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President Stumps Nationwide for Party
Aired October 31, 2002 - 14:33 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: With Election Day now just a couple of days away, the campaigner in chief is back on the stump for congressional candidates in South Dakota, Indiana, West Virginia, if I'm not leaving out any.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is live this hour in South Bend, Indiana -- where else but at the airport.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Bush really hitting a lot of these states. Here in South Bend, Indiana, he is trying to help out congressional candidate Chris Chocola. But as you mentioned before, this is really the home stretch. This is a campaign blitz. The president is going to be hitting 15 states in five days. It's really a grueling schedule. The whole point of this is to make sure that Republicans seize control of both the House and the Senate. This is a critical -- the president visiting states where the races are really just too close to call.
Early today, President Bush was in South Dakota. The stakes could not be higher there. That is where Republican Representative John Thune, who was personally recruited by the president, is taking on Democratic Senator Tim Johnson. Republicans believe they may actually be able to win that coveted seat, to take control of the Senate, in that particular state. But the White House realizes now it's not about tax cuts, it's not about war talk, or even big money. Now it's about voter turnout.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That American spirit says loud and clear that we're willing to serve something greater than ourselves. We're willing to serve people in need. A community we love. And part of the American spirit is for our citizens to exercise their duty. And their duty is to cast a vote on November the 5th. You have a duty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: A victory in South Dakota would be especially sweet for Mr. Bush. This is the home state of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and the White House blames Daschle, as well as the Democratic Senate, for blocking much of the president's legislative agenda, including homeland security, permanent tax cuts and terrorism insurance. That is the reason that the Republicans, as well as the White House, defend the president's schedule. He has hit a record breaking fund-raising, some $140 million raised. And really, just dozens and dozens of campaign trips. Martin, just to give you a taste of what we're going to see in the couple days, the president -- check out this schedule -- hitting South Dakota, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. Just to name a few -- Martin.
MALVEAUX: Sounds like he'll be busy, and I imagine you will be too, right there with him.
Suzanne Malveaux, thank you very much for joining us.
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 October 31, 2002 - 14:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: With Election Day now just a couple of days away, the campaigner in chief is back on the stump for congressional candidates in South Dakota, Indiana, West Virginia, if I'm not leaving out any.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is live this hour in South Bend, Indiana -- where else but at the airport.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Bush really hitting a lot of these states. Here in South Bend, Indiana, he is trying to help out congressional candidate Chris Chocola. But as you mentioned before, this is really the home stretch. This is a campaign blitz. The president is going to be hitting 15 states in five days. It's really a grueling schedule. The whole point of this is to make sure that Republicans seize control of both the House and the Senate. This is a critical -- the president visiting states where the races are really just too close to call.
Early today, President Bush was in South Dakota. The stakes could not be higher there. That is where Republican Representative John Thune, who was personally recruited by the president, is taking on Democratic Senator Tim Johnson. Republicans believe they may actually be able to win that coveted seat, to take control of the Senate, in that particular state. But the White House realizes now it's not about tax cuts, it's not about war talk, or even big money. Now it's about voter turnout.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That American spirit says loud and clear that we're willing to serve something greater than ourselves. We're willing to serve people in need. A community we love. And part of the American spirit is for our citizens to exercise their duty. And their duty is to cast a vote on November the 5th. You have a duty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: A victory in South Dakota would be especially sweet for Mr. Bush. This is the home state of Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and the White House blames Daschle, as well as the Democratic Senate, for blocking much of the president's legislative agenda, including homeland security, permanent tax cuts and terrorism insurance. That is the reason that the Republicans, as well as the White House, defend the president's schedule. He has hit a record breaking fund-raising, some $140 million raised. And really, just dozens and dozens of campaign trips. Martin, just to give you a taste of what we're going to see in the couple days, the president -- check out this schedule -- hitting South Dakota, Indiana, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. Just to name a few -- Martin.
MALVEAUX: Sounds like he'll be busy, and I imagine you will be too, right there with him.
Suzanne Malveaux, thank you very much for joining us.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
