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American Morning
"Gimme a Minute" Panel on Iraq, Gay Marriage, Crisis in the States
Aired July 04, 2003 - 09:41 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, ANCHOR: Heidi spoke yesterday with our panel of fast-talking pundits and the news flash is, she got a word in edgewise. Here's a look at this week's big stories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEIDI COLLINS, ANCHOR: "Give Me a Minute," a chance for our panel to be both brilliant and brisk as they sound off on the week's big stories.
With us this morning, Jonah Goldberg, editor of "National Review"; Donna Brazile, Democratic strategist; Andy Borowitz, author of "Who Moved My Soap?"
Thanks, you guys, for being here once again. Let's go ahead and get started right way.
Question, President Bush this week promised to stay the course in Iraq calling the mission a massive and long-term undertaking. Are the American people with him?
Jonah?
JONAH GOLDBERG, "NATIONAL REVIEW" EDITOR: I think so. And I think it's largely a myth that Americans don't have the patience to see these sorts of things through. After all, the Cold War took 50 years.
And it's the right thing to do, and it's about time that Bush said something like this.
COLLINS: Donna?
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, the president yesterday said, "bring it on." I think he needs to bring on some more peacekeepers, get the Germans and French and others who are more experienced at restoring order and planting seeds of democracy to help us finish up the job.
COLLINS: All right. And Andy, final thought?
ANDY BOROWITZ, "WHO MOVED MY SOAP?" AUTHOR: Well, it's clearly going to be expensive in Iraq, because this week the U.S. decided to replace interim administrator L. Paul Bremer III with Thurston Howell III, the world's richest man. COLLINS: Get off the island. All right. We've got it down to under a moment.
Let's move onto the next one, to the "Newsweek" covers. We saw when, after the Supreme Court made the decision to effectively legalize homosexual activity in America. Where is this issue of gay marriages going? Is this going to be a wedge issue in 2004? Donna?
BRAZILE: Yes, it is. I think it's one of those cultural issues that will always find its way back into the political waters. But it's a phony issue. Gays and lesbians deserve equal treatment under the law. And there's no reason for a constitutional amendment. We already have a federal law.
COLLINS: All right. Jonah?
GREENBURG: I would agree with Donna if the federal law worked. But there's very few lawyers out there who think it will pass muster.
The surprising thing about this is this is actually going to be divisive on the right. The Bush administration was really planning on the Democrats being torn over this, between Howard Dean and those guys fighting over gay marriage. It now looks like the conservatives are going to be fighting over it.
COLLINS: Fifteen seconds, Andy Borowitz.
BOROWITZ: I don't know what the president can do about same-sex marriages but I think he shouldn't recognize marriages involving Jennifer Lopez.
COLLINS: Thank you very much, Andy.
Last question, guys. The states and the condition that the states are in. California, $38 million deficit, New Jersey has had to raise corporate taxes. What's the situation here? What can be done to help the states?
Jonah?
GREENBURG: Well, ideally, nothing. These states have spent money like sailors during Fleet Week throughout the 1990s. And now because they've spent so terribly, they expect the federal government to bail them out, which would send exactly the wrong message. These states have to learn to get their financial houses in order and that's the only way for long-term fiscal responsibility.
COLLINS: Donna?
BRAZILE: I think you're going to see a taxpayer revolve at the lower level. Because the federal budget chickens coming home to roost. They're going to look to toast somebody and they'll find out it's Uncle Sam.
COLLINS: All right. And finally, Andy? BOROWITZ: It's just like at the federal level. It you're spending more than you're taking in, there's only one thing you can do. A dividend tax cut.
COLLINS: OK. How did I know that that would be funny?
All right, guys. There are probably some stories that we have missed throughout the week. What's under the radar? Jonah, why don't you go ahead and start us off?
GOLDBERG: Sure. Saudi Arabia announced this week that they're going to hold a world conference on human rights, which is remarkably similar to the Ku Klux Klan holding a gay pride parade.
COLLINS: All right. And Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, I just learned that lawyers are about to follow all of us after we eat a hamburger and have some fries at McDonald's and urge us to sue. I think that's utterly stupid.
COLLINS: Andy, what do you think?
BOROWITZ: U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix retired this week. And in his first full day at home, his wife refused to listen to him.
COLLINS: Could be a problem.
BOROWITZ: Absolutely. Well, he's used to it.
COLLINS: All right. Very good, guys. Thanks so much. Tantalizing discussion, as always, in "Give Me a Minute." Andy Borowitz, thanks so much for your time. Donna Brazile and Jonah Goldberg. Thanks, guys.
