Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Interview With Actor Will Ferrell
Aired July 07, 2004 - 11:30 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Texan Lance Armstrong took the overall lead and the yellow jersey today for the first time in the 2004 Tour de France. He's going for the sixth straight victory in the grueling bicycle race.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Both presidential contending teams are on the road today, trying to counteract voter attention four months before Election Day. But in a new survey, likely American voters have already made one choice.
Judy Woodruff has that and other political developments this morning.
Judy, good morning.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Daryn.
Yes, there are some poll numbers out. You want to talk about them?
KAGAN: Yes, we do.
WOODRUFF: OK, let me tell you first of all, the Democrats have to be very happy because -- and I'm going to read some of these numbers. Asked -- voters were asked -- these are registered voters across the country, were asked, how would you rate John Kerry's choice of John Edwards for vice president? Excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor. Sixty-four percent say excellent or poor. Now, we of course look back at how other vice presidential picks were rated. And you can see he's done better than Dick Cheney in 2000, Joe Lieberman, same year, 2000, better than Dan Quayle, considerably better than Dan Quayle back in 1988.
One other poll number, Daryn, I want to share with you, when asked, if you think John Edwards is qualified to be president, should that become necessary, John Edwards falls a little bit more in the middle. Al Gore was at the top, you see here, 64 percent. John Edwards at 57 percent, right exactly where Dick Cheney was four years ago. So some interesting numbers to look at. All in all, I would say the Democrats are probably pretty happy about that.
KAGAN: And yet what we have seen in the past, that people tend once they go into the ballot box, they don't make their decision on who is vice president, rather on the man in the front job?
WOODRUFF: You know, that's true, but at the same time, you don't want to be hurt by the decision. And you know, there was a moment after George H.W. Bush chose Dan Quayle, when the press was all over Quayle, asking whether this man had enough experience to serve as vice president. It probably wasn't what the first President Bush wanted at that point in the campaign. It obviously wasn't. He went on to win the election, you are absolutely right. It didn't stop him.
But what you want, is you want a lift. That lift may not last you, but you at least want a lift that's going to get you beyond the middle of the summer, and maybe even last more than a few weeks.
KAGAN: The one thing that was interesting yesterday, the announcement had barely been made and there already were Kerry-Edwards signs at the rally in Pittsburgh, where the announcement was made. I understand there already is a Kerry-Edwards ad ready to go?
WOODRUFF: You're right. They rolled out an ad yesterday, right at the same time they introduced their vice presidential running mate. They talk about in the ad a new team for America, one is a combat veteran, the other is a son of a mill worker, and so on.
Daryn this is really the chance for the Kerry campaign to reintroduce John Kerry, not just John Edwards as his running mate, but to reintroduce John Kerry to the country. So today, they're following up this ad from yesterday, introducing the two of them, with six additional ads focusing on John Kerry, on his values. That he's fought for the middle class is the theme of one of them. Another one talking about Ohio -- workers in Ohio, out of work, what John Kerry would do for them. Another one about the humble beginnings of John Kerry. They like to talk about his patrician background. He talks about having born in an Army hospital in Colorado.
So they want voters at this moment, when he's getting additional press and attention having chosen John Edwards, to take another look at him, and they hope they are going to like what they see. They know this is a small window, and they're trying to impress voters during this time when people are paying attention.
KAGAN: So how does this work, Judy? Does that mean that somewhere on the shelf there is Also Kerry-Vilsack ads that were ready to go, or Kerry-Gephardt ads that were ready to roll on the airwaves as well?
WOODRUFF: I think you are exactly right. What they had was you know they had a series of ads. We haven't found out yet how many. But clearly, they had these ads ready to roll. They didn't just put them together in a matter of a few minutes yesterday. They -- every campaign has to do that. And it's, you know, it's smart politics. It's the way -- it's a business, and it's the way do you business.
KAGAN: You do what you got to do. Well, if they haven't been deleted or erased somewhere, they'd be collector items just like the "New York Post" yesterday (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Gephardt.
Judy Woodruff, we'll see you later today. Thank you so much.
WOODRUFF: Thanks, Daryn. KAGAN: Well, John Edwards unsuccessful presidential campaign turned out to be a successful audition for the junior slot on the Democratic ticket. Here's our senior political analyst Bill Schneider.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): What did we learn about John Edwards from the Democratic primaries? We learned that he's a happy warrior. Something not often said about John Kerry.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My campaign is about something bigger and stronger. It's about an uplifting positive vision for America.
