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CNN Saturday Morning News
Former Heart Surgeon Poised to Become Senate Leader
Aired December 21, 2002 - 07:08 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Frist is a Tennessee heart surgeon turned politician, and now he's poised to become the Senate leader. Just who is Frist, and how did he ascend to the leadership post?
CNN's Jason Carroll is in Nashville, and he joins us now. Good morning, Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Fredricka. You know, last night I was on a flight into Nashville, and I was talking to some people who are from the city about their senator to get their opinions about what has been going on. They say that this is a man who seems to be well respected and well liked here in the state of Tennessee.
Let me tell you a bit more about his background. He is a two- term senator, reelected in 2000 by the largest margin ever in Tennessee state history. Deputy whip in the Senate in 1999. As you say, he's also a heart-lung transplant surgeon, has degrees from Harvard as well as Princeton University. First practicing physician elected to the Senate since 1928. How about that?
In terms of his medical background, that has been instrumental in what he's been doing in Washington. This is a man who has worked feverishly for health care legislation, also in terms of prescription drug benefits for the elderly.
Just a little side note there too, he used his skills, his medical skills at one point when, of all people, Senator Strom Thurmond collapsed on the Senate floor. So that really came to use.
Again, he seems to be a man who is well liked and well respected not only by voters but also by his peers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEN.-ELECT LAMAR ALEXANDER (R), TENNESSEE: Bill Frist is one of our nation's most outstanding leader. He is not a person who seeks power, he seeks to serve other people. He commands widespread support among the Republican senators. I would say he's the most admired Republican senator today. He may be the most admired senator.
HOWARD BAKER, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: I'm for Bill Frist for anything he's willing to do, and it's not my purpose as a former senator to tell my friends and former colleagues in the Senate who they should elect leader. But I will say there's no possible way they could do better than Bill Frist. (END VIDEO CLIPS)
CARROLL: Frist is 50 years old. He is married with three children. And before all of this controversy came to, came to, came about, of all people, Senator Trent Lott said something about Frist. He said, quote, he thought he was "a man with a bright future," Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Jason, it appears, correct, that he is certainly a shoo-in, given that 29 of the 50 Republicans have publicly endorsed him.
CARROLL: At least at this point, it appears as if he is definitely going to be the man who we will see in that position.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jason Carroll, thank you very much.
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 December 21, 2002 - 07:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Frist is a Tennessee heart surgeon turned politician, and now he's poised to become the Senate leader. Just who is Frist, and how did he ascend to the leadership post?
CNN's Jason Carroll is in Nashville, and he joins us now. Good morning, Jason.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to you, Fredricka. You know, last night I was on a flight into Nashville, and I was talking to some people who are from the city about their senator to get their opinions about what has been going on. They say that this is a man who seems to be well respected and well liked here in the state of Tennessee.
Let me tell you a bit more about his background. He is a two- term senator, reelected in 2000 by the largest margin ever in Tennessee state history. Deputy whip in the Senate in 1999. As you say, he's also a heart-lung transplant surgeon, has degrees from Harvard as well as Princeton University. First practicing physician elected to the Senate since 1928. How about that?
In terms of his medical background, that has been instrumental in what he's been doing in Washington. This is a man who has worked feverishly for health care legislation, also in terms of prescription drug benefits for the elderly.
Just a little side note there too, he used his skills, his medical skills at one point when, of all people, Senator Strom Thurmond collapsed on the Senate floor. So that really came to use.
Again, he seems to be a man who is well liked and well respected not only by voters but also by his peers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SEN.-ELECT LAMAR ALEXANDER (R), TENNESSEE: Bill Frist is one of our nation's most outstanding leader. He is not a person who seeks power, he seeks to serve other people. He commands widespread support among the Republican senators. I would say he's the most admired Republican senator today. He may be the most admired senator.
HOWARD BAKER, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN: I'm for Bill Frist for anything he's willing to do, and it's not my purpose as a former senator to tell my friends and former colleagues in the Senate who they should elect leader. But I will say there's no possible way they could do better than Bill Frist. (END VIDEO CLIPS)
CARROLL: Frist is 50 years old. He is married with three children. And before all of this controversy came to, came to, came about, of all people, Senator Trent Lott said something about Frist. He said, quote, he thought he was "a man with a bright future," Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And Jason, it appears, correct, that he is certainly a shoo-in, given that 29 of the 50 Republicans have publicly endorsed him.
CARROLL: At least at this point, it appears as if he is definitely going to be the man who we will see in that position.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jason Carroll, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
