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American Morning
Interview With Rudy Giuliani
Aired January 21, 2004 - 07:34 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: A majority of people who watched the State of the Union speech last night believe the policies of the White House will move the country in the right direction. That's according to a CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll taken right after that speech. The poll found 70 percent believe the country is on the right path, a number up 10 percentage points from the sampling taken before the speech.
Democrats, however, quick to criticize the policies.
House minority leader Nancy Pelosi did just that in delivering the Democratic response last evening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: We must remain focused on the greatest threat to the security of the United States, the clear and present danger of terrorism. We know what we must do to protect America. But this administration is failing to meet the challenge. Democrats have a better way to ensure our homeland security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani our guest here, stumping for the White House in Iowa and again today in New York City.
Nice to see you, Your Honor.
Good morning to you.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR: How are you?
Good to see you.
HEMMER: What did you think of that speech last night?
GIULIANI: I thought it was excellent. I mean it laid out the president's agenda, his philosophy, his thinking, and it set up a contrast with virtually all of the Democrats on...
HEMMER: How political was that, do you think?
GIULIANI: It was no more political than any president would be in the beginning of an election year. I mean, and it essentially sets forth his viewpoint. It's no different than similar positions that he took last year and the year before. He's been consistent on the war on terrorism, that we have to fight it, that we have -- we can't back off; that we have to get international support, but we can't submit to international decision-making for us or taking away our prerogatives.
And when you listen to the Democrats, there's somewhat of a difference there. They want to internationalize things more.
HEMMER: Do you believe this country is still 50-50?
GIULIANI: No. I think it's a little better than that. I think it's a majority Republican country. We have a...
HEMMER: Fifty-one, 52, how high would you go?
GIULIANI: Yes, something like that, 53, 52, 50 -- it's very close. But we have a Republican president, we have a Republican House now for a long time, a Republican Senate. We have a majority of Republican governors. So I think it probably tends a little bit more in the Republican direction, but very close. And I believe, and I don't just say this, you know, because you should say it or you have to say it, I believe it'll be a close election. I mean when the American people actually come down to making a decision, then a lot of their tendencies to be either Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives, kind of come back.
HEMMER: And when it comes to making that decision, what are they basing that on, do you believe, over the next 10 months?
GIULIANI: Well, I think, you know, this election will be no different than historically. It's going to be national security and the economy. Those are the...
HEMMER: Do you think national security is number one or is the economy number one?
GIULIANI: You know, right now I think national security is number one. I think it's very likely it'll continue to be, given the fact that the war on terrorism is going to go on for some time. I think the president predicted back in September of 2001 it would take three to five years. We're kind of in the middle of that. But it could be the economy. I mean it could -- that could come back as a more important issue.
On both issues, the president has done very, very well.
HEMMER: Well, let me just stop you just a second. You were out in Iowa, right, out in Des Moines?
GIULIANI: Yes.
HEMMER: And you saw what was happening with all the interviews that happened with the caucus goers about what they thought was the number one issue. And they said, two thirds of them, the economy, jobs and health care.
GIULIANI: Remember who they are.
HEMMER: National security, Iraq was not on that list.
GIULIANI: But remember who they are.
HEMMER: Continue.
GIULIANI: They are a very small percentage of Democratic voters. And they're the Democratic voters who would be the most politicized and the most inclined toward that philosophy and the least inclined to think that national security was the major issue. So what, its a very small percentage of just one side of the issue.
HEMMER: Let me try and clarify that just a little bit, then. Do you believe that's a Democratic-Republican issue or is that an American issue?
GIULIANI: No, I think if you get to the more extremes of either political party, you're going to get the people who have the most ideological viewpoint. And when you're looking at a primary and a caucus, you're picking the people who are the most interested in that political party. So you're going to get a little bit of a distorted view.
I think the economy is very, very important and it may very well turn out to be the most important issue, you know, by the time we get to November. And I think the president is dealing with them on an equal basis. But the reality is that I think right now, and I think most broad public opinion polls reflect this, national security is more on people's minds.
HEMMER: This is the second time we've talked to you in three days. You're stumping for this White House.
GIULIANI: I am.
HEMMER: Is this going to be a pattern for the next 10 months?
GIULIANI: We're going to be in New Hampshire. We're going to go to New Hampshire to get warm on Saturday.
HEMMER: Is this the shape of things to come for you?
GIULIANI: ... and try to get -- well, part of it is to try to get the president's picture out. I mean in Iowa, when I got up in front of 1,100 Republicans, they were starved to hear something nice about President Bush. They had gone through like three or four months of kind of just this (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
HEMMER: You know the inference in my question. Am I smelling a role for you in the White House if, indeed...
GIULIANI: I have no idea what my future is.
HEMMER: ... this president is reelected?
GIULIANI: I have a very, very strong commitment to President Bush. I did before he got elected and since September 11, 2001 I feel a really tremendous respect for him and the way he led this country.
HEMMER: Nice to talk with you.
Rudy Giuliani, as always.
GIULIANI: Thank you.
HEMMER: All right.
