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American Morning

Conversation With Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist; Army Private Kristian Menchaca to be Laid to Rest Today

Aired June 28, 2006 - 07:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Miles O'Brien. Thanks for being with us.

The Senate one vote shy of voting to amend the Constitution to ban flag burning. It's the latest attempt to appeal -- Democrats would use the word "pander" -- to the GOP conservative base at the election season looms.

Joining us now from Capital Hill is the Senate majority leader, Bill Frist. Senator Frist, good to have you back with us on the program.

SEN. BILL FIRST (R), MAJORITY LEADER: Good morning, Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: I want to share with you a couple of things. First of all, your counterpart across the aisle, the Senate minority leader, Harry Reid, what he had to say about this flag-burning amendment. Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID (D), MINORITY LEADER: What are we doing here in Congress? We're dealing with same-sex marriage. We're dealing with the estate tax, that affects 2/10 of one percent in the people of this country. And we're talking about flag burning? No matter how you feel about flag burning, is that a priority issue for right now with all the things we have going? The answer, young man, is no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, and take a look at some numbers. I want to put up some poll numbers very quickly here. This is a "Washington Post"/ABC News poll, a recent one, June 22nd to the 25th. When you ask people what's most important in this country, they put Iraq at the top, then the economy, health care, immigration. Flag burning didn't come up there.

The question that a lot of people have on their minds, senator, are you fiddling while Rome is burning?

FRIST: Well, Miles, you have to ask yourself, look over the last two-and-a-half weeks, how much time did we spend on flag burning, and how much time on other issues like Iraq, like what Harry Reid and the Democrats wanted to do, is cut and run, surrender in Iraq? We spent the last two weeks. Is flag burning an important issue? I think it is an important issue. The House has voted on it every Congress, overwhelming majority supporting it.

Yesterday, we showed that 66, almost two-thirds of the United States Senate, support an amendment that simply gives Congress the power instead of just the courts, Congress the power, to prevent desecration of the flag.

For those two weeks on Iraq, we demonstrated by a vote of 93-6 that surrender is not a solution, that victory is the answer in Iraq. It you look at the two to three weeks prior to that, we addressed border security and tightening our borders. We passed a comprehensive bill in the United States Senate.

So yes, this United States Senate, these 100 people that Americans sent here, can do more than one thing at any point in time.

M. O'BRIEN: But there remains outstanding an issue, which a lot of people obviously from this poll find important, and that is immigration, which has not come to any sort of fruitful conclusion. Can you look voters in the face and tell them you're spending your time wisely there in Washington?

FRIST: I can say if you look at the last eight weeks and the fact that we spent four weeks on the floor of the Senate debating immigration, that we took on the tough issue, the 12 million people here today who are living in the shadows, the fact that we don't have a temporary-worker program, the fact that millions of people are coming to this country illegally. We've took it on. We debated it. We had 40 amendments on the floor. We passed a bill from the United States Senate that addresses it head-on.

Yes, we're doing the nation's business. We put $10 billion last December in border security. We're doubling the number of border security agents on the border. We're building 370 miles of fences as a start. That is a huge, huge progress, a lot more to do.

But you can't say or you can't pay attention to the Democrat whose say they're not addressing the nation's business, because we're addressing them head-on. Border security, the war in Iraq, those are the big issues that are out there, and we're spending the time on the floor doing just that.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, having said that, though, people are expressing some discontent with the GOP. Take a look at these numbers. With the election season looming -- and I know you watch these numbers closely. This is the "USA Today/Gallup poll. June 23rd through the 25th is the timeframe. When asked who they're going to vote for coming up, who'd they prefer, 54 percent say Democrats, 38 percent Republicans. And there's a trend which has been tilting towards the Democrats.

I want to couple that with this editorial from your newspaper in your home state, Chattanooga, Tennessee: "Mr. Frist, who stumbles on the Schiavo case," referring to Terri Schiavo and all that, "and has proposed a $100 gas rebate virtually have wrecked his presidential aspirations, seems oblivious to his self-imposed political destruction. Still his shameless pandering to conservatives who rally around those cases is a disservice to his Tennessee constituents and to the national constituency he ostensibly serves as the majority leader."

You feel like you're doing a good job, sir?

FRIST: You know, I'll let others judge that. But what I know what is right, what it takes in terms of bold leadership, securing America's homeland.

People in America are safer today because we have acted in terms of supporting the war on terrorism, and making sure that the president and this administration has the tools to protect them here at home. Right now America is more prosperous than it's been in the last 30 year, with 5.3 million jobs created in the last three years. Unemployment now, today, 4.8 percent, lower than the average of the '70s, or the '80s, or the 90s' or '00s. Taxes lower than any time in history, less litigation than a year ago, less regulation, more competitiveness.

You know, it comes down ultimately to what we're doing for the American people in terms of their safety and security, and they are safer today because of action of this Congress, and I would argue our leadership, and they are more prosperous today in terms of the ability to get jobs, to provide for their children.

