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Sunday Morning News

Member of Electoral College Prepares to Vote Bush

Aired December 17, 2000 - 7:34 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, in West Virginia, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans. But George W. Bush carried the state in the November election.

CNN's Kathleen Koch spoke with one of the state's electors, who will cast his vote tomorrow -- that's the deadline for the Electoral College -- to put Bush in the Oval Office.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES TRUMP, WEST VIRGINIA ELECTOR: Berkeley Springs, my home town. The town is actually chartered as Bath.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Attorney Charles Trump is used to being a fish out of water.

TRUMP: The local travel bureau advertises in its literature that it's the only town in America with more masseurs than lawyers.

KOCH: A West Virginia Republican, he's outnumbered two to one by registered Democrats. But November 7, 52 percent of Mountain State citizens voted for George W. Bush, awarding him West Virginia's five electoral votes.

TRUMP: West Virginians are fiercely independent and freedom loving people. And so, no, I can't say I was greatly surprised.

KOCH: The lead Republican in West Virginia's House of Delegates, Trump was chosen to be an elector at his party's state convention in July. He bristles at any suggestion the Electoral College be abolished.

TRUMP: It remains necessary for the protection of the voice of small states within the federal government.

KOCH: A Princeton graduate, Trump makes his living meeting the needs of his small hometown.

TRUMP: Generally, the needs of -- legal needs of the community as they come through the door, which is good. It keeps it interesting to me. I get to learn lots of different areas of law.

KOCH: Law has been a family tradition, as has Republican politics, despite a brief departure by his late father in the 1970s. (on camera): Now, you said he had a stint as a Democrat. Now, what would he think of -- did he eventually go back to being a Republican?

TRUMP: Yes, he came home. He came home.

KOCH: He came home. So he would be proud of you then, you're saying?

TRUMP: I think so. I think so.

KOCH (voice-over): West Virginia electors can switch their votes. And one did back in 1988. But Trump wouldn't think of it.

TRUMP: I as an elector have a solemn duty to when I cast my ballot reflect the will of the citizens of West Virginia. I'm an elector for them. And they voted clearly for Governor Bush.

Michael, be careful there, honey.

KOCH: The 40-year-old husband and father of three says his biggest concern during the Florida debate that the politics not distort the will of America's founding fathers.

TRUMP: What we must fight to protect above all else is our constitutional process. That's what makes us a free people.

Hello, how are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty good. How are you?

TRUMP: Doing great. Thank you.

KOCH: Kathleen Koch for CNN, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

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