Mississippi Tea Party Leader Found Dead; Family Legacies Affect Political Policies
BLITZER: Pretty shocking development, an important update on a story we've been covering in Mississippi where the Tea Party unsuccessfully targeted the long-time Republican Senator Thad Cochran. Attorney Mark Mayfield, a Tea Party leader involved in the effort to oust Cochran, has died of an apparent, an apparent, self-inflicted gunshot wound. A note was found in his home. Police are investigating the death as a possible suicide. Mayfield was one of three men charged with conspiring to take photos of Cochran's wife in a nursing home and using those images in a political ad. Let's bring in our panel, CNN chief political analyst, Gloria Borger. Our senior political analyst, Ron Brownstein, is joining us from L.A. Ron, let me ask you first, this is a pretty tragic situation. It was a bitter runoff. What do you make of this?</s>RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Yeah. Well, first of all, it's obviously a tragedy for the friends and family. That really is the first point. Second, it's a reminder of how intense the emotions are at this moment in American politics. Third, I think it is also a reminder that after some indications earlier to opposite, the Cantor race and the Mississippi Senate race reminded us there's going to be no quick end to the conflict in the Republican Party to what some call the establishment and the Tea Party. I call it the managers and the populous. There is a real divide in what they want and what they're looking for. We'll continue to see it fought out. Most dramatically, perhaps in the 2016 presidential race.</s>BLITZER: Gloria, Chris McDaniel, the challenger to Cochran, he has not conceded. He says there were irregularities. He's threatening to go to court.</s>GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Right, he just yesterday charged irregularities and he wants an investigation. It's very difficult for me to see how this election is going to be undone. But it's clear that he believes he was robbed of a victory in this election. As Ron points out, the emotions are really running high in that state.</s>BLITZER: Yeah, apparent suicide, it's really a tragic story, going on in Mississippi right now. Let's shift gears a little bit and talk about the Clintons and the Bushes. Their family names represent political dynasties. For Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush, future political ambitions could mean breaking with the past. Ron, you wrote an important article entitled "The Irony of the Dynasty" in the "National Journal." Explain what the bottom line means.</s>BROWNSTEIN: The irony is that obviously the family tradition and the family name provide enormous practical advantages for both Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush if they run in terms organization, fundraising and name identification. The irony comes in that each would be seeking to lead parties that have largely abandoned the policies that are associated with their family name, the new Democrat agenda of Bill Clinton, the compassionate conservatism of George W. Bush. Each party has moved largely away from that because their electoral coalition, I would argue, has significantly evolved in the last decade and made the parties less receptive to the policy legacy that Bush and Clinton would bring to a race if they're in. They may face more pressure than they now expect to adapt themselves to the new dynamics in the party rather than the other way around, of putting their stamp and direction on the party.</s>BORGER: There's another irony here too, Ron, which is that Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush are more alike than they are different. Both of them understand what it takes to run for the presidency. They're both kind of the policy wonks in their family. Right? Not that Bill Clinton is a policy wonk, but Hillary Clinton is. Jeb certainly is a policy wonk, particularly when it companies to education. The irony is if the two of them ended up running against each other -- yes, there are the issues of all the money they could raise and the name I.D. that gives them unfair advantages -- I think you'd actually have a very serious substantive race. But Jeb Bush, as you point out, might not be able to get nominated by the Republican Party right now.</s>BLITZER: Well, we'll see if both, or neither, decides to run. If they do, could be fascinating. All right, guys, thanks, very, very much. In just four days, millions and millions of eyes will be glued to the TV sets watching Team USA take on Belgium in a must-win World Cup match. So how are these soccer super stars preparing for the big game? We're going to hear from the USA goalkeeper, Tim Howard. Plus, thousands of kids make the dangerous trek often without their parents to get a better life here in the United States. Illegal immigration through the eyes of one woman who's trying to make a difference. Her story, when we return.