GOLDBERG: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
the States>
Aired July 4, 2003 - 09:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, ANCHOR: Heidi spoke yesterday with our panel of fast-talking pundits and the news flash is, she got a word in edgewise. Here's a look at this week's big stories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEIDI COLLINS, ANCHOR: "Give Me a Minute," a chance for our panel to be both brilliant and brisk as they sound off on the week's big stories.
With us this morning, Jonah Goldberg, editor of "National Review"; Donna Brazile, Democratic strategist; Andy Borowitz, author of "Who Moved My Soap?"
Thanks, you guys, for being here once again. Let's go ahead and get started right way.
Question, President Bush this week promised to stay the course in Iraq calling the mission a massive and long-term undertaking. Are the American people with him?
Jonah?
JONAH GOLDBERG, "NATIONAL REVIEW" EDITOR: I think so. And I think it's largely a myth that Americans don't have the patience to see these sorts of things through. After all, the Cold War took 50 years.
And it's the right thing to do, and it's about time that Bush said something like this.
COLLINS: Donna?
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, the president yesterday said, "bring it on." I think he needs to bring on some more peacekeepers, get the Germans and French and others who are more experienced at restoring order and planting seeds of democracy to help us finish up the job.
COLLINS: All right. And Andy, final thought?
ANDY BOROWITZ, "WHO MOVED MY SOAP?" AUTHOR: Well, it's clearly going to be expensive in Iraq, because this week the U.S. decided to replace interim administrator L. Paul Bremer III with Thurston Howell III, the world's richest man. COLLINS: Get off the island. All right. We've got it down to under a moment.
Let's move onto the next one, to the "Newsweek" covers. We saw when, after the Supreme Court made the decision to effectively legalize homosexual activity in America. Where is this issue of gay marriages going? Is this going to be a wedge issue in 2004? Donna?
BRAZILE: Yes, it is. I think it's one of those cultural issues that will always find its way back into the political waters. But it's a phony issue. Gays and lesbians deserve equal treatment under the law. And there's no reason for a constitutional amendment. We already have a federal law.
COLLINS: All right. Jonah?
GREENBURG: I would agree with Donna if the federal law worked. But there's very few lawyers out there who think it will pass muster.
The surprising thing about this is this is actually going to be divisive on the right. The Bush administration was really planning on the Democrats being torn over this, between Howard Dean and those guys fighting over gay marriage. It now looks like the conservatives are going to be fighting over it.
COLLINS: Fifteen seconds, Andy Borowitz.
BOROWITZ: I don't know what the president can do about same-sex marriages but I think he shouldn't recognize marriages involving Jennifer Lopez.
COLLINS: Thank you very much, Andy.
Last question, guys. The states and the condition that the states are in. California, $38 million deficit, New Jersey has had to raise corporate taxes. What's the situation here? What can be done to help the states?
Jonah?
GREENBURG: Well, ideally, nothing. These states have spent money like sailors during Fleet Week throughout the 1990s. And now because they've spent so terribly, they expect the federal government to bail them out, which would send exactly the wrong message. These states have to learn to get their financial houses in order and that's the only way for long-term fiscal responsibility.
COLLINS: Donna?
BRAZILE: I think you're going to see a taxpayer revolve at the lower level. Because the federal budget chickens coming home to roost. They're going to look to toast somebody and they'll find out it's Uncle Sam.
COLLINS: All right. And finally, Andy? BOROWITZ: It's just like at the federal level. It you're spending more than you're taking in, there's only one thing you can do. A dividend tax cut.
COLLINS: OK. How did I know that that would be funny?
All right, guys. There are probably some stories that we have missed throughout the week. What's under the radar? Jonah, why don't you go ahead and start us off?
GOLDBERG: Sure. Saudi Arabia announced this week that they're going to hold a world conference on human rights, which is remarkably similar to the Ku Klux Klan holding a gay pride parade.
COLLINS: All right. And Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, I just learned that lawyers are about to follow all of us after we eat a hamburger and have some fries at McDonald's and urge us to sue. I think that's utterly stupid.
COLLINS: Andy, what do you think?
BOROWITZ: U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix retired this week. And in his first full day at home, his wife refused to listen to him.
COLLINS: Could be a problem.
BOROWITZ: Absolutely. Well, he's used to it.
COLLINS: All right. Very good, guys. Thanks so much. Tantalizing discussion, as always, in "Give Me a Minute." Andy Borowitz, thanks so much for your time. Donna Brazile and Jonah Goldberg. Thanks, guys.
GOLDBERG: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
the States>
