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Saturday Morning News

Conservative Groups Have Aspirations for Bush White House

Aired January 20, 2001 - 7:43 a.m. ET

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

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It is just about -- a little less than five hours to go before that happens, before Mr. Bush is sworn in as the 43rd President of the U.S.

One group fought particularly hard in the political trenches to bring this day about, but nothing in the world of politics is done without expecting or demanding something in return.

Our White House correspondent Major Garrett has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): George W. Bush stands astride the conservative Republican majority Ronald Reagan dreamed of, control of the White House, House and Senate. The margins are narrow, but the power is real.

DAVID KEENE, AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION: The Republican party is the conservative party in this country and George Bush fairly well reflected the makeup of the party both from the top and from the bottom.

GARRETT: Conservatives helped Bush suffocate three right-wing challengers, Steve Forbes, Dan Quayle and Gary Bower. And they delivered his dramatic triumph over John McCain in South Carolina. They also fought for every inch of ground in the battle of the recount.

So, what do conservatives expect in return?

KEENE: We're looking for particularly an across-the-board tax cut as he promised. We're looking for a push on missile defense, a strengthening of American defenses overall. And really the scaling back of government intrusion.

GARRETT: That's the big picture. A closer look reveals specific demands from specific conservative constituencies. Abortion rights opponents now have a President who can sign legislation President Clinton vetoed.

DARLA ST. MARTIN, NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE: We would like to see something done about partial-birth abortion. We would, as I mentioned before, we would like to see something done to notify parents if young, minor girls are being taken for abortions. GARRETT: The Clinton White House attacked the National Rifle Association, and the NRA mobilized for Bush in record numbers.

WAYNE LAPIERRE, NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION: I really believe that what you'll see out of this administration, I would hope, is a concentration on making people safe and protecting the freedom.

GARRETT: Though expectations are high, conservatives will give Mr. Bush some time.

RICH LOWRY, "NATIONAL REVIEW": I think conservatives are going to give Bush a lot of leeway. And it's similar to what happened on the democratic side with Bill Clinton, which is that the Democrats realized that the political environment had shifted in fundamental ways and they had to adjust to that.

GARRETT (on camera): Throughout the campaign, the Bush team balanced centrist themes and conservative policies. The Bush Cabinet reflects a similar balancing act. Conservatives are used to all this by now, but they still expect Mr. Bush to deliver no matter how closely Congress is divided.

Major Garrett, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: All right, let's talk more about it now. Talk about the conservative impact on Bush's election victory.

Susan Muskett, Christian Coalition, with us live in Washington.

Susan, good morning to you.

SUSAN MUSKETT, CHRISTIAN COALITION: Good morning.

HEMMER: Let's talk about the news that Laura Bush made yesterday when she made her comments about Rowe versus Wade, the abortion issue, saying in many ways that is not an issue that they will put at the forefront of this administration, at least for the time being. What did you think of the comments when you heard that?

MUSKETT: Well, you know, I only - it was only a small snippet of a comment and so I would have to see the whole comment in the context in which it was said to really judge her position on the issue.

But we do know, in terms of President-elect Bush that he very much shares our goal of protecting innocent human life.

HEMMER: Yes, I know you understand that you want to see it in it's entire context, but are you disappointed, though, that even a position like that would be taken at this time?

MUSKETT: Well, again, she's not the President-elect. He is the President-elect and I can tell you that conservatives are very excited about his incoming Presidency. We had an inaugural dinner and gala last night and there was 2,600 activists there. And people even around this whole capitol, I can tell you there's a real sense of energy and excitement about this new administration coming in.

HEMMER: Yes; I talked with David Gergan (ph) last night here on CNN. He's been a part of four different administrations, Republican and Democrat, in the White House. He believes that the younger Bush is more conservative than his father. Do you see it the same way?

MUSKETT: I think it could be a possibility. I guess it remains to be seen. His father was very much a friend to the pro-life movement. And I guess it remains to be seen after their - President- elect Bush is in office for a number of years to really weigh who ends up being more of a friend.

HEMMER: Parental notification, the issue of partial-birth abortion - what is a satisfactory timeline for these two items to be pushed through in Washington for you and your Christian Coalition?

MUSKETT: Well, we are going to be working with President-elect Bush and his administration to really -- to map out a strategy to make sure that during his administration we can do something to stop partial-birth abortions in America.

I mean, this is something that really has the broad support of the American people. And I really think it's great we now have President-elect Bush coming in, we have the support of the American people, and it's just a matter of coming up with the strategy to get from A to B.

HEMMER: Yeah. Also, Susan, how do you view his Cabinet selections?

MUSKETT: We think he's going a great job. We think John Ashcroft is a great nominee. You know, I'm a civil rights attorney by background, and he is very much - has wonderful qualifications, two- term attorney general of Missouri, two-term governor of Missouri. He's very much pro-woman. It was John Ashcroft who appointed the first woman to the Missouri Supreme Court.

HEMMER: What is your take then on this bipartisan pledge to work with Democrats on Capitol Hill, behind us here? Do you believe that it may sacrifice part of your agenda here in Washington?

MUSKETT: I don't think so. We really very much believe that our agenda has the backing of mainstream families across America. And we think that if the Senators listen to their constituents that they very much will get in line with what we support. You know, we have any number of pro-life Democrats who support our agenda on the pro-life issues. And when you move on to some of the other issues like combating pornography, there again, we can pick up any number of Democrats on that issue.

So we don't think we have to have a problem. We do think our agenda is a bipartisan agenda.

HEMMER: In the short time we have left here, he did not win the popular vote, he did win the electoral college vote, however, You know the history. No President who has failed to win the popular vote has served more than one term. Given that as a backdrop, how will this President do over the next four years?

MUSKETT: I think he's going to do a great job. I think he has what it takes to really be the kind of leader for our country that we need at this critical point in time.

And again, I think that's why, at least here in the nation's capitol, there's a real sense of energy and excitement at this point in time.

HEMMER: Muskett, Christian Coalition; thank you, Susan...

MUSKETT: My pleasure...

HEMMER: ... have a good weekend.

MUSKETT: ... thank you.

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