Discusses the Upcoming NH Primary and His Qualifications for President (Interview)

SHOW: FACE THE NATION (10:30 AM ET)
HEADLINE: GOVERNOR GEORGE W. BUSH, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, DISCUSSES THE UPCOMING NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY AND HIS QUALIFICATIONS FOR PRESIDENT
ANCHORS: BOB SCHIEFFER

BODY:
BOB SCHIEFFER, host: And we welcome this morning the governor of Texas, George Bush.

Governor, before we begin, let me just take a moment to say what I assume many people know. It is a matter of public record, but in the interest of full disclosure, I want to say that for 10 years, my brother Tom and George Bush were partners in the Texas Rangers baseball club. My brother was president of the business in 1996, two years after Mr. Bush left the management of the team to serve as governor. My brother sold me one quarter of 1 percent interest in the team from his holdings. All of this ended in 1998 when the team was sold. That out of the way...

Governor GEORGE W. BUSH (Republican Presidential Candidate): Well, no wonder we won the American League West finally after you bought your interest.

SCHIEFFER: There you go. Governor, we got to get serious right away here.

Gov. BUSH: Sure.

SCHIEFFER: John McCain says that he's ready to be president. He says he won't need any on-the-job-training, suggesting that you probably will. I think he said he's ready for prime time. What's your response?

Gov. BUSH: Well, we have a disagreement over who ought to be the Republican nominee. He thinks he ought to be and I think I ought to be. I'm—I'm the one person in this race who's been elected to an executive position. I've—I've been in the position of setting agendas, of making decisions, of putting an administration together and bringing Republicans and Democrats together to achieve what's been right for my state.

Let me also say to you that a lot of United States senators are asking the same question. Republican senators saying, 'Which one of the two, Senator McCain or Governor Bush, should—should we endorse? Who should we help, based upon their leadership skills?' And, by far, the overwhelming majority of United States senators, who are Republicans, are supporting me. And for that I'm grateful.

SCHIEFFER: Well, your dad used to say he was the foreign policy president. That was his expertise. What would you say is your area of expertise?

Gov. BUSH: Uniting people and setting an agenda that's hopeful and optimistic, bringing people together to achieve that agenda. Coming into Washington, DC, and saying it is important to have an administration with a different attitude. We got to reject zero-sum politics pitting group—one—one group of people against another and elevating the debate so that—should I be the nominee, I'm gonna say, 'Give me a chance to bring people together to solve Medicare or Social Security. Give me a chance to cut the taxes or give me a chance to strengthen the military.' I think—I think America'll find that I've got the capacity to do that.

SCHIEFFER: Gloria.

GLORIA BORGER (CBS News): I wa—I want to go back to John McCain for a moment. He has said that he can beat Al Gore like a drum. You have always said you're the most electable candidate. Yet the polls show that when you're pitted against Al Gore now—you used to be way ahead of him and now it's neck and neck. Does that mean that the more people see you, Governor, the less they like you?

Gov. BUSH: You know, I'm—you know, I'm finding out in New Hampshire more people see me, the more they like me.

BORGER: What about on a national level? Tha—you know, that's been your argument all along.

Gov. BUSH: Well, but—there's gonna be plenty of time for the national campaign.

BORGER: He also...

Gov. BUSH: This is...

BORGER: Go ahead.

Gov. BUSH: This is primary politics. The Republican Party is now deciding who can unite us and who can lead us to victory. It's the Republicans who are coming together here in New Hampshire who are beginning to make the—the—who are making the decision as to who ought to be our nominee. We'll worry about the general election when the general election comes. And I'm not—I don't want anybody in this state to think I'm taking anything for granted because I'm not.

BORGER: Well, McCain also says that you are the product of the Republican establishment, that the people surrounding you and your campaign are the ones who have kind of blown it for the Republican Party in nin—in 1996, and that—and that, essentially, you know, you are somebody who—whose campaign is being run by people who have lost in the past.

