Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Crossfire
President Bush Set to Address Nation on Iraq
Aired May 24, 2004 - 16:30 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.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: CROSSFIRE. On the left, James Carville and Paul Begala; on the right, Robert Novak and Tucker Carlson.
In the CROSSFIRE: President Bush heads to the U.S. Army War College to lay out his plans for the future of Iraq.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Tonight's speech is focused on our strategy for success in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He needs to put toward the plan because there is no plan that any of us know of. And this, as the weeks go on, becomes the Achilles' heel for this administration.
ANNOUNCER: How will U.S. voters and the rest of the world react?
And Tucker Carlson survived his appearance on "Jeopardy." Now host Alex Trebek takes his chances on CROSSFIRE. Will he be able to handle our "Final Jeopardy" segment?
Today on CROSSFIRE.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from the George Washington University, Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson.
TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST: Welcome to CROSSFIRE.
Just hours from now, President Bush will deliver a major address on Iraq. He's expected to outline a series of steps leading up to the June 30 handover and the U.S. role beyond that date.
PAUL BEGALA, CO-HOST: Pre-speech reports say that Mr. Bush will call for a United Nations resolution and a multinational peacekeeping force, something John Kerry called for more than a year ago. Will voters see this as the ultimate Bush flip-flop and is that better than what Mr. Bush has night now, which looks like ultimate flop? That will be our focus today.
But first, we begin with the best little political briefing in television, our CROSSFIRE "Political Alert."
Well, as we mentioned, the president of the United States and occupier in chief of Iraq will give a speech tonight at the Army War College. One hopes Mr. Bush will take a moment to read what the experts there have written about his failed policy in Iraq. Mr. Bush's war, one War College reports says -- quote -- "was a war of choice distraction from the war of necessity against al Qaeda" -- unquote.
Another report published by the War College says Mr. Bush's administration -- quote -- "either misunderstood, or worse, wished away" -- unquote -- the difficulties it would face in Iraq. And before the war, experts at the Army War College warned against disbanding the Iraqi army saying it could -- quote -- "lead to the destruction of one of the only forces for unity within the society."
Mr. Bush, of course, rejected ignored the War College's advice, apparently preferring to rely on that great expert on America's military, Ahmad Chalabi.
CARLSON: Now, if President Bush comes out tonight -- and I think he will -- saying that America needs to succeed in Iraq and can't leave before there's a functioning democracy, at least a pro-American government -- and I think he will say that -- I hope tomorrow you'll agree with him, because
(CROSSTALK)
(BELL RINGING)
BEGALA: They're two different things.
CARLSON: They are two different things.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: ... democracy and a stable pro-American government are two different things.
CARLSON: But not leave until -- until the country is stable and not a threat to the United States.
BEGALA: But he's the one who made it unstable.
CARLSON: Well, John Kerry announced last week that he may not accept his party's nomination at this summer's Democratic Convention in Boston. That's a tactic that would allow him to subvert campaign finance law and continue to raise money for another five weeks.
Well, while Kerry made certain that the national press knew about his plans, somehow, he neglected to tell Tom Menino. He's the mayor of Boston. According to "The Boston Globe," Menino was infuriated, outraged. And so was Clayton Turnbull. He's the vice president of the city's host committee. He reminded John Kerry that the convention -- quote -- "is about patriotism, not simply part of a business deal."
Kerry ignored the criticism, but residents of Boston did not. They were offended, too. Kerry went to Fenway Park yesterday to see a Red Sox game and he was booed from the stands. Now, I want to know
(CROSSTALK) BEGALA: You're reduced to Clayton Turnbull criticizing
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: The mayor of Boston.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: We're at war. We've got 800 guys dead because Bush misled us into a war in Iraq. And you're going to tell me about Clayton Turnbull is mad John Kerry?
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: I'm sorry. You can't ignore every question by pointing to Iraq.
Look, when Al Gore didn't tell Joe Lieberman that he was going to endorse Howard Dean, you said, rightly, that's an outrage. He has an obligation to tell him. John Kerry had an obligation to tell Tom Menino.
(BELL RINGING)
BEGALA: He hasn't decided anything.
(BELL RINGING)
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: He announces it to the press?
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: He hasn't announced anything to the press.
CARLSON: Yes, he did. He announced last week that he may not accept the nomination.
BEGALA: Some of thinks supporters think maybe he should delay, that to be on a level playing field with Bush. That's all that's happened.
Well, in a startling expose, "The Denver Post" has documented more than 100 industry lobbyists whom President Bush has put in charge of the very industries for which they once lobbed. From naming a hospital lobbyist to run Medicare, to naming a drug company lobbyist to be the top lawyer at the FDA, to putting lobbyists from corporate polluters in charge of, well, regulating polluters, Mr. Bush has eliminated the middleman and simply allowed corporate lobbyists to run our country.
When asked if heartless, soulless, nationless corporation have too much influence, Vice President Dick Cheney, a former CEO of a heartless, soulless, nationless corporation called Halliburton, told "The Post" -- quote -- "I think we have a good track record" -- unquote. Mr. Cheney then returned to guarding the henhouse.
CARLSON: Actually, most of those corporations are nationless. They are American corporations that employ Americans. And good for them. And they also, in a lot of cases, help Americans, actually.
And Halliburton, I'm glad you bought that up, because I know that the entire John Kerry for president campaign exists to promote the idea that Halliburton is the center of all evil in this world. And I hope you continue because it's demented and it confused people.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: I'm just saying, Dick Cheney traded with Iran, Iraq and Libya when he ran Halliburton.
(BELL RINGING)
BEGALA: I think that's scummy and unpatriotic.
CARLSON: Well, so did France, but it doesn't bother you when France did it.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: It bothers me enormously. But France is not our vice president. Dick Cheney is. He should never have been making money off Iraq
(CROSSTALK)
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: Right. OK.
