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American Morning

Interview with Sen. Tom Harkin

Aired January 13, 2004 - 09:03   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the Iowa caucus is right around the corner, next Monday. Howard Dean got a major boost last week when he received the endorsement of Iowa's four-term Democratic senator, Tom Harkin.
Senator Harkin joins us this morning from Des Moines to talk a little bit more about why he backed Dean for the party's presidential nomination.

Hi, Senator. Good morning to you. Thanks for being with us.

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D), IOWA: Morning, Soledad. How are you?

O'BRIEN: I'm well, thank you.

Lots of surprise I think it's fair to say when you decided to back Howard Dean. Certainly, since 1980 you have backed the eventual winner of every single Iowa caucus. But in 1988 two of your friends were running: Paul Simon, Dick Gephardt. You said, I really don't want to weigh in. OK, Dick Gephardt's back in the race. Why did you back Dean over Dick Gephardt?

HARKIN: Because as I watched all these candidates over the last year and a half, and I've been extremely neutral up until now, and watching their campaigns, how they developed their message, it became clear to me in the last few weeks that there is one candidate who has risen to the top, who is the most electable, who's our best shot to take on and beat George Bush, and that's Howard Dean.

He's -- just think about this. A year ago he was at the back of the pack. Today he's at the front of the pack. That says something about his ability, his message, his motivation, his vision. Also, he is broadening our party. He's bring people into our party. And he's raising money all over America from small contributers. That is the secret of success, I believe, for us Democrats.

O'BRIEN: Here's what Howard Dean had to say about the Iowa caucuses. He said, quote, "They are dominated by special interests." Do you think in any way those words could come back and haunt him four years later?

HARKIN: No, I don't believe so, because I remember very well in 1988 when Al Gore left Iowa he also trashed the Iowa caucuses. Yet today you won't find a stronger supporter of the Iowa caucus than former vice president Al Gore who, by the way, is also supporting Howard Dean. I have talked to Governor Dean about this, and, of course, that was before he had ever come here. And he's told me personally, he said that going through the caucus system, going to all 99 counties, going into people's living rooms, talking with people personally has really been one of the most uplifting political experiences of his lifetime. And now we have a convert, a very strong supporter of our Iowa caucus system.

O'BRIEN: Interestingly, you endorsed Dean, then you turned around and said, but everybody should be following John Edwards' example because the campaign has been too negative. Do you think overall it has been too negative? And what do you think the impact of that negativity has been?

HARKIN: Well, I think it's been much too negative, especially against Governor Dean. I know when you're the front runner, you're going to take hits. Come on, I've been in this busienss a long time. But there comes a point where I believe Democratic candidates ought to restrain themselves a little bit.

I said that, you know, in the closing days, don't tell us what you want us to believe about another candidate; tell us what you want us to believe about you and how you're going to beat George Bush. And that is, I believe, what you're going to see Howard Dean doing beginning tomorrow when we start our bus tour around the state of Iowa.

O'BRIEN: Really, you think so? Because here's what he had to say. He said, "I'm going after everybody, because I'm tired of being the pin cushion here." That doesn't sound like he's going to be talking about himself. It sounds like he's going after everybody. What do you think of his strategy, if that's what he decides to do?

HARKIN: Well, I believe that beginning tomorrow here when we start our final bus tour around the state of Iowa, Howard Dean is going to lay out his indictment of the Bush administration, especially with these recent revelations that Bush had engineered this Iraqi war all along. And I believe that Howard Dean is now going to take on President Bush for his veracity, for the fact that the economy is in shambles, he's destroying public education. Our health care system is going downhill. Howard Dean has the, I believe, the commonsense plans that will enable him to win the presidency.

O'BRIEN: Analysts say there's a two-tier race here for first and also for third. If I can put you on the spot. Who do you think wins? who comes in second? who comes in third?

HARKIN: You're asking me some tough questions.

O'BRIEN: That's what I'm paid to do.

HARKIN: I know you are. I believe Howard Dean will win. This is a very close race, by the way. This is really close out here. And -- but I still believe Howard Dean will come in first. Second, I think maybe Gephardt will come in second, or third. I think that both adult -- all three, Congressman Gephardt, Senator Kerry and Edwards are all bunched together. How that's going to filter out for second, third and fourth, that's anybody's guess right now.

O'BRIEN: Senator Tom Harkin joining us. Nice to see you, sir.