SCHNEIDER: Edwards' positive campaign resonated with Democratic primary voters. Let's look at Wisconsin, the showdown state in the primaries and a crucial Midwestern swing state in November. Edwards was the runaway favorite among Wisconsin voters who said they wanted a positive message. John Kerry is a New England patrician, hardly a populist. While Edwards is often compared with Bill Clinton as a candidate with a common touch.
EDWARDS: I want to be a champion for the people I have fought for all my life. Regular people.
SCHNEIDER: The top choice of Wisconsin primary voters looking for a candidate who cares about people, John Edwards. Edwards' message is one of economic populism.
EDWARDS: Closing the great divides that exist between America. Those who live lives of privilege and never have to worry about a thing and then most of America.
SCHNEIDER: Sure enough, Wisconsin Democrats who said their main concern was the economy and jobs went for Edwards. Then how come Kerry won the Wisconsin primary. Same reason he won almost every other primary. Voters felt Kerry had the right experience. Edwards tried to make a virtue of his inexperience by running as a Washington outsider but Democrats weren't looking for an outsider this year. They were looking for someone who could beat George W. Bush. Questions were raised about Edwards' ability to do that.
MICHELE NORRIS, NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, JANUARY 4: With less than one full Senate term under your belt, how do you convince American voters that you can go head-to-head with the Bush foreign policy team?
SCHNEIDER: He couldn't. Wisconsin Democrats looking for a candidate who could beat Bush went 3-1 for Kerry over Edwards. That's why Edwards is not at the top of the ticket. But his lack of experience may not matter so much in the No. 2 spot.
(on camera): What does the choice of Edwards say about Kerry? it says Kerry is secure enough that he does not feel threatened by a young, attractive, ambitious running mate who is strong where Kerry is weak.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Broadcasting legends. You have Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Barbara Walters and Ron Burgundy, coming up. The man behind "Anchorman" joins me live. I'll be talking with Will Farrell. OK, there might be some laughs as well.
And half the calories, half the carbs, but all the taste. We're going to take a look at the new trend in low-carb colas. That's next in your daily dose of health news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Showing you live pictures now. This is Seal Beach, California. That's just south of Los Angeles International Airport, LAX. A small plane has crashed into a home.
Very little information available. We're not sure on the status of the pilot or if anybody was at home at the time of the crash. Just getting these live pictures in and a little bit of information from our affiliate KTLA. Much more from Seal Beach just ahead.
On to health news now. Soda drinkers can still enjoy the fizz and cut the carbs at the same time. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here with the latest trend in carb-carving, slimmer drinks. Are they lighter and how do they taste?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They are lighter. The taste, you know, I asked a bunch of people. Can you taste these? Tell me what you think. Everybody had a different answer. So I'm going to leave that up to the eyes of the beholder, if you will.
KAGAN: Or the tastebuds.
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: But let's take a look at some of these new drinks. C2 and Edge, you've probably seen the ads. These are drinks that have about 70 calories per can. So 70 calories here, 70 calories here. And that is indeed lighter than the original. It's about half as much as you would get in a regular cola.
However, there's something that you have to remember when you're talking about colas. And that is let's say you drink five of these sodas throughout the day. Let's say you drink all five of these sodas.
Now you think, well, five. Well, gee, there are fewer calories, how bad could it be? Five of these sodas have the same number of calories as a medium McDonald's french fries. Now that's kind of surprising.
And you think five, well, I'm not going to drink five. Well, a lot of people drink five throughout the day. You know, you start. And people who drink these things tend to drink tons and tons of them. Well it's the same calories as one of these French fries. And so that's very important to remember as you're glugging these down.
Now, Daryn, there's also another new product out. And that's Starbucks has a light line. So let's talk about those.
KAGAN: Of coffee.
COHEN: Of coffee. A regular coffee doesn't have many calories, but the ones that are these Frappuccino, et cetera, et cetera.
KAGAN: Been there, done that.
COHEN: Yes, those are big. And you don't necessarily realize it.
So, for example, this is the full fat, the high octane, the big one, Java Chip Frappuccino. And that's 510 calories.
KAGAN: And that's just a tall, which is a small.
COHEN: Exactly. This is what would be, yes, what they call a tall, which is a small. So that's 510 calories.
If you get the lighter version without the whipped cream. That's 260 calories. So that is a serious difference between 510 and 260. But still you are sucking down 260 calories.
KAGAN: Even so.
COHEN: Even so. And that's without the whipped cream. Frankly I have a hard time ordering anything without whipped cream.
KAGAN: Absolutely.
COHEN: But, you know, if you have that skill, go ahead. Knock yourself out.
KAGAN: Goes against my personal morals.
COHEN: That's right.
