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Debate Day
Aired February 26, 2004 - 13:03 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Already Kerry is far ahead in the delegate race, and in of the polls, ahead in next week's voting in California, New York and Ohio. Those states and seven others make up the Super Tuesday contests that could put the nomination virtually out of reach for anybody else, but first, tonight's face-off. It's CNN/"L.A. Times" event in Los Angeles.
CNN's Frank Buckley has a preview.
Hi, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra.
We're here at our old alma mater at USC a Bovard (ph) Auditorium, where the debate is being held tonight. I can show you right now what it looks like down there on the stage, where last-minute preparations are under way, where some of the stand-ins are working right now to give us a sense of what it's going to look like later when Larry King, the moderator, Ron Brownstein and Janet Clayton step in and start questioning the candidates.
We're down to four candidates now. Of course, we've got the front-runner, John Kerry, the senator from North Carolina. John Edwards, Al Sharpton is still in it and Dennis Kucinich. The longshot candidacies of Sharpton and Kucinich not likely to get meaningful boost from the debate. But there's more at stake for Senators Kerry and Edwards. It's really Kerry's debate to lose. His mission, to keep on message tonight, to make no gaffes, to appear presidential.
For Senator Edwards, it's a chance to make some noise, to distinguish himself from Senator Kerry, who is the presumptive nominee at this point. Bottom line, with fewer candidates on the stage, it's possible that the dynamic of this debate will be different than the ones of the past.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ART TORRES, CALIF. DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN: You're better able to spend more time in examining the candidates' positions and the candidates themselves than you were in Iowa and New Hampshire, where you had nine candidates and a whole plethora of other issues, which at this point, are going to be narrowed down to specific issues of economics of war and peace, clearly issues which affect working men and women here in California.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BUCKLEY: Really, the burden is on Senator Edwards here to make some noise. He is down in the polls. Super Tuesday is just a few days away. He really has to work hard at this debate, or at some point between now and Super Tuesday, to distinguish himself from Senator Kerry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN KAPLAN, UNIV. OF S. CALIFORNIA: Edwards has the double burden of not only making the case that he's a better nominee than Kerry, but also, not alienating Kerry so much that he can't be high on the short list for potential vice presidential nominees. I think there's a sense in the American people that this is a pretty good ticket, and that Edwards shouldn't blow it by being too harshly critical.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: And when you talk to Senator Edwards about this notion, as I have, he actually gets irritated with the question. He has told me and many others that he has ruled out the possibility of running for vice president, but we'll see what happens in the weeks ahead. If, in fact, Kerry picks up the nomination, as it appear he's going to do, it might be difficult for Edwards to decline such an invitation, of course, if it comes -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Frank, you mentioned that you talked to the senator. A little side note here. You mentioned that we both graduated from USC. Have you talked to any of our old journalism professors, and are you giving them front-row seats to the debate?
BUCKLEY: Funny you mentioned that. I spoke yesterday at our professor, Bryce Nelson's (ph), class yesterday. And of course, as usual, they were all disappointed that it was me and not you.
PHILLIPS: Oh, Frank, you're so politically correct, and Miles is laughing a cross the newsroom. You tell Bryce hello and that I love him, Frank. He did well with us.
BUCKLEY: I will.
PHILLIPS: OK, well, don't forget tonight's debate. It begins at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific right here on CNN.
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 February 26, 2004 - 13:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Already Kerry is far ahead in the delegate race, and in of the polls, ahead in next week's voting in California, New York and Ohio. Those states and seven others make up the Super Tuesday contests that could put the nomination virtually out of reach for anybody else, but first, tonight's face-off. It's CNN/"L.A. Times" event in Los Angeles.
CNN's Frank Buckley has a preview.
Hi, Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Kyra.
We're here at our old alma mater at USC a Bovard (ph) Auditorium, where the debate is being held tonight. I can show you right now what it looks like down there on the stage, where last-minute preparations are under way, where some of the stand-ins are working right now to give us a sense of what it's going to look like later when Larry King, the moderator, Ron Brownstein and Janet Clayton step in and start questioning the candidates.
We're down to four candidates now. Of course, we've got the front-runner, John Kerry, the senator from North Carolina. John Edwards, Al Sharpton is still in it and Dennis Kucinich. The longshot candidacies of Sharpton and Kucinich not likely to get meaningful boost from the debate. But there's more at stake for Senators Kerry and Edwards. It's really Kerry's debate to lose. His mission, to keep on message tonight, to make no gaffes, to appear presidential.
For Senator Edwards, it's a chance to make some noise, to distinguish himself from Senator Kerry, who is the presumptive nominee at this point. Bottom line, with fewer candidates on the stage, it's possible that the dynamic of this debate will be different than the ones of the past.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ART TORRES, CALIF. DEMOCRATIC CHAIRMAN: You're better able to spend more time in examining the candidates' positions and the candidates themselves than you were in Iowa and New Hampshire, where you had nine candidates and a whole plethora of other issues, which at this point, are going to be narrowed down to specific issues of economics of war and peace, clearly issues which affect working men and women here in California.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BUCKLEY: Really, the burden is on Senator Edwards here to make some noise. He is down in the polls. Super Tuesday is just a few days away. He really has to work hard at this debate, or at some point between now and Super Tuesday, to distinguish himself from Senator Kerry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN KAPLAN, UNIV. OF S. CALIFORNIA: Edwards has the double burden of not only making the case that he's a better nominee than Kerry, but also, not alienating Kerry so much that he can't be high on the short list for potential vice presidential nominees. I think there's a sense in the American people that this is a pretty good ticket, and that Edwards shouldn't blow it by being too harshly critical.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUCKLEY: And when you talk to Senator Edwards about this notion, as I have, he actually gets irritated with the question. He has told me and many others that he has ruled out the possibility of running for vice president, but we'll see what happens in the weeks ahead. If, in fact, Kerry picks up the nomination, as it appear he's going to do, it might be difficult for Edwards to decline such an invitation, of course, if it comes -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Frank, you mentioned that you talked to the senator. A little side note here. You mentioned that we both graduated from USC. Have you talked to any of our old journalism professors, and are you giving them front-row seats to the debate?
BUCKLEY: Funny you mentioned that. I spoke yesterday at our professor, Bryce Nelson's (ph), class yesterday. And of course, as usual, they were all disappointed that it was me and not you.
PHILLIPS: Oh, Frank, you're so politically correct, and Miles is laughing a cross the newsroom. You tell Bryce hello and that I love him, Frank. He did well with us.
BUCKLEY: I will.
PHILLIPS: OK, well, don't forget tonight's debate. It begins at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 6:00 Pacific right here on CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
