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CNN Live Saturday

President Bush Visits Normandy on Eve Of 60th Anniversary of D- Day; Prince Charles visits Pegasus Bridge; John Kerry Looks To Draw Sharp Distinction Between Himself, Bush On National Security

Aired June 05, 2004 - 14:00   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: President George Bush and French President Jacques Chirac meeting there in Paris before moving on to Normandy tomorrow for D-Day celebrations. Today, they talked about a number of things: how they perhaps did not see eye-to-eye on Iraq, but they do see eye-to-eye on the fact the work that has been done is not finished. All the difficulties are not behind them.
Is Iraq better or worse off? Chirac said, well the tyrannic regime is no longer there, but there is indeed a degree of chaos. Now, President Bush was asked how will the French help the U.S. in this transition of power in Iraq? And President Bush said that the French will offer some good advice.

We'll have more on the debriefing of the meeting between Jacques Chirac and President Bush in a moment with our John King who is traveling with the president.

In a few moments we'll continue our coverage on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President Bush is in Paris meeting, at this hour, with French President Jacques Chirac. Relations between the two nations have been tense since the split over the war in Iraq. Tomorrow both leaders will honor the contributions of the Allies 60 years ago on the anniversary of the D-Day landing.

Events honoring the anniversary have been taking place throughout France, including Prince Charles' visit to the Pegasus Bridge, site of the first assault of the D-Day Invasion. Ferries are making their way across the English Channel carrying veterans, many now in their 80s, to tomorrow's ceremony.

Concerns over the health of former President Ronald Reagan. Sources say the condition of the 93-year-old Reagan is deteriorating and the White House has been told his death could come soon. Reagan suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

One American soldier was killed and three others wounded by a roadside bomb this morning. The blast flipped the military vehicle they were in, over. The incident took place in northeast Baghdad.

Although the anniversary is tomorrow, D-Day events are already well under way in Normandy. Christiane Amanpour is on the American cemetery, on the bluff above Omaha Beach. She joins us live from there.

Christiane?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN SENIOR INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, indeed, we are. And about 9,000 or more American veterans are buried here.

I was told in the last hour that it was not a few years ago that 27,000 Americans were buried here who had died on D-Day and also in the total battle of Normandy. But over the years many American families have asked for their remain of their loved ones to be brought back home for a burial in their hometown and in their home country.

Still, this is an incredibly poignant site. And it now does remind us what we're going to be commemorating and reporting on tomorrow. The 60th anniversary of the greatest sea invasion ever mounted. Really, the day that changed the tide of history.

Today, there were commemorations of some of the battles and some of the great valor of the men who died on D-Day. There was many, many celebrations and commemorations that Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne took part in, commemorating the heroic valor of the British veterans who came with the Americans, with Canadians, and so many other young men, 60 years ago to storm these beaches and to liberate France, and then the rest of Europe from Nazism.

Prince Charles saw helicopters hover over Pegasus Bridge, near Kampf (ph), the city just north of here. He also saw unveiled a replica of the Horsa Glider, which brought paratroops in. That was the first real assault, the first real seizure of a strategic target in the hours just before the flotilla, the armada, landed and the troops stormed the bridge.

It was the British 6th Airborne Division that took that strategic bridge and prevented the Germans from mounting any kind of serious resistance in that part of France.

Again, this was the day 60 years ago that changed history and started a new era of freedom, and freedom from tyranny. And we will be here throughout the day tomorrow to bring the full coverage of all the events that will include President Bush, President Chirac, a score of other world leaders and so many thousands of veterans -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Christiane Amanpour in Normandy, thanks very much for that report.

Well, the spotlight on Western France this weekend is fully aglow as the world remembers the biggest sea borne invasion ever, D-Day. On this day before he travels to Normandy President Bush is in Paris for a working dinner. You heard some of his comments a moment ago.

Our John King is traveling with the president and he was able to hear the comments from Jacques Chirac as well as President Bush -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, commemoration and celebration tomorrow, some delicate diplomacy for the president today here, in Paris. President Jacques Chirac, of France, of course, was perhaps the world's most outspoken critic of President Bush in the run up to the Iraq war. France's threat of a veto kept the United Nations Security Council from endorsing Mr. Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq.

