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American Morning

Democratic Candidates Debate Tonight in L.A.

Aired February 26, 2004 - 07:09   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: More politics tonight. The four remaining Democratic presidential candidates take part in a 90-minute debate. You can see it live here on CNN.
Senator John Kerry is leading in nearly every poll in every state that will take part on Super Tuesday. More than 1,100 delegates at stake next week. Tonight's debate may be the most important of the campaign.

To borrow a sports analogy, this is a must-win for one man. We know that.

Our senior political analyst, back here with us, Jeff Greenfield.

Good morning.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Good morning.

HEMMER: What is at stake here for Senator John Edwards?

GREENFIELD: Well, survival. Despite the fact that he says he doesn't have to win anything, the truth is his campaign has said for months they've got to get this race down to a one-on-one with Kerry. This assumes, quite reasonably, that Representative Kucinich and Al Sharpton are not serious contenders.

Well, they've got a one-on-one, but it is very late in the game. And Edwards has to demonstrate tonight, I think, why Democrats should be breaking with the pattern of the last five weeks. He has to demonstrate tonight that he is the better candidate than Kerry for the Democrats, and I think he has to do it both on style and substance.

I mean, there has been little doubt that Edwards has had the better of Kerry in most debates. He's just better at speaking in clear, non-senatorial English. He's better at weaving a coherent thread to his answers.

But tonight, I think, he has to do more. He has to show that there are clear and consequential differences on issues that make him the Democrats' best voice for November.

HEMMER: So, when he parallels himself, especially with Senator Kerry, what are those differences?

GREENFIELD: Well, so far, Edwards has tried to make the case on trade, that he's more skeptical about globalization than Kerry. That has resonance in Ohio, in parts of Georgia and New York. He's also argued for months that his background -- I'm the small town son of a mill worker -- is a sharper, clearer contrast to the privileged life of President Bush, than the privileged upbringing of John Kerry. The problem for Edwards has been that John Kerry's Vietnam War record has gone a long way to taking that privileged image away -- kind of like what John Kennedy had with PT-109.

So, if you ask what's left, I have a hunch that Edwards is going to look to the universe of Howard Dean supporters, and he'll try to argue that he more authentically represents their opposition to the insiders' special-interest politics game than does Kerry.

Of course, since John Edwards has been so adamant about condemning negative campaigning, he has to draw these distinctions with a scalpel rather than with a club.

HEMMER: Yes, for fear of assumptions here, what's at stake for Senator Kerry?

GREENFIELD: Well, I think Kerry has to do more than say, look, I can run out the string of primaries until I get enough delegates. His campaign is right, and it's said all along that all Kerry has to do is keep piling up delegates with wins or even decent finishes.

But I believe you are beginning to hear the faintest grumble of discontent among some Democrats that Kerry has gone back to what got him trouble last fall: lengthy speeches, answers drenched in Washington-ese, and an inability to explain clearly and concisely some of his votes that the Bush campaign is saying point to inconsistencies and wrong-headed votes.

So, I think Kerry tonight needs a debate where Democrats are going to say not just he'll do, but instead that's the guy we want. And I would also think an occasional flash of humor and grace, even a little humility would be a very good thing for Kerry tonight.

HEMMER: Interesting stuff.

GREENFIELD: It's a very useful thing.

HEMMER: An interesting analogy, quickly, too. John Edwards is nibbling away at victories, and John Kerry devouring victories.

GREENFIELD: Yes.

HEMMER: Yesterday, the "Modesto Bee" endorsed Senator Edwards.

GREENFIELD: Yes.

HEMMER: And today, "The New York Times" goes with Senator Kerry. The analogy works there again.

GREENFIELD: Well, I mean, I think if you're John Edwards, you've been helped a lot by endorsements elsewhere, in Iowa and in...

HEMMER: True. GREENFIELD: ... oh, where else? In...

HEMMER: New Hampshire, he picked up steam there.

GREENFIELD: "The New York Times" is an establishment liberal editorial page. You knew they were going to go with Kerry on experience. Probably the most significant thing is what's going to happen in Ohio? Because I think Edwards has to show he can win something besides the South, and Ohio is his best shot.

HEMMER: We'll watch it. Thank you, Jeff.