Well, "The Day After Tomorrow," which is the world's first film about global warming, opens this week, Memorial Day. Al Gore will be speaking about the movie at a screening in New York tonight that "The Moviegoer" says -- quote -- "represents a rare opportunity to have a national conversation about global warming."
And that's true. The conversation ought to start with nuclear power, the form of energy that produces almost no greenhouse gases and therefore no global warming, not to mention no increased reliance on foreign oil. Nuclear power is such an obvious solution that even some environmentalists have begun to catch on to it. James Lovelock, one of the father of the modern environmental movement, told a London newspaper today that he is all for nuclear power -- quote -- "And I entreat my friends in the movement to drop their wrongheaded objection to it."
So will they drop those wrongheaded objections? Will we truly have a national conversation about nuclear power? Of course we won't. Environmentalists are still completely opposed, not for any scientific reason at all, but because nuclear power sounds scary. And that's the state of our national conversation.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: Well, first off, this is an environmentalist who says we ought to look at nuclear power. So there is a conversation going on.
(CROSSTALK)
(BELL RINGING)
CARLSON: ... Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth.
BEGALA: Oh, please.
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: No, I'm serious, Paul. You know that's true.
BEGALA: It does produce waste that last for tens of thousands of years that we cannot store.
CARLSON: Yes, it does. Yes, it does.
BEGALA: And so we ought to have a serious conversation about the risks.
CARLSON: But, actually, it's less risky, I think, than burning things.
BEGALA: I think we ought to have a show about that, too.
Well, tonight, more than a year after his mission accomplished publicity stunt aboard the aircraft carrier, President Bush will try to explain to you why the mission in Iraq is not accomplished and why John Kerry was right all along to call for a larger U.N. role and an international peacekeeping force. Can he make his case to the voters and will it stop his slide in the polls?
We will debate that in a moment with two members of Congress.
And then, who better to enter the CROSSFIRE than the man with all the right answers? Alex Trebek, the host of "Jeopardy," right here on our set. We will ask him what happened behind the scenes when Tucker appeared on his very popular game show?
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CARLSON: Welcome back.
Well, just over a month from now, Iraq will get its sovereignty. But the American role will not end on June 30. Tonight, President Bush talks about the upcoming handover and Iraq's future. And that is our focus today.
In the CROSSFIRE, Democratic presidential candidate and folk hero Dennis Kucinich. He's with us from Montana. And Republican Congressman Tom Davis of lovely Northern Virginia.
BEGALA: Gentlemen, good to see you both.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: Congressman Davis, the president will be speaking in a little over three hours at the Army War College. The pre-speech press has suggested he's going to call for another United Nations resolution and an international peacekeeping force, the very sorts of internationalist tendencies that his supporters have been attacking John Kerry for calling for, a year now.
It seems to me that that's one of the reasons that 59 percent of the American people in a recent CNN political said they had doubts about the president's credibility. And, in fact, it's not just Democrats. One of your own, Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, had this to say about the president's credibility yesterday on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: Part of the problem I think, Wolf, that we have here, after more than a year in Iraq, is a credibility and trust issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEGALA: A credibility and a trust issue. Senator Hagel's right, isn't he?
REP. TOM DAVIS (R), VIRGINIA: Well, managing expectations is difficult in this. But I don't think it's credibility and trust.
The president has been trying to get international involvement from day one, when he took his original proposals to the U.N. and got turned down because France and Germany and Russia had interlocking economic agreements with Saddam Hussein and didn't want to move. So we've been trying to do this. This has been administration policy for a long time.
BEGALA: But you really want people to believe that this president, whose vice president, whose secretary of defense and who himself has done nothing but alienate and trash our allies, you really want us to believe now that all of a sudden he's a great builder of alliances?
DAVIS: Let's see if -- let's see if he gets the U.N. resolution. I think, if he gets it, that will be the proof.
But went to the U.N. originally on this. This is not a change in policy. It's right now with the handoff coming. And I think he's going to get a U.N. resolution and we'll get international involvement, with America leading the way.
CARLSON: Now Congressman Kucinich, you must be a lonely man, and not just because you're in Montana. Your position, you explained it "The New York Times" the other day, that we need to bring American troops home now, is not shared by really anyone, apart from Ralph Nader. Not only does President Bush disagree with you.
Listen to what John Kerry and Sandy Berger, the former president's national security adviser, have to say -- quote -- Mr. Kerry says, "We do not have the choice to just pick up and leave and leave behind a failed state and a new haven for terrorists."
Here's what Sandy Berger says of your idea -- quote -- "I think it would be a disaster."
Why are such smart people on your side calling your ideas crazy?
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, actually, Sandy Berger has favored being there for another five years.
I have to tell you this, that this administration has led this country into a war that was totally unnecessary and now we have to get out. It was wrong to go and it's wrong to stay in. We should bring our troops home. And the only way we can do that is to have an agreement with the international community that would let the U.N. on an interim basis handle the matters in Iraq until the Iraqi people are self-governing.
President Bush led this nation into an unnecessary war. He's got to take responsibility. There has to be accountability. And the plan that I offered, which has been on my Web site now for four months, is the right plan that will enable us to get our troops home and, last, get out of Iraq.
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: OK. I wonder why, though, Congressman, even grant -- let's just say the war in Iraq was a disaster. John Kerry still thinks your views are crackpot. He still says we need to stay the course and win this. And I'm wondering what would you say to Senator Kerry about his attacks implicitly on you?
KUCINICH: This is not Senator Kerry's war. This is President Bush's war. I wouldn't buy a used car from this administration. I sure wouldn't buy a used war from them.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: Congressman Davis -- well, put, well put, Congressman Kucinich.