Gov. BUSH: My ZIP code 78701, that's Austin, Texas. It's not Washington, DC. If you were to call me on the telephone, it'd be area code 512, not 202. I come from Texas. I've got a record as a governor. I've been setting agendas. I'm running my campaign in Austin, Texas. And the—and the reason I bring that up is I—I—I'm not of the Washington scene. I'm not a committee chairman. I'm not a com—chairman of a powerful committee like the Commerce Committee. And so people can say what they want to say, but the people of this party understand that I bring a fresh approach to politics. I come from outside Washington, DC. But I—I—I—if you—what you're asking is do I accept the support of over 40 United States senators who know both me and John, you bet I do. And I'm proud, including right here in this state, Senator Judd Gregg.

SCHIEFFER: Well, that leads me to another question. You—you have, in the course of this campaign, drawn distinctions between congressional Republicans. For one thing, you think it's OK...

Gov. BUSH: I did.

SCHIEFFER: ...to sue HMOs as part of a—a health-care plan. You said at one time that you didn't like the fact that Republicans were trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor, talking about the earned in—income tax credit.

Gov. BUSH: Right.

SCHIEFFER: What other differences do you draw between where you stand on issues and where congressional Republicans stand?

Gov. BUSH: Well, let me—let me make—clarify the suing HMOs, Bob. I think it's important that people—people understand there is a caveat to that and it's a smart caveat. It says—it says if you've got a problem with your HMO and you're a consumer, you should be able to take your case to an independent review organization first, an arbitration panel, to be able to resolve disputes. And if the HMO ignores the findings of the IRO, then that becomes a cause of action. The reason I say that is I believe there ought to be accountability in HMOs but I worry about, you know, the plaintiffs' bar driving the cost of health up. There's going to be areas where the US congressional deleg—the Republicans and I disagree and definitely where the Democrats and I disagree. And I'll just blow the whistle on them. But—but—but...

SCHIEFFER: Well—I mean, can you right now draw any other distinctions?

Gov. BUSH: Well, we'll see what happens on the tax cuts. I mean, I believe there ought to be a $ 483 billion tax cut. There is one United States senator who believes, like the current administration, that we ought to have something significantly less than that. One member of the delegation, and that's my worthwhile opponent John McCain, believes we ought to leave money in Washington. I don't. And so I'm gon—I'm certain over the course of the—of an administration, there'll be differences of opinion.

And it'll be a test of my leadership to remind people that—to remind the folks that have been elected that the people have spoken. The people have made up their mind about what ought to happen in—in—in the—in—in my first term as president.

SCHIEFFER: One of your opponents in these primaries, Gary Bauer, says that abortion is the premiere moral issue of our time. Do you believe that?

SCHIEFFER: I think abortion's an important issue but it's not the only issue. I think it is im—important to have a president explain the value of life. But it's certainly not the only issue on the American agenda. Peace is an issue. Military preparedness is an issue. Prosperity is an issue. But I remind people when it comes to prosperity, there has to be a higher purpose to our prosperity. I worry about people being left behind. I worry about a—a climate where people say the American Dream is not meant for me. And I intend to do something about that, particularly when it comes to educating our children.

SCHIEFFER: Let me just go back to one follow-up on abortion. Senator McCain said today that if Roe sh—Roe v. Wade should be overturned, and people get illegal abortions, he said he would not push prosecuting women who—who got abortions, but he suggested that he would push prosecuting doctors who perform them. So what's your...

Gov. BUSH: Yeah, I think that's a—I think that's a realistic position that the senator took. I feel the same way. But what the Republican Party must do is they must nominate somebody who has got the capacity to—to—to—to lead on the appreciation of life and find common ground and convince America, for example, that partial—partial-birth abortions ought to be abolished or parental notification laws are important, or adoption laws are incredibly important. That's what I've done in Texas. And that's what I intend to do as the president.

BORGER: But—but, Governor, what's the point of making it illegal if you're not going to prosecute?

