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CNN Live Today

Interview With Eric Bates

Aired January 30, 2004 - 10:12   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Democrat John Edwards says he'll have to win Tuesday's primary in his native state of South Carolina to remain a viable and candidate. But the freshman senator has already made an impression coming from relative obscurity to a second place finish in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire.
Our next guest shadowed Edwards on the campaign trail. Eric Bates is assistant managing editor for "Rolling Stone" magazine and profiled Edwards in the latest issue. You see it there. He's joining us now from our New York bureau this morning. Eric, hello to you. Thanks for being with us.

ERIC BATES, "ROLLING STONE": Good morning.

COLLINS: What did you learn about Edwards in the time that you spent with him?

BATES: One of the things that's striking about Edwards when you see him on the campaign trail and meet him in person is how much more powerful he is one on one and in small groups, I think than he comes across on television.

COLLINS: How so?

BATES: Well, he spent 20 years in front of juries. So I think comfortable in small groups, very skilled inspect art of persuasion and a very natural campaigner, probably the best campaigner among the Democrats, no less in authority than James Carville called him the best natural stump speaker he's ever seen run for president.

COLLINS: Yes, I heard James Carville mention that in one of the shows that we were broadcasting here.

I want to ask you though, you actually make mention of this. How much of this is Southern charm and how many of this is real? Is he connecting with people?

BATES: When he gets into small groups, he really has an ability to light up the room that I think is in stark contrast to John Kerry, who is the front runner. Edwards is very natural with people. He can get -- I saw him in a room with about 400 people, and he had them fired up.

COLLINS: Do you think he's going to be able to take on a much larger audiences, which obviously would be the case were he to become president? BATES: The other thing that's striking Edwards is how hungry he is. You can almost feel a physical craving from him to debate George Bush one on one. I think he sees it almost like a trial before the American people where he would be facing off against someone who he sees as representing big corporate interests. And that he would be trying to persuade the jury of the American people to vote for him and take the country in a different direction.

COLLINS: "Rolling Stone" also did a piece on Howard Dean not long ago. Have you seen major differences here? What were some of the big differences that you and your magazine noticed?

BATES: Well, I think that Edwards, like everyone else on the campaign trail, has basically picked up on Dean's message and tried to co-opt it in a way. Edwards has a populous message, but one that's sort of warmer and fuzzier in a lot of ways than Howard Dean's.

He talks about two Americas. He talks about George Bush placing an emphasis on wealth over work and hurting working people.

But he also blends in some of the almost optimism of Clinton. He talks about the politics of hope, and wanting to bring those two Americas together.

So I think he's fashioned a message that's friendly and warmer than Dean's.

COLLINS: Eric, some people would say "Rolling Stone" is supposed to be about music. But I know you guys have covered politics for quite some time. Has there been any other election where presidential hopefuls have been on the cover?

BATES: Oh, In every election. We've done a "Rolling Stone" interview with I think everyone major candidate for the past 20 years. It's a big focus of the magazine and something we take very seriously.

COLLINS: All right, last question for you, real quick. What do you think about a Kerry/Dean ticket? I'm sorry, Kerry/Edwards ticket?

BATES: That's the hurdle Edwards has to climb. Most people I talk to question his experience and mention him as a vice presidential candidate. It's more in line with his experience, and I think it has widespread appeal.

COLLINS: All right, Eric Bates, thanks so much for your time today from "Rolling Stone" magazine. Appreciate it.

BATES: Thank you.

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 30, 2004 - 10:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Democrat John Edwards says he'll have to win Tuesday's primary in his native state of South Carolina to remain a viable and candidate. But the freshman senator has already made an impression coming from relative obscurity to a second place finish in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire.
Our next guest shadowed Edwards on the campaign trail. Eric Bates is assistant managing editor for "Rolling Stone" magazine and profiled Edwards in the latest issue. You see it there. He's joining us now from our New York bureau this morning. Eric, hello to you. Thanks for being with us.

ERIC BATES, "ROLLING STONE": Good morning.

COLLINS: What did you learn about Edwards in the time that you spent with him?

BATES: One of the things that's striking about Edwards when you see him on the campaign trail and meet him in person is how much more powerful he is one on one and in small groups, I think than he comes across on television.

COLLINS: How so?

BATES: Well, he spent 20 years in front of juries. So I think comfortable in small groups, very skilled inspect art of persuasion and a very natural campaigner, probably the best campaigner among the Democrats, no less in authority than James Carville called him the best natural stump speaker he's ever seen run for president.

COLLINS: Yes, I heard James Carville mention that in one of the shows that we were broadcasting here.

I want to ask you though, you actually make mention of this. How much of this is Southern charm and how many of this is real? Is he connecting with people?

BATES: When he gets into small groups, he really has an ability to light up the room that I think is in stark contrast to John Kerry, who is the front runner. Edwards is very natural with people. He can get -- I saw him in a room with about 400 people, and he had them fired up.

COLLINS: Do you think he's going to be able to take on a much larger audiences, which obviously would be the case were he to become president? BATES: The other thing that's striking Edwards is how hungry he is. You can almost feel a physical craving from him to debate George Bush one on one. I think he sees it almost like a trial before the American people where he would be facing off against someone who he sees as representing big corporate interests. And that he would be trying to persuade the jury of the American people to vote for him and take the country in a different direction.

COLLINS: "Rolling Stone" also did a piece on Howard Dean not long ago. Have you seen major differences here? What were some of the big differences that you and your magazine noticed?

BATES: Well, I think that Edwards, like everyone else on the campaign trail, has basically picked up on Dean's message and tried to co-opt it in a way. Edwards has a populous message, but one that's sort of warmer and fuzzier in a lot of ways than Howard Dean's.

He talks about two Americas. He talks about George Bush placing an emphasis on wealth over work and hurting working people.

But he also blends in some of the almost optimism of Clinton. He talks about the politics of hope, and wanting to bring those two Americas together.

So I think he's fashioned a message that's friendly and warmer than Dean's.

COLLINS: Eric, some people would say "Rolling Stone" is supposed to be about music. But I know you guys have covered politics for quite some time. Has there been any other election where presidential hopefuls have been on the cover?

BATES: Oh, In every election. We've done a "Rolling Stone" interview with I think everyone major candidate for the past 20 years. It's a big focus of the magazine and something we take very seriously.

COLLINS: All right, last question for you, real quick. What do you think about a Kerry/Dean ticket? I'm sorry, Kerry/Edwards ticket?

BATES: That's the hurdle Edwards has to climb. Most people I talk to question his experience and mention him as a vice presidential candidate. It's more in line with his experience, and I think it has widespread appeal.

COLLINS: All right, Eric Bates, thanks so much for your time today from "Rolling Stone" magazine. Appreciate it.

BATES: Thank you.

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