KAGAN: Do the Frappuccino wit the whipped cream.
Bottom line, though, is why not just cut it out altogether, I guess?
COHEN: If you can cut it out altogether. If you can drink water that clearly is obviously the best thing to do or to drink one of the diet drinks that has no calories, that would be another thing that you can do if you're watching your waistline.
Something that's very important to remember is that the brain deals with hunger and thirst differently. If you sit down with a plate of food and you eat it, your body knows how to tell you by and large that you're full.
With the drinks, thirst is governed by a different part of the brain. And that part of the brain works differently. So you can suck down a whole lot of calories and you brain doesn't say stop, you're full. It's just it works differently. So you can drink a lot of calories without realizing it.
KAGAN: Interesting marketing moves by the cola companies.
COHEN: Yes, absolutely.
KAGAN: Thank you much, Elizabeth Cohen. Appreciate it that.
You can get your "Daily Dose" of health news online. Check CNN online. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.
He's been an elf, he has been a middle age frat boy and he has also been President Bush. Now he's behind the anchor desk. Oh, dear, you look fine. You look really good. Will Ferrell. Hi, Will.
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: Hi, Daryn.
KAGAN: He's our guest coming up next. Get ready to laugh.
FERRELL: Yes, get ready.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FERRELL: Good evening. I'm Ron Burgundy?
FRED WILLARD, ACTOR: Damn it! Who typed a question mark on the teleprompter?
The decision has been passed down to make Veronica our co-anchor.
FERRELL: No! No, no, no!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Yes, yes, yes! It's the battle of the sexes in the news, in the local newsroom spoof "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy." It's set in the 1970s in San Diego. The film features scenes of a weatherman calling Iowa the Middle East and a gang brawl between rival news teams.
And there's a love story in there, as well. Actor Will Ferrell, popular newsmaker himself, plays a pompous newsman who dons those sideburns and the polyester suits. Will Ferrell, making the rounds, talking up this movie. Good morning, Will.
FERRELL: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: I got to see the movie yesterday afternoon. FERRELL: And?
KAGAN: Still giggling.
FERRELL: Oh good.
KAGAN: Still laughing. Was not that big of a stretch from my days in local news, I have to say, some of the characters.
FERRELL: Can I just start by saying you look electric.
(LAUGHTER)
FERRELL: You look electric. Is that journalistic of me or not?
KAGAN: No, but it's appreciated. Thank you.
You know, I was actually a little concerned. I didn't know who was going to show up today. I didn't know fit was going to be Will or Ron Burgundy.
FERRELL: Well Ron has been making a few public appearances.
KAGAN: Yes he has. You inner Ron, I think, is maybe coming out.
FERRELL: Inner Ron is always below the surface.
KAGAN: Yes, right, yes. You know, Ron Burgundy has a few problems with women though. Especially working with women in news.
FERRELL: He does. He's a dinosaur, well, he isn't in the movie, but for viewers now it's obviously an attitude that doesn't exist at least on the outside anymore.
Yes, he's very threatened by women. He learns, though, in the end that women and men are pretty equal though, even though I think he still is 60/40 men are better.
KAGAN: The scene that's playing on the other side of the screen right now is when you are in the office and you call in Christina Applegate...
(CROSSTALK)
FERRELL: Right, the guns.
KAGAN: Yes.
FERRELL: Are you impressed by the physique? Be honest, Daryn. You look electric.
KAGAN: I was feeling electric. I almost forgot about the comedy looking at your incredible physique there up on the big screen.
FERRELL: Yes, well, that's one of my many weapons in my comedy arsenal is the body. KAGAN: The body.
You know, another part of your arsenal that was a fun part of the movie, there are a lot of cameos. A lot of people show up in this movie I did not know were going to show up.
FERRELL: We have some amazing cameos that I don't know if you are familiar wit. Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson...
KAGAN: Yep.
FERRELL: Jack Black.
KAGAN: Jack Black, Tim Robbins.
FERRELL: I don't want...
KAGAN: You don't want to give it away.
Hey, we have one minute. Somebody that you are used to watching quite well, President Bush, he's in North Carolina today. And we're going to have to play some tape in just a minute.
In the one minute I have left, how did you explain to Christina Applegate and how did you convince her to be part of this group of guys? how'd you solve this?
FERRELL: Well, we paid her a lot of money.
KAGAN: Oh that's good.
FERRELL: And she was just -- she was excellent in her auditions, as well as being so funny. And I took her on a wonderful weekend up to Big Sur, we just drove up the coast...
KAGAN: Yeah. I'll bet your mutual spouses appreciated that.
