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Public Statements
Data For President George
W. Bush |
Current Office: President
Name: President George W. Bush
Talks About His
Campaign Strategy (Interview)
The Edge with Paula Zahn
09/22/2000
SHOW: FOX THE EDGE WITH PAULA ZAHN (22:31:00 ET)
September 22, 2000, Friday
HEADLINE: Personal Edge: Interview with George W. Bush
GUESTS: George W. Bush
BYLINE: Paula Zahn
BODY:
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE
UPDATED.
GOV. GEORGE W. BUSH (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, actually, in the
primaries, I talked about a reformer with results, you know, that I had
achieved a lot as governor. I've touted my leadership skills. And then right
after the primary, I talked a lot about my ideas and my vision on health care
and Social Security, on tax relief, rebuilding the military. Then I wanted to
remind people about, you know, who I was running against.
And now I'm going to go back to issues as well as not let this man distance
himself from the previous administration. I think it's an issue when somebody
says one thing and does another. I think it's an issue when somebody says,
“Well, I'll be for campaign funding reform,” and continues to rake in tons of
soft money. I mean, to me that is an issue.
And I will tell you, I also think it's an issue that these folks have been up
there for a long period of time and cannot get things done.
ZAHN: You have some key supporters out there who feel that you haven't
aggressively taken on Al Gore enough. They say, for example, you had the
perfect opportunity to call him a slumlord.
BUSH: Yeah.
ZAHN: Why haven't you done that?
BUSH: Oh, you know—you know, name calling is—I guess I could have called him a
slumlord. I figured most people could draw that conclusion themselves.
ZAHN: Is he, or is he not?
BUSH: Well, he's—let's let the facts speak for themselves. He's got a piece of
rental property, and that person that was living there said that he wouldn't
keep it up for her, so she moved out.
I think more important, though, is the fact that 50 million Americans don't get
any tax relief under his plan, and everybody pays taxes does under mine. And I
would rather fight the fight on issues and on philosophy, but I'm also going to
remind people that the folks up there have squandered an opportunity to lead.
And I'm not going to squander the opportunity if given the chance to be the
president. I'm going to get something done for the seniors in Medicare,
particularly with prescription drugs. I'm going to devolve power out of
Washington, so that we can have local control of schools but high standards and
strong accountability.
In other words, I've not only got a vision, I got the ability to get things
done, and that's the point I got to make.
ZAHN: But there are even folks I've spoken to who like you a lot, who are
actually working for you, who think you've squandered an opportunity by
allowing Al Gore define you as the guy who represents the rich. He's for the
people, you're for the powerful.
BUSH: Well, actually, he is the powerful. That's what my point. When you're the
vice president, you're powerful. And he hasn't used his power, and neither has
the president. As a matter of fact, the president really disgraced the nation.
But that's a sordid chapter of the past, and we're moving forward, and that's
what America wants, and that's what I want. I
want to move forward
ZAHN: You want to move forward, and I'm wondering if part of that motivation
comes from knowing the public, polls tell us, are sick and tired of these
scandals. Is that's what's motivating you not to dig any deeper and not to pile
on any more?
BUSH: No, not at all. No, listen, I...
ZAHN: So you're not afraid to take these guys...
(CROSSTALK)
BUSH: Of course I'm not going to be afraid to take them on. The other day, you
know, there was another—yet another— fund-raising scandal allegation that the
vice president had taken money or solicited money from the trial lawyers in
Texas in return for a presidential veto. That was on the front page of an East
Coast newspaper.
And my point though is, is that if you want to get rid of all these
allegations, scandals, people misusing their offices, no controlling legal
authorities, change administrations. Just wash them all out and start anew.
That's what my campaign is about. It's a fresh start after a season of
cynicism. And so I'd be willing to talk about it.
At the same time, however, I've got a lot to say about military preparedness,
education reform. And I'm going to remind, Paula, I've got a great record of
working with Republicans and Democrats in Texas to make sure minority students,
for example, get a good public education. And I want to talk about Social
Security reform. And I want to talk a lot about tax relief. And it's important,
because I want people to have some of their own money back.
