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American Morning

America Votes 2002: Must See TV

Aired November 04, 2002 - 10:38   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: Well, you know, this time around this election 2002 is really going to be must-see TV. We've got cliff- hangers, there are close elections, tight races, all over the place. And as our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley joins us this morning, we're talk now about not just how tight these races are, but some of the interesting, more human angles and stories that are out there, as well.
Good morning, Candy, how are you doing today?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, I'm good, Leon.

HARRIS: Let's start with Maryland. Here we could be talking about perhaps the end of the Camelot legacy, couldn't we?

CROWLEY: Well, we are talking about the children of Camelot, that's for sure. And what's interesting in this, you know, politics is always about people and power and with that comes drama and tragedy and comedy. And take a look at Maryland where the governor's race is going on. It is now a dead heat.

Who is running in it, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. This is the oldest child of Bobby Kennedy. She's been lieutenant governor. She's had a lot of support coming in. She has a big name and she has history behind her because Maryland has not had a Republican governor since Spiro Agnew. But here's the deal. It is quite possible that this big name in politics will be beaten by someone you probably haven't heard of, a guy named Bob Erlich, who's from suburban Baltimore. He's the Republican. He has brought this to a tie race. He's a Congressman and, again, would be the first Republican governor in more than 40 years, so interesting that the children of Camelot are now facing some very tough races. Also in Maryland, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's cousin Mark Schreiber was defeated in the primary also by someone that you wouldn't necessarily know from the headlines.

HARRIS: All right. Very interesting. Let's go to Texas now, because we know that's a state that President Bush has got a keen interest in maintaining a Republican representation coming from there. But there's a very interesting race shaping up there with the former Dallas mayor, Ron Kirk.

CROWLEY: Sure, sure, and history, this is the history channel, because this race pits John Cornyn, who is the president's pick, against Ron Kirk, as you say is a former mayor. Now, what's interesting here, Texas could send its first black governor -- I'm sorry its first black senator to Washington. He would only be the third black senator to serve at all in Congress at least in modern times, so, you know, some history could be made there.

HARRIS: As a matter of fact, the Democrats in that state, again going to both sides of the ticket, with the governor's race there is will they play the minority card, if you will, they're playing that.

CROWLEY: There is a Latino at the top of the ticket running for governor against Rick Perry, and the hope is that -- they call this the dream team. There is a white lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket. They call themselves the dream team. Republicans are saying it hasn't turned out to be much of a dream team. But what they're hoping is that combination brings out a lot of new Democrats. They've been concentrating really heavily on first-time voters.

HARRIS: OK, now, from a dream team to what may be a strange dream to some, Jim Traficant, the man we just saw a little while ago being forced out of the House is running from jail?

CROWLEY: Yeah, he is. I mean, here's a guy who can't vote, who is on the ballot. I mean, you know, I love it. I mean, where else? you know, you have to love America. So, yes, he is on the ballot as he promised he would be. And one of the Congressmen told a local news station there that if Traficant should win, they would swear him in in the morning and throw him out by 5:00, so, you know.

HARRIS: That would be an interesting scene. Hey, almost as interesting as the video we saw from that one baseball game where it was Jim Traficant Night where everybody showed up with their weird hair pieces and all. Oh, boy, can't wait for this one. Candy, thanks much. See you soon. Take care.

CROWLEY: Never boring, is it, running from prison in Pennsylvania for a congressional seat in Ohio.

HARRIS: I'm almost hoping he wins, just to see what will happen.

CROWLEY: And what if it was the balance of power? What is, as Bill Schneider pointed that out.

HARRIS: That would be very interesting.

CROWLEY: That would very good.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 4, 2002 - 10:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, you know, this time around this election 2002 is really going to be must-see TV. We've got cliff- hangers, there are close elections, tight races, all over the place. And as our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley joins us this morning, we're talk now about not just how tight these races are, but some of the interesting, more human angles and stories that are out there, as well.
Good morning, Candy, how are you doing today?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, I'm good, Leon.

HARRIS: Let's start with Maryland. Here we could be talking about perhaps the end of the Camelot legacy, couldn't we?

CROWLEY: Well, we are talking about the children of Camelot, that's for sure. And what's interesting in this, you know, politics is always about people and power and with that comes drama and tragedy and comedy. And take a look at Maryland where the governor's race is going on. It is now a dead heat.

Who is running in it, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. This is the oldest child of Bobby Kennedy. She's been lieutenant governor. She's had a lot of support coming in. She has a big name and she has history behind her because Maryland has not had a Republican governor since Spiro Agnew. But here's the deal. It is quite possible that this big name in politics will be beaten by someone you probably haven't heard of, a guy named Bob Erlich, who's from suburban Baltimore. He's the Republican. He has brought this to a tie race. He's a Congressman and, again, would be the first Republican governor in more than 40 years, so interesting that the children of Camelot are now facing some very tough races. Also in Maryland, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's cousin Mark Schreiber was defeated in the primary also by someone that you wouldn't necessarily know from the headlines.

HARRIS: All right. Very interesting. Let's go to Texas now, because we know that's a state that President Bush has got a keen interest in maintaining a Republican representation coming from there. But there's a very interesting race shaping up there with the former Dallas mayor, Ron Kirk.

CROWLEY: Sure, sure, and history, this is the history channel, because this race pits John Cornyn, who is the president's pick, against Ron Kirk, as you say is a former mayor. Now, what's interesting here, Texas could send its first black governor -- I'm sorry its first black senator to Washington. He would only be the third black senator to serve at all in Congress at least in modern times, so, you know, some history could be made there.

HARRIS: As a matter of fact, the Democrats in that state, again going to both sides of the ticket, with the governor's race there is will they play the minority card, if you will, they're playing that.

CROWLEY: There is a Latino at the top of the ticket running for governor against Rick Perry, and the hope is that -- they call this the dream team. There is a white lieutenant governor on the Democratic ticket. They call themselves the dream team. Republicans are saying it hasn't turned out to be much of a dream team. But what they're hoping is that combination brings out a lot of new Democrats. They've been concentrating really heavily on first-time voters.

HARRIS: OK, now, from a dream team to what may be a strange dream to some, Jim Traficant, the man we just saw a little while ago being forced out of the House is running from jail?

CROWLEY: Yeah, he is. I mean, here's a guy who can't vote, who is on the ballot. I mean, you know, I love it. I mean, where else? you know, you have to love America. So, yes, he is on the ballot as he promised he would be. And one of the Congressmen told a local news station there that if Traficant should win, they would swear him in in the morning and throw him out by 5:00, so, you know.

HARRIS: That would be an interesting scene. Hey, almost as interesting as the video we saw from that one baseball game where it was Jim Traficant Night where everybody showed up with their weird hair pieces and all. Oh, boy, can't wait for this one. Candy, thanks much. See you soon. Take care.

CROWLEY: Never boring, is it, running from prison in Pennsylvania for a congressional seat in Ohio.

HARRIS: I'm almost hoping he wins, just to see what will happen.

CROWLEY: And what if it was the balance of power? What is, as Bill Schneider pointed that out.

HARRIS: That would be very interesting.

CROWLEY: That would very good.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com