HARKIN: 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







Aired January 13, 2004 - 09:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the Iowa caucus is right around the corner, next Monday. Howard Dean got a major boost last week when he received the endorsement of Iowa's four-term Democratic senator, Tom Harkin.
Senator Harkin joins us this morning from Des Moines to talk a little bit more about why he backed Dean for the party's presidential nomination.

Hi, Senator. Good morning to you. Thanks for being with us.

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D), IOWA: Morning, Soledad. How are you?

O'BRIEN: I'm well, thank you.

Lots of surprise I think it's fair to say when you decided to back Howard Dean. Certainly, since 1980 you have backed the eventual winner of every single Iowa caucus. But in 1988 two of your friends were running: Paul Simon, Dick Gephardt. You said, I really don't want to weigh in. OK, Dick Gephardt's back in the race. Why did you back Dean over Dick Gephardt?

HARKIN: Because as I watched all these candidates over the last year and a half, and I've been extremely neutral up until now, and watching their campaigns, how they developed their message, it became clear to me in the last few weeks that there is one candidate who has risen to the top, who is the most electable, who's our best shot to take on and beat George Bush, and that's Howard Dean.

He's -- just think about this. A year ago he was at the back of the pack. Today he's at the front of the pack. That says something about his ability, his message, his motivation, his vision. Also, he is broadening our party. He's bring people into our party. And he's raising money all over America from small contributers. That is the secret of success, I believe, for us Democrats.

O'BRIEN: Here's what Howard Dean had to say about the Iowa caucuses. He said, quote, "They are dominated by special interests." Do you think in any way those words could come back and haunt him four years later?

HARKIN: No, I don't believe so, because I remember very well in 1988 when Al Gore left Iowa he also trashed the Iowa caucuses. Yet today you won't find a stronger supporter of the Iowa caucus than former vice president Al Gore who, by the way, is also supporting Howard Dean. I have talked to Governor Dean about this, and, of course, that was before he had ever come here. And he's told me personally, he said that going through the caucus system, going to all 99 counties, going into people's living rooms, talking with people personally has really been one of the most uplifting political experiences of his lifetime. And now we have a convert, a very strong supporter of our Iowa caucus system.

O'BRIEN: Interestingly, you endorsed Dean, then you turned around and said, but everybody should be following John Edwards' example because the campaign has been too negative. Do you think overall it has been too negative? And what do you think the impact of that negativity has been?

HARKIN: Well, I think it's been much too negative, especially against Governor Dean. I know when you're the front runner, you're going to take hits. Come on, I've been in this busienss a long time. But there comes a point where I believe Democratic candidates ought to restrain themselves a little bit.

I said that, you know, in the closing days, don't tell us what you want us to believe about another candidate; tell us what you want us to believe about you and how you're going to beat George Bush. And that is, I believe, what you're going to see Howard Dean doing beginning tomorrow when we start our bus tour around the state of Iowa.

O'BRIEN: Really, you think so? Because here's what he had to say. He said, "I'm going after everybody, because I'm tired of being the pin cushion here." That doesn't sound like he's going to be talking about himself. It sounds like he's going after everybody. What do you think of his strategy, if that's what he decides to do?

HARKIN: Well, I believe that beginning tomorrow here when we start our final bus tour around the state of Iowa, Howard Dean is going to lay out his indictment of the Bush administration, especially with these recent revelations that Bush had engineered this Iraqi war all along. And I believe that Howard Dean is now going to take on President Bush for his veracity, for the fact that the economy is in shambles, he's destroying public education. Our health care system is going downhill. Howard Dean has the, I believe, the commonsense plans that will enable him to win the presidency.

O'BRIEN: Analysts say there's a two-tier race here for first and also for third. If I can put you on the spot. Who do you think wins? who comes in second? who comes in third?

HARKIN: You're asking me some tough questions.

O'BRIEN: That's what I'm paid to do.

HARKIN: I know you are. I believe Howard Dean will win. This is a very close race, by the way. This is really close out here. And -- but I still believe Howard Dean will come in first. Second, I think maybe Gephardt will come in second, or third. I think that both adult -- all three, Congressman Gephardt, Senator Kerry and Edwards are all bunched together. How that's going to filter out for second, third and fourth, that's anybody's guess right now.

O'BRIEN: Senator Tom Harkin joining us. Nice to see you, sir.

HARKIN: 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