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Wellstone Memorial Turns Into Political Rally

Aired October 30, 2002 - 14:31   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.


MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: In less than a week, Americans will head to the polls to decide which party will control the Senate. In Minnesota, Walter Mondale is expected to be the new name on the ballot replacing the late Senator Paul Wellstone. CNN's Bob Franken is in Minneapolis with the latest of this tragic and, yet, political story -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Probably political should be up front at this particular juncture. Behind me is the state theater in downtown Minneapolis, where tonight there will be what amounts to a coronation of Walter Mondale, the former vice president, who hasn't run for office since 1984.

He is going to become the candidate. He's already indicated in a letter that he will accept when he is nominated, and he will be speaking later this evening before he officially enters the race tomorrow.

But there is quite a bit of bad feeling right now, at least professed bad feelings, on the part of Republicans, at the memorial for Paul Wellstone last night, which they say was less a memorial at the Williams Arena here, and more a boisterous political rally, that in fact requires equal time from the television stations that carried it statewide.

In fact, was there a huge amount of political rhetoric. Former President Bill Clinton was there, along with his wife, the Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a variety of other Democratic officials. And the crowd booed not only the Minority Leader Trent Lott, but the governor, the Independent, Jessie Ventura.

Now, Ventura has the power to appoint a temporary replacement. And he's a little bit upset about that right now. In fact, he's quite upset at the conduct of the rally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JESSE VENTURA (I), MINNESOTA: I feel used. I feel violated and duped, over the fact that that turned into nothing more than a political rally. And, like in the case of Senator Lott flying all the way up here and being booed, when he's supposed to be going to a memorial service, I think the Democrats should hang their head in shame.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: As a matter of fact, the Democrats are holding a news conference to say that they're a bit sheepish about the way that it turned out.

As for the requests for equal time, television stations are indicating that it will be pretty much made up when they cover President Bush's appearance on behalf of the Republican candidate, Norm Coleman.

As far as the polls are concerned, Marty, right now they show Mondale leading Coleman. Mondale, who is still the non-candidate, at least officially.

SAVIDGE: Not bad for a man who hasn't really started his campaign, as you point out. Bob Franken, reporting live from Minnesota, thank you.

Joining us now to talk about Minnesota, as well as other key races and issues, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider. Bill, thanks very much for being with us.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure, Martin.

SAVIDGE: What about this flap, if we can call it that, over the Wellstone memorial? How serious is it and how bad did things get?

SCHNEIDER: It could be very serious, because the Democrats are not only embarrassed, the Republicans are enraged by what became a political rally instead of a memorial service, embarrassing their own majority leader.

Imagine if Dick Cheney had been there? He got disinvited. I think this could have repercussions at the polls. Yesterday I would have said Walter Mondale probably was going to hold this seat for the Democrats. Today, I've got to tell you, I'm not so sure.

SAVIDGE: All right, well, let's broaden out the look at the election across the nation now. The big issues for Americans, as they head to the polls. What about the economy? And who is hurt or helped by the state of the economy now?

SCHNEIDER: What we're seeing is, the economy is becoming a mounting anxiety for most Americans. It's becoming the dominant concern as they head to the polls. And it ought to be helping the party out of the White House, which is the Democrats. In most years, it would.

But it's not helping Democrats as much as you might think it would because, No. 1, people don't necessarily blame President Bush and the Republicans for the poor economy. They think a lot of it has to do with September 11.

The Democrats have had trouble getting their message out. There's a question exactly what the Democrats' message is on the economy. They don't want to talk about rescinding or modifying President Bush's tax cut. So what do they have to say?

So it's not clear that the economy is going to help Democrats as much as they hoped it would. SAVIDGE: Another issue looming on the international scene, and that's, of course, the question of conflict with Iraq. How is that playing in the mix here?

SCHNEIDER: That was supposed to help Republicans. A lot of people said Bush was being very cynical, pushing the war with Iraq. Why now, Democrats asked. And they said the answer is, because there's a campaign coming and he wants that issue to crowd out all the other issues. And in fact, on national security matters, the Republicans are more widely trusted.

But, as the president has talked more and more since Labor Day about a war with Iraq, he hasn't just rallied the public to support him, he's also created a lot of war anxiety. And that is helping Democrats. So the war issue is not paying off for the Republicans any more than the economy is paying off for Democrats.

SAVIDGE: One more issue, and that's the state of Florida. Jeb Bush in a very close race. And yesterday, literally he has a political hot potato land on his doorstep.

SCHNEIDER: Absolutely. Two days ago I would have said, Jeb Bush looks likely to be reelected in Florida. Now, just like in Minnesota, I'm not so sure.

This Haitian boat crisis has created a real crossfire for him. He's in between three different groups: the Haitians, who demand that they be treated the same way Cuban refugees are treated, the Cubans, who are against that and want special status, and the rest of Florida, who are enraged that these refugees keep coming.

And the president, his brother, can't seem to do anything about it. He's right in the middle of that debate.

SAVIDGE: And, you know, that's that's what makes politics so doggone interesting. Thank you, Bill Schneider. We appreciate it.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.






