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American Morning
Tipper Gore Decides She's Not Going to be Jumping In
Aired March 18, 2002 - 07:30 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, she politely says, thanks, but no thanks. Whether the impetus came from Tennessee Democrats or from Tipper Gore herself, after a test of Tennessee's political waters over the weekend, she has decided now that she is not going to be jumping in. It's just not the right time. The short- lived rumors that she was considering a run for her husband's old U.S. Senate seat ended yesterday after meeting with U.S. Representative Bob Clement, who is expected to announce his candidacy for the same seat later today.
CNN Congressional Correspondent Jonathan Karl is in Nashville this morning and he joins us now - good morning, Jonathan.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.
Tipper Gore said this was a personal decision. This simply wasn't the right time for her to engage in what would have been a grueling and really intensely fought campaign potentially against the very high profile Republican named Lamar Alexander. But Tipper Gore said that she seriously considered a run. And talking to democrats here in Tennessee, it looks like that is true.
Several democrats around the state reported getting calls not only from Tipper Gore about a possible candidacy, but also from the former Vice President, Al Gore, who also made calls on his wife's behalf. But, you know, timing was the critical factor here as well. Believe it or not, even though this Senate seat only became open about less than two weeks ago, when Fred Thompson said he wouldn't run for reelection, democrats had already united around another candidate. You mentioned his name, Bob Clement. He's a congressman, but he's also the son of a very popular long-time ex governor down here in Tennessee; a very well known name throughout the state.
Democrats had already committed to supporting him. And what Tipper Gore found out as she talked to democrats around the state is that they felt that she was getting into this thing a little bit too late - Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, Jonathan, how about Tipper's children? In any way - she says it was personal, this is a personal decision, the timing is not right. But how much was she really thinking about her kids? KARL: Well, you know, she talks about how family issues and children's issues are the issues that drive her, as well as mental health coverage and healthcare coverage. But her family have always been the closest advisers to Tipper Gore - in fact, Al Gore has had. She has three daughters. Now as far as whether or not they weighed into this decision, hard to say. But one thing that people are already speculating about down here is, will any of the Gore children eventually run for office?
One in particular, her oldest daughter, Karenna is somebody who has been very active politically, was a very key player in her father's presidential campaign in 2000. And democrats down here are thinking that eventually they're going to see one of the Gore women run for office - run for office probably in Tennessee. And if it's not Tipper Gore, it may well be one of those Gore daughters.
WHITFIELD: We'll be watching. Thanks a lot, Jonathan Karl - Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Fredricka.
For more on what went on in Tennessee's smoke-filled rooms to come to this momentous decision about Tipper Gore, we're joined once again my "TIME" magazine editor at large, Michael Elliott - happy Monday.
MICHAEL ELLIOTT, EDITOR, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Happy Monday to you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: I don't know, do we send a sympathy card down to the voters in Tennessee? Lamar Alexander and Tipper Gore, I mean we're not talking about...
ELLIOTT: I was watching you in the reference to Lamar Alexander. Yeah, how far back do you have to go with these guys?
CAFFERTY: Yeah. Well, you know, the Democrats are one Senate seat away from controlling the Senate.
ELLIOTT: Right.
CAFFERTY: And there are Republicans dropping like flies around the country. Why do you suppose Tipper would make a run at this? I mean, obviously, her name recognition has to be as good as anyone's.
ELLIOTT: You know, it's a weird thing. On Friday, when that story broke, there was something about it that didn't ring true. I mean she had never been the kind of person, we had thought, who really was likely to enjoy the sort of limelight that went with the kind of big, nationally publicized Senate race. And I couldn't quite believe it on Friday, so I'm not entirely surprised today.
CAFFERTY: All right. Let's move on to the subject of Saddam Hussein and Iraq. There is a new poll done by "TIME" and CNN which indicates, among other things, that 70 percent of the people in the poll favor some sort of action to remove Saddam Hussein from power. And I think that's the wrong question in the graphic. According to my information, 70 percent are in favor of going after Saddam Hussein.
ELLIOTT: That's it.
CAFFERTY: There was a story in "USA Today" that quotes the Saudi foreign minister as saying his country "...would not object to the United States orchestrating the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, as long as the overthrow was led by the Iraqi people." Read the tea leaves for me. That's pretty interesting stuff.
ELLIOTT: That was a good gap (ph) by "USA Today." An interesting kind of thing to follow. So what the Saudis said last week when Vice President Cheney was there was that they didn't kind of want a massive war in Iraq. And what they're saying now is that if the Iraqi people rise up and get rid of Saddam Hussein that would be fine. Well wouldn't that be nice? It would be nice if pigs could fly. I don't think it's going to happen.
CAFFERTY: Well, I mean, if we put a couple of hundred thousand advisers to train the Iraqi forces, right, that would - if you get my drift.
ELLIOTT: That would be - I do get your drift.
CAFFERTY: But Cheney does come home with something in his pocket based on this conversation in "USA Today," right?
ELLIOTT: Yes, he has something. No, he has something for sure. And I think what happens now is that Cheney comes back, the U.S. digests what they've heard in the region, they do this kind of long fan dance about trying to get U.N. inspectors back in. And I expect some decision taken in the summer with military action that could happen in September, October.
CAFFERTY: Now there's a piece in "The New York Times" this morning that President Bush has invited Saudi Arabia's crown prince to ranch in Texas for some high level talks.
ELLIOTT: Right.
CAFFERTY: What do you suppose will be on the agenda there?
ELLIOTT: Well, I think Iraq is number one.
CAFFERTY: Sure.
ELLIOTT: And I think the Middle East is number two. The Americans want to be clear exactly what it is that the Saudis are proposing in terms of the Middle East. And the question is, here, are they saying to the Israelis full normalization of relations, embassies, trade, cultural exchanges, the whole bit? Or are they saying, well, we'll kind of tolerate your presence?
CAFFERTY: Right.
ELLIOTT: And I think what the American administration wants to hear from the Saudis is, no, we're serious. If we can get a peace deal, it's a true peace deal. It's full normalization of relations. But, you know, I think the president wants to hear that from the crown prince. Hence, the trip to Texas.
CAFFERTY: All right. We've got 30 seconds left. There is a story in your magazine coming out today that Operation Anaconda might not be as over as we're being told it's over.
ELLIOTT: Great story by our boy Michael Weir (ph), who last Thursday and Friday, just a couple of days ago, was in very, very heavy fire fights in the Shah-e-Kot Valley with special forces. Lots of al Qaeda people around lobbing RPGs - rocket propelled grenades - into the camps. There are clearly still pockets of very serious bad guys around there. And we have special forces people who are trying to get them.
CAFFERTY: Why are we being told it's winding down?
ELLIOTT: Well, I guess what's winding - I mean, if you think, two weeks ago we had 1,000 people (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
CAFFERTY: Well that's true.
ELLIOTT: I mean, we're obviously kind of reducing the number. But we have substantial numbers of special forces guys, and we have to because there are a lot of bad guys still there.
CAFFERTY: All right. Always a pleasure, Mike - thanks.
ELLIOTT: All right, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Michael Elliott, Editor at large for "TIME" magazine.
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