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CNN Live At Daybreak

Congressman William Kennedy Smith?

Aired July 30, 2001 - 07:16   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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: This is probably what a lot of you know about William Kennedy Smith. Back in 1991, he was a medical student on trial for rape. He was acquitted, but that's not exactly the stuff of campaign posters. So how likely is it that Dr. Kennedy Smith could become a congressman -- Congressman Kennedy Smith?

Well, Lynn Sweet is the Washington bureau chief for the "Chicago Sun-Times," which is breaking this story.

Good morning, Lynn.

LYNN SWEET, "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES": Good morning.

LIN: So, what is this about William Kennedy Smith running for Congress?

SWEET: Well, he has kept it very quiet in Chicago. And until a few days ago, no one knew that he had any political ambitions in this city that he came to after the rape trial. He lives on -- he lives a quiet life, anonymous except for the work that he has been doing that people know about in his work to help the victims of land mines.

However, he has got the Kennedy name. And it's somewhere in his genes, I guess, to be interested in political office.

There is a rare open congressional seat in the North Side of Chicago, where he lives. And he has been quietly looking around, talking to political advisers, and even going so far as to conduct a focus group, where he talked to people...

LIN: Lynn...

SWEET: ... to find out about his -- whether he could surmount his biggest political liability.

LIN: Lynn, I want to get to that. But let's address that political liability first and foremost.

I mean, the last image that I had of William Kennedy Smith, he was sitting in a courtroom. And the entire nation was involved in this saga of exactly what happened on the beach that night. I mean, he, you know, there were all kinds of sordid testimony. And that is the picture that many Americans have of William Kennedy Smith. So what -- why would he want to run for office? Why would he want to regurgitate all of that, and wouldn't that be fodder for his opponent?

SWEET: Well, people that I have talked to think that he wanted to test the notion that he could defeat conventional wisdom, and that people do get a second chance. And that's one of the reasons in the focus group they were head on in discussing, you know, the trial.

What was very interesting in this group is that they also showed a videotape of Smith dealing with his work in land mines in a sense saying, you know what? Ten years have gone by, this man has another and new story to tell. You can't forget the past, but you have to give him some credit for what he has done since then. And that's part of what he is trying to figure out -- if people will in fact give him that second chance.

LIN: Did they talk to women in these focus groups?

SWEET: They talked to the people -- the two women I interviewed were part of the female focus group. There was also a male focus group too. And they, you know, usually do tests by gender.

You know, clearly, in this one, the reaction of women is very important, because if you think that he has any chance, he has to be able to get past the idea that people think that he can't run for office because of the trial.

One of the things that you do by, you know, testing and talking to people is figuring out if people are willing to forgive.

LIN: So how did he do? How did he do, especially with the female focus group?

SWEET: Well, the two people I talked to said that, yes, sure, they recognized the Kennedy name once you explain it to them. After all, he does have the Smith. And everyone knew about the trial. He doesn't have to worry about name recognition. One interesting thing, the video they showed was almost so compelling, people -- the two people I talked to said he is so good in what he does, why would he want to go to Congress?

LIN: And have you found an answer in your own mind to that?

SWEET: Well, I think that when you have a sense that you come from a family in public service, and people who I have talked to who know him said that it's just something that you -- that he has been interested in.

And again, I think part of this is the circumstances. There aren't many open seats that come about. You know, it's a solid Democratic seat. Whoever gets it usually holds onto it. But the congressman who has it now is moving on to run for governor. But there is a history of people, you know, keeping the seat. This is the seat that a few years ago was held by Congressman Dan Rostenkowski. And the only reason that he left was because of the federal indictment at the time that was hanging over him.

So you know, if you look at how these Chicago seats go...

LIN: Right.

SWEET: ... once you get them you usually hold onto them. So if you're going to go at all, this is, you know, this is a chance.

LIN: Right.

SWEET: You know, other people have said maybe you could start at a lower office. But you know, this is what he is looking at now.

LIN: Well, this is going to be a race worth watching, if, in fact, he does decide to do it.

Thank you very much, Lynn Sweet, "Chicago Sun-Times."

SWEET: Thank you.

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