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 21, 2004 - 07:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: A majority of people who watched the State of the Union speech last night believe the policies of the White House will move the country in the right direction. That's according to a CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll taken right after that speech. The poll found 70 percent believe the country is on the right path, a number up 10 percentage points from the sampling taken before the speech.
Democrats, however, quick to criticize the policies.
House minority leader Nancy Pelosi did just that in delivering the Democratic response last evening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), HOUSE MINORITY LEADER: We must remain focused on the greatest threat to the security of the United States, the clear and present danger of terrorism. We know what we must do to protect America. But this administration is failing to meet the challenge. Democrats have a better way to ensure our homeland security.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani our guest here, stumping for the White House in Iowa and again today in New York City.
Nice to see you, Your Honor.
Good morning to you.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK MAYOR: How are you?
Good to see you.
HEMMER: What did you think of that speech last night?
GIULIANI: I thought it was excellent. I mean it laid out the president's agenda, his philosophy, his thinking, and it set up a contrast with virtually all of the Democrats on...
HEMMER: How political was that, do you think?
GIULIANI: It was no more political than any president would be in the beginning of an election year. I mean, and it essentially sets forth his viewpoint. It's no different than similar positions that he took last year and the year before. He's been consistent on the war on terrorism, that we have to fight it, that we have -- we can't back off; that we have to get international support, but we can't submit to international decision-making for us or taking away our prerogatives.
And when you listen to the Democrats, there's somewhat of a difference there. They want to internationalize things more.
HEMMER: Do you believe this country is still 50-50?
GIULIANI: No. I think it's a little better than that. I think it's a majority Republican country. We have a...
HEMMER: Fifty-one, 52, how high would you go?
GIULIANI: Yes, something like that, 53, 52, 50 -- it's very close. But we have a Republican president, we have a Republican House now for a long time, a Republican Senate. We have a majority of Republican governors. So I think it probably tends a little bit more in the Republican direction, but very close. And I believe, and I don't just say this, you know, because you should say it or you have to say it, I believe it'll be a close election. I mean when the American people actually come down to making a decision, then a lot of their tendencies to be either Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives, kind of come back.
HEMMER: And when it comes to making that decision, what are they basing that on, do you believe, over the next 10 months?
GIULIANI: Well, I think, you know, this election will be no different than historically. It's going to be national security and the economy. Those are the...
HEMMER: Do you think national security is number one or is the economy number one?
GIULIANI: You know, right now I think national security is number one. I think it's very likely it'll continue to be, given the fact that the war on terrorism is going to go on for some time. I think the president predicted back in September of 2001 it would take three to five years. We're kind of in the middle of that. But it could be the economy. I mean it could -- that could come back as a more important issue.
On both issues, the president has done very, very well.
HEMMER: Well, let me just stop you just a second. You were out in Iowa, right, out in Des Moines?
GIULIANI: Yes.
HEMMER: And you saw what was happening with all the interviews that happened with the caucus goers about what they thought was the number one issue. And they said, two thirds of them, the economy, jobs and health care.
GIULIANI: Remember who they are.
HEMMER: National security, Iraq was not on that list.
GIULIANI: But remember who they are.
HEMMER: Continue.
GIULIANI: They are a very small percentage of Democratic voters. And they're the Democratic voters who would be the most politicized and the most inclined toward that philosophy and the least inclined to think that national security was the major issue. So what, its a very small percentage of just one side of the issue.
HEMMER: Let me try and clarify that just a little bit, then. Do you believe that's a Democratic-Republican issue or is that an American issue?
GIULIANI: No, I think if you get to the more extremes of either political party, you're going to get the people who have the most ideological viewpoint. And when you're looking at a primary and a caucus, you're picking the people who are the most interested in that political party. So you're going to get a little bit of a distorted view.
I think the economy is very, very important and it may very well turn out to be the most important issue, you know, by the time we get to November. And I think the president is dealing with them on an equal basis. But the reality is that I think right now, and I think most broad public opinion polls reflect this, national security is more on people's minds.
HEMMER: This is the second time we've talked to you in three days. You're stumping for this White House.
GIULIANI: I am.
HEMMER: Is this going to be a pattern for the next 10 months?
GIULIANI: We're going to be in New Hampshire. We're going to go to New Hampshire to get warm on Saturday.
HEMMER: Is this the shape of things to come for you?
GIULIANI: ... and try to get -- well, part of it is to try to get the president's picture out. I mean in Iowa, when I got up in front of 1,100 Republicans, they were starved to hear something nice about President Bush. They had gone through like three or four months of kind of just this (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
HEMMER: You know the inference in my question. Am I smelling a role for you in the White House if, indeed...
GIULIANI: I have no idea what my future is.
HEMMER: ... this president is reelected?
GIULIANI: I have a very, very strong commitment to President Bush. I did before he got elected and since September 11, 2001 I feel a really tremendous respect for him and the way he led this country.
HEMMER: Nice to talk with you.
Rudy Giuliani, as always.
GIULIANI: Thank you.
HEMMER: All right.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
