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American Morning
Donna Brazile Analyzes America Votes 2004
Aired January 22, 2004 - 08:35 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: Back to politics right now, tonight's two-hour debate in the city of Manchester is being called a make or break event. The latest poll numbers showing John Kerry as the front runner. "Boston Herald" poll Kerry leads Howard Dean by 10 points, Wesley Clark is at 16, John Edwards 11 and Joseph Lieberman way back in single digits. At least two other polls released show Kerry in the lead as well. What do they all mean and will they pan out next Tuesday that we all wait to see then?
Donna Brazile, former campaign manager for the former Vice President Al Gore, back with us in D.C.
Hey -- Donna.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi -- Bill.
HEMMER: Great to see you out in Iowa. Welcome back here.
BRAZILE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Hey, if John Kerry doesn't win tonight is that a disappointment?
BRAZILE: No, look, this race is still fluid. Over a third of the electorate is still undecided. And I believe this is a four-way race up there in New Hampshire. General Clark has put together an impressive ground game up there. Howard Dean continues to maintain a lot of support. He hasn't, you know, hit bottom. And look, I do believe that John Edwards will continue to run the kind of campaign that he ran in Iowa. But John Kerry is the top dog. He wants to be the underdog, but I believe that they are all on a hunt tonight for his votes.
HEMMER: Well it's a couple of things here, you think it's a four-way race still?
BRAZILE: Absolutely. There is no question. This race is still fluid, a lot of undecided voters. And we saw that in Iowa.
HEMMER: Donna, is that what you are hearing in New Hampshire or is that what you believe from D.C.?
BRAZILE: No, that's what I am hearing from my friends, and of course they all have competing advice and talking points. But the truth of the matter is, is that they are still going after a lot of undecided voters. Remember up in New Hampshire you have same-day registration, you have Independents who can also influence the process. I wouldn't bet on just looking at the Democratic electorate. I would look at the entire electorate and see what happens on Election Day.
HEMMER: Donna, what about the videotape we're seeing right now all from yesterday, Wesley Clark is at a podium, not John Kerry here, but he is behind a podium. He was also seen at a podium earlier in the day. Here is the former governor, Howard Dean, also. Is this part of the image shaping, trying to look presidential, especially for the former Vermont governor?
BRAZILE: Well, look, I think Howard Dean has taken a huge beating over the last 48 hours, and it was a self-inflicted wound. It's time for him to heal himself, heal the campaign and get back on the stump today. You know give the voters what they want to hear. They want to hear about his plan to improve our economy, improve our health care and get away from that awful animal sound he made on Monday night.
HEMMER: Awful animal sound. That's the first time I heard it described that way.
Thanks, Donna, we'll talk to you again. Donna Brazile down in D.C.
BRAZILE: Thank you.
HEMMER: You got 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 January 22, 2004 - 08:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Back to politics right now, tonight's two-hour debate in the city of Manchester is being called a make or break event. The latest poll numbers showing John Kerry as the front runner. "Boston Herald" poll Kerry leads Howard Dean by 10 points, Wesley Clark is at 16, John Edwards 11 and Joseph Lieberman way back in single digits. At least two other polls released show Kerry in the lead as well. What do they all mean and will they pan out next Tuesday that we all wait to see then?
Donna Brazile, former campaign manager for the former Vice President Al Gore, back with us in D.C.
Hey -- Donna.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi -- Bill.
HEMMER: Great to see you out in Iowa. Welcome back here.
BRAZILE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Hey, if John Kerry doesn't win tonight is that a disappointment?
BRAZILE: No, look, this race is still fluid. Over a third of the electorate is still undecided. And I believe this is a four-way race up there in New Hampshire. General Clark has put together an impressive ground game up there. Howard Dean continues to maintain a lot of support. He hasn't, you know, hit bottom. And look, I do believe that John Edwards will continue to run the kind of campaign that he ran in Iowa. But John Kerry is the top dog. He wants to be the underdog, but I believe that they are all on a hunt tonight for his votes.
HEMMER: Well it's a couple of things here, you think it's a four-way race still?
BRAZILE: Absolutely. There is no question. This race is still fluid, a lot of undecided voters. And we saw that in Iowa.
HEMMER: Donna, is that what you are hearing in New Hampshire or is that what you believe from D.C.?
BRAZILE: No, that's what I am hearing from my friends, and of course they all have competing advice and talking points. But the truth of the matter is, is that they are still going after a lot of undecided voters. Remember up in New Hampshire you have same-day registration, you have Independents who can also influence the process. I wouldn't bet on just looking at the Democratic electorate. I would look at the entire electorate and see what happens on Election Day.
HEMMER: Donna, what about the videotape we're seeing right now all from yesterday, Wesley Clark is at a podium, not John Kerry here, but he is behind a podium. He was also seen at a podium earlier in the day. Here is the former governor, Howard Dean, also. Is this part of the image shaping, trying to look presidential, especially for the former Vermont governor?
BRAZILE: Well, look, I think Howard Dean has taken a huge beating over the last 48 hours, and it was a self-inflicted wound. It's time for him to heal himself, heal the campaign and get back on the stump today. You know give the voters what they want to hear. They want to hear about his plan to improve our economy, improve our health care and get away from that awful animal sound he made on Monday night.
HEMMER: Awful animal sound. That's the first time I heard it described that way.
Thanks, Donna, we'll talk to you again. Donna Brazile down in D.C.
BRAZILE: Thank you.
HEMMER: You got 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
