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CNN Larry King Live
Interview with Joy Behar/Interview with James Carville
Aired May 05, 2009 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, Joy Behar -- outspoken, opinionated...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": How tough are you?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: ...on Obama, Elizabeth Edwards standing by her man and Joy's own marriage plans.
Anything goes when she states her views.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEHAR: That's the world we live in right now, Miss California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Then, the raging Cajun -- Democratic mastermind James Carville.
Why does he think the GOP is in agony and needs to use a scalpel?
Plus, the first full face transplant in the United States revealed today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I'm the one (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Secrets from the surgery that stunned the world.
And then Mia Farrow in her second week of a hunger strike.
All next on LARRY KING LIVE.
We salute "The View" all this week on LARRY KING LIVE -- Barbara Walters last night and tonight, our sit-in host, Joy Behar, is with us in New York -- of course, a co-host of "The View," a comic and best- selling author. Her latest children's book is "Sheetzucacapoopoo 2: Max Goes to the Dogs." A very funny lady. And I -- by the way, I want to personally thank you on the air -- I want to thank you off the air -- for doing a great job sitting in. BEHAR: Thank you, Larry.
Thank you, really, for letting me do it. It is your show.
KING: OK. First things first. It looks like Donald Trump has made up with Barbara.
How are you and Donald now?
BEHAR: You would not believe how friendly he was to me today at "The View." The man was all over me. First of all, in the green room after the show, he actually kissed me. And I don't think that he kisses anybody. He came up to me and he actually kissed me and hugged me. It was weird.
KING: Because he criticized you, as you know, in the past.
BEHAR: Well, he said that I -- he said I -- you hit me hard and so I went back at you. I don't remember even what I said. I made a joke about his hair, I think.
But, you know, I'm done with that anyway. It's an old story. I'm not interested in his hair anymore. And we're fine.
KING: OK. Today he was asked about the controversy over Miss California and the gay marriage question.
Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE VIEW," COURTESY ABC)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The fact that she's -- it's being said she didn't receive the crown because of her beliefs on gay marriage, do you think that should have even entered into the competition's questioning?
DONALD TRUMP: Well, we actually -- this is a first. But we actually went back and added up the scores and that was not that -- she would not have won anyway.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
TRUMP: So that almost makes me feel a little bit better, because it was a tough question. And I'm not sure -- and we all understand, because I think everybody sitting here probably has a different response to her answer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure.
TRUMP: You're probably in favor of her answer. I know a lot of people that were.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, don't assume. But...
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: Well, I know I can't...
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Don't you think she's allowed to give her beliefs?
TRUMP: I do. I do.
BEHAR: Yes. We all agree on that.
TRUMP: And that was her beliefs. And, by the way, that's the belief of like 70 percent of the people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right.
TRUMP: So it's not -- it wasn't a horrible answer. But that was her belief and she's taken some pretty hard hits.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. She's...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What did you make of that whole thing, Joy?
BEHAR: First of all, where does he get the statistic that 70 percent of people are against gay marriage?
I don't know where he came up with that one. I don't think it's exactly 70 percent. People are coming around to gay marriage more and more every day.
This Cali -- Miss California girl, I think she's doing great.
I mean who even thinks of Miss USA?
Nobody even knows Miss USA exists. She's got a great career ahead of her now, where everybody sees how gorgeous she is. She's winning the race, believe me. And with no boobs.
Who can ask for anything more?
KING: What do you think of the fact that your program made the most influential list?
BEHAR: That is my favorite, that we are on the most influential list. I never thought I would see this day. And I just feel like good, now I can have some influence on Ahmadinejad, Bebe Netanyahu. Maybe I can have some influence on the world.
Am I being grandiose, do you think?
KING: Yes. But so what?
(LAUGHTER) KING: All right, Joy -- by the way, Elizabeth Edwards, as we all know, is battling breast cancer, coping with the fallout of her husband's infidelity, selling a new book, too. She's done an interview with Oprah. She'll be on this program next Tuesday night for the full hour.
Watch this then I want you to comment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW," COURTESY HARPO PRODUCTIONS)
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST: You asked your husband for just one gift when you got married.
What was that?
ELIZABETH EDWARDS: I -- I wanted him to be faithful to me. It was enormously important to me. I didn't...
WINFREY: You said no rings, no flowers?
EDWARDS: Yes. And I'm -- I, you know, this is a necklace of my mother's. But I'm not much of a jewelry person. I actually jammed my finger, so I can't even wear my wedding ring right now. But, you know, I don't care about those kinds of things. But that's what -- it was really important to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What do you make of that whole situation, Joy?
