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American Morning
'Gimme a Minute'
Aired February 13, 2004 - 08:38 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: Every Friday around this time we bring the week's top stories. We bring it to a boil, then a simmer, and then we serve it up. It's a dish we like to call "Gimme a Minute." Here are our celebrity chefs this morning, from Washington, CNN's political analyst Donna Brazile joins us.
Hey, Donna, good morning.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Also Jonah Goldberg. He's the editor of The National Review Online.
Hey, Jonah, good morning.
JONAH GOLDBERG, THE NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: And in New York City this morning, Andy Borowitz of "The New Yorker."
Andy, hello, hello. Thanks for being with us, all of you.
Let's get right to it.
Donna, we're going to start with you today.
When you watch the campaign trail, you see John Edwards very firmly setting his sights on John Kerry.
John Kerry, though, is setting his sights on President Bush, at the same time President Bush is sitting on a, let's say, 200 million war chest. At what point do you think it's going to get, one, ugly, and, two, can John Kerry really withstand somebody who's got all this money ready to do an attack on him?
BRAZILE: Well, John Kerry is a strong soldier, so he can withstand attack, and he can also defend himself, I believe, better than any other Democrat right now.
Look, I don't expect anyone to pass out chocolates or flowers this weekend, but at the end of the day, you know what, this has been a very exciting political season.
O'BRIEN: And it's only get to get more exciting.
It's Valentine's Day, Jonah, do you expect chocolates and flowers this season?
GOLDBERG: No, I don't. And I think people have to remember, John Kerry has only been the front-runner for about a month, so Howard Dean took all the slings and arrows for about a year. And so Kerry really hasn't been vetted very much. Meanwhile, all the Democrats have been calling George Bush some kind of treasonous draft dodger who eats puppies and lied about the war. So you're going to have to see the Republicans go after Kerry in a hard way, because the Democrats haven't.
O'BRIEN: Andy, eats puppies, lied about the war?
ANDY BOROWITZ, "THE NEW YORKER": Wow, it is getting ugly. I mean, today the Democrats are saying those dental records released by the White House show gaps in the president's teeth. I can't believe that.
O'BRIEN: Well, let's take a moment then to talk a little bit, Jonah, about the president's dental records. All right, now we've seen the teeth. At what point, does this end? Do you think we've seen enough? Do the teeth put all the questions to rest?
GOLDBERG: To be honest, I don't think they put the questions to rest. But I do think the story is winding down just because people are sick of it. They heard about it before. But I do think it will come back a lot, especially when Republicans rightfully go after John Kerry's antiwar record. The Kerry team will then, in return, say, well, Bush was a draft dodger and try to defend themselves that way.
O'BRIEN: What do you think, Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, you know, it's amazing we have his dental records, but we can't find anyone in Alabama that chewed the fat with the president. Something's wrong with that picture.
O'BRIEN: OK, Andy, what do you think?
BOROWITZ: I buy the president's explanation. He says he didn't show up for duty, because he thought the mission was accomplished.
O'BRIEN: Turning now to gay marriage. You know, I'm curious to know, and, Donna, we'll start with you on this one, does either party want to really glom onto this issue in a national election. I mean, does it really benefit one party to be embracing it or going firmly against it? I mean, aren't there risks to that.
BRAZILE: I think it's a nonissue, but, of course, this is a presidential season, so it will be a wedge issue in this election. I hope that we just dismiss this issue, because it's divisive and it's going to tear this country apart. Thirty eight states have said no to it. Why put it -- enshrine it in the Constitution.
O'BRIEN: Jonah, what do you think? Do you think you can build a campaign around this issue?
GOLDBERG: It's weird. I think you can build a campaign around this issue if the other side draws first. Neither side wants to go first on this one, because -- for all sorts of obvious reasons, so the parties are circling each other like sumo wrestlers in the ring. I think if the Democrats go first, the Republicans can beat them up. If the Republicans go first, the Democrats can beat them up. It's a real tough one.
