CNN Anderson Cooper 360 - Transcript

CNN Anderson Cooper 360 - Transcript
Tuesday, January 31, 2006

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COOPER: Well, we expect State of the Union addresses to be optimistic. When, after all, was the last time we heard a president say, I'm going to level with you, the country's going to hell in a handbasket? Likewise, we expect the party not in power to deliver a stinging rebuttal. Their job is to shoot down all that optimism. That said, beyond the rhetoric, important issues.

Joining me now, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Thanks very much for being with us.

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: My pleasure.

COOPER: The speech -- delivered on promises or not?

PELOSI: Well, first of all, let's say that we are not shooting down optimism. The strength of our country is the optimism, the enthusiasm, the talent and the goodness of the American people.

COOPER: Do you worry, though, that the Democratic Party is seen as a party which criticizes, and you know, shot down the Social Security reform last year, but doesn't really come up with policies on their own?

PELOSI: I don't worry about it at all.

COOPER: That's what Republicans say.

PELOSI: That's what Republicans say. But the fact is that that was the president's major initiative last year, and we defeated him on it by being unified and going out there into the country, a thousand town meetings, to educate the people as to what the president was up to. Now that we've cleared that from the field, we've differentiated on the budget. We've differentiated on energy. Now we go forward with a positive agenda.

And as you may have heard me say, we've had an innovation initiative for a while now. The president embraced some of the principles of it tonight, but his budget tomorrow will be a far cry from implementing it because he doesn't fund No Child Left Behind, it increases the cost of students for their student loans, families struggling to send their children to college. Innovation begins in the classroom. It cuts investment in research and development.

It doesn't commit the resources to the technology needed to make us energy-independent. So while the president is again speaking the words, he is not doing the deeds necessary. But again, we're about optimism, and that's the strength of America.

COOPER: But what about on Iraq? In the Democratic response, we did not hear all that much about actual proposals for Iraq, the governor saying that there are better ways. He didn't really illuminate what those better ways are.

PELOSI: Well, first let me say how proud I was of governor -- and am of Governor Kaine. I thought he spoke from values and from a positive agenda, and you know why the people of Virginia responded to him so positively, electing him the governor.

What he did point out, though, was the mismanagement of the war in Iraq, and that's the important issue. Whatever you thought about going in, mismanagement, service, results -- that's what the governor spoke about. And results are not happening in Iraq. The military is not strengthened by what we are doing there. That's what the Department of Defense is saying. Our homeland security needs are not being addressed. That's what the bipartisan 9/11 commission is saying.

Democrats want to be strong in terms of protecting American people. We must strengthen our military to meet threats throughout the world.

COOPER: But what does that mean? I mean, just logistically, on the ground in Iraq, are -- the Democrats clearly are not on the same page about what to do in Iraq. And isn't that a great weakness going into the mid-term elections? I mean, if tonight was an opening salvo in the mid-term elections, it seems clear the Republicans are going to be pushing the war on terror and the war in Iraq as their prime issue.

PELOSI: And on both scores, they are not doing well. The American people have turned against them on the war in Iraq. And on terror, as I say, the 9/11 commission, bipartisan, unanimously...

COOPER: But do the Democrats really give an alternative?

PELOSI: Well, the Democrats are proposing that we have to have 2006 be a year of decision in Iraq, and change. And the Republicans overwhelmingly in the United States Senate joined in that sentiment.

COOPER: But saying it has to be a year of decision and change -- I think everyone will agree, of course, yes. But what is the decision and what is the change?

PELOSI: Well, first and foremost, we have to make sure that we're not training a force in Iraq that is going to turn on other Iraqis. The measure of turning this -- the security of Iraq into the hands of the Iraqis is an important goal, but we also have to make sure that we're not turning them into people who will carry on another fight, and therefore, make our presence there something that was not what the American people thought we were getting into.

But let's enlarge the issue for a minute. What is important is, is what we're doing in Iraq making the American people safer? Is it strengthening our military to help us fight threats in other parts of the world? And is it bringing stability to the region? On those three scores, the answer is no. So we have to work together to try to go forward in a way that makes America safer and our military stronger, and that's not happening there.

COOPER: So if you could set the agenda for what these mid-term elections are going to be run on, what would it be?

PELOSI: Well, I think first homeland security is a very important issue. And again...

COOPER: But traditionally, Democrats do not do well on that.

PELOSI: Well, that's -- let me say this. Right after 9/11, there was a 50-point spread, 75 to 25, on, Who do you prefer to fight terrorism? Now it's in the single digits. That has very, very much eroded in terms of what the president is doing.

Look at Katrina. I thought that delivered a message to the American people that we are just not equipped or have not made it a priority to address the needs of the American people.

But it's about results. It's about keeping America safe, which is our first responsibility and we all take very, very seriously. But our strength has to be measured in health, education and wellbeing of the American people, as well, about being number one in competition. The president talked about it tonight, but his budget tomorrow that we will vote on will be in complete contradiction to what he said tonight.

So yes, we will say no when the president isn't right. We'll say no over and over again, and we will roll out our positive agenda about jobs and health care and education. And let me say on health care, what the president proposed tonight, health savings accounts and association health plans, will be fought by the Democrats to the end. This will not reduce the cost of health care in America. These proposals will not increase the number of people who are insured. And these proposals will increase the deficit. That's not -- those are standards that must be met. And this is where you will see the big domestic fight, on health care, because that is an issue of immediate concern to America, America's families. It's a competitive issue for our businesses, and it is a very big expense to the American people.

COOPER: Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, we appreciate you joining us. Thank you very much.

PELOSI: I appreciate it. Thank you...

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