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CNN Live At Daybreak

Kerry Wins Three More States

Aired February 09, 2004 - 06:01   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: Senator John Kerry, who has been known to skate around the ice with a hockey stick, scored a hat trick over the weekend, victorious in Democratic caucuses in Michigan, Washington and Maine.
CNN's Kelly Wallace has a report and yet another sports metaphor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In football, a record of 10 wins and 2 losses will likely get you to the playoffs. In presidential primary politics, it makes you the clear favorite for the Democratic nomination.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: George Bush has no answer at all, no program at all, none, nothing, nada, niente (ph).

WALLACE: In Virginia, instead of talking about his rivals, John Kerry moved his attention to President Bush. Along with his latest endorser, Virginia's governor, he watches Mr. Bush's interview and then goes before the cameras to pounce.

KERRY: There was a right way to hold Saddam Hussein accountable. There was a wrong way to do it. President Bush chose the wrong way.

WALLACE: A sign of just how contentious a possible Kerry-Bush match-up could be, the decorated Vietnam veteran questioned what Mr. Bush said in his interview that he fulfilled his National Guard service during Vietnam.

KERRY: Just because you get an honorable discharge does not, in fact, answer that question.

WALLACE: Kerry says he is not making this a political issue, but when pressed by reporters, he did say he believes serving in the National Guard, as Mr. Bush did, was a way some people used to avoid fighting in the war.

KERRY: Did a whole bunch of people make that choice then as a way of serving but not necessarily going to Vietnam? And the answer is yes. That's the truth. And you can ask people who served back then. Does that denigrate the service of it? No, it doesn't.

WALLACE: According to a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll, 60 percent believe Kerry did his duty for the country during the Vietnam War, less than 40 percent said the same for President Bush. (on camera): Kerry is currently leading in the primary polls here in Virginia and in Tennessee. Victories in both states would show he can win in the South and would likely make him unstoppable in his quest for the party nomination.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, Chesapeake, Virginia.

(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 February 9, 2004 - 06:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Senator John Kerry, who has been known to skate around the ice with a hockey stick, scored a hat trick over the weekend, victorious in Democratic caucuses in Michigan, Washington and Maine.
CNN's Kelly Wallace has a report and yet another sports metaphor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In football, a record of 10 wins and 2 losses will likely get you to the playoffs. In presidential primary politics, it makes you the clear favorite for the Democratic nomination.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: George Bush has no answer at all, no program at all, none, nothing, nada, niente (ph).

WALLACE: In Virginia, instead of talking about his rivals, John Kerry moved his attention to President Bush. Along with his latest endorser, Virginia's governor, he watches Mr. Bush's interview and then goes before the cameras to pounce.

KERRY: There was a right way to hold Saddam Hussein accountable. There was a wrong way to do it. President Bush chose the wrong way.

WALLACE: A sign of just how contentious a possible Kerry-Bush match-up could be, the decorated Vietnam veteran questioned what Mr. Bush said in his interview that he fulfilled his National Guard service during Vietnam.

KERRY: Just because you get an honorable discharge does not, in fact, answer that question.

WALLACE: Kerry says he is not making this a political issue, but when pressed by reporters, he did say he believes serving in the National Guard, as Mr. Bush did, was a way some people used to avoid fighting in the war.

KERRY: Did a whole bunch of people make that choice then as a way of serving but not necessarily going to Vietnam? And the answer is yes. That's the truth. And you can ask people who served back then. Does that denigrate the service of it? No, it doesn't.

WALLACE: According to a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll, 60 percent believe Kerry did his duty for the country during the Vietnam War, less than 40 percent said the same for President Bush. (on camera): Kerry is currently leading in the primary polls here in Virginia and in Tennessee. Victories in both states would show he can win in the South and would likely make him unstoppable in his quest for the party nomination.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, Chesapeake, Virginia.

(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.