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American Morning
Interview with Representative James Clyburn
Aired January 29, 2004 - 08:04 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: South Carolina is one of the seven states that have delegates up for grabs on Tuesday. Congressman James Clyburn carries a lot of influence in the Palmetto State. His endorsement carries significant weight.
Representative Clyburn is with us today from Columbia, South Carolina.
Good morning to you. Thanks for your time on AMERICAN MORNING.
REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: Thank you. Thank you very much.
HEMMER: Who will get your endorsement?
CLYBURN: Well, I am going to meet later this morning with Senator John Kerry. I will be offering my support to his candidacy and doing whatever I can to give him -- help him get one of the tickets coming out of South Carolina.
HEMMER: Why are you supporting Senator Kerry?
CLYBURN: Well, Bill, if you were to look at all of the Democratic candidates, you'd have to admit that on things like jobs, health care, homeland security, personal security, they are all on the same page.
What the clincher was with me was the fact that when I looked at President Bush's State of the Union address and saw these glaring omissions -- Afghanistan, Iraq, and the fact that our country is so divided over these issues -- the man that I think has the right stuff to bring us back together as a nation is Senator John Kerry.
He has the resume that allows him to have credibility if he were to land on an aircraft carrier. He has a relationship with Vietnam survivors. I have watched him interact with them over the last two years. When he says, "Welcome home, brother and sister," it has meaning. It has substance.
And I do believe that this country is still trying to get over Vietnam. He has what it takes, I believe, to bring us back together, to take us into the future as one nation, and I think he will be the best suited for Democrats in the fall.
HEMMER: I don't need to tell you that John Edwards, another senator, was born in your state, grew up in neighboring North Carolina. CLYBURN: Yes.
HEMMER: What did you not see in John Edwards that would get your support?
CLYBURN: I have a great deal of admiration and respect for John Kerry. I think he would make a good president. I think that the edge this year at this time with conditions as they are go to John Kerry.
I believe that John Edwards will leave South Carolina with one of the tickets to the championship matches that I think will take place on Super Tuesday. I want to do what I can to give John Kerry viability to help him go to the championship as a viable candidate. And then we'll see on Super Tuesday which one of them will emerge.
I do believe that the best person at this particular juncture is Senator John Kerry.
HEMMER: James Clyburn, thanks for talking with us today. The debate is later tonight. We hear you loud and clear, you are going with Kerry for now, despite the fact that John Edwards grew up in your home state. Thank you for sharing your opinion with us. Appreciate it.
CLYBURN: Well, thank you so much for having me.
HEMMER: OK.
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 29, 2004 - 08:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: South Carolina is one of the seven states that have delegates up for grabs on Tuesday. Congressman James Clyburn carries a lot of influence in the Palmetto State. His endorsement carries significant weight.
Representative Clyburn is with us today from Columbia, South Carolina.
Good morning to you. Thanks for your time on AMERICAN MORNING.
REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: Thank you. Thank you very much.
HEMMER: Who will get your endorsement?
CLYBURN: Well, I am going to meet later this morning with Senator John Kerry. I will be offering my support to his candidacy and doing whatever I can to give him -- help him get one of the tickets coming out of South Carolina.
HEMMER: Why are you supporting Senator Kerry?
CLYBURN: Well, Bill, if you were to look at all of the Democratic candidates, you'd have to admit that on things like jobs, health care, homeland security, personal security, they are all on the same page.
What the clincher was with me was the fact that when I looked at President Bush's State of the Union address and saw these glaring omissions -- Afghanistan, Iraq, and the fact that our country is so divided over these issues -- the man that I think has the right stuff to bring us back together as a nation is Senator John Kerry.
He has the resume that allows him to have credibility if he were to land on an aircraft carrier. He has a relationship with Vietnam survivors. I have watched him interact with them over the last two years. When he says, "Welcome home, brother and sister," it has meaning. It has substance.
And I do believe that this country is still trying to get over Vietnam. He has what it takes, I believe, to bring us back together, to take us into the future as one nation, and I think he will be the best suited for Democrats in the fall.
HEMMER: I don't need to tell you that John Edwards, another senator, was born in your state, grew up in neighboring North Carolina. CLYBURN: Yes.
HEMMER: What did you not see in John Edwards that would get your support?
CLYBURN: I have a great deal of admiration and respect for John Kerry. I think he would make a good president. I think that the edge this year at this time with conditions as they are go to John Kerry.
I believe that John Edwards will leave South Carolina with one of the tickets to the championship matches that I think will take place on Super Tuesday. I want to do what I can to give John Kerry viability to help him go to the championship as a viable candidate. And then we'll see on Super Tuesday which one of them will emerge.
I do believe that the best person at this particular juncture is Senator John Kerry.
HEMMER: James Clyburn, thanks for talking with us today. The debate is later tonight. We hear you loud and clear, you are going with Kerry for now, despite the fact that John Edwards grew up in your home state. Thank you for sharing your opinion with us. Appreciate it.
CLYBURN: Well, thank you so much for having me.
HEMMER: OK.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