Mr. Bush here in Paris today hoping he can forge an agreement with Paris this time on a new resolution looking ahead to the political transition in Iraq. France has raised a number of objections and the administration has met most of them. It has said its troops would leave by January 2006. It has said the new interim Iraqi government would have the authority to ask those troops to leave sooner if it wanted to.

The administration also coming up with new revisions to the United Nations Security Council resolution and President Chirac, today, in words the White House was very eager to hear, he said it's not a done deal yet but he thinks this time he will cooperate with the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The exchange of letters between prime minister and the coalition lays out the parameters of security in Iraq, of the security cooperation in Iraq. This is a positive step forward.

KING: That was President Bush talking about an exchange of letters from the new interim Iraqi prime minister, that exchange of letters trying to address the concerns of France and others about what will the relationship be between the United States and other coalition troops in Iraq with the new interim Iraqi government.

Would the interim Iraqi government, for example, have the power to say no if U.S. troops wanted to go after Iraqi's insurgents in the cities of Najaf and Fallujah. Mr. Bush believing that exchange of letters will address the concerns of France and others on the Security Council.

And, Fredricka, the administration is still tinkering with that resolution, but it hopes to have a vote in the Security Council and it hopes to have France's vote, and a unanimous vote sometime, we are told, in the next week or so.

WHITFIELD: Is it fair to say, John, that both are treading rather lightly since there is still some groundwork to be done? And President Bush, when asked, what kind of commitment the French will be offering in terms of the rebuilding of Iraq, really all that could be said was the French will be offering some advice?

KING: It is clear these two leaders want to cooperate now. They want to put the bitterness behind them. It is still a little prickly in the relationship. You noticed that point, the United States had hoped a few months ago, that if you got a new Security Council resolution would you have offers of help. French troops, other troops to help with the security efforts. The White House no longer believes that is possible, at all.

France has made clear it will never offer troops for any peacekeeping operations or security operations in Iraq. President Chirac, on the one hand, said, that yes, it's better that Saddam Hussein is no longer in power but, he said, there was still a state of chaos in Iraq.

Iraq, of course, right now run essentially by the United States military. So, diplomatically, they want to move on. They want to say on most issues in world affairs these two leaders agree. There's still a bit of a tension in the relationship because of the bitterness about the debate of going to war itself, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, John King in Paris, thanks very much. The two leaders having dinner this evening and to join 15 other world leaders tomorrow in Normandy.

Stay with CNN for extensive coverage of D-Day remembrances and for two special programs on Sunday right here on CNN at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. "People In The News" presents "D-Day: A Call to Courage" and at 8:00 Eastern CNN presents "Warsaw Rising the Forgotten Soldiers of World War II".

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Smarty Jones runs for the Triple Crown in four hours. Hoping to become the first horse to win it since Affirmed, back in 1978. Sports Correspondent Josie Burke is in Elmont, New York for the Belmont Stakes.

They have had a great time with some of the other preliminary races so far, right?

JOSIE BURKE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Actually, Fredricka, we talked earlier about the fact that there might be some rain today and really hasn't been too bad. You can see a couple drops falling right now.

The crowd really starting to build and because it hasn't been too much rain there's a very good chance they could break an attendance record here at Belmont Park. The record right now is just over 103,000. We could see even more than that today. Just about all of them you get the feeling are rooting for Smarty Jones.

The trainer of the horse, John Servis, said he has gotten letters from around the world people saying that they are behind Smarty Jones. They really want to see a Triple Crown winner. Everywhere you go it seems this is a horse who really seems to have captured the imagination of this country.

The owners of the horse, Pat and Roy Chapman, gave their explanation as to why they think Smarty Jones has struck a nerve.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PAT CHAPMAN, SMARTY JONES' OWNER: He's a survivor. I think, you know, that's attractive to a lot of us.

ROY CHAPMAN, SMARTY JONES' OWNER: He's a blue collar horse.