O'BRIEN: Do you think it's sumo wrestlers in the ring, Andy?
BOROWITZ: I don't think the issue is going away. You know, the state of Nevada is on the verge of legalizing gay, quickie divorces.
O'BRIEN: That would really be a step forward, wouldn't it?
All right, you guys, Let's talk a little bit about the undercovered story of the story.
I think, Jonah, do you want to start with that one?
GOLDBERG: Sure, this is a tough one. We could go with a story that was playing all day on Drudge yesterday, or we could go with the fact that Alan Greenspan said tax cuts aren't the problem. But I am going to go with the personal one that I discovered. Andy Borowitz created "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Who knew.
O'BRIEN: You just knew that. I discovered that. His name comes up on the credits all the time. We asked him once. We said, hey, you know, there's a guy with your name who was on "The Fresh Prince." He said, yes, that was me. That you're undercovered story.
How about you, Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, now that I know that, I will tend to watch the reruns on whatever station they are on. Thank you, Andy.
O'BRIEN: Girl, I watch them all the time anyway. Do you have another one for me?
BRAZILE: The highway bill is making its way through Congress. Of course it's loaded with a lot of pork. Let's see if the president will line item a veto, or veto the bill and slice away some of that pork.
O'BRIEN: Andy Borowitz, what's your undercovered story of the week?
BOROWITZ: This is a big one. Jonah Goldberg is my publicist.
O'BRIEN: You know, he's not holding up a copy of your new book. I'm surprised.
GOLDBERG: No one sent it to me, Andy.
BOROWITZ: Yes, this should be called give me a self reference.
O'BRIEN: You know, we could always change the names to "Give Me a Self-Promotional Minute." It's under consideration now.
As always, you guys, thanks so much. Have a great weekend, and, of course, have a very Happy Valentine's Day, too.
BRAZILE: Same to you.
O'BRIEN: 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 13, 2004 - 08:38 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Every Friday around this time we bring the week's top stories. We bring it to a boil, then a simmer, and then we serve it up. It's a dish we like to call "Gimme a Minute." Here are our celebrity chefs this morning, from Washington, CNN's political analyst Donna Brazile joins us.
Hey, Donna, good morning.
DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: Also Jonah Goldberg. He's the editor of The National Review Online.
Hey, Jonah, good morning.
JONAH GOLDBERG, THE NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE: And in New York City this morning, Andy Borowitz of "The New Yorker."
Andy, hello, hello. Thanks for being with us, all of you.
Let's get right to it.
Donna, we're going to start with you today.
When you watch the campaign trail, you see John Edwards very firmly setting his sights on John Kerry.
John Kerry, though, is setting his sights on President Bush, at the same time President Bush is sitting on a, let's say, 200 million war chest. At what point do you think it's going to get, one, ugly, and, two, can John Kerry really withstand somebody who's got all this money ready to do an attack on him?
BRAZILE: Well, John Kerry is a strong soldier, so he can withstand attack, and he can also defend himself, I believe, better than any other Democrat right now.
Look, I don't expect anyone to pass out chocolates or flowers this weekend, but at the end of the day, you know what, this has been a very exciting political season.
O'BRIEN: And it's only get to get more exciting.
It's Valentine's Day, Jonah, do you expect chocolates and flowers this season?
GOLDBERG: No, I don't. And I think people have to remember, John Kerry has only been the front-runner for about a month, so Howard Dean took all the slings and arrows for about a year. And so Kerry really hasn't been vetted very much. Meanwhile, all the Democrats have been calling George Bush some kind of treasonous draft dodger who eats puppies and lied about the war. So you're going to have to see the Republicans go after Kerry in a hard way, because the Democrats haven't.
O'BRIEN: Andy, eats puppies, lied about the war?
