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How Will WMD Factor into the Presidential Race?

Aired January 28, 2004 - 13:39   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.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Expect to hear more debate about the WMD intelligence in the presidential campaign. How will it factor into the race? Two perspective from talk radio hosts Blanqita Cullum who is in New Hampshire. Good to see you.
BLANQITA CULLUM, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Hi, Miles. Good to see you.

O'BRIEN: And columnist Julianne Malveaux in Washington. Good to have you both with us.

JULIANNE MALVEAUX, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Good to be here. Hi there, Blanquita.

CULLUM: Hi there, Julianne.

O'BRIEN: This is so cordial at the outset, anyhow. It's so nice.

MALVEAUX: At the outset anyhow.

O'BRIEN: All right, Blanquita, let's start with you. You're up there in snowy New Hampshire.

CULLUM: I am, indeed.

O'BRIEN: I'm glad you're inside a nice warm place. Are people really talking about this? Is this on people's mind as they pull the lever or punch the ballot card?

CULLUM: Of course. What's been fun to be here -- and as you know, I am a strong conservative -- has been to be able to observe the political process and kind of the different sentiments between all of these race horses.

You saw Kerry with a fairly considerable victory yesterday. But I sat in a room with Democrats who were just kind of saying, Well, you know, ho-hum, they were not as excited. Now, sitting in a radio row, yesterday, Dean came by and there was a lot of excitement from -- you know, he's kind of the underdog, but he generates more excitement.

Frankly, I have to tell you, this is good news for Republicans because to the extent that either one of these candidates gets good excitement, it's really healthy thing for Republicans. Because when you have a stronger race and you have a stronger candidate from either side of the aisle, it makes people really want to get out more and vote.

I think the president's going to do well, no matter who is the candidate, but it's been really fun to watch.

O'BRIEN: All right, Julianne, that was an interesting comment. Doesn't have much to do with weapons of mass destruction and how they factor into the race...

MALVEAUX: No, not at all.

O'BRIEN: Nevertheless, I'll give you an opportunity to respond to what Blanquita just said.

MALVEAUX: I think that Blanquita is of course as effervescent as she always is, attempting to make...

O'BRIEN: You're going to turn this into a love fest. You got to stop it.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... always say, if you make chicken salad out of chicken stuff.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: And you know what I mean, Blanquita. You -- you prefer for us to have Howard Dean because you want somebody in the race that your guy can trounce all over.

The fact is that there are a variety of Democrats in New Hampshire who have all kinds of things to say. And Howard Dean, John Kerry, Wesley Clark and John Edwards have all called this president on this weapons of mass destruction.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... for you to talk a whole lot of stuff and there was not a whole lot that you had to say except for the fact that you want the weakest Democrat to face up to your guy.

The fact is that the Democratic Party is looking at what has happened here. The weapons of mass "distraction" have not been materialized. And because they haven't been, there's so many people who are so delighted to hear what Mr. Bush has to say -- which is nothing.

But that's only the base of it. The other piece of it is...

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... the issue of his State of the Union Address in which he said the economy was coming back. Why not just give the finger to 9 million Americans who don't have jobs?

O'BRIEN: There's enough on Blanquita's plate now. Go, Blanquita.

CULLUM: All right, WMD. Everyone's ready to write that off.

But the fact of the matter is people forget that Russia and France and all those countries, Germany, were talking to Saddam the weeks before they knew we were going to be there. And there is a lot of information that says stuff was moved across the border, airlifted out.

I have asked these candidates, OK, you want to blast the president...

O'BRIEN: Wait a minute, Blanquita. Do you still think there's stockpiles somewhere?

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Maybe we should move on from that at this point, right?

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Yes, you do. Please do.

CULLUM: I think you're going to find out that stuff was moved and stuff was out...

(CROSSTALK)

CULLUM: If not, the intelligence community, from going back to Clinton and beyond, needs to tell why they give information that all of those presidents believed and it was misleading.

Now, I got to tell you something...

(CROSSTALK)

CULLUM: ... I asked Dean and I asked others, you have a big mouth about the president. But 9/11 happens tomorrow or you have a terrorist cell in Vermont what do you do? They don't have a plan.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: ... the GOP argument, and it comes back to this quite a bit, who do you want in charge in a time of war, in a time of terrorism? And, Julianne, do you think the Democrats have a good response to that?

MALVEAUX: Absolutely. I think that John Kerry is a good person to be in charge at a time of terrorism. I think that Wesley Clark could be a good person to be in charge. I think that John Edwards, any of our senators, could be the people to be in charge.

I think that what we've seen suggests that the people who were in charge were not in charge. So let's not look at what other people can do. I'm not trying to make -- second-guess anything. And I don't think that's appropriate. But I also think that's inappropriate for people to try to make September 11 a litmus test on who gets elected for president of the United States.

George W. Bush blinked. He blinked and we all know it and let's -- let's go on and go ahead. But let's not try to make the whole notion of September 11 a litmus test for this presidential election.

O'BRIEN: Quick final point from you, Blanquita, and then we have to go.

CULLUM: Well I'll tell you something. George W. Bush, you know, if you got a problem going on the country, you are safer with man because we know that he's not going to sit around and do some political baloney, he's going to stand up...

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... constantly, constantly. You want to talk about political baloney, go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- with all due respect, Miles.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Ladies, remember what I said about a love fest? Forget it. All right, no kidding.

Julianne Malveaux, no love fest there. Thank you very much, ladies.