P. CHAPMAN: That's the other thing!

R. CHAPMAN: That's what I think. He's a blue collar horse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURKE: And in Philadelphia, Smarty Jones' hometown, it seems like the entire city there has jumped on the Smarty bandwagon. To Roy Chapman that is comforting and also a little bit worrisome at the same time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

R. CHAPMAN: That's worrying me more than anything. I just don't want to disappoint the people of Philadelphia, because there are just so many people that are looking for a winner. You know, and this could be the chance. They adopted him. You've seen the people; they went crazy. They run him around the ring one time, and like on a Saturday, I bet 8,500 people watching him just walk around the ring.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURKE: If Smarty Jones is able to win today, he will have accomplished what many people believe is the most difficult feat in all of sports. That's the Triple Crown. You have to race three times over five weeks, three different places, three different distances. And if a horse is going to begin to show some wear and tear it's here at the Belmont. This is the longest race, a mile and a half.

But the trainer of Smarty Jones says his horse isn't looking physically worn down at all. In fact, it's just the opposite. Servis says Smarty Jones has actually put on weight since the Preakness. Fredricka, there's a chance then that he could actually be getting stronger at this point. That would really be something unusual -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So, the hope is that weight gain is all muscle.

Josie Burke --

BURKE: He's a big eater, though.

WHITFIELD: OK, well, that's always a good sign. We'll find out at the finish line today.

Josie Burke in Elmont, New York. Thanks very much.

WHITFIELD: Well President Bush is dominating the world stage in Europe this weekend, that leaves only a tiny section of the spotlight for John Kerry. Let's talk to Ron Brownstein, CNN political analyst and columnist for "The Los Angeles Times". He's been following the Kerry campaign this week. He joins us from Minneapolis.

Before we talk about Kerry, let's talk a little bit about President Bush. In Europe right now, specifically, Ron, in France. We saw the press conference between he and President Jacques Chirac still a whole lot of room to be worked at, to try to get these two to see eye-to-eye on Iraq.

But do you believe that the Bush campaign, thought realistically Bush face time might really might change the relationship between them, in terms of Iraq?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well I think they feel that this entire month, which begins with this trip to Europe, continues with the world leaders coming to Sea Island, Georgia, for the G8 meeting, and then another trip to Europe for the EU summit and a NATO summit. This entire month offers the president an opportunity to open what presidents often get to do in a presidential race, the kind of stature gap, by associating himself with world leaders.

Obviously this is a stage John Kerry can't follow him. On the other hand there is risk for the president in this month because, as you know, the central critique of the Democrats against President Bush's foreign policy is the argument his approach to the world has driven away traditional allies and left us bearing too much of the financial and military burden in Iraq.

John Kerry has already signaled if we get to the end of this month, this kind of steeplechase of meetings, and we don't have hard and fast commitment for troops on the ground and other assistance from NATO and other allies, he's going to be making the case that the president's diplomacy has failed.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk a little bit more about those risks, then that you are talking about. Before France there was Italy, and we know President Bush got a warm reception from Berlusconi. However, the Italian protesters seemed to be getting a whole lot of attention there.

There's also some wondering about the picture opportunity between President Bush and the Pope. Was that really a mistake? I understand the Bush campaign really wants to court the Catholic vote, but not everyone could really understand what was being said, pictures say a lot more than the verbal exchange between the two, don't they?

BROWNTSTEIN: Well, it never hurts for American political candidate to have their picture taken with the Pope. On the other hand, there are two reasons why it may not be an overwhelming advantage for President Bush in this election. First, Catholics are a very divided vote in the U.S. and the line of division really is religious practice.

If you look back at 2000, the polling shows the Catholics who attended church regularly, three-fifths of them, about, voted for President Bush. Those that did not attend regularly about three-fifths voted for Al Gore. Polls in 2004 show the same divide, which suggests to me most of the people likely to be influenced by a picture of the president with the Pope are already in his corner. And of course, the other factor, Fredricka, the Pope is not onboard with the war in Iraq. That was clear again yesterday. So it's not an unmitigated benefit for the president.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it seemed like a real big gamble.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk now about Kerry, you traveled with his camp for quite awhile. What were your observations about what the Kerry camp is trying to do, particularly, as you touched on a moment ago, he's competing with Bush on the world stage.