It certainly shouldn't surprise anyone that principal Democrats like Congressman Kucinich didn't like this war and didn't from the start. What surprised me was that a four-star Marine general, Anthony Zinni, who is the head of Central Command, the people who are now fighting this war, before the war, he warned us against it. His warnings were ignored. This is a man who's a part of the Bush administration.
He has written a new book called "Battle Ready." And in the book, this is what he writes: "In the lead-up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worst, lying, incompetence and corruption." Lying, incompetence and corruption is how we got into this war, says General Zinni.
DAVIS: I think it will maybe help his book sales with the hard left.
BEGALA: I hope so. I bought it today. But he's not a lefty. He's a four-star Marine general.
DAVIS: But he had a position early. And reasonable people could disagree over how you handle Saddam Hussein. We saw the previous administration trying to manage the situation there.
The gig ran up. Had he been in violation of international agreements. He was harboring terrorists. He was exporting money, if you had had a suicide bomber, sending you $25,000. Sooner or later, this guy had to go. And history will judge if this was the right time and if we're successful.
But it's hardly crackpot. I think it's done more for understanding America's role in the world by intervening or letting countries know that they can't go on forever slaughtering their own people, violating international law, that somebody out there is going to enforce it, even if the U.N. didn't. And the idea that the U.N. should take this over, the oil for food program, a $10 billion scandal they've
(CROSSTALK)
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: But the president now wants to hand it off to the U.N.
DAVIS: No, I think we want to get an international agreement, but it takes times to move these people around. Remember, you watched the palaces that Saddam built. It was done with French money, German money, Russian money, buying the oil. They had interlocking agreement...
BEGALA: Halliburton.
DAVIS: No, not at all.
CARLSON: You know, we're going to take a quick Halliburton break here.
Congressman Kucinich, one of the reasons, the reason President Bush is going to be reelected is because the Democratic Party has been taken over by haters. I know you know that.
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: And I want to give you one example. MoveOn.org, which is a left-wing fringe group you may be familiar with, has a new spot up, at least on the Internet, attacking Donald Rumsfeld. That's fine. I want to show you the graphic that goes with it. You can't see it. Let me describe it.
It's a photograph of the Statue of Liberty, the sort of symbol of the nation and its ideals. And the head of it has been covered with a black bag. It's offensive. And I'm wondering if you think liberals and the Democratic Party in general get anywhere when they produce images like this that seem to attack, frankly, the United States?
KUCINICH: Well, let me just say that, for myself, I always remember what Abraham Lincoln said in his second inaugural. He said, with malice towards none, with charity for all. We can disagree strongly with President Bush -- and I do -- I think we need to be able to challenge the administration in a forthright way.
But, for myself, I don't prefer to do it in a way that would in any way demean someone personally, because I think you always have to leave a person with their humanity. But the fact of the matter is, this war was wrong. We should have never been in it. It was wrong to go and it's wrong to stay. And I want to see our troops brought home.
CARLSON: I that's -- I think it's an excellent point, Congressman. Thank you for making it.
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: You are not a hater. But there are many in your party who are.
For instance, John Kerry's former campaign manager last month, his group came out with the claim that Lynne Cheney had a baby in order to keep her husband, now Vice President Dick Cheney, out of the Vietnam War. It's hard to think of anything more offensive than that. I'm wondering why your fellow Democrats aren't standing up and saying, actually, that's disgusting, it's irrational and it's hateful? Why aren't they?
KUCINICH: Well, I can say that I would object to any kind of a line of criticism like that.
But I do think that we have young men and women right now wondering if they're going to be sent to war, if there's going to be a draft, if our continued involvement in Iraq is going to create even more disruption in the lives of more Americans. So I think that we need to focus on where we are right now. This administration has to be held accountable. And that's what my campaign has been about, not just about getting out of Iraq, but to hold the administration accountable.
They sent us into a war we didn't have to be in.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: In fact, Congressman, first, let me take up for MoveOn.org. It's a wonderful organization actually exercising their First Amendment rights. And I think that is a very powerful, graphic image of what many of us believe this president is doing to our freedoms. Why is it that the right is so afraid of free speech from groups like MoveOn.org?
DAVIS: We're not afraid of it. This wasn't administration policy.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: A moment ago, you said the only reason General Zinni was speaking out is because he's trying to sell a book. He's a four-star general.
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: ... or you're just commenting on what he said?
DAVIS: I'm commenting on what he said. I'm exercising my First Amendment rights, like everybody else.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: I want to argue on the merits instead of attacking his motives. Why attack MoveOn.org for...
DAVIS: General Zinni has been clear from the beginning where he stood on this. That's the reason
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: He was right from the beginning.
DAVIS: We had such inaction in the Middle East for a generation because people like General Zinni were afraid to move; 9/11 happened. It came over. We thought -- we couldn't just manage terrorism and keep it off our shores. It came seeking us. The president understands you have to take -- you have to take the fight to the people that are perpetrating terror all over the globe.
CARLSON: Sadly, we are completely out of time. That's an excellent point, Congressman.
Congressman Tom Davis of Virginia, thank you very much.
DAVIS: Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: Congressman Dennis Kucinich, running for president, in Montana, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it. Thank you, Congressman.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: All right, next, it's our turn to grill "Jeopardy"'s Alex Trebek. Just a few weeks ago, he had a number of us here at CNN sweating on stage. Now it's his turn to enter the CROSSFIRE. We're going to be really mean. We're also going to find out what he thinks of Washington's power players.
Right after the break, you'll see how tornado victims in the Midwest are trying to overcome the latest series of twisters to hit their area. Wolf Blitzer will tell you all about it.
We'll be right back.
ANNOUNCER: Join Carville, Begala, Carlson and Novak in the CROSSFIRE. For free tickets to CROSSFIRE at the George Washington University, call 202-994-8CNN or visit our Web site. Now you can step into the CROSSFIRE.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.