BEHAR: You know, what is it with these political wives who love to stand by their men?
I love -- I happen to like Elizabeth Edwards very much. She's been on the show and I've met her a couple of times. She's a really nice person.
And he's a dog, you know?
Let's tell it like it is. He's a dog and people do not like him. And I think his -- his political career is over. And it's disappointing, because he was a decent Democrat. He had his heart in the right place. He was a good liberal. And now he's out of -- out of the picture.
Although it didn't stop Newt Gingrich, who also told his wife he wanted a divorce when she was in the hospital. So, you know, bad taste, I guess, doesn't hurt all of their careers. So we never know what's going to happen to him.
I just feel bad for her.
KING: And apparent...
BEHAR: She's having a rough enough time. KING: And, apparently, he and Elizabeth posed for pictures with Oprah. Kind of weird.
BEHAR: Yes. Yes, well, you know, it's like the Hillary Clinton syndrome of standing by your guy. Political wives -- and Spitzer's wife is still with him. They all stay around. I would have been out of there. You know, I'm not the type.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: No, you don't...
BEHAR: That's why I never married a pol -- I would never marry a politician. They have too much control and power over you and I don't like it.
KING: All right. Let's move to another politician, Sarah Palin.
What's your read on the governor?
BEHAR: Well, you know, they're talking about her as the new Republican Party.
If that's what they want for their new Republican Party, that's fine -- somebody who doesn't believe in a woman's choice, someone who doesn't believe in evolution, someone who is -- you know, loves to hunt and kill animals or whatever. I don't know what her reasoning is.
Then fine. If that's -- and doesn't really believe in global warming. She and Rush Limbaugh constantly are talking about how there's no -- there's no problem.
I mean this guy, Rush Limbaugh -- I used to work with him years ago. And I've sort of been friendly with him in a certain weird kind of way.
And he constantly is talking about how there is no global warming. Every climatologist in the world says there's global warming. Every scientist has said there is a problem. We're all on this Earth together and this guy goes out and says that there's no global warming.
Who is he?
What is he talking about and who are these ditto heads that agree with him, I'd like to know?
Aren't they breathing the same air that we are?
KING: I don't think he has a degree in meteorology.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: No, I don't think so.
KING: Everybody is an expert.
BEHAR: And yet that doesn't stop him.
KING: No, well...
BEHAR: Yes. Except that he's influential, see?
He's very influential. And so it's dangerous.
KING: Among the right-wing. I mean if he were influential, Obama wouldn't be president.
BEHAR: Well, that's true. In that sense, you're right.
KING: Thank you.
BEHAR: You're right.
KING: Thank you. Score one for the king.
BEHAR: You're welcome.
Score one for, Larry.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Do you think Palin will be a presidential -- do you think she's going to get up pretty close to getting that nomination?
BEHAR: Oh, I hope so. I would love to see that, because whoever is running against her, that's going to be, you know, a slam dunk, in my opinion. Because every time the woman is in an interview, she shows herself to be very, very shallow -- you know, as -- as they say, stunningly superficial -- on another network. And so let her run. I hope she runs.
KING: Our guest is the wonderful Joy Behar, the pinch hit host of this program.
BEHAR: It's hard for me to talk...
KING: Twitter swine...
BEHAR: It's hard for me to talk to you on a satellite. I want you near me, Larry.
KING: Joy.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Twitter, swine flu and the death of Dom DeLuise -- it's all still ahead.
Stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KING: We're back with Joy Behar.
One other thing on Miss California. New semi-nude modeling photos of her have hit the Internet. She says it's an effort to undermine her reputation, but she did pose. She says she's a Christian and a model and models pose for pictures, including lingerie and swimwear photos.
What do you make of all of that?
BEHAR: Have you seen the pictures?
Is there a picture?
I'd love to see it.
KING: I don't have it here.
BEHAR: Is it really naked or -- is it naked or more like Victoria's Secret or what?
I don't know what they look like. But, you know what, if you pose for those pictures, then you have to expect that they're going to show up on the Internet. That's the world we live in right now, Miss California.
KING: We're not showing it because she's underage.
BEHAR: Oh, she's underage in the picture?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: Oh.
KING: I guess. Yes, that's...
BEHAR: So it's like...
KING: I guess.
BEHAR: Well, that's not very -- well, but...
KING: This does not consume me, Joy.
I'm just getting to it.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: OK...
BEHAR: But, I mean, where were her -- where were her parents if she's underage posing -- posing in, you know, scanty...
KING: It beats me.
BEHAR: ...lingerie? Yes, well...
KING: OK, what do you make of the -- what do you say about the death of Dom DeLuise?
