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American Morning

War and Economy Will Be Front and Center Tonight When President Speaks to Nation

Aired January 29, 2002 - 08:05   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: Up front this morning, addressing the State of the Union. War and the economy will be front and center tonight, when the president speaks to the nation. And members of Congress in the audience will be paying particular attention to the Bush domestic agenda.

In a moment, we'll be talking with House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, who tonight, like others before him, will be left to watch and wait. First, let's get a preview from Capitol Hill and our own Jonathan Karl.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president of the United States.

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With a party out of power, there is little more to do than politely cheer, when the president takes the stage. The good news is that when it's all over, you get a chance to respond, and that's the bad news too.

BOB DOLE, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Good evening. I am Bob Dole, and I am here...

KARL: Bob Dole gave it a crack responding to President Bill Clinton in 1996.

DOLE: But a reply need not be an argument. Instead, I want to present another view.

KARL: The response fell flat, as most of them do.

WILLIAM CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We must teach our children to be good citizens.

KARL: After all, how can you respond to the energy generated in a Chamber packed with Supreme Court justices, Cabinet secretaries and the entire Congress?

REP. DICK GEPHARDT (D-MO), MINORITY LEADER: Keep it short. That's what my wife always tells me.

KARL: This year, the response falls to Dick Gephardt.

GEPHARDT: We have to trust you, and you have to trust us.

KARL: It will be especially difficult following the wildly popular president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do I feel sorry for him? No. We went through it for eight years.

KARL: And during the eight years of responding to Bill Clinton, the Republicans tried hard to jazz up their responses. In 1997, J.C. Watts figured a live audience would help, but instead it was just kind of odd. What were those people doing there anyway?

Christie Whitman, in 1995, tried to create some energy by speaking from the New Jersey State House.

CHRISTIE WHITMAN, FORMER GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY: Good evening. Before we begin, let me assure you, I am not going to ask for equal time.

KARL: Good idea, maybe, but a roomful of Jersey politicians is a poor substitute for a room of top U.S. dignitaries.

Perhaps the toughest speech is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) from the great communicator himself, Ronald Reagan. From an empty Senate chamber, a stern Robert Byrd offered the Democrat response to Reagan's optimism in 1988.

SEN. ROBERT BYRD (D), WEST VIRGINIA: But his political victories have not always been national triumphs. The dark side of the Reagan years has only begun to loom.

KARL: With that, it certainly wasn't mourning in America for Democrats. As they respond to this time to a popular wartime president, Democrats have one saving grace. Many people won't be watching. If history is any guide, millions of viewers tune out when the president leaves the stage.

Jonathan Karl, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And the man you will see live on television after the president's address is House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt. He will be joining us, we are hoping, in the next five minutes or so.

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