FERRELL: We did a lot of talking.
KAGAN: While we're waiting for this President Bush tape to come in, are you swinging one way or the other just in terms of comedy, who you hope wins the presidential race, quickly?
FERRELL: Well, President Bush is pretty funny, I have to say. But I don't know if he's funny for our country.
(LAUGHTER)
KAGAN: We will see. Well, you're funny for our country.
FERRELL: Yes, I am. Thank you.
KAGAN: The movie is "Anchorman." Your next one coming up is "Bewitched." You have to stop by and talk about that one.
FERRELL: I certainly will. KAGAN: We got to wrap. Will, sorry to cut you short, but we got the real President Bush.
FERRELL: OK. Excellent.
KAGAN: Will Ferrell, "Anchorman."
Now, the videotape coming in from North Carolina. President Bush is there making a campaign stop and this one day after Senator John Edwards of North Carolina named to be the Democratic running mate with John Kerry.
Let's listen in to President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Deb? Yes, I stiffed you the other day. I'm glad to call you this time.
QUESTION: Mr. President, Kerry, during the primaries, often said that John Edwards was not ready to be president. Do you believe that he is ready to be a heart beat away from the Oval Office?
BUSH: That will be up for the voters to decide.
But I tell you what I think about North Carolina. I did well here in 2000 because the North Carolinian voter understood we shared values. I'm going to do well again in 2004. They know we share those values. The people of North Carolina remember I came to this state and said, "We'll make sure our troops are well-paid and well-housed and taken care of," and we've done that. I told them we'd cut their taxes and we've done that. The economy is strong here in North Carolina.
I also know that when they go to the polls to vote for president that they'll understand that the senator from Massachusetts doesn't share their values.
QUESTION: Mr. President, if I could try another Edwards question, he's being described today as charming, engaging, a nimble campaigner, a populist and even sexy. How does he stack up against Dick Cheney?
BUSH: Dick Cheney can be president.
Next?
QUESTION: Yes, Mr. President, does this John Edwards selection force you to spend more time in the South and change your strategy in the Southern states now?
BUSH: I'm going to carry the South because the people understand that we share values, that they understand they know me well. And I believe that I did well in the South last time. I'll do well in the South this time, because the senator from Massachusetts doesn't share their values, and that's the difference in the campaign. QUESTION: Do you have to spend more time strategy-wise?
BUSH: Talk to the schedulers. I'm not the scheduler, I'm just the simple candidate.
QUESTION: Mr. President, Mr. Candidate?
BUSH: Welcome. No, Mr. President, thank you.
QUESTION: The judiciary you hope to create with these nominees, could you...
BUSH: Those aren't nominees.
QUESTION: Well, they're back there somewhere.
BUSH: That's Senator Berg, to be.
QUESTION: Could you offer thoughts as to how that judiciary is different from the one that might exist under a Democratic administration?
BUSH: Yes, I have...
QUESTION: Perhaps particular reference to issues of civil damage suits and abortion.
BUSH: Well, look, I have -- first of all on issues like abortion, I don't have a litmus test. In other words, when the nominees come before people in my administration we don't say, "What is your specific position on that issue or another issue?" What we say to the person is, "What is your judicial temperament? Will you be willing to faithfully interpret the law? Or will you view your position on the bench to rewrite law?"
And that is the difference of judicial philosophies. I've been consistent in naming people to the bench that will faithfully interpret the law. I suspect that's one of the reasons why a minority of senators are blocking my nominees and creating a judicial emergency.
And after I leave here I'm going to Michigan to bring up the same point. There are six judges that are being withheld because of their judicial temperament, not because of a specific issue but because of their temperament.
BUSH: And I don't believe in litmus tests.
I do believe in making sure that we share a philosophy. As I said before, I want the legislators legislating. I don't want the judges legislating.
Look, you look awfully hot and I think it's time for us to go to the next event. Thank you.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) BUSH: Yes, of course. They are the ones blocking the nominees in the first place. They're the types of senators who are blocking the advance of these nominees.
Take, for example, here in North Carolina: Senator Edwards will not allow two of the nominees to whom I referred to even get to the committee for a hearing.
Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: President Bush making a campaign appearance in North Carolina today, the day after Senator John Edwards picked to join John Kerry on the Democratic ticket. George Bush criticizing Senator Edwards for blocking some judicial nominees; the same, by the way, political move that Jesse Helms made for President Clinton's nominees back when he was in office.
That's going to do it for me, Daryn Kagan, wrapping up two very interesting hours. I'll be right back here tomorrow morning.