BEHAR: You know, I feel bad about Dom. I always feel terrible -- you and I agree on this point, that comedians are the greatest, aren't they?
KING: The best.
BEHAR: Comedians make us laugh. Nobody is better, in a certain way, than comedians, because -- and when one of them dies, I always feel terrible, because that much laughter is out of the world. And Dom DeLuise was one of those people who was just a wonderfully funny, generous kind of comic.
And I -- I remember reading a book -- in a book that he -- he was questioned in this book about his comedy. And he said, I don't get afraid of being funny if I feel safe. So he would work to feel safe in the situation. And then he would be secure that he would be funny.
And that helped me so much as a young -- as a young up and coming comedian, because I wanted to feel safe and feel funny. And it just -- it just was a wonderful way to think about doing my job.
KING: OK. Back to other things. You were on the Jenny Craig diet.
How did you do?
BEHAR: I lost 30 pounds on Jenny Craig. And then I gained 15 back.
What are you writing a book?
(LAUGHTER)
KING: No, I've got a book coming out. And I'm going to be on "The View".
BEHAR: I know.
KING: I'll be on "The View" in two weeks.
BEHAR: I know.
KING: Hey, by the way, what do you make of this whole...
BEHAR: Who...
KING: ...Kirstie Alley thing -- up, down, up, down?
BEHAR: Which part?
Which -- I know. She's yoyo dieter. She's a yoyo dieter. Wasn't she on "Oprah" with -- showing herself in a bikini?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: Was that after she lost the weight, she did that?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: Yes. She has a good self-esteem to show up in a bikini. She -- you know, for a girl of her size.
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: Even when she lost the weight, she was a big girl.
KING: She's still big.
BEHAR: You know, I always...
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: I always wonder when they say that -- that overweight women have low self-esteem. Do you ever -- whenever you look in a magazine with a before and after picture of them, they're always smiling in the before picture and the after picture.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: So how upset and unhappy could they have been when they're smiling when they took the before picture?
KING: Because maybe they like the candy.
(LAUGHTER)
BEHAR: I don't know.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Just a thought.
BEHAR: But I -- if I -- I don't know why Kirstie goes on television and discusses it constantly. You're putting yourself out there at the mercy of people to criticize you.
KING: Yes.
Wanda Sykes will headline the White House Correspondents Dinner. We'll get Joy's thoughts on that in 60 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with Joy Behar of "The View".
Wanda Sykes is going to be the comedian for -- or the comedienne -- for the White House Correspondents Dinner on this Saturday night in Washington.
She's not a stand-up, is she?
What do you make of that choice?
BEHAR: No, she's a stand-up.
KING: Oh, she is?
BEHAR: She is.
KING: I've never seen her do stand-up. I know her as a comedian -- a hysterical comedic actress.
BEHAR: No. She was a stand-up. She used to be -- have another name and then she got a divorce. So now she's Wanda Sykes.
But she -- she's very, very funny, Wanda -- hilariously funny. And Washington audiences are not that great. I'm warning you, Wanda, if you're out there, they don't really -- their sense of humor is -- is rather shaky, in my opinion.
KING: Are you going to get married soon?
You've been so long with this guy.
BEHAR: It will be 27 years in July we've been dating.
KING: He calls for you?
BEHAR: Well, he...
KING: He calls up and says can he see you on Thursday?
BEHAR: He lives in the house now.
KING: Oh.
BEHAR: But he didn't even live with me until around the year 2001. And then he moved in. And he used to have his clothes, you know, like leave a coat and that was it. And -- but then after a while, you know, slowly he wended his way into the apartment. Now he has closets and everything.
KING: What are the joys of...
BEHAR: So I might as...
KING: What are the joys of non-marriage?
BEHAR: The joys of non-marriage is -- well, probably -- one of the things about marriage that people should remember is that it's the way other people treat you. It's not the way you treat each other. You suddenly become a person who has in-law obligations, for example. They expect to come -- for you to come to their house every Sunday, all that sort of stuff. And -- and people think that they own each other when they're married sometimes. I worry about that.
And, also, I just feel claustrophobic in a marriage.
But it has been 27 years. You know, I tell this on "The View," that I know a lesbian couple who, one of them got very ill and the other woman could not come into the -- into the room and give the doctor her opinion of what should be done because they were not married.
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: And they had to say that they were sisters. And it was not very -- very easy for them. And I think that that's an unfortunate fact of unmarried life when you have a partner. So I'm doing it for that reason.
KING: So you might get married?
You're going to get married?
BEHAR: I think I will.
KING: Yes. That's a good -- why should you be...
BEHAR: I said it...
