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CNN Sunday Morning
Nine Democratic Presidential Hopefuls Debate in South Carolina
Aired May 04, 2003 - 07:31 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.
ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: In South Carolina, the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls gathered for their first debate of the political season. The event marked the earliest presidential debate in history.
Our Candy Crowley has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This much we know is true, the Kerry-Dean feud is real.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I don't need any lectures encouraged from Howard Dean.
HOWARD DEAN, FMR. GOVERNOR, VERMONT: What I have preferred, this is 30 years later, I would have preferred if Senator Kerry had some concerns about my fitness to serve, that he speak to me directly about that, rather than through his spokesman.
CROWLEY: Lieberman said Kerry was being ambivalent about the war. Edwards said bad blood aside, either Kerry or Dean would be better than Bush. And Sharpton thought a change of subjects would be nice.
REV. AL SHARPTON, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: Republicans are watching. Let's not start fighting and going at each other, even though I feel George is good at instigating it.
CROWLEY: It took the new guy on the block almost 10 minutes to get a word in.
SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D), FLORIDA: First, thank you very much, George, for giving us all the opportunity to be here.
CROWLEY: Once they all got rolling, the '04 Democrats disagreed on whether the war in Iraq was right or wrong, and what to do about trade and tax cuts. Almost everybody thought Richard Gephardt's health care plan was an expensive unworkable idea, except Dick Gephardt.
REP. RICHARD GEPHARDT (D), MISSOURI: We got to get everybody in this country covered with good health insurance. This plan can pass. And it will do it.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: I think it takes money directly out of the pockets of working people. CROWLEY: Nine strong now, the Democratic field weathered this first debate without mistake or news. If you heard it before, you heard it again. Several times this weekend, in fact, as South Carolina hosted 48 hours of meet and greets, grip and grins, fund- raisers, and fish fries.
No hits, no runs, no errors. And once in a while, a good line drive.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOLOUS, MODERATOR: Senator Lieberman, people think you're too nice to be president. And you're just not tough enough to take on President Bush.
SEN. LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: I'd like to come over there and strangle you, George.
CROWLEY: Only 18 months until the presidential election.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Colombia, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired May 4, 2003 - 07:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ROBIN MEADE, CNN ANCHOR: In South Carolina, the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls gathered for their first debate of the political season. The event marked the earliest presidential debate in history.
Our Candy Crowley has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This much we know is true, the Kerry-Dean feud is real.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I don't need any lectures encouraged from Howard Dean.
HOWARD DEAN, FMR. GOVERNOR, VERMONT: What I have preferred, this is 30 years later, I would have preferred if Senator Kerry had some concerns about my fitness to serve, that he speak to me directly about that, rather than through his spokesman.
CROWLEY: Lieberman said Kerry was being ambivalent about the war. Edwards said bad blood aside, either Kerry or Dean would be better than Bush. And Sharpton thought a change of subjects would be nice.
REV. AL SHARPTON, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: Republicans are watching. Let's not start fighting and going at each other, even though I feel George is good at instigating it.
CROWLEY: It took the new guy on the block almost 10 minutes to get a word in.
SEN. BOB GRAHAM (D), FLORIDA: First, thank you very much, George, for giving us all the opportunity to be here.
CROWLEY: Once they all got rolling, the '04 Democrats disagreed on whether the war in Iraq was right or wrong, and what to do about trade and tax cuts. Almost everybody thought Richard Gephardt's health care plan was an expensive unworkable idea, except Dick Gephardt.
REP. RICHARD GEPHARDT (D), MISSOURI: We got to get everybody in this country covered with good health insurance. This plan can pass. And it will do it.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D), NORTH CAROLINA: I think it takes money directly out of the pockets of working people. CROWLEY: Nine strong now, the Democratic field weathered this first debate without mistake or news. If you heard it before, you heard it again. Several times this weekend, in fact, as South Carolina hosted 48 hours of meet and greets, grip and grins, fund- raisers, and fish fries.
No hits, no runs, no errors. And once in a while, a good line drive.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOLOUS, MODERATOR: Senator Lieberman, people think you're too nice to be president. And you're just not tough enough to take on President Bush.
SEN. LIEBERMAN (D), CONNECTICUT: I'd like to come over there and strangle you, George.
CROWLEY: Only 18 months until the presidential election.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Colombia, South Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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