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American Morning

Interview with Representative Mike Pence (R) of Indiana

Aired October 29, 2001 - 09:21   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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Anthrax, as you know, has turned up on both sides of Capitol Hill. Late Friday. word that traces of anthrax were found in a House office building, the Longworth building across the Capitol grounds. Now, a week earlier, House Speaker Dennis Hastert had come under a lot of criticism when he shut down the House chamber as precautionary measure. This is the front page from the "New York Post" from October 18th. You can see headline, over a picture Senate Majority Leader Dick Gephardt and Speaker Hastert, and in capital letters one word "WIMPS." And then Senator John McCain on David Letterman described the House's departure.

Calling it "another chapter in profiles in courage." Of course, he said that quite facetiously.

Joining us now is Indiana Republican Mike Pence, whose office was one of those where the anthrax was found. Good of you join us this morning, Welcome sir.

REP. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: Thank you, Paula.

ZAHN: So, how upset are you about the characterization that what Dennis Hastert did was caving in and a wimpy thing to do?

PENCE: Well let me say, Paula, that, my one emotion this morning is not one of being upset at anyone. It's one of profound gratitude to the Speaker of the House and to no lesser extent to Leader Dick Gephardt for being willing to put my family, and my staff, and the citizens who visit our office -- safety ahead of their concerns about public relations and image.

What is apparent, from these tests, in our office, and in that of Congressman Baldacci and Congressman Rush, was that at the time they made this decision, there was active presence, of trace elements of anthrax and that bacillus in our offices. They may well have taken many of us out of harm's way by that decision and I'm grateful for it.

ZAHN: So, obviously you're saying, your overwhelming feeling this morning is a sense of gratitude, but at the same time, it had to sting when you heard your fellow colleagues including yourself, being called wimps and cowards.

PENCE: Well, you know it did. It was a very frustrating Thursday, I know for virtually every member of Congress with whom I spoke as many of us were back in our offices with CNN on, and other television on, and hearing a lot of the pundits criticizing the decisions. But the admirable thing about Speaker Dennis Hastert and Leader Dick Gephardt are, they didn't flinch, they didn't blink. They said we know we have done the right thing in starting these environmental sweeps, making sure we've got a safe environment to work in.

And I believe that the discoveries that I was informed of Friday night in our office and in other offices, of trace elements of anthrax, certainly vindicates their decision, and proves that truly, Paula, these times have fallen on broad shoulders. In Washington, D.C., your viewers should know these are men and women in leadership in both parties, that are willing to make and stand by the tough decisions.

ZAHN: You say they are willing to make and stand by tough decisions, and yet, you, no doubt, have seen this -- this criticism that sort of started to seep into the system last week, even from members of the president's own party, about the way some of these alerts have been handled.

What is the ongoing challenge for this administration? You know, they're being accused of spinning, at a time when it appears as though the American public wants to be simply informed, whether it's scary information or not.

PENCE: Well, I really believe that we're living, literally, in -- in an hour-by-hour circumstance, Paula. I know you all in news media -- which is a venue where I made a living over the last decade, back in Indiana -- all are huffing and puffing to keep up with this story. Make no mistake about it, that officials are dealing with the public relations part of this in the same way.

But, what I want to say, and I said Saturday, at our press conferences, I don't want the people that I serve to be alarmed by the discovery of these anthrax trace elements on our office. They should be encouraged. This means the leadership, health officials, Capitol security, got the jump on whoever did this. They failed in their effort to do harm to me and family and our staff, and the people in our offices.

We ought to celebrate that, and we ought to recognize that we have a government that is proving worthy of our trust.

ZAHN: How are you doing the people's work now in terms of any -- can you answer any letters now? Or are you simply cut off from talking to your constituents by mail or communicating by mail?

PENCE: Well, it's been very frustrating. Our phone calls and e- mail have all been sent back to our district offices in Indiana. We're doing our level best, to deal with the ongoing needs of our constituents. But, the mail is something we haven't been able really to get to since about October the 12th. That is frustrating.

As you know, Paula, being a veteran of these venues, that writing a letter to your Congressman, getting a letter back from Congressman, this is a grand American tradition, and, I'm someone who's very anxious, to get back at our mail, find out what folks that are putting pencil to paper are thinking again. And I'm confident we'll -- we'll deal with these bacterial problems and these attacks very effectively with new technologies, here, and among our postal workers, and we will get the people's business done.

ZAHN: How long do you think it will be before you can get back to routine business in your offices?

PENCE: Well, obviously, we have been able to open the Rayburn Office Buildings and the Canon Office Buildings -- maybe some of my colleagues are watching me from there this morning. The Longworth Office Building, I think because of these discoveries, according to what security and health officials have said, it's going to taken a little while longer, but people are on the case, are working hard. And in the meantime, we're working out of the trunks of cars and -- and borrowed office space, in what promises to be a busy legislative week. But I -- I think it will probably be a couple weeks yet for the Longworth Office Building, and for the mail for everybody.

ZAHN: Well we wish you very good luck. I know it is extremely from frustrating for those of you that are out of your regular house and home down there. Thank you Representative Pence, appreciate your time.

PENCE: Thank you. Thank you, Paula, it's a privilege to be with you this morning.

ZAHN: Thank you and I hope the representative's right that his colleagues are watching him on CNN.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You noticed that.

ZAHN: I did. I heard that.

O'BRIEN: I noticed that too. I was taking a little note of that.

ZAHN: I hope that is the -- the new source of record.

O'BRIEN: We'll let promotions department know about that one.

ZAHN: Exactly.

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