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CNN Live At Daybreak
Among Democratic Presidential Candidates, Intense Political Infighting
Aired December 19, 2003 - 05:20 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: One day at a time, that's what the Democratic presidential candidates might be thinking as they count down the days to the Iowa caucus, which is now just about a month away. And it seems the closer the caucuses get, the more intense the political infighting.
Our Kelly Wallace has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Governor Howard Dean, under attack from his Democratic rivals, fired back.
DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For four days, the Washington politics as usual club have taken every opportunity for attacks on me and my campaign that go far beyond questioning my position on the war. So now it's time for the truth.
WALLACE: A feisty Dean in Manchester, New Hampshire defends his position that American security has not improved with the capture of Saddam Hussein and ups the ante with this.
DEAN: We are no safer today than we were the day the planes struck the World Trade Center.
WALLACE: Dean was not alone. Another Democratic candidate, Retired General Wesley Clark, accused the Bush administration of ignoring the al Qaeda threat for the first nine months in office.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's very clear to me as a former military leader that he didn't act properly in accordance with the information he'd received.
WALLACE: For Dean, the push back came after some of his Democratic opponents who supported the war stepped up their verbal assault, sensing an opportunity to slow down the front runner's momentum.
DEAN: And I thought, you know, I'm not one to take stuff like that lying down. So I thought it was about time. I'd given them four days of rest but hoped they'd turn a little more statesmanlike. But after a while, I just get tired of all that Washington stuff so I thought I'd better say something back.
WALLACE (on camera): But there is a risk to Governor Dean for going on the counterattack. He could be accused of doing just what he says his Democratic rivals have been doing to him.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Manchester, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Political Infighting>
Aired December 19, 2003 - 05:20 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: One day at a time, that's what the Democratic presidential candidates might be thinking as they count down the days to the Iowa caucus, which is now just about a month away. And it seems the closer the caucuses get, the more intense the political infighting.
Our Kelly Wallace has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Governor Howard Dean, under attack from his Democratic rivals, fired back.
DR. HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For four days, the Washington politics as usual club have taken every opportunity for attacks on me and my campaign that go far beyond questioning my position on the war. So now it's time for the truth.
WALLACE: A feisty Dean in Manchester, New Hampshire defends his position that American security has not improved with the capture of Saddam Hussein and ups the ante with this.
DEAN: We are no safer today than we were the day the planes struck the World Trade Center.
WALLACE: Dean was not alone. Another Democratic candidate, Retired General Wesley Clark, accused the Bush administration of ignoring the al Qaeda threat for the first nine months in office.
GEN. WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's very clear to me as a former military leader that he didn't act properly in accordance with the information he'd received.
WALLACE: For Dean, the push back came after some of his Democratic opponents who supported the war stepped up their verbal assault, sensing an opportunity to slow down the front runner's momentum.
DEAN: And I thought, you know, I'm not one to take stuff like that lying down. So I thought it was about time. I'd given them four days of rest but hoped they'd turn a little more statesmanlike. But after a while, I just get tired of all that Washington stuff so I thought I'd better say something back.
WALLACE (on camera): But there is a risk to Governor Dean for going on the counterattack. He could be accused of doing just what he says his Democratic rivals have been doing to him.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, Manchester, New Hampshire.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Political Infighting>