Gov. BUSH: Gloria, look, th—th—let me—we—we can deal with hypotheticals all day long on this show. What the people in the Republican Party and America must know about me is that I'm going to set a tone that values life and respects life. Good people can disagree on this issue, and they do. I'm the kind of Republican who says I recognize that. That's not going to change my opinion or my view of the issue. But I do welcome people of other voices into the Republican Party. I know I'm a uniter not a divider. I'm confident I can help the country come up with common ground to reduce the number of abortions in society.

BORGER: Do you agree with John McCain that it's not going to happen anytime soon anyway?

Gov. BUSH: I agree with the people, the realists, who understand that there is a divergence of opinion. But that will not deter me from setting an agenda as the president that explains the value of life. And I'm going to do that. That's one of my jobs. People—we ought to have the goal that says children ought to be unborn and born—ought to be protected in law and welcomed in life.

BORGER: I have one more question about John McCain. If he does win the Republican Party nomination...

Gov. BUSH: I just refuse to accept that hypothetical.

BORGER: Yeah. I was going to say—well, OK, I know you wouldn't like it, but if he were to...

Gov. BUSH: I wouldn't...

BORGER: OK, if he were to—but wha—what would that say about the Republican Party, Governor?

Gov. BUSH: Let's—you're—you're—you're—you're asking something I don't believe is going to happen. I believe I'm going to be the nominee. I believe I'm going to win New Hampshire. I know I've got a lot of work to do but I refuse to accept the hypothetical you just laid out. John is a good man, but I believe when it's all said and done the people of this party are going to say, 'Governor Bush can unite us. He's got a record of leadership. He knows how to achieve a common—he knows how to bring people together.' And I've got an optimistic, positive point of view. And that's what the people of this party want.

SCHIEFFER: Do you think he's a Republican really?

Gov. BUSH: Oh, I do. Sure, I do. I do. I respect him. I view him as a friend. We just have a fundamental difference on a couple of key issues that I think points up, you know, a—a difference of opinion.

SCHIEFFER: So why do you keep comparing him to Clinton?

Gov. BUSH: No, he compared himself to Clinton in a key moment during the debate here in New Hampshire when he said, 'Clinton copied my tax plan.' That's exactly what he said. And so I said, 'I—I'—I said, 'You made my case.' Now I—I would never compare John McCain to Bill Clinton when it came to character. John McCain is a man of enormous character. And he was a friend of mine before this campaign. He'll be a friend of mine after this campaign. We differ on tax cuts. We differ on education. We have a different point of view.

SCHIEFFER: What did you think the other night of the plan that the president laid out, his new plan to sort of license people who—who buy guns? Do you think that would help?

Gov. BUSH: No, I don't. I think but—more importantly—first of all, I believe, you know, people who are law-abiding citizens ought to be able to protect their homes and their properties. And I—I think it's a reach. I just don't think it's going to happen. I don't think it'll make the place more safe. I think instant background checks would and I know enforcing laws would. I believe—I believe if we enforce the laws on the books, we'll send a clear signal to people who illegally carry guns, illegally use guns or illegally sell guns, there is going to be a consequence.

BORGER: Governor, during the State of the Union speech, the president also congratulated Gore about—Al Gore about four times.

Gov. BUSH: Sure. He's his campaign manager, sounds like. He's his general chairman of his campaign. That's why the president has taken time out of his busy schedule to criticize me, which I—I must say, Mr. President, I—I view as a huge compliment. I thank you for worrying about my candidacy and my campaign. Here we are in a Republican primary. I haven't even earned my party's nomination yet, and the president of the United States, more than one time, has taken time and—and—and said some things about old George W. Bush, governor of Texas.

BORGER: Does that hurt you, though? I mean...

Gov. BUSH: Per—per—personally?

BORGER: No. Does it hurt you in a—in a campaign, in a Republican primary? Sounds like...

Gov. BUSH: No, I think it helps me. And not only does it help me in the primary, I think it helps me in the general election. I think the president is basically saying, 'We're so concerned about George W. Bush, I'm going to take time out of my busy schedule to talk about him.' So the pre—I'm not surprised the president's trying to promote Al Gore. And if I were Bill Bradley, I wouldn't like it.

SCHIEFFER: All right. We're going to take a break right there. When we come back, some more questions for Governor George Bush of Texas in a minute.

