Ed Rendell, Haley Barbour on the GOP Convention 2000

Haley Barbour was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee on January 29, 1993. Under his chairmanship, the Republicans achieved the most successful mid-term election of the 20^th century. Barbour is currently a lobbyist for the tobacco industry.

Former mayor of Philadelphia Edward G. Rendell was elected the general chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1999. Clinton personally recruited Rendell in September 1999 to lead the Democratic Party's fund-raising efforts for the election year.

Chat Moderator: Thanks for joining us.

Ed Rendell: Good evening, everyone. I’m looking forward to this, although it’s a somewhat brief chat.

Chat Moderator: What do you think of Bush’s pick of Cheney for vice president, and do you think that will impact Gore’s choice for vice president?

Ed Rendell: I think Dick Cheney is a decent, honorable man who has served this country well in a number of positions. However, he is an extreme conservative who is out of step with the mainstream of not only the American people, but even the mainstream of the Republican party.

For example, during his career in Congress, he was one of 10 congressmen to vote against the Head Start program. He was one of nine congressmen to vote against money for childhood immunization programs. He was one of 20 congressmen to vote against banning armor-piercing bullets that can rip through a policeman's bulletproof vest and kill him. He was one of only four congressmen to vote against prohibiting plastic guns that can evade metal detectors and be taken on airplanes.

As for affecting Vice President Gore's choice, I believe Cheney's selection won't have an effect on Gore's decision making.

Chat Moderator: What do you think of Bush's pick of Cheney for vice president, and do you think that will impact Gore's choice for vice president?

In-Depth Coverage of the Republican National Convention

Haley Barbour: No, I don't think it will affect Gore's choice. Bush picked Cheney because he will be a great partner in governing. There are no electoral votes involved. Cheney's not a super campaigner, but no one could have a better partner in governing. Bush put policy above politics; he put substance above spin.

I think Gore will make a purely political choice, where Bush's choice was overwhelmingly about picking a vice president for a strong administration, instead of somebody for campaign purposes.

Question from Flrdli: Mr. Rendell, don't you think it would be great for Gore to take a bold stand and choose a woman?

Ed Rendell: I think the time is right for a woman candidate for vice president. But Al Gore has got to find someone who'd make an excellent president and not just pick a candidate such as a woman, or a southerner, or a senator, or a governor.

That does not mean that he will not select a woman. There are a number of women in the Democratic party who would make great presidents and great vice presidential candidates, such as Gov. Shaheen of New Hampshire, Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend of Maryland, Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California and Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi of California, to name just a few.

Question from Deacon: Haley, the Republican platform on abortion calls for banning abortion -- no exceptions in the case of rape, incest or the life of the mother. How will Bush address this issue?

Haley Barbour: Of course, Bush has already addressed the issue and said that he thinks abortion should be legal in cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother. The difference between Bush and Gore could not be plainer. Gore is not pro-choice; he is pro-abortion.

Vice President Gore is for abortion on demand -- for any reason or no reason -- at any time in pregnancy, right up to the ninth month, with no restrictions or limitations whatsoever and paid for by the taxpayers, if necessary. He is not pro-choice; he is pro-abortion. There is no abortion that Albert Gore does not think should be legal.

Ed Rendell: That simply is incorrect. The vice president has said often -- as recently as 10 days ago on "Meet the Press" -- that he agrees with the standard in the case of Roe v. Wade, and the definition of viability as it affects when abortions can or cannot be undertaken.

Question from Lowryder: Mr. Barbour, Mr. Rendell, why do the Democrats and GOP spend so much time tearing one another apart and so little time addressing real issues?

Ed Rendell: I think that's because of the format of most of these talk shows. The questions almost beg a negative response. If the questioner watched the show a few minutes ago, all the questions were hostile and aggressive. None of the questions were: What do Governor Bush or Vice President Gore believe is the best solution for getting prescription drugs to senior citizens who can't afford them?

I would like to see our election system revamped so that a poll is taken on Labor Day weekend, asking Americans what are the six most important issues affecting them. And then, in the last six weeks of the campaign, we have a 90-minute debate between the two candidates on one issue every week for six weeks.

Vice President Gore has said he would be willing to do that right now, but Gov. Bush has declined such invitations, including CNN’s invitation to do a foreign policy debate and a philanthropist's invitation to do a debate solely on education.

Haley Barbour: The questioner is correct that the public is sick and tired of attack-dog, scorched earth, slash-and-burn politics. And in this campaign, I believe the campaign that practices ruthlessly negative scorched earth, slash-and-burn politics will pay a price for it at the polls. As I did say on the show, I'm crazy about Ed Rendell.

Ed Rendell: You're a pretty good guy, too.

Question from Bobby: Mr. Rendell, if asked, would you accept the vice presidential nomination?

Ed Rendell: Well, you know, it's an interesting question. Although I feel I could add something to the ticket -- and there are parts of the job I could do -- I don't think I have the breadth of experience in all the things a vice president or potential president must deal with to be truly qualified for the job. So I'd try to talk Al Gore out of it but, if he insisted, I might say yes.

Question from Chbdjb: Mr. Barbour, do you think the vast majority of Americans are looking for honesty, integrity and morality in their leaders?

Haley Barbour: There's no question about that. I think that's more the case right now than it's been in a long time. The American people deserve better, and they expect to get better. I think they're going to be looking for that.

Ed Rendell: I agree with what Haley said, but I believe the American people apply different definitions to those terms than he would suspect. For example, I think the question of morality can be applied to a candidate who would give a tax cut where 40 percent of the benefits go to the richest one percent of Americans, while at the same time not supporting an increase in the minimum wage for 10 million Americans. Those are also questions of morality.

Haley Barbour: In deference to my friend, I think most Americans are taken aback when politicians say those who are for this policy on taxes, that policy on economics, are immoral because they have a different view.

Ed Rendell: I stand by my statement that it's immoral to give an incredible tax cut to the rich and not give a minimum wage increase to the poor.

Question from Patriot: Mr. Rendell, has Cheney made Bush's stance on guns even farther to the right on guns?

Ed Rendell: No question that that's correct. You know, Gov. Bush and his supporters love to refer to him as compassionate, but you can't just say it enough times so it becomes true.

We have to judge compassion by a person's actions. I don't think it's very compassionate to select someone for vice president who is against banning ammunition that can kill policemen, who is against increasing spending for immunization programs to prevent children from dying at a young age.

Ed Rendell: Haley is completely wrong in that answer. He tries to give the Republican Congress credit for balancing the budget. But let's remember, not one -- I repeat, not one -- Republican congressman or senator voted for the Clinton-Gore '93 budget, which everyone agrees began America down the road to eating away at the deficit, balancing the budget, producing surpluses and paying down the national debt.

The credit belongs to the Clinton-Gore administration, not to this do-nothing Republican Congress. If the convention is going to be about the Republican Congress's accomplishments, it will indeed be a very short one.

Chat Moderator: Do you have any final thoughts to share with us this evening?

Ed Rendell: I'd like to go back to the chat room questioner's remarks about the negativity, because it is of deep concern to me. Frankly, I didn't enjoy the TV show with Mr. Barbour, even though he's a friend of mine and someone I like very much.

Chat Moderator: Barbour was called away before he could give final thoughts. Thank you both for joining us.

Ed Rendell: Thanks to CNN for the opportunity to take part in this online chat. It's a lot better than four people yelling at each other on TV.

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Biographical Profile of Haley Barbour
Mayor Edward G. Rendel

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