BROWNSTEIN: While Bush is dominating the world stage John Kerry has chosen, not coincidentally, to focus on national security himself. He's at the tail end now of an is 11-day sequence, in which he delivered three speeches and kept the focus on national security throughout.

Interestingly, he did not, I think, look to draw a sharp line of distinction with the president over this period as he has earlier in the campaign. One Democrat said, I think quite accurately, this was more about reassurance than differentiation. More about trying to make the case for his own credentials as commander in chief and less about trying to tarnish the president.

Many of the ideas that John Kerry put out over the last 11 days, increasing the size of the military, more attention to nuclear or bioterrorism, those kinds of ideas were almost non-ideological. They were intent to demonstrate competence (ph), trying to make the case the country can trust him to run national security and be commander- in-chief.

WHITFIELD: The economy is something John Kerry is not overlooking, particularly we're talking about the third consecutive month of encouraging numbers in the job picture. Last month, 248,000 more jobs. However, Kerry said, quote, "Any step towards the job market is good news for the workers, but America is still in the worst job recovery since the Great Depression with 1.9 million private sector jobs lost in the Bush presidency."

However, do you think that message is getting lost?

BROWNSTEIN: I think historically most political scientists believe it's the trend in the months before the election, more than the absolute overall record. Kerry is right and that even if the job growth continues to be robust, President Bush is going to be, at best, around even in terms of the four years, but this last few months is a strong positive for him.

The problem he has is that historically there is a lag between voters' perception of the economy and what is happening in the economy. And they think -- the White House, that it has been compounded by the gloom over Iraq. That made it tougher for them to break through this positive message. Their hope is if things calm down in Iraq they will get a double benefit from Iraq itself and perhaps more focus on the good economic news. WHITFIELD: Ron Brownstein on "The L.A. Times" but in Minneapolis. Thanks very much for joining us. Always good talking to you.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: More news in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired June 5, 2004 - 14:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: President George Bush and French President Jacques Chirac meeting there in Paris before moving on to Normandy tomorrow for D-Day celebrations. Today, they talked about a number of things: how they perhaps did not see eye-to-eye on Iraq, but they do see eye-to-eye on the fact the work that has been done is not finished. All the difficulties are not behind them.
Is Iraq better or worse off? Chirac said, well the tyrannic regime is no longer there, but there is indeed a degree of chaos. Now, President Bush was asked how will the French help the U.S. in this transition of power in Iraq? And President Bush said that the French will offer some good advice.

We'll have more on the debriefing of the meeting between Jacques Chirac and President Bush in a moment with our John King who is traveling with the president.

In a few moments we'll continue our coverage on CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: President Bush is in Paris meeting, at this hour, with French President Jacques Chirac. Relations between the two nations have been tense since the split over the war in Iraq. Tomorrow both leaders will honor the contributions of the Allies 60 years ago on the anniversary of the D-Day landing.

Events honoring the anniversary have been taking place throughout France, including Prince Charles' visit to the Pegasus Bridge, site of the first assault of the D-Day Invasion. Ferries are making their way across the English Channel carrying veterans, many now in their 80s, to tomorrow's ceremony.

Concerns over the health of former President Ronald Reagan. Sources say the condition of the 93-year-old Reagan is deteriorating and the White House has been told his death could come soon. Reagan suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

One American soldier was killed and three others wounded by a roadside bomb this morning. The blast flipped the military vehicle they were in, over. The incident took place in northeast Baghdad.

Although the anniversary is tomorrow, D-Day events are already well under way in Normandy. Christiane Amanpour is on the American cemetery, on the bluff above Omaha Beach. She joins us live from there.

Christiane?

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN SENIOR INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, indeed, we are. And about 9,000 or more American veterans are buried here.