ANDY BOROWITZ, "THE NEW YORKER": Wow, it is getting ugly. I mean, today the Democrats are saying those dental records released by the White House show gaps in the president's teeth. I can't believe that.
O'BRIEN: Well, let's take a moment then to talk a little bit, Jonah, about the president's dental records. All right, now we've seen the teeth. At what point, does this end? Do you think we've seen enough? Do the teeth put all the questions to rest?
GOLDBERG: To be honest, I don't think they put the questions to rest. But I do think the story is winding down just because people are sick of it. They heard about it before. But I do think it will come back a lot, especially when Republicans rightfully go after John Kerry's antiwar record. The Kerry team will then, in return, say, well, Bush was a draft dodger and try to defend themselves that way.
O'BRIEN: What do you think, Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, you know, it's amazing we have his dental records, but we can't find anyone in Alabama that chewed the fat with the president. Something's wrong with that picture.
O'BRIEN: OK, Andy, what do you think?
BOROWITZ: I buy the president's explanation. He says he didn't show up for duty, because he thought the mission was accomplished.
O'BRIEN: Turning now to gay marriage. You know, I'm curious to know, and, Donna, we'll start with you on this one, does either party want to really glom onto this issue in a national election. I mean, does it really benefit one party to be embracing it or going firmly against it? I mean, aren't there risks to that.
BRAZILE: I think it's a nonissue, but, of course, this is a presidential season, so it will be a wedge issue in this election. I hope that we just dismiss this issue, because it's divisive and it's going to tear this country apart. Thirty eight states have said no to it. Why put it -- enshrine it in the Constitution.
O'BRIEN: Jonah, what do you think? Do you think you can build a campaign around this issue?
GOLDBERG: It's weird. I think you can build a campaign around this issue if the other side draws first. Neither side wants to go first on this one, because -- for all sorts of obvious reasons, so the parties are circling each other like sumo wrestlers in the ring. I think if the Democrats go first, the Republicans can beat them up. If the Republicans go first, the Democrats can beat them up. It's a real tough one.
O'BRIEN: Do you think it's sumo wrestlers in the ring, Andy?
BOROWITZ: I don't think the issue is going away. You know, the state of Nevada is on the verge of legalizing gay, quickie divorces.
O'BRIEN: That would really be a step forward, wouldn't it?
All right, you guys, Let's talk a little bit about the undercovered story of the story.
I think, Jonah, do you want to start with that one?
GOLDBERG: Sure, this is a tough one. We could go with a story that was playing all day on Drudge yesterday, or we could go with the fact that Alan Greenspan said tax cuts aren't the problem. But I am going to go with the personal one that I discovered. Andy Borowitz created "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Who knew.
O'BRIEN: You just knew that. I discovered that. His name comes up on the credits all the time. We asked him once. We said, hey, you know, there's a guy with your name who was on "The Fresh Prince." He said, yes, that was me. That you're undercovered story.
How about you, Donna?
BRAZILE: Well, now that I know that, I will tend to watch the reruns on whatever station they are on. Thank you, Andy.
O'BRIEN: Girl, I watch them all the time anyway. Do you have another one for me?
BRAZILE: The highway bill is making its way through Congress. Of course it's loaded with a lot of pork. Let's see if the president will line item a veto, or veto the bill and slice away some of that pork.
O'BRIEN: Andy Borowitz, what's your undercovered story of the week?
BOROWITZ: This is a big one. Jonah Goldberg is my publicist.
O'BRIEN: You know, he's not holding up a copy of your new book. I'm surprised.
GOLDBERG: No one sent it to me, Andy.
BOROWITZ: Yes, this should be called give me a self reference.
O'BRIEN: You know, we could always change the names to "Give Me a Self-Promotional Minute." It's under consideration now.
As always, you guys, thanks so much. Have a great weekend, and, of course, have a very Happy Valentine's Day, too.
BRAZILE: Same to you.
O'BRIEN: 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
