Decision 2004: The 2004 Presidential Debates - Transcript

CBS News Transcripts

SHOW: Decision 2004: The 2004 Presidential Debates 9:00 AM EST CBS

September 30, 2004 Thursday

HEADLINE: Different views and opinions on tonight's presidential debate

ANCHORS: DAN RATHER

REPORTERS: BOB SCHIEFFER, ANTHONY MASON, JOHN ROBERTS, BYRON PITTS

RATHER: Joining us now is the senior United States senator from the state of Delaware, Joseph Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a foreign policy adviser to the Kerry campaign. Senator Biden is in Denver, where he watched the Bush-Kerry joint appearance on television.

Senator, thanks for being with us.

Senator JOSEPH BIDEN (Democrat, Delaware): Happy to be here, Dan.

RATHER: In brief, Senator Kerry's best moment, strongest point, particularly keeping in mind that critical to him is getting Independent and swing voters going his way and most especially women.

Sen. BIDEN: Most critical point is telling how the world is un-less safe because of the vacillation of the president and his policy on Korea, the president's vacillation in not being able to choose between Rumsfeld and Powell in terms of how to deal with Iran and, quite frankly, he appeared uncertain and somewhat nervous. For example, he talked about China would pull out of the talks. China has asked the president to have bilateral talks. China has asked the president to have bilateral talks. So I think he got himself a little-I think Kerry was very strong in letting people know how strong he was.

RATHER: And at what moment do you think President Bush delivered his strongest points?

Sen. BIDEN: I think the thing that came through-and I agree with John McCain-is I think it is-has been painful for the president. I think he does bleed internally for those losses of life and-anywhere in the world, Afghanistan and Iraq. And I thought he was classy in the way in which he responded about the character question, so I was proud of President Bush on both those points.

RATHER: Would you argue that at this point in the campaign, certainly on a national basis, President Bush leads John Kerry?

Sen. BIDEN: I would argue that. I think it's a flat tossup within the margin of error nationally and I think John Kerry broke through in a fundamental way tonight. There's no question in my mind, based on the polling data, that on the domestic issues there is an overwhelming advantage that Kerry has. And tonight John Kerry showed his mastery of the world. He showed his resolve. He showed the differences and I think that this will be marked as the breakthrough, the moment when John Kerry turned this campaign around and enabled himself to become president.

RATHER: And did you see or hear President Bush make anything close to what you would consider to be a major mistake tonight?

Sen. BIDEN: Well, yeah. I think President Bush's consistent refrain about the flipping and flopping and not responding to the fact that he, in fact, has had-he's been an uncertain trumpet with regard to Korea, with regard to Iran, with regard to Iraq, his failure to be able to answer the question of why did you not plan, his acknowledgement in effect that he-his failure to acknowledge what he meant when he said 'miscalculations.' The miscalculations are obvious and I think he would have served himself better if he acknowledged them, to let people know he's ready to move on from those mistakes to make them better. I think that was his biggest mistake.

RATHER: Senator Biden, there was a general consensus, I think, before this debate that Senator Kerry needed something of a breakthrough-if not a home run ball, something very, very strong. Would you argue if someone said pretty much a draw, pretty much even tonight?

Sen. BIDEN: I don't think that's even close. I think the polling data will show that tomorrow. And by the way, I think, just as if John had done poorly, you'd have a lot of sad Democrats here in Denver and they'd say he won, but in their heart they'd feel sad. They're not sad at all tonight. But I predict to you that there are an awful lot of Republican Bush supporters who aren't feeling real good right now.

RATHER: Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, thanks for being with us.

Sen. BIDEN: Thank you.