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American Morning

What Did Republicans Do Right Last Night?

Aired November 06, 2002 - 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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: What did the Republicans do right last night? Let's talk about that from Washington. Virginia Representative Tom Davis, the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee.
We say good morning to you, sir.

REP. TOM DAVIS (R), VIRGINIA: Good morning.

HEMMER: Now that Republicans have the power, what are you going to do with it?

DAVIS: I think we're going to continue to enact President Bush's agenda, a lot of which has been held up in the Senate, from his homeland security legislation, making the tax cuts permanent, reauthorization of welfare reform. A lot of the prescription drugs, a lot of these bills passed the House and were stopped up in the Senate, and I think you saw that reaction in the election last night.

HEMMER: Yes, what we did not see last night was a true reaction generated against the American economy right now. With Republicans in control of the White House, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, what is the plan to get the economy out of its current rut and moving along again?

DAVIS: Well, you need to remember that we had a stimulus package the president authored earlier in the year that passed the House, and the Senate pared it way back. Part of that was moving some of those tax cuts back forward to put more money into the hands of the American people. Some was some cuts in term of regulation, allowing businesses to work. Part of it was pension reform. So we had a whole series of bills that passed the House that the Senate didn't enact.

HEMMER: What';s the plan now, though, sir?

DAVIS: Well, I think we're going to proceed on that. I think the legislation that has moved through, balancing the budget. We have a strong budget resolution in the House, the Senate never did pass it. I think moving forward on all of these is going to be part of the agenda. Had these been enacted six months ago , I dare say the economy would be in better shape today.

HEMMER: Some are suggesting that war with Iraq is now inevitable. Do you go along with that as well?

DAVIS: I don't think it's inevitable, but we've strengthened the president's hand, that hopefully war with Iraq won't be inevitable. Hopefully we can form a strong international task force and handle this outside a direct military conflict. I don't know it's inevitable. I hope it's not.

HEMMER: But does it appear the possibilities are greater, given the Republican victories last night?

DAVIS: I don't think it has to do anything with that. The president has overwhelming margins in both houses on Iraq to give him the flexibility that he needs. If anything, this probably strengthens his mandate as he deals with four nations trying to get U.N. resolutions passed and form a broader international coalition.

HEMMER: You were at the White House last night for dinner?

DAVIS: Yes, I was.

HEMMER: Did you meet with the president? Did you talk to him?

DAVIS: It was a good, very small dinner. Let me just say, we are at now, CNN is carrying this at 226 Republican seats. Heather Wilson has won her seat in New Mexico, which brings us to 22. In Texas, Henry Bonilla will go over the top, which Bayer County will bring to 22. Bob Bopray (ph) will be ahead when it's going over some disputed ballots, which could bring us to 229, and Louisiana is a run- off election there under their state law.

HEMMER: So you are saying Republicans could be at 230 in the House?

DAVIS: Prior to party switches, which we think we'll see a couple of those as well.

HEMMER: I'm out of time but I want to know what the president talked about last night. His mood, his attitude, what's that?

DAVIS: I think it was buoyant. We were confident, and he was jovial. When his brother won earlier in the evening it set the tone. It was a great night.

HEMMER: Tom Davis, thank you again.

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 6, 2002 - 09:21   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: What did the Republicans do right last night? Let's talk about that from Washington. Virginia Representative Tom Davis, the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee.
We say good morning to you, sir.

REP. TOM DAVIS (R), VIRGINIA: Good morning.

HEMMER: Now that Republicans have the power, what are you going to do with it?

DAVIS: I think we're going to continue to enact President Bush's agenda, a lot of which has been held up in the Senate, from his homeland security legislation, making the tax cuts permanent, reauthorization of welfare reform. A lot of the prescription drugs, a lot of these bills passed the House and were stopped up in the Senate, and I think you saw that reaction in the election last night.

HEMMER: Yes, what we did not see last night was a true reaction generated against the American economy right now. With Republicans in control of the White House, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, what is the plan to get the economy out of its current rut and moving along again?

DAVIS: Well, you need to remember that we had a stimulus package the president authored earlier in the year that passed the House, and the Senate pared it way back. Part of that was moving some of those tax cuts back forward to put more money into the hands of the American people. Some was some cuts in term of regulation, allowing businesses to work. Part of it was pension reform. So we had a whole series of bills that passed the House that the Senate didn't enact.

HEMMER: What';s the plan now, though, sir?

DAVIS: Well, I think we're going to proceed on that. I think the legislation that has moved through, balancing the budget. We have a strong budget resolution in the House, the Senate never did pass it. I think moving forward on all of these is going to be part of the agenda. Had these been enacted six months ago , I dare say the economy would be in better shape today.

HEMMER: Some are suggesting that war with Iraq is now inevitable. Do you go along with that as well?

DAVIS: I don't think it's inevitable, but we've strengthened the president's hand, that hopefully war with Iraq won't be inevitable. Hopefully we can form a strong international task force and handle this outside a direct military conflict. I don't know it's inevitable. I hope it's not.

HEMMER: But does it appear the possibilities are greater, given the Republican victories last night?

DAVIS: I don't think it has to do anything with that. The president has overwhelming margins in both houses on Iraq to give him the flexibility that he needs. If anything, this probably strengthens his mandate as he deals with four nations trying to get U.N. resolutions passed and form a broader international coalition.

HEMMER: You were at the White House last night for dinner?

DAVIS: Yes, I was.

HEMMER: Did you meet with the president? Did you talk to him?

DAVIS: It was a good, very small dinner. Let me just say, we are at now, CNN is carrying this at 226 Republican seats. Heather Wilson has won her seat in New Mexico, which brings us to 22. In Texas, Henry Bonilla will go over the top, which Bayer County will bring to 22. Bob Bopray (ph) will be ahead when it's going over some disputed ballots, which could bring us to 229, and Louisiana is a run- off election there under their state law.

HEMMER: So you are saying Republicans could be at 230 in the House?

DAVIS: Prior to party switches, which we think we'll see a couple of those as well.

HEMMER: I'm out of time but I want to know what the president talked about last night. His mood, his attitude, what's that?

DAVIS: I think it was buoyant. We were confident, and he was jovial. When his brother won earlier in the evening it set the tone. It was a great night.

HEMMER: Tom Davis, thank you again.

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