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CNN Live At Daybreak

Wisconsin Primary

Aired February 17, 2004 - 06:05   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: The Wisconsin primary is today, and with it some interesting twists. Howard Dean's chairman is out of a job this morning after publicly reaching out to Dean's rival, John Kerry. It doesn't say great things about Dean's chances in Wisconsin.
Let's head live to D.C. now and CNN's Bill Prasad for a wrap-up.

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

You could call it D-Day in the dairy state. A primary in Wisconsin could propel John Kerry even farther ahead and push Howard Dean out of the race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, Milwaukee.

PRASAD (voice-over): Gratitude from a candidate who polls show has a whopping lead in Wisconsin.

KERRY: How are you doing?

PRASAD: Not well, might be the reply from many Wisconsin workers. The state has seen 80,000 manufacturing jobs vanish since 2000.

KERRY: We're going to turn this country around and put America back to work.

PRASAD: As for John Edwards, he gets a key endorsement from the state's largest newspaper as he draws a line between he and the leader.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think as the race is narrowing to two people, it will be clear what the differences are between us.

PRASAD: That leaves Howard Dean, still reeling after a vote of no confidence from his campaign chairman. Steve Grossman left the campaign after saying Monday he would jump to the Kerry camp if Dean didn't win today.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All right, Wisconsin! PRASAD: Things continue to go all wrong for Howard Dean. Worker morale is low. He's lost 16 contests. Dean still refuses to bail out, but he's looking and sounding more conciliatory.

DEAN: If one of them wins the nomination, I'm going to support them.

PRASAD: So another Tuesday, another primary day for Democrats. If the polls are right, it will lead to another victory party for John Kerry and perhaps the last day for the Dean campaign. But then again, the pundits have been wrong before.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Dean has no campaign schedule after Wednesday. As for John Kerry, he continues to ignore his Democratic rivals, attacking the president instead.

We're live in Washington this morning. I'm Bill Prasad.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Bill.

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 - 06:05   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The Wisconsin primary is today, and with it some interesting twists. Howard Dean's chairman is out of a job this morning after publicly reaching out to Dean's rival, John Kerry. It doesn't say great things about Dean's chances in Wisconsin.
Let's head live to D.C. now and CNN's Bill Prasad for a wrap-up.

Good morning -- Bill.

BILL PRASAD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

You could call it D-Day in the dairy state. A primary in Wisconsin could propel John Kerry even farther ahead and push Howard Dean out of the race.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, Milwaukee.

PRASAD (voice-over): Gratitude from a candidate who polls show has a whopping lead in Wisconsin.

KERRY: How are you doing?

PRASAD: Not well, might be the reply from many Wisconsin workers. The state has seen 80,000 manufacturing jobs vanish since 2000.

KERRY: We're going to turn this country around and put America back to work.

PRASAD: As for John Edwards, he gets a key endorsement from the state's largest newspaper as he draws a line between he and the leader.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think as the race is narrowing to two people, it will be clear what the differences are between us.

PRASAD: That leaves Howard Dean, still reeling after a vote of no confidence from his campaign chairman. Steve Grossman left the campaign after saying Monday he would jump to the Kerry camp if Dean didn't win today.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: All right, Wisconsin! PRASAD: Things continue to go all wrong for Howard Dean. Worker morale is low. He's lost 16 contests. Dean still refuses to bail out, but he's looking and sounding more conciliatory.

DEAN: If one of them wins the nomination, I'm going to support them.

PRASAD: So another Tuesday, another primary day for Democrats. If the polls are right, it will lead to another victory party for John Kerry and perhaps the last day for the Dean campaign. But then again, the pundits have been wrong before.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Dean has no campaign schedule after Wednesday. As for John Kerry, he continues to ignore his Democratic rivals, attacking the president instead.

We're live in Washington this morning. I'm Bill Prasad.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Bill.

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