Carol Lin will be in for Wolf Blitzer at the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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 July 7, 2004 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Texan Lance Armstrong took the overall lead and the yellow jersey today for the first time in the 2004 Tour de France. He's going for the sixth straight victory in the grueling bicycle race.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Both presidential contending teams are on the road today, trying to counteract voter attention four months before Election Day. But in a new survey, likely American voters have already made one choice.
Judy Woodruff has that and other political developments this morning.
Judy, good morning.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Daryn.
Yes, there are some poll numbers out. You want to talk about them?
KAGAN: Yes, we do.
WOODRUFF: OK, let me tell you first of all, the Democrats have to be very happy because -- and I'm going to read some of these numbers. Asked -- voters were asked -- these are registered voters across the country, were asked, how would you rate John Kerry's choice of John Edwards for vice president? Excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor. Sixty-four percent say excellent or poor. Now, we of course look back at how other vice presidential picks were rated. And you can see he's done better than Dick Cheney in 2000, Joe Lieberman, same year, 2000, better than Dan Quayle, considerably better than Dan Quayle back in 1988.
One other poll number, Daryn, I want to share with you, when asked, if you think John Edwards is qualified to be president, should that become necessary, John Edwards falls a little bit more in the middle. Al Gore was at the top, you see here, 64 percent. John Edwards at 57 percent, right exactly where Dick Cheney was four years ago. So some interesting numbers to look at. All in all, I would say the Democrats are probably pretty happy about that.
KAGAN: And yet what we have seen in the past, that people tend once they go into the ballot box, they don't make their decision on who is vice president, rather on the man in the front job?
WOODRUFF: You know, that's true, but at the same time, you don't want to be hurt by the decision. And you know, there was a moment after George H.W. Bush chose Dan Quayle, when the press was all over Quayle, asking whether this man had enough experience to serve as vice president. It probably wasn't what the first President Bush wanted at that point in the campaign. It obviously wasn't. He went on to win the election, you are absolutely right. It didn't stop him.
But what you want, is you want a lift. That lift may not last you, but you at least want a lift that's going to get you beyond the middle of the summer, and maybe even last more than a few weeks.
KAGAN: The one thing that was interesting yesterday, the announcement had barely been made and there already were Kerry-Edwards signs at the rally in Pittsburgh, where the announcement was made. I understand there already is a Kerry-Edwards ad ready to go?
WOODRUFF: You're right. They rolled out an ad yesterday, right at the same time they introduced their vice presidential running mate. They talk about in the ad a new team for America, one is a combat veteran, the other is a son of a mill worker, and so on.
Daryn this is really the chance for the Kerry campaign to reintroduce John Kerry, not just John Edwards as his running mate, but to reintroduce John Kerry to the country. So today, they're following up this ad from yesterday, introducing the two of them, with six additional ads focusing on John Kerry, on his values. That he's fought for the middle class is the theme of one of them. Another one talking about Ohio -- workers in Ohio, out of work, what John Kerry would do for them. Another one about the humble beginnings of John Kerry. They like to talk about his patrician background. He talks about having born in an Army hospital in Colorado.
So they want voters at this moment, when he's getting additional press and attention having chosen John Edwards, to take another look at him, and they hope they are going to like what they see. They know this is a small window, and they're trying to impress voters during this time when people are paying attention.
KAGAN: So how does this work, Judy? Does that mean that somewhere on the shelf there is Also Kerry-Vilsack ads that were ready to go, or Kerry-Gephardt ads that were ready to roll on the airwaves as well?
WOODRUFF: I think you are exactly right. What they had was you know they had a series of ads. We haven't found out yet how many. But clearly, they had these ads ready to roll. They didn't just put them together in a matter of a few minutes yesterday. They -- every campaign has to do that. And it's, you know, it's smart politics. It's the way -- it's a business, and it's the way do you business.
KAGAN: You do what you got to do. Well, if they haven't been deleted or erased somewhere, they'd be collector items just like the "New York Post" yesterday (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Gephardt.
Judy Woodruff, we'll see you later today. Thank you so much.
WOODRUFF: Thanks, Daryn. KAGAN: Well, John Edwards unsuccessful presidential campaign turned out to be a successful audition for the junior slot on the Democratic ticket. Here's our senior political analyst Bill Schneider.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): What did we learn about John Edwards from the Democratic primaries? We learned that he's a happy warrior. Something not often said about John Kerry.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My campaign is about something bigger and stronger. It's about an uplifting positive vision for America.
