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American Morning
Republican Leadership Change on Capitol Hill
Aired December 23, 2002 - 08:02 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: Back to our other top story this morning, the Republican leadership change on Capitol Hill this morning. Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott is speaking out to give his support to the new head honcho and making some interesting admissions in the meantime.
Bruce Morton joins us now live from Capitol Hill with all of the above -- good morning, Bruce.
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, they're going to do it with a Conference telephone call because, of course, this is the Christmas recess and they're scattered all over the country. There's no known opposition to Bill Frist. He's well liked by most of his colleagues, got good marks because he was chairman of the Senate Campaign Committee in the last cycle and, of course, the Republicans won control of the Senate.
So people think well of him. There are some questions about experience with the complicated Senate rules. He was elected only in 1994. He's had eight years here. But his number two, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, is a wily old veteran, knows the rules well, used them for years to stall campaign finance reform, so he'll get some good advice on that score.
The other question being raised about him is whether he'll be more President Bush's man or the Senate's, and we'll just have to find out how that goes.
In the meanwhile, Trent Lott down in Mississippi is still trying to get over his seemingly pro-segregation comments at the 100th birthday party for South Carolina's Strom Thurmond, insisting that he's a good guy and that he is for affirmative action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRENT LOTT (R-MI), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: I believe in open, aggressive, active outreach to all people, particularly minorities, to have an opportunity to get a decent education, to get in a college or university or get a job. And I think that takes effort. It takes focus. I've made it clear all along, I still don't support quotas or arbitrary timetables. But I think you've got to have an overt commitment to get results.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MORTON: Well, it's a little late for all that, of course. Lott's fate was decided some days ago. He said some things that might indicate he thinks he's the victim of a plot, but we'll just have to see how that works out.
In the meantime, it's Mr. Frist, a new generation, a new kind of leadership and how the Senate will do under his leadership, with all the challenges it faces -- health care, prescription drugs, taxes and so on -- it's going to be a very testing time for this relatively new senator -- Paula.
ZAHN: So, Bruce, you were saying the perception on some politicians' parts is that he is in the president's pocket. And there are people out there saying that perhaps it would be a bold move on Mr. Frist's part early on in this process to break away with the president to prove that he is, indeed, the Senate majority leader and not just the handpicked guy of the president.
MORTON: Well, that might be a good move. The Senate, as you know, Paula, thinks of itself as a club. Senators are very proud of being senators. Most of them think they could be president, come to that. And they are going to want a leader who is clearly theirs and not beholden to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
ZAHN: Bruce Morton, we're going to leave it there this morning. Thanks so much for the update.
Appreciate it.
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 December 23, 2002 - 08:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to our other top story this morning, the Republican leadership change on Capitol Hill this morning. Former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott is speaking out to give his support to the new head honcho and making some interesting admissions in the meantime.
Bruce Morton joins us now live from Capitol Hill with all of the above -- good morning, Bruce.
BRUCE MORTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula.
Well, they're going to do it with a Conference telephone call because, of course, this is the Christmas recess and they're scattered all over the country. There's no known opposition to Bill Frist. He's well liked by most of his colleagues, got good marks because he was chairman of the Senate Campaign Committee in the last cycle and, of course, the Republicans won control of the Senate.
So people think well of him. There are some questions about experience with the complicated Senate rules. He was elected only in 1994. He's had eight years here. But his number two, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, is a wily old veteran, knows the rules well, used them for years to stall campaign finance reform, so he'll get some good advice on that score.
The other question being raised about him is whether he'll be more President Bush's man or the Senate's, and we'll just have to find out how that goes.
In the meanwhile, Trent Lott down in Mississippi is still trying to get over his seemingly pro-segregation comments at the 100th birthday party for South Carolina's Strom Thurmond, insisting that he's a good guy and that he is for affirmative action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRENT LOTT (R-MI), SENATE MINORITY LEADER: I believe in open, aggressive, active outreach to all people, particularly minorities, to have an opportunity to get a decent education, to get in a college or university or get a job. And I think that takes effort. It takes focus. I've made it clear all along, I still don't support quotas or arbitrary timetables. But I think you've got to have an overt commitment to get results.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MORTON: Well, it's a little late for all that, of course. Lott's fate was decided some days ago. He said some things that might indicate he thinks he's the victim of a plot, but we'll just have to see how that works out.
In the meantime, it's Mr. Frist, a new generation, a new kind of leadership and how the Senate will do under his leadership, with all the challenges it faces -- health care, prescription drugs, taxes and so on -- it's going to be a very testing time for this relatively new senator -- Paula.
ZAHN: So, Bruce, you were saying the perception on some politicians' parts is that he is in the president's pocket. And there are people out there saying that perhaps it would be a bold move on Mr. Frist's part early on in this process to break away with the president to prove that he is, indeed, the Senate majority leader and not just the handpicked guy of the president.
MORTON: Well, that might be a good move. The Senate, as you know, Paula, thinks of itself as a club. Senators are very proud of being senators. Most of them think they could be president, come to that. And they are going to want a leader who is clearly theirs and not beholden to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
ZAHN: Bruce Morton, we're going to leave it there this morning. Thanks so much for the update.
Appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