Aired October 30, 2002 - 14:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: In less than a week, Americans will head to the polls to decide which party will control the Senate. In Minnesota, Walter Mondale is expected to be the new name on the ballot replacing the late Senator Paul Wellstone. CNN's Bob Franken is in Minneapolis with the latest of this tragic and, yet, political story -- Bob.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Probably political should be up front at this particular juncture. Behind me is the state theater in downtown Minneapolis, where tonight there will be what amounts to a coronation of Walter Mondale, the former vice president, who hasn't run for office since 1984.

He is going to become the candidate. He's already indicated in a letter that he will accept when he is nominated, and he will be speaking later this evening before he officially enters the race tomorrow.

But there is quite a bit of bad feeling right now, at least professed bad feelings, on the part of Republicans, at the memorial for Paul Wellstone last night, which they say was less a memorial at the Williams Arena here, and more a boisterous political rally, that in fact requires equal time from the television stations that carried it statewide.

In fact, was there a huge amount of political rhetoric. Former President Bill Clinton was there, along with his wife, the Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a variety of other Democratic officials. And the crowd booed not only the Minority Leader Trent Lott, but the governor, the Independent, Jessie Ventura.

Now, Ventura has the power to appoint a temporary replacement. And he's a little bit upset about that right now. In fact, he's quite upset at the conduct of the rally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JESSE VENTURA (I), MINNESOTA: I feel used. I feel violated and duped, over the fact that that turned into nothing more than a political rally. And, like in the case of Senator Lott flying all the way up here and being booed, when he's supposed to be going to a memorial service, I think the Democrats should hang their head in shame.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: As a matter of fact, the Democrats are holding a news conference to say that they're a bit sheepish about the way that it turned out.

As for the requests for equal time, television stations are indicating that it will be pretty much made up when they cover President Bush's appearance on behalf of the Republican candidate, Norm Coleman.

As far as the polls are concerned, Marty, right now they show Mondale leading Coleman. Mondale, who is still the non-candidate, at least officially.

SAVIDGE: Not bad for a man who hasn't really started his campaign, as you point out. Bob Franken, reporting live from Minnesota, thank you.

Joining us now to talk about Minnesota, as well as other key races and issues, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider. Bill, thanks very much for being with us.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Sure, Martin.

SAVIDGE: What about this flap, if we can call it that, over the Wellstone memorial? How serious is it and how bad did things get?

SCHNEIDER: It could be very serious, because the Democrats are not only embarrassed, the Republicans are enraged by what became a political rally instead of a memorial service, embarrassing their own majority leader.

Imagine if Dick Cheney had been there? He got disinvited. I think this could have repercussions at the polls. Yesterday I would have said Walter Mondale probably was going to hold this seat for the Democrats. Today, I've got to tell you, I'm not so sure.

SAVIDGE: All right, well, let's broaden out the look at the election across the nation now. The big issues for Americans, as they head to the polls. What about the economy? And who is hurt or helped by the state of the economy now?

SCHNEIDER: What we're seeing is, the economy is becoming a mounting anxiety for most Americans. It's becoming the dominant concern as they head to the polls. And it ought to be helping the party out of the White House, which is the Democrats. In most years, it would.

But it's not helping Democrats as much as you might think it would because, No. 1, people don't necessarily blame President Bush and the Republicans for the poor economy. They think a lot of it has to do with September 11.

The Democrats have had trouble getting their message out. There's a question exactly what the Democrats' message is on the economy. They don't want to talk about rescinding or modifying President Bush's tax cut. So what do they have to say?

So it's not clear that the economy is going to help Democrats as much as they hoped it would. SAVIDGE: Another issue looming on the international scene, and that's, of course, the question of conflict with Iraq. How is that playing in the mix here?

SCHNEIDER: That was supposed to help Republicans. A lot of people said Bush was being very cynical, pushing the war with Iraq. Why now, Democrats asked. And they said the answer is, because there's a campaign coming and he wants that issue to crowd out all the other issues. And in fact, on national security matters, the Republicans are more widely trusted.

But, as the president has talked more and more since Labor Day about a war with Iraq, he hasn't just rallied the public to support him, he's also created a lot of war anxiety. And that is helping Democrats. So the war issue is not paying off for the Republicans any more than the economy is paying off for Democrats.

SAVIDGE: One more issue, and that's the state of Florida. Jeb Bush in a very close race. And yesterday, literally he has a political hot potato land on his doorstep.

SCHNEIDER: Absolutely. Two days ago I would have said, Jeb Bush looks likely to be reelected in Florida. Now, just like in Minnesota, I'm not so sure.

This Haitian boat crisis has created a real crossfire for him. He's in between three different groups: the Haitians, who demand that they be treated the same way Cuban refugees are treated, the Cubans, who are against that and want special status, and the rest of Florida, who are enraged that these refugees keep coming.

And the president, his brother, can't seem to do anything about it. He's right in the middle of that debate.

SAVIDGE: And, you know, that's that's what makes politics so doggone interesting. Thank you, Bill Schneider. We appreciate it.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.