Republican National Convention Called to Order; Interview with Ed Koch; Interview With Governor George Pataki
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this is as much a tribute to New York as it is Republicans. It's been all things New York within the past hour, from Madison Square Garden, starting with a Broadway medley, a tribute to victims of 9/11, and then we even saw Democrat, former mayor of New York City, Ed Koch, who introduced the current mayor, Michael Bloomberg, right there, who professed that the city is back, attributing much of the success of New York to the leadership of George Bush. More on the convention in a moment. But first, here's a look at other stories we're following for you right now. With the stroke of a gavel, the Republican National Convention is called to order in New York City. The city is hosting almost 5,000 delegates and alternates, and some 50,000 attendees overall. We'll have all the latest in a live report in minutes. As the party's faithful gather to praise the president, Mr. Bush heads to New Hampshire to campaign. The president will hold an "Ask President Bush" event in Nashua for about two hours -- in about two hours from now. It's part of his pre-convention swing through several showdown states. In Iraq, a top aide to Muqtada al-Sadr says the rebel cleric is telling his militia to stop fighting across Iraq. Al-Sadr's Mehdi Army battled U.S. and Iraqi forces in Najaf for nearly three weeks before a peace deal ended the crisis last Friday. The cleric's aide says Muqtada al-Sadr will soon announce plans for a major political program. Iraq's interim government has often called on al-Sadr to join the country's political process. Back here in the U.S., we just -- or we're just now getting word, rather, a few minutes ago, that a federal grand jury has indicted former Atlanta mayor, Bill Campbell. Prosecutors say Campbell is named in a racketeering indictment that includes wire fraud, mail fraud and illegal campaign contributions. Campbell maintains his innocence. He called the investigation a witch hunt. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news. It's 11:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 8:00 a.m. out West. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Daryn Kagan. Up first this hour on CNN, the Republican National Convention. You're about to see live pictures from New York's Madison Square Garden, where the stage is set for what Republicans hope will be a grand political show. Among other things, organizers are hoping to win over Independent voters and moderate Democrats. The list of speakers at the big event include some of the party's best-known moderates. Tonight, we'll hear from New York City Michael Bloomberg again. We just heard from throughout the day. And we'll also be hearing from former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani. And later, Arizona Senator John McCain. As Republicans gather to promote the president, demonstrators are making their voices heard. Yesterday, tens of thousands marched past Madison Square Garden to protest the Iraq war and Mr. Bush's economic policies. At one point, demonstrators stood shoulder to shoulder, stretching for over two miles. Officials say the protests were mostly peaceful, but there were more than 250 arrests. Here with an overview of today's events is CNN national correspondent Bob Franken. And Bob, you're joined by a very familiar face, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch -- Bob.</s>BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I suppose it's appropriate, Fredricka. This is an overwhelmingly Democratic town. So I suppose it's appropriate that the person who would steal the show is a Democrat, although some of your Democratic friends are not going to be happy with you. We're talking to Mayor Koch, as you pointed out. And you announced you were going to convert people, but not this time.</s>ED KOCH (D), FMR. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: Right. Well, I call the shots as I see them. And everybody knows that. I've never voted for a Republican president before. But I am voting to re-elect George W. Bush because I believe that the Democratic Party, regrettably, doesn't have the stomach to take on international terrorism. And George Bush has demonstrated he does.</s>FRANKEN: Well, now, of course, they would argue, saying that what he's demonstrated, the man you're supporting, is that he has gotten the United States into a foreign policy mess.</s>KOCH: I don't think they can argue that when you have John Kerry shifting his position so many times. First, when he voted for the war, he stood up and voted for. Then when he wanted the Deaniacs, the followers of Howard Dean, to vote for him, when Howard Dean couldn't win, then he said that he was sorry about his vote for the war. And then more recently, because he knows that he needs the moderates in this country, he has said that even if he knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction at the time he voted, he would have still voted for the war. So where is he?</s>FRANKEN: Well, now, many Democrats are going to say that you really have stopped being a Democrat.</s>KOCH: Well, I must say to you, I believe that I represent the Democratic Party to a far greater extent than does Howard Dean or even Ted Kennedy. The vast majority of Democrats, over 50 percent, according to a "Times" poll that I saw over the weekend, perceive themselves to be moderates. That's what I am. I am a moderate Democrat. I am not a loony.</s>FRANKEN: Well, let me just ask you one last question. As you look out on the street and you see what looks like a prison out on there, with all the heavy security, how does that make you feel?</s>KOCH: Well, let me just say, I think New York is handling it very well. There were 400,000 or more demonstrators over the weekend. It went very orderly. And these are the people who wrecked the towns like Seattle, like other places. And generally, many of the same people who go from demonstration to demonstration, I'm not even sure they know what they're demonstrating against. But the New York cops handled it superbly.