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CNN Live Saturday

Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Debate in South Carolina

Aired May 03, 2003 - 18:37   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.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: If you listen real close and the wind is blowing just right, tonight you might be able to hear the sound of hats being tossed into the political ring. All nine of the Democratic presidential candidates are convening in Columbia, South Carolina for a debate, and CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is there -- Candy.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, this is being put on by ABC NEWS. George Stephanopolous is going to be the moderator, and he said that, told the reporter -- It's a little bit of a mistake to call it debate -- 90 minutes long, nine candidates. You do the math. There have to be some questions in there and some breaks. So very little time really for a lot of back and forth, but they are hoping to get some of the debate format that includes candidates questioning one another as well as the moderator asking each candidate in a sort of an open and free flowing debate.

So hopefully, we'll see some fireworks. We've already seen some of it coming up, but I have to tell you, South Carolina, at least the Democratic Party here are so excited about this. They had a very bad year last year. In the election they lost the governorship. So they have all nine of these Democratic candidates come down. And it's been sort of a weekend of meet and greets, as they call them. We had a fish fry last night, where all the Democrats came out, some of them danced, mostly they talked, that sort of thing. So they are getting to know South Carolina, which is becoming increasingly important as a primary state for Democrats -- Anderson.

COOPER: Democratic candidates have had a bad year there. They have had a bad couple of decades there in presidential politics. They haven't -- Democrat -- presidential candidates has not won there, I think, since Jimmy Carter. But I also understand that this debate is the earliest debate in the presidential campaign ever. Why is it so early?

CROWLEY: Well, a couple of things. First of all, South Carolina wanted it, and they wanted to do it in conjunction with its state convention. But beyond that, you know, everything is earlier in this particular election cycle. The Iowa caucus in January is about a month earlier than it usually is. They all have to sort of raise money a lot earlier because by December they have to have enough in the bank to get them through March and April. So everything is kind of pushed up a little, including the debates.

COOPER: Let's talk a little bit about the importance of South Carolina not only in the presidential race in general but also for Democrats in particular.

CROWLEY: Well, you know, South Carolina is the first sort of that gateway to the South. It's the first southern primary for Democrats. So, and it was very instrumental. I know, you remember, when George Bush came out of New Hampshire, a week later there was South Carolina. He got beaten badly by John McCain in New Hampshire. South Carolina really saved the George Bush presidency in many ways for the Republicans, but it's been a long time since Democrats in South Carolina have had much to say about who is going to be the presidential nominee. It's a very different state from either Iowa or New Hampshire which are the first two -- fist time any kind of diversity really comes in to play, because a large percentage of the Democratic vote here is minority, is African-American.

So there is a huge difference in the demographics and in the population, and a lot of people think this will really show the Democratic strength in the South, if there is any, because it's been going sort of increasingly Republican.

COOPER: So, as you mentioned, nine candidates, only 90 minutes -- it's a lot to try to get in. What's the strategy, are most of these people tonight just try to distinguish yourself as much as you can?

CROWLEY: Sure, and I think, maybe to be a little bit combative, have a good zinger, you know, that kind of staff. There is a part where there are no time limits, in terms of how long your response can be. So you try to sort of take up -- take up as much time as you can.

One of the things I do, want to show you really quickly, is just -- this is the headline this morning. You see the Democrats over here, but you can see what pretty much took the headlines here, even over the nine Democrats, is the fact that the president's coming. So still a pretty tough state for Democrats, but they are having their day here tonight -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Candy Crowley, I appreciate your joining us. We'll check in with you a little later on tonight.

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 3, 2003 - 18:37   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: If you listen real close and the wind is blowing just right, tonight you might be able to hear the sound of hats being tossed into the political ring. All nine of the Democratic presidential candidates are convening in Columbia, South Carolina for a debate, and CNN's senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is there -- Candy.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, this is being put on by ABC NEWS. George Stephanopolous is going to be the moderator, and he said that, told the reporter -- It's a little bit of a mistake to call it debate -- 90 minutes long, nine candidates. You do the math. There have to be some questions in there and some breaks. So very little time really for a lot of back and forth, but they are hoping to get some of the debate format that includes candidates questioning one another as well as the moderator asking each candidate in a sort of an open and free flowing debate.

So hopefully, we'll see some fireworks. We've already seen some of it coming up, but I have to tell you, South Carolina, at least the Democratic Party here are so excited about this. They had a very bad year last year. In the election they lost the governorship. So they have all nine of these Democratic candidates come down. And it's been sort of a weekend of meet and greets, as they call them. We had a fish fry last night, where all the Democrats came out, some of them danced, mostly they talked, that sort of thing. So they are getting to know South Carolina, which is becoming increasingly important as a primary state for Democrats -- Anderson.

COOPER: Democratic candidates have had a bad year there. They have had a bad couple of decades there in presidential politics. They haven't -- Democrat -- presidential candidates has not won there, I think, since Jimmy Carter. But I also understand that this debate is the earliest debate in the presidential campaign ever. Why is it so early?

CROWLEY: Well, a couple of things. First of all, South Carolina wanted it, and they wanted to do it in conjunction with its state convention. But beyond that, you know, everything is earlier in this particular election cycle. The Iowa caucus in January is about a month earlier than it usually is. They all have to sort of raise money a lot earlier because by December they have to have enough in the bank to get them through March and April. So everything is kind of pushed up a little, including the debates.

COOPER: Let's talk a little bit about the importance of South Carolina not only in the presidential race in general but also for Democrats in particular.

CROWLEY: Well, you know, South Carolina is the first sort of that gateway to the South. It's the first southern primary for Democrats. So, and it was very instrumental. I know, you remember, when George Bush came out of New Hampshire, a week later there was South Carolina. He got beaten badly by John McCain in New Hampshire. South Carolina really saved the George Bush presidency in many ways for the Republicans, but it's been a long time since Democrats in South Carolina have had much to say about who is going to be the presidential nominee. It's a very different state from either Iowa or New Hampshire which are the first two -- fist time any kind of diversity really comes in to play, because a large percentage of the Democratic vote here is minority, is African-American.

So there is a huge difference in the demographics and in the population, and a lot of people think this will really show the Democratic strength in the South, if there is any, because it's been going sort of increasingly Republican.

COOPER: So, as you mentioned, nine candidates, only 90 minutes -- it's a lot to try to get in. What's the strategy, are most of these people tonight just try to distinguish yourself as much as you can?

CROWLEY: Sure, and I think, maybe to be a little bit combative, have a good zinger, you know, that kind of staff. There is a part where there are no time limits, in terms of how long your response can be. So you try to sort of take up -- take up as much time as you can.

One of the things I do, want to show you really quickly, is just -- this is the headline this morning. You see the Democrats over here, but you can see what pretty much took the headlines here, even over the nine Democrats, is the fact that the president's coming. So still a pretty tough state for Democrats, but they are having their day here tonight -- Anderson.

COOPER: All right, Candy Crowley, I appreciate your joining us. We'll check in with you a little later on tonight.

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