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CNN Live At Daybreak
New Hampshire Residents Share Their Impressions
Aired January 23, 2004 - 06:09 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Morning-after reactions now from the voters who count -- the ones in New Hampshire that is.
Ray Brewer joins us live from CNN affiliate WMUR in Manchester.
Good to see you -- Ray.
RAY BREWER, CNN AFFILIATE WMUR REPORTER: And good morning to you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, the candidates have been focusing on the issues, and they've been, you know, making a few anti-Bush comments in last night's debate. How sensitive are folks in New Hampshire about negative campaigning?
BREWER: Well, I think they're very sensitive. You know, a lot of the concern coming out of Iowa was that the negative attacks that Governor Dean launched really hurt him here.
So, last night, in the debate, you saw the candidates on their best behavior. Last night was very much about staying on message.
So, for instance, for Governor Dean, that meant telling the voters here in New Hampshire that, once again, if they want to change what's going on in Washington, they have to send somebody from outside the Beltway.
From John Kerry it was very much I'm the guy with the foreign policy experience. I'm the one who can stand toe to toe with George Bush. The message to New Hampshire voters: send them a president, not just a message.
And for Joe Lieberman, I'm the one who has been steadfast throughout. My positions haven't wavered.
So, New Hampshire voters are very sensitive to what is going on, the negative campaign, and I think that was reflected last night when you saw some of the candidates, Joe Lieberman for instance, refusing to pick up the gauntlet and attack some of the other candidates and their positions.
WHITFIELD: Many analysts have said most recently that New Englanders are very loyal to those in their region, which would mean that John Kerry, whose latest poll numbers show him very much in the lead with 30 percentage points, and even Joe Lieberman, just might be able to be the one who would be the favorite in that region. So far, can you get a sense as to what New Hampshire folks are thinking? BREWER: Yes, I don't think regional loyalties play all this much, as some people refer to New Hampshire as Vermont's evil step- child, you know. So, that the Vermont loyalty doesn't -- and there's also a little battle with Massachusetts also. We call them border wars up here.
So, I don't know how much that plays or the New England, and all you have to do, if you look back to the 2000 primary on the Republican side, you had George W. Bush and, of course, the Yale connection and his dad from Maine, that connection. And instead, he was trounced by John McCain from Arizona.
So, I'm not really quite sure that that plays into it. I mean, it's a nice card to try and play, but I don't really think it will have an effect on Tuesday's votes.
WHITFIELD: And quickly, we'll see if Wesley Clark's spending a lot of time in New Hampshire is going to make a difference by avoiding Iowa altogether.
BREWER: That's true. And also, Joe Lieberman, who moved here to Manchester, and to see if that has made a difference, to see if Clark is able to pick up. The polls right now are showing Clark in third place.
WHITFIELD: Ray Brewer, WMUR, thanks very much.
BREWER: You're welcome.
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 23, 2004 - 06:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Morning-after reactions now from the voters who count -- the ones in New Hampshire that is.
Ray Brewer joins us live from CNN affiliate WMUR in Manchester.
Good to see you -- Ray.
RAY BREWER, CNN AFFILIATE WMUR REPORTER: And good morning to you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, the candidates have been focusing on the issues, and they've been, you know, making a few anti-Bush comments in last night's debate. How sensitive are folks in New Hampshire about negative campaigning?
BREWER: Well, I think they're very sensitive. You know, a lot of the concern coming out of Iowa was that the negative attacks that Governor Dean launched really hurt him here.
So, last night, in the debate, you saw the candidates on their best behavior. Last night was very much about staying on message.
So, for instance, for Governor Dean, that meant telling the voters here in New Hampshire that, once again, if they want to change what's going on in Washington, they have to send somebody from outside the Beltway.
From John Kerry it was very much I'm the guy with the foreign policy experience. I'm the one who can stand toe to toe with George Bush. The message to New Hampshire voters: send them a president, not just a message.
And for Joe Lieberman, I'm the one who has been steadfast throughout. My positions haven't wavered.
So, New Hampshire voters are very sensitive to what is going on, the negative campaign, and I think that was reflected last night when you saw some of the candidates, Joe Lieberman for instance, refusing to pick up the gauntlet and attack some of the other candidates and their positions.
WHITFIELD: Many analysts have said most recently that New Englanders are very loyal to those in their region, which would mean that John Kerry, whose latest poll numbers show him very much in the lead with 30 percentage points, and even Joe Lieberman, just might be able to be the one who would be the favorite in that region. So far, can you get a sense as to what New Hampshire folks are thinking? BREWER: Yes, I don't think regional loyalties play all this much, as some people refer to New Hampshire as Vermont's evil step- child, you know. So, that the Vermont loyalty doesn't -- and there's also a little battle with Massachusetts also. We call them border wars up here.
So, I don't know how much that plays or the New England, and all you have to do, if you look back to the 2000 primary on the Republican side, you had George W. Bush and, of course, the Yale connection and his dad from Maine, that connection. And instead, he was trounced by John McCain from Arizona.
So, I'm not really quite sure that that plays into it. I mean, it's a nice card to try and play, but I don't really think it will have an effect on Tuesday's votes.
WHITFIELD: And quickly, we'll see if Wesley Clark's spending a lot of time in New Hampshire is going to make a difference by avoiding Iowa altogether.
BREWER: That's true. And also, Joe Lieberman, who moved here to Manchester, and to see if that has made a difference, to see if Clark is able to pick up. The polls right now are showing Clark in third place.
WHITFIELD: Ray Brewer, WMUR, thanks very much.
BREWER: You're welcome.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