</s>FRANKEN: Mayor Ed Koch, never -- no longer the mayor, but always his honor. Thank you very much.</s>KOCH: Thank you.</s>FRANKEN: Thank you very much -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right, Bob. Thanks so much. Well, our Kelly Wallace is on the floor of the convention center as well, and she joins us with the latest from there. And Kelly, it looks like the crowd is fired up.</s>KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The crowd does appear to be fired up, many dignitaries here listening very closely to current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In this front row here you have New York's governor, George Pataki, and former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, who, as we know, will be speaking here tonight. Governor Pataki -- we're trying to get the governor to come over and talk to CNN LIVE for a moment. Yes, this is the great thing about conventions. I know. I know. Governor, thanks so much for talking with us for a second. Question for you. Are you surprised that the position Republicans are going into at this convention, the president in a better position in the polls now than he was just a few weeks ago?</s>GOV. GEORGE PATAKI (R), NEW YORK: I'm not surprised at all. I'm very pleased. But I think there is tremendous ground swell of understanding the leadership this president has provided. And I'm confident that this convention is just going to give us momentum to have a great victory come November.</s>WALLACE: You know, there's still this number that everybody talks about, right direction, wrong direction. Still, a majority of the Americans think the country needs a new direction. That's got to be problematic for Republicans.</s>PATAKI: Well, when you look at the reason, it's because this president inherited a recession. We were victimized by the September 11 attacks, we're in a war against terror, and yet this president has provided tremendous leadership under very, very difficult and challenging circumstances. And I'm confident that our country will be stronger, our freedom will be better protected. And we're going to have more jobs when this president has four more years.</s>WALLACE: What about some disagreement? You have some conservatives who have been pushing for stronger positions on abortion and gay marriage. Is this party as united as it can be?</s>PATAKI: We are united as I've ever seen it. We're united because, on the critical issues, defending American freedom in the war against terror, lower taxes, and empowering people and entrepreneurs so we can create more jobs and opportunity, these are issues that unite not just Republicans, but these are issues that unite Americans. And that's why I'm confident this president's going to have a great run.</s>WALLACE: And what about -- are we going to hear from you on Thursday night in your big speech before President Bush comes...</s>PATAKI: Well, I'm looking forward to it. I think it will be a lot of fun.</s>WALLACE: All right. Everybody's asking that, 2008, George Pataki?</s>PATAKI: 2004, George Bush.</s>WALLACE: Thanks so much. Governor George Pataki talking with us here. That's what's so fun here, Fredricka. You just sort of look around and you find dignitaries, Republican leaders, delegates all watching. A big theme that you heard the governor talk about. Michael Bloomberg, a short time ago, September 11. A lot of discussion about how President Bush handled the country after September 11. Obviously, though, the Republicans have to walk a fine line. They don't want to be accused of playing politics with the tragedy. So we'll be watching to see how they approach this issue throughout the day. Fredricka, back to you.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Kelly Wallace, thanks so much. Well, let's get a little bit of analysis now of some of the things happening there so far. CNN's political analyst Carlos Watson joining us again from Madison Square Garden there. Carlos, there you are. All right. Well, let's talk about these moderate conservatives, you know, beginning with Ed Koch. We saw him moments ago, who, you know, says that he's "a moderate Democrat, not a loony." At first, it seemed like the crowd wasn't quite sure what to do with him, this three-term mayor of New York, a Democrat, until he said, I'm in this for the re-election of George W. Bush. How electrifying was that moment?</s>CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, I think it was a decent moment. I don't know that it was an electrifying moment. But if George Bush is ultimately to win, he'll need to not only replicate his success in drawing some Democratic voters, as did he in 2000 -- he got about 11 percent of Democrats -- but he'll need to do even better than that. And most recent polls show that John -- still about 15 percent of Democrats are not supporting John Kerry. So this is an important message for George Bush, not a surprising message. In fact, 20 years ago, in 1984, we saw Ronald Reagan do something similar in the first day of his -- of his convention for re-election, showcasing women in that case in an outreach to a group that didn't always vote for Republicans.</s>WHITFIELD: The platform is New York, the overwhelming, under- riding message seems to be from some of the speakers we've heard so far, is that Bush needs to be credited with helping to make the United States safer, particularly after 9/11. George Pataki, just a moment ago, as he was talking to Kelly, said that Bush is indeed a uniter. Yet, you look outside, and it's a completely different climate. How are these two views colliding there in New York City?