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 26, 2004 - 07:09   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: More politics tonight. The four remaining Democratic presidential candidates take part in a 90-minute debate. You can see it live here on CNN.
Senator John Kerry is leading in nearly every poll in every state that will take part on Super Tuesday. More than 1,100 delegates at stake next week. Tonight's debate may be the most important of the campaign.

To borrow a sports analogy, this is a must-win for one man. We know that.

Our senior political analyst, back here with us, Jeff Greenfield.

Good morning.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SENIOR ANALYST: Good morning.

HEMMER: What is at stake here for Senator John Edwards?

GREENFIELD: Well, survival. Despite the fact that he says he doesn't have to win anything, the truth is his campaign has said for months they've got to get this race down to a one-on-one with Kerry. This assumes, quite reasonably, that Representative Kucinich and Al Sharpton are not serious contenders.

Well, they've got a one-on-one, but it is very late in the game. And Edwards has to demonstrate tonight, I think, why Democrats should be breaking with the pattern of the last five weeks. He has to demonstrate tonight that he is the better candidate than Kerry for the Democrats, and I think he has to do it both on style and substance.

I mean, there has been little doubt that Edwards has had the better of Kerry in most debates. He's just better at speaking in clear, non-senatorial English. He's better at weaving a coherent thread to his answers.

But tonight, I think, he has to do more. He has to show that there are clear and consequential differences on issues that make him the Democrats' best voice for November.

HEMMER: So, when he parallels himself, especially with Senator Kerry, what are those differences?

GREENFIELD: Well, so far, Edwards has tried to make the case on trade, that he's more skeptical about globalization than Kerry. That has resonance in Ohio, in parts of Georgia and New York. He's also argued for months that his background -- I'm the small town son of a mill worker -- is a sharper, clearer contrast to the privileged life of President Bush, than the privileged upbringing of John Kerry. The problem for Edwards has been that John Kerry's Vietnam War record has gone a long way to taking that privileged image away -- kind of like what John Kennedy had with PT-109.

So, if you ask what's left, I have a hunch that Edwards is going to look to the universe of Howard Dean supporters, and he'll try to argue that he more authentically represents their opposition to the insiders' special-interest politics game than does Kerry.

Of course, since John Edwards has been so adamant about condemning negative campaigning, he has to draw these distinctions with a scalpel rather than with a club.

HEMMER: Yes, for fear of assumptions here, what's at stake for Senator Kerry?

GREENFIELD: Well, I think Kerry has to do more than say, look, I can run out the string of primaries until I get enough delegates. His campaign is right, and it's said all along that all Kerry has to do is keep piling up delegates with wins or even decent finishes.

But I believe you are beginning to hear the faintest grumble of discontent among some Democrats that Kerry has gone back to what got him trouble last fall: lengthy speeches, answers drenched in Washington-ese, and an inability to explain clearly and concisely some of his votes that the Bush campaign is saying point to inconsistencies and wrong-headed votes.

So, I think Kerry tonight needs a debate where Democrats are going to say not just he'll do, but instead that's the guy we want. And I would also think an occasional flash of humor and grace, even a little humility would be a very good thing for Kerry tonight.

HEMMER: Interesting stuff.

GREENFIELD: It's a very useful thing.

HEMMER: An interesting analogy, quickly, too. John Edwards is nibbling away at victories, and John Kerry devouring victories.

GREENFIELD: Yes.

HEMMER: Yesterday, the "Modesto Bee" endorsed Senator Edwards.

GREENFIELD: Yes.

HEMMER: And today, "The New York Times" goes with Senator Kerry. The analogy works there again.

GREENFIELD: Well, I mean, I think if you're John Edwards, you've been helped a lot by endorsements elsewhere, in Iowa and in...

HEMMER: True. GREENFIELD: ... oh, where else? In...

HEMMER: New Hampshire, he picked up steam there.

GREENFIELD: "The New York Times" is an establishment liberal editorial page. You knew they were going to go with Kerry on experience. Probably the most significant thing is what's going to happen in Ohio? Because I think Edwards has to show he can win something besides the South, and Ohio is his best shot.

HEMMER: We'll watch it. Thank you, Jeff.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.