CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight - Transcript

CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight - Transcript
Thursday, August 25, 2005

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DOBBS: I'm joined now by Senator John Thune. The issue is very simple, Ellsworth. During his 2004 campaign, Senator Thune argued he was in a better position to save that base than -- than Tom Daschle, the senior senator for years in South Dakota.

After Thune defeated Daschle, it was very easy for the administration to take a look and decide to close the base. It's not easy being a Republican right now, is it Senator Thune?

SEN. JOHN THUNE, (R) SOUTH DAKOTA: Well, what we decided we were going to have to do in this situation, Lou, is make our arguments based on the merits and qualities of our base. And we've done that. We've made a very strong case before the commission. We believe that this commission is independent minded. Their going to look at this objectively. They're taking the data and all the facts that have been presented to them and our hope is that we've been able to persuade five of those nine commissioners to take Ellsworth off the base closure list. We will probably know that sometime tomorrow morning.

DOBBS: Anthony Principi -- I asked him just before you joined us if he had good news for Senator Thune, and he said that he's open and independent, his entire commission. Are you reassured?

THUNE: Well, you know, I think this commission is -- they want to do the right thing. And they have been open and independent. I think they've demonstrated that with the decisions that they've made already, that they are not a rubber stamp for the Pentagon, that they are trying to take this information, process it, digest it, make decisions that are in the best interest of our national security.

My view on this, of course, is that the country needs Ellsworth Air Force Base just like South Dakota needs Ellsworth Air Force Base. And we believe we've made solid military value...

DOBBS: What's your best argument do you think to keep -- I'm sorry, Senator. We're just about out of time. But what's your best argument, do you think, to keep Ellsworth open?

THUNE: We believe that it just makes far more sense to have your assets distributed at two locations instead of one. That it presents an inherent security risk to have all your eggs in one basket as well as a number of operational problems that have been documented. So, that's our primary argument. I could give you all the details, Lou, but you probably don't have time for it.

DOBBS: We don't.

THUNE: But we made that case for the BRAC commission.

DOBBS: We don't Senator. But we do have time for you to give us your best guess, do you think you're going to prevail?

THUNE: We're hopeful. I've said this before, I'm too Norwegian to be optimistic, but I think this is a fluid process and clearly that decision won't come until tomorrow. So, I'm certainly not going to make any predictions tonight.

DOBBS: You'll presumably stay in the Republican Party if things go against you?

THUNE: You know, yes. I don't think there's any fear of that. But certainly I'll feel a lot better about it if we're off the list tomorrow.

DOBBS: Senator John Thune, as always good to have you here. Good luck.

THUNE: Thanks, Lou.

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