KING: ...or he be in a hospital and you can't -- that's insane.
BEHAR: Well, that's one thing, right?
Isn't that one good reason to get married?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: It's not the most romantic reason, Larry.
KING: No.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Death.
BEHAR: But, you know, and, also, you have a party. We'll have something -- a little something. Barbara has been threatening to give me a party, so maybe I'll let her do it, if she's really nice to me.
KING: Next, we'll have Joy rate this president.
Has she ever second-guessed her own support?
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with more Joy Behar, the co-host of "The View" and the pinch hit host of LARRY KING LIVE. You were a big Obama booster.
What do you think of him so far?
BEHAR: I think he's been doing an incredible job. I mean I know -- I know everybody is going to be like, oh, of course you're going to say that.
But I do really think he's been incredible. I mean he has hardly any missed steps.
I must say that I am a little bit disappointed in the fact that he's not pursuing the -- the torture thing and doesn't want to look back. I understand why he doesn't. But I really think that for the country, we really need to investigate what exactly went on there. You don't just forget about it and let these people go free if they committed a crime. So I'm a little disappointed in that.
KING: What do you think of her?
BEHAR: Michelle?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: I love Michelle. I mean Michelle was on "The View" and she's the warmest person -- you know, lovely and just so herself and comfortable in her skin, as they say in France. And she wrote me a beautiful letter and said she loved me. And I thought that was so charming. Even if she didn't mean it, I liked it.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: OK, an e-mail from Joy -- another Joy -- in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
BEHAR: Oh.
KING: "The View" has become the Elizabeth Hasselbeck show. Why? Have they been told to hold back and allow her to have the floor most of the time?"
By the way, she's on -- on this show tomorrow night.
BEHAR: I think that that's -- this Joy's perception of the way the show is going. I don't know what she means.
That Elisabeth is speaking her mind more?
I'm not clear what she's saying. But nobody...
KING: I think they're saying that you're not tough on her.
BEHAR: Oh. Yes, well, today I had an argument about -- with her about Darwinism. Every day there's an argument of some sort. So, you know, I don't know what she's talking about, this girl.
KING: She doesn't think Darwinism is a -- is the correct theory?
BEHAR: Well, they -- we had a big fight today about, you know, how creationism is being taught in schools as if it's a science. And it's -- it's not a science. It's a religious thought and a religious belief.
And so I object to teaching religion in science classes. If you want to learn religion, learn it the way I did, in catechism class, or go to a Catholic school or a Christian school or a Jewish school or a Muslim school. That's perfectly acceptable.
That's where you learn about religion, not in a science class. And we had this fight today.
KING: Joy, why has "The View" worked?
BEHAR: I think that the main thing about "The View" is its unpredictability. You have four or five women sitting there with different positions on various matters. And you really do not know what we're going to say. And neither do we. We don't really know what we're going to say all the time. And it's -- it's always a surprise and always interesting for people to watch something that's real.
Michael Bloomberg, in his -- in his essay about "The View" in "Time Magazine" this week, he made a very good point. He said it's the -- it is a real reality show, because it's real. Because we are real. It's not edited. People are not -- we're not told what to talk about or what to say or what not to say. Nobody censors me. It's the greatest job I've ever had, because when I was a kid, nobody told me to shut up. And this is the job that I have now.
(LAUGHTER)
Who can ask for, you know, a better job than that?
KING: Whoopi will be with us Friday.
What has she meant now when -- since she's been added to the show?
BEHAR: I think she's coming on Thursday, right?
KING: Oh, Thursday.
BEHAR: Or Wednesday. She's not -- Sherri's on -- Sherri's on Friday, yes.
KING: OK. Yes, she's Thursday. That's right.
BEHAR: Right.
Whoopi has added just a wonderful warmth to the show. I mean she -- we all she's very funny. She's very smart. She's also very warm. I really do enjoy her company off -- off-camera as much as on. We get along really great. We have meet -- we see eye to eye on a lot of things and it's just wonderful to have a mature person there working with us. And I really do like her very much.
KING: Do you miss or what are you feeling about Rosie?
BEHAR: Rosie O'Donnell?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: She's doing great. I hear she and Star Jones are pals again. You know -- you know, Larry, it just keeps going around and around in this business. Today, Donald Trump gave me a big kiss.
You know, I want to -- sometimes I -- I don't want to kiss people, because of swine flu. But he insisted. He was like -- he grabbed me in this bear hug, you know?
And Rosie and Star are friends again and, you know, ooh blah di, ooh blah da, life goes on.
KING: Was anybody on "The View" concerned about swine flu?
