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Republicans Trying to Hold on to House Majority

Aired November 04, 2002 - 13:01   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: Republicans are trying to hold on to their House majority, and the latest CNN poll gives them the advantage. Right now, there are 208 Democrats, one independent, 223 Republicans and three vacant seats. The key Senate races just too close to predict. The Senate has 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans and, effective today, two independents.
Our John King is covering the president and his final day of campaigning, and our Bob Franken is covering a red-hot Senate race in the cool state of Minnesota.

First, though, to the White House and John King.

John, to follow the president these days, you need a stopwatch.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You need a stopwatch, Marty, and you need that Senate graphic you just showed. The president's focus in the final day mostly on the Senate race. The Republicans believe they have a slight opportunity here. The potential to not only protect their lead, their hold on the House of Representatives, but perhaps even to gain control of the Senate.

Mr. Bush, at this hour, in St. Charles, Missouri, I believe we have a live picture from that event, he took the stage just a few moments ago. That is the critical battleground in the state of Missouri. A very close race between the incumbent Democrat Jean Carnahan. Representative former Congressman Jim Talent is the Republican candidate. It is a neck-and-neck race, and where neck-and- neck races are decided in Missouri, is the suburban collar around St. Louis. That's where the president finds himself right now, making the case for Jim Talent.

This is stop two of four for the president today. He began his day in Iowa, then on to Missouri, where you see him now. He will go to Arkansas, another tough Senate race there. The Republicans in danger of losing a seat. Tim Hutchison in a close race with Mark Pryor, the son of the former senator and Governor David Pryor in the state of Arkansas. Pryor given the edge right now. Mr. Bush trying to generate Republican turnout when he stops in Arkansas later today.

The president ends his day at home in Texas, again, trying to defend the Republican Senate seat now held by Phil Gramm. Phil Gramm is retiring. The Texas Attorney General John Cornin (ph), the Republican, is favored in that race, but it is close enough that the president will be helping out in his home state on the final night of the campaign. Mr. Bush, as we noted, began in Iowa, there focusing, yes, there is a Senate race, but also on a tough race for the House of Representatives. Longtime Congressman Jim Leech is in a very tough race in eastern Iowa. Mr. Bush this morning, as he is at every stop today, putting his focus on turning out the vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Laura and I are here today to thank you for what you have done, and more importantly, thank you for what you're going to do, today and tomorrow, to get people to the polls, to turn them out, to not only encourage them to vote, but encourage them to vote for the right person. And don't be afraid talking to Democrats. There are some discerning Democrats who know the difference between lousy government and good government. And they want good government.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: And make sure you find those independent souls who are looking for good, honorable people. And there's nobody more honorable in this race than Jim Leech.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The president will vote early tomorrow morning in Crawford, Texas, and then back to Washington. Here at the White House, they'll watch the results, get a sense of the balance of power in Congress, the sense of the political climate, for his own two-year run-up to re-election -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: John King, the president is not up for election, obviously, but in a roundabout way, he is being voted as to how the job he's done so far.

KING: He is, and Republicans feel gratified, very satisfied about that. they believe the country has the lowest consumer confidence in about nine years. Many questions about the economy, and yet there is not a national wave against the president, if you will. The Republicans believe they will at least break even tomorrow, and they say that is a good barometer of this president's popularity. Also a barometer of how difficult it has been for the Democrats, because of all the discussion of the terrorist threat, all the discussion of potential war with Iraq, that the Democrats have not been able to break through. But Republicans also say the president better not come home cocky, he better get a message from this election that even if Republicans do fare well tomorrow, that he needs to convince the American people he's spending more time, more urgency, on the economy.

SAVIDGE: John King, live from the White House, keeping track of the movements of the president, not an easy thing to do these days. Minnesota's governor, Jesse Ventura, today appointed a fellow independent, Dean Barkley, to serve the remaining weeks of the late Paul Wellstone Senate term. And the two candidates for that Senate seat, held their first, and it's going to be their only debate. CNN's Bob Franken is live from St. Paul. Minnesota is the hot place to be these days, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is the hot place to be, at least politically. And given the fact that this was such a remarkable race, basically just a five-day confrontation between Walter Mondale, the former vice president, and Norman Coleman, who is the Republican candidate. This debate, with a state considered a tossup in every poll, this debate had huge significance, coming as it did the day before the election. And very quickly, each seems to have accomplished what he set out to do, each was claiming victory, Mondale, who is 74 years old, had to show people that he was, in fact, still energetic, was the one who was more aggressive in the debate.

