Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Sunday
Will Saddam Hussein's Capture Change Democratic Political Landscape?
Aired December 14, 2003 - 15:54 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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The capture of Saddam Hussein is a major boost for President Bush and his policies. CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider is with me now to look at the impact on the capture on the race for president and all things political. A big day for the Bush administration.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It is a big day, and it puts the Democrats in a bind. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Just last week, a CNN/USA Gallup poll asked Americans will U.S. accomplishments in Iraq be a success even if Saddam Hussein is not captured? Most Americans said no, that was President Bush's problem. Now it's the Democrats' problem. Iraq was driving the Democratic race, especially it was driving Howard Dean's surge. Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry and John Edwards voted for the war resolution in October 2002. Dean threw that vote in their face.
HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That was the wrong thing to do. This was the advocation and failure on the part of congress and Senetor Kerry was part of that failure. I don't think that's the experience we need in foreign affairs in the White House.
SCHNEIDER: Dean's opponents get to throw it back at him.
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think Howard Dean has the experience or knowledge, or in fact, ever showed the kind of thoughtfulness about Saddam Hussein and how we deal with Iraq necessary for a president of the United States.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If Howard Dean had his way; Saddam Hussein would still be in power today, not in prison. And the world would be a much more dangerous place. The American people would have a lot more to fear.
SCHNEIDER: Will the capture of Saddam Hussein turn the Democratic race around? Not necessarily, as recently as last week, 60 percent of all Americans supported the decision to go to war in Iraq, but 64 percent of Democrats disapproved of the war. While Democrats' criticism of the war may soften it is unlikely to reverse. Much depends on what happens on the ground now in Iraq.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE United States: For the Ba'athist holdouts largely responsible for the current violence, there will be no return to the corrupt power and privilege they once held.
SCHNEIDER: But if the killing of Americans continues, controversy over the war will go on. And continue to fuel the Democratic campaign.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: In 1992, Democrats thrived because the Gulf War disappeared from the political agenda, but in 2004 the war issue is not likely to vanish for several reasons. First, there is the memory of 9/11. Then forthcoming trial of Saddam Hussein, certain to rivet public attention, And there's the prospect of an election in Iraq and the likelihood of a ceremonious transfer of power to the Iraqis, all reminding Americans this is not 1992.
LIN: So what are the issues that the Democrats can successfully run on then Bill?
SCHNEIDER: They're going to have to rely on the economy which to their misfortune is looking up. But there are still problems, Bush will be first president since Herbert Hoover to suffer a net loss of jobs. Democrats will never tire of reminding the American people about that. And they think seniors are going to be unhappy with the changes in Medicare. But they got to rely on the domestic agenda, because on the issue of Iraq people are disinclined to quarrel with success.
LIN: You bet, all right thank you very much, Bill Schneider. We'll be seeing you in a bit on a special edition of "Inside Politics."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Landscape?>
Aired December 14, 2003 - 15:54 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: The capture of Saddam Hussein is a major boost for President Bush and his policies. CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider is with me now to look at the impact on the capture on the race for president and all things political. A big day for the Bush administration.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It is a big day, and it puts the Democrats in a bind. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Just last week, a CNN/USA Gallup poll asked Americans will U.S. accomplishments in Iraq be a success even if Saddam Hussein is not captured? Most Americans said no, that was President Bush's problem. Now it's the Democrats' problem. Iraq was driving the Democratic race, especially it was driving Howard Dean's surge. Dick Gephardt, Joe Lieberman, John Kerry and John Edwards voted for the war resolution in October 2002. Dean threw that vote in their face.
HOWARD DEAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: That was the wrong thing to do. This was the advocation and failure on the part of congress and Senetor Kerry was part of that failure. I don't think that's the experience we need in foreign affairs in the White House.
SCHNEIDER: Dean's opponents get to throw it back at him.
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think Howard Dean has the experience or knowledge, or in fact, ever showed the kind of thoughtfulness about Saddam Hussein and how we deal with Iraq necessary for a president of the United States.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If Howard Dean had his way; Saddam Hussein would still be in power today, not in prison. And the world would be a much more dangerous place. The American people would have a lot more to fear.
SCHNEIDER: Will the capture of Saddam Hussein turn the Democratic race around? Not necessarily, as recently as last week, 60 percent of all Americans supported the decision to go to war in Iraq, but 64 percent of Democrats disapproved of the war. While Democrats' criticism of the war may soften it is unlikely to reverse. Much depends on what happens on the ground now in Iraq.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE United States: For the Ba'athist holdouts largely responsible for the current violence, there will be no return to the corrupt power and privilege they once held.
SCHNEIDER: But if the killing of Americans continues, controversy over the war will go on. And continue to fuel the Democratic campaign.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: In 1992, Democrats thrived because the Gulf War disappeared from the political agenda, but in 2004 the war issue is not likely to vanish for several reasons. First, there is the memory of 9/11. Then forthcoming trial of Saddam Hussein, certain to rivet public attention, And there's the prospect of an election in Iraq and the likelihood of a ceremonious transfer of power to the Iraqis, all reminding Americans this is not 1992.
LIN: So what are the issues that the Democrats can successfully run on then Bill?
SCHNEIDER: They're going to have to rely on the economy which to their misfortune is looking up. But there are still problems, Bush will be first president since Herbert Hoover to suffer a net loss of jobs. Democrats will never tire of reminding the American people about that. And they think seniors are going to be unhappy with the changes in Medicare. But they got to rely on the domestic agenda, because on the issue of Iraq people are disinclined to quarrel with success.
LIN: You bet, all right thank you very much, Bill Schneider. We'll be seeing you in a bit on a special edition of "Inside Politics."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Landscape?>
