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Interview with Congressman J.D. Hayworth, Congressman Marion Berry

Aired September 17, 2003 - 15:16   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.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: The announcement of Wesley Clark, that he's getting into the presidential campaign, already making waves back in Washington.
Joining me now, two members of Congress with presumably very different views on Wesley Clark. Joining us from Capitol Hill, Republican J.D. Hayworth of Arizona. And with me here in Little Rock, Representative Marion Berry of Arkansas, who just spoke a moment ago.

Gentlemen, thank you, first.

And to you first, Congressman Hayworth.

We're told by our own Jon Karl that it may be just in the next few days that General Clark already has 30 or perhaps even 40 members of Congress endorsing his campaign. If that's the case, for somebody getting in so late, doesn't that automatically give him some legitimacy?

REP. J.D. HAYWORTH (R), ARIZONA: Well, I think in terms of strategy, let me tell you that General Clark executed superbly.

We wondered what he was waiting for. He waited until John Edwards was going to announce yesterday and stole Senator Edwards' thunder, as it was, and now with his announcement today. Of course, there are members of Congress, like Marion Berry from Arkansas and others, who really right now, with a list of candidates, may not feel that they have a place to go. So I would think he would do well there.

The problem, Judy, is this, I think, for General Clark. As you take a look at the nominating process and the primary process, the activists tend to control it. Some would say the Bush haters and the folks who really come from that perspective seem to be on fire for Howard Dean. I don't know if this will stem the Dean tide. But I have no doubt he'll pick up some support from members of Congress.

Of course, if people are looking for strong foreign policy and a decisive commander in chief, we already have one in George W. Bush.

WOODRUFF: Well, Congressman Berry, obviously, you're going to disagree with that last part. But what about Howard Dean, raising a lot of money, maybe raising $15 million in this third quarter? How in the world does General Clark catch up with the money the other candidates have? REP. MARION BERRY (D), ARKANSAS: Judy, for the last two months, we have just had an extraordinary outpouring of interest in General Clark's candidacy.

We have got people all over the country that are ready to raise money. We've got people that just can't wait to get started. And all they were waiting on was for the general to do what he did today. I'm satisfied that, with the Democrats around the country that realize that the country's in serious trouble -- we're headed down the wrong path. We have a horrible economic situation. We have a president that doesn't understand the difference between a sound bite and a solution.

And he doesn't understand what losing three million jobs means. And so the general does understand that. And these Democratic activists that are going to support General Clark know that. And they're going to support him because of that.

WOODRUFF: Congressman Hayworth, what about the whole issue of security? Wesley Clark says that that is going to be the main issue of this campaign, and that he is uniquely qualified, 35 years in the military, commander of NATO, somebody with a distinguished career in Vietnam. Isn't that something that is going to stand him in good stead in this campaign?

HAYWORTH: Well, it may.

But, of course, what happens is, you move beyond the resume. You take a look at the record. The unfortunate thing for General Clark was that he was dismissed as NATO commander over what transpired in the Balkans. And he was dismissed by a fellow Arkansan in Bill Clinton, and then Secretary of Defense Bill Cohen as well. So that is a blot on the resume he'll have to deal with.

Aside from the passing insults dealing with the economy that Marion just alluded to -- so much more civility in this campaign -- I think it's important that, when questioned about domestic policy, General Clark said he had to get up to speed on the issues. Now, presumably, he's a guy with an impressive resume, a Rhodes Scholar. I five it interesting that, as a candidate, he has to have essentially on-the-job training when it comes to domestic policy, aside from the insults bandied about the economy.

That will be a challenge for General Clark and for guys like Marion Berry who support him.

WOODRUFF: All right, Congressman Berry, what about the first point he made, that General Clark was dismissed as NATO commander under President Clinton?

BERRY: General Clark, I think, would tell you himself that he was dismissed. And I think that's -- it's a matter of public record.

But I can tell you this. General Wesley Clark will happily compare records with George W. Bush. And when we do that, there is absolutely no comparison to be made. We've got a president that has a failed economy. He took the most successful economy in the history of the world and dropped it off a cliff.

(CROSSTALK)

HAYWORTH: Apparently, Marion hasn't heard of 9/11.

(CROSSTALK)

BERRY: We have a president that just simply doesn't understand that renaming an undersecretary of commerce doesn't replace three million manufacturing jobs.

HAYWORTH: You've heard of something called September 11, Marion?

BERRY: We will happily compare records with General Wesley Clark and George W. Bush.

WOODRUFF: Gentlemen, much, much more to talk about. And we will have opportunities, I know, down the road to do that.

I just want to thank you now.

HAYWORTH: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Congressman Hayworth joining us from Washington, Congressman Berry here in Arkansas.

HAYWORTH: Marion, you're missing votes. See you now.

Thank you, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Gentlemen, thank you both.

