Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Interview With Matt Keelen, Rachel Gorlin
Aired November 23, 2003 - 11:16 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Less than a year until the election, and the polls are gauging the pulse of the public. In a new CNN/"Time" poll, 52 percent of respondents say they approve the president's work. The majority of Americans also feel that they can trust him. More than 50 percent of respondents say Mr. Bush has been honest with the public.
To debate the numbers and the issues, Rachel Gorlin, a Democratic strategist, and Matt Keelen, with the Republican view. They are both joining us from Washington this morning. Good morning to you both.
RACHEL GORLIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning.
MATT KEELEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Good morning.
KOPPEL: So, Matt, some good news for the president on the polls. How do you think the Republican Party can use this momentum as they move in to the 2004 political season?
KEELEN: I think the president has really built a bond with the American people through the attacks on September 11, through coming through on several of his campaign promises, and we're hoping to have another one next week with the Medicare bill.
KOPPEL: Rachel, I know I just kind of set that up, saying it's good news, but do you read the polls as good news for the president?
GORLIN: I think they're pretty good news for the president. I mean, I don't think anyone thinks that a Democrat goes into this race as anything other than the underdog. But the question is how is the war in Iraq going to play out? How are the voters of this country going to look at the president's domestic agenda? What's the economic recovery going to turn into? Is it going to really get rolling or not? And we have a lot of questions, and I think all of those things are going to be key ingredients of what happens in 2004.
KOPPEL: Let's talk about one of those Democrat issues and, Matt, let me ask you this question, the Democrats are calling the Medicare bill a Trojan horse. Do you agree?
KEELEN: I totally disagree. It's -- it saddens me to watch the leadership of this country kind of turn pale and run on a bill they've been trying to pass for over 30 years. They finally have their chance, and instead of doing the right thing, they're doing the politically expedient thing, and that's not what the people in America are expecting from their leadership in Washington, D.C. anymore. They're repelling against it, why we've been winning across the country for the last three years.
KOPPEL: Rachel, there are quite literally hundreds of billions of dollars on the table on this Medicare bill, and it is supported by one of the biggest lobbying groups for seniors, AARP, why are the Democrats so opposed to this bill as it stands right now?
GORLIN: Several reasons, one of them is that this starts to fray the fabric of a contract that we made with our older Americans back in 1965, when we said that we as this nation believe it's important that our seniors have the best health care possible at the most reasonable price. And for the first time ever we see -- we passed a Medicare alleged expansion that's, in fact, going to result in some seniors having less coverage than they do now, paying more for it, and doesn't have what I think many experts consider adequate cost containment measures in it at a time when everyone agrees that targeting health care costs and keeping them as low as possible is very important.
KOPPEL: You know what, unfortunately we have run out of time. I wanted to ask you about the new RNC ad that's going to be running today that Martin was talking about before, but we have just run out of time. Hopefully we can get you back and discuss that and some of the other political issues later this month. Thank you so much.
GORLIN: We would love to.
KEELEN: Have a great weekend.
KOPPEL: Rachel Gorlin, Matt Keelen, you guys enjoy the rest of your weekend, too.
GORLIN: Thank you.
KEELEN: Take care.
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 November 23, 2003 - 11:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: Less than a year until the election, and the polls are gauging the pulse of the public. In a new CNN/"Time" poll, 52 percent of respondents say they approve the president's work. The majority of Americans also feel that they can trust him. More than 50 percent of respondents say Mr. Bush has been honest with the public.
To debate the numbers and the issues, Rachel Gorlin, a Democratic strategist, and Matt Keelen, with the Republican view. They are both joining us from Washington this morning. Good morning to you both.
RACHEL GORLIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Good morning.
MATT KEELEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Good morning.
KOPPEL: So, Matt, some good news for the president on the polls. How do you think the Republican Party can use this momentum as they move in to the 2004 political season?
KEELEN: I think the president has really built a bond with the American people through the attacks on September 11, through coming through on several of his campaign promises, and we're hoping to have another one next week with the Medicare bill.
KOPPEL: Rachel, I know I just kind of set that up, saying it's good news, but do you read the polls as good news for the president?
GORLIN: I think they're pretty good news for the president. I mean, I don't think anyone thinks that a Democrat goes into this race as anything other than the underdog. But the question is how is the war in Iraq going to play out? How are the voters of this country going to look at the president's domestic agenda? What's the economic recovery going to turn into? Is it going to really get rolling or not? And we have a lot of questions, and I think all of those things are going to be key ingredients of what happens in 2004.
KOPPEL: Let's talk about one of those Democrat issues and, Matt, let me ask you this question, the Democrats are calling the Medicare bill a Trojan horse. Do you agree?
KEELEN: I totally disagree. It's -- it saddens me to watch the leadership of this country kind of turn pale and run on a bill they've been trying to pass for over 30 years. They finally have their chance, and instead of doing the right thing, they're doing the politically expedient thing, and that's not what the people in America are expecting from their leadership in Washington, D.C. anymore. They're repelling against it, why we've been winning across the country for the last three years.
KOPPEL: Rachel, there are quite literally hundreds of billions of dollars on the table on this Medicare bill, and it is supported by one of the biggest lobbying groups for seniors, AARP, why are the Democrats so opposed to this bill as it stands right now?
GORLIN: Several reasons, one of them is that this starts to fray the fabric of a contract that we made with our older Americans back in 1965, when we said that we as this nation believe it's important that our seniors have the best health care possible at the most reasonable price. And for the first time ever we see -- we passed a Medicare alleged expansion that's, in fact, going to result in some seniors having less coverage than they do now, paying more for it, and doesn't have what I think many experts consider adequate cost containment measures in it at a time when everyone agrees that targeting health care costs and keeping them as low as possible is very important.
KOPPEL: You know what, unfortunately we have run out of time. I wanted to ask you about the new RNC ad that's going to be running today that Martin was talking about before, but we have just run out of time. Hopefully we can get you back and discuss that and some of the other political issues later this month. Thank you so much.
GORLIN: We would love to.
KEELEN: Have a great weekend.
KOPPEL: Rachel Gorlin, Matt Keelen, you guys enjoy the rest of your weekend, too.
GORLIN: Thank you.
KEELEN: Take care.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
