ABC Good Morning America-Transcript

ABC News Transcripts January 29, 2004 Thursday
Copyright 2004 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
ABC News Transcripts

SHOW: GOOD MORNING AMERICA (07:00 AM ET) - ABC

January 29, 2004 Thursday

HEADLINE: SOUTH CAROLINA PRIMARY INTERVIEW WITH CONGRESSMAN JIM CLYBURN

BODY:
ROBIN ROBERTS, ABC NEWS

All right now.

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) We're going to turn now to politics, Diane, and this Tuesday's critical South Carolina primary. All the candidates have been courting this man, Congressman Jim Clyburn. And why? He's been called the "Carolina kingmaker". And Congressman Clyburn joins us now from Columbia, South Carolina. And good morning to you, sir.

REP JAMES CLYBURN,

DEMOCRAT, SC, ANNOUNCING ENDORSEMENT TODAY

Good morning, how are you?

graphics: the political "kingmaker"

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) I'm doing just fine. Everybody wants to know how you are doing. The big question of the morning, many eagerly awaiting your answer, who have you decided to endorse?

REP JAMES CLYBURN

Well, at 10:00 this morning, I'm going to meet with Senator John Kerry and I will be offering my support to his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for this year.

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) And why is that?

REP JAMES CLYBURN

Well, there are many reasons. When you look at all of the issues, the social issues, the educational issues, when you look at jobs, health care, personal security, homeland security, all of the Democratic candidates are pretty much on the same page. The clincher for me was this, I reviewed President Bush's State of the Union Address and there were some glaring omissions there. I thought about his failure to reach out to our men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq. I thought about seeing Senator Kerry in Iraq with Vietnam veterans. The fact that this country still has yet to heal from that era, I believe that John Kerry, in addition to everything else, has the right stuff to bring healing to this country. To bring us back to where we used to be. To really say to the Vietnam veterans, welcome home, brother and sister, and have it mean something. So, I saw in him that added dimension, and I really believe that he has the right stuff to get us there.

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) Well, what about, of course, John Edwards, who we heard earlier in our report? He is, he was born in South Carolina. He has family that is -still in South Carolina. He, of course, is a Senator from neighboring North Carolina. Why not Edwards?

REP JAMES CLYBURN

A man I like and respect a whole lot. But, as you know, this year, we are looking for what we think was the most electable candidate to take us forward. We are looking for that person who can land on an aircraft carrier and really mean something. We are looking for that guy who could bring Democrats back to where we ought to be, on certain issues, like veterans' benefits. Certain issues like preserving health care. And I just thought that John Kerry has a nod in that era. I believe that John Edwards is going to leave South Carolina with a ticket to the championship match on Super Tuesday. I want to see John Kerry with that other ticket, if I might play upon the Final Four metaphor that Senator Lieberman brought forward. So, New Hampshire gave us the Final Four. I think South Carolina would give us the two that will vie for the championship.

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) And a final question, because Senator Kerry recently raised eyebrows when he said he thought a Democrat could win without taking the South. In fact, he recently said, everybody makes the big mistake of looking south. You think he's going to change his tune now?

REP JAMES CLYBURN

Well, I hope so. That fact of the matter is, we all know, that mathematically he's probably correct. Because if -Vice President Gore had gotten even West Virginia or Arizona, two states I think he should have won, he would have won the presidency. So, mathematically, he's right. But that's not what we ought to be doing. I think we ought to be trying to bring our nation back together. The South, the Southwest, the North, the Northeast, the far West, the Middle-West, all of us need, as a nation, to begin a process of healing and coming back together. I think Senator Kerry has the right stuff to get us there. And I do believe he will commit the time and resources to South Carolina and the other six states. We can't be so ...

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) Right.

REP JAMES CLYBURN

... jealous in South Carolina that we don't recognize that there are six other states at play next Tuesday.

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) Okay. Well, Senator, Congressman Clyburn, thank you very much. I know you've had some ...

REP JAMES CLYBURN

Thank you.

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) ... bad weather in South Carolina. We appreciate you getting out and joining us this morning. All the best to you. Thank you.

REP JAMES CLYBURN

Well, thank you so much.

ROBIN ROBERTS

(Off Camera) Take care.

REP JAMES CLYBURN

Thank you for having me.