Fifty-three-year-old Norman Coleman, the former mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, was the one who had to show that he could in fact keep his cool, and he was successful in this debate. There was, of course, in Minnesota, the tradition of keeping things polite. So there was not exactly any heavy-handed slugging it out, but there were some sparks that flew, on issues like abortion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NORM COLEMAN, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: But are you willing to find common ground, Mr. Vice President? On the issue of partial birth abortion, would you agree that that's...

(CROSSTALK)

WALTER MONDALE, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: I'm opposed to late-term abortion, but I also know that the Constitution says that you must protect the life and the health of the mother...

(CROSSTALK)

COLEMAN: So do you believe parents should be involved in those decisions, Mr. Vice President?

MONDALE: They should be involved, but it's their choice, and it's not a legal question.

You have been an arbitrary right-to-lifer. I am not, and that's one of the big, many issues that divide us ...

COLEMAN: Let me just...

MONDALE: And it's not tone...

COLEMAN: Let me just finish off on that issue, if I may, Mr. Vice President. And I would take exception, I'll use a kind word, to the description of an arbitrary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now each of the candidates will spend a long day and night on this last day and night of the campaign trying to eke out every vote each can, because it is that close. Meanwhile, the independent party Governor Jesse Ventura chose the beginning of the debate to hold his news conference, to announce that he had chosen Dean Barkley, a former Reform Party candidate, for Senate, to fill in the unexpired term of Paul Wellstone. There's some question about how long Barkley would serve. That's going to probably have to be hashed out, But it could be vital if there is a lame duck session. Barkley did not make it clear who he would side with the Republicans or the Democrats, when it came time to decide which party maintained the majority for that brief period of time, but there could be some significant issue that come up in that brief period of time.

Meanwhile, the election for the full six-year term begins in less than 24 hours. Still, anybody's ball game -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Bob Franken, thanks very much. Bob is live from St. Paul, Minnesota.

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 November 4, 2002 - 13:01   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Republicans are trying to hold on to their House majority, and the latest CNN poll gives them the advantage. Right now, there are 208 Democrats, one independent, 223 Republicans and three vacant seats. The key Senate races just too close to predict. The Senate has 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans and, effective today, two independents.
Our John King is covering the president and his final day of campaigning, and our Bob Franken is covering a red-hot Senate race in the cool state of Minnesota.

First, though, to the White House and John King.

John, to follow the president these days, you need a stopwatch.

JOHN KING, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You need a stopwatch, Marty, and you need that Senate graphic you just showed. The president's focus in the final day mostly on the Senate race. The Republicans believe they have a slight opportunity here. The potential to not only protect their lead, their hold on the House of Representatives, but perhaps even to gain control of the Senate.

Mr. Bush, at this hour, in St. Charles, Missouri, I believe we have a live picture from that event, he took the stage just a few moments ago. That is the critical battleground in the state of Missouri. A very close race between the incumbent Democrat Jean Carnahan. Representative former Congressman Jim Talent is the Republican candidate. It is a neck-and-neck race, and where neck-and- neck races are decided in Missouri, is the suburban collar around St. Louis. That's where the president finds himself right now, making the case for Jim Talent.

This is stop two of four for the president today. He began his day in Iowa, then on to Missouri, where you see him now. He will go to Arkansas, another tough Senate race there. The Republicans in danger of losing a seat. Tim Hutchison in a close race with Mark Pryor, the son of the former senator and Governor David Pryor in the state of Arkansas. Pryor given the edge right now. Mr. Bush trying to generate Republican turnout when he stops in Arkansas later today.

