Bush Continues Filling Cabinet; Clinton Grants Presidential Pardons
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: More appointments to the future Bush Cabinet.</s>GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT-ELECT: John Ashcroft will perform his duties guided by principle, not by politics.</s>BLITZER: George W. Bush names an attorney general and delivers an early Christmas gift to conservatives. We size up the Bush team so far, and preview what's to come with CNN's Major Garrett in Austin. A holiday surprise for a fallen congressman: President Clinton pardons Dan Rostenkowski and several others. But some names you know are left waiting. And the holiday hubbub of New York City: the music, the decorations and the crowds. How much is too much?</s>MAYOR RUDOLPH GIULIANI, NEW YORK CITY: I like the crowd because you sort of get, like a view of the whole world by just standing there and walking around.</s>BLITZER: Good evening, I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight from Washington. We'll get to my interview with New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani shortly, but first our top story. President-elect George W. Bush's transition to the White House. He made it official today, going to the conservative wing of the Republican party for one key position and then going to the moderate wing for another.</s>BUSH: Today it's my honor to send to the United States Senate the name of Senator John Ashcroft to become the attorney general of the United States.</s>BLITZER (voice-over): The president-elect's decision was warmly welcomed by conservatives, who appreciate Ashcroft's opposition to abortion rights, affirmative action, gun control and other hot button issues.</s>BUSH: John Ashcroft is a man of deep convictions and strong principle.</s>BLITZER: Last month, the Missouri senator lost his bid for reelection, even though his opponent, Governor Mel Carnahan, had been killed in a plane crash. The governor's widow, Jeanne, effectively, won the contest.</s>SEN. JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL NOMINEE: Political defeat is my old colleague; and college classmate Joe Lieberman has written, brings more than emotion and pain, it brings perspective.</s>BLITZER: A few hours later, Bush emerged with New Jersey Governor Christie Todd Whitman, his choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency. She supports abortion rights, but that issue won't be part of her new portfolio.</s>GOV. CHRISTIE TODD WHITMAN, EPA ADMINISTRATOR-DESIGNATE: New Jersey -- we've hat to -- has been challenged. We've had to meet all the environmental concerns. We know the challenges of reclaiming abandoned industrial sites. We know the need to protect our cities, their quality of water, their quality of life, to ensure that our suburbs and rural areas aren't overrun by suburban sprawl.</s>BLITZER: As you can see, today's appointments included two people who represent opposite wings within the Republican Party. For more on the announcements and the makeup of the Bush Cabinet so far, we join CNN White House correspondent Major Garrett in Austin. Major, first of all, any confirmation problems in the Senate expected for either Ashcroft or Whitman?</s>MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: In a word, Wolf, no; no confirmation problems. But that doesn't mean Senator Ashcroft will escape any grilling from the Senate Judiciary Committee. He has a somewhat controversial record, at least as far as liberal Democrats are concerned, on the very issues you mentioned. He is very much opposed to abortion rights, he is opposed to affirmative action and he has, in the eyes of some liberal Democrats, a checkered record on civil rights. No confirmation problems whatsoever expected for Christie Whitman. Most environmentalists and liberal Democrats believe that's the best they'll ever get out of a Bush administration -- someone who has a decent environmental record in the state of New Jersey -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Major -- all right, much of the Cabinet, or at least a big part of the Cabinet is beginning to shape up. What do these appointments by George W. Bush say about his administration so far?</s>GARRETT: They say two important things, Wolf -- at least from my perspective. One, that the president-elect is choosing people with substantial political experience; many of them governors. And that kind of experience will help him in developing policies and carrying them out, dealing with complex constituencies. Also, he's reached out to core constituencies across the country, a New Jersey governor, a state he did not carry. A prominent agriculture official, a woman from California, Ann Veneman (ph), a key state for him. A Missouri senator -- reaching out to the heartland. So key constituencies, also people with vast political experience who can give him good advice when he needs it most -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Major Garret in Austin, thank you very much. President Clinton, meanwhile, today issued a presidential pardon to former Illinois Congressman Dan Rostenkowski and some 58 others. He commuted the sentences of three more. CNN's Eileen O'Connor joins us now live from the White House with more on the president's decision. First of all, Eileen, why did he pardon the former chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee?</s>EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's exactly why -- a very big, powerful Democrat; a powerhouse within the party and a long-serving congressman, Wolf, who did a great deal of service, according to his friends. You know, Rostenkowski, was, of course, sentenced to 17 months and fined after a two-year investigation of allegations that he had basically misused taxpayers' funds by buying personal gifts and by giving salaries to people who did little or nothing. This sentence came after a plea bargain. And some felt the investigation itself unfair. But Rostenkowski did serve his -- pay his fine and serve the sentence. And he said that he was surprised, but pleased.</s>DAN ROSTENKOWSKI, FMR. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE: It is hard really to make any observations, except an extreme debt of gratitude. I think that I have got a lot to contribute. And I have been trying to do that.</s>O'CONNOR: Of course, as you know as well, he has done a lot of service since he left prison. And, apparently, according to one source here at the White House, it was a number of people, Wolf -- former officials from both parties -- who really championed his cause -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Eileen, who else did the president pardon today?</s>O'CONNOR: Well, he pardoned quite a number of people. First and foremost: Archie Schaffer III, a Tyson chicken executive, who was caught up in the investigation of former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. Espy was charged with accepting gifts from corporations. And, of course, Schaffer was, in fact, then sentenced to a year and day in prison. Interestingly, Schaffer, the case against him was argued by Robert Ray. You know that name, Wolf. He is the man, of course, who is contemplating perjury charges against the president. The president's aides say that that is not a factor, that he followed the Espy case very carefully, because he was a good friend of Espy, and that he felt that this case against Schaffer was just wrong. An unusual move today: He even issued a statement to that effect -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Eileen O'Connor at the White House, thank you very much. And up next: New York's holiday tourist boom. Decked out for millions of visitors, the Big Apple brings in a crowd. The mayor says: No problem.</s>GIULIANI: Please come enjoy it. I mean, it's part -- if you come, though, you have to realize that part of the enjoyment is a lot of crowds, a lot of people. It creates a lot of the excitement.</s>BLITZER: Rudy Giuliani joins us to talk about how the city handles the rush, and his thoughts on the nation's next president. Stay with us.