BEHAR: No. No, no, no, no, no. We're not even thinking about it. I mean there's Purell around. You know, we have that.
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: But no one -- I don't think -- I went to -- to a movie the other day and there was a woman -- one woman there with a -- with a mask on. And she looked ridiculous.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Good point, Joy.
Joy, by the way, one quick thing.
BEHAR: Yes?
KING: Do you enjoy hosting this show?
BEHAR: Your show?
KING: Yes.
BEHAR: I do. I do. Nobody interrupts me and I'm in charge.
So what's -- what's not to like?
(LAUGHTER)
KING: Joy, always a pleasure.
Thanks, dear.
We'll see you in a couple of weeks.
BEHAR: Thank you.
Thank you, Larry.
I'll be here again May 29 sitting in for you.
KING: Oh, good.
And I'll see you in a couple of weeks on your show.
BEHAR: Yes.
And I look forward to that, as usual.
Thanks, Larry.
Bye-bye.
KING: Joy Behar, one great lady.
Should Republicans be throwing up?
James Carville says so and he's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: One of my favorite people, James Carville, the Democratic strategist, CNN political contributor, the best-selling author. His new book is "40 More Years
How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation." He comes to us from New Orleans.
How do you come up with that figure, James?
JAMES CARVILLE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, because American presidential politics tends to show party dominance in 36 or 40-year periods. From 1896 to 1932, the Republicans were dominant and only one Democratic president. From '32 to '68, it was the Democrats' 36 years. You only had Eisenhower.
From '68 to '08, there have been 28 years of Republican presidents, only 12 of Democratic presidents.
It seems to me that there's getting ready to be a break here. Plus, you have this -- this explosion of younger voters running to the Democratic Party. It was 66-32 in this election that was -- it was basically even in 2000.
The Republican Party has lost an entire generation of voters. And as these voters come up through the ranks, I suspect they're going to remain, by and large, Democrats.
KING: Weren't they saying recently that we were going to have a Republican tide for years? CARVILLE: Well, I mean they were saying it and we did have it -- the Republicans did quite well, although the Democrats won the popular vote in three out of the last four presidential elections.
But they were saying that. But what I think I did -- what I hope -- what I tried to do is back it up with evidence to show how to -- you know, you think of a growing demographic in the United States -- be it Hispanics, be it single people, be it anything -- these are trending Democratic. All of the shrinking demographics -- white people -- older whites are the base of the Republican Party.
On top of that, the Republican Party is becoming more and more a regional party. Almost half of all its Congressional and Senate seats are held in one part of the country, and that's in the old Confederacy.
So I think the future, by and large, it looks pretty good for the Democrats.
KING: If memory serves me correct, didn't the Republicans have the Spanish vote in this country?
CARVILLE: I don't think so.
KING: They did in Miami.
CARVILLE: What's happened is -- in Miami -- but again, we could go on and on about what the definition of a Hispanic or Latino is. But suffice to say that in 1992, only two percent of the voters that voted in that election described themselves as Hispanic. By 2008, that number exploded to nine percent. Bush did well with Hispanics in 2004, but he did not carry them.
KING: What happened to the Republicans? They seem to have it to themselves.
CARVILLE: I pointed out in the book, what happened was there was a fateful memo written in later November, early December 2000. Matthew Dowd urged Karl Rove and the White House to not worry about the Senate, to concentrate on the base. That's where elections were won. I think they did that, and they won two elections, but turned off an entire generation.
Second, what happened to them is they got addicted to sort of their white southern talk radio base. And I think that turned away a lot of voters. Then the sheer incompetence demonstrated through Katrina and Iraq probably sealed the deal for them.
KING: What do you make of the Arlen Specter -- by the way, he'll be here tomorrow night, Senator Specter. That switch, how significant is it?
CARVILLE: Well, I mean, I think it's maybe a significant event in terms of the makeup of the Senate. Politically, I don't know how significant it is. Something tells me we haven't seen the last act of this play. Now Governor Ridge is thinking about getting in as a Republican. Admiral Sestak -- I should say, more currently, Congressman Sestak is thinking about getting in as a Democrat.
Senator Specter said -- reportedly said that he thought Norm Coleman should be seated from Minnesota. That's pretty much a big issue among Democrats. I think he's going to have to clarify that at some point. Perhaps he was joking. That's the best explanation that I could come up with. But there's a lot of questions that a lot of people have on this. Thank god he's going to be on your show tomorrow night and he'll have a chance to answer some of them.
KING: Why -- what -- could Sarah upset the apple cart, Sarah Palin?
