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Morning News

Prof. Steinhorn: Bush and Gore 'Not Thinking Ahead to What Their Presidency Might Be'

Aired November 10, 2000 - 11:27 a.m. ET

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

FRANK SESNO, CNN ANCHOR: So we have an unofficial set of results from the Florida recount. Where does that put the country? Where do we go from here? Joining me now to discuss that us political analyst Leonard Steinhorn -- Lenny Steinhorn, as he prefers to be called -- professor with American University.

And we should tell our viewers that we have been tracking you and one of your classes on political communication throughout the entire time.

I want to start by asking you somewhat surprisingly, what young people are saying, what your students and others are saying as they're watching this process. They thought it was going to be an academic exercise, it was supposed to end on Tuesday, it didn't?

LEONARD STEINHORN, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: Well, I think they are feeling exactly what the rest of the country is feeling, a bit of discontent, they are feeling deflated, they want closure, but they don't want an election being decided by wrong voting, irregularities, or anything like that.

SESNO: You are in the school of communication at American University. What is being communicated by the Bush camp and the Gore camps, in the way they are handling this extraordinary period of time?

STEINHORN: I think the mistake they are making is they are not thinking ahead to what their presidency might be. I think the Bush camp is communicating a message that we are entitled to this victory. There is a lack of humility. They are not in awe of what's going on historically. And I think they have to show.

It seems that Bush is going to be the president-elect. If you sort of read the tea leaves on how it's going to look. They should be talking about uniting this country, they should be talking about putting together some sort of national unity government with three or four Democrat in their cabinet; they should be talking about the bipartisan message that he gave during his campaign.

SESNO: I was talking earlier with a former member of the Federal Election Committee. He said every time there is a recount, every day it goes on, every hour it stretches on, it gets more acrimonious and more bitter. Isn't that about what we are seeing here? STEINHORN: Yeah, we are, we are seeing sort of a political civil war, and we can't afford that. We have issues to deal with, we have other countries around the world are looking at us and wonder what is going on. I mean, imagine the lense that Saddam Hussein is looking at -- through this.

We have to be able to present a more united front. These two candidates have to be able to say: We will live with the result and move ahead.

SESNO: Let me be contrarian for just a minute. Aren't we also hearing from these candidates that we need to, of course, observe the Constitution, the will of the people? There is a president, his name is Bill Clinton, as we all know, he is in the White House, there is remarkable stability in this country?

STEINHORN: Sure, there is stability up until January 20th. But what happens if there is a contested election at that point? Then we go through a constitutional crisis. But the bottom line is, we can't afford to have a president in the White House who is perceived by half the country as illegitimate. They have to take action and action right now.

SESNO: You used to be a speechwriter before you were a professor. If you were writing the speech, I mean, we are going to be seeing George W. Bush later today. What should he say?

STEINHORN: I think he has to express humility at the process, he has to express an understanding of what the people are going through in Florida. He said throughout his campaign that he trusts the people. Well, he has to show that he truly does trust the people and let this process move through. But he also has to say that we have to look ahead, that I'm going to reach out, that I am include Democrats in my election, that I've read the results, and I know what this country wants.

SESNO: If you were writing a speech for Al Gore, if he were going to say same something today?

STEINHORN: Well, I would almost say a similar thing, that he has to talk about national unity as well. But Al Gore's problem is more difficult because it appears that, whether it is true or not, that he is hiding behind lawyers, in terms of getting this thing won. But he has to make the case that I respect the people, we have one person, one vote, we have to do that because it's the foundation of our democracy. If we don't follow through with that, then we are going to be the poorer for it.

SESNO: Professor Lenny Steinhorn, thanks very much.

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