And you know, he says he's for—I'm for the rich, when it comes to tax relief.
It is one of the most ridiculous statements of the campaign. If you're a family
of four making $50,000 a year, you get a 50 percent cut in your income taxes.
Six million families or more do not pay taxes at all of the total income tax
base. But this is a plan—but I understand how Washington works. They try to
scare people.
ZAHN: But even members of your own party aren't crazy about your tax cut idea.
They think it's too big. Even some guys running now in November for their
congressional seats...
BUSH: Well, you know, here's my advice...
ZAHN: ... they're abandoning you. Why?
BUSH: Here's my advice to them...
ZAHN: Yeah? What?
BUSH: Don't be nervous. I know what I'm doing. And when I show up in Washington
with the will of the people behind me and say, “I've campaigned on this ever
since I got started. This is what the people want,” you'll be amazed at how
they vote.
And so what if they're nervous? I'm not.
I'm doing the right thing, and I understand Washington. People will cut and run
from you in a minute in Washington. If the polls look a little soft,
people—“See you later, George W.”
ZAHN: Is that where they are now, some of these Republicans are saying...
BUSH: I would say...
ZAHN: They're not calling it an irresponsible tax cut, but they're certainly
not supporting the size of the tax cut.
BUSH: I don't think so. I think most Republicans are supporting it. And there
may be a few nervous voices, but most people are supporting it.
For example, a lot of the Republicans voted to get rid of the death tax, and
that's a part of my plan. A lot of the Republicans voted to do something on the
marriage penalty, and that's a part of my plan.
I think when they—I think, absolutely, when I win, they'll be solid behind me.
What they need is a leader up there to help them have some
BUSH: Well, first, I don't anticipate the economy turning south. As a matter of
fact, that's one of the reasons people ought to elect me, is to—is because I
got a plan to keep the economy from turning south.
Secondly, if the economy turns south, that's a reason to accelerate the tax
cut. See, I come from the school of thought that during a recession, it's
important to give people more money back faster. Now, that may cause us to run
a short-term deficit, but the fundamental question is: How do you cause the
economy to grow?
Al Gore has said at one time that if the economy turns south, he would raise
taxes, which would accelerate and deepen a recession, and that would be the
absolute wrong public policy.
ZAHN: What would be the first major decision you'd make, though? I know you say
that, God willing, if you're elected president, the economy won't go bad. But
if it did, what would be the first major move you'd make?
BUSH: Well, first you'd talk to, you know, the Federal Reserve and the banking
system to make sure everybody understood that there was a plan to come out of
recession. Secondly, go in front of the Congress and ask for an accelerated tax
cut because a tax cut is really one of the anecdotes to coming out of an
economic illness.
ZAHN: I talked with a couple of folks in the Gore campaign who said, you know,
“George Bush has obviously been passionate about this tax cut from day one,”
but, in essence, you've boxed yourself in a corner and can never offer the
kinds of programs Al Gore is offering because of your amount of money committed
to the tax cut.
BUSH: Well, no one can...
ZAHN: Do they have a point?
the Senate Budget Office, he has spent more than $900 billion of surplus. In
other words, he's exceeded the amount of surplus available of that much money.
What I want to do, though, is I want to say we're going to reform systems,
we're going to focus on a few very important initiatives, and we're going to
share some of the money with the people who pay the bills, to keep the economy
growing and also to make the code more fair.
It's just a fundamental difference of attitude. Al Gore wants power in
Washington with the planners and thinkers, and that's why he wants to keep as
much tax money in Washington as possible. What I want to do is set certain
priorities that are federal in nature, such as Social Security, Medicare,
strengthen the military to keep the peace, and share some of the surplus with
the people who pay the bills. And that's the difference in the campaign.
plans are irresponsible?
BUSH: Well, I don't necessarily think that “The New York Times” is a it's hard
for me to comment on it.
