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American Morning

More Backing for Kerry

Aired February 06, 2004 - 08:24   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: Another big political endorsement is coming Senator John Kerry's way this morning in Michigan. One of Kerry's former rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, Congressman Richard Gephardt, is set to endorse Kerry. Gephardt has strong labor support, which is expected to swing to Kerry's camp sometime next week.
There are caucuses, as you know, this weekend in Michigan, Washington and Maine.

And for more about what's ahead, we are joined by senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

Good morning to you -- Bill.

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Heidi.

COLLINS: So, what are we going to see this weekend?

SCHNEIDER: Well, we're going to see caucuses in Michigan and that endorsement by Dick Gephardt and John Dingell, the senior congressman. In fact, the senior congressman in the House of Representatives is going to be very important for consolidating the labor support, very important in that major industrial battleground of Michigan.

Also caucuses in Washington State, where Howard Dean holds out some hope of winning. It doesn't look good for him there, but he says that's the state that ought to be good.

And then in Maine a state near Vermont, but also near Massachusetts, on Sunday, Maine will hold caucuses.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Saturday, Michigan caucuses, looks good for John Kerry. Today's endorsement by labor hero Dick Gephardt won't hurt Kerry a bit in Michigan.

But who will come in second, and how close will it be? John Edwards is hoping to ride the endorsement of former House Democratic Whip David Bonior to a strong finish in Michigan.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hello, Tacoma!

SCHNEIDER: Howard Dean has high hopes for the Washington State caucuses on Saturday, latte land, big environmental vote, and lots of techies. But Kerry's got big endorsements in his corner, like Governor Gary Locke and Senator Maria Cantwell. A big loss in Washington would be a real blow to Dean.

But he could come back with win on Sunday in the Maine caucuses, the woodsy left. Dean is from nearby Vermont, but Kerry is from nearer-by, Massachusetts.

On Tuesday, the campaign heads back south for a showdown between two good old boys in Virginia and Tennessee.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I've come from Iowa to New Hampshire to South Carolina, now to Memphis.

WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I expect to win Tennessee. But, you know, we've got such a strong support across this country.

SCHNEIDER: John Edwards and Wesley Clark desperately need to win at least one of these states to stay in the game. Kerry still hasn't won anything in the South. Winning Virginia or Tennessee would show that this New England Yankee is truly a national candidate.

On Wisconsin, that's where this whole thing could end on Tuesday, February 17. Howard Dean is pinning his last best hope on the cheese head vote.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

If Kerry sustains his momentum, this whole thing could be over in 10 days -- or not. The voters can keep the race going or shut it down -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Bill, let's go ahead and take a look at a poll now that we're looking at from the Associated Press. This was a polling of 1,000 people. Some new numbers here -- 43 percent saying they would definitely vote against Bush, and 37 percent definitely voting for Bush. What do you make of these numbers?

SCHNEIDER: I make of these numbers that he's in some trouble. Those are about the numbers his father saw at the beginning of the year when he disastrously ran for re-election. People aren't happy. Look, the Democrats have been beating up on the president for an entire month. His State of the Union speech was not a triumph. The president is trying to re-start his campaign. He's going on "Meet the Press" Sunday to try to make his case.

Americans are unhappy over, I can say, three important numbers: 2.5 million jobs lost since he took office, 500 Americans lost in Iraq, and 44 million Americans uninsured, without health insurance. Those kinds of numbers are putting the president in a difficult position.

COLLINS: All right, Bill, interesting to see what he will have to say on that show. Thanks so very much, Bill Schneider from Washington this morning. 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 February 6, 2004 - 08:24   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Another big political endorsement is coming Senator John Kerry's way this morning in Michigan. One of Kerry's former rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination, Congressman Richard Gephardt, is set to endorse Kerry. Gephardt has strong labor support, which is expected to swing to Kerry's camp sometime next week.
There are caucuses, as you know, this weekend in Michigan, Washington and Maine.

And for more about what's ahead, we are joined by senior political analyst Bill Schneider.

Good morning to you -- Bill.

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Heidi.

COLLINS: So, what are we going to see this weekend?

SCHNEIDER: Well, we're going to see caucuses in Michigan and that endorsement by Dick Gephardt and John Dingell, the senior congressman. In fact, the senior congressman in the House of Representatives is going to be very important for consolidating the labor support, very important in that major industrial battleground of Michigan.

Also caucuses in Washington State, where Howard Dean holds out some hope of winning. It doesn't look good for him there, but he says that's the state that ought to be good.

And then in Maine a state near Vermont, but also near Massachusetts, on Sunday, Maine will hold caucuses.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SCHNEIDER (voice-over): Saturday, Michigan caucuses, looks good for John Kerry. Today's endorsement by labor hero Dick Gephardt won't hurt Kerry a bit in Michigan.

But who will come in second, and how close will it be? John Edwards is hoping to ride the endorsement of former House Democratic Whip David Bonior to a strong finish in Michigan.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hello, Tacoma!

SCHNEIDER: Howard Dean has high hopes for the Washington State caucuses on Saturday, latte land, big environmental vote, and lots of techies. But Kerry's got big endorsements in his corner, like Governor Gary Locke and Senator Maria Cantwell. A big loss in Washington would be a real blow to Dean.

But he could come back with win on Sunday in the Maine caucuses, the woodsy left. Dean is from nearby Vermont, but Kerry is from nearer-by, Massachusetts.

On Tuesday, the campaign heads back south for a showdown between two good old boys in Virginia and Tennessee.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I've come from Iowa to New Hampshire to South Carolina, now to Memphis.

WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I expect to win Tennessee. But, you know, we've got such a strong support across this country.

SCHNEIDER: John Edwards and Wesley Clark desperately need to win at least one of these states to stay in the game. Kerry still hasn't won anything in the South. Winning Virginia or Tennessee would show that this New England Yankee is truly a national candidate.

On Wisconsin, that's where this whole thing could end on Tuesday, February 17. Howard Dean is pinning his last best hope on the cheese head vote.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

If Kerry sustains his momentum, this whole thing could be over in 10 days -- or not. The voters can keep the race going or shut it down -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Bill, let's go ahead and take a look at a poll now that we're looking at from the Associated Press. This was a polling of 1,000 people. Some new numbers here -- 43 percent saying they would definitely vote against Bush, and 37 percent definitely voting for Bush. What do you make of these numbers?

SCHNEIDER: I make of these numbers that he's in some trouble. Those are about the numbers his father saw at the beginning of the year when he disastrously ran for re-election. People aren't happy. Look, the Democrats have been beating up on the president for an entire month. His State of the Union speech was not a triumph. The president is trying to re-start his campaign. He's going on "Meet the Press" Sunday to try to make his case.

Americans are unhappy over, I can say, three important numbers: 2.5 million jobs lost since he took office, 500 Americans lost in Iraq, and 44 million Americans uninsured, without health insurance. Those kinds of numbers are putting the president in a difficult position.

COLLINS: All right, Bill, interesting to see what he will have to say on that show. Thanks so very much, Bill Schneider from Washington this morning. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.