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CNN Live At Daybreak
Top Democratic Contenders
Aired January 09, 2004 - 06:36 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: The general is marching to the head of the pack. Democratic presidential hopeful General Wesley Clark is gaining ground against front-runner Howard Dean.
Our Dan Lothian takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Riding a wave of positive poll numbers, retired General Wesley Clark is now enjoying two key endorsements from two very different worlds: the "material girl," praising him on her Web site and in a recent CNN interview.
MADONNA, ENTERTAINER: I think he's a natural-born leader.
LOTHIAN: And the Enron whistleblower, now by his side on the campaign trail.
SHERRON WATKINS, ENRON WHISTLEBLOWER: And what I see in Wes Clark is someone that moderate Republicans can be behind. And to win an election, he needs not only Democrat votes, but moderate Republicans to vote for him as well, and I see that he's the candidate that can attract those moderate Republican voters.
LOTHIAN: Watkins helped Clark maximize his message at this stop in Concord, as the retired general pushed his plan to end corporate welfare.
WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Four steps that I'll take to crack down on tax shelters, close corporate loopholes and recapture at least $10 billion a year.
LOTHIAN: Clark's recent surge is now putting more pressure on front-runner Howard Dean, after a week that saw him on the cover of "TIME" and "Newsweek," and on the platform with high-profile endorsement Bill Bradley. Despite reports that Dean's aides are sheltering him from the national press in order to better manage the message, Dean's campaign says it's false.
JOE TRIPPI, DEAN CAMPAIGN MANAGER: We're not trying to get over or the under the heads of the national press corps. We're just trying to make sure that with 10 days to go in Iowa that we're spending every time -- every bit of moment we can speaking directly to the people of Iowa or directly to the people of New Hampshire.
LOTHIAN: Meanwhile, the other top-tier candidates on the trail in New Hampshire are sharpening their focus on Clark, while trying to gain ground.
Dan Lothian, CNN, Concord, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 9, 2004 - 06:36 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The general is marching to the head of the pack. Democratic presidential hopeful General Wesley Clark is gaining ground against front-runner Howard Dean.
Our Dan Lothian takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Riding a wave of positive poll numbers, retired General Wesley Clark is now enjoying two key endorsements from two very different worlds: the "material girl," praising him on her Web site and in a recent CNN interview.
MADONNA, ENTERTAINER: I think he's a natural-born leader.
LOTHIAN: And the Enron whistleblower, now by his side on the campaign trail.
SHERRON WATKINS, ENRON WHISTLEBLOWER: And what I see in Wes Clark is someone that moderate Republicans can be behind. And to win an election, he needs not only Democrat votes, but moderate Republicans to vote for him as well, and I see that he's the candidate that can attract those moderate Republican voters.
LOTHIAN: Watkins helped Clark maximize his message at this stop in Concord, as the retired general pushed his plan to end corporate welfare.
WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Four steps that I'll take to crack down on tax shelters, close corporate loopholes and recapture at least $10 billion a year.
LOTHIAN: Clark's recent surge is now putting more pressure on front-runner Howard Dean, after a week that saw him on the cover of "TIME" and "Newsweek," and on the platform with high-profile endorsement Bill Bradley. Despite reports that Dean's aides are sheltering him from the national press in order to better manage the message, Dean's campaign says it's false.
JOE TRIPPI, DEAN CAMPAIGN MANAGER: We're not trying to get over or the under the heads of the national press corps. We're just trying to make sure that with 10 days to go in Iowa that we're spending every time -- every bit of moment we can speaking directly to the people of Iowa or directly to the people of New Hampshire.
LOTHIAN: Meanwhile, the other top-tier candidates on the trail in New Hampshire are sharpening their focus on Clark, while trying to gain ground.
Dan Lothian, CNN, Concord, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