My plan is exactly what the country needs, which is money to strengthen the
military to keep the peace. Some money for education, but belongs. Monies to
make sure seniors have got prescription drugs—and remember, this is an issue
that they've been talking about for years, eight years up there, and they
cannot get anything done, and I'm going to. I want to set aside the Social
Security surplus for only Social Security. But we've still got a quarter—a
quarter of the projected surplus unspent, and that's what I want to share with
the people who pay.
I can't tell you how important it is to let people have some of their own money
back because otherwise, Paula, if we continue to tax at rates we are, it's
going to serve as a slowdown for the economy. And I know people love to keep
taxpayers' money in Washington, but that's not me. That's just not the way I
think.
ZAHN: I want to go back to some of the comments you made about Al Gore a little
bit earlier on. And I mean, I think you suggested that you consider him
tainted, in particular by the scandals of the Clinton administration. And I'm
wondering if you feel that there's anything else you can do to convince the
American public of that.
BUSH: Well, I'm going to win, for starters. When it's all said and done, I'm
going to win because people don't want four more years of the Clinton-Gore
attitude in Washington—one reason. But more importantly, I'm going to win
because what I—what I'm—what my program is, what I that, and that's a cultural
issue about how we change cultures. And government can be a part of that, of
encouraging people to be responsible for the decisions they make in life.
But you can't usher in the responsibility era if an administration behaves
irresponsibly. And I know the vice president wants us to forget the Buddhist
temple mess and all that business, but he was a part of an administration that
pushed the envelope, and I -- you know, and I think people remember that. He
may think we've got amnesia when he says he's for campaign funding reform, but
it wasn't all that long ago that he violated campaign funding laws in the White
House.
I think it's a relevant issue. But that's not the main reason I'm to do when I
become the president.
ZAHN: I know you've always said that this race is going to be very close.
BUSH: Yes.
ZAHN: And I think we know all what the definition of “is” is.
BUSH: That's right!
(LAUGHTER)
ZAHN: But what is your definition of “close”? Al Gore is leading you in a
number of polls, and I know a couple others you're 2 or 3 points ahead.
BUSH: Well, actually, there's a new one out that shows me a little better than
that. But he's up in some, and I'm up in some, and—which means it is going to
be close. And the definition of “close” is one vote, as far as I'm concerned.
And I'm under no illusions. Listen, this is an incumbent, and they've got the
power of the incumbency. And the economy is pretty good in some circles. Some
places aren't doing so well in the economy, but the economy is in pretty good
shape. And we're at relative peace. And that's going to make—that's a tough
hill to climb. I understand that.
But I'm going to win because Americans know that I can unite this country, call
upon the best, lift the spirits, set big goals and lead. And that's what I've
done as the governor of Texas. I've been a leader. That's—I've been the chief
executive officer of a big state.
ZAHN: You'd have to concede, on a campaign trail, you've had some problems with
fumbling words. Why?
BUSH: Well, probably because I've said a million words, and about 10 of them
didn't come out just right.
ZAHN: No, I'm curious. Do you contribute it to fatigue?
BUSH: Yeah, probably.
ZAHN: I mean, I know what it's like to be on television. We all make mistakes.
BUSH: Listen, I have given—I bet I've said a million words in the course of
this campaign.
ZAHN: Oh, probably a lot more than that.
BUSH: You think so? I'm kind of a fast talker. I don't know.
ZAHN: Is it something you're concerned about, though...
BUSH: No.
ZAHN: ... when you hear your critics continue to harp at you on it? I mean,
basically, they're implying you're dumb.
BUSH: Let them. You know, if that's what they want to say, they can say it. But
guess what? I was underestimated in 1994 and became the governor of the second
biggest state in the union, and not only that, was the first governor ever
elected to back-to-back four-year terms.
And I understand how the kind of—kind of the media and the echo chamber works.
But I'm not interested in the echo chamber, I'm interested in the American
people. And the American people are going to draw their conclusions. And I'm
confident they're going to say that, “This man is prepared and ready to lead
the country.”
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litigation. FOX NEWS NETWORK. Transcript # 092203cb.260.
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