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American Morning

Attorney Greg Craig Discusses Expected Party Change of Senator Jim Jeffords

Aired May 23, 2001 - 11:34   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Senator James Jeffords is expected to defect from the Republican Party. The Vermont lawmaker holds a news conference today, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. One thing is for certain: His defection would effectively shift control of the Senate to the Democrats.

Attorney Greg Craig is probably best known as former President Clinton's special counsel during impeachment proceedings. He also happens to be from Vermont, and he's a friend of Senator Jeffords. Greg Craig joins us from Washington.

Good to see you again, although I must say I never expected to be talking to you about something like this.

GREG CRAIG, ATTORNEY: How are you, Leon?

HARRIS: Let me ask you, are you true Vermonter? I've been there, and I understand there's some distinction amongst you all about who's a Vermonter and who's not a Vermonter.

CRAIG: It's a very hotly debated topic as to who is and who is not a true Vermonter. The truth of the matter is that I was born in Navy hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, when my father was in the Navy, but my father is from Vermont, my father's father and mother; my grandparents are from Vermont, both my parents went to college in Vermont. So I consider myself a Vermonter.

HARRIS: Good for you. I know I've talked to people up there who say you can be there for 40 years and still not be one.

CRAIG: That's true.

HARRIS: With that in mind, what do you think Vermonters are saying about this possible move by Senator Jeffords?

CRAIG: Leon, the people of Vermont have been voting for Jim Jeffords for almost 30 years now, and I think this decision will be very popular. I think it will guarantee that he can run for office successfully for the next 30 years if he wants to.

HARRIS: No kidding.

Your family knows him quite well, I understand. CRAIG: Well, not really well. I got to know him best during the impeachment proceeding. We're not close friends. That was the first time I'd worked with him professionally.

HARRIS: What is it that you know about him that could help explain why he would make a move like this?

CRAIG: He comes from a longstanding tradition that Vermont is very proud of. It goes back to George Akin and Wynn Prodee (ph), and Senator Bob Stafford, of independence, integrity and moderation. I don't think Jim Jeffords' politics have changed in the slightest. I think this reflects on the difficulty of ruling -- or trying to govern -- the country from the far right.

HARRIS: You don't think there's any wooing by the Democrats of Senator Jeffords to make this particular move?

CRAIG: I don't think it took very much. I'm not privy to what was going on behind the scenes, but Senator Jeffords' fit with the modern Republican Party has been uncomfortable for some time now. I don't believe this reflects think any change in Jim Jeffords' politics or his principles. In fact, I think this is a principal decision, rather than a political decision, although it has enormous political repercussions and ramifications.

HARRIS: Speaking of his principles, we understand that education is one that is near and dear to his heart. From what you've been hearing, is it the play happened between him and the White House on that particular issue? Do you think that's what happened here?

CRAIG: Well, I think that was the first breach, the first friction.

In fact, I was up in the state visiting my mother, who's in a home up there when he made decision not to support the tax cut because of its failure to include a commitment to fund special education needs, as the federal government made a commitment to that funding over many, many years. That decision was very popular in Vermont across the board, because public education is a fundamental commitment of the state of Vermont to its people. I think Senator Jeffords is maintaining that principal when he's make his decision to become an independent.

HARRIS: Greg Craig, thanks for coming in and spelling all this out for us. We appreciate it, and hope to talk to you sometime down the road.

CRAIG: Not at all.

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