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CNN Live Today

Interview With Harold Ford

Aired January 08, 2004 - 10:35   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Well, we had to regroup here a little bit. We have the Democratic Congressman, Harold Ford, with us. We had planned to get him live on television to react to what we were listening to the woman from the White House, Margaret Spellings. The television set wasn't working so well, but we did want to hear from the Congressman so we're going to talk to him on the phone.
Congressman Ford, good morning.

REP. HAROLD FORD (D), TENNESSEE: Good morning, Daryn. Good morning to all your listeners.

KAGAN: Thanks for going with the flow with us, and not just resorting to the phone.

Let's get to some of the issues here. Hey, look who's coming to town or at least to your state today. That would be none other than President Bush, touting his No Child Left Behind policies.

FORD: You know, we're excited to have him for a number of reasons. I know that he will come and talk about the success of No Child Left Behind. But I hope he's also willing to listen carefully to some of the educators and parents and superintendents and school board members who are living the reality of implementing No Child Left Behind. In theory, it's a great bill. I supported it and helped traffic it in the Congress.

But in practice, we're not fully funding it. It's not allowing teachers and school districts the flexibility needed to teach kids, and it needs some tinkering. And one of things in Congress we proposed in a concrete way is to suspend all the punitive parts of No Child Left Behind until the president funds No Child Left Behind at the levels that he promised more than two years ago.

KAGAN: Congressman, I'll ask you a political question, because I know...

FORD: Sure.

KAGAN: ...this is your life here. Look what the Republicans are doing. Look at some of the issues they're taking a hold of, education, prescription drug care. We can get to immigration in jut a moment. Are the Republicans being the Democrats at their own game?

FORD: Yes, I think they're trying to deliver to the American people. The problem is, they're delivering more rhetoric than results. The prescription drug plan won't take place until 2006. The very confusing benefit that is offered to seniors and it's unclear if it will ever be implemented and if indeed seniors will realize the benefits the president promised.

On education, I applaud the rhetoric that the president offers. But the reality doesn't match up or doesn't measure up to the rhetoric and he politicizing. You talk to any superintendent, any teacher across the country and they all agree that educators should be held accountable. But they also all agree that resources and flexibility have to accompany the bill. And frankly, that is not happening.

And I think if the president listens, instead of talk the entire time in Knoxville and raises money which I know he's doing as well, he'll learn -- and I think in compelling ways -- that No Child Left Behind can work if we make some changes to it.

KAGAN: Last question for you. I want to ask you about this immigration proposal that the president made yesterday, 8 million illegal immigrants would be granted the right to work. Once again, even some in the Washington Post, you see one Democratic strategist calling this brilliant on the part of the president and the Republicans to seize this issue.

FORD: Politically, it seems as if the president has scored a home run here. I've not seen the legislation. I know he will face opposition to Congress from his own party by including the majority leader. Tom DeLay has already expressed his stern opposition to this. It raises some concern even on my part. I think some of it has to be flushed out. What do you say to those who have played by the rules that are attempting to become citizens, legally?

As much as you've played by the rules, they're not going to allow those who did not play by the rules to become citizens. I'm of the belief that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be an American citizen.

KAGAN: Even if you've broken the law and been an illegal immigrant?

FORD: Well, that's the question. And again, I believe that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should become a citizen. This new proposal by the president seems to run counter to that. It would be interesting to see how it all flushes out. He hasn't presented legislation. He does what he does very well. He held a press conference, touted it, brought leaders from the Hispanic community across the country to the White House. But now, we have the hard part of drafting a law and implementing it.

And I might add, with the opposition of his own party in the House, in the name and face of Tom DeLay, the president's going to face a tough time in this Congress in getting this passed.

KAGAN: It does make for some interesting politics. Congressman Ford, thanks for being with us.

FORD: Happy New Year to you. Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you. Thanks for being flexible and going to the phone when the television stuff wasn't working out so well.

