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Morning News

Election 2000: Linda Kleindienst from 'Florida Sun-Sentinel' Discusses Legislative Special Session for Electors

Aired December 8, 2000 - 9:09 a.m. ET

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

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Let's talk more about that special session now.

Linda Kleindienst with us, with us now, from the Sun-Sentinel newspaper, here in Florida.

Good morning, again, to you.

LINDA KLEINDIENST, "SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL": Good morning.

HEMMER: We're talking on a daily basis right now.

KLEINDIENST: We are.

HEMMER: Give us your sense right now. As Mike was talking about, 1868 is about as far back as you'd have to go to find this point in Florida history. What is the sense today on capitol grounds?

KLEINDIENST: They, the legislators, understand how important this is. They understand the historical significance. Obviously, the Republican majority is more excited about this session than the Democrats. But even though the Democrats being in such a minority, they're saying they feel like a piece of sand on the beach, kind of moving along here: They can't quite get out of here, they're being tugged along.

HEMMER: A little defenseless, maybe?

KLEINDIENST: Yes, they know that they're going to get rolled over when it comes up for a vote, next week sometime.

HEMMER: All right, what should we watch today, because the greater majority of our viewers have never seen the state legislature in Florida in action? What do we look out for?

KLEINDIENST: And there probably won't be too much to see except the opening of the session, when I believe that the House speaker and the Senate president will probably give some sort of a statement, give a sense of where they want to go the next few days.

HEMMER: All right, now, from the Republican perspective right now, when they get up and talk, what should we look for from them, based on this timetable that Mike just laid out: Tuesday, vote in the house -- Wednesday, vote in the Senate?

KLEINDIENST: You'll see the House speaker, who is very closely aligned with the Bush family, especially Florida Governor Jeb Bush...

HEMMER: Tom Feeney?

KLEINDIENST: Tom Feeney -- he will want to move ahead quickly. Senate president John McKay is sort of a little but of a reluctant partner in this, but he doe want to go ahead with this, but only wait until Wednesday, see if there's still court actions going on at that time.

HEMMER: You've mentioned the word reluctant. Over the past two weeks, we know that that relationship kind of works in two different directions. The morning newspaper today described them as the odd couple, one Felix, one Oscar. Are they able to overcome that or to bridge that or is that still a bit of a divider between the two?

KLEINDIENST: No, I think they'll be able to bridge it. I think that Tom Feeney understands that the Senate is more of a collegial body -- the Democrats and Republicans try to work more closely over in the Senate. So he knows that Senate President John Mckay has a little bit tougher time over there.

HEMMER: The civics lesson continues, does it not?

KLEINDIENST: Right, sure does.

HEMMER: Ever think it would come to this? You've followed this thing for better than 20 years going...

KLEINDIENST: I never thought this would happen, never, ever.

HEMMER: All right, Linda Kleindienst, come on back, OK, and help give us an education to take us through it, all right?

KLEINDIENST: OK, thanks.

HEMMER: Much appreciate it.

That's what we're watching today, Daryn. There's a lot to watch. Back shortly with more on what's happening, not only in the special session, but all the circuit court, as, indeed, those clerks come to the microphone and give us direction for what's happening on Seminole and Martin counties. But for now, back to you, in Atlanta.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are keeping and eye on it.

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