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American Morning
Interview With John Edwards
Aired January 28, 2004 - 07:03 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Senator Edwards says his showing yesterday gives him momentum for what he calls a must-win contest next week in South Carolina. John Edwards is with us now in Columbia.
Senator, good morning to you there.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: And I know back here in New Hampshire, you said third place would be an absolute victory for you. You got that in a virtual tie with Wesley Clark. What does that say right now about your standing, Senator?
EDWARDS: Well, we're a campaign that's clearly been on the move. We've had a great couple of weeks. I mean, in Iowa we came from 5 percent up to a strong 32 percent, very close to Senator Kerry. In New Hampshire, I was 20 points behind General Clark 10 days ago, and we ended up in a tie with General Clark. And we have a lot of momentum and energy, and I think what we need to do, my job now, is to make sure we carry that through to next week.
HEMMER: Yes, John Kerry got a big bounce out of Iowa, but his bounce continues to bounce rather high. Why do you think it's higher for him now than it was for you here in New Hampshire?
EDWARDS: Well, remember that in New Hampshire, we have Senator Kerry and Governor Dean who started the race there with basically 100 percent name recognition. And someone like me, I think I was told that a huge percentage of the people who voted for me decided in the last three days to vote for me. What that means is we were moving -- we were moving literally right up until the last vote was counted on Election Day.
So, that's what's been happening in my campaign. There was a huge movement in Iowa, a huge movement in New Hampshire.
And I have to say, Bill, I think it's just the result of people wanting change. They want a change in America. They want the country to work for everybody. And I've laid out a positive, detailed plan about how we do that.
HEMMER: Yes, Senator, on the stump, you consistently talk about two Americas -- the haves and the have-nots. You said it again last night in your speech in Manchester. What are you trying to say with that message to the status of America today? EDWARDS: That we really live in a country where there are two different Americas. There are those who can get the best health care money can buy. We have two public school systems, and those who have to struggle to get their health care through HMOs, insurance companies, et cetera. We have two different public school systems -- one for the more affluent communities and one for the rest. Two different economies -- one for those who are financially secure and one for everybody else.
The basic message here is we want to build one America that works for everybody, and we need to make real changes in Washington and in America if we want to accomplish that.
HEMMER: Senator, it sounds a little bit like class warfare.
EDWARDS: Oh, far from it. What it is it's about lifting people up. We want, Bill, people to do well in this country. I, myself, you know, come from a working-class background, and I've done very well. You know, I admire people who have done well, and I think most Americans do.
But our responsibility is to make sure that kind of opportunity, the kind of opportunity that I've had, is available to the many millions of Americans who today don't have that chance. And that's what my campaign is about. It's about bringing about the changes to make sure more folks get that chance.
HEMMER: Yes, Senator, I know you like your chances. You were born in the state of South Carolina. You like your chances there next week. John Kerry likes his chances as well. Outside of the Palmetto State next Tuesday, where do you think you have the biggest opportunity for success?
EDWARDS: I'm not sure I can say the specific state, but I can tell you several places where we're very strong -- Oklahoma. I've campaigned more in Oklahoma than any other candidate. We have a very strong ground operation. I think we have significantly more state legislators and political leaders supporting me than any of the other candidates.
I think we'll be strong also in Missouri, which has just opened up. We've just picked up the endorsement of the lieutenant governor.
But more importantly, Missouri and Oklahoma and New Mexico and a whole group of these states, I think they'll respond to the same vision and plan that I have been talking about in New Hampshire and Iowa and other places. These folks are worried about exactly the same issues.
HEMMER: Senator, in a word -- I don't have much time here -- will Dick Gephardt endorse you in the state of Missouri?
EDWARDS: I don't know. We've -- I've asked him. I think other candidates have asked him. I think we just have to wait and see. Dick Gephardt is an extraordinary man, and he made a huge contribution to this debate. HEMMER: Thank you, Senator. John Edwards there live in Columbia, South Carolina. Again, another big vote a week from yesterday, Tuesday again. We'll see you down there. Senator, thanks.
