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CNN Live Today
Presidential Politics and the Race for the Democratic Nomination
Aired February 04, 2004 - 11:06 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: Our other top story this morning, presidential politics and the race for the Democratic nomination. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry is savoring a five state win in yesterday's primaries and caucuses. But Kerry finished second in South Carolina to its native son, Senator John Edwards. Edwards took 45 percent of the vote compared to 30 percent for Kerry.
In Oklahoma, Retired General Wesley Clark is claiming victory, but the race really is still too close to call. Clark leads John Edwards by fewer than 1,300 votes. That means the final results won't be known until the race is officially certified next week.
Senator Kerry won by hefty margins in the five states that he carried -- Arizona, Missouri, North Dakota, Delaware and New Mexico. He took 50 percent of the vote in three of those states.
A disappointing finish in all seven states, especially Delaware, cost one candidate his spot in the race. Senator Joe Lieberman announced last night that he was withdrawing his name from consideration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For me, it is now time to make a difficult but realistic decision. After looking at the returns and speaking with my family and my (AUDIO GAP) team, I have decided tonight to end my quest for the presidency of the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Lieberman vowed support for whomever gets the Democratic nod. He says he'll do whatever he can to deny George Bush a second term.
Well, go ahead and check that calendar. There is more to come with weekend contests in three states.
Our Bob Franken is on the bus, or at least outside the bus, in Columbia, South Carolina -- where's the bus, Bob?
Where's the election express?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We decided we'd let you see where we are.
KAGAN: Oh, instead of the bus.
FRANKEN: A revolutionary concept.
KAGAN: Got it.
FRANKEN: Right. Right.
KAGAN: I hope the bus didn't get towed.
FRANKEN: This would be called the state capital. No, nobody would tow it.
KAGAN: OK.
FRANKEN: They might take it, too, but never mind.
KAGAN: OK. Anyhow, let's look ahead. We have -- there is no rest for the weary if you're running for president, is there?
FRANKEN: No, there is not. And as a matter of fact nobody would want to rest, because that would mean that he has suffered the fate of Joe Lieberman, who, by the way, probably could have his candidacy encapsulated by saying nice guys oftentimes finish last.
But the people who are still in this thing have a very, very strenuous schedule ahead. We have primaries, caucuses coming up this weekend, principally in Michigan and in Washington State. And that's going to be the next stand for Howard Dean, who is getting obliterated, if the polls are correct, in Michigan. And Washington State, of course, is a different animal.
Then we have the Southern ones, the first of the Southern ones. And what's interesting about that is that John Edwards is making the argument that he has shown he can win in the South, but John Kerry has not necessarily shown that he can win in the South. So, I've been pondering the idea that John Kerry is going to school right now to learn how to speak with a drawl so he can probably show up well in the ones that are going to be occurring in Tennessee and Virginia in about a week.
So there is an awful lot of different dynamics that are playing right now. You have Wesley Clark, who is still alive, and he says that he's going to go forward. John Kerry, who has won just about everywhere that he's looked, except for two states, and John Edwards, who now finally has the win he needed to qualify under the rules of Democratic National Chairman Terry McCauliffe.
KAGAN: Bob Franken in Columbia, South Carolina.
The bus is somewhere around there, too, we'll just assume. We'll see the bus soon, and you, too, as well.
Bob, thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Nomination>
Aired February 4, 2004 - 11:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Our other top story this morning, presidential politics and the race for the Democratic nomination. Massachusetts Senator John Kerry is savoring a five state win in yesterday's primaries and caucuses. But Kerry finished second in South Carolina to its native son, Senator John Edwards. Edwards took 45 percent of the vote compared to 30 percent for Kerry.
In Oklahoma, Retired General Wesley Clark is claiming victory, but the race really is still too close to call. Clark leads John Edwards by fewer than 1,300 votes. That means the final results won't be known until the race is officially certified next week.
Senator Kerry won by hefty margins in the five states that he carried -- Arizona, Missouri, North Dakota, Delaware and New Mexico. He took 50 percent of the vote in three of those states.
A disappointing finish in all seven states, especially Delaware, cost one candidate his spot in the race. Senator Joe Lieberman announced last night that he was withdrawing his name from consideration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For me, it is now time to make a difficult but realistic decision. After looking at the returns and speaking with my family and my (AUDIO GAP) team, I have decided tonight to end my quest for the presidency of the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Lieberman vowed support for whomever gets the Democratic nod. He says he'll do whatever he can to deny George Bush a second term.
Well, go ahead and check that calendar. There is more to come with weekend contests in three states.
Our Bob Franken is on the bus, or at least outside the bus, in Columbia, South Carolina -- where's the bus, Bob?
Where's the election express?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We decided we'd let you see where we are.
KAGAN: Oh, instead of the bus.
FRANKEN: A revolutionary concept.
KAGAN: Got it.
FRANKEN: Right. Right.
KAGAN: I hope the bus didn't get towed.
FRANKEN: This would be called the state capital. No, nobody would tow it.
KAGAN: OK.
FRANKEN: They might take it, too, but never mind.
KAGAN: OK. Anyhow, let's look ahead. We have -- there is no rest for the weary if you're running for president, is there?
FRANKEN: No, there is not. And as a matter of fact nobody would want to rest, because that would mean that he has suffered the fate of Joe Lieberman, who, by the way, probably could have his candidacy encapsulated by saying nice guys oftentimes finish last.
But the people who are still in this thing have a very, very strenuous schedule ahead. We have primaries, caucuses coming up this weekend, principally in Michigan and in Washington State. And that's going to be the next stand for Howard Dean, who is getting obliterated, if the polls are correct, in Michigan. And Washington State, of course, is a different animal.
Then we have the Southern ones, the first of the Southern ones. And what's interesting about that is that John Edwards is making the argument that he has shown he can win in the South, but John Kerry has not necessarily shown that he can win in the South. So, I've been pondering the idea that John Kerry is going to school right now to learn how to speak with a drawl so he can probably show up well in the ones that are going to be occurring in Tennessee and Virginia in about a week.
So there is an awful lot of different dynamics that are playing right now. You have Wesley Clark, who is still alive, and he says that he's going to go forward. John Kerry, who has won just about everywhere that he's looked, except for two states, and John Edwards, who now finally has the win he needed to qualify under the rules of Democratic National Chairman Terry McCauliffe.
KAGAN: Bob Franken in Columbia, South Carolina.
The bus is somewhere around there, too, we'll just assume. We'll see the bus soon, and you, too, as well.
Bob, thank you for that.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Nomination>