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





Marion Berry>


Aired September 17, 2003 - 15:16   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: The announcement of Wesley Clark, that he's getting into the presidential campaign, already making waves back in Washington.
Joining me now, two members of Congress with presumably very different views on Wesley Clark. Joining us from Capitol Hill, Republican J.D. Hayworth of Arizona. And with me here in Little Rock, Representative Marion Berry of Arkansas, who just spoke a moment ago.

Gentlemen, thank you, first.

And to you first, Congressman Hayworth.

We're told by our own Jon Karl that it may be just in the next few days that General Clark already has 30 or perhaps even 40 members of Congress endorsing his campaign. If that's the case, for somebody getting in so late, doesn't that automatically give him some legitimacy?

REP. J.D. HAYWORTH (R), ARIZONA: Well, I think in terms of strategy, let me tell you that General Clark executed superbly.

We wondered what he was waiting for. He waited until John Edwards was going to announce yesterday and stole Senator Edwards' thunder, as it was, and now with his announcement today. Of course, there are members of Congress, like Marion Berry from Arkansas and others, who really right now, with a list of candidates, may not feel that they have a place to go. So I would think he would do well there.

The problem, Judy, is this, I think, for General Clark. As you take a look at the nominating process and the primary process, the activists tend to control it. Some would say the Bush haters and the folks who really come from that perspective seem to be on fire for Howard Dean. I don't know if this will stem the Dean tide. But I have no doubt he'll pick up some support from members of Congress.

Of course, if people are looking for strong foreign policy and a decisive commander in chief, we already have one in George W. Bush.

WOODRUFF: Well, Congressman Berry, obviously, you're going to disagree with that last part. But what about Howard Dean, raising a lot of money, maybe raising $15 million in this third quarter? How in the world does General Clark catch up with the money the other candidates have? REP. MARION BERRY (D), ARKANSAS: Judy, for the last two months, we have just had an extraordinary outpouring of interest in General Clark's candidacy.

We have got people all over the country that are ready to raise money. We've got people that just can't wait to get started. And all they were waiting on was for the general to do what he did today. I'm satisfied that, with the Democrats around the country that realize that the country's in serious trouble -- we're headed down the wrong path. We have a horrible economic situation. We have a president that doesn't understand the difference between a sound bite and a solution.

And he doesn't understand what losing three million jobs means. And so the general does understand that. And these Democratic activists that are going to support General Clark know that. And they're going to support him because of that.

WOODRUFF: Congressman Hayworth, what about the whole issue of security? Wesley Clark says that that is going to be the main issue of this campaign, and that he is uniquely qualified, 35 years in the military, commander of NATO, somebody with a distinguished career in Vietnam. Isn't that something that is going to stand him in good stead in this campaign?

HAYWORTH: Well, it may.

But, of course, what happens is, you move beyond the resume. You take a look at the record. The unfortunate thing for General Clark was that he was dismissed as NATO commander over what transpired in the Balkans. And he was dismissed by a fellow Arkansan in Bill Clinton, and then Secretary of Defense Bill Cohen as well. So that is a blot on the resume he'll have to deal with.

Aside from the passing insults dealing with the economy that Marion just alluded to -- so much more civility in this campaign -- I think it's important that, when questioned about domestic policy, General Clark said he had to get up to speed on the issues. Now, presumably, he's a guy with an impressive resume, a Rhodes Scholar. I five it interesting that, as a candidate, he has to have essentially on-the-job training when it comes to domestic policy, aside from the insults bandied about the economy.

That will be a challenge for General Clark and for guys like Marion Berry who support him.

WOODRUFF: All right, Congressman Berry, what about the first point he made, that General Clark was dismissed as NATO commander under President Clinton?

BERRY: General Clark, I think, would tell you himself that he was dismissed. And I think that's -- it's a matter of public record.

But I can tell you this. General Wesley Clark will happily compare records with George W. Bush. And when we do that, there is absolutely no comparison to be made. We've got a president that has a failed economy. He took the most successful economy in the history of the world and dropped it off a cliff.

(CROSSTALK)

HAYWORTH: Apparently, Marion hasn't heard of 9/11.

(CROSSTALK)

BERRY: We have a president that just simply doesn't understand that renaming an undersecretary of commerce doesn't replace three million manufacturing jobs.

HAYWORTH: You've heard of something called September 11, Marion?

BERRY: We will happily compare records with General Wesley Clark and George W. Bush.

WOODRUFF: Gentlemen, much, much more to talk about. And we will have opportunities, I know, down the road to do that.

I just want to thank you now.

HAYWORTH: Thank you.

WOODRUFF: Congressman Hayworth joining us from Washington, Congressman Berry here in Arkansas.

HAYWORTH: Marion, you're missing votes. See you now.

Thank you, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Gentlemen, thank you both.

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





Marion Berry>