SCHNEIDER: Edwards' positive campaign resonated with Democratic primary voters. Let's look at Wisconsin, the showdown state in the primaries and a crucial Midwestern swing state in November. Edwards was the runaway favorite among Wisconsin voters who said they wanted a positive message. John Kerry is a New England patrician, hardly a populist. While Edwards is often compared with Bill Clinton as a candidate with a common touch.
EDWARDS: I want to be a champion for the people I have fought for all my life. Regular people.
SCHNEIDER: The top choice of Wisconsin primary voters looking for a candidate who cares about people, John Edwards. Edwards' message is one of economic populism.
EDWARDS: Closing the great divides that exist between America. Those who live lives of privilege and never have to worry about a thing and then most of America.
SCHNEIDER: Sure enough, Wisconsin Democrats who said their main concern was the economy and jobs went for Edwards. Then how come Kerry won the Wisconsin primary. Same reason he won almost every other primary. Voters felt Kerry had the right experience. Edwards tried to make a virtue of his inexperience by running as a Washington outsider but Democrats weren't looking for an outsider this year. They were looking for someone who could beat George W. Bush. Questions were raised about Edwards' ability to do that.
MICHELE NORRIS, NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, JANUARY 4: With less than one full Senate term under your belt, how do you convince American voters that you can go head-to-head with the Bush foreign policy team?
SCHNEIDER: He couldn't. Wisconsin Democrats looking for a candidate who could beat Bush went 3-1 for Kerry over Edwards. That's why Edwards is not at the top of the ticket. But his lack of experience may not matter so much in the No. 2 spot.
(on camera): What does the choice of Edwards say about Kerry? it says Kerry is secure enough that he does not feel threatened by a young, attractive, ambitious running mate who is strong where Kerry is weak.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Broadcasting legends. You have Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Barbara Walters and Ron Burgundy, coming up. The man behind "Anchorman" joins me live. I'll be talking with Will Farrell. OK, there might be some laughs as well.
And half the calories, half the carbs, but all the taste. We're going to take a look at the new trend in low-carb colas. That's next in your daily dose of health news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Showing you live pictures now. This is Seal Beach, California. That's just south of Los Angeles International Airport, LAX. A small plane has crashed into a home.
Very little information available. We're not sure on the status of the pilot or if anybody was at home at the time of the crash. Just getting these live pictures in and a little bit of information from our affiliate KTLA. Much more from Seal Beach just ahead.
On to health news now. Soda drinkers can still enjoy the fizz and cut the carbs at the same time. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is here with the latest trend in carb-carving, slimmer drinks. Are they lighter and how do they taste?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They are lighter. The taste, you know, I asked a bunch of people. Can you taste these? Tell me what you think. Everybody had a different answer. So I'm going to leave that up to the eyes of the beholder, if you will.
KAGAN: Or the tastebuds.
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: But let's take a look at some of these new drinks. C2 and Edge, you've probably seen the ads. These are drinks that have about 70 calories per can. So 70 calories here, 70 calories here. And that is indeed lighter than the original. It's about half as much as you would get in a regular cola.
However, there's something that you have to remember when you're talking about colas. And that is let's say you drink five of these sodas throughout the day. Let's say you drink all five of these sodas.
Now you think, well, five. Well, gee, there are fewer calories, how bad could it be? Five of these sodas have the same number of calories as a medium McDonald's french fries. Now that's kind of surprising.
And you think five, well, I'm not going to drink five. Well, a lot of people drink five throughout the day. You know, you start. And people who drink these things tend to drink tons and tons of them. Well it's the same calories as one of these French fries. And so that's very important to remember as you're glugging these down.
Now, Daryn, there's also another new product out. And that's Starbucks has a light line. So let's talk about those.
KAGAN: Of coffee.
COHEN: Of coffee. A regular coffee doesn't have many calories, but the ones that are these Frappuccino, et cetera, et cetera.
KAGAN: Been there, done that.
COHEN: Yes, those are big. And you don't necessarily realize it.
So, for example, this is the full fat, the high octane, the big one, Java Chip Frappuccino. And that's 510 calories.
KAGAN: And that's just a tall, which is a small.
COHEN: Exactly. This is what would be, yes, what they call a tall, which is a small. So that's 510 calories.
If you get the lighter version without the whipped cream. That's 260 calories. So that is a serious difference between 510 and 260. But still you are sucking down 260 calories.
KAGAN: Even so.
COHEN: Even so. And that's without the whipped cream. Frankly I have a hard time ordering anything without whipped cream.
KAGAN: Absolutely.
COHEN: But, you know, if you have that skill, go ahead. Knock yourself out.
KAGAN: Goes against my personal morals.
COHEN: That's right.
KAGAN: Do the Frappuccino wit the whipped cream.