(Announcements)

SCHIEFFER: We're back now with Governor George Bush of Texas. Governor Bush, this week it's New Hampshire. Coming up will be South Carolina. The controversial question down there continues to be should the Confederate flag fly atop the state Capitol? I know what you have said. You have said that's up to the people of South Carolina. But I want to ask you the very same question that I asked John McCain...

Gov. BUSH: Sure.

SCHIEFFER: ...on this broadcast two weeks ago.

Gov. BUSH: Sure.

SCHIEFFER: What does the Confederate flag mean to you?

Gov. BUSH: Well, first, it means different things to different people. I was raised in Midland, Texas. I was raised in the great state of Texas, where our—our—our state made the decision to join the Confederacy. It's—it's one of six flags that have flown over our state. It's a part of our history. Because, you know, we've got an emblem on our Capitol, I don't believe that means people in my state are racists. I don't believe that. I don't believe we think slavery is a good thing. In fact, slavery was an awful part of our American history. But for those of us raised in the state of Texas, it's just one of six different flags that has flown acro—on top of our—of—it's—it's a part of our history.

SCHIEFFER: Well, as a matter of fact, the NAACP now I'm told...

Gov. BUSH: Yes.

SCHIEFFER: ...is going to redouble its efforts to have the Confederate flag moved from some sort of plaque, which I understand is on the state sucr—Supreme Court building. There are the other five flags that have flown over Texas. What are you going to do about that?

Gov. BUSH: Well, I think—you know, I'll listen, but I'm going to remind people that our history is our history. It's our past. We've got—we've a monument to the men and women who died—or the men who died in the Confederacy on our—on our Capitol grounds. We've got seals around our Capitol. We've got next to the old ballpark a place called Six Flags Over Texas. It's a part of our history. But I want to remind people that my people in my state don't—don't accept slavery as a—as a—as a—as a glorious part of our past. As a matter of fact, we reject that type of thought in the state of Texas. We—we don't like racists and racism in my state.

Gov. BUSH: Do you worry in any way, that by not taking a stand on the South Carolina issue, that you will be writing off the black vote there?

Gov. BUSH: No, I don't. I'm taking a stand. I've taken a position. And my position is that the people of this state ought to—ought to decide what flag ought to fly over their capitol, just like—I—I wouldn't like it if somebody came into my state and said, 'Well, the Lone Star flag isn't something—is not acceptable.' We can figure out how to run our business in the state of Texas, and there's a fundamental issue here. We—it's like education. You know, there's people in the federal government, you listen to these—these folks running for president from the other side, they're saying, 'Elect me. We're going to build you more classrooms.' To me that's a fundamentally local issue. So there is an issue of whether or not states ought to be able to run their own business.

SCHIEFFER: Do you—can you think of a circumstance where a president would feel compelled to speak out on an issue, a moral issue, that he felt was a moral issue, even if it were a states rights issue?

Gov. BUSH: Bigotry and racism and prejudice, and I believe a president should do that.

BORGER: But that's what people in the NAACP believe that this is, in fact.

Gov. BUSH: Well, I just—I—I—as I—as I mentioned, good people can have different opinions on this—on the issue. That's what I just explained.

BORGER: Let—let me change the subject a minute to the ballot in New York. It's been a little controversial because John McCain has not been able to get on the ballot in every congressional district. We know what you say about this. You say that John McCain hasn't been playing by the rules and now he's playing catch-up ball. He has also said though, that all you have to do is pick up the phone and ask Governor Pataki of New York, to put him on the ballot. Would you do that?

Gov. BUSH: Listen. All of us knew what the rules were to get on the ballot. The state of New York, like other states, has made the determination that it's important to get petitions to get on the ballot. That was the party rules that they have designed. And evidently John has not been a—not been able to get on the ballot in enough congressional districts to satisfy him.

