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COPYRIGHT 2003 Financial Times Ltd.
(From CNN News)
Byline: Tucker Carlson, Paul Begala
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: CROSSFIRE. On the left, James Carville and Paul Begala; on the right, Robert Novak and Tucker Carlson.
In the CROSSFIRE: Is he ready for a recall?
GOV. GRAY DAVIS (D), CALIFORNIA: Listen, politics is not for the faint-hearted.
ANNOUNCER: And what could the repercussion be in next year's presidential election?
Plus, she sold a million books. Will Tucker Carlson keep his promise?
TUCKER CARLSON, CO-HOST: I will, in fact, eat my shoes.
ANNOUNCER: Today on CROSSFIRE. (END VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Live from the George Washington University, Paul Begala and Tucker Carlson.
CARLSON: Welcome to CROSSFIRE.
There is sad news we're reporting tonight. A hush has fallen over the land of America. Hillary Clinton may have indeed sold her one millionth book. But we have many items our menu today, including a governor who may be eating crow when he loses a recall election. So, just like any good dinner party, we're going to start with the appetizers and work our way up. Here comes the best political briefing in television: our CROSSFIRE "Political Alert." Democratic presidential candidate and committed vegetarian Dennis Kucinich is collecting endorsements faster than you can say, meat is murder. He has already gotten nods from Gandhi's grandson, Ben & Jerry of ice cream fame, and, most impressively, from singer and future Agriculture Secretary Willie Nelson.
Now he is getting ready to roll out Granny D, the 93-year-old social activist who walked across America to promote campaign finance reform. It can only get better from here, needless to say. There's no official verification yet tonight, but sources from deep within the Kucinich campaign say the congressman may soon win the most coveted endorsement of all, that of Carrot Top. PAUL BEGALA, CO-HOST: But you mock Willie Nelson. Shame on you. CARLSON: I don't mock... BEGALA: Hey, look, I'm from Texas. In Texas, we call an atheist somebody who doesn't believe in Willie Nelson. I love Willie.
CARLSON: Any 70-year-old who smokes dope, cheats on his taxes and endorses Dennis Kucinich, hey. BEGALA: That's your kind of guy and my kind of guy, though. I love Willie. There's a big hit song. It's one of my favorites. "What Would Willie Do?" It's a hit in Austin. A guy named Bruce Robison sings it. If Willie is for Dennis Kucinich, there's millions and millions of people who are going to follow him. You watch.
CARLSON: Look, as I have said from the very beginning, the candidates who most purely embody the spirit, the values, the ideas, such as they are, of the Democratic Party... BEGALA: Sure. Who would they be?
CARLSON: That would be Al Sharpton, needless to say, but it's also Dennis Kucinich. And to some small extent, it's Howard Dean. And I'm glad to see all of them thriving. BEGALA: Well, at least Willie Nelson has an excuse why he doesn't remember anything. George W. Bush, on the other hand, was speaking at a press conference today with South African President Thabo Mbeki. Mr. Bush offered today yet another rationale for his war with Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: There is no doubt in my mind that Saddam Hussein was a threat to the world peace. And there is no doubt in my mind, the United States, along with allies and friends, did the right thing in removing him from power.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BEGALA: So there it is. Saddam was a threat to the world peace, not a threat to the United States, which we know he was not, not a threat to use weapons of mass destruction, because we know he didn't use them, not a threat to buy uranium from Africa either, which even Mr. Bush's administration knew was false when Mr. Bush made that claim in his State of the Union address.
Sadly, no reporter traveling with the president today had the guts to ask Mr. Bush if Saddam was a threat to world peace when Dick Cheney's firm was selling him oil field equipment.
CARLSON: I personally, as I think I have said...
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