The president ends his day at home in Texas, again, trying to defend the Republican Senate seat now held by Phil Gramm. Phil Gramm is retiring. The Texas Attorney General John Cornin (ph), the Republican, is favored in that race, but it is close enough that the president will be helping out in his home state on the final night of the campaign. Mr. Bush, as we noted, began in Iowa, there focusing, yes, there is a Senate race, but also on a tough race for the House of Representatives. Longtime Congressman Jim Leech is in a very tough race in eastern Iowa. Mr. Bush this morning, as he is at every stop today, putting his focus on turning out the vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Laura and I are here today to thank you for what you have done, and more importantly, thank you for what you're going to do, today and tomorrow, to get people to the polls, to turn them out, to not only encourage them to vote, but encourage them to vote for the right person. And don't be afraid talking to Democrats. There are some discerning Democrats who know the difference between lousy government and good government. And they want good government.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: And make sure you find those independent souls who are looking for good, honorable people. And there's nobody more honorable in this race than Jim Leech.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The president will vote early tomorrow morning in Crawford, Texas, and then back to Washington. Here at the White House, they'll watch the results, get a sense of the balance of power in Congress, the sense of the political climate, for his own two-year run-up to re-election -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: John King, the president is not up for election, obviously, but in a roundabout way, he is being voted as to how the job he's done so far.

KING: He is, and Republicans feel gratified, very satisfied about that. they believe the country has the lowest consumer confidence in about nine years. Many questions about the economy, and yet there is not a national wave against the president, if you will. The Republicans believe they will at least break even tomorrow, and they say that is a good barometer of this president's popularity. Also a barometer of how difficult it has been for the Democrats, because of all the discussion of the terrorist threat, all the discussion of potential war with Iraq, that the Democrats have not been able to break through. But Republicans also say the president better not come home cocky, he better get a message from this election that even if Republicans do fare well tomorrow, that he needs to convince the American people he's spending more time, more urgency, on the economy.

SAVIDGE: John King, live from the White House, keeping track of the movements of the president, not an easy thing to do these days. Minnesota's governor, Jesse Ventura, today appointed a fellow independent, Dean Barkley, to serve the remaining weeks of the late Paul Wellstone Senate term. And the two candidates for that Senate seat, held their first, and it's going to be their only debate. CNN's Bob Franken is live from St. Paul. Minnesota is the hot place to be these days, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is the hot place to be, at least politically. And given the fact that this was such a remarkable race, basically just a five-day confrontation between Walter Mondale, the former vice president, and Norman Coleman, who is the Republican candidate. This debate, with a state considered a tossup in every poll, this debate had huge significance, coming as it did the day before the election. And very quickly, each seems to have accomplished what he set out to do, each was claiming victory, Mondale, who is 74 years old, had to show people that he was, in fact, still energetic, was the one who was more aggressive in the debate.

Fifty-three-year-old Norman Coleman, the former mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, was the one who had to show that he could in fact keep his cool, and he was successful in this debate. There was, of course, in Minnesota, the tradition of keeping things polite. So there was not exactly any heavy-handed slugging it out, but there were some sparks that flew, on issues like abortion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NORM COLEMAN, REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE: But are you willing to find common ground, Mr. Vice President? On the issue of partial birth abortion, would you agree that that's...

(CROSSTALK)

WALTER MONDALE, DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE: I'm opposed to late-term abortion, but I also know that the Constitution says that you must protect the life and the health of the mother...

(CROSSTALK)

COLEMAN: So do you believe parents should be involved in those decisions, Mr. Vice President?

MONDALE: They should be involved, but it's their choice, and it's not a legal question.

You have been an arbitrary right-to-lifer. I am not, and that's one of the big, many issues that divide us ...

COLEMAN: Let me just...

MONDALE: And it's not tone...

COLEMAN: Let me just finish off on that issue, if I may, Mr. Vice President. And I would take exception, I'll use a kind word, to the description of an arbitrary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now each of the candidates will spend a long day and night on this last day and night of the campaign trying to eke out every vote each can, because it is that close. Meanwhile, the independent party Governor Jesse Ventura chose the beginning of the debate to hold his news conference, to announce that he had chosen Dean Barkley, a former Reform Party candidate, for Senate, to fill in the unexpired term of Paul Wellstone. There's some question about how long Barkley would serve. That's going to probably have to be hashed out, But it could be vital if there is a lame duck session. Barkley did not make it clear who he would side with the Republicans or the Democrats, when it came time to decide which party maintained the majority for that brief period of time, but there could be some significant issue that come up in that brief period of time.

Meanwhile, the election for the full six-year term begins in less than 24 hours. Still, anybody's ball game -- Marty.

SAVIDGE: Bob Franken, thanks very much. Bob is live from St. Paul, Minnesota.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com