Coming up at the top of the hour, the United States presents a draft resolution on Iraq to the United Nations Security Council. Will the U.N. endorse plans for a multinational force under U.S. control?
Midwesterners cleaning up from destructive storms are warned to brace for even more bad weather.
And Howard Dean based his presidential candidacy, at least in part, on his opposition to the war in Iraq. What does he think about the war today? I'll ask him.
Those stories, much more only minutes away on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS."
Now back to CROSSFIRE.
CARLSON: Welcome back.
Well, "Jeopardy" came to town not long ago. The venerable granddaddy of game shows set up camp here at Constitutional Hall in Washington and taped five shows with journalists as contestants. Some succeeded. Some embarrassed themselves. Quite a few managed to do both.
(LAUGHTER)
CARLSON: With us today to mull over what happened and its implications for the capital city, one of the most recognized men in the world, the host of "Jeopardy," Alex Trebek.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: Welcome, Alex.
ALEX TREBEK, HOST, "JEOPARDY": Tucker, good to see you again.
(CROSSTALK) BEGALA: ... to see you.
TREBEK: Tucker.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: I want to thank you for joining us.
TREBEK: All right, have at me. I'm sitting dead center.
(LAUGHTER)
CARLSON: Perfect.
BEGALA: Well, you're slumming here in the CROSSFIRE.
I want to -- I want to, though, grill you a little bit about your treatment of my pal here. You were too easy on him.
TREBEK: We were?
BEGALA: The last -- The final "Jeopardy" question -- rather, the answer was, he is the presiding officer of a presidential impeachment trial. This was Tucker's answer written down. Let me put it up on the screen so you can take a look at it. I'm sure you remember.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: There it is. Look. Can we -- there it is.
Now, Alex, come on.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: Neatness should count for something. Who is -- any chance anybody could read that?
TREBEK: I'm figuring that before Tucker went into broadcasting, he was studying to be a doctor.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: That's hieroglyphics, though.
CARLSON: Actually, I went to liberal schools. That's what happened.
TREBEK: Right.
CARLSON: We didn't quite get around -- it was free to be you and me.
TREBEK: So he got credit for that.
CARLSON: Exactly. In liberal schools, we did.
TREBEK: If our judges determine that they can figure out what a contestant has written down, we will accept that as a response.
BEGALA: What a country.
CARLSON: Well, I didn't understand before I went on just how much is at stake, not only the money. But everybody, I mean everybody watches your show. And if you screw it up, it's embarrassing. I'm wondering, given that, have you caught a lot of people cheating?
TREBEK: Never. Never.
CARLSON: Never?
(CROSSTALK)
TREBEK: One occasion in 20 years where I suspected someone was looking over the panel during "Final Jeopardy," but he wasn't on camera at that moment. So it's a difficult accusation to make, very tough to prove. And it's embarrassing if you can't prove it. So we just let it slide. The person did not win.
CARLSON: Good.
BEGALA: It was clearly a Washington power player, then. That's all we do here is cheat, right? It was a...
TREBEK: Not really.
I was impressed by the Washington power players in some areas, and I was kind of sad at how poorly they did on geography questions, for instance. Where's the Middle East? I think it's near Paris.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: Well, we take our cues from our president, right, who apparently...
TREBEK: Now, now, now.
BEGALA: Well, I'm just saying, he's not
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: Well, let me ask you...
TREBEK: That's part of the problem in America today.
BEGALA: Our president? I agree.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
TREBEK: As you guys mentioned right off the bat, the country is evenly divided. And we're lacking humanity. You guys are having at each other here and you do it for broadcast purposes to get the viewers and the people in the audience all excited. But in our society, I'd like to see the tone come down a little and reintroduce some thing that we've been lacking for many years, and that is civility. Let's be nicer to the other people.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: I think that's an excellent...
BEGALA: Put us out of work.
CARLSON: No, we're going to take a quick break. But I know you're talking about Paul and his side. And I hope, as we're going to take a commercial break, he'll ruminate on that.
Well, it's the ultimate payback. Alex Trebek faces "Final Jeopardy." The answer is, the U.S. senator who was a 1964 "Jeopardy" contestant. We'll see if Mr. Trebek can solve CROSSFIRE's "Final Jeopardy" right after this.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: Welcome back.
No, you are not watching the wrong channel. "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek is with us. And it's time for our final CROSSFIRE "Jeopardy" segment, "Jeopardy" segment. And the final answer is, U.S. senator who was a 1964 "Jeopardy" contestant.
BEGALA: Your answer in the form of a question, Alex.
TREBEK: In the form of a question.
Well, it is not John Glenn, because he was on "Name That Tune." Who is Senator John McCain?
BEGALA: Yes, that's correct.
CARLSON: Outstanding!
(BELL RINGING)
CARLSON: Who is...
TREBEK: And that was way before my time. Our show didn't start until 1984. John was on 20 years before that.
CARLSON: Twenty years.
BEGALA: Which, by the way, you have a recapitulation of those 20 years, "This Is Jeopardy," celebrating America's favorite quiz show at bookstores all around.
TREBEK: It's a fun read if you like testing yourself. I went through this. And I hit one page. I didn't know one of the "Final Jeopardy" clues on that page.
BEGALA: Oh, my goodness.
CARLSON: It stumped its own host. That's high praise.
BEGALA: Alex Trebek, thank you very much, the host of "Jeopardy."
TREBEK: OK, guys.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: From the left, I am Paul Begala. That's it for CROSSFIRE.
CARLSON: And from the right, I'm Tucker Carlson.
Join us again next time for yet more CROSSFIRE, sadly, without Alex Trebek.
"WOLF BLITZER REPORTS" starts right now. Good night.
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 May 24, 2004 - 16:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: CROSSFIRE. On the left, James Carville and Paul Begala; on the right, Robert Novak and Tucker Carlson.
