Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
"Inside Buzz" With Robert Novak
Aired October 03, 2003 - 15:23 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: Bob Novak is here, as he is every week, with some "Inside Buzz."
All right. What are you hearing about reaction to Arnold Schwarzenegger and this -- these allegation? How is it affecting his campaign?
ROBERT NOVAK, CNN CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Well, believe or not, the Schwarzenegger overnight tracking shows he is up 1.5 points. He now, according to their figures, leads Bustamante 42 percent to 28 percent, and in the recall, Gray Davis is down 54 to 38. Now, there's possibility that as the time goes on, that this could have a reverse effect. But the immediate effect, and that's confirmed by one public poll, shows it has helped Schwarzenegger. They think it's unfair to come up with this kind of attack so late in the campaign.
WOODRUFF: Again, these are internal tracking polls in the Schwarzenegger campaign.
All right, moving on to the story you've been very aware of this week, and that is that the administration officials leaked the name a CIA operative to you and perhaps to other journalists.
First of all, you've got some information now about Joe Wilson the former ambassador. The money that he's...
NOVAK: I don't -- I think it's interesting, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) important. But I deal in interesting things a lot. Joe Wilson, the -- everybody knows he has given campaign contributions in 2000 to both Ford -- I mean to both Gore and to Bush. He gave twice as much to Gore, $2,000, $1,000 over the limit. The government -- the campaign had to give him back $1,000. That very day, according to his records, his wife, the CIA employee gave $1,000 to Gore, and she listed herself as an employee of Bruster, Jennings and Associates (ph).
There is there no such firm, I'm convinced. CIA people are not supposed to list themselves with fictitious firms if they're a deep cover. They're supposed to be real firms, or so I'm told. So it adds to the little mystery.
WOODRUFF: All right.
Separately from all that, we know the Justice Department is expanding the investigation. New e-mails sent out to the White House employees today. Have you, Bob Novak been contacted yet?
NOVAK: I'm going to give you an answer I don't think I ever give in my life. On advice of counsel, I am asked not to answer that question.
WOODRUFF: So you cannot say whether you have been contacted by investigators?
NOVAK: On the advice of my counsel.
WOODRUFF: All right. We will leave it there and duly noted.
Moving on, you've got some news about Tom Daschle maybe?
NOVAK: Yes, Last week, I am told, he got his gang on the Hill, his staff and supporters together, and said, Yes, he is definitely running for reelection. A lot of people thought he was going to. But there was a buzz that maybe he wouldn't, maybe he'd just pack it in. He is going to run. His people think that Congressman John Thune -- former Congressman John Thune, the Republican, will not run against him. He'd have it home free. I don't think Mr. Thune's has made up his mind yet one way or another.
WOODRUFF: South Dakota politics. We keep talking about it.
All right. Bob Novak, thanks very much for being here.
NOVAK: Nice to be here.
WOODRUFF: See you. Appreciate it.
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 3, 2003 - 15:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Bob Novak is here, as he is every week, with some "Inside Buzz."
All right. What are you hearing about reaction to Arnold Schwarzenegger and this -- these allegation? How is it affecting his campaign?
ROBERT NOVAK, CNN CO-HOST, "CROSSFIRE": Well, believe or not, the Schwarzenegger overnight tracking shows he is up 1.5 points. He now, according to their figures, leads Bustamante 42 percent to 28 percent, and in the recall, Gray Davis is down 54 to 38. Now, there's possibility that as the time goes on, that this could have a reverse effect. But the immediate effect, and that's confirmed by one public poll, shows it has helped Schwarzenegger. They think it's unfair to come up with this kind of attack so late in the campaign.
WOODRUFF: Again, these are internal tracking polls in the Schwarzenegger campaign.
All right, moving on to the story you've been very aware of this week, and that is that the administration officials leaked the name a CIA operative to you and perhaps to other journalists.
First of all, you've got some information now about Joe Wilson the former ambassador. The money that he's...
NOVAK: I don't -- I think it's interesting, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) important. But I deal in interesting things a lot. Joe Wilson, the -- everybody knows he has given campaign contributions in 2000 to both Ford -- I mean to both Gore and to Bush. He gave twice as much to Gore, $2,000, $1,000 over the limit. The government -- the campaign had to give him back $1,000. That very day, according to his records, his wife, the CIA employee gave $1,000 to Gore, and she listed herself as an employee of Bruster, Jennings and Associates (ph).
There is there no such firm, I'm convinced. CIA people are not supposed to list themselves with fictitious firms if they're a deep cover. They're supposed to be real firms, or so I'm told. So it adds to the little mystery.
WOODRUFF: All right.
Separately from all that, we know the Justice Department is expanding the investigation. New e-mails sent out to the White House employees today. Have you, Bob Novak been contacted yet?
NOVAK: I'm going to give you an answer I don't think I ever give in my life. On advice of counsel, I am asked not to answer that question.
WOODRUFF: So you cannot say whether you have been contacted by investigators?
NOVAK: On the advice of my counsel.
WOODRUFF: All right. We will leave it there and duly noted.
Moving on, you've got some news about Tom Daschle maybe?
NOVAK: Yes, Last week, I am told, he got his gang on the Hill, his staff and supporters together, and said, Yes, he is definitely running for reelection. A lot of people thought he was going to. But there was a buzz that maybe he wouldn't, maybe he'd just pack it in. He is going to run. His people think that Congressman John Thune -- former Congressman John Thune, the Republican, will not run against him. He'd have it home free. I don't think Mr. Thune's has made up his mind yet one way or another.
WOODRUFF: South Dakota politics. We keep talking about it.
All right. Bob Novak, thanks very much for being here.
NOVAK: Nice to be here.
WOODRUFF: See you. Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