I was told in the last hour that it was not a few years ago that 27,000 Americans were buried here who had died on D-Day and also in the total battle of Normandy. But over the years many American families have asked for their remain of their loved ones to be brought back home for a burial in their hometown and in their home country.

Still, this is an incredibly poignant site. And it now does remind us what we're going to be commemorating and reporting on tomorrow. The 60th anniversary of the greatest sea invasion ever mounted. Really, the day that changed the tide of history.

Today, there were commemorations of some of the battles and some of the great valor of the men who died on D-Day. There was many, many celebrations and commemorations that Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne took part in, commemorating the heroic valor of the British veterans who came with the Americans, with Canadians, and so many other young men, 60 years ago to storm these beaches and to liberate France, and then the rest of Europe from Nazism.

Prince Charles saw helicopters hover over Pegasus Bridge, near Kampf (ph), the city just north of here. He also saw unveiled a replica of the Horsa Glider, which brought paratroops in. That was the first real assault, the first real seizure of a strategic target in the hours just before the flotilla, the armada, landed and the troops stormed the bridge.

It was the British 6th Airborne Division that took that strategic bridge and prevented the Germans from mounting any kind of serious resistance in that part of France.

Again, this was the day 60 years ago that changed history and started a new era of freedom, and freedom from tyranny. And we will be here throughout the day tomorrow to bring the full coverage of all the events that will include President Bush, President Chirac, a score of other world leaders and so many thousands of veterans -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Christiane Amanpour in Normandy, thanks very much for that report.

Well, the spotlight on Western France this weekend is fully aglow as the world remembers the biggest sea borne invasion ever, D-Day. On this day before he travels to Normandy President Bush is in Paris for a working dinner. You heard some of his comments a moment ago.

Our John King is traveling with the president and he was able to hear the comments from Jacques Chirac as well as President Bush -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, commemoration and celebration tomorrow, some delicate diplomacy for the president today here, in Paris. President Jacques Chirac, of France, of course, was perhaps the world's most outspoken critic of President Bush in the run up to the Iraq war. France's threat of a veto kept the United Nations Security Council from endorsing Mr. Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq.

Mr. Bush here in Paris today hoping he can forge an agreement with Paris this time on a new resolution looking ahead to the political transition in Iraq. France has raised a number of objections and the administration has met most of them. It has said its troops would leave by January 2006. It has said the new interim Iraqi government would have the authority to ask those troops to leave sooner if it wanted to.

The administration also coming up with new revisions to the United Nations Security Council resolution and President Chirac, today, in words the White House was very eager to hear, he said it's not a done deal yet but he thinks this time he will cooperate with the United States.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The exchange of letters between prime minister and the coalition lays out the parameters of security in Iraq, of the security cooperation in Iraq. This is a positive step forward.

KING: That was President Bush talking about an exchange of letters from the new interim Iraqi prime minister, that exchange of letters trying to address the concerns of France and others about what will the relationship be between the United States and other coalition troops in Iraq with the new interim Iraqi government.

Would the interim Iraqi government, for example, have the power to say no if U.S. troops wanted to go after Iraqi's insurgents in the cities of Najaf and Fallujah. Mr. Bush believing that exchange of letters will address the concerns of France and others on the Security Council.

And, Fredricka, the administration is still tinkering with that resolution, but it hopes to have a vote in the Security Council and it hopes to have France's vote, and a unanimous vote sometime, we are told, in the next week or so.

WHITFIELD: Is it fair to say, John, that both are treading rather lightly since there is still some groundwork to be done? And President Bush, when asked, what kind of commitment the French will be offering in terms of the rebuilding of Iraq, really all that could be said was the French will be offering some advice?

KING: It is clear these two leaders want to cooperate now. They want to put the bitterness behind them. It is still a little prickly in the relationship. You noticed that point, the United States had hoped a few months ago, that if you got a new Security Council resolution would you have offers of help. French troops, other troops to help with the security efforts. The White House no longer believes that is possible, at all.

France has made clear it will never offer troops for any peacekeeping operations or security operations in Iraq. President Chirac, on the one hand, said, that yes, it's better that Saddam Hussein is no longer in power but, he said, there was still a state of chaos in Iraq.