CARVILLE: We, you had out front Rush Limbaugh saying that she's the most articulate person in the Republican party. These Republicans at the pizza party didn't want her. They were forced to bring her in after Rush sort of pistol whipped them, if you will. She's compelling. I think she was utterly unqualified for the office that she sought. Having said that, I can't quite get enough of her. The more she's out there, the better I like it. And to a large segment of the Republican party, particularly that southern talk radio base that they have, she's very popular. They have to pay very much attention to her.
KING: The book is "40 More Years; How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation." Back with more of James Carville right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: James Carville is in New Orleans. His book is "40 More Years, How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation." You say that the Republicans have got to learn to use a scalpel. What do you mean?
CARVILLE: Well, I think they've used a machete way too much, a bludgeon. Is Obama a socialist? Is he a fascist? All that meltdown. They look foolish. Then Warren Buffet comes in and says, well, I agree with what he's done economically. I think a little subtlety would help them.
Again, I go back to their problem is they're sort of addicted to their sort of the talk radio southern base that likes that kind of bellicose language. And they're turning off an entire generation.
I think some of the Republicans understand that. Look, they're going to adjust and they're going to get better. There's no doubt about that. They're not going to sit and have what's happening to them now. But they're going to have some pain in doing that.
Look, politics -- you and I are both horse racing fans. We found out Saturday anything can happen, didn't we? I mean wow.
KING: Sure did.
CARVILLE: Same thing can happen in politics. But they're going to have to sort of learn how to wean themselves from this sort of talk radio crowd and people that use all of that hateful bellicose aggressive language. It's not helping them very much. KING: Do Republicans have a leader?
CARVILLE: Well, look not right now, but we didn't have one. Look, we've gone through -- when I say we, I mean the Democrats. We went through this in 1981. We certainly went through it in 1995. We went through it in 2005. But the reason their challenge is a little different -- and I'll probably use some bellicose language myself in my day, but I had no way near the influence as some of the other people did. But the reason that the situation is more precarious is that they have this exploding demographic, with these exploding numbers within the young people. This demographic is coming up through the ranks.
On top of that, their voters tend to be older and they're more regionalized. I think their problems are pretty acute. Every Republican that I know that understands this -- I mean every Republican strategist who pays attention to this understands this in spades. I talked to any number of very smart Republicans before I wrote this book. They're just ill about what's happened to this entire generation. It's amazing that this hasn't been commented more on in the public. I'm surprised at when the book came out how many people said gee, I didn't understand this. I didn't know this was going on.
KING: Couple other quick things. Is Al Franken coming to the Senate?
CARVILLE: Yes, I don't think that there's much doubt. Every court, every person who has looked at this, be it Republican, Democratic independent, has said that he won the election. There's not much dispute. But I fully expect, as do most people -- I think even the Coleman people do -- that the Minnesota Supreme Court is going to find in favor. The reason is because he got the most votes. It's pretty obvious.
KING: Do you have any insight into who the president might ask for the Supreme Court. Is Hillary Clinton a possibility?
CARVILLE: I would say about as much insight as I had who was going to win the Kentucky Derby, which, as I found out, was precisely none. No. Look, this president taught law at a first class, A-plus law school. He was president of Harvard Law Review. No president has ever even come close to his kind of knowledge. President Clinton, I thought, taught Con Law at University of Arkansas, which is a very fine law school. He was pretty schooled in it.
But I think this president, this is something he knows a lot about and I suspect he's going to make a pretty good appointment here.
KING: Thank you, James, as always.
CARVILLE: Thank you, Larry. Appreciate it.
KING: We'll try to figure out the Preakness together.
CARVILLE: Yes. I tell you, you're right. Good luck. Your Dodgers are doing pretty good, too.
KING: Going for 12 in a row tonight at home.
CARVILLE: That's it. All right, man. Thanks a lot. I appreciate it.
KING: James Carville, the book, "40 More Years, How Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation."
Mia Farrow is on a hunger strike to raise attention to the situation in Darfur. We'll check in on her in 60 seconds.
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KING: Welcome back. Tonight, we're kicking off our impact your world series. Every few weeks, we'll focus on a cause and show you ways to help that cause. Tonight, we're focussing on the crisis in Darfur. What better person to do it with than Mia Farrow, who's in the second week of her fast to draw attention to the plight of the people of Darfur. How are you feeling, Mia?
MIA FARROW, ACTRESS: I feel OK, Larry. I think the first six days were the hardest. I have low energy, but, strangely, it's kind of a spiritual journey. I have less tolerance for TV. I listen to a lot of Bach. I try to read. And sometimes I just look out the window.
But thank you for doing the show on Darfur. That's the reason I'm doing this and it's great that you're doing the show.