In the CROSSFIRE: President Bush heads to the U.S. Army War College to lay out his plans for the future of Iraq.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Tonight's speech is focused on our strategy for success in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He needs to put toward the plan because there is no plan that any of us know of. And this, as the weeks go on, becomes the Achilles' heel for this administration.
ANNOUNCER: How will U.S. voters and the rest of the world react?
And Tucker Carlson survived his appearance on "Jeopardy." Now host Alex Trebek takes his chances on CROSSFIRE. Will he be able to handle our "Final Jeopardy" segment?
Today on CROSSFIRE.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from the George Washington University, Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson.
TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST: Welcome to CROSSFIRE.
Just hours from now, President Bush will deliver a major address on Iraq. He's expected to outline a series of steps leading up to the June 30 handover and the U.S. role beyond that date.
PAUL BEGALA, CO-HOST: Pre-speech reports say that Mr. Bush will call for a United Nations resolution and a multinational peacekeeping force, something John Kerry called for more than a year ago. Will voters see this as the ultimate Bush flip-flop and is that better than what Mr. Bush has night now, which looks like ultimate flop? That will be our focus today.
But first, we begin with the best little political briefing in television, our CROSSFIRE "Political Alert."
Well, as we mentioned, the president of the United States and occupier in chief of Iraq will give a speech tonight at the Army War College. One hopes Mr. Bush will take a moment to read what the experts there have written about his failed policy in Iraq. Mr. Bush's war, one War College reports says -- quote -- "was a war of choice distraction from the war of necessity against al Qaeda" -- unquote.
Another report published by the War College says Mr. Bush's administration -- quote -- "either misunderstood, or worse, wished away" -- unquote -- the difficulties it would face in Iraq. And before the war, experts at the Army War College warned against disbanding the Iraqi army saying it could -- quote -- "lead to the destruction of one of the only forces for unity within the society."
Mr. Bush, of course, rejected ignored the War College's advice, apparently preferring to rely on that great expert on America's military, Ahmad Chalabi.
CARLSON: Now, if President Bush comes out tonight -- and I think he will -- saying that America needs to succeed in Iraq and can't leave before there's a functioning democracy, at least a pro-American government -- and I think he will say that -- I hope tomorrow you'll agree with him, because
(CROSSTALK)
(BELL RINGING)
BEGALA: They're two different things.
CARLSON: They are two different things.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: ... democracy and a stable pro-American government are two different things.
CARLSON: But not leave until -- until the country is stable and not a threat to the United States.
BEGALA: But he's the one who made it unstable.
CARLSON: Well, John Kerry announced last week that he may not accept his party's nomination at this summer's Democratic Convention in Boston. That's a tactic that would allow him to subvert campaign finance law and continue to raise money for another five weeks.
Well, while Kerry made certain that the national press knew about his plans, somehow, he neglected to tell Tom Menino. He's the mayor of Boston. According to "The Boston Globe," Menino was infuriated, outraged. And so was Clayton Turnbull. He's the vice president of the city's host committee. He reminded John Kerry that the convention -- quote -- "is about patriotism, not simply part of a business deal."
Kerry ignored the criticism, but residents of Boston did not. They were offended, too. Kerry went to Fenway Park yesterday to see a Red Sox game and he was booed from the stands. Now, I want to know
(CROSSTALK) BEGALA: You're reduced to Clayton Turnbull criticizing
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: The mayor of Boston.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: We're at war. We've got 800 guys dead because Bush misled us into a war in Iraq. And you're going to tell me about Clayton Turnbull is mad John Kerry?
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: I'm sorry. You can't ignore every question by pointing to Iraq.
Look, when Al Gore didn't tell Joe Lieberman that he was going to endorse Howard Dean, you said, rightly, that's an outrage. He has an obligation to tell him. John Kerry had an obligation to tell Tom Menino.
(BELL RINGING)
BEGALA: He hasn't decided anything.
(BELL RINGING)
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: He announces it to the press?
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: He hasn't announced anything to the press.
CARLSON: Yes, he did. He announced last week that he may not accept the nomination.
BEGALA: Some of thinks supporters think maybe he should delay, that to be on a level playing field with Bush. That's all that's happened.
Well, in a startling expose, "The Denver Post" has documented more than 100 industry lobbyists whom President Bush has put in charge of the very industries for which they once lobbed. From naming a hospital lobbyist to run Medicare, to naming a drug company lobbyist to be the top lawyer at the FDA, to putting lobbyists from corporate polluters in charge of, well, regulating polluters, Mr. Bush has eliminated the middleman and simply allowed corporate lobbyists to run our country.
When asked if heartless, soulless, nationless corporation have too much influence, Vice President Dick Cheney, a former CEO of a heartless, soulless, nationless corporation called Halliburton, told "The Post" -- quote -- "I think we have a good track record" -- unquote. Mr. Cheney then returned to guarding the henhouse.
CARLSON: Actually, most of those corporations are nationless. They are American corporations that employ Americans. And good for them. And they also, in a lot of cases, help Americans, actually.
And Halliburton, I'm glad you bought that up, because I know that the entire John Kerry for president campaign exists to promote the idea that Halliburton is the center of all evil in this world. And I hope you continue because it's demented and it confused people.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: I'm just saying, Dick Cheney traded with Iran, Iraq and Libya when he ran Halliburton.
(BELL RINGING)
BEGALA: I think that's scummy and unpatriotic.
CARLSON: Well, so did France, but it doesn't bother you when France did it.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: It bothers me enormously. But France is not our vice president. Dick Cheney is. He should never have been making money off Iraq
(CROSSTALK)
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: Right. OK.
Well, "The Day After Tomorrow," which is the world's first film about global warming, opens this week, Memorial Day. Al Gore will be speaking about the movie at a screening in New York tonight that "The Moviegoer" says -- quote -- "represents a rare opportunity to have a national conversation about global warming."