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 28, 2004 - 07:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Senator Edwards says his showing yesterday gives him momentum for what he calls a must-win contest next week in South Carolina. John Edwards is with us now in Columbia.
Senator, good morning to you there.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: And I know back here in New Hampshire, you said third place would be an absolute victory for you. You got that in a virtual tie with Wesley Clark. What does that say right now about your standing, Senator?
EDWARDS: Well, we're a campaign that's clearly been on the move. We've had a great couple of weeks. I mean, in Iowa we came from 5 percent up to a strong 32 percent, very close to Senator Kerry. In New Hampshire, I was 20 points behind General Clark 10 days ago, and we ended up in a tie with General Clark. And we have a lot of momentum and energy, and I think what we need to do, my job now, is to make sure we carry that through to next week.
HEMMER: Yes, John Kerry got a big bounce out of Iowa, but his bounce continues to bounce rather high. Why do you think it's higher for him now than it was for you here in New Hampshire?
EDWARDS: Well, remember that in New Hampshire, we have Senator Kerry and Governor Dean who started the race there with basically 100 percent name recognition. And someone like me, I think I was told that a huge percentage of the people who voted for me decided in the last three days to vote for me. What that means is we were moving -- we were moving literally right up until the last vote was counted on Election Day.
So, that's what's been happening in my campaign. There was a huge movement in Iowa, a huge movement in New Hampshire.
And I have to say, Bill, I think it's just the result of people wanting change. They want a change in America. They want the country to work for everybody. And I've laid out a positive, detailed plan about how we do that.
HEMMER: Yes, Senator, on the stump, you consistently talk about two Americas -- the haves and the have-nots. You said it again last night in your speech in Manchester. What are you trying to say with that message to the status of America today? EDWARDS: That we really live in a country where there are two different Americas. There are those who can get the best health care money can buy. We have two public school systems, and those who have to struggle to get their health care through HMOs, insurance companies, et cetera. We have two different public school systems -- one for the more affluent communities and one for the rest. Two different economies -- one for those who are financially secure and one for everybody else.
The basic message here is we want to build one America that works for everybody, and we need to make real changes in Washington and in America if we want to accomplish that.
HEMMER: Senator, it sounds a little bit like class warfare.
EDWARDS: Oh, far from it. What it is it's about lifting people up. We want, Bill, people to do well in this country. I, myself, you know, come from a working-class background, and I've done very well. You know, I admire people who have done well, and I think most Americans do.
But our responsibility is to make sure that kind of opportunity, the kind of opportunity that I've had, is available to the many millions of Americans who today don't have that chance. And that's what my campaign is about. It's about bringing about the changes to make sure more folks get that chance.
HEMMER: Yes, Senator, I know you like your chances. You were born in the state of South Carolina. You like your chances there next week. John Kerry likes his chances as well. Outside of the Palmetto State next Tuesday, where do you think you have the biggest opportunity for success?
EDWARDS: I'm not sure I can say the specific state, but I can tell you several places where we're very strong -- Oklahoma. I've campaigned more in Oklahoma than any other candidate. We have a very strong ground operation. I think we have significantly more state legislators and political leaders supporting me than any of the other candidates.
I think we'll be strong also in Missouri, which has just opened up. We've just picked up the endorsement of the lieutenant governor.
But more importantly, Missouri and Oklahoma and New Mexico and a whole group of these states, I think they'll respond to the same vision and plan that I have been talking about in New Hampshire and Iowa and other places. These folks are worried about exactly the same issues.
HEMMER: Senator, in a word -- I don't have much time here -- will Dick Gephardt endorse you in the state of Missouri?
EDWARDS: I don't know. We've -- I've asked him. I think other candidates have asked him. I think we just have to wait and see. Dick Gephardt is an extraordinary man, and he made a huge contribution to this debate. HEMMER: Thank you, Senator. John Edwards there live in Columbia, South Carolina. Again, another big vote a week from yesterday, Tuesday again. We'll see you down there. Senator, thanks.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