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 January 8, 2004 - 10:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Well, we had to regroup here a little bit. We have the Democratic Congressman, Harold Ford, with us. We had planned to get him live on television to react to what we were listening to the woman from the White House, Margaret Spellings. The television set wasn't working so well, but we did want to hear from the Congressman so we're going to talk to him on the phone.
Congressman Ford, good morning.

REP. HAROLD FORD (D), TENNESSEE: Good morning, Daryn. Good morning to all your listeners.

KAGAN: Thanks for going with the flow with us, and not just resorting to the phone.

Let's get to some of the issues here. Hey, look who's coming to town or at least to your state today. That would be none other than President Bush, touting his No Child Left Behind policies.

FORD: You know, we're excited to have him for a number of reasons. I know that he will come and talk about the success of No Child Left Behind. But I hope he's also willing to listen carefully to some of the educators and parents and superintendents and school board members who are living the reality of implementing No Child Left Behind. In theory, it's a great bill. I supported it and helped traffic it in the Congress.

But in practice, we're not fully funding it. It's not allowing teachers and school districts the flexibility needed to teach kids, and it needs some tinkering. And one of things in Congress we proposed in a concrete way is to suspend all the punitive parts of No Child Left Behind until the president funds No Child Left Behind at the levels that he promised more than two years ago.

KAGAN: Congressman, I'll ask you a political question, because I know...

FORD: Sure.

KAGAN: ...this is your life here. Look what the Republicans are doing. Look at some of the issues they're taking a hold of, education, prescription drug care. We can get to immigration in jut a moment. Are the Republicans being the Democrats at their own game?

FORD: Yes, I think they're trying to deliver to the American people. The problem is, they're delivering more rhetoric than results. The prescription drug plan won't take place until 2006. The very confusing benefit that is offered to seniors and it's unclear if it will ever be implemented and if indeed seniors will realize the benefits the president promised.

On education, I applaud the rhetoric that the president offers. But the reality doesn't match up or doesn't measure up to the rhetoric and he politicizing. You talk to any superintendent, any teacher across the country and they all agree that educators should be held accountable. But they also all agree that resources and flexibility have to accompany the bill. And frankly, that is not happening.

And I think if the president listens, instead of talk the entire time in Knoxville and raises money which I know he's doing as well, he'll learn -- and I think in compelling ways -- that No Child Left Behind can work if we make some changes to it.

KAGAN: Last question for you. I want to ask you about this immigration proposal that the president made yesterday, 8 million illegal immigrants would be granted the right to work. Once again, even some in the Washington Post, you see one Democratic strategist calling this brilliant on the part of the president and the Republicans to seize this issue.

FORD: Politically, it seems as if the president has scored a home run here. I've not seen the legislation. I know he will face opposition to Congress from his own party by including the majority leader. Tom DeLay has already expressed his stern opposition to this. It raises some concern even on my part. I think some of it has to be flushed out. What do you say to those who have played by the rules that are attempting to become citizens, legally?

As much as you've played by the rules, they're not going to allow those who did not play by the rules to become citizens. I'm of the belief that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be an American citizen.

KAGAN: Even if you've broken the law and been an illegal immigrant?

FORD: Well, that's the question. And again, I believe that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should become a citizen. This new proposal by the president seems to run counter to that. It would be interesting to see how it all flushes out. He hasn't presented legislation. He does what he does very well. He held a press conference, touted it, brought leaders from the Hispanic community across the country to the White House. But now, we have the hard part of drafting a law and implementing it.

And I might add, with the opposition of his own party in the House, in the name and face of Tom DeLay, the president's going to face a tough time in this Congress in getting this passed.

KAGAN: It does make for some interesting politics. Congressman Ford, thanks for being with us.

FORD: Happy New Year to you. Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you. Thanks for being flexible and going to the phone when the television stuff wasn't working out so well.

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