</s>WATSON: Again, it's not just New York City, but it's what's happening in the televisions and families and homes all around the country. While New York is clearly a very Democratic place, I think the hope on the part of the Bush-Cheney team is that terrorism becomes not one of three important issues, as it currently is in the election, the war in Iraq and the economy being the other two, judged by voters to be very important, but it becomes the dominant issue, which they hope north of 30 percent of voters saying that this is the single most important issue. And so we'll hear a lot about 9/11. We'll certainly hear a lot about that from Rudy Giuliani. But, significantly, Fredricka, beginning tonight, you'll also hear them begin to defend their Iraq policy. And so look for John McCain to take on that role. There's kind of a ying and a yang going on with Giuliani and a number of others talking about 9/11. But still John McCain, being among those who talk about the war in Iraq and kind of defending that...</s>WHITFIELD: And real quick, Carlos, I am going to ask you a little bit more about John McCain and his role, but for a moment, I just want to acknowledge, on the right side of your screen, are you seeing President Bush and Laura Bush board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base. And they'll be leaving to head to New Hampshire, a pivotal, very important state. Later on, he'll be speaking at a school. And, you know, when we talk about the -- the importance of certain states, New Hampshire, Ohio, Florida, being among those states, Carlos, where they have a front row seat at that convention center hall, how important? We know that no Republican has won a presidency without clinching Ohio. How important and significant are those particular three states that I mentioned?</s>WATSON: They really are very significant, especially Ohio. There really is a -- there really are a troika of states that are most important, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. Combined, they represent about 65 electoral votes. Already, north of $100 million has been spent on those three places alone by the two campaigns and by the independent 527s. And so you'll see a lot of focus. If George Bush gets nothing else out of this convention, he would love to get specific swing state bounces in Ohio, in Pennsylvania, and in Florida, all critical places. That being said, you'll see him visit a number of other places, New Hampshire, you mentioned, as an example, where he barely won by some one percent in 2000. You'll see him visit a lot of others, but make no mistake about it, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida is what this convention ultimately will be judged by.</s>WHITFIELD: Yes. All right. And before I let you go, in five seconds or less, I talk about the John McCain factor, a real perplexing relationship. Is he soldiering for the party or is he soldiering for the president?</s>WATSON: Probably both. He'll be a good cop today. But remember, in 1988, he also gave a speech at the opening day of the Republican convention. And that was a negative speech.</s>WHITFIELD: Yes.</s>WATSON: So I'd suspect 16 years later we'll see a more positive speech.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Carlos Watson from Madison Square Garden. Thanks so much.</s>WATSON: Good to join you.</s>WHITFIELD: Well, outside the Garden, as they say, New York streets are filled with a lot of protesters throughout the weekend, tens of thousands, in fact. And they're going back and forth with the numbers, with the 250,000, 500,000. Well, all this week, about 800 groups representing various points of view are expected to take to the streets again during the convention. And Jason Carroll has been keeping a close eye on all of these protesters throughout the weekend and now throughout the week - Jason.</s>JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Fredricka, this is one of the spots where many of those protesters will be gathering. I'm standing right across from Madison Square Garden in an area called -- above an area called the Protest Zone. It's basically a holding pen where various groups can come and voice their opinions about whatever they think. But no pen at all could have held the vast numbers of people that came out here yesterday in front of the Garden to express their points of view. By the tens of thousands they marched for hours. They stretched two miles down 7th Avenue. An anti-war group called United Peace for Justice organized the march past the Garden. In the group, Michael Berg, whose son, Nick, was beheaded after being kidnapped in Iraq.</s>MICHAEL BERG, SON WAS BEHEADED: George Bush must go.</s>BERG: He has stolen my son away from me. He has stolen an election. He has stolen our democracy. He has stolen our freedom and our security and our peace of mind. And for these crimes, George Bush must go.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not in our name! We won't be silent! We won't be tamed!</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't have it in your hand, don't know it by heart, can take this...</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No more deaths! No more...</s>CARROLL: Despite the strong words like that, and the large number of people who came out to demonstrate against them, some Republicans say it represents what is best about this country.</s>TERRY HOLT, BUSH-CHENEY CAMPAIGN: That's what this country is going to war against terror about, the right to freely associate. These folks coming to the convention are enthusiastic to be here, to hear the president and how he's going to lead us into the future. I don't think they're intimidated at all. I think they're excited.</s>CARROLL: There were thousands of police officers obviously on hand to monitor the crowd. Police made 253 arrests, but New York City's police commissioner says, by and large, the protest was peaceful -- Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Jason Carroll, thanks so much. Well, CNN will bring you extensive coverage of the convention throughout the week. CNN's Anderson Cooper kicks off our prime-time coverage tonight at 7:00 Eastern. Wolf Blitzer follows at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific. Then "LARRY KING LIVE" from Madison Square Garden. And we'll be right back.