Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Primary in Wisconsin Today
Aired February 17, 2004 - 06:31 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: It is primary day in Wisconsin. John Kerry is expected to win. And Howard Dean? Well, will he or won't he -- drop out that is?
Live to Milwaukee now. On the phone is chilly Bob Franken.
Good morning -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, the polls show that John Kerry is going to win overwhelmingly, don't they?
FRANKEN: Yes, they do. But, of course, Kerry has to be nervous that Wisconsin has one of its patented surprises. It's quite a bit of the history here that, for instance, John F. Kennedy won in Wisconsin, pretty much dashing Hubert Humphrey's hopes, although Humphrey had been expected to win since he was from neighboring Minnesota.
So, Kerry has to be worried about that, but if the polls are accurate, it will be just another in his string of impressive victories.
COSTELLO: Ted Kennedy is there campaigning, right?
FRANKEN: Ted Kennedy is campaigning, bringing up the memories, of course, of John F. Kennedy's successful run in Wisconsin that I just pointed out. Kennedy has been very, very loyal as a supporter of Kerry, even in the bad times, and these are right now the good times for Kerry.
COSTELLO: You know, just a question. If John Kerry has this image problem of being an East Coast liberal, wouldn't Ted Kennedy be the last person he'd want with him on the campaign trail?
FRANKEN: Well, certainly not in a Democratic primary. Remember, the Kennedy name is magical in Democratic circles. And so, at this point in the game, Ted Kennedy would be somebody he'd want very much by his side.
COSTELLO: But maybe not later.
FRANKEN: Maybe not later.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about...
FRANKEN: You won't see Ted Kennedy going to NASCAR, I don't think.
COSTELLO: Oh, my goodness. Let's talk about Howard Dean. Do you think he'll drop out after Wisconsin?
FRANKEN: Well, it depends on what moment you ask him or his people. There's an awful lot of vacillation going on, but when you think about it, maybe that's understandable. This is a very big decision. This is something that has had a huge investment on the part of Dean and all of his supporters. So, it's not a decision to be made lightly.
But certainly he is under pressure to pull out or to withdraw from a candidacy into some sort of movement of some sort.
COSTELLO: Bob Franken live on the phone from Milwaukee this morning. Many thanks.
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 17, 2004 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is primary day in Wisconsin. John Kerry is expected to win. And Howard Dean? Well, will he or won't he -- drop out that is?
Live to Milwaukee now. On the phone is chilly Bob Franken.
Good morning -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: So, the polls show that John Kerry is going to win overwhelmingly, don't they?
FRANKEN: Yes, they do. But, of course, Kerry has to be nervous that Wisconsin has one of its patented surprises. It's quite a bit of the history here that, for instance, John F. Kennedy won in Wisconsin, pretty much dashing Hubert Humphrey's hopes, although Humphrey had been expected to win since he was from neighboring Minnesota.
So, Kerry has to be worried about that, but if the polls are accurate, it will be just another in his string of impressive victories.
COSTELLO: Ted Kennedy is there campaigning, right?
FRANKEN: Ted Kennedy is campaigning, bringing up the memories, of course, of John F. Kennedy's successful run in Wisconsin that I just pointed out. Kennedy has been very, very loyal as a supporter of Kerry, even in the bad times, and these are right now the good times for Kerry.
COSTELLO: You know, just a question. If John Kerry has this image problem of being an East Coast liberal, wouldn't Ted Kennedy be the last person he'd want with him on the campaign trail?
FRANKEN: Well, certainly not in a Democratic primary. Remember, the Kennedy name is magical in Democratic circles. And so, at this point in the game, Ted Kennedy would be somebody he'd want very much by his side.
COSTELLO: But maybe not later.
FRANKEN: Maybe not later.
COSTELLO: Let's talk about...
FRANKEN: You won't see Ted Kennedy going to NASCAR, I don't think.
COSTELLO: Oh, my goodness. Let's talk about Howard Dean. Do you think he'll drop out after Wisconsin?
FRANKEN: Well, it depends on what moment you ask him or his people. There's an awful lot of vacillation going on, but when you think about it, maybe that's understandable. This is a very big decision. This is something that has had a huge investment on the part of Dean and all of his supporters. So, it's not a decision to be made lightly.
But certainly he is under pressure to pull out or to withdraw from a candidacy into some sort of movement of some sort.
COSTELLO: Bob Franken live on the phone from Milwaukee this morning. Many thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
