of with this whole notion hearing from people on Capitol Hill that they're going to hold the president's feet to the fire and all sorts of things. I have no problem with asking him how he's going to spend and what he's going to spend it and what he's going to spend it on, but there shouldn't be too much grandstanding, too much retroactive sort of fingerpointing. We do need the money for Iraq if we're going to rebuild the place. So you can't get politics too mired in it.

HEMMER: Meanwhile, Donna, you have all these Democrats criticizing it, yet they're still going to vote for it, it's still going to pass.

BRAZILE: Oh, absolutely. Democrats support our troops, and we'll spend what it takes to win this war on terrorism.

On the other hand, how many contracts will Halliburton get this time that, you know, it's a no-bid contract. So I think after we pay for our troops, we should question the rest of the money.

HEMMER: Ten seconds -- Andy?

BOROWITZ: Why is the president asking Congress for $87 billion when he could just borrow it from Dick Cheney? I don't get that.

HEMMER: I got you.

Let's talk about this Clark and Dean ticket right now. Back to the political issue. Is this the answer for Democrats, Donna, Wesley Clark with Howard Dean to get the White House?

BRAZILE: Well, I applaud the Dean campaign for stepping on General Clark's announcement coattails. But I think it's an odd couple. It's not the winning combination that the party needs in order to take back the White House next year.

HEMMER: Oh, OK. There is lack of an endorsement there -- Jonah.

GOLDBERG: There's some criminology going on there with Donna.

Look, I think this is a bizarre story. You've got the whole Bill Clinton sort of Arkansas government in exile who's all behind Wesley Clark, and yet somehow we're supposed to be seeing this marriage with Howard Dean. It makes no sense whatsoever. I think there's a lot more going on below the radar, as it were.

HEMMER: Exiled in little rock -- Andy. BOROWITZ: I keep coming back to Hillary. You know a new poll shows that 60 percent of Democrats want Hillary to run, and 100 percent of Republicans do.

HEMMER: Stay tuned. There's 14 months to the election. There is still time.

BOROWITZ: Still time.

HEMMER: Thanks, Andy, Good to see you. Jonah and Donna, thanks as well. Have a good Friday. Travel safe, Donna, down there in Florida.

BRAZILE: Thank you.

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 12, 2003 - 08:41   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Every Friday about this time, "Gimme a Minute," our panel here sounding off on three of the week's biggest stories. In Washington today, Jonah Goldberg, back with us, editor of the National Review Online.
Good morning, Jonah.

JONAH GOLDBERG, NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: Good morning, sir.

HEMMER: Also from Orlando, she's traveling, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile.

Good morning, Donna.

DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: And here in New York City, Andy Borowitz of "The New Yorker." He also wrote that book "Who Moved My Soap?"

Andy, how are you? Happy Friday to you.

ANDY BOROWITZ, "THE NEW YORKER": Good to see you, Bill.

HEMMER: Let's talk about first the president's speech on Sunday night, talking about the war on terrorism, the war with Iraq. Since that time, Donna, we know that the poll numbers start to slide against him in terms of disapproval for some things -- for how some things are being handled. A bit of a softball for you. Go ahead and hit it.

BRAZILE: Well, I think the American people understand now that the Bush policies are not as advertised. He promised us that he would have international support, and has yet to come on board. He also told us that the price tag would be shared by others, and we're picking up the entire ticket. I think that's the reason the gloss is coming off his shine.

HEMMER: Jonah, this week, did you anticipate this?

GOLDBERG: I'm surprised he slipped this much. I thought it was a pretty good speech. But I think Donna is essentially right, if I asked you for $87 billion, would you like me more or less? And it sort of boils down to that. It wasn't been a good summer for the president, and that's where this momentum's coming from.

HEMMER: Fifteen seconds left for Andy.

BOROWITZ: There's more bad news for the president. This week, toy stores sold fewer George Bush action figures than Joseph Lieberman action figures.

HEMMER: That could be an issue.

You mentioned the $87 billion, Jonah. Let's get back to that topic. What questions do you believe the administration should have to handle right now and have to answer before that check is signed?

Let's start with Jonah this time.

GOLDBERG: Well, I have a problem sort of with this whole notion hearing from people on Capitol Hill that they're going to hold the president's feet to the fire and all sorts of things. I have no problem with asking him how he's going to spend and what he's going to spend it and what he's going to spend it on, but there shouldn't be too much grandstanding, too much retroactive sort of fingerpointing. We do need the money for Iraq if we're going to rebuild the place. So you can't get politics too mired in it.

HEMMER: Meanwhile, Donna, you have all these Democrats criticizing it, yet they're still going to vote for it, it's still going to pass.

BRAZILE: Oh, absolutely. Democrats support our troops, and we'll spend what it takes to win this war on terrorism.

On the other hand, how many contracts will Halliburton get this time that, you know, it's a no-bid contract. So I think after we pay for our troops, we should question the rest of the money.

HEMMER: Ten seconds -- Andy?

BOROWITZ: Why is the president asking Congress for $87 billion when he could just borrow it from Dick Cheney? I don't get that.

HEMMER: I got you.

Let's talk about this Clark and Dean ticket right now. Back to the political issue. Is this the answer for Democrats, Donna, Wesley Clark with Howard Dean to get the White House?

BRAZILE: Well, I applaud the Dean campaign for stepping on General Clark's announcement coattails. But I think it's an odd couple. It's not the winning combination that the party needs in order to take back the White House next year.

HEMMER: Oh, OK. There is lack of an endorsement there -- Jonah.

GOLDBERG: There's some criminology going on there with Donna.

Look, I think this is a bizarre story. You've got the whole Bill Clinton sort of Arkansas government in exile who's all behind Wesley Clark, and yet somehow we're supposed to be seeing this marriage with Howard Dean. It makes no sense whatsoever. I think there's a lot more going on below the radar, as it were.

HEMMER: Exiled in little rock -- Andy. BOROWITZ: I keep coming back to Hillary. You know a new poll shows that 60 percent of Democrats want Hillary to run, and 100 percent of Republicans do.

HEMMER: Stay tuned. There's 14 months to the election. There is still time.

BOROWITZ: Still time.

HEMMER: Thanks, Andy, Good to see you. Jonah and Donna, thanks as well. Have a good Friday. Travel safe, Donna, down there in Florida.

BRAZILE: Thank you.

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