Bottom line, though, is why not just cut it out altogether, I guess?
COHEN: If you can cut it out altogether. If you can drink water that clearly is obviously the best thing to do or to drink one of the diet drinks that has no calories, that would be another thing that you can do if you're watching your waistline.
Something that's very important to remember is that the brain deals with hunger and thirst differently. If you sit down with a plate of food and you eat it, your body knows how to tell you by and large that you're full.
With the drinks, thirst is governed by a different part of the brain. And that part of the brain works differently. So you can suck down a whole lot of calories and you brain doesn't say stop, you're full. It's just it works differently. So you can drink a lot of calories without realizing it.
KAGAN: Interesting marketing moves by the cola companies.
COHEN: Yes, absolutely.
KAGAN: Thank you much, Elizabeth Cohen. Appreciate it that.
You can get your "Daily Dose" of health news online. Check CNN online. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is cnn.com/health.
He's been an elf, he has been a middle age frat boy and he has also been President Bush. Now he's behind the anchor desk. Oh, dear, you look fine. You look really good. Will Ferrell. Hi, Will.
WILL FERRELL, ACTOR: Hi, Daryn.
KAGAN: He's our guest coming up next. Get ready to laugh.
FERRELL: Yes, get ready.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FERRELL: Good evening. I'm Ron Burgundy?
FRED WILLARD, ACTOR: Damn it! Who typed a question mark on the teleprompter?
The decision has been passed down to make Veronica our co-anchor.
FERRELL: No! No, no, no!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Yes, yes, yes! It's the battle of the sexes in the news, in the local newsroom spoof "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy." It's set in the 1970s in San Diego. The film features scenes of a weatherman calling Iowa the Middle East and a gang brawl between rival news teams.
And there's a love story in there, as well. Actor Will Ferrell, popular newsmaker himself, plays a pompous newsman who dons those sideburns and the polyester suits. Will Ferrell, making the rounds, talking up this movie. Good morning, Will.
FERRELL: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: I got to see the movie yesterday afternoon. FERRELL: And?
KAGAN: Still giggling.
FERRELL: Oh good.
KAGAN: Still laughing. Was not that big of a stretch from my days in local news, I have to say, some of the characters.
FERRELL: Can I just start by saying you look electric.
(LAUGHTER)
FERRELL: You look electric. Is that journalistic of me or not?
KAGAN: No, but it's appreciated. Thank you.
You know, I was actually a little concerned. I didn't know who was going to show up today. I didn't know fit was going to be Will or Ron Burgundy.
FERRELL: Well Ron has been making a few public appearances.
KAGAN: Yes he has. You inner Ron, I think, is maybe coming out.
FERRELL: Inner Ron is always below the surface.
KAGAN: Yes, right, yes. You know, Ron Burgundy has a few problems with women though. Especially working with women in news.
FERRELL: He does. He's a dinosaur, well, he isn't in the movie, but for viewers now it's obviously an attitude that doesn't exist at least on the outside anymore.
Yes, he's very threatened by women. He learns, though, in the end that women and men are pretty equal though, even though I think he still is 60/40 men are better.
KAGAN: The scene that's playing on the other side of the screen right now is when you are in the office and you call in Christina Applegate...
(CROSSTALK)
FERRELL: Right, the guns.
KAGAN: Yes.
FERRELL: Are you impressed by the physique? Be honest, Daryn. You look electric.
KAGAN: I was feeling electric. I almost forgot about the comedy looking at your incredible physique there up on the big screen.
FERRELL: Yes, well, that's one of my many weapons in my comedy arsenal is the body. KAGAN: The body.
You know, another part of your arsenal that was a fun part of the movie, there are a lot of cameos. A lot of people show up in this movie I did not know were going to show up.
FERRELL: We have some amazing cameos that I don't know if you are familiar wit. Vince Vaughn, Luke Wilson...
KAGAN: Yep.
FERRELL: Jack Black.
KAGAN: Jack Black, Tim Robbins.
FERRELL: I don't want...
KAGAN: You don't want to give it away.
Hey, we have one minute. Somebody that you are used to watching quite well, President Bush, he's in North Carolina today. And we're going to have to play some tape in just a minute.
In the one minute I have left, how did you explain to Christina Applegate and how did you convince her to be part of this group of guys? how'd you solve this?
FERRELL: Well, we paid her a lot of money.
KAGAN: Oh that's good.
FERRELL: And she was just -- she was excellent in her auditions, as well as being so funny. And I took her on a wonderful weekend up to Big Sur, we just drove up the coast...
KAGAN: Yeah. I'll bet your mutual spouses appreciated that.
