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Mississippi Showdown: The Race for Governor
Aired October 27, 2003 - 15:21 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: Vice President Cheney is in Mississippi today campaigning Republican gubernatorial candidate Haley Barbour. Cheney is the latest GOP bigwig to stump for the former RNC chairman. But incumbent Democrat Ronnie Musgrove is trying to use Barbour's Washington connections against him.
Our Bruce Morton has more on the November 4 contest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mississippi is old time, blues and civil rights marches. Back in 1940, its income was 36 percent of the national average, up to 72 percent by 1999.
Democratic Governor Ronnie Musgrove was a child during the civil rights days. He sees a state that's making progress.
GOV. RONNIE MUSGROVE (D), MISSISSIPPI: The choice is clear. A governor who's going to work for you or a Washington, D.C. multi millionaire lobbyist who's going to use his power and influence to work for them.
MORTON: That would be Haley Barbour, veteran of the Reagan White House, a former Republican National Committee chairman, and, yes, a lobbyist. He sees a state with problems and a liberal governor.
HALEY BARBOUR (R), MISSISSIPPI GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I actively supported George Bush for president. He endorsed Albert Gore.
MORTON: They disagree about jobs.
MUSGROVE: While the United States has lost over three million jobs over the last three years, we've attracted over 56,000 new jobs.
BARBOUR: Since he became governor, Mississippi has had a net loss of 37,000 jobs.
MORTON: They agree on taxes.
BARBOUR: I'm against raising anybody's taxes. I'm against raising the gambling tax. I'm against raising the gasoline tax. I'm against raising the cigarette tax, the whiskey tax.
MUSGROVE: We have not raised taxes, and I will not raise taxes.
MORTON: Gambling casinos are an important part of Mississippi's economy. One Musgrove ad accused Barbour, whose lobbied for tobacco companies, of poisoning children.
ANNOUNCER: Washington lobbyist Haley Barbour helped Mexico steal Mississippi jobs. And tobacco companies poison our kids.
MORTON: Several state newspapers and Barbour cried foul.
BARBOUR: I said, Ronnie, if you really believe this, defend it publicly. He didn't even try to defend it.
MORTON: It is the governor who stayed home versus the Washington pro who didn't. But Washington may not hurt Barbour.
STUART ROTHENBERG, ROTHENBERG POLITICAL REPORT: Is he saying he does know lots of people in Washington, he has connections in the administration and the corporate community? He's going to be able to come down to Jackson, to Mississippi, and bring those contacts and that expertise, that knowledge, with him to help the state create jobs.
MORTON: Turnout will probably decide it. Musgrove won by 9,000 votes last time, with a heavy African-American vote. But neither candidate got 50 percent since two lesser candidates split the vote and the state house, which was Democratic, decided it. This time, well, there are three other candidates. You never know.
Bruce Morton, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 27, 2003 - 15:21 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Vice President Cheney is in Mississippi today campaigning Republican gubernatorial candidate Haley Barbour. Cheney is the latest GOP bigwig to stump for the former RNC chairman. But incumbent Democrat Ronnie Musgrove is trying to use Barbour's Washington connections against him.
Our Bruce Morton has more on the November 4 contest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mississippi is old time, blues and civil rights marches. Back in 1940, its income was 36 percent of the national average, up to 72 percent by 1999.
Democratic Governor Ronnie Musgrove was a child during the civil rights days. He sees a state that's making progress.
GOV. RONNIE MUSGROVE (D), MISSISSIPPI: The choice is clear. A governor who's going to work for you or a Washington, D.C. multi millionaire lobbyist who's going to use his power and influence to work for them.
MORTON: That would be Haley Barbour, veteran of the Reagan White House, a former Republican National Committee chairman, and, yes, a lobbyist. He sees a state with problems and a liberal governor.
HALEY BARBOUR (R), MISSISSIPPI GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: I actively supported George Bush for president. He endorsed Albert Gore.
MORTON: They disagree about jobs.
MUSGROVE: While the United States has lost over three million jobs over the last three years, we've attracted over 56,000 new jobs.
BARBOUR: Since he became governor, Mississippi has had a net loss of 37,000 jobs.
MORTON: They agree on taxes.
BARBOUR: I'm against raising anybody's taxes. I'm against raising the gambling tax. I'm against raising the gasoline tax. I'm against raising the cigarette tax, the whiskey tax.
MUSGROVE: We have not raised taxes, and I will not raise taxes.
MORTON: Gambling casinos are an important part of Mississippi's economy. One Musgrove ad accused Barbour, whose lobbied for tobacco companies, of poisoning children.
ANNOUNCER: Washington lobbyist Haley Barbour helped Mexico steal Mississippi jobs. And tobacco companies poison our kids.
MORTON: Several state newspapers and Barbour cried foul.
BARBOUR: I said, Ronnie, if you really believe this, defend it publicly. He didn't even try to defend it.
MORTON: It is the governor who stayed home versus the Washington pro who didn't. But Washington may not hurt Barbour.
STUART ROTHENBERG, ROTHENBERG POLITICAL REPORT: Is he saying he does know lots of people in Washington, he has connections in the administration and the corporate community? He's going to be able to come down to Jackson, to Mississippi, and bring those contacts and that expertise, that knowledge, with him to help the state create jobs.
MORTON: Turnout will probably decide it. Musgrove won by 9,000 votes last time, with a heavy African-American vote. But neither candidate got 50 percent since two lesser candidates split the vote and the state house, which was Democratic, decided it. This time, well, there are three other candidates. You never know.
Bruce Morton, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