KING: Are you under medical supervision?
FARROW: A doctor came yesterday, yes, took my blood and all of that and did my numbers. And I'm OK, except for low protein. What's it called? Ketosis (ph) or something like that. Yes, but it's reversible.
KING: How long are you going to do this?
FARROW: As long as I can. I don't know. I don't know. I put an end date for three weeks. And if I can get there, great. If I can't, I will have done my best.
KING: You wrote a commentary for our -- I'm sorry, go ahead.
FARROW: No, I was going to say, yes, I did write a commentary. I was going to say, if there is one message for people here, I'm not doing this fast for myself or -- but it is, as you said, to throw attention to Darfur, where it's so desperately needed. The situation has never been more dire, with the expulsion of the 16 key aid agencies that were sustaining so many lives. The time is urgent and running out for more than a million people in Darfur.
KING: I understand someone is with you, Mohamed Ya-Ya (ph). He's from Darfur, is that right?
FARROW: That's right. Yes, he's a respected Darfuri leader here in the United States. He has news of Darfur.
KING: Mohamed, are things getting any better?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, Mr. Larry, things doesn't go very well. And it's really getting worse and worse, especially after the government of Sudan expelled about 16 aid workers, the organizations who are supporting my people in Darfur, giving them food, shelter, water and medicine.
And right now, so many people dying. Hundreds of people dying, especially kids, due to Meningitis and disease, and Cholera, so many difficult situations in Darfur right now.
KING: Mia, what can ordinary Americans do to help?
FARROW: Everyone can call the White House, 203-456-1111. And President Obama made campaign pledges --
KING: 202.
FARROW: Sorry, you're quite right, 202-456-11. And ask President Obama to please, please make good on those campaign pledges to help to bring an end to the suffering in Darfur. And I know a lot of -- I received tremendous support from all over the world. And some supporters have set up a website, FastDarfur.org, where you can go there and figure out from them what else you can do.
Some people have been joining me in fasts of one day and three days. I think this will go on when I've finished, Larry.
KING: Thank you Mia, and thank you, Mohamed, as well. To learn more about Mia's efforts, go to FastDarfur.org. To find out how you can help out, CNN.com/Impact.
When we come back, she received the nation's first face transplant after having her face blown off with a shotgun. You will not believe how she looks now. Don't go away.
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KING: Today, we were introduced to a remarkable woman, Connie Culp. She is the 46 year old Ohio woman who had her face blown off with a shotgun. She is recovering now after receiving the nation's first face transplant. We'll talk to the doctor who led the surgery team. But first, let's bringing our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta for a quick look at this incredible surgery. Sanjay?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'll tell you, this is one of the most remarkable things I've seen as a reporter, and certainly as a doctor as well; trying to fix a woman's face after the horrific injury she had.
This is Connie Culp, 46 year old mother of two from Ohio. She was shot in the face. Let me tell you some of the things the doctors first looked at here. Take a look at these Cat scans. First of all the Cat scan on the left, you can see just how much injury she had to her face. So much destruction of the bone. If you strip away some of that, and look at this particular image, you see just how much loss of tissue she had as well, and what the doctors had to work with.
After 30 operations, significant operations, this is what they were left with, a significant band of scarring across the middle of her face. Her nose is essentially closed. She's unable to breathe through her nose. She's unable to eat on her own, unable to take a sip of water from a cup. Just a horrific injury.
Most importantly, this is what we saw today, after an 80 percent facial transplant. Take a look here. Front-on shot, a side shot, very different woman. Notice that she does not look like herself, obviously, from before. But she also does not look like the donor as well. What struck me the most about this is how there's hardly any scar tissue at all. You just don't see the scarring.
A lot of people ask me, what exactly do doctors do in a situation like this? Let's start at the beginning. You talk about the donor. Obviously, you want to remove significant amounts of face. Here, take a look at what they took, the skin, but also arteries, nerves, veins, all of that being removed. You flip that around, you see nasal cavity, also all of that coming out.
That is what is coming from the donor. And here she is. That's a 3-D reconstruction of her. See that socked-in band of scar tissue? First things first, you've got to remove that. You've got to remove a lot of the previous operation, the bones, the plates, and then bring in this donor graft, sew in the arteries, very hard work. It took over 22 hours to do this, eight surgeons.
Look at the detail here, and bring in the nerves as well. That's essentially what they were doing. That is a face transplant, at least 80 percent of one.
KING: Dr. Gupta remains with us in New York. Joining us in Cleveland is Dr. Maria Siemionow. She's director of plastic surgery research and head of microsurgery training at the Cleveland Institute, and she led the team that performed the first full U.S. face transplant.