Iraq, of course, right now run essentially by the United States military. So, diplomatically, they want to move on. They want to say on most issues in world affairs these two leaders agree. There's still a bit of a tension in the relationship because of the bitterness about the debate of going to war itself, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, John King in Paris, thanks very much. The two leaders having dinner this evening and to join 15 other world leaders tomorrow in Normandy.

Stay with CNN for extensive coverage of D-Day remembrances and for two special programs on Sunday right here on CNN at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. "People In The News" presents "D-Day: A Call to Courage" and at 8:00 Eastern CNN presents "Warsaw Rising the Forgotten Soldiers of World War II".

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Smarty Jones runs for the Triple Crown in four hours. Hoping to become the first horse to win it since Affirmed, back in 1978. Sports Correspondent Josie Burke is in Elmont, New York for the Belmont Stakes.

They have had a great time with some of the other preliminary races so far, right?

JOSIE BURKE, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Actually, Fredricka, we talked earlier about the fact that there might be some rain today and really hasn't been too bad. You can see a couple drops falling right now.

The crowd really starting to build and because it hasn't been too much rain there's a very good chance they could break an attendance record here at Belmont Park. The record right now is just over 103,000. We could see even more than that today. Just about all of them you get the feeling are rooting for Smarty Jones.

The trainer of the horse, John Servis, said he has gotten letters from around the world people saying that they are behind Smarty Jones. They really want to see a Triple Crown winner. Everywhere you go it seems this is a horse who really seems to have captured the imagination of this country.

The owners of the horse, Pat and Roy Chapman, gave their explanation as to why they think Smarty Jones has struck a nerve.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PAT CHAPMAN, SMARTY JONES' OWNER: He's a survivor. I think, you know, that's attractive to a lot of us.

ROY CHAPMAN, SMARTY JONES' OWNER: He's a blue collar horse.

P. CHAPMAN: That's the other thing!

R. CHAPMAN: That's what I think. He's a blue collar horse.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURKE: And in Philadelphia, Smarty Jones' hometown, it seems like the entire city there has jumped on the Smarty bandwagon. To Roy Chapman that is comforting and also a little bit worrisome at the same time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

R. CHAPMAN: That's worrying me more than anything. I just don't want to disappoint the people of Philadelphia, because there are just so many people that are looking for a winner. You know, and this could be the chance. They adopted him. You've seen the people; they went crazy. They run him around the ring one time, and like on a Saturday, I bet 8,500 people watching him just walk around the ring.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BURKE: If Smarty Jones is able to win today, he will have accomplished what many people believe is the most difficult feat in all of sports. That's the Triple Crown. You have to race three times over five weeks, three different places, three different distances. And if a horse is going to begin to show some wear and tear it's here at the Belmont. This is the longest race, a mile and a half.

But the trainer of Smarty Jones says his horse isn't looking physically worn down at all. In fact, it's just the opposite. Servis says Smarty Jones has actually put on weight since the Preakness. Fredricka, there's a chance then that he could actually be getting stronger at this point. That would really be something unusual -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: So, the hope is that weight gain is all muscle.

Josie Burke --

BURKE: He's a big eater, though.

WHITFIELD: OK, well, that's always a good sign. We'll find out at the finish line today.

Josie Burke in Elmont, New York. Thanks very much.

WHITFIELD: Well President Bush is dominating the world stage in Europe this weekend, that leaves only a tiny section of the spotlight for John Kerry. Let's talk to Ron Brownstein, CNN political analyst and columnist for "The Los Angeles Times". He's been following the Kerry campaign this week. He joins us from Minneapolis.

Before we talk about Kerry, let's talk a little bit about President Bush. In Europe right now, specifically, Ron, in France. We saw the press conference between he and President Jacques Chirac still a whole lot of room to be worked at, to try to get these two to see eye-to-eye on Iraq.

But do you believe that the Bush campaign, thought realistically Bush face time might really might change the relationship between them, in terms of Iraq?

