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American Morning
Seven-State Battle
Aired February 03, 2004 - 07:07 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: The outlook of the Democratic presidential nomination race is likely to change fundamentally today. Voting is taking place in seven states. Five of them -- Delaware, South Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arizona -- are holding primaries. Caucuses will be held in North Dakota and New Mexico.
Front-runner John Kerry is seeking a seven-state sweep, while his rivals just want to slow his momentum.
National correspondent Bob Franken has this report from Columbia, South Carolina.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In John Kerry's best of all worlds, the outcomes would make his ultimate nomination seem inevitable, with no Democratic challenges about campaign contributions from questionable sources, or reports that since 1989 he received more money from special interests than any other senator.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you will stand with me, we will stand up together against those corporations that take the jobs overseas. We'll stand up for civil rights and civil liberties.
FRANKEN: John Edwards is making his favorite son stand here in South Carolina and is staying on message.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The South is not George Bush's backyard. It is my backyard, and I will beat George Bush in my backyard.
FRANKEN: A lot will depend in South Carolina on how much of the state's substantial African-American vote goes to Al Sharpton.
WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm Wes Clark. I sure would like your support tomorrow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good luck.
CLARK: Thank you.
FRANKEN: In Oklahoma, Wesley Clark was sweeping down the planes to what he hopes is the Democratic winner's circle.
CLARK: I will keep this country safe. We will go get Osama bin Laden, but I will get us out of that mess in Iraq.
FRANKEN: Joe Lieberman is also looking for something good somewhere. That somewhere might be Delaware -- if anywhere.
As for Howard Dean, he's spending a large amount of time dealing with staff problems, and he's not showing well in any of these seven states; hence, the ongoing staff shakeup.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
It's a long, hard road ahead, Soledad. But for several of the candidates, the road may be a dead end after today -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: We will see. Bob Franken for us this morning. Bob, 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 February 3, 2004 - 07:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The outlook of the Democratic presidential nomination race is likely to change fundamentally today. Voting is taking place in seven states. Five of them -- Delaware, South Carolina, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arizona -- are holding primaries. Caucuses will be held in North Dakota and New Mexico.
Front-runner John Kerry is seeking a seven-state sweep, while his rivals just want to slow his momentum.
National correspondent Bob Franken has this report from Columbia, South Carolina.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In John Kerry's best of all worlds, the outcomes would make his ultimate nomination seem inevitable, with no Democratic challenges about campaign contributions from questionable sources, or reports that since 1989 he received more money from special interests than any other senator.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you will stand with me, we will stand up together against those corporations that take the jobs overseas. We'll stand up for civil rights and civil liberties.
FRANKEN: John Edwards is making his favorite son stand here in South Carolina and is staying on message.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The South is not George Bush's backyard. It is my backyard, and I will beat George Bush in my backyard.
FRANKEN: A lot will depend in South Carolina on how much of the state's substantial African-American vote goes to Al Sharpton.
WESLEY CLARK (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm Wes Clark. I sure would like your support tomorrow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good luck.
CLARK: Thank you.
FRANKEN: In Oklahoma, Wesley Clark was sweeping down the planes to what he hopes is the Democratic winner's circle.
CLARK: I will keep this country safe. We will go get Osama bin Laden, but I will get us out of that mess in Iraq.
FRANKEN: Joe Lieberman is also looking for something good somewhere. That somewhere might be Delaware -- if anywhere.
As for Howard Dean, he's spending a large amount of time dealing with staff problems, and he's not showing well in any of these seven states; hence, the ongoing staff shakeup.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
It's a long, hard road ahead, Soledad. But for several of the candidates, the road may be a dead end after today -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: We will see. Bob Franken for us this morning. Bob, 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.
