Scarborough Country for March 4, 2004

SHOW: SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY 22:00

March 4, 2004 Thursday

HEADLINE: SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY For March 4, 2004

BYLINE: Dana Kennedy; Joe Scarborough

GUESTS: Gregory Meeks; David Dreier; Patricia Ireland; Rabbi Shmuley Boteach; William Donahue; Jeff Foxworthy; James Kennedy; David Horowitz

HIGHLIGHT:
Is there a double standard when it comes to religion and Hollywood? A California court is forcing Catholic Charities to violate their religious principles by making them buy birth control for employees. Critics blast President Bush for using images of 9/11 in his campaign ads.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
SCARBOROUGH: Congressman Meeks, respond.

REP. GREGORY MEEKS (D), NEW YORK: I can't believe that David would say that many Americans are letting-or forgetting 9/11; 9/11, especially-you know, I live in New York. People that I know died in those buildings. I still look and have with an empty heart any time I pass downtown. And to politicize 9/11 is just awful.

(CROSSTALK)

SCARBOROUGH: How does it politicize it?

DREIER: We came together as one, not Democrats, not Republicans, as one nation, because that affected all of us.

And what the president is trying to say in this is, he's utilizing the images of 9/11 for a political advertisement.

(CROSSTALK)

DREIER: That's why we need change. That's why we need change, because...

SCARBOROUGH: Did you use 9/11 in your reelection campaign?

MEEKS: No, I did not use-I didn't use no images of 9/11 in my campaign, no, I did not, nor has anyone.

(CROSSTALK)

DREIER: Greg, I will tell you, there are people all across this country who don't daily look at that spot, as you do, and don't focus on New York City or here in Washington or Pennsylvania.

I represent Los Angeles, California. And it's true those planes were headed to California. But I know that there are many people who, over the last 2 ½ years, have not completely forgotten the day. But they don't have the vivid memory that frankly this message sends about, as I said, the defining moment of President Bush's term.

MEEKS: I don't live in Oklahoma City. That impression is still in my mind, what took place in Oklahoma City.

DREIER: Well, of course it is. You and I are leaders...

MEEKS: That's why we need change here, because you're trying to divide this country. That is an issue-what took place on 9/11 should be something that brings this country together.

(CROSSTALK)

DREIER: And that's exactly what it did. And that's exactly what the president is pointing out here.

(CROSSTALK)

MEEKS: To use it in a partisan commercial, as this is-this is a point commercial. That's what it is. That's what he's using it for.

(CROSSTALK)

DREIER: And you know what? You're right. It's a partisan commercial which focuses on the issue.

MEEKS: But 9/11 -- when 9/11 struck, David, it wasn't against Democrats. It wasn't against Republicans. It was against America.

(CROSSTALK)

MEEKS: ... shouldn't be used like this.

(CROSSTALK)

MEEKS: It just shouldn't be used like this. That's why we need change.

(CROSSTALK)

MEEKS: We've got to change the direction we're going.

DREIER: If I may, the partisan commercial is for George Bush's reelection.

It's focused on what I believe is the single-most important issue in this campaign, and that is leadership. George Bush has demonstrated that he is a strong and bold leader. And I believe it's important to underscore his leadership skills, and that's exactly what this commercial has done. We're going to see very positive ads about job creation, health care, Medicare and the accomplishments of this administration.

But the defining moment was the leadership that he provided following September 11. And I think that that is a very important political message to send out to remind the American people of.

SCARBOROUGH: All right, thank you so much, Congressman Dreier and Congressman Meeks. We appreciate you joining us in SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY.

And, of course, tomorrow night, our exclusive interview with former weapons inspector David Kay. He's going to come here and tell us if the president of the United States should apologize.

Have a good night.