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 January 28, 2004 - 13:39   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Expect to hear more debate about the WMD intelligence in the presidential campaign. How will it factor into the race? Two perspective from talk radio hosts Blanqita Cullum who is in New Hampshire. Good to see you.
BLANQITA CULLUM, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Hi, Miles. Good to see you.

O'BRIEN: And columnist Julianne Malveaux in Washington. Good to have you both with us.

JULIANNE MALVEAUX, SYNDICATED COLUMNIST: Good to be here. Hi there, Blanquita.

CULLUM: Hi there, Julianne.

O'BRIEN: This is so cordial at the outset, anyhow. It's so nice.

MALVEAUX: At the outset anyhow.

O'BRIEN: All right, Blanquita, let's start with you. You're up there in snowy New Hampshire.

CULLUM: I am, indeed.

O'BRIEN: I'm glad you're inside a nice warm place. Are people really talking about this? Is this on people's mind as they pull the lever or punch the ballot card?

CULLUM: Of course. What's been fun to be here -- and as you know, I am a strong conservative -- has been to be able to observe the political process and kind of the different sentiments between all of these race horses.

You saw Kerry with a fairly considerable victory yesterday. But I sat in a room with Democrats who were just kind of saying, Well, you know, ho-hum, they were not as excited. Now, sitting in a radio row, yesterday, Dean came by and there was a lot of excitement from -- you know, he's kind of the underdog, but he generates more excitement.

Frankly, I have to tell you, this is good news for Republicans because to the extent that either one of these candidates gets good excitement, it's really healthy thing for Republicans. Because when you have a stronger race and you have a stronger candidate from either side of the aisle, it makes people really want to get out more and vote.

I think the president's going to do well, no matter who is the candidate, but it's been really fun to watch.

O'BRIEN: All right, Julianne, that was an interesting comment. Doesn't have much to do with weapons of mass destruction and how they factor into the race...

MALVEAUX: No, not at all.

O'BRIEN: Nevertheless, I'll give you an opportunity to respond to what Blanquita just said.

MALVEAUX: I think that Blanquita is of course as effervescent as she always is, attempting to make...

O'BRIEN: You're going to turn this into a love fest. You got to stop it.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... always say, if you make chicken salad out of chicken stuff.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: And you know what I mean, Blanquita. You -- you prefer for us to have Howard Dean because you want somebody in the race that your guy can trounce all over.

The fact is that there are a variety of Democrats in New Hampshire who have all kinds of things to say. And Howard Dean, John Kerry, Wesley Clark and John Edwards have all called this president on this weapons of mass destruction.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... for you to talk a whole lot of stuff and there was not a whole lot that you had to say except for the fact that you want the weakest Democrat to face up to your guy.

The fact is that the Democratic Party is looking at what has happened here. The weapons of mass "distraction" have not been materialized. And because they haven't been, there's so many people who are so delighted to hear what Mr. Bush has to say -- which is nothing.

But that's only the base of it. The other piece of it is...

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... the issue of his State of the Union Address in which he said the economy was coming back. Why not just give the finger to 9 million Americans who don't have jobs?

O'BRIEN: There's enough on Blanquita's plate now. Go, Blanquita.

CULLUM: All right, WMD. Everyone's ready to write that off.

But the fact of the matter is people forget that Russia and France and all those countries, Germany, were talking to Saddam the weeks before they knew we were going to be there. And there is a lot of information that says stuff was moved across the border, airlifted out.

I have asked these candidates, OK, you want to blast the president...

O'BRIEN: Wait a minute, Blanquita. Do you still think there's stockpiles somewhere?

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Maybe we should move on from that at this point, right?

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Yes, you do. Please do.

CULLUM: I think you're going to find out that stuff was moved and stuff was out...

(CROSSTALK)

CULLUM: If not, the intelligence community, from going back to Clinton and beyond, needs to tell why they give information that all of those presidents believed and it was misleading.

Now, I got to tell you something...

(CROSSTALK)

CULLUM: ... I asked Dean and I asked others, you have a big mouth about the president. But 9/11 happens tomorrow or you have a terrorist cell in Vermont what do you do? They don't have a plan.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: ... the GOP argument, and it comes back to this quite a bit, who do you want in charge in a time of war, in a time of terrorism? And, Julianne, do you think the Democrats have a good response to that?

MALVEAUX: Absolutely. I think that John Kerry is a good person to be in charge at a time of terrorism. I think that Wesley Clark could be a good person to be in charge. I think that John Edwards, any of our senators, could be the people to be in charge.

I think that what we've seen suggests that the people who were in charge were not in charge. So let's not look at what other people can do. I'm not trying to make -- second-guess anything. And I don't think that's appropriate. But I also think that's inappropriate for people to try to make September 11 a litmus test on who gets elected for president of the United States.

George W. Bush blinked. He blinked and we all know it and let's -- let's go on and go ahead. But let's not try to make the whole notion of September 11 a litmus test for this presidential election.

O'BRIEN: Quick final point from you, Blanquita, and then we have to go.

CULLUM: Well I'll tell you something. George W. Bush, you know, if you got a problem going on the country, you are safer with man because we know that he's not going to sit around and do some political baloney, he's going to stand up...

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: ... constantly, constantly. You want to talk about political baloney, go to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue -- with all due respect, Miles.

(CROSSTALK)

O'BRIEN: Ladies, remember what I said about a love fest? Forget it. All right, no kidding.

Julianne Malveaux, no love fest there. Thank you very much, ladies.

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