And that's true. The conversation ought to start with nuclear power, the form of energy that produces almost no greenhouse gases and therefore no global warming, not to mention no increased reliance on foreign oil. Nuclear power is such an obvious solution that even some environmentalists have begun to catch on to it. James Lovelock, one of the father of the modern environmental movement, told a London newspaper today that he is all for nuclear power -- quote -- "And I entreat my friends in the movement to drop their wrongheaded objection to it."
So will they drop those wrongheaded objections? Will we truly have a national conversation about nuclear power? Of course we won't. Environmentalists are still completely opposed, not for any scientific reason at all, but because nuclear power sounds scary. And that's the state of our national conversation.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: Well, first off, this is an environmentalist who says we ought to look at nuclear power. So there is a conversation going on.
(CROSSTALK)
(BELL RINGING)
CARLSON: ... Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth.
BEGALA: Oh, please.
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: No, I'm serious, Paul. You know that's true.
BEGALA: It does produce waste that last for tens of thousands of years that we cannot store.
CARLSON: Yes, it does. Yes, it does.
BEGALA: And so we ought to have a serious conversation about the risks.
CARLSON: But, actually, it's less risky, I think, than burning things.
BEGALA: I think we ought to have a show about that, too.
Well, tonight, more than a year after his mission accomplished publicity stunt aboard the aircraft carrier, President Bush will try to explain to you why the mission in Iraq is not accomplished and why John Kerry was right all along to call for a larger U.N. role and an international peacekeeping force. Can he make his case to the voters and will it stop his slide in the polls?
We will debate that in a moment with two members of Congress.
And then, who better to enter the CROSSFIRE than the man with all the right answers? Alex Trebek, the host of "Jeopardy," right here on our set. We will ask him what happened behind the scenes when Tucker appeared on his very popular game show?
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CARLSON: Welcome back.
Well, just over a month from now, Iraq will get its sovereignty. But the American role will not end on June 30. Tonight, President Bush talks about the upcoming handover and Iraq's future. And that is our focus today.
In the CROSSFIRE, Democratic presidential candidate and folk hero Dennis Kucinich. He's with us from Montana. And Republican Congressman Tom Davis of lovely Northern Virginia.
BEGALA: Gentlemen, good to see you both.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: Congressman Davis, the president will be speaking in a little over three hours at the Army War College. The pre-speech press has suggested he's going to call for another United Nations resolution and an international peacekeeping force, the very sorts of internationalist tendencies that his supporters have been attacking John Kerry for calling for, a year now.
It seems to me that that's one of the reasons that 59 percent of the American people in a recent CNN political said they had doubts about the president's credibility. And, in fact, it's not just Democrats. One of your own, Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, had this to say about the president's credibility yesterday on CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: Part of the problem I think, Wolf, that we have here, after more than a year in Iraq, is a credibility and trust issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEGALA: A credibility and a trust issue. Senator Hagel's right, isn't he?
REP. TOM DAVIS (R), VIRGINIA: Well, managing expectations is difficult in this. But I don't think it's credibility and trust.
The president has been trying to get international involvement from day one, when he took his original proposals to the U.N. and got turned down because France and Germany and Russia had interlocking economic agreements with Saddam Hussein and didn't want to move. So we've been trying to do this. This has been administration policy for a long time.
BEGALA: But you really want people to believe that this president, whose vice president, whose secretary of defense and who himself has done nothing but alienate and trash our allies, you really want us to believe now that all of a sudden he's a great builder of alliances?
DAVIS: Let's see if -- let's see if he gets the U.N. resolution. I think, if he gets it, that will be the proof.
But went to the U.N. originally on this. This is not a change in policy. It's right now with the handoff coming. And I think he's going to get a U.N. resolution and we'll get international involvement, with America leading the way.
CARLSON: Now Congressman Kucinich, you must be a lonely man, and not just because you're in Montana. Your position, you explained it "The New York Times" the other day, that we need to bring American troops home now, is not shared by really anyone, apart from Ralph Nader. Not only does President Bush disagree with you.
Listen to what John Kerry and Sandy Berger, the former president's national security adviser, have to say -- quote -- Mr. Kerry says, "We do not have the choice to just pick up and leave and leave behind a failed state and a new haven for terrorists."
Here's what Sandy Berger says of your idea -- quote -- "I think it would be a disaster."
Why are such smart people on your side calling your ideas crazy?
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, actually, Sandy Berger has favored being there for another five years.
I have to tell you this, that this administration has led this country into a war that was totally unnecessary and now we have to get out. It was wrong to go and it's wrong to stay in. We should bring our troops home. And the only way we can do that is to have an agreement with the international community that would let the U.N. on an interim basis handle the matters in Iraq until the Iraqi people are self-governing.
President Bush led this nation into an unnecessary war. He's got to take responsibility. There has to be accountability. And the plan that I offered, which has been on my Web site now for four months, is the right plan that will enable us to get our troops home and, last, get out of Iraq.
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: OK. I wonder why, though, Congressman, even grant -- let's just say the war in Iraq was a disaster. John Kerry still thinks your views are crackpot. He still says we need to stay the course and win this. And I'm wondering what would you say to Senator Kerry about his attacks implicitly on you?
KUCINICH: This is not Senator Kerry's war. This is President Bush's war. I wouldn't buy a used car from this administration. I sure wouldn't buy a used war from them.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: Congressman Davis -- well, put, well put, Congressman Kucinich.
It certainly shouldn't surprise anyone that principal Democrats like Congressman Kucinich didn't like this war and didn't from the start. What surprised me was that a four-star Marine general, Anthony Zinni, who is the head of Central Command, the people who are now fighting this war, before the war, he warned us against it. His warnings were ignored. This is a man who's a part of the Bush administration.