So if we secure America's homeland, No. 1. Secure America's prosperity through lower taxes, pro-growth policy, secure America's health. With 39 million people, Americans today, having affordable access to health care and prescription drug which they didn't have, and securing America's values of yes, paying respect to that American flag, and making sure we get rid of these sexual predators for children today. That's the sort of action that we're doing you may not cover it, others may not cover it, but are important to the American people.

M. O'BRIEN: We're covering it, but I think there is -- a lot of what you say there, Americans are not hearing that particular message.

FRIST: That's right. That's the problem. That's the problem.

M. O'BRIEN: As the majority leader, isn't that part of your job.

FRIST: Well, you know, it's part of my job and your job, but your whole coming into this, was again saying to Harry Reid that we're spending all the time on marriage, and is important, all the time on flag, without mentioning what we've done on the floor for the last six weeks -- Iraq, the war on terror, making you safer, yes, cutting your taxes, fighting for fairer tax code over time, addressing border security head-on. Where's your coverage of that? What's you do is concentrate on the things that respond to you from the other side of the aisle, and that's why that message doesn't get out.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, final thing I want you to weigh on if you could -- Congressman Peter King, Republican of New York, we're talking here about "The New York Times" and the story that they published, talking about that secret program to comb through our bank accounts in search of terrorist. He says there should be criminal charges against "The New York Times." Do you agree or disagree with that?

FRIST: You know, I don't -- I personally, and I'm not speaking on behalf of either leadership or the Senate, think we need criminal charges at this standpoint. But I'd tell you, and I think this homeland security, the war on terror is absolutely critical based on what I see everyday in my briefing and what I know about al Qaeda and the war itself. And any time that our media irresponsibly, wrongly, I think, gives the playbook that makes us safer to the enemy, to the terrorist who want to kill you and kill people in New York and around, in Tennessee and in Nashville. That's their goal. And when you give them the playbook that allows then to escape detection, that is wrong, and I think it should be done, and I think it is irresponsible.

M. O'BRIEN: But no criminal charges?

FRIST: Well, I would stop short of that. I don't know enough about the details. If there's been a leak of classified information and "The New York Times" played a part in that leak of the classified information that makes you safer, there should be criminal charges. I just don't know the facts are at this juncture. So I think that people should ask the question, where did this information come from? Was it purposely leaked to "The New York Times?" And was "The New York Times" complicit in leaking a highly classified program to the American people, which makes us less safe, then I think we might have to look at it.

M. O'BRIEN: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, thanks for your time, sir.

FRIST: Good to be with you.

M. O'BRIEN: Soledad?

S. O'BRIEN: Twenty-three-year-old Army Private Kristian Menchaca will be laid to rest today in Texas. He was one of two American soldiers, kidnapped and then later killed by Iraqi insurgents.

CNN's Ed Lavandera live in Brownsville, Texas this morning.

Good morning, Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

From the moment that Private Menchaca's remains arrived here in Brownsville two days ago, he has been clearly on the minds of thousands of people in this city. So many people expected for his funeral today, that the funeral will take place at the city's event center.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA (voice-over): This South Texas border town is in pain. Flags across Brownsville have been lowered in honor of Army Private First Class Kristian Menchaca. Messages of grief are posted everywhere.

RACHEL FIGUEROA, BROWNSVILLE RESIDENT: Everybody's hearts were just, you know, broken with this horrendous news.

LAVANDERA: Rachel Figueroa never met Menchaca, but she put up yellow ribbons and flags and watched the 23-year-old soldier's flag- draped casket return from Iraq, one of dozens are people who'd lined roadsides to pay their respects.

FIGUEROA: Just knowing the manner in which you know Kristian was taken from us, it just you know, it hurt. I think it hurt the whole community.

LAVANDERA: For Menchaca's family, it has been an excruciating week, a quiet, tight-knit family, thrust into the spotlight because of the barbaric nature of his killing by Iraqi insurgents.

Days of crying and hugging haven't helped Menchaca's cousin, Juan Vasquez.

JUAN VASQUEZ, MENCHACA'S COUSIN: It just feels so surreal, you know. It feels like this a real long dream I can't wake out of, and just -- it's hard.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While many of us may not have had the honor and privilege of knowing PFC Menchaca, his life and loss has impacted each and every one of us.

LAVANDERA: Private Menchaca was a young man, who was newly married and had dreams of becoming a Border Patrol agent.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not many young men can pull off having all of these characteristics, but he did. Goal-oriented, firm in his beliefs and convictions, loyal, caring and courageous.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAVANDERA: Those were sounds and images from the wake that was held last night here at the events center. The funeral is expected to start in a little over three hours, and as I mentioned, hundreds of people expected.

