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CNN Live Sunday
Drive for Votes at NASCAR's Premiere Event
Aired February 15, 2004 - 11:02 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.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with the drive for votes at NASCAR's premiere event. President Bush is headed to the racetrack. He's flying to Florida for the Daytona 500, where he'll court voters, the so-called NASCAR dads.
CNN's Steve Overmyer is already in Daytona Beach. Steve, what you got?
STEVE OVERMYER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'm telling you what, Daytona 500 has been transformed into virtually overnight into a high -- I should say a high security compound. If you want to get to the track, you will be going through, will be subjected to metal detectors, bomb-sniffing dogs. The federal, local, state, police and authorities are all checking cars, every bag, every pocket if you want to get into the track. To be honest with you, it's really a monumental challenge considering there are over 200,000 fans expected to be here at the Daytona 500 today.
Of course, it's all because President Bush is making an appearance here. He is the first active president to come to the Daytona 500 since 1992. His father made a trip here in his failed bid for re-election. However, the trip here is really all about getting votes. It seems like this is more about the important segment of society, which is called the NASCAR dad society.
If you remember back in the 1990s, the soccer mom was the segment of society that all of the politicians had as the hot commodity. Now it's the NASCAR dad, the hard working, blue-collar American man, voter that numbers upwards of 45 million. As a matter of fact, they are predominantly republican.
Kelli, I spoke a little bit with the king of NASCAR, Richard Petty, the seven-time cup champion. I asked him a little about political aspirations in here. He said basically, if you look in the garage, you would be hard-pressed to find a democrat in a NASCAR garage here. Kelli?
ARENA: Steve, what about the fans? Is there any sense that they're even aware of the fact that the president will be there and do they even care? Are they really just focused on this event?
OVERMYER: Well, clearly it is something that has excited the fans, the fact that the president is making an appearance here today. Not exactly sure what his role will be in the Daytona 500, but he will be at least here in the presence and the fans are also focused towards the new season. You know, this 2004 season is really a season of change for NASCAR with the new title sponsor, a new points change. But clearly their mind is on the race and the president is certainly taking center stage as well. How could he not? He's the president.
ARENA: All right, Steve. Steve Overmyer, thanks for that report. Hang in there.
OVERMYER: All right. 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 15, 2004 - 11:02 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLI ARENA, CNN ANCHOR: We begin with the drive for votes at NASCAR's premiere event. President Bush is headed to the racetrack. He's flying to Florida for the Daytona 500, where he'll court voters, the so-called NASCAR dads.
CNN's Steve Overmyer is already in Daytona Beach. Steve, what you got?
STEVE OVERMYER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'm telling you what, Daytona 500 has been transformed into virtually overnight into a high -- I should say a high security compound. If you want to get to the track, you will be going through, will be subjected to metal detectors, bomb-sniffing dogs. The federal, local, state, police and authorities are all checking cars, every bag, every pocket if you want to get into the track. To be honest with you, it's really a monumental challenge considering there are over 200,000 fans expected to be here at the Daytona 500 today.
Of course, it's all because President Bush is making an appearance here. He is the first active president to come to the Daytona 500 since 1992. His father made a trip here in his failed bid for re-election. However, the trip here is really all about getting votes. It seems like this is more about the important segment of society, which is called the NASCAR dad society.
If you remember back in the 1990s, the soccer mom was the segment of society that all of the politicians had as the hot commodity. Now it's the NASCAR dad, the hard working, blue-collar American man, voter that numbers upwards of 45 million. As a matter of fact, they are predominantly republican.
Kelli, I spoke a little bit with the king of NASCAR, Richard Petty, the seven-time cup champion. I asked him a little about political aspirations in here. He said basically, if you look in the garage, you would be hard-pressed to find a democrat in a NASCAR garage here. Kelli?
ARENA: Steve, what about the fans? Is there any sense that they're even aware of the fact that the president will be there and do they even care? Are they really just focused on this event?
OVERMYER: Well, clearly it is something that has excited the fans, the fact that the president is making an appearance here today. Not exactly sure what his role will be in the Daytona 500, but he will be at least here in the presence and the fans are also focused towards the new season. You know, this 2004 season is really a season of change for NASCAR with the new title sponsor, a new points change. But clearly their mind is on the race and the president is certainly taking center stage as well. How could he not? He's the president.
ARENA: All right, Steve. Steve Overmyer, thanks for that report. Hang in there.
OVERMYER: All right. 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