He has written a new book called "Battle Ready." And in the book, this is what he writes: "In the lead-up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worst, lying, incompetence and corruption." Lying, incompetence and corruption is how we got into this war, says General Zinni.
DAVIS: I think it will maybe help his book sales with the hard left.
BEGALA: I hope so. I bought it today. But he's not a lefty. He's a four-star Marine general.
DAVIS: But he had a position early. And reasonable people could disagree over how you handle Saddam Hussein. We saw the previous administration trying to manage the situation there.
The gig ran up. Had he been in violation of international agreements. He was harboring terrorists. He was exporting money, if you had had a suicide bomber, sending you $25,000. Sooner or later, this guy had to go. And history will judge if this was the right time and if we're successful.
But it's hardly crackpot. I think it's done more for understanding America's role in the world by intervening or letting countries know that they can't go on forever slaughtering their own people, violating international law, that somebody out there is going to enforce it, even if the U.N. didn't. And the idea that the U.N. should take this over, the oil for food program, a $10 billion scandal they've
(CROSSTALK)
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: But the president now wants to hand it off to the U.N.
DAVIS: No, I think we want to get an international agreement, but it takes times to move these people around. Remember, you watched the palaces that Saddam built. It was done with French money, German money, Russian money, buying the oil. They had interlocking agreement...
BEGALA: Halliburton.
DAVIS: No, not at all.
CARLSON: You know, we're going to take a quick Halliburton break here.
Congressman Kucinich, one of the reasons, the reason President Bush is going to be reelected is because the Democratic Party has been taken over by haters. I know you know that.
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: And I want to give you one example. MoveOn.org, which is a left-wing fringe group you may be familiar with, has a new spot up, at least on the Internet, attacking Donald Rumsfeld. That's fine. I want to show you the graphic that goes with it. You can't see it. Let me describe it.
It's a photograph of the Statue of Liberty, the sort of symbol of the nation and its ideals. And the head of it has been covered with a black bag. It's offensive. And I'm wondering if you think liberals and the Democratic Party in general get anywhere when they produce images like this that seem to attack, frankly, the United States?
KUCINICH: Well, let me just say that, for myself, I always remember what Abraham Lincoln said in his second inaugural. He said, with malice towards none, with charity for all. We can disagree strongly with President Bush -- and I do -- I think we need to be able to challenge the administration in a forthright way.
But, for myself, I don't prefer to do it in a way that would in any way demean someone personally, because I think you always have to leave a person with their humanity. But the fact of the matter is, this war was wrong. We should have never been in it. It was wrong to go and it's wrong to stay. And I want to see our troops brought home.
CARLSON: I that's -- I think it's an excellent point, Congressman. Thank you for making it.
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: You are not a hater. But there are many in your party who are.
For instance, John Kerry's former campaign manager last month, his group came out with the claim that Lynne Cheney had a baby in order to keep her husband, now Vice President Dick Cheney, out of the Vietnam War. It's hard to think of anything more offensive than that. I'm wondering why your fellow Democrats aren't standing up and saying, actually, that's disgusting, it's irrational and it's hateful? Why aren't they?
KUCINICH: Well, I can say that I would object to any kind of a line of criticism like that.
But I do think that we have young men and women right now wondering if they're going to be sent to war, if there's going to be a draft, if our continued involvement in Iraq is going to create even more disruption in the lives of more Americans. So I think that we need to focus on where we are right now. This administration has to be held accountable. And that's what my campaign has been about, not just about getting out of Iraq, but to hold the administration accountable.
They sent us into a war we didn't have to be in.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: In fact, Congressman, first, let me take up for MoveOn.org. It's a wonderful organization actually exercising their First Amendment rights. And I think that is a very powerful, graphic image of what many of us believe this president is doing to our freedoms. Why is it that the right is so afraid of free speech from groups like MoveOn.org?
DAVIS: We're not afraid of it. This wasn't administration policy.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: A moment ago, you said the only reason General Zinni was speaking out is because he's trying to sell a book. He's a four-star general.
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: ... or you're just commenting on what he said?
DAVIS: I'm commenting on what he said. I'm exercising my First Amendment rights, like everybody else.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: I want to argue on the merits instead of attacking his motives. Why attack MoveOn.org for...
DAVIS: General Zinni has been clear from the beginning where he stood on this. That's the reason
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: He was right from the beginning.
DAVIS: We had such inaction in the Middle East for a generation because people like General Zinni were afraid to move; 9/11 happened. It came over. We thought -- we couldn't just manage terrorism and keep it off our shores. It came seeking us. The president understands you have to take -- you have to take the fight to the people that are perpetrating terror all over the globe.
CARLSON: Sadly, we are completely out of time. That's an excellent point, Congressman.
Congressman Tom Davis of Virginia, thank you very much.
DAVIS: Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: Congressman Dennis Kucinich, running for president, in Montana, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it. Thank you, Congressman.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: All right, next, it's our turn to grill "Jeopardy"'s Alex Trebek. Just a few weeks ago, he had a number of us here at CNN sweating on stage. Now it's his turn to enter the CROSSFIRE. We're going to be really mean. We're also going to find out what he thinks of Washington's power players.
Right after the break, you'll see how tornado victims in the Midwest are trying to overcome the latest series of twisters to hit their area. Wolf Blitzer will tell you all about it.
We'll be right back.
ANNOUNCER: Join Carville, Begala, Carlson and Novak in the CROSSFIRE. For free tickets to CROSSFIRE at the George Washington University, call 202-994-8CNN or visit our Web site. Now you can step into the CROSSFIRE.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Wolf Blitzer in Washington.
Coming up at the top of the hour, the United States presents a draft resolution on Iraq to the United Nations Security Council. Will the U.N. endorse plans for a multinational force under U.S. control?