FERRELL: We did a lot of talking.
KAGAN: While we're waiting for this President Bush tape to come in, are you swinging one way or the other just in terms of comedy, who you hope wins the presidential race, quickly?
FERRELL: Well, President Bush is pretty funny, I have to say. But I don't know if he's funny for our country.
(LAUGHTER)
KAGAN: We will see. Well, you're funny for our country.
FERRELL: Yes, I am. Thank you.
KAGAN: The movie is "Anchorman." Your next one coming up is "Bewitched." You have to stop by and talk about that one.
FERRELL: I certainly will. KAGAN: We got to wrap. Will, sorry to cut you short, but we got the real President Bush.
FERRELL: OK. Excellent.
KAGAN: Will Ferrell, "Anchorman."
Now, the videotape coming in from North Carolina. President Bush is there making a campaign stop and this one day after Senator John Edwards of North Carolina named to be the Democratic running mate with John Kerry.
Let's listen in to President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Deb? Yes, I stiffed you the other day. I'm glad to call you this time.
QUESTION: Mr. President, Kerry, during the primaries, often said that John Edwards was not ready to be president. Do you believe that he is ready to be a heart beat away from the Oval Office?
BUSH: That will be up for the voters to decide.
But I tell you what I think about North Carolina. I did well here in 2000 because the North Carolinian voter understood we shared values. I'm going to do well again in 2004. They know we share those values. The people of North Carolina remember I came to this state and said, "We'll make sure our troops are well-paid and well-housed and taken care of," and we've done that. I told them we'd cut their taxes and we've done that. The economy is strong here in North Carolina.
I also know that when they go to the polls to vote for president that they'll understand that the senator from Massachusetts doesn't share their values.
QUESTION: Mr. President, if I could try another Edwards question, he's being described today as charming, engaging, a nimble campaigner, a populist and even sexy. How does he stack up against Dick Cheney?
BUSH: Dick Cheney can be president.
Next?
QUESTION: Yes, Mr. President, does this John Edwards selection force you to spend more time in the South and change your strategy in the Southern states now?
BUSH: I'm going to carry the South because the people understand that we share values, that they understand they know me well. And I believe that I did well in the South last time. I'll do well in the South this time, because the senator from Massachusetts doesn't share their values, and that's the difference in the campaign. QUESTION: Do you have to spend more time strategy-wise?
BUSH: Talk to the schedulers. I'm not the scheduler, I'm just the simple candidate.
QUESTION: Mr. President, Mr. Candidate?
BUSH: Welcome. No, Mr. President, thank you.
QUESTION: The judiciary you hope to create with these nominees, could you...
BUSH: Those aren't nominees.
QUESTION: Well, they're back there somewhere.
BUSH: That's Senator Berg, to be.
QUESTION: Could you offer thoughts as to how that judiciary is different from the one that might exist under a Democratic administration?
BUSH: Yes, I have...
QUESTION: Perhaps particular reference to issues of civil damage suits and abortion.
BUSH: Well, look, I have -- first of all on issues like abortion, I don't have a litmus test. In other words, when the nominees come before people in my administration we don't say, "What is your specific position on that issue or another issue?" What we say to the person is, "What is your judicial temperament? Will you be willing to faithfully interpret the law? Or will you view your position on the bench to rewrite law?"
And that is the difference of judicial philosophies. I've been consistent in naming people to the bench that will faithfully interpret the law. I suspect that's one of the reasons why a minority of senators are blocking my nominees and creating a judicial emergency.
And after I leave here I'm going to Michigan to bring up the same point. There are six judges that are being withheld because of their judicial temperament, not because of a specific issue but because of their temperament.
BUSH: And I don't believe in litmus tests.
I do believe in making sure that we share a philosophy. As I said before, I want the legislators legislating. I don't want the judges legislating.
Look, you look awfully hot and I think it's time for us to go to the next event. Thank you.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) BUSH: Yes, of course. They are the ones blocking the nominees in the first place. They're the types of senators who are blocking the advance of these nominees.
Take, for example, here in North Carolina: Senator Edwards will not allow two of the nominees to whom I referred to even get to the committee for a hearing.
Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: President Bush making a campaign appearance in North Carolina today, the day after Senator John Edwards picked to join John Kerry on the Democratic ticket. George Bush criticizing Senator Edwards for blocking some judicial nominees; the same, by the way, political move that Jesse Helms made for President Clinton's nominees back when he was in office.
That's going to do it for me, Daryn Kagan, wrapping up two very interesting hours. I'll be right back here tomorrow morning.
Carol Lin will be in for Wolf Blitzer at the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