At the burial later today, as I mentioned, Menchaca had dreams of becoming a Border Patrol agent. Even though he never reached that dream, the Border Patrol will be at the funeral this afternoon and at the burial, where they will play -- a Border Patrol color guard will play the bagpipes in his honor -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow, that's nice. That's very sad. Ed Lavandera for us this morning. I know you spent a lot of time with that family. I hope you pass along to them just how sad we are for them today.

LAVANDERA: Sure.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: There's Archie. He's the winner of this year's World's Ugliest Dog contest. He beat out -- there were 12 others in the running apparently at the Sonoma Marin Fair, which is held in California. He's a 10-year-old Chinese-crested pure bred. You wouldn't necessarily know that.

CHAD MEYERS, METEOROLOGIST: Buy you know what, he looks exactly like he's supposed to.

S. O'BRIEN: Really?

M. O'BRIEN: Oh, the tongue is supposed to stick out?

MEYERS: Yes, kind of, you know.

(CROSSTALK)

S. O'BRIEN: The owner says people want to know if the dog has a disease. Little kids throw rocks at the dog.

M. O'BRIEN: Archie and his owner, she won $1,000, and the pooch got a hamburger and some chicken nuggets, which might help his complexion -- or not.

S. O'BRIEN: Or not.

M. O'BRIEN: Or not.

Excuse me.

M. O'BRIEN: The title from the late Sam. Check out Sam, by the way. Sam, unfortunately, passed away in November, and for reasons that are quite obvious to us right now, he carried the title for three straight years.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, next to Sam, actually, Archie, not that ugly.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes. Oh, my god, look at Sam there.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, coming up on the program, a homeless man gets his own TV show, trying to spread his message, but the message has angered a lot of people in his community. We'll explain.

S. O'BRIEN: We're also talking this morning to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The city's been cited as a model for smoke- free living. We'll ask him about that this morning.

M. O'BRIEN: And later, more of those new-car incentives that Andy mentioned earlier. Gosh, don't call them zero percent in front of him though. He'll get mad. But we'll talk to "Consumer Reports" and we'll about these interest-free deals, and whether you should do it.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Community access TV offers programs you're not going to find anywhere else. But in Burlington, Vermont, the freedom to make television has turned into a debate over the freedom of speech, as one host does everything he can to push the public-access boundaries.

CNN's Keith Oppenheim has our story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Burlington, Vermont, long after the sun goes down, a show begins on cable TV with something offensive for just about everyone.

JOHN LONG, COMMUNITY ACCESS TV PRODUCER (singing): When the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) does that, you know she should be dead.

OPPENHEIM: The host of the show spews violence against women. He once showed a video of a pig's head being cut off as he attacked what he called "femi-Nazi" pigs.

LONG: I'm out to challenge them. And the way you challenge them is to be aggressive.

OPPENHEIM: His name is John Long, viewed by many as a racist, someone who encourages violence against gays.

LONG: My goal is to be the most hated person in Burlington.

OPPENHEIM: On TV, he goes by the name "Mr. Happy." In real life, he doesn't have a paying job or roof over his head. John long is 44 and homeless.

(on camera): How long have you been homeless?

LONG: About -- on and off for about, like, 25 years.

OPPENHEIM (voice-over): Back in 1995, when O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder, Long says he was outraged, and wanted to broadcast his opinions. He went to Vermont Community Access Media.

ROB CHAPMAN, VERMONT COMMUNITY ACCESS CABLE: Which sees the benefit of allowing people to express themselves, no matter how reprehensible their content would be.

OPPENHEIM: And took advantage of his surroundings, Burlington, a liberal community he loved to attack.

LONG: I want to challenge the liberal, you know, elite here.

OPPENHEIM: Kara Deleonardis woman works for an advocacy group that monitors hate crimes in Burlington.

KARA DELEONARDIS, SAFESPACE: My fear is that his show can incite someone to actually carry out something that he suggests.

OPPENHEIM: But so far, no one's been able to show Long has incited anyone to do anything. And state officials say Long's speeches are constitutionally protected, as long as he doesn't target an individual or clearly identified group.

SANDI EVERITT, VERMONT'S AG'S OFFICE: If you start curtailing Mr. Long from speaking, then the next person curtailed may be you or I.

LONG: Cable access gives me the power to reach people that I normally wouldn't even come close to reaching.

OPPENHEIM: And that, in the end, is the irony of John Long.

LONG (singing): Your leftist friends are all wrong...

OPPENHEIM: A homeless person who's found a home in antagonizing a community that has the tolerance to give him a stage.

LONG (singing): Hasta la vita baby.

OPPENHEIM: Keith CNN, Burlington, Vermont.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OPPENHEIM: John Long's program is called "How Do You Like Me Now," and it reaches about 30,000 cable subscribers in the Burlington area.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

S. O'BRIEN: We're going to take a look at our top stories this morning, including the bad weather in New England, just ahead, right after this short break.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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