ad info

 
CNN.comTranscripts
 
Editions | myCNN | Video | Audio | Headline News Brief | Feedback  

 

  Search
 
 

 

TOP STORIES

Bush signs order opening 'faith-based' charity office for business

Rescues continue 4 days after devastating India earthquake

DaimlerChrysler employees join rapidly swelling ranks of laid-off U.S. workers

Disney's GO.com is a goner

(MORE)

MARKETS
4:30pm ET, 4/16
144.70
8257.60
3.71
1394.72
10.90
879.91
 


WORLD

U.S.

POLITICS

LAW

TECHNOLOGY

ENTERTAINMENT

 
TRAVEL

ARTS & STYLE



(MORE HEADLINES)
 
CNN Websites
Networks image


Sunday Morning News

Impressionist Jim Morris Makes Light of Bush

Aired February 25, 2001 - 9:37 a.m. ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: You might say impressionist Jim Morris has been president longer than anybody, and he's just beginning his latest term. Jim Morris and his cast of characters join us from Dallas this morning.

Hello, Jim.

JIM MORRIS, IMPRESSIONIST: Good morning, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, so Bush has completed his first month in office -- what do you think? How did he do?

MORRIS: Is that a milestone? I guess by the yardstick we use to measure our recent presidents -- yes, I guess he's done pretty well. You've got to hand it to his staff, they're always ready to schedule that impromptu press conference.

Let's see -- oh my gosh, there's a bombing in Iraq; OK, put him on. There's -- what -- Hugh Rodham, Tony Rodham? Great; that'll get the headlines. Let's try his first full address press conference.

I can see it now, his third press conference, the headlines will read "Giant comet crashes to earth, millions perish, atmosphere sustaining life in doubt" and then they'll throw him up there for another go at it.

(impersonating George W. Bush): And I think we -- we've been doing pretty good; but there's more to do and -- I think we've been doing a pretty good job, Kyra. Gonna push forth that tax cut -- plan the budget on Tuesday.

And I wonder who he's going to have sitting up there flanking his wife -- you know how they usually have an American hero here and there? He'd be wise to put up Jay Leno on one side and David Letterman on the other because he is getting an awful lot of flak in the late night comic monologue type thing.

(impersonating Bush): And feel free to jump in at any time, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, Mr. President, let me ask you a question: What kind of message were you trying to send out to Iraq?

MORRIS (impersonating Bush): Iraq? Now that's a continent that I was trying to talk about before. No, I know -- trying to send the message the American people don't appreciate that kind of aggression. And it's all about knowing where those targets are the next time -- intelligence gathering opportu -- I came into office with a severe lack of intelligence and we're trying to rectify that.

PHILLIPS: Mr. President, speaking of intelligence, what about this FBI agent that, you know, sort of, I guess, turned against us. What's your opinion about that?

MORRIS (impersonating Bush): Wasn't the first I heard of a spy ring; I had one in a cereal box when I was a kid. But we're going to try to do what we have to do.

I want to talk about the tax plan, tax cuts. And I'm gonna introduce you to someone right now who's -- who's in favor of my tax plan -- thinks that -- believes that this is good for all Americans. All Americans, not just the wealthy -- Barney.

(impersonating Barney): Well, thank you Mr. President, I think your tax plan is super-d-duper!

(impersonating Bush): Well thank you; thank you very much Barney, I think -- I think all Americans would agree that you -- we think you're super-d-duper, too.

But I think it was best put by one of our great philosophers, Rene Descartes, or maybe it was Neil Diamond when he said, I think therefore I am, I said to no one there.

PHILLIPS: Mr. President, what do you think about the Clinton's and all this, you know, pardon stuff?

MORRIS (impersonating Bush): Well, I think the press will ferret out the truth there, and I think it's important that -- you know, let me put it to you simply, because after all, that's the way things get explained to me. I sort of missed meeting with the governors. I was governor of the state of Texas and -- all meeting in Washington.

But we're talking about issues of Warren Peace. And I never knew the man -- Mr. Peace was a good man. Warren put forth some good ideas, and we're going to see what we can do about implementing them.

But I went down to Mexico, met with Mr. -- what was his name, there? -- Fox, Vicente Fox. And I told him that -- you know, just the two of us were talking, and neither one of us understood one word the other was saying. Not too good on my Spanish lately.

PHILLIPS: Mr. President, before we let you go, I just want you to respond to all the criticism about your grammar. You've been really getting some shots taken at you.

MORRIS (impersonating Bush): Well, I have been accused of being anti-semantic, but one thing I'm not is -- got a lot of friends of that persuasion -- light the Hanukkah Menudo every year, so don't say that. Oh my God, he doesn't want to leave... (impersonating Bill Clinton): I just want to say thank you. I just have to say, Kyra, anyone who looks as hot as you do at this hour in the morning is OK in my book. I think you are wonderful, and I think the American people know that I have been telling the truth about each and every item on that list that I have intended to tell the truth about.

PHILLIPS: Jim Morris, I'm going to pardon you right now. I'm going to part from you. Thanks for joining us this morning, we love it when you talk to yourself, it makes our morning.

MORRIS (impersonating Ronald Reagan): Well, God bless you and all you viewers out there around the globe.

PHILLIPS: We will see you again.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

 Search   


Back to the top