But I'm going to remind you of something and—and where I have a little trouble with his credibility is that in Arizona, there's a petition process. And I think if you look at the history of Arizona politics, he himself tried to prevent somebody from being on the ballot as a result of petitions. Now my position is is that I was presented with the—with the—with the—with the rules. And our campaign lived by them, and now all of a sudden he wants to change them. And that's up to the pr—the party of New York to make that determination if they want to change the rules after two candidates have conformed to them.

BORGER: So you're not going to make a phone call and help him out?

Gov. BUSH: No, of course not.

BORGER: But—but, you know, if—then if you—if you win in New...

Gov. BUSH: I won't make a call. Make a phone call and help him out? I mean, I am—I'm—I am—you know, I am making—I am—I am—I am—have worked hard to get our proper petitions. We've lived by the rules not only in New York but in other states that require petitions. It's just not New York. And, you know, the—the commonwealth of Virginia requires a petition campaign.

BORGER: So it's not...

Gov. BUSH: Should—should we—I mean, should we change the rules there? There are some candidates who weren't able to get on the ballot by petition in the commonwealth of Virginia. I mean, all of a sudden it—is this going to be a campaign where if some candidate doesn't—doesn't—un—unable to get a certain number of petitions, they get to call for a change in the rules? I don't think so.

SCHIEFFER: What—you know, some of the Democrats are worried that their campaign is getting a little nasty and it may hurt the electability of whoever gets the nomination, at this point Gore seems to be somewhat ahead. Have you picked up anything from them thus far that you'll be talking about in the general election?

Gov. BUSH: If I have, I'm not going to tell you because I am—I am, one, focused on the primaries. But you bet, there's been some interesting revelations. And—but there's going to be ample time to talk about the—the general. I tell you one thing, though, in our primary, I mean, we have differences and I know we're coming down to the wire here in New Hampshire and it's getting a little tense out there for some. But when it's all said and done, we're going to be able to unite our party. And that's really important because a divided Republican Party is going to make it awfully hard to beat, you know, if Al Gore's the nominee, the apparent incumbent. And after all, we just talked about the president making sure that his legacy remains in tact by working hard for Al Gore. I think we have a good chance. John and I are—are battling down to the wire here in New Hampshire, but I respect him and I've treated him—I—I think I've treated him with respect. He is a friend of mine. And I—I believe we're going to be able to unite our party.

BORGER: You...

SCHIEFFER: Let me talk a little bit about—or get you to talk a little bit about the—the—you have said that you will pick strict constructionists for—for the Supreme Court. You have had nice things to say about Clarence Thomas...

Gov. BUSH: I did.

SCHIEFFER: ...about Judge Scalia. You have not said whether David Souter would meet your criteria.

Gov. BUSH: Well, the reason why is because I understand wh—what—what—what the questioners, not necessarily in your case, but other questioners are trying to get me to do. They're trying to get me to second guess my dad. They're trying to draw a contrast between my dad and me on—on a variety of issues. And they—and whether it be this...

SCHIEFFER: Well, your dad nominated Clarence Thomas.

Gov. BUSH: I understand. But I—I am—I am not going to get into a debate with my father and it's—or voices who would represent my father. And so I have said that's—I'm—I'm going to pick strict constructionists. I have done so as the governor of Texas. I'm the one person in the race who's got a record of putting people on the Supreme Court.

BORGER: Would it make any difference to you if Ross Perot were to get in this race in the 11th hour?

Gov. BUSH: Would it make any difference to me?

BORGER: Yeah.

Gov. BUSH: Well, he tried to do so in my 1994 campaign. Ross endorsed Governor Ann Richards with about a week to go. And I—I don't know why he chose to do that. After all, he was generally battling against incumbency but he chose to endorse her. And the only thing I knew to say at the time was Ann Richards can have Ross on her side. I'll take Nolan Ryan on mine. And it seemed to have worked.

SCHIEFFER: All right. Governor, we have to leave it there. Thank you very much for joining us this morning...

Gov. BUSH: Thank you, Bob. It's great seeing you.

SCHIEFFER: ...and see you down the line.

Gov. BUSH: Yes, sir. Thanks. Gloria, thank you.

SCHIEFFER: We'll be back in a moment with a final word.