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American Morning

America Votes 2004: Iowa Debate

Aired January 12, 2004 - 07:04   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: The political horse race is now shaping up in Iowa. The state's caucus is just a week away. Eight of the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls debated there again last night for the last time before voters get their chance to voice their choices a week from today.
CNN is in Iowa, giving you full, fast and accurate coverage over of all of the breaking developments -- and there were many -- over the weekend.

CNN's election express, our election bus, is traveling across the state. It will be in every critical spot throughout the campaign.

Right now the front runners in Iowa look to be in a virtual dead heat. A new Zogby Poll is showing Howard Dean with 25 percent among likely Democratic voters to 23 percent for Richard Gephardt.

During last night's debate in Des Moines, those candidates were challenged on their civil rights records, but Dean took a hit at the hands of the Reverend Al Sharpton.

Bob Franken this morning is with us live in Des Moines.

Bob -- good morning there.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

And, of course, every four years we rediscover Iowa and discover that the presidential candidates have been here for quite awhile. They've been debating for quite awhile.

And, of course, last night there was a debate that was called the Black & Brown Forum. It was aimed at minorities.

We should point out that Iowa has very few minority residents, but, of course, this is a national election. And the comments there -- which, by the way, were featured on MSNBC -- the comments there were also seen in parts of the country that will be important later.

This bus right now -- our bus is here in Des Moines, as you can tell by the capitol in back of me. And, of course, one of the sports has been to go after the front runner in these debates -- the front runner being Howard Dean, according to most polls. As you pointed out, there is a dead heat now.

In any case, last night he came under attack from Al Sharpton, who is one of the non-leaders, talking about the question of whether Dean, when he was governor of Vermont, had any high-ranking people in his administration who were minorities -- members of his cabinet. Well, the answer is no, and it produced the best exchange of the evening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How you can explain not one black or brown working for your administration as governor.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We do have African- American and Latino workers in state government, including...

SHARPTON: No, no, I said under your administration. Did you have a senior member of your cabinet that was black or brown?

DEAN: We had a senior member of my staff on my fifth floor...

SHARPTON: No, your cabinet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: So, now we have a situation in Iowa, where Howard Dean, who is the favorite, has to do well. Dick Gephardt, who is the man who is expected to do well, has to do well. They are in a dead heat. There are several other candidates who, if they do well, will beat the expectations game. Of course, all of that analysis will come a week from today.

Right now, of course, there is going to be the big build-up. This is Iowa's day in the sun, although it's a bit cold to call it, Bill, a day in the sun.

HEMMER: Yes, I would say that's a very accurate point, Bob.

Listen to Dennis Kucinich's shot at the White House right now, and we'll come back and talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS KUCINICH (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I've been wondering why the president would, while we're still in Iraq, talk about going to the moon and going to Mars. Maybe he's looking for the weapons of mass destruction still.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Oftentimes we've tried to look at these debates, Bob, over the past several months and see who gets more heat: Governor Dean or President Bush. Last night, who was it?

FRANKEN: Well, it was sort of a toss-up last night. I should point out, by the way, that Congressman Kucinich would be in that category I described a moment ago as one of the non-leaders, but he has provided some of the sharpest lines of the debate.

And one of the things that he does point out is exactly what you are -- that the real prize here -- the eye on the prize, to follow the theme of last night -- would be for the Democrats beating President Bush. But first, they have to go through the rough selection process in their party.

HEMMER: Thank you, Bob -- Bob Franken in Des Moines.

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 January 12, 2004 - 07:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The political horse race is now shaping up in Iowa. The state's caucus is just a week away. Eight of the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls debated there again last night for the last time before voters get their chance to voice their choices a week from today.
CNN is in Iowa, giving you full, fast and accurate coverage over of all of the breaking developments -- and there were many -- over the weekend.

CNN's election express, our election bus, is traveling across the state. It will be in every critical spot throughout the campaign.

Right now the front runners in Iowa look to be in a virtual dead heat. A new Zogby Poll is showing Howard Dean with 25 percent among likely Democratic voters to 23 percent for Richard Gephardt.

During last night's debate in Des Moines, those candidates were challenged on their civil rights records, but Dean took a hit at the hands of the Reverend Al Sharpton.

Bob Franken this morning is with us live in Des Moines.

Bob -- good morning there.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Bill.

And, of course, every four years we rediscover Iowa and discover that the presidential candidates have been here for quite awhile. They've been debating for quite awhile.

And, of course, last night there was a debate that was called the Black & Brown Forum. It was aimed at minorities.

We should point out that Iowa has very few minority residents, but, of course, this is a national election. And the comments there -- which, by the way, were featured on MSNBC -- the comments there were also seen in parts of the country that will be important later.

This bus right now -- our bus is here in Des Moines, as you can tell by the capitol in back of me. And, of course, one of the sports has been to go after the front runner in these debates -- the front runner being Howard Dean, according to most polls. As you pointed out, there is a dead heat now.

In any case, last night he came under attack from Al Sharpton, who is one of the non-leaders, talking about the question of whether Dean, when he was governor of Vermont, had any high-ranking people in his administration who were minorities -- members of his cabinet. Well, the answer is no, and it produced the best exchange of the evening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How you can explain not one black or brown working for your administration as governor.

HOWARD DEAN (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We do have African- American and Latino workers in state government, including...

SHARPTON: No, no, I said under your administration. Did you have a senior member of your cabinet that was black or brown?

DEAN: We had a senior member of my staff on my fifth floor...

SHARPTON: No, your cabinet.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: So, now we have a situation in Iowa, where Howard Dean, who is the favorite, has to do well. Dick Gephardt, who is the man who is expected to do well, has to do well. They are in a dead heat. There are several other candidates who, if they do well, will beat the expectations game. Of course, all of that analysis will come a week from today.

Right now, of course, there is going to be the big build-up. This is Iowa's day in the sun, although it's a bit cold to call it, Bill, a day in the sun.

HEMMER: Yes, I would say that's a very accurate point, Bob.

Listen to Dennis Kucinich's shot at the White House right now, and we'll come back and talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DENNIS KUCINICH (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I've been wondering why the president would, while we're still in Iraq, talk about going to the moon and going to Mars. Maybe he's looking for the weapons of mass destruction still.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: Oftentimes we've tried to look at these debates, Bob, over the past several months and see who gets more heat: Governor Dean or President Bush. Last night, who was it?

FRANKEN: Well, it was sort of a toss-up last night. I should point out, by the way, that Congressman Kucinich would be in that category I described a moment ago as one of the non-leaders, but he has provided some of the sharpest lines of the debate.

And one of the things that he does point out is exactly what you are -- that the real prize here -- the eye on the prize, to follow the theme of last night -- would be for the Democrats beating President Bush. But first, they have to go through the rough selection process in their party.

HEMMER: Thank you, Bob -- Bob Franken in Des Moines.

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