Number one, doctor, does the donor have to be a woman of approximately the same age?
DR. MARIA SIEMIONOW, CLEVELAND INSTITUTE: Well, that's preferable. We would like that the age will match. But it can be a difference of a few years. So we are really not that picky in trying to just match it as close as possible.
KING: What was the toughest part?
SIEMIONOW: The toughest part was to make decision who is the patient. And I think we have chosen a wonderful patient as a human being, but also the patient who has no other choices. As Dr. Gupta was just showing us, she underwent 30 reconstructive surgical procedures, and she was left with defects which was not allowing her to go through any functions which we enjoy every day.
So that was the last resource of possibility to return all her functions. And while this really is remarkable, the fact that we were able to in one surgical procedure, instead of really doing so many surgeries.
KING: Amazing. We'll take a break and come right back with Dr. Gupta and Dr. Siemionow. What a story. Don't go away.
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KING: We're back. Dr. Gupta, do you know that if you sign up to be an organ donor, you are also donating your skin and your face?
GUPTA: You know, I was curious about that as well. You know, the skin is actually considered the largest organ. So when you sign up to be an organ donor, you are giving consent for skin. But with regard to the face as well, it seems that there's sort of a second level of organ donation that you'd have to consent to for that, just because it is so specific to the person, so specific a part of their identity.
So what we're talking about here, Larry, is very, very new. And as a result, I don't know that they've come up with exact protocols on whether your face can be donated.
KING: Dr. Siemionow, how dangerous is the surgery?
SIEMIONOW: Well, the surgery, when it's done by the right team, it's not dangerous, because we are prepared for this type of surgery. And we were performing what we call mock transplantation, being sure that as a team, we are ready to go through many hours working together on this particular patient.
So when it's done at the right institution, under the right protocol, by a team of experts, it should not go wrong.
KING: Connie spoke -- and by the way, the Cleveland Institute is one of the great institutions in this country. Connie spoke briefly today. Her speech is still a little hard to understand. Let's hear her. Let's listen.
SIEMIONOW: Yes.
KING: Let's listen. Let me listen, then comment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONNIE CULP, FIRST US FACE TRANSPLANT PATIENT: You don't know what might happen. You might get into a car accident one day. You don't look the same as you do. You never know. One day it might be all taken away.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What were you going to say, Dr. Siemionow? SIEMIONOW: Yes, I also was just making a comment that Connie did not have a palate before. And it was very difficult to understand her. So her speech has dramatically improved from the previous time before the transplantation, after all the trauma she went through. So she's improving.
She's also taking a very extensive physical therapy, speech therapy. And so she's improving every day. So I'm sure in a couple months, when we will listen to her again, her speech will be much better.
KING: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, from one surgeon to another, what do you say to Dr. Siemionow about this?
GUPTA: Well, you know, it's an interesting thing because, at the end of the day, I think a lot of people will debate back and forth about performing such an extensive operation for someone who doesn't have a life-threatening condition. And I know Dr. Siemionow's talked about this extensively.
Let Me just ask this, who decides in the end? Is there a board that decides? Do you decide? Who makes the final decision that we're going to move forward with this massive undertaking?
SIEMIONOW: Well, I think the first decision goes to the patient. If the patient wants to go through this procedure under special consent. But, of course, Cleveland Clinic was the first to have the world approval from IRB, which is ethics committee of institutional board of experts and lay people, who decided that, based on our 20 years of experience, preparation, publications and research, both in experimental laboratory as well as in anatomy lab, we were ready for this major procedure.
KING: Doctor, is this covered by insurance?
SIEMIONOW: No, it's not. And this is a very good question. This is something which we are just now debating, and trying to get coverage, because there are many patients like Connie who are suffering from this type of trauma and today generally will need to be covered.
KING: Dr. Gupta, we've only got about 30 seconds. This is some story, isn't it?
GUPTA: It really is. And one picture I think is worth showing as well, Larry, a picture we uncovered, looking at what she might look like a couple years from now. You're still looking at someone who has a lot of swelling. Her muscles aren't all innervated yet by the nerves. Take a look at that picture, Larry. That's what she might look like a couple years from now. Doesn't look like the donor, but doesn't look like herself either.
KING: No.
SIEMIONOW: It's a totally different face, but it's something I think is very different from what she is now even. KING: Thank you, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and congratulations, Dr. Siemionow.
SIEMIONOW: Thank you.
KING: Tomorrow night, we'll get the conservative view. Elizabeth Hasselbeck will be here. Right now, here is Anderson Cooper and "AC 360." Anderson?
