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CNN Live At Daybreak
Change in Tactics For Two Democratic Contenders
Aired October 20, 2003 - 06:52 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: On the presidential campaign trail, a change in tactics for two Democratic contenders. Wesley Clark and Joe Lieberman have decided not to compete in the Iowa caucuses. They will concentrate on the states they can win later. Clark's camp says it just can't compete with Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt's highly organized operations in Iowa and aides for Senator Lieberman say they'll open four new offices in New Hampshire and add staff in some other states.
So, what does this really mean, that Iowa is becoming unimportant or are Lieberman and Clark making a not so smart move?
Time to talk party politics now.
Political commentator Mark Plotkin of WTOP Radio in Washington joins us olive this morning.
Good morning.
MARK PLOTKIN, WTOP RADIO, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: OK, so Wesley Clark's camp says, and I quote -- let me grab my quote here -- his camp says, "What we'll do is what I call the General MacArthur strategy. General MacArthur was very successful in WWII because he skipped over the Japanese strongholds."
It was a smart move for MacArthur, but for Clark?
PLOTKIN: Well, he got in very late, as you know. The caucuses, I want to stress, are precinct caucuses. No delegates are elected. It's just the first tier and he strategically decided look, I want to do well, pick the place I'm going to do well. In terms of Lieberman, he was never doing well. I'm a bit surprised that he's opened more offices in New Hampshire, because he's not supposed to be doing well in New Hampshire either.
So both of them -- but nobody asked me for my advice. Both Lieberman and Clark feel that the real campaign or election starts on February 3, with seven states. And Lieberman is going to concentrate in Arizona and maybe Clark will concentrate in Oklahoma and South Carolina or wherever he thinks he can do well.
COSTELLO: Yes, but correct me -- I'm remembering back, didn't McCain and Gore both skip Iowa and things didn't go well for them in the end, did they? PLOTKIN: Well, no, but you pick where you're going to -- where you think you're going to win. You also have to be kind of shrewd and not tell people where you think you have good chances and then surprise everybody and win where you're not supposed to win. But do eliminate the places where you're going to get clobbered. It makes absolutely no sense to put yourself in that position.
COSTELLO: Yes, but what about if you come at it from the perspective of the media talking about you? I mean those who do win the Iowa caucuses, they'll be talked about a lot on the news and that always helps, right?
PLOTKIN: Yes, but I know, Carol, the people in Atlanta are going to hate this, but then if you don't want to go to Iowa, why don't you go to the first primary, which is D.C., which is right here, which is more representative than Iowa or New Hampshire? That's Tuesday, January 13. The Democratic National Chairman Terry McCauliffe has told everybody to stay out of here. But you pick your battles where you think you're going to do well and you move on.
COSTELLO: All right, Mark Plotkin live from Washington.
Thanks very much.
We appreciate it.
PLOTKIN: 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 October 20, 2003 - 06:52 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: On the presidential campaign trail, a change in tactics for two Democratic contenders. Wesley Clark and Joe Lieberman have decided not to compete in the Iowa caucuses. They will concentrate on the states they can win later. Clark's camp says it just can't compete with Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt's highly organized operations in Iowa and aides for Senator Lieberman say they'll open four new offices in New Hampshire and add staff in some other states.
So, what does this really mean, that Iowa is becoming unimportant or are Lieberman and Clark making a not so smart move?
Time to talk party politics now.
Political commentator Mark Plotkin of WTOP Radio in Washington joins us olive this morning.
Good morning.
MARK PLOTKIN, WTOP RADIO, POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: OK, so Wesley Clark's camp says, and I quote -- let me grab my quote here -- his camp says, "What we'll do is what I call the General MacArthur strategy. General MacArthur was very successful in WWII because he skipped over the Japanese strongholds."
It was a smart move for MacArthur, but for Clark?
PLOTKIN: Well, he got in very late, as you know. The caucuses, I want to stress, are precinct caucuses. No delegates are elected. It's just the first tier and he strategically decided look, I want to do well, pick the place I'm going to do well. In terms of Lieberman, he was never doing well. I'm a bit surprised that he's opened more offices in New Hampshire, because he's not supposed to be doing well in New Hampshire either.
So both of them -- but nobody asked me for my advice. Both Lieberman and Clark feel that the real campaign or election starts on February 3, with seven states. And Lieberman is going to concentrate in Arizona and maybe Clark will concentrate in Oklahoma and South Carolina or wherever he thinks he can do well.
COSTELLO: Yes, but correct me -- I'm remembering back, didn't McCain and Gore both skip Iowa and things didn't go well for them in the end, did they? PLOTKIN: Well, no, but you pick where you're going to -- where you think you're going to win. You also have to be kind of shrewd and not tell people where you think you have good chances and then surprise everybody and win where you're not supposed to win. But do eliminate the places where you're going to get clobbered. It makes absolutely no sense to put yourself in that position.
COSTELLO: Yes, but what about if you come at it from the perspective of the media talking about you? I mean those who do win the Iowa caucuses, they'll be talked about a lot on the news and that always helps, right?
PLOTKIN: Yes, but I know, Carol, the people in Atlanta are going to hate this, but then if you don't want to go to Iowa, why don't you go to the first primary, which is D.C., which is right here, which is more representative than Iowa or New Hampshire? That's Tuesday, January 13. The Democratic National Chairman Terry McCauliffe has told everybody to stay out of here. But you pick your battles where you think you're going to do well and you move on.
COSTELLO: All right, Mark Plotkin live from Washington.
Thanks very much.
We appreciate it.
PLOTKIN: 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