Midwesterners cleaning up from destructive storms are warned to brace for even more bad weather.
And Howard Dean based his presidential candidacy, at least in part, on his opposition to the war in Iraq. What does he think about the war today? I'll ask him.
Those stories, much more only minutes away on "WOLF BLITZER REPORTS."
Now back to CROSSFIRE.
CARLSON: Welcome back.
Well, "Jeopardy" came to town not long ago. The venerable granddaddy of game shows set up camp here at Constitutional Hall in Washington and taped five shows with journalists as contestants. Some succeeded. Some embarrassed themselves. Quite a few managed to do both.
(LAUGHTER)
CARLSON: With us today to mull over what happened and its implications for the capital city, one of the most recognized men in the world, the host of "Jeopardy," Alex Trebek.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: Welcome, Alex.
ALEX TREBEK, HOST, "JEOPARDY": Tucker, good to see you again.
(CROSSTALK) BEGALA: ... to see you.
TREBEK: Tucker.
(CROSSTALK)
BEGALA: I want to thank you for joining us.
TREBEK: All right, have at me. I'm sitting dead center.
(LAUGHTER)
CARLSON: Perfect.
BEGALA: Well, you're slumming here in the CROSSFIRE.
I want to -- I want to, though, grill you a little bit about your treatment of my pal here. You were too easy on him.
TREBEK: We were?
BEGALA: The last -- The final "Jeopardy" question -- rather, the answer was, he is the presiding officer of a presidential impeachment trial. This was Tucker's answer written down. Let me put it up on the screen so you can take a look at it. I'm sure you remember.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: There it is. Look. Can we -- there it is.
Now, Alex, come on.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: Neatness should count for something. Who is -- any chance anybody could read that?
TREBEK: I'm figuring that before Tucker went into broadcasting, he was studying to be a doctor.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: That's hieroglyphics, though.
CARLSON: Actually, I went to liberal schools. That's what happened.
TREBEK: Right.
CARLSON: We didn't quite get around -- it was free to be you and me.
TREBEK: So he got credit for that.
CARLSON: Exactly. In liberal schools, we did.
TREBEK: If our judges determine that they can figure out what a contestant has written down, we will accept that as a response.
BEGALA: What a country.
CARLSON: Well, I didn't understand before I went on just how much is at stake, not only the money. But everybody, I mean everybody watches your show. And if you screw it up, it's embarrassing. I'm wondering, given that, have you caught a lot of people cheating?
TREBEK: Never. Never.
CARLSON: Never?
(CROSSTALK)
TREBEK: One occasion in 20 years where I suspected someone was looking over the panel during "Final Jeopardy," but he wasn't on camera at that moment. So it's a difficult accusation to make, very tough to prove. And it's embarrassing if you can't prove it. So we just let it slide. The person did not win.
CARLSON: Good.
BEGALA: It was clearly a Washington power player, then. That's all we do here is cheat, right? It was a...
TREBEK: Not really.
I was impressed by the Washington power players in some areas, and I was kind of sad at how poorly they did on geography questions, for instance. Where's the Middle East? I think it's near Paris.
(LAUGHTER)
BEGALA: Well, we take our cues from our president, right, who apparently...
TREBEK: Now, now, now.
BEGALA: Well, I'm just saying, he's not
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: Well, let me ask you...
TREBEK: That's part of the problem in America today.
BEGALA: Our president? I agree.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
TREBEK: As you guys mentioned right off the bat, the country is evenly divided. And we're lacking humanity. You guys are having at each other here and you do it for broadcast purposes to get the viewers and the people in the audience all excited. But in our society, I'd like to see the tone come down a little and reintroduce some thing that we've been lacking for many years, and that is civility. Let's be nicer to the other people.
(APPLAUSE)
(CROSSTALK)
CARLSON: I think that's an excellent...
BEGALA: Put us out of work.
CARLSON: No, we're going to take a quick break. But I know you're talking about Paul and his side. And I hope, as we're going to take a commercial break, he'll ruminate on that.
Well, it's the ultimate payback. Alex Trebek faces "Final Jeopardy." The answer is, the U.S. senator who was a 1964 "Jeopardy" contestant. We'll see if Mr. Trebek can solve CROSSFIRE's "Final Jeopardy" right after this.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(APPLAUSE)
CARLSON: Welcome back.
No, you are not watching the wrong channel. "Jeopardy" host Alex Trebek is with us. And it's time for our final CROSSFIRE "Jeopardy" segment, "Jeopardy" segment. And the final answer is, U.S. senator who was a 1964 "Jeopardy" contestant.
BEGALA: Your answer in the form of a question, Alex.
TREBEK: In the form of a question.
Well, it is not John Glenn, because he was on "Name That Tune." Who is Senator John McCain?
BEGALA: Yes, that's correct.
CARLSON: Outstanding!
(BELL RINGING)
CARLSON: Who is...
TREBEK: And that was way before my time. Our show didn't start until 1984. John was on 20 years before that.
CARLSON: Twenty years.
BEGALA: Which, by the way, you have a recapitulation of those 20 years, "This Is Jeopardy," celebrating America's favorite quiz show at bookstores all around.
TREBEK: It's a fun read if you like testing yourself. I went through this. And I hit one page. I didn't know one of the "Final Jeopardy" clues on that page.
BEGALA: Oh, my goodness.
CARLSON: It stumped its own host. That's high praise.
BEGALA: Alex Trebek, thank you very much, the host of "Jeopardy."
TREBEK: OK, guys.
(APPLAUSE)
BEGALA: From the left, I am Paul Begala. That's it for CROSSFIRE.
CARLSON: And from the right, I'm Tucker Carlson.
Join us again next time for yet more CROSSFIRE, sadly, without Alex Trebek.
"WOLF BLITZER REPORTS" starts right now. Good night.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