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well I think they feel that this entire month, which begins with this trip to Europe, continues with the world leaders coming to Sea Island, Georgia, for the G8 meeting, and then another trip to Europe for the EU summit and a NATO summit. This entire month offers the president an opportunity to open what presidents often get to do in a presidential race, the kind of stature gap, by associating himself with world leaders.

Obviously this is a stage John Kerry can't follow him. On the other hand there is risk for the president in this month because, as you know, the central critique of the Democrats against President Bush's foreign policy is the argument his approach to the world has driven away traditional allies and left us bearing too much of the financial and military burden in Iraq.

John Kerry has already signaled if we get to the end of this month, this kind of steeplechase of meetings, and we don't have hard and fast commitment for troops on the ground and other assistance from NATO and other allies, he's going to be making the case that the president's diplomacy has failed.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk a little bit more about those risks, then that you are talking about. Before France there was Italy, and we know President Bush got a warm reception from Berlusconi. However, the Italian protesters seemed to be getting a whole lot of attention there.

There's also some wondering about the picture opportunity between President Bush and the Pope. Was that really a mistake? I understand the Bush campaign really wants to court the Catholic vote, but not everyone could really understand what was being said, pictures say a lot more than the verbal exchange between the two, don't they?

BROWNTSTEIN: Well, it never hurts for American political candidate to have their picture taken with the Pope. On the other hand, there are two reasons why it may not be an overwhelming advantage for President Bush in this election. First, Catholics are a very divided vote in the U.S. and the line of division really is religious practice.

If you look back at 2000, the polling shows the Catholics who attended church regularly, three-fifths of them, about, voted for President Bush. Those that did not attend regularly about three-fifths voted for Al Gore. Polls in 2004 show the same divide, which suggests to me most of the people likely to be influenced by a picture of the president with the Pope are already in his corner. And of course, the other factor, Fredricka, the Pope is not onboard with the war in Iraq. That was clear again yesterday. So it's not an unmitigated benefit for the president.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it seemed like a real big gamble.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk now about Kerry, you traveled with his camp for quite awhile. What were your observations about what the Kerry camp is trying to do, particularly, as you touched on a moment ago, he's competing with Bush on the world stage.

BROWNSTEIN: While Bush is dominating the world stage John Kerry has chosen, not coincidentally, to focus on national security himself. He's at the tail end now of an is 11-day sequence, in which he delivered three speeches and kept the focus on national security throughout.

Interestingly, he did not, I think, look to draw a sharp line of distinction with the president over this period as he has earlier in the campaign. One Democrat said, I think quite accurately, this was more about reassurance than differentiation. More about trying to make the case for his own credentials as commander in chief and less about trying to tarnish the president.

Many of the ideas that John Kerry put out over the last 11 days, increasing the size of the military, more attention to nuclear or bioterrorism, those kinds of ideas were almost non-ideological. They were intent to demonstrate competence (ph), trying to make the case the country can trust him to run national security and be commander- in-chief.

WHITFIELD: The economy is something John Kerry is not overlooking, particularly we're talking about the third consecutive month of encouraging numbers in the job picture. Last month, 248,000 more jobs. However, Kerry said, quote, "Any step towards the job market is good news for the workers, but America is still in the worst job recovery since the Great Depression with 1.9 million private sector jobs lost in the Bush presidency."

However, do you think that message is getting lost?

BROWNSTEIN: I think historically most political scientists believe it's the trend in the months before the election, more than the absolute overall record. Kerry is right and that even if the job growth continues to be robust, President Bush is going to be, at best, around even in terms of the four years, but this last few months is a strong positive for him.

The problem he has is that historically there is a lag between voters' perception of the economy and what is happening in the economy. And they think -- the White House, that it has been compounded by the gloom over Iraq. That made it tougher for them to break through this positive message. Their hope is if things calm down in Iraq they will get a double benefit from Iraq itself and perhaps more focus on the good economic news. WHITFIELD: Ron Brownstein on "The L.A. Times" but in Minneapolis. Thanks very much for joining us. Always good talking to you.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: More news in a moment.

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