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American Morning

Power Change Battle Critical for Both Parties

Aired June 05, 2001 - 10:30   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: Now, let's view through all this through the prism of both politics and pragmatism. Joining us to offer his thoughts, Stu Rothenberg, the editor of "The Rothenberg Political Report." Stu also writes a political analyst for CNN's allpolitics.com. In general, a very busy guy, and he made time for us this morning.

Stu, good morning. Good to have you with us.

STU ROTHENBERG, "THE ROTHENBERG POLITICAL REPORT": Thanks, Daryn.

KAGAN: Let start with that last piece, Tom Daschle. What's his biggest challenge now? Kind of a watch out what you wish for, now you get to be it.

ROTHENBERG: Right, well, He has to move from minority leader to majority leader. He has to somehow keep together his Democratic majority to...

KAGAN: Which has been a solid block, even when it was a minority. It was not a the solid block.

KAGAN: You know, I think it's interesting, Daryn. I think we focus on divisions, and when the Republicans had the majority, the media naturally focused on the internal divisions there. And now that the Democrats are the majority in the Senate, I think the focus will be on John Breaux and Ben Nelson and Zell Miller, Democrats who leave the Democratic reservation to vote sometimes with Republicans.

So, I think the change in control changes how people will cover Tom Daschle and the Democratic Party.

KAGAN: Let's look at this transition of power as it -- as it's about to take place. This looks like this thing is going to be a mess, Stu. You have the Republicans saying, well, we're not going to let you reorganize the committees until you say that the judgeships are going through the Democrats and we're going to filibuster until we get what we want. This looks like it is starting on day one with gridlock.

ROTHENBERG: It could be a mess, Daryn, and I really don't understand what the Republicans are doing here. Obviously, we know what their short-term goal is is to get some leverage and make sure that the president's agenda continues on through the Senate, particularly judges.

But I think they run a considerable risk here. They run the risk of looking like Newt Gingrich and the House Republicans after the '94 election. They looked kind of petty, that they're squabbling, they're holding up the progress in the Senate. I think it's dangerous.

Now, I understand Trent Lott is in awkward position. On one hand, he wants to be combative now as the minority leader. There was some criticism of him as the majority leader that he wasn't strong enough leader, didn't keep party together and he wants to be aggressive. The problem is if the Republicans look too aggressive, if they looks as if they're simply trying to block the Democrats, I don't think that's a particularly good image to the American public.

KAGAN: How does Trent Lott stand among his party in the Senate? Some pointing fingers at him, saying the situation with Jim Jeffords was his fault, not keeping him in the fold.

ROTHENBERG: Well, there's certainly been some grumbling. We're all aware of that. There has been -- Senator Lott has drawn criticism, the White House and Karl Rove have drawn criticism. But just the other day, when Lott sent out a memo about how combative the Republican minority should be, that drew some criticism from Chuck Hagel and Olympia Snowe, stylistically more moderate Republicans who said that's not the way to begin this new Republican minority.

So, I think Senator Lott, at the moment, is in control of the party, but there are still some huge question marks about how the Republicans will operate as the minority.

KAGAN: And finally, even though Jim Jeffords took most of us by surprise, do you think that this shifting is done with within the Senate? It was interesting to see Tom Daschle make a trip to John McCain's Arizona ranch this weekend?

ROTHENBERG: Look, I think for the moment, what we have is 50, 49 and one independent. I think John McCain likes the media attention and down the road might consider switching if he felt his party was clearly inhospitable to him personally. We're going to keep an eye on Zell Miller. But I don't expect an immediate switch. Remember, Strom Thurmond is still 98 years old. Senator Bob Torricelli of New Jersey is still under investigation. So, we're in a very fluid, flexible period at the moment.

KAGAN: I think fluid would be a very good word to apply to this U.S. Senate. Stu Rothenberg, thanks for your time today.

ROTHENBERG: Thank